Latest news with #R500
TimesLIVE
3 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Sedibeng mayor facing suspension found unharmed after 'hijacking and kidnapping'
Sedibeng mayor Lerato Maloka and her driver were found unharmed after they were allegedly hijacked and kidnapped from Alberton on the East Rand on Friday. Gauteng police spokesperson Brig Brenda Muridili said the owner of a house Maloka and her driver were leaving from reported the hijacking. 'Preliminary reports suggest the owner of the house reported the matter to an individual who then informed the mayor's husband. The husband went to report the matter at Dawn Park police station.' A broadcast was issued for her vehicle. 'The vehicle was recovered at about midnight in Dawn Park by Katlehong police. A few hours later at about 2am, the mayor and the driver were found unharmed and reunited with their families.' Muridili said statements would be taken from the victims and police were looking for the suspects. The incident comes as Maloka faced a disciplinary investigation into alleged misconduct this week. DA Sedibeng caucus leader Cllr Sibusiso Dyonase said in a statement on Thursday the council had resolved to write to Gauteng MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs Jacob Mamabolo calling for Maloka's immediate suspension. 'Maloka has long been a problematic figure, today's resolution centres around her and other municipal officials' misdeeds in wasting more than R500,000 on a trip to Germany. Prominently, her role in the destruction of the mayoral vehicle featured as part of today's proceedings. Sugar was found in the engine of the car after the council forced her to use the R490,000 vehicle.' Dyonase said Maloka had called for a full investigation into maladministration in her administration while claiming she was the target of a smear campaign.
SowetanLIVE
7 hours ago
- SowetanLIVE
Sedibeng mayor facing suspension found unharmed after alleged hijacking and kidnapping
Sedibeng mayor Lerato Maloka and her driver were found unharmed after they were allegedly hijacked and kidnapped from Alberton on the East Rand on Friday. Gauteng police spokesperson Brig Brenda Muridili said the owner of a house Maloka and her driver were leaving from reported the hijacking. 'Preliminary reports suggest the owner of the house reported the matter to an individual who then informed the mayor's husband. The husband went to report the matter at Dawn Park police station.' A broadcast was issued for her vehicle. 'The vehicle was recovered at about midnight in Dawn Park by Katlehong police. A few hours later at about 2am, the mayor and the driver were found unharmed and reunited with their families.' Muridili said statements would be taken from the victims and police were looking for the suspects. The incident comes as Maloka faced a disciplinary investigation into alleged misconduct this week. DA Sedibeng caucus leader Cllr Sibusiso Dyonase said in a statement on Thursday the council had resolved to write to Gauteng MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs Jacob Mamabolo calling for Maloka's immediate suspension. 'Maloka has long been a problematic figure, today's resolution centres around her and other municipal officials' misdeeds in wasting more than R500,000 on a trip to Germany. Prominently, her role in the destruction of the mayoral vehicle featured as part of today's proceedings. Sugar was found in the engine of the car after the council forced her to use the R490,000 vehicle.' Dyonase said Maloka had called for a full investigation into maladministration in her administration while claiming she was the target of a smear campaign. TimesLIVE
TimesLIVE
8 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Sedibeng mayor facing suspension found unharmed after alleged hijacking and kidnapping
Sedibeng mayor Lerato Maloka and her driver were found unharmed after they were allegedly hijacked and kidnapped from Alberton on the East Rand on Friday. Gauteng police spokesperson Brig Brenda Muridili said the owner of a house Maloka and her driver were leaving from reported the hijacking. 'Preliminary reports suggest the owner of the house reported the matter to an individual who then informed the mayor's husband. The husband went to report the matter at Dawn Park police station.' A broadcast was issued for her vehicle. 'The vehicle was recovered at about midnight in Dawn Park by Katlehong police. A few hours later at about 2am, the mayor and the driver were found unharmed and reunited with their families.' Muridili said statements would be taken from the victims and police were looking for the suspects. The incident comes as Maloka faced a disciplinary investigation into alleged misconduct this week. DA Sedibeng caucus leader Cllr Sibusiso Dyonase said in a statement on Thursday the council had resolved to write to Gauteng MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs Jacob Mamabolo calling for Maloka's immediate suspension. 'Maloka has long been a problematic figure, today's resolution centres around her and other municipal officials' misdeeds in wasting more than R500,000 on a trip to Germany. Prominently, her role in the destruction of the mayoral vehicle featured as part of today's proceedings. Sugar was found in the engine of the car after the council forced her to use the R490,000 vehicle.' Dyonase said Maloka had called for a full investigation into maladministration in her administration while claiming she was the target of a smear campaign.
The Citizen
a day ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Tshwane councillors clash over budget
The Tshwane metro council meeting at Tshwane House witnessed intense debates as councillors scrutinised the latest budget. The budget, above R50-billion, was presented by the MMC for Finance and Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise last month. The debates, marked by political tensions and divergent views, highlighted the metro's ongoing financial challenges and the complexities of governance. Modise tabled a fully funded budget for the 2025/26 financial year in a move towards financial sustainability and improved service delivery. The budget was formally endorsed by the National Treasury, marking an achievement for the municipality, previously plagued by financial instability. He hailed his budget as a turning point in Tshwane governance and fiscal management. The budget doesn't rely on external loans or borrowing, which Modise described as 'historic and a reflection of responsible leadership'. Despite the budget's passage with 113 votes, opposition parties raised concerns. The DA rejected and criticised the budget, and described it as using residents as 'cash cows'. DA councillor Jacqui Uys highlighted that the ANC in Tshwane has ignored opposition voices and included another punitive tax on residents. Uys said the plan is to tax every single resident who cannot afford to use the metro's rubbish collectors, at R500 per month, by forcing them to pay R200 per month in the form of a City Cleansing Levy. 'Private waste collectors already pay a fee to utilise the metro's dumping grounds, and those using private collectors will now pay double. Those who cannot afford the metro's rates will be penalised for being poor. 'R20-million is allocated to pay for an advisor, who will facilitate transactions, getting the Rooiwal and Pretoria West Power Stations operated privately. However, the fine print makes it clear that there is no plan to rid Tshwane of Eskom's 93c/KwA Wheeling tariff,' said Uys. She said no independent power producer will be able to sell electricity at the loss this tariff causes. 'The deputy mayor, in his budget speech, celebrated that the water woes of Ikageng are over. In Ikageng, the taps are dry, but water tankers can be found everywhere. This budget has almost doubled the Water and Sanitation Department's water tanker budget.' As Tshwane navigates its financial recovery, the effectiveness of the implemented measures and the administration's commitment to equitable service delivery will remain under scrutiny. Godwin Ratikwane of the EFF commended the MMC of Finance for presenting an improved budget that directly addresses long-standing social injustices raised by communities in the township and informal settlements. He said this budget 'reflects a decisive departure from the neglect of the past administrations and stands as a testament to the party's commitment to uplift the marginalised and make it great again'. 'The fully funded budget backed by the National Treasury is a clear signal that this administration is not merely making hollow promises, but taking concrete steps to transformative change. 'Let it be known that the R1.7-billion allocated to emergency services will revitalise the department, long neglected, and address the communities and the staff shortages that have jeopardised public safety,' said Ratikwana. LISTEN: ActionSA's Tshepo Modiba said this budget is not just a compliance exercise but a plan for inclusive development, service delivery, acceleration, and financial resilience. 'It gives life to the service delivery priorities we have set as a collective. It is a budget that passes both the test of legality and the test of vision. 'We acknowledge that the majority of revenue comes from service charges, and we are strengthening the social package to protect the vulnerable. This budget ensures we maintain the balance between financial stability, sustainability, and social responsibility,' said Modiba. FF Plus councillor Grandi Theunissen rejected the budget and said it places a financial burden on residents, businesses, and property owners. He said instead of the budget fostering growth and stability, it prioritises revenue, extraction over ethical governance, disregards economic realities and fails to uphold financial justice. 'The new valuation role has caused property values to increase for an average of 24.17%, drastically increasing municipal tax obligations, the metro claims to soften the impact by 4%, and adjusting the threshold from R150 000 to R250 000. 'The controversial city cleaning levy unfairly targets households and businesses that do not rely on municipal waste collection, forcing them to pay for services that they do not use. This levy amounts to double taxation,' he said. LISTEN: Modise said the passing of the budget by the council marks a turning point for Tshwane's financial governance and service delivery capabilities. 'The approval of this budget restores credibility to the city's institutional capacity and sends a clear message that Tshwane is moving forward with purpose, discipline, and unity of vision. 'This outcome reflects extensive work behind the scenes, from council engagements to technical planning, all in service of building a city that works better for its people,' Modise said. 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!
The Citizen
a day ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Government pays R6 Million from R500 million Spaza Shop Fund
Only a fraction of the fund has reached township and rural spaza shop traders as verification delays slow disbursements The department of small business development has so far disbursed R6 million from the R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund (SSSF). This is aimed at supporting South African-owned spaza shops and food-handling outlets in townships and rural areas. Launched last month, the fund is designed to provide financial assistance of up to R300 000 per shop through a mix of grants and low-interest loans. However, according to small business development minister Stella Ndabeni, on Thursday, the implementation has been slower than expected. 'This is moving at a slow pace due to all the parties that are involved in coordinating the work, which includes inspections and verification of citizenship, as well as site and health inspections,' she said. Focus on compliance and sustainability To qualify for funding, shop owners had to register for an operating permit before the deadline. The money can be used for stock purchases, infrastructure improvements, business development tools and the adoption of point of sale (POS) systems. 'The fund will assist shop owners that met the deadline for the registration of an operating permit,' Ndabeni said. The initiative is administered by the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) and the Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency (SEFDA) and includes support to help businesses meet hygiene and regulatory standards. ALSO READ: Illegal spaza shops 'still proliferate' despite warnings Global SME Summit set for July The Minister also announced that South Africa will host the first-ever Global Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) Ministerial Meeting in Johannesburg from 22 to 24 July 2025. The event, co-organised with the United Nations Small Business Agency, will see participation from nearly 50 countries, including Brazil, Kenya, India and Switzerland. 'We are steadfast in our commitment to create a more enabling legislative and policy environment that empowers small businesses to grow, scale up and compete on the global stage,' said Ndabeni. She said the meeting would help shape global small business policy and push for the formation of a dedicated MSME Working Group under the G20 during South Africa's presidency. 'We do not want a talk shop. We will emerge with practical initiatives that strengthen the global MSME support eco-system,' she added. NOW READ: Spaza shops ask for more than R32m worth of stock
