3 September 2025- North West Legislature SCOPA to Hold MFMA Public Hearings with Maquassi Hills, Mamusa and JB Marks Local Municipalities to account on 2023/24 Audit Outcomes. The North West Provincial Legislature Standing Committee on Provincial Public Accounts chaired by Smuts Matshe said they will hold a virtual Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) public hearings with the Maquassi Hills, Mamusa and JB Marks Local Municipalities to account on the 2023/24 financial year audit outcomes which include implementation of the post audit action plan on the unauthorised, irregular and fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
Matshe said the MFMA public hearings will take place at Maquassi Hills Local Municipality from 10am to 12pm, while at Mamusa Local Municipality will take place from 12:30 until 1:30pm.
“We will meet the JB Marks Local Municipality at 3pm until 5pm,” he said.
3 September 2025- The North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, through the Potchefstroom College of Agriculture in partnership with the North West Farmers’ Association of South Africa (NWAFASA), AgriSETA, and BLC Academy, proudly hosted a first-of-its-kind historic certification ceremony on 3 September 2025, at Potchefstroom College of Agriculture.
A total of 197 emerging farmers were certified following intensive training programmes in Cattle, Goats, Grain, Poultry, and Horticulture.
The Head of Department, Thupi Mokhatla said the initiative is a significant step towards equipping farmers with the skills, knowledge and confidence required to establish, grow sustainable and productive agricultural enterprises. Mokhatla said the certification took into account the triple challenges faced; it is for this reason that the department has collaborated with industries, both public and private, as well as farmer organisations and representatives, to further expose learners to other areas of opportunities, such as the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Program (CASP) funding models available.
“We would like to emphasise the department’s commitment to working in a close partnership with all stakeholders for the betterment of the performance of the sector.
“This programme demonstrates our collective commitment to building a stronger, more resilient agricultural sector that ensures food security and drives rural economic development,” he said.
Mokhatla further said the department congratulates all 197 learners for their discipline, dedication, and passion for agriculture. He added that their achievement marks a significant milestone in strengthening the province’s agricultural landscape.
“Agriculture in the North West is entering a bold new chapter.
Meanwhile, the NWAFASA Chairperson, Andrew Aphane extended his heartfelt appreciation to AgriSETA for their generous sponsorship, BLC as the training partner, and the department for its unwavering support in advancing the empowerment of emerging farmers.
“This partnership has been instrumental in equipping our farmers with the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to grow sustainable and productive agricultural enterprises,” said Aphane.
3 September 2025- An illegal immigrant (31) was arrested for dealing in drugs during the intelligence-driven operation in Upington on 2 September 2025. The police said the suspect was arrested by off-duty members.
The ZF Mgcawu District police spokesperson, Sergeant Omphile Masegela said this follows a tip-off about a consignment of drugs to be delivered in Upington. Masegela said the preliminary investigations conducted led to the identified vehicle being located at a local guesthouse.
“The alleged vehicle was searched and the police found methamphetamine with an estimated value of R620 400 stashed in a hidden compartment at the back. The vehicle was also confiscated as it was used in the commission of a crime,” she said.
Meanwhile, the ZFM District Commissioner, Major General Monica Sebili, commended the members for going the extra mile which is a clear display of their commitment and dedication to their calling as officers of the law. Sebili said in addition, she also appreciated the community’s partnership by providing pivotal information which led to the successful arrest and seizures.
Picture: The North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
3 September 2025- The North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi met with the provincial winners of the National Teaching Awards (NTA), 2024 National NTA winners and teacher mentors at Bon Hotel in Rustenburg. Motsumi said the capacity building workshop was organised to prepare the teachers from the province for the upcoming National NTA which is scheduled for October 2025.
She further emphasised her satisfaction in the attainments of the provincial winners and emphasised the importance of recognising and celebrating excellence in teaching. Motsumi added that teachers remain the heart beat in building the future of the province and their children.
“It is important that we give support and encourage teachers as they will be competing on the national level. Bringing all trophies home from nationals will boost and encourage other teachers to do well in their respective roles.
“We encouraged the provincial winners to go further with their commitment to innovation and educational excellence in the classrooms,” she said.
Motsumi said the workshop served as a great chance for the 2025 provincial winners to discuss strategies they use in the classroom, share their work experiences and receive guidance ahead of the national competition from the previous winners of 2024 who represented the province at national level. She said provincial winners from North West continued to show exemplary commitment and dedication to their work, and the department looked forward to their success at the national level as the province scored 58% of the awards in 2024 and wished them all the best.
Picture: Executive mayor of Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, Khumalo Molefe
By REGINALD KANYANE
3 September 2025- The Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality said it has noted with concern the unprotected strike action currently being undertaken by some of its employees who blocked entrances with water trucks that are supposed to be providing services to communities.
The municipality said this industrial action, which commenced on Monday, is not sanctioned in terms of the Labour Relations Act and has therefore been declared unprotected.
The Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality spokesperson, Lehlohonolo March said as the municipality, they respect the constitutional right of employees to raise grievances. March said, however, such actions must be conducted within the parameters of the law, and through established labour relations platforms.
“The municipality sincerely regrets the inconvenience and disruption that the strike has caused to critical municipal services and the impact it has had on communities across the district.
“Following the executive mayor of Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, Khumalo Molefe’s intervention yesterday, management has been engaging with SAMWU affiliates to find an amicable and lawful resolution to the issues raised,” she said.
March further said the municipality takes this opportunity to clarify that the unprotected strike is not in any way associated with any salaries nor service providers’ payments. She added that the municipality urges all employees to return to work immediately so that essential services to the communities can be restored without further interruption as negotiations continue with the SAMWU leadership in the municipality.
“Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality remains committed to open dialogue, fair labour practices, and ensuring uninterrupted service delivery to communities,” said March.
3 September 2025- Various villages such as Ga-Mogopa, Goedgevonden and Boikhutsong villages as well as Tshing and Ikageng Townships, which fall under JB Marks Local Municipality in Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, are a hub of activities this week as the provincial government has already started to address service delivery challenges across the local municipality, leading up to the roll out of Thuntsha Lerole programme scheduled for this Friday, 05 September at Ga-Mogopa.
This week’s Accelerated Service Delivery Programme will be led by the North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi, who will be joined by Members of the Executive Council (MECs), the District Executive Mayor and the local municipality Troika.
Mokgosi spokesperson, Sello Tatai said in a deliberate effort to promote and provide financial support to developing businesses, two local entrepreneurs will on Friday, receive dummy cheques from the Empowerment Fund. Tatai said three RDP houses will be handed over in Tshing Extension 9, this as part of a broader allocation of 147 houses in the region.
“In a bid to fast-track the issuing of title deeds to the rightful beneficiaries, a total of 300 title deeds will be distributed across the local municipality, with 10 being targeted for handing over during a community feedback session at Ga-Mogopa Community Hall.
“To boost local infrastructure and improve visibility and safety, a new solar high mast light will be installed at Ga-Mogopa village, while the six existing lights will be repaired,” he said.
Tatai further said among other services to be provided to the residents of JB Marks Local Municipality on Friday are a JoJo tank and related accessories as well as a vegetable garden kit, which will be handed over to the Mogopa Satellite Clinic. He added that aligned to the Social Relief of Distress programme, sanitary towels and school shoes will be distributed to learners at identified local schools, while food parcels will be handed over to ten identified needy households.
“Roads blading and potholes patching activities will also be carried out across the local municipality.
“As part of the day’s programme, government departments, state-owned entities and the private sector will provide on-the-spot services at Ga-Mogopa Community Hall, where Mokgosi will lead a community feedback session,” said Tatai.
He said the Thuntsha Lerole Reloaded programme will be rolled out in three other districts. Tatai said In Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District, the programme will be rolled out at Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality at Utlwanang Community Hall, while in Ngaka Modiri Molema District it will be at Matshepe Community Hall in Mahikeng Local Municipality.
“Through these integrated efforts, Phase 5 of the ASDP reaffirms the province’s commitment to efficient, responsive, and impactful service delivery,” he said.
3 September 2025- The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Northern Cape said as fires expose inadequate disaster management from local governments, it continues to probe the readiness of fire-fighting structures at local level. The DA said it has submitted questions to determine the amount of operational fire-fighting vehicles, qualified fire-fighters and fully functional fire stations in the province.
DA Northern Cape Provincial spokesperson on Agriculture and Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL), Reinette Liebenberg said last week, a veld fire raged along the R31 on the outskirts of Kimberley, coming dangerously close to residential properties in Carters Glen and to the construction site of nursing accommodation near the mental health hospital. Liebenberg said when a secondary fire in the fields adjacent to the Tswelopele Correctional Facility was reported to the Sol Plaatje’s emergency services, residents were told that the sole functional fire truck in the municipality was already deployed to the fire along the R31.
“No other vehicles were available. For a municipality of Sol Plaatje’s size to have only one functional fire truck is alarming and raises concerns about residents’ safety if disaster should strike.
“The Northern Cape is a province of extremes and inadequate municipal disaster management could have far-reaching consequences. Aside from devastation in urban areas, the Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development & Land Reform estimates that 413 700 hectares of grazing land was lost in uncontrollable fires between April 2023 and February 2025,” she said.
Liebenberg further said this happened with just 15 wildfires accounting for the loss of more than 10 000 hectares each. She added that she has been asking for provincial disaster management structures to report on their functionality to the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature since December 2024, when drought-like conditions affected 530 farms covering approximately 22.3 million hectares of land in the Northern Cape.
“The Northern Cape is one of three provinces where agricultural production is concentrated. We cannot afford to turn a blind eye to adverse weather conditions that threaten the prosperity, economic development, and food security of the province,” said Liebenberg.
3 September 2025 – The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has today resolved to give members of the committee space and time to reflect and consult on the eight candidates recommended to fill three vacancies that will arise on 4 November 2025 within the Electoral Commission of South Africa.
The committee today considered correspondence from the Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa in her capacity as the Chairperson of the panel envisioned in Section 6(3) of the Electoral Commission Act.
The panel, which comprises the Chief Justice, the Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission, the Chairperson of the Commission for Gender Equality and the Public Protector, has, as per 6(4) of the Act, submitted a list of recommended candidates to the committee.
The candidates recommended by the panel are:
Judge MI Madondo
Judge D Pillay
Adv C Chaplog-Louw
Mrs J Pitso
Mr G Abrahams
Mr MS Moepya
Dr RL Martin
Mr NX Nyembezi
The Chairperson of the Committee, Mosa Chabane said the committee was of the view that further consultation would serve to strengthen the process and ensure greater openness and transparency. Chabane said the committee will soon schedule a meeting, where a report with the recommended candidates will be considered.
“The committee is acutely aware of the impending end of the term of the three incumbent commissioners and commits to concluding the process as per the Act.
“The committee also considered its report emanating from the IEC’s 2024 national and provincial elections and made various recommendations aimed at improving the voting experience,” he said.
Chabane further said these recommendations include the need for the IEC to improve queue management systems, reduce waiting time at voting stations, full-scale testing of the voter management devices and other ICT-related systems before elections and to simplify and broaden its communications strategies.
He added that the committee considered correspondence from the IEC regarding the entity’s intention to table amendments to the Electoral Act to clarify the process and timeframes for objections, especially in consideration of the impending 2026 Local Government Elections.
“The committee agreed that it would amend its programme to ensure that it prioritises the amendments to ensure that planning for the local government elections is seamless,” said Chabane.
Picture: The Chairperson of the Committee, Supra Mahumapelo
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
3 September 2025 – The Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation and the Southern African Liaison Office (SALO) held a successful virtual colloquium on the people’s expectations for South Africa’s G20 Presidency: A conversation with non-state actors.
Participants expressed their appreciation for the opportunity presented by the committee and SALO to make contributions on the matter, as presented by the colloquium, which would then be conveyed to a very high-level G20 meeting.
They said the colloquium was a rare opportunity to participate in international trade relations for their country. The G20 engagement groups highlighted the need for an all-inclusive South African G20 presidency based on the voices of ordinary South African citizens, which will find expression in the G20 Summit outcome document.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Supra Mahumapelo said it is important to ensure the work done by the G20 engagement groups make an impact both before and during the summit. Mahumapelo said most importantly, implementation must go beyond the G20 leaders’ meeting.
“The group representing the interests of the youth sector asked for their recommendations to be addressed by the South African government. Participants said that the G20 is regarded as an elitist grouping that risks leaving other sectors of society behind.
“They also noted that gender equality is a human right and needs to be streamlined into all the G20 processes. The SADC region and the continent must prioritise gender issues and decisively deal with elements of Gender-Based Violence (GBV),” he said.
Mahumapelo further said the G20 Task team should also consider including the marginalised and vulnerable groups such as the Khoi and the San in its task team. He added that a group representing the interests of the disabled raised its concern that the Department of International Relations and Cooperation has not been responsive to the processes needed for this sector to be part of the G20.
“The group representing the interests of rural youth expressed their concerns that they are being left out, especially those in the mining communities.
“They also said that they do not understand what is implied by a “Just Energy Transition”, because information does not reach them. We are committed to ensuring that all inputs received during the colloquium will be sent to the relevant G20 groups,” said Mahumapelo.
He indicated that going forward the committee will ensure that more such colloquiums are held on various topics of relevance to South Africa’s geopolitics to ensure that the committee leaves no one behind.
3 September 2025 – The Portfolio Committee on Public Service welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s signing of a proclamation expanding the scope and temporal range of the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) investigation into the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) tender.
The committee said in addition to probing the National Treasury, the new proclamation now also includes the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) and the State Information Technology Agency (SITA).
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, Jan de Villiers said SITA has consistently received qualified audit outcomes, ultimately regressing to a disclaimer audit opinion for the 2023/24 financial year. De Villiers said this means that key role players within the SITA accountability ecosystem have failed to provide credible financial reports that are supported by reliable information.
“SITA has been accused of slowing down, rather than speeding up, the government’s digitisation efforts. Digitalisation is key to the improvement of public service delivery by modernising government ICT infrastructure, among other initiatives.
“The expanded proclamation now enables the SIU to examine actions dating back to 1 July 2013, as opposed to the original 1 January 2016 start date. The alleged corruption related to IFMS has negatively impacted efforts to advance digital transformation in the public service,” he said.
De Villiers further said government departments are still using manual systems to provide human resource management, financial management, and supply chain management services, despite the committee’s long-standing call for a centralised human resource management system. He added that siloed and fragmented systems, which are still primarily paper-based, undermine professionalisation and efforts to build a capable state.
“The committee considers the expanded proclamation as a vital step towards upholding accountability and transparency in the public sector, especially given the committee’s focus on the implementation of the National Framework Towards Professionalising the Public Sector and the Government of National Union’s efforts in building an ethical and capable state.
“By broadening the scope to include additional departments and by covering a longer period of time, the SIU will be better positioned to expose maladministration, irregularities and systemic weaknesses in the procurement processes linked to the IFMS,” said de Villiers.
He said the committee urged the SIU to fast-track its investigation to ensure that, where wrongdoing is confirmed, those implicated are suspended and, where necessary, arrested. De Villiers said while the committee recognises that the SIU operates most effectively within a coordinated anti-corruption ecosystem, working alongside Parliament, the Presidency, law enforcement and public institutions, it is confident that, where wrongdoing is established, the SIU will use its mandate to pursue civil recoveries, make appropriate disciplinary referrals and recommend criminal prosecution in collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
De Villiers said the committee will exercise its oversight to ensure that accountability is upheld at every stage of the process.
“We support this new approach and reaffirm our commitment to monitoring the progress of the expanded investigation to help ensure that outcomes are communicated transparently to the public.
“We see this as an important step towards restoring public confidence in government systems as well as professionalising and modernising the state,” he said.
The Guardian 