Latest news with #Niehaus
IOL News
3 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
The silence of the NCACC: A call for accountability in South Africa's arms trade
As the investigative spotlight shines on RDM, the deafening silence from NCACC for nearly two months now only amplifies the urgency of the situation. Image: Supplied It has now been nearly two months since the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) held its quarterly briefing on April 4, a meeting that failed to provide real answers but made one thing painfully clear: the cracks in South Africa's arms oversight regime are widening. Multiple Members of Parliament expressed sharp criticism that day, urging the NCACC to take more responsibility for South African weapons potentially finding their way into global conflict zones. Among them was MP Carl Niehaus, who didn't just speak; he acted. He submitted a formal written request demanding clarity on how locally produced munitions are being exported to countries at war, particularly Israel and Ukraine. Since then, no formal response has been received from the NCACC. The Committee has neither acknowledged the inquiry nor provided any clarification regarding the allegations. The concerns raised by Niehaus came in the wake of serious investigative reporting. In early 2024 and into 2025, platforms like Investigate Europe and Open Secrets published detailed exposés on Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM), a South African-German joint venture operating shell factories whose exports appear to bypass scrutiny and accountability routinely. The stories link RDM to weapons shipments ending up in Ukraine, Israel, and, previously, Yemen. It's a stark reality that South Africa's own legislation, which prohibits arms exports to countries in active conflict, is being blatantly disregarded. This silence not only underscores a deeper institutional issue but also highlights the alarming lack of accountability in the arms trade. Without clear penalties or deadlines, the NCACC's response to parliamentary inquiries becomes optional, and crucial issues like Niehaus's risk being swept under the rug without any consequences. At a time when the world is scrutinising the arms trade more than ever, South Africa's unregulated export of artillery shells to conflict zones sends a deeply troubling message. As a country that claims to champion peace and neutrality, this undermines South Africa's credibility on the global stage and places it in a morally ambiguous, if not outright condemnable, position. Even more disturbing is the complete lack of response from RDM itself. The company has made no effort to address the accusations or even issue a public statement clarifying its compliance with the NCACC's export regulations. This is not a minor oversight. When your company is being named in connection with possible arms exports to war zones, the absolute minimum response should be transparency. Instead, RDM has chosen the same path as the NCACC complete silence. It's worth asking why. The refusal to engage only deepens suspicions. If there is nothing to hide, then why not speak up? If the company is indeed acting within the legal framework, a brief statement would be enough to at least reassure some of the public and parliamentarians who are now rightfully concerned. If the NCACC cannot respond to a parliamentary inquiry promptly, especially under such circumstances, then what exactly is it doing? Who is it protecting? The public? Or the arms industry? Parliament deserves an answer. * Bayethe Msimang is an independent writer and analyst. ** The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of IOL or Independent Media.
IOL News
6 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
‘I warned this chap,' Carl Niehaus laughs at Mzwanele Manyi's axing
EFF MP, Carl Niehaus, has reacted to removal of MK Party Mzwanele Manyi as chief whip in Parliament. Image: KAREN SANDISON/AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY (ANA) Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Carl Niehaus has fired shots at his former comrade, the axed MK Party chief whip, Mzwanele Manyi, calling him an opportunist, and warning that instability and ideological decay will continue to plague the party's ranks. In a social media comment on IOL's report, Niehaus laughed off Manyi's dismissal, stating that more should be expected. Niehaus said: 'LOL, I warned this chap. Anyhow he - and the other opportunists like him - made their bed of thorns, now let them sleep on it. 'Mark my words: the musical chairs will continue there in the merry-go-round party, there is no ideological centre that holds.' Manyi has been dismissed from his position in parliament, IOL reported on Tuesday morning. Colleen Makhubele has been appointed as the new Chief Whip of MKP. 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 ✕ The announcement began circulating on MK Party WhatsApp groups but has now been confirmed to IOL by the MK Party's Deputy Chief Whip, Muzi Ntshingila. The WhatsApp message reads: "Please be informed that Hon. Mzwanele Manyi has been relieved of his duties as Chief Whip with immediate effect. We thank him for his service and dedication to the MK Party and wish him the very best in his future endeavours. "We are pleased to announce that Hon. Colleen Makhubele has been appointed as the new Chief Whip of the MK Party. We are confident that she will lead with strength and vision as we continue to advance our collective mission". One senior party official told IOL that his arrogance finally caused him to fall on his sword. 'He fails to listen and protect his caucus and wants to shine in the media alone and not give anyone a chance,' the party official said. According to Niehaus, such acts will be carried out through the same process. IOL Politics
IOL News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Limitations on parole revocation for assassin Janusz Walus
Minister Pieter Groenewald says assassin Janusz Walus benefited from a Constitutional Court ruling known as the Van Vuuren judgment, which changed how prisoners sentenced for life before 1994 could be considered for parole. Image: Henk Kruger / Independent Newspapers Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald said his hands are tied in revoking the parole of Janusz Walus, who killed former SACP general secretary and Umkhonto weSizwe chief of staff Chris Hani. This emerged when Groenewald made a presentation on the process leading to the revocation of parole for parolees to the Correctional Services on Tuesday. EFF MP Carl Niehaus said the release of Walus meant that he was not placed under permanent control of the Correctional Services system. Niehaus noted that he was allowed to be deported to his home country in Poland within two years after his release. 'If he breaks the parole condition as any other lifer would have done and is returned to prison, that would not happen.' 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 ✕ Niehaus also said Walus had, in an interview after his release, stated that if he got a chance to do what he did, he would do it again, in what he described as his not being rehabilitated. 'Would the minister consider, under the circumstances, to approach the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and also the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation and request to make a formal request to the government of Poland for extradition of Walus back to South Africa on the basis he had broken South African law, and if he was still in South Africa after that interview would he be taken back to prison?' asked Niehaus. Patriotic Alliance MP Marlon Daniels said his party was in full support of checking the prospects of extraditing Walus to South Africa because he had shown no remorse. 'He never deserved to be let out on parole,' Daniels said. In response, Groenewald said Walus benefited from a Constitutional Court ruling known as the Van Vuuren judgment, which changed how prisoners sentenced for life before 1994 could be considered for parole. The judgment had ruled that prisoners imprisoned for a life sentence could serve a minimum of 10 or 15 years in exceptional cases before being considered for parole, as opposed to the initial 20 years. 'As a minister, I can only comply with court findings and the law. In the Walus case, that was before my time. It was a Constitutional Court decision. I am not to argue with the Constitutional Court decision.' He said the court had determined that Walus, after three years of serving the minimum period, it meant he was eligible for parole, and it was the responsibility of the department to comply. 'It is out of our hands, and that is why he was deported to Poland,' Groenewald said. Cape Times
The Citizen
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Language or legacy: Afrikaans at a crossroads after 100 years
Afrikaans is celebrated at 100, but leaders warn it risks fading as schools drop the language and political pressure mounts. As many South Africans celebrated the 100th-year of existence of the Afrikaans language, some doubt it would be around another year, or exist in a significant way. But EFF MP Carl Niehaus loves Afrikaans. 'I grew up speaking Afrikaans; it's my mother language. I like the word mother tongue because the first language I learned was Afrikaans from my mother,' he said. Niehaus loves Afrikaans Niehaus added: 'We should be careful not to use Afrikaans for political and racial purposes because it damages the language'. 'The whole idea of sovereignty and exclusivity in the farright community was downright wrong,' he said. ALSO READ: Google's NotebookLM expands AI podcast feature to include Afrikaans 'Afrikaans shouldn't be used in schools to keep a school white or create whites-only areas. The majority of Afrikaans-speaking people are not even white.' Niehaus said Afrikaans should be recognised as one of the 12 official languages in South Africa and 'must be respected and used in that sense, not for exclusivity'. Federation of Afrikaans Cultural Associations (FAK) spokesperson FC Pelser said Afrikaans is the 'language of the Afrikaner ancestors and, if they did their duty, it would be the language our children speak for hundreds of years to come'. 'Language of the Afrikaner ancestors' 'For the FAK, it is important to live out, protect and develop our language and culture every day and in 2025, we are reminded once again to cherish our most beautiful mother tongue in all its creativity,' he said. Pelser said FAK officially launched a new song writing competition, Skryf'it, with Vonk Musiek and Entertainment and Event Factory. Later this month, they will launch an Afrikaans 100 board game with Spoetnik. ALSO READ: PICTURES: EFF march to Kleinfontein 'Afrikaans 100 is not just a festival. It's a reminder to cherish our language and celebrate it every day,' he said. Freedom Front Plus (FF+) leader Corné Mulder said while one was tempted to say the rest is history, it is not quite. 'Afrikaans' fight for survival continues. This language journey is fuelled by the extraordinary love that Afrikaans speakers have for their language: a love so great that a lasting monument was erected to commemorate it and so deeply rooted that enemies of Afrikaans underestimate it to their detriment,' he said. Fight for survival continues 'One example is that Afrikaans was nearly eradicated with the dawn of democracy in 1994 when the ANC, and even the DA, proposed that English should be the country's only official language.' Mulder said the FF+ was one of the few parties that opposed the idea, insisting that Afrikaans and other indigenous languages should also be recognised. ALSO READ: Afrikaans TV content dwindles amid SABC cash crunch 'As a result, South Africa now has 12 official languages. But as the Afrikaans saying goes Die skyn hiervan bedrieg [appearances are deceptive]. English stands first in line among the official languages, while Afrikaans has to fight for survival,' he said. 'Against this backdrop, a serious cause for concern is that the Bela [Basic Education Laws Amendment] Act, particularly clause 4 [admissions policy] and 5 [language policy], could serve as an instrument to target Afrikaans schools in the name of 'equality and accessibility'. 'By the end of last year, only 1 303 of the about 25 000 schools in South Africa were still Afrikaans single-medium schools – a drop of 15% from 2012, when there were 1 531. In just 12 years, the number of Afrikaans schools plummeted by 228.' Afrikaans, like other languages, not necessarily guaranteed Mulder said Afrikaans, like any other language, was not necessarily guaranteed. 'A language can easily disappear when it loses its higher functions,' he said. ALSO READ: MK to return to Kleinfontein after recent 'fact-finding' visit 'If books and newspapers are no longer published in a language and it is no longer spoken in courts, parliament, schools, universities and the economic sphere, it loses its status, leaving little incentive for parents to raise their children to speak it.' Political analyst Piet Croucamp said Afrikaans has managed to end up in a form of schizophrenia about its origins and legitimacy as a source of communication, its position in history and even questions about its future. 'It's because of its association with apartheid in the past and with a degree of white privilege as it is now. Against all these odds, Afrikaans has remained rooted as an important source of social capital to many,' he said. Association with apartheid in the past and white privilege now 'I can't imagine it would still exist in a significant way in 30 years from now. Afrikaans was in the predicament of a language that existed in an environment where the conditions that maintain them was depleted. 'The realities of demographics in 30 or 40 years from now mean that Afrikaans-speaking people would be less than two percent of the population. But for now, it has some importance to some people.' NOW READ: SABC says Afrikaans remains important part of broadcasting mandate after 'technical issues'
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion: Utah judge's ruling on school choice program overlooks key facts
My parents had to pull my sister and me out of our private school in Utah after we were no longer able to afford it. Attending Intermountain Christian School (ICS) gave us a strong academic and faith-based foundation, and it was heartbreaking to leave a place that felt like home. Eventually, my parents found the next best option for us — charter schools. We thrived in those schools, but had we had access to a school choice program such as the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program, we could have considered all our options — and possibly stayed at ICS. Now, Third District Judge Laura Scott's recent ruling on the school choice program has delivered a devastating blow to nearly 10,000 students — mostly from low-income families — who want better educational opportunities. She ruled that the Legislature cannot create schools and programs that are not 'open to all the children of Utah' or that are not 'free from sectarian control,' echoing the Utah Education Association's argument that it 'diverts' funding from public schools. But the ruling misses the point — the program is open to all Utah families, and any family can apply. It also doesn't defund public education, nor does it promote sectarian control — language rooted in the Blaine Amendment tied to Article X. And under Article XIII, which outlines the management of public funds in Utah, the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program operates as an education savings account (ESA), giving a portion of existing per-pupil funding to families instead of directly to private or religious schools. The remainder of the funds go back to students who remain in public schools. In this case, Utah students receive $8,000 each, which is around 84% of the state per-pupil funding of $9,552. That means more money for fewer students who choose to remain in public schools. It's a win-win for every child, no matter which path their family chooses. After all, even choosing to attend a public school is a form of school choice. While opponents often label all school choice programs as vouchers, that's not the case here — the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program doesn't send funds directly to private schools, but it gives families the flexibility to choose and customize their child's education, making it constitutionally sound. In fact, many states with the Blaine Amendment, which limits public funding for private and religious schools, have these ESA programs. Take Arizona, for example — in Niehaus v. Huppenthal (2013), the Arizona Court of Appeals upheld the state's ESA program, ruling that it did not violate the state's Blaine Amendment because the funds were directed to parents, not to private or religious schools directly. This followed a ruling by the Arizona Supreme Court that struck down two school voucher programs. At its core, the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program honors the principle that parents — not the government — know what's best for their children. Whether that means attending a public school, a private school, a microschool or homeschooling, families deserve the freedom to choose the environment where their child will thrive. This program places those nearly 10,000 students in limbo, uncertain if they will be able to access the education they need. When education funding follows the student rather than the system, families gain the power to seek the environment that best supports their child's needs. The Utah Fits All Scholarship Program embodies this principle, ensuring no family is left without options simply because of their income or ZIP code. I've been a staunch supporter of school choice since high school, when National School Choice Week first launched in 2011. Today, I'm grateful to advocate for it as an education policy analyst and reporter, helping families nationwide find the learning environment that best fits their needs. If Utah truly wants to put students first, it must defend the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program. It uplifts families, expands opportunities and reflects the diverse needs of our communities. When a school doesn't meet a child's needs, families should have the freedom to direct their education dollars elsewhere. The immediate priority should be helping families whose scholarships are now on hold, so their children can continue to have an education that meets their needs.
