Latest news with #RapulaMoatshe
The Star
5 days ago
- The Star
Over 300 suspects arrested in SAPS's Operation Shanela in Tshwane
Rapula Moatshe | Published 2 days ago The police's Operation Shanela, a high-intensity crime-fighting initiative, conducted a raid in Atteridgeville township, Tshwane, on Saturday, leading to the arrest of over 300 suspects for various crimes. Captain Johan van Dyk, Tshwane SAPS district spokesperson, said police arrested 356 suspects and recovered a stolen vehicle during a crime operation. The operation, part of the police's zero-tolerance approach to crime, brought together a multidisciplinary team of SAPS, Department of Home Affairs, Tshwane metro police, Gauteng traffic police, and community safety officials. Van Dyk said the operation aimed to boost police visibility and restore order, targeting the Atteridgeville policing precinct and its surrounding areas. 'The joint efforts of this team yielded significant results, with 356 suspects arrested for various criminal offenses. This outcome is a direct reflection of thorough planning, targeted deployments, and sustained visibility intended to suppress crime and track wanted suspects in identified areas,' he said. He reported that Tshwane district detectives initiated the operation's first phase, arresting 260 suspects. The arrests included 65 for gender-based violence, three for murder, three for attempted murder, six for armed robbery, one for perjury, three for possessing unlicensed firearms, and six for rape. During the operation's second phase, uniformed members conducted a roadblock in the precinct, supported by two operational teams. This, Van Dyk said, resulted in the detention of 34 undocumented foreign nationals, who are now being processed by immigration authorities for court appearances and potential deportation. Additionally, one person was fined for employing illegal immigrants. A total of 1,240 individuals and 518 vehicles were searched during the operation and three vehicles were verified to determine if they were stolen. 'This resulted in the recovery of a stolen motor vehicle that was reported stolen earlier at Pretoria Central SAPS. Thirty-seven persons were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. At least 60 Aarto infringement notices were issued, amounting to R30,000 and one vehicle being discontinued due to non-compliance with the Road Traffic Act,' Van Dyk said. He added that police conducted targeted patrols and searches at 25 identified crime hotspots, disrupting criminal activity. The operation resulted in the arrest of nine people for public drinking and two individuals for dealing and possessing drugs, with 417 ziplock bags of various drugs and an undisclosed amount of cash seized. Additionally, authorities inspected 32 liquor outlets, closing 11 for non-compliance and seizing liquor and two gambling machines. Tshwane district Commissioner Major-General Samuel Thine thanked all stakeholders for their support and collaboration, assuring the public that similar operations will continue across the district. [email protected]
The Star
30-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Urgent reforms needed in Tshwane's waste management: Fleet mismanagement and theft exposed
Rapula Moatshe | Published 2 weeks ago The City of Tshwane's waste management department is struggling with poor fleet management, with inadequate supervisory oversight leading to neglected basic fleet control functions. According to a recently approved council report, vehicle inspections are not being conducted, vehicle abuse is rampant, and fuel theft is a regular occurrence at the waste fuel depot. The report, compiled by Abel Malaka, head of the metro's Environment and Agriculture Management Department, highlights years of underinvestment and inadequate maintenance as the root cause of the problem. This has compromised the reliability of solid waste management services, necessitating significant reforms to reverse the decline. The National Treasury has stepped in, introducing reforms for metropolitan municipalities, including performance-based incentives for good decision-making and performance. Malaka noted that the reforms aim to tackle operational inefficiencies and structural issues, with specific milestones to be met by July 31, 2025. However, the municipal office of the governance support officer (GSO) has raised concerns that the strategy may not effectively address the challenges related to waste fleet mismanagement if it fails to accurately identify the problems. The GSO office pointed out that the correlation between poorly maintained landfill sites and vehicle condition is not reflected in the strategy. This is not the first time the city's waste management department has faced criticism. Two months ago, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Agriculture and Environment Management, Obakeng Ramabodu, reported finding over 80 workers at a Region 3 waste management depot with nothing to do due to a lack of resources and vehicles. In a bid to stem the tide of theft, Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise last week warned workers against stealing equipment parts, equipment, or diesel at a handover ceremony for R11 million worth of horticultural equipment, saying such actions will lead to trouble with city management. Malaka noted that waste management services in metropolitan municipalities are experiencing deteriorating infrastructure due to inadequate maintenance and investment backlogs caused by budget constraints. This situation, he said, has significantly contributed to the decline in service performance. Despite the challenges, Ramabodu welcomed the strategy, expressing hope that it will enhance waste management, particularly in waste collection and billing. He said the city is open to innovations that can improve our billing system, leveraging the latest methods to ensure efficiency. The strategy, he noted, is not just an internal initiative, but a directive from National Treasury, aiming for an independent and effective waste management strategy with a well-understood billing system. [email protected]
The Star
15-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Wage talks between Samwu and City of Tshwane break down, leaving workers in limbo
Rapula Moatshe | Updated 2 weeks ago The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA)-facilitated talks between the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) and the City of Tshwane on June 10 and 23, 2025, broke down without an agreement over the outstanding 3.5% wage increase for the 2021/22 period. The talks followed a May 9 Labour Court ruling, which sent the matter back to the South African Local Government Bargaining Council for a new hearing on the 3.5% wage increase after the city initially sought an exemption. In the same breath, the court ruled that the city is exempt from implementing a 5.4% wage increase for the 2023/2024 financial year after it cited financial constraints. The city approached the court after its application for exemption from a wage agreement with the unions was rejected by the bargaining council. Samwu regional secretary Donald Monakisi said the union has formally appealed against the ruling on the 5.4% salary increase and is waiting for the Labour Appeal Court to schedule a hearing date. Regarding the outstanding 3.5% salary increase, he said both the union and the city failed to reach an agreement during the recent CCMA-led negotiations regarding the process to finalise such an increase for municipal workers. He said the bargaining council has scheduled the exemption hearing for July 21, 2025. Monakisi explained that the CCMA-facilitated talks were held ahead of the upcoming exemption hearing at the bargaining council, in an effort to narrow down the issues in dispute and explore possible settlement options that could be formalised as a bargaining council award. However, the meetings failed to yield consensus between the two parties, but they agreed on the value of ongoing dialogue before the scheduled hearing. Monakisi said Samwu remains committed to these discussions, hoping to reach a mutually beneficial resolution in the best interest of workers. 'The union remains relentless in its position that the 3.5% salary increase, owed to workers from 2021, must be honoured. The prolonged delay in payment has imposed significant financial strain on municipal workers, who continue to provide essential services under increasingly difficult conditions. In this regard, Samwu's legal team is diligently preparing for the exemption hearing, with the aim of securing a just outcome for our members,' he said. Monakisi emphasised that the City of Tshwane has confirmed the availability of funds to meet its obligations to employees. He was referring to Mayor Nasiphi Moya's State of the Capital Address two months ago, where she noted Tshwane's improving financial outlook due to decisive actions and increasing resident support. 'We are proud to report that our cash reserves are projected to reach R2.86 billion in the 2025/26 financial year. This marks an important step toward financial stability, with our liquidity coverage improving from 23 days to 43 days over the next two years,' she said. The Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union demanded transparency and accountability, arguing that the city cannot claim financial stability for the public while citing financial distress as a reason for not paying its workforce. Last month, the city and both unions jointly acknowledged the strain the ongoing wage dispute had placed on municipal employees. 'The city reaffirmed its appreciation for the dedication of its workforce and its commitment to working collaboratively with organised labour to find a fair and sustainable resolution,' parties said in a statement. [email protected]
IOL News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Urgent call for investigation into Tshwane's security guards' qualifications
The FF Plus has urged the City of Tshwane to investigate the qualifications of 1,283 security guards appointed in 2021 through the insourcing process. Image: Rapula Moatshe The FF Plus has called on the City of Tshwane to launch an investigation into the qualifications of 1,283 security guards appointed in 2021 as part of the insourcing process, citing concerns over their lack of adequate training. The party is also urging the city to consider using technology for specific security tasks, rather than solely relying on hiring more security guards. This comes after the party's rejection of a report allocating R230 million over three years for benefits to contracted security guards at last week's council meeting at Tshwane House. The report in question proposed providing medical subsidies, pension funds, and housing allowances to security guards who were hired without benefits. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Instead of adopting the report, the FF Plus proposed a thorough investigation into whether the guards meet the requirements and to what extent technology can be used for certain tasks. Councillor Grandi Theunissen noted that the allocated amount excluded several hidden costs, such as basic equipment and training, which he said pointed to reckless financial planning. 'The party seriously doubts whether the metro's budget can absorb the additional costs for security guards,' he said. On Workers Day, Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMCs) from the EFF and ActionSA met with security guards at Church Square in Pretoria CBD, where they promised training security guards who were previously hired without adequate training, as well as equipping them with the necessary tools. They also announced plans in the pipeline to insource over 200 security guards in the 2025/2026 financial year, with potential expansion to hire at least 1,500 guards in 2026/2027. At the time, MMC for Environmental Affairs and Agriculture Obakeng Ramabodu said: 'They were left there with jeans and a T-shirt on-site without knowing what to do. That is why our infrastructure is under attack. That is why our substations are burning every week. That is why electricity is affected because the people that we have deployed to secure our infrastructure are not trained and don't have the necessary equipment.' Hannes Coetzee, the Community Safety MMC and ActionSA councillor, said the current administration inherited more than 1,200 security guards, but the problem is that they lack training. The FF Plus said the council report is part of the coalition government's efforts to push through their policy for the general outsourcing of security and cleaning services.
IOL News
21-05-2025
- IOL News
Protest erupts at Soshanguve school over learner assaults
Learners at Soshanguve South Secondary School broke the gate and joined EFF and United Africans Transformation party protesters, demanding the principal's resignation after a viral video showed outsiders assaulting learners with broomsticks. Image: Rapula Moatshe/Independent Newspapers Chaos erupted at Soshanguve South Secondary School on Wednesday morning when learners broke the gate and left the premises to join a group of protesters from the EFF and United Africans Transformation (UAT). The protesters demanded the principal's resignation after a viral video showing learners being physically assaulted with broomsticks by outsiders on school grounds on Monday, allegedly for arriving late. It is alleged that the school principal allowed outsiders, linked to a local community policing forum, to discipline learners who are sometimes involved in violent fights. A parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said her child was still traumatised after being beaten at school on Monday for arriving late. The parent said: "He told us he was traumatised after being beaten with broomsticks, like a thief, especially by someone who was not his father. He is injured on his back, and we had to massage him last night to ease the pain. I am not feeling well about what happened." Some learners claimed they had been previously assaulted in classrooms by the same community members, who also forced them to do push-ups. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Lindiwe Masilela from the EFF in Tshwane said her party's student command was called by learners to intervene in the situation that unfolded at the school on Monday. She condemned corporal punishment, saying it had been abolished long ago and what happened at the school was unwarranted. She demanded the arrest of the school principal, deputy principal, and the chairperson of the School Governing Body (SGB) for the assault incident. Additionally, she called on Gauteng MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane, to intervene, criticising him for merely attending ceremonial events instead of addressing pressing issues. Masilela dismissed the claim that her party had instructed learners to disperse from the school. "You saw that it was the leaders who broke the gate lock to escape because they were scared to be at the school," she said. Bongani Ramontja, leader of the civic group Soil of Africa, blamed the principal for involving community members in punishing learners. "We want decisive action against the principal. He should be suspended pending investigation, along with teachers who witnessed the incident and failed to intervene," he said. Lesley Sebotsane from UAT said: 'We need to get to the root of the problem so we can ensure our children are in a safe environment when they are at school. Reports of physical abuse signal that something is seriously wrong." Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department is aware and deeply concerned by an incident that took place on Monday. 'According to our reports, community members allegedly overpowered scholar patrollers and forced their way into the school premises where they reportedly began beating girl and boy learners. It is also alleged that they nearly assaulted department officials and the principal who tried to intervene, and they proceeded to verbally abuse them,' he said. He said an assault case had been reported to the police and that psychosocial support was being provided to affected learners and staff. He appealed to the community to refrain from taking the law into their own hands. 'While we acknowledge the frustrations that may arise from issues such as late-coming, under no circumstances can physical violence or intimidation be justified, especially when directed at children and education officials,' he said.
