KASI BC AFRICA @KASIBCNEWS

"Kasi BC Africa." Based on the available information, Kasi BC Africa (Kasi Broadcasting Africa) is an online media house founded in 2023 

by Channon Lecodey Merricks, an entrepreneur from Kliptown, Soweto, South Africa. Born on June 11, 1976, during the Soweto youth uprising,

Merricks established this venture to serve "KasiPeople" (a term often used to describe township communities in South Africa) through various Digital Platforms.

The organization focuses on delivering content and services such as:

Audio : Offering live news, radio, sports, music, and podcasts via the #KasiBCAudio platform.

Video: Providing local, regional, and international video content through #KasiBCVideo.

News: Delivering timely local, continental, and international news with #KasiBCNews, aiming to counter mainstream media narratives.

Tours: Facilitating physical and online tours #KasiBCTours to explore South Africa and beyond.

Events: Hosting and streaming local events #KasiBCEvents like sports, entertainment, and cultural exhibitions.

Stores: Supporting local shopping and e-commerce through #KasiBCStores.

Kasi BC Africa operates under the "100 Township Model," aiming to create jobs and opportunities

KASI BC AFRICA FOUNDER @KASIBCNEWS 

Channon Lecodey Merricks is an entrepreneur born on June 11, 1976, in Kliptown, Soweto, South Africa, during the historic Soweto youth uprising. 

He is the founder of Kasi Broadcasting Corporation Africa (Kasi BC Africa), an Online Media House launched in 2023. 

Merricks' background is rooted in the township life of Soweto, and his personal story reflects resilience—having faced significant challenges, including losing his mother at an early age and navigating a tough upbringing. His experiences shaped his mission to uplift township communities, often referred to as "KasiPeople."

Through Kasi BC Africa, Merricks aims to empower these communities by providing digital media platforms that include:

Audio streaming (#KasiBCAudio), 

Video streaming (#KasiBCVideo)

News (#KasiBCNews)

Tours (#KasiBCTours)

Events (#KasiBCEvents)

E-Commerce (#KasiBCStores)

The venture operates under a "100 Township Model," designed to create jobs and opportunities across South African townships. Merricks has set bold financial goals 

for the company, such as raising R15 million for audio and R25 million for video, with projected sales targets in the millions.

The founder of Kasi BC Africa, emphasizing his commitment to connecting and serving township audiences through innovative media solutions.

Chanon Lecodey Merricks work with Kasi BC Africa positions him as a figure focused on community-driven entrepreneurship.

PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA SUPPORTS BBBEE @KASIBCNEWS

Honourable Members,

South Africa remains a highly unequal society. 

Despite progress in several areas, inequality still exists in South Africa.

Participation in the economy and the distribution of wealth still reflects the racial and gender divides of apartheid. 

In responding to this fundamental challenge, we are guided by the Constitution, which places a responsibility on the state to take measures to redress the effects of past racial discrimination.

Successive democratic administrations have thereforeintroduced various transformational measures such asbroad-based black economic empowerment, employment equity and other transformational policies. 

To assess progress in this regard, the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Commission undertakes annual assessments.

Based on these, it has established that black ownership in the economy averages 30%, and black women ownership averages 15%. 

The Commission found that since 2017, the cumulative value of assets acquired by black people through major transactions above R25million is around R800billion.

As outlined in the State of the Nation Address last month, our focus is on empowering those people who were deliberately excluded from playing a key role in the economy. These include black people, women and persons with disabilities.

We are therefore setting up a transformation fund worth R100billion over the next 5 years to fund black-owned and small business enterprises. 

We are continuing the Black Industrialists programme, which is helping to expand the country’s industrial base and develop a new generation of black entrepreneurs.

We are working with industry partners, through master plans and other initiatives, to increase black ownership in keysectors of the economy. 

Government is also supporting the growth and development of small, medium and micro enteprises, especially in townships and rural areas. These businesses are vital drivers of economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction.

The work underway to reduce inequality is not limited to these direct interventions in the economy. Around 60% of non-interest spending goes to programmes that form part of the broader social wage.

Significant progress is being made in areas like education, which is one of the most critical instruments to reduce inequality and foster prosperity for all.

We have significantly expanded access to education for children and young people. Today, more than 10.5million learners go to public schools where they do not have to pay fees. Last year, over 900,000 students from poor and working class backgrounds received funding to study at universities and colleges.

We are making Grade R compulsory to ensure that all children have a solid educational foundation that will contribute to their success later in life.

Through the introduction of the National Health Insurance, we are working to reduce the huge disparities in access to health care. This will improve the quality of life of millions of poor South Africans, reduce the cost of their health care and improve their productivity.

Through the provision of subsidised housing, free basic services for the indigent land reform, we are helping to reduce inequality and better enable people to participate in economic activity.

All of these interventions taken together contribute to reducing inequlity and improve levels of participation by black people in the economy.

To achieve faster and more meaningful economic empowerment, we need to grow the economy at a far faster rate and create the jobs that our people need.

That is the central focus of this administration.

#RamaphosaQandA

GAUTENG NPO FUNDING APPLICATION PROCESS @KASIBCNEWS

The Gauteng Department of Social Development is in the final stages of the Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) funding application process for the 2025/26 financial year. 

This follows a rigorous and transparent process that began in October 2024 when the Department widely advertised the call for applications. Since the closure of applications, the Department has undertaken a thorough evaluation process, which included panelling all submitted applications, conducting site visits, and engaging with board members of applying NPOs to assess their capacity and compliance. 

MEC for Gauteng Social Development, Faith Mazibuko, has been actively overseeing the process to ensure it is conducted with integrity and efficiency. Departmental officials have worked tirelessly to meet the set timelines and ensure a seamless process. "We are almost done with the applications and allocations, and we are now conducting the final checks and balances before granting approval. 

Our goal is to ensure that by the beginning of April, the first-quarter tranche payments are deposited into the accounts of appointed NPOs so they can continue delivering essential services to our beneficiaries," assured MEC Mazibuko. Successful NPOs will soon receive their appointment letters, allowing them to proceed with their vital work in supporting vulnerable communities across the province. 

The Gauteng Department of Social Development remains committed to working with the NPO sector to provide much-needed services and support to those who need it most. 

PAMGOLDING DATA BREACH @KASIBCNEWS

RE: NOTIFICATION OF SECURITY COMPROMISE IN TERMS OF SECTION 22(1)(b) OF THE PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION ACT 4 OF 2013 ("POPIA")

1. We are writing to inform you of an incident involving your personal information. In line with our commitment to data protection and our obligations under POPIA, we wish to promptly bring this matter to your attention.

2. On 7 March 2025, we discovered a security compromise on our Alchemy system, a customer relationship management system hosted on servers in South Africa, which may have resulted in unauthorised access to some of your personal information which is stored on our system.

3. A third party outside of South Africa (unknown to us at this stage) gained unauthorised access to our system using an email account and queried our database. As soon as we became aware of the incident, we took immediate action to secure our systems by removing all unauthorised access and investigated the impact of this incident.

4. It is important to note that no banking details, financial information, commercial information and/or other documents were compromised.

5. We take this incident seriously and will be taking the following steps (immediately and in the short term) to contain the incident and prevent any further recurrence:
   • 5.1 the affected user account password was changed and secured, and all active sessions have been terminated;
   • 5.2 we have reset passwords for all our user accounts system-wide;
   • 5.3 our team has reviewed all system access logs to determine the extent of the breach and identify any affected data;
   • 5.4 we will patch any potential vulnerabilities and reinforce our security protocols;
   • 5.5 we will implement any additional monitoring tools to detect and respond to any future suspicious activity;
   • 5.6 we are in the process of appointing independent cybersecurity specialists to investigate the incident and provide recommendations for enhanced security; and
   • 5.7 over and above our existing access control measures, we will enhance these further and adopt the appropriate recommendations of cybersecurity specialists.

6. While we are still investigating the full scope of the incident, we want to make you aware of potential risks:
   • 6.1 a third party accessed our system using an active user account. If your information was involved, it may have been viewed or queried;
   • 6.2 cybercriminals sometimes use stolen information to send fraudulent emails or messages pretending to be from trusted sources; and
   • 6.3 if personal details were accessed, there is a small risk of identity fraud, though we have no evidence of misuse at this time.

7. Please be assured that we are still in the process of investigating this incident and will be implementing additional security measures to minimise the effect of this security compromise.

8. In the interim, we advise you to be cautious about clicking on links and providing sensitive information, including bank pins and user login passwords. If you are suspicious that a person other than one of our authorised agents is attempting to contact you or obtain your personal information, please contact our Information Officer or the agent who you usually deal with.

9. We take your privacy commitments under POPIA seriously. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and are committed to strengthening our security measures to protect your information.

10. If you have any questions or require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our Information Officer, at informationofficer@pamgolding.co.za 

Reduced VAT Increase @KASIBCNEWS

@KASIBCAUDIO : CLICK HERE

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xw-QuXD5Lmfi_q3cZAv6zPrA22Sbmvg3/view?usp=drivesdk

@KASIBCVIDEO : CLICK HERE 

FORMER POLICE STATION COMMANDER SENTENCED FOR STOCK THEFT @KASIBCNEWS

The Tweeling Magistrates' Court has sentenced the former Acting Station Commander of Tweeling Police Station, Mokete Jacob Mokoena (58), to three (3) years of direct imprisonment for his involvement in stock theft. His co-accused, Lefa Elias Mahlaba (44), was sentenced to two years of imprisonment.

The court heard that on the night of 21 to 22 March 2021, Mokoena, who was also the Visible Policing (VISPOL) Commander at the station, was on duty and patrolling in a marked police vehicle while in full SAPS uniform. Before leaving, he requested Mahlaba, an ordinary citizen, to accompany him.

Under the cover of darkness, Mahlaba was dropped off at the farm Speekhoutboom, owned by the complainant, Mr. Danie Muller. Mahlaba then rounded up five sheep, tying them down with rope. He used Mokoena’s official SAPS torch, which had the police insignia and a serial number engraved on it, to carry out the crime.

Mokoena later returned to the scene but was spotted by a private security company. The two accused fled in the police vehicle but were intercepted by the security officers. Upon returning to the scene, the security team discovered Mokoena’s police torch near the carcass of a slaughtered sheep. Another sheep had been killed, with its remains placed in a plastic bag, while three others were found alive but immobilised with rope.

Initially, Mokoena denied ownership of the torch found at the crime scene but later admitted that it belonged to him. DNA analysis confirmed that the bloodstains on Mahlaba’s clothing matched the slaughtered sheep. 

The State also presented AVL satellite tracking data from the police vehicle, which confirmed that it had stopped four times at or near the crime scene that night.

The trial was prolonged due to Mokoena changing legal representatives three times, causing significant delays. Despite these obstacles, the prosecution, led by Advocate Jacques Harrington, successfully proved the case against both accused.

 

GAYTON MCKENZIE , I AM GUILTY @KASIBCNEWS

We can’t keep quiet about Kelly’s lies 

When I met Kelly I couldn’t sleep because I knew I just met a suspect, I confided in my partner and we had a massive argument, she told me how, how dare you, this lady just lost her child and you come here with suspicious thoughts. 

My protectors agreed with me, they also got same sense about her, we decided to befriend her closely, after a few days we knew that she knew more. 

I would be the one she would ask for money, clothes and I made sure we get her a phone. We spoiled her and bought her groceries etc, she had no income, we became her income. 

The police also narrowed their suspect lists down to her and her partner, they would constantly call them in for questioning, everytime they questioned Kelly and her accused, they would come and tell us everything, I would specifically asked them if they were assaulted, they would say no. 

One day the police called them in, Kelly called us crying hysterically, @DivanKleinbooi one of my protectors put her on speaker phone, she cried hysterically, my first question was, are the police assaulting you guys, during the tears she said no again, she was crying because the police wanted to separate her and her boyfriend, it was the deepest cry, hysterical cry. 

We were all shocked because not once did she cry or show emotion for little Joshlin, we once thought that maybe she is not an emotional person. She cried uncontrollably for her boyfriend. 

Kelly told me the next day again that the police didn’t assault them and that they just asked them many questions. 

Long story short, the day that we had a church service for Joshlin, Kelly danced like crazy and we picked up that this people are planning to run, bags were packed and they had transport to visit the family, I told her that I’m planning to take her shopping and give her more money, I told her that we will go early and I will book her in guesthouse, my team took her elsewhere to another hotel because she was on the phone again ... 

POSTED BY GAYTON MCKENZIE SOCIAL MEDIA

ONLINE SALE R5.00,STREET SALE R10.00 @KASIBCNEWS

Mpumalanga Activities World Consumer Rights Day @KASIBCNEWS

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) in partnership with the Competition Commission of South Africa, the Mpumalanga Department of Economic Development and Tourism, and various regulatory bodies, under the umbrella of the Consumer Protection Forum (CPF), will commemorate World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD 2025) this week.

Consumer International will celebrate this year under the theme “A Just Transition to Sustainable Lifestyles”. To bring the message closer to home, South African authorities have themed WCRD 2025 as “Empowering Consumers—Balancing Rights with Ethical Business Practices". Deputy Commissioner at the NCC, Ms Thezi Mabuza averred the need for all stakeholders within the consumer protection landscape to cooperate in the quest for the effective protection of consumers.

This year’s activities will include consumer education and business compliance inspections conducted by various regulators in the consumer space to enforce compliance. In addition, a business breakfast, “Farm to Fork”, will be held on 13 March where various regulators will unpack topics such as competition concerns and safety in the food value chain. This event with business leaders will be held at the University of Mpumalanga (UMP) in Mbombela. “The breakfast is an opportunity for the Competition Commission to engage with business leaders in the area to gain insight into the concerns small-scale farmers, retailers, wholesalers, and large agri-businesses have including the barriers to entry and trade they may face,” Head of Advocacy Mr Andile Gwabeni explained. The breakfast will also raise awareness of the findings of the Fresh Produce Market Inquiry, Gwabeni said.

That same afternoon, a symposium will also be hosted at UMP. The symposium under the theme “Ethical Responsibilities for Business and Consumer Rights” will bring together researchers, experts, regulators, and advocacy organisations to discuss laws, regulations and best practices for consumer protection; provide consumers with knowledge about their rights and responsibilities; engage on new consumer protection issues such as e-commerce fraud, data privacy, and AI-driven marketing. The promotion of corporate responsibility and fair trade principles will also take place. “The outcomes of these discussions will help regulators to remain agile to protect consumers in this changing landscape,” said Mabuza.

The Mpumalanga Consumer Protection Office will relaunch its provincial consumer court on 13 March 2025, the eighth in the country. This court will provide access to effective redress for consumers of the province. “As the province, we are delighted to use this august occasion to celebrate the WCRD 2025 to relaunch the Mpumalanga Consumer Court. This court will be essential in ensuring a quick resolution to consumer complaints and the enforcement of consumer rights,” said Mr Bonani Dube, Acting Director: Business Regulations and Governance at the Mpumalanga Department of Economic Development and Tourism.

Observing WCRD 2025 on Friday, 14 March, various consumer rights regulators and entities will unite in carrying out diverse activities, and advocacy in the form of a formal event to empower consumers. Political heads, administrative heads and industry captains will address attendees at this main event at UMP.

Business Breakfast with Business Leaders

Event Details : 13 March 2025 at the University of Mpumalanga

Time : 07:30

Symposium

Event Details : 13 March 2025 at the University of Mpumalanga

Time : 14:00

Relaunch of the Mpumalanga Consumer Court

Event Details : 13 March 2025 at Christie’s Guesthouse, 32 Russell Street, Nelspruit

Time : 18:00

Main Event

Event Details : 14 March at the University of Mpumalanga

ANC FREE STATE RENEWAL, SERVICE DELIVERY, ECONOMIC GROWTH @KASIBCNEWS

The African National Congress (ANC) has embarked on a comprehensive renewal programme aimed at restoring public confidence, strengthening the organisation, and ensuring that it remains a reliable and effective force for change in South Africa. This renewal process is a direct response to the challenges facing the movement, including declining public trust, inefficiencies in governance, and the need to realign the ANC with the aspirations of the people. 

The programme focuses on rebuilding branches, improving governance, rooting out corruption, enhancing service delivery, and reconnecting the movement with communities. Through this renewal, the ANC is determined to ensure that its structures operate efficiently, that leaders remain accountable to the people, and that service delivery is fasttracked to improve the lives of all South Africans. At its core, the ANC’s renewal programme is about aligning the movement with the aspirations of the people by fostering a leadership that is principled, accountable, and service-oriented. 

This process entails strengthening ANC structures through rigorous political education, thorough membership audits, and leadership development initiatives to ensure that only committed and disciplined cadres are entrusted with leading the organisation. Central to this renewal is a commitment to ethical governance, which prioritizes transparency, accountability, and the eradication of inefficiencies in service delivery. Equally important is the drive for economic transformation, ensuring that policies are not only growth-oriented but also deliberately structured to uplift the poor and working class, addressing inequalities and creating sustainable opportunities for all South Africans.  

The NWC visit to the Free State flows from the decision by the NEC to visit all provinces, following the 2024 National and Provincial Election outcome that we characterized as a significant setback. We have already visited the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. 

The NWC met will all structures which included branches, regions as well as the PEC. In a meeting with the PEC, the NWC also received report from the Premier as deployee in government in the Free State.  The Free State, like many provinces, has faced governance challenges that have led to poor service delivery, financial mismanagement, and inefficiencies in local government. These issues have resulted in growing dissatisfaction among residents, making it necessary for the ANC to take decisive action.  

The recent engagements by the National Working Committee (NWC) with ANC structures in the province reaffirm the movement’s commitment to addressing these concerns head-on and rebuilding the trust of communities. The ANC recognizes the serious service delivery challenges facing many communities in the Free State, including infrastructure backlogs, unreliable water and electricity supply, and poor maintenance of roads and public facilities.  

To address these concerns, the ANC is prioritizing concrete interventions to ensure that municipalities function efficiently and deliver basic services effectively. Ultimately, the visit is informed by the fact that the ANC exists to serve the people. 

The establishment of War Rooms on Service Delivery will monitor the implementation of government projects, track service delivery performance, and address delays in project execution. This will ensure that government budgets earmarked for critical infrastructure and essential services are fully utilized and that no funds are surrendered due to inefficiencies. 

The ANC is also reviving the Letsema programme at a regional level to mobilize communities in partnership with local government structures to resolve service delivery concerns and maintain public infrastructure. Letsema is a practical demonstration of active citizenry, where community members, ANC structures, and local government officials work side by side to improve living conditions. 

The District Development Model (DDM) Champions will provide strategic support to municipalities to ensure that projects are implemented on time and within budget. The ANC is committed to ensuring that no municipality is left behind, and all residents, especially those in rural areas, receive quality services. 

Local government intervention will be made on a continuous basis across all municipalities where there is need for such support, to unblock service delivery. This must include ensuring proper financial management in order to achieve clean audit as evidence of proper governmental systems. The ANC’s renewal programme is about building stronger, more accountable ANC structures. A key part of this process is ensuring that ANC branches and regions function as centers of community activism that are responsive to the needs of the people. Political education efforts in the Free State are being intensified to strengthen political consciousness and discipline. 

Before every Branch Biennial General Meeting (BBGM), members must undergo compulsory political education sessions to reaffirm the movement’s principles, ethical leadership, and commitment to serving the people. This will ensure that ANC branches elect leaders who are fit to lead and committed to advancing the interests of their communities. In the local government sphere, the ANC deployees, working with the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) and the Regional Executive Committee (REC), will engage ANC caucuses in municipalities to ensure that they meet regularly to proactively resolve governance challenges.

ANC Caucuses will no longer be allowed to convene only to discuss formal council agenda items but must hold standing meetings to track and monitor municipal performance and intervene where necessary. 

A skills audit of all senior municipal managers in the Free State is also being conducted to ensure that qualified and competent individuals occupy key positions in municipalities. The ANC will not tolerate cadre deployment that prioritizes political connections over competence. Only those who can effectively deliver services will be retained or appointed. The Local Government Interventions Task Team will also be deployed to assist struggling municipalities, provide technical support, and intervene where urgent action is needed. This task team will focus on priority municipalities where service delivery failures have had the greatest impact on communities. 

The ANC recognizes that economic transformation is critical to addressing poverty, inequality, and unemployment in the Free State. The province has immense economic potential, particularly in agriculture, mining, and manufacturing, but this potential has not been fully harnessed due to poor governance, lack of investment, and inadequate infrastructure. 

The ANC, working with government and the private sector, is prioritizing investment in economic infrastructure, support for small businesses, and skills development to drive job creation and economic growth. Efforts are being made to revitalize the agricultural sector by ensuring that farmers, including emerging black farmers, have access to land, funding, and markets. 

Infrastructure projects are being accelerated to improve roads, water systems, and public facilities that support economic development. Strengthening support for township and rural economies is essential in ensuring that small businesses receive the financial and non-financial support needed to thrive. The ANC is working with private sector investors to unlock opportunities in manufacturing, renewable energy, and tourism. Economic growth is not just about numbers but about real change in the lives of ordinary people. 

The ANC is committed to ensuring that economic policies uplift the poor and working-class. The ANC calls on its members, supporters, and all residents of the Free State to actively participate in the renewal, rebuilding, and service delivery efforts. This is not just an ANC initiative; it is about creating a better Free State for everyone. ANC structures must remain rooted in the communities, and all members are urged to work tirelessly to reconnect with the people. 

The challenges faced by many Free State residents are well understood, and decisive action is being taken to resolve them. The work ahead requires discipline, unity, and a collective commitment to the principles of the ANC. The Free State belongs to all who live in it, and together, we will ensure accelerated service delivery, economic growth, and an inclusive, non-racial society. 

The PEC has been given a clear mandate, which is to unite the organization as platform to deliver on our democratic mandate at all levels of government. The ANC will continue to be seized with programmes to ensure that the ANC has well-oiled machinery at provincial, regional and branch level. It must be an organization that is one with the masses of our people.