Author: Silver Sibiya
ANC Gauteng Chairperson Panyaza Lesufi has warned that if load shedding and other socio-economic challenges are not resolved, the party risks losing the 2024 elections. This emerged during the party Provincial General Council, PGC, meeting on Wednesday night in Turfontein, Johannesburg. Lesufi, without mentioning the name of the Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, called for the political head of the department that oversees Eskom to resign. “We will mobilize the biggest march ever in this particular province to go to their offices (Eskom) to demand one thing and one thing only, that the political head of that particular Eskom…
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has welcomed the decision by the Hawks to raid Tembisa Hospital, Ekurhuleni following allegations of tender irregularities to the value of R850 million involving about 227 service providers which happened during the Covid-19 pandemic. The raid at the hospital comes months after the CEO Ashley Mthunzi was placed on precautionary suspension together with Gauteng Health Chief Financial Officer Lerato Madyo. It is reported that whistleblower Babita Doekaran – who was a senior manager at the Gauteng Health Department was shot and killed near her home in Winchester Hills, Joburg in August 2021, after flagging dubious contracts…
Heavy rains and flooding in Lenasia, South of Joburg has forced residents to use small boats and canoes to rescue community members stuck in their houses following overnight heavy rains that resulted in flooding in many parts of the City including in Soweto Protea Glen. Sadia Mohammed who’s in-laws were trapped in one of the houses in Extension 1 said authorities have been warned about occasional flooding in the area but failed to act. “The residents are saying they have been complaining about floods occurring during rainy season for years but the government didn’t do anything,” she said While Kasifan…
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…