ANC President Cde Cyril Ramaphosa at the Funeral of Cde Lungi Mnganga-Gcabashe @KASIBC_NEWS

ANC President Cde Cyril Ramaphosa at the Funeral of Cde Lungi Mnganga-Gcabashe @KASIBC_NEWS 

Programme Director, The Mnganga and Gcabashe families, Members of the ANC National Executive Committee, President of the ANC Women’s League, Cde Sisisi Tolashe, Members of the ANC Women’s League NEC, Leadership of Alliance and Mass Democratic Movement formations, Comrades and Friends, We are gathered here to say farewell to a leader and an activist whose life was defined by love and service. 

Today we bid farewell to a mother, a sister, an aunt, a freedom fighter, a comrade. On behalf of the leadership and membership of the African National Congress, we express our deepest condolences and sympathies to her family, friends and comrades. While we were preparing to bid farewell to our comrade, the Deputy President of the ANC Women’s League, we heard the news of the passing of the former president of the Women’s League and a stalwart of our struggle, Ma Getrude Shope.

In an African hut, there’s a pole that stands in the middle. It is called Intsika. African women are the izintsika in our homes, in our families and in the nation. They keep everything intact, like that pole in the middle of a traditional hut. Having to lose two izintsika in succession deepens our pain. 

Although they were of different generations, they were of the same political lineage. They fought for the same cause. Cde Lungi Mnganga-Gcabashe was drawn into political action by a deep desire for peace, for freedom and for justice.

She lived her life in the service of others, in the service of her people and in the service of her country. She has walked every step of our journey to democracy with the people of South Africa. She has worked with the people to overcome every challenge they face and celebrated with the people for every success achieved. She joined the struggle at a time of great turbulence and conflict in this province. She became active in local structures at a time of heightened repression, when the forces of apartheid sought to sow division, to turn communities against each other. 

It was her calm and determined manner, her sincerity, her integrity that propelled her to leadership in local peace committees at a young age. From these early experiences, she knew the destruction and the pain of division. Throughout her life, she dedicated herself to forge unity: within communities, within organisations and within her country.

She knew that a people united could never be defeated. She knew that unless we settled our differences, unless we overcame the conflicts of the past, we would not be able to move forward. We would not be able to build a South Africa that belongs to all its people, a South Africa that is just, equal and prosperous.

It is at a time like now, when we have seen a resurgence of racial antagonism from some quarters, that we need people with the conviction of Cde Lungi.

At a time when our communities are being torn apart by gangsterism and violent crime, by corruption and patronage, by a bitter contestation for public resources, we need people of the calibre of Cde Lungi. At a time when our movement still struggles with the corrosive force of factionalism, we are called upon to follow her lead. 

We called upon to be unifiers. To be healers. Cde Lungi was an organiser and a builder. Whether it was building local structures of the UDF at the height of struggle or establishing the ANC as a powerful movement following its unbanning, she understood the value of popular mobilisation and organisation. She understood the need for these structures to be rooted in communities, to be drawn from communities and to serve the interests of communities. 

The value of effective organisation grounded in people’s daily lives is as important today as it was when Cde Lungi started out as an organiser. A little more than thirty years into democracy, when politics has, for many, become an occupation, when the activists of yesteryear occupy positions of public authority, many no longer see the need for a mass-based movement.

For many, mass mobilisation is for elections. It is for conferences. It is for protest. But for a person like Cde Lungi, mass mobilisation is essential for the fundamental transformation of society. It is essential to address the difficulties that people face and to improve the conditions in which they live. For a person like Cde Lungi, democracy relies on the participation and activism of the people. 

We remember her concern as a Member of Parliament that not enough time was dedicated to constituency work. She was convinced that public representatives needed to spend more time among the people they were elected to serve. 

This was the type of leader she was. From her first responsibilities in local structures and regional structures, from the positions she held in the province to her election into the National Executive Committees of the ANC and the ANC Women’s League, Cde Lungi understood that leaders were there to serve. As a leader, she sought neither power nor influence. She did not seek prestige or enrichment. She did not seek public office for the benefits it could bring her. How many of us can today make such a claim? How many of us speak the words of service and selflessness, but are driven by a desire for selfadvancement? How many of us seek authority, but not responsibility? As we reflect on the life of Cde Lungi MngangaGcabashe, let us ask ourselves these difficult questions.

Where we fall short of the standard set by Cde Lungi, where we fall short of the expectations of our people, let us make amends. Let us become better leaders. Let us place the needs of our people above our own. Cde Lungi will be remembered as someone who throughout her life championed the role of women within the movement and within society. Among her earliest political tasks was to recruit women into the ANC, and she dedicated herself to the advancement of women at all levels of leadership.

For her this was a matter of justice. It was fundamental to the achievement of the equal society which we were striving to build. She understood that freedom required nothing less than the full and equal participation of women in all areas of the life of the nation. It is a tribute to her and those who worked alongside her, that our country has made such remarkable progress in advancing the position of women over the last 30 years. She was vital in giving the women of this country a voice and securing their place within the ANC, within our public institutions and more broadly within society. But she knew, as we know, that this struggle is far from over. Women are under-represented in many areas of society, from business to science, from politics to sport. 

Women are more likely to be unemployed and underpaid. African women shoulder the greatest burden of poverty. The violence that is perpetrated by men against women has reached the proportions of a pandemic. It is a scourge that breeds fear and mistrust. It destroys lives and divides communities. And it stands as a barrier to the full realisation of the basic human rights of the women of this country.

We remember Cde Lungi as a leader who was always ready to join many thousands of women in the streets of this country. Always ready to carry a placard to shame perpetrators of genderbased violence. She was always ready to visit and console families who had lost loved ones. The reality of the daily struggles of women in this country requires from us an even greater determination to continue the work to which Cde Lungi dedicated so much of her life. It requires that we follow her lead in mobilising and organising the women of South Africa, of all races, from all walks of life, to intensify the fight for equality and justice. And we must recognise, as she did, that this is a struggle not to be waged by women alone. 

It is a struggle that men must pursue with as much purpose and resolve. We are gathered here today in our numbers because Cde Lungi was driven throughout her life by her love for her people. She was driven by her love for justice and freedom. But she was driven also by a love for life, for her family, for her friends and her comrades. 

To her family, we extend our sympathies for a grievous loss. We say thank you for sharing her with our movement and our people. We have lost Cde Lungi far too soon. We have lost her at a time when we needed her honesty and her dedication most. As we mourn her passing, let us resolve to honour her memory not in words, but in action 

Let us honour her memory by taking forward the struggle to which she dedicated her life – the struggle for peace, for unity and for equality for all.

May her soul rest in peace. May her struggle continue. Hamba Kahle Mbokodo 

I Thank You

Cyril Ramaphosa 

COLOUREDS GENOCIDE CAPE FLATS , WESTERN CAPE @KASIBC_NEWS

COLOUREDS GENOCIDE CAPE FLATS , WESTERN CAPE @KASIBC_NEWS 

The DA has written to the South African Police Service's (SAPS) Western Cape Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt. Genl. Thembisile Patekile, to demand a clear timeline and operational plan for the so-called “extraordinary measures” promised by the Minister of Police to combat gang violence on the Cape Flats.

The promise was made during a Question-session in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) last week. In order for the undertaking to garner any credibility, this timeline must include concrete answers on when the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) will finally have a fixed establishment, a full complement of vehicles and the full complement of resources needed to perform its mandate. This is the bare minimum we can do to capacitate those brave men and women who risk their lives for our safety.

The SAPS’s priorities could not be more painful to observe than in its response to two tragic cases of stray bullets. When a bullet was said to have allegedly struck the Deputy President’s blue light convoy earlier this year, SAPS acted immediately; security was escalated, resources mobilised and threat assessments commissioned without delay. Yet, when 4-year-old Davin Africa was shot in his sleep in Wesbank while lying next to his pregnant mother on 14 February 2025 - there was no media-inflated response by SAPS senior management, no public commitment of extraordinary action and no urgency in finding the funds to address AGU resource scarcity.

This institutional indifference is further underlined by the Minister’s own admission in reply to a DA parliamentary question that between 1 March 2020 and 31 December 2024, 3,777 gang and/or gang-related murders and 5,463 attempted murders were recorded in the Western Cape. That’s more than two murders and nearly four attempted murders per day, overwhelmingly concentrated in the Cape Flats gang zones. Despite this answer, there is still not a word of a threat assessment or urgent prioritisation for these communities.

Despite this daily carnage, the Anti-Gang Unit remains in disrepair. It has no fixed structure, only half its vehicle fleet is operational and it operates from an inadequate base at Faure Farm. Repeated letters and warnings by the DA to the Provincial Commissioner have gone unanswered.

In response to a separate written parliamentary question, the Minister claimed that the AGU is structurally established and supported and proceeded to blame resource constraints for its underfunding and chronic understaffing. The double standard is blinding. And it is an insult to the thousands of families on the Cape Flats who live and die under gang rule.

The Minister’s vague assurances of “extraordinary measures” holds no water whilst he refuses to say whether Lt. Genl. Patekile would be held accountable for his clear failures at Provincial Police Commissioner.

The DA has also written to the Chairperson of the Select Committee on Petitions and Executive Undertakings in the NCOP to request that the Minister be called to appear before the Committee and account for this undertaking. This Committee ensures that commitments made by the Executive in the NCOP are monitored and enforced.

The Minister’s promise of “extraordinary measures” must now be held to that standard. The DA will continue its oversight relentlessly.

EXECUTIVE MAYOR CONTINUES OVERSIGHT @KASIBC_NEWS

EXECUTIVE MAYOR CONTINUES OVERSIGHT @KASIBC_NEWS 

The Executive Mayor, Councillor Lucky Sele, accompanied by the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Infrastructure Development Services, Councillor Peter Modise, conducted a two-day oversight visit to the Kenmare Water Pump Station, Factoria Reservoir, Munsieville Reservoir, Dan Pienaar Reservoir, Western Bypass and Rand Water Depot on 23rd May & 24th May 2025. 

The visit follows continued water supply interruptions which have severely impacted several residential areas within the municipality. The purpose of the engagement was to assess the root causes of the slow water recovery, monitor current infrastructure performance, and expedite coordination between the municipality and external stakeholders—particularly Rand Water. 

On the 23rd of May, the Rand Water outflow was at 530.8 kl/h and made a significant improvement recording of 750 kl/h this morning.  During the oversight, technical reports and observations confirmed that the abovementioned stations are experiencing reduced pumping capacity due to an inconsistent flow of bulk water supply. 

This is largely attributed to system pressure imbalances and delayed recovery. As a result, reservoir levels in Kenmare, Rant-en-Dal, Munsieville, Lewisham and parts of Noordheuwel remain critically low, with some reservoirs operating below the 20% threshold required for effective reticulation. 

In addition, airlocks within the pipeline network and ageing mechanical components at the pump stations have further compromised water pressure and distribution. Mayor Sele reaffirmed the municipality’s commitment to urgent and coordinated intervention. Engineers have been instructed to fast-track pressure balancing and de-airing operations.  

“We have escalated the matter to our provincial counterparts. The stabilisation of the systems is now a top priority, and all available resources are being mobilised to restore consistent water supply to our communities,” said Mayor Sele. 

We are pleased to report that water supply has been restored in most parts of the municipality. Our team will continue to monitor the system to ensure consistent pressure and supply across all affected areas. 

Residents are urged to use water sparingly and report any visible leaks or unauthorised usage to the municipal Customer Care Centre. Water tankers remain deployed in highpriority areas as an interim relief measure. 

STARLINK VERSUS BBBEE @KASIBC_NEWS

STARLINK VERSUS BBBEE @KASIBC_NEWS 

*Starlink, Equity Equivalents, and the South African Policy Labyrinth*

by Stan Itshegetseng

Member, Vuyani Mabaxa Branch (Ward 27, Zone 10) | NEC Member, Progressive Professionals Forum (PPF)

(Writing in my personal capacity)

*What is Starlink?*

Starlink is a satellite internet service launched by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. It is built on a constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites that deliver high—speed broadband worldwide, particularly to remote and underserved areas. In technical terms, Starlink bypasses traditional terrestrial infrastructure like fiber optics or mobile towers and instead beams internet from orbit directly to user terminals.

In a South African context, this is game-changing:

• ⁠It expands internet access to rural schools, clinics, and farming communities;

• ⁠Empowers black-owned SMMEs with reliable broadband;

• ⁠Accelerates e-health and e-learning services;

• ⁠Supports national imperatives under the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 for inclusive digital transformation.

*B-BBEE Equity Equivalents: A Tool, Not a Loophole*

The Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003, and more specifically Statement 103 of the B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice (published under Section 9(1) of the Act), makes provision for Equity Equivalent Programmes (EEPs). These are alternative ownership compliance mechanisms specifically designed for wholly foreign-owned multinationals.

The logic is simple: instead of selling equity stakes, companies can earn full ownership scorecard points by investing in initiatives that benefit black South Africans, such as:

• ⁠Skills development programmes;

• ⁠Enterprise and supplier development;

• ⁠Critical infrastructure investments.

This mechanism was not invented by Minister Solly Malatsi. It is a long-standing regulatory tool approved and used by ANC-led administrations through the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (DTIC). 

Examples include:

• IBM: R700 million over 10 years in ICT training and supplier development (approved 2015);

• ⁠Amazon: R365 million focused on creating 100% black-owned tech SMMEs (approved 2019);

• ⁠Microsoft: R708 million combined, focusing on enterprise development and the “APP Factory” model (approved 2011 & 2020).

(Ref: DTIC EEIP Register, 2025)

So, when the media suggests that Malatsi is “breaking new ground,” they are either uninformed or complicit in public misinformation. As correctly stated in recent civic forums:

“The Equity Equivalent in BBBEE is not new… the regulation was always there… the Minister is not introducing new policies.”

*But There’s a Catch: Licensing ≠ Ownership Compliance*

Where the Minister is misleading the public—intentionally or not—is in conflating B-BBEE ownership compliance with telecommunications licensing law.

According to Section 9(2)(b) of the Electronic Communications Act 36 of 2005, any applicant for an individual electronic communications license (such as one required by Starlink) must have:

_*“a minimum of 30% ownership by persons from historically disadvantaged groups.”*_

This ownership requirement is not just a BEE scorecard item—it is a legal licensing threshold, embedded in national telecommunications law, designed to transform the sector structurally, not cosmetically.

Thus, while Starlink may qualify for an EEP under the B-BBEE Act, this does not exempt it from the 30% HDG ownership requirement under the ECA. The two operate in separate but interrelated legal regimes.

*The Legal Minefield: What Malatsi is Attempting*

By suggesting that Starlink might operate in South Africa without meeting the 30% HDG ownership requirement—through an EEP—the Minister is effectively attempting to recast licensing law through policy directive. 

That is not within his powers. *Only Parliament can amend the ECA.* Only courts can resolve interpretive contradictions between the ECA and B-BBEE frameworks.

This is why legal scholars warn:

_*“The Minister is seeking to play the role of a court… his policy directive is trying to override what the ECA says, and a legal battle is inevitable.”*_

If left unchallenged, this sets a dangerous precedent—where executive statements are used to bypass the legislative and constitutional process.

*Parks Tau: The Strategist of Silence*

While public attention was drawn to the press-ready performance of Minister Malatsi, Minister Parks Tau operated with the strategic gravitas of a statesman. He was not in the room for photo ops—he was there as a quiet force of diplomatic and trade policy consolidation, ensuring:

• ⁠That any foreign investment aligns with South Africa’s Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP);

• ⁠That digital sovereignty and transformation are protected through the ICT Sector Code;

• ⁠That South Africa negotiates not just access, but reciprocal benefit.

Tau was instrumental in crafting the Black Industrialists Programme, the Automotive Investment Fund, and now, behind the scenes, shaping how multinationals like Starlink can enter South Africa on just terms—not exploitative ones.

His leadership represents a return to technocratic statecraft, where political quietness is not weakness but surgical discipline. He is, as I’ve said, the silent killer of neoliberal appeasement, and with him, South Africa’s digital future is in the safest hands possible.

*Conclusion: Law Must Lead, Not PR*

* Starlink has immense potential to empower South Africans.

* ⁠It should be welcomed—but on our terms, in accordance with:

 • The B-BBEE Act,

 • The Electronic Communications Act 36 of 2005,

 • The ICT Sector Code (2016), and

 • The National Development Plan (NDP).

If Starlink seeks a path through the Equity Equivalent Programme, that is valid—but it cannot be used to evade licensing conditions. Otherwise, it is not transformation; it is recolonization by satellite.

South Africa’s regulatory state must remain supreme—not subdued by billionaires in orbit.

Let Starlink come. But let it land on constitutional and ethical ground.

And as revolutionaries of thought, policy, and patriotism, we say:

Let the law speak. Let Parks Tau lead. Let the people benefit.

DA welcomes draft regulations by Minister Malatsi @KASIBC_NEWS

DA welcomes draft regulations by Minister Malatsi @KASIBC_NEWS 

The DA welcomes the draft regulations released yesterday, 23 May 2025, by Solly Malatsi, Minister of Communications & Digital Technologies, to introduce new mechanisms to broaden internet access to all South Africans.

Access to reliable, affordable internet is a key ingredient to economic growth. The Democratic Alliance joined the Government of National Unity to make a difference in the lives of all South Africans. These steps taken by Minister Malatsi are once again proof that the DA doesn't only talk change, we implement it as well.

Currently, most South Africans have to travel to metropolitan areas for reliable internet, as latest statistics from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) from 2022 revealed that only 10% of South African households had access to internet, beyond mobile devices, where they live.

This acts as a barrier to commerce in areas outside of metropolitan areas. It also excludes schools, hospitals, and police stations from reliable, fast, and affordable internet.

To contribute to economic growth, social upliftment, and job creation in all parts of South Africa, we must take an all hands on deck approach, which is what Minister Malatsi's draft regulations seek to achieve.

Although the requirements of the Electronic Communications Act remain, these new regulations encourage and make it easier for investors to make further social investments in our country.

In essence, any contribution to broadening access to the internet and growing the economy for all South Africans is welcome. The DA, as a member of government, is willing to work with all players to achieve these results.

This is a draft policy that must be finalised, and the Democratic Alliance encourages public participation over the next 30 days, as per our Constitution’s legislative process.

DHET AND NSFAS ON FUNDING CHALLENGES IN THE UNIVERSITY SECTOR @KASIBC_NEWS

DHET AND NSFAS ON FUNDING CHALLENGES IN THE UNIVERSITY SECTOR @KASIBC_NEWS 

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) acknowledge the recent challenges affecting funding within the university sector. 

These issues primarily arise from three key areas: 

1. Application Discrepancies: Some students from universities who applied during the TVET application cycle have experienced difficulties with their registration status due to errors encountered during the application process. 

2. Late Registration Confirmations: Certain students, whose registration statuses were only confirmed after the official registration deadline, are currently facing delays in accessing funding support. 

3. Appeals and Budget Constraints: Students whose appeals have been approved are experiencing funding shortfalls due to limited remaining budgets, impacting their ability to cover registration and related costs. 

Both DHET and NSFAS are actively collaborating to address these challenges. 

Efforts include reviewing applications from students who applied during the TVET application cycle, providing funding for students whose registration was submitted late, and exploring options to allocate additional resources to support students with approved appeals. 

Institutions are also being encouraged to assist students in resolving outstanding issues promptly. 

We remain committed to ensuring that all eligible students have access to the funding necessary to continue their studies without undue disruption. 

We appreciate the patience and understanding of students and stakeholders as we work diligently to resolve these issues swiftly. 

Students are advised to regularly monitor updates through NSFAS and university communication channels. 

GAUTENG PREMIER LEADS TEAM GAUTENG AT SIDSSA 2025 @KASIBC_NEWS

GAUTENG PREMIER LEADS TEAM GAUTENG AT SIDSSA 2025  @KASIBC_NEWS 

The Gauteng Provincial Government, led by Premier Panyaza Lesufi, will showcase a bold portfolio of bankable, transformative infrastructure projects at the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa (SIDSSA 2025) in Cape Town scheduled to take placed from 26-27 May 2025. 

As a strategic partner of the Summit, Team Gauteng is participating under the theme: “Delivering Catalytic, Scalable Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth.” Gauteng will use the platform to demonstrate how infrastructure development is central to unlocking economic potential, creating jobs, and enabling the Just Transition, while accelerating the implementation of the Gauteng Infrastructure Masterplan and the South African Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP). 

Strategic Focus at SIDSSA 2025: 

• Elevating bankable infrastructure projects to attract private and blended investment. 

• Advancing a climate-smart, green economy in line with Gauteng’s Just Transition Roadmap. 

• Unlocking industrial development through SEZ expansion and multisector nodes. 

• Driving localisation and inclusive procurement for broad-based empowerment. 

The delegation will include: 

• Premier Panyaza Lesufi, leading stakeholder engagements and intergovernmental partnerships. 

• Economic Development MEC Lebogang Maile, delivering remarks at the SIDSSA 2025 Gala Dinner, reaffirming the province’s commitment to ethical, inclusive infrastructure delivery. 

• Mr. Saki Zamxaka, Acting Group CEO of GGDA, participating in the UK G20 Dialogue on Fiscal Policy, unpacking Gauteng’s approach to financing sustainable infrastructure. 

• Director-General Edward Mosuwe, contributing in a high-level Ministerial Panel on policy alignment and public-private collaboration. Visit the Gauteng Provincial Lounge at SIDSSA 

The Gauteng Lounge, a collaborative space hosted by the GGDA, will feature participation from the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED), Gauteng Department of Infrastructure and Cooperative Governance (GDID) and Gauteng Infrastructure Financing Agency (GIFA).

Attendees can explore projects such as: 

• The City of Johannesburg’s Waste-to-Energy Programme – a flagship 88MW project that exemplifies climate-smart innovation, converting landfill gas into clean power and job opportunities in the circular economy. 

• The OR Tambo SEZ – Precinct 2 expansion – located near Africa’s busiest air cargo terminal, this project supports advanced manufacturing in pharmaceuticals, electronics, and agro-processing, backed by strong logistics infrastructure. 

• The Lanseria Smart City, South Africa’s first post-apartheid smart city development, designed for green living, AI-driven planning, and urban resilience. 

The Lounge will also offer access to the full Gauteng Infrastructure Investment Booklet, which features over R230 billion in investment-ready opportunities in the water, transport, energy, housing, and industrial development sectors. 

INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES: • Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi 

• GDED MEC for Economic Development: Lebogang Maile 

• GGDA Acting Group CEO: Mr Saki Zamxaka

 

MALATSI’S ANTI-TRANSFORMATION ICT POLICY @KASIBC_NEWS

MALATSI’S ANTI-TRANSFORMATION ICT POLICY  @KASIBC_NEWS 

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) rejects, outrightly, the so-called policy direction issued today by Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, which gazettes a backdoor for foreign multinationals like Elon Musk’s Starlink to bypass South Africa’s Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) laws under the guise of “Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes” (EEIPs). The EFF expected this betrayal, and we have consistently warned that the Government of National Unity (GNU) is facilitating the erosion of transformation in the interests of white capital and Western imperialism. 

This policy direction is unconstitutional and driven by external pressure, particularly from Elon Musk, a close ally of Donald Trump. This policy is tailor-made to allow Starlink access to operate in South Africa without meeting the mandatory 30% local ownership requirement as per the Electronic Communications Act. Musk has arrogantly refused to comply with our sovereign laws, and the ANC-led government has chosen to kneel. 

This policy is clearly a capitulation in the face of an aggressive disinformation campaign of white genocide perpetuated by Musk. Musk, through Starlink is now essentially being rewarded after a pure case of corporate terror that undermines our sovereignty and necessary transformation polices. 

The new policy direction from Minister Malatsi proposes allowing foreign multinationals to bypass the requirement for 30% Black ownership by substituting it with alternate EEIPs such as “skills development” or “digital inclusion” projects; changing ICASA’s regulations to allow these EEIPs as valid substitutes for ownership; and encouraging investment under these relaxed terms to “unlock broadband access” and digital infrastructure. 

All policies clearly aimed at Starlink, which was advocated for by Ramaphosa’s handler, Johann Rupert, in Washington earlier this week in South Africa at the US’s bilateral meeting. 

The EFF rejects the false logic that transformation can be achieved without ownership. No amount of skills training or pilot programmes can replace direct equity, control, and wealth redistribution. This is a cowardly surrender to US imperialism and a direct assault on Black economic participation. Starlink and similar entities must comply with the same laws that apply to local companies. 

Of more concern, is the clear national security threat posed by Starlink, as its owner has secured a manipulation of the laws of a country through the use of disinformation and by exerting his power and influence over the President of the US, who aided his business interests through aggressive foreign policy against South Africa. 

To surrender our telecommunications capabilities and allow him access and control in a country he has accused of a genocide, is a threat to our nation. This does not even consider the effects on the local telecommunications industry upon the entrance of a foreign satellite company with no imperatives to create jobs which will essentially operate remotely in the US. 

As a result, the EFF will challenge this unconstitutional proposal in Parliament and explore all legal mechanisms to assert the supremacy of the Constitution and the rightful place of historically disadvantaged South Africans in the ICT sector. 

We will not allow our laws to be rewritten in Washington.  

DA Exposes ANC Hypocrisy @KASIBC_NEWS

DA Exposes ANC Hypocrisy @KASIBC_NEWS 

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Western Cape rejects the ANC's latest attempt to politicise elderly care. This latest debate is nothing more than a desperate bid to score cheap political points and distract from the ANC’s appalling track record in provinces under their governance - including their disastrous legacy in the Western Cape prior to 2009.

It is astonishing that the ANC would presume to lecture on elderly care, given that during their tenure in the Western Cape, Social Development services collapsed under their watch.

Key failures during the ANC's administration include:

•Inconsistent and politically manipulated NGO funding, which forced many vital organisations to shut down or cut services to the most vulnerable, including older persons.
•A complete breakdown in oversight, with old age homes left without adequate regulation or compliance monitoring, leading to unchecked neglect and abuse.
•Rampant corruption and cadre deployment, where loyalty was rewarded over competence, undermining service delivery.

Since taking office in 2009, the DA-led provincial government has worked diligently to restore integrity and efficiency to the Western Cape’s social development systems. This includes rebuilding fair and transparent funding processes, stabilising partnerships with civil society, and ensuring that older persons receive the dignity and care they deserve.

The DA's Record Speaks for Itself:

•Regular and rigorous compliance monitoring of care facilities to ensure adherence to quality standards.

•A dedicated Elder Abuse Helpline and Rapid Response Teams to act swiftly on complaints and protect vulnerable residents.

•Sustained support for NGO-run facilities, even as national government budget cuts threaten services across the country.

Despite severe reductions in national funding - including the cancellation of the Golden Games Active Aging initiative - the DA has remained steadfast. We have prioritised protecting lives, preventing abuse, and preserving dignity in elderly care.

In stark contrast, the ANC continues to fail the elderly in provinces like:

• Gauteng, where the Life Esidimeni tragedy resulted in the deaths of over 140 vulnerable patients.

• The case of Lavela Old Age Centre, Ntselamanzi in the Eastern Cape Province, where frail care facilities are sink in neglect, starvation, and infrastructural collapse.

• In the ANC-led Limpopo, we again witness the same negligence. The Vuthlari Old Age and Disability Centre shut down for shocking human rights violations - residents sleeping on concrete, some elders dying due to malnutrition and others bathed with pine gel and chemicals.

These incidents are the natural outcome of a failed governance philosophy rooted in philanthropy, mismanagement, and disregard for the vulnerable.

The people of the Western Cape remember what life was like under ANC rule - the dysfunction, the decay, and the human cost. That is why they voted for change in 2009, and why they continue to reject ANC leadership to this day.

Wendy Kaizer-Philander said:” While the ANC manufactures outrage and headlines, the DA delivers measurable results. Where they exploit, we protect. Where they grandstand, we govern. Where they forget the elderly, we prioritise them.

This is the difference - and the people of the Western Cape, and South Africa at large, know it.”

EFF RESPONSE TO DONALD TRUMP @KASIBC_NEWS

 

EFF RESPONSE TO DONALD TRUMP @KASIBC_NEWS 

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has taken note of the press briefing held jointly by the President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa and the President of the United States of America (USA) Donald Trump. 

The meeting, which came under the pretext of discussing diplomatic, trade and economic relations, ended up being a discussion about the President and Commander in Chief of the EFF Julius Malema and his correct and principled position regarding the return of the land to African people, and the return of the means of production into the hands of the African majority. In what comes as no surprise, 

Cyril Ramaphosa and his delegation which was constituted by the likes of Stellenbosch racist billionaire Johann Rupert, Donald Trump’s golfing buddy Ernie Els, and Minister of Agriculture and leader of the racist Democratic Alliance (DA) John Steenhuisen, was an interaction dominated by white privileged men, who have amassed wealth at the expense of African people, who spent a majority of the time expressing their hatred of the EFF and of its leader Julius Malema. 

Trump proceeded to play numerous clips of the President of the EFF wherein our leader spoke correctly about the unequal distribution of land in South Africa and sang the chant “Kill The Boer, Kill The Farmer”, which is a song that expresses the desire to destroy the system of white minority control over the resources of South Africa. 

This liberation chant was considered as part of African heritage by the Equality Court, which also said the song could not be interpreted literally. The Supreme Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court of South Africa then ratified this decision. In an act of cowardice, Cyril Ramaphosa blatantly denounced the rulings of the courts of the country he is a President of, and this was then followed by insults from John Steenhuisen who then confirmed that they reached a pact with the African National Congress (ANC) to keep the EFF out of power. 

This pact was a clear collusion to prevent genuine transformation in South Africa. Additionally, this meeting between Ramaphosa and Trump has led to the inadvertent confirmation of the consolidation of the 2024 alliance between white minority capital and the neoliberal and counterrevolutionary ANC. 

Johann Rupert then followed, identifying the CIC Julius Malema as his enemy for over 10-years, and then citing their relationship since Julius Malema’s days in the once vibrant ANC Youth League. The true intentions of the meeting were then revealed as Rupert went on to lobby for the allowing of Elon Musk’s Starlink to operate in South Africa. 

The dominance of white male voices in the entire interaction, proves and vindicates the EFF that the delegation was one that sought to make assurances to Trump that the transformation agenda of South Africa is one that can be compromised on upon negotiation. All of the utterances by Ramaphosa’s delegation point to a devious plot to rekindle relations with a maniacal Trump administration by sacrificing our sovereignty at the alter of convenience. 

The South African delegation was at pains to explain how they have no interest in redressing the unequal patterns of land ownership in South Africa using what is now constitutionally provisioned as nil compensation through the Expropriation Act. 

The entire delegation failed dismally at countering the false narrative of a white genocide in South Africa, by contrasting the narrative through evidence-based statistics and data around crime in our country that affects all South Africans. South Africa has been embarrassed by a delegation that was contradicting itself, that abandoned judicial decisions, and at times was simply grovelling and lying.  

The EFF is proud that its legislative and political agenda, led by the President and Commander in Chief Julius Malema has shaken the corridors of imperialism in Washington. Our Commander in Chief can be considered in the lines of great revolutionaries, as Donald Trump in his illiterate rants has called for his arrest for daring to call for land expropriation without compensation. 

As a result, the EFF is concerned by this call that something must be done to stop the EFF President from chanting a liberation heritage song. Therefore, the EFF will continue to keenly follow the developments in Washington and reiterates that we will oppose any compromising of our laws to allow for Starlink to operate in South Africa, and we will oppose any reversal of transformative legislation including that which will allow for expropriation of land. 

We will defend our constitutional democracy and never bow and succumb to imperialism. 

All those opposed to the dominance of the few by the many must never fear and must chant loudly against the system of oppression. Dhubula iBhulu! Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer! Victory is Certain! 

DA SUPPORTS BUDGET 2025 @KASIBC_NEWS

DA SUPPORTS BUDGET 2025 @KASIBC_NEWS 

The Democratic Alliance cautiously welcomes the revenue and expenditure proposals in the Minister of Finance’s Budget Speech. We see this as a pathway to a National Budget which we should be able to support when it comes time to vote.

Today, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana presented a Budget proposal which is a manifestation of coalition politics in action. It is a workable outcome in the context of trying economic times.

The DA was not prepared to get behind a budget that maintained unsustainable government expenditure on the back of raising VAT, making struggling South Africans pay for inefficiencies and waste in Government – but today’s version from Minister Godongwana has gone some way to undo this.

It is a victory for all South Africans that the mooted VAT hike has now finally been removed from the Minister’s revenue proposals, after the DA court action in this regard.

Overall we see this Budget Speech as a turning of the tide toward growth and investment. It is turning away from unchecked government spending funded by South African taxpayers.

The DA realises our economy desperately needs to grow and government must budget for this, creating the environment that enable this growth in the private sector.

The most notable and welcome aspects of today’s proposal from the Minister of Finance are the following:

• No increase to VAT

• A R1-trillion investment in infrastructure over the coming 3 years

• No new bailouts for State-Owned Entities

• A national spending review, which must eliminate all unproductive and wasteful spending of public money

• Ending low priority projects, and eliminating government programmes that are not working for South Africans

• A full-scale audit of ghost employees across government, to stop the draining of billions in fraudulent salary payments

• A marked reduction in the additions to the budget baseline which earlier versions of the Budget proposed, meaning R40 billion has been saved

The DA also notes and welcomes that more realistic economic growth forecasts have been used to model revenue in this version of the Budget.

Following this speech by the Minister, the DA will engage in the Parliamentary process to ensure that the Reports and Bills which emerge for voting drive growth and jobs in the economy, and continue to cut the waste in government spending.

ANC STATEMENT TABLED BUDGET 2025 @@KASIBC_NEWS

ANC STATEMENT TABLED BUDGET 2025 @@KASIBC_NEWS 

Today, the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, tabled the 2025 Budget in Parliament. In addition, the Minister introduced the Appropriation Bill and tabled the 2025 Division of Revenue Bill. 

This represents a critical turning point in our legislative process, following extensive consultations with political parties within the Government of National Unity (GNU), labour, business, civil society, and other key stakeholders. 

These engagements laid the foundation for a fiscal framework that seeks to balance the competing needs of the state whilst advancing inclusive development. The 2025 Budget was presented amidst a complex economic landscape—characterised by a global economic downturn, constrained domestic tax base, high inflation and unemployment, increased tariffs, and limited revenue streams. Despite these challenges, South Africa has made notable progress. 

The country’s credit rating outlook has been revised from ‘stable’ to ‘positive’, signalling international confidence in South Africa’s financial stability and debt-servicing capability. This upgrade reflects the country’s commitment to fiscal prudence, macroeconomic stability, and the pursuit of a growth-focused agenda. It reinforces investor confidence and affirms that South Africa is on a positive economic trajectory. A key measure in the Budget is the inflationary adjustment of the fuel levy, which is expected to boost revenue and help enhance fiscal space. Government proposes an inflationary increase in the general fuel levy for petrol and diesel to R4.01c/l and R3.85c/l, respectively, effective from 4 June 2025. 

While this adjustment is welcome for its revenue benefits, government must also find robust and sustainable ways of reducing the overall cost of fuel without compromising the current fuel taxes that contribute significantly to the fiscus and the national infrastructure program. Balancing affordability for consumers with fiscal stability remains a critical challenge.

Additionally, we welcome the expanding of zero-rated VAT goods, which will shield vulnerable households from the high cost of living. The allocation of 61 cents of every rand spent towards social spending is also a welcome development, reflecting a firm commitment to equity and social protection. 

The Budget prioritises areas that are aligned with our national development objectives, including education, health, infrastructure, housing, early childhood development, public transport, social wage, and arts and culture. 

These investments underscore the Budget's developmental and transformative nature, aimed at improving the quality of life for all South Africans. 

The following are the key highlights of the budget: 

SANRAL has been allocated R93.1 billion. This will be used to build new roads, maintain existing ones as part of the road infrastructure development and quality roads; 

R156.3 billion allocated for water infrastructure. This will improve the existing infrastructure and build new dams and water treatment plants; 

The allocation to PRASA will increase the capacity of the entity threefold. A 5% increase for civil servants is a positive development. 

The civil service should be commensurate with the quality of services and the service provided to society. Basic services have been allocated R1 trillion. This quantum underscores the importance of provision of basic services and our investment in people. 

The ANC will ensure quality provision of services. An Investment of R1.4 billion for the local government elections. This reaffirms the resilience of our democracy, regular elections, the will of the people and the importance of local government in the delivery of services; 

There is an increase in social grants allocation to protect the poor from the economic hardships; it is for this reason that the ANC regards the budget as pro-poor. This is an expansionary budget designed to address the pressing challenges of the state and to provide service to the people whilst transforming an economy which grows at 1.4% in 2025. 

Importantly, the Budget is designed to ensure the quality of spending, not just quantity. To this end, expenditure reviews must be institutionalised to redirect resources to critical need areas and assess the effectiveness and impact of spending against national priorities. This is essential in achieving meaningful developmental outcomes and ensuring that public funds deliver maximum value. To strengthen revenue generation, the capacitation and modernisation of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) is a strategic and welcome development. 

Enhanced capacity at SARS will significantly improve tax collection and revenue mobilisation. While these efforts are critical, we must acknowledge the continued concern over the country's rising debt levels. Economic growth remains sluggish in comparison to the rate at which debt is increasing, placing further pressure on debt-to-GDP ratios. Debt service costs are escalating, and urgent focus must be placed on reducing these costs and improving the efficiency of public expenditure. 

The 2025 Budget is a people’s budget—a budget for inclusive growth, job creation, and investor confidence. It is pro-poor and infrastructure-focused, aimed at cushioning the vulnerable through social protection and expanded access to zero-rated basic goods. 

The budget strikes a careful balance between supporting economic growth and exercising fiscal discipline. It prioritises strategic investment in infrastructure and public services while narrowing the budget deficit from 5% of GDP in 2024/25 to 3.5% by 2027/28. 

This Budget reflects the ANC's unwavering commitment to improving the material conditions of the poor and working class. It allocates: R1.5 trillion to Learning and Culture over the medium term to strengthen basic education, sustain early childhood development, support NSFAS and strengthen the higher education sector. R845 billion to Health, including R20.8 billion in additional funding to employ doctors and nurses, improve hospital services and support the rollout of the National Health Insurance. 

R1 trillion to Social Development, which includes the increase in social grants and the extension of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant until March 2026. These investments are not statistics—they are lifelines. They ensure that learners remain in classrooms, children have access to ECD, families can access quality healthcare, and the unemployed are not left to suffer in silence. 

The social wage remains a vital anchor of the ANC’s developmental state and will be strengthened through targeted and expanded support to those who need it most. This fiscal strategy will set South Africa on course to stabilise its debt trajectory next year, through improved primary surpluses and reduced debt-service costs. 

Despite limited resources, the budget maintains a strong commitment to the social contract and the principles of equity, development, and sustainability. Through this Budget, South Africa remains firmly on the path of economic transformation and growth. This is a developmental, transformative peoples’ budget.