Author: Kgaogelo Magolego
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, who also serves as co-convener of the ANC’s provincial interim leadership, has issued a stark warning to party members embroiled in factional battles, cautioning that the African National Congress could collapse if internal fighting over leadership positions continues. Lesufi was delivering the opening address at the long-delayed ANC Tshwane regional conference, which eventually got underway in Centurion after several postponements caused by disputes and legal challenges. The conference was postponed four times following disagreements over branch general meetings, which culminated in internal disputes and a court challenge. Supporters of City of Tshwane MMC for Utility Services…
The ANC’s elective conference in Tshwane got off to a slow start on Friday, with delegate registration delayed amid reports of a renewed court challenge. This follows an urgent application brought on Thursday by a disgruntled faction in the Pretoria High Court seeking to interdict the conference. The court dismissed the application. Outgoing regional secretary George Matjila downplayed the legal challenge, noting that it had no impact on the conference’s progress. “We had two applicants, mainly from Ward 33 and Ward 20—Mawiga and Soshanguve respectively. The matter stemmed from rulings issued by the PDRCA, which directed that the branches be…
The City of Tshwane is set to pilot a program that will allow recyclable waste collectors to sell materials such as metals and bottles directly to the municipality, as part of efforts to clean up the Pretoria CBD. The initiative, announced by MMC for Environment Obakeng Ramabodu, comes alongside a crackdown on establishments contributing to litter and public filth. Ramabodu, together with Mayor Nasiphi Moya and MMC for Corporate and Shared Services Kholofelo Morobedi, visited Bloed Street, a hotspot for littering, to highlight the program. “People who collect recyclables often walk around without knowing where to take them. By providing…
In a chilling escalation of South Africa’s whistleblower crisis, former Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) officer and private security owner Marius “Vlam” van der Merwe—known as “Witness D” at the Madlanga Commission—was gunned down outside his Brakpan home on December 5, 2025, in full view of his wife and children. CCTV footage captured him confronting his attackers, drawing his weapon in self-defense before being fatally shot multiple times, possibly with an AK-47. Police have identified three persons of interest, with one in custody, and investigations by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) are ongoing.…
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has publicly challenged the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to discipline its high-profile member, AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, over his participation in what the government describes as an Israeli-funded campaign aimed at discrediting South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The controversy erupted after King Dalindyebo returned from a fully sponsored trip to Israel in late November 2025, during which he met senior Israeli officials and visited sites affected by the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack. Upon his return, the king featured in a slick social-media advertisement – widely…
Tears flowed outside the Gauteng High Court on Tuesday as hundreds of North West Transport Investment (NTI) employees demanded immediate payment of salaries unpaid throughout 2025. Established in 1973 as a parastatal wholly owned by the North West Provincial Government, NTI—through its subsidiary Northwest Star—has long been a cornerstone of public transport in the North West Province, serving commuters since the Bophuthatswana era. However, chronic mismanagement, financial irregularities and forensic probes dating back to 2013 have plagued the entity, leading to judicial management in 2007 and conversion to a state-owned company. By 2019, NTI faced R264 million in liabilities amid…
Suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi testified on Wednesday at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that former Democratic Alliance (DA) Mayor Tania Campbell was “very pleased” with VIP protection services provided by controversial tycoon Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s company ahead of her 2022 State of the City Address (SOCA). Mkhwanazi, facing allegations of corruption and unlawfully enabling Matlala’s private vehicles to operate as pseudo-police units with blue lights and sirens, claimed the partnership was transparent and known to top municipal officials, including Campbell and suspended EMPD Chief Jabulani Mapiyeye. “The Alderman [Mayor Tanya Campbell] was happy. She…
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu became the latest high-profile figure to come under pressure at the Madlanga Commission as he struggled to justify his role in the alleged political interference within South Africa’s criminal justice system. Mchunu has long insisted that his decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team was based on advice from senior SAPS leadership. But during his testimony on Thursday, Justice Mbuyiseni Madlanga challenged the minister’s explanation, exposing key contradictions. The commission found that the report authored by National Commissioner Fannie Masemola — which Mchunu claimed informed his decision — was actually received after the directive to…
Suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi has admitted under oath that he accepted money from controversial businessman and criminal accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala in exchange for favours. Appearing for a second day before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Thursday, Mkhwanazi crumbled after hours of intense cross-examination by Evidence Leader Advocate Mahlape Sello. Having spent the previous day evading questions and contradicting himself, he eventually conceded: “I received money from him for things like petrol and food. When I was suspended I had no income, and he assisted me. We were very close.” Mkhwanazi had begun…
The suspension of Advocate Kemi Behari, Head of Legal and Risk Services for the City of Ekurhuleni, marks another escalation in a widening corruption probe involving the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD). Announced on December 3, 2025, her precautionary suspension—with full pay—stems from allegations that she failed to initiate disciplinary proceedings against suspended EMPD Deputy Chief Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi, despite recommendations from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID). This follows a City Council resolution on November 18, 2025, empowering City Manager Kagiso Lerutla to act under senior manager disciplinary regulations. Behari was given an opportunity to submit representations, but the…