Latest news with #IEC
Eyewitness News
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
IEC rejects application by the Islamic State of Africa to register as a political party
DURBAN - The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has rejected the application of the Islamic State of Africa to register as a political party. The decision follows several objections and a failure to meet key registration requirements. The IEC said that the Islamic State of Africa failed to submit the minimum of 300 signatures from registered voters, a basic legal requirement. The party also published its registration notice in a newspaper with limited circulation, which the IEC said did not provide sufficient public notice. In a statement, the commission said that it received over 200 objections from individuals and organisations who argued that the party's constitution proposes policies based on Sharia Law, which it says conflict with South Africa's constitutional values. The Islamic State of Africa has 30 days to challenge the IEC's decision through an official appeal process.
The Citizen
a day ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Top 10 stories of the day: Mchunu placed on leave of absence
Here's your daily news update for Saturday, 13 July 2025: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. In news today, President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday night announced that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has been placed on leave of absence. Also, Eskom has spent over R5.2 billion on diesel between April 2023 and March 2024 to operate its open-cycle gas turbines. Meanwhile, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has rejected the Islamic State of Africa's (ISA) application for registration due to its stated intent to introduce Sharia law. Weather tomorrow: 13 July 2025 Partly cloudy conditions are expected over the eastern and southern parts of the country, with isolated showers along the south coast and the eastern half of the Eastern Cape tomorrow. Full weather forecast here. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu placed on leave of absence Following a public speech by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi against senior political and South African Police Service leadership, President Cyril Ramaphosa placed Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on leave of absence. The president said Professor Firoz Cachalia has been appointed as acting minister of police. He will beign this role on 1 August. President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: @GovernmentZA/X 'These allegations call for an urgent and comprehensive investigation. To address these allegations and the implications of these allegations, I'm establishing a judicial commission of inquiry that will be chaired by acting deputy chief justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga,' said Ramaphosa. CONTINUE READING: JUST IN: Police Minister Senzo Mchunu placed on leave of absence Eskom spends over R5bn on diesel to keep the lights on Eskom has spent over R5.2 billion on diesel between April 2023 and March 2024 to operate its open-cycle gas turbines (OCGTs) in an effort to mitigate load shedding. This is despite previous claims that the utility would reduce its diesel usage due to financial constraints. Eskom said the power system remains stable. Picture: Adobe Stock Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said the year-to-date load factor for OGCT has marginally increased to 10.78%, reflecting a 0.08% increase compared to the previous week. CONTINUE READING: Eskom spends over R5bn on diesel to keep the lights on IEC rejects application of Islamic party that wants to bring Sharia law to SA The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has rejected the Islamic State of Africa's (ISA) application for registration due to its stated intent to introduce Sharia law. The IEC rejected ISA's application on three grounds. Image for illustrative purposes. Picture: The Citizen One of the reasons is that ISA published the notice of its application in a newspaper that is only circulated in small parts of the eThekwini municipality. CONTINUE READING: IEC rejects application of Islamic party that wants to bring Sharia law to SA 'A scammer trying to scam me as me' – Fake Connie Ferguson calls the real one Actress and producer Connie Ferguson exposed a scammer who attempted to impersonate her in a video call to defraud unsuspecting people. Ferguson posted a screen recording of the interaction, showing the fake caller trying to convince her to invest in a bogus deal. Actress Connie Ferguson. Picture: Instagram She warned her followers to stay vigilant, noting that scammers are using AI-generated or deepfake content to impersonate celebrities. 'Thieves are using AI to convince you that they are whoever they say they are. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Don't be manipulated into losing your common sense because times are hard.' CONTINUE READING: WATCH: 'A scammer trying to scam me as me' – Fake Connie Ferguson calls the real one Boks to fully support Wiese following red card, says coach Rassie The Springboks confirmed that the team will support Jasper Wiese following his red card during Saturday's Test in Gqeberha. While Wiese will miss upcoming matches, he is expected to be punished by World Rugby for the incident, which will possibly rule him out of action for a few matches. Jasper Wiese, with the ball, is set to miss the Boks' match against Georgia following a red card incident in the Test against Italy in Gqeberha on Saturday. Picture: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images 'He is just so committed and passionate about the team, and it would have been wonderful for him to play in this game with his brother,' said Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus. CONTINUE READING: Boks to fully support Wiese following red card, says coach Rassie Here are five more stories of the day: Yesterday's News recap READ HERE: Top 10 stories of the day: Mabuza as a unifier | Politicians not always honest | Sergeant arrested in Limpopo
The Citizen
a day ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
IEC rejects application of Islamic party that wants to bring Sharia law to SA
The IEC said it received more than 200 objections to the formation of the party. The Electoral Commission of South Africa on Saturday confirmed that it has rejected the application of the Islamic State of Africa (ISA) to register as a political party. Farhad Hoomer, the man who formed ISA, has previously been accused of terrorism in South Africa. He is also suspected by authorities in the United States (US) of being the leader of a Islamic State (Isis) cell operating in South Africa. ISA intended to bring Sharia law to South Africa In May, Hoomer said he had started ISA because he wanted to introduce Sharia law to South Africa. 'It was easy for me to lie and make a false name and come into politics. But, I wanted to make it clear from day one that we want Shariah Law because there is too much of injustice in the world, especially with democracy enslaving all of mankind,' Hoomer told SAFM. The IEC has now put that on hold. ALSO READ: Durban man previously accused of terrorism wants to run for election IEC rejects application It said it rejected ISA's application on three grounds. The first is that ISA did not submit the required 300 signatures from registered voters that support the formation of the party. The second reason is that ISA published the notice of its application in a newspaper that is only circulated in small parts of the eThekwini municipality. 'The publication in only some parts of the municipal area is not sufficient to create awareness of the application,' the IEC said. More than 200 objections The third reason is that the IEC received more than 200 objections to the formation of ISA. It said individuals and organisations took issue with the party's ' intention to develop policies based on Sharia law'. The IEC added that the objectors claimed that part of ISA's constitution is 'antithetical to the secular and inclusive nature of the principles underpinning the South African constitutional order'. The objectors said this 'would cause serious offence to a section of the population'. There was also concern that ISA's name was too similar to the Islamic State jihadist organisation (Isis/ISIL). ISA has 30 days to appeal the IEC's decision. NOW READ: Will Islamic party contest next year's elections?
The South African
a day ago
- Politics
- The South African
IEC blocks 'Sharia law' party's registration
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has confirmed that the application for registration of the Islamic State of Africa (ISA) as a political party has been rejected. IEC spokesperson Kate Bapela said the chief electoral officer (CEO), Sy Mamabolo, rejected the application by ISA on three grounds: The first is that the party failed to meet the threshold of prescribed details of registered voters who support the formation of the party. The prescribed details are the signatures of 300 registered voters, together with their full names and signatures. Secondly, the party published the notice of its application in a newspaper which enjoys circulation only in parts of the municipal area. The publication in only some parts of the municipal area is not sufficient to create awareness of the application. 'The purpose of publishing the application is to alert persons in the geographic area linked to the sphere of registration the party is applying for. In the present case, the area of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality,' Bapela explained. The third reason is that the IEC CEO received over 200 objections from individuals and organisations who argued that the constitution of ISA espouses 'the intention to develop policies based on Sharia law'. 'It is the submission of the objectors that part of ISA's constitution is 'antithetical to the secular and inclusive nature of the principles underpinning the South African constitutional order and registering ISA would cause serious offence to a section of the population,' she added. Furthermore, Bapela said the Islamic State of Africa may, within 30 days, appeal the decision of the CEO not to register it as a party to the IEC. 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.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
‘Operation Fire Trail': DRI seizes Rs 35-cr worth of Chinese firecrackers from Mumbai ports
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized Chinese firecrackers worth approximately Rs 35 crore, following a multi-port operation codenamed 'Operation Fire Trail', the agency said on Friday. The action, based on specific intelligence inputs, led to the interception of seven containers at Nhava Sheva Port, Mundra Port, and the Kandla Special Economic Zone (SEZ). According to a statement by the DRI, the seized cargo weighing nearly 100 metric tonnes was illicitly imported in the name of a KASEZ unit and certain Import-Export Code (IEC) holders. The goods were falsely declared as 'Mini Decorative Plants', 'Artificial Flowers', and 'Plastic Mats' in an attempt to evade detection. The press release noted that some of the consignments were routed through the Kandla SEZ with the intent of illegal diversion into the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA), in violation of the SEZ provisions. A key individual, identified as a partner of the SEZ unit, has been arrested for his role in the smuggling operation and remanded in judicial custody by the court. The import of firecrackers is classified as 'Restricted' under the ITC (HS) Classification of the Foreign Trade Policy and requires licences from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) under the Explosives Rules, 2008. The DRI pointed out that the smuggled firecrackers contained banned chemicals such as red lead, copper oxide, and lithium, which are hazardous to health and the environment. 'Firecrackers pose a significant risk to public safety, port infrastructure, and the broader logistics supply chain due to their highly combustible nature,' the DRI said in its statement, adding that the successful seizure prevented potential threats such as accidental explosions and disruptions in cargo handling operations. 'This meticulously planned and seamlessly executed operation underscores DRI's resolve to detect, deter, and dismantle illicit networks that undermine the Exim trade ecosystem and endanger public safety,' the release said. Further investigations are underway.
