Author: Kgaogelo Magolego

Tensions remain high at Gold One Mine’s Modder East operations near Springs despite the end of this week’s underground sit-in which was later described as a “hostage” after it emerged that some of the workers were kept there against their will. At issue is a seemingly popular demand for the mine to recognise the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union as well as the halting of disciplinary action against several hundreds employees who took part in a previous underground sitting. Currently a little over 70 of them have been dismissed while a similar number is on suspension. Most of the…

There was a heavy police presence at Gold One Mine’s Modder East operations where some 446 mine workers came to surface after being holed up underground in what was initially reported to be a sit-in only for mine management, unions and the government to categorise it as a hostage situation after it emerged there were employees among the group who were held against their will and were being threatened as well as assaulted. The National Union of Mineworkers promptly distanced itself from the action with the Association of Mining Construction Workers Union doing the same on Sunday. AMCU said on…

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has dismissed criticism by opposition parties that his sudden acceleration of service delivery and mass job creation programme were meant to sway voter sentiment to aid a struggling African National Congress ahead of next year’s general elections. The EFF has led the charge in questioning the “siya transformer” programme and has vowed to reverse all appointments made under the “nasi spane initiative” should it win elections in Gauteng next year. “We are deploying you to ensure that those who want to register to vote are identified, are encouraged and are registered to vote for the party…

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has vowed to roll out interventions for the benefit of the province’s poor and unemployed. Among others, Lesufi says his administration will be giving free school uniforms to children from poor households as well as food parcels. The Premier made the commitment in Randburg on Saturday where he handed out over ten thousand appointment letters to new recruits who are beneficiaries of the provincial government’s Nasi spane mass employment programme. Lesufi used the opportunity to hit back at opposition parties who claimed the sudden job creation initiative was meant to help the ANC retain power during…

Staff and families gathered at the OR Tambo Memorial Hospital to remember the dozen healthcare workers who were killed in a truck explosion near the facility on Christmas Eve. 39 other people who were in the vicinity of the hospital also perished while a dozen or so sustained serious injuries. Gauteng health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko on Friday led proceedings at opening of a remembrance tombstone in honour of the twelve healthcare workers who were killed instantly during the explosion. Nkomo-Ralehoko paid tribute to the hospital’s surviving staff and emergency services personnel for the rescue of colleagues even when the situation…

More than 350 miners are holed up underground at Gold One Mine in Springs. The National Union of Mineworkers says the group went underground as part of yesterday’s night shift and never came to the surface. The union says it is unclear if the unfolding situation is sit-in or hostage.  Livhuwani Mambhuru, the spokesperson for NUM confirms that more than 350 mineworkers didn’t come to surface after going down for the night shift on Thursday. “The NUM can confirm that there’s a situation that is currently unfolding at Gold One that involves more than 350 mineworkers underground. So we don’t…

The Gauteng provincial government says it is accelerating provision of housing to millions of citizens and will be rapidly handing over RDP houses and serviced stands over the coming months. Human Settlements MEC Lebogang Maile on Thursday handed over two hundred such stands and some four hundred and thirty-four RDP houses at Wilbotsdal Extension 7 in the West Rand. Maile said the stands are meant to benefit strictly people who do not qualify for RDP houses as they’re working and are not financed by lending institutions as they earn too little. “It’s for the missing middle. All these beneficiaries are…

In Diepsloot, residents are again on the verge of protesting rising crime that they accuse law enforcement authorities of not dealing with. Residents from Randburg and surrounding areas flocked to the Randburg Magistrate’s Court to watch five of their fellow residents face murder charges, among others, for the weekend mob killings. “The people of Diepsloot are very much tired. As you know we’re a community that has been on the streets for the past three years pleading with the government to intervene to stop the high rate of crime. Over the past weeks people were being killed like animals day…

The government has vowed to spare no money effort in its commitment to bring home a handful of South Africans who remain trapped in the besieged Gaza Strip.  International Relations and Cooperation Director General Zane Dangor made the promise at the OR Tambo International Airport moments after welcoming a group of 19 patriots who had been stuck in the enclave amid indiscriminate bombardment by Israeli forces purportedly in pursuit of resistance movement Hamas.  “We are happy that you are home and aware that a few of your loved ones are ones remain in the remain there and we are are…

The group of South Africans who were evacuated from the Gaza Strip where they had been stuck since the beginning of Isreal’s siege on the enclave have given rather horrifying accounts of the situation there. Nineteen of them arrived in South Africa on Tuesday on board an Ethiopian Airlines plane and were received by emotional loved ones and officials from the Department of International Relations including Director General Zane Dengo. “Its a total ethnic cleansing that is going on there. Each time we found a hideout the Israeli aircrafts would start hovering above warning us the building is was about…