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IOL News
23-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Durban businessman not backing down until City pays nearly half-a-billion owed to him
Durban City hall is the headquaters of eThekwini Municipality. Picture: Willem Phungula Image: Willem Phungula DURBAN businessman and legal advocate Siyabonga Xulu is taking a hardline stance against the eThekwini Municipality, demanding payment of over R413 million due to his company, Solbeth Security and Risk Management Services. Xulu, the owner of the Makhathini Group, which oversees 21 companies, told the Daily News, he will not relent until the city settles what's due to him, which includes over R62 million in interest. Xulu alleged that the municipality refused to pay for the critical security services his company provided to senior officials, including former city manager Sipho Nzuza, dating back to 2019. Now, he is calling on members of the city's Executive Committee (Exco) to intervene and force the city's ANC-IFP-EFF coalition government to act. 'I just want this matter to end now. I want us to find an amicable solution. I'm demanding what is rightfully mine,' said Xulu. 'The city must pay what it owes me. This is a legitimate claim backed by years of services rendered under the city's own instruction. My appeal to Exco is for the councillors to support me because I did the work and I must be paid for that,' he said. On September 8, 2024, Solbeth sent an official demand to Exco requesting the urgent settlement of R413,161,463. It included unpaid invoices and accumulated interest. Xulu said the city ignored the letter, just one of many signs of what he calls 'intentional delay tactics.' According to Xulu, his company was brought in during a period of heightened threats against municipal leadership. He alleged that the then city manager, Nzuza, personally appointed Solbeth to provide close protection and covert security operations for high-ranking officials. These services included sweeping and debugging of offices and homes, installing secret surveillance equipment, and monitoring movements of personnel through advanced systems. 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 ✕ The original agreement was for eight months, with an option for renewal. Xulu claimed that even after the contract lapsed, Nzuza instructed him to continue the work, which he did, for years, believing the city would honor its financial obligations. 'This wasn't casual work,' said Xulu. 'We deployed high-level resources, and expensive technology, and trained personnel to safeguard the lives of municipal leaders. The city knew exactly what we were doing and why. Their refusal to pay now is not only dishonest, it's criminal. That is why we took the matter to court, where the city is also using all the tricks available to delay the matter.' Xulu said the fallout has been devastating for his business. His lawyer, Theyagaraj Chetty of Theyagaraj Chetty Attorneys, told the Daily News that the city is weaponising the legal system, dragging the matter through the courts while relying on public funds, leaving Xulu to cover all legal expenses himself. 'It's a disgrace. The city is using taxpayers' money to fight a man who protected their officials. Meanwhile, my client is left struggling to cover his business and personal expenses,' said Chetty. 'Solbeth is a major company, and what the city has done has had a knock-on effect on his business.' Chetty also slammed the court delays, saying the city benefits from a legal system that cannot offer Xulu timely justice. 'You can't even get a court date soon. That delay plays directly into the city's hands while my client suffers.' Municipal spokesperson Gugu Sisilana defended the city's actions, saying: 'The Municipality is entitled to legally defend itself against unclear claims in order to protect taxpayers' money. Any legal action taken is in the best interests of the public.' But Xulu was unmoved. He insisted that his claim was not only clear, it's fully justified and backed by documentation. 'I have got all the documents to prove that I did work for the city and was authorised to do that. It is a shame because the city officials are benefitting from something they are not paying for. My equipment is there (city).' WhatsApp your views on this story at 071 485 7995 DAILY NEWS
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Penang posts RM65m Q1 surplus for 2025 amid new revenue push
GEORGE TOWN, May 19 — The Penang state government recorded a surplus of RM65.3 million for the first quarter ending March 31, 2025, attributed to new revenue streams and expenditure cuts, the state legislative assembly was told today. Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow announced that the state registered revenue totalling RM268,463,025.36 against an expenditure of RM203,189,122.16 as at March 31. 'This resulted in a surplus of RM65,273,903.20 for the state's finances as at March 31, 2025,' he said in reply to a question from Goh Choon Aik (PKR-Bukit Tambun). Chow attributed this positive outcome to several initiatives undertaken by the state finance department to identify new revenue streams for 2025. He detailed that as at March 31, 2025, the state's Consolidated Fund stood at RM1.535 billion, comprising a Consolidated Revenue Account of RM199.22 million and a Consolidated Trust Account of RM1.33578 billion. Providing context from the previous year, Chow said the state's unaudited financial statement for the year ending 2024 showed the Consolidated Fund at RM1.38474 billion, compared to RM1.46604 billion in 2023. This comprised a Consolidated Revenue Account of RM155.94 million and a Consolidated Trust Account of RM1.22880 billion. For 2024, the Consolidated Revenue Account decreased by RM174.09 million compared to 2023, while the Consolidated Trust Account increased by RM92.79 million, Chow noted. 'The state government concluded the 2024 financial year with a deficit totalling RM174.09 million, which is lower compared to the 2023 deficit of RM358.8 million,' he stated. Chow explained that while revenue collected in 2024 reached RM810.46 million, the deficit arose from operating expenditure of RM719.55 million and transfers to the Development Fund totalling RM265 million. 'The state received an advance of RM100 million from the federal government to cover cash flow, which, among other things, contributed to the increase in the Consolidated Trust Account,' he added. Responding to an additional question on strategies to increase revenue, Chow outlined nine approaches. These include selling more state land, collecting an estimated RM6 million in quit rent arrears, and reviewing land title conversion processes. Chow added that the state is also considering a review of liquor licence fees, entertainment duty, and hotel room fees. 'We are also looking at reducing our expenditure, but it keeps increasing each year due to salary realignments, which impacts emoluments,' he said, also noting that expenditure for the i-Sejahtera social welfare aid programme has risen as more people qualify. Chow clarified that billions in foreign investments do not directly translate into state revenue, except through land sales. 'The benefits from investments manifest as job opportunities and a trickle-down effect for local suppliers,' he explained, adding that investors and suppliers pay taxes directly to the federal government. 'These are our limitations; we do not have natural resources to generate more state revenue,' he said. Regarding the RM100 million advance from the federal government, Chow said the state applied for it as a standby fund in case of a deficit. 'The projected deficit of more than RM500 million (for 2024) did not materialise, as we managed to increase our revenue and lower the deficit to about RM100 million,' he said, referencing the RM1.047 billion budget for 2024 tabled in November 2023. He confirmed the RM100 million fund remains available, but must eventually be returned to the federal government.
The Print
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The Print
Kohli's Test retirement makes Tendulkar's record of 100 centuries ‘safe'
Within a week, both Rohit and Virat retired from Test format. When Tendulkar was asked in an award ceremony after hitting his 100th century on who can break his record, he took two names: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. New Delhi, May 12 (PTI) If there was one player who was considered worthy of bettering Sachin Tendulkar's record of 100 international hundreds, it was Virat Kohli. Kohli, who quit the Test arena on Monday, is still 18 hundreds away from equalling the incredible milestone and now has just one format to play, may be for a maximum of two years. In an age when the relevance of the 50-over format is a continuous debate, hitting 19 hundreds in ODIs is a humongous task. There is a possibility of Kohli featuring in the ODI World Cup to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in 2027. Before that, India is scheduled play only 27 ODIs which includes a three-match series against Bangladesh in August-September. It looks Tendulkar's record is 'here to stay'. Tendulkar scored 51 centuries in 200 Tests and 49 centuries in 463 ODIs. Kohli hit 30 centuries in 123 Tests, 51 in 302 ODIs and one in 125 T20 games. Former captain Rohit has scored a total of 49 centuries, including 12 in Tests, 32 in ODIs and five in T20s. In the list of batsmen who have scored the most centuries in international cricket, after Tendulkar and Kohli, are Australia's Ricky Ponting (71), Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara (63), South Africa's Jacques Kallis (62) and Hashim Amla (55), Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene (54). Kohli's contemporaries England's Joe Root (53), Australia's Steve Smith (48) and New Zealand's Kane Williamson (48) are also at the fag end of their careers and there is no chance of them even getting close to Tendulkar's record. PTI MJ AT BS BS This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
