Author: Motlhaping Modise
The Department of Water and Sanitation has reassured farmers, water users and other stakeholders affected by upstream slope damage at Bloemhof Dam in the North West that there will be no disruption to water supplies or flooding downstream ahead of a major water release. The department has begun lowering the dam level to enable engineering teams to safely commence rehabilitation work. The leader of the engineering team overseeing the rehabilitation of the dam, Motebele Moshodi, told YOU FM Newshour that a coordinated plan was being implemented to ensure there was no interruption to water supplies. “At this current moment, there…
The Women in Need Organisation, an advocacy group, has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s new four-point plan to tackle gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF). During his address to the nation on Tuesday evening, Ramaphosa announced an urgent four-point national strategy aimed at confronting the country’s GBVF crisis. The strategy seeks to eliminate significant backlogs in the criminal justice system and fast-track government interventions. Dorothy Mabelebele, founder and chairperson of the Women in Need Organisation, told YOU FM Newshour that the President’s commitment was encouraging. “We welcome the commitment to prioritise investigations and bring those responsible for the recent horrific killings of…
In a decisive move to address concerns around operational inefficiencies and a lack of specialised capacity within the public service, the National School of Government (NSG) has officially launched two groundbreaking occupational qualifications aimed at professionalising the civil service from the ground up. The qualifications, comprising the Occupational Certificate: Public Service Administrator (NQF Level 5) and the Occupational Certificate: General Manager Public Service (NQF Level 6), are aimed at bridging the skills gap, improving service delivery, and shaping the future of public administration. Speaking on YOU FM Newshour, the school’s Acting Principal, Phindile Mkwanazi, emphasised that the two new occupational…
The South African Policing Union (SAPU) has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to move swiftly to reinstate suspended National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola after charges against him were officially withdrawn on Tuesday. The Pretoria Magistrates’ Court officially cleared Masemola of charges under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) that had led to his precautionary suspension earlier this year. The case was related to a controversial R360 million SAPS Medicare24 tender linked to businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) dropped the charges after concluding that there was insufficient evidence to justify a prosecution. Speaking on YOU FM…
Prisoners’ rights activist and founder of the South African Prisoners’ Organisation for Human Rights (SAPOHR), Golden Miles Bhudu, says he does not believe the Department of Correctional Services has what it takes to turn the tide against the grip of criminal gangs that have taken over operations in some of the country’s correctional facilities. Bhudu was reacting to Correctional Services National Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale’s claims that various gangs have infiltrated correctional facilities. Thobakgale testified before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in Pretoria on Thursday, where he detailed the activities of prison gangs and how they had allegedly captured correctional services…
South Africa’s largest labour federation, COSATU, has confirmed that its collapsed and adjourned 15th National Congress on Tuesday incurred an estimated cost of R12 million. The four-day elective congress, which was being held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, collapsed due to a lack of a constitutional quorum. This followed a deadlock over the precautionary suspension of COSATU’s first deputy president, Mike Shingange, by his own union, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU), just days before the congress. The federation’s Secretary-General, Solly Phetoe, said that the Central Executive Committee (CEC) would have to convene urgently to…
The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) has called for immediate, high-level security interventions in Kempton Park following the discovery of the body of an eighth woman in Clayville, near Tembisa. The deaths have drawn intense public attention following the disappearance of 38-year-old runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, who went missing while on a routine afternoon jog in the area. Her body was later discovered partially clothed in a secluded area behind a hotel in Rhodesfield, prompting rights groups and state institutions to call on local authorities to urgently address environmental vulnerabilities that could be exploited by criminals. Following the discovery, police…
The family of Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo says it has confidence in the police’s newly established multidisciplinary task team investigating the deaths of five women in the Kempton Park and Olifantsfontein areas over the past two months. Moselakgomo, a resident of Rhodesfield, went missing last Wednesday after leaving home for her usual evening run. Her body was discovered badly beaten on York Street on Saturday night. Days later, the body of a fifth woman was found in nearby Olifantsfontein on Monday morning. Police said Moselakgomo’s eight-year-old daughter contacted relatives after her mother failed to return home, prompting the family to report…
The Moses Kotane Local Municipality (MKLM) has scooped two prestigious awards at the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) North West Provincial Municipal Awards. The accolades recognise the municipality’s sustained improvements in financial management, good governance and public service delivery. MKLM was also recognised for its outstanding leadership in localising the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), demonstrating how global targets can be translated into meaningful local action. The municipality’s Mayor, Cllr Nketu Nkotswe, congratulated her administration and welcomed the role played by SALGA North West in creating a platform that recognises excellence and sustained improvement across local government. “We…
The number of independent schools in Gauteng has increased by 122 to 1,083 in the past five years, educating more than 379,000 pupils across the province. Speaking at a media briefing on Sunday, Gauteng MEC for Education Lebogang Maile stated that 279 of the schools are subsidised by the government, while 804 are non-subsidised. Maile provided an overview of the growth and performance of independent schools in the province, including government subsidies, registration and accountability requirements. “In 2021, there were 961 independent schools in the province, which increased to 987 in 2022, 1,010 in 2023, 1,047 in 2024, 1,068 in…