Latest news with #Kunene
News24
7 hours ago
- Business
- News24
IDT execs face action; Mashatile declares luxury pad: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes
News24 brings you the top 7 stories of the day. Graphic: Sharlene Rood/News24 News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature. Forensic report recommends disciplinary action against IDT CEO over R800m oxygen plant tender - A forensic investigation recommends disciplinary action against IDT CEO Tebogo Malaka and other officials. - The investigation was into an R800 million oxygen plant tender awarded by the Independent Development Trust (IDT). - Minister Dean Macpherson launched the investigation due to corruption allegations and has since stabilised the IDT board. Photo by Gallo Images/Die Burger/Jaco Marais 'It's a f*** up': Secret police recording reflects Cape Town's security contract rivalry - A 2016 nightclub incident, captured in intercepted calls, revealed a violent escalation in Cape Town's nightclub security contract disputes. - The intercepted calls are central to the State's case against alleged members of a criminal enterprise, including the late Mark Lifman and Andre Naudé, and Jerome Booysen, accused of involvement in Brian Wainstein's murder. - The defence is challenging the admissibility of the intercepted calls, citing potential errors and violations of privacy, in a trial within a trial. Screenshot - Hardie Property/YouTube The good life: Mashatile suddenly declares ownership of R28.9m Constantia palace - Deputy President Paul Mashatile has declared ownership of a R28.9 million Constantia mansion, despite it being owned by a company belonging to his son-in-law, Nceba Nonkwelo. - The Hawks are investigating the origin of the funds used to purchase the house, which boasts luxury amenities and was purchased in May 2023. - Mashatile also declared a R37 million house in Waterfall, Midrand, and has previously declared gifts, including items from China and Russia. Liam Jacobs to step in as Joburg councillor after embattled Kunene's resignation - Liam Jacobs, former DA MP, will replace Kenny Kunene as a City of Johannesburg councillor after Kunene's resignation. - Gayton McKenzie sees this deployment as valuable local government experience for Jacobs, who is the PA's mayoral candidate for Tshwane. - McKenzie maintains Kunene's innocence amid the controversy and will appoint a firm to investigate the matter. Alet Pretorius/Gallo Images US pushback on BEE clouds SA trade deal, says DG - Zane Dangor warned there's no guarantee of an advantageous trade deal with the US by 1 August due to demands around domestic policies like BEE. - The US rejected SA's initial 'signed deal' as 'not ambitious enough', and talks are ongoing under a nondisclosure agreement. - Dangor expressed concern that the US is 'demanding curtailment of sovereignty' regarding domestic policy to secure the trade deal. Australia v Lions controversy: Rassie weighs in on 'touch-and-go' clean-out - Rassie Erasmus acknowledges the high emotions surrounding the controversial referee decision in the Australia vs British & Irish Lions Test, which led to the Lions' series-clinching try. - Erasmus states that World Rugby has ruled on the decision, and it must be accepted, despite understanding the disappointment from the Australian side. - The Springboks have minor injury concerns with Cheslin Kolbe and Canan Moodie, but Erasmus expects them to be fit for the upcoming Tests against Australia in mid-August. Show Comments ()
Daily Maverick
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
‘Continue Kenny's good work' — McKenzie appoints PA's Liam Jacobs to replace Kunene
It's been just more than a month since former MP Liam Jacobs resigned from the DA to join the Patriotic Alliance. Now, he's back in a leading role as a City of Johannesburg councillor. Liam Jacobs is the new councillor for the Patriotic Alliance (PA) in the City of Johannesburg, PA president Gayton McKenzie announced on Monday evening, 28 July, during an address to party supporters. Jacobs replaced the party's deputy president, Kenny Kunene, who resigned last week after being found at the Sandton house of murder accused Katiso 'KT' Molefe when police were there to arrest Molefe. 'The party is deploying Liam Jacobs as the new councillor in the City of Johannesburg,' said McKenzie. He said Jacobs needed local government experience. The former DA MP was announced as the PA's mayoral candidate in Tshwane for the 2026 local government elections earlier in July. 'You're about to fix the potholes of Joburg. So you can know what is expected of you when you run Pretoria,' said McKenzie. While Jacobs will fill Kunene's council seat, it's unclear whether he will take over Kunene's role as mayoral committee member (MMC) for transport. Kunene made headlines after he was found at the home of Molefe, who was arrested in connection with the killing of Oupa Sefoka, popularly known as DJ Sumbody, in a 2022 drive-by shooting in Woodmead, Johannesburg. Sefoka died alongside his bodyguard after the vehicle they were travelling in was peppered with bullets. As Daily Maverick reported, Kunene claimed he was not friends with Molefe, but had visited the Sandton house in his capacity as the owner of online publication African News Global. He had gone there with an unnamed individual who had arranged for Kunene's media company to conduct an exclusive interview with Molefe. During his address to his supporters, McKenzie also said Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero would appoint a new MMC to replace Kunene. As Daily Maverick reported, in addition to Kunene's position needing replacing, Morero needs to appoint a new MMC for finance, since Margaret Arnolds has shifted to the role of council Speaker. From Parliament to Joburg Jacobs joins the PA's 10-seat caucus. Following the 2021 municipal elections, the PA received 2.93% of the vote in Johannesburg, enough for eight seats in the council. The party has since gained two more ward seats. In March 2025, when the PA won its 10th seat in a by-election, elections analyst Wayne Sussman wrote: 'The PA is the only party to win new seats in by-elections in Johannesburg since 2021.' This will be Jacobs's first leadership role since joining the PA during a midnight announcement on Youth Day. Before joining the PA he had been a member of the DA and head of the party's students' organisation at university. McKenzie said he expects Jacobs to 'continue the good work the DP [Kunene] has been doing'. In 2024, he was sworn in as an MP and sat on the oversight committee on sports, arts and culture, of which McKenzie was the minister. Jacobs had been a critic of McKenzie's department, often posting on social media about various alleged failures in the department and its entities. Jacobs also used social media to showcase himself, posing questions to officials, which built his profile among supporters as a rising politician who kept officials on their toes. Critics viewed his online presence and style of questioning as brash. When Jacobs left the DA, another rising star in the party, deputy federal chairperson and campaign manager Ashor Sarupen told EWN that Jacobs had made a 'huge mistake' and that 'he'll come to regret it'. Since his departure Jacobs has been working within the PA doing by-election work, using the same kind of social media blitz. This is something he will bring to the party's Johannesburg caucus in the hope of solidifying more support for the party in the lead-up to the 2026 elections. Jacobs was not immediately available for comment. But he posted on X: Pointing out problems is easy. Fixing the problem is the real work. Let's get to the REAL work! 🕳️ Salute 💚🙏 — Liam Jacobs (@LiamJacobsZA) July 29, 2025 PA deputy position vacant Addressing internal matters – and social media rumours of Jacobs replacing Kunene as deputy president – McKenzie said: 'Liam is not the DP (deputy president) of the PA.' McKenzie claimed this was gossip coming from outside the PA. 'For as long as the result of the deputy president (Kunene) is not out yet, we will not have a DP,' said McKenzie. According to McKenzie, the party will, within about 48 hours, announce a legal firm that will investigate the circumstances of Kunene's presence at Molefe's house. Among the issues the firm would probe was locating the journalist who reportedly accompanied Kunene and how Kunene was able to get Molefe's address. Kunene remains under a 30-day suspension from party activities. McKenzie, who is best friends with Kunene (they are godparents to each other's children), said this was done to show transparency. He claimed information would come out to show 'the DP was set up', but that the party needed to investigate what happened. DM
The South African
17 hours ago
- Politics
- The South African
Patriotic Alliance replaces Kenny Kunene
The leader of the Patriotic Alliance, Gayton McKenzie, has announced 24-year-old Liam Jacobs as the replacement for Kenny Kunene. This comes a week after Kunene was placed on 30-day leave by the party. 'We want him to get the experience and to help us fix the potholes and continue the good work that the dp [deptuty president] has been doing,' said McKenzie McKenzie said Jacobs will be deployed as the new councillor for the PA in the city of Joburg. Earlier this month, Kunene came under a cloud of controversy after police found him in the home of a suspect in the murder case of Oupa 'DJ Sumbody' Sefoka. He has maintained that he has no connection to the murder and claimed that it was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Despite this, on 22 July, the PA place Kunene on leave pending the investigation and have temporarily relieved him of all his duties. Jacobs joined the PA last month. He was previously a member of the Democratic Alliance and served as the leader of DA's Students Organisation (DASO). He had been president of the organisation since 2022. He has been dubbed a 2026 Mayoral candidate in the City of Tshwane. Apart from his love for politics, he is also a professional wrestler. More to follow on this story. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Kenny Kunene still deputy president of Patriotic Alliance
Kunene resigned as a councillor in the City of Johannesburg over the weekend. The Patriotic Alliance (PA) says Kenny Kunene is still the deputy president of the party despite being suspended. Kunene resigned as a councillor in the City of Johannesburg, effective immediately, on Saturday. His resignation comes after the PA deputy leader was seen at the home of Katiso 'KT' Molefe, who has been arrested in connection with the murder of popular South African DJ Oupa John Sefoka, known as DJ Sumbody. PA position His presence at the scene raised eyebrows, prompting PA leader Gayton McKenzie to suspend him pending an investigation. PA spokesperson Steve Motale told The Citizen on Monday, Kunene retains his position in the party. 'Kenny Kunene remains Deputy President of the PA,' said Motale. ALSO READ: Joburg council has 'no jurisdiction over Kenny Kunene, it's a police matter,' Morero says [VIDEO] 'Police matter' Over the weekend, the City of Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero claimed the City of Joburg council no longer has jurisdiction over the former transport MMC now that he has resigned, and that it has become a 'police matter.' 'Council works quite differently. He has resigned as a counsellor, meaning he's no longer part of the council, and the council, therefore, does not have jurisdiction over him in terms of our own code of conduct as councillors. 'It's a matter for the police and his party to investigate the matter of his being in the place of the guy who is alleged to have been involved in criminal activity. So it's not our matter, it's a police matter, and it's a matter of the party. He has given us a resignation, so the council has therefore officially released him as a councillor,' Morero said. 'Allegations unfounded' Kunene claims he was at Molefe's house to facilitate a meeting for a journalist from his online publication, Africa Global News, for a 'potential exclusive story'. Kunene insisted the allegations against him were 'unfounded' and said he is proud of the contributions he made during his time as councillor and MMC. DJ Sumbody was killed in Woodmead, Johannesburg, in a hail of bullets in the early hours of Sunday, 20 November 2022. ALSO READ: McKenzie suspends Kunene amid DJ Sumbody murder probe [VIDEO]
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
DJ Sumbody's murder exposes connection between crime and power
'The whole issue of killings of whistleblowers and assassinations generally is massively interlinked with procurement corruption.' DJ Sumbody at the Crypto Knight on 22 July 2022 in Midrand. Picture: Gallo Images/Oupa Bopape On a quiet November night in 2022, DJ Sumbody – a rising star in South Africa's music scene — was gunned down in a hail of bullets while heading home. Then, in April 2024, engineer Armand Swart was executed in a similar shooting after his company flagged a suspicious government tender in which prices had been inflated by over 4,500 percent. But dramatic arrests this week are tying those murders and many more together, exposing a murky underworld where criminals consort with political bigwigs for lucrative state tenders. The arrests came after explosive allegations by a senior police chief who accused the force and South Africa's police minister of a cover-up. ALSO READ: Malema accuses Kunene of lying about relationship with man accused of murdering DJ Sumbody Deep-rooted procurement corruption has seeped through every level of government for decades, security researcher David Bruce told AFP. 'The whole issue of killings of whistleblowers and assassinations generally is massively interlinked with that issue,' said Bruce, a consultant with the Institute for Security Studies. DJ Sumbody arrests Among those arrested this week are a former Johannesburg police officer at the time of DJ Sumbody's murder, as well as the prime suspect, a businessman named Katiso Molefe. British media have reported that a South African man of the same name and age as Molefe was sentenced to four years in prison in the United Kingdom in 2003 for drug trafficking. Two other men, already in custody for the 2023 attempted murder of former reality TV star turned influencer Tebogo Thobejane, are also believed to have played a role. It doesn't end there. ALSO READ: Firearms used in DJ Sumbody's murder linked to 10 other high-profile cases During the raid on Monday, police found prominent Johannesburg politician, Kenny Kunene, at Molefe's home. Kunene, a Johannesburg city council member, has since been suspended by his party leader, Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie, though police have not formally implicated him. Kunene denied any wrongdoing, saying he was merely trying to assist a journalist seeking to interview Molefe. 'Tenderpreneurs' At the centre of the widening web is businessman Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala, described locally as a 'tenderpreneur', a term referring to individuals who have made fortunes through government contracts. Also, the head of a private security firm, Matlala, was arrested in May in connection with the 2023 attempt on his ex-partner Thobejane's life. Thobejane, famous for her role in the long-running local soap opera Muvhango, denied having 'snitched' on Matlala earlier this month. 'I am a victim,' she told News24. In 2024, Matlala secured a $20 million contract with the national police — now cancelled — despite being implicated in a $125 million public hospital embezzlement scandal. ALSO READ: DJ Sumbody's family welcomes arrests of suspects, thank police The Tembisa hospital case cost whistleblower Babita Deokaran her life in 2021, when she was shot nine times outside her home. No arrests have been made in Deokaran's killing, reflecting the impunity that reigns, with only 11 percent of murders solved, according to 2024 police statistics. 'All these three cases are linked somehow,' police spokeswoman Athlenda Mathe said, referring to DJ Sumbody, Swart and Thobejane. Four weapons, including the AK-47 rifle used to kill DJ Sumbody, have been linked through ballistics to at least 10 high-profile cases, she added. Police minister accused The implications run deep. KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi last month accused colleagues and Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of burying investigations targeting Matlala. In a bombshell televised press conference, flanked by armed security forces, Mkhwanazi alleged Mchunu had received payments from a corruption suspect and accused prosecutors of delaying justice. 'We do hope that pretty soon we might find some changes with good dedicated prosecutors and we might see arrests happening,' he said, adding that cases of murdered artists would finally 'come to the fore'. President Cyril Ramaphosa has since suspended Mchunu and announced a judicial inquiry into the allegations. But there has been no tangible action. ALSO READ: DJ Sumbody's friend, DJ Vettys in a 'stable condition' says manager, after being shot South Africa faces one of the world's highest murder rates, averaging more than 75 killings a day. Politically motivated contract killings have surged 108 percent over the past decade, according to a 2024 report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime. Studies show hiring a contract killer can cost as little as $145 in a country all too accustomed to violence. 'It's easier to silence someone with a bullet than contend with an investigation,' said Chad Thomas, head of private investigation company IRS Forensic.
