South Africa: President mourns passing of Justice Sangoni, former Judge President of the Eastern Cape
President Cyril Ramaphosa has noted with sadness the passing of former Judge President of the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court, Justice Clement Temba Sangoni.
Judge Sangoni retired in 2017 and passed away earlier today, Tuesday, 10 June 2025, after a short illness.
President Ramaphosa offers his condolences to the extended family of the late Judge Sangoni Aah! Dilizintaba, who was a senior traditional leader of the Qokolweni-Zimbane Traditional Council at Mthatha.
President Ramaphosa said: 'The passing of Justice Sangoni is a devastating loss to his family and immediate community and it is a profound loss to our judiciary and our legal heritage.
'Judge Sangoni lived for justice and the improvement of the material conditions of communities in the Eastern Cape and elsewhere through constitutionally sound, progressive jurisprudence.
'Under his leadership, the Judiciary in the Eastern Cape also applied its mind collectively and individually to matters pertaining to the development of this economically vital province.
'Judge Sangoni served the people of the Eastern Cape from the Bench and through his deep involvement in community life in his role as a traditional leader – a role which enriched his adjudication of a broad range of matters placed before the courts.
'We will continue to appreciate his contribution to the rule of law and the wisdom of law in our country and to the communities in which he lived and served with distinction.
'May his soul rest in peace.'
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
8 hours ago
- Zawya
South African parliament passes budget framework
South Africa's lower house of parliament passed the budget's fiscal framework and revenue proposals on Wednesday. The budget of Africa's biggest economy has been caught up in political wrangling for months. It has been reworked twice because of disagreements in the ruling coalition over plans to raise value-added tax. A majority of 268 lawmakers, including from the two biggest political parties the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA), voted in favour of the fiscal framework and revenue proposals, while 88 voted against and 2 abstained. The ANC and the DA had been at loggerheads over the budget until the finance minister backtracked on a plan to raise value-added tax. The two parties have more than half of the lawmakers in the 400-member National Assembly. (Reporting by Alessandro Parodi and Sfundo Parakozov; Editing by Alexander Winning)
Zawya
8 hours ago
- Zawya
Correctional Services Committee Raises Concern About Department's Projected R1.4 Billion Over-Expenditure
The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services has raised its concerns about the Department of Correctional Services' (DCS) over-expenditure, which is projected to reach R1.4 billion. Yesterday, the committee heard that the department's year-to-date expenditure for the period ending 31 December 2024 is R21,6 billion (78%), while projected annual expenditure is R29,2 billion against the adjusted budget of R27,8 billion, which will result in projected overspending of R1,4 billion. The committee was briefed by the DCS on its second and third quarter performance report for the 2024/25 financial year. The projected overspending is due to a cost-of-living adjustment, effected in April 2024. In addition, the capital budget is underfunded by R222 million, constraining infrastructure upgrades and maintenance. Food costs have also surged, driven not only by inflation and a growing inmate population, but also by the rising number of foreign nationals housed in correctional facilities. The current budget is overspent due to rising municipal tariffs for electricity, water and sanitation, which have escalated above the consumer price index, creating further strain on the already stretched Goods and Services budget. The DCS also indicated that it faces fixed, inflexible costs for public–private partnership facilities, limiting room for reprioritisation. Additionally, the devolution of maintenance responsibilities from the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to DCS without a corresponding increase in the accommodation charges allocation has left a funding gap of R154 million. The information and technology branch's budget in the DCS is also severely constrained, hampering efforts to modernise digital infrastructure and cybersecurity, the committee was informed. Committee Chairperson Ms Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng said: 'Of course, we raised concerns about this trend. It is worrying although the factors for such overspending have been placed before us. We urged the department to tighten its belt, like using for example offender labour wherever possible in order to cut cost and that will result in a transfer of skills.' The committee heard that the DCS has implemented measures to curb projected over-expenditure of its budget vote by appointing a committee that is responsible for monitoring expenditure on a weekly basis. 'We noted these interventions and hope that the corrective measures will bear fruit. We will need a report detailing progress regarding those measures,' emphasised Ms Ramolobeng. The DCS also reported that it has had 29 unnatural deaths in its facilities out of an inmate population of 160 353. Ms Ramolobeng said the committee has on numerous occasions raised concerns about inconsistencies in reporting between the DCS and Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services on the number of unnatural deaths. 'Both parties need to sit down and come up with a way forward of how to address this reporting deficit. We want the DCS to submit a report to us following that sit-down meeting,' she said. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
Zawya
8 hours ago
- Zawya
Flooded Communities in or Tambo Region Must Heed Government Calls and Communication Around Weather, Says Committee Chair
The Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has called for urgent assistance to be provided to families affected by floods in the Eastern Cape, particularly in the province's OR Tambo District, and the committee sends its sincere condolences to the families of those who died in the floods. The Chairperson of the committee, Ms Nqabisa Gantsho, has called on affected communities to act cautiously and follow official government communications and directives. 'Provincial government in the Eastern Cape needs to move in and assist in every way possible particularly those who are without homes due to the floods. Flooding is going to be a common occurrence longer into the future, for so long as climate change is with us. 'The committee therefore calls on the broader government to work out strategies to counter the effects of flooding and drought both of which are manifest climatic activity for climate change. The Eastern Cape government should accurately quantify those affected and avail support as per the need,' Ms Gantsho said. Most of South Africa was affected by two cold fronts over the weekend, bringing wet, cold and snow to the western parts of the country and floods in the Eastern Cape. Ms Gantsho said the intensity and frequency of flooding around the country is an ongoing concern and flood victims should not be accommodated longer than is necessary in temporary arrangements. 'We reiterate that for purposes of settlement, our people should avoid building on plains, wetlands and low-lying areas that most often would be below the floodline,' she noted. Ms Gantsho also called on the Eastern Cape provincial government to ensure that school-going children, especially those who walk to school, are protected from dangerous weather conditions. "Families must report missing relatives to the relevant authorities especially if there has been no contact for longer than three hours at least." Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
