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IOL News
5 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Two men arrested in connection with KwaZulu-Natal political killings
Councillor Nhlalayenza Ndlovu, the DA's Chief Whip in Umgeni, was gunned down at his home. Image: Supplied Two men who were arrested by the SAPS' KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team in connection with the murder of DA Councillor Nhlalayenza Ndlovu appeared in Howick Magistrate's Court yesterday. Their arrests came just two days after the unit arrested a former Municipal Manager in connection with the killing of the former ANC Youth League Secretary General, Sindiso Magaqa. One of the suspects arrested in the Ndlovu matter was Amanxamalala Traditional Authority's Inkosi Simphiwe Zuma, who is related to the former and current Umkhonto WeSizwe party President Jacob Zuma. Zuma was arrested alongside Thabo Mathonsi-Chonco. Both Zuma and Mathonsi-Chonco were out on bail for a separate murder case. Although the latest charges against Inkosi Zuma remain unclear, Mathonsi-Chonco was accused of conspiracy to commit murder and the murder of Ndlovu on December 23, 2023. Court A at the courthouse was filled with DA members, Inkosi Zuma's supporters, and members of the public. Another accused in the matter, Zwelithini Buthelezi, was not present. A source informed the Daily News that Buthelezi's charges were withdrawn on July 29 after he agreed to testify for the National Prosecuting Authority as a Section 204 witness. Inkosi Zuma and Buthelezi are also facing another murder charge for killing Zuma's head of izinduna, Qalokunye Zuma, on January 23, 2023. In that matter, Inkosi was granted R25,000 bail after his arrest on June 13; however, Buthelezi had already been denied bail in Ndlovu's murder case. He was arrested for Ndlovu's murder almost a month after being freed on bail from holding cells by Impendle Magistrate's Court in connection with Qalokunye Zuma's murder. 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 During Thursday's court appearance, the Howick court only dealt with Mathonsi-Chonco, who wanted to be transferred from Westville Prison in Durban to Pietermaritzburg's New Prison. His lawyer, Nkomo, who refused to divulge his first name, stated that his client wished to be transferred to Pietermaritzburg due to ill health and that the city fell within the jurisdiction of the Howick court. However, Prosecutor Advocate Elvis Gcweka rejected the request, citing concerns that the accused might collude with Buthelezi, who was being held in Pietermaritzburg. Magistrate Ntini rejected Mathonsi-Chonco's request, stating, 'As the State has its fears, I don't see the problem in keeping the accused at Westville. If he is unwell, he can get medical treatment while kept in Westville.' At the time of his death, Ndlovu was deployed to the Umgeni Local Municipality. On Monday, the team arrested the 55-year-old former senior official at the Umzimkhulu Local Municipality in Malvern, Durban, regarding Magaqa's death DAILY NEWS
IOL News
8 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Inkosi Zuma's arrest: New murder charges emerge in DA chief whip's death
Umngeni Municipality Mayor Chris Pappas, his deputy mayor Sandile Mnikathi, and DA provincial leader Francois Rodgers attending the appearance of Inkosi Simphiwe Zuma at the Howick Magistrate's Court for the murder of DA Chief Whip Nhlalayenza Ndlovu. Image: Bongani Hans It is not raining but pouring for a traditional leader who is related to former president Jacob Zuma, as he has been sent back to holding cells now for the murder of the DA chief whip Nhlalayenza Ndlovu in 2023. Amanxamalala Traditional Authority's Inkosi Simphiwe Zuma, who gained popularity because of his proximity to the uMkhonto weSizwe Party leader, was arrested together with 26-year-old Thabo Mathonsi-Chonco on Wednesday, barely a month after being released on bail for a separate murder case. Although the latest charges against Inkosi Zuma remain unclear, Mathonsi-Chonco is accused of conspiracy to commit murder and murder of Ndlovu on December 23, 2023. The Howick Magistrate's Court, Court A, where the accused appeared from holding cells, was fully packed with DA members, Inkosi Zuma's supporters, and other members of the public who were interested in the matter. 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 In the dock, Inkosi Zuma and Mathonsi-Chonco joined their two co-accused in the matter related to Ndlovu's murder, Thobani Hlongwa, and Khayelisha Shabalala. The matter was postponed to August 8 for a bail application. Another co-accused, Zwelithini Buthelezi, his induna, was not in court. A source, who is a court official, told this reporter that Buthelezi's charges were withdrawn on July 29 after he agreed to testify for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) under Section 204. Inkosi Zuma and Buthelezi are also facing another murder charge of killing Zuma's head of izinduna, Qalokunye Zuma, on January 23, 2023. In that charge, Inkosi was granted R25,000 bail on July 3 after his arrest on June 13; however, Buthelezi, who had already been denied bail in Ndlovu's murder case, did not apply for it. He was arrested for Ndlovu's murder almost a month after being freed on bail from holding cells by Impendle Magistrate's Court in connection with Qalokunye Zuma's murder. During Thursday's court appearance, the Howick court only dealt with Mathonsi-Chonco, who wanted to be transferred from Westville Prison in Durban to Pietermaritzburg's New Prison. His lawyer, Nkomo, who refused to give his first name, stated that his client wished to be transferred to Pietermaritzburg due to ill health and that the city fell within the jurisdiction of the Howick court. However, Prosecutor Advocate Elvis Gcweka rejected the request, saying that the accused might collude with Buthelezi, who is being held in Pietermaritzburg. Magistrate Ntini rejected Mathonsi-Chonco's request. 'As the State has its fears, I don't see the problem in keeping the accused at Westville. If he is unwell, he can get medical treatment while kept in Westville,' said Ntini. Outside the court, Inkosi Zuma's relative, who cannot be named as he is not appointed to speak for the family, said it was shocking that Inkosi has been arrested for another murder. 'When we thought things were difficult, they just got worse,' he said. The DA has been fighting to see justice from the day Ndlovu was gunned down in cold blood in front of his children and wife, and after the case had gone cold, the party hired AfriForum private investigators who were able to gather information and gave it to the police. It was believed that Ndlovu was killed at his home to shut him up from spilling the beans about Buthelezi's alleged theft of electricity transformers, which were illegally connected and power sold to residents of newly developed villages outside Mpophomeni township, who were without electricity. Buthelezi is still facing charges in connection with electricity theft. Qalokunye Zuma was also killed at his rural Impendle home in front of his family members and patrons of his shebeen, allegedly following a dispute over the affairs of the Nxamalala traditional authority. During his bail hearing in Impendle court, it was revealed that Inkosi Zuma, who is facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder, murder, possession of illegal firearms, and ammunition, paid R30,000 to hitmen to eliminate Qalokunye Zuma. Police obtained this information when they analysed Buthelezi's cellphone records, who they had been hunting for Ndlovu's murder. Impendle court Magistrate Bongiwe Nhlapo told Inkosi Zuma that his bail conditions were that he must report in person to the Impendle police station every Monday and Friday between 8.30am and 4.30pm. Umngeni Municipality Mayor Chris Pappas said while people might be shocked by Inkosi's implication in Ndlovu's murder, 'some of us are not'. 'The DA has an investigating team working on this, doing proper oversight over the police investigation. 'Our investigation team has come to the same conclusion in terms of the number of people that have been arrested,' said Pappas.
IOL News
14 hours ago
- IOL News
Stop spreading fake news: SAPS sets record straight on kidnapped farmer Jerry Boshoga
Police have called for responsible social media reporting around the kidnapping case of Tshwane farmer Jerry Boshoga. Image: Facebook/SABC The South African Police Service (SAPS) on Thursday called for responsible social media reporting around the kidnapping case of Jerry Boshoga. The Pretoria businessman and farmer was kidnapped on 18 November last year, shortly after attending a business meeting. This week, social media platforms have been awash with unverified social media accounts sharing 'misleading and false information' claiming that Boshoga has been found deceased. 'The SAPS can confirm that the investigation into his kidnapping is still at a very sensitive stage and the businessman has not been found alive nor deceased. We therefore call on all social media users to stop the spread of unverified information,' said police national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe. 'Social media users are also urged to spare a thought for the family of the victim.' Mathe said the spreading of such misleading information has caused unnecessary trauma, panic and anxiety for the close family members including his mother, wife and children. 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 The SAPS is in close contact with the family, and Mathe said if there are any developments in the case, the family will be the first to be notified by the investigating team. Boshoga was abducted in Rooihuiskraal, Centurion, in Tshwane, shortly after attending a business meeting with an associate. After Boshoga's disappearance last year, videos started circulating online, showing the 46-year-old being heavily tortured in a room. In the videos, Boshoga is also heard begging for his family members to pay the ransom. The kidnappers initially demanded R25 million, which has now been reduced to R10 million for the release of the farmer. In the videos, Boshoga has evident injuries and has a cloth stuffed in his mouth. In one video, Boshoga addresses his mother: Hello mother. Please pay, pay now so they can release me. It is too bad. I really need you please, mother. Please come and pay. Please pay everything that they want, please. I am begging you ..." In another video seen by IOL, Boshoga seems to be pleading with his wife to beg his father to raise the R10 million ransom required by the kidnappers. IOL News
Daily Maverick
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
NMB council's ANC caucus accused of misconduct after walkout to avoid city manager discussion
The Democratic Alliance has asked the speaker of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro council to take action against members of the ANC caucus who left a city council meeting on Thursday, collapsing an urgent discussion on the fate of the suspended city manager. The Democratic Alliance has urged the speaker of the Nelson Mandela Bay City Council, Eugene Johnson, to take disciplinary steps against the members of the ANC caucus who walked out of an official council meeting. On Thursday, ACDP councillor Lance Grootboom, seconded by the DA's Rano Kayser, proposed a motion that a legal opinion – which concluded that disciplinary action against suspended city manager Dr Noxolo Nqwazi should be abandoned as the charges could not be sustained – should be tabled before council. This video of the walkout was recorded by ACDP councillor Lance Grootboom Both Grootboom and Kayser insist that the motion passed and that what followed was a walkout of the ANC caucus, led by Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe, that collapsed the city council meeting. Lobishe did not hold her usual post-council press conference, but instead posted a statement to residents, not to the media, stating that the motion had not passed. She did not respond to further questions. This is the second time in a week that Lobishe has exited a council meeting without dealing with the issue of the suspended city manager. Last week, she arrived late for a council meeting, announced that reports 'were not ready' and adjourned the meeting – at a cost of around R25,000 to ratepayers. Nelson Mandela Bay Deputy Mayor Gary van Niekerk said on Thursday night that 'she didn't have the votes'. He, too, said the motion had passed. 'The meeting was adjourned. The members of the ANC left. The speaker then called them back,' he said. 'But most of them had already left. So when the ACDP's motion was put to a vote, we (the coalition government to which Van Niekerk belongs) didn't have the numbers,' he said. Disciplinary action DA councillor Morne Steyn wrote to Johnson on Friday, asking her to investigate and institute disciplinary proceedings against the councillors who had left the meeting 'unlawfully and illegally' and to refer the matter to the rules and ethics committee. According to the video recording of the meeting, it had not adjourned, but went into a closed meeting, so it remains unclear why the ANC caucus left. In his letter, Steyn quoted from a 2015 ruling by the Constitutional Court that it was unlawful for councillors to stop the work of a council when the 'political tides' were against them. In this ruling, the Constitutional Court said: 'Councillors are elected to undertake the work of the council on behalf of the whole citizenry. Sometimes the tides of politics will place one party in the majority and sometimes another. 'But it remains the duty of all councillors to facilitate and not obstruct the workings of the council. For councillors to continue to draw their salaries, while refusing to attend meetings and seeking thereby to stultify the working of a council would be a breach of their obligations as councillors. It is a breach of the Code of Conduct that binds all councillors and obliges them to attend all meetings of the council and of committees of which they are members.' Steyn warned that if Johnson refused to act, the DA would approach the Eastern Cape MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Zolile Williams, to intervene. 'The walkout staged by the members of the governing coalition in the meeting of 24 July raises grave concerns. Aside from the undemocratic actions of said individuals staging a walkout subsequent to a loss in the consideration of a motion, this action is legally [precluded],' Steyn wrote. He said that another ruling by the Gauteng Division of the High Court stated: '… the importance of serving in a municipal council is that party political affiliation and agendas are eschewed for the greater good of the communities served by those councils. … [E]very municipal councillor must comply with the constitutional injunction to municipalities, to prioritise the basic needs of local communities and to provide the basic minimum services to all members of such local communities.' Steyn said, 'These strong words of the [Gauteng] Judge President, together with the earlier strong remarks by the Constitutional Court, put to rest any debate about this issue. Walkouts are illegal. 'No matter how strongly a councillor disagrees with the proceedings in a meeting, there is no 'right to walk out', ' Steyn said. 'Councillors are expected (and paid) to attend council and committee meetings.' Walkout costs 'should be recovered' He said the wasted costs of the meeting should be recovered from the councillors involved. 'Such a walkout forces the municipality to convene another meeting. The municipality thus incurs fruitless and wasteful expenditure on a meeting that was entirely avoidable if everyone had simply obeyed the law. The municipal manager will be forced by law to recover these costs from the councillors [who] walked out and caused the meeting to collapse. 'The new powers of the Auditor-General have made this threat even more real than it was before. If the municipal manager does not make an effort to recover these costs from the councillors, the Auditor-General may come for the municipal manager and issue a certificate of debt to the municipal manager. 'So a diligent and careful municipal manager will not hesitate to recover the costs from the councillors, even if only to protect him or herself from individual liability. There could also be individual liability for the councillors who walked out,' Steyn said. Nqwazi's precautionary suspension Nqwazi was put on precautionary suspension in late 2023 and again in early 2024, pending disciplinary action which had been instituted against her. In his legal opinion, senior counsel Olav Ronaasen said he had been asked to advise on the viability of the disciplinary proceedings against Nqwazi and the status of the criminal proceedings against her to enable the council to reach an informed decision on whether it should persist with the disciplinary proceedings or withdraw them and continue to pursue a settlement with her, in terms of which her employment with the municipality would terminate. The National Treasury has refused to approve a departure which would allow a settlement to be paid, suggesting that the disciplinary proceedings should first be pursued to completion. But Ronaasen said in his analysis of the charges against Nqwazi, the disciplinary action was likely to fail as all the allegations against her neglected to take into account that she had been carrying out instructions from the city council. Lobishe has not responded to questions sent by Daily Maverick to her and the metro's director of communications. Despite weeks of pleas from business and civil society for improved service delivery and leadership stability, she has failed to explain her conduct on the city manager issue. The metro is facing a precarious time as tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump are set to come into operation on Friday. Nqwazi was arrested by the Hawks in September 2022, along with the metro's former human settlements director Norman Mapu, businessman Xolani Masela, his spouse Nwabisa, former Democratic Alliance councillors Trevor Louw, Neville Higgins and Victor Manyathi, and Nelson Mandela Bay ANC secretary Luyolo Nqakula. They face charges of corruption, money laundering, fraud and contravening the Municipal Finance Management Act. It is alleged that kickbacks for a toilet tender awarded during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic were used to reward Louw, Higgins and Manyathi for voting for a motion of no confidence against former DA mayor Athol Trollip. However, an application is pending for Nqwazi to be discharged after the close of the State's case, with her legal team arguing that the State had failed to lead any evidence against her. DM
IOL News
6 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Withdrawal of CFO secondment for Free State official amid Gupta-linked fraud case
A senior Free State provincial government official has had her secondment as the acting chief financial officer of the troubled Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality withdrawn as she is facing fraud charges relating to a R25 million contract awarded to the Gupta-linked Nulane Investments by the province's Agriculture Department. Image: Twitter / @SAPoliceService The secondment of a senior Free State provincial government official among the accused in the R25 million fraud case involving Gupta-linked Nulane Investments as Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality acting chief financial officer (CFO) has been withdrawn. Free State Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) and Human Settlements MEC Saki Mokoena had initially seconded the department's deputy director-general responsible for its specialised support, advice, and intervention unit Seipati Silvia Dhlamini. Earlier this month, Mokoena seconded Dhlamini as the municipality has been without a CFO for months after the contract of Matholase Mazinyo expired in March and was not renewed. Free State Cogta and Human Settlements Department spokesperson, Zimasa Mbewu, said Mokoena has withdrawn the secondment of Dhlamini, and Thuso Ronald Marumo, formerly CFO of the Moqhaka Local Municipality in Kroonstad, has been seconded to be Maluti-A-Phofung acting CFO. 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. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Dhlamini is accused number three in the Nulane matter and was the CFO of the provincial Agriculture Department when the company was awarded the R25m contract to conduct due diligence and feasibility studies into the R334m Vrede Diary Farm Project, part of the broader Mohoma Mobung Programme, run by Indian company Estina on behalf of the department. She has been charged with unlawfully and intentionally, and with common purpose, committing fraud. In April 2023, the Free State High Court withdrew charges against Dhlamini and her co-accused, but last month, the Supreme Court of Appeal ordered they be retried for the same offences they were acquitted of as if they had not previously been arraigned, tried, and acquitted but provided that a different judge presides over the trial. Dhlamini is charged with businessman Iqbal Sharma and his company Nulane Investments, former heads of the Free State Agriculture Department, Peter Thabethe and Limakatso Moorosi, Ronica Ragavan, who represented the fugitive Gupta family's Islandsite Investments, and Dinesh Patel, who is Sharma's brother-in-law and a Nulane Investments representative. During a council meeting in April, assets manager Tsietsi Moremi was appointed acting CFO for a period of three months or until a new permanent CFO was appointed, whichever came first. However, the following month, the council rescinded its resolution and delegated Malekula Melato, the controversial mayor of the troubled municipality, to request Mokoena to second a suitable person to act in the position until a suitable candidate has been appointed. Even before the rescission of Moremi's temporary appointment, in April, Maluti-a-Phofung Municipal Manager Advocate Motsoahae Mofokeng then informed staff in a directive that all the powers of the CFO were recalled and now in his office. 'This is informed by the fact that certain due diligence processes have to be carried out before (the) letter of appointment is dispatched. 'All managers in the finance department should thus report directly to the municipal manager's office forthwith until the said acting CFO receives an appointment letter,' Mofokeng wrote on April 4. In correspondence addressed to Melato dated July 10, Mokoena said he was only in a position to grant the request for a suitably skilled, competent, and qualified candidate in terms of Municipal System Amendment Act 03 of 2022, on such conditions as prescribed, to act in the advertised position until such time as a suitable candidate has been appointed. Mokoena set out a number of conditions including a process plan with timelines on filling of the vacant post of CFO and a provision that all additional cost associated with the secondment such as compensation of the seconded official, an allowance and compensation while on secondment for subsistence and travel etc. are borne by the municipality. Additionally, the secondment must be by agreement, which must stipulate the duration and party responsible for costs. 'The agreement must further include terms of reference, which outline that a person seconded must account to the municipal manager, report in writing at least once a month to the relevant seconding authority with regard to the key performance areas relevant to the position together with the development and implementation of any municipal institutional recovery plan for which the seconded official is responsible,' demanded Mokoena. He said he was seconding Dhlamini and requested Melato to engage Speaker Mandlenkosi Dlamini in order to convene a council meeting on the seconded candidate to allow council to consider the appointment of the seconded candidate and table the conditions for the position of CFO. Mokoena also asked the municipality to forward a signed council resolution in terms of Municipal System Amendment Act appointing the seconded candidates to act in the relevant position after the secondment. Melato was also asked to provide regular progress reports in writing to the relevant seconding authority with regard to the filling of the post and the development and implementation of any municipal institutional recovery plan for which the seconded official is responsible. Mofokeng did not respond to requests for comment.
