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Eyewitness News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
[WATCH] Politricking with Tshidi Madia: Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, Ekurhuleni Mayor
With the ANC in Ekurhuleni set to hold its long-awaited regional conference before the end of the year, its convener Doctor Xhakaza has suggested it might be best for the organisation to avoid the battle often associated with the pursuit of positions. The last elective conference the region held, back in 2022, left some bloodied, as Xhakaza took on former mayor and now parliamentarian Mzwandile Masina for the position of chairperson. The results of that conference were also set aside in the high court following a year-long dispute over ballots that were not quarantined. The discounted votes were believed to have the ability to swing the conference in Xhakaza's favour, with some party members at the time, claiming they were pushed aside to help keep Masina in power. Xhakaza was this week's guest on EWN's Politricking with Tshidi Madia.
The Citizen
08-05-2025
- The Citizen
Ekurhuleni mayor slams EMPD officers for alleged intimidation, overtime abuse after illegal strike
Nearly 400 EMPD officers were suspended this week following a major protest in March. Some Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) officers are allegedly threatening colleagues who report to work, while also taking advantage of overtime benefits. This is according to City of Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza. Xhakaza addressed the media on Thursday following the municipality's decision to take disciplinary action against EMPD officers involved in the illegal strike that took place on 19 March. The protest, which stemmed from disputes over pay and the reduction of overtime hours, resulted in major roads across Gauteng being blocked. The officers involved have since been suspended pending the outcome of disciplinary hearings. City of Ekurhuleni addresses EMPD illegal strike The mayor confirmed that the city has extended the deadline for 389 officers who received pre-termination letters earlier this week, allowing them additional time to submit written representations explaining why they should not be dismissed. Xhakaza stressed that each case will be handled individually. 'Let me be clear that this is not a blanket dismissal. Each case will be reviewed individually, with due consideration of each officer's involvement,' the mayor said on Thursday. He also addressed reports of intimidation aimed at officers who continue to report for duty. 'This is completely unacceptable and we are dealing with this matter with the seriousness it deserves,' he said. ALSO READ: Ekurhuleni officials berate EMPD officers after 'premature and unnecessary' strike paralyses city The threats, allegedly made by some of the suspended officers, have prompted the city to escalate the matter to the South African Police Service (Saps) and the Hawks. 'There is nobody who must intimidate others when they report for duty. You can't have WhatsApp voice notes circulating around, heckling those who are reporting to work that they must [wear] a bulletproof. 'We want to issue a warning to those engaging in such conduct. Intimidation will not be tolerated and legal action will follow.' EMPD officers abusing overtime abuse Xhakaza also raised alarm over alleged widespread abuse of overtime within the EMPD. 'We want our workers to work optimally during their normal working hours. [From] eight to five, you must be at work; you don't wait until after hours.' Xhakaza highlighted the financial implications of overtime abuse, revealing that nearly R200 million is spent on overtime each quarter, with 50% of that attributed to EMPD. READ MORE: Illegal EMPD strike fails to take off 'If crime statistics are not showing a significant downward trend, it raises questions about the justification for ongoing overtime expenditure.' He reaffirmed the metro's commitment to reducing excessive dependence on overtime across the municipality. 'The city will intensify its focus on performance driven deployment to ensure that taxpayers' funds are spent effectively.' Engagement with labour unions to continue Xhakaza added that the city will continue dialogue with labour unions, including the South African Municipal Workers' Union and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union. '[The city is] committed to continue engagements through the Local Labour Forum to address concerns constructively and transparently,' the mayor said. READ MORE: Six EMPD officers arrested for alleged extortion of Congolese national 'I wanted to emphasise that the city remains committed to dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes, but we will not compromise on the rule of law and public safety. 'As we move forward, the city will intensify its engagements with organised labour. We will prioritise the consequences and we will work towards restoring discipline within our law enforcement ranks.' Legislature warns of risks amid EMPD suspensions The Gauteng Provincial Legislature's Portfolio Committee on Community Safety has raised concerns over the suspension of EMPD officers. While the committee acknowledged the City of Ekurhuleni's right to discipline employees involved in serious misconduct, it warned that removing such a significant number of officers at once could undermine law enforcement capacity and disrupt traffic management services. The committee urged the metro to swiftly put contingency plans in place to minimise the impact of the officer suspensions. It also called on the municipality to prioritise resolving the ongoing labour dispute without further delay. NOW READ: Gauteng government setting 'terrible example' by owing City of Ekurhuleni R382.3m
IOL News
01-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
MK Party topples ANC again in its heartland, looking ahead to 2026 local polls
The EFF, once a contender, captured a mere 1%, a steep fall from its previous 14% mark. The IFP finished runners-up with with 30% of the votes, the ANC—once the clear front-runner—suffered a sharp decline in support and only secured 27% of the votes, down from 66% in the 2021 local government elections. This latest by-election victory for the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), led by former president Jacob Zuma was achieved yesterday, with the MKP's candidate, Lindani Xhakaza, drawing 42% of the votes polled. THE ANC's long-standing grip on Ward 18 in Mandeni, KwaZulu-Natal, has been broken. Speaking to the Daily News following his victory, Xhakaza thanked the residents who voted for him. 'I am happy that the people of my ward chose me to lead them. I promise to work with them to make our community a great place to live,' he said. As Mandeni native, Xhakaza listed tackling crime as his top priority in the rural-semi-urban town, located about 110 kilometers north of Durban. Mandeni, under the iLembe District Municipality, is plagued with high unemployment. Once a thriving hub, thanks to the Isithebe Industrial Area that was home to a number of textile-related business, however, many of those operations have since shut down, and left residents in economic distress. The Isithebe district was an area once torn by ANC-IFP violence during the turbulent 1980s and 1990s. Analysts say the ANC's internal divisions have contributed to its decline. Independent political analyst Thobani Zikalala said, 'The ANC is facing an existential and legitimacy crisis. Jacob Zuma is exploiting this by steering the MKP as a political alternative.' Since its formation in December 2023, the MKP has rapidly gained ground. It now holds control of six wards, five in KZN and one in the North West. The KZN wins were notched up in strategic locations including Richmond, KwaDukuza, and eThekwini. Victory in Mandeni is expected to further boost the MKP's campaign ahead of the 2026 local elections, where the party harbours hopes to pocket power in major municipalities, including eThekwini, which is currently governed by a coalition including the ANC, IFP, EFF, and smaller parties. eThekwini boasts a staggering budget of R67 billion. Wednesday's Mandeni win was not without controversy. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) confirmed the suspension of a presiding officer, who was accused of leaving a voting station to charge a device, leading to accusations of vote rigging made by both the ANC and MKP. KZN Provincial Electoral Officer Ntombifuthi Masinga confirmed a probe was underway. 'Initial findings suggest the device was not adequately charged. We are committed to protecting the integrity of the electoral process,' she said. The IEC has recently come under increased scrutiny, with another official in Pietermaritzburg facing charges related to alleged rigging during last year's general elections. Despite its electoral breakthrough, securing 58 seats in the National Assembly and 37 in the KZN legislature, the MKP's representatives are not included in the provincial government. Instead, a Government of Provincial Unity was formed, which included the ANC, IFP, DA, and NFP, mirroring the national GNU arrangement. The Mandeni by-election became necessary after the of ANC councillor Phendukani Mabhida. The race drew national attention, with senior leaders from all major parties, including the MKP's Bongani Baloyi and John Hlophe, IFP's Velenkosini Hlabisa, and the ANC's provincial heavyweights, campaigning intensely in the region. While the ANC initially alleged foul play regarding the Mandeni result, they eventually accepted defeat. The ANC said in a statement: 'The outcome may not have been what we hoped for, we continue to draw lessons in situations in order to rebuild and renew. The ANC salutes every volunteer, voter and supporter who stood with us in this campaign.' The IFP also accepted defeat, and thanked its volunteers and voters. 'The IFP in the province encourages its ward 18 candidate and member Mr Nkosiyapha Wiseman 'Sgqoko' Zulu, to never stop working for the people of Mandeni, KwaSithebe, but to continue doing good for the community and waving the IFP flag,' read the IFP's statement. DAILY NEWS
Eyewitness News
29-04-2025
- Business
- Eyewitness News
Ekurhuleni turning tide after losing billions due to tampering with electricity accounts
JOHANNESBURG- The City of Ekurhuleni is turning the tide on revenue leakages after losing billions in the first quarter of the current financial year. The metro recorded a R2 billion revenue deficit between July and September last year, primarily due to the tempering of electricity accounts. ALSO READ: Ekurhuleni Mayor not satisfied with his executive This saw more than a thousand households and businesses underpaying for electricity, while some had their outstanding balances erased from the system Ekurhuleni Mayor, Doctor Xhakaza, says the city lost far less than R2 billion in the second and third quarters. "We have begun to turn the tide. From quarter one's R2 billion, we took it down to R587 million in the this quarter, it went down to R416 million. So you'll agree with me that there's been a huge intervention in that area."
TimesLIVE
28-04-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Crime, potholes, fires, service delivery hot topics on Freedom Day in Thembisa
Two fires days apart at Tembisa Hospital, potholes and safety were some of the issues discussed at Freedom Day celebrations in Gauteng's East Rand on Sunday. Gauteng sport, arts & culture MEC Matome Chiloane, premier Panyaza Lesufi and Ekurhuleni mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza commemorated the day with residents of the Thembisa community. Lesufi said investigations were under way after two recent fires and they would find those responsible. 'Thembisa Hospital will be fixed and will operate some time next week' he said. He added that more hospitals would be built at Oliven, Daveyton, Diepsloot and Orange Farm as Tembisa Hospital was inundated with patients. He called on the mayor of Thembisa to address the issue of sewage flowing into the township's streets and for the potholes to be fixed immediately. The programme started with performances from choirs, dancers and local singers. Xhakaza said the changes in Thembisa could be seen through the work and service delivery happening. 'We are glad the coalition is stable and we will continue to deliver services and unite our people,' he said. He urged the community to report vandalism and cable theft. 'Potholes must be closed so that we have better roads especially after the heavy rains we experienced,' he added. Xhakaza said the event was to honour those who contributed to the liberation of the country and educate the youth about the sacrifices made for freedom. Chiloane said: 'In remembrance of Freedom day, we stand upon the ground of heroes like Chris Hani whose sacrifices and courage serves as a reminder of the freedom we now enjoy.' Lesufi said the government was working hard with the SAPS to fight against crime in Thembisa. 'I am thankful the premier spoke on the issues that we are facing in our community and how the government will implement the plans on fixing them,' said Thembisa resident Duduzile Khumalo, 66.
