Ramaphosa tells National Dialogue absentees that they'll regret not ‘being part' of process
Thahasello Mphatsoe/News24
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New York Times
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Mali's Junta Accuses Frenchman of Plot to Overthrow the Military Government
The junta that governs Mali said Thursday that it had foiled an attempted coup and arrested several individuals, including Malian military personnel and a French national it accused of organizing the plot. Mali, a landlocked country in Western Africa, has typified the turmoil that has rocked countries across the Sahel for more than a decade, including Islamist insurgencies, political instability, military takeovers and a decline in their relationship with France, a former colonizer. Among those arrested was a man the government identified as Yann Vezilier, a French citizen whom it accused of being a spy. In a statement broadcast by state television on Thursday, Gen. Daoud Aly Mohammedine, Mali's minister of security, accused Mr. Vezilier of working 'on behalf of the French intelligence service, which mobilized political leaders, civil society actors and military personnel.' The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment or even confirm Mr. Vezilier's nationality. Several other civilians and Malian military officials were also arrested for 'criminal offenses' related to a plot that General Mohammedine said began on Aug. 1. The general released scant other details about the nature or extent of the crimes. Mali has been ruled by a military government since August 2020, when the military exploited widespread public anger over a disputed parliamentary election. A second coup followed just nine months later. France maintained a contingent of troops in the country from 2013 until August 2022, when the junta expelled the forces in exchange for Russian mercenaries. That coup set into action a chain of similar military takeovers across the region, with soldiers seizing power across a belt of countries nine times between 2020 and 2023. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger — all ruled by military governments — officially withdrew from the West African alliance known as ECOWAS in January after the bloc pressured them to restore civilian leadership. Since Mali's government came to power, human rights groups have accused it of cracking down on dissent and political opposition.
News24
2 hours ago
- News24
Minister defends SANDF chief; Ellis Park not sold out for Boks: Top 7 stories in 7 minutes
News24 brings you the top 7 stories of the day. Graphic: Sharlene Rood News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature. 'There is nothing rogue': Motshekga defends Maphwanya's Iran visit and comments - Defence Minister Angie Motshekga defended General Rudzani Maphwanya's Iran visit, stating it was pre-approved and not a rogue action, attributing the backlash to US-Iran sensitivities. - Maphwanya's comments about Iran and South Africa being 'anti-colonial allies' caused diplomatic tension, with the Presidency and ANC distancing themselves and calling the trip 'ill-advised'. - Motshekga argued similar trips to other nations didn't face scrutiny, and the issue is the US-Iran relationship and tariff negotiations, not Maphwanya's actions. President Cyril Ramaphosa has cautioned those who opted out of the first National Convention of the National Dialogue that they could regret it. Thahasello Mphatsoe/News24 Ramaphosa tells National Dialogue absentees that they'll regret not 'being part' of process - President Cyril Ramaphosa subtly criticised those absent from the National Dialogue, including former president Thabo Mbeki, suggesting they might later regret their non-participation. - Ramaphosa defended the dialogue's nonpartisan nature and pledged to minimise costs by avoiding expensive venues. - He referenced the PAC's historical reluctance to engage in dialogues, suggesting those currently abstaining may eventually realise the value of participation. 'There's no hope': Unpaid salaries push 14 bus company workers to take their own lives - State-owned bus companies in North West, under business rescue since 2022, have seen their debt surge from R355 million to R1 billion, leading to months of unpaid salaries for employees. - The dire financial situation has resulted in a humanitarian crisis, with at least 14 employees committing suicide and one starving to death, alongside home repossessions and loss of vehicles. - Legal battles between business rescue practitioners over financial mismanagement and unauthorised accounts are delaying the payment of salaries, leaving 1 500 employee families in desperate circumstances. Minister plans biggest shakeup of municipalities since 1996 - Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa is planning a major overhaul of South Africa's local government system, including reducing the number of municipalities and changing the funding model. - The new White Paper on local government, expected in March 2026, will propose policy changes such as tighter conditions on infrastructure grants and increased powers for national intervention in failing municipalities. - Hlabisa aims to improve financial management in municipalities by withholding equitable share funding from those that cannot account for their finances or enforce consequences for financial mismanagement. Gallo Images/ER Lombard 'Utterly astounded': Court grants Old Mutual access to firm's office after shock revelations - Old Mutual won a court order to access and copy data at SA Guarantee Specialists (SAGS) after discovering unauthorised foreign guarantees issued in its name, totalling over a billion rand. - SAGS, an underwriting manager, issued the guarantees despite being restricted to administering insurance within South Africa under its agreement with Old Mutual Alternative Risk Transfer Insure (Omart). - The court order allows Old Mutual's forensic team to enter SAGS' offices, by force if necessary, to copy data related to the guarantees, with a temporary suspension to encourage a voluntary agreement between the parties. Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images Ellis Park not sold out for Boks v Wallabies, but SA Rugby boss satisfied - SA Rugby says they've met their projected crowd targets for the Springboks vs Wallabies match at Ellis Park, despite tickets still being available. - High ticket prices for Springbok games have been a topic of debate, with previous matches against Italy and Georgia also not selling out. - SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer said they worked on an 85% capacity target and have exceeded it, and will review their programme for future seasons. DRIVEN | Adriaan Basson sizes up the Hilux GR-S in the Kruger - and compares it to a Ford - A former Hilux mega-fan tested the new Toyota Hilux GR-S III, hoping to rekindle his love for the brand after being impressed by a Ford Ranger Wildtrak X the previous year. - While the Hilux GR-S has a sporty exterior and a reliable engine, the author found its multimedia system outdated and lacking features compared to competitors like Ford. - Despite some technological shortcomings, the author still appreciates the Hilux's trustworthiness and overall build quality, acknowledging its enduring appeal. Show Comments ()
News24
4 hours ago
- News24
‘Fix corruption by changing people, not the system': Imtiaz Sooliman at National Convention
The National Convention marks the beginning of the National Dialogue, which aims to rebuild trust, address country-wide problems, and shape a shared future. Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said the dialogue is not just for people's voices to be heard but also a mechanism for holding the government accountable. The dialogue has been met with mixed feelings; some are optimistic that it could work, while others believe it to be a waste of resources. While the National Dialogue is about people being heard, raising issues, and finding solutions, it is also another mechanism for holding government accountable. This is according to Gift of the Givers founder and Eminent Persons Group (EPG) member Dr Imtiaz Sooliman. Speaking to News24 on the first day of the National Convention at Unisa in Pretoria on Friday, Sooliman maintained that the dialogue is not a political ploy, but a tool to allow people to have their voices heard. The convention marks the beginning of the National Dialogue, which aims to rebuild trust, address South Africa's challenges, and shape a shared future. 'There is willingness from the country to be heard because we know the normal issues. We know about education, about health, about potholes, but what about the people that we don't know about, the unemployed majority, the physically and mentally challenged, and other categories? This is an opportunity for them to raise their voices,' Sooliman said. READ | What we want you to discuss. With love, ordinary South Africans He added, 'But while saying that, there are multiple levels in which I look at this dialogue. Number one is that people are given an opportunity to speak, but at the same time, they need to take ownership of the country into their own hands. I need everybody to be a patriot.' Sooliman said the other aspect of the dialogue is to hold the government to account. 'Why are the systems not working properly? Why are there surplus budgets in all the different departments? Why are they not used? Why are your civil servants not effective in making decisions? Why do we have so many ministries? We need to cut the ministries. We need to cut civil servants. We need to reposition jobs. 'We need better, highly skilled people who know how to control budgets, how to control logistics, and how to deliver. We need people who are efficient, not your grandfather's sister, your brother, your uncle, your cat or dog.' However, Sooliman stressed that he also had to be fair to the government, noting, among other things, that the taxes are not enough to run the country, no matter who is in power. He further said that the government is not inherently corrupt, nor are the police, but rather, there are corrupt people in the government and the police force, just as in the corporate and religious world. 'We have corruption everywhere, but it doesn't make the system corrupt,' said Sooliman. He spoke about the need to strengthen crime-fighting and allow authorities to freely pursue any minister, politician, or government official who commits a crime. Sooliman said these are the sorts of discussions he hopes to have, which will lead to action. 'If it doesn't [lead to action], I'm wasting my time, to be honest.' SA Council of Churches weighs in Like Sooliman, Thembelani Jentile of the South African Council of Churches spoke about the scourge of corruption and the need to root it out. 'We need to see a country that is corruption-free, a country that creates jobs, and an economy that is doing well, so the dialogue is important because we just have to sit down and talk.' Jentile believes this can only be done through the appointment of ethical leaders. Jentile said: We need leadership in South Africa, not just leadership but ethical leadership. If we have ethical, informed leadership, most of these problems will be sorted, and you know, the sad thing is it's not that we don't have the skills, or that we don't have the leaders. 'But I think we are electing the wrong people, and corruption is right in the DNA of our country. So if we can handle that, I think we'll do well as a country.' Keitumetse Fatimata Moutloatse, the chairperson of the Black Womxn Caucus, which advocates for multi-pronged and cross-sectional solutions to addressing gender-based violence and femicide, is also hopeful that the dialogue will bear fruit. 'We're not starting a dialogue, but what we seek to do is to continue the dialogue. We want to shape the dialogue. We want to influence the dialogue and its outcomes,' she said. 'We are most interested in elevating the voices of communities into decision-making processes so that we get to a stage where we have a collective plan of action as a country.'
