South Africa P.I.G.: FRAUD

Showing posts with label FRAUD. Show all posts

If I move overseas, must I shut my mouth?

It seems there is a prevailing opinion that once you have emigrated, you lose your right to read the news in South Africa. And God forbid you dare comment, which has become a popular feature of most news websites. Should you do so, you are frequently met with hostility, ridicule, threats and insults which range from the hilarious to the downright disturbing. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcjIagZKoFCClNtgtdgdBu3a-nJzb4ccveOD0ABYWe2ADQJvZP3r1qsQ-oXsutE3PVTmPKk4SyFbHIgjF_GRs_pbQIWB1sKnFS1xQju9Brvm7thavj0I4vQFXQjAj2pNnqrEy97to_Byc-/s1600/World-Map1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="344" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcjIagZKoFCClNtgtdgdBu3a-nJzb4ccveOD0ABYWe2ADQJvZP3r1qsQ-oXsutE3PVTmPKk4SyFbHIgjF_GRs_pbQIWB1sKnFS1xQju9Brvm7thavj0I4vQFXQjAj2pNnqrEy97to_Byc-/s640/World-Map1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> Now, why does one leave a country? Is it because you’re a coward? Is it because it is easy? Is it because it is financially advantageous? Who knows? Leaving, for me, was one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do. And I say “had to do”, because I have this very well honed sense of self-preservation. I no longer felt safe in SA. I didn’t like living in a prison called home. The hijackings of cyclists really put me off. Erratic bills from the Joburg City Council and zero recourse (I had to pay R32 000 for a “clearance certificate” on selling the house, promised a refund, nothing six months on), we’ve been victims of crime too many times, crumbling roads, deteriorating water quality (we used to wakeboard on the Vaal river – no more), absurd police force, even more outrageous and absurd “government”. You know all the reasons; having experienced them in person, and increasingly understanding that there was a gaping chasm in my personal moral and ethical makeup and that of South African society, it was clear that getting out was the only option. Why is it hard? Emigrating is very disruptive. More than that, it is a mountain of admin and paperwork. And it is expensive. It requires commitment, perseverance and nerves of steel. And lots of money. Once you arrive on the other side, you want to look forward and get on with it. However, if you are someone who likes being informed, plugging in takes time. The political landscape is murky, the issues are almost trivial compared to what we have become accustomed to in SA, the personalities are unknown. And, frankly, the news here lacks entertainment value - it is comparatively boring. Add to that the fact that no matter who you are, you will have plenty of friends and family in South Africa. If you are like me, you feel strongly about why you had to leave (you’d have to – see the paragraph about why it is hard). When I feel strongly about something, I tend to want to proselytise others into my way of thinking. To me, getting out was a matter of life and death. So if I think it is in your interests to look at emigration because it might improve your chances of living to be an old coffin dodger, believe me I will try and convince you to do it. Then there is the issue of confirming to oneself that the right decision has been made (who wouldn’t want to, right?) Well, that’s not difficult, now is it? Look at top stories in SA news right now: TheTimes, News24, Moneyweb, City Press. You get the idea – hell, of course you do, you live there. And this is before we start digging into the shenanigans of government, you know, Bheki and the lease, Jacob and the 783 charges, Schabir and the “terminal illness”, Nomvula and her now deceased son, Shiceka and the fake degree, Motshekga and whatever the hell she is doing with education, Kgalema and the dodgy deals, the Guptas, Radovan Krejcir, Lolly Jackson, Joey Mabasa, and on and on it goes. And yes, it is a psychological reality that individuals will seek out information which confirms their world view (and their drastic decisions). It is comforting. There, I admit it. People, what you are accepting IS NOT NORMAL. It is NOT ACCEPTABLE. None of it. But it becomes the norm and acceptable in SA. You are a part of that society which permits it, like it or not. I am no longer, because I found myself incompatible with that society. Are you compatible with it? Do you like what you are becoming as a consequence of being a member of that society? Anyway. What are your thoughts? Now that I have left, is reading and commenting on SA news verboten? Should we prevent people from commenting on, say, USA news if they aren’t resident? Should I not share with the world, in this age of social media, the things that I find here which I find strange and wondrous? (You know, like getting your phone line connected in less than two hours, electricity connected in a two minute visit to the power company, having no fence or burglar bars around my house, and, yes, having to do my own dishes and mow the lawn.) Or should I refrain from comparing, shut the hell up, and let the South Africans I love carry on thinking that they have it the best in the world. Go on then. Over to you.

If I move overseas, must I shut my mouth?

It seems there is a prevailing opinion that once you have emigrated, you lose your right to read the news in South Africa. And God forbid yo...

1:38 PM

Police call for tax boycott as taxpayers become accessories to crime

<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbSFOlLYTOL5TreGZVIaY4giL7-uZ839wWAM0do7d00bOtL_Xw_JWSrpQ_vT_G_J_4ITWSS0-Qbp4_EUoiyejojCbTS-ASaWA0PdjnWaEwERngmZ8QS-hf4FRBGkb97mA7u4u-avgI6A-/s1600/parody.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbSFOlLYTOL5TreGZVIaY4giL7-uZ839wWAM0do7d00bOtL_Xw_JWSrpQ_vT_G_J_4ITWSS0-Qbp4_EUoiyejojCbTS-ASaWA0PdjnWaEwERngmZ8QS-hf4FRBGkb97mA7u4u-avgI6A-/s1600/parody.jpg" /></a>The police and other corruption-busting organisations have warned South Africans to stop paying tax, saying that citizens are knowingly becoming accessories to crime by funding a shady gang of confidence tricksters, fraudsters, embezzlers and petty thieves known throughout the criminal underworld as “the South African government”.</div> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyevB1GFW6otibdpM22pVNYrpiIdd2C9dQ8QZ3bqHjAH9xtvwwjgsHQMJnQgelE1IjZuGNVhXqXjm5LnKc77kDD9OM5ulRq2CIUMfwQxOTqs6E7wk_A_aEvBf_XhGtQt19TSN2ROZJ6ov/s1600/newsweek_cover+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyevB1GFW6otibdpM22pVNYrpiIdd2C9dQ8QZ3bqHjAH9xtvwwjgsHQMJnQgelE1IjZuGNVhXqXjm5LnKc77kDD9OM5ulRq2CIUMfwQxOTqs6E7wk_A_aEvBf_XhGtQt19TSN2ROZJ6ov/s400/newsweek_cover+copy.jpg" width="240" /></a>According to recent estimates, around R100-billion is stolen by corrupt public officials every year, thanks largely to a massive annual heist known to government criminals as “tax season”. “As far as we can tell there’s a front operation, fairly legit, they’ve got offices and everything,” explained lead investigator Colombo Phiri. “There’s a big blue sign over the door that says ‘SARS’, and every year during the ‘tax season’ heist they rake in about R350-billion of swag.” He added that once the loot was safely in SARS’s vaults, the “Government Gang” usually stole between 25 and 30 percent of it, depending on the current price of BMWs, the amount of patronage they needed to buy from regional ANC Youth League commissars, and the number of political opponents they needed to assassinate in Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Phiri conceded that up to R100-billion was also being stolen in the private sector every year, but said less fuss was made of this for one major reason. “The main difference is that citizens are not required by law to hand over 30 percent of their earnings to patently corrupt companies,” he said. “It’s not like you go to jail if you refuse to shop at your friendly neighbourhood arms dealer.” However, he said, the law was the law and taxpayers who willingly funded organised crime – or extremely disorganised organised crime, as in the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga – could expect no mercy. “When you fill in that tax return and write that cheque, you know that 30 percent of your money is going straight into the slush fund of some self-entitled mouth-breather with a Grade 9 education and a cousin in the Youth League,” he said. “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.” He added that those who flouted the law by paying tax would be prosecuted, unless prosecutors accidentally shredded and then burnt their dockets after being bought off with tax revenue. “Do the right thing. Stash your salary under your mattress and if you see anyone who works for the government, from a local councillor right up to cabinet ministers, do not approach them but rather go to a safe place, keeping your money well out of sight, and call the police immediately.” source: hayibo.com </div></div>

Police call for tax boycott as taxpayers become accessories to crime

The police and other corruption-busting organisations have warned South Africans to stop paying tax, saying that citizens are knowingly beco...

6:10 AM

JMPD cops probed for bribery, assault, and, and, and ...

TWENTY percent of the Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) are corrupt, with cops soliciting bribes of R1 000, and others stealing R1 million. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEJWe3J9UDP1N2iWbT0iSPZ-fxxw4oqIGZQsoypOPOy_plRHoY02WAibA4q3VqZ_Bieas5gj0W68EaryegoZKk8pUm7rCmmqa3q5o1uz0TZszcLQjiz5FW8JxP7mPJ1T6wT_9FGoNB57K/s1600/cops-jmpd.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535857825488683458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEJWe3J9UDP1N2iWbT0iSPZ-fxxw4oqIGZQsoypOPOy_plRHoY02WAibA4q3VqZ_Bieas5gj0W68EaryegoZKk8pUm7rCmmqa3q5o1uz0TZszcLQjiz5FW8JxP7mPJ1T6wT_9FGoNB57K/s400/cops-jmpd.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 197px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 255px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>A REPORT before the City of Joburg shows that between April and June, 116 officers were investigated and though several cases have been concluded, not one officer has been dismissed or suspended. The charges include: officers insulting motorists; pointing a firearm at a motorist; and unnecessarily issuing fines; victimising, harassing and stalking motorists; and punishing motorists for not paying bribes. JMPD chief Chris Ngcobo has admitted the rampant problem in the ranks, and vowed that officers caught will be dismissed. Despite this, a report before the City of Joburg shows that charges brought against 116 JMPD members four months ago have not resulted in one dismissal or suspension. A report seen by The Star reveals that from April to June this year, 116 JMPD officers were probed by its internal affairs unit. Among the most serious complaints are allegations of bribery by on-duty metro police officers, soliciting kickbacks of between R200 and R4 000 from motorists. Other transgressions range from corruption to theft, fraud, negligence, assault and unbecoming behaviour, being drunk on duty, going Awol on a shift, negligence and causing damage to council vehicles....and, and, and In a status report, presented to it by the JMPD’s internal affairs director Abel Nkosi on October 6, the document states that of the 116 cases, 60 have been finalised, 31 were still under investigation, 16 were being prosecuted and six were unsubstantiated. A further three cases were registered under “duplication”, “undetected” and “referred to other municipalities”. There are 86 allegations of “unbecoming behaviour” against officers, making up the majority of the cases. 476 Metro Cops probed for bribery, assault MORE than 10 percent, or 476, of the Joburg metro police department’s (JMPD) staff complement have been investigated internally in the past year for allegations ranging from theft to bribery, assault and misconduct. But, of the 476 metro police officers probed by the service’s internal affairs unit, less than 4 percent – or a mere 19 officers – were dismissed. The disclosure by the City of Joburg policing service’s management follows exposés into what seems to amount to criminal conduct and abuses by JMPD officers. The cases were reported in the JMPD’s latest annual report. There are currently 4 326 JMPD staffers employed in the city. Of the 476 cases investigated, the majority of the allegations against the officers were of “unbecoming behaviour” (373 cases) and 20 cases of corruption and assault. The figures indicate that 205 of the cases had been resolved without the need for a disciplinary hearing. About 30 percent, or 149, of the cases initially laid with the JMPD were unsubstantiated when investigated further, and at least 10 cases were withdrawn. Of 43 officers who had gone through disciplinary procedures, 19 had been dismissed, charges against 12 had been withdrawn and four officers had been found not guilty. The remaining eight officers had received written warnings or an unpaid suspension ranging from two to 10 days. The offences covered in the annual report range from fraud to bribery, theft, assault, unbecoming conduct, going Awol, insubordination and damage to council property. The annual report covers the period from July last year to June this year. Ngcobo’s acknowledgement came just weeks after his internal affairs director, Abel Nkosi, reported to the council that at least 116 officers had been investigated internally between April and June this year. In the past year, the police’s internal complaints directorate had investigated nine cases of bribery, corruption, fraud, theft, assault and misconduct against the officers. About a month ago, members of the internal affairs division had handed a motorist a R4 000 bribe to drop corruption charges against a senior metro police officer. The motorist had gone to the JMPD’s Loveday Street offices in the Joburg CBD to complain formally about being forced to pay a R700 bribe to an officer at a roadblock – a conversation which he had recorded. The officers had then tried to make the case go away. In the latest case on October 10, Soweto resident Sibusiso Ntimba was allegedly beaten up and burnt on a hot engine by metro police officers because he had failed to produce his driving licence. Then, on July 28, a carpenter from Linden was allegedly assaulted and arrested by a group of metro officers after he had asked them why they were destroying a rock feature in his neighbourhood.

JMPD cops probed for bribery, assault, and, and, and ...

TWENTY percent of the Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) are corrupt, with cops soliciting bribes of R1 000, and others stealing R1 milli...

2:05 AM

SAPS-SITA EXPOSED

R1.3m a month paid to Mr and Mrs SAPS director and deputy director's child A consultant employed by the South African Police Service (SAPS), whose highest qualification was matric, was paid R1.3 million a month. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1lzhxR2h4dWSAU2HlOLhRspikBKYse4pY40cO1MV_0CaZmK0Ok2CmtA7EByY05sdDo0vGIiw9TD3Il4IpqEOr0Y0lB0D0lpMp7CKhYTWKMcimwh0WTo8NLD4w9Wdm_4xKdny3Hfuu_Wp2/s1600/SAPS.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534326071871256690" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1lzhxR2h4dWSAU2HlOLhRspikBKYse4pY40cO1MV_0CaZmK0Ok2CmtA7EByY05sdDo0vGIiw9TD3Il4IpqEOr0Y0lB0D0lpMp7CKhYTWKMcimwh0WTo8NLD4w9Wdm_4xKdny3Hfuu_Wp2/s400/SAPS.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>This was revealed by Sindi Chikunga, chairwoman of the National Assembly police oversight committee, during a hearing with the SAPS and the State Information Technology Agency (Sita) yesterday. The consultant’s mother had been working as a director and her father as a deputy director at the SAPS, Chikunga said. Police national commissioner General Bheki Cele had on a previous occasion confirmed this. Cele did not answer repeated calls made to him about the matter. But, appearing before the committee a few months ago, he mentioned that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) was investigating a married couple who had been employed by the SAPS, the wife being a director and the husband a deputy-director. The couple owned a company that received tenders for services provided to the SAPS. The couple’s daughter, who was apparently still in school, did work for the SAPS through the company on behalf of the family. Police spokesman Vish Naidoo said he could not confirm that the consultant mentioned in yesterday’s meeting and the daughter referred to by Cele was the same person. Chikunga said the case was alarming and indicated the serious problems the SAPS faced. “If a matriculant earns R1.3m per month… there are serious problems. “What special services are you going to get from a matriculant that you cannot get from someone in the SAPS? It’s concerning and shows the issues that are there and what’s going on in the department,” said Chikunga. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBwNGHmFX3aR8Z-BZKl6r1vVVZg4BaP8alPm0rGe2fb6GgqJ-WfXowVy3olTLgnjjrcUH7OJO7OLVbjm0nkUV2sbW9K8nzKfZybMaxqQdNxtA1S35isIKCFNONmXnAYadqDVL3Sxsv8Hg/s1600/SITA.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534325857301578018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBwNGHmFX3aR8Z-BZKl6r1vVVZg4BaP8alPm0rGe2fb6GgqJ-WfXowVy3olTLgnjjrcUH7OJO7OLVbjm0nkUV2sbW9K8nzKfZybMaxqQdNxtA1S35isIKCFNONmXnAYadqDVL3Sxsv8Hg/s400/SITA.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 250px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>MPs accused the SAPS of handing over blank cheques to Sita without properly planning the use of the money. “They get allocated the money and then they say, ‘Oh, what do we need to do with it’,” said ANC MP Greg Schneemann. Police commander Laytoa Tshabalala, the head of SAPS’s technology unit, agreed with Schneemann’s sentiment. He said he had addressed with the SAPS and Sita the “tell us how much you earn and we’ll help you spend it” tendencies. MPs questioned the business relationship between the SAPS and Sita, which provides technological services. ANC MP Annelise van Wyk said: “This is absolutely ridiculous. SAPS is Sita’s biggest client. There are serious concerns in the way SAPS determines priorities. I wonder whether this relationship is unhealthy.” Tshabalala said the SAPS had had serious doubts about renewing its contract with Sita this year. “The management of SAPS resisted giving the money to Sita. We were seriously toying with the idea to not go into business with them.” Tshabalala, who only recently started working for the unit, said that on his arrival he was shocked at the state of the business practices. “I was saying, it can’t be that Sita is the only (service provider). There were people who were working for Sita that came from SAPS. How is it that we allowed this mafia to run amok for so long?” He said almost half of the consultants used by Sita were employed by the SAPS. “It’s no point cleaning on one side and not the other. You must clean both sides,” he added. - Pretoria News See:- <a href="http://www.iweek.co.za/ViewStory.asp?StoryID=201351">Report exposes Sita</a> ITWEB Report - <a href="http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26250:sita-exposed">SITA exposed</a>

SAPS-SITA EXPOSED

R1.3m a month paid to Mr and Mrs SAPS director and deputy director's child A consultant employed by the South African Police Service (S...

12:42 PM

Malema got four deals in one month

ANC Youth League president Julius Malema's company, SGL Engineering Projects, was handed at least four multimillion-rand contracts in just one month in his home town of Polokwane, Limpopo. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxFLVwUZBimuQgUYcZYJhZDEA4j-pyCoRVa2iEPXgDMSFcYAw46OO4HcQS_g88m3ViL2nCaqLA3jJdVQbM9XHFr0bSyJDs_G5E3IbT5pEoQb3BTjMdSKYpnzMiegayqF5hwPjUqzIFc4Qs/s1600-h/malemaclown.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445878533337658322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxFLVwUZBimuQgUYcZYJhZDEA4j-pyCoRVa2iEPXgDMSFcYAw46OO4HcQS_g88m3ViL2nCaqLA3jJdVQbM9XHFr0bSyJDs_G5E3IbT5pEoQb3BTjMdSKYpnzMiegayqF5hwPjUqzIFc4Qs/s320/malemaclown.gif" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" /></a>City Press can exclusively disclose how SGL was awarded tenders worth more than R6m last year by the Polokwane municipality. Malema, who owns a R1m home in the city, grew up in nearby Seshego. A document from the municipality's tender database, a copy of which is in possession of City Press, shows how SGL was awarded the contracts in October. The document was compiled as a response to parliamentary questions last year by the Congress of the People about contracts awarded to companies by the province's 31 municipalities. The answers from Polokwane were, however, inexplicably omitted from the official response presented to the legislature by the provincial local government and housing department. A senior municipal official said this was because the answers highlighted the extent to which Malema's company dominated tenders in the province. While the document provided the value of other contracts awarded by the municipality, there were no amounts reflected in the column where SGL was listed as being a contractor. According to the document, the contracts included vital development work including: <ul><li>Consulting engineering on roads and sanitation projects; </li><li>Water and sewer reticulation; </li><li>Dam safety and pump stations; </li><li>Sewer purification and project management; and </li><li>Rural sanitation in the form of ventilated improved pit latrines. </li></ul>The document was also silent on the exact location and period when the contracts started and their expected completion time. The company scored 21 additional contracts from eight other municipalities to the value of R140m between 2007 and 2009. Polokwane municipality spokesperson Simon Mokoatedi claimed that SGL received only two tenders worth R3.2m. When we put it to him that sources said SGL had also been awarded another contract worth more than R3m, Mokoatedi replied: "There are processes to award the tender, but we cannot say much because the council still has to ratify the decision." According to Mokoatedi, two of the contracts were worth R3 million while the third, where an appointment letter still had to be given to the successful bidder, was worth an additional R3m. Several other municipalities which awarded contracts to SGL yesterday defended their decisions, insisting that the company was appointed through normal tender processes and submitted all relevant documentation. From Mopani Municipality, SGL received R66.4m in contracts. Municipal manager Timothy Maake said "no exception" (on documentation) was made. Tzaneen municipal manager Mabakane Mangena said: "SGL went through normal processes that required documentation. There is no way we can award a company a tender without tax clearance." SGL was awarded R28m in tenders. The Greater Letaba municipality also handed Malema tenders worth R28m. "Yes, they submitted a tax clearance certificate," said Mayor Godfrey Modjadji. "As you know, that is a basic requirement and you cannot process any contract without that information for tax reasons." - City PressSee also - <a href="http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article354032.ece">Investigate Limpopo tender irregularities</a> ANCYL leaders, their girlfriends and relatives are exploiting all opportunities and becoming fly-by-night millionaires

Malema got four deals in one month

ANC Youth League president Julius Malema's company, SGL Engineering Projects, was handed at least four multimillion-rand contracts in ju...

4:43 AM

Govt pays for soccer jaunt

The Eastern Cape health department may have been defrauded of as much as R10-million over the past three years in a scam run under cover of an air ambulance contract. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4_XgHuq3Q21T-wd2RrTyDaUxE-n0sakIt-bPpTSnYaBRjnMZn_J17kwq7PBwLsAYBaUeosyA2S-BRIf90iZkCMOqhXtX-UolFKrID19WK-b04gzeN67dbnVkmmnEKZPAiFp2KPtPIWb9/s1600-h/air-ambulance.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443288185795069826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4_XgHuq3Q21T-wd2RrTyDaUxE-n0sakIt-bPpTSnYaBRjnMZn_J17kwq7PBwLsAYBaUeosyA2S-BRIf90iZkCMOqhXtX-UolFKrID19WK-b04gzeN67dbnVkmmnEKZPAiFp2KPtPIWb9/s400/air-ambulance.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>Spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the initial results of an investigation by a team that included accountants indicated the department had been grossly overcharged for services rendered by the company awarded the contract. The department was not suggesting any wrongdoing on the part of the company, National Airways Corporation. "But we are investigating possible collusion between some of our officials and their employees," he said. Typical of the instances of overcharging was billing six hours for a flight from East London to Mthatha, and six hours back. The department had suspended several of its officials in connection with the scam, and referred matters to the police for investigation, Kupelo said. The province's head of emergency medical services, Shanks Maharaj, was suspended last year following an investigation into a R95 000 jaunt to Bloemfontein in an air ambulance at the department's expense. The plane was used to fly officials to watch a Confederations Cup match between Spain and the United States. Maharaj resigned earlier this month, without having gone through a disciplinary enquiry. Among eight other officials suspended last week, also in relation to the flight, are a provincial operations manager, three heads of ambulance centres, a secretary, two emergency fleet managers and the deputy manager of an ambulance centre. They would face a disciplinary hearing next week. He said the department had identified 411 irregular contracts worth some R49 million awarded in this way in the 2008/9 and 2009/10 financial years. Among them was one awarded to a security company to service about 15 clinics in the East London area, for which the company was now demanding payment of R164 000.

Govt pays for soccer jaunt

The Eastern Cape health department may have been defrauded of as much as R10-million over the past three years in a scam run under cover of ...

4:35 AM

Zuma has once again proved the ANC wrong

The ANC will rue the day they decided - against all logic - that Jacob Zuma shall be president of the country. Today the man is seen by many as nothing more than an object of comic relief. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2bZX6Ak12JYFzwntwFV2AOZ8Fn1yPlR2ltmiexPhJl5xRSaZtToMg3UbKE1L7nyVITBtu-CmWknoM9c_5EGlVpYiNec6Bb0mlpt-LFk40yQDAdcp9_uobqdvrXYKo4uME4XJ5FTQyDR4/s1600-h/zuma-samecircus.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435255198177852402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2bZX6Ak12JYFzwntwFV2AOZ8Fn1yPlR2ltmiexPhJl5xRSaZtToMg3UbKE1L7nyVITBtu-CmWknoM9c_5EGlVpYiNec6Bb0mlpt-LFk40yQDAdcp9_uobqdvrXYKo4uME4XJ5FTQyDR4/s400/zuma-samecircus.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 284px" /></a>No wonder journalists in Davos, Switzerland, could not resist the urge to use him to entertain themselves. Luckily for Zuma, while South Africans wallow in embarrassment and shame, he appears very much at ease with his "culture-induced" indiscretions. His affable and warm personality aside, Zuma's shortcomings are just so glaring that in a normal country he would not be allowed a look-in at the presidential palace. Ironically, the ANC faction that brought Zuma to power made the same mistake as Thabo Mbeki, who foolishly wanted to prove mainstream medical scientists wrong with his crackpot Aids denialist theories. Through Zuma the ANC wanted to prove to the world that an uneducated man from a humble rural background could lead a modern state to prosperity. Needless to say, this grandiosely romanticised project has backfired spectacularly. Zuma's latest gaffe makes for intriguing times in the faction-riddled ANC. No doubt Zuma's handlers in Cosatu and the SACP must be very worried. They will now find it difficult to bulldoze other factions within the ANC-led alliance to accept a second term for Zuma as fait accompli. In fact, it is not inconceivable that other factions will be emboldened by this "love child" saga to find their voice and even agitate for Zuma's "recall". After all, a precedent has been set. However, the very prospect of Zuma's recall will have its own repercussions. Zuma's liaisons with convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik tell us that he is not unfamiliar with the notion of corruption. Lest we forget, the man went to extraordinary lengths to avoid his own day in court. Now that it is almost certain that a second term is out of question, Msholozi might need to make the proverbial hay while the sun is still shining.

Zuma has once again proved the ANC wrong

The ANC will rue the day they decided - against all logic - that Jacob Zuma shall be president of the country. Today the man is seen by many...

11:52 AM

Three lying, cheating SAPS staff bust for matric fraud

Three police administration workers appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate's Court on Friday for allegedly being in possession of fraudulent matric certificates. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0NrOdEFbjVFD_CxzQgQlMa0XJohrv8pMaOxk2dIblL0HZ2kXmBQ9z56ECRwghgvaZ27u1q8hZVjHGphL6Oxwco18JevF1eFod74f5cJnpnDzqan8E2ySxXa2H1Ye06PDGr_ILBCKkLQiN/s1600-h/SAPS-police-dept-lazy.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429974989481874818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0NrOdEFbjVFD_CxzQgQlMa0XJohrv8pMaOxk2dIblL0HZ2kXmBQ9z56ECRwghgvaZ27u1q8hZVjHGphL6Oxwco18JevF1eFod74f5cJnpnDzqan8E2ySxXa2H1Ye06PDGr_ILBCKkLQiN/s400/SAPS-police-dept-lazy.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 260px" /></a>Police spokesperson Captain Leonard Hlathi said the three were granted R1 000 bail each and the case was postponed to February 3. Both Maurine Sibulelani (40) and Phetheni Annah Ngwenya (35) were allegedly caught with fraudulent matric certificates which they bought through a colleague, 41-year-old Nelly Zulu. Zulu, whose qualificaiton was authentic, was stationed at the Nelspruit police station. All three women have worked for the SA Police Service for about three years. "It is alleged that Zulu arranged fraudulent matric certificates for her two colleagues," said Hlathi. Earlier this month, five other people who were also found with a pile of fraudulent certificates were arrested in Nelspruit and Barberton. They sold the papers for between R150 and R1 000. Among those arrested was Daniel Velaphi Gumede (35), who was allegedly the mastermind who sold certificates to the administrative personnel. He was arrested along with 25-year-old Benedict Mavo Mhlabane, one of the suspects in the 2009 matric papers scandal in Mpumalanga, Gugu Morobane (31) and siblings Doris and Sifiso Nkosi. The group was granted R1 000 bail each, and were expected to appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate's Court on February 3. More arrests were imminent, Hlathi said. - Sapa

Three lying, cheating SAPS staff bust for matric fraud

Three police administration workers appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate's Court on Friday for allegedly being in possession of fraudule...

8:16 AM

Images of a dying man

How much more evidence is needed before the government takes action against Shaik? The supposedly "gravely ill" Shaik looked healthy in photographs of him carrying bread and magazines, and getting into his BMW X6, which were published in City Press yesterday. <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417690392446232658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKE-TjoMRkrnsAPwf0uLFfh3YY5tuQVTl3xRaDJowWnlx4fg8PSHCLz9utpWuxqVsS1wPRyfsRIKmYSkQ_MFXulGWitESoIYsYvgGKJX-YEicg2P83AwVUGGLHnfzqw42ZRL9e3SQw4fp/s400/shaik-bmw.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 385px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Shaik was quoted as saying he suffered from uncontrollable stress, but "being home, just seeing the greenery, feeling the sun, getting fresh air, having good food, that alone allows recuperation. That helps me reduce my stress and, to some extent, my recovery." Shaik was further quoted as saying he was spending a fortune on glasses, because the retina of one of his eyes had been damaged as a result of high blood pressure. "I'm on goji berries now. Someone told me that with them I'll make a miraculous recovery ... hoping my eyesight will improve, but it isn't." <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417690383817794962" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUkYOL6yb-cRTvPRwxRWZEzxhWdO_RR2-QZdl-8kHBODu_KwDzrUT1l9W19QRuvFIMw61mpsIlGL9ew-m2dac9IZri_KBLG8_Rl0ya0WBJen5wf1tlTX1kPQZfzXNXqo-Q-dpFjCZg4aW/s400/shaik-portrait.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 345px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />The paper reported that Shaik had aggressively asked the photographer why he didn't rather apply his "creative skills" to finding out why he was not getting a pardon, "because the longer I stay as a prisoner, other people are equally guilty". "Why should I even be asking for a pardon? If three people were part of a so-called plot to elicit funds from the French, why are the French free, why is the president free and why is Shaik still sitting as a convict. Cmon!" he is quoted as saying. Shaik was also spotted in October playing golf. While he denied it, golfers insisted they had seen him. <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417694360224296626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdLh4WQ0nCu8-3CXShvu4i1tuKElh0lFocOG2iSC0Lq9iH6Gg_ZymFDWZm-43fbWWhV8Dm3WOXmRUbBRuF7uIaui40fwbKQiv3ykNZsbYkSPmBz6B4tJ4LXEfhYFwI4m-vg2ZJvZJPhfC/s400/shaik-golf.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />DA correctional services spokesman James Selfe said yesterday Shaik's release on medical parole should be re-evaluated as he was making a mockery of the system. "His release on medical parole now needs to be reviewed. How much more proof does the minister need before deciding to act against the convicted fraudster? "The larger problem is, of course, that the lack of action by the department following these reports further undermines the criminal justice system in the eyes of South Africans, who perceive that there is one law for the politically connected and another for ordinary citizens," he said. Selfe added there was absolutely no doubt that Shaik was released for political reasons and not on medical grounds. IFP correctional services spokesman Albert Mncwango said that because of Shaik, the credibility of the country's parole system was in tatters and being used for political expediencies. "People will not stop complaining about Shaik because he was released on the basis that he was dying. But it has been proved beyond reasonable doubt that his state of health is not what it was said to be at the time. "Correctional Services needs to explain to the public what has changed since his release, or people will believe it was politically motivated," he said. Shaik was convicted on two counts of corruption and one of fraud in 2005. He served only two years and four months of his 15-year sentence, spending most of the time in hospital because of high blood pressure, depression and chest pains. After Shaik's release, his brother Yunis was reported as saying Shaik was "gravely ill", his kidneys and brain had been badly affected and he had lost 50 percent of his sight. Yunis yesterday said there had been no change in Shaik's medical condition. "His parole allows him to leave his home, and each time he does, he is tormented. It is not a reportable event to go to a pharmacy to acquire medicine or to a shop to purchase bread," he said. Correctional services spokesman Manelisi Wolela said: "No evidence had been provided before about Shaik and these are new allegations that have come about regarding Shaik's violation of parole. We have asked for a report from our regional office and will comment after we have studied it."

Images of a dying man

How much more evidence is needed before the government takes action against Shaik? The supposedly "gravely ill" Shaik looked healt...

5:58 AM

Police in crime conspiracy

Investigation into fudging of crime statistics reveal how police downgraded serious offences. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5lCM8w_Lit8cwocmjFb-zroSu4DvuZmIu8pRsAbb7CftGLHJ5C9o0iuzFh4YySIbOxGiTrQSDs4yCGcr6plwDpfsO6Fc7KCXE9oUX_b9OJcPQ7dv3prlkQLS0M8B0zT9qPHNyii-0J-N/s1600-h/crime-sa-02.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414481727922914962" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5lCM8w_Lit8cwocmjFb-zroSu4DvuZmIu8pRsAbb7CftGLHJ5C9o0iuzFh4YySIbOxGiTrQSDs4yCGcr6plwDpfsO6Fc7KCXE9oUX_b9OJcPQ7dv3prlkQLS0M8B0zT9qPHNyii-0J-N/s400/crime-sa-02.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 288px" /></a>A probe into the manipulation of crime statistics is gathering momentum as new details emerge of how police with evidence of serious crimes, such as child rape, failed to open dockets. Police stations in two provinces stand accused of destroying dockets and downgrading the seriousness of reported crimes, in a conspiracy to make it look as if there was less crime in their areas. This week it emerged that: <blockquote>Police failed to open a docket into the alleged rape of five primary school pupils by one man in a single day, despite medical and other evidence; The Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD), a police watchdog body probing the crime statistics scandal, now wants to scrutinise over 1000 more dockets in the Western Cape;Western Cape community safety MEC Lennit Max called on the ICD to make public the preliminary results of their probe into 103 dockets in the province. </blockquote>Four police officers, including Pietermaritzburg's Mountain Rise police station commissioner, Harriram Badul, were arrested after a probe into the alleged destruction of dockets. They were arrested on 51 counts of fraud and corruption and the case has been handed to the Hawks. The Sunday Times this week established that police in Paarl, in the Western Cape, failed to open a docket after being handed doctor's certificates confirming injuries consistent with the rape of five primary school pupils. Neither did they arrest the suspect, pointed out by the victims - four girls and one boy aged 6 to 12 - earlier this year. Instead, they opened an inquiry, which, unlike a docket, is not counted among crime statistics. The suspect was only arrested in June after a special task team of about 25 members of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) from Cape Town were sent to Paarl to track down and arrest suspects linked to over 100 cases registered as inquiries in the area. The team swooped after Max asked the ICD to probe claims that crime figures were being manipulated in the province. The team of detectives were handed over 100 dockets - all opened the day before they arrived in Paarl - and told to "immediately arrest all the suspects identified and pointed out" by their victims. They arrested up to 30 suspects that day. The ICD has now asked police to hand over 1000 dockets from the Boland cluster of police stations, which include Paarl, Paarl East, Mbekweni, Malmesbury, Riebeeck-Wes and Philadelphia. The provincial head of the police's legal services has written to the ICD, asking for the investigation to be "expedited and completed". Max has also written to the ICD asking for their preliminary findings, based on an evaluation of 103 dockets from the Paarl area, to be made public. "The ICD must first positively link somebody to any wrongdoing before any action is taken. I hope, however, that if there was any, the police will act consistently, as they did in the Lansdowne case." The former station commissioner at Lansdowne police station in Cape Town, Senior Superintendent Charlene Chandler, became the first police officer in the country to be fired for fiddling with crime figures. The SAPS fired her in October for defeating the ends of justice after an internal probe. ICD spokesman Moses Dlamini this week confirmed there had been a request for more police dockets for the watchdog to examine. "We are waiting for SAPS to make them available," he said. Director Novela Potelwa, spokesman for provincial police commissioner Mzwandile Petros, said: "We eagerly await the finalisation of the ICD investigation, which has been going on since June 2009. Unfortunately we cannot comment on any of the Paarl cases as they form part of the ICD investigation." The Sunday Times spoke to the family of a 10-year-old girl who, with four other pupils, was lured to a house in Paarl and allegedly raped by a man earlier this year. Her aunt, who cannot be named in order to protect the child's identity, said: "He told them he had food for them at home. While they were eating, he took them one by one to the room and (allegedly) raped them. One boy was sodomised and said he saw a lot of condoms on the bedroom floor." Police were summoned by the school principal and the children taken to a hospital, where a doctor confirmed that they had injuries consistent with those of rape.

Police in crime conspiracy

Investigation into fudging of crime statistics reveal how police downgraded serious offences. A probe into the manipulation of crime statist...

1:53 PM

R10m for just holding meetings

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdl7Wls-XAUzvOUkDMshLCQ02Ng78gEAaJIRrndiPXagBhNOb0NhGcyN6ny6uY6RqXVLkuwWisOQDoTcFSTyhm0piGJp1E5YIhj53XM7OW2prYCbjEAjEtbjcq5Ec3qxLxlWyvBUEr1gRh/s1600-h/corruption-sa.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414282356097037458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdl7Wls-XAUzvOUkDMshLCQ02Ng78gEAaJIRrndiPXagBhNOb0NhGcyN6ny6uY6RqXVLkuwWisOQDoTcFSTyhm0piGJp1E5YIhj53XM7OW2prYCbjEAjEtbjcq5Ec3qxLxlWyvBUEr1gRh/s400/corruption-sa.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 310px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" /></a>SUSPENDED South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) boss Fezile Makiwane allegedly made irregular payments of R10 million to a company "for just holding meetings". Makiwane was put on special leave in July in connection with alleged irregular transactions, and Social Development Minister Edna Molewa ordered a probe by the Special Investigating Unit. The SIU recently handed over the report of its findings to Molewa. A source close to the probe said the report revealed that R10m was paid to a company contracted by the agency to locate office space for Sassa throughout the country. However, the amount covered only the costs of meetings that the agency had with suppliers. "There are 11 transactions amounting to R10 million that was paid for just holding meetings. The money did not include the actual work (of the said company) to find office space (for Sassa)," the source said. In one instance, the agency paid R900 000 for a single meeting that was held in one of the provinces, the source said. The source added that the SIU's findings included the conclusion that prices charged for services were inflated. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWuPAGVQbuGHQrpZF3uTZk5Vg5kX3bbXD5TSoOH1C0uxTwGyCLpMcuLBg2rl_cYQ3DJZt-AgPBtM1j_YVtW5Qv9yDJapWD1q73-muoKl6s2U3vTTr86RVOFtX1YRBWjLLXS67mCI0Os8B/s1600-h/CNV-big.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414266803696630402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWuPAGVQbuGHQrpZF3uTZk5Vg5kX3bbXD5TSoOH1C0uxTwGyCLpMcuLBg2rl_cYQ3DJZt-AgPBtM1j_YVtW5Qv9yDJapWD1q73-muoKl6s2U3vTTr86RVOFtX1YRBWjLLXS67mCI0Os8B/s400/CNV-big.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 310px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 258px" /></a>While Sassa could have held meetings with suppliers at smaller venues, big marquees and chairs were hired at a high cost, the source said of the unit's findings. The Social Development Department said in a statement earlier this week that Molewa had given Makiwane a copy of the report to study so that he could respond to the SIU's findings. The minister said Makiwane would have until next Friday to file his response, after which she would decide her next course of action. Molewa's spokeswoman, Zanele Mngadi, declined to comment when asked about the probe focusing on the R10m. Mngadi said the minister would not say anything more than she had said in her statement. Sassa spokesman Paseka Letsatsi also declined to comment, referring enquiries to Mngadi. Makiwane could not be reached for comment. <a href="http://southafrica-pig.blogspot.com/2009/05/jzs-r25m-bash-funded-with-rdp-cash.html">JZ's R2,5m bash funded with RDP cash</a> Other allegations that Makiwane has faced include the claim that she personally approved the transfer of a total of R4.3m - in separate transactions - to Durban businessman Mabheleni Ntuli for events at President Jacob Zuma's village at Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal. The first transfer was of R2.5m of RDP-designated funds and was used for celebrations at Zuma's traditional home in December last year. When this allegation was made, the Democratic Alliance called for Makiwane's resignation. The second transfer was for R1.8m - also raised by Ntuli in a similar way - again from an RDP-designated fund, and again approved personally by Makiwane. The allegation is that the money was then apparently used to buy food parcels that were distributed to residents of Zuma's hometown. When these allegations were first made, it triggered criticism from the DA, who said: "Again, this is money designated for social development that has instead been abused for the purposes of ANC patronage. "Makiwane's actions are quite extraordinary and completely unacceptable. "It beggars belief that money that was designated to be spent on social development projects, such as paying for chairs, buildings, toilets, generators and wheel- chairs required at social grant paypoints, can be diverted into the funds of a party for the ANC president. "It is even more astonishing that it took Sassa only three days to release the money to Mabheleni Ntuli, the Durban-based businessman, who apparently then used the funds on the party."

R10m for just holding meetings

SUSPENDED South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) boss Fezile Makiwane allegedly made irregular payments of R10 million to a company ...

11:25 PM

Cities face ruin, warns hard-hitting government report

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vNbuRXk4sPwO1FbiaPQ2fn9K2aW8JzegG62XKMkT3ni_bJzq1z7KPBVMnASN4tTfoKzo0Sci-PlVyXvAQk1ztOXeOLmWzyixonzhQs1_Vi3-Sv4M5jijXHXSwQXSpzMKPTPCirYECK0/s1600-h/ANC-Govern.bmp"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393942915911416226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vNbuRXk4sPwO1FbiaPQ2fn9K2aW8JzegG62XKMkT3ni_bJzq1z7KPBVMnASN4tTfoKzo0Sci-PlVyXvAQk1ztOXeOLmWzyixonzhQs1_Vi3-Sv4M5jijXHXSwQXSpzMKPTPCirYECK0/s400/ANC-Govern.bmp" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 272px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" /></a>South Africans are losing faith in local government, says a hard-hitting government report that describes how political meddling and infighting have brought many municipalities to the brink of collapse, unable to render services and squandering funds while backlogs continue to mount. The report also highlights "a major gap" between policy and reality - municipalities are at the coalface of delivery but many are unable to meet the demands on them, resulting in paralysis. Compiled from assessments carried out in all nine provinces between April and August at the behest of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Sicelo Shiceka, the report recommends a range of interventions to halt the rot. It proposes stripping regional and provincial ANC structures of their powers to put people in top municipal jobs, political intervention to deal with tensions and mistrust between officials and councillors, pursuing fraud and corruption allegations and jacking up feedback to communities. Laying bare the fault lines bedevilling service delivery, the report reveals the deep chasm that has opened in the past decade between local government and the people it's there to serve - fuelling the flames of community protests. It describes health-risk time bombs in parts of the country, such as the Eastern Cape, where severe drought means that sewerage systems aren't working and water and sanitation services can't be extended. The Sunday Independent is in possession of a 60-page executive summary of the report, which underpins urgent moves by the government to halt the downward spiral of decay and mismanagement and quell rising popular anger. The report lays the basis for a turnaround strategy for local government to be submitted for government approval before the end of the year, with implementation set to begin in January. It comes as President Jacob Zuma, accompanied by a top-level delegation of cabinet ministers and directors-general, prepares to meet mayors and municipal managers from across the country this week. The summit in Khayelitsha, near Cape Town, on Tuesday will focus on the state of local government and service delivery. All nine premiers and MECs for local government, as well as SA Local Government Association officials, will attend the meeting. Zuma promised in his State of the Nation address to change the way local government performed. "The president has decided to take a more hands-on approach in dealing with this and all matters of service delivery,'' said Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Minister Collins Chabane. A "merciless growth" in backlogs, combined with the "enormous weight of expectations" and service-delivery failures have "created a degree of paralysis" in the system, the summary notes. Fighting between factions and political meddling are mentioned as the main threat to effective local government, with evidence in some areas of factionalism hitting levels where it is "akin to a battle over access to state resources, rather than ideological differences". A "culture of patronage and nepotism is now so widespread that formal systems of accountability are ineffective and inaccessible to most citizens", the summary notes. "There is now a lack of citizen confidence and trust in the system", with protests "largely a symptom of their alienation" from local government as funds are siphoned off through poor financial management and corruption, service charges go uncollected and proper planning is abandoned. Also highlighted is "a major gap" between the policy demands made of local government and the capacity of municipalities to meet them. Many local authorities are unable to perform properly - widening the gap between people's expectations, policy goals and delivery. A one-size-fits-all approach is not working, the summary says Tiny municipalities cannot cope, while bigger, more competent metros are frustrated in efforts to deliver land and houses by complex split authorities that take decision-making out of their hands. This should change, the summary says. As many as 56 local municipalities - 11 of them in the Eastern Cape - are on a National Treasury "financial distress" list, while a "very significant risk" in the future is that municipalities' spending plans outstrip the revenues they can collect through service charges and rates. Almost half of municipalities were found guilty by the auditor-general of unauthorised or fruitless and wasteful expenditure - up from 38 percent the previous year. A lack of financial skills, weak support from provinces and poor controls "leave the system open to abuse and fraudulent activity", the summary says.

Cities face ruin, warns hard-hitting government report

South Africans are losing faith in local government, says a hard-hitting government report that describes how political meddling and infight...

6:50 AM

'Crooked cops cannot stop crime'

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxIwKCBdBmlx5Q8G8Z9EXr44cXsZPJkKYSu7O6C4fc7pj031kxeJa3fkXRcMxkKn6fNgPweImkCcKomPVpaAi832ToWDY4wGObWJhnMaahEPT3ZK8LYxV72sglYpo-jAnY5u6AA3aWqLY/s1600-h/police-20tape.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379234598649920194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxIwKCBdBmlx5Q8G8Z9EXr44cXsZPJkKYSu7O6C4fc7pj031kxeJa3fkXRcMxkKn6fNgPweImkCcKomPVpaAi832ToWDY4wGObWJhnMaahEPT3ZK8LYxV72sglYpo-jAnY5u6AA3aWqLY/s400/police-20tape.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" /></a><a href="http://www.iol.co.za/widgets/rss_redirect.php?artid=5156076&setid=0&sectid=3225&url=capetimes&vne=1&csect=Cape+Times">Over 500 police officers found guilty of crimes</a> 538 police officials out of the 669 charged were guilty of crimes such as murder, rape, theft and corruption in the 2008/09 financial year alone<a href="http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/Politics/1057/60339600e63e4ba2a2dc7a82d54cfe09/08-09-2009%2010-23/Dozens_of_killers_in_Saps">'Dozens of killers in Saps'</a>The Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) found 38 policemen "guilty" of murder, 33 of attempted murder and 30 of rape. The highest number of offenses was for theft, with 108. More police officers in the Western Cape have been found guilty of crimes than in any of the other provinces, with 182 officers convicted for a range of crimes in the 2008/09 period. Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said it was unacceptable that police officers should commit crime, but there was only so much the SAPS was allowed to do about it. This after revelations 538 police officials out of the 669 charged were found to be guilty of crimes such as murder, rape, theft and corruption in that period. Mthethwa said these officials had no excuse as they knew the law and the difference between right and wrong. "We can't talk about uprooting crime in society when those responsible for doing it are involved in crime," he said. But he said police officers, like any other citizen, were protected by the constitution as well as "the human rights culture", which meant police authorities could not act any more harshly against them than other criminals. He said the upside was that the police officials mentioned in the statistics were exposed by colleagues, which shows that there are officers who act against crime. "We always commend such actions," he said. Mthethwa, however, said the police were not overly concerned about recording what happened to officers accused of crimes once convicted, as such officers were no longer regarded as part of the police, but as part of the criminal world. He said administration to follow up such cases took officers off the beat at a time when the SAPS was trying to improve visible policing. Mthethwa said although those wanting to become police officers went through a strict vetting process, there was talk of ongoing vetting processes and training for police officers. Mthethwa last week refused to provide FF+ MP Pieter Groenewald with the statistics of police officers charged with crimes from 2005 to 2007, as they were "not readily available" and "would necessitate the redeployment of police employees to verify every case that is relevant to the period in question", which would be "to the detriment of other essential duties or service delivery in the community". The statistics provided to Groenewald showed that most of the cops convicted of crimes after SAPS disciplinary hearings were in the Western Cape (182), while Gauteng had the fewest convictions (18). In KwaZulu-Natal 26 of the 34 officers charged with crimes were convicted, while the number in the neighbouring Eastern Cape was much higher, with 81 convicted out of 107 charged. In the Free State, 74 were convicted out of 93 charged. In the Western Cape theft (41 charges), assault (41), reckless driving (33) and driving under the influence (18) were the most common crimes committed by police officers, while in KwaZulu-Natal corruption (10) was the most common crime committed by police officers, followed by theft (7), assault (4) and murder (3). In Gauteng, five officers were charged with aiding an escapee. Nationally, 38 cops were "charged with or convicted of" murder, 33 were charged with attempted murder and 30 of rape. Substance abuse and drunkenness were also popular, with six officers charged with dealing in dagga, 14 with possessing illegal substances, 35 with driving under the influence and five with drunkenness. Some 108 officers were charged with theft, 34 and 89 officers are charged with fraud and corruption on the job respectively, and 31 with defeating the ends of justice. Firearm-related charges include four cases of failing to safeguard a firearm, three of possession of a firearm without a licence, three of loss of a firearm, five of the possession of a stolen firearm, two of discharging a firearm in a residential area, nine of pointing a firearm and two for the handling of a firearm while under the influence of alcohol. One police officer was charged with hijacking and another one of stock theft, and five with housebreaking and theft.

'Crooked cops cannot stop crime'

Over 500 police officers found guilty of crimes 538 police officials out of the 669 charged were guilty of crimes such as murder, rape, the...

3:02 PM

Government employees' R21m theft

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflZVq6H5fnL26_2tHhJEI4fOGqB3_DAClmS-6tkQci6yMxKCkILGBswKJsB4uP9P7yUI6zDI5lvfzuGXcTiLhmxKDMW5kObnEPIv-2IFBQinDY7NRZnSn9k5BNxdkEQ9As-fI0S9ybHw/s1600-h/anc-dontsteal.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378011955121435282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflZVq6H5fnL26_2tHhJEI4fOGqB3_DAClmS-6tkQci6yMxKCkILGBswKJsB4uP9P7yUI6zDI5lvfzuGXcTiLhmxKDMW5kObnEPIv-2IFBQinDY7NRZnSn9k5BNxdkEQ9As-fI0S9ybHw/s400/anc-dontsteal.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 344px" /></a>Government employees stole more than R21-million from the state in the last financial year, with senior managers with financial responsibilities the biggest culprits. This emerges from the Public Service Commission's (PSC) annual report on financial misconduct in government, which was released this week. The report shows that the government managed to recover less than half the plundered assets -- about R8,8-million -- from employees found guilty of financial misconduct. The fact that the justice and correctional services departments were the hardest hit of government departments will also not inspire public confidence. The cases investigated include bribery, wasteful expenditure, abuse of government vehicles and petrol cards, telephone abuse and gross negligence, including expenditure that was not approved by the relevant principals. There were 868 reported cases, fewer than the 1042 cases reported in the previous financial year, but almost double the number reported in the 2001-2002 financial year. The most frequent financial misconduct was fraud, including fraudulent social grants and subsistence and travel claims. Altogether, 428 cases of fraud were investigated by departments.The second-most-common form of misconduct was the theft of petrol, laptops, state funds, food and petty cash. In most cases (34,4%) government employees received final written warnings, while dismissal was the second-most-prevalent sanction. But the PSC raised the alarm because of the reluctance of departments to institute criminal action against those found guilty in internal disciplinary hearings. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqT46OxwB2YFNAIEuT-jv4wiks9PxP0x053f7TDRS1AwPh53q5-QYNkVuA-Cjzy7xx8F0ZCrO6obF8IUPnSwj6Z7PjuYIFu0dNmPKxL7kJjUvzzEhGSRkoIPeh0jqGQJkk9UFgOer0Rk/s1600-h/anc-steal+more.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378011948202691394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqT46OxwB2YFNAIEuT-jv4wiks9PxP0x053f7TDRS1AwPh53q5-QYNkVuA-Cjzy7xx8F0ZCrO6obF8IUPnSwj6Z7PjuYIFu0dNmPKxL7kJjUvzzEhGSRkoIPeh0jqGQJkk9UFgOer0Rk/s400/anc-steal+more.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 258px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 384px" /></a>"The fact that departments were not willing to divulge the reasons for not taking criminal action could point to undue leniency being given to officials because of compassionate reasons," the report states. The department of justice and constitutional development reported the highest number of cases of financial misconduct (113), while the department of correctional services came in second with 54 reported cases. Thirteen departments, including the Treasury, the National Prosecuting Authority and the presidency, did not report any financial misconduct to the PSC. At the provincial level, KwaZulu-Natal reported the highest number of cases of financial misconduct, with the Western Cape in second place, although, in terms of value, the Western Cape leads the pack. The province initially lost about R3,5-million through financial misconduct in the 2007-2008 financial year. It managed to recover about R2,1-million. "The reporting of a high number of cases is not necessarily a bad thing, as this may be indicative of tighter controls and a better-developed risk-management approach," states the report. The province with the lowest number of reported cases is the Northern Cape, with eight. The PSC says the increase in the percentage of senior managers guilty of misconduct indicates a greater propensity for wrongdoing. "This is a worrying trend given that the senior management service plays a critical role in the promotion and maintenance of sound financial management and the members are the primary stewards of public resources," it says. Equal numbers of women and men were found guilty of financial misconduct. The report refers to an Australian study that suggests women who commit white-collar crime are more likely to do so because of family needs than to fund high living, which is the case with their male counterparts.

Government employees' R21m theft

Government employees stole more than R21-million from the state in the last financial year, with senior managers with financial responsibili...

8:45 AM

234 teachers probed for rape, assault

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrpZwgUCpQqqseCVQiqWQ0Lu3TcJga9GZ3H62-ZAmply51w3xgqAueqsvG5wsiUApjWffAGZgLm6X_IJygz6hLJYbVdyqzjlcyYT6nv_Oo6UJSgwtyENU1fDdwF9kSL7ow2PsR8AFy-w/s1600-h/school_sex.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374834617462921346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrpZwgUCpQqqseCVQiqWQ0Lu3TcJga9GZ3H62-ZAmply51w3xgqAueqsvG5wsiUApjWffAGZgLm6X_IJygz6hLJYbVdyqzjlcyYT6nv_Oo6UJSgwtyENU1fDdwF9kSL7ow2PsR8AFy-w/s400/school_sex.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 296px" /></a>The SA Council for Educators (Sace) was investigating 234 teachers for rape, fraud, sexual assault and physical assaulting pupils Sace is among other things responsible for promoting professional conduct among teachers and removing teachers from the roll who are found guilty of serious offences. "The number of cases reported to our office has risen in the past few years because more and more people are beginning to realise that it is important to report. We currently have 234 cases that we are investigating," said George Moroafui, Sace's manager for ethics. In the 243 cases there were complaints of corporal punishment, rape, fraud and sexual harassment. "We are worried that many sexual harassment cases are withdrawn because the perpetrators struck deals with parents in exchange for money. Most of them are hidden." Another challenge was that teachers were reluctant to report their colleagues. "Teachers must report incidents of misconduct for the benefit of pupils. They should not defend the perpetrators." Moroafui said some teachers were being investigated for receiving social grants fraudulently. "We urge teachers, pupils and parents to contact our office if they feel that certain teachers are misbehaving and harassing pupils." Sace officials can be reached on 012-679-9528 and complaints can also be emailed to info@sace.org.za

234 teachers probed for rape, assault

The SA Council for Educators (Sace) was investigating 234 teachers for rape, fraud, sexual assault and physical assaulting pupils Sace is am...

1:45 PM

Teetering on the brink of collapse

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpDq5DbNe0SMnS4uhFMTtnOiX2_bP95JJZFoougfJmKHywxmUx0_sdOH_7lwI-uV-MQRT7wKvgTGtligVn44RfWUqsBw3NVpB81dw7YHzaaCeRQn9HzBH0_kmIGn-NdmW5VDSp-sy0Zl8/s1600-h/nw-province-sanitation-humanwaste.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIQ-HdPR-ktqwQ1WxzHqQXHGtALmRDlAza0sWRUKB-mHKbR4u4dszp7CrTNHGA4iaWzkBDzlIgbGqPggTad46e8bKV1cHaGn3Jbc7BPfClCZKbqi29UrhVaU50B3cYUavNFVQm7wL54U/s1600-h/zuma-black-jesus.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373287472519892722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIQ-HdPR-ktqwQ1WxzHqQXHGtALmRDlAza0sWRUKB-mHKbR4u4dszp7CrTNHGA4iaWzkBDzlIgbGqPggTad46e8bKV1cHaGn3Jbc7BPfClCZKbqi29UrhVaU50B3cYUavNFVQm7wL54U/s400/zuma-black-jesus.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 275px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 326px" /></a>All 25 municipalities in North West - most now teetering on the brink of collapse - will have to be rebuilt from scratch because of ANC infighting, fraud and corruption and a general flouting of the law. This is the assessment of a confidential report by an ANC national executive committee task team sent to investigate political and administrative chaos in the province. "The financial status of many of the local and district municipalities is so serious that a number are on the verge of bankruptcy and non-viability," the report, leaked to The Sunday Independent, says. These include Ventersdorp, which the Auditor-General has said is "not a going concern". The party sacked and suspended Ngaka Modiri Molema district municipality mayor Themba Gwabeni last week, and more heads would roll, said task team leader Saki Mofokeng, adding that politicians would be forced to account for what had gone wrong. The detailed account of how political power struggles in the past 15 years had affected the functioning of the province led to the disbanding of the party's provincial executive committee (PEC) last month. "Most of the corruption, negative political interference and looting of state resources in the province can be traced to the PEC, directly or indirectly," the report says. North West residents were paying a high price for "successive bitter and highly unethical battles" fought for political and economic dominance by different factions. This had led to municipalities breaking down. The task team found that the "total disregard for the law" shown by councillors had been "aggravated by the fact that no action is taken by the ANC to discipline (them)". A "deliberate blurring" of roles and responsibilities of politicians and officials had led to many instances of mayors irregularly appointing staff, overseeing procurement committees and assigning their preferred service providers - in direct contravention of the laws governing municipalities. The report warns that unhappiness in communities - expressed in violent service delivery protests - will escalate unless there is urgent intervention from the ANC and the government. "Communities are suffering the consequences of corruption in tendering that has little to do with providing essential services... councillor behaviour amounts to the 'looting' of state resources, which precipitates into financial mismanagement, and a municipality's inability to budget for... basic service delivery," it says. Mass action would "result in the further implosion of governance and service delivery in the province". Councillors' illegal actions included: nepotism and irregular staff appointments; inflating tenders for personal profit; awarding tenders to companies that funded political campaigns; accepting bribes and kickbacks from service providers; abusing council credit cards, vehicles and property; and selling council property. In one instance, a R5m roads tender in Greater Taung Local Municipality was awarded to a consultant who was paid even though the work was not done, because the consultant had given money to the ANC "for some political activities". "These are just some examples from a long list," the report says, noting that these municipalities suffered "massive service backlogs" as a result, mostly in providing water and sanitation.

Teetering on the brink of collapse

All 25 municipalities in North West - most now teetering on the brink of collapse - will have to be rebuilt from scratch because of ANC infi...

11:40 AM

Shaik spotted driving BMW

<a href="http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/8337cf9003ad41f49b06830348fb3aa1/11-08-2009%2008-08/Call_for_fresh_Shaik_probe" id="ctl00_ctl00_MainBodyPlaceholder_Column2Placeholder_articleStatistics_rptMostRead_ctl02_lnkArticle">Call for fresh Shaik probe</a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEies2SKAWQGdU_couO3UVNwtSUyA7wzcyJanAQZ0TtkqfJU09a51_cwymFtoATTWQEk55GqKxoJ4EQXZsHC1mU4G9Cfbq5s0aOOLbHWuibbP-9dSn9wzBBxLXeoEu_fe_TIEQJa7T0Ifq4/s1600-h/shaik.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368445178390293714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEies2SKAWQGdU_couO3UVNwtSUyA7wzcyJanAQZ0TtkqfJU09a51_cwymFtoATTWQEk55GqKxoJ4EQXZsHC1mU4G9Cfbq5s0aOOLbHWuibbP-9dSn9wzBBxLXeoEu_fe_TIEQJa7T0Ifq4/s400/shaik.jpg" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 319px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 313px" /></a> An eThekwinini DA councillor has expressed shock at seeing Schabir Shaik driving a luxury BMW in Durban's Musgrave area on Monday afternoon. "He looked perfectly healthy. I was really shocked," said Dean McPherson. "The department of correctional services needs to give us an explanation why Schabir Shaik was released from jail," he said. Shaik was released on medical parole on 3 March after serving two years and four months of a 15 year prison term for fraud and corruption. If Shaik were as gravely ill as was contended when he was released, he would not be driving around alone, said McPherson, adding that there was no way his health could have improved so quickly. "I was driving in the Musgrave area when I saw him coming out of a house in Essenwood road. "I decided to follow him. He pulled over to buy balloons on the side of the road," said McPherson, who proceeded to take a video of Shaik driving his car. "I am even willing to give eye-witness testimony in a court of law," he said. Shaik was convicted of two counts of corruption and one of fraud, relating to, among other things, his facilitation of a bribe, allegedly paid by French arms company Thint to President Jacob Zuma. The charges against Zuma and Thint were later dropped when it emerged that there was political interference in the investigation of the case. The Shaik family was not available for comment.

Shaik spotted driving BMW

Call for fresh Shaik probe An eThekwinini DA councillor has expressed shock at seeing Schabir Shaik driving a luxury BMW in Durban's ...

2:05 PM

Missing millions: youth league imitating its elders

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPM77392hW3RmRrvll5vsuyrppHMMwv_pHomcQ2qeD7wi2BlzJSEV2wTpFiyT0M_QnoQW8i-y0d7OSYgu6SN_0g9KKORBnhC1lJwuMgGQYJmIZmBoPpASgXSNLX4O4WA_Zfk-hDZj6uDk/s1600-h/ANCYL.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365292104131858146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPM77392hW3RmRrvll5vsuyrppHMMwv_pHomcQ2qeD7wi2BlzJSEV2wTpFiyT0M_QnoQW8i-y0d7OSYgu6SN_0g9KKORBnhC1lJwuMgGQYJmIZmBoPpASgXSNLX4O4WA_Zfk-hDZj6uDk/s400/ANCYL.jpg" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 225px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 194px" /></a>Why should we be surprised that millions are missing from the ANCYL coffers? After all, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. The ANC government is riddled with people who have been involved in theft, fraud and corruption, and go unpunished, so the youth league thinks it can imitate its elders with impunity.Until President Jacob Zuma acts to root out this culture of dishonesty and greed, nothing will change. The poor will still lack adequate housing and healthcare while will ministers drive cars worth over a million rands each.These elected officials live like little emperors, and their attitude of entitlement shows a callous disregard for the South African voters and taxpayers who they are supposed to serve. <a href="http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Article.aspx?id=1043442">The ANC Youth League and the missing millions</a>Draft report uncovers a host of irregularities — but league won’t actThe report, which tracks 32 deals worth at least R436-million, states the Companies Act has been violated <a href="http://www.africancrisis.co.za/Article.php?ID=56205&">South Africa: DA lays charges against ANCYL, Lembede</a> Prominent ANC Youth League leaders should be made to account for millions of rands that went missing from the organisation’s investment wing Lembede Investment Holdings, and its subsidiary companies. But the league’s executive has decided to sweep the report under the carpet and not pursue individuals who may have abused company funds or violated the Companies Act, which is a criminal offence. The 65-page Gobodo draft report, which the Sunday Times has seen, has uncovered a litany of financial irregularities that appear to have been the order of the day since the formation of Lembede Investment Holdings in 2000. Lembede was set up by the league to help to create business opportunities for young people and to free the organisation from financial dependence on the ANC main body. The Gobodo report has recommended that several former league leaders be questioned in relation to the transactions and monies they handled. Those who have been asked to account include former leaders Lunga Ncwana and Songezo Mjongile, who were high-profile associates of slain mining magnate Brett Kebble, former treasurer Pumezo Mqingwana, outgoing Lembede CEO Lonwabo Sambudla, and interim chief executive of the newly created National Youth Development Agency, Malose Kekana. Businessman Sello Rasethaba, who was also a close associate of Kebble and a friend of the league’s leaders, should also be questioned, the report says. League president Julius Malema initiated the probe after he publicly said last year the company must be disbanded. The ANCYL appointed Gobodo Incorporated in October last year to determine if there was any substance to the allegations of misuse of Lembede funds for personal gain. Lembede’s new board, under the chairmanship of current ANCYL treasurer-general Pule Mabe, released just two pages of the report on Thursday. It only mentioned the fact that the report found that Lembede had no audited annual financial statements and that the previous management failed to keep accounting records. Justifying his statement that no criminal charges would be laid against anyone, Mabe said the report did not point fingers at anyone. Although he said no further steps would be taken to address possible corruption, the report clearly states that the Companies Act has been violated. “We were never interested in personalities but wanted answers on whether Lembede was doing what it was formed for, or not. We have looked at the conclusions and want to implement the recommendations,” Mabe said. The draft report tracks 32 deals worth at least R436-million that involved Lembede Investment Holdings and its subsidiaries, but it does not reflect the current status of any of those deals. It also features many typographical errors and appears not to have been subjected to a final edit before the league’s leadership decided to release only certain details and then close the probe. Nine of the deals that Lembede struck are in the mining and resources sector, four are in telecoms and technology, and the rest are in fields including finance, fishing, forestry and engineering. Contrary to what Mabe said earlier this week, the report proposes follow-up inquiries with current and former Lembede officials and repeatedly records a lack of documentation and information to fully understand the scope, value or outcome of the deals. Among other things, Gobodo said: <ul><li>Kekana, former chief of Lembede’s Progressive Youth Investment Company — a Lembede associated company — failed to account for R2-million paid by Nedbank for PYIC’s stake in the People’s Bank; </li><li>There is no record of any benefits being banked by LIH from its 10% stake in empowerment company Phikoloso Mining, which, at one point, held R270-million in shares in Brett Kebble’s Randgold & Exploration Company; </li><li>There is no trace of LIH’s R45000 share of a consultancy contract awarded to Nghala Mining, nor of its 5% holding, said in the report to be worth R5-million; </li><li>The LIH board was told in 2006 that the company’s stake in a company called Matodzi Engineering, one of Rasethaba’s companies, had been sold for R2888 889, but only R2.5-million was banked, leaving R388889 unaccounted for; </li><li>In 2003, Lembede set up a joint venture with Mococh, an oil company based on the Isle of Man, to import oil into South Africa and export it from here to neighbouring countries, including Zimbabwe. The venture only concluded one transaction — on behalf of PetroSA — and there is no record of any income from the deal being banked by LIH; </li><li>Lembede bought a share in the company Fibretek when it was sold off by Denel, but defaulted on its obligation to contribute R1-million to the company’s operating capital. As a result, Lembede’s share was sold for R200000, but Gobodo could not find what had happened to that income. The audit report suggests there could have been a violation of the Companies Act ; </li><li>Gobodo was unable to find any records concerning six deals reportedly entered into by LIH and was also unable to find enough documentation to assess the status of a deal between Lembede and Kebble’s JCI Gold. The deal appeared to include mineral rights and fishing licences; </li><li>LIH distributed R4.6-million to shareholders after selling its stake in Mahube consortium, which owned platinum mining rights, and LIH chairman Pumezo Mqingwana distributed a further R90000 to unidentified beneficiaries from a “discretionary fund”. Gobodo calls for more information on the transaction and the unexplained fund; </li><li>LIH entered into a scrip lending agreement with Kebble in 2005. It later emerged that Lembede did not actually own some of the stock it had put up as security and that LIH might have signed an agreement without understanding what was being agreed to; </li><li>Mjongile has to answer why there was only one transaction from PetroSA and what happened to the proceeds of the deal; and </li><li>Mjongile has to further explain what happened to the R200000 reported to have been received from Fibretek deal. </li></ul>Mjongile told the Sunday Times yesterday that, at the end of his term as Lembede CEO, he reported and handed over “everything to the ANCYL national executive. I was never contacted by Gobodo. If they needed clarity they would have contacted me.” Asked whether he had seen the report, he said: “I do not know what you are talking about.” Outgoing Lembede CEO Lonwabo Sambudla confirmed that the auditors interviewed him but this had had nothing to do with his period as CEO. He said he would hand over “everything” when he leaves, adding that, as chief operations officer, he had inherited problems left by the organisation’s previous managers. Kekana yesterday said he had never been a director or a shareholder of Lembede or its CEO, although the report clearly states that he was head of PYIC, which is Lembede’s associated company. He said he has “not been privy to any report nor have I been contacted for any investigations”. Mabe said Lembede’s assets would be consolidated into a trust.

Missing millions: youth league imitating its elders

Why should we be surprised that millions are missing from the ANCYL coffers? After all, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. The ANC go...

1:55 AM

ANC boss R3.6m life insurance claims

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpD_vyjHZYSX97LOBaI0S2NEh9DXGjtuHWXdF7fX5ZnQ-07ShyUCmjm9BEGQpXrnG1mZ2DK4zK_3OaA5g9QW2Np2sFxFcEam5-EZJPagFN3TI_0JxYc6kera09iRp_x1WQEQeylGdeyI/s1600-h/zolani-xego.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361696716095872834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpD_vyjHZYSX97LOBaI0S2NEh9DXGjtuHWXdF7fX5ZnQ-07ShyUCmjm9BEGQpXrnG1mZ2DK4zK_3OaA5g9QW2Np2sFxFcEam5-EZJPagFN3TI_0JxYc6kera09iRp_x1WQEQeylGdeyI/s400/zolani-xego.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 290px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 217px" /></a>THE woes of a suspended ANC branch chairman are mounting weekly after an insurance company and police confirmed they are investigating life insurance claims against his name. A Dispatch investigation has found that a Sanlam policy worth R100 000 in the name of Zolani Xego, the now-suspended Nokhanime Thomas branch ANC chairperson, was paid out in 2007. This was the same year that Xego was officially recorded as “deceased” by Home Affairs. The investigation also revealed another two Discovery Life policies worth R3.5 million that were repudiated by the company when Xego’s wife Vuyelwa Hlekiso-Xego attempted to make claims on her husband’s “death” the same year. Contacted for comment yesterday, Xego told the Dispatch he knew nothing about the life policy claims. “You must call those people who made the claims, not me, because I am the one who was robbed. Or are you saying that I am the one who did all this,” Xego asked. When told that, according to Discovery, the claimant was his wife, Xego said the Dispatch should contact her instead, but refused to provide her contact details. “Do whatever you have been doing and check all these things. I will comment in court. You just continue and call all these people that made the claims,” said Xego. His wife, who works for Buffalo City Municipality, could not be reached for comment. Two weeks ago the Dispatch reported how a text message to the newspaper apparently from Xego claimed that he had helped two Buffalo City councillors buy driver’s licences. See <a href="http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=329332">’I bought licences’</a> The two councillors, former mayor Sakhumzi Caga and Monwabisi Mahodi, who are being investigated by the Special Investigation Unit, also opened a case of blackmail against Xego. See <a href="http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=328188">Councillors lay blackmail charges</a> Following that report, the Dispatch established that Xego had apparently “died” in August 2007. See <a href="http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=330422">Top ANC official is ‘dead’ according to his ID </a> This week Xego was suspended by the ANC and charged with bringing the party into disrepute. See <a href="http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=331660">ANC officer to face charge of harming party </a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlx88UPNm_YHfSuuO3mKlGacWMg8eqojhBY-ADDS5SlC5EuryCCX814wbuj5y1_r4dn7NLY6gntjHR2NAr2iV0HQjsVElLcp0MpU5TrYrEaCanjY2t_wdZCTq-cZ-3XLHlmsbgmmmuHs/s1600-h/ANC01.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361698222716642914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlx88UPNm_YHfSuuO3mKlGacWMg8eqojhBY-ADDS5SlC5EuryCCX814wbuj5y1_r4dn7NLY6gntjHR2NAr2iV0HQjsVElLcp0MpU5TrYrEaCanjY2t_wdZCTq-cZ-3XLHlmsbgmmmuHs/s320/ANC01.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 290px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 195px" /></a>Discovery Holdings deputy general manager of forensic services Marius Smit said that a death claim regarding two life policies belonging to Xego was submitted to them by his wife in 2007. “Both claims were repudiated during our normal claims assessment process. During 2008, we were contacted by the East London organised crime unit, who alleged that Mr Xego was in fact still alive and that they were investigating various counts of alleged fraud against him.” Smit said the policies were worth R1.8 million and R1.7m . Police spokesperson Superintendent Mtati Tana confirmed they were investigating cases of fraud but declined to divulge further information. Sanlam spokesperson Frans van Rensburg confirmed the company had honoured a life policy in Xego’s name in 2007, but he refused to say who the beneficiary was. Van Rensburg refused to comment further, saying they were conducting their own investigation. In all the claims Xego’s identity number, which on the Home Affairs system records him as “deceased”, was used to make the claims. Xego previously alleged his identity number was “officially changed” by the department last year, but he refused to offer evidence to prove it. Home Affairs is also looking into the circumstances of his “death” to establish how his status had been changed in East London on August 1, 2007 . Eastern Cape Home Affairs acting department manager Khanyisile Diko said they had been unable to trace a copy of the death certificate and were continuing their investigation. “We are trying to trace the hard copy of the certificate because we cannot find it,” said Diko. “ If we can find it and trace the perpetrator this is going to be a lesson to those potential offenders.”

ANC boss R3.6m life insurance claims

THE woes of a suspended ANC branch chairman are mounting weekly after an insurance company and police confirmed they are investigating life ...

9:28 AM

How cops fiddle crime statistics

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5AlIoOIvDHZse5Mz-FwiA6INdlYedc4VI5LS_xH6amMyE-2727bj5SM62S4JSUUOvBhqRBony5h0ORWP0SsMO2B4b0pP1_Dq5h84iaUfLkUOxnwjMbeHiKXCulqBCvSFvDr6wXPjtsc/s1600-h/crime-SA07.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354902869583419922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5AlIoOIvDHZse5Mz-FwiA6INdlYedc4VI5LS_xH6amMyE-2727bj5SM62S4JSUUOvBhqRBony5h0ORWP0SsMO2B4b0pP1_Dq5h84iaUfLkUOxnwjMbeHiKXCulqBCvSFvDr6wXPjtsc/s400/crime-SA07.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 248px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" /></a>Police in South Africa’s three major provinces are implicated in a conspiracy to make it appear that they are winning the war on crime. Evidence of manipulating crime statistics — including destroying dockets and failing to register cases — has been exposed in Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. At least five stations in the Western Cape, four in Gauteng and one in KwaZulu-Natal have been fingered in alleged fiddling and indications are that the fraud could be far more widespread. In the past few weeks, police stations have been accused of: <ul><li>Stockpiling, hiding and burning dockets; </li><li>Ditching dockets of crimes on the increase, including child rape; </li><li>Failing to register crimes that have a low chance of prosecution; and </li><li>Reducing serious crimes to lesser charges. </li></ul>Four senior officers in Cape Town have been implicated in fiddling crime statistics, while Western Cape Community Safety MEC Lennit Max — embroiled in a war of words over the issue with his commissioner Mzwandile Petros — has claimed that the fudging of crime numbers is “common”. The Sunday Times was also shown photocopies this week of about 200 unregistered dockets allegedly stashed in a KwaZulu-Natal police station. Mulaudzi Hangwani, the spokesman for minister of police Nathi Mthethwa, said the stations under investigation made up “zero” percent of the country’s 1500 police stations. The Independent Complaints Commission confirmed this week that six stations were under investigation. This excludes Gauteng, where researcher Lisa Vetten from the Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre also claims there is fiddling. Vetten said Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) officers handling rape at more than four police stations in Gauteng had reported in a recent study that statistics manipulation was “definitely” happening. “It is making some police officers very uncomfortable, ” Vetten said. Pietermaritzburg’s Mountain Rise police station is under investigation by the Independent Complaints Directorate for allegedly stockpiling and destroying dockets, after it jumped from 40th position to the province’s top-performing station in a year. The 200 unregistered dockets seen by the Sunday Times are alleged to have been stockpiled in a room at this station since 2007. Meanwhile, Max said this week that his calls for an audit of all 147 Western Cape police stations were being ignored. He claims that rape cases involving children as young as five were not registered or investigated. Vetten said the decision in 2004 to reduce crimes like rape by 7% to 10% every year had most likely put pressure on police as it not in “the realm of possibility”. Policeman Craig Josiah from Mountain Rise station, who was suspended after blowing the whistle on the manipulation of figures, has had his pay reinstated and disciplinary charges put on hold pending finalisation of a court application to have his suspension overturned.

How cops fiddle crime statistics

Police in South Africa’s three major provinces are implicated in a conspiracy to make it appear that they are winning the war on crime. Evid...