Tag Archives: JACOB ZUMA

No electricity, water at abandoned Jacob Zuma monument

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Picture: The Jacob Zuma’s Capture Site

By OBAKENG MAJE

13 July 2025- The towering bronze statue of the former President, Jacob Zuma, that has cost taxpayers R1.8 million, has now been abandoned and turned into shabbiness. The monument in Groot Marico was erected in quest of honouring Zuma, who was captured by the apartheid regime at the site alongside with his Umkhonto weSizwe guerrillas, while trying to skip the country to Botswana.

The much-anticipated splendour unveiling took place back in 2017 and it was said to form part of the Liberation Heritage Route.

One of tourism operators in the North West, Kagiso Legobe said it is sad to see most of the tourism sites that offer a glimpse into the country’s past and often carrying a clandestine history are being abandoned. Legobe said he is not surprised to see Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma Monument in Groot Marico being abandoned by the North West Provincial Government like other attraction sites. 

“The sad part is that the area was an information centre before the department took over. They have erected a statue there and abandoned it. What is surprising is that the monument falls under the North West Department of Arts, Sports, Culture and Recreation, which is not its obligation when it comes to tourism and that is why they do not care.

“If the monument was under the North West Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism (DEDECT), it would have been better. Why the North West Provincial Government cannot put an information centre for tourism there like they did in Rustenburg and Potchefstroom?” he asked.

Legobe further calls on the North West Provincial Government to maintain the attraction centre just like they do in other areas. He added that it is bizarre to see millions of rands being spent and dumped just like that without any vision.

“The area has turned into a forest. It is wretched because the Ramotshere-Moiloa area is significant when it comes to tourism. The challenge is some properties will be owned by the municipalities, but being run by various departments. Imagine if the area was placed under the DEDECT’s care. It would have been well-maintained and used to generate income and boost the economy.

“If the department cannot run the place, let them partner with private partners. You will never ever see this kind of ignorance when you go to Potchefstroom or Klerksdorp, where tourism buildings fall under municipality,” said Legobe.    

In 2021, the Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL), Winston Rabotapi said: “Zuma monument in Groot Marico is a symbol of wasteful expenditure and a reminder of state capture. We will write to the North West MEC for Arts, Sports, Culture and Recreation, Virginia Tlhapi, to suggest that the Zuma Liberation Route and museum in Groot Marico be turned into a cultural community centre.

“During a recent oversight inspection to this Capture Site of former President Jacob Zuma in Groot Marico where a statue in his honour has been erected to the tune of R1.8 million, we found it to be deserted and dilapidated.”

Rabotapi said the museum on the premises has been without electricity for more than a year and the security officer guarding the white elephant is the only staff member on site. He said the statue that was originally bronze, was baked into a silver shine by the sun with not even a light to keep up the pretence of bronze.

Meanwhile, the North West Department of Arts, Sports, Culture and Recreation Director, Noluyolo Zahela said the department has not abandoned the monument. Zahela said the department had plans, which were to be implemented at the site, but due to limited resources and the budget reductions, these plans could not be implemented.

“The other issues which are affecting the functionality of the site are the lack of electricity and water supply at the site. The property belongs to Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality and the electricity is billed to the municipality. The electricity has been cut-off since Eskom was owed. The department previously paid the money that was owed to Eskom and had since tried to change the electricity to be prepaid, but this did not succeed.

“The supply of water depends on electricity. As the borehole, JoJo tanks and stands were supplied by the department,” she said.

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Zuma announces Phiyega probe

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Cape Town – A board of inquiry into National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega’s fitness to hold office has been set up, President Jacob Zuma announced on Tuesday.

“President Jacob Zuma has in terms of Sections 9(1) of the South Africa Police Service Act, 1995, established a Board of Inquiry into the allegations of misconduct by the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, and/or her capacity to execute official duties efficiently,” the Presidency said in a statement.

Judge Cornelis Claasen would chair the three person board. He would be assisted by advocates Bernard Khuzwayo and Anusha Rawjee.

For more http://www.iol.co.za

Wanted: President Jacob Zuma

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Cape Town – President Jacob Zuma, aka “Showerhead” is a wanted man and there’s a reward if you turn him in.

Cheeky “Wanted” posters featuring the mugshots of Zuma and other high-profile politicians caused a stir along the Sea Point beachfront on Sunday.

The six large posters were plastered along a wall at the Promenade, drawing stares and laughs from passers-by.

Other “wanted criminals” whose faces bear prison tattoos, included National Police Commissioner, “Ratatat” Riah Phiyega, former president FW “Eff Vee” de Klerk, deputy president Cyril “Buffalo Boy” Ramaphosa, the City’s mayoral committee member for safety and security JP “Jou P***” Smith, Shoprite CEO Whitey Basson, and mining magnate Ivan “The Terrible” Glasenberg.

For more http://www.iol.co.za

Medupi: Eskom’s R105bn project

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Lephalale – President Jacob Zuma opened South Africa’s first new power plant in 20 years on Sunday with a warning that the country’s perennial energy shortages were hampering economic growth.


President Jacob Zuma (right) shakes hands with Eskom’s acting chief, Brian Molefe, as Lynne Brown (extreme left) looks on during the official opening of the Medupi power plant on August 30, 2015. Picture: Elmond Jiyane. 
(Credit: GCIS)

Construction on the six-unit, 4 764 MW Medupi plant near Lephalale, about 350km north of Johannesburg, was started in 2007 but the first 794 megawatts (MW) only came online this week after delays due to strikes, technical issues and cost overruns.

For more http://www.iol.co.za

NPA says it complied with spy tapes order

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Pretoria – The NPA has complied with the Supreme Court of Appeal’s order to hand over the so-called Zuma spy tapes, spokesperson Nathi Mncube said on Thursday.

“We have complied and we did come and lodge the documents,” he told reporters outside the North Gauteng High Court.

Mncube said the National Prosecuting Authority handed over a copy of the recordings and transcripts of the recordings.

A copy would be given to the DA’s legal representatives and the originals would stay at the high court.

Ruling

Internal memoranda and representations made by President Jacob Zuma at the time the corruption charges against him were dropped would not be handed to the DA, but be given to Judge Noel Hurt in Cape Town by end of business on Thursday.

This followed the Supreme Court of Appeal ruling last week that within five days the NPA had to comply with a previous order, in an application brought by the DA, to release the tapes.

President Jacob Zuma had opposed the move.

The recordings, internal memoranda, reports and minutes of meetings dealing with the contents of the recordings had to be provided.

The tapes, containing recorded phone conversations, allegedly reveal collusion between the former heads of the Directorate of Special Operations, the now defunct Scorpions, Leonard McCarthy, and the NPA’s former head Bulelani Ngcuka, to manipulate the prosecutorial process before the ANC’s Polokwane conference in 2007. Zuma was elected ANC president at the conference.

At the time, acting NPA boss Mokotedi Mpshe said they showed there was a political conspiracy against Zuma and so the case against him could not continue.

DA leader Helen Zille was at the court for the handover. She said there was a delay in the handover because Deputy Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba was studying the SCA judgment to make sure the order was complied with.

– SAPA

Zille to be handed Zuma spy tapes

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Pretoria – Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille arrived at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Thursday to an excited crowd of DA supporters present for the handover of the controversial “spy tapes”.

– Are you there? Send us your eyewitness accounts and photos.

Zille was surrounded by the singing supporters and escorted to a truck with speakers outside the court.

She was helped on to the truck where she addressed the crowd and sang the national anthem.

Zille then went into the court.

eNCA reported just after 12:30 that Zille had been handed the spy tapes, and was due to emerge from the court. Other reports indicated the NPA was en route to hand over the tapes.

Zuma charges

Conversations on the recordings were cited as a reason to drop fraud and corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma, shortly before he was sworn in as president in 2009.

Last week the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled that within five days the National Prosecuting Authority had to comply with a previous order, in an application brought by the DA, to release the tapes.

President Jacob Zuma had opposed the move.

The tapes allegedly reveal collusion between the former heads of the Directorate of Special Operations, the now defunct Scorpions, Leonard McCarthy, and the NPA’s former head Bulelani Ngcuka, to manipulate the prosecutorial process before the ANC’s Polokwane conference in 2007. Zuma was elected ANC president at the conference.

At the time, acting NPA boss Mokotedi Mpshe said they showed there was a political conspiracy against Zuma and so the case could not continue.

– SAPA

Zuma encourages African optimism

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BY Nastasya Tay

President Jacob Zuma said Africa needs to be less pessimistic about the continent if it wants a chance at economic success. 

He also expressed his confidence in the continent’s potential in the coming decades. 

The president said Africa will have the upper hand in the global workforce.

Zuma said good governance, peace and economic growth was needed on the continent.

By 2050, Africa will be home to 20 percent of the world’s youth and 25 percent of the global workforce. 

Zuma said six of the world’s fastest  growing economies are in Africa, with the continent growing faster than Asian nations in eight of the last 10 years.  

He said this growth would help produce the crucial resources to improve health, sanitation and Africa’s quality of life. 

“Africa must release themselves from the shackles of self-doubt and be ambassadors of the continent.”

He said this will ensure it receives the foreign investment that will create decent jobs.

(Edited by Zethu Zulu)