Latest news with #DeanMacpherson
IOL News
5 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Expropriation Act: How many expropriating authorities are empowered by the Act?
The Expropriation Act is written so broadly that every form of property in South Africa is now subject to expropriation below market value. From homes to farms to businesses to savings to pensions, all forms of property are, in terms of the Act, vulnerable to expropriation, says Makone Maja, IRR Strategic Engagements Manager. The Institute of Race Relations (IRR) will this week write to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, requesting clarity on a crucial matter related to the Expropriation Act, for which the Minister is responsible. The Act grants sweeping powers to expropriating authorities to expropriate any form of property below market value. It offers weak and contradictory measures to property owners to protect their rights through the courts. Yet, just how many authorities in South Africa are granted expropriating powers by the Act is unclear; by IRR calculations, the number could exceed 400. Says Makone Maja, IRR Strategic Engagements Manager: 'The Expropriation Act is an unpopular piece of legislation. IRR opinion polling in March and April this year found that 68% of registered voters oppose the Act. It's easy to understand why. The Act is written so broadly that every form of property in South Africa is now subject to expropriation below market value. From homes to farms to businesses to savings to pensions, all forms of property are, in terms of the Act, vulnerable to expropriation. And yet there seems to be no clarity from the government on the exact number of entities the law empowers to confiscate property on astonishingly flimsy grounds.' As illustrated in the IRR's flagship Blueprint for Growth series, property rights are a vital means of economic participation and empowerment only if they are secure. Weaken the certainty with which people can own what's lawfully theirs and the knock-on consequences range from undermining food security to wiping out pensions and savings. Says Maja: 'It is the height of policy recklessness for this door of vast state power to be opened to an unknown number of expropriating authorities. If the number of these authorities is unknown, how can South Africans have any trust that the sweeping expropriating powers granted by the Act won't be abused? 'We have all heard the horror stories of extortion by state officials – from kickback mafias to corruption. We are a country familiar with the disgusting abuse of state power. The Expropriation Act empowers a vast expropriation network at all levels of the state. The IRR has thus far tallied at least 426 such authorities, yet the number might rise to close to a thousand. This is a terrifying prospect. The Minister has a duty to provide urgent clarity on this matter.' The Institute of Race Relations Johannesburg
IOL News
5 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Minister receives report on George building collapse
The George building collapse was the result of systemic failures across various regulatory bodies and a lack of cooperation among key stakeholders, says Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson. He reiterated that accountability could not be optional when human lives were lost as a result of human error. The minister on Monday confirmed he has received the final report from the Council for the Built Environment (CBE), via its body the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) on the tragedy. On May 6, 2024, a five-storey building collapsed in George claiming the lives of 34 people and leaving 28 others injured. Macpherson said the report marked a critical step in the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure's commitment to uncover the truth behind what he described as a preventable disaster and to ensure those responsible are held accountable. 'As the Department, we will now carefully study the report to develop a pathway forward to ensure that a tragedy such as the George building collapse never happens again. As I have previously committed, after studying the report, I will personally return to George to present the findings of this report to the families affected by this tragedy. They deserve to hear directly from us, not through the media, about what went wrong and how we intend to rectify it,' Macpherson said. He emphasised that the collapse was the result of systemic failures across various regulatory bodies and a lack of cooperation among key stakeholders. He added that the Department will continue to work with the police, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and other relevant regulatory bodies to ensure accountability. 'As I have said before, the collapse of the George building was entirely preventable, and we will therefore work towards accountability and address any errors that may have been identified. By working together, we are ensuring a safe and secure construction sector for all stakeholders,' Macpherson said. Last week George councillor, Chantelle Kyd resigned from the Planning and Development Mayoral Committee over what she said was the DA-led municipality's lack of transparency over the confidential tabling of reports on the building collapse. The GOOD councillor tendered her resignation, saying it was not an easy decision but that she could not stay in an executive role where 'truth is suppressed' and 'accountability is avoided'. 'It is unacceptable that the DA would choose to table critical reports behind closed doors, bar the media, and deny coalition partners the opportunity to address the public truthfully.' DA Western Cape leader Tertuis Simmers said the position to table the item as confidential was a 'collective decision'. 'The position on the specific item in question was adopted by the Joint Coalition Caucus as all parties agreed to its recommendations. Furthermore, as GOOD communicated in recent weeks on the matter publicly, GOOD was informed that it could issue a party-political statement on the matter following the council meeting. So in no way were GOOD George sidelined, marginalised or censored while a member of the coalition government,' said Simmers.
News24
6 days ago
- General
- News24
Public Works probe into George building collapse completed, findings yet to be shared
A report into the collapse of the George building has been submitted to Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson. The collapse, which took place more than a year ago, killed 34 people and injured 28. Macpherson has committed to meet with the families of those killed in the collapse to unpack the report. A report into the collapse of the George building has landed on the desk of Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson. Macpherson's department commissioned the report, which was compiled by the Council for the Built Environment (CBE), as part of the probes in the collapse of the five-storey construction site. The incident left 34 dead. Twenty-eight people were pulled from the rubble alive, but many have been left with severe injuries. Macpherson said the report 'marks a critical step in the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure's commitment to uncover the truth behind this preventable disaster' and ensure that those responsible are held to account. 'As the Department, we will now carefully study the report to develop a pathway forward to ensure that a tragedy such as the George building collapse never happens again. As I have previously committed, after studying the report, I will personally return to George to present the findings of this report to the families affected by this tragedy,' he said. 'They deserve to hear directly from us, not through the media, about what went wrong and how we intend to rectify it.' Macpherson said that the collapse resulted from 'systemic failures across various regulatory bodies and a lack of cooperation among key stakeholders'. He said his department will continue to work with the police, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and other relevant regulatory bodies to ensure accountability. 'The collapse of the George building was entirely preventable, and we will therefore work towards accountability and address any errors which may have been identified. By working together, we are ensuring a safe and secure construction sector for all stakeholders.' Luke Daniel/News24 The report is among several commissioned by various organisations into the collapse. Two weeks ago, the George Municipality received the final report in an independent structural investigation of the site, which was commissioned and undertaken by Engineering Design Services (EDS) on behalf of the municipality. 'The final report has been submitted to the police and forms part of the official evidence bundle in the ongoing criminal investigation. Therefore, the report will not be made public or tabled to the Council. The Municipality remains committed to fully cooperating with SAPS and other relevant authorities and supports efforts to conclude the investigation as swiftly and thoroughly as possible,' the municipality said.
Zawya
30-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa's infrastructure crippled: Can ISO 37001 fight back against the construction mafia?
Criminal syndicates known as the construction mafia have crippled South Africa's infrastructure sector, hijacking more than 180 projects and inflicting an estimated R63bn in economic losses, according to the National Treasury. Operating under the guise of community forums, these groups use intimidation, extortion, and violence to secure a foothold in government tenders and construction contracts. While law enforcement has begun to respond, 745 extortion cases have been reported, and 240 arrests have been made since November 2024. Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson admits that this is only the beginning. "We are turning the tide," he said recently, but warned that corruption remains deeply entrenched in procurement systems and local government supply chains. Against this backdrop, experts at WWISE (Worldwide Industrial and Systems Engineers) are calling for the widespread adoption of ISO 37001, a tool they believe could play a critical role in fortifying the sector from within. 'This may be South Africa's last line of defence if we want to build infrastructure without bribery or intimidation,' says Muhammad Ali, managing director at WWISE. 'ISO 37001 helps organisations embed ethical conduct into every stage of a project, from procurement to execution, making it harder for criminal networks to manipulate the system.' Global anti-bribery benchmark ISO 37001 is not just a policy; it's a globally recognised standard, or in other words, a formalised, best-practice framework developed by international experts to help organisations detect and prevent bribery. As a standard, ISO 37001 establishes a uniform, auditable benchmark for anti-bribery management across industries, enabling companies and governments to foster transparency, demonstrate accountability, and safeguard their reputations. 'The standard requires top-level leadership commitment, risk assessments, strict financial controls, and confidential reporting systems,' explains Ali. 'It doesn't just help companies avoid corruption, it actively reshapes their culture.' Corruption in the construction industry not only inflates costs but also endangers lives. Ali notes that criminal infiltration has led to shutdowns, missed milestones, and Service Level Agreement (SLA) penalties. 'We've seen cases where construction mafia threats delayed entire projects, with local authorities often turning a blind eye, or worse, getting a cut,' he says. Unchecked hiring hazards Van Zyl Krause, technical specialist at WWISE, warns that companies often feel forced to hire unqualified labour to avoid conflict. 'These so-called 'community contractors' are often unregistered, uninsured, and unsafe,' Krause says. 'That puts the principal contractor and everyone on site at risk, while forcing them to spend even more on private security.' ISO 37001 offers practical safeguards. It ensures that tender documents are traceable and auditable. It enforces ethical vetting of suppliers and enshrines whistleblower protection through encrypted systems. 'You can't bribe your way into a tender process governed by ISO 37001,' says Ali. Yet adoption of the standard remains frustratingly limited. 'Most construction companies in South Africa haven't implemented it,' Krause says. 'The only time we see ISO 37001 considered is when international investors require it.' Ali adds that public-sector resistance is particularly troubling. 'The fear is that ISO 37001 will expose misconduct,' he says. 'But that's the point. The excuses, 'too complex', 'too bureaucratic', don't hold water. This standard can be adapted to any organisation.' He points to a compelling case in Iraq, where a security company under attack from corrupt government officials used ISO 37001 to clear its name. 'The audits exposed the wrongdoing, and the officials were jailed. That's the power of a strong, standardised anti-bribery framework.' For smaller contractors, who are often the most vulnerable to extortion, ISO 37001 can provide an essential shield if supported by law enforcement. 'The problem may not be with the company,' Ali warns, 'but when it needs support, the authorities often fall short.' Standards drive reform WWISE urges companies to begin their journey with a Gap Assessment to identify risk areas, followed by a structured implementation process that includes internal training, documentation development, internal audits, and certification. 'This isn't a checkbox exercise,' says Ali. 'It's a roadmap to ethical business.' With billions at stake and a growing list of sabotaged projects, it's clear that arrests alone won't be enough. As Minister Macpherson rallies law enforcement, experts say South Africa must also rebuild its infrastructure sector from the inside out, with internationally recognised standards, such as ISO 37001, leading the way. 'If we don't change how we build,' says Ali, 'we'll keep rebuilding what criminals destroy.'
Eyewitness News
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
DA federal council adopts motion to oppose land expropriation without compensation
JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance (DA)'s highest decision-making body has officially adopted a motion to oppose expropriation of land without compensation. The party said its federal council voted unanimously to reject the "nil compensation" as expressed in the Expropriation Act, signed into law earlier in 2025. The DA, which forms part of the Government of National Unity (GNU), said it will continue with its legal pursuit to declare the Expropriation Act unconstitutional. The act said expropriation without compensation - or nil compensation - happens under strict conditions when the land is not in use, abandoned, or acquired through state subsidies. Dean Macpherson - DA member and Minister of Public Works - caused a stir when he said this recently about nil compensation. 'People confuse an unlawful act of expropriation without compensation as expropriation with nil compensation. Nil compensation is clearly defined, and it's not the same.' DA national spokesperson Karabo Khakhau said the party's federal council has reaffirmed its longstanding position against nil compensation in favour of Section 25 of the Constitution. 'That just and equitable compensation, adjudicated by a court of la,w must be paid for any expropriation.' The DA said secure private property rights are essential for economic growth.
