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The Citizen
3 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Three GNT execs suspended
On Tuesday, the financially bleeding company was forced to pay R9 million of the missing money. Widows of former Great North Transport employees join affected former and current employees to picket outside of the Office of the Limpopo Premier in demand of the implementation of recommendations made in an investigation regarding the whereabouts of lost pension funds. Picture: Supplied Limpopo Great North Transport (GNT) has placed its chief executive officer (CEO), Dr Matata Mokoele, chief operations officer (COO), Ms Mahlako Mogoshoane, and chief finance officer (CFO), Nazeem Essa, on precautionary suspension. The organisation is a subsidiary of the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET). The trio were suspended on Tuesday following allegations of financial misconduct amounting to R9 million. It is alleged that medical aid and pension funds belonging to more than 280 employees have not been paid for a considerable number of years. On Tuesday, the financially bleeding company was forced to pay R9 million of the missing money. The agency confirmed on Friday that the trio had been suspended with pay, pending the outcome of internal investigations. 'This resolution was taken in response to serious concerns related to financial governance, operational delivery, and executive accountability. 'The suspensions are effective immediately and will remain in place for a period not exceeding three (3) months,' said the company. During this period, the Board said it will be engaging the shareholder, the Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA), to provide strategic and operational support, including the secondment of interim leadership resources to ensure the continued delivery of essential public transport services. 'We appeal for cooperation and support from all stakeholders during this transitional period and will provide further updates as necessary,' said the board. ANC Youth League welcome decision The ANC Youth League in Limpopo commended the company for its action. Provincial secretary Phineas Sebola said the lack of pension payments has had a profound impact on retired and current employees, particularly those reliant on pensions for income. ALSO READ: Unpaid provident fund sparks protest by Great North Transport employees Some employees, he said, had unfortunately passed away before receiving their money they were owed. Sebola added that the company has a responsibility to rectify logistical issues in Limpopo and provide affordable transportation services. 'This viable transport mode for our people has been disconnected from the communities due to financial mismanagement. 'As the ANCYL, we view this as an opportunity for our parents, brothers, and sisters who worked for the company for years to receive justice and ultimately obtain what is due to them. 'In addition, the ANCYL advocates for the review of the board and urges the departments responsible to consider dissolving the board and bringing a new structure dominated by young people to bring life in GNT. 'It is in our view that the board has not been doing its work efficiently. Instead, it is now shifting the problem to senior executives. 'We believe that older members may be experiencing diminishing returns in terms of their capacity, leading to ineffective governance of our institutions or companies. 'The inclusion of young people will bring fresh perspectives and energetic engagement to the table, offsetting potential fatigue among older members and facilitating the efficient operation of the company,' Sebola explained. DA lay charges On Monday the DA, the third biggest political party in Limpopo after the EFF and the ANC, laid criminal charged at the Polokwane police station against LEDET and LEDA. This followed years of complaints over unpaid pension fund and medical aid payments to GNT employees. 'The board and executive management of LEDA, as the sole shareholder of GNT, bear statutory and fiduciary oversight responsibilities for GNT's operations and financial conduct. They, too, must be held accountable and face consequences. 'Unpaid contributions for pension fund schemes now total R6.78 million, affecting 945 employees. In some cases, employee membership has already been suspended. 'If a partial payment of R1 million is not made by the end of May, all employee memberships will be suspended. 'If the default continues, employees risk permanently losing their pension benefits. 'Medical unpaid contributions totalled R3.21 million, affecting 247 employees. All medical aid coverage for GNT employees has been suspended, meaning employees cannot access healthcare services unless they pay out of pocket,' said Jacques Smalle, Member of the Provincial Legislature in Lebowakgomo. On Friday, LEDA told The Citizen that it has settled the bill and paid an amount of R9 million towards the employees' pension fund and medical aid contributions. NOW READ: R15m in road unworthiness fines for Great North Transport
IOL News
3 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
10, 9, 8 . . . South Africa's slide into decline
THABO Mbeki endured eight days in September, a turbulent period in 2008 that led to his ousting as President of the Republic. With Jacob Zuma, it was the so-called nine wasted years, a presidency characterised by state capture and economic decline. For President Cyril Ramaphosa it was a case of ten minutes of shame, and it happened on the world stage. The meeting between Ramaphosa and US President Donald Trump started well. It should have been a sign. When it is too good to be true, it probably isn't. Ramaphosa must have been nervous but, for the first 20 minutes, he came across as relaxed, in control and, at times, even jovial. He had clearly learnt from the ill-fated encounter Volodymyr Zelenskyy had with Trump. In contrast to the Ukraine president, Ramaphosa, went out of his way to thank Trump and praise him. And then, about 20 minutes into the meeting, Trump asked for the lights to be dimmed. What followed was a video of Julius Malema addressing supporters. In a voice that is now familiar to most South Africans, he chanted 'Kill the Boer, kill the farmer' and spoke about expropriating land of white farmers without compensation. The mood in the room changed. The chant was now exposed to a global audience. There was no context and, as a result, it came across as crude. Inciteful. Shameful. Ramaphosa wiped his face. He was probably hot in his suit and tie. There were also bright camera lights, and the room was packed with people. But those who study body language claim it could also be a sign of anxiety – perhaps a desire to wipe away a problem or stress. But this problem was not going away. The chant was first uttered by Peter Mokaba, a former president of the ANC Youth League. He did so while addressing a rally following the murder of Chris Hani by right-wing whites. The chant has always been contentious. But the Equality Court found it did not constitute hate speech and should be protected as freedom of speech. Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum did approach the Constitutional Court to appeal the matter, but the court found the application had no reasonable prospect of success. As a result, Malema cannot be arrested for singing the song, as suggested by Trump. Ramaphosa did point out that official government policy was completely against what Malema said. But what Ramaphosa didn't say was that neither he nor others in the ANC have done enough to distance themselves from the chant. After the voice of Julius Malema, came another voice well known to most South Africans – Jacob Zuma. These days, he is the leader of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party. But not too long ago he was the leader of the ANC and President of the Republic. In the recordings played, he too had a go at white farmers. When the video ended, US Vice President JD Vance handed his president a thick stack of pages that reportedly depicted the brutality of the attacks on white farmers. The DA's John Steenhuisen, in his role as agriculture minister in Ramaphosa's executive, put up a spirited defence: 'They are both leaders of opposition minority parties,' he said. 'The reason my party, the DA, chose to join hands with Mr Ramaphosa's party was precisely to keep those people out of power. We cannot have these people sitting in the Union Buildings making decisions.' But by then the world had realised that not all was well in South Africa. At best we are a violent bunch. At worst we are a racist nation. In those ten minutes, South Africa had been exposed. In his own unique rhetoric, Trump summed it up: 'There are many bad things happening in many countries, but this is very bad – very, very bad!' It didn't matter whether Trump had the full facts or not. He had enough to paint a picture, and it wasn't a rosy one. Anyone wanting to visit the country or invest in it would have been forced to reconsider. Trump then invited three men he knew and clearly admired to say a few words. They were businessman Johann Rupert and golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen. It was ironic that it took an American president to invite the men to speak because it was a courtesy their own government had not offered them – certainly not in recent years and not in public. Yet these were no ordinary men. Rupert is a celebrated businessman who is one of the richest people in South Africa. Els and Goosen are both masters at the game of golf. The second irony was that while the voices of Malema and Zuma have become so well known, the voices of Rupert, Els and Goosen have rarely been heard in South Africa. Yet, they are the kind of people whose opinion should be sought and whose success we should emulate. It speaks to the society we have become. It is one where those who seek to antagonise and break apart become popular, while those who seek to build are ignored. It is a society that places credibility on those who shout the loudest and avoids those with integrity. In this society, mediocrity is celebrated and merit shunned. It is no wonder then that South Africa finds itself in an economic mess. The economy is barely growing and certainly not at levels that will create meaningful jobs. For more than a decade and half the country has been sliding into economic decline. The projections for the coming year are dismal. Economic growth is projected at 1.4% with slight increases in 2026 and 2027 but nowhere near enough to create meaningful jobs for a growing population. The solution to the problem emerged in the White House get together. 'We need more foreign investment in our country,' urged Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi. "If the South African economy does not grow, the culture of lawlessness and dependency will grow,' said Rupert, mirroring the sentiments of organised labour. It means that if our president wants to change the trajectory of economic growth, it cannot be more of the same. There are a few realities that must be acknowledged. No one will invest in a place where they must give away a chunk of a business they have nurtured. No one will invest in a country where they can't hire the best talent for the job. No one will put their money where the government can take away their land for nil compensation. And no one will invest in a place they don't feel safe in. If the South African government is to change the fortunes of this country, it needs to ditch broad based black economic empowerment. People need to be hired on the basis on merit and not skin colour. Land expropriation without compensation needs to be reconsidered. Above all, South Africa needs to make investors feel safe. But the clock is ticking. This Government of National Unity is at the end of their first year of a five-year term in office. As Steenhuisen warned: 'This government, working together, needs the support of our allies around the world, to grow our economy and shut the door forever on that rabble.' That 'rabble' is the EFF and MK. Combined they got one out of every four votes cast in the last general elections. If this government cannot improve the fortunes of ordinary South Africans, support for the so-called rabble will rise and Constitutional Democracy may be done for. Then, what Donald Trump thinks South Africa is, will become our reality.10, 9, 8, 7, 6 5, 4 …..
IOL News
5 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Mayor faces backlash from Umkhanyakude Youth League over arrogance and funding issues
ANC Youth League secretary Makhosonke Maphanga in Umkhanyakude District Municipality has accused ANC district Mayor Siphile Mdaka of refusing to recognise the youth league leadership. Image: Supplied Umkhanyakude District Municipality Mayor Siphile Mdaka has been accused by the regional youth league leadership of arrogance. Image: Supplied The newly-elected ANC Youth League regional leadership in Umkhanyakude, north-east of KwaZulu-Natal, has accused the district Mayor Simphile Mdaka of arrogance and refusing to recognise them as the new leadership of the youth league. Since it was elected in March, the youth league said it has been trying to set up a meeting with Mdaka, who is also the ANC regional chairperson, however, the mayor has been ignoring them. 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 league's regional secretary, Makhosonke Maphanga, said the league is disappointed at the mayor's conduct, accusing him of behaving like an opposition while he is a leader of the ANC. Maphanga said that as the regional secretary, he has sent several letters to the mayor and the municipality leadership requesting a meeting, but to date, the league's pleas have been ignored. He said the only time the mayor responded to them was when he asked them to meet him at the funeral of a car accident victims, saying to show respect, the youth league chairperson attended, despite not understanding the nature of a meeting at a funeral. He said after the funeral, the mayor got in his car and left without talking to the youth league chairperson. Maphanga said the league wanted to raise several issues affecting young people in the region, including the municipality's shocking decision to allocate R50,000 to the youth programmes in his office in the current financial year. 'Since 2021, the young people have been complaining about the lack of funding for youth programmes under the mayor's leadership because of a poorly funded youth office, which has been allocated only R50,000. It is absurd that any right-thinking mayor can expect that R50,000 will champion youth development for five years. Which municipalities have done this? This is clear sabotage of youth development by an ANC mayor,' said Maphanga. He said the youth have identified tourism and agriculture as the sectors where they can find job opportunities. In their meeting with the mayor, they wanted to ask for money to organise training for the youth as waiters and waitresses in hotels and particularly in the Mfolozi/Hluhluwe Game Reserve, which is the second biggest game reserve in the country. 'As disciplined members of the ANC, we have followed all the necessary protocols to raise the issues internally, however, we have been ignored. Now we do not know what to do, but we are hoping the provincial leadership of the ANC will rein in this arrogant mayor,' said Maphanga. Mayor Mdaka did not respond to the questions sent to him on Wednesday; however, the ANC provincial spokesperson, Fanle Sibisi, urged the youth league to utilise internal platforms.
eNCA
25-05-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Ten, nine, eight … South Africa's slide into decline
JOHANNESBURG - Thabo Mbeki endured eight days in September, a turbulent period in 2008 that led to his ousting as President of the Republic. With Jacob Zuma, it was the so-called nine wasted years, a presidency characterised by state capture and economic decline. For President Cyril Ramaphosa, it was a case of ten minutes of shame, and it happened on the world stage. The meeting between Ramaphosa and US President Donald Trump started well. It should have been a sign. When it is too good to be true, it probably isn't. Ramaphosa must have been nervous but, for the first 20 minutes, he came across as relaxed, in control and, at times, even jovial. He had clearly learnt from the ill-fated encounter Volodymyr Zelenskyy had with Trump. In contrast to the Ukraine president, Ramaphosa, went out of his way to thank Trump and praise him. And then, about 20 minutes into the meeting, Trump asked for the lights to be dimmed. What followed was a video of Julius Malema addressing supporters. In a voice that is now familiar to most South Africans, he chanted 'Kill the Boer, kill the farmer' and spoke about expropriating land of white farmers without compensation. The mood in the room changed. The chant was now exposed to a global audience. There was no context and, as a result, it came across as crude. Inciteful. Shameful. Ramaphosa wiped his face. He was probably hot in his suit and tie. There were also bright camera lights, and the room was packed with people. But those who study body language claim it could also a sign of anxiety – perhaps a desire to wipe away a problem or stress. But this problem was not going away. The chant was first uttered by Peter Mokaba, a former president of the ANC Youth League. He did so while addressing a rally following the murder of Chris Hani by right-wing whites. The chant has always been contentious. But the Equality Court found it did not constitute hate speech and should be protected as freedom of speech. Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum did approach the Constitutional Court to appeal the matter, but the court found the application had no reasonable prospect of success. As a result, Malema cannot be arrested for singing the song, as suggested by Trump. Ramaphosa did point out that official government policy was completely against what Malema said. But what Ramaphosa didn't say was that neither he nor others in the ANC have done enough to distance themselves from the chant. After the voice of Julius Malema, came another voice well known to most South Africans – Jacob Zuma. These days, he is the leader of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party. But not too long ago he was the leader of the ANC and President of the Republic. In the recordings played, he too had a go at white farmers. When the video ended, US Vice President JD Vance handed his president a thick stack of pages that reportedly depicted the brutality of the attacks on white farmers. The DA's John Steenhuisen, in his role as agriculture minister in Ramaphosa's executive, put up a spirited defence: 'They are both leaders of opposition minority parties,' he said. 'The reason my party, the DA, chose to join hands with Mr Ramaphosa's party was precisely to keep those people out of power. We cannot have these people sitting in the Union Buildings making decisions.' But by then, the world had realised that not all was well in South Africa. At best, we are a violent bunch. At worst, we are a racist nation. In those ten minutes, South Africa had been exposed. In his own unique rhetoric, Trump summed it up: 'There are many bad things happening in many countries, but this is very bad – very, very bad!' It didn't matter whether Trump had the full facts or not. He had enough to paint a picture, and it wasn't a rosy one. Anyone wanting to visit the country or invest in it would have been forced to reconsider. Trump then invited three men he knew and clearly admired to say a few words. They were businessman Johann Rupert and golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen. It was ironic that it took an American president to invite the men to speak because it was a courtesy their own government had not offered them – certainly not in recent years and not in public. Yet these were no ordinary men. Rupert is a celebrated businessman who is one of the richest people in South Africa. Els and Goosen are both masters at the game of golf. The second irony was that while the voices of Malema and Zuma have become so well known, the voices of Rupert, Els and Goosen have rarely been heard in South Africa. Yet, they are the kind of people whose opinion should be sought and whose success we should emulate. It speaks to the society we have become. It is one where those who seek to antagonise and break apart become popular, while those who seek to build are ignored. It is a society that places credibility on those who shout the loudest and avoids those with integrity. In this society, mediocrity is celebrated and merit shunned. It is no wonder then that South Africa finds itself in an economic mess. The economy is barely growing and certainly not at levels that will create meaningful jobs. For more than a decade and half the country has been sliding into economic decline. The projections for the coming year are dismal. Economic growth is projected at 1.4% with slight increases in 2026 and 2027 but nowhere near enough to create meaningful jobs for a growing population. The solution to the problem emerged in the White House get-together. 'We need more foreign investment in our country,' urged Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi. 'If the South African economy does not grow, the culture of lawlessness and dependency will grow,' said Rupert, mirroring the sentiments of organised labour. It means that if our president wants to change the trajectory of economic growth, it cannot be more of the same. There are a few realities that must be acknowledged. No one will invest in a place where they must give away a chunk of a business they have nurtured. No one will invest in a country where they can't hire the best talent for the job. No one will put their money where the government can take away their land for nil compensation. And no one will invest in a place they don't feel safe in. If the South African government is to change the fortunes of this country, it needs to ditch broad-based black economic empowerment. People need to be hired on the basis on merit and not skin colour. Land expropriation without compensation needs to be reconsidered. Above all, South Africa needs to make investors feel safe. But the clock is ticking. This Government of National Unity is at the end of its first year of a five-year term in office. As Steenhuisen warned: 'This government, working together, needs the support of our allies around the world, to grow our economy and shut the door forever on that rabble.'
The Citizen
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Limpopo ANC conference rocked by membership manipulation claims
Claims of manipulated membership packages and political patronage threaten to derail the ANC Limpopo elective conference this weekend. Trouble is brewing in Limpopo ahead of this weekend's crucial elective conference in the Peter Mokaba region of the ANC. This involves claims of political patronage, intolerance and attempts to manipulate the party's membership system. The conference begins today and runs until Sunday. Controversy clouds ANC Limpopo elective conference Delegates will elect top five officials and additional members to run the region for the next three years. The biggest contest will be between Polokwane municipality's mayor John Mpe and Capricorn district municipality mayor Mamedupi Teffo. Hundreds of people claiming to be ANC branch members marched to the party's offices at Frans Mohlala and Polokwane municipality council chamber to express their anger about the alleged bad conduct of some members during branch general meetings (BGMs). ALSO READ: Rigging claims stall ANC Youth League provincial elections Branch member Fistos Mothudi said the marchers came from all branches that had parallel BGMs and those who registered disputes with the Limpopo provincial dispute resolution committee and the national dispute resolution committee. 'We believe that our BGM packages were tampered with. This is so because we had our BGM on 1 April. We passed the audit and reached the 70% threshold,' he said. 'But when we went for preregistrstion this week, we found that our package had been tampered with and even the signature of the deployee on the package was forged.' 'Rented drunkards' Speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, a senior politician at the Polokwane subregion alleged those who took part in the march were 'rented drunkards collected from shebeen and taxi ranks'. Spokesperson for the ANC regional task (RTT) team in the Peter Mokaba region, Adolf Rapetsoa, also slammed the marchers. 'The march to the ANC provincial office [Frans Mohlala House] and Polokwane council chamber was nothing but a cheap and desperate attempt to cause trouble for the region ahead of the elective conference,' said Rapetsoa. ALSO READ: Malema slams politicians exploiting 'blackness' to mask corruption and escape justice He said the mobilisation of non-ANC members for frivolous political aims was frowned upon by the RTT. 'The ANC will investigate this and those behind the march will face the full might of the organisation,' he said. Earlier this week, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula was accused of having a hidden hand in manipulating the party's membership system to cook the regional and provincial outcomes to favour him or his faction. Mbalula accused of manipulating party's membership system This is contained in an anonymous document circulating on social media and WhatsApp groups, apparently penned by a disgruntled ANC staff member. But party headquarters Luthuli House said it had no knowledge of the document and declined to respond to it. According to the anonymous document, Mbalula's office allegedly manipulated the membership portal system in provinces with political divisions. NOW READ: 'ANC conference whispers will be suppressed to the moon and back' – Mbalula [Video]
