The “exodus” of people from the Eastern Cape to the Western Cape is the biggest vote of no-confidence in the government, DA leader Mmusi Maimane told people in Lusikisiki while on the campaign trail on Saturday.
“The Eastern Cape should be booming. There should be a job in every home, in every village,” he said in a speech prepared for delivery at the party’s provincial manifesto launch.
“But instead people have been leaving the province of their birth because there are simply no opportunities for them or their children here. They leave where they cannot see a future, and they go where they think they can build a better life for them and their families.”
Maimane told the crowd that he knew the potential of the Eastern Cape because he used to run an NGO in Keiskammahoek that helped develop farmers.
“I know how fertile this province is – it could be the backbone of our agriculture sector. I also know the enormous potential that lies in tourism here, as well as manufacturing.”
He compared the province with the Western Cape, where the DA took over from the ANC in 2009.
“They are similar in size. They are similar in population numbers. They both have long rugged coast lines and beautiful interiors that range from semi-desert Karoo to towering mountain ranges. They have similar key industries on which their economies depend. Tourism, agriculture and manufacturing employ the vast majority of people in both provinces. They even speak, for the most part, the same languages. But that is where the similarities end,” he said.
“Because when it comes to the lived experience of the residents of these neighbouring provinces, they might as well be two different countries. Even just driving across the boundary, you immediately feel the difference beneath the wheels of your car.”
He claimed that people flocked to the Western Cape from the Eastern Cape for a better life, especially for its education and healthcare.
“This incredible province cannot simply be a place from which people flee – the forgotten province. There is way too much potential among these people, in this land and in these cities, towns and villages for us to allow this to happen.
“There is no reason this province cannot make the same turnaround that the Western Cape did ten years ago. There is no reason why this can’t also be a place of growth, jobs and opportunities – a place where people come to instead of leave.”
Eastern Cape province is very special to me.
There is no reason this province cannot make the same turnaround that the WC did 10 years ago.
Today we presented our offer which says that the future of someone growing up here should be just as bright as that of someone in the WC. pic.twitter.com/asvkJddtqa
A man was killed in broad daylight in an apparent hit in Allen’s Nek, Roodepoort, on Saturday morning.
The man, 51, had been standing next to his motorbike, near the intersection of Christiaan de Wet and Rooibok Street, around 10:30, said Gauteng police spokesperson, Colonel Lungelo Dlamini.
He said a black car suddenly parked behind the bike and two armed men jumped out.
It is understood the men were dressed in black, had gloves on and wore balaclavas and sunglasses to hide their identities.
An eyewitness, who did not want to be identified for fear of being targeted, told News24 he was nearby when he heard shots firing in rapid succession.
“I would say it was least four to six shots and I saw the guy fell down. The one guy (shooter) got back in the car and another came out. He shot another four shots,” the eyewitness said.
“It looked like it was a hit and they wanted to kill this guy.”
Dlamini said the men fired shots before getting back into their vehicle and fleeing the scene.
According to the eyewitness, everyone in the vicinity was shocked and some rushed to the motorcyclist’s aid.
He said that when someone took a photo of the shooters’ car, the driver apparently flashed a zap sign.
From the victim’s identity book, it appeared he was a national of an eastern European country.
An ambulance arrived within 10 minutes but it was too late.
Dlamini said no arrests had yet been made and the motive for the shooting was not yet clear.
Officers cordoned off the scene as forensic experts combed the scene for clues.
Leaked pictures show that a day after the control of Bosasa was handed back to Gavin Watson and his fellow directors, armed security guards were called in to escort staff off the premises after they were summarily suspended on Friday morning.
News24 understands the suspended staff members, one of whom was summarily dismissed, co-operated with provisional liquidators and as a result, were forced to leave.
On Thursday, the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg granted Bosasa’s application for an order declaring the special resolutions the company’s board had taken to place it under voluntary liquidation on February 12, null and void.
The court ordered the provisional liquidators, Cloete Murray, Tania Oosthuizen and Ralph Lutchman, to hand over control of the company to its directors within 12 hours.
A video shared on Twitter on Thursday showed a triumphant Watson returning to the offices while staff sang and hugged him.
One of two armed security guards who escorted a senior Bosasa staff member from her office on Friday. She was suspended pending an investigation allegedly because she cooperated with liquidator Cloete Murray.(Supplied)
Watson’s daughter Lindsay, who also worked at the company and who was fired by Murray in his capacity as liquidator, was spotted at the Bosasa offices on Friday morning from at least 07:00.
Watson himself was also there from around the same time.
Murray and his colleagues, who are among other liquidators who were appointed, were also ordered to pay the costs of the application in their personal capacities as they had opposed the application. However, eNCA reported that they would appealing the court’s decision. Despite several requests to Murray and his attorneys, News24 was unable to verify the decision to appeal.
Witch hunt
News24 has learnt that staff who had co-operated with Murray and the others in any way have been suspended “pending investigation”.
So far, at least four staff members have been suspended, News24 understands, and more may follow.
This includes Gina Pieters and Magda van Rensburg, who have both been employed at Bosasa for around 18 years.
A second guard, armed with a rifle, is seen standing outside the Bosasa staff member’s office. She was escorted out of her office by the guards after being suspended pending an investigation, allegedly stemming from her cooperation with liquidators. In the foreground is an HR representative. (Supplied)
Van Rensburg was informed that her contract was summarily terminated after she was escorted from her office by the armed guards, dressed in Blackrox Intelligence Security Services uniforms, Bosasa’s security subsidiary company.
Two others, whose names are known to News24, were also suspended.
Pieters was previously an assistant to former Bosasa chief operations officer Angelo Agrizzi, while Van Rensburg previously worked as an assistant to Andries van Tonder, the former chief financial officer.
Both Agrizzi and Van Tonder have appeared before the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture to give evidence of grand corruption at Bosasa spanning nearly two decades.
Bosasa director and spokesperson Papa Leshabane declined to comment on the suspensions.
“Your moles have given you information, do what you want with it,” Leshabane said.
A consignment of books co-authored by Movement for Democratic Change MP Tendai Biti has allegedly been seized by the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) in Zimbabwe.
Biti co-authored the book, Democracy Works, with former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Dr Greg Mills from the Brenthurst Foundation and Jeffrey Herbst, president of the American Jewish University.
He tweeted on Thursday night that 18 copies of the book had been dispatched by its publishers to Zimbabwe early in January.
“We were ridiculously asked to pay duty, which we did. Now the president’s office, a euphemism for the CIO, has abducted these books. Who does this?” he tweeted.
Absolutely ridiculous!!In early January our publishers send to Zimbabwe 18 copies of our book #DemocracyWorks through DHL . We were ridiculously asked to pay duty , which we did. Now the President s Office , a euphemism for the CIO has abducted these books . Who does this ? pic.twitter.com/cRYctPoKmR
The books had been sent from Johannesburg to Harare by publishers Pan Macmillan through the courier company DHL. DHL first contacted Biti to inform him that he had to pay duty on the books, which was strange to him, but he obliged.
He was then contacted by the person who was supposed to collect the books who said they had been seized and were at the president’s office.
“I was told to go to the airport to sort it out, but I haven’t gone because I’m not going to allow myself to be inconvenienced by a fascist state,” Biti told News24.
Terry Morris, managing director of Pan Macmillan, said he was very worried about the books being seized.
“This book is a positive commentary on the power of democracy to ensure economic growth and political stability and is an important book for citizens to be able to access and read. Freedom to read, discuss and debate are fundamental pillars of democracy that should be protected and celebrated.”
The judicial commission of inquiry into state capture continues with testimony from former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene, who has returned to complete his evidence. Earlier, the commission heard testimony from former mineral resources DG Thibedi Ramontja.
WATCH LIVE: State Capture Inquiry
(Courtesy of SABC)
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Last Updated at 12:29
10:52
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Zondo grants Des van Rooyen right to cross-examine Fuzile
Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has ruled that former finance minister Des van Rooyen can cross-examine ex-Treasury director-general Lungisa Fuzile at the state capture inquiry.
Van Rooyen was surprisingly appointed finance minister by former president Jacob Zuma in December 2015. The unexpected decision sent shock waves across markets and the rand into a tailspin.
His appointment was rescinded days later with Pravin Gordhan taking over the portfolio.
Zondo said on Thursday that a date for the cross-examination will be announced at a later stage.
09:33
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ICYMI:
Gordhan: Moyane cross-examination bid is a campaign against the ANC
Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan says efforts by Tom Moyane to cross-examine him at the Zondo commission of inquiry are part of a broader campaign against the ANC.
Gordhan was answering questions in Parliament on Wednesday. EFF MP Nazier Paulsen asked Gordhan why he did not wish to allow the former SARS commissioner to cross-examine him at the state capture inquiry, and if he had anything to hide.
Moyane had applied to the commission to cross-examine Gordhan, who had appeared before the commission in 2018 and testified that former president Jacob Zuma had pushed for Moyane to be made commissioner of the revenue service, News24 reported.
The application was heard by the Zondo commission earlier on Wednesday. Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo reserved his decision on the application.
09:33
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ICYMI:
Koko wrote to Mineral Resources minister about Optimum mine, Zondo commission hears
Business rescue practitioner Piers Marsden expressed shock and dismay on Wednesday regarding a letter written by former Eskom executive Matshela Koko to the department of mineral resources.
Marsden was testifying before the commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture led by deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo.
Marsden was appointed to rescue Optimum Coal Mine from its dire financial situation in 2015. However, at the end of 2015, OCM had received assistance from Glencore.
Marsden said on December 1, 2015, he told Eskom that Optimum was removed from business rescue and no longer faced being liquidated and would honour its coal contract with the power utility.
09:33
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ICYMI:
Eskom left Optimum out in the cold, says former business rescue practitioner
A former business rescue practitioner at Optimum Coal Mine has accused Eskom of providing little cooperation as he tried to turn the operation around.
On Wednesday, Piers Marsden told the commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture headed by Justice Raymond Zondo that Eskom offered no reciprocation in his efforts to rescue the controversial mine.
Marsden said he arrived at the mine in 2015 and established that it was held by Optimum Coal Holdings (OCH), among other companies.
“OCM (Optimum Coal Mine) had a contract to supply Eskom with coal from 2015 until 2018.
“OCM was experiencing significant loss of cash monthly. It had exhausted all its resources when I arrived. It relied on OCH to survive. It was in business rescue and was in financial distress,” he said.
09:33
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ICYMI:
Eskom’s Koko slams graft accusations, says his track record speaks for itself
Former acting CEO at Eskom, Matshela Koko, has maintained that corruption and mismanagement at the power utility had nothing to do with him, as testimony implicating him in wrongdoing mounts at the judicial commission of inquiry into state capture.
On Monday Gert Opperman, a coal supply unit manager at the power utility, told the commission that in 2015, he twice received phone calls from Koko instructing him to accept that sub-standard coal be forwarded to Majuba power station.
The Sunday Times, meanwhile, reported over the weekend that Koko is accused of promising Swiss-based engineering giant, Asea Brown Boveri (ABB), R6.5bn in future contracts if it subcontracted work on Kusile power station to Impulse International, a company partially owned by his stepdaughter, Koketso Choma.
09:33
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Motsoeneng ‘will gladly’ testify at Zondo commission, warns ANC will ‘be in trouble’
Former SABC chief operations officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng says he would “gladly” testify at the judicial commission of inquiry looking into allegations of state capture, should he be called to do so.
The former public broadcaster boss-turned-politician was addressing members of his political party, the African Content Movement (ACM), in Soweto on Sunday.
“Should I be called to go testify at the Zondo commission, I will gladly do [so],” Motsoeneng said at the gathering.
Motsoeneng said many ANC leaders had “tried to capture” him while he was at the SABC, IOL reported on Monday.
09:33
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ICYMI:
Eskom ‘misled’ Treasury over multi-billion rand Gupta contract, Zondo told
Eskom appears to have misled National Treasury about the quality of coal from a Gupta-owned coal mine in order to secure a R2.9bn contract, the state capture commission has heard.
The inquiry was on Monday continuing with evidence from Gert Opperman, a coal supply unit manager at the power utility.
Opperman took over the management of the coal contract at Brakfontein colliery in Mpumalanga in April 2015.
The colliery was owned by the Gupta mining company Tegeta Exploration and Resources.
09:33
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ICYMI:
Eskom’s Koko insisted we accept sub-standard coal, Zondo hears
The state capture commission has heard evidence that former top Eskom executive Matshela Koko personally called the manager of a Gupta-linked coal supply contract, insisting that sub-standard coal be delivered to Majuba power station.
Koko is the former acting CEO and former head of generation at the power utility.
The inquiry was continuing with evidence from Gert Opperman, a coal supply unit manager at the power utility.
Opperman told the commission that in April 2015 he took over the management of the Brakfontein colliery coal contract.
Gauteng MEC for sport and recreation Faith Mazibuko has apologised to her subordinates for her behaviour after the leaking of audio clips in which she allegedly tried to force her staff to disregard procurement processes in the construction of sports facilities in order to help the ANC win elections.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Mazibuko denied that her instructions to senior managers in the department were illegal.
“I wish to reiterate that at no stage did I give unlawful instructions to senior managers in the department except to stress the importance of achieving performance targets of the department and fulfilling promises made to communities as part of service delivery agreements and that this should be carried out within the prescripts of the law,” she said.
Her statement comes after amaBhungane published parts of the leaked audio clip of a meeting between Mazibuko and senior managers which took place on February 15. In the recordings, Mazibuko is heard shouting in isiZulu and English at a group of employees in a meeting about the building of sports facilities on which a combination of sports can be played.
“You better do it. I want those, no rollover of that money for combi-courts. You two! How you do it, even if you go fly a magic, you better do it. Those combi-courts, I want to use (them) to campaign to win the elections. I don’t want to hear stories, Monica. I want combi-courts and no stories.
“If you want to give me stories, then give me your resignation letters. I will fire you, you people who are not prepared to spend my money (sic),” Mazibuko is heard saying.
One of the employees tries to respond to the MEC who becomes more agitated.
“It doesn’t matter. Don’t tell me (in) English. I want combi-courts. Ngithi (I’m saying), or bring your resignation letters. That’s all I want. We empower you, you are not empowered. Which department has an Indian that is a CFO, and an HOD who is a mlungu (white)? Ayikho (There isn’t one) including national (departments). You must thank me for empowering you. So don’t sabotage me, you better do your work or get out (sic).”
“MEC we are doing our jobs,” replies an employee.
Mazibuko continues with her rant: “That’s why some departments don’t want to see a white woman or an Indian woman. Ababafuni (They don’t want them). It is not racism, it’s because you like talking English (sic).”
‘Unreserved’ apology
When one of the employees tries to interject, Mazibuko shouts in isiZulu that they must keep quiet and not disrupt her.
“No other departments, you two are the lucky ones, you must thank me. I said keep quiet, keep quiet. I don’t want to hear anything. You better sort out those combi-courts (sic).”
“We are working to achieve that MEC,” says an employee. In Thursday’s statement Mazibuko said she was apologising to the people of Gauteng.
“In a meeting held with the executive managers on February 15 in the department of sport, arts, culture and recreation, I raised concerns about lack of implementation of key priority community projects. An audio recording of the discussions of the meeting was leaked to the media.
“In a statement I previously issued on the matter I avoided speaking about the contents of the meeting out of respect for confidentiality. The audio recording of the meeting has been widely publicised. Out of frustration for lack of delivery, I became emotional and used inappropriate tone and language to show my frustration at lack of delivery.
“I wish to unreservedly apologise to all senior managers who were in the meeting, all staff members in the department, the premier and the people of Gauteng for the tone that I used and my general conduct in the meeting.”
The small town of Riviersonderend got the lion’s share of the recent rains where 275mm fell on one farm in just under nine hours – flooding fields, destroying fencing, pumps and killing 75 sheep.
The floodwaters swept through the farmhouse and the family had to evacuate.
Wesseljan van Deventer, whose farm Blydskap is about 2km from the N2 outside Riviersonderend, said the farm had 351mm between Friday last week to Tuesday morning.
“From about 04:00 on Monday to 12.30, we got 275mm. We lost 75 sheep, mainly young animals, that got trapped in the corners of the camps and they trampled each other under the water,” Van Deventer said.
“The house is full of water, we can’t stay there. It came from the lands right through. Our water supply is gone, the pumps and the pipes, and fencing. You can’t walk through the lands. There has also been a lot of soil damage, soil loss. But that’s the game in farming. I would rather have floods than drought. We’ll survive this.”
The Van Deventer’s farm in Riviersonderend was flooded when a cut-off low system dumped 275mm of rain on their land in just under nine hours. (Wesseljan van Deventer)
The flooding closed the N2 near Riviersonderend on Monday.
While some have called this “early winter rain”, Henning Grobler of the SA Weather Service said it was a cut-off low pressure system that caused the widespread rain.
“It’s definitely not early winter rain, and it’s not summer rain either. Cut-off low systems are not uncommon, and generally give a fair amount of rain. They often result in heavy downpours in just a few hours,” Grobler said.
The weather service describes a cut-off low as part of a low pressure system that becomes cut off from the main circulation. It loses momentum and can “just sit for days” before dissipating. They bring a range of weather types, including torrential rain, and are one of the main drivers of flood damage.
Although the rain was widespread, from the West Coast across the southern part of the Western Cape to the Tsitsitsikama and Little Karoo, the rainfall was patchy, and none as high as that of the Riviersonderend area.
The SA Weather Service said rainfall measured on Monday was 145mm in Riviersonderend, 37mm in Swellendam, 48mm in Riversdale, 22mm in Ladismith, 25mm in both Robertson and Worcester, 32mm in Porterville, 21mm in Laingsburg, 25mm in both Struisbaai and Mossel Bay, and 32mm in Kirstenbosch. Only 3.8mm was measured in Oudtshoorn, although some farmers in the area had between 20 and 30mm.
The Van Deventer’s farm in Riviersonderend was flooded when a cut-off low system dumped 275mm of rain on their land in just under nine hours. (Wesseljan van Deventer)
Piet Kleyn, CEO of the Ostrich Business Chamber, said the rains had been welcome, but were so patchy and so low, they had done nothing to break the region’s drought.
“You can say the situation is almost the same. There were a few good thundershowers here and there, but what we need to break this drought is sustained rainfall.”
Ostrich farmers have lost an estimated R1bn and have had to lay off 15% to 16% of their workforce as the drought enters its fourth year. The size of the flock has declined by 20% since last season.
Johan Uys from the Oudtshoorn Municipality said the bit of rain had nevertheless raised the level of the town’s Raubenheimer supply dam from 35.5% to 37%.
“We’ve got water for another seven months.”
The region is to get additional water from Blossoms Water Project, a 22km pipeline from boreholes in the Blossoms region, but the earliest this could yield a supply would be in November.
The Van Deventer’s farm in Riviersonderend was flooded when a cut-off low system dumped 275mm of rain on their land in just under nine hours. (Wesseljan van Deventer)
Heinrich Robertson from the West Coast District Municipality said while the region had received some rain over the last two days, it was not enough to break the drought.
“We are still under water restrictions.”
The Voëlvlei Dam is 63% full and the Clanwilliam Dam 30.3% full. These fell to 15% and 7% last year.
In the Overberg region south of the N2, rain was patchy, with 42mm measured in Bredasdorp, while farmers reported figures that ranged from 5mm to 30mm.
Beaufort West’s municipal manager Kosie Haarhoff said they recorded 14mm over the weekend.
“It’s better than nothing and will help replenish the underground water that feeds the boreholes, but it is not going to break the drought.”
The town’s supply dam is 10% full and 18 of the 40 boreholes on which Beaufort West depends for its main water supply, have dried up.
The average level in Cape Town’s supply dams on Tuesday was 52.6%, up from 52.2% on Monday. The level is likely to increase over the next few days with the run-off from the mountains in the catchment area.
Capetonians are still within the 650 million litres a day target and last week used 605 million litres.
German-South African citizen Max Thabiso Edkins, who died in an Ethiopian Airlines plane crash, has been remembered for his passion for the environment and fighting climate change.
The 35-year-old worked as a Communications Officer for Connect4Climate.
He had been flying to the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, when tragedy struck around six minutes into the flight from Addis Ababa on Sunday. There were 157 people who died.
The World Bank Group was shocked that they had lost Edkins as a staff member.
“We were devastated to learn that we lost a cherished colleague in the plane crash in Ethiopia,” said interim World Bank Group president Kristalina Georgieva.
“Max was deeply committed to the fight against climate change and brought tremendous creativity, energy and passion to his work. Our deepest sympathies go to his family and loved ones, and to those of the other victims of this tragedy.”
When his father Don Edkins heard about the plane crash, he had apparently hoped and prayed that his son was not affected.
He told TimesLive: “He was there, always, in the most important places, giving out the message that the environment and climate is where we have to do something for the future of our children and I think he would want that to be known for his children and for everybody else’s children.”
He leaves behind his wife Astrid, his young son, brother and parents.
