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The Citizen
5 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Top 10 stories of the day: Millions spent on empty Gauteng schools
Here's your daily news update for Wednesday, 13 August 2025: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. In the news today, school construction projects in Gauteng that have cost almost R1 billion are yet to see pupils or teachers in classrooms. Meanwhile, the Information Regulator is investigating a complaint against Truecaller by several companies and individuals for violating the Protection of Personal Information Act. Furthermore, the R44 000 raised on behalf of KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi will be donated to a trust of the South African Police Service. Weather tomorrow: 14 August 2025 The South African Weather Service has forecasted partly cloudy and cool to warm conditions over the central and eastern parts of the country, with isolated showers and thundershowers by the afternoon. Full weather forecast here. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way. Seven incomplete Gauteng schools leave R955 million in the dust School construction projects in Gauteng that have cost almost R1 billion are yet to see pupils or teachers in classrooms. The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) provided an update on seven school development projects, some which were in their fourth year of construction. Inkululeko yeSizwe Primary School in Vlakfontein in July. Picture: Supplied / Democratic Alliance Among the worst cases is Inkululeko yeSizwe Primary School, near Vlakfontein, which remains a shell while pupils enrolled at the school are taught in old shipping containers. Contractors broke ground on the new development in late 2020 and the provincial government allocated R137 million for the project. CONTINUE READING: Seven incomplete Gauteng schools leave R955 million in the dust SA companies lodge complaint against Truecaller app for violating Popia The Information Regulator has confirmed it is investigating a complaint against Truecaller by several companies and individuals for violating the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia). Truecaller is a mobile app that helps users identify unknown callers, block spam and scam calls, and manage their communication more effectively. The Truecaller app. Picture: The Citizen Companies have complained that the Trucaller app harms their businesses because it flags their numbers and charges a fee to whitelist more Logitech unveils recycled, spill-resistant keyboard and mouse The Information Regulator's spokesperson Nomzamo Zondi said Truecaller has been accused of interfering with the privacy of an individual. CONTINUE READING: SA companies lodge complaint against Truecaller app for violating Popia Campaign raises R44k for Mkhwanazi … but it won't go to the commissioner The funds raised on behalf of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi will be donated to a trust of the South African Police Service (Saps). This is according to national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe. KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Picture: Gallo Images / Darren Stewart A BackaBuddy campaign was launched by social media users last month to raise money for Mkhwanazi to buy two cows as a gesture of gratitude following a widely publicised media briefing held last month by Mkhwanazi. The campaign exceeded its R35 000 target, raising R44 000 in total. CONTINUE READING: Campaign raises R44k for Mkhwanazi … but it won't go to the commissioner Joshlin Smith case: NPA ready to fight appeals in SCA if necessary after latest verdict The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it will oppose any further appeals by the three convicted people in the Joshlin Smith case should they take their case to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA). On Wednesday afternoon, the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town delivered its judgment on the leave to appeal applications after hearing submissions from both the state and the defence. Jacquen Appolis, Steveno van Rhyn and Kelly Smith during the Joshlin Smith trial. Picture: Gallo Images/Jaco Marais Joshlin's mother, Racquel 'Kelly' Smith, together with Jacquen 'Boeta' Appollis and Van Rhyn, had sought to appeal their convictions and sentences. The trio had been sentenced to life imprisonment for human trafficking, along with an additional 10 years for kidnapping, in connection with Joshlin's disappearance. CONTINUE READING: Joshlin Smith case: NPA ready to fight appeals in SCA if necessary after latest verdict Here's how much National Treasury has spent on consultants in two years The National Treasury has spent hundreds of millions of rands on consultants for specialised projects over the past two years. This was revealed in a written parliamentary reply from Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. Picture: iStock Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) MP Wouter Wessels requested details on whether the National Treasury had appointed any consultants in the last two years, including the nature of their work and the duration of their contracts. Godongwana detailed an extensive list of service providers and revealed that R350 million (R350 902 028.62) was paid to at least 30 consultancy firms between April 2023 and June this year. CONTINUE READING: Here's how much National Treasury has spent on consultants in two years Here are five more stories of the day: Yesterday's News recap READ HERE: Top 10 stories of the day: Germiston Home Affairs fire | Unemployment increases | Dewald Brevis sets new record
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Truecaller users in SA warned about app violating Popia act
Companies have complained that Truecaller harms their businesses and charges a fee for them to be whitelisted. The Information Regulator has confirmed it is investigating a complaint against Truecaller by several companies and individuals for violating the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia). Truecaller is a mobile app that helps users identify unknown callers, block spam and scam calls, and manage their communication more effectively. Truecaller It also acts as a caller ID and spam blocker, using an AI community-based system to identify and flag potentially unwanted calls and messages. South Africans use the app extensively to identify unknown calls, especially from call centre agents. Companies have complained that the Trucaller app harms their businesses because it flags their numbers and charges a fee to whitelist them. Investigation The Information Regulator's spokesperson Nomzamo Zondi said Truecaller has been accused of interfering with the privacy of an individual. 'We received a complaint from a data subject that Truecaller allegedly interfered with their right to privacy, and the matter is still under investigation. 'Only upon conclusion of the investigation, we will make a pronouncement,' Zondi said. ALSO READ: South Africa's Information Regulator acts against FT Rams over privacy law breach Direct link Law firm Norton Rose Fulbright's Rosalind Lake told The Citizen the Information Regulator would need to show a direct link that businesses have been affected by the Truecaller app. 'There's been a lot of scrutiny by the Information Regulator about direct marketing, and they have issued guidelines regarding direct marketing, and it's something that the regulator is very focused on. 'I think… data subjects (people) want the right to not be contacted, and so for any kind of claim, they have to show that there's a direct link in what Truecaller does and the harm to business, and I'm not sure that that is immediately apparent,' Lake said. Popia provisions Werksmans Attorneys director Ahmore Burger-Smidt told The Citizen that Truecaller was at odds with several Popia provisions. 'In the first instance, we need to recognise that there are two sides to this proverbial coin that we looking at. On the one hand, we've got South African citizens, individuals that receive unwanted calls, and they do have the right in terms of the protection of personal information to say we do not want these calls, and we feel we do not want spam, do not phone me and delete my number from your database. 'Truecaller fulfils this function, that you receive a call and you can say this is spam. [You can say] I don't want them to call me and then they get flagged on the Truecaller side as a spam number,' Burger-Smidt said. Spam She said if someone notifies Truecaller of a spam number, it means the call centre of the company that the number belongs to will not be able to reach its legitimate customers who have the Truecaller app on their mobile phones. 'The call centre phones the customer, the number will come up as spam and naturally the customer won't answer the call. Here lies the conundrum. How do I still, as a [call centre] contact my customers, and how do I prevent Truecaller from reflecting my call centre number as a spam number? 'So, on one side there are people and individuals that find it extremely helpful and on the other side of the coin people trying to reach their customers find it terribly frustrating,' Burger-Smidt said. ALSO READ: Google to study Competition Commission report on R500m payment Tough balance Lake said there's always a tough balance between data privacy and people's rights to carry on with their business. 'There are clear rules under Popia for people to engage in goal for direct marketing and they should do so and also for consumers, the Direct Marketing Association runs a website called where people can register the details, and so that people who are members of the Direct Marketing Association will not contact people who registered on that site.' Violation The Information Regulator's investigation could set a precedent for how tech platforms handle South African data. If found non-compliant, Truecaller might face enforcement notices, requiring changes like better consent mechanisms or data deletion options. The regulator has previously fined companies for Popia breaches, including a R5 million penalty against a direct marketer in 2023 for spam messages. The Citizen has contacted Truecaller for comment. It will be added to the story when received. ALSO READ: Information regulator slaps DoJ with R5m fine for contravening privacy act
