
Whites-only settlement Kleinfontein says area can't continue to operate as an island
JOHANNESBURG - The board of directors at the white Afrikaans-only settlement of Kleinfontein have acknowledged that the area cannot continue to operate as an island.
On Monday, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party visited the east Pretoria settlement on a fact-finding mission following renewed concerns that the settlement is a law unto itself.
Chairperson of the Kleinfontein board of directors, Rian Genis, said while they did not agree on everything, they appreciated the engagement with the MK Party.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
June 16: A legacy of struggle, a prosperous future unfulfilled
Township residents and schoolchildren re-enact the 1976 Soweto uprising. Image: Picture: AP Given the brunt of poverty, inequality and unemployment that young people perpetually face in this country, it is legitimate to ask what it is that we are expecting an increasingly impoverished and disenfranchised youth to celebrate this Youth Month. Are we merely paying lip service to the legacy of the class of '76, or are we genuinely committed to addressing the systemic challenges that young people are currently facing? As we commemorate the sacrifices of the class of '76, we must equally ask ourselves: What are WE celebrating? Is it merely the bravery of the past, or are we also acknowledging the failures of the present? It's been 49 years since the brave students of 1976 stood up against the apartheid regime's attempt to impose Afrikaans as the language of instruction in black schools. Their determination and sacrifice sparked a national movement that would change the course of South African history. As Seth Mazibuko, one of the courageous committee members who coordinated the June 16 uprising so eloquently, puts it, in a reflective conversation, 'The memory of the moment of the 16th of June 1976 forever sits in my heart and my mind. It felt like an awakening of a generation. ''A moment in history where, regardless of gender, age, geography, and ethnicity, the mission was one: To say enough! to injustice, segregation and indignity in both the education system at the time as well as society at large. 'We were very organised, and what most people may not be aware of was that this day was secretly well planned in a very short space of time to reach thousands of students across the country. While we knew that this was a cause much bigger than ourselves, we were determined to no longer put up with the oppression which our parents seemed too demoralised to do anything about.' 'What is now heartbreaking to witness in 2025 is how many of the struggles we fought for, which claimed thousands of lives, still plague today's youth. How is this possible?' The students' fight was not solely about language, but very much about equality and human rights. Thousands lost their lives in the ensuing violence, but their legacy lives on. Yet, as stated by Mr Mazibuko, despite the progress we've made as a nation, many of the same struggles that were hard fought for continue to persist. To this day, South Africa's youth face unprecedented challenges, and the numbers are stark. According to the Statistics South Africa Quarterly Labour Force Survey, in the first quarter of 2025, the unemployment rate for young people aged 15-34 stood at 46.2% overall, with a staggering 62.4% for those aged 15-24. The Not in Employment, Education, and Training (NEET) trajectory is a particular concern. Of the 10.3 million young people aged 15-24 years in Q1 of 2025, 37.1% of this number fell into this category. This translates to a significant portion of our youth being disconnected from opportunities that could help them build a better future. It is important to note that these alarming figures are more than just statistics; they represent a lost generation of young people who are being left behind. Without access to the prerequisite knowledge, skills and platforms necessary to develop their capacities, young people are more likely to fall prey to poverty, crime, and social unrest. Thereby signalling the alarm bells of a country in crisis. Our education system also finds itself in a critical juncture. Of the learners who start Grade 1, around 40% will drop out before they complete matric. This contributes to the year-on-year increase in the NEET cluster, with dire long-term consequences for our economy and individuals directly affected by it. It goes without saying that as individuals get older, their prospects for development diminish, and their fullest potential remains unfulfilled. Tebogo Suping is a sustainable development specialist with extensive experience in leading national and regional youth empowerment, governance and civic education programmes. Image: Supplied In addition, the cycle of poverty, inequality, and unemployment continues to burden our youth. Many are disillusioned, and their potential is being wasted. Our prisons are filling up with young people, primarily black and male, who are either perpetrators or once victims of violent crime themselves. These are no doubt symptoms of a failing state that is unequivocally failing its youth, and the list of these countless socio-economic disparities goes on and on, begging the critical question of what kind of future we are building for our young people This is because while our government claims to stand for non-racist, non-sexist and democratic ideals, the reality on the ground tells a much different story, and to turn this tide, we need a multifaceted approach that prioritises government accountability and transparency. How might we solve these pressing issues? Rooting out state corruption is essential to ensuring that resources are allocated effectively to address the growing challenges faced by our youth. This includes implementing targeted interventions that provide education, training, and decent work tailored to the needs of young people. Moreover, collaboration and partnership are crucial between the government, civil society, and the private sector to provide mentorship, skills development, and meaningful job opportunities that can help young people build a better future. By investing in our youth, we can unlock their potential and create a more prosperous and equitable society.

IOL News
6 hours ago
- IOL News
Godongwana urges MPs to ensure proper expenditure of R1 trillion infrastructure budget
The report on the Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals easily garnered the majority vote from the Government of National Unity partners and other smaller parties. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana on Tuesday challenged parliamentarians to ensure that the R1 trillion allocated for infrastructure in the 2025/26 budget was spent efficiently and effectively. Speaking moments before the vote on the Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals and report of the standing committee on finance, Godongwana said he has discharged his responsibility. 'MPs have to make sure that this R1 trillion on infrastructure is spent effectively and efficiently,' he said. His comment was a sequel to the remarks by National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams who sympathised with Godongwana after he was asked 'to pull off a miracle with nothing in revising the budget'. 'That should be the concern of these members … If not spent properly, that is your duty as MPs to do oversight,' he said. The report on the Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals was tabled in Parliament for the third time. On Wednesday, the report garnered the majority vote from the Government of National Unity (GNU) partners and other smaller parties. The report was passed with 268 votes in favour, 68 MPs, from the MK Party, EFF and United African Transformation were in opposition and two abstained. Godongwana, who had to redraft the budget and scrap initially proposed VAT increases, said it was a painful journey to have the budget adopted. 'From the National Treasury's perspective, we drew a number of lessons, but I suspect also members of this House must draw a number of lessons as to how we in practice are to manage debate around the Fiscal Framework moving forward,' he said. The passage of the Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals was despite the adjustment in the fuel levy, which was criticised by many during the debate. Tabling the report, ANC MP and standing committee on finance chairperson Joe Maswanganyi said Godongwana's third budget presentation underscored a steadfast commitment to fiscal responsibility and transparency. Maswanganyi said the budget adoption process within a coalition government can be quite complex due to the multitude of interests involved as coalition partners often bring diverse priorities, ideologies, and agendas to the table, which can complicate consensus-building efforts. 'Anyone calling for the Minister's head for the budget delay, is out of tune with coalition government dynamics all over the world,' he said in veiled attack on the MK Party, whose motion to censure Godongwana failed on Tuesday. Maswanganyi said during the budget hearings, stakeholders had welcomed the withdrawal of the VAT increase and additional allocations to SARS. 'The stakeholders, however, raised concerns about the proposed adjustments to the fuel levy, the lack of adjustment to PIT (personal income tax) brackets, above-inflation increases in excise duties, the withdrawal of zero-rated food items and the National Treasury's failure to increase Social Relief of Distress grant allocations,' he said. DA spokesperson on finance Mark Burke said his party supported the Fiscal Framework because it reflected some critical breakthroughs for ordinary South Africans. 'This is not a moment for celebration, it is a moment to push even harder for real economic reform that streamlines government, creates jobs and delivers growth,' Burke said. He praised the DA's firm stance against the VAT hike, securing billions in infrastructure investment, a commitment to root out ghost workers and an urgent review of government spending. 'These represents real breakthroughs that protect both the poor and the economy, but they are not enough,' Burke said. MK Party's Des van Rooyen said the GNU has subjected the country to a high fuel levy increase. 'Fuel levy is the most regressive taxing system and far worse than VAT is,' he said. Van Rooyen also said the report refusing their proposal for the introduction of a wealth tax, confirmed that 'the so-called GNU was a platform to protect the wealthy few, using puppets'. The EFF'S Omphile Maotwe said her party rejected the Fiscal Framework that was supported by the GNU, which replaced VAT with 'the regressive fuel levy that will affect the poor and the working class and failed to adjust the personal income tax brackets in line with inflation'. 'The Minister of Finance has declared to increase fuel taxes without even bringing a bill to Parliament. This tax is already in effect. It is a violation of the basic constitutional principle that no tax be imposed without the authority of legislation,' she said. The ACDP's Steven Swart said they welcomed the removal of VAT but it was sadly replaced by the maligned fuel levy hike. 'We will support the report but will be closely monitoring it. We want to be builders, not breakers,' said Swart in backing the Fiscal Framework report. BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane, whose party abstained in the vote, said the obsession should be about the rate of investment brought into the country, saying the projected economic growth was far too low. 'I suggest that we be aggressively declaring economic zones and giving infrastructure support, digital connectivity, efficient public transport and ethical government,' he added.


Eyewitness News
10 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
MK Party to reject Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals when put to vote
CAPE TOWN - The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party said it will reject the Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals when it is put to the vote in the National Assembly on Wednesday afternoon. This will be the second time a fiscal framework to underpin the 2025 budget is put to the vote, after Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana tabled a new budget in the house three weeks ago. ALSO READ: - EFF says it will oppose Wednesday's adoption of fiscal framework and budget - Parliament to consider the fiscal framework and revenue proposals for the 2025 budget MK Party's finance spokesperson and Member of Parliament (MP), Des van Rooyen, said public input into the budget process is being ignored, and the fuel levy that came into effect last week will harm the poor. The MK Party has condemned the repeated attempts by the Finance Minister to table a budget, saying it's a betrayal of public trust and it contributes to socioeconomic instability. On Tuesday, a motion from the party to censure Godongwana for gross mismanagement failed, but Van Rooyen said it's not the end of the road. 'There are various processes that we will take advantage of to hold the minister accountable. Our comrades both in the Standing Committee on Appropriations and the Standing Committee on Finance will be using those platforms to hold the minister and the National Treasury accountable.' Van Rooyen said replacing a value-added tax (VAT) increase with a fuel levy increase shows a lack of empathy for the poor. 'This among other things exposes the GNU's [Government of National Unity] inability to respond to South Africa's humanitarian crisis of unemployment, poverty and inequality.' Van Rooyen said Godongwana's growth projections are also overly optimistic.