Latest news with #KwaZuluNatal
The Herald
3 hours ago
- The Herald
Why Kenny Kunene's 'young journalist' couldn't run with 'KT' Molefe arrest story
Another reason the story couldn't be published was because the website hasn't been functional, he added. 'We were going to relaunch it with this exclusive. That was the opportunity he identified to resuscitate the publication because its strong point was publishing exclusive stories.' According to Motale, Kunene and the journalist were at Molefe's home to get an exclusive interview regarding KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's allegations, which claimed Molefe contacted the Hawks head when officers from the police political killings task team tried to arrest him for murder. 'We thought this was a big story. He identified Molefe, who agreed to an interview. When the allegations by Mkhwanazi were made, the mainstream media went with allegations and people implicated were never given an opportunity to give their side of the story.' Motale refused to reveal the identity of the young journalist, citing concerns for his reputation and career. 'This is a sensitive matter, I need his permission. He's a young guy and we don't want his reputation to be tarnished. He's a fresh journalist from university and [recently] introduced to the game.' Kunene has been placed on special leave for 30 days pending investigations. TimesLIVE
The Herald
8 hours ago
- The Herald
AKA murder accused back in court for pretrial hearing
Five men linked to the murders of well-known rapper Kiernan AKA Forbes and his celebrity chef friend Tebello Tibz Motsoane will appear in the Durban high court for pretrial proceedings on Thursday. In June, KwaZulu-Natal judge president Thoba Poyo-Dlwati asked the state and defence to iron out issues at what was expected to be a pretrial conference when senior prosecutor Lawrence Gcaba asked for a postponement to July 24. 'On previous occasions we were not able to finalise the pretrial proceedings due to issues of legal representations of the accused. We request the pretrial to be set down for July,' said Gcaba. Forbes and Motsoane were gunned down at the now defunct Wish restaurant in Florida Road in February 2023. Thabani Mkhwanazi, 30 Lindani Zenzele Ndimande, 35, Siyanda Eddie Myeza, 21, Mziwethemba Harvey Gwabeni, 36, and Lindokuhle Mhlaliseni Ndimande, 29, were arrested in February last year in connection with the murders. The five face a raft of charges including conspiracy to commit murder, murder, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. Advocate Simphiwe Mlotshwa, former acting KwaZulu-Natal director of public prosecutions who represents Mkhwanazi and Ndimande, told the court he would not be available in July as he had another matter at the Madadeni court in Newcastle. Poyo-Dlwati said they planned to set down the trial for three months and expected it to commence next year. 'Some of my colleagues are retiring so the trial needs to be finalised ... I will give [Mlotshwa] grace for the 24th but he must not take [further] briefs [from clients],' said Poyo-Dlwati. She said if they were not available they should ensure someone would stand in for them. Advocate Mkhululi Nkomo represents Myeza while advocate Paul Jorgensen represents Lindani Ndimande and Gwabeni. Meanwhile a further two accused — brothers Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande and Malusi Dave Ndimande — continue to oppose their extradition to South Africa. NPA regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said appeal proceedings in the Eswatini court were under way. 'The respondents have to file their heads of arguments and then the state will file their head of arguments. After that, the matter will be set down for the hearing in Eswatini,' said Ramkisson-Kara. TimesLIVE
Mail & Guardian
9 hours ago
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
Agri-tech may be South Africa's new frontier
Agri-tech entrepreneurs are the Uber of agriculture, offering small and emerging farmers access to markets. South Africa's agriculture sector plays a critical role in the country's food security and economy. It contributes about 2.5% to the country's GDP, and it provides employment to roughly 5% of the country's population, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The sector provides the country with a diverse range of food products, including grains, fruits, vegetables, and animal products such as dairy, eggs and meat. Furthermore, agriculture also plays a significant role in supporting other industries such as food processing, packaging and distribution. But, like much of the rest of South Africa's industries, agriculture and in particular the fresh produce industry, is characterised by a high level of concentration. In terms of income and production a small percentage of farms account for a large portion of total income. Just 6.5% of all farms in South Africa account for about 67% of total income in 2017-18. The Competition Commission has since released information showing a sustained decrease in the number of farming units in all provinces, with KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo experiencing the largest declines. These trends are consistent with other high and worsening levels of concentration, which have been identified even in key food sources such as potato seeds. The pricing of fresh produce in South Africa has also been rising above inflation for a sustained period, having a disproportionate effect on low-income earners who must spend a greater portion of their income to purchase essential products. One of the main challenges facing small and emerging farmers in South Africa is limited access to markets, with many farmers unable to sell their products at sustainable prices to recurring clients. Nationally, fresh produce markets account for roughly 22% of all fresh produce trading in South Africa and have been identified as a key level of the fresh produce value chain but they are not always easy to get to, nor do they all offer the same value. Enter agri-tech start-ups such as AgriKool and Khula. These young black-owned start-ups are solving an overlooked problem for farmers, and it sounds something like this: You grow and nurture the food, and I will sell it. They are the Uber of agriculture, and they are offering small-scale farmers an avenue to market. These start-ups are operating in what is known as the shared economy. One of the major costs in agriculture is transport. The transportation of fresh produce is charged based on distance, refrigeration needs and weight. These factors are typically combined to provide a quote, with additional fees for special handling. Careful consideration of these factors is essential to maintain profitability while ensuring fresh, high-quality products are delivered to consumers. The sharing economy is based on the principle of sharing assets instead of owning them. It allows individuals, in this case farmers, to benefit from the assets of others, in this case, it is the refrigeration, transportation, storage and basic technological infrastructure of these new-age agents. Farmers do not have to worry about the client; these new-age agents source the client, who (depending on the agreement and price) shares the transportation fees with the farmer. These start-ups are the new wave of agricultural agents, creating and facilitating online marketplaces for retail and wholesale buyers to purchase directly from producers. The benefits are clear on both sides of the trade; price discovery on a nation-wide scale for the purchaser and reduced transportation costs for the farmer. The sharing economy is based on three core principles: access, sharing and collaboration. It is still early days, but the agricultural sharing economy offers a new way of thinking about ownership, consumption and scaling small-scale farmers. By sharing assets, users of these platforms can create a more sustainable and efficient system that comes with lower cost of transacting, benefiting the environment and the economy. The sharing economy is already affecting areas such as transport and hospitality, and it is likely to continue to grow in the coming years. Zanele Mabasois the head of policy development at .
News24
a day ago
- Politics
- News24
Tender fraud allegations rock KZN education dept, MEC accused of rigging
The NSNP Service Providers Association has called for an immediate suspension of the KwaZulu-Natal school nutrition tender. It cited tender rigging and political favouritism benefitting MEC Sipho Hlomuka's ANC campaign. Opposition parties in KwaZulu-Natal have joined the calls for an urgent probe into the school nutrition programme. Opposition parties in KwaZulu-Natal have called for an urgent probe into Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka after allegations of tender rigging and political interference in tender processes surfaced. Leading the charge against Hlomuka, the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) Service Providers Association called for the MEC's immediate suspension and for an investigation into the current school nutrition tender process in the province. It claimed the school nutrition tender process had been marred by serious allegations of tender rigging, political interference, and gross procedural violations. According to the association, they had obtained concrete evidence confirming that the tender process was being manipulated to serve Hlomuka's political campaign interests. It produced a leaked list of allegedly preselected service providers, received weeks ago, which it claims showed that only individuals and companies that openly supported Hlomuka's bid to lead the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal had been positioned to benefit from the multimillion-rand tender. 'This is not only an abuse of public procurement, but also an exploitation of a constitutional programme meant to feed vulnerable school children – now turned into a campaign war chest for narrow political ambitions,' said the association spokesperson Thabang Mncwabe. Mncwabe said supply chain management procedures were deliberately undermined and that they were demanding an immediate cancellation of the current NSNP tender pending a full, transparent, and independent investigation. The KwaZulu-Natal education department has outright denied allegations of the wrongful awarding of school nutrition tenders. When asked about the claims on the sidelines of a school visit in Phoenix on Tuesday, Hlomuka said he had never sat in on any tender committees. He added that the NSNP's tender process was currently in its appeals period, and that those who felt they weren't considered because of irregularities or corruption could launch appeals. Hlomuka said: That appeal won't be dealt with by the department of education, but will be handled by the Treasury. That means that we would be called in by the Treasury as the department, not Hlomuka. 'I'm sure you have never heard that there is an MEC who sits in [on] tenders. But when people want to achieve their political scores, they would put the MEC [there], as if we sit in tender committees. I have never sat in tender committees. 'Whoever wants to appeal or claim that there is corruption, they can report to the treasurer or any law enforcement and we will take ourselves to account.' According to Mncwabe, the association has called on all current service providers to urgently lodge appeals with the KwaZulu-Natal Treasury to challenge the irregularities. He said: At the end of the day, no one is above the law. The NSNP is a national programme designed to eliminate hunger, not a political tool to buy votes or consolidate power. The MK Party demanded the immediate suspension of 'the rotten and illegal tender process'. 'Let it be clear, our country is not, and will never be, a feeding trough for ANC-linked elites. The people of South Africa have suffered enough and will no longer fund political dynasties while their children starve and services collapse,' it said in a statement. The EFF said it planned to pursue every legal and political avenue to challenge the tenders. 'This is not merely a case of unethical governance, it is criminal looting of funds meant to feed impoverished children,' it said. The provincial DA has meanwhile formally written to KwaZulu-Natal Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa), requesting an urgent investigation into the awarding of NSNP tenders. It alleged that there were companies linked to the wives of senior ANC figures in the province. The DA said it had called on Scopa to subpoena all procurement documents related to the awarding of the NSNP tenders, and investigate the bidding processes followed, including the scoring criteria and the identities of adjudication panel members. ActionSA's provincial chairperson Zwakele Mncwango has written to Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli requesting an urgent investigation. In the letter, the party said it was deeply concerned about the serious allegations of irregularities, corruption, and abuse of power within the departments of health and education. 'These allegations undermine the public's trust in the provincial government and its commitment to good governance, accountability, and transparency,' Mncwango wrote. 'It is particularly concerning that you [Ntuli] have remained silent on these matters, despite your previous rhetoric on issues such as illegal immigration.'
The Herald
a day ago
- General
- The Herald
Oldest royal, ‘moving encyclopedia' Princess Ntombibomvu Zulu, dies at 102
The Zulu royal family is mourning the loss of its eldest member after the death of Princess Ntombibomvu Sithuli Zulu, 102, at Nkonjeni hospital on Tuesday. She was a daughter of the late king Solomon kaDinuzulu, the great grandfather of king Misuzulu kaZwelithini. The death of Princess Ntombibomvu, who was the only surviving child of king Solomon, was confirmed by the king's spokesperson Prince Thulani Zulu. 'The Zulu royal family is saddened after the passing of Princess Ntombibomvu Zulu' said Prince Thulani. Her death comes after Queen Thoko MaNtombela Zulu died earlier this month. Queen Thoko was a wife of the late Prince Mcwayizeni Zulu, who was a regent before Zwelithini ascended to power. Prince Thulani said the passing of Princess Ntombibomvu came at a time when they are in mourning. Hr described Princess Ntombibomvu as one of the pillars of strength in the royal family. 'She was a moving encyclopedia,' he said. Princess Ntombibomvu will be laid to rest in Ulundi on Saturday. TimesLIVE
