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IOL News
3 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
What challenges do whistle-blowers face in South Africa's battle against corruption?
South Africa, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, has amended various laws to combat corruption, however, whistle-blowers are exposed to risk, with some in hiding. Image: Supplied While South Africa has implemented various anti-corruption laws, including a National Anti-Corruption Strategy, concerns have been raised about the ineffective whistle-blower mechanisms and the whistle-blowing framework, which limits the reporting of wrongdoing. Among key anti-corruption laws that have been amended are the Prevention of Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, the Anti-Money Laundering Legislation General Laws, and the National Prosecution Authority Amendment Act, which stemmed from the Zondo Commission Report. Mary de Haas, a KwaZulu-Natal violence monitor, said whistle-blowers' lives are at risk, and it seems that politicians are untouchable, as corruption continues and often leads back to politicians. She mentioned at least two whistle-blowers whose lives are at risk after they exposed corruption. People in government, from the president down, are promising help for whistle-blowers, but there is nothing, she said. 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 Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'Patricia Mashale was a very senior admin person within the police, and she reported corruption to the then National police commissioner General Khehla Sitole about Free State management corruption. He (Sitole) sent it back to them, and her life became endangered. 'Mashale can't live with her children because her house is under surveillance, and there is no financial support for whistle-blowers. How could people live when they have lost a job, have been illegally dismissed, and they can't live in their own homes because they are under surveillance and may get killed?' De Haas asked. She said, Warrant Officer Meshack Makhubo, who opened the second docket in the Senzo Meyiwa case, is also in danger. 'There was an attack on his home. It wasn't just a break-in attack. It was an onslaught on his home. They want him dead because he knows too much about corruption in the police and the cover-up in the Meyiwa case.. 'I have been informed that a lot of people now just keep quiet even when they know about corruption. They just go with it because when you open your mouth or you show that you are reporting it, your job is the first thing on the line. A lot of the dismissals are swift, and the Labour Court has confirmed they are illegal,' De Haas said. She added that the other thing they do is bring a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) suit, which is filed to silence or intimidate someone who has spoken out about a matter of public interest. 'I've got one against me, which is nonsense. I mean, there is no substance in it at all, but they try to shut you up by threatening to sue you if you report them. That's how bad it is,' she said. Devoshum Moodley-Veera, an integrity activist, PhD student at the School of Public Leadership and ACCERUS at Stellenbosch University, said there has been a lot of talk around the amendment of the Protected Disclosures Act for years, but it is yet to be seen whether law alone can assist in whistle-blower protection. 'Whistle-blowing is multi-faceted with several role players involved, yet we see a blame culture on whose role is it to protect whistle-blowers. With the laws not providing a dedicated institution to deal with whistle-blowing complaints, I am afraid that retaliation will increase under the current whistle-blowing framework, as we have seen severe cases such as Babita Deokaran and Pamela Kabini,' Moodley-Veera said. She added that the Feinstein and Devine report of 2021 examined the sufficiency of the primary whistle-blower laws by juxtaposing 17 countries with the standards established by the European Union Whistleblowing Directive (2019/1937). South Africa met only five of the 20 criteria to be included in whistle-blowing laws, which makes whistle-blowing legislation ineffective in South Africa. Moodley-Veera said the country can be commended for a number of anti-corruption initiatives, however, the implementation remains weak. 'The Transparency International Corruption Perception Index is used to measure anti-corruption effectiveness. Thus far, South Africa has scored 41, the same as the previous year, showing no progress. The score is below the global average of 43, having dropped by three points since 2019. It should be noted that this index shows perceived levels of corruption in the public sector, not the number of cases reported or experiences of the public,' Moodley-Veera said. She highlighted that there is a trust deficit in the country, and citizens would like to see action and accountability, which are severely lacking. 'Action should be taken. Institutions should appoint competent, ethical leadership to implement these initiatives. Legislation should be reformed, and laws should be developed to address the current context and situation in the country. The use of Western laws does not help the country in its current state,' she said. During the State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the government had started taking steps to expose and punish corrupt activities in the public and private sectors, to reform institutions, making them stronger, more transparent, and restoring a professional and effective public service. He said the NPA Investigating Directorate had at that time enrolled over 34 corruption cases, charged 202 accused individuals, and 65 accused entities. 'We are making progress in the fight against corruption with over 1,300 corruption convictions in four years, including 500 government officials. R14.18 billion assets frozen in corruption and state capture cases. Thirty-four cases were enrolled, involving over 200 accused persons, including former ministers and some of the largest corporate companies in the country, such as McKinsey and ABB. 'The NPA has finalised a comprehensive settlement agreement with company ABB to pay over a further R2.5bn in 'punitive reparations to South Africa' for its part in state capture. This adds to the R6 billion ABB already paid to Eskom in 2020,' Ramaphosa said. Moodley-Veera explained that the challenges experienced with asset recovery by the Asset Forfeiture Unit and Investigating Directorate, both positioned within the National Prosecuting Authority, are the slow disposal rates of cases, which lead to high management costs and high recovery costs, resulting in loss of value. The high costs of appointing curators to manage the frozen assets as part of property management. There is also a lack of technical and forensic skills within these institutions for asset recovery. This lack of technical skills results in unsuccessful confiscation proceedings. There is also a lack of capacity, inadequate budgets, poor collaboration, political interference in the criminal justice system and the law enforcement agencies, Moodley-Veera explained. She added that one of the biggest successes of anti-corruption efforts in South Africa was that the late Dudu Myeni (former South African Airways chairperson) was found to be a delinquent director by the courts under the Companies Act. This was after the state capture proceedings. 'Another success is that due to transparency, the State Capture commission proceedings were broadcast in the media, and also the report was shared with the public. There has also been more public awareness around whistle-blowing, and some of the biggest cases of retaliation were made public. This shows that whistle-blowing is indeed one of the tools to be used for anti-corruption measures. As a country, we have also seen the vital role played by media and civil society organisations in addressing corruption in South Africa. 'However, there are persistent challenges such as ineffective whistle-blowing laws, cases that are delayed, high costs of litigation, and regulators and state institutions lacking independence to deal with corruption cases. There is also a lack of resources to deal with cases,' she said. 'Civil society organisations have come together to develop and launch the Zondo Tracker to also oversee the implementation of the Zondo recommendations,' Moodley-Veera said. She added that anti-corruption initiatives should not be seen as a responsibility of the state only, but should be a collaborative effort to achieve a society that is free from fraud and corruption.
News24
3 days ago
- Business
- News24
Ramokgopa announces preferred bidders for third battery energy storage
616MW of battery storage will be added across five sites in the Free State, with operation expected by 2028. The projects will store excess solar energy generated for use during the peak demand periods. Four of the five winning bids went to SA company Mulilo, reflecting increased local capacity and competitiveness. South Africa's push to stabilise its power grid through battery energy storage systems has advanced with the announcement of preferred bidders for the third bid window of the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Procurement Programme. Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa announced this during a press briefing on Friday, confirming that 616MW of new battery storage capacity would be added to the national grid. This allocation is the final portion of government's 1 744MW target, as laid out in the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). The latest bid window will see an investment of R9.5 billion, with project completion expected in January 2028. Battery storage to support solar during peak demand Ramokgopa explained that battery energy storage plays a critical role in improving grid flexibility by capturing excess electricity generated during the day, mostly from solar photovoltaic (PV) sources and discharging it during peak periods in the morning and evening. This approach aims to reduce reliance on costly diesel-powered open-cycle gas turbines during peak hours. 'During the day, our solar PV plants generate more electricity than we need.' Instead of wasting that surplus, these batteries will allow us to store it and release it later in the evening, when demand is at its highest. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa Currently, peak electricity demand occurs between 6am and 8.30am and again between 5.30pm and 7.30pm, with the evening peak particularly severe. The battery systems are designed to provide four hours of storage capacity, enough to cover both peak periods daily, adding up to 730 charge-discharge cycles annually. Five projects located in the Free State The 616MW capacity will be installed across five sites in the Free State, identified by the National Transmission Company of SA as strategically suitable for new grid support infrastructure. Each site has one preferred bidder assigned: Scatec was appointed for the Leander Substation site. Mulilo Energy was selected for the remaining four sites, including Everest, Harvard and Merapi. Ramokgopa noted the increasing competitiveness of domestic developers: 'We're seeing more South African companies winning bids in these programmes. Four out of five of the projects in this round have gone to a local developer, which is encouraging for the sector.' The minister also noted the geographic spread of the three bid windows to date: the first was concentrated in the Northern Cape and parts of North West; the second was mainly in North West and the third was focused on the Free State. Procurement process and technical considerations The third bid window was launched in March last year, following an open and competitive process. According to Ramokgopa, the process considered several technical criteria beyond pricing, including: Round-trip efficiency: The ability of batteries to return the same amount of electricity that was used to charge them. Rapid voltage change factor: A metric based on the battery's proximity to substations, affecting technical losses and bid scores. Government intends to improve fairness in future bid windows by pre-procuring land near substations to prevent distance-related disadvantages for bidders. The power purchase agreements signed with the preferred bidders will span 15 years, which aligns with global industry norms for battery storage contracts. Commercial close was targeted for January next year, with full commercial operation scheduled by January 2028. However, the minister encouraged developers to accelerate this timeline where possible. Programme outlook and future plans The 616MW announced on Wednesday concluded the initial 1 744MW target for battery energy storage outlined in the current IRP. This included: 513MW from bid window 1 615MW from bid window 2 616MW from bid window 3 The updated IRP, which will outline new targets and procurement rounds, is currently under review by the National Economic Development and Labour Council. SA is considered a continental leader in deploying battery energy storage and government aims to maintain this position as part of its broader transition to cleaner energy. However, Ramokgopa emphasised that coal remained the backbone of the country's energy generation capacity and plans involved a mix of energy sources rather than outright replacement. 'We are not pitting one energy source against another.'
News24
3 days ago
- General
- News24
Olorato Mongale's family struggles to come to terms with her tragic death - ‘Our worst fears came true'
She was filled with excitement as she prepared for a date with a potential suitor, only to have her life tragically cut short just hours later. Her untimely death has left South Africa grappling with a profound question: 'When will women truly be safe?' The family of 30-year-old Olorato Mongale, an only child, remains in disbelief following her tragic death. They say each day presents new challenges since the discovery of her lifeless body. Mongale's life was abruptly and violently taken on Sunday afternoon, just two hours after she informed friends she was going on a date with a man she had recently met at a mall in the Free State. The man reportedly contacted her again while visiting Johannesburg, and she agreed to meet him. Family spokesperson and close friend, Criselda Kananda, told Drum Magazine that Mongale had taken safety precautions. She informed her friends of the date and asked them to check in with her every 30 minutes. Despite these measures, Mongale's life was still cruelly stolen. 'Olorato knew the risks women face in this country. That's why she asked her friends to keep checking in while she was out,' said Kananda. 'When an hour passed and no one could reach her, her friends contacted her parents. A missing person poster was created and circulated.' At that point, the family still hoped for her safe return. 'We were worried because her phone was off, but we remained hopeful. It had only been about three hours since she left her apartment,' Kananda explained. 'Unfortunately, our worst fears came true when her body was discovered by the roadside in Lombardy, just two hours after she left for the date.' The family is devastated. 'There are no words to describe the pain we're going through. Every day brings a new challenge,' said Kananda. 'We refuse to let Olorato become another statistic, a young woman discarded on the street. She worked so hard for her future, for her country, and for women everywhere. We cannot accept this as normal.' Olorato Mongale was described as a vibrant, ambitious woman who knew what she wanted from life. She had earned an Honours degree in Journalism and Media Studies from Rhodes University and worked briefly as a multimedia journalist for TimesLIVE. She was pursuing a Master's degree in ICT Policy and Regulation at the University of the Witwatersrand at the time of her death. 'She was her mother's best friend. I cannot imagine how her mom will carry on from this,' Kananda added. Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that a manhunt is underway for three suspects believed to be involved in Mongale's murder. 'The investigation led us to a lodge in Kew, Johannesburg, where two suspects had booked a room,' said Mathe. 'Further intelligence took us to KwaMashu in Durban, to the home of one of the suspects. The vehicle used by the suspects was found at a panel beater workshop, and upon inspection, SAPS forensic experts discovered traces of blood inside.' An elderly man believed to be the owner of the vehicle has been arrested. However, police are still searching for three men suspected to have been directly involved in the murder: Fezile Ngubane, Philangenkosi Sibongokuhle Makhanya, and Bongani Mthimkhulu.
Mail & Guardian
4 days ago
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
ANC cries sabotage as 99 voters deregister from IEC's Free State roll amid R7000 bribery allegations
At least 99 voters have deregistered from the Independent Electoral Commission's (IEC) voter's roll in the Free State over the past year. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G) At least 99 voters have deregistered from the Independent Electoral Commission's ( The increase in deregistrations has raised suspicions in the ANC about why a group of people would sign out of the democratic process. ANC members have suggested it is part of a 'plot' to undermine their majority in the province. IEC spokesperson David Mandaha said that in the last financial year, at least 99 registered voters in certain segments of the Free State voters' roll had voluntarily deregistered. In 2021/2022, one person deregistered from the IEC's voters roll in the Free State province while in 2022/20 22 three deregistered and 33 people deregistered in 2023/2024. Mandaha confirmed that there had been a 'relative rise' in the number of deregistrations in this fincial year. He said deregistration as a voter means that citizens are abdicating their right to elect public representatives and relegating this to others. A registered voter wanting to deregister must complete a deregistration form and submit it in person, along with their identity document, to a municipal electoral office, in accordance with section 10 of the Electoral Act and voter registration regulations. The local office will forward the forms to the national office. Mandaha said the procedure is designed to protect citizens' franchise rights against arbitrary actions or undue influence. Senior ANC leaders the Mail & Guardian spoke to said they are aware of some voters being offered R7 000 a month to deregister. One source, who declined to be named, claimed she was approached and promised R7 000 monthly, provided it could be continually proven that she remained deregistered. She said this required her to visit her 'handler' at the beginning of each month to prove that she was still deregistered. 'They said that as long as we prove we are deregistered, we would receive the money. They did not say where they were from.' When further questioned about whether she had received the payment or completed the deregistration, the source declined to comment further. The ActionSA provincial chair Patricia Kopano said this was the first time she had heard about this, questioning whether people are allowed constitutionally to do this. 'How can you deregister yourself, it's like removing yourself from the National Population Register Act. It is only through home affairs [department] through the death certificate that you can be deregistered. To go to the extreme that I want to deregister, I've never heard of that,' she said. Kopano said the only way to change the government is through the ballot paper, adding that if one is registered, they can abstain rather than go to the IEC to deregister. She said the party would open criminal charges against any people involved in such a scheme because this was unconstitutional and undemocratic. 'There's a loophole in the IEC, they must make sure why a person is deregistering. As ActionSA, we believe this is a criminal offence. Any political party that is encouraging people not to go and vote is unconstitutional.' 'We are also advocating that it must become a law where people must be forced to go and vote. In other countries, it is a criminal offence if you don't go and vote.' Independent elections analyst Wayne Sussman said he has never heard about people deregistering before, because people preferred to just stay away from voting. He said usually people get deregistered when they die or immigrate. 'Usually when people do not participate in an election, it is when they simply do not show up to vote. We know that in the last three consecutive major elections, we have had the worst turn out — the elections in 2019, the local government elections in 2021 and the one in the national elections in 2024. 'I am not familiar with this deregistration campaign. I mean R7000, if it is a successful campaign and you do that properly, that's going to be a lot of money.' An IEC source told the M&G that in recent months, several people had visited the IEC offices to deregister in the Free State. The official said that although the Constitution allows for voter deregistration, the number of requests has 'raised eyebrows'. 'To be honest, it dropped a bit last month, but there was a time when we were processing a large number,' the official said. 'It started with black voters, but in the past two months, we've seen more white people deregistering.' The official confirmed that a provincial meeting had taken place to address the surge in deregistrations. 'I know the local The official dismissed allegations that IEC staff were involved in bribery, saying: 'People make baseless accusations. Some say they're deregistering due to poor service delivery — it's a political strategy. But ultimately, these people are choosing to remove themselves and they know they can register again later if they want.' Free State Premier Letsoha-Mathae said she knew of an ANC woman who was approached to deregister and she had asked the mayor of the municipality to verify the claims. 'Indeed, they found that the particular person was no longer on the register. I am not sure if she removed herself,' said Letsoha-Mathae. She added that mayors of various municipalities have been instructed to request affidavits from people who claim to have been offered money to deregister. 'They are hesitant to come forward and submit affidavits to municipalities … We've said that during this registration period, there is a need to engage those who've been identified, and we hope they will comply.' Letsoha-Mathae characterised the allegations as sabotage against the ANC. 'If people known to be ANC activists are being paid not to vote so that other parties can gain support, then it is sabotage. Free State police spokesperson Mmako Mophiring said police were not aware of the allegations and that no case had been opened in this regard. The ANC has traditionally maintained strong support in the province despite a collapse in service delivery. But, in the 2021 local government elections, the ANC lost control of the troubled Maluti-a-Phofung municipality and entered into a coalition with smaller parties. The ANC also lost its outright majority in the Metsimaholo and Matjhabeng local municipalities. In the A senior ANC official in the province said that known ANC supporters were allegedly being offered money to deregister, but they could not confirm whether IEC officials were involved. 'As things stand, we don't have evidence of who is paying or promising these individuals money.' The official claimed that 'multiple parties' were attempting to sabotage the ANC. 'These people are discouraging communities from voting to reduce support for ANC-led municipalities. It's happening particularly in ANC-led wards.' The official said the IEC has confirmed that some people have deregistered but noted that it remains unclear whether they were paid to do so. 'We are not certain if MPLC members from different parties are collaborating with IEC officials,' they added. Dihlabeng local municipality mayor Tseki Tseki said he is aware of the issue and that it has been going on for several months. 'While I may not know the reasons behind their deregistration, it appears to be a targeted attempt against the ANC ahead of next year's elections,' he said. 'The stakes are high, and perhaps the aim is to reduce the number of ANC councillors, given the narrow margins. This may be a desperate attempt to unseat the ANC.' Tseki said the alleged practice was undemocratic. 'This is not good for our democracy. Given our country's history, when people were denied the right to vote, it is unacceptable that anyone would now discourage others from participating in the democratic process.' He said the ANC would intensify voter registration campaigns. 'There may be some who have deregistered, but more people will register. There will still be registration weekends before election day. We must ensure all eligible voters are encouraged to register and vote for the party of their choice.'
Fox News
5 days ago
- General
- Fox News
South Africa's president pushes back on Trump's demand to arrest politician who chanted 'kill the farmer'
JOHANNESBURG - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa hit back Tuesday against President Donald Trump's demand that opposition politician Julius Malema should be arrested, for repeatedly chanting "kill the farmer." Also on Tuesday, a senior politician within South Africa's government told Fox News Digital the chant "inflamed hatred" and called for "legal consequences." In the White House Oval Office last week, President Trump had a video showing Malema making the chant shown to the then-visiting Ramaphosa. Trump told the South African leader that Malema should be arrested. On Sunday, Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) political party, which drew just under 10% of the vote in last May's South African election and is not part of the government of national unity, told a crowd of thousands at a rally in South Africa's Free State, "I will never be intimidated by Donald Trump." Just four days after the president's call that he should be arrested, Malema launched into the chant again, shouting to cheers "Shoot to kill. Kill the Boer (Afrikaans farmer), the farmer." The Afrikaners are descendants of mostly Dutch settlers who first arrived in South Africa in 1652. Appearing to want to emphasize defiance, Malema then chanted "I repeat, kill the Boer, the farmer." Reacting to President Trump calling for Malema's arrest, President Ramaphosa on Tuesday told reporters there are no plans to detain the EFF leader. "It's not a matter where we need to be instructed by anyone (to) go and arrest this one. (Malema) We are a very proud sovereign country that has its own laws, that has its own processes." Ramaphosa continued that South Africa's equivalent of the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court, had decided in 2022 the slogan "kill the Boer, kill the farmer" was only a decades-old "liberation chant and slogan, and it's not meant to be a message that elicits or calls upon anyone to go and be killed, and that is what our court decided." Critics point out that Malema sits on South Africa's Judicial Services Commission – the body that appoints judges here. All of this is against the background of President Trump accusing South Africa of genocide against farmers and inviting so far 49 Whites to fly to the U.S. as refugees. "That chant has no place in a democratic South Africa," the Democratic Alliance (DA) party's Ian Cameron told Fox News Digital. The DA is South Africa's main opposition party. They are members of the government of national unity, with Cameron serving as chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police. Cameron said that Malema singing the chant again this past weekend was "continuing to divide society and inflame hatred and mistrust. (It) plays a specific role in why farm attacks in South Africa are so unique: while brutal attacks continue in rural areas, he sings that song with pride, and many of his supporters openly celebrate the violence on social media." "I do believe that Julius Malema's repeated incitement—especially through songs like 'Kill the Boer', crosses a dangerous and unacceptable line," Cameron continued. "Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of democracy, but it cannot be used as a shield for promoting violence. At the very least, there should be legal consequences for incitement of violence, and our justice system must act without fear or favor." Ramaphosa said he was not going to have people arrested "willy nilly," adding on Tuesday, "we are a country where freedom of expression is the bedrock of our constitutional arrangement." None of this has phased Malema, who is on record saying, "I will sing the song as and when I like." Fox News Digital reached out to Malema but received no response. Attacks on both White and Black farmers here are real. Cameron told Fox News Digital, "I've personally stood in the aftermath of these attacks. I've walked into scenes that resembled abattoirs. I remember one farm where the victim's fingernail marks were still embedded in the carpet from where he was dragged and tortured. These are not ordinary crimes and often include disproportionate violence."
