Latest news with #PublicProtector
IOL News
a day ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Enock Mgijima Municipality wins legal bid to halt probe into controversial R22. 7m stadium
Public Protector's findings on the R22.7 million Lesseyton Sports Stadium mismanagement face legal challenge Image: Twitter The Enock Mgijima Local Municipality has successfully blocked the Public Protector's (PP) recommendations concerning alleged mismanagement of the R22.7 million allocated to the Lesseyton Sports Facility, which is popularly known as Ndlovukazi Sports Stadium. The facility, unveiled in October 2021 amid praise, has become a symbol of alleged procurement irregularities and squandered public resources. The stadium was touted as a significant sports development for Lesseyton, but the reality has starkly contrasted with expectations. The facility features a dry, bumpy field, small metal stands, soccer and rugby uprights, and, notably, lacks functional ablution facilities or electricity, which the Public Protector described as a stark disappointment given its exorbitant price tag. In June, the Public Protector, Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, released a detailed investigation revealing significant mismanagement. Among the findings were procurement irregularities. Gcaleka found that the stadium tender was advertised with two different closing dates and was not published on three mandated public platforms, violating regulation 22(1)(a) of the Municipal Supply Chain Management Policy. Despite these procedural flaws, Thalami Civils Pty Ltd was awarded the contract, which subsequently exceeded the budget by nearly R5 million but failed to deliver the expected facilities. Gcaleka's report recommended that the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) take action against officials involved in these irregularities. 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 ✕ However, efforts to hold those responsible accountable have been thwarted. The Enoch Mgijima Municipality successfully lodged an interdict in the Bisho High Court, preventing the implementation of the Public Protector's recommendations. On July 29, Acting Justice Tilana Babece granted this interdict, pending the case's final outcome. Sources within the municipality reveal that council members voted to challenge the Public Protector's findings in court, a process expected to take years, further delaying accountability. 'Some of those responsible have since left the municipality and are employed in other municipalities in the Eastern Cape,' a local source explained. 'It will be difficult to hold them accountable now that they have moved on, and the municipal council is actively opposing the implementation of the recommendations.' Attempts to obtain clarity from provincial authorities have been met with deferrals. IOL contacted Premier Oscar Mabuyane's office, which referred inquiries to Cogta. Mamnkeli Ngam, Cogta's spokesperson, stated, 'The matter is best referred to the municipality in question.'
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Alexandra residents still waiting for title deeds
A long-running dispute over housing ownership in Alexandra's K206 housing development has left many residents without title deeds, despite being allocated homes as far back as 2010. The development includes three types of units: stand-alone houses, flats, and rental units. While title deeds have been prepared for those living in stand-alone houses and flats, residents in rental units remain in limbo. The confusion stems from how the City of Johannesburg handled the original housing allocations 15 years ago. According to activist and long-time resident Judith Madiakgotla, the initial plan was for beneficiaries living in flats to also own the adjacent rental units. However, during the rushed development ahead of the 2010 World Cup, the city allocated people to both flats and rental units without clarifying that occupants in rental units are tenants, not rightful owners of the units. 'There was a situation where councillors brought in their own lists of people they called 'special cases'. That's where the mix-up started. Some were [flat owners], and others were allocated rental units.' Also read: FEATURE: Is the Johannesburg Property Company the worst performing city entity? She stated that it was only after residents had moved in, did the city clarify that those in flats were the rightful owners of both the flat and the rental unit next to it. She said residents have taken their complaints to the Rental Housing Tribunal, the Public Protector, and the Human Rights Commission. While title deeds are reportedly ready for those in stand-alone units, as well as those in flats, Madiakgotla said they aren't there for those in the rental units. 'The dispute is simmering. We want title deeds for everyone that was allocated in 2010 by the City of Johannesburg, and is on the database.' Democratic Alliance Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlement Mervyn Cirota recently visited the area and acknowledged the problem. Cirota said the issue affects up to 6 000 households. 'We need to get the city and the province involved in this. There needs to be a forensic audit and we need to go back to 2010 to determine exactly what the roll out [process] was. Who is entitled to ownership and what the distinction is between the ownership of the so-called [flats and stand-alone] units and the rental units, because there is some confusion about that.' Alex News reached out to the Department of Human Settlements for comment. Further updates will be provided once they become available. Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration!
Eyewitness News
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
eThekwini responds to DA's claim about flood victims as 'political grandstanding'
DURBAN - The eThekwini Metro Municipality has responded to claims by the Democratic Alliance (DA) that it failed to take responsibility when flood victims were evicted from their temporary residence. At least 150 people were left stranded when the Bayside Hotel threw them out on the street over the delayed payment of R128 million by government. The DA has called on the SA Human Rights Commission and Public Protector to investigate human rights violations, citing the municipality's account for the eviction. The metro has refuted the claims accusing the DA of playing politics. Last week, when the flood victims were left destitute, Human Settlement MEC Siboniso Duma went to Gauteng to meet the ministry to resolve the matter. This was followed by a R30 million purchase of the Montclair Lodge to house the flood victims. Despite this intervention, the DA said the metro should have acted first since the victims are residents of eThekwini. DA eThekwini caucus leader, Thabani Mthethwa, said, 'Whether those people were put in there by the national or provincial government, as part of the District Development Model the Municipality should have taken responsibility in making sure that they are taken care of.' Meanwhile city spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said, 'The actions of reporting the Bayside Hotel evictions of the flood victims to the Human Rights Commission and the Public Protector is an exercise in futility, and desperate political grandstanding because the matter relating to the dignified resettlement of flood victims has been sufficiently dealt with by all spheres of government.'
IOL News
26-06-2025
- IOL News
Lesufi refutes DA pressure over forensic investigation report release
Premier Panyaza Lesufi has fired three senior officials after damning lifestyle audit findings, reinforcing Gauteng's zero-tolerance stance on corruption and unethical conduct in provincial leadership. Image: Gauteng Gov / X Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has denied reports that he has succumbed to DA pressure by releasing the 47 forensic investigation reports, which have resulted in more than 88 people being sanctioned for their involvement in alleged theft and irregular financial practices. On Wednesday, Lesufi released another batch of forensic investigation reports, which were referred to the Public Protector, the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for investigation. Lesufi announced the removal of three Heads of Department (HODs) after they failed their lifestyle audits for the second time. The audits, conducted by the SIU, revealed that 37% of senior officials assessed were either high-risk or failed to satisfactorily explain their finances. 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 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. Next Stay Close ✕ The reports from multiple departments covered alleged abuse of state resources, irregular and unauthorised expenditure, theft, unfair labour practices, ghost employees, and suspected fraud. Some reports date as far back as 2016. According to Lesufi, 88 people have been sanctioned and held accountable for transgressions emanating from the findings and the recommendations of the investigations, with at least R2 million of the R3 million that was lost due to financial misconduct having been recovered. Overall, based on these 47 reports, approximately 88 people have faced consequence management, and 55 criminal cases have been registered with law enforcement by the departments. This reflects the Gauteng Provincial Government's (GPG) commitment to accountability. "This means that almost 60% of the value lost through fraud and corruption was recovered by the GPG departments in the last quarter," Lesufi said. However, the DA, through its provincial chairperson, Solly Msimanga, suggested that it is through their pressure that Lesufi has been able to comply. "Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has succumbed to pressure from the Democratic Alliance (DA) and has announced that he will release 47 forensic investigation reports to the public. This is out of 177 that are awaited. "We note that these reports are still waiting for the promised publication on the website. This has been long overdue, and more reports are still outstanding. We will continue to exert pressure on Premier Lesufi using the mechanisms at our disposal to force him to release all the reports," said Msimanga. However, reacting to the DA, spokesperson for the premier, Sizwe Pamla, denied that it is pressure from the DA that has resulted in the release of these reports, saying Lesufi had made the commitment to release these reports as soon as they are made available to him. "It is not true that the premier has succumbed to pressure, as the premier made a commitment in 2023 when he took over that he would release these reports as soon as they are made available to him, when he was appointed late in 2022. When he came, he released some of the reports within months of his appointment. The fact that political parties have been impatient is understandable as they had hoped that they would extract something from these reports," Pamla stated.
News24
23-05-2025
- Politics
- News24
Unmoved by Mkhwebane's ‘suffering', ConCourt denies direct access appeal over R10m gratuity
The Constitutional Court has refused ex-Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane's bid to direct access appeal to it over the denial of the R10 million gratuity she insists is due to her – despite her claims of worsening suffering as a result of that absent cash. In a unanimous ruling, Chief Justice Mandisa Maya and her court said it had 'considered the application for leave to appeal directly to it and has concluded that no case has been made out for a direct appeal'. 'Consequently, leave to appeal is refused. The court has decided not to award costs,' the apex court stated. Mkhwebane had argued it was 'in the interests of justice' for the apex court to deal with her challenge to the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria's dismissal of her gratuity demand 'expeditiously since my suffering is prolonged and worsened with every day that passes without my gratuity having been paid out'.
