Latest news with #R50bn
The Citizen
4 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
Residents of Limpopo village fed up after not getting water for 15 years
Residents of a village near Giyani are forced to get water from a river, while the Mopani District Municipality downplays the problem. Residents of Siyandhani Village in Giyani, Limpopo, run the risk of contracting diseases if they continue to drink the filthy water from the Ritavi River, which they are forced to use for survival. They told The Citizen they last saw a drop of water coming out of their taps approximately 15 years ago. Residents accuse municipality of ignoring water crisis Ashwin Khoza, a resident, said they have tried everything to convince the municipality to supply them with clean water. 'We have never had water in the past 15 years, and the municipality is aware but doing nothing about it. Siyandhani comprises many villages, and most of us don't have access to clean water. To make things worse, a municipal water tanker does not even come to rescue us; it only supplies water to the nearest village where the ANC councillor resides.' ALSO READ: R42m water storage facility installed, but taps run dry in Xanthia village Khoza said some in the community are profiting from the crisis. Residents have been buying water from those who have privately installed taps in their yards. 'At home, we are five and every month we spend about R500 buying water. We buy about 750 litres three times a month, and the water vendors charge us a lot because they know that we don't have other options. But the most terrible thing is that there are those who don't have the money to buy, and they are forced to collect water from the Ritavi River. Remember, we are a family of five, and we use the water to drink, cook and do laundry.' Sharing water with animals One of those using water from the river, who agreed to speak to The Citizen but asked not to be named, said they boil the water before drinking it. She said sometimes the water is dirty because the animals also drink there. 'We are talking about the river, not a dam, so it has not been fenced; the animals also drink there. We are at serious risk of being infected with waterborne diseases. The municipality does not give us straight answers about this problem.' Some years ago, Giyani made headlines after the collapse of a R2.2-billion water project aimed at bringing clean water to the people. Khatho Civils, one of the companies that was contracted to direct water from the Nsami Dam to various reservoirs around Giyani, claimed that 95% of the project was completed. ALSO READ: Water projects worth R50bn to be constructed in Limpopo while progress on older projects stalls Rodney Mavundza, DA councillor in Mopani District Municipality, said Mopani District Municipal Manager Tshepo Mogano must account for the failure to provide clean water to Siyandhani Village. 'The Mopani District Municipality has failed to supply water from Mapuve Water Works and to deal with the water mafia hijacking the water supply from the bulk pipes. This is largely due to the lack of bylaws to deal with those who steal water and sell it to the community,' he said. Mopani District Municipality downplays water problem Mopani District Municipality spokesperson Odas Ngobeni, however, said the water problem is not as widespread as the residents claim. 'The community of Siyandhani is serviced and receives water from Mapuve Water Works, which receives water from Middle-Letaba Dam. We accept that there may be limitations in that certain portions of that community may not be receiving water, particularly the new stands, and that is why we deploy water tankers to areas through the local municipality,' Ngobeni said. He also blamed vandalism for some of the water woes. 'We have six boreholes drilled to augment water supply in that village, but all were vandalised and key components were stolen, including transformers.' Ngobeni said Siyandhani is also set to benefit from phase two of the water reticulation part of the Giyani Water Project, which targets the next 31 villages. NOW READ: R213m down the drain as Limpopo residents still have no water
The Citizen
10-07-2025
- Climate
- The Citizen
Dam level warnings intensify in Mpumalanga
Only one dam recorded a significant improvement, while the others remained stagnant or decreased. The Department of Water and Sanitation has called on Mpumalanga residents, especially those in the Lowveld and Ehlanzeni District, to intensify water conservation efforts after the province's latest dam level report revealed a concerning trend of declining water reserves across multiple facilities. The warning was announced following the department's release of its state of reservoirs report this week. The report shows that while one dam experienced significant improvement, the majority of monitored facilities either maintained current levels or recorded decreases. Single dam shows improvement amid broader water levels decline Longmere Dam emerged as the sole success story in the latest reporting period, with water levels surging from 90.7% to 98.2% capacity. However, this positive development was overshadowed by declining levels at several other key facilities across the province. ALSO READ: Vaal Dam water levels double compared to last year 'The rest of the listed dams either declined or remained unchanged,' said Wisane Mavasa, spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation. Several dams maintained their previous levels, with Kwena, Buffelskloof and Witklip dams holding steady at 100.2% capacity, while Da Gama Dam remained unchanged at 98.4%. Major Dams record water level drops Multiple strategically important dams experienced decreases in their water levels during the reporting period. According to the department, Blyderivierpoort Dam saw a marginal drop from 100.1% to 100.0%, while Driekoppies Dam decreased from 93.5% to 93.3%. More significant was the decline at Klipkopjes Dam, which fell from 100.0% to 96.1% capacity. Other facilities showing decreases included Primkop Dam, which dropped from 100.6% to 100.4%, Inyaka Dam, which declined from 99.0% to 98.4%, and Ohrigstad Dam, which slipped from 76.6% to 76.0%. The cumulative effect of these changes resulted in Mpumalanga's average dam levels decreasing from 99.2% to 99.0%. ALSO READ: 7 day water outages coming to these Joburg areas Water management areas face declining capacity The province's water management areas also reflected the broader trend of declining levels. The Limpopo-Olifants Water Management Area dropped from 94.4% to 94.3%, while the Inkomati-Usuthu Water Management Area decreased from 98.5% to 98.3%. All three of Mpumalanga's districts experienced reductions in their water storage levels. Ehlanzeni District declined from 96.8% to 96.5%, Gert Sibande moved from 99.8% to 99.6%, and Nkangala dropped from 100.4% to 100.3%. ALSO READ: Water projects worth R50bn to be constructed in Limpopo while progress on older projects stalls Department emphasises conservation despite high levels Despite the relatively high capacity levels across most facilities, the department stressed the importance of maintaining conservation efforts, citing South Africa's ongoing water security challenges. 'While many of these changes may appear marginal, they serve as a reminder that South Africa remains a water-scarce country,' Mavasa stated. ALSO READ: Lepelle responds to water project criticism The department emphasised that sustained conservation efforts remain essential for ensuring long-term water supply security across the province. Residents called to action Officials have outlined specific steps residents can take to contribute to water conservation efforts. The public has been encouraged to use water responsibly and implement water-saving measures in their daily routines. The department has specifically urged residents to address household leaks promptly, eliminate wasteful water practices, and report any infrastructure problems to the relevant authorities. 'Every drop of water counts, and preserving this precious resource is a collective responsibility,' according to the department's conservation messaging. READ NEXT: Rand Water maintenance deepens Joburg water crisis
The Citizen
06-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Ayo fined over breach of listing rules
JSE has fined the company R500 000. JSE-listed Ayo Technology Solutions has been fined R500 000 for not releasing a Sens announcement with full details of a share buyback after agreeing to a settlement agreement with the parties on 23 March 2023. On Thursday, the JSE said in a Sens update that the fine is wholly suspended for five years, provided the technology company is not found to be in breach of similar provisions of the listings requirements during the suspension period. Read: Ayo suspended from JSE This comes after Ayo announced that its parent company, Sekunjalo Investment Holdings, led by controversial businessman Iqbal Survé, planned to buy out minority shareholders before the company delisted. In the Sens, Ayo said Sekunjalo will acquire the offer shares, a maximum of 155 331 790 shares, for which valid acceptances are received prior to the closing date of the offer, for a total offer consideration of R80 772 531. Read: Iqbal Survé's R50bn grand plan for Ayo [Apr 2019] In February 2025, the JSE suspended trading in Ayo shares for failing to publish its annual report for the year to August 2024. 'I believe we have done everything within our power to ensure compliance with the listings requirements, however, the release of our results is contingent on the external quality reviewer, the independence and process of which we respect,' said Ayo CEO Amit Makan in a statement. Read: Ayo shareholders agree to repay R619m to PIC [Jun 2024] For this new offence, the JSE says the company was found to be in breach of paragraph 11.25 of the listings requirements, and the purpose of these requirements is to ensure that a repurchase of shares by a company from specifically named parties is conducted transparently and fairly. The stock exchange says this rule highlights the need to keep investors informed by sharing important updates on Sens, especially when it could impact investment decisions or share value. Read: Ayo shareholders agree to repay R619m to PIC 'The JSE finds it unacceptable that Ayo failed to immediately inform shareholders that it had agreed to repurchase its shares from the parties as part of the settlement agreement.' The company's shares have dropped to 40c, down 99% from the peak of R45 in 2017. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
TimesLIVE
21-05-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Sars gets R4bn to hire army of debt collectors
Finance minister Enoch Godongwana has allocated R4bn to the South African Revenue Service (Sars) in the current financial year to help it strengthen its capacity to collect more tax revenue. The tax authority will immediately use the money to hire more than 1,000 debt collectors to claw back up to R50bn per year in revenue owed to Sars. Godongwana made the announcement when he tabled the 2025/2026 budget in parliament on Wednesday, his third attempt since February. The two previous budget proposals, the first on February 19 and the second on March 12, were rejected by some ANC ministers, parties in the government of national unity (GNU) including the DA and the Freedom Front Plus, and those outside the GNU including the EFF and MK Party. They had clashed over Godongwana's proposals to raise VAT, since dumped after the DA and the EFF challenged the matter in court. Godongwana's latest budget documents show Sars collected R95bn during the previous financial year of 2024/2025. 'Over the medium term expenditure framework (MTEF) period [of three years], the agency will receive an additional R7.5bn relative to the baseline. Part of the allocation is expected to increase debt collection by R20bn to R50bn per year. 'The potential revenue is not included in the revenue estimates. However, the performance of Sars will be monitored by assessing the change in the amount of cash collected, which will be published monthly.' Godongwana had previously allocated R3.5bn to Sars during the medium budget policy statement in November last year. The allocations will also see Sars investing in new technology, data science and artificial intelligence to beef up its capacity to collect more money. Sars commissioner Edward Kieswetter has previously called on National Treasury to allocate it more resources for it to go after tax dodgers. At a pre-budget briefing, Kieswetter said he would hire up to 1,700 debt collectors to chase billions owed to Sars. 'In April we hired 500. We've used April to train and upskill them. From June 1 we'll bring a further 250 and that takes us to about 750,' Kieswetter said. Sars was aiming to collect at least R120bn in total tax debt in the MTEF period. Less for early retirement spending and defence amid DRC withdrawal Godongwana has reduced allocations to the government's early retirement programme. The early retirement plan is aimed at reducing the number of public servants by encouraging government employees aged 55 and above to retire early without incurring early withdrawal penalties. The early retirement package has been cut from R11bn to R5.5bn from this year up to 2027. 'Discussions with organised labour on the process are under way in the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC). The allocation will be revisited on the conclusion of the consultations as part of the next budget process, though functions that are not parties to the PSCBC process, such as the department of defence, can proceed with implementation.' Allocations to the department of defence have been cut by R2bn due to the 'expedited schedule for withdrawal' of SANDF troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
TimesLIVE
05-05-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Gold Fields to buy Australia's Gold Road in A$3.7bn deal
Gold Fields will acquire Gold Road Resources in a sweetened deal valuing the Australian miner's equity at A$3.7bn (R44bn), Gold Road said on Monday, as sky-high bullion prices drive a wave of tie-ups. Gold Road's shares rallied as much as 12% on the offer, which was pitched at a 14.5% premium to the company's last closing price. The buyout will allow Gold Fields to consolidate ownership over the low-cost, long-life Gruyere gold mine in Western Australia, which it operates under a joint venture with Gold Road. It is the third notable deal in six months in the sector that is one of the hottest spots globally for mergers and acquisitions, as rising geopolitical uncertainties power a record rally in the yellow metal. Australian gold miner Northern Star Resources agreed in December to buy De Grey Mining in an all-share deal worth A$5bn (R59.3bn), while Ramelius Resources said it would take over smaller peer Spartan Resources to build a combined A$4.2bn (R50bn) group. Under the terms announced on Monday, Gold Road shareholders will receive a fixed cash consideration of A$2.52 (R30) per share and a variable cash component equal to the full value of the each shareholder's stake in Northern Star Resources. That was up from Gold Fields' offer in March of A$2.27 cash per share plus the variable cash component which Gold Road rejected as "highly opportunistic". As of Friday's close, the deal equates to A$3.40 (R27) per Gold Road share. Gold Fields said on May 2 it was in active discussions with Gold Road but did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday outside of normal office hours.
