Category: News

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Judges to the Supreme Court of Appeal, the Gauteng Division of the High Court and the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court.

The President appointed the following Judges in terms of Section 174(6) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, and on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission:

(i) Madam Justice Fayeeza Kathree-Setiloane as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal, with effect from 01 December 2023, in an existing vacancy;

(ii) Madam Justice Anna Maleshane Kgoele as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal, with effect from 01 December 2023, in an existing vacancy;

(iii) Adv Soraya Khatija Hassim SC as a Judge of the Gauteng Division of the High Court, with effect from 01 January 2024, in an existing vacancy;

(iv) Adv Omphemetse Mooki SC as a Judge of the Gauteng Division of the High Court, with effect from 01 January 2024, in an existing vacancy;

(v) Adv Jacobus Johannes Strijdom SC as a Judge of the Gauteng Division of the High Court, with effect from 01 January 2024, in an existing vacancy;

(vi) Adv Brad Christopher Wanless SC as a Judge of the Gauteng Division of the High Court, with effect from 01 January 2024, in an existing vacancy; and

(vii) Prof Mbuzeni Johnson Mathenjwa as a Judge of the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court, with effect from 01 November 2023 in an existing vacancy.

Furthermore, President Ramaphosa has appointed Justice Mogomotsi Edwin Molahlehi as Deputy Judge President of the Labour and Labour Appeal Courts with effect from 1 November 2023 in an existing vacancy.

The appointment of Justice Molahlehi was done in terms of Section 153 (1)(b) of the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (Act 66 of 1995), acting on the advice of NEDLAC and the Judicial Service Commission and after consultation with the Minister of Justice and the Judge President of the Labour Court.

In terms of Section 169(1) of the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (Act 66 of 1995), acting on the advice of NEDLAC and the Judicial Service Commission and after consultation with the Minister of Justice and the Judge President of the Labour Appeal Court, President Ramaphosa has appointed:

(i) Madam Justice Madeline Portia Nompi Nkutha-Nkontwana as a Judge of the Labour Appeal Court with effect from 01 January 2024, in an existing vacancy;

(ii) Madam Justice Katherine Mary Savage as a Judge of the Labour Appeal Court with effect from 01 January 2024, in an existing vacancy; and

(iii) Mr Justice André Johann Van Niekerk with effect from 01 January 2024, in an existing vacancy.

Additionally, President Ramaphosa has, in terms of Section 153(4) of the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (Act 66 of 1995), acting on the advice of NEDLAC and the Judicial Service Commission and after consultation with the Minister of Justice and the Judge President of the Labour Court, appointed the following judges:

(i) Adv Kelsey Allen-Yaman as a Judge of the Labour Court with effect from 1 December 2023, in an existing vacancy;

(ii) Mr Reynaud Neil Daniels as a Judge of the Labour Court with effect from 01 January 2024, in an existing vacancy; and

(iii) Mr Molatelo Robert Makhura as a Judge of the Labour Court with effect from 1 January 2024, in an existing vacancy.

“These appointments will ensure continuity in the administration of justice at all levels and centres of the judiciary.

“President Ramaphosa wishes the newly appointed justices well as they take up their new roles in upholding the rule of law in the country,” the Presidency said in a statement.

The Department of Transport has confirmed reports of an unfortunate incident involving Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga between the N3 Vosloorus and Heidelberg.

“The tyres of the Minister’s car were punctured by spikes, bringing the car to a stop, enabling the criminals to rob the occupants of valuables,” the department said on Tuesday.

This incident took place in the early hours of Monday morning when the Minister was en route to Pretoria.

“Both the Minister and her dedicated South African Police Service (SAPS) protection team emerged from this incident unharmed and safe.  Minister Chikunga remains committed to fulfilling her government responsibilities and is deeply grateful for the overwhelming support she has received from her fellow government colleagues and the people of South Africa,” the department said.

The department is unable to provide further details as this is an ongoing police investigation.

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy has issued her decisions on appeals that were submitted against the decisions of the Delegated Authority in the Hake Longline (HLL) Sector, in terms of the Fishing Rights Allocation Process 2020/2021 (FRAP 2021).

The Minister’s General Published Reasons for her Appeal Decisions in the Hake Longline Sector: 2021/2022 will be published on the department’s website.

The department will provide appellants with the outcome of their individual appeals in due course.

In addition, rightsholders will be able to access the FRAP Online Portal for their grant of rights letters, which will be uploaded shortly.

“In my consideration of these appeals, I balanced a wide range of factors, including the principles and objectives of the Marine Living Resources Act 18 of 1998 (MLRA), the 2021 General Policy on the Allocation of Commercial Fishing Rights and the sector specific policy on the allocation of commercial fishing rights in the Hake Longline sector: 2021.

“I was cognisant of the need to introduce new entrants into the sector to broaden access to the fishing industry and to promote transformation of industry,” Creecy said on Tuesday.

On appeal, an additional eight Category A, 2 Category B and 6 Category C applicants were awarded rights.

To facilitate the admission of the successful appellants into the sector, it was necessary to reduce the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) allocated to category A applicants and to redistribute the TAC in an equitable manner, whilst ensuring that no rightsholder’s TAC falls below the minimum allocation.

“In my determination on the reduction of the TAC and the redistribution thereof, I was mindful of the need to ensure stability in the sector, so as to minimise any negative impact on existing participation in job creation, and to avoid any job losses.

“In addition, the limited availability of TAC required that I exercise my discretion on the distribution of the resource in a manner that ensures sustainable development of the natural resource, whilst ensuring that rightholders are able to sustain themselves.

“I am satisfied that based on a careful consideration of the appeals, I have arrived at the correct decision on each appeal and for the sector as a whole,” the Minister said.

The department is endeavouring to finalise the Sardine appeals (169 appeals) by 25 November 2023 and the Anchovy appeals (230 appeals) by 30 November 2023, so that the process is finalised before the commencement of the next fishing season for each of these sectors on 15 January 2023.

Link to the General Published Reasons (GPR): https://www.dffe.gov.za/sites/default/files/legislations/appeals/04nov2023gpr_hakelongline.pdf.

The Pretoria Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has been granted an order to freeze properties and cash worth R29 million belonging to a syndicate that allegedly stole from Eskom.

NPA Regional Spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, explained that a former employee of Eskom, Mothelli Theletsane, allegedly stole a Master Vending Unit from the company, which dispenses electricity coupons for consumers.

“Theletsane, who has since passed on, was employed at Eskom on a contract basis and worked in the pre-paid environment, supporting Eskom’s pre-paid vending system. He operated as a supervisor in his role and therefore obtained intimate knowledge of the operations of machines, and he also acquired technical expertise on the ins and outs of the Credit Dispensing Units (CDU).

“[He] also acquired, unknowingly to Eskom, a Master Vending Unit (MVU), that can generate limitless prepaid electricity vouchers and a few CDUs which he concealed after his exit from Eskom. It was discovered that Theletsane was allegedly running a ghost vending operation, whereby he illegally generated electricity vouchers to the value of over R36 million and sold them to the public for his benefit,” Mahanjana said.

She said following Theletsane’s death, the illegal “business” was allegedly taken over by Theletsane’s wife, Thandi Theletsane and her three sons, Papi and Tebello Theletsane and Sibusiso Migal.

“The business became so lucrative that it was expanded throughout all the nine provinces. Through the syndicate, the Theletsane family and the company, Mothelli Theletsane Holdings and Investment (PTY) Ltd, managed to acquire 27 movable and 39 immovable properties worth over R23 million from the proceeds of crime,” Mahanjana said.

The family members are standing trial together with 10 other suspects, namely: Petrus Mohapi, Donald Rammusi, Victor Mdlalose, Joseph Mdlalose, Florence Mdlalose, Daniel Moleko, Xolani Dube, Lebohang Thabanyana, Raymond Mohapi and Sebabatso Mbele.

“This matter does not only highlight the effective cooperation and collaboration between various crime-fighting agencies within the NPA, as well as the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), but shows determination and commitment by the NPA to ensure that money stolen from the state is returned,” Mahanjana said.

The criminal case is expected back in court on 15 November.

South Africa has recorded over 7 400 malaria cases between January and October this year, with only 17% of these having been locally acquired.

This means that more people got infected while out of the country, while the country logged at least 66 deaths during the same period.

The Department of Health has since urged all people travelling to and from malaria-endemic or high-risk areas to take the appropriate precautionary measures to prevent possible infection, as the country enters malaria season.

“Summer season marks the start of the malaria period in South Africa due to higher temperatures and increased rainfall in the malaria transmission areas,” the department explained.

Cases are starting to rise in some parts of the country, especially in high-risk areas.

Malaria symptoms include headache, fever, chills, and muscle and joint pain. The department advised citizens, who experience these signs, to visit their local health facility without delay for effective treatment.

“Late presentation to a health facility with symptoms is one of the contributing factors to increasing malaria morbidity and mortality rates,” the department said.

Malaria is defined as a life-threatening, but preventable and curable disease.

“Early detection saves lives,” the department stressed.

The department has since intensified its malaria response plan through screening and testing around borders in high-risk provinces such as KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo throughout the year for early detection of imported cases.

The department is also embarking on public education campaigns and indoor residual spraying in high-risk areas every year from September until the beginning of the following year.

The department warned pregnant women and children under five years to avoid visiting malaria-endemic areas, unless they take extra caution.

As the Southern African Development Community (SADC) observed Malaria Day on Monday, the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) said it continues to target public transport nodes, such as taxi ranks and bus stations, to heighten education among the public on prevention measures.

This comes as Gauteng hospitals reported 1 105 malaria cases and 10 deaths from January to September 2023, as a result of the life-threatening disease spread to humans by mosquitoes in endemic areas.

“The majority of people who were admitted and those who have demised as a result of the disease had travelled to Mozambique, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Angola,” the GDoH said, adding that these countries are known to be malaria-endemic regions.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) apprehended 617 suspects during Operation Shanela, which was conducted in the North West from 2 – 6 November.

The suspects were arrested for rape, murder, assault GBH [grievous bodily harm], malicious damage to property, burglary in residential and business premises, theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle, theft out of/from motor vehicle and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, among others.

Of the 617 arrested suspects, 181 were wanted for contact crimes like murder, attempted murder, rape, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, assault common, house robbery and business robbery.

Moreover, 65 undocumented persons were taken in for processing.

The arrests were effected through the execution of several actions, which included stop and searches, road blocks, vehicle check points, visiting and inspecting of licensed/unlicensed liquor premises, second-hand goods dealers, tracing of wanted suspects and many others.

The operation also resulted in the confiscation of mandrax tablets, four dangerous weapons, three handguns, one rifle, 29 rounds of ammunition, 20 cellphones, liquor and copper cables.

In Mahikeng on Thursday, a 25-year-old man was arrested for being in possession of a suspected stolen vehicle.

During this joint intelligence-led operation, police followed up on a tip-off about suspects in possession of a suspected stolen vehicle.

They immediately went to his home and a search was conducted. Subsequently, a white Nissan NP 200, which was reported hijacked in Mmabatho in October 2023 was seized, as well as an empty 9mm magazine, nine rounds of rifle ammunition and shotgun ammunition were recovered.

The 25-year-old suspect and others, who were arrested during Operation Shanela, are expected to appear in different courts around the province today, while others appeared in courts Monday.

The provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, commended the police for the arrests, and thanked the members for working hard to keep suspects behind bars in the province.

Government has rolled out infrastructure for internet connectivity in four villages of Mount Ayliff in the Eastern Cape, allowing households to access the internet at cheaper rates.

“For R249 per month, a subscribing household has unlimited access to robust internet.  The project has realised cheaper data costs as low as R5 per one gig for a day,” the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies said on Monday.

This initiative is part of Government’s flagship programme SA Connect, which seeks to bridge the digital divide by connecting government institutions and providing Wi-Fi access to communities across the country with the target to achieve 80% internet connectivity for the population by the end of the 2024/25 financial year.

The aim of the project is to improve broadband penetration, reduce broadband prices and drive economic growth.

“The rollout of this project nullifies the vastness (geographic distance) of the district as well as the rural-urban divide as villagers no longer need to make long distance trips to towns to access services such as banking, education, e-commerce, etc. as well as various government services,” Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele said.

The Sentech tower situated at Simakamaka Mountain is providing a clear line of sight to the four villages and anchors the internet connectivity.

It has provided employment opportunities to a total of 120 skilled professionals and semi-skilled labour force and contributed immensely to the general economic upliftment of the area.

“It is envisaged that the overall Wi-Fi access to communities will result in excess over 75 small to medium sized companies offering employment opportunities to 4 505 skilled professionals and semi-skilled labour force,” the department said.

The Minister launched phase two of the SA Connect Project on 04 November 2023.

The Mount Ayliff segment of the project has exceeded the 500 households it originally intended to connect and is currently oversubscribed with many more potential subscribers still requesting the service.

The department will launch other pilots of phase two of SA Connect in Harry Gwala Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal as well as the Modimolle Local Municipality, Waterberg District in Limpopo in the next coming weeks.

Overall, connectivity will be rolled out in 16 districts by March 2024.

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala is on an official working visit in the United Kingdom, where he will engage strategic finance stakeholders and conduct important bilaterals with his ministerial counterparts on driving further investment into South Africa’s infrastructure project pipeline.

Zikalala will be in the United Kingdom till Friday.

While in the UK, the Minister will deliver a keynote address at the Global Trade Review Africa in London on Wednesday, as well as attend the opening of Parliament, at the invitation of Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, Speaker of the House of Commons.

The South African government has unveiled and gazetted a project pipeline of over 70 projects in the sectors of energy, water, digital infrastructure, transport, human settlements and agriculture.

Zikalala, who is joined by a delegation from Infrastructure South Africa (ISA), will seek to pivot investment-ready infrastructure projects and further strengthen relations with the UK government to ensure sustainable collaboration in the infrastructure eco-system.

Minister Zikalala is hosted by the UK Prime Minister’s trade envoy to South Africa, Andrew Selous and will conduct bilaterals with the Minister of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Andrew Mitchell, and the Minister of State in the Department for Business Trade, the Earl of Minto.

Zikalala and his delegation will round off the visit with a site visit to Kings Cross and bilateral engagements with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority.

Zikalala will thereafter proceed to the Afrexim Bank Intra Africa Trade Fair in Cairo, Egypt, where he will focus on accelerating business and economic growth across Africa.

This, according to his department, will be a platform that will also be utilised to showcase and market Strategic Infrastructure Projects (SIPs).

This forum will involve senior executives from governments, major banks, companies and NGOs from across Africa and beyond.

Limpopo Premier Chupu Stanley Mathabatha is expected to hand over 35 brand new ambulances to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) at district municipality offices in the Sekhukhune District.

The new fleet of EMS vehicles is a major step in the department’s ongoing commitment to enhancing healthcare services for all residents in the province.

The handover is a pivotal moment aligning with the goal set by Health MEC, Dr Phophi Ramathuba (during the 2023/24 budget speech) of providing a total of 500 new ambulances.

In recent months, 105 new ambulances have been commissioned and allocated to EMS stations across the province.

Other districts and EMS stations are in the queue to receive new ambulances in the upcoming tranches.

Mathabatha emphasised the crucial role of ambulance services in delivering timely medical care to patients, ensuring immediate attention, providing vital first aid, stabilising patients and preventing the deterioration of their condition.

“Improving our ability to respond swiftly to emergency situations is our top priority,” said Mathabatha.

Economies in Sub-Saharan countries stand to benefit far more from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) than notable trade statistics, says President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“AGOA enhances the diversification of African economies, enabling them to export value-added products. By enabling African countries to have preferential access to the US market, this opportunity incentivises African countries to develop and export value-added goods and services. This does and will continue to reduce Africa’s dependence on primary commodities and enhance its ability to participate in global value chains.

“Another important element of AGOA is that it has a capacity-building and technical assistance component that supports African countries in meeting the requirements for accessing the US market. This assistance helps improve Africa’s competitiveness by enhancing skills, knowledge and infrastructure, enabling African businesses to meet international standards,” the President said in his weekly newsletter on Monday.

The newsletter was released on the back of South Africa hosting the 20th AGOA Forum in Johannesburg, which concluded on Saturday.

AGOA is an initiative of the United States of America aimed at giving duty-free market access for producers in eligible countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

President Ramaphosa further explained how some economies’ development can be enhanced through AGOA.

“If extended beyond 2025 for a sufficiently long period, and if used more effectively, AGOA can contribute significantly to the further diversification of African economies. It could enable countries to produce a wider range of products using the abundant minerals, metals and agricultural produce. The extension of AGOA could also encourage the further development of value chains across different countries.

“We have already seen this happening in South Africa’s automotive industry, for example. Local automotive companies source leather car seats from Lesotho, wiring harnesses from Botswana, copper wiring from Zambia, steering wheel components from Tunisia and rubber from Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Malawi, Ghana and Cameroon. The vehicles are finally fully manufactured in South Africa, then exported to the US duty-free under AGOA.

“This is a great example of the resources and industrial capabilities of different African countries being brought together to produce finished goods that can be sold beyond our shores. This is contributing to the creation of jobs both in South Africa and in other African countries, and raising foreign exchange earnings,” he said.

Regional integration

President Ramaphosa said AGOA can be a catalyst for further economic integration between countries.

“Africa has been advocating for the integration of continental economies for a long time. AGOA encourages regional integration among African countries. To fully benefit from AGOA, countries are finding that it is far better to work together to increase production capacities, harmonise standards and develop regional value chains.

“This is demonstrated by the experience of 10 countries, including South Africa, in the production of motor vehicles exported to the US. This promotes cooperation, economic integration and the growth of larger regional markets within Africa,” he said.

Local perspective

The President honed in on some of the benefits that South Africa already garners from AGOA.

“While [AGOA] may seem to many in our country to be a rather distant, even obscure topic, AGOA is an important instrument for growing and transforming our economy. The benefits of AGOA are felt in the lives of our people through increased economic activity and the jobs that such activity created.

“South Africa benefits a great deal from AGOA. Our country is the United States’ largest trading partner in Africa. The US exports more goods to South Africa and imports more goods from South Africa than any other African country. According to US Census Bureau data from 2020, South Africa was the largest destination for US foreign direct investment among AGOA eligible countries,” he said.

President Ramaphosa emphasised that South Africa attaches great significance to its relationship with its American counterpart.

“South Africa greatly values its bilateral relationship with the US, one of our largest trading partners, with whom we enjoy relations that extend well beyond trade.

“We look forward to further engagement around the reauthorisation of AGOA at a time when its benefits continue to support our quest for economic growth, job creation and inclusive, sustainable development,” President Ramaphosa said.