For more than three decades, Dorah Begwa has been on a mission – trying to restore land that once belonged to the Begwa community. But the task may be more than what a single activist, without access to expensive lawyers and substantial funds, can achieve. For many, she represents the last hope for a people who have occupied the land for over a thousand years. Dorah fights on behalf of a clan that is part of the Vhangona people, who have lived in the northern part of the country for over a …
Letters
Nasiphi Moya complicit in Tshwane’s coalition of corruption
Statement by Ald Cilliers Brink - DA Tshwane Mayoral Candidate: This morning, Mayor Nasiphi Moya appeared at a press conference about revelations made at the Madlanga Commission about tender rigging in Tshwane only to confirm that she has no intention to champion a clean administration. Seated next to Moya was Eugene Modise, ANC regional chairperson, deputy mayor, and Member of the Mayoral Committee for Finance. Credible information, including a forensic report by the Tshwane Metro, …
This May Be as Good as a Master’s Office Gets in South Africa
Lawyers and legal staff familiar with the Bloemfontein Master’s Office are more upbeat about this vital legal institution in their city than the attorneys and clients GroundUp has spoken to at other major Master’s Offices in Pretoria, Johannesburg and Nelspruit. Unlike the major Master’s offices GroundUp has reported on, the Bloemfontein office appears to be adequately resourced, according to sources close to the office. However, files have been known to be misplaced resulting in months of …
Government Promises to Fix Payment Backlog Choking SA Film Industry
Hundreds of film industry professionals protested in Cape Town on 28 January. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and representatives of the Save SA Films Jobs Coalition briefed Parliament on Tuesday on the crisis in the South African film industry. The DTIC has stopped approving production incentive payments due to a huge unpaid backlog. DTIC deputy minister Zuko Godlimpi said the department will try to secure urgent interim funding. The Department of Trade, Industry and …
Johannesburg Master’s Office: Allegations of Corruption and Incompetence
Lawyers complain of delays at the Johannesburg Master’s Office which can have serious consequences for their clients. Lawyers say delays at the Johannesburg Master’s Office in critical legal processes can have serious consequences, including financial losses for citizens who depend on its services. The office has glitch-prone digital platforms, backlogs and no emergency backup power. A “runner” system has emerged in which clients pay intermediaries for faster service, with one attorney saying, …
Criminal Complaint Laid Against Tshwane Deputy Mayor
Statement by Ald Cilliers Brink – DA Tshwane Mayoral Candidate: This morning, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Tshwane lodged a criminal complaint against Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise with the South African Police Service (SAPS). The statement made by DA Tshwane Caucus Chief Whip, Jacqui Uys upon laying the charges draws attention to the following issues specifically: The findings of a Tshwane investigative report that confirms that Modise failed to declare and divest his interests in …
Tshwane Deputy Mayor Accused of Fraud
Statement by Cllr Jacqui Uys, DA Tshwane Caucus Chief Whip: An investigative report tabled in the Tshwane Municipal Council today, confirms that Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise unlawfully benefits from a contract between the municipality and Triotic Protection Services. The investigative report compiled by Ncube Incorporated confirms that Modise is in continual breach of the code of conduct for councillors, which holds that a councillor cannot benefit from a contract with the municipality. When …
Plan to Avert Tshwane’s Financial Disaster
Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on Mayor Nasiphi Moya and her administration to reconsider their decision not to take the backdated salary increase award on review. We also call on the City to table a comprehensive budget funding plan in Council, so that other difficult decisions can be made to avoid the cashflow crisis that would otherwise follow. There are compelling grounds for the Tshwane Metro to dispute its obligation to pay R2 billion in salary increases backdated to 2021. …
Motion Pays Tribute to Babita Deokaran
The speech below was delivered by DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, Dr Jack Bloom MPL on DA’s motion to pay tribute to Babita Deokaran and proposal to honour her memory: Madam Speaker, this motion seeks to pay tribute to the late Babita Deokaran and honour her memory. Her family are unable to attend this sitting, but they are watching it live on the YouTube link. At her memorial service, her niece Reola Haripersadh, said the following: “Babita was a mother, daughter, sister, aunt, a cousin …
Pay back the Tembisa Hospital Money
Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng led a picket today outside Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s office to demand criminal charges against all those implicated in the looting at Tembisa Hospital, as well as a speedy process to sell off the assets of syndicate kingpins so the money is directly returned to assist hospital patients. I handed over a memorandum with the party’s demands. I was accompanied by the DA Constituency Heads for Tembisa, Refiloe Ntšekhe MPL and Khathutshelo …