Mohai to lead oversight visit to Mthatha to assess govt progress in responding to June floods
The disaster killed at least 103 people, including children and left at least 4,000 homeless across the Eastern Cape.
Wednesday's visit will focus on housing plans, restoration of basic services and monitoring the implementation of the multi-billion-rand relief package.
Survivors have been moved between community halls, schools and lodges, many complaining of poor conditions, including sleeping on floors without mattresses or blankets.
Government has allocated more than R5 billion for recovery, including new housing, repairs to roads and clinics, and support for livelihoods.
Permanent homes are expected to be ready by April 2025.
Meanwhile, flowers laid at memorial sites in Mthatha have become symbols of loss and hope as residents grieve and wait for relief.
The government delegation, which includes local and provincial leaders, will inspect damaged sites and engage directly with affected communities.
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Eyewitness News
a day ago
- Eyewitness News
Mohai to lead oversight visit to Mthatha to assess govt progress in responding to June floods
JOHANNESBURG - Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Seiso Mohai is to lead an oversight visit to Mthatha to assess government's progress in responding to the deadly June floods. The disaster killed at least 103 people, including children and left at least 4,000 homeless across the Eastern Cape. Wednesday's visit will focus on housing plans, restoration of basic services and monitoring the implementation of the multi-billion-rand relief package. Survivors have been moved between community halls, schools and lodges, many complaining of poor conditions, including sleeping on floors without mattresses or blankets. Government has allocated more than R5 billion for recovery, including new housing, repairs to roads and clinics, and support for livelihoods. Permanent homes are expected to be ready by April 2025. Meanwhile, flowers laid at memorial sites in Mthatha have become symbols of loss and hope as residents grieve and wait for relief. The government delegation, which includes local and provincial leaders, will inspect damaged sites and engage directly with affected communities.
The South African
2 days ago
- The South African
Minister reveals why PRASA trains still inoperable in major metros
This week, Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy gave a long overdue update on the status of PRASA trains. Responding to a Q&A session in parliament, she attributed the disuse of PRASA trains to on-going damage, theft and vandalism of key infrastructure. Since taking office, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa has spent R2.5 billion on overhauling old-generation PRASA trains. Referred to internally as 'grey-and-yellow rolling stock,' the General Overhaul Project budget is R7.5 billion. Hundreds of un-refurbished coaches sit chocking up rail yards. Image: File However, the PRASA says it still needs to refurbish railway lines where the old fleet can be used, reports IOL . Some of the old PRASA trains have been seen in rural areas of the Eastern and Western Cape. 'The old fleet is best utilised in corridors that are mainly outside the metros, which are mostly owned by Transnet. And the latest fleet (blue-and-white rolling stock) are being used within the major metros. Therefore, we're in discussion with Transnet on the recovery of these outside lines,' said Creecy. President Cyril Ramaphosa launching PRASA's new 'blue-and-white' trains at Cape Town Train Station in the April 2019. Image: Flickr/GCIS Earlier this year, the Portfolio Committee on Transport heard that a further R5 billion needs to be spent on the project. Minister Creecy revealed that 272 coaches have been refurbished to date and a further 183 coaches require work. Moreover, the department is assessing whether to use these coaches internally, or it may choose to lease them to private companies as part of its rail reform plan. However, the minister also admitted to another bombshell in the Q&A session. She revealed that the rail agency was 'seeking legal advice' on cancelling contracts for the remainder of the refurbishment project. 'No decision has been made yet that will impact our long-term goals of rebuilding a reliable, affordable, and accessible public rail system,' Creecy concluded. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Maverick
06-08-2025
- Daily Maverick
Nana Makhubele ‘could be first judge impeached for State Capture' — #UniteBehind's Zackie Achmat
After six-and-a-half years and close to R5-million in costs, civil society movement #UniteBehind has claimed a significant victory with the Judicial Service Commission's acceptance of a finding of gross misconduct against Gauteng High Court judge Tintswalo Nana Makhubele. The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) recently accepted the findings of a Judicial Conduct Tribunal which found Gauteng High Court judge Tintswalo Nana Makhubele guilty of gross misconduct. This opens the way for the National Assembly to vote on the impeachment of a woman with a once-promising future who tragically became entangled in State Capture at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa). #UniteBehind, a coalition of civil society movements, brought the complaint against Makhubele to the JSC. 'For #UniteBehind, it has been a painful journey of six-and-a-half years to hold Judge Nana Makhubele accountable for gross misconduct because of her… attempts at facilitating corruption and State Capture at Prasa. We have had to spend close to R5-million, perhaps more, without any possibility of recovering that cost,' said Zackie Achmat, activist and founder of #UniteBehind. 'Judge Makhubele is probably the first judge… that could be impeached, if Parliament does its work, for facilitating State Capture, and that for us is a major victory.' Makhubele's crime is that she sat on the Bench while chairing the Prasa interim board and authorising a 'secret settlement deal' involving payments from Prasa to Siyaya of about R56-million. Contracts with Siyaya and its subsidiaries were the subject of a number of criminal investigations. Makhubele was found to have committed perjury by alleging that she had been given permission to hold off taking up her job in January 2018. 'What we must remember is that this was not simply the facilitation of State Capture. It was also a set of acts… that has led to the destruction of lives in… [terms of a] lack of safety on the rail and the loss of livelihoods, with people losing jobs by not being able to be on time for work because of the destruction of Prasa's management,' Achmat said. Horns of a dilemma Makhubele had previously said she had found herself on the horns of this ethical dilemma since she could not resign because she had not wanted to 'let the minister (of transport, Joe Maswanganyi) down'. Evidence before the tribunal was that Makhubele was recommended for judicial office in October 2017, the month in which she took up the Prasa chair position. While she had been expected to begin her judicial duties on 1 January 2018, she did not arrive for work to take the oath of office. Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo – whose version was supported by an affidavit from his deputy, Judge Aubrey Ledwaba – testified that Makhubele had told him that she chaired the board of the Water Tribunal and was concerned about a clash of interests. He had reassured her that there was no conflict and put her on the roster for the first term of 2018. Strike three Judge Makhubele faces the ignominy of being the third judge in post-apartheid South Africa to be removed from the Bench for dishonesty. Former Western Cape judge president John Hlophe and judge Nkola Motata paved the way. In an announcement on Friday, 1 August, the JSC noted that it had accepted the findings of fact made early by the tribunal, but differed in two respects. It corrected the section of the JSC Act to include gross misconduct and noted that the conclusion was 'inescapable that the dishonest conduct of Judge Makhubele as described in Part A constitutes a breach of section 14(4)(a) of the JSC Act'. Furthermore the tribunal, chaired by retired judge Achmat Jappie, found that Makhubele' s conduct constituted a breach of section 14(4)(e) of the Act and that a further concern for the JSC had been that the tribunal had not added the adjective 'gross' to qualify the misconduct of which Judge Makhubele was found guilty. The commission found that Makhubele was 'guilty of gross misconduct'. Allegations were that she had failed to sever professional ties with Prasa upon her permanent appointment to the judiciary; that she occupied an office for profit, where she received payment for services, which payment was not authorised by the JSC Act; and that she had requested a special dispensation regarding her appointment. #UniteBehind's complaint to the JSC highlighted that Makhubele served in a position which 'undermined the independence of the judiciary'. Her actions also breached the separation of powers. DM
