Picture: The MK Party Member of Parliament (MP), Brian Molefe
By OBAKENG MAJE
14 October 2024- Former Transnet executives, Brian Molefe, Anoj Singh, Siyabonga Gama, Garry Pita, Phetolo Ramosebudi, as well as Regiments Capital Directors, Niven Pillay and Litha Nyhonhya, Trillian Asset Management’s Director, Daniel Roy (Novum Asset Management), Kuben Moodley, and Albatime Pty Ltd owner, appeared before the Johannesburg High Court on charges of contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and fraud.
The matter was postponed to 31 January 2025 for the state to provide the accused with further particulars.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate against Corruption (IDAC) spokesperson, Henry Mamothame said the charges against the accused include fraud, corruption, and money laundering stem from the locomotives transaction advisory tender awarded to the McKinsey-led consortium in 2012.
Mamothame said this resulted in the procurement of 1064 locomotives valued at over R54 billion.
“Regiments Capital was irregularly brought into the contract and benefited from Transnet’s irregular appointment, increasing the contract’s value and scope to over R305 million.
“Their services included sourcing loans from the China Development Bank and the Club loan, amounting to $2.5 billion, equivalent to R30 billion at the time, on behalf of Transnet. Additionally, the accused also face charges related to the R93.4 million payments to Trillion Asset Management in 2015,” he said.
Mamothame further said all the accused are expected back in court in January 2025 when the matter resumes.
14 October 2024- Just over 100 days have passed since the members of the Government of National Unity (GNU), were sworn into office. In that time, we have witnessed a marked increase in confidence in the direction of our country.
South Africans across society are increasingly rallying around the programme and work of the GNU. This is reflected in recent opinion polls.
In one of these polls, conducted by Ipsos, it is said that the proportion of participants who believe that the country is heading in the right direction has doubled since the last surveys were conducted in April and June this year.
There is also rising confidence in our country’s economic growth prospects by business and local and international investors. This was evident in the engagements I recently had with business leaders in Beijing and New York and that Deputy President Paul Mashatile had with business leaders in London.
In September, the Bureau of Economic Research and Rand Merchant Bank published their first Business Confidence Index since the formation of the new administration. It points to “cautious optimism” about improving business conditions in key economic sectors. It says that improved electricity supply and political certainty following the elections has likely contributed to this improved business confidence.
So how important is this improved ‘sentiment’ for our economy and country?
Sentiment is more than a ‘warm and fuzzy’ feeling. It is made possible by real developments in the economy and the country. Business confidence goes beyond discussion in boardrooms and conference halls. It is about the interest that is shown in our economy by all investors, both local and offshore. Sentiment has a direct impact on people’s lives as it can manifest itself in increased investments that can result in job creation.
Improved investment sentiment will benefit our country’s fiscus. A stronger economic outlook will improve South Africa’s credit rating, which in turn will facilitate greater access to global capital markets and lower our borrowing costs.
When we spend less money on debt servicing costs, the government has more space to increase its expenditure on building public infrastructure and providing education, healthcare, basic services and social support.
Improved sentiment has boosted the value of our currency. This reduces the cost of imports such as oil, which reduces the cost of fuel. This in turn reduces the cost of living for all South Africans.
Increased business confidence attracts higher levels of private investment in the economy. When investors are more optimistic about their business prospects they are more likely to invest more capital and expand their existing operations. Improved confidence also encourages the start-up of new businesses.
More business activity creates more jobs and opportunities for our people. As businesses grow, they need to hire more employees and are able to increase wages.
When people are more secure about their jobs and income, they spend more on goods and services, which further stimulates economic activity. Government revenues are further boosted as revenue collection increases.
The improvement in sentiment is informed by the effective transition to a new administration with wide support across society and the continuation of the reform agenda started during the sixth democratic administration.
On the other hand, the sentiment is supported by actual progress in addressing some of the country’s most pressing economic and social challenges.
Nowhere has this been more evident than in the work done to resolve the energy crisis. The country has had more than 200 days without load shedding. This has made a considerable difference to the lives of citizens and the operations of businesses. This work has also unlocked unprecedented levels of investment in the energy sector.
The ongoing reforms in the logistics sector are improving the operational performance of our port and rail networks. This will have a positive effect not only on export industries and broader economic activity, but also on the lives of citizens.
It is still early days for the Government of National Unity. The growth of our economy is still to pick up pace. However, a firm foundation is being laid, our growth prospects are being revised upwards and we are heading in the right direction.
It is clear that the improved confidence of the South African people and the positive sentiment among investors are well-founded. Our task now is to work together to further encourage hope and optimism by making a real and substantial difference in the lives of all South Africans.
14 October 2024- The North West MEC for Social Development, Sussana Dantjie is fast-tracking relief efforts for a Robega pensioner, whose shack was gutted by fire on Wednesday afternoon last week. Dantjie said the raging fire destroyed the pensioner’s three roomed shack, leaving him displaced without the furniture, clothes, identity document (ID) and other important amenities.
She further said it is alleged that the fire was caused by an electrical fault.
“On Thursday, we deployed a team of social workers from our department’s Rustenburg based office to provide psychosocial support in the form of trauma counselling to the pensioner and compile a home circumstance report.
“I thank God-Almighty that the pensioner is alive. I express my profound thanks to all the stakeholders, who have worked tirelessly to intervene in the plight of this pensioner in collaboration with our department,” said Dantjie.
She added the interventions are ongoing. Dantjie said their stakeholders have already delivered blankets, mattresses and clothes to the affected family.
“Social relief of distress in the form of food parcels has already been delivered to the affected family. The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has also issued a voucher worth R2100 to the pensioner. The local residents have also brought groceries and cements to the pensioner, who is currently staying in a nearby shack.
“We call on community members to continue to take care of the elderly in their areas and to learn more about fire prevention and safety measures to avert property destruction and untimely loss of life,” she said.
Meanwhile, the law enforcement agencies are still doing the investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire.
Picture: North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi/Supplied
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
14 October 2024- The North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi convened a critical meeting with circuit managers, Chief Education Specialists (CES), school principals, and retired school managers to strategize interventions aimed at improving the performance of underperforming schools across the province. Motsumi said they held a meeting following a detailed unpacking of results from the past three terms, focused on developing collaborative solutions to elevate the province’s academic standing, with the goal of securing a top-three national position in the upcoming year-end examinations.
During the meeting, she further emphasized the importance of collective expertise and knowledge-sharing in identifying the most effective strategies to address persistent challenges.
“It is crucial that we pool our insights and experiences to close the gaps in learner performance. Our commitment is to ensure that every learner is given the opportunity to succeed, and that we lift the educational standards of our province.
“Currently, schools are implementing the “Last Push” revision program, which aims to reinforce learner preparedness as the syllabus for the year has been concluded,” said Motsumi.
She added that this program plays a vital role in addressing content gaps identified throughout the academic season and is designed to give learners the necessary tools to excel in their final examinations. In addition, Motsumi said her department has engaged key stakeholders to support learners with both electronic and hard copy study guides.
“Partners such as Vodacom have been instrumental in providing access to e-learning platforms, ensuring that learners across the province benefit from digital resources,” she said.
Picture: The delegation of the National Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Health and North West MEC for Health, Sello Lehari/Supplied
By REGINALD KANYANE
14 October 2024- The National Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Health has concluded its four-day visit to the North West Province’s health facilities in the Bojanala District. A week long oversight visit saw the members of the Committee led by its Chairperson, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo visiting Job Shimankana Tabane Hospital, Boitekong Community Health Centre (CHC), Moses Kotane District Hospital, Mogwase Community Health Centre (CHC), Koster Hospital and the Brits Forensic Pathology.
The Committee’s debriefing session held on Friday at Brits District Hospital, brought to the surface a number of issues based on their findings. Kicking off the reflections on the final day, Dhlomo, said there are a lot of positives to take out of the province’s health service delivery platform, while there are a number of areas that still need improvement.
His sentiments were shared by all the members who while advised on where to improve yet spent a significant amount of time praising the good practices.
“Overall, we are satisfied with a lot of what we have observed in the health facilities that we visited. However, overall, the department needs to ensure that the non-negotiables like medicine availability, contraceptives and ambulance response are addressed.
“We commend the department for having helipads at small district hospitals, which is good for emergency referrals to bigger facilities and for the fact that there have been no maternal deaths at Koster and Moses Kotane hospitals,” he said.
Dhlomo further hailed Koster Hospital for its excellent patient care. He added that while Koster Hospital has an old structure that still needs renovations, he was happy at the level of care.
“We interviewed patients and all of them were pleased with the level of service. As the Committee, we visited various units like the Outpatient Department, Casualty, X-ray unit, Pharmacy and others and all of them were good.
“The only issues that needed improvement at this facility are security, minor maintenance and replacement of the old roof was recommended. We are also impressed by the Brits Forensic Pathology, which has been visible interventions to improve on its state,” said Dhlomo.
He commended North West MEC for Health, Sello Lehari and his management for addressing all the issues that were recently raised in the media and public domain. Dhlomo said these issues which included inadequate fridge capacity for storage of bodies, leading to overcrowding of corps and bad odour have been addressed.
“I commend this mortuary for camera surveillance. We know that if ever there can be a story about missing body parts it won’t be at Brits Forensic Pathology. I have gone around and noticed that there is sufficient backup water, heating capacity, adequate space, backup generators, a waiting area and overall clean environment,” he said.
Meanwhile, in his response, Lehari commended the Committee for their thoroughness when conducting oversight, and thanked them for not only looking at the challenges but also highlighting areas of excellence which others can learn from.
“We have listened to the Chairperson and the members’ observations and recommendations. I can promise that I will work together with our team to address the issues raised,” he said.
Picture: A scholar bus ferrying learners to school/Generic
By OBAKENG MAJE
14 October 2024- A Grade 10 learner from Moreri Secondary School in Tseoge village, near Ganyesa, was allegedly killed by a scholar bus on 9 October 2024. It is alleged that the incident took place after school.
Kgosiemang Teto (18), was allegedly trying to catch a moving bus when the incident happened. He was allegedly run over by the driver.
The North West Department of Education spokesperson, Mphata Molokwane said: “The department has been informed of the tragic passing of Teto, who was involved in an accident after school.
“Following the incident, Teto was promptly transported to the nearest clinic. However, he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries approximately 20 to 30 minutes later.”
Molokwane further said the medical team reported that internal bleeding was identified as the cause of his death. He added the department is currently conducting a thorough investigation into the matter and appropriate measures will be implemented to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.
“A loss of any learner is unacceptable. North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi extends her heartfelt condolences to both the family and the school community during this profoundly distressing time,” said Molokwane.
Meanwhile, the North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said the police are investigating the incident that occurred at approximately 2:30pm, outside school premises. Mokgwabone said no one has been arrested thus far.
14 October 2024 – The Standing Committee on the Auditor General engaged with National Treasury on the more than R1 billion in audit fees owed to the Auditor General South Africa (AGSA) by auditees such as financially distressed municipalities. The committee invited the National Treasury to brief it on the interventions to assist the AGSA with regards to the outstanding audit fees, especially audit fees owed by financially unviable municipalities.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Wouter Wessels said the National Treasury explained the current interventions to resolve this issue which could, if not effectively attended to, have dire consequences to the fulfilment of the Chapter 9’s constitutional mandate of overseeing the expenditure and the management of the public purse.
Wessels further said one intervention is to defray excess audit fees from auditees that are in financial difficulty as a direct charge against the National Revenue Fund. He added that a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the National Treasury and the AGSA was signed for the implementation thereof.
“The committee heard that these outstanding fees are due to the constrained fiscal environment. Members of the committee highlighted that municipalities and government entities’ failure to pay creditors within the 30 days as stipulated in the PFMA constitute financial misconduct.
“The committee said the National Treasury should consider deducting the fees owed to AGSA from either the Equitable Share or National Revenue Fund allocated to the provincial budget of the municipality concerned,” said Wessels.
He expressed his grave concern for the lack of clear strategic interventions to deal with the matter at hand. Wessels said what the committee is worried and concerned about is how the outstanding audit fees are increasing and how this can be detrimental to the continued independence of the AGSA.
“The committee said if nothing is done to address the R1 billion audit fees owed to AGSA by some municipalities and government entities now, this amount will easily escalate to more than R2 billion in the next five years.
“The committee called for decisive plans and interventions to address this in order to keep the AGSA independent, and ensure transparency and accountability regarding public funds,” he said.
14 October 2024– The South African Football Association (SAFA) held a very successful Ordinary NEC Meeting in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape this weekend. Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie joined the meeting towards the end and was present during some of the presentations.
The members of the NEC discussed several matters robustly and were happy when McKenzie reassured the meeting that he would continue to support SAFA’s various programmes. Among some of the issues that were discussed, SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan said a lot of work has been done behind the scenes with regards to the video assistant referee (VAR), including discussions with the Minister and the PSL.
“We had a good engagement with McKenzie and he has committed to support the implementation of VAR. We will now meet again with him and the PSL to finalise the plan.
“He has made a commitment that he will make a contribution from the government,” he said.
Meanwhile, McKenzie later joined SAFA at a packed Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, where Bafana Bafana hosted Congo Brazzaville in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Coach Hugo Broos’ charges produced one of the most polished and clinical displays seen in recent years when they beat the visitors 5-0 in a pulsating match.
The city presented Bafana Bafana captain and Eastern Cape hero Ronwen Williams with an award in recognition of his immense contribution to sports performance.
13 October 2024– In a significant milestone for the South African esports community, the South African Football Association (SAFA), is excited to announce its partnership with Telkom VS Gaming. This collaboration officially accredits the Telkom E-Diski leagues and finals as SAFA National qualifying competitions, allowing players the opportunity to represent South Africa in FIFA-operated global esports events.
This partnership marks a transformative moment for esports in South Africa, bridging the gap between traditional football and competitive gaming. By aligning the E-Diski leagues with the SAFA eCup, Telkom VS Gaming is providing a premier platform for local talent to thrive while promoting growth within the esports ecosystem.
SAFA CEO, Lydia Monyepao said they are excited to collaborate with Telkom VS Gaming to operate the SAFA eCup under the E-Diski league banner. Monyepao said since joining the FIFA eGlobal series in 2019, their teams have achieved impressive results, including a top-four finish at the recent FIFAe World Cup in Liverpool.
“The E-Diski leagues will further our reach to new players and inspire a new generation of gamers to excel and proudly represent South Africa on the global esports stage. We are thrilled to partner with SAFA in this ground-breaking initiative, which highlights our dedication to advancing esports in South Africa,” she said.
Meanwhile, Telkom Chief Marketing Officer, Gugu Mthembu said: “By recognising the E-Diski leagues as the official qualifying competition for the SAFA eCup, we are granting our players a unique opportunity to showcase their skills on an international stage.
“The E-Diski leagues have quickly become a leading platform for esports football in South Africa, cultivating a passionate community of gamers and enthusiasts.”
She further said with SAFA’s support, Telkom VS Gaming is enhancing the profile of these leagues, establishing them as a vital pathway for aspiring esports athletes to pursue their dreams of national representation. Mthembu added that they have witnessed a massive rise in interest in gaming and esports across the globe in recent years and it was always a matter of time before they saw a similar boom take place in South Africa.
“Our VS Gaming platform has become a catalyst to a major rise in interest in local gaming and that has illustrated the amazing local esports talent we have in the country.
“The partnership kicks off with an exciting Rocket League showdown, where four players will represent South Africa at the next FIFAe World Cup of Rocket League, featuring 16 nations,” she said.
Meanwhile, the domestic qualifying competition will take place this weekend October 12-13, 2024. Teams that registered on http://www.fifa.gg including those that qualified via the E-Diski League competition on Rocket League.
For more information about the eDiski leagues and the official FIFA eWorld Cup qualifying competition, please visit http://www.vsgaming.co.za or follow Telkom VS Gaming on @vsgamingworld.
Picture: A policeman arrested for corruption/Generic
By OBAKENG MAJE
13 October 2924– A policeman (39) was arrested by the Provincial Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit (ACIU) for investigation for defeating the ends of justice and perjury. It is alleged that one of the members deployed for Vala Umgodi Operations, arrested a foreign national for contravention of the Immigration Act, 2002.
He further handed a statement from the Department of Home Affairs confirming the (illegal) status of the foreign national to the Investigating Officer, Sergeant Mmokwa Ratshoke, who is attached to Stilfontein Detectives. It is alleged that, Ratshoke took the docket to court without the statement from the Department of Home Affairs and the case was, as a result, withdrawn.
The North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said the matter was reported to the Provincial Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit (ACIU) for investigation and the accused was nabbed.
“Ratshoke briefly appeared in Stilfontein Magistrate’s Court and granted R1 500 bail and the case was postponed until 1 November 2024, for further investigation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, expressed his gratitude to all the members involved in exposing and arresting employees, who fail to act with integrity in rendering a service and that the South African Police Service (SAPS), will not hesitate to take drastic actions against those who are involved in criminal activities.
