President Ramaphosa appoints Gwede Mantashe as Acting Police Minister
Mantashe will, however, retain his responsibilities as Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
8 hours ago
- IOL News
Keeping democracy on the straight and narrow through social dialogue
Solly Phetoe is general secretary of Cosatu. Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers. Democracies are sites of contestation. It is important to engage in debate anchored upon facts, honesty and respect for institutions of social dialogue. Cosatu has been dismayed by the explosion of fake news over the past few years. Of late we have seen this addiction to peddling hysteria expand to the Nedlac labour laws reforms negotiations. It is important to reassure workers that their hard-won rights, guaranteed by the Constitution and set in law, will continue to remain intact. Covid-19 highlighted numerous gaps in our labour laws, from 4 million informal workers falling outside the social security net, to actors and artists lacking collective bargaining protection. The Department of Employment and Labour with Business and Labour at Nedlac agreed to an open discussion on our labour laws with all parties allowed to table proposed amendments. Cosatu was deeply concerned by government and business' initial proposals which we felt would seriously erode the protections in law that took decades of struggles to achieve. We were disappointed that labour's proposals were disregarded. The Federation chose to continue to engage, to prevent a rush to table Bills at Parliament and to battle on at Nedlac to not only block such proposed weakening of our labour laws but to put in place amendments to address many gaps that workers have experienced from our factories to our farms. Negotiations require strategic acumen, tactical agility and a level of compromise. Most importantly they require you to pitch at the negotiating table. Pity parties at home with friends win nothing. Cosatu is pleased that despite an initial set of proposals that have would gutted our labour laws, we managed not only to block amendments that would have set workers back but to score major victories that labour campaigned for over many years. Initial proposals included exempting SMMEs from the bulk of our labour laws. Cosatu successfully blocked this as the majority of workers are employed by SMMEs and this would have left them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Exemptions from retrenchment processes for SMMEs were tabled. This would have left workers exposed to no protections or retrenchment payments. Not only did we manage to have this proposal withdrawn but also secured an agreement to increase retrenchment compensation from one to two weeks' pay for every year employed going forward. This will be a powerful disincentive for employers to avoid retrenchments and provide workers with greater relief when they lose their jobs. We were deeply concerned by proposals to allow for the firing of workers under thirty years of age with less than two years of experience without recourse to protections. Whilst we support the call to help young people find work this must not be at the expense of their rights. Again, we managed to persuade negotiation partners that this is a flawed approach. Probation periods have long existed in South African labour law allowing employers some flexibility to assess a new employee's performance within a framework of protections. Proposals to exempt middle-income workers from taking grievances to the CCMA were blocked and amended to the top tax bracket, e.g. CEOs who can afford to take matters to the Labour Courts. This will help free up a badly overstretched CCMA to focus on low- and middle-income workers who don't have the time or resources for Labour Courts. Cosatu and our predecessors fought for decades for the National Minimum Wage, achieving this historic victory in 2019. Then too we were insulted as the greatest sellouts in the history of humanity by our critics. Today it has raised the wages of 6 million farm, domestic, construction, hospitality, transport and other vulnerable workers. Initial proposals to roll back the NMW and allow blanket exemptions have been stopped and we have managed to secure a critical agreement protecting the NMW from deductions, e.g. bonuses, 13th cheques etc. that would erode its hourly value. Alarming reports show 7 700 employers defaulting on pension funds. Agreement has been secured on requiring labour inspectors to check employers' pension funds' contributions compliance and with 20 000 labour inspectors being recruited to boost these efforts. The economy is not static. Laws have to be amended to keep pace with the changing nature of work. We are pleased we have been able to secure amendments that recognise the rights of atypical workers, e.g. actors and e-platform workers to collective bargaining and that engagements will soon start on our proposals to ensure such workers, including those in the informal sector, are covered by the Unemployment Insurance and Compensation of Occupational Injuries and Diseases Funds. This may require a hybrid model but what matters is that all 17 million workers are protected. There are areas where Cosatu remains deeply opposed to some proposed amendments, in particular the definitions of and protections from unfair labour practices plus exempting start up SMMEs from Bargaining Councils' collective agreements for two years. These would threaten millions of workers' protections and undermine collective bargaining central to the rights of vulnerable workers and labour market stability. The proposed amendments are now before the State Law Advisor to ensure constitutional compliance they will be released for public comment. They will then return for further engagements at Nedlac and then be tabled at Cabinet. Parliament is likely to be seized with the Bills during 2027 and 2028 and will have further public engagements. They may then be submitted for Presidential assent in 2029. Amilcar Cabral wisely said, 'Tell no lies, claim no easy victories'. These are words peddlers of fake news about the draft Bills would do well to reflect upon and to utilise the mechanisms provided for to engage on their content. Cosatu will continue to utilise Nedlac and Parliament as well as bilateral engagements with government and business to ensure its remaining concerns are addressed before the Bills are tabled at Cabinet and Parliament and that workers' hard-won rights are not only protected but in fact strengthened and expanded. This is a battle that Cosatu will win. Cosatu General Secretary Solly Phetoe *** The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Independent Media or IOL. BUSINESS REPORT
Eyewitness News
11 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
MK Party challenge against Ramaphosa appointment of acting police minister looms
JOHANNESBURG - The president has until Monday to file answering papers in the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party's challenge over appointing an acting police minister. The party is approaching the Constitutional Court urgently to have President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision overturned. Earlier in July, Ramaphosa placed Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu on special leave following allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Mkhwanazi claimed Mchunu was linked to some key figures in an alleged criminal syndicate in Gauteng. ALSO READ: A presidential showdown is looming in the Constitutional Court, where the MK Party and leader Jacob Zuma's case against Ramaphosa will be heard. The MK Party seeks to invalidate Ramaphosa's decision to place Mchunu on special leave. The party wants this matter to be heard urgently as the appointment of Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia comes into effect on Friday. Ramaphosa has until 2 pm to file his answering papers before Wednesday's court battle. The MK Party wants the decision to suspend Mchunu and appoint Cachalia, as well as the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry into Mkhwanazi's allegations, all declared irrational and inconsistent with the Constitution.
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
South Africa's diplomatic ties with the US hang in the balance amid proposed sanctions
President Cyril Ramaphosa Gwede Mantashe. Former South African ambassador to US, Ebrahim Rasool. ANC first deputy secretary general Nomvula Mokonyane. Naledi Pandor. South Africa's relationship with the United States is on a diplomatic knife-edge, as the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee push forward a bill that could see senior African National Congress (ANC) leaders hit with sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes. The proposed U.S. – South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025 calls for a sweeping 120-day probe into Pretoria's foreign policy stance, targeting individuals accused of corruption or of acting against American interests. The looming sanctions have intensified diplomatic tensions, placing several senior ANC figures squarely in the crosshairs. President Cyril Ramaphosa, ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe, former International Relations Minister Dr. Naledi Pandor, ANC First Deputy Secretary-General Nomvula Mokonyane, and former U.S. Ambassador Ibrahim Rasool have all been flagged as potential targets of the proposed U.S. action. The bill's advancement has triggered a political storm in Pretoria, with ANC leaders condemning it as an affront to South Africa's sovereignty and its right to pursue an independent foreign policy. Although the U.S. legislation stops short of naming individuals, growing pressure is falling squarely on President Ramaphosa and his cabinet, whose diplomatic choices have increasingly drawn fire from U.S. lawmakers. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ A Shift in Foreign Policy At the heart of the growing rift is South Africa's vocal and consistent defence of Palestine. Pretoria has become one of the strongest international voices condemning Israel's war on Palestinians, and this has not gone unnoticed in Washington. The South African government's move to initiate a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza was seen as a deliberate shift away from its previously neutral stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Alongside this, Pretoria's growing alignment with Russia, China, and Iran has further strained its relationship with the U.S., who view these ties as contradictory to American geopolitical interests. President Ramaphosa, who has steered South Africa's foreign policy in this direction, faces intense scrutiny. His administration's engagement with Russia and its stance on the Middle East has drawn sharp rebuke from U.S. lawmakers, who have accused South Africa of aligning with authoritarian regimes and undermining democratic values. U.S. diplomats have expressed frustration over Ramaphosa's outspoken criticism of U.S. policy, particularly on issues such as Israel and the war in Gaza. In June, IOL reported that President Ramaphosa released a cautious statement calling for dialogue and a peaceful resolution to rising geopolitical tensions. His remarks highlighted South Africa's sensitive diplomatic position, balancing its longstanding relationship with Iran and its vocal criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza. 'President Cyril Ramaphosa and the South African government have noted with a great deal of anxiety the entry by the United States of America into the Israel-Iran war," the statement read. 'It was South Africa's sincerest hope that President Donald Trump would use his influence and that of the US government to prevail on the parties to pursue a dialogue path in resolving their issues of dispute. 'South Africa calls on the United States, Israel, and Iran to give the United Nations the opportunity and space to lead on the peaceful resolution of the matters of dispute, including the inspection and verification of Iran's status of uranium enrichment, as well as its broader nuclear capacity,' the statement reads. Local ANC Leaders Under Scrutiny Gwede Mantashe, serving as both ANC National Chairperson and Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, is among those who could come under scrutiny. He was named in the Zondo Commission report, which linked him to alleged corrupt dealings with the now-defunct facilities company Bosasa. The report detailed claims that Mantashe received illicit security upgrades at his properties, allegations he has consistently denied, but which continue to cast a shadow over his political standing. Nomvula Mokonyane, ANC First Deputy Secretary-General and former Minister of Environmental Affairs, also appears to be in Washington's sights. Her alleged involvement in the Bosasa corruption scandal remains a point of concern, but it is her recent proposal to rename Sandton Drive, where the U.S. Consulate is located, to 'Leila Khaled Drive' that has drawn international attention. Khaled, a Palestinian militant associated with plane hijackings and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a group designated as a terrorist organisation by the U.S., has made Mokonyane's comments especially controversial, sparking widespread outrage and potentially deepening the diplomatic rift. Then there is Dr. Naledi Pandor, South Africa's former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, who has emerged as a central figure in the foreign policy debate. Her vocal defence of South Africa's position on Israel, along with continued diplomatic engagement with Iran and Hamas, has made her a lightning rod for criticism. U.S. lawmakers have accused Pandor of steering South Africa toward increasingly adversarial alliances, arguing that her actions are undermining the country's longstanding relationship with the West. Ibrahim Rasool, former South African Ambassador to the United States, has also come under scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers. Known for his outspoken criticism of U.S. foreign policy, especially regarding the Middle East and Israel, Rasool has often been at odds with American diplomats. His influential role in shaping the ANC's foreign policy during the Obama administration is now being reexamined amid Washington's broader review of its diplomatic relationship with South Africa. ANC Pushback The ANC's response has been one of defiance, with ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula condemning the bill as an 'attack on our sovereignty.' Mbalula has warned that the proposed sanctions are part of a broader U.S. effort to undermine South Africa's political independence and foreign policy decisions. "There is no justification for sanctions against our leaders simply for standing up for what we believe is right, especially on the issue of Palestine," Mbalula said in a statement. While the US sanctions bill may pass into law, it is far from certain that the Trump administration will take immediate action. Joel Pollak, a former senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, suggested that the sanctions would likely be targeted at individuals deemed to be responsible for actions that go against U.S. interests. 'The Magnitsky Act is about holding people accountable for undermining democracy and supporting corrupt practices. This is not an attempt to punish South Africa, but to target those who undermine key democratic norms,' Pollak said. As the U.S. Congress moves closer to passing the bill, South Africa faces a crossroads in its relationship with the United States. Should the sanctions go ahead, it will signal a significant shift in South Africa's international standing, particularly with the U.S., and potentially mark the beginning of a new phase in its foreign policy, where its support for Palestine and criticism of Western powers takes centre stage. The Star
