Daily Archives: July 29, 2026

North West municipalities’ UIFW expenditure reaches R72.1 billion 

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Picture: North West MEC for Treasury, Kenetswe Mosenogi

By REGINALD KANYANE

29 July 2026 – North West MEC for Finance, Kenetswe Mosenogi has called on municipalities across the province to take urgent and decisive action to strengthen financial governance, improve accountability and restore public confidence in local government. Addressing the Municipal Intergovernmental Forum (MuniMEC) held at the Royal

Marang Hotel in Phokeng Township, near Rustenburg, Mosenogi said municipalities have entered a critical phase of the municipal financial year, where preparations for Annual Financial Statements (AFS) and the implementation of post-audit action plans must receive priority attention.

She emphasised that audit readiness should not be treated as a year-end compliance exercise, but rather as a continuous process supported by sound financial controls, credible record management and effective governance throughout the financial year. Mosenogi further said the audit outcomes they achieve this year will be determined by the extent to which municipalities implement corrective measures arising from previous audit findings.

“We cannot expect improved outcomes, if we continue to repeat the shortcomings of the past. The current municipal administration has a responsibility to hand over municipalities that are financially stronger and institutionally more resilient to the incoming councils following the 2026 Local Government Elections (LGEs).

“Our assessment of the 2026/27 municipal budgets shows encouraging progress, with 11 municipalities adopting funded budgets compared to ten during the budget tabling stage. However, several municipalities continue to operate with unfunded budgets or have failed to submit credible budgets for assessment, highlighting that financial recovery remains uneven across the province,” she added.

Mosenogi also addressed the withholding of equitable share allocations, stressing that the measure should not be viewed as punitive, but as a constitutional mechanism aimed at protecting public resources and restoring sound financial governance, where municipalities persistently fail to comply with financial management legislation. She noted that during the previous financial year, 13 municipalities had portions of their equitable share withheld, prompting interventions by the North West Provincial Treasury and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) to support municipalities in meeting critical financial obligations.

“I would like to express concern over the continued escalation of unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure (UIFW&E), which has reached R72.1 billion across the province. The persistent increase in irregular expenditure, coupled with weak consequence management, continues to undermine financial sustainability and public confidence in local government,” said Mosenogi.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) Provincial Leader and Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL) in the North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL), Freddy Sonakile said: “North West’s municipalities are in financial ICU. The National Treasury acts after repeated failures to comply with financial legislation.

More than half of the province’s municipalities have failed residents through poor governance.

“Your vote in 2026 can put North West back on the road to recovery. The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes National Treasury’s decisive action to temporarily withhold July 2026 equitable share transfers from municipalities that have persistently failed to comply with the law.”

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Ramaphosa’s action plan to end water crisis  

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Picture: RSA president, Cyril Ramaphosa

By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

29 July 2026 – The Republic of South Africa (RSA) president, Cyril Ramaphosa said last week, he spoke about their commitment to give effect to the constitutional right of access to water for all South Africans, with particular reference to communities that have remained underserved. Ramaphosa said this past week, they released the National Water Action Plan, which sets out his government’s determination to ensure that every community in the country has access to a reliable supply of quality drinking water, no matter where they live.

He further said for too many South Africans, turning on a tap has become an act of uncertainty. Ramaphosa added that in too many cities, towns and rural areas, water disruptions have become a fact of life.

“Families cannot cook or clean. Children cannot wash. Shops and businesses have to close. We are determined to change that. The National Water Action Plan sets out a clear, focused programme of immediate interventions and far-reaching reforms to address the root causes of water supply failures in many municipalities.

“Our main priority lies in implementation, clear responsibilities and accountability. The National Water Crisis Committee, known as WATERCOM, will meet regularly to oversee implementation, track progress and hold the responsible departments and public entities accountable for delivery,” he said.

Ramaphosa further said just a few years ago, they faced a similar national crisis in electricity. He added that by acting boldly to implement reforms, improve Eskom’s performance and enable massive investment in new generation capacity, they brought an end to load shedding.

“We are now applying that same approach to water. South Africa is a water-scarce country. We must continue to invest in dams, pipelines, treatment works and other bulk water infrastructure to secure our long-term water supply. The immediate challenge, however, is not mainly a shortage of rain or a lack of dams.

“The problem is that municipal water systems are not being properly managed, maintained and financed. In too many municipalities, revenue collected from the sale of water is used to fund other municipal functions. This leaves too little money to repair pipes, replace pumps or employ qualified engineers and technicians,” said Ramaphosa.

He said as a result, on average across the country, close to half of all the water pumped never reaches paying customers. Ramaphosa said it leaks out of broken pipes, is stolen or is simply never billed for.

“That is water that has been treated at great cost and then lost, along with the revenue that should have paid for maintenance. We cannot build our way out of the crisis if we do not properly maintain and manage the infrastructure we already have.

“The National Water Action Plan will address the root cause of this crisis by changing the way that water services are delivered. The Water Services Amendment Bill currently before Parliament will establish a clearer separation between the municipality’s role as the authority responsible for water and the role of the operator that actually delivers it, so that both can be held to account,” he said.

Ramaphosa said water service providers will be required to obtain operating licences based on their technical, managerial and financial capability. He said municipalities will only be able to appoint providers that meet the required standards and can demonstrate that they are capable of delivering reliable water and sanitation services.

“Where a municipality is failing, unwilling or unable to provide an acceptable service, government will intervene in accordance with the Constitution and the law to provide the required services to our people. Where necessary, another capable water utility will be appointed to run the service in the municipality’s place.

“The plan will also reform the way municipal water services are financed. Through the Metropolitan Trading Services Reform Programme, the country’s eight metropolitan municipalities are being supported and incentivised to ring-fence their water revenue. This means that money collected for water and sanitation must remain within the water utility and be reinvested in infrastructure, maintenance and improved operations,” said Ramaphosa.

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‘Yesterday can’t fix tomorrow, but today can’

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Picture: NWU principal and vice-chancellor, Prof Bismark Tyobeka during his visit/Supplied

By BAKANG MOKOTO

29 July 2026 – North West University (NWU) principal and vice-chancellor, Prof Bismark Tyobeka said Mount Fuji’s famous peak is hidden behind a blanket of clouds today. Tyobeka said it is a wondrous sight, and there is a serenity to it.

He further said it feels as though Japan and specifically Tokyo, where he was, has been transported from the future to the present. Tyobeka added that the country is a technological marvel of automation and innovation, yet he also finds himself carried into the past to terrible moments more than 80 years ago.

“Between 9 and 10 March 1945, flames licked the night sky red as squadrons of American B-29 Superfortresses dropped a devastating combination of high-explosive and incendiary bombs on Tokyo. Between 80 000 and 100 000 people died amid the rubble of Japan’s political and administrative heart.

“On 6 August, an atomic bomb was used in warfare for the first time when it was detonated over Hiroshima. Three days later, another followed over Nagasaki. By the end of 1945, more than 200 000 people had died as a result of the two bombings,” he said.

Tyobeka said on 15 August, Japan’s emperor, Hirohito, delivered his famous Jewel Voice Broadcast. He said it was the first time the Japanese people had heard his voice, but his message was one of tragedy rather than the triumph for which they had hoped.

‘We have resolved to endure the unendurable and suffer what is insufferable,’ he said, signalling Japan’s surrender.

“By then, Japan had suffered catastrophic human, military and economic losses. More than two million Japanese military personnel had been killed, alongside hundreds of thousands of civilians. Around 66 major cities had been heavily bombed, much of the country’s industrial capacity had been destroyed, its merchant fleet had been decimated and its navy effectively eliminated.

“Food was scarce, inflation soared, transport networks were crippled and millions faced hunger. Japan had also lost its overseas empire. Yet here I stand, in the Land of the Rising Sun, in what is now the fourth-largest economy in the world: a global leader in automobiles, electronics, robotics, machinery and advanced manufacturing, whose people enjoy among the highest life expectancies on Earth,” said Tyobeka.

He said then, he thinks about the continent he calls home, more than 13 000km away. Tyobeka said he thinks of the Rwenzori Mountains, with their mist-filled valleys stretching across Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and of majestic Mount Kilimanjaro rising above Tanzania.

“I think of my country’s own Drakensberg and of Mount Kenya, whose snow-capped summit stands sentinel over the continent. Yet in the shadows of these giants, our continent has still not built industrial capacity, technological sophistication or health security on the scale achieved by this island nation of some 123 million people, occupying a landmass only slightly larger than Germany.

“Why is that? Perhaps part of the answer lies in where we choose to direct our gaze. Africa has every right to remember its past. Colonialism, slavery, apartheid, exploitation and conflict left wounds that did not disappear when flags changed and constitutions were signed. History matters because its consequences endure,” he said.

Tyobeka said but history should explain their circumstances and it should not determine the limits of our ambition.

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Monna o tlhokafetse mo kotsing ya sejanaga

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Ka AGISANANG SCUFF

29 Phukwi 2026 – Monna wa dingwaga di le 31 o tlhokofetse mo kotsing ya sejanaga kwa tseleng e magareng ga motseng wa Dryharts le Pudimoe ka matsha a letsatsi la Tshipi. Go begwa fa sejanaga sa Renault Triber se ne sa thula pitse e e neng e robetse mo gare ga tsela.

Sebueledi sa sepodisi mono porofenseng ya Bokone Bophirima, Colonel Adele Myburgh are go begwa fa sejanaga se, se ne se na le bapalami ba le bararo. Myburgh are sejanaga se, se ile sa menoga, mme mongwe wa bapalami o ile a tlhokafala ka gagwe.

“Go begwa fa go nnile le sejanaga sa modiro wa Toyota Corolla se se ile sa thula pitse eo, pele ga mokgweetsi wa Renault Triber a ka e thula. Go begwa fa mokgweetsi wa Toyota Corolla a ile a tshaba kwa lefelong la tiragalo morago ga go lemoga fa mokgweetsi wa Renault Triber a amegile mo kotsing eo.

“Sepodisi se ile sa bilediwa kwa lefelong la kotsi, mme kgetsi ya polao ntle le maikaelelo e ile ya bulwa,” Myburgh wa tlhalosa.

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Antalyaspor JPM CT wins Engen Knockout Title

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RV United players celebrate victory with trophy after the final day of the 2026 Engen Knockout Challenge Western Cape regionals at Erica Park in Cape Town on 26 July 2026 © Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

By AGISANANG SCUFF

29 July 2026 – Where Diski Legends Start, Antalyaspor JPM CT emerged victorious in the Engen Knockout Challenge, lifting the Under-18 boys’ title at Erica Park in Belhar, Cape Town while RV United also made history, ending Cape Town Roses’ four-year dominance to claim the Under-20 girls’ crown. The finals finally went ahead this Sunday, 26 July, four weeks after severe weather forced a postponement on June 28 in the interest of player, official, and spectator safety.

The tournament’s final day opened with third-place ties with Cape Town City and Dangerous Heroes both taking home bronze medals in the boys’ and girls’ divisions, respectively. In the Boys’ final, Gareth Ncaca’s Antalyaspor defeated National champions Ubuntu Football Academy 5-4 on penalties after a spectacular 1-1 stalemate in regular time to win their first Engen Knockout Challenge title.

On their road to the final, Antalyaspor JPM CT downed Cape Town City 2-0 in the semifinal, while Ubuntu defeated SAFA Cape Town Academy on penalties after a 0-0 draw in regulation time. On the ladies’ side, RV United emerged victorious, edging Cape Town Roses on penalties after an entertaining final ended goalless following 90 minutes of action.

To book their final spot, RV United cruised past Ubuntu Football Academy while CT Roses had secured their place with a convincing 2-0 win over Dangerous Heroes to set up the showdown. The girls’ final was a repeat of last year’s decider, but this time RV United exacted sweet revenge after falling to Cape Town Roses in the previous edition.

Both Antalyaspor JPM CT and RV United have booked their spots in the Engen Champ of Champs set to take place in Gauteng later this year.

Engen Knockout Challenge Cape Town Winners:

Boys Winners                                      Antalyaspor JPM CT

Boys Runners Up                               Ubuntu Football Academy

Boys Third place                                Cape Town City FC

Boys Fourth place                             SAFA Cape Town Academy

Girls Winners                                      RV United 

Girls Runners-up                               Cape Town Roses

Girls Third place                                Dangerous Heroes

Girls Fourth place                             Ubuntu Football Academy

Individual Awards (Boys)

Referee of the tournament                         Simankele Mnyanda

Goalkeeper of the tournament                Ayaan Jacobs (Antalyaspor JPM CT)

Defender of the tournament                      Luke Hendricks (Ubuntu Football Academy)

Midfielder of the tournament                     Anovuyo Mgoqi (Cape Town City FC)

Striker of the tournament                            Jordan Mach (Antalyaspor JPM CT)

Top Goalscorer of the tournament         Jordan Mach, Thurston Phillips & Lwandle Madingi (Antalyaspor JPM CT)

Fairplay team of the tournament             D6

Coach of the tournament                            Gareth Ncaca (Antalyaspor JPM CT)

Player of the tournament                             Jordan Mach (Antalyaspor JPM CT)

Individual Awards (Girls)

Goalkeeper of the tournament                 Bilqees Salie (RV United)

Defender of the tournament                      Hajiera Sulayman (Ubuntu Football Academy)

Striker of the tournament                            Lisakhanya Situlweni (Cape Town Roses)

Top Goalscorer of the tournament         Emihle Mazana and Lisakhanya Situlweni (Cape Town Roses)

Fairplay team of the tournament             Houtbay Ladies

Coach of the tournament                            Vuyokazi Kayi (RV United)

Player of the tournament                             Bilqees Salie (RV United)

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Picture: Antalyaspor JPM CT emerged victorious in the Engen Knockout Challenge/Supplied 

Banyana Banyana suffered 2-1 defeat against Tanzania

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Picture: Banyana Banyana players against Tanzania/Supplied

By BAKANG MOKOTO

29 July 2026 – Sasol Banyana Banyana head coach, Desiree Ellis is confident that her charges will bounce back after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Tanzania in the opening match of Group B at the Moulay Rachid Stadium on Monday. Two goals in either half saw the Twigga Stars emerge victorious in an encounter, where South Africa had many chances, but were unable to convert.

The East Africans took the lead in the 31st minute through Diana Msewa. But defender Bambanane Mbane would have none of it and restored parity during the referee’s optional time. Ellis made some changes in the second stanza bringing on Nthabiseng Majiya, Gabriela Moodaly-Salgado, Amogelang Motau, Ronnel Donnely and Isabella Ludwig, while Robyn Moodaly-Salgado, Linda Motlhalo, Hildah Magaia, Thembi Kgatlana and Noxolo Cesane made way.

But it was Tanzania who managed to increase their lead with just under five minutes remaining before the final whistle. No matter how much South Africa tried, they just could not find the back of the net.

Ellis said goals win games and they knew what Tanzania was going to do. She said but the two goals they conceded were poor.

“They had two chances and they scored them and won the game. I said before the match that it was going to be a very difficult match, but we also made life difficult for ourselves.

“I felt that all three games were going to be difficult, but a good start would have given us the momentum and now the next match becomes a final before the final, it’s a must-win, and also the game after that. We still have it in us, it wasn’t a good day at the office, we can be better than that,” said Ellis.

She further said they cannot drop any more points and with only two teams progressing to the next round, they have to put their best foot forward. Ellis added that they knew that they had it in them to get positive results and for that, they are disappointed.

“The result was a bitter-sweet moment for Motlhalo who celebrated her 100th appearance in South Africa colours. She joins an illustrious list of 12 other players who have achieved the milestone, including captain Refiloe Jane, Mbane and Lebo Ramalepe, who were all in the starting 11 against Tanzania.

“Linda came into the team back in 2015 and has been in the team ever since. She is someone you can rely on, very creative, very good on the ball and she deserves it. Hopefully she can go further and clock another 50. She has been a tremendous and an ultimate professional, and has carried herself well. I just want to say congratulations to her, and her family can be proud of how much she has given to the game,” she said.

Ellis said Banyana Banyana will now regroup and continue preparations for their clashes against Ivory Coast on Friday and Burkina Faso on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Banyana Banyana next take on Ivory Coast who blasted their way to a 4-1 win over Burkina Faso in the other group fixture.

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Challenges facing scholar transport continue to persist

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Picture: A scholar bus transport at Motsaalore Secondary School/Supplied

By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

29 July 2026 – The Chairperson of the North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety and Transport Management (COSATMA), Freddy Sonakile has called on the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management to submit a comprehensive report following reports that hundreds of scholar transport vehicles were not presented for mandatory roadworthiness inspections ahead of the commencement of the third school term. Sonakile said while the department has indicated that a significant number of operators failed to comply with the inspection process, reports have also emerged from some operators alleging that they have not been paid for periods of up to three months, leaving them financially unable to prepare their vehicles for inspection.

He further said the committee believes these allegations warrant a thorough investigation on a route-by-route and operator-by-operator basis to establish the facts and determine where accountability lies. Sonakile added that the committee has requested that the department’s report clearly indicate which operators failed to present their vehicles for inspection and the reasons for their non-compliance, whether outstanding payments by the department contributed to operators being unable to comply with the inspection requirements and what disciplinary or contractual action will be taken against officials or operators found to have acted negligently.

“This should include a comprehensive account of all reported scholar transport disruptions on the first day of the third school term, including routes where learners were left stranded or unable to attend school. There can be no bargaining with the lives and safety of our learners.

“If departmental officials failed to pay legitimate service providers and that negligence placed children at risk, then heads must roll. Equally, where operators deliberately failed to honour their contractual obligations despite being able to do so, the department must invoke the cancellation clauses contained in the Service Level Agreements (SLA) without hesitation,” he said.

Sonakile further said accountability cannot be selective when the lives of the children are at stake. He added that they will closely scrutinise the department’s report to ensure that responsibility is assigned where failures occurred and that appropriate corrective measures are implemented.

“The committee reiterates that the safety and well-being of learners remain non-negotiable and that every stakeholder involved in the scholar transport programme must fulfil their obligations to protect learners. I braved the cold to conduct an oversight inspection at Motsaalore Secondary School in Khunotswana following complaints from concerned parents about the state of scholar transport.

“Learners have reportedly been arriving late for school, and on some days not attending at all because of the transport challenges. I arrived before the school day began at 7:30am. Shockingly, the bus only arrived at around 8:30am before leaving to collect another load of learners,” said Sonakile.

He said in his engagement with the principal, he was informed that the matter has been reported to the department repeatedly since February, yet little has changed.

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A man sentenced to life imprisonment for rape

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By AGISANANG SCUFF

29 July 2026 – The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it welcomes the sentence of life imprisonment handed down by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court to Helder Isidro (34) from Eersterust. NPA said Isidro was sentenced to two life imprisonment terms for two counts of rape of a woman (26), 15 years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances and five years’ imprisonment for kidnapping.

The NPA regional spokesperson, Tshegofatso Makhudu said the court ordered those sentences on count 2, 3, and 4 run concurrently with the sentence of life imprisonment. Makhudu said Isidro was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

“On the evening of 18 July 2023, the victim took a taxi from Pretoria Central to Mamelodi. During the journey to Mamelodi, the taxi driver stopped near Waltloo train station, gave the victim her money back and told her that he would not be proceeding with the trip.

“On the victim’s way to catch another taxi, Isidro approached her, pointed a firearm at her and instructed her to walk towards a nearby bridge, where he sexually assaulted her. After the rape, he took her cell phone, and fled the scene. Immediately after the incident, the victim went to the nearest police station and reported the matter to the police,” she said.

Makhudu further said on 25 July 2023, the victim saw Isidro at the municipal office in Silverton, she called the police and Isidro was arrested. He has been in custody since the NPA successfully opposed his bail. The victim received medical, psychological, and legal assistance at the Mamelodi Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC),” said Makhudu.

She said in court, Isidro pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him and denied ever committing the offences. Makhudu added that, however, the state prosecutor, Andries Ntjana presented compelling evidence, including the testimony of the victim, which proved his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

“Isidro, through his legal representative, asked the court not to impose the prescribed minimum sentences, stating that he is a first offender, has two minor children who are dependent on him, and that he works for his family business. However, Ntjana argued that Isidro showed no remorse and that he is convicted of very serious offences which are prevalent not only in the courts but in the country.

“Furthermore, he said that rape is a heinous and degrading crime and that the crime against women and children in our country has become a pandemic; therefore, society expects the courts to hand down sentences that will send a strong message to the offender and further offenders,” she said.

Makhudu said Ntjana also read a Victim Impact Statement (VIS) facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Kgomotso Lodi, where the victim expressed how the incident negatively affected her emotionally and mentally, and how it also ruined her relationship with her partner. She said the magistrate agreed with the state that he showed no remorse even after he was found guilty of the offences and that what makes the offence worse is that he assaulted the victim, while raping her.

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ANC in North West rejects SANCO allegations

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Picture: ANC members during rally/Generic

By REGINALD KANYANE 

29 July 2026 – The African National Congress (ANC) in the North West said it rejects the misleading remarks made by the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) provincial leadership during the recent South African Communist Party (SACP) Provincial Congress held at Ngwenya Hotel in Klerksdorp. The ANC said it views these statements as a regrettable departure from the traditions of revolutionary engagement that have historically defined the Alliance.  

The ANC provincial spokesperson, Tumelo Maruping said ANC, SACP, COSATU, and SANCO remain bound together by a common commitment to the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) and the advancement of the working class and the poor. Maruping said all the developing contradictions must be addressed through principled organisational engagement that strengthens, rather than weakens, the revolutionary movement. 

“The ANC remains the only political movement whose organisational character is firmly rooted in the democratic participation of its members and the people. From branch general meetings and community consultations to the selection of public representatives, the ANC continues to uphold the principle that leadership must derive its legitimacy from the collective will of the people.  

“As proclaimed in the Freedom Charter, “No government can justly claim authority unless it is based on the will of the people.” It is this revolutionary principle that continues to guide the ANC as it prepares for the 2026 Local Government Elections,” he said. 

Maruping further said the ANC-led government in the North West remains firmly focused on implementing 2026, which is the Year of Decisive Action to Fix Local Government and Transform the Economy. He added that across the province, decisive interventions are being undertaken to improve roads, expand access to water, deliver quality housing, strengthen public infrastructure, stimulate local economic development, and create employment opportunities.  

“These programs demonstrate the ANC’s unwavering commitment to improving the material conditions of our people while confronting the socio-economic challenges that persist. The ANC calls upon all Alliance partners to uphold the values of unity, revolutionary discipline, and constructive engagement.  

“Our collective responsibility is not to trade in misinformation or public grandstanding but to consolidate the democratic gains of our struggle and deepen the confidence of our people in the Alliance. The people’s movement remains resolute in renewing the movement, strengthening local government, and building a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa,” said Maruping.  

He said guided by the will of the people, the ANC will continue to lead society towards shared progress and a better life for all. 

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