Author: Dimakatso Genkoe
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has dropped fraud and corruption charges against former Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa and co-accused, former EOH Executive Jehan McKay. The two appeared before the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on Friday morning. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had alleged that during the period from April 2015 to February 2016, when Kodwa was employed as the National Spokesperson of the African National Congress (ANC), he received direct payments and luxury accommodation worth over R1,6 million paid by and/or facilitated by Mackay. The NPA also alleged that this was in exchange for an IT…
The office of the Director of the Public Prosecutions (DPP), Sibongile Mzinyathi, has responded to a poignant memorandum advocating for justice and accountability for the victims of the Life Esidimeni tragedy. This memorandum, delivered by Section 27—an organisation that passionately represents the families affected—was accepted during a meeting at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) headquarters in Pretoria on Tuesday. In 2016, the tragic transfer of more than 1,700 psychiatric patients from Life Esidimeni to inadequate care facilities led to the deaths of over 141 individuals due to starvation and neglect, while many others went missing. Survivors have since disclosed harrowing…
A 34-year-old Ofentse Molemane was released on bail of R5000 by the Rustenburg Magistrates Court in the North West on Monday.Molemane surrendered to the police on Monday morning and was charged with 175 counts of fraud and theft.It is alleged that the suspect, who was employed as an administrative assistant by the Department of Education in Bojanala offices in Rustenburg, and also as the financial office of the School Governing Body SGB at Sunrise View Primary School, allegedly made transactions from the school’s bank coffers to his personal account one and also to his girlfriend’s account, who is a suspect…
As part of its CSI initiative, You Cares, You FM donated a Food Lover’s Market grocery voucher worth R15 000 to the SOS Children’s Village near Rustenburg. You FM staff members, popularly known as the Purple Gang, spent the day interacting with the children playing games, dancing and served them lunch. The SOS Children’s Village cares for 80 children aged between eight months and 21 years old. The children are divided into ten homes, which affords them the proper family structure, allowing them space to grow independently and integrate with others. They currently have three learners who are studying at…
The Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has revealed that the cause of death of the six children who died in Naledi in Soweto was organophosphate, a chemical substance usually used as a pesticide. Motsoaledi accompanied by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Small Business Development Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams and officials from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, briefed the media on Monday in Kempton Park following toxicologist investigations conducted after their deaths. According to Motsoaledi, authorities are still waiting to see if the organophosphate was also found at the spaza shops, after more than 80 health inspectors were sent to…
The North West Department of Education said it is pleased that no major incidents were reported across the province in the first week of the matric examinations. As 45 003 matriculants across 490 examination centers sat for their exams from Monday with English Home Language Paper 1. “The North West Department of Education is pleased to announce that the first week of the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations concluded successfully, with no major incidents reported across the province,” read a statement from the Department. The Department acknowledged the work of teachers’ examination officials and the stakeholders, whose coordination and…
Former Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane has joined the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) and appointed its provincial Convenor in Mpumalanga, two weeks after resigning from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). Mkhwebane follows the likes of former EFF Deputy President Floyd Shivhambu and Member of Parliament, Mzwanele Manyi. Mkhwebane’s new home was announced during the MK’s party media briefing in Sandton, where the party’s General Secretary Sfiso Maseko also revealed that former KwaZulu-Natal Premier Willies Mchunu had joined the party after resigning from the African National Congress and would be its Convenor in the province. Maseko described Mkhwebane as a seasoned…
The case of unlawful disposal of waste and committing an act that is likely to cause significant pollution against the JB Marks Local Municipality has been postponed to 30 January 2025 by the District Court of the North West sitting in Klerksdorp. The charges have been leveled against Municipal Manager Kgomotso Kumbe, as the National Prosecuting Authority argues that in September 2019 and April 2020 the municipality permitted the disposal of sewage waste near Samuel Avenue in Promosa, Potchefstroom. The NPA said the waste was dumped via a pipe trench on the environment and into the Poortjies Dam which severely…
The Auditor General Tsakani Maluleke says the North West provincial government is on a promising trajectory in relation to audit outcomes compared to the previous fiscal years.Maluleke revealed this during a meeting with Premier Lazarus Mokgosi on Tuesday in Klerksdorp at the Matlosana Local Municipality. In the 2023/24 fiscal year the nine provincial departments received unqualified audit outcomes with two receiving clean audits.Only one department received a qualified audit opinion with reduced qualification paragraphs.Mokgosi, who was accompanied by acting MEC for Provincial Treasury, Sussana Dantjie, Superintendent-General Ndlela Kunene and other senior government officials said these “outcomes signify a turning point…
The Automobile Association (AA) says motorists can expect to save more at the pumps in October as it predicts fuel prices adjustments this week.According to an AA, the current unaudited data from the Central Energy Fund indicates significant reductions to fuel prices across the board, making a possible fifth consecutive decrease this year.“ULP 95 petrol is expected to be lower by around R1.13 a litre while ULP93 is set for a drop of around R1.05 a litre. Diesel is expected to drop between R1.12 a litre and R1.10 a litre while illuminating paraffin will drop by around R1.08 a litre,”…