Category: News

The Western Cape Department of Human Settlements has encouraged first-time homebuyers to take advantage of the over 500 affordable housing opportunities available across the province.

According to the provincial department, the available homes specifically cater for households with a gross income of between R3 501 and R22 000 per month.

Housing opportunities range from one, two and three-bedroom homes at Forest Village in Cape Town; Syferfontein in George and Mill Park in Bredasdorp.

Western Cape residents are urged to apply for the department’s Help Me Buy a Home/FLISP subsidy to purchase one of the available housing opportunities.

The Help Me Buy a Home/FLISP subsidy is designed to assist first-time homebuyers to acquire a home.

“The subsidy will essentially assist to reduce monthly bond or loan payments, making it more affordable to purchase a home. Qualifying applicants will receive a subsidy based on their gross household income,” the department explained.

According to Western Cape Infrastructure MEC, Tertuis Simmers, there are numerous housing opportunities in prime residential areas across the province.

“If your household income is between R3 501 to R22 000 per month, and you meet the qualifying criteria, this subsidy can assist you to purchase your first home. We encourage young professionals, first-time homeowners and those starting a family to research the options available to get their foot into the property market.”

Meanwhile, the department’s Communication and Stakeholder Relations Director, Nathan Adriaanse, believes that there are multiple benefits to home ownership.

“While it often means different things to different people, to most a home represents stability, ownership of an asset with a value that will increase over time and providing a legacy within the family that many generations can benefit from. A home also helps to build communities since many homeowners get involved in the affairs of the neighbourhood for the betterment of the entire community,” he said.

To date, over 250 Western Cape residents have purchased their first homes in one of the department’s three developments, using the Help Me Buy a Home/FLISP subsidy.

At present, there are 571 housing units still available in the Eerste River Cape Town, George and Bredasdorp developments.

Residents are encouraged to check the qualification criteria and to submit an application for one of the available housing opportunities.

Interested residents can apply directly to the department’s partners.

The department said it remains committed to accelerating human settlement delivery while promoting social inclusion through the development of integrated, resilient, safe and sustainable human settlements for residents of the Western Cape.

Details of the units and contact details of the agents can be found on the department’s website at https://www.westerncape.gov.za/dept/human-settlements/documents/public_i….

In addition, residents can contact their nearest municipal housing office or the Department of Human Settlements at 27 Wale Street, Cape Town or 021 483 6488 / 0611 / 8984 / 0623 / 2060 or at human.settlements@westerncape.gov.za.

For more information visit www.westerncape.gov.za/dept/human-settlements.

Mpumalanga police management has warned communities to desist from making illegal electricity connections.

The warning comes after police in the province reported four deaths by eletrocution in the past week.

“On Thursday, 9 February 2023, a 16-year-old female who was in the company of her boyfriend lost her life. According to the victim’s boyfriend, they were walking on the wet street at night when he suddenly saw his girlfriend falling.

“Police were summoned to the scene and found the victim lying in a pool of water and there were loose electric cables lying around her. She was certified dead by medical personnel on the scene,” said provincial South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.

In a separate incident in Block B, the deceased arrived home at about 5pm when his sister informed him that there was an electric fault. He went to fix the problem, but the deceased’s sister heard him screaming. She never took note until the deceased’s friend came home looking for him.

“When the deceased’s sister sent her younger sister to call him, she came back running and indicated that her brother was lying on the floor and not responding. She said she could only see him shaking. He was quickly rushed to hospital where he was certified dead,” said Mohlala.

In the third incident, a 36-year-old female from Gritana, Kamaqhekeza, was working her field at home on Monday at about 12.30pm when her family members noticed something strange.

“She was taken to hospital with burn bruises on her arm. She was also certified dead by the doctor in hospital.

“The fourth incident took place at Kamhlushwa when a 12-year-old boy was sent to the neighbour’s house. According to the deceased’s father, the victim was seen by other people falling. When they went to inspect, they realised that he was electrocuted by illegally connected electric cables,” Mohlala said.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela called on communities to refrain from making illegal electricity connections as more lives might be lost.

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government has called on law enforcement authorities to act with speed and solve the senseless and violent murder of music legend and rapper, Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, popularly known in the music industry as “AKA”.

According to the South African Police Service, AKA and and Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane were shot and killed at close range on Florida Road, Durban, on Friday night.

“We are shattered by the manner of his death. This is a tragedy of monumental proportions, and we call on the law enforcement authorities and the people of our province and country to join hands in ensuring that the killers are brought to justice.

“AKA was a global ambassador for our music and put our country on a world stage. It is… painful that this dastardly deed will be eternally associated with our province. Law enforcement authorities must speedily respond and solve this senseless murder so that the assailants face the full might of the law,” the provincial government said in a statement.

The provincial government condemned the senseless and violent killing of Forbes, and warned that the province cannot be associated with assassins who kill innocent people with impunity.

The government sent condolences to the Forbes family, friends, relatives and supporters.

“This is a dark hour for all of us and a loss to the whole nation. Crime is eating at the fabric of our society, and everyone must unite and play a role in fighting criminality.

“The killers of AKA have… [ended] his life but his spirit will never die. His music will inspire many generations to come and will remain part of our rich heritage as a nation. May his soul rest in peace,” the provincial government said.

KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has urged residents, especially in the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal, to remain indoors and for motorists to be extra cautious as heavy rains batter parts of the province.

Dube-Ncube said the heavy rains could lead to localised flooding and cause extensive damage to roads, bridges and other infrastructure.

She said some roads in the northern parts of the province are completely closed due to flooding and poor visibility.

“We appeal to our communities not to risk their lives but to stay indoors and not to risk travelling to festivals or public engagements because of the extreme weather conditions in the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

“We have teams on the ground, who are on 24-hour standby and our Road Traffic Inspectorate is diverting traffic in areas where roads and bridges have been flooded, especially in low-lying areas,” Dube-Ncube said.

She said the provincial government has dispatched Disaster Management teams and Provincial Road Traffic Inspectorates in all affected areas, including around eMfihlweni Royal Residence in Manguzi – the venue for Umthayi Marula Festival in uMkhanyakude District.

The Premier also called on motorists to drive with extreme care, as roads are slippery due to the inclement weather conditions.

So far, no serious car crashes have been reported on the major routes such as the N2 and N3, as a result of the heavy downpour.

“However, we appeal to road users and pedestrians to continue to put safety as a priority in everything they do.

“We are still a province that is rising from the devastating floods of April 2022 and the scars still remain visible. Let us act responsibly in these conditions to avoid any loss of life,” Dube-Ncube said.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) says the recently launched Brandvlei Water Feeder Canal will unlock agri-business and job opportunities in the Breede Valley Region in the Western Cape.

The canal, which is part of the Greater Brandvlei Scheme, was unveiled and officially handed over to its beneficiaries during Minister Senzo Mchunu’s recent oversight visit to water and sanitation services infrastructure in Rawsonville in the Breede Valley Region.

The scheme, operated by the DWS, consists of two State-owned off-channel dams, Brandvlei and Kwaggaaskloof dams, and riparian to the Breede River. The scheme is one of Mchunu’s priority projects in the Western Cape.

The project was completed in October 2022, and involved the increasing of the wall of the feeder by 300mm over a 4-km stretch, which enabled an additional 33 million cubes of water to be stored.

The newly uplifted canal will increase water flow to the dam, contributing to increased irrigation activity, which will in turn boost the agri-economy of that region.

During the opening ceremony held at the canal site, Mchunu thanked the construction workers for their diligent work and dedication, and for completing the project within budget and on schedule.

“With winter rains approaching, it is the most appropriate time to hand over the canal. The additional 4 400 hectares of land that will benefit from this project will go a long way in unlocking further employment and business opportunities for the people of Breede Valley,” Mchunu said.

Speaking at the launch, Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Anton Bredell, said the handing over of the Brandvlei Canal Feeder is a shot in the arm for the Western Cape provincial government.

He said the R21-million project is anticipated to accelerate and stimulate the agricultural economy of the region.

“This newly upgraded canal will lead to improve agricultural activity which will in turn create jobs and assist small scale farmers,” Bredell said.

Meanwhile, Mchunu commended the Overberg Water Board on its efforts to improve the Duivenhoks system performance, which extracts raw water from the Duivenhoks dam and Duivenhoks River close to Heidelberg in the Hessequa Local Municipality.

The raw water is treated at the Duivenhoks Water Treatment Works (WTW) and supplied to the surrounding farming towns, including Heidelberg.

Mchunu said despite resource constraints, he is pleased to see generators being used at the Duivenhoks treatment plant to ensure uninterrupted water supply to the users.

Mchunu also conducted an oversight visit to Napier Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW) in the Cape Agulhas Local Municipality, funded through the department’s Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) at the tune of R24 million.

The project, which is currently under construction, is set to unlock both industrial and housing delivery for the small town in the Overberg District.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has reiterated his announcement that the Investigating Directorate (ID) within the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) will be strengthened in order to increase the fight against corruption.

The President addressed the nation through his weekly newsletter on Monday.

“Over many years corruption has systematically weakened the state, damaged key institutions and eroded the country’s social fabric. The Constitutional Court has said that corruption is “the antithesis of the open, accountable, democratic government required by the Constitution”.

“Working together with other multidisciplinary units such as the Anti-Corruption Task Team, the Fusion Centre and others, we will strengthen the Investigating Directorate in its work at the frontline in the fight against corruption and state capture,” he said.

The President also doubled down on his announcement during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) last week that the ID will be made a permanent feature of the NPA.

“This is so that it can deepen its collaboration with other entities in the criminal justice system and enrol more cases in the courts. Consultations are underway on the legislation to give effect to this and to prescribe its powers and safeguard its independence. This also has implications for its funding and operational capacity.

“Once it’s made permanent, the Investigating Directorate will be able to improve the capacity of its existing team of specialist investigators and prosecutors and recruit new ones. We expect that 2023 will be a year of increased activity for the Investigating Directorate as it builds on the sterling work it has done so far.”

The President praised the directorate’s work in preparing cases of “serious corruption including emanating from the State Capture Commission, for trial” as part of the NPA’s plan to deal with state capture and for leading the way in innovation.

“It has been leading an innovative approach to ensuring accountability from those implicated in state capture. As part of its ongoing criminal investigation into complex corruption at Eskom, the NPA’s Investigating Directorate has finalised a comprehensive settlement agreement with an international company, ABB, to pay over R2.5 billion in punitive reparations to South Africa.

“The payment will be made into the Criminal Asset Recovery Account. This is reflective of the NPA’s two-pronged strategy to deal with corruption through prosecuting perpetrators and recovering stolen money,” he said.

Turning the tide on corruption

Reflecting on his first SONA in February 2018, President Ramaphosa recalled government’s vow to “turn the tide on corruption” by strengthening law enforcement agencies and safeguarding their independence.

“The first significant step in this effort was the establishment of a Special Tribunal to enable the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to expedite civil claims against corrupt individuals and to recover stolen funds.

“The Special Tribunal is a court dedicated to proceedings arising from SIU investigations. This strategy of combining investigations with civil litigation has enabled the SIU and the Special Tribunal to recover stolen money.

“As of March 2022, the value of civil litigation referred to the High Courts and the Special Tribunal amounted to R75 billion. This is roughly equivalent to what was budgeted for the child support grant this year. Currently, around 119 cases worth more than R12 billion are enrolled at the Special Tribunal,” he said.

The President said South Africa and government has the capability and capacity to rebuild institutions of law and order.

“We set up world class institutions before. Now is the time to rebuild our institutions so that they are able to stand the test of time and advance the values and vision of our constitutional democracy,” President Ramaphosa concluded.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has expressed sadness at the untimely passing of Inkosi Zwelakhe Ndaba of Ntabamhlophe, in the Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality, in KwaZulu-Natal.

“We are shocked and saddened by the senseless killing of Inkosi Ndaba who was reportedly brutally killed by unknown gunmen at his home last night near Estcourt,” the Minister said in a statement.

She said: “As a department, we wish to join others from across the country in expressing our condolences to the family of Inkosi, the whole traditional sector, communities, the local house of traditional leaders and indeed the entire country.”

As a leader of his people, Dlamini Zuma said the chief “led with diligence, and compassion and exuded the greatest wisdom which he imparted to all those whose lives he touched across his traditional area” and uThukela District where he “served diligently”.

“We do not have words to express on such a barbaric act of cowardice that took Inkosi Ndaba from his family, his people and all of us. His untimely passing surely left a void and we will surely remember him and his indomitable commitment to serving his people, even beyond his own needs.”

She said Inkosi Ndaba was one of those traditional leaders who were passionate about the development of his people and ensuring that the greater uThukela District community received maximum benefit through partnerships from various projects and service delivery initiatives by government.

“His warmth and friendliness will be greatly missed. The institution of traditional leadership is much poorer without him.

“On behalf of the sector, I wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, and the community and we assure them of our support as they go through this difficult time. Our prayers are with the family and wish them strength to carry through in this difficult time.”

The Minister called on law enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned and make sure that the perpetrators of such a heinous crime are speedily apprehended.

The Special Investigating Unit has welcomed the conviction and sentencing of a former KwaZulu-Natal education department financial manager for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) related crime.

The official, Lungelo Stewart Mhlongo, was recently handed a two-year imprisonment sentence by the Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court for contravening the Public Administration Management Act. The sentence was suspended for five years on condition that he is not found guilty of the same offence during the period.

Mhlongo’s conviction follows the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) referral to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) after uncovering evidence pointing to criminal activity during the PPE investigation.

“The referral was in line with the Special Investigating Unit and Special Tribunal’s Act 74 of 1996, which requires the SIU to refer evidence pointing to criminal conduct to the NPA for further action,” said SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.

The SIU investigations found that Mhlongo had failed to inform the KZN Department of Education, when he had a legal duty as a public officer that he had an interest in a service provider which had secured two contracts for the supply and delivery of spray pumps to the value of R1 241 425.

Mhlongo, as a Finance Manager employed in the finance unit of the provincial Department of Education, contravened the following:

• Failed to disclose his interests with the service provider.
• Was party to a contract with a service provider that was conducting business with the state, while still an employee of the KZN Department of Education (DoE).
• Failed to disclose his financial interests and or benefits as a cardholder of the service provider’s business account, to Head of Department of the KZN DoE.
• Entered transaction or acted in a way that conflicted with or infringed upon his or her duties, or which appeared to do so.
• He performed or engaged himself to perform remunerative work outside his employment in the public service without the requisite permission being granted by the DoE Head of Department.

The SIU was mandated through Proclamation No. R23 of 2020, to investigate the affairs of all State institutions in respect of the procurement or contracting for goods, works and services, during, or in respect of the National State of Disaster, by or on behalf or State institutions.

Kganyago said the Mhlongo’s conviction is a clear demonstration of cooperation by State institutions in the implementation of the SIU investigation outcomes and consequence management to recover assets and financial losses suffered by State institutions and/or to prevent further losses.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has moved to assure investors that government is addressing the challenges facing the country to ensure that South Africa reaches its full mining potential.

The President was speaking at the Investing in African Mining Indaba held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Tuesday.

“We have a responsibility as government, industry, labour and communities to ensure that our mining industry is able to grow, to become more globally competitive and to be a pioneer in the global drive towards sustainable development.

“To realise these objectives, we need to… [f]irstly, achieve a secure supply of electricity. Secondly, accelerate economic reforms to improve the operating environment. Thirdly, tackle illegal mining and damage to infrastructure. Fourthly, improve the regulatory environment,” he said.

Honing in on energy, the President told investors that government has already introduced the Energy Action Plan to improve “performance of our existing power stations and to add new generation capacity to the grid as quickly as possible”.

“Eskom has assembled experienced technical teams to improve performance and recover capacity at power stations, with an initial focus on the six least reliable stations. Through a regional power pool arrangement, we have already imported 300 MW of capacity from neighbouring countries and are working to increase this by an additional 1000 MW.

“The successful renewable energy programme is being strengthened. In the last six months, we have signed agreements for 25 projects representing 2800 MW of new capacity. These projects will soon be proceeding to construction.

“We are facilitating investment in new generation capacity by private producers by, among other things, removing the licensing threshold for embedded generation projects,” President Ramaphosa said.

Furthermore, he said, Eskom is also looking to “purchase surplus power from companies with available generation capacity” to further strengthen the grid.

President Ramaphosa said another area earmarked by government is reform in logistics.

He highlighted that last year coal exports dropped by at least 50 million tonnes – the worst performance in some 30 years.

Coupled with that, infrastructure inefficiencies effected a 15% decline in mineral sales.

“We therefore welcome the partnership announced late last year between the Minerals Council of South Africa and Transnet to stabilise and restore the operational performance of our rail lines and ports.

“The reforms we announced to improve the state of freight rail are moving ahead. One of these – opening key routes to third party operators – will bring much-needed investment for upgrading, maintenance and rehabilitation.

“A new policy framework for rail sets out actions to modernise the rail network, enable private investment, improve regulation and restore rail as a competitive mode of both freight and commuter transport. Similar efforts are underway to enable private investment in our ports and certain container corridors,” he said.

Turning to illegal mining and infrastructure damage, President Ramaphosa said specialised law enforcement teams are on the ground to tackle that criminality.

“The South African Police Service has established multi-disciplinary Economic Infrastructure Task Teams that are operational in 20 identified hotspots. In the last six months, these teams have conducted around hundreds of operations and made a significant number of arrests.

“Transnet has developed partnerships with the industry and private security to address cable theft and vandalism on the freight rail network through advanced technologies and additional security personnel,” President Ramaphosa said.

According to the President, government is working with the sector to reduce the backlog of prospecting and mining applications and to improve the industry’s regulatory environment.

“I understand that over the past 18 months we have reduced the backlog of applications by 42 percent and plans are in place to eliminate the backlog in the short to medium term.

“The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has indicated that the process for procuring an off-the-shelf cadastral system, which can be customised to South Africa’s needs, is underway. This is essential for the operation of a modern mining rights administration system, which in turn is vital for the growth of the industry.

“These are some of the efforts we are undertaking as South Africa to improve the business operating environment for a sector that is the lifeblood of our economy and that of the continent,” he said.

The President insists that although South Africa faces several challenges, “investors will find South Africa as an attractive destination for miners and associated sectors”.

“This is a challenging time for mining, both in South Africa and across the continent.

“However, we have the means to overcome our difficulties and forge a brighter future for this industry. As the world changes, mining is changing with it and the industry stands ready to seize the opportunities that the future presents,” President Ramaphosa said.

Social Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu, will today meet with social grant beneficiaries who passed last year’s Grade 12 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination in Cape Town.

According to the department, social grant beneficiaries who wrote the 2022 National Senior Certificate examination recorded an improved performance (which) proved the important role played by the country’s social protection system.

“The social grant beneficiaries showed an impressive increase from 0.2% to 8.7% in 2022, as compared to the previous year. The class of 2022 also saw more female learners (256 902) sitting for their Grade 12 examinations when compared with the 191 490 male counterparts, and the higher pass rate registered by male beneficiaries, which was 72.5% and 70.39 % females.

“The results also showed that the learners who were receiving the grant in their matric year registered better results than those whose grant had discontinued due to their age. Inactive social grant beneficiaries achieved an overall pass rate of 75.22 %, while learners who were getting the grant in their matric year got 87.20%,” the department highlighted.

The department said these findings may be demonstrating that the impact of social grants is likely to be greater the longer the transfer duration, especially, if child-specific grants are kept until the learner completes their Grade 12.

“Statistics released by the Department of Basic Education showed that 39 724 of the social grant beneficiaries passed with distinctions in critical subjects such as Accounting, Business Studies, Economics, Mathematics and Physical Science. This academic performance reflects the significant role played by pro-poor policies in addressing intergenerational poverty and child wellbeing for children living in poor households,” the department said.

During a meeting with beneficiaries in the late afternoon, Zulu will encourage learners to work harder as they move to the next chapter of their education.

The Minister will be joined by National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) CEO, Andile Nongogo.

“The department and NSFAS have been working together to make sure that social grant beneficiaries who are accepted at institutions of higher learning are not means tested as they have been receiving the grant from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA),” the department said.