Latest news with #McKenzie
Daily Maverick
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Gayton McKenzie should be relieved of his Cabinet position
While everyone was distracted by the spectacle in the Oval Office between Presidents Trump and Ramaphosa, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie was engaging in xenophobic outbursts, not as a campaigning Patriotic Alliance rabble-rouser but, in effect, asserting xenophobia as government policy. While addressing the chairpersons and CEOs of all Department of Sport, Arts and Culture entities – including museums, theatres and heritage and funding agencies, he launched into an attack on 'foreigners' in South Africa. He is quoted, inter alia, as saying: 'Some of you here [have] the audacity to hire foreigners instead of South Africans.'; 'I don't care how you used to do it. But for as long as I am the minister, there will be no foreigner that will work in an entity while a South African can do the same thing.'; He said that 'foreigners' employed by departments needed to be 'out in three weeks'. 'I said it, I want them out, get them out.' Leaving aside the inappropriate tone of engagement by a Cabinet Minister, it is the language of 'them' and 'us', threatening to divide and fomenting hate, which should disturb us all. In reporting by Marianne Thamm, we understand that, 'Daily Maverick has seen a letter dated 9 May from McKenzie to the chair and CEO of the Market Theatre following up on 'an audit' of 'non-South Africans employed by the various entities incorporated under the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture'. ' We need to fully understand how dangerous this kind of exercise of authority is from a man patently unfit to hold any leadership position. It beggars belief that he could have been considered for a Cabinet position. An 'all-in' GNU required this irksome compromise, it would seem. His Patriotic Alliance won eight seats in the National Assembly in last year's election, which represents 2.05% of the vote. But, Sport, Arts and Culture has mostly been a ministry where shamed politicians go, to while away time or recover from scandal. The ANC has never really taken this portfolio seriously, which is shameful and says a great deal about what the party prioritises. We should also not be surprised at McKenzie's 'instruction' to Department of Sport, Arts and Culture entities. This is who he is, a crude, embarrassing street-fighter, former criminal and a well-known driver of xenophobia and hate. While district mayor in Beaufort West, McKenzie vowed to make the Central Karoo an 'illegal immigrant-free zone', sending shivers down the spines of the Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Ethiopian communities. As Richard Pithouse has written in a piece worth reading again, 'When McKenzie and the Patriotic Alliance were brought into the government of national unity, all its participants knew that they were right-wing populists whose xenophobia was openly at odds with the Constitution.' There is a reason McKenzie initially expressed a desire for the Home Affairs portfolio. Constitutional rights undermined No one in the Cabinet seems to have raised an eyebrow at their colleague's most recent statements. The President himself has said and done nothing in response to McKenzie's comments, which a large grouping of civil society organisations has called, 'vulgar', in a statement released on 20 May. It further called the comments 'morally repugnant and entirely devoid of legal authority'. The civil society statement says that, 'His demand of CEOs that they immediately dismiss foreign employees or face dismissal themselves constitutes an egregious violation of South Africa's constitutional law, its labour laws and its international treaty obligations. South Africa's Constitution enshrines the rights of everyone – including foreign nationals – to fair labour practices. The minister's remarks and instructions undermine these rights and amount to unlawful discrimination based on nationality, which is expressly prohibited under both domestic and international law.' Again, these sorts of sentiments, while rightly called 'morally repugnant', are not new. They course dangerously through our political discourse. The ANC itself has frequently expressed xenophobic sentiments. A few examples to recall: In 2022, Phophi Ramathuba stood at the bed of a Zimbabwean patient who had been involved in a car accident, in a hospital in Bela-Bela, Limpopo, and said: 'You are killing my (sic) health system.' Ramathuba was MEC of Health at the time. It was a shameful scene, and even while the cameras rolled, Ramathuba showed very little care. When these words were followed by an outcry, Ramathuba insisted she would not apologise. Defiant and callous. After the May 2024 general election, Ramathuba was elevated to Premier of Limpopo. So, xenophobia pays, it seems. Stilfontein When we witnessed a most abhorrent act as illegal miners were trapped inside a mine in Stilfontein with no help forthcoming, the response from Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, made national and international headlines when she said, stone-cold: 'You want to send our law enforcement officers to risk because criminals want to destroy our country? What if we send the police or military down there to supply them with food, the place explodes and caves in? What will happen? So families must continue to sacrifice because criminals got themselves into a bind?' It ran on, with Ntshavheni saying the government would not send help. 'We will smoke them out', she said, without understanding how objectionable her words were. What a disgrace. We recall Operation Dudula, which gained prominence on the streets, especially after its leader, Nhlanhla 'Lux' Dlamini, was arrested in 2022. Operation Dudula brought with it violent language and has enticed those at the margins of our society. There is a straight line from where we are today back to 2008 and the painful moment when violence was unleashed against foreigners across our country. McKenzie doubles down Instead of being remorseful and attempting to understand the constitutional imperatives at play, McKenzie reinforced his comments during an interview with the Africa Report on 22 May while attending the South Africa-France Investment Conference at Place Vendôme in Paris. If the interview is anything to go by, one shudders to think what further contribution McKenzie made at this conference. Responding to the civil society statement, he said, ''Our people don't have jobs. We've got double-digit unemployment, youth unemployment in our country, but illegal foreigners have jobs. 'We cannot allow this and they can call me vulgar. What is vulgar? It's giving your neighbour children food, shelter, water, while your own children are starving. That is vulgar… 'I will get rid of illegal foreigners. I will close this type of charity because we need patriotic charities in our country. I will close down the charities that are anti-government, that are anti-South Africa.' McKenzie, like all populists, understands grievance. But he was greeted with cheers by attendees at the Paris conference while hugging and handshaking. During the same interview, he claimed he had 'Presidential aspirations'. So, President Ramaphosa needs to be clear about where this GNU stands on xenophobia and also the threats to 'close down' 'anti-government' charities (sic). What exactly does this mean? In the same interview, he specifically attacked the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, one of the civil society signatories to the statement mentioned above. There can be no ambiguity about the role of civil society in a democracy. It is not McKenzie's gift, but a constitutional right and the President of the country should reassert this as head of state of our constitutional democracy. Complex causes As with everything else in South Africa, the reasons for violence are complex. Sometimes it has been driven by xenophobia, at other times a rather more confusing cocktail of anger, frustration and intolerance bubbling at the surface of our society, fuelled by exclusion, poverty and rampant unemployment. We seem to be straining at the seams as the repercussions of deep inequalities, our inability to bring about structural economic transformation after 1994 and the old baggage of the apartheid years come to haunt us. The environment is ripe for blaming 'the other' while competing for scarce resources. At the heart of the incendiary rhetoric lies populist exploitation and an instinct to simplify the complex. This is not unique to South Africa. We have seen it in Donald Trump's presidency and the arguments for Brexit. Widespread dissatisfaction with the status quo has driven voters in small towns towards the politics McKenzie espouses. Our towns and municipalities, mostly falling apart as a result of ANC corruption and neglect, are ripe pickings for the Patriotic Alliance. Last week, the party won a seat off the ANC in the small town of Sutherland, and the ANC was able to hold off the PA in two other closely contested by-elections. Last week, we heard of xenophobic violence flaring up in Addo, with dire consequences. We should not be so distracted by historical clips of Julius Malema singing 'Kill the boer!' that we fail to see McKenzie and his ilk in plain sight. Our challenges require thoughtful leadership rooted in the Constitution, not McKenzie's brand of politics, which will only result in further corruption and hate. We can call on our hapless politicians to 'put an end' to the xenophobic violence, rhetoric and disruption that often accompanies these protests, but xenophobia is a challenge for the whole of our society. Having said this, however, President Ramaphosa needs to send a clear message against this thuggery and intimidation by one of his Cabinet ministers. The reality is that McKenzie has no place in government and his clownishly dangerous comments must be met with sanction. If our passive President does not act against McKenzie's threatening comments against civil society and his illegal pronouncements against government entities, then we must assume that these comments represent the GNU Ramaphosa leads. DM
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Boxing SA under scrutiny as retired boxers demand missing millions
Aggrieved former South Africa junior flyweight champion Dexter Dlamini slammed Boxing South Africa (BSA) for failing to pay retired boxers their share of the Boxing Benevolent Fund. This comes after Sports, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie disclosed in February that the fund had been looted and millions were missing. Dlamini, from Klippoortjie, said he and many other former boxers have been unable to access the funds, despite being eligible. ALSO READ: Dowerglen High's Luyanda Lesia wins big at boxing tournament 'We, as former boxers, are aggrieved because the money we contributed to the benevolent fund has disappeared,' said Dlamini. 'McKenzie is trying to find out where the money went. We contributed portions of our fight purses to the fund but never benefited from it. Around R11 million was siphoned from BSA.' The fund, established over 40 years ago for professional boxers in South Africa, was designed to support retired pugilists and those facing hardship or injuries. A portion of each boxer's earnings was deducted to contribute to the fund. However, it has been a subject of investigation due to its depletion, allegedly caused by financial mismanagement. McKenzie has ordered an investigation to determine what happened to the funds and vowed to pursue legal action against those responsible. His department has pledged to restore the fund and has donated R1 million toward its revival. ALSO READ: Bare-knuckle boxing comes to Bedfordview on April 5 Though Dlamini is confident the money will be recovered, he slammed the fund's administrators for lacking empathy. 'That money is supposed to go to retired boxers. We deserve our share. BSA should contact all the boxers who contributed, they know who we are and have our details. I saw on social media that Elijah 'Tap Tap' Makhathini received his portion. I want mine too,' he said. Career Dlamini was part of the golden era of boxing in SA from the 1970s to early 2000s, which saw several boxers win world titles and achieve international recognition. The pugilist competed in 24 professional bouts, winning seven — including one by knockout — losing 12 (seven by knockout), and drawing five. He made his debut in April 1976, defeating Shadrack Mogapudi at Uncle Tom's Hall in Soweto. ALSO READ: International boxing legend wows fans at Emperors Dlamini captured his only title in 1978 when he outpointed Elliot Zondi to claim the newly created South African flyweight belt. He retired in 1983. Decline Dlamini was part of the golden era of boxing in South Africa, spanning from the 1970s to the early 2000s — a period that saw several local fighters win world titles and gain international recognition. 'It's a pity our boxing is suffering. We no longer produce good boxers. Ekurhuleni used to have champion boxers in the past. We had the likes of Gerrie Coetzee. 'But now the standard has gone down because administrators aren't giving us a chance to unearth talent. 'Our young people are on drugs because of a lack of variety of sporting opportunities. Give us the know-how, and you will see a revival of the sport,' Dlamini said. We contacted BSA and are awaiting a response. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
TNAA and TotalMed merge to offer staffing and MSP solutions to healthcare providers
Travel Nurse Across America (TNAA), a portfolio company of Gridiron Capital, and Stella Point Capital's subsidiary TotalMed have merged to offer healthcare staffing and managed service provider (MSP) solutions. The new entity will offer a range of services to both healthcare professionals and clients, including travel nursing, allied health staffing, workforce solutions, shift fulfilment technology, per diem staffing and locum tenens. It will also offer life sciences staffing, health plan staffing, non-clinical hospital roles, strike staffing, and industry support resources. Candidates will be given a wider array of career options and personalised support, while clients can expect more streamlined solutions that cover all facets of workforce management. TNAA CEO Tim McKenzie will serve as CEO of the combined entity following the merger, whose financial details have not been disclosed. McKenzie said: 'Our shared vision, values and commitment to innovation will allow us to not only meet but exceed the expectations of the healthcare industry. 'This merger represents a transformative moment that positions us as a premier partner for healthcare talent and solutions.' The merger also includes the integration of TNAA's SimpliFi with TotalMed's Staffency, which will combine both organisations' capabilities with the aim to offer more agile and data-driven workforce strategies to more than 2,200 care sites across the US. TotalMed CEO Sejal Shah said: 'This merger is about coming together to offer something greater than we could achieve independently. 'We're building an organisation that is not just larger, but smarter and more capable, with a clear focus on delivering extraordinary value to everyone we serve.' Houlihan Lokey and Finn Dixon & Herling provided exclusive financial and legal advisory services, respectively, to TNAA for this transaction. UBS Investment Bank was TotalMed's financial adviser for the deal while Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson offered legal support. "TNAA and TotalMed merge to offer staffing and MSP solutions to healthcare providers" was originally created and published by Hospital Management, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Sky News AU
4 days ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
'You are such a joke': Steggall and McKenzie clash in heated exchange over East Coast reserve, domestic gas usage
Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie and Independent MP Zali Stegall have debated the need for a new gas reserve off Australia's east coast, the pair clashing on air over residential gas usage. Resource Minister Madeline King delivered a clear message to the gas industry this week that a focus on domestic gas distribution was fundamental. Ms King said it was clear Australians were fed up with overseas exports dominating the market while they pay some of the highest prices in the developed world, pointing to an imminent government review of the industry. Australia exports about 80 per cent of the gas that it produces. Anonymous industry sources revealed to the Australian Financial Review the Albanese government was prepared to consider the development of an east coast gas reserve as part of the review. Senator McKenzie and Ms Stegell traded barbs over the potential development, the latter agreeing domestic markets should be the priority, but not at the risk of accelerating climate change. 'We need to look at how we best use gas - its best use is industrial, not residential… We need to have policies that accelerate the transition from gas to electrify homes," Ms Stegell said on Sky News. 'That's a way of bringing down the price for energy for our residential use and prioritising that use of gas where it's needed in those heavy industries that still rely on it. 'We have to be honest with the Australian public, gas is an accelerant to our warming situation. So when we look at farmers facing drought, we have to be very mindful that if we increase the use of gas in the system, we accelerate warming'. Senator McKenzie launched into a brutal rebuke of the independent MP, declaring: 'Zali doesn't clearly care about prices. She doesn't care about keeping manufacturing and industrial jobs here at home because the people that Zali cares about are very affluent people in the heart of Sydney.' Ms Stegall accused the Nationals Senator of sticking to pre-planned talking points and not 'listening to a word I said'. 'What I've just identified is we need to prioritise the use of gas for domestic markets and for our industrial markets, because that is where it's needed," she said. "You have no credibility, Bridget. You are such a joke. 'I mean, seriously, I'm talking about regional communities facing drought, I am talking about regional communities, facing floods and all you want to do is keep accelerating and increasing the problem'. Senator McKenzie conceded the potential reserve was a 'positive move" from the Labor government. 'I'm encouraged that they've realised that their own policies at a commonwealth level and state Labor government's policies around energy and renewable rollout and energy security aren't working,' she said. 'There does seem to be a bit of a reality check - I think that's a positive move because we all need to be working towards a prosperous and sustainable future for our country and that means using our gas resources for our prosperity.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
New speed cameras coming to Knoxville school zones following City Council approval
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Knoxville City Council approved several agenda items Tuesday night by either a unanimous or 7-1 vote. Among the items passed were two items addressing speed and noise cameras in school zones. The City of Knoxville aims to eliminating traffic fatalities on city roads by 2040, that plan is called 'Vision Zero.' Two items on Tuesday's agenda, one to acquire the products and services needs, the other to authorize the use of these automated enforcement systems were passed. They are two key pieces that city officials hope will help them reach their goal. 2025-26 Knoxville budget approved 7 to 1 by city council 'It's incredibly important. This was an item that was identified in our Vision Zero action plan. In the action plan, it identified 30 different action items,' Vision Zero Coordinator Cody Gentry said. 'Included in that 30 action items was to expand our automated enforcement program and that's exactly what we have done.' Gentry said speeding is one of the main causes of fatal and injury crashes. The new speed cameras will hopefully help reduce speeding in school zones. 'In these school zones, that's where we have a lot of our vulnerable users, that's where we have kids walking to school, that's where we have a lot of pedestrian activity,' Gentry explained. 'We want, not only those students that are outside of the vehicles, but we want people driving through the school zones, we want the drivers and pedestrians, maybe parents, we want all of those users to be safe.' Councilwoman Gwen Mckenzie echoed Gentry's thoughts. 'Safety in schools and for our children is paramount,' McKenzie said. 'We see speeding is really a bad habit that a lot of people have, so anything we can do to cut down on potential accidents happening and keeping our students safe, we're all about it.' Second Harvest continues to feel federal cuts impact ahead of summer months The implantation of the school zone speed and noise camera will happen in stages. The noise cameras will be placed first and the hope is to have some of the speed cameras up in a few areas by this Fall. This will all be prioritized based on traffic and speed studies in those areas. One other item on the agenda that drew a long discussion was the Magnolia Avenue and Chilhowee Park redevelopment plan. The item passed 7-1, McKenzie said this redevelopment will bring life back to a once vibrant area. 'There's been a lot of disinvestment in that part of East Knoxville for quite some time now, over a decade,' McKenzie said. 'This particular resolution is critical to be able to make sure that happens and happens in a very uniform and structural way where the community has input as well.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
