Author: Gomolemo Mothomogolo
As delegates engage in horse-trading, African National Congress(ANC) North West chairperson Nono Maloyi has said the province’s decision to back Cyril Ramaphosa as President is not cast in stone. “The majority of branches said President Cyril Ramaphosa, they said Stan Mathabatha as the chairperson, Paul Mashitle as the Deputy President, they said Fikile Mbalula as the secretary and Benjani Chauke as the Treasury,” said Maloyi. He added: “We said we would go to conferences with this list and negotiate with other provinces, to persuade them and allow them to persuade us”. Maloyi was speaking on the sideline of the ANC…
The start to the ANC’s 55th National Elective Conference in Nasrec was delayed for over six hours because of technical glitches which affected online registration. The conference was initially scheduled to kick off at 09:00 in the morning today. But following technical problems with the system some members struggled to get registration with some of the delegates’ pictures said not corresponding with their names. ANC chairperson, Gwede Mantsashe confirmed that delegates were “struggling” and he pushed the starting time to 14:00. “We should formally delay the starting of the conference and allow people time for lunch and start formally at…
Massmart workers affiliated to South African Catering and Allied Workers Union (SACCAWU) who on Thursday embarked on a day’s protest for wages will resume working today. The Union was demanding a 12% wage increase or R900 “whichever is greater”, a minimum wage of R8,000 per month, an increase in sales commissions to 20% and an increase in monthly working hours to 195 hours. The initial wage negotiations at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA) collapsed on Tuesday. There were no disruptions of operations on Thursday, however, when Newsnote visited the stores in Centurion Mall. Union’s Deputy President Mike…
Residents of Temba in Hammanskraal are complaining that they are being forced to pay high bills for undrinkable and foul-smelling water and their complaints to the municipal officials are falling on deaf ears. A 79-year-old resident said she received a rates and water statement saying she owed the municipality R43 000 for water and when she complained she was told the amount will be reduced. “I am still waiting for feedback from the municipality. The municipal bill says I owe the municipality R43 000 for this smelly water,” said the 79-year-old. Thomas Chauke said community members have to cough up…
President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the recruitment and training of almost 10 000 men and women into the South African Police Services. Ramaphosa said this while giving a keynote address at the Tshwane Police academy today where 2 939 police officers successfully completed their training. The SAPS said a total of 9 248 constables have been trained and are ready to serve South Africa. Ramaphosa congratulated the police on their passing out parade in all parts of South Africa and reminded them that what they have signed up for was not a job, but a calling that demands commitment beyond…
Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Elias Mawela says law enforcement authorities are taking the scourge of taxi violence in the Metropolitan Municipality “seriously” amid safety concerns for commuters this Festive Season. Commuters are expected to make their way to different holiday destinations and the taxi industry is the most utilised mode of public transport with more than 60% of commuters using it as their preferred mode of transport in South Africa. According to the National Household Travel Survey in South Africa, there has been a general increase in households that use public transport from 9,8 million to 11,4 million per…
Sekampaneng, Hammanskraal residents are demanding that the local municipality fix the storm water drainage system in the area that results in flooding in their area when it rains. However, the local councilor Alfred Boas Matjeke has washed his hands of the matter saying budget cuts and a lack of resources make it impossible for him to intervene and help the residents. Matjeke said the February/March budget was cut by almost 20% adding that the worst affected was his Ward 8. “If you can check the 21/22 budget, there is nothing, it is zero zero. But flooding is supposed to be…
A survivor of the Jukskei River baptism told of a tragic, but heroic final act by one of the woman victims, who managed to ‘save my younger sister’ from the heavy currents before being dragged under by the raging current and disappearing. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the 20-year-old man said a pastor had advised his mother to take him and his younger sister to the river for ‘cleansing’ but first they went to the mountain to pray before going to the water for the baptism. “We got into the water when it started to rain, we went out, and…
The repeat offender and convicted rapist, Amos Khumalo was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and eight years for attempted rape of two minors at a Pretoria Hotel in 2020. The 47-year-old was initially charged with two counts of rape and kidnapping. The court has convicted him of rape of the 13-year-old and attempted rape of the 11-year-old. It emerged in court during the judgment that Khumalo raped the first victim and then moved on to second victim but couldn’t penetrate her. The Magistrate said Khumalo showed no remorse for the crimes committed. “His guilty plea was motivated by the fact the…
The mother of an 11-year-old girl who was raped at a Pretoria Hotel wants convicted rapist, Amos Khumalo to get a life sentence for the crime. The Pretoria Magistrate court is expected to hand down judgment on Tuesday on the case against the repeat offender and convicted rapist, Khumalo, initially charged with two counts of rape and kidnapping. Khumalo lured two minors aged aged 11 and 13 from Lotus Garden to a Pretoria Hotel where it is alleged he raped them in November 2020. However, he was convicted of the rape of one child only. “I want the court to…