Latest news with #Department
The Star
21 minutes ago
- Business
- The Star
Gogta under fire for defying court order
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) is under fire for defying a court order to pay over R9 million to the Insika Foundation, one of its former implementing agents in the Community Work Programme (CWP).Legal experts now say that key department leaders — including Minister V.K. Hlabisa, Director-General Mbulelo Ntshangama, Deputy Director-General Pankie Matomela, and CWP Finance Authority Mawande Skenjana are complicit in contempt of court. Despite a binding High Court ruling and a failed appeal attempt, the Department has refused to pay the money owed, effectively collapsing the Insika Foundation and severely disrupting a programme that supports thousands of vulnerable South Africans. Court Victory, Government Defiance Insika Foundation approached the Gauteng Division of the High Court in 2024, seeking a 'mandamus' — a court order compelling COGTA to pay R9,291,633.42 for services delivered in April 2024. The Court granted the order on 12 July 2024. COGTA then tried to appeal but was dismissed with costs on 5 November 2024. The Court's ruling was clear: the Department must pay Insika with interest and attorney-client scale legal fees. Yet, the Department, led by DG Mbulelo Ntshangama, has refused to comply. Despite follow-ups and official correspondence to the Minister and his team, Insika has received no payment and no communication. This non-compliance puts COGTA in direct contempt of court, a serious legal offence that undermines the rule of law. Minister and Top Officials Now Complicit The blame now falls squarely on the leadership of the Department. Minister V.K. Hlabisa – Politically responsible and repeatedly warned about the Department's legal defiance. DG Mbulelo Ntshangama – The accounting officer, legally obligated to ensure compliance with court orders and fiscal responsibility, DDG Pankie Matomela – Head of the Community Work Programme, responsible for oversight and implementation and Mawande Skenjana** – CWP Finance Authority, tasked with ensuring payment processing and financial accountability. 'These officials are not just negligent — they are actively violating a court order,' said constitutional law analyst Adv. Thando Lekganyane. 'This opens them up to personal liability and possible criminal charges.' Collapse of Insika Foundation and CWP Fallout The Department's unlawful refusal to pay has financially destroyed the Insika Foundation, a non-profit that delivered critical community work services for COGTA. Unable to pay staff or continue operations, the organisation has shut down its work, leaving thousands of CWP participants unpaid, unsupported, and in crisis. 'We've followed the law. We won in court. Yet the government is treating us like criminals,' said Insika CEO Ziphozethu Busisiwe Matheniwa. 'Their refusal to pay has collapsed our business and left entire communities abandoned.' This isn't an isolated incident. Insika's experience reflects a broader pattern where small contractors and non-profits collapse after doing legitimate business with the government, only to be ignored or financially strangled when payment is due. CWP in Freefall: Chaos and Confusion Following the collapse of service providers like Insika, COGTA opted to 'insource' the CWP instead of renewing contracts. But internal documents show the Department was unprepared. Contracts with financial administrators and site management staff are set to expire in March 2025, with no clear plan for extension, recruitment, or budget allocation. Although the Department has requested contract extensions through DDG Matomela and Finance Authority Skenjana, delays and dysfunction persist. There is no operational clarity, and site-level staff have reported missed payments, poor communication, and a total lack of support. Legal Action Looms Insika has now signalled its intention to pursue further legal relief, including a Personal costs order for failure to comply with court rulings and a formal complaint to Parliament and the Public Protector. 'This isn't just about money anymore,' said Matheniwa. 'It's about the government's duty to respect the law — and the people who serve the country.' A Government Breaking Its Own Laws As communities go without support and legitimate service providers collapse, the silence from COGTA's leadership is deafening. For Insika Foundation and the thousands of CWP participants depending on this programme, the damage is already done. And unless the Department reverses course, the constitutional crisis may only deepen.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Damning Report Proves Signal Messages Were Classified Despite Trump's Claims
A shock new report has revealed that the leaked Signal messages that Trump aides inadvertently sent to a journalist in March were classified, despite President Donald Trump claiming otherwise. An independent watchdog told The Washington Post that messages from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's Signal account disclosing a U.S. bomb campaign originated from a classified email labeled 'SECRET/NOFORN.' The reveal contradicts longstanding claims by Trump and his staff that no classified information was shared in the chat. The 'SECRET' classification showcases that the information was so classified that unauthorized disclosure could be a risk to national security. 'NOFORN' is a phrase that means it was not meant for anyone who is a foreign national, even allies. During a March press conference regarding the Signal chat, Trump said that no classified information was shared. The Post's new report says otherwise. The bombshell comes as the Defense Department inspector general's office conducts an inquiry into the messages, as requested by Republican and Democratic members of the Senate Armed Services Committee shortly after the scandal broke. The Pentagon denied the Post's report and maintained that the messages were declassified. 'This Signal narrative is so old and worn out, it's starting to resemble Joe Biden's mental state,' Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement to the Daily Beast. 'The Department stands behind its previous statements: no classified information was shared via Signal. As we've said repeatedly, nobody was texting war plans and the success of the Department's recent operations—from Operation Rough Rider to Operation Midnight Hammer—are proof that our operational security and discipline are top notch.' The 'Signalgate' fiasco rocked the White House in March after now-ousted National Security Adviser Mike Waltz added The Atlantic's editor-in-chief to the group chat. The chat was created on a commercial messaging app called Signal to discuss a bomb operation in Yemen. Journalist Jeffrey Goldberg exposed the administration in an article titled 'The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans.' Soon after, critics slammed the administration for the move and questioned why high-level officials would use such vulnerable modes of communication. The strike plans had been shared in a classified 'SECRET' email with more than a dozen defense officials by Gen. Michael 'Erik' Kurilla, the top commander overseeing Middle East military operations in the Middle East. They were then shared via the Signal group chat by Hegseth's account on March 15, only moments before the U.S. struck Yemen. Kurilla sent his sensitive message over the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network, a classified system. But the message later shared by Hegseth was not over the same highly guarded system—it was on a Signal group chat. Along with discussing the timing of the strikes, top Trump aides also used a number of emojis to celebrate the attack—including an American flag, flame, fist and bicep. The chat also included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The shared messages included highly sensitive information: the day's strike plan, when the bombing was set to begin, what aircraft would be used, and what weapons would be involved. Trump fired Waltz from his post shortly after the public outrage that followed the scandal. But a number of Democrats and at least one Republican lawmaker have also called for Hegseth to be removed. Hegseth's time at the White House has been rocky and defined by frequent infighting and turnover. The findings of the Defense Department inspector general's office are expected to be released within a few months and may put Hegseth's job security at risk.
IOL News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Gogta under fire for defying court order
The blame now falls squarely on the leadership of the Department. Minister V.K. Hlabisa. The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) is under fire for defying a court order to pay over R9 million to the Insika Foundation, one of its former implementing agents in the Community Work Programme (CWP).Legal experts now say that key department leaders — including Minister V.K. Hlabisa, Director-General Mbulelo Ntshangama, Deputy Director-General Pankie Matomela, and CWP Finance Authority Mawande Skenjana are complicit in contempt of court. Despite a binding High Court ruling and a failed appeal attempt, the Department has refused to pay the money owed, effectively collapsing the Insika Foundation and severely disrupting a programme that supports thousands of vulnerable South Africans. Court Victory, Government Defiance Insika Foundation approached the Gauteng Division of the High Court in 2024, seeking a 'mandamus' — a court order compelling COGTA to pay R9,291,633.42 for services delivered in April 2024. The Court granted the order on 12 July 2024. COGTA then tried to appeal but was dismissed with costs on 5 November 2024. The Court's ruling was clear: the Department must pay Insika with interest and attorney-client scale legal fees. Yet, the Department, led by DG Mbulelo Ntshangama, has refused to comply. Despite follow-ups and official correspondence to the Minister and his team, Insika has received no payment and no communication. This non-compliance puts COGTA in direct contempt of court, a serious legal offence that undermines the rule of law. Minister and Top Officials Now Complicit The blame now falls squarely on the leadership of the Department. Minister V.K. Hlabisa – Politically responsible and repeatedly warned about the Department's legal defiance. DG Mbulelo Ntshangama – The accounting officer, legally obligated to ensure compliance with court orders and fiscal responsibility, DDG Pankie Matomela – Head of the Community Work Programme, responsible for oversight and implementation and Mawande Skenjana** – CWP Finance Authority, tasked with ensuring payment processing and financial accountability. 'These officials are not just negligent — they are actively violating a court order,' said constitutional law analyst Adv. Thando Lekganyane. 'This opens them up to personal liability and possible criminal charges.' Collapse of Insika Foundation and CWP Fallout The Department's unlawful refusal to pay has financially destroyed the Insika Foundation, a non-profit that delivered critical community work services for COGTA. Unable to pay staff or continue operations, the organisation has shut down its work, leaving thousands of CWP participants unpaid, unsupported, and in crisis. 'We've followed the law. We won in court. Yet the government is treating us like criminals,' said Insika CEO Ziphozethu Busisiwe Matheniwa. 'Their refusal to pay has collapsed our business and left entire communities abandoned.' This isn't an isolated incident. Insika's experience reflects a broader pattern where small contractors and non-profits collapse after doing legitimate business with the government, only to be ignored or financially strangled when payment is due. CWP in Freefall: Chaos and Confusion Following the collapse of service providers like Insika, COGTA opted to 'insource' the CWP instead of renewing contracts. But internal documents show the Department was unprepared. Contracts with financial administrators and site management staff are set to expire in March 2025, with no clear plan for extension, recruitment, or budget allocation. Although the Department has requested contract extensions through DDG Matomela and Finance Authority Skenjana, delays and dysfunction persist. There is no operational clarity, and site-level staff have reported missed payments, poor communication, and a total lack of support. Legal Action Looms Insika has now signalled its intention to pursue further legal relief, including a Personal costs order for failure to comply with court rulings and a formal complaint to Parliament and the Public Protector. 'This isn't just about money anymore,' said Matheniwa. 'It's about the government's duty to respect the law — and the people who serve the country.' A Government Breaking Its Own Laws As communities go without support and legitimate service providers collapse, the silence from COGTA's leadership is deafening. For Insika Foundation and the thousands of CWP participants depending on this programme, the damage is already done. And unless the Department reverses course, the constitutional crisis may only deepen.
Indianapolis Star
10 hours ago
- Business
- Indianapolis Star
Trump administration chooses Indy as a USDA hub in sweeping agency reorganization. Here's why
Indianapolis will soon serve as one of five U.S. Department of Agriculture hubs as the federal agency reduces and reorganizes its workforce under President Donald Trump's administration, the USDA announced July 24. 'American agriculture feeds, clothes, and fuels this nation and the world, and it is long past time the Department better serve the great and patriotic farmers, ranchers, and producers we are mandated to support," Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins said in a news release. "President Trump was elected to make real change in Washington, and we are doing just that by moving our key services outside the beltway and into great American cities across the country." Indiana's capital city joins Kansas City, Missouri; Raleigh, North Carolina; Fort Collins, Colorado; and Salt Lake City, Utah, as hub locations. The rationale for selecting these five centered on the cost of living compared to Washington, D.C. and the cities' pre-existing concentration of USDA employees, according to the release. In Indianapolis, for example, the federal government only has to pay employees 18% above a position's base salary due to the lower cost of living, nearly half of Washington D.C.'s rate of almost 34%. The move comes as a review of the USDA revealed a "bloated, expensive, and unsustainable organization," with the release citing increases in workforce and salaries over the past four years. The relocation efforts will happen in phases with a goal of ensuring no more than 2,000 employees remain in the D.C. region, an area that currently employs 4,600 employees. Sen. Todd Young of Indiana celebrated the announcement in a post on X this morning. Not every employee may agree to move, however. During President Donald Trump's first term when two USDA research offices moved to Kansas City, the majority of employees refused to relocate while overall morale at the agency sank, Politico reported in 2019. Those changes were reversed under the Biden administration. This latest relocation comes after more than 15,000 employees left the department through a deferred resignation program as part of efforts to reduce federal bureaucracy. The National Family Farm Coalition, an advocacy organization for small farms, released a statement in April that the staff reductions would cause dysfunction and disrupt the supply chain. Most recently, Rollins told Congress in May that the agency was looking to fill critical positions.
The Hindu
11 hours ago
- The Hindu
Coimbatore Forest Division starts using live wire detectors to trace illegal fencing, animal traps
The Coimbatore Forest Division has got a shot in the arm in its drive against illegal electric fencing and live wire traps with live wire detectors received from the WWF-India. Now, field staff in the division can inspect electric fences and live wire traps themselves. So far, the Department has been conducting joint inspections in coordination with the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation (TNPDCL) once in every 15 days to identify illegal electric fences, sagging power lines and live wire traps, which pose threats to wild animals as well as humans. Sources said that WWF-India gave 11 live wire detectors to the Forest Department in April this year in Coimbatore, in the presence of Supriya Sahu, Secretary of Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department, and top officials. N. Jayaraj, District Forest Officer, Coimbatore, said two live wire detectors allotted to the Coimbatore division were being used for inspections. 'The device helps the staff detect live wires from a safe distance during patrols and during the joint inspectors with TNPDCL. It can also be used to check electric fences, whether they are having AC or DC power supply,' he said. Upon noticing live wire traps or AC-powered electric fences during routine patrols, the Department will alert the TNPDCL to initiate further actions. Electric fences are largely being used to prevent wild elephants from entering farm lands and other properties in villages that share boundaries with forests. Use of live wire traps to poach animals like wild boar and deer had also been reported in the division in the past. As per the Tamil Nadu Power Fences (Registration and Regulation) Rules 2023, AC power should not be connected directly to the fencing cables as getting in contact with them can be fatal to humans and animals. The rule states that battery-powered energiser of the prescribed standards, which generates DC power, should be the power source.
