Latest news with #R466
The Citizen
4 days ago
- The Citizen
Over R500 million spent by government on civil claims against police
Over 15 000 civil claims against police were lodged in the space of 12 months, leading management to increase training for officers. The state has parted ways with over half a billion rand in payments for civil claims against police in the space of 12 months. Data showed that the state and the police ministry were reluctant to settle matters, instead forcing the courts to grant payment orders to complainants. The police ministry noted that officers had been undergoing training in order to prevent situations that would cost the state down the line. Over 15 000 civil claims The minister of police was asked via a written submission in parliament about the scale of civil claims against police in the country. The ministry replied with the latest available figures, presenting the stats for the 2023/24 financial year as more recent claims were still in the legal pipeline. Data provided for the period mentioned, showed that 15 067 civil claims were made against police for wrongful arrest, as well as another 180 related to shooting incidents. The combined amount of the claims totalled R14.8 billion for arrests and detentions, and R741 million for the shooting-related civil claims. 'It must be noted that the above reflect the total number of new claims received during the 2023/2024 financial year and the amount claimed,' the police ministry noted. The respondents — the state and the police minster — settled the claims out of court roughly 5% of the time, with the remainder of claimants requiring a court order to force payment. For arrests and detention, the state paid out R466 million — R20.6 million through settlement and R445 million by court order. In civil claims related to shooting incidents, settlements accounted for R4.4 million, while court orders forced the payment of R57.8 million Reiterating national instructions The police ministry stated it was implementing several measures to help officers to avoid 'undesirable consequences'. These measures centre around 'mind-set changes' as well as the 'attitudes and behaviours' of officers through rigorous internal communications programmes. 'The issue of civil claims has been identified as a strategic risk for the department, requiring that specified risk owners implement specific actions to mitigate, or reduce the incidence of civil claims,' explained the ministry. A risk committee was set up to report mitigation measures to management and additional training on how to guard against civil claims was touted. Areas of police work mentioned as needing attention centred around the treatment of arrested people, dealing with domestic violence incidents and crowd management, among others. '[This includes] the drafting of and workshopping of members on specific instructions aimed at regulating the powers that are accorded to Saps members,' the ministry concluded. NOW READ: Police ahead! What to do at a roadblock
The Citizen
25-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
SA sees ‘dramatic' increase in munition exports in last three months — here is where they went
The committee approved 283 export permits for munitions, valued at just under R5 billion. The South African defence industry continues to grow along with the demand for products produced in the country. On Friday, the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) briefed the Joint Standing Committee on Defence on the 2025 first and second quarter reports. The current committee, headed by Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in October last year. The committee, comprising 11 ministers and deputy ministers, will serve a five-year term. According to Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and NCACC Deputy Chairperson Andries Nel, the committee has held nine meetings since then. It has issued 129 registration permits, nine marketing permits, and 138 contracting permits, valued at R33 billion. Munition permits The committee has issued 461 conventional munition export permits, valued at R5.8 billion, and 149 permits for the export of dual-use items, valued at R466 million. 'The committee is fully functional and seized with discharging its duties in terms of the Conventional Arms Control Act. This does not mean there are no challenges. The committee is attempting to address these challenges through developing a standard operating procedure to guide its work and modernising and digitising the processing of applications,' said Nel. ALSO READ: Reserve Force members allegedly defraud cash-strapped SANDF of R1.1 million Between January 2025 and June 2025, the committee approved 90 registration certificates and one marketing [the promotion of conventional arms and any negotiation of a tender, advertising, shows, exhibitions or giving of information relating to conventional arms]. It approved 85 contracting permits valued at R17.2 billion. The committee approved 283 export permits for munitions, valued at just under R5 billion. According to Nel, 79 permits for the export of dual-use items [products, technology, services and other goods which, besides their normal use and application for civilian purposes, can also be used for the furtherance of general military capability] were approved, valued at R287 million. Nel said 165 import permits were approved, valued at R156 million. 'The committee's work is accelerating. During the second quarter, 56 companies were registered, compared to 34 during the first quarter,' he said. 'The value of contracting permits approved was R9.3 billion during the second quarter. This is compared to R7.9 billion during the first quarter. ALSO READ: Motshekga dismisses allegations of 'rampant ill-discipline' in SANDF 'The most dramatic increase was the export of munitions. During the second quarter, this stood at R4.9 billion compared to R907 million during the first quarter.' Exports of arms The industry continues to export arms to different regions, with Europe being the biggest importer of South African-produced munitions. Between January 2025 and March 2025, Europe imported the biggest share of South African-produced munitions, at 59%. This was followed by the Middle East at 30% and Australasia at 11%. ALSO READ: Why South Africa can't defend itself anymore During the same period, the Americas were the largest importers of South African-produced dual-use goods and technologies, accounting for 65%. This was followed by the Middle East at 15%, Europe at 14% and Africa at 5%. Between April 2025 and June 2025, Europe remained the largest importer of munitions, accounting for 52%. This was followed by Africa, which recorded the highest increase, at 35%, from 1% in the previous quarter, and the Americas at 7%. The largest importer of dual-use goods and technologies during this quarter was Africa, accounting for 54%. This was followed by the Americas, with 36%, and the Middle East, with 6%. 'The industry we are regulating makes a considerable contribution to economic growth, development, and the retention of skills and innovation,' said Nel. READ NEXT: SA's military proves resilience despite the odds
The Citizen
08-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Merafong residents brace for major tariff hikes after municipal budget approval
Residents of Merafong are set to experience significant increases in municipal service charges from 1 July 2025, after the 2025/2026 municipal budget was officially approved during a Special Council Meeting on 28 May. The newly approved budget outlines steep hikes across various services: Water tariffs will rise by 15.30% Electricity tariffs will increase by 8–11%, depending on usage Sewerage services will go up by 9.5% Refuse removal will increase by 6% Sundry tariffs will also rise by 6% In addition, property rates for residents living in towns will rise by 5%, while agricultural properties and Public Service Infrastructure (PSI) will see a 3% increase. Mine property rates will rise by 4.4%. The total budgeted expenditure exceeds R2.7 billion, with the largest portion allocated to debt repayment, followed by spending on bulk purchases such as water and electricity. Employee-related costs are expected to total R466,720,835. Despite opposition from the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), the budget was passed by majority vote. These increases are likely to place additional financial strain on residents already grappling with rising living costs. The municipality has defended the hikes as necessary to ensure service delivery and cover growing operational expenses. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
R466bn ‘hit' as National Treasury lowers SA GDP forecast
'This is the main contributor to the projected increase in the country's debt-to-GDP ratio' – DG Duncan Pieterse. South Africa's National Treasury has lowered its GDP growth forecast for the country (to 1.4%) for 2025, as well as for the next two years (1.6% in 2026 and 1.8% in 2027), in the wake of 'international trade volatility and policy uncertainty' due to US President Donald Trump's tariffs and the resultant threat of a global trade war. The slower growth over the next three years is expected to have a R466 billion 'hit' on the SA economy, Director-General (DG) of the Treasury Duncan Pieterse confirmed in response to questions during a Budget 3.0 media Q&A session on Wednesday. In the March budget, Treasury forecast 1.9% GDP growth for 2025, 1.7% for 2026, and 1.9% for 2027. However, it had to revise this downwards in the latest budget. Facing questions about SA's 'weaker fiscal position' reflected in the country's higher debt-to-GDP forecast of 77.4% in Budget 3.0 (up from 76.2% in the March budget), Pieterse said the downward revision in economic growth 'is what's driving' the increase in debt-to-GDP projections over the next three years, not higher government debt levels or significant increases in spending. ALSO READ: Sensible or underwhelming? Economists react to Godongwana's Budget 3.0 He said that due to the revision of the economic outlook, SA is now forecast to see 'a R130 billion movement' in nominal GDP growth for 2025 – essentially less-than-expected growth. 'In 2026/27, the impact would be around R161 billion, and in 2027/28, around R178 billion … The cumulative effect [of the lower GDP growth] is some R466 billion,' Pieterse later added. 'Included in this is the fact that we ended up with lower-than-expected GDP growth in the last quarter of 2024 [0.6%, instead of the forecast 0.8%]. Remember that the Q4 2024 GDP outcome was not included in the March budget [it was not released at the time],' he explained. Source: National Treasury Pieterse said the lower GDP growth forecast effectively 'pushed up the debt-to-GDP' or debt as a percentage of GDP metric. 'However, for us, the de facto fiscal anchor is the primary surplus … And that is getting better. We believe our fiscal objectives are on track,' he said, echoing Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. ALSO READ: Budget 3.0 was not a chainsaw budget, economists say Pieterse stressed that more focus should be placed on SA's primary surplus and the fact that the forecast budget deficit as a percentage of GDP was still 'intact' at 4.6% for 2025/26. 'As global growth has faltered, South Africa's economic outlook has also weakened, with GDP expected to grow by only 1.4% in 2025. Global risk and economic weakness reinforce the need for us to put our fiscal house in order,' he said in the foreword of the latest Budget Review, tabled with other budget documents in parliament on Wednesday. 'The fiscal strategy remains on course so that government can spend less on debt-service costs and more on critical public services. As per our commitment, government debt will stabilise in 2025/26 at 77.4% of GDP. For the first time since the 2000s, government is consistently running a primary surplus, where revenue exceeds non-interest expenditure,' Pieterse added. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
The Citizen
21-05-2025
- The Citizen
Metro removes occupants from condemned building
The Tshwane metro, led by Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya, recently evicted occupants of a Pretoria West building marked for demolition. In March, the metro obtained a court order to demolish illegally constructed buildings on Stand 1313 and Stand 1312, located at 510 and 514 Luttig Street, Pretoria West. The Pretoria High Court received an appeal from George Asaba and GABSA Consolidated Prop (Pty) Ltd to stop the order from being carried out, but the appeal was struck off the roll in the High Court on April 3. The structures built violated the National Building Regulations and Building Standards. While conducting a Tshwane Ya Tima drive in parts of the CBD and Pretoria West, the mayor stopped by the condemned property to remove any occupants or property still left at the site. They stopped the Tshwane Ya Tima operation temporarily to support the officers enforcing the court order. 'Something good happened in our pursuit of law and order in our city. We have obtained a court order that has allowed us to demolish the structure. Both of these yards have erected all of this illegally. There are no approved plans, so we approached the court and the court granted us the order,' Moya said. Moya said the city has been fighting for three years in court while owners kept expanding their building, and described the order being granted as a victory for Tshwane. 'These private people who erect these [buildings] and rent them out don't want to take the responsibility for those people who then rent from them. It's quite sad to see such because it shows people want to put money over people's rights,' she said. 'We have removed the people who are staying here because, more than anything, these buildings are not safe. We can say we're not going to evict people, but what if something happens to them? We've seen these cases in Tshwane, and we've seen them in Joburg. She said they were going to demolish the structure. 'When you look at it, you can see no thought went into the fact that this is a space that should be suitable for human beings. The toilets are connected to the kitchen and all sorts of things. Moya said there was going to be law and order in Tshwane and that they are going to target 'these buildings with no control or order'. 'Pretoria West is notorious for these,' Moya said. The Tshwane metro has also impounded several vehicles that were found inside this yard. 'The landlords of these illegal buildings take advantage of the fact that the people who are desperate for housing are usually foreigners, a factor found to be at play in this instance,' said the mayor. Other stops during the Ya Tima drive included the Bothongo Plaza, which was the second switch-off operation done at that location. The owners have defaulted and owe the city more than R1.17-million. A building on Francis Baard Street in the CBD was shut off after owing R466 956. This building leases space to various businesses, including a government department. The third property was in Sunnyside, which owes the city R3-million. The fourth stop was in Pretoria West at the Ebbul Foods factory, which owes R445 382. Tshwane Ya Tima also disconnected Daimler Trucks and Buses Southern Africa. The company owes R608 313. The final stop was at Delta Prop Fund, which made good on its promise to immediately pay its outstanding debt of R492 211. Residents and businesses are urged to settle their municipal accounts as soon as possible to avoid disconnection. Watch here: Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
