Latest news with #Monaheng
Daily Maverick
04-08-2025
- General
- Daily Maverick
Meet the 31-year-old Sowetan who compiled Joburg's first digital heritage register
Johannesburg's first digital heritage register documents 90 sites, many of them unknown to the public. A dictionary and a 'useless' university degree turned a Soweto youth into a Joburg heritage expert. At 31, Kopano Monaheng has been a key player in the compilation of Joburg's first digital heritage register, launched on 25 July 2025 — a public tool that brings together decades of forgotten, buried and often deliberately erased history. Born and raised in Phiri and Meadowlands, Monaheng has been responsible for the identification, research, upgrading and restoration of several city heritage sites, and has also named 350 new streets in two informal settlements. His journey began with loss. His mother died when he was two. His father, who instilled in him a love of language through the family's only book, a dictionary, passed away when Monaheng was seven. His grandmother, a seamstress, raised him. 'I was just a boy in Phiri with nothing but curiosity,' he says. That curiosity led him to the local library, his sanctuary from Soweto's chaos. 'The environment in Soweto is always busy and noisy and I would escape to the library where I read everything I could. But it was that dictionary that started my love of words.' After being rejected twice by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), Monaheng was accepted into the University of Johannesburg. He studied geography and anthropology, fields that many close to him dismissed at the time as giving him a 'useless' degree. 'Even I started to believe them,' he admits. After a long period of frustration because of unemployment, Monaheng managed to secure free training in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which led to an internship with the City of Johannesburg's arts, culture and heritage department. It was Eric Itzkin, the deputy director of immovable heritage, who immediately recognised his potential. 'There was no one else in the department who understood geography and locations the way I did. I applied for this job as I had equal interest in history, geography and anthropology. The three come together when it comes to planning and implementing heritage solutions. I really believe we have to maintain our history for everyone to understand where we come from,' said Monaheng. One of his interventions was advocating for the inclusion of the Eyethu Cinema in Mofolo, Soweto, once the only cinema for black audiences, in the heritage register. The cinema, opened in 1969, had decayed since its closure in the 1990s. Today, it has been reborn as the Eyethu Heritage Hall, a public cultural space. 'I used to see this old place and wonder about its history, so I started researching it and motivating for its inclusion into the register,' he said. He also helped document the St Xavier Catholic Church in Sophiatown, one of the only buildings to survive the forced removals under the Group Areas Act. 'It has a fascinating history and is still a very active Catholic church,' he said. The Kwa Mai Mai Market, a historically rich but under-appreciated space in the Joburg CBD, is close to his heart. Monaheng fought for its inclusion on the register. 'People and tourists tend to go there only for traditional food, but there is more to it. It is home to traditional medicine and healers, with a mixed informal economy, offering muti and herbal remedies, Zulu cultural artefacts, traditional dress and crafts, woodwork, and more, all sold and practiced by cultural entrepreneurs and traditional healers. So I'm hoping to expand tourism there,' he said. Another of his milestones was the Dr AB Xuma House in Sophiatown. Monaheng's research enabled its transformation into a museum, and he personally authored its blue heritage plaque. Names, memory and identity His expertise includes naming and renaming streets, which is often a controversial topic. In the informal settlement of Mnandini, Lawley, he helped to create 200 new street names and addresses through public consultation. In Tshepisong (near Roodepoort), he similarly facilitated the naming of 150 new street addresses. 'In both cases, the community was allowed to choose the new names. Some were African themed and others were named after local grasses and grasslands, given the proximity to wetlands.' He was also involved in the renaming of De Beer Street in Braamfontein to Mthokozisi Ntumba Street, honouring the student killed by the police during the 2021 #FeesMustFall protests. 'People always complain about wasting money, so I did walkabouts and garnered support. It will soon go through council for approval. I worked with Wits, local residents and businesses in the process. There was no cost, just community engagement,' he said. More controversial was the proposed renaming of Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive. 'We intended this to create unity, but politics got in the way. The public participation process got over 70,000 approvals compared to 30,000 objections, but this remains stalled due to political backlash.' Now, Monaheng, whose internship with the City has ended, is working with a private heritage conservation firm. He is hoping to develop heritage tourism routes — paths that aim to connect place, memory and identity. 'Our past lives are in the places around us. If we name them and mark them, we give them life again. Watch this space,' he smiled. Preserving Joburg's heritage Itzkin, who guided the development of the online heritage register, believes this is a crucial step toward democratising memory. 'Kopano identified and ran with projects for the new online heritage register, which brings a wealth of information on heritage buildings and sites spread across Joburg.' The register currently documents 90 sites, many of them unknown to the public. 'Joburg transformed from a mining camp to a metropolis in just a few generations,' said Itzkin. 'Despite its short recorded history, it is rich in drama, architectural evolution and political struggle.' Among the earliest stories in the register are pre-colonial Tswana communities, whose relics can still be found from Klipriviersburg to Melville Koppies, predating the gold rush of 1886. But too often, Joburg has chosen to erase rather than preserve. 'Many buildings, even relatively recent ones, have been demolished in the name of development. We've seen a city constantly rebuilt, often at the cost of its history. 'Heritage preservation in Joburg isn't just about old buildings,' Itzkin said. 'It's about memory and justice. The online register maps the journeys of figures like Nelson Mandela and MK Gandhi — and that of ordinary people, too.' 'They must be preserved for future generations and managed in line with best international practice and legal compliance.' The register was developed by the City's arts and culture team, in collaboration with historians and tour guides. It also provides the heritage status and protection levels for buildings that are more than 60 years old. 'Each site holds a unique story,' said Itzkin. 'And this register will keep growing to include more across the city. 'Joburg may be young by global standards, but its history is deep and dynamic. Much of the city's unique legacy is at risk of being lost, not to time, but to neglect.'
IOL News
20-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Denel's turnaround strategy shows promise as it seeks foreign contracts
Denel told Parliament it is looking to secure new revenue streams, improve management, commercial skills, and governance, as well as to source other funding sources. Image: Siphiwe Sibeko / Reuters State-owned manufacturing company Denel told Parliament on Friday that it was making good progress in revenue generation. Briefing the Joint Standing Committee on Defence, CEO Tsepo Monaheng said they were concluding contracts amounting to billions. 'We hope this trend continues. The countries that place orders with us have trust in that Denel has turned the corner. We can't disappoint in terms of non-performance, so performance is critical for us,' Monaheng said. Speaking on the entity's turnaround plan, Monaheng said they have looked at restructuring the business to get cash. 'One of those areas was to ensure we go through Section 189 and have the right people in the business,' he said. Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Although he did not go into detail on the retrenchments, the presentation to the committee indicated that Denel has completed the initial Section 189 process and filed critical vacancies. 'Further Section 189 process is going to be initialised,' reads the presentation. Monaheng told the MPs that Denel has lots of debtors and that debt was still a challenge. 'Even when we make money, the creditors take the money, while the banks demand their payments. It makes it difficult for us to execute the turnaround strategy,' he said, adding that their debts were four to five years old. 'When they threaten us with liquidation, we prioritise them. It hampers our progress.' In its presentation, Denel said it was looking to secure new revenue streams, improve management, commercial skills, and governance, as well as to source other funding sources, including the collection of outstanding debtors such as Armscor. Monaheng said they were looking for partnerships in new markets and develop innovative products. 'We are careful who we partner with.' He told the MPs that the sale of non-core assets and shares in associate companies did not materialise. 'We were not able to sell non-core assets, but we have started a process to make sure they are value-creating,' he said, adding that they planned to achieve shareholder control at Rheinmetall Denel Munition and Hensoldt. Monaheng stated that they were reviewing the cost of sales and operating costs as well as implementing cost containment measures. 'We have to spend better and spend on value creation.' On Denel's business performance, Monaheng said in 2015/16, Denel posted R8.4 billion in revenue, but this went down to R1.3 billion in 2021/22. In 2023/24, they were sitting at R1.3 billion with R223 million in profit. Monaheng said their target was to reach the R8 billion and that was possible if they could get more contracts. 'We have to make sure at operational level, the business is profitable. We want to make sure we move to sustainable profitability.' He reported that during the 2023/24 financial year, R1.4 billion orders were placed with Denel, and this increased to R4.3 billion in 2024/25. 'If we continue on this trajectory, we should realise the Denel we want. This is dependent on the happiness of the customers. We are ready to get more orders. We hope to continue on this trend.' Earlier, Monaheng observed that Denel had asked for bailouts, but things have changed. 'If it operates well, it should fund its operations, and that can be achieved through foreign businesses we get because the margins are better.' He also said one of the reasons that Denel collapsed in the past was due to the weak internal controls. 'We are building to make sure that there are no leakages in the business. We do want to make sure we do what we are supposed to do and we are compliant all the times.' Monaheng stated that Denel had operated without leadership, resulting in instability at the entity. 'We have a full team except the CEO of Denel Dynamics.' While MPs welcomed the presentation by Denel, they were concerned about the scant detail in the presentation. ANC MP Tidimalo Legwase wanted to know about its plan to reach the planned revenue targets. Freedom Front Plus' Tammy Breedt said the presentation was of a high level and filled with lots of fluff and a to-do list. 'We don't see how you will address internal control issues that have been an issue,' Breedt said. She also said Monaheng had, in his presentation, stated that Denel started taking a nose dive in 2020 during Covid-19, but the entity was last profitable in 2015/16. 'What was the reason for the initial five years of Denel not being profitable?' Breedt asked. Defence Minister Angie Motshekga said the term of office for the current board of directors was due to expire. 'We are consulting in government structures and the department in a strong Denel board,' Motshekga said. She also said the board chairperson, Gloria Serobe, has handed a letter asking to be released from the company.
The Citizen
20-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Denel presents its turnaround strategy to parliament, blames Covid-19 for poor performance
Retrenchments are on the cards for workers at Denel says CEO. The leadership of Denel appeared in front of the joint standing committee on defence. Picture: Reuters Workers at the state arms company Denel could be retrenched as part of the company's latest turnaround strategy. Denel CEO Tsepo Monaheng appeared before parliament on Friday to present his plans to save the ailing company. Since 2019, Denel has received around R10 billion in bailouts from the government. 'We are looking at restructuring the business so that we get cash into the business and one of those areas is to make sure that we go through the Section 189s and have the right people in the business,' he said. Despite Denel's ongoing battles with unions over wages, Monaheng said the company is forced to prioritise paying off its debt. Some of the debt goes as far back as 2019. 'Denel still has a lot of debt even when we make money the creditors take the money and the banks want their money so it makes it difficult for us to execute our turnaround strategy,' he said. He said the company had even considered selling some of its non-core assets to replenish its cash reserves. He said another part of the revenue-generating strategy is to ensure that the company secures more international contracts. 'The countries that are placing orders with us they have trust that Denel has turned a corner and we cannot disappoint by nonperformance, so performance is critical for us.' Monaheng said it is critical for the business to spend money in a justifiable manner as part of the turnaround strategy. 'Denel has incurred a lot of costs and in many cases, it is costs that we cannot even justify. If we had managed our money better at least we would be a break-even business.' He said the company hopes to derive more than 60% of its revenue from international contracts. 'Most of the export contracts if we execute them well the profits are good,' he said. He said another turnaround move is to ensure that customers all over the world trust the products that have been produced by Denel. When was the last time Denel made profit? Monaheng said the last time Denel was profitable was around 2016. 'The problem with loss making is that you are not generating cash so this means you are getting deeper and deeper into trouble because we do not have cash to fund our operations so that is why we had to go ask for money.' Monaheng blamed the Covid pandemic and internal problems for its poor performance over the years. He said the company depends on its foreign contracts which were difficult to obtain during the pandemic. He also pointed out that staffing problems in senior management positions had made accountability difficult. 'The other reason besides Covid that contributed to Denel's collapse in the past few years is the collapse of internal controls. 'So we are fixing that to make sure that there are no leakages in the business and we are doing what we are supposed to be doing at all times,' he said. ALSO READ: Adequate emergency reserves in place for occasional system constraints – Eskom MP's reaction to Denel's presentation Meanwhile, some parliamentarians demanded clarity on when Denel started failing since Monaheng had listed Covid as one of the factors. 'The first presenter said Denel started taking a nose dive in 2020 with Covid and that they have not been able to recover from Covid but it was also said the last time Denel was profitable was the 2015/16 financial year. 'But Covid happened in 2020 not in 2015 so what was the reason for the initial five years of Denel not being profitable?' said the parliamentarian. Wage increases This week workers at the company affiliated to the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) protested outside the company's offices in Pretoria over the implementation of a past wage agreement They are demanding a 7% salary increase. NOW READ: Victory for Transnet: more cash incoming, union accepts salary increase
