Author: Silver Sibiya
The ANC has raised security concerns regarding international spies that it has alleged are trying to infiltrate its 55th Elective Conference to be held in Nasrec south of Joburg on 16 December, according to party spokesperson Pule Mabe addressing the media during a tour of the venue this week. The ANC conference has attracted local, regional and international media interests. “On Monday we met some media houses for the first time with international press-cards and they didn’t apply to be accredited for the conference. “There have been people who have been found here claiming to be from the media when…
The ANC National Executive Committee special meeting was surprisingly adjourned after it had started to allow the National Working Committee to review the Phala Phala report. The party met on Friday at Nasrec, Johannesburg after the Section 89 panel, chaired by former Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo found that President Cyril Ramaphosa has a case to answer on impeachable offenses. At the press briefing after the adjournment national treasurer Paul Mashatile said Ramaphosa is still deciding whether to step down or not. “The president is not in the meeting. He’s busy consulting as far as we are concerned. The issue of…
With the ANC facing a leadership crisis following the release of a damning report on the Phala Phala farm scandal, that its President Cyril Ramaphosa may have violated the Constitution and anti-corruption laws, the party spokesperson refused to answer questions from the media on the matter. Ramaphosa went under the radar while political parties were baying for his blood after the Section 89 Parliamentary Panel headed by retired Judge Sandile Ngcobo, found that there was a prima facie case against the president. At a press briefing party spokesperson Pule Mabe refused to entertain any questions posed by journalists on the…
The City of Joburg is targeting about 82 buildings in the CBD for ‘expropriation’ to conversion into low cost housing units. The metro started expropriating vacant land and building in 2017 and had already converted seized structures into homes to accommodate millions within the so-called gap market – people earning too little to afford a mortgage and too much to qualify for an RDP house. This week Skosana Court, in Jeppestown was the site of a launch and visit by the MMC for Housing Mlungisi Mabaso who said the Department of Human Settlements will continue identifying bad buildings, acquire them…
Civil-rights movement Khulumani Support Group says it wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to acknowledge its members as victims of apartheid and to facilitate payment of reparations for their suffering. The group of 150 elders mostly women have been camping at the doorsteps of the Constitutional Court in Braamfontein for two months demanding compensation for human rights violations perpetrated against them by the apartheid regime. 54-year-old Group Organizer Noma-Russia Botane told Newsnote on Tuesday that the government has so far avoided dealing with their demands. “For years we’ve been pushing to get someone to give us answers but no one wants to…
The ANC in Tshwane is demanding that the municipality improve service delivery and is accusing it of charging residents “exorbitant and ridiculous amounts” for services based on estimates. The branch took its demands to the streets on Friday by marching to the municipal offices and demanded better services for the residents. The regional chairperson, Eugene Modise decried lack of service delivery and accused the DA-led municipality of incompetency and corruption. “We know that since the DA and its coalition partners have been in administration their quality of service have declined to unacceptable levels. The street lights are not working, potholes…
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has pledged R650 million through the Township Economic Development Act (TEDA) and promised that his administration will use this fund to empower women to fight Gender-Based Violence. Lesufi said this at the launch of 16 Days of Activism Against Women and Children in Jabulani Soweto last Friday. “You need to empower women economically so they can stand on their own as this government that I have the honour to lead. We passed the law in parliament last year and this year we’ve taken a decision to implement that law, that law is called the Township Economic…
The ANC in the City of Joburg has been forced to admit it won’t be back in power by Christmas. This emerged at a council seating in Braamfontein on Thursday where the motions were brought against Mayor Dr Mpho Phalatse by minority parties – the AIC and the ATM. ANC caucus leader Dada Morero conceded they will look to take the power back early next year. “The motion won’t be going in by December hopefully we think it will come back early next year “At around 12pm today the instruction was given to withdraw a motion to process the conclusion of…
For the second time in a month, the City of Johannesburg council has voted against the borrowing of a R2 billion short-term loan from the Development Bank of Southern Africa. During the Ninth Ordinary Meeting on Wednesday, 137 councillors voted against it while 130 voted in favour. The motion to borrow money that would go towards the city’s operational costs and was to be paid back in June 2023, was first tabled on 11 November wherein it was rejected. Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) responsible for Finance, Julie Suddaby argued that the loan is necessary to keep the City’s cash…
Residents of the Floyd Shivambu Informal residents in Rabie Ridge near Midrand, who have connected electricity illegally have lambasted City Power for cutting off their electricity, especially in the middle of school exams. City Power accompanied by the JMPD yesterday disconnected non-paying residents who are said to owe more than R4 million through illegal connections. It was a day of sorrow for the residents who hurled insults at the technicians who were removing 14 000 kg tons of electricity cables. Furious resident Dikgeto Diteo said their children will be severely prejudiced due to the disconnections. “You [City Power] should have…