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The Citizen
2 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
DA Limpopo lays charges over GNT pension and medical fund scandal
POLOKWANE – DA provincial spokesperson for Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Jacques Smalle presented himself at the Polokwane Police Station on Monday morning to lay a criminal complaint against the board and executive management of Great North Transport (GNT) for the non-payment of employee pension fund and medical aid contributions. According to Smalle, the board and executive management of the Limpopo Economic Development Agency (Leda) will also be enjoined in this complaint. You might also want to read: Plans underway to resolve GNT pension fund debacle 'As the sole shareholder of GNT, Leda bears statutory and fiduciary oversight responsibilities for GNT's operations and financial conduct. They too must be held accountable and face consequence management,' Smalle explained. According to Smalle, the shocking extent of this crisis was laid bare during an urgent meeting of Limpopo's Portfolio Committee on Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, convened last Friday evening, following the DA's sustained calls for GNT and Leda to appear before the committee to explain and account. It became apparent at the meeting that unpaid contributions to three pension schemes now total R6.78m, affecting 945 employees. In some cases, employee membership has already been suspended. If a partial payment of R1m is not made by the end of May, all employee memberships will be suspended. If the default continues, employees' risk permanently losing their pension benefits. Regarding medical aid contributions, total unpaid premiums amount to R3.21m, affecting 247 employees. You might also want to read: Unpaid provident fund sparks protest by Great North Transport employees All medical aid coverage for GNT employees has been suspended, meaning employees cannot access healthcare services unless they pay out of pocket. 'While undertakings were made at the portfolio committee, and while MEC Tshitereke Matibe indicated that he wished to address the crisis privately and in confidence to the committee, this never materialised. A subsequent statement issued by MEC Matibe, in which he apologised to GNT employees and set out certain actions including placing GNT under administration, was later withdrawn. It is within this context that our criminal complaint to SAPS will be lodged,' Smalle explained. 'We urgently need resolution to the plight facing GNT's employees, and we need to see real accountability and consequence management. If we don't clean out GNT, no turnaround will succeed,' Smalle reckoned. 'In our complaint to the police we call on law enforcement to investigate the conduct of GNT and Leda officials and their board members for theft, fraud, contraventions of the Pension Funds Act and contraventions of the Medical Schemes Act, all of which constitute criminal offences,' Smalle concluded. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
6 days ago
- The Citizen
Joshlin Smith case: Life behind bars for mother, co-accused over trafficking
Joshlin Smith case: Life behind bars for mother, co-accused over trafficking Judge Nathan Erasmus has sentenced the three suspects, who he convicted of kidnapping and trafficking Joshlin Smith in Middlepos, Saldanha, last year, to life in prison. The Witness reports that Racquel 'Kelly' Smith and her two co-accused were sentenced this morning to loud applause from the crowd. Found guilty Erasmus, earlier in the month, found Smith and her two co-accused — a boyfriend and a mutual friend — guilty on charges of human trafficking and kidnapping. 'I have already found that on the evidence before me, Joshlin was exchanged,' he said. 'The evidence is from all scores there were payments, or at least the promise of payments,' he said, accusing Smith of regarding her daughter, who was aged six when she disappeared, as a 'commodity'. National attention The trial was held in a community hall in the small fishing town of Saldanha Bay, north of Cape Town, where the case sparked outrage. The case drew national attention, including from Sport Minister Gayton McKenzie, who offered a R1m reward for her safe return. But it took a turn when prosecutors alleged that Smith sold her daughter to a traditional healer, who was interested in her eyes and fair complexion. Shocking testimonies Explosive details that played out in court included statements from the girl's teacher and a pastor, who said the mother had told him of the planned sale of her child in 2023. Watch the sentencing: Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
6 days ago
- The Citizen
Lowveld murder: Accused out on strict bail conditions
The Mpumalanga Division of the High Court has granted bail to murder-accused Sonell Joubert, overturning the Tonga Magistrate's Court's earlier decision to deny her release. According to Lowvelder, Joubert (43) was granted bail of R15 000 with strict conditions in a judgment delivered today. She must attend all court appearances, report to the Tonga Police Station twice a week, notify authorities of any address changes, remain within the district unless permitted, and avoid contact with state witnesses. Should she fail to comply, a warrant for her arrest will be issued immediately, and her bail money will be forfeited to the state. Bail appeal reveals procedural concerns Joubert had appealed her bail refusal, initially denied on February 24. The appeal hearing, presided over by Justice J Vukeya last Thursday, revealed inconsistencies in documentation, leading the judge to request a supplementary affidavit from Joubert's legal representative, Adv Hennie van Rensburg. Judgment was reserved until today. Throughout the case, Joubert has changed attorneys multiple times, including appointing Johannesburg-based lawyer Marco Lamberti, who later withdrew due to non-payment. Details of fatal stabbing Joubert is accused of fatally stabbing Jurgens Nel at Lowhills Farm in the Nkomazi region in early February. On February 1, she approached the KaMhlushwa police, alleging Nel had violated a protection order she had instituted against him. That night, officers visited the farm but did not directly confront Nel, as Joubert and her life partner Johann Möller claimed he was armed and aggressive. According to Van Rensburg, officers remained at the premises from 22:00 to 02:00, observing Nel moving through the house, switching lights on and off. Two days later, on February 3, a group of eight officers, led by investigating officer Sergeant Bonginkosi Given Nguyuza, returned to Lowhills Farm. After retrieving the keys from Joubert and Möller, they entered the house and discovered Nel's body with six stab wounds to the upper body. When questioned, Joubert told police she had stabbed Nel during a fight, during which she sustained a minor cut below her left eye and another on her finger. She was arrested on February 4 and has been in custody since then. Questions over evidence The court raised concerns over the minor injuries Joubert sustained, as well as the missing murder weapon, casting doubt on her account. Additionally, it was revealed that Lowhills Farm had been sold at auction, leaving Joubert without a fixed residence. Joubert attempted to use her ownership of Tswale, a domesticated elephant valued at over R1m, as collateral in her bail argument. Nguyuza responded that he was unfamiliar with elephant auction prices. With strict bail conditions in place, Joubert will remain under close supervision as her case progresses. She is expected to return to court in June, when further evidence, including the post-mortem report and crime scene photo album, will be presented. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
TimesLIVE
20-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Sanef condemns threats to journalists who work professionally and ethically
The South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) has condemned actions of a Durban businessman who recently threatened a Sunday Times journalist who had called him for comment. Siqu Zungu allegedly threatened Sunday Times senior journalist Isaac Mahlangu when he was called for a comment for an article about him leaving a R12m penthouse owned by a Johannesburg doctor, Blaine Bloy, in which he lived rent-free for about three years before he was recently evicted. Zungu said the journalist should ensure that he gets bodyguards after writing the article about him. The businessman was evicted from a luxury Umhlanga penthouse, which he left with extensive damage, including a broken bathtub, cracked tiles and outstanding rent of more than R1m. When contacted for comment last week, he accused the publication of targeting him and said the journalist should get bodyguards. 'I am asking you to have bodyguards. Do you hear me? I am not joking. It is not a threat ... Ask Bloy who I am, he will tell you. Put out that article, but tell your company to give you bodyguards. 'You've targeted me. I will handle this myself. Maybe Bloy has not told you who I am. Maybe they have not told [you] what kind of life I live ... It's not your job to target a person like this,' he said. Slindile Khanyile, chair of the Sanef media freedom subcommittee said the organisation did not threats to journalists lightly, especially in a country where the work that journalists do and media freedom is protected by the constitution. 'So, we condemn the actions of not only this particular newsmaker, but anyone who makes it difficult for journalists to conduct their work,' she said. She added that Zungu was contacted for comment, which is one of the most important principles of journalism — to give newsmakers the opportunity to tell their side of the story and a fair opportunity to respond to allegations before a story is published. 'When journalists do that, which is something that is required by media ethics as well as the press code, and they then encounter newsmakers who make it difficult for them to do their work, it is unfortunate,' she added. She said journalists should always do the right thing even when reporting on threatening and aggressive people. 'Regardless of how a newsmaker may behave, journalists must always do the right thing by giving people the right to reply and being fair and be balanced in their reporting,' she said. The Sunday Times has reported the matter at the Hillbrow police station.
IOL News
16-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Exploring the South African property market: What R1. 3million can secure?
The average price of a house is now just shy of R1.3 million after prices increased 2.54%, with the cost of a deposit now at R216,088 – just short of 10% of the cost of a home. In Greenside, a leafy suburb just to the north of the Johannesburg CBD, R1m will get you a maximum of two bedrooms, a similar search result as in Edenvale in the east. Florida, in the west, will secure you a house with as many as three bedrooms, while the south of Johannesburg, Kibler Park, offers more value than Greenside and Edenvale, but not as much as in Florida. In Durban, a three-bedroom home can be had in Bellair for under R1m, while this size house will be R1.25m in Bluff. For about half that, you can get a 1 bedroom apartment on South Beach. Home prices are rather dependent on location, and R1.3m in Cape Town will secure a buyer a home with anywhere between one and two bedrooms, depending on whether it's in Observatory or in Belhar, for example. The average price of a house is now just shy of R1.3 million after prices increased 2.54%, with the cost of a deposit now at R216,088 – just short of 10% of the cost of a home. Image: Karen Sandison / Independent Newspapers According to MyProperty Home Loans, first-time buyers continue to lead activity in the home loan market, accounting for 67.77% of all bond approvals in April 2025. This reflects a slight decline from 67.82% in April 2024. MyProperty's data follows that of FNB's, which released its House Price Index (HPI) for last month earlier this week. FNB's statistics found that there was an average price gain of 2.2% year-on-year in April, which is the fastest pace at which housing has become more expensive in two years. Statistics South Africa's General Household Survey shows a typical household has 3.2 members. Over 75% of homes have four to five members or fewer, while only 13% have six or more members. MyProperty Home Loans also noted that the approved bond rose by 0.75% to R1,046,110. 'The South African property market in April 2025 reflects a cautious but steady recovery, with home loan data pointing to modest price growth and improving sentiment among buyers,' it said. 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 ✕ According to the FNB House Price Index, home values increased by 2.2% year-on-year—marking the fastest growth in nearly two years. Despite this positive development, transaction volumes remain around 16% below pre-pandemic levels, suggesting that while buyer confidence is improving, overall market activity is still subdued. In 2023, South Africa's residential property market comprised 6.91 million properties and was valued at R6.789 trillion, City Mark data indicates, the latest information available to IOL. However, bond approval from applicants' own banks declined from 53.01% to 51.67%, indicating that buyers are increasingly shopping around for better deals, a trend that aligns with broader shifts toward financial caution and value-seeking behaviour, said MyProperty Home Loans. 'Overall, the data points to a market where affordability remains top of mind for buyers, especially first-time entrants. While deposits are growing, the willingness of banks to extend high loan-to-value ratios and slightly better interest rates is helping to keep the market accessible. "With expectations of further interest rate relief and potential changes to property-related policy, market conditions may continue to improve through the remainder of the year,' said MyProperty Home Loans. IOL
