Latest news with #Simmers
The South African
6 days ago
- General
- The South African
Betty's Bay residents welcome reduction in speed limit on R44
The Western Cape Provincial Government has announced the reduction of the 80km/h speed limit on a section of the R44 through Betty's Bay in the Overstrand Municipality in the Western Cape. The Western Cape Department of Infrastructure received a request to lower the speed limit to 60km/h on the commercial section of the roadway known as 'The Hub' and at the entrance to the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens to enhance safety. In response, an investigation was initiated to evaluate the situation. At a meeting with local councillors and stakeholders, Western Cape MEC for Infrastructure, Tertuis Simmers, said the investigation by the department had shown that a decrease in the speed limit on this section of the road was viable. 'I am pleased that my department and the Department of Mobility can work together to respond to the concerns of our communities. The new speed limit sign boards will be installed in due course.' However, Simmers warned that the posted speed limit was not a target or endorsed safe speed, but rather the maximum legal speed, and, as on all roads, it remained the responsibility of motorists to keep to the legal limit. Western Cape MEC for Mobility, Isaac Sileku, said the safety of all road users was a priority for the provincial government. 'By reducing the speed limit through this busy section, we are not only protecting lives but also supporting safer access for both residents and tourists. This is a perfect example of how Departments of Infrastructure and Mobility work hand,' said Sileku. Meanwhile, Simmers said as smaller towns in the Western Cape continue to expand, the road networks need to accommodate growing populations. 'Tourism also plays an important role in these local economies and contributes to job creation, and as the sector continues to grow, it is important to ensure that roads in the Western Cape are safe, accessible, and enable a growing economy that creates job opportunities for all.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
'Amazing scenes' as world-champion surfer shares wave with dolphins
'Amazing scenes' as world-champion surfer shares wave with dolphins Caitlin Simmers didn't win the recent Western Australia Margaret River Pro, but the 2024 World Surf League champion did to surf circles around a couple of dolphins. The accompanying footage, courtesy of the WSL, shows Simmers ripping a large wave in slow motion while at least two "locals" appear in the face. Or, as the announcer exclaims: 'Look at this! Amazing scenes as Caity Simmers just flies over the top of that dolphin… And they're loving sharing a wave with the world champ!' The dolphins might have actually breached the wave face had it not been so beautifully occupied. Simmers, of Oceanside, Ca., finished second to Hawaii's Gabriela Bryan in the event, and is currently second to Bryan in the 2025 WSL standings.
Daily Maverick
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Key ingredients for putting together successful coalition governments
The 2021 municipal elections led to 16 hung councils in the Western Cape, all of which needed coalitions to govern. What does it take for a coalition to succeed? And what lessons can Western Cape municipalities bring to the national coalition discussion? Respect, a signed coalition agreement and humility are three of the key takeaways that parties in the Western Cape say are essential to a working coalition, and to the Government of National Unity (GNU). After the 2021 municipal elections, 16 of 30 Western Cape municipalities were run by a coalition government of sorts after parties failed to win outright majorities. The governance of these municipalities has fallen to a range of parties, from the Democratic Alliance (DA), African National Congress (ANC), Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus), the Patriotic Alliance (PA) to the Good party, and in some cases, local parties. Now, these parties sit at the centre of a GNU that seems to grind to a halt every time a controversial law or even the Budget is discussed. What does it take for a coalition to succeed or fail? 1. Respect Western Cape DA leader Tertuis Simmers told Daily Maverick that the party had been part of coalitions since 2006 after Helen Zille led a multiparty coalition in the City of Cape Town, to become mayor that year. 'There already we started learning valuable lessons in realising that as much as you might have the most number of seats in the coalition, you are still part of a coalition government, which means you need to respect the coalition partners who are in coalition with you,' he said. The party has since become one of the two leading parties in a highly contested province at the municipal level. After the 2021 local government elections, the party needed coalitions to govern municipalities such as Cederberg, Knysna, George and the Garden Route District Municipality. In response to this, ANC Western Cape provincial secretary Neville Delport said that 'we fully agree — respect and common ground are essential. But let's be honest: the DA hasn't always practised what it preaches. Too often, they approach coalitions as a means of control rather than cooperation, which is why so many of their partnerships have collapsed.' Fractures between parties have frequently emerged, and the DA has often been pointed at as being a big part of the problem, including in the GNU, as Daily Maverick reported during the Budget fracas. 2 A signed agreement It's as easy as a signed coalition agreement, says Simmers. 'The party has structured various coalition agreements which bind all parties,' he said. These included clauses in these agreements laying out how to deal with internal conflicts. 'We've seen the maturity of our agreements, the way we structure these agreements – other parties tend to want to coalesce on positions and power at all costs; the DA does the opposite,' Simmers said. The ANC's Delport agreed: 'For a coalition to thrive, there must be written agreements. These agreements must outline roles, responsibilities and shared principles. Political leadership must be engaged — not just local councillors, but leaders at the provincial and national level must also meet regularly to maintain alignment.' The Good party's Brett Herron took a different route. The party has worked with both the DA and the ANC to govern Theewaterskloof (the municipality governing towns such as Caledon, Greyton and Villiersdorp). Currently, the municipality is governed by a DA/Good/ Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party (SRWP) coalition. Herron told Daily Maverick that respect and a coalition agreement were one thing, but what also made a good coalition 'is an understanding that we are co-governing more than any written document will provide – so really it's about the characteristics of the leadership and their representatives in those councils.' He said Good found that without a leadership that was 'fully committed to the coalition' and that understood that it was co-governance rather than which party was bigger, then 'you're co-governing without that understanding, the coalition agreements you sign are actually worthless – so it's about an attitude rather than a document'. 3. Be humble 'A good coalition partner is one that is committed to the coalition and that is humble, and one that is honest, and one that understands that without the other coalition partners, you can have no power whatsoever,' said Freedom Front Plus leader Dr Corné Mulder. The party governs Oudtshoorn in what is termed a ' Government of Local Unity' alongside the ANC and regional parties. But what makes a bad coalition partner? According to Mulder, it is 'one that is arrogant – and one that does not listen to the other coalition partners'. He continued: '…and one that continues to behave as if they've got a majority on their own'. The ANC's Neville Delport told Daily Maverick that 'coalitions must never lose sight of why they exist — to serve the people. When coalitions become about positions, power or political games, they fail. When they focus on basic services, good governance and putting communities first, they can succeed.' The ANC governs several Western Cape municipalities such as Knysna, Cederberg and Laingsburg. 'Voters rejected you – so now you need a coalition' 'Well, the most important thing one needs to understand is that because of the election result… no party can govern on their own,' Mulder said. As a party, 'you have to place the bigger interests above your own particular party interest and you also have to understand that your manifesto did not get sufficient support to be the majority, and that goes for the other parties as well'. After that, emphasis must not be placed on a joint programme of action, but rather on leadership positions such as mayor and speaker. Simmers told Daily Maverick that based on the DA's experience, while various parties had their manifestos during campaigns, what was key was how these various manifestos 'find expression in your coalition government', which in local government came via the municipal Integrated Development Plan, which guided and informed a municipal budget. Why does the GNU keep failing? Mulder told Daily Maverick that the 'GNU started off about positions, because we were forced by the Constitution to form an executive within 14 days, so within 14 days there had to be an agreement to elect a president; he appointed the executive'. Mulder said this happened without parties fully agreeing on a new programme that everyone could buy into, and 'because of that, there are now all kinds of tensions and we just take it one step back'. According to Herron, the simple answer lay in the question, 'Where is the GNU lekgotla?' He explained: 'The GNU has different problems from what you have in local municipalities… different dynamics and different mandates. The problem in the GNU is that the Statement of Intent, which is the coalition agreement for this multiparty coalition that makes it the GNU, wasn't implemented.' Herron, who sits on the GNU clearing house as a representative of Good, said the Statement of Intent was similar to those signed at local levels. 'If you look at the Statement of Intent, it says that the parties will, immediately after signing the statement, have a lekgotla or a breakaway and work out the governing programme for the Government of National Unity – that never happened.' Herron said, 'The Cabinet was all appointed and as soon as they became Cabinet ministers, the Cabinet went off and had a lekgotla and decided on the medium-term development policy or framework.' He reminded: some GNU parties were part of the Cabinet, but others, such as Rise Mzansi, United Democratic Movement and Al Jama-ah, were not and occupied roles such as heads of parliamentary committees and deputy ministry positions. 'So in the GNU, part of the problem, and why we're seeing some of this turbulence, is that the parties never actually implemented the Statement of Intent as it was drafted, which was to do this breakaway and work out our our programme, our governing programme, and then once we had that agreement, we wouldn't even have had this Budget fallout.' Herron said that looking at some of the demands raised by the DA during the contested Budget process, 'they were policy reforms, they were not financial inputs… they were policy reforms like concessioning the ports and improving the electricity supply regime or opening it up.' DM
IOL News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Join the public participation for Tafelberg housing development starting May 21
The public participation process into the contentious Tafelberg site in Sea Point, which housing activists have called to be used for social housing, has begun. The first step of the process is set to take place on May 21 at the Life Conference Centre in Sea Point. According to ward councillor, Nicola Jowell, the process seeks to gain communication from the residents. 'Public participation: The Province has sent out an invitation to attend an information session on the site enablement of the Consolidated Erf 1424 – RE (including unregistered Erf 1675), 353 Main Road, Sea Point East (Tafelberg Site)," she said. "This is the first step in the public engagement process. "It is aimed at providing interested and affected parties with essential information and an opportunity to engage directly in the co-creation process from an early stage,' she said. Infrastructure MEC, Tertuis Simmers, said they were happy that the process was ready to begin. 'I am very pleased with the good progress being made in providing mixed-use, affordable housing in the inner city. 'In terms of the Tafelberg development, we have now sent out invitations to the first information session on the site enablement of the property. 'The engagement aims to equip interested and affected parties with key information and create an opportunity for them to actively participate in the co-creation process from the outset," said Simmers. In February, the Constitutional Court reserved judgment in the matter involving activists' plight of spatial apartheid against the City, Western Cape Government, the Premier and Transport and Public Works MEC, over the site. . The activists took their plight to the apex court to appeal the Supreme Court of Appeal's judgment handed down last year, which ruled in favour of the Western Cape Government. The property is over 1.7 hectares in size and has a legacy of forced removals. Until 2010, a portion of the land was used as the provincial education department's Tafelberg Remedial School and a portion known as erf 1675 and 1424 was used by the provincial department of human settlements as affordable state-rental housing known as the Wyngard Mansions site. The application was prompted following the sale of the Tafelberg property known as 'The Tafelberg Site" to the highest bidder - the Phyllis Jowell Jewish Day School at the price tag of R135 million in 2015. Earlier this year, Simmers and Jaco Londt for the Western Cape Social Development announced that a portion of the site be allocated for social services, while the other portion is proposed to be utilised for affordable housing. Cape Argus
IOL News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
George multi-storey tragedy: Calls for transparency as investigation findings remain secret
Minister of Human Settlement Thembi Simelane said the George multi-storey building collapse was a result of non-compliance. Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers As the first anniversary of the George multi-storey tragedy approaches on May 6, the local government's transparency came into question at the briefing of the Standing Committee on Infrastructure regarding their independent investigation. On Friday morning, ahead of the presentations, Western Cape MEC for Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers was probed about the 'veil of secrecy' under which their findings from an independent investigation are held. Simmers confirmed the investigation findings and the final report, which was undertaken by structural engineering firm B3 and which was subsequently peer-reviewed, have since been handed to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for a criminal investigation due to the loss of lives. Recently, in a preliminary report, Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane exposed alarming negligence and corner-cutting by the project's developers. According to the national department's preliminary report, Simelane announced that the company responsible for the Neo Victoria project was accused of bypassing crucial regulatory processes, fundamentally undermining safety protocols designed to protect both workers and residents. The building collapse claimed the lives of 34 people. On Friday, Simmers maintained that their final report is now the subject of a criminal investigation, and after receiving legal advice, they would not make the report public and would follow the rule of law. 'The law must now take its course,' said Simmers. Rescuers extract one of the construction workers from the rubble of the collapsed building. The building collapse claimed the lives of 34 people. Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers According to Simmers, they were handed a sole hard copy of the report, and this was handed to the SAPS. When Simmers questioned the absence of Simelane at the briefing, MPs hit back, probing why the 300-page report received by local government could not be made public. MPs Khalid Sayed (ANC), Brett Herron (GOOD), and Patricia Lekker (ANC) called for transparency so the George community could get answers on what transpired and what the inadequacies were that deemed the provincial report to be part of a criminal investigation. Sayed said: 'Unfortunately, this morning's meeting of the Standing Committee on Infrastructure regarding the disastrous collapse of the George Building one year ago raised more questions and red flags than providing answers. The continued secrecy surrounding the premier's investigative report, legal advice, and the municipal probe reinforces what we've long said: the DA's lack of transparency and accountability is matched only by its arrogance. 'The investigative report concluded by the premier that was subsequently handed over to SAPS is still 'secret', the legal advice provided on the investigative report is 'secret', the municipality's investigation is not complete but will be deemed secret, with the council deciding what should be made public and what should be kept a secret… 'Their persistent refusal to fully disclose matters of such grave public interest, especially when they involve the lives of the poor and marginalised, is deeply troubling,' said Sayed. Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane briefs the media on the way forward after the Neo Victoria residential building collapse. Image: Ministry of Human Settlements Herron echoed these sentiments and said Simmers's department has cloaked the report in secrecy. 'The families of those who lost their lives when the Victoria Street building in George collapsed, almost exactly one year ago, would have been insulted, shocked, and disappointed to observe the Western Cape Standing Committee on Infrastructure pretending to interrogate what caused the collapse of the building. The victim's families were failed today, and they deserve better. 'The starting point is to summon those who have completed investigations, and that includes the premier and the minister of Human Settlements, to brief the committee on their findings… We also learned that the George Municipality, while conducting its own technical investigation, sought a legal opinion on liability before receiving the technical findings. 'That raises serious questions about whether it is attempting to manage legal risk rather than uncover the truth. A determination of liability should flow from facts, not precede them. The victims' families deserve more than symbolic meetings and political theatre,' said Herron. During the briefing, the George Municipality confirmed the expenses incurred during the Mass Casualty Incident amounted to R9.2 million. Patriotic Alliance (PA) MP Bradley Marais called for a judicial commission of inquiry into the investigations undertaken by various stakeholders and said 'nobody must get away'. Democratic Alliance MP Dirk Wessels said Simelane's absence and having evaded today's briefing demonstrated the department's lack of commitment to transparency and public accountability'. 'Every investigation report into this tragedy conducted by national, provincial, and local government will be interrogated by the Standing Committee on Infrastructure because this event demands sustained oversight to prevent future tragedies from occurring. The DA in the Western Cape calls for Minister Simelane to provide immediate and unambiguous public clarification on whether the NHBRC report has been finalised,' said Wessels. [email protected]
