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TimesLIVE
a day ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
We're cleaning up: Correctional services minister opens prison bakery
Correctional services minister Pieter Groenewald says awaiting trial prisoners, unemployed detainees and thousands of foreigners in South African jails are costing taxpayers millions. 'We have about six inmates who have been awaiting trial for more than 10 years. There are ways in terms of legislation where we can request for them to go back to court. But it's not very successful,' said Groenewald. Groenewald was speaking at the opening of a bakery at the Westville correctional facility on Thursday. He was accompanied by national commissioner Samuel Thobakgale. Groenewald said another problem which contributed to overcrowding was that more than 3,000 remand detainees could not afford to pay bail of R3,000 or less. Groenewald said there was a process in place to establish a bail fund to alleviate this. He said there were more than 26,000 foreigners detained at correctional facilities, 13,000 of whom were detainees. 'I hope that by next year this time the department would have legislation in place so we can deport them to their countries of origin,' said Groenewald. He said foreigners were costing the taxpayers more than R11m a month. 'If they want to continue with their criminality they should do it in their own country,' he said. He said with the bakery producing 3,840 loaves daily, more than 50 inmates were benefiting from the much-needed skills training for which inmates received certificates. 'That is very important because it ensues that inmates are part of rehabilitation so when they leave the prison they are self-sufficient and can reintegrate into the society,' said Groenewald. He said the department wanted to set up 20 bakeries in correctional facilities by 2028. 'We serve the people of South Africa to the benefit of taxpayers. With this initiative we are able to save around R3m annually on the bakery,' said Groenewald. He said the department had spent more than R7m to build and establish the bakery, which he deemed to be a investment. 'A loaf of bread costs us R8 compared with the R23 we were paying external suppliers,' he said.
IOL News
08-08-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Floyd Shivambu expelled from MKP amid financial disputes and R28m debt claims
MK Party and its leader, former president Jacob Zuma, have defended the display of the South African flag during a recent trip to Morocco. Image: MKP The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has fired another salvo at its expelled secretary-general Floyd Shivambu after alleging he left the organisation R28 million in debt. Shivambu had accused some MKP leaders of stealing R7m every month. MKP Treasurer-General Mpiyakhe Limba on Friday said Shivambu left the party, led by former president Jacob Zuma, with a debt of R28 million. Announcing his departure from the MKP after being forced to step down as its secretary-general in June, Shivambu said there were withdrawals of R7m monthly from its coffers and that he had raised these concerns internally. However, Limba dismissed the claims, saying the former EFF deputy president had instead left the MKP with a debt of R28m. According to Limba, the MKP has appointed an independent company, Nduma Chartered Accountants, before the annual audit by the Auditor-General SA. He said the findings had more to do with bookkeeping, which was the area that required improvement. The MKP also announced that it had expelled and terminated Shivambu's membership. Shivambu has since started his Mayibuye consultative process towards establishing a new political party, which is now registered with the Electoral Commission of South Africa. The party has appointed Dr Bongani Mncwango as its new secretary-general and Nomsa Dlamini as his deputy. Other changes include moving national organiser Joe Ndhlela to policy coordination and replacing him with one of its MPs Aleck Nkuna. National Chairperson Nathi Nhleko said the party has had some gaps in the national leadership collective, hence it was making the changes. 'Dr Mncwango has 35 years of executive experience, is a former chief executive officer at Sanlam Healthcare, Netcare 911, he was also chair of the Qwabe Traditional Council,' said Nhleko when introducing the new administrative head of the party. The MKP also dismissed concerns about Zuma's visit to Morocco two weeks ago and was pictured displaying the South African flag during public engagements.
Eyewitness News
02-07-2025
- Eyewitness News
Attorney's representing 3 Tshwane municipal workers accused of theft confident clients will be granted bail
JOHANNESBURG - The attorneys representing three Tshwane municipal workers accused of theft say they are confident their clients will be granted bail. They appeared at the Atteridgeville Magistrates Court on Wednesday after being arrested for stealing a R7 million transformer. The matter was postponed to Friday for a formal bail hearing. The trio will remain behind bars at the Kgosi Mampuru Prison pending the outcome of the application. READ: 3 Tshwane municipal workers accused of stealing R7m transformer to spend night at Kgosi Mampuru Prison The case is linked to a transformer stolen last year at the Laudium substation, where one suspect, another city official who was caught at the time, still remains behind bars. One of the legal representatives, Advocate Siyabulela Pendani, said: "He will get bail. I do not foresee him not getting bail because this matter has been before the court before, and the previous accused got bail in the same matter. I also don't foresee the State opposing bail."
TimesLIVE
01-07-2025
- TimesLIVE
Three City of Tshwane employees nabbed for 'stealing R7m transformer'
Three City of Tshwane employees have been arrested for allegedly stealing a transformer worth R7m from the Laudium substation. Their arrests form part of an ongoing crackdown on crimes involving essential infrastructure in Gauteng. The suspects were arrested by members of the Gauteng organised crime unit after months of investigating that began in November last year. This brings the total number of arrests in the case to 14. According to police, the initial arrest involved 11 suspects, mostly subcontractors, who were later released after they could not be linked to the theft. However, one municipal employee remains in custody and is expected back in court on August 8. Police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that the three officials arrested on Tuesday will appear in the Pretoria magistrate's court on Wednesday. 'The suspects face charges of theft of essential infrastructure. More arrests are imminent as the investigation continues,' said Nevhuhulwi. Tshwane district commissioner Maj-Gen Samuel Thine welcomed the breakthrough, commending law enforcement for their persistence.
The Citizen
20-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Nkomazi Local Municipality CFO suspended
The CFO of the Nkomazi Local Municipality, Steven Thobela, has been put on suspension pending an investigation into his alleged financial misconduct. The municipality suspended Thobela with effect from last week Friday, June 13, following a council resolution that was taken at the KaMdladla Community Hall. 'The suspension stems from several allegations of financial misconduct against the CFO. The suspension will allow proper investigation to be undertaken and also allow the official to clear his name if the allegations are not true,' said the municipality's spokesperson, Mbuso Malale. Sipho Mathaba has been appointed as an acting CFO pending the finalisation of the investigations against Thobela. Malale refused to elaborate on the merits of the investigations saying it was sub-judice. Thobela's suspension comes just a month after the municipal manager (MM) Xolani Mabila resigned without giving reasons. ALSO READ: Nkomazi court sentences rapist to 12 years in jail According to Malale, the reasons for Mabila's resignation remained close to his own chest, but unconfirmed reports suggested it was related to alleged corruption within the municipality The suspension of the CFO and the resignation of the MM come in the midst of serious corruption allegations by the DA against the municipality. The DA councillor in the Nkomazi Local Municipality, Nhlonipho Dlamini, said the party urged the provincial Department of Co-operative Governance Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta) to intervene in the alleged corruption within the municipality. The DA in Nkomazi will write to Coghsta to investigate municipal officials implicated in the delay of upgrading the Naas Water Treatment Works project. The project which aimed to alleviate water challenges for residents around Naas and neighbouring towns was initiated in September 2020. However, the project has cost the municipality over R39m to date and has been delayed by more than two years,' said Dlamini in a statement. 'It is understood that the project was supposed to be completed in different phases. However, according to the Auditor-General's 2023/24 Management Report, the municipality has poorly managed this project. These are some of the alarming findings that the AG flagged,' added Dlamini. 'These items include mechanical and electrical equipment to the value of R2m. The municipality stored some of the equipment to the value of R7m off-site while there is no written agreement with suppliers regarding warranty and insurance,' said Dlamini. ALSO READ: City of Mbombela sounds alarm on tender scam According to him, at some point, the contractor had halted the project due to cash flow problems and that the municipality had failed to impose penalties against the contractor. 'The municipality paid for equipment before it was procured by the contractor from the supplier (up to 15 months in advance). It was also revealed that at some point the municipality failed to efficiently dispatch water tankers to communities affected by the upgrading of the Naas water treatment works project,' Dlamini said. 'Coghsta must intervene and regulate the implementation of infrastructure projects. It cannot be business as usual while money meant for service delivery is misused,' added Dlamini At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
