Picture: North West MEC for Community Safety and Management, Wessels Morweng
By OBAKENG MAJE
4 June 2025- Disgruntled whistle-blower at the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management said ‘jobs for pals’ at the department has demoralised them. The highly-placed source who refused to be named for fear of reprisal, accused the North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng of interference.
“There is a traffic officers’ recruitment learnership program at the department. However, those who were initially selected were removed from the list and replaced by individuals who are close to Morweng and his associates.
“A culture of jobs for pals at the department has led to maladministration. You bring individuals without skills simply because they have connections. The department continues to make poor decision-making under the stewardship of the Head of Department (HOD), Dr Hans Kekana and Morweng as political head,” said the source.
The source said most of the names on the list are related to some panellists, including Morweng. The source said there is a certain Kabelo Morweng on the list, who is believed to be Morweng’s brother.
Meanwhile, the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management spokesperson, Oshebeng Alpheus Koonyaditse said: “I’ve just spoken to HOD. He says we will reply after the Portfolio Committee meeting tomorrow.”
4 June 2025 – Coach Vela Khumalo is fully focused and ready as South Africa prepares to face Mozambique in the opening match of the 2025 COSAFA Cup at Free State Stadium on Wednesday. Kickoff is at 3pm.
The encounter between the two neighbouring countries marks the beginning of what Khumalo hopes will be a strong campaign for his side in this year’s regional tournament. Speaking ahead of the clash, the coach emphasized the importance of starting on the right footing.
“We actually had a good session. One will understand that this is not for the first time one is doing this. If you remember while we were here, I was the defending champion because we won this with COSAFA before and I was also a head coach together with coach Morena Ramoreboli back then.
“The transition from coaching the South African men’s U17 team at the U17 AFCON a few weeks ago to leading the South African men’s national team in this tournament was not a significant leap for me,” he said.
Khumalo further said the experience gained at youth level provided a strong foundation as many of the core principles, strategies, and challenges remain consistent across age groups. He added that confidence in his ability to adapt quickly, highlighting that working closely with young talents has equipped him with the insight and flexibility needed to succeed at the senior level.
“From Bafana Bafana to DDC, from DDC to Under 17, from Under 17 to Bafana Bafana, it is not really much of a big gap. It’s how you impact the knowledge of these bigger ones (players). This is a talented team, but most of these boys I coached them at an earlier age. So, it’s a smooth translation for me.
“The team is determined to secure a win in today’s match. Their focus and preparations have been geared towards delivering a strong performance, and he expressed confidence in the players’ mindset and commitment,” said Khumalo.
He said what they want to see is them winning the first game so that they can be at ease. Khumalo said then they can start playing exactly how they want to play, keeping position and playing the philosophy of the country’s style.
“If we can keep to that and maybe importantly win the game, then we’ll be in a good space where we can try and explore other things, and we’re hopeful that we’re going to do it right,” he said.
4 June 2025 – The Select Committee on Public Infrastructure and the Ministries in the Presidency said it has received a briefing from the Auditor-General (AG) of South Africa on the audit outcomes for the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME), Brand SA and Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). The committee expressed serious concerns about the mixed performance of these critical government institutions that report to the department.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Rikus Badenhorst said he noted that while Brand SA maintained its clean audit status, the regression in the DPME’s audit outcome from clean to unqualified with findings, as well as the persistent material findings at Stats SA, point to systemic weaknesses in expenditure management, internal controls and consequence management across the portfolio.
Badenhorst said what emerges most clearly from the Auditor-General’s presentation is a culture of stagnation.
“Recommendations are noted but not acted upon, plans are drafted but not internalised, and repeat findings accumulate without resolution. We cannot allow inaction to become institutionalised.
“The committee was particularly concerned about the significant backlog of unresolved irregular and fruitless expenditure cases at Stats SA, some dating back over a decade,” he said.
Badenhorst further said members of the committee argued that the vacancies in key positions, including the CFO role which has been vacant for eight years, have severely weakened the control environment and accountability mechanisms at the entity. He added that the credibility of the data and statistics produced by Stats SA is critical for effective government planning and service delivery.
“The persistence of these governance and financial management failures is deeply troubling and requires urgent intervention. The committee welcomed the Auditor General’s recommendations for the accounting officers including ensuring vacant positions are timeously filled to maintain effective internal controls, enhancing reviews of performance planning and reporting processes and swiftly resolving all cases of irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
“This includes monitoring the implementation of action plans with a focus on daily controls and reconciliations. Members emphasised the need for the executive authority and accounting officers to be held accountable for addressing these persistent weaknesses,” said Badenhorst.
He said the committee committed to regularly engage the DPME, Brand SA and Stats SA to monitor progress on implementing the AG’s recommendations and achieving tangible improvements in audit outcomes, performance and accountability.
“This report must be our guide when we engage these departments during the upcoming budget process. We cannot allow inaction to become institutionalised.
“The people of South Africa deserve efficient, transparent and accountable public institutions that deliver on their developmental mandate,” he concluded.
4 June 2025- The police in North West said as part of stamping the authority of the state, the weekly high density Operation Shanela conducted between 26 May to 1 June 2025, resulted in the arrest of 771 suspects for different transgressions across the province. The operation, among others, focused on stop and searches, roadblocks, vehicle check points (VCPs), high-visibility patrols including foot patrols, the tracing of wanted suspects, the confiscation of illegal firearms, as well as visits to liquor outlets and taverns.
The North West police spokesperson, Captain Mpho Manyoba said the police have arrested suspects include 10 for murder, five for robbery aggravating, five for rape, 161 for assault with the intent to do Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) and common. Manyoba said this includes 28 for burglary at business and residential premises, 25 for driving whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs and 69 for contravention of the Immigration Act, 41 for illegal dealing in liquor and 30 for possession of drugs.
“Out of the 833 suspects, 558 were circulated wanted suspects nabbed after being linked to the committed crimes through forensic DNA leads. Furthermore, police confiscated eight firearms, 20 fireworks, six television sets, 36 rounds of ammunition, four laptops, liquor and a variety of drugs,” she said.
Meanwhile, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng, indicated that the police in the province are going to intensify their operations including the tracking and tracing of wanted suspects who are responsible for the high number of serious and violent crimes. Asaneng said crime intelligence, all detectives and the provincial tracking team, are as part of their weekly suspect tracing operations, instructed to prioritise long outstanding cases in which suspects were linked to crimes through forensic leads, especially recidivists who are linked to two or more serious crimes committed mostly with illegal firearms.
“There will be no place for criminals to hide and a stern warning is made also to those who knowingly harbour wanted criminals or are conduits or enablers of crime through buying stolen or robbed goods, as well as dealing in and peddling drugs that destroy the youth.
“All those who sell liquor without licenses or run shebeens, including those who organised or host events which are in violation of the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act, 2010, are not going to be spared as these have been identified as generators of serious contact crimes including assaults, murders, rapes and sexual assaults,” said Asaneng.
He said members of the public and law abiding community members are warned and advised not to visit these unlicensed or non-compliant events or places as they are risking their lives and property by frequenting such places where health and safety regulations are disregarded.
Picture: Banyana Banyana players celebrating a win against Zambia
By OBAKENG MAJE
4 June 2025 – Banyana Banyana wrapped up the #ThreeNations Challenge in style on Tuesday afternoon, defeating Zambia 2–0 at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville in a tightly contested and often physical clash between the two regional neighbours. After a goalless first half, the Sasol-sponsored South African senior women’s national team stepped up the intensity in the second half, with Bongeka Gamede breaking the deadlock in the 74th minute with a stunning free kick, her first goal for coach Dr Desiree’s Ellis’ side.
The momentum stayed with Banyana Banyana and Jermaine Seoposenwe doubled the lead in the 82nd minute to secure the win and the tournament title. Gamede, whose standout goal shifted the momentum of the match, was proud of the team’s approach to neutralising Zambia’s strengths.
“I think we played well. We knew their strengths and how to capitalise on that. We tried to make sure they didn’t attack us as much as possible,” she said.
Reflecting on the performance, Dr Ellis commended her players for sticking to the plan, while also highlighting areas the team still needs to improve on as they prepare for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco in July.
“Today, this was a true team effort. We stuck to the game plan, we denied them space, and we moved the ball around quickly. We still have a lot of work to do. There were moments where Zambia got behind us, and we need to get better at that.
Especially in the middle of the park, we gave the ball away unnecessarily. Zambia, who came into the fixture after a 1–1 draw with Botswana a few days ago, posed a tough test for Banyana Banyana throughout the game,” she said.
Zambian coach Nora Häuptle, admitted that her side struggled to convert key moments into goals.
“There were some good actions and also some bad actions. We didn’t have enough players in the box when it mattered, and today, our top players were not at their best and that can happen,” said Hauptle.
Meanwhile, with two wins from two games in the series, including a 3–2 victory over Botswana, Banyana Banyana now shift focus to WAFCON 2025, carrying with them momentum and valuable match experience.
The Guardian 