Latest news with #Gcaleka
IOL News
5 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Enock Mgijima Municipality wins legal bid to halt probe into controversial R22. 7m stadium
Public Protector's findings on the R22.7 million Lesseyton Sports Stadium mismanagement face legal challenge Image: Twitter The Enock Mgijima Local Municipality has successfully blocked the Public Protector's (PP) recommendations concerning alleged mismanagement of the R22.7 million allocated to the Lesseyton Sports Facility, which is popularly known as Ndlovukazi Sports Stadium. The facility, unveiled in October 2021 amid praise, has become a symbol of alleged procurement irregularities and squandered public resources. The stadium was touted as a significant sports development for Lesseyton, but the reality has starkly contrasted with expectations. The facility features a dry, bumpy field, small metal stands, soccer and rugby uprights, and, notably, lacks functional ablution facilities or electricity, which the Public Protector described as a stark disappointment given its exorbitant price tag. In June, the Public Protector, Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, released a detailed investigation revealing significant mismanagement. Among the findings were procurement irregularities. Gcaleka found that the stadium tender was advertised with two different closing dates and was not published on three mandated public platforms, violating regulation 22(1)(a) of the Municipal Supply Chain Management Policy. Despite these procedural flaws, Thalami Civils Pty Ltd was awarded the contract, which subsequently exceeded the budget by nearly R5 million but failed to deliver the expected facilities. Gcaleka's report recommended that the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) take action against officials involved in these irregularities. 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 ✕ However, efforts to hold those responsible accountable have been thwarted. The Enoch Mgijima Municipality successfully lodged an interdict in the Bisho High Court, preventing the implementation of the Public Protector's recommendations. On July 29, Acting Justice Tilana Babece granted this interdict, pending the case's final outcome. Sources within the municipality reveal that council members voted to challenge the Public Protector's findings in court, a process expected to take years, further delaying accountability. 'Some of those responsible have since left the municipality and are employed in other municipalities in the Eastern Cape,' a local source explained. 'It will be difficult to hold them accountable now that they have moved on, and the municipal council is actively opposing the implementation of the recommendations.' Attempts to obtain clarity from provincial authorities have been met with deferrals. IOL contacted Premier Oscar Mabuyane's office, which referred inquiries to Cogta. Mamnkeli Ngam, Cogta's spokesperson, stated, 'The matter is best referred to the municipality in question.'
The Citizen
05-08-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Public Protector commits to helping Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission protect rights ‘in its own country'
The Public Protector has denied that a meeting with the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to discuss healthcare challenges for Zimbabweans in South Africa took place. The Office of the Public Protector says it has no record of a complaint by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) regarding the denial of Zimbabwean nationals' access to healthcare services in South Africa. Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka was responding to ZHRC Chairperson Jessie Majome's comments in an interview with Newzroom Afrika, where she claimed a meeting was held to discuss the issue with the Public Protector. 'The conversation with Advocate Gcaleka was to show our mutual interest in having our countries beneficially resolve the issue of the conflicts that are arising when Zimbabwean nationals approach South African hospitals to seek services,' said Majome. 'This conversation is not a new conversation. In September 2024, the public protector very graciously hosted my commission for a benchmarking and learning visit. We came to learn how the public protector conducts its mandate and overcomes difficulties it encounters, so that we can grow and improve our function. ALSO READ: 'I stand by my words': Limpopo Health MEC says SADC countries must pay for their citizens 'In that visit, Gcaleka and I had a conversation that started about the problem of Zimbabweans seeking help. We agreed that we want to come together and devise ways of coming up with lasting solutions to ensure all enjoy their rights.' 'No such discussion' In a statement on Tuesday, Gcaleka said her office did not host her Zimbabwean counterpart last year. However, no recent meeting had taken place to discuss healthcare services in the country. 'Rather, the discussions were about, among other things, the state of the health care systems in both countries. Accordingly, the PPSA also referred to its own investigation into the state of the healthcare system in South Africa as a guide for the ZHRC to investigate the same in its own country,' said Gcaleka. WATCH: 'You are killing my health system' – Limpopo Health MEC lectures foreign patient 'We are therefore surprised by reports in the media about discussions, which purportedly occurred recently, and were centred around matters relating to Zimbabwean nationals being denied access to health-care services in South Africa; neither do we have record of a complaint of that kind.' South Africa and Zimbabwe partnership Gcaleka said the meeting her office held with her Zimbabwean counterpart covered issues commonly shared between the two institutions, including corruption and challenges relating to service delivery in the two countries, such as healthcare systems. 'Consequently, and on the request of the ZHRC, on 14 October, the public protector of South Africa shared documents with the ZHRC that would assist in strengthening the ZHRC's institutional capacity to investigate malfeasance in its own country. At no point did the discussions then, or recently, focus on the denial of Zimbabwean nationals' access to health-care services in South Africa.' However, the public protector committed to assisting the ZHRC to strengthen its impact to better serve the people of Zimbabwe, 'in line with international standards followed by institutions of its kind, which are to uphold the rule of law, protect human rights and enforce good governance in its own country'. READ NEXT: 'Hands off Dr Phophi Ramathuba'- Premier in hot seat over comments to Zimbabwean patient
IOL News
05-08-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Public Protector refutes Zimbabwean Human Rights Commission claims on healthcare access
Human rights groups and officials condemn the March and March group for illegally checking IDs at public hospitals, blocking access to essential care for immigrants, and violating South Africa's Constitution. Image: March and March / Facebook The Office of South Africa's Public Protector, Kholeka Gcaleka, has refuted claims made by the Zimbabwean Human Rights Commission (ZHRC), which insisted that it has engaged her office over issues affecting South African-based Zimbabwean immigrants. This comes as foreign nationals, including Zimbabwean nationals, are being barred from accessing healthcare, with Operation Dudula revealing that it will be intensifying its efforts against illegal immigrants, with a campaign aimed at preventing undocumented immigrants from accessing public schools in the new year. Operation Dudula and March and March movements have spent the past few weeks preventing undocumented immigrants from accessing healthcare services across public clinics and hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Gauteng due to the alleged strain this has caused on South Africa's limited healthcare services. 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 However, in a statement on Monday, Gcaleka refuted these claims, saying her office has not received any correspondence from ZHRC. "Following numerous media inquiries, the Public Protector South Africa (PPSA) wishes to clarify that it has no record of a complaint lodged by the Zimbabwean Human Rights Commission (ZHRC), concerning the denial of Zimbabwean nationals' access to healthcare services in South Africa," the PP stated. Gcaleka revealed that she had previously hosted ZHRC in 2024, where various issues of benchmarking were discussed, and her office shared some information on this matter. However, the parties never discussed any other issues outside this. "Rather, the discussions were about, among other things, the state of healthcare systems in both countries. Accordingly, PPSA also referred to its own investigation into the state of the healthcare system in South Africa as a guide to investigate the same in its own country. "We are, therefore, surprised by reports in the media about discussions, which purportedly occurred recently, and were centred around matters relating to Zimbabwean nationals being denied access to healthcare services in South Africa; neither do we have a record of a complaint of that kind," Gcaleka stated.
Eyewitness News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka calls for cool heads amid explosive SAPS syndicate allegations
She has also referred the matter to the specialised policing unit, the Hawks for investigation. Gcaleka, who remains optimistic about the country's future emphasised the importance of ethics and integrity as a standard for the country, saying this will drive the country towards the fortunes its envisaged for itself. 'There needs to be a political will to ensure that those are the standards that are being upheld, and the political leadership needs to lead by example. But again, the political leadership is elected by our society, so as a country, as a society, as a community, as a family, we really need to get back to basics,' she said. The advocate also shared her thoughts on the killing of an auditor in Ekurhuleni, Mpho Malefane who was gunned down, with the city's mayor suggesting the assassination was linked to an investigation into a R2 billion scandal, which saw the electricity bills of some businesses wiped clean. 'That's very sad, I must say, when I learned of that story, one cannot hold back but wonder what is happening in Ekurhuleni. But I mean, we've seen that in several incidences in our country,' she said. In reflecting on a series of attacks on those seeking to investigate graft at state level, she said this is not an isolated incident, calling on the country to dig deeper in understanding what took place and following it up with the necessary action. 'We need to say what really happened here… there has been an audit, there's been this issue but what is the root cause, because if we don't get to the root cause, it's very difficult to address the issues on a case-by-case basis,' she explained. When asked about the common challenges facing South Africans, that come through her doors, Gcaleka said there was a serious issue with non-compliance in the country. 'I think looking into these is that we tend to forget that we are dealing with people's lives. You know, for instance, overlooking due process and not granting somebody a grant that they're supposed to get… you deprive them, just by overlooking simple processes,' she said. She also said there was a lack of systems, to assist in the implementation of the legislative framework, this sometimes is being seen in the provision of the grants, where there are no appeals processes in place, leaving people without recourse as and when they need it.
Eyewitness News
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Eyewitness News
Lesseyton Sports Field tender contractors failed to deliver despite going over budget: PP
JOHANNESBURG - The Public Protector (PP) has found that contractors who won the tender for the Lesseyton Sports Field in the Eastern Cape failed to deliver on the project despite going over budget by almost R5 million. On Wednesday, Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka held a media briefing to release findings of her investigation into the building of the stadium in Komani. Gcaleka's investigation found there was improper conduct and maladministration by senior managers at the Enoch Mgijima Municipality in awarding the tender to a company called Thalami Civils in 2018. The PP says the tender awarded to Thalami Civils was initially R18.7 million but ballooned to R22.7 million for no apparent reason. She says the company failed to deliver on an athletic track, a soccer and rugby field, netball, tennis and volleyball courts and grandstands as agreed upon in the contract. Gcaleka says that during the bid adjudication process, Thalami Civils was the fourth highest scoring bidder. She says the Enoch Mgijimi Municipality provided inadequate reasons for why the highest scoring bidder wasn't granted the tender. The PP has referred her report to the Hawks for criminal investigations.
