The apex court has unanimously ruled that sections of the National Health Act requiring a Certificate of Need before private health facilities could open were unconstitutional. The Constitutional Court has declared unconstitutional sections of the National Health Act that required private hospitals, clinics and health professionals to obtain a government-issued Certificate of Need before setting up. The government had argued the scheme was central to the National Health Insurance rollout and …
Government
The Israel/Us-Iran War Is Hitting South Africa Hard – Our Oil Dependency Is Why
The CSIR’s 2024 power generation statistics found that the power Eskom sells to South Africans is more than three times as expensive, on average, as what new wind and solar can deliver (R1.95 per kWh vs 50-60 cents per kWh). Single mother of three and domestic worker Angel Mbatsha now pays R16 more per day for transport since Israel and the United States launched their war on Iran on 28 February. She pays R106 a day, 25% of her wage, to take three taxis from her home in Nyanga to her work in …
Tshwane Operating Under a Fully Funded Budget
GOOD Speech by Sarah Mabotsa, GOOD City of Tshwane Councillor and Member of the Mayoral Committee responsible for Economic Development and Spatial Planning: GOOD is committed to achieving greater social, economic, environmental, and spatial justice in South African cities. The State of the Capital Address (SOCA) demonstrated how Tshwane’s multi-party coalition government is delivring justice for Tshwane’s residents. Three years ago, the Auditor General determined that Tshwane was no longer a …
Is Abandoning a Baby in a Safe Box a Crime or an Act of Love? Court to Decide
The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria is hearing a case on whether “baby saving boxes” are legal. The Minister of Social Development is arguing that parents who place infants in them are guilty of abandonment under the Children’s Act. The Centre for Child Law argues the act is unconstitutional because it does not provide a safe, no-fault pathway for mothers to relinquish newborns. About 3,000 infants are unsafely abandoned each year, while the baby box system has reportedly saved 580 lives. A …
Revealing the Depth of Tshwane Metro’s Crisis
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) expressed serious concerns about the Tshwane Metro’s request to write off a further R1,5 billion in debtors as unauthorised expenditure. The mere fact that this massive amount is labelled “unauthorised” serves as an admission that it was never budgeted for. This exposes the so-called “funded budget”, which the Mayor boasted about, as a deliberate misrepresentation of the City’s actual financial position. If accounting tricks must be employed to remove billions …
Failure to Transfer Home Ownership to Refilwe Residents Robs Tshwane of Revenue
The failure to transfer ownership of residential properties in Refilwe, near Cullinan, to residents means that they are not paying property rates, which essentially robs the Tshwane Metro of much-needed revenue. An investigation by the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) revealed that around 10% of these properties are still registered in the Tshwane Metro’s name. A sample of 100 properties in Refilwe showed that 29 are still registered under municipal ownership. While the current coalition government …
Tshwane’s Deputy Mayor Shielded With a Fine
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) called on the Gauteng MEC for Local Government, Mr Jacob Mamabolo, to intervene after the Deputy Executive Mayor of Tshwane, Mr Eugene Modise, was sanctioned with only a fine equivalent to two months’ salary following serious irregularities. This follows the governing ANC/ActionSA/EFF coalition’s own admission that Mr Modise was found guilty of benefiting financially, through his company, Triotic Protection Services, from a municipal security contract. In its …
Tshwane Metro Cuts Public Schools’ Power Due to Outstanding Property Rates
The latest crisis in the City of Tshwane, where electricity supply to public schools has been disconnected due to outstanding property rates, has a direct and devastating impact on learners and educators. This step is reckless and inhumane, as schools themselves are not responsible for paying property rates. The responsibility rests on the shoulders of the Department of Education, which has to meet these financial obligations on behalf of schools. Wierdapark Primary School has already been …
Treasury Threatens to Stop Tshwane Metro’s Grants
The Tshwane Metro’s poor governance and substandard administration have led to some serious consequences seeing as the National Treasury (NT) has threatened to stop allocating grants to the Metro. At the latest meeting of the Tshwane Metro Council, a report was tabled proposing a policy on the prevention of unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure. At first glance, this policy appears to be a step in the right direction, and the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) will always welcome …
Tshwane Is Rising!
GOOD Statement by Sarah Mabotsa, GOOD City of Tshwane Councillor and Member of the Mayoral Committee responsible for Economic Development and Spatial Planning: The State of the Capital Address (SoCA) delivered by the Executive Mayor of Tshwane’s multi-party coalition government laid out the undeniable truth that South Africa’s Capital City is on the rise. Most clear is the vast improvement in the City’s financial position. Three years ago, under the DA-led government, the Auditor General …