Latest news with #R2000
Eyewitness News
4 days ago
- Eyewitness News
Sheba gold mine: 2 out of 24 illegal miners released on bail
BARBERTON - Two of the 24 illegal miners who resurfaced from Sheba gold mine in Barberton, Mpumalanga, on Monday have been released on bail. The pair, both South Africans with valid IDs and private lawyers, were each granted bail of R2,000. The other 22 remain in custody and will return to court next Wednesday. The 22 still behind bars are mostly foreign nationals without passports and they face additional immigration-related charges. All 24 are also charged with theft, trespassing and possession of mining and gold bearing equipment. Wednesday's proceedings were over in minutes after the magistrate mad e the postponement for bail verification and the appointment of legal representation. 'Accused number 20 and 21 in custody, your bail is fixed at R2000 each, normal bail conditions.' The group is part of more than 550 people detained at Sheba gold mine in the past week under Operation Vala Umgodi. The initial 494 arrested last Friday appeared earlier this week and only 26 of them, all south Africans with verified addresses, were granted bail. ALSO READ:
The Citizen
03-08-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Vryheid residents outraged over inflated municipal utility bills
'This is outrageous!' That's the overwhelming reaction from residents upon receiving their latest municipal utility bills. Many have raised concerns about unexplained and seemingly incorrect charges added to their accounts. Among the most common complaints is a charge for 'added sewage', with units exactly matching water consumption figures. Some residents were stunned to find a R113 charge for a borehole on their bill, even though they do not have one. However, the most frustration has been directed at the exorbitant increase in domestic electricity tariffs and the widespread confusion over the extra charges appearing on bills. One resident told the Herald that the bill was the highest she had received in over 30 years of living in the same house. 'The account shot up almost R2000 compared to my June bill – how is this even possible?' The Vryheid Herald reached out to the municipality for clarification on the new tariffs and additional charges, but at the time of going to press, there had been no response. In an interview with the Herald, Marlaine Nair, Chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Portfolio Committee, urged residents to make use of the municipality's dispute resolution mechanism if they believe their utility bills are incorrect. 'Residents should first raise concerns formally with the municipality or contact their ward councillor, who can escalate the matter on their behalf,' she advised. 'Should those avenues fail, residents can start a petition and hand it to the mayor. If no action is taken, the next step is to submit the petition to the legislature speaker for consideration by the Petition Committee.' She added that residents and councillors can also write directly to the MEC of Cogta to request an investigation into possible malpractice or corruption. 'Stakeholders can even write to me directly,' said Nair. 'My only request is that residents first exhaust all internal channels within the municipality before escalating the matter to the provincial level.' Meanwhile, representatives of the Ratepayers Association have tried to schedule a meeting with the municipality to demand clarity and accountability. Unfortunately, by the time of going to print, no further information was available. There are also moves afoot to mobilise residents into formal disputes over their utility accounts. Residents have been advised by the organisers to complete dispute letters and email them directly to the email address below. Following the steep increase in tariffs, prepaid electricity users are also urged to file disputes. A sample dispute letter—based on an article titled 'How to effectively dispute and rectify municipal billing discrepancies' (Daily Maverick, February 1, 2024)—is available on the AbaQulusi Ratepayers WhatsApp group. For those needing assistance, Chantell Els of Pixelation Photo Lab & Studio has offered to print, scan and email documents free of charge. Donations as a token of appreciation are welcome. Responding to the outcry, Eugene van Aswegen, AfriForum's Provincial Coordinator for KwaZulu-Natal, confirmed that the organisation is actively addressing the matter. 'AfriForum is currently busy with the issue,' Van Aswegen said. 'We will take the necessary steps to ensure the municipality is held accountable and transparent about the processes that were followed.' How to lodge a dispute: Residents who wish to challenge the charges on their municipal accounts can do so by submitting a formal dispute letter. Here's how: Prepaid electricity users: Use your prepaid account number, not the card number. This number is 11 digits long, typically starting with 04 and ending with 81.' Find it on your prepaid electricity slip after a purchase. Alternatively, retrieve it by entering '00' or '100' on your prepaid device. (Note: Methods may vary depending on meter type.) Conventional account holders (water, refuse, sewer, rates, etc.): Use the account number as shown on your AbaQulusi Municipality statement. Conventional account holders with prepaid electricity: Include both your prepaid meter account number and your AbaQulusi municipal account number in the dispute letter. Completed letters must be submitted via email to: [email protected] ALSO READ: 967 homes to be electrified in AbaQulusi Municipality rollout The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.
The South African
31-07-2025
- Business
- The South African
Paul Mashatile DENIES Constantia villa ownership: 'What is the problem?'
Deputy President Paul Mashatile has publicly denied ownership of a R28 million Constantia villa, despite declaring it in his official 2025 financial report. In the government document, the 64-year-old laid claim to three properties worth over R65 million. Mashatile earns R3.2 million per annum, with a monthly take-home salary worth less than one bond repayment. Speaking to the SABC, Paul Mashatile was quizzed on public concerns that cabinet members were using their positions to amass wealth and live in luxury, often above their official income. When questioned about his own declarations – three properties, two in Johannesburg, and one in Cape Town, a seemingly bewildered Mashatile responded: 'What properties do I own? 'People must read. First thing you must learn in life. There is nothing in parliament that I said I own a house. I said I live there. That house is owned by my son-in-law. It's a very simple thing to read. So what is the problem? Deputy President Paul Mashatile's affordability has been questioned following his declaration of a R28 million Constantia property. Images via X: @pmashatile/ Seeff Properties When asked his opinion on concerns that cabinet members were using their positions to amass wealth for their families, Mashatile responded, 'Which government officials? Which politicians?' 'I have answered [your question]. I don't use government money. There is no government money in those houses…It's a private home. It is owned by the family. How does the government come in? I work for government and get paid a salary'. In the 2025 register of member interests, Paul Mashatile declared the ownership of three residential homes. They are : 4000 square metres home in Constantia, Cape Town 9000 square metres home in Waterfall, Midrand, Johannesburg 3000 square metre home in Kelvin, Johannesburg. Mashatile also declared a public pension fund and an Old Mutual unit trust. He did not list any businesses, shares, or work outside of parliament. He did declare several gifts, among them being; A portrait of himself, worth around R3000 Tea cups, saucers, and a kettle, worth around R2000 Wine, whisky, and Lindt chocolate around R5 000 Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
13-06-2025
- IOL News
Eastern Cape councillor implicated in kidnapping of local businessman
The Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation team cracked the kidnapping case in Dimbaza, leading to the arrest of a local councillor and her alleged accomplice. Image: Henk Kruger/ Independent Newspapers. A 37-year-old political councillor has been arrested in connection with the kidnapping of a local businessman in Dimbaza, Eastern Cape. Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Avele Fumba said the incident unfolded on June 10, 2025, when a 42-year-old businessman was forcefully abducted from his hardware store by an unknown male suspect. The suspect allegedly shoved the victim into his vehicle before fleeing the scene at high speed. "Following the incident, the kidnapping task team of the Hawks, in collaboration with the East London Flying Squad and the Dog Unit (K9), acted swiftly on vital information received from alert community members. The team then followed a vehicle of interest," said Fumba. This led to the interception of a vehicle of interest and the immediate arrest of a 34-year-old male suspect. Further investigation uncovered the alleged involvement of a local councillor, who is believed to have played a pivotal role in helping the main suspect attempt an escape. She was arrested and subsequently charged. 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 ✕ Ad Loading Both accused appeared in the Dimbaza Magistrate's Court on June 12, 2025. "The councillor was granted bail of R2000, while the male suspect remains in custody and is set to return to court on June 19, 2025, for a formal bail application," said Fumba. The Provincial Head of the Hawks, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, praised the quick action taken by law enforcement and the public. 'The arrest demonstrates the power of coordinated policing and \[the] critical role communities play in tackling serious crime,' he said. IOL News
The Citizen
30-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Citizen
FNB nav» uses gamification to reward and improve money management habits among South Africans
The use of gamification is key to influencing behavioural change in the financial services industry. The most critical tasks and habits for better life outcomes are often the most difficult to implement. In fact, the world's largest online behavioural science destination, Psychology Today, outlines that bad habits are easy and good habits are hard. This reality extends across all parts of the human experience, from forming habits and rituals that cultivate a healthy lifestyle to those that ensure healthy personal finance and money management. Fortunately, global experts like game designer Nick Pelling, who was once tasked with developing game-like interfaces for ATMs and vending machines, developed the theory of 'gamification' after realising that game mechanics and concepts could be applied to non-gaming contexts. 'The use of gamification is key to influencing behavioural change in the financial services industry, where good habits can mean the difference between a healthy, secure bank balance and serious financial troubles. As we seek to provide meaningful help in the day-to-day lives of our customers at FNB, we combine integrated advice, technology and gamification to help them manage their money more effectively,' says Jolandé Duvenage, FNB's Chief Imagineer for nav». Milestone for FNB's nav» platform Incidentally, FNB recently announced a major milestone for its flagship nav» platform. Housed within its banking app and with USSD integration, the bank announced that 5 million customers now use its nav» Money tool, empowering millions of users with smart resources for personal finance management like budgeting. 'As we celebrate this milestone, we're also excited to give back to our customers by adding value to their lives beyond banking and rewarding their loyalty,' says Duvenage, adding that the success of nav» is also the success of the bank's customers. To mark the celebration of this milestone, FNB has designed a nav» Gamification Campaign geared towards encouraging customers to explore the nav» hub, take advantage of its powerful tools, and enter a competition for a chance to win amazing prizes, including: Mission 1: Win 1 of 10 PlayStation 5 Slimline consoles + 20 x R2000 KFC vouchers Mission 2: Win 1 of 10 iPhone 16 Pros + 20 x R2000 Nike vouchers Mission 3: Win the Haval H6 GT + 5 x fuel for a year in eBucks valued at R60 000 each 'The campaign went live on the FNB & RMB Private Bank App on 10 March — and we're already seeing some amazing engagement on social media. And it's more than just a competition, it's a chance to engage customers through exciting missions and tasks while, most importantly, improving their money management skills,' adds Duvenage. How to boost campaign entries The campaign, ending on 9 June 2025, has three missions allowing multiple entries per person – meaning better chances to win. Customers can boost their entries by: Completing app tasks on nav» (1 entry each) Finding and sharing the special competition badges on social media using the hashtag #FNBnavLife (100 entries each) Clicking and viewing offers in nav» (100 entries each) Switching their cheque account and transacting (100 entries each) To start playing, users can simply log on to the FNB Banking app, go to the nav» tab and follow the prompts. 'The success of FNB's nav» tool reflects the bank's commitment to delivering true help to our customers' lives in an innovative way that can really make a difference. And, as the platform continues to evolve, FNB remains focused on leveraging technology to create solutions that address the evolving challenges that South Africans continue to face – from financial inclusion to sustainability,' concludes Duvenage.
