Latest news with #R73
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Parliament fire: Over R500m already spent as restoration project now expected to cost R4.4bn
The reconstruction of Parliament is expected to be completed in late 2026. Smoke billows out of the National Assembly building after the fire at Parliament on 2 January 2022 in Cape Town. Picture: Gallo Images More than R500 million has already been spent on repairing Parliament after a fire in 2022, with the total cost of the reconstruction project now projected to reach R4.4 billion. This was revealed during a meeting of the joint standing committee on the financial management of parliament on Friday. MPs received updates on the investigation into the fire that destroyed parliament, which was not insured, as well as progress made in the ongoing restoration efforts. The Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) provided detailed briefings on the restoration process, while officials from the auditor-general's office dealt with the financial management of the project. Sections of the National Assembly and Old Assembly buildings suffered major damage during the fire on 2 January 2022. The reconstruction is expected to be completed in late 2026 following delays that have extended the original deadline. Zandile Mafe, who admitted to starting the fire and was charged with terrorism and arson, was declared unfit to stand trial in December 2023. Parliament fire: Restoration progress Chuene Ramphele, DBSA group executive for infrastructure delivery, said during the meeting that work was initially stalled as the parliamentary site was treated as a crime scene and secured by police. 'Technically, the work actually started in March 2023,' he told the joint committee. Ramphele said that significant progress had been made since work officially began, including the construction of 155 offices for MPs on Plein Street. 'At this stage, our focus is primarily on the refurbishment,' he said. ALSO READ: Macpherson accused of being 'weak' after saying he's being sidelined over Parliament fire He said that demolition works were completed in March 2024 and came in under budget at R73 million, saving R2 million in the process. Due to design changes and necessary statutory approvals, the initial R2 billion budget had risen. 'When we concluded the detailed designs, you'll see that we started to be very sure of what are the detailed costs,' Ramphele said. 'After the final approval and the designs, the budget for both the refurbishment of the National Assembly and Old Assembly buildings amounted to R3.6 billion.' Watch the meeting below: Ramphele also said the DBSA is applying a risk-monitoring approach to minimise the impact of unforeseen challenges, such as bad weather, given the tight timeline. The revised total budget includes R900 million allocated for upgrading the information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure. National Assembly construction Ramphele said that Raubex Construction was awarded a R2.27 billion contract to work on the new National Assembly wing. 'The site was handed over in April after having appointed [the company] in December 2024,' he said. He noted that the delay was caused by difficulties in obtaining a construction permit from the department of labour. READ MORE: Parliament quietly reclaims its power 'We could not start if we did not have the construction permit and also making sure that the occupational safety issues are intact to avoid any issues because our biggest risk that we want to mitigate is to ensure there is no fatality on the site or any particular kind of incident.' Ramphele told the committee that guarantees are in place to manage the contractor's performance in case of failure to deliver. 'Other things about the project contract management in place is how we are going to manage the penalties and the penalty regimes that are going to apply in that regard.' Timelines At the moment, work is focused on the basement and structural foundations, including support pillars for two additional floors and a new roof structure. 'At this point in time, the work is happening underground,' he said, adding that 'we want a climate resilient Parliament'. Ramphele said that once the three basement levels are complete, the team will begin construction of the first through sixth floors, including beams and slabs. READ MORE: Parliament allocates R71m for medical aid for former MPs This phase will take approximately 12 months, with the project expected to reach 40% completion by April 2026. Interior finishes – including flooring, toilets, offices, committee rooms, the public gallery and a banquet hall – will require another 18 months, pushing projected progress to 75% by September 2026. Ramphele said the full restoration of the new National Assembly is expected to be completed within 20 months. 'At that point, we will be looking at commissioning the building. In particular we are looking at November 2026. So at that time, the building will be practically complete.' Old Assembly restoration According to Ramphele, a contractor for the Old Assembly building was appointed last month. The R1.3 billion project is expected to take 18 months. Ramphele confirmed that the site has already been handed over to the contractor. He concluded with an update on the overall cost of the parliamentary restoration. 'So far, we have already spent, with what has been happening and what we have done, R574 million. 'Ultimately, the entire programme of Parliament is at a cost of around R4.4 billion with the major items being the National Assembly and Old Assembly.' NOW READ: Reconstruction of Parliament to finally begin – will include gym, sauna and daycare centre
The Citizen
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Why mass deportation is failing SA's immigration system
Deportations are draining resources without solving immigration challenges. It's time to rethink our approach. Suspects in custody at the China Plaza Mall this month at Umbilo in Durban. It is reported that some companies hire illegal immigrants instead of local workers. Picture: Gallo Images Minister Leon Schreiber's budget speech in the National Assembly recently was rich in energy, statistics and digital reform promises. Yet, it was preceded by two quieter signals: a sobering portfolio committee report on budgetary pressures and Schreiber's own estimate, in February, that the department would have to 'make do with what it has'. Schreiber invoked the logic of compound interest to illustrate how smart, sustained action can yield exponential returns. However, if deportations are the investment and deterrence the return, then the department appears to be compounding inefficiencies, not public value. In a year marked by an unprecedented surge in deportation numbers, the question is not whether home affairs is working harder – as it clearly is – the question is whether it's working smarter. Does investing in mass deportations still make budgetary and policy sense, even to those who support the politically charged, somewhat frustrated, optics and xenophobic populism of groups like Operation Dudula, ostensibly in the name of preserving scarce public resources for South Africans? Home affairs allocated R897 million to its immigration affairs programme in the 2024-25 financial year. A significant portion of this is dedicated to enforcement: detentions, deportations and border management. ALSO READ: Reports of SA man arrested in US as eSwatini welcomes immigrants deported from US Lindela Repatriation Centre alone costs R6 million per month, or R70 million per year, and this is just to detain individuals prior to deportation. Schreiber reported that the department 'deported over 46 000 illegal immigrants, the highest number in five years and more than countries like France and Germany combined'. This dramatic operational scale should give rise to serious questions about sustainability. In its official reply to the parliamentary committee, the department confirmed that deportation-related expenditure for the full 2024-25 fiscal year was reported at R73 million. Against this expenditure, the reality remains that the estimated number of undocumented or fraudulently documented foreigners is not just highly vague, but often miscalculated and politically weaponised. Estimates range from a conservative one million, to higher estimates of over three million, and inflated figures up to six million. ALSO READ: Greece freezes asylum claims over migrant 'invasion' from Libya Whichever figure one accepts, deporting 69 000 people per year means addressing only a fraction of that population annually. This risks remaining an endless loop of ineffective, reactive policy that burns public funds without shifting the underlying dynamic. What if we were to imagine a different approach? One grounded not in fear and reaction, but in revenue, data integrity and constitutional accountability. What if we dared to imagine a two-year amnesty programme: undocumented migrants, or those holding fraudulent documents, coming forward voluntarily to undergo background and biometric checks, and for a temporary determined period of time to be granted an exemption against the payment of a nominal fee – for instance, a processing fee of R1 500 per person. Such fee to be payable to the department over and above the service fees otherwise applicable if the programme were to be administered via VFS Global, as was done with the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit process, plus a biometric fee. If even half of the cautiously estimated one million undocumented migrants applied, the department would raise R750 million in direct revenue. ALSO READ: Bus driver arrested after transporting nearly 80 undocumented Zimbabweans Full uptake could easily generate R1.5 billion over two years, more than enough to self-fund the programme, build biometric records, clear long-standing backlogs and allocate human resources more efficiently across departments. The programme could break even or even yield a surplus, particularly if digitised infrastructure is used. While deportations drain resources and create logistical bottlenecks, an amnesty has the potential to generate revenue, improve compliance and restore trust. An amnesty-driven regularisation effort would enable the state to capture biometric and identity data on hundreds of thousands of individuals currently operating outside the legal system. This foundational layer of information is essential to any system of immigration governance based on integrity, accountability and national security. Second, such a programme would help identify and isolate fraud syndicates through forensic vetting processes. ALSO READ: Politicians dangle immigration control as election bait Third, it would give the department institutional breathing room to focus on sustainable, digitised, rule-based migration governance. It would also free up public resources. An amnesty would signal a fundamental shift: that immigration control in South Africa is not just about keeping people out, but about governing the presence of those already here in a rational, rule-based way. This is not a plea for porous borders. It is a call for budgetary logic and long-term strategy. Deportation has its place, especially where criminality or risk is involved. But when used as a blanket policy response to a decades-old systemic failure, it becomes expensive and futile.
TimesLIVE
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Can Nissan's new Leaf rekindle its electric mojo?
Even with the tariffs, the US price will be competitive, a Nissan spokesperson said. It is difficult to understate the Leaf's symbolic importance to Nissan. It was the world's best-selling EV for years until it was overtaken by Tesla. Introduced by the now-disgraced Carlos Ghosn, it heralded Nissan's desire to play a big role in the electric future. Despite the company's troubles in recent years, it has sold almost 700,000 Leaf vehicles. CEO Ivan Espinosa faces the difficult task of delivering much-needed cost cuts while continuing to invest in development of new vehicles to refresh its ageing line-up and lack of hybrids in the US. Espinosa has laid out plans for big cuts, including seven plant closures and 11,000 jobs. That will bring staff cuts to about 20,000, including those announced by his predecessor last year. Nissan reported a net loss of about $4.5bn (R80,705,024,550) in the past financial year and faces ¥596bn (R73,552,350,570) in debt due next year. The new Leaf will also be made at the Sunderland factory in Britain. The Tochigi and Sunderland plants are not expected to be among the closures, though the Oppama factory where the Leaf was first made could be axed.
IOL News
12-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
eThekwini city manager defends decisions amid court rulings and financial scrutiny
eThekwini Head and City Manager Musa Mbhele and Malusi Mhlongo, the eThekwini Legal and Compliance Services head. Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers eThekwini Municipality City Manager Musa Mbhele said he has saved the municipality millions of rand by not signing off on documents while wearing a blindfold. Mbhele has come under public scrutiny following three court cases that cost the municipality millions, involving Daily Double Trading 479 CC, Solbeth Security and Risk Management Services, and Bless Joe Trading CC. The Constitutional Court dismissed the municipality's attempt to overturn a prior ruling, which held it liable for R30 million that is owed to a service provider, Daily Double Trading 479 CC, stemming from 2013. Daily Double Trading challenged the municipality's decision to cancel its contracts, and an out-of-court settlement agreement was reached between the parties. However, the city argued that the lawyer who was involved in the agreement had not been authorised to make such a deal. The city challenged the settlement agreement in court, but the courts have ruled against it, and the municipality's latest bid to appeal was dismissed this week by the Constitutional Court, which found it had no reasonable prospects of success. In another case, businessman Siyabonga Xulu is demanding payment of over R413 million due to his company, Solbeth Security and Risk Management Services. Xulu alleged that the municipality refused to pay for the critical security services his company provided to senior officials, including former city manager Sipho Nzuza, dating back to 2019. Lastly, the municipality hired tents and ablution facilities from Bless Joe Trading CC in April 2019 to provide temporary emergency accommodation for flood victims in Tehuis, Umlazi. In court papers, Bless Joe Trading CC provided a marquee, flooring, eight public toilets, and 50 chairs at R190,000 per day for 14 days. In March 2020, the municipality cancelled the contract, stating that they would provide alternative shelter for the flood victims, but Bless Joe Trading CC argued that the marques were not evacuated. In court papers, the company owner alleged that when he went to pick up his marquee and toilets, he was told by the occupants that they would not move because they had not found alternative accommodation. He, therefore, billed the city even though the contract expired, claiming R73 million. Malusi Mhlongo, the Legal and Compliance Services head, and Mbhele addressed key issues affecting the city administration and recent legal matters. Mhlongo said there has been criticism about the conduct of the legal strategy of cases, most of the time directed at the city manager. 'Any decision that the city manager takes, he takes it on my concurrence on the basis of my advice. He relies on me for legal matters,' Mhlongo explained. He said they respected the court's decision and that payment of legal costs to legal practices does not constitute wasteful expenditure because they paid for the service they received. He said that when the City Integrity and Investigations Unit (CIIU) recommended that two contracts be terminated because they found misconduct at Daily Double Trading 479CC, the company then sued the city for R44 million. 'We are paying R30 million and interest to a service provider for no services received, and that is what the city manager is trying to resist. We are paying because it was authorised by a person who was not properly authorised to give that instruction. Nobody had the authority to reach a settlement that was over R5 million without going to council. This was handled by former city manager Sipho Nzuza. The judge ruled on the matter,' Mhlongo said. He said the matter with Bless Joe Trading CC went through the court process, and they were now abiding by the court ruling to pay based on a market-related amount for a year. 'If the market-related value is between R5,000 and R20,000 per day, it will be a saving. If we are unable to agree on what constitutes a market-related amount, we can argue the amount in court,' he said. Mhlongo said the Solbeth matter had a long history preceding Mbhele's tenure in office. 'The service provider indicated that he would not be able to share what he was doing because it was top secret and involved intelligence work. Our hands are tied because we cannot pay for something we do not know about. We are waiting for a court date over the matter,' Mhlongo said. Mbhele said the municipality had won many complex legal battles under Mhlongo's supervision that were not published in the media. "We protected and defended the ratepayers, right up to the Constitutional Court. The city is in a far better position than it would have been if we just signed an agreement blindfolded," he said. [email protected]
Eyewitness News
06-06-2025
- General
- Eyewitness News
Dr Mathole Motshekga Primary School in Midrand to get facilities upgrades
JOHANNESBURG - The Dr Mathole Motshekga Primary School in Rabie Ridge, Midrand will see facilities upgrades of at least R73,833. Over 2,400 students are currently enrolled in the school, which has been operating out of mobile container classrooms since its founding in 2003, with little government assistance for infrastructural upgrades. A lack of space for assemblies and lunch breaks is one of the school's most urgent problems, and the donation addresses this issue at a critical moment. Many of the students depend on the school's feeding programme on a regular basis, thus it is believed that the remaining money has been allocated to it. Nthabiseng Sebola, the school's principal, said it also implied a more appropriate and safe space for the pupils to gather, learn, and grow. "For this kind donation, we are deeply grateful. The new assembly area will serve as a magnificent structure that symbolises progress and opportunity for our children for many years to come," said Sebola. Using money raised from their festive gift-wrapping station this past December, Mall of Africa delivered the donations to the school. Additionally, the gift-wrapping station raised money to improve the mall's extended community while providing customers with a seasonal convenience. A new, bigger covered gathering place has been built, providing a much-needed useful area to handle the school's expanding student body. In order to make the current assembly space safer and more useful for its smaller events and lunch service, it has also been renovated. Yasmeen Lorgat stated: "We are thrilled to have been able to improve the facilities at this school in a way that will have a lasting impact, as education is such an important part of helping empower children to live a fulfilled life." She went on to say that they are dedicated to giving back to the community, and this donation is one method to transform seasonal kindness into long-term assistance.
