MINISTER DEAN MACPHERSON ORDERS 30-DAY PROBE AND DISPOSAL STRATEGY FOR 6,200+ STATE-OWNED HOUSES

KASiBC AFRiCA©®™ BY: CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS | ONLINE EDITOR 

MINISTER DEAN MACPHERSON ORDERS 30-DAY PROBE AND DISPOSAL STRATEGY FOR 6,200+ STATE-OWNED HOUSES

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​PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), Dean Macpherson, has instructed Department Director-General Sifiso Mdakane to launch a comprehensive 30-day investigation into 6,238 state-owned residential properties allocated to government officials across the country, setting the stage for a major disposal of redundant assets.

​The directive aims to identify unneeded state residences, eliminate double-subsidisation of public servants, and curb millions in unaccounted maintenance costs on the public fiscus.

​Portfolio Breakdown & Accounting Deficits

​Department records reveal a significant geographical concentration of state residences, alongside glaring gaps in financial reporting:

​KwaZulu-Natal Bottleneck: Over 58% (3,626) of the total 6,238 allocated residences are located in KZN, compared to 566 in the Western Cape and 407 in Gauteng.

​Maintenance Expenditure Gaps: An estimated R39.6 million was spent from the Department's Day-to-Day Maintenance budget in the 2025/26 financial year—yet available expenditure records account for only 108 of the 6,238 properties.

​Key Priorities of the 30-Day Audit Mandate

​Director-General Mdakane must deliver a full report covering six core areas:

​KZN Inventory Assessment: Map all 3,626 KZN properties by user department, intended purpose, occupant status, and determine whether each should be retained, repurposed, or sold.

​Internal DPWI Scrutiny: Audit DPWI-occupied residences to ensure no preferential treatment, exemptions, or governance deviations were granted to DPWI staff compared to other government departments.

​Regulatory & Statutory Compliance: Verify full compliance with the Government Immovable Asset Management Act (GIAMA), the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), and Treasury regulations.

​Market-Related Rentals: Assess whether charged rentals reflect fair market value and verify that formal approvals exist for any pricing deviations.

​Fringe Benefit Tax & Qualification: Confirm that occupants qualify for state housing under their employment terms and ensure fringe benefit tax is properly applied.

​Surplus Asset Rationalisation: Identify unneeded properties surrendered by departments to prepare them for redevelopment or transparent public sale.

​Policy Shift: Default to Disposal

​Minister Macpherson emphasized that the state should not be carrying the financial burden of over 6,000 houses, especially when many public servants already receive housing allowances or subsidies in their remuneration packages.

​"Unless there is a clear and compelling operational reason for the State to retain a residential property, it should be sold. The default position cannot be that the State indefinitely carries the maintenance, rates and other costs of thousands of residential properties while the public fiscus remains under immense pressure... Selling properties that the State does not need will reduce unnecessary expenditure, generate value for the public and ensure that government focuses its limited resources on infrastructure and assets that directly support service delivery." — Minister Dean Macpherson

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DA APPROVES KZN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT BUDGET, URGES DEEP PARTNERSHIPS AND RIGOROUS OVERSIGHT

KASiBC AFRiCA©®™ BY: CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS | ONLINE EDITOR 

DA APPROVES KZN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT BUDGET, URGES DEEP PARTNERSHIPS AND RIGOROUS OVERSIGHT

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​PIETERMARITZBURG, KWAZULU-NATAL – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has formally supported the Department of Social Development's 2026/2027 Budget and Annual Performance Plan (APP) in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature.

​Emphasizing that a budget must serve as a direct tool to empower vulnerable communities rather than foster generational dependency, the party welcomed the department's ongoing strategic transition toward a developmental social welfare model.

​Praise for Financial Discipline and NGO Support

​The DA commended the leadership of Social Development MEC Mbali Shinga, her Head of Department, and the Chief Financial Officer for driving improved financial administration and governance standards.

​Key achievements highlighted during the portfolio committee's budget interrogation include:

• ​Strict 30-Day Payment Compliance: The department’s adherence to paying supplier and service provider invoices within 30 days, protecting small businesses and Non-Profit Organisations (NGOs) from cash-flow strain.
• ​Audit Acknowledgment: Positive recognition from the Auditor-General regarding strengthened internal financial controls.
• ​NGO Sector Reforms: Enhancements to the Sector Funding Policy to ensure transparent allocation of public funds to first-responder civil society organisations.

​Demands for Fair Distribution and Political Neutrality

​Despite praising the department's fiscal management, the DA raised serious concerns regarding resource allocation across districts.

​"Government resources belong to KZN’s people – not political parties, friends or family members. Corruption, maladministration or political interference undermines public confidence and diverts resources away from those who need them most." — DA KwaZulu-Natal Portfolio Caucus

​The party instructed District Directors to act as strict custodians of public resources, demanding that funding allocations be based strictly on community need rather than political affiliation or personal relationships.

​Call for Multi-Sectoral Partnerships

​Addressing KZN’s severe social challenges—including high youth unemployment, substance abuse, and gender-based violence—the DA stressed that the state cannot succeed in isolation. Effective relief requires structured collaboration between provincial departments, municipalities, faith-based organisations, traditional leaders, and civil society.

​Concluding its address, the DA dismissed criticisms from opposition parties like uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), arguing that populist rhetoric offers no practical solutions for budget management or public delivery. As a partner in the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), the DA pledged to maintain rigorous oversight over expenditure and ensure every allocated rand translates into tangible community development.  

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SENTENCING POSTPONED IN CAIPHUS NYOKA MURDER CASE AS FORMER APARTHEID POLICE OFFICERS AWAIT FINAL ORDERS

KASiBC AFRiCA©®™ BY: CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS | ONLINE EDITOR 

SENTENCING POSTPONED IN CAIPHUS NYOKA MURDER CASE AS FORMER APARTHEID POLICE OFFICERS AWAIT FINAL ORDERS

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​BENONI, GAUTENG – The sentencing proceedings for two former apartheid-era police officers convicted of the premeditated murder of student activist Caiphus Nyoka have been postponed by the Pretoria High Court sitting in Benoni.

​Former police Sergeants Abraham Hercules Engelbrecht (61) and Pieter Stander (60) appeared in court following their conviction on 2 December 2025 for the 1987 murder of Nyoka, who was a prominent leader in the Congress of South African Students (COSAS).

​Ill Health and Pre-Sentence Reports Force Postponement

​During the court appearance, Engelbrecht’s legal team submitted a formal application to delay the sentencing proceedings, citing his deteriorating health.

​The defense argued that Engelbrecht requires consultation with a medical specialist before proceedings can continue, alongside the preparation of an official pre-sentence report by the Department of Correctional Services.

​Presiding over the matter, the judge granted the postponement request, scheduling the sentencing trial to run from 9 to 13 November 2026.

​State Files Leave to Appeal Former Commander's Acquittal

​Concurrently, the prosecution launched a legal bid seeking leave to appeal the acquittal of the former commanding officer, Major Leon Louis Van Den Berg (75).

​The state is challenging the court's earlier decision to clear Van Den Berg of charges linked to the fatal shooting. The judge reserved judgment on the state's application, indicating that a written decision will be delivered to both the prosecution and defense teams in due course.

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EKURHULENI FINANCES ON BRINK OF COLLAPSE WITH OVER R7 BILLION OWED TO CREDITORS

KASiBC AFRiCA©®™ BY: CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS | ONLINE EDITOR 

EKURHULENI FINANCES ON BRINK OF COLLAPSE WITH OVER R7 BILLION OWED TO CREDITORS

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​JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG – Service delivery across the City of Ekurhuleni is hanging by a thread as the municipality struggles with severe financial strain, owing a staggering R7.37 billion to creditors as of 31 May 2026.

​The financial crisis was exposed in a reply to questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) by the MEC for Finance, Nkululeko Dunga. The data reveals that the metro owes hundreds of millions to contractors and bulk service providers, while holding only R2.017 billion in immediately available cash reserves—covering less than a third of its outstanding debt.

​Detailed Breakdown of Debt

​The total liability of R7,373,746,000 owed to state entities, bulk utility suppliers, and private contractors is distributed as follows:

​Eskom: R5.758 Billion

​Contractors: R669.337 Million

​Rand Water: R555 Million

​Gauteng Provincial Government Departments: R293.719 Million

​Suppliers of Goods & Services: R91.346 Million

​Other Municipalities: R4.437 Million

​Other State Entities: R907,000

​With some service providers waiting over 120 days for settlement, delayed payments threaten to trigger load reduction and water throttling by Eskom and Rand Water, directly impacting rate-paying residents.

​DA Demands Action and Emergency Meeting

​Attributing the financial crisis to corruption, mismanagement, and lack of consequence management within the provincial government structure, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng warned that residents are suffering despite paying their rates and taxes diligently.

​

The DA announced that it will write to Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza requesting an urgent meeting within seven days. The engagement aims to establish an immediate intervention plan to stabilize the city's finances, ensure creditors are paid within the standard 30-day window, and prevent a total breakdown of municipal services.

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FOUR SENTENCED TO 35 YEARS' IMPRISONMENT EACH FOR PINETOWN SCHOOL ROBBERIES

KASiBC AFRiCA©®™ BY: CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS | ONLINE EDITOR 

FOUR SENTENCED TO 35 YEARS' IMPRISONMENT EACH FOR PINETOWN SCHOOL ROBBERIES

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​DURBAN, KWAZULU-NATAL – The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has welcomed the effective 35-year direct imprisonment sentences handed down by the Pinetown Regional Court to four men involved in a wave of armed robberies at schools across the greater Pinetown area.

​The convicted individuals—Mthobisi Shozi (21), Brian Tyrone Charles (25), Sbonelo Mkhulisi (24), and Lebohang Magwaza (24)—were sentenced following their conviction on multiple counts of armed robbery, kidnapping, and attempted robbery committed in February 2023.

​Pretext of School Donations Used to Access Premises

​During the trial, the court heard how the gang targeted three schools by gaining access under the false pretense of making charitable donations to the institutions.

​Once inside, the men drew firearms, held up and kidnapped staff members, and robbed teachers, support staff, and in one instance, a learner, of laptops and mobile phones. The group subsequently fled the scenes in a getaway vehicle.

​Police investigations quickly traced the vehicle, leading to the arrest of all four suspects and the recovery of several stolen items.

​Watertight Case and Victim Impact

​State Prosecutor Rowen Bevin Souls presented testimony from complainants and the arresting officer, alongside conclusive evidence from identity parades where the victims positively identified the four accused.

​A Victim Impact Statement (VIS) compiled by a school principal and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Bonisile Mngoma outlined the severe psychological trauma inflicted on learners and educators, many of whom required extensive post-traumatic counselling.

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Breakdown of Effective Sentences

​While individual sentences across the various counts totaled decades more, the court ordered portions of the sentences to run concurrently, resulting in an effective 35 years' direct imprisonment for each perpetrator:

​Mthobisi Shozi: 15 years for each of 14 counts of aggravated robbery, 5 years for each of 5 counts of kidnapping, and 5 years for each of 2 counts of attempted robbery. (Effective: 35 years)

​Brian Tyrone Charles: 15 years for each of 15 counts of aggravated robbery, 5 years for each of 5 counts of kidnapping, and 5 years for each of 2 counts of attempted robbery. (Effective: 35 years)

​Sbonelo Mkhulisi: 15 years for each of 8 counts of aggravated robbery, 5 years for each of 5 counts of kidnapping, and 5 years for each of 2 counts of attempted robbery. (Effective: 35 years)

​Lebohang Magwaza: 15 years for each of 9 counts of aggravated robbery, 5 years for each of 5 counts of kidnapping, and 5 years for 1 count of attempted robbery. (Effective: 35 years)

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The NPA stated that the heavy sentences send a strong deterrent message, emphasizing that schools must remain safe environments for learning, free from criminal intimidation.

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