South Africa P.I.G.: NEPOTISM

Showing posts with label NEPOTISM. Show all posts

SA – Big Question Time

By Iain Robertson South Africa is at a tipping point. We have a Government that seems to have lost the plot. It is fighting paper tigers in the media while we head towards an economic Armageddon with increasing rapidity. The rapacious plundering of the economy by the not-so-good in Government, their relatives and friends looks more and more like rats deserting the sinking ship. <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538403977150930290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_F56Lvm1MSgYMWXq9-RcE6Tm9jF1XKjpkXRWN8t2nr6leXwP2JUnmK7_gyyqwoMPAVZAaS1OLc4SFTS3m4fMx5YzAIBcuFe2ovHzsQs_WlPZ_yfTCw1eRXvaPoXdZqwuVCg8zDYYUivB/s400/anc-fail.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 122px; CURSOR: hand" />But the real story is even worse. We do not have the skills to turn our economy around, we do not have an education system that can provide us with the skilled people in sufficient time, and even if we did, we do not have the warm bodies of a suitable age to receive that education. Point 1 – a people crisis: <ul><li>A population of 52 Million or so, plus an estimated 10 Million legal and illegal immigrants. </li><li>The official unemployment rate is given as around 25%. Unisa calculate 45%, and the advertising industry use a figure closer to 65%. </li><li>About 20 Million people are dependent on welfare grants </li><li>5.7 Million people are HIV positive, dying at a rate of about 1000 per day, mostly in the economically active 15-45 age group. </li><li>Average life expectancy has tumbled from 60 in 1990 to 40 today </li><li>Disengaged, functionally illiterate, innumerate and uneducable individuals in youth and middle age </li><li>By 2015, 32% of all children will be AIDS orphans </li><li>There are about 5.3Million registered taxpayers, of whom 1 Million or so are Government employees, thereby just moving tax income from one pocket to another. Of the remaining 4Million or so, about 1 Million provide 75% of the tax income. According to Mike Schussler and others, an unsustainable economy.</li></ul>Point 2 – an environment crisis <ul><li>Dysfunctional electricity reticulation and generation </li><li>An unmaintained and disintegrating physical infrastructure. Most roadway bridges have not been maintained for the last 15 years </li><li>Less than 5% of the sewage plants in the country (around 30 out of 930) operate correctly </li><li>Just over 10% of all municipalities (30 out of 280) can provide clean and safe drinking water </li><li>Water with the acidity of lemon juice will flood central Johannesburg and poison the Gauteng environment in about 18 months time, the legacy of gold mining.</li></ul>Point 3 – a governance crisis <ul><li>A wholesale loss of skills and expertise from 1994 onwards as experienced and competent civil servants were replaced with deployed ANC cadres. A simple replacement, no handover or skills transfer </li><li>The concept of “a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay” has gone out of the window. </li><li>Relocation (theft) of state funds by tampering with contracts, tenders and pay-offs has become an acceptable secondary income stream </li><li>The result - large areas of society are governed by thieves and incompetents</li></ul> What is suddenly different ? While the gradual erosion of government could be hidden a facade could be maintained, but as soon as the electricity crisis hit, followed by the admission of a forthcoming sewage and water crisis, the inadequacies in governance were literally brought home to citizens. Questions were then asked about missing RDP homes, RDP homes that fell apart after a very short period, and the general appalling level of service delivery. The Emperor then had no clothes. The outcome of the realisation that governance is failing is already being seen. Self-help is now the order of the day as citizens bypass formal government structures that are unable to deliver. Communities repair roads themselves, pay for additional teaching and medical staff in their schools and hospitals. Black communities are demonstrating and physically attacking local and national government buildings. Voices are arising in all communities that they are paying at least twice for everything, once as tax, and a second time to provide paid-for services that are not delivered. At some point very soon, they will stop paying the first time and let the Revenue know in no uncertain terms. We are now beginning to see Government react. It is trying to close down avenues of information, by preventing the media reporting on it, by attempting to close off areas of the Internet, and by adopting the philosophy that everything is secret unless deemed otherwise. Local Government is becoming increasingly dysfunctional and irrelevant. Where do we go from here ? Towards an increasingly autocratic society as we slip into the “African” model of a polarised economy of an ultra rich minority and a subsistence level majority. Unless something changes that is what will happen. It all depends on how we manage our Human Capital as individuals and as small businesses. Without adequate intellectual and human capital in ourselves, our businesses and our customers, we will not be able to regenerate our society. The next year is critical.

SA – Big Question Time

By Iain Robertson South Africa is at a tipping point. We have a Government that seems to have lost the plot. It is fighting paper tigers in ...

12:39 PM

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

Cops nepotism exposé - the news that didn't make the news

Cops put lid on nepotism What we are not able to tell you this weekend, dear reader, is that nnnnnnn were employed in an irregular process that nnnnnnn because nnnnnnn manipulated it. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEauhrU9LAObAHYpggBGTVfofhV1yEMKK4xchXYe5cEZ_jrek6KxCw4Zlwo0ja8r0sm6D1sELp_H_CfSyEaf3hpIYwXtmZNhryt1JRvIe8qktx-V2omkQZvigN5eoDeajNPM9g1Ugjd1eF/s1600/nepotism-poop.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534189823169767826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEauhrU9LAObAHYpggBGTVfofhV1yEMKK4xchXYe5cEZ_jrek6KxCw4Zlwo0ja8r0sm6D1sELp_H_CfSyEaf3hpIYwXtmZNhryt1JRvIe8qktx-V2omkQZvigN5eoDeajNPM9g1Ugjd1eF/s320/nepotism-poop.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>Nepotism sweeping the police force The Sunday Independent was meant to publish an article about nepotism within the police ranks but a court interdict on Friday night stopped the story from going public. The court has also ordered the newspaper to hand in documents relating to the issue. The SAPS resorted to a discredited and “unconstitutional” piece of legislation in a desperate bid to muzzle The Sunday Independent. The police were granted an order interdicting this newspaper from publishing details of malfeasance and violation of laws by the SAPS Crime Intelligence – without argument – at the North Gauteng High Court on Friday night. The Sunday Independent has taken a decision to challenge this order every step of the way. The interdict application was brought by lawyers for Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, National Commissioner Bheki Cele and Head of Crime Intelligence Richard Mdluli, late on Friday night and was summarily granted which did not wait for the newspaper’s lawyers before starting proceedings. The order prevents Independent Newspapers and in particular Sunday Independent journalist Gcwalisile Khanyile from publishing any information about the police’s Crime Intelligence Unit. The Sunday Independent had planned to do a series of exposes on appointments within the Crime Intelligence Unit based on reliable information she had received from various sources. The gagging order prohibits this newspaper from publishing any details on advertisements and appointments made in the unit. The newspaper has been ordered to hand documents to police and is interdicted against writing further articles about the division – particularly covert appointments processes and whether or not they had been manipulated. But the order does not stop us from finding out what the police are doing to root out nepotism within their ranks. National Police spokesman Colonel Lindela Mashigo said the order was necessary to protect the safety of operatives. “In the environment that we are talking about (crime intelligence), it is not necessary to be in public.” Mashigo was initially vague in his explanation. He said police would take “internal measures” and when pressed for clarity said allegations against Mdluli would be given “the necessary attention”. When asked why he was being vague, Mashigo said: “Yes, we will remain vague until a decision is taken. At this point it remains an internal matter.” Mashigo asked for further questions to be sent by email, for fear of being misquoted. The Sunday Independent asked whether the police do not believe that the public has a right to know when nepotism or corruption takes place in units meant protect them. Mashigo responded: “SAPS is not pro-corruption.” He added that police would “act against irregular conduct, beyond this we are not ready to comment”. According to the Parliamentary Monitoring Group, Advocate Premjith Supersad of the State Security Agency told the ad hoc committee on the Protection of Information Bill in May that parts of the Protection of Information Act (84) of 1982 were “outdated and unconstitutional” and “unenforceable”. The police have defended the decision to interdict The Sunday Independent using this act, saying “the police are obliged to enforce the laws of our country for as long as they are valid”. The Sunday Independent editor Makhudu Sefara said resorting to this legislation showed the level of desperation to keep a lid on the rot. “If they said our claims were false and baseless perhaps they would have a point. But what they are saying is that even when we report the truth about the rot, they will use discredited legislation against us to keep their wrongs from the glare of the public. It is wrong, it is shameless and we will pursue this matter to its logical conclusion,” said Sefara. He added that the order granted by Judge Ephraim Makgoba was too broad and too limiting. “What the police effectively, though temporarily, did was to keep us at bay with the hope that nobody reports on the spectre of nepotism sweeping the police force. This will not last.” Sefara said he would meet with lawyers early next week to discuss where and when to launch an appeal against the order. Media bodies have questioned the granting of the order. In a statement released yesterday, South African National Editors Forum said it was “disconcerting” that there “appears to have been an element of miscommunication between the lawyers representing the parties which resulted in the paper’s lawyers having to travel to Pretoria after the police lawyers had arrived at court. The paper’s lawyers arrived five minutes after the judge had made his ruling.” National Press Council chair Yusuf Abramjee, who was at court on Friday evening, said the decision raised questions about the justice system. “We believe the story is of public interest. It’s about a very important department.” Abramjee added: “This application puts the police in a very bad light. Police leadership should have known better. We need to ask the question, ‘What do the police have to hide?’ “ - Sunday Independent - <a href="http://www.iol.co.za/">http://www.iol.co.za/</a>

Cops nepotism exposé - the news that didn't make the news

Cops put lid on nepotism What we are not able to tell you this weekend, dear reader, is that nnnnnnn were employed in an irregular process ...

2:43 AM

SA's financial burden

by Ray Over the past few months the South African public has been informed of several additional financial and psychological burdens. We have the SABC, SAA, Water and sewage looming crisis, Eskom, Toll roads, NHI, to name a few. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitl3eYbY8of4t500uyZzI7uVlEueyXLXWZrdykYpCnfGNCzJIZGKyheTrSGNzd6Y5b4KHSXkZG5mHyfyn2_rigzGvBAlDExKTqDnE7u834MkNqWw_ASnUcz2YUV2pW-fMI2TiuGjezg5d2/s1600/zuma-dummie.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533975326183465426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitl3eYbY8of4t500uyZzI7uVlEueyXLXWZrdykYpCnfGNCzJIZGKyheTrSGNzd6Y5b4KHSXkZG5mHyfyn2_rigzGvBAlDExKTqDnE7u834MkNqWw_ASnUcz2YUV2pW-fMI2TiuGjezg5d2/s400/zuma-dummie.jpg" style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 294px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>Please don't get me wrong. I love this country and think we have so much potential. My only two issues are that the people in power making decisions are not held responsible or accountable, and the general public is too apathetic. Let’s use the road death toll as an example as it can be applied to all the other failing areas. We appoint people into positions that generally fall into one or more of the following categories - no ability for the position, no work ethic, not sufficient management, not sufficient training, nepotism, political affiliations, skin colour, no experience or no moral fibre. The above may be a generalisation but they destroy the work of the few individuals that really try and make a difference in the average South African’s life. To those dedicated individuals we owe much because they carry the rest. Let’s apply the above to the example: where is visible policing on the roads every day, the ministers getting the TV crews there every so often to boost their image. Fines are seen as revenue and that appears to be the focus. Laws are not enforced - taxis, emergency lane driving, not using indicators, u-turns on highways, talking on cellphones and so on. The traffic officers standards are lower than a few years ago (thank goodness for Outsurance pointsmen). They openly ask for bribes, the anti-corruption call centre number just rings, how many officers get punished, and no a slap on the wrist doesn't count. The standards of driving schools are shocking, learners can buy licences for cash or sex, often the driving school is the broker. To get fines squashed pay the officer a portion of the fine. The booking call centres don't work. You can get the learners tests from the driving schools. Financial mismanagement is a given for government departments, but hey let’s throw some more money at them next year. Heads of department that aren't qualified for positions, managers that can focus on urgent things (and no functions and parties don't count), why don't we increase standards instead of lowering them. This decay hasn't just happened and it’s all over our beloved country, if we want the country to move forward, create wealth and prosperity for all then let’s put the right people in the right jobs, regardless of family relations, skin colour or political affiliations. At what point does the political rhetoric and self enrichment stop, so that the average citizen can be put first. While there appears to be no political will to rectify the situation (lip service does not count), a fish always rots from the head. When you enter public office you make the choice to serve South Africans, there is never any justification to steal, accept bribes etc. Ordinary South African citizens should start focusing on what’s important for our well being and that of future generations, actively take part to make South Africa great. You owe it to your children and other fellow South Africans. At what point does the financial and psychological burden become too great for the average South African and they stop seeing advantages in our country and look elsewhere?

SA's financial burden

by Ray Over the past few months the South African public has been informed of several additional financial and psychological burdens. We ha...

2:47 PM

Nice party, pity about the poor

ANC Youth League president Julius Malema's R440 000 birthday bash continued until early yesterday at Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale's Mokete Lodge. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0KbEO06kkCcAlXdy6HEyBih0o2hk-J8Llmg-3uEu2X7_OrayBCbZv4ARApeuKkEUotow5mztak9OMW0ctkXmn5Yp-DF425raffpiqgVgz4ky3DvGeVXZ1-g-dmxo0O-WAanoPKZYqtKf/s1600-h/malema-29thBirthday.bmp"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446000113191478850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0KbEO06kkCcAlXdy6HEyBih0o2hk-J8Llmg-3uEu2X7_OrayBCbZv4ARApeuKkEUotow5mztak9OMW0ctkXmn5Yp-DF425raffpiqgVgz4ky3DvGeVXZ1-g-dmxo0O-WAanoPKZYqtKf/s400/malema-29thBirthday.bmp" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 275px" /></a>Lavish bash: ANCYL President Julius Malema forked out more than R400 000 on his 29th birthday party which he celebrated not with the young but the oldBut the Pan Africanist Youth Congress of Azania (Payco) was not impressed. It lambasted him for his "bourgeois and opportunistic tendencies". Payco spokesman Sello Tladi said the organisation was tired of his "unprincipled" tendencies. "It is high time that the youth of this country must rise and teach Malema a lesson of life. "He cannot talk Left and at the same time walk Right. He is not different from his allies who he calls yellow communists. "His bourgeois and opportunistic tendencies have been exposed by his expensive birthday party held on Wednesday," Tladi said. There was no shortage of drinks at the lavish party, and by 1.30am the large estate was littered with empty bottles and boxes of liquor - including the expensive Johnnie Walker Gold and Chivas Regal. Guests included provincial politicians and top DJs. They were served a variety of expensive wines, whiskies and beers, and the DJ Pepsi kept the guests on the dance floor. Some of the guests were entertained in a white marquee where they reclined on black leather couches smoking cigars and quaffing fine liquor. There were containers filled with ice and all types of ciders. When they ran out, more were brought from the main house. There was spontaneous sing-ing of struggle songs, including President Jacob Zuma's uMshini Wam'. Malema joined in and at one stage called Mathale to address the crowd. "We will not backtrack from supporting Malema. An attack on Malema is an attack on the Limpopo province," he said. Malema then told the guests: "Whatever you say about me and Premier Mathale will never bring us down." The guests responded: "Bua" (talk). Outside the lodge, there were flashy cars such as BMW X5s and Range Rovers. Tladi said: "Malema and the ANCYL must be ashamed of cutting an expensive birthday cake while the majority of poor African masses that they claim to be representing in Seshego have no bread to cut; busy drinking expensive French wine while Seshego residents have no access to clean water; driving top-of-the-range Land Rovers while the people of Seshego have no roads and bridges to cross. "The falling bridges that were constructed by his company is a clear consequence of cheap labour, exploitation of workers and nepotism," Tladi said. "Anton Muziwakhe Lembede must be turning in his grave when an organisation he served, suffered and sacrificed for is being used as a springboard to a petty African bourgeois life at the expense of poor African youth who make up more than 40 percent of the unemployed population in this country," Tladi said. Malema has come under fire in recent weeks for his involvement with a company that won lucrative government contracts in Limpopo. Several newspapers reported that he bankrolled his lavish lifestyle with government contracts. <a href="http://www.star.co.za/" target="_blank">The Star</a> 05/03/10

Nice party, pity about the poor

ANC Youth League president Julius Malema's R440 000 birthday bash continued until early yesterday at Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale'...

12:55 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

ANC R44m spending spree in Western Cape

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ80AkLoflMjN9N4PxktKi1cE23OteBqybpvZPY8L00KCJ8XvaD0tZ145JqCQO_h2ID3gabY6cLo_U5pP3lUKQYHQTmggSHO5YGUXjDHS7DtOwGbJ5J5fWpaV7RuBwgIiKvw456HNfT-WG/s1600-h/ebrahimrasool.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323901426333890818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ80AkLoflMjN9N4PxktKi1cE23OteBqybpvZPY8L00KCJ8XvaD0tZ145JqCQO_h2ID3gabY6cLo_U5pP3lUKQYHQTmggSHO5YGUXjDHS7DtOwGbJ5J5fWpaV7RuBwgIiKvw456HNfT-WG/s400/ebrahimrasool.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 248px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" /></a>An amount of R44-million was paid to one consultancy over 30 months to promote five Western Cape departments under the leadership of former premier Ebrahim Rasool. ANC Premier Ebrahim RasoolIn a written parliamentary reply from Premier Lynne Brown to the DA's Robin Carlisle, Brown confirmed that the five departments spent the R44m over 30 months with Hip Hop Media Services (<a class="style3" href="http://www.biz-community.com/Account/196/12/1109.html">Click Here...</a><a class="style3" href="http://www.bizcommunity.com/Account/196/15/1382.html"></a><a class="style3" href="http://www.bizcommunity.com/Account/196/15/1382.html">.</a> and <a class="style3" href="http://www.biz-community.com/Account/196/12/1109.html">Click Here</a>) included organising events, placing advertising in newspapers and running campaigns. <a href="http://www.hiphopmedialounge.co.za/">www.hiphopmedialounge.co.za</a> Brown supplied the DA with the spreadsheet list of all the work done by the company, but emphasis was placed on the work done for the Department of the Premier and the Department of Public Works and Transport. One of the single biggest sums, more than R4m, was for placing advertisements to celebrate former president Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday. More than R3m went on a National Imbizo week, almost R2m to advertise their 21 priority areas, R1.2m on a "Tik off" campaign, R31 000 on hand-stitched soccer balls handed out at Rasool's last budget speech and R9 000 for photographs of the former premier's visits to Du Noon during the xenophobic violence last year. This week the DA said it would call for a forensic investigation into the relationship between Hip Hop Media and the ANC government under Rasool to show if taxpayer's money was channelled to Hip Hop for Rasool's friends. Hip Hop has hit back, saying there was nothing untoward about their contracts. They were carrying out work requested by government officials, they had to pay service providers and their fees were "a very small percentage" of total campaign costs. ANC election manager and Health MEC Marius Fransman entered the fray on Friday, detailing some of the spending in his previous portfolio, public works. He accused Carlisle of "over-the-top spinning" and pointed fingers at those within his own party "hell-bent on destroying the ANC". Provincial government spokesperson Jeremy Michaels confirmed the events and campaigns took place, but maintained the DA had some facts wrong. In a letter delivered by Hip Hop Media's lawyer to Carlisle, the company dismissed the DA statements as election point-scoring. The written parliamentary reply to Carlisle gave details of amounts spent. The figures had not been audited and the DA is now calling for an audit. Carlisle also fingered the Department of Transport and Public works while under the leadership of Fransman, where R628 000 was spent on an inter-faith service, and consultancy fees to the Transport Department ran to R9.2m over the 30 months. Carlisle suggested an external forensic investigation be launched to determine the relationship between Hip Hop Media and the ANC administration under Rasool. "Someone should explain to us the payment of R628 000 for an interfaith prayer service, and why the Public Works and Transport Department would organise such a service." Carlisle said if the DA won the April 22 elections, it would seek the forensic audit. "Even if the ANC retains power, we have no doubt they won't oppose this." Fransman said the inter-faith service, held in Beaufort West, had been organised as part of the festive season's Arrive Alive campaign. He stressed that politicians did not interfere with procurement as it was dealt with by departmental officials. Of greater concern, was why the DA had raised the question in the legislature and who suggested it, implying it was more to do with factionalism within the ANC than with the DA doing its job of being the opposition. "Why are some so hell-bent on destroying the ANC internally?" he asked. Michaels said there were inaccuracies about the campaigns in Carlisle's statement that needed to be corrected. The "Tik off" campaign against drugs was conducted by the Department of the Premier and was launched together with Radio Good Hope and featured awareness campaigns; the communications campaign relating to the 90th birthday celebrations of Mandela was well-publicised in the media and government's iZimbizo programme in April last year was held in 14 communities. Weekend Argus understands Hip Hop has done little or no work for the Department of the Premier since Brown took over. Hip Hop denied as incorrect and "greatly exaggerated" the amounts mentioned by Carlisle. Company director Vukile Pokwana wrote in a statement that: "Hip Hop Media responded to a legitimate tender in terms of the Public Finance Management Act in 2007. Thereafter, we, along with four other media companies, were shortlisted from a pool of about 20 companies." Pokwana said they had met tender specifications and on that basis, "and that basis alone", were appointed. "Thereafter all work done was always in terms of a written contract and there was nothing untoward in us receiving this work. "It is unfortunate that you have chosen to make Hip Hop Media the political football in trying to score points before the elections." Pokwana threatened legal action against Carlisle, saying his actions had thus far sullied "our good name and reputation and under the circumstance, we have briefed our attorneys to recover such damages".

ANC R44m spending spree in Western Cape

An amount of R44-million was paid to one consultancy over 30 months to promote five Western Cape departments under the leadership of former ...

12:25 PM

ANC nepotism blamed for crisis

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkjxMb_D4RTPSn6j0XRKb2GuY3JdQpcQ80fMpte6RE__vCBpv9F1vrmP9RJXqqazxiPewxivb2aA_p9fHVIP-BYd0S-OfofLIlr3PKGviV6Zd_-a2Rlx9jrjlreJi0O6qlfp-pOT_5rSm/s1600-h/SAPS-01.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320544186651603778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkjxMb_D4RTPSn6j0XRKb2GuY3JdQpcQ80fMpte6RE__vCBpv9F1vrmP9RJXqqazxiPewxivb2aA_p9fHVIP-BYd0S-OfofLIlr3PKGviV6Zd_-a2Rlx9jrjlreJi0O6qlfp-pOT_5rSm/s400/SAPS-01.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" /></a>Police are battling to fight crime in South Africa because the ANC had appointed its own people who had no policing skills to positions of authority, the Democratic Alliance said on Thursday. The party's safety and security spokesperson, Dianne Kohler- Barnard, said the ANC's policy of deploying cadres in key government jobs had seen skilled security experts replaced by political appointees. She claimed this lay at the heart of the problems in the police service. She told journalists at a briefing at Parliament the government needed to address the problems immediately before the police service collapsed. Kohler-Barnard said critical senior positions in the command chain needed to be filled, detective units beefed up and the backlog of samples at the forensic science laboratories tackled. "At the heart of these problems is the ANC's disastrous cadre deployment policy, which has seen skilled security experts replaced by political appointees. This has triggered a managerial crisis in the police service which has filtered down throughout the service to its junior ranks," said Kohler-Barnard. She said the police's command structure had been left in disarray with national police commissioner Jackie Selebi on special leave pending the finalisation of a corruption probe; two of five divisional commissioner posts vacant and another two divisional commissioners facing internal and criminal investigations. Head of police legal services Lindiwe Mtimkulu was on leave for unspecified reasons, while protection and security services chief Mzondeki Tshabalala was facing charges of negligent and reckless driving. Tshabalala's unit has been in the spotlight after a number of incidents involving VIPs' blue-light convoys and motorists. It was reported this week that a bodyguard of Umsunduzi mayor Zanele Hlatshwayo allegedly spat in the face of a motorist on the N3 highway near Umbumbulu, KwaZulu-Natal. Kohler-Barnard slammed suggestions by Safety and Security Minister Nathi Mthethwa that he would only release crime statistics annually. She said this would disadvantage citizens by leaving them in the dark about the extent of crime. "He justifies this on the basis that releasing the statistics before an election might politicise them," she said. "The minister's decision not to release half-year crime statistics means that the most recent available statistics are 13 months out of date." Another worrying factor, said Kohler-Barnard, was the growing number of firearms "lost" by police every year. More than 14 000 police service firearms have gone missing since 2001. Another critical area needing urgent attention was the increase in the number of missing dockets. Kohler-Barnard provided police figures that showed the number of dockets that go missing has risen steadily over the past six years. The government needed a back-up system of scanning dockets to guard against being lost or stolen. Backlogs at the country's forensic science laboratories contributed to the delay in the finalisation of criminal cases. Kohler-Barnard said the backlog of 20 000 samples had a severe impact on the conviction rate. "We have SAPS (members) blundering on crime scenes. I will use a phrase used by one private investigator that 'they (the police) rape crime scenes'," said the DA politician, suggesting that a solution for government would be to improve its retention policies to avoid experienced staff being poached by the private sector.

ANC nepotism blamed for crisis

Police are battling to fight crime in South Africa because the ANC had appointed its own people who had no policing skills to positions of a...

11:50 AM

Durban top cop faces corruption probe

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3czqyzDg93JFiiSi-HdL_Fp071DoRskkMpVXkgEKB0lotfHEHvtlm8PHPyIsOMwB6bMT5ku54fKCJq7jN6qMSoH8LqjPWKNhzOl9kS121kz_XFdfUOJ-Zck0u2BtMdtn5Q6DelQ0tR0g/s1600-h/Pub%2520Police.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317977924963526386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3czqyzDg93JFiiSi-HdL_Fp071DoRskkMpVXkgEKB0lotfHEHvtlm8PHPyIsOMwB6bMT5ku54fKCJq7jN6qMSoH8LqjPWKNhzOl9kS121kz_XFdfUOJ-Zck0u2BtMdtn5Q6DelQ0tR0g/s400/Pub%2520Police.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 350px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 233px" /></a>One of Durban's most senior Metro Police officers is to be investigated for a series of alleged transgressions, including nepotism and fraud. He is also being chauffeured across the city by two unofficial bodyguards. Part of the complaint against him is that Metro policemen are not allowed to be used as bodyguards. Allegations of procurement, car allowance fraud and the employment of several members of the policeman's family by Metro Police are to be being investigated by the city. The office of the Ombudsman has been asked to probe the policeman after the compilation of a 200-page dossier by "concerned people, both within and outside the force". The policeman involved told the Daily News that the allegations were false and said that people inside and outside the department had a vendetta against him. He confirmed that investigators from the office of the Ombudsman had contacted him regarding the allegations and he had submitted statements in his defence. With regards to allegations of nepotism, he said: "My daughter works in the control room which is a separate department. She was called for an interview and accepted after the normal interview process. I had no jurisdiction over that," he said. The bulky dossier, which the Daily News has a copy of, consists of more than 200 pages of procurement documents, car logs and phone calls, all part of the alleged evidence against the policeman. Among the documents are 18 pages of procurement information detailing dozens of repairs done to official police vehicles - by a tool hire company. Allegedly authorised by the policeman, the company ostensibly repaired ball joints, clutches, electronic equipment and gearboxes. Misfires, shock absorbers and oil leaks were also among the items repaired by the company, which has since closed its doors. Although the company had been issued an official municipal supplier number, authors of the dossier question why a tool hire company would be allowed to work on emergency vehicles often used in dangerous situations. The company had no Retail Motor Industry, or other automotive repair, accreditation, it is claimed. "The nature of duty performed by police officers is of high speed chases, rapid response and is also needed to get an officer away from danger very quickly," reads the covering letter by the dossier's compilers to the ombudsman. "How do we know that during that period all the department accidents were not as a result of the inferior workmanship?" A forensic audit into the use of a municipal vehicle by two Metro Police constables, who have acted as unofficial bodyguards and drivers to the senior policeman, has also been called for. Instead of being out on the beat in the crime prevention and warrants section, the constables have instead been chauffeuring him to and from work in an official vehicle, while he continues to claim a car allowance for his private vehicle. Details of his movements in the official Metro Police vehicle are extensively detailed in more than 100 pages of reports generated by C Track, which tracks all police vehicles across the city. On the issue of his personal drivers, the dossier said: "They are also always in civilian clothing and work exorbitant hours of overtime. They have also been given responsibility allowances illegally as the allowances were never advertised nor published in council circulars. Nobody knows what overtime has been or is being worked by these members as everything is authorised by the policeman himself."

Durban top cop faces corruption probe

One of Durban's most senior Metro Police officers is to be investigated for a series of alleged transgressions, including nepotism and f...

9:53 AM

SABC in the red for a staggering R784-million

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFIDjPERrsuOGALGhmHEz5uGH9h2beKkrxzzG_6dhy2Gxhioq9HcMY8YKB3mHcIhkk7RqC7nvOHNo2RchdKWX-p3VXLeq7y-E5TI6WGofA-fCPawVnCDh4UBjbfcrCGPzgtSKbmNzz7Tg/s1600-h/sabcbig.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313425604517060674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFIDjPERrsuOGALGhmHEz5uGH9h2beKkrxzzG_6dhy2Gxhioq9HcMY8YKB3mHcIhkk7RqC7nvOHNo2RchdKWX-p3VXLeq7y-E5TI6WGofA-fCPawVnCDh4UBjbfcrCGPzgtSKbmNzz7Tg/s400/sabcbig.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 288px" /></a>The SABC doled out R11.3-million to take its senior managers, staff, board members, some of their partners and 12 guests to last year’s Beijing Olympics. <ul><li><a href="http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=956100">Minister blasts SABC management</a> </li><li><a href="http://www.thetimes.co.za/Business/BusinessTimes/Article1.aspx?id=953376">SABC’s lost millions ‘not our fault’</a></li></ul>And its bitter legal battle with axed chief executive Dali Mpofu has cost a staggering R8-million thus far. Since last year the broadcaster has repeatedly dodged questions — from parliament and the media — over the two issues. And just last week it admitted that it was in the red for a staggering R784-million Business Times can today reveal that R5.5-million was spent on technical staff, R2.01-million on senior executives, R683 739 on board members and R2.2-million on guests on the Olympics trip. An additional R854 948 is also believed to have been spent on taking along the spouses of board members and executives. The amounts include flights, accommodation, entry tickets to the Olympic Games as well as daily financial stipends. The total cost of the trip contradicts statements made by acting CEO Gab Mampone that it had cost the financially strapped broadcaster just R4.5-million. Speaking to journalist John Perlman on Gauteng station Kaya FM on Monday, Mampone said R6-million had initially been budgeted but “we ended up paying R4.5-million, somewhere around there”. Asked what was the amount spent on taking executives and board members, Mampone replied: “Let me just explain something. It was not only board members or staff or executives — included in that we had key stakeholders that we invited as well, who accompanied us.” Responding to a parliamentary question in October, communications minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri said the cost for nine executives and three board members — “who were not directly involved in the operational elements of broadcasting ” —- was R2.7-million. “I am advised by SABC that SABC Sport had budgeted for the trip to the Beijing Olympics and therefore the expenditure was justified in the circumstances,” she said at the time, without revealing the real financial costs involved. Strangely, the SABC’s spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said late on Friday that four board members and just three senior executives attended the games. Regarding how much it cost to take the board members along and whether any spouses attended, he said they were “still sourcing this information”. In early February the Freedom Front Plus again grilled Matsepe- Casaburri by asking her, among other things, why each official went, how clients taken along were selected and whether relatives and friends went along and at what cost to the taxpayer. The minister has yet to respond despite a parliamentary deadline of February 27. Ironically, Mampone this week suspended two senior executives — his general manager of radio and TV sales, Strini Naicker, and the general manager of human resources, Lene Chamberlaine. The duo were placed on “special leave” after allegations of nepotism, mismanagement and abuse of funds were levelled against them by the Communications Workers Union. Mampone appointed a committee to probe the allegations after more than 70 staffers had petitioned him to remove the two executives.

SABC in the red for a staggering R784-million

The SABC doled out R11.3-million to take its senior managers, staff, board members, some of their partners and 12 guests to last year’s Beij...

7:36 AM

Housing conned out of R26m by Govt fraudsters

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrvOFLFKdG7qrN5nK1uD_XjlIpfABfTx3QsLtB2LnroLThjvZ77rn5z4jk2H8YgF3RSbldrUL-YifXWQUD-ZRXM46ByChyN2tyGz-FEtzhDX_gm9cjY2PohTa7NPN4LM9PU05iy1-lqM/s1600-h/housing4.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5312100388365291154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrvOFLFKdG7qrN5nK1uD_XjlIpfABfTx3QsLtB2LnroLThjvZ77rn5z4jk2H8YgF3RSbldrUL-YifXWQUD-ZRXM46ByChyN2tyGz-FEtzhDX_gm9cjY2PohTa7NPN4LM9PU05iy1-lqM/s400/housing4.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 269px" /></a>The national housing department had been cheated out of at least R26m by state employees who obtained housing subsidies fraudulently, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) said on Wednesday. Another 2 150 government employees were still under investigation for possible fraud, said SIU deputy head Faiek Davids. He was briefing the media on a broad forensic probe into housing corruption, which he said would run into 2012 and also look at nepotism, fraud and corruption in tender processes. SIU investigations over the past two years had exposed 1 962 government employees who received subsidies they were not entitled to, said Davids. "The fraudulent ones are valued at approximately R26m," he told reporters in Johannesburg. Housing Director General Itumeleng Kotsoane said the department was considering seizing the properties bought with the subsidies. "It depends whether it is legally feasible or practical to do that. We will look at it in a case-by-case situation. It is the intent of government to get those houses back," he said. Davids said SIU investigations showed that another 223 subsidy beneficiaries received "over-payments" valued at R2.4m. Applications approved after death The investigations started after a 2006 report by the Auditor General which "red-flagged" 53 426 potentially irregular housing subsidy cases between 1994 and 2004. A total of 1.4 million subsidies were handed out over that period. The 53 426 cases included duplicate subsidies on properties, duplicate subsidies for individuals, applications approved after death (of which there were 5 335) and applications approved with invalid identity documents. But, said Davids, the SIU had decided to focus on 7 353 government employees identified by the Auditor General as possibly having obtained housing subsidies fraudulently. To date, the SIU had investigated 3 954 of them, and irregularities were spotted in just over half of the cases. Most of these employees had secured subsidies fraudulently by under-declaring their household income. Only households earning around R40 000 a year qualified for subsidies, he said. Another 2 150 of the 7 353 "focus" beneficiaries were still under investigation. "We still need to work through a bit more than 2 000 files," said Davids, adding that those investigations should be finalised "within the next few months". The SIU investigations had so far resulted in 724 prosecutions - with an 80% conviction rate - and 634 disciplinary cases. They had also resulted in 1 330 employees signing pay-back agreements which would ultimately help the department recover about R18m. "Twenty-five percent of that [R18m] has been recovered," said Davids. Once the probe into fraudulent subsidies was complete, the SIU would start investigating housing contract irregularities. This would include non-performance in terms of contractual obligations, over-payments and irregular tender and procurement processes.

Housing conned out of R26m by Govt fraudsters

The national housing department had been cheated out of at least R26m by state employees who obtained housing subsidies fraudulently, the Sp...

12:32 PM

South Africa's worst ministers

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYy3nWgsx-9cRB_BQ2P34scdfCShGMPZXIhKOMw8goqqweuJEDbRFWP5mNtZDx1GNU5w38Ya7_yuAIFeMsoOIgqLx5Lei5NI03Tj7ZXqGijpV4-3V65nS__-QzAw8bFRBo01hziSYtsnU/s1600-h/A_N_C_Cabinet.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311675898824976018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYy3nWgsx-9cRB_BQ2P34scdfCShGMPZXIhKOMw8goqqweuJEDbRFWP5mNtZDx1GNU5w38Ya7_yuAIFeMsoOIgqLx5Lei5NI03Tj7ZXqGijpV4-3V65nS__-QzAw8bFRBo01hziSYtsnU/s400/A_N_C_Cabinet.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" /></a>The ANC (think: Alcoholics, Nepotism, Cronies) Cabinet is all about "A better life for all". More particularly, a better life for all those who happen to be sitting in Parliament... The Cabinet is littered with underperforming ministers who have been in office for over four years and each year they fail to pull up their socks. As the government is obviously oblivious to these inadequacies, here is a list of the worst ministers to help point them in the right direction. These ministers have failed to do their jobs and should be 'recalled' from office. Lulu Xingwana Position: Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs In power since: 2004 Previously: Deputy Minister of Minerals and Energy Struggle cred: Member of UDF Connections: None Education: Bachelor of Science, Diploma of Econ Principles, Diploma of Rural Development Reason for recall: Staff favouritism and fiddling the numbers Xingwana made headlines in March last year when she was accused of breaking up a marriage after she allegedly had an affair with one of her senior officials Phil Mohlahlane. The wife of the official wanted R100 000 in damages, but Xingwana denied the allegations. It is alleged that Xingwana protected Mohlahlane from the consequences of acts of misconduct which he committed at work and she gave him "undue privileges" including overseas trips and "positions of undue power". Xingwana was accused in July of meddling with the running of the Land Bank. She fired the Land Bank's chairperson Themba Langa who was believed to have been working hard to turn the bank around following a series of scandals relating to the misappropriation of funds. Langa was dismissed for disregarding a collective decision of the board and because of "unilateral decision making". She also squashed findings of forensic audits into the irregularities at the bank. Following all these shenanigans, Xingwana was removed from the business affairs of the Land Bank and Trevor Manuel took over. But she still runs the Department of Agriculture. Charles Nqakula Position: Defence Minister In power since: 2002 Previously: Minister of Safety and Security Struggle cred: Exiled from 1976 to 1981, underground operative for the ANC, member of Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Connections: Married to Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula (Home Affairs) Education: Matric Reason for recall: Promoting emigration As Minister of Safety and Security (up until October 2008) Charles Nqakula's job was to protect the citizens of South Africa. Instead of doing that he became fed up and told those who were "whining" about high crime levels to just go to Australia. Many people took offence to his statement because, as tax payers and voters they have every right to complain when they are dissatisfied. His comments were highly insensitive to the victims of crime. Nqakula refused to step down when he came under fire as the rate of violent crime increased. In 2007-2008 house robberies increased by 13.5 percent. Robberies at business premises rocketed by 47.4 percent and truck hijackings went up by 39.6 percent. When President Kgalema Motlanthe came into power he removed Nqakula from the portfolio of safety and security and appointed him as the defence minister. Luckily, South Africans have spread so far and wide, that an attack on our country (from the outside, at any rate) doesn't seem imminent. Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula Position: Home Affairs Minister In power since: 2004 Previously: Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Struggle cred: Activist (political military structures) Connections: Married to Charles Nqakula (Defence) Education: Diploma in Project Management, Diploma in Primary Teaching Reason for recall: Making it harder for South Africans to travel Home Affairs has to be the worst department ever. If they are not taking the whole year to issue an identity document (yes, one), they are failing refugees. Thousands of refugees have been sleeping outside the Lindela offices due to Mapisa-Nqakula's department's incompetence. South Africans are now required to obtain a visa in order to visit the UK. This is because there were concerns from the UK that South Africa was being used as a transit point by al-Qaeda representatives to gain entry into that country. Fraudulent South African passports were confiscated during anti-terror raids. Home Affairs was warned six months ago to improve their passport security system or face new visa requirements, as usual the department did nothing. As a result, South Africans are now required to obtain visas to visit the UK. The move will affect 420 000 South Africans who enter Britain every year. Naledi Pandor Position: Education Minister In power since: 2004 Previously: Chancellor at Cape Technikon Struggle cred: Exiled Connections: None Education: Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, Certificate in Education, Certificate of Civil Engineering Reason for recall: More than 200 000 students failed matric in 2008 Naledi Pandor's department is chaotic. Since Pandor took office, the matric results have declined every year. In 2005 the pass rate declined to 68.3 percent compared to 70.7 percent the previous year. Things went from bad to worse, in 2006 the pass rate dropped to 66.5 percent and it has been declining ever since, last year's pass rate was just 62.5 percent. To make matters worse the department failed to release the 2008 matric results in time and many students could not register for higher learning as they were left in limbo. OBE has not done well, although, admittedly, you cannot judge an education system on its first year. The level of literacy in this country is very low despite the huge amounts of money that the government keeps on pumping into the department. The level of violence in schools is alarming. Learners are frequently shot or stabbed on school premises. According to Centre of Justice and Crime Prevention 40 percent of educators do not feel safe in their schools while teaching. They also revealed that 20 percent of students were victims of some form of violence inside their schools. Fair enough, she isn't her department, but Pandor is responsible for running the department. That makes her accountable. Poor leadership and an inability to realise a vision for the department is reason enough to 'recall' her. Manto Tshabalala-Msimang Position: Minister in the Presidency In power since: 1999 Previously: Health Minister Struggle cred: Responsible for the health and well-being of ANC militants whilst in exile Connections: Married to Mendi Msimang (former ANC treasurer) Education: Bachelor of Arts, Master of Public Health, MD, Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Reason for recall: She's Manto When she was the Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang failed her department dismally — if it were up to her, all the HIV positive people would be stuffing themselves with beetroot, garlic and the African potato. The 'Beetroot minister' promoted vegetables over ARVs. There were calls for her to step down over incompetency, which she (and her buddy Thabo) ignored completely. In 2007 Msimang received a liver transplant and it was revealed that chronic alcoholism was the real reason why she needed a new liver. It also emerged that in the 70s she was convicted of theft at an Athlone Hospital in Botswana. She was found guilty of stealing a patient's watch, hospital blankets, linen and heaters. When President Kgalema Motlanthe took over from Thabo Mbeki (who was accused of protecting Msimang) he did the noble thing by removing her. She was appointed as the Minister in the Presidency. We are still trying to figure out what exactly the Minister of the Presidency does. President Motlanthe recently said: "The ANC never gives up on anyone." That may just explain the Manto phenomenon. So what do we have to look forward to in Jacob Zuma's Cabinet? Schabir Shaik for finance? Winnie Madikizela-Mandela for Social Welfare? Carl Niehaus for the Communication Department? And Julius Malema for... well... pretty much everything else.

South Africa's worst ministers

The ANC (think: Alcoholics, Nepotism, Cronies) Cabinet is all about "A better life for all". More particularly, a better life for ...

2:26 PM

Hospital staff in criminal probe

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQ3yPx4sSyx8oy5mT7b18fhnfJ436C3UpvixAnyuChRmBWgOkhSdpGprNhQ194KNuSF8EJYA1IWIPalpAmUBDir7okb_81OueKUAJUNzsoZE-PBTKHGZn3DpYURG3liJjfu3j_t-pYEU/s1600-h/Mahatma+Gandhi+Hospital+ent.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306529481291430050" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQ3yPx4sSyx8oy5mT7b18fhnfJ436C3UpvixAnyuChRmBWgOkhSdpGprNhQ194KNuSF8EJYA1IWIPalpAmUBDir7okb_81OueKUAJUNzsoZE-PBTKHGZn3DpYURG3liJjfu3j_t-pYEU/s400/Mahatma+Gandhi+Hospital+ent.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 253px" /></a>At least 10 of Mahatma Gandhi Hospital's most "influential" staff face suspension - with immediate effect - following a two-year investigation into various criminal activities. KwaZulu Natal acting head of department Yoliswa Mbele on Monday said a presiding officer and an investigating officer would be appointed to handle the disciplinary hearings of officers working for the department who would be charged with fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice. Provincial health spokesperson Chris Maxon said they were ready to take the Health Department employees to court and institute internal disciplinary proceedings against them. Their files would be sent to the Commercial Crime Unit. The allegations against them included bribery, asking sexual favours for jobs, the abuse of authority and nepotism, fraud which included lying about their qualifications, as well as wrongly granted remuneration in which "ghost employees" - or people no longer employed there - were still on the payroll. Maxon warned that investigations were continuing and that it had taken two years to reach this stage because of the complexity of the matter. However, The Star has learnt that many of the hospital's workers who might have information were afraid to give evidence against their "bosses" as they felt they could lose their jobs. Mahatma Gandhi Hospital is not new to controversy. In 2005, 22 newborn babies died of klebsiella, a bacterial disease, prompting a high-level investigation. Meanwhile, Health MEC Peggy Nkonyeni is expected to stand trial in June on a corruption charge relating to the procurement of a mammogram machine.

Hospital staff in criminal probe

At least 10 of Mahatma Gandhi Hospital's most "influential" staff face suspension - with immediate effect - following a two-ye...

10:55 AM

Minister probes SAA boss

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir99jJRtOFZ5yO1ohxo2tgpRxIjQzAFqVH2Oy5U0u9XDszUYN-A9yHXlINpRJhYuxBWaQNgqg48qTf_WCmJdoAQFUq_cylgARXF5xtkx7qtAuVMdgytl-RiRthoTlosLn9164LybrFKwU/s1600-h/saa-beauty+queen+Mbali+Gasa.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297899740713580274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir99jJRtOFZ5yO1ohxo2tgpRxIjQzAFqVH2Oy5U0u9XDszUYN-A9yHXlINpRJhYuxBWaQNgqg48qTf_WCmJdoAQFUq_cylgARXF5xtkx7qtAuVMdgytl-RiRthoTlosLn9164LybrFKwU/s400/saa-beauty+queen+Mbali+Gasa.gif" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 201px" /></a>Business partner of CEO Khaya Ngqula’s wife lands lucrative airline deal. The government will investigate South African Airways and its CEO, Khaya Ngqula, after receiving a litany of complaints from the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union, one of the biggest trade unions in the country. SA Airways boss Khaya Ngqula with his wife Mbali Gasa during their traditional wedding at Rhode village, near King Williams Town A dossier containing “serious allegations” against the loss-making national carrier and its senior management was submitted to minister of public enterprises Brigitte Mabandla by the union, which represents some 10000 ground and cabin crew. This comes as SAA prepares to clinch a catering deal estimated at R3.5-billion with a consortium involving Vusi Sithole, a business partner of Ngqula and his wife, former beauty queen Mbali Gasa. The department confirmed it had received the dossier, but said it would “communicate directly” with the union once it had “reviewed” it. Yesterday, Satawu general secretary Randall Howard said the union had held a meeting with the department and an agreement had been reached that the minister’s office would investigate the allegations against SAA and its senior management. “The allegations are indeed very serious,” he said. Asked about specific allegations in the dossier, Howard declined to go into detail. “The minister has agreed to investigate and we’ve given her the benefit of the doubt to go and investigate everything and clarify everything we’ve put on the table. And, of course, we expect her to be decisive in dealing with the matter.” The airline introduced vigorous cost-cutting since 2007, but for years it has suffered losses that required the government to plough taxpayers’ money into it — at least R2.8-billion in the past two years. As part of the cost-cutting exercise, it decided to sell off its catering division, Air Chefs. SAA confirmed this week that French company Servair is the preferred bidder to supply about 180000 weekly in-flight meals on SAA’s domestic routes. Servair’s empowerment partner is Auberge Michel, a five-star French restaurant in Sandton that is jointly owned by Sithole and Michel Morand. The Sunday Times has established that Sithole sponsored the inaugural Africa Open Golf Challenge, the rights to which belong to Ngqula’s wife, to the tune of R1.2-million. Gasa is also a director in one of his companies, Netlife Golf Consortium. The catering deal is the latest in a string of controversies that have dogged the airline chief. When Ngqula’s contract ends next year, it is estimated he will have amassed more than R20-million in wages and bonuses at the airline. Since his appointment in October 2004, Ngqula has been accused of: <ul><li>Running up a R500000 bill for helicopter trips to meetings in Gauteng that were within driving distance of each other between December 2004 and March 2005; </li><li>Short-changed taxpayers by R110-million in 2005 after rejecting a higher bid to lease three of SAA’s Airbus A340-300s to Indian airline Jet Airways. Two weeks before negotiations for the lease agreement started, Ngqula and the owner of Jet Airways, billionaire Naresh Goyal, holidayed together at a luxury resort in Goa; </li><li>Abandoned his post in July 2005, at the height of the most crippling strike in the history of SAA, to attend a junket with his wife at a luxury hotel in Mpumalanga; and </li><li>Pocketed an additional R68750 monthly retention bonus on top of his annual R5.3-million salary. </li></ul>Yesterday, Sithole denied that his association with Gasa had landed his consortium the contract. “The tendering process was open and it has taken us and our French partners two years to secure this deal,” he said, adding that he had declared all his business interests and followed all requirements. Asked about his business interests with Gasa, Sithole said: “I hardly ever see her.” SAA has also denied any irregularities in the tender process and said that an independent auditing firm had confirmed this. Spokesman Robyn Chalmers said Ngqula’s business interests were declared at the beginning of each year, in line with policy. “In the relatively small South African business environment, and particularly the black economic empowerment sector, many businessmen and their wives have indirect links with one another,” she said. Servair spokesman Céline Prenez declined to say how they had selected Auberge Michel as their partner in the multibillion-rand deal. Gasa and her husband founded the Africa Open Golf Challenge in 2006. Sithole’s wholly owned company, Nestlife Assurance, sponsored the inaugural event held at the Fish River Sun last year. — pilisos@sundaytimes.co.za

Minister probes SAA boss

Business partner of CEO Khaya Ngqula’s wife lands lucrative airline deal. The government will investigate South African Airways and its CEO,...

10:09 AM

Metro's dud bullet-proof vests supplied by a company run by the children of the municipality's top brass

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMUzO65jZVJsIA4UMcXysfm2BdzIkYffHR2Ebu0faYeB11_vQ7r-kNBNV92eAAzPZp-5w_lupSR9dTzID_IM6Q-0fn1KbXsgm3fOZOFJEiVBazg7E5sDvspmosdHWYrKcNPpEgPYXVKA/s1600-h/lifejackets.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242220012652738770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMUzO65jZVJsIA4UMcXysfm2BdzIkYffHR2Ebu0faYeB11_vQ7r-kNBNV92eAAzPZp-5w_lupSR9dTzID_IM6Q-0fn1KbXsgm3fOZOFJEiVBazg7E5sDvspmosdHWYrKcNPpEgPYXVKA/s400/lifejackets.jpg" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2goSazxOjaOm-1zo1trMVq52n0q6Ilw6GB99VskGeUOx-3kL5d7rzaF1gwn5-JuRsZQXVuFl8ca5y-WPeRM28aIlhxofyj5CU8S8ZhRNlIGCTIiCIzSiysIXSMnREeo5HA7zz-jfaUuk/s1600-h/PolicePatrol.jpg"></a>The mystery surrounding the Ekurhuleni metro police department's purchase of 300 bullet-proof vests remains unsolved. A year after The Star reported on the controversial tender, there is still no explanation for how the EMPD's purchase was allegedly inflated by more than R600 000, whether proper tender procedures were followed and why a company run by the children of the municipality's top brass was allowed to be involved. What is known is that the 300 vests finally delivered in late April had to be sent back to the supplier. Now 190 have been returned by the supplier, after a "minor technical problem" was rectified, while the balance still need to be recalled from officers. These were the figures given on Monday by spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wilfred Kgasago. The 190 returned vests have yet to be reissued to officers. The EMPD has also finally confirmed that R1 024 290 was spent to purchase the vests - up from the initial quote of just under R400 000. Kgasago said the reason for the spike was not available, but was not incurred by fixing the technical problem. While Kgasago gave the assurance that everything had been done by the book, it is not clear whether a new tender was issued after the price shot up. For small purchases, three quotations are sufficient to allow the municipality to buy the goods. As soon as the deal exceeds R500 000, a tender process becomes necessary. It is unclear whether there were previous deals to supply vests. The Star is in possession of an invoice issued to the EMPD on April 21 by the controversial company supplying the vests. The acting EMPD chief, Mkhabela Sibeko (Robert McBride's stand-in, and deputy city manager of operations), has already admitted the company is run by his son and former mayor Duma Nkosi's daughter and a school friend. But, he claimed, "the mayor and I had nothing to do with the tender process. Our children were awarded the contract on their own steam and on their own merit". According to the company's registration, the owners are in their early 20s and the invoice gives a Gmail e-mail address - a free account offered by Google. A well-placed source has told The Star that the bulletproof vests were recalled because they failed to protect officers and allowed bullets to penetrate them. Officers have refused to risk their lives and have rejected the vests. But Kgasago said this was a "fallacy" and claimed "the technical problem had nothing to do with safety standards". Instead, the issue arose from the position of velcro straps. Another document in The Star's possession is a record of the successful ballistic tests done by the SA Bureau of Standards on June 30 - two months after the vests were delivered. The Star also has invoices for payments made by the metro to the company for female bullet-proof vests. It is unclear whether this is for separate deals or the current one, before it was revised.

Metro's dud bullet-proof vests supplied by a company run by the children of the municipality's top brass

The mystery surrounding the Ekurhuleni metro police department's purchase of 300 bullet-proof vests remains unsolved. A year after The S...

2:31 AM

South Africa P.I.G.