CONCERN OVER THE DEVASTATING FIRE AT THE BOTHA SIGCAU BUILDING IN MTHATHA

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CONCERN OVER THE DEVASTATING FIRE AT THE BOTHA SIGCAU BUILDING IN MTHATHA 

CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS ONLINE_EDITOR 

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (“MK Party”) expresses its profound concern and deep sadness following the devastating fire that has destroyed the historic 11-storey Botha Sigcau building in Mthatha, Eastern Cape. 

This building was not merely an administrative structure, but a vital center of governance that housed key provincial departments, including Education, Agriculture and Health, serving the people of the Eastern Cape for many years. The circumstances surrounding this disaster raise serious and troubling questions about the state of preparedness and infrastructure within government. 

Reports indicating that emergency services struggled to contain the blaze due to inadequate equipment and insufficient water supply point to systemic failures that cannot be ignored. Equally alarming are accounts from employees who reported irregular electricity supply on the day of the incident, following a complete outage the day before, and a prolonged period without electricity in the preceding months. 

These conditions demand urgent scrutiny, as they may have directly contributed to the outbreak and escalation of the fire. The MK Party further notes with concern that at least one firefighter was injured in the line of duty while attempting to protect lives and property. 

This incident has not only placed workers at risk, but has also resulted in the destruction of a building of immense cultural and historical significance, while threatening the livelihoods of many public servants and imposing a significant financial burden on the state that will ultimately be borne by the people. 

The Botha Sigcau Building stands as an enduring symbol of the heritage and leadership of the Eastern Cape. Named in honour of the late Botha Sigcau, a respected leader of the Mpondo nation and former President of the Transkei between 1976 and 1978, the building represented both a historical legacy and a functioning institution of public service in the democratic era.

Its loss is therefore not only administrative, but cultural and symbolic. In light of this tragedy, the MK Party calls on the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, together with all relevant authorities, to conduct an urgent, transparent and comprehensive investigation into the cause of the fire. 

Those responsible for any negligence or failure must be held fully accountable. 

We further call on government to immediately strengthen disaster preparedness measures including the provision of adequate firefighting infrastructure, maintenance of critical facilities, and reliable utility services, to ensure that such a preventable disaster never occurs again. 

The people of the Eastern Cape deserve safe, functional public infrastructure and a government that is proactive, capable and accountable. 

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Second Local Government Residential Property Summit

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Second Local Government Residential Property Summit

CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS ONLINE_EDITOR 

Keynote address by the Minister of Human Settlements at the Second Local Government Residential Property Summit held at Focus Rooms, Modderfontein, Johannesburg 

Programme Director,

President of SALGA, Cllr Bheki Stofile SALGA Leadership,

MEC for Human Settlements in Gauteng, Tasneem Motara Executive Mayor of CoJ, Cllr Dada Morero Representatives of Local Government,

International Guests Private Sector Partners, Financial Institutions, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning,

I am deeply honoured and privileged to address this important platform, which brings together key stakeholders across government, industry, and finance to collectively confront one of the most pressing challenges of our time, housing delivery at scale. South Africa continues to face a housing backlog of approximately 2.6 million units, affecting over 12 million people. This reality affirms a simple but critical truth:

The State cannot address this challenge alone. Delivery at scale requires structured and sustained partnership with the private sector and other industry role players.

We notably operating within a complex and evolving environment characterised by rapid urbanisation; rising construction costs; infrastructure constraints and increasing climate-related risks.

Current projections from the United Nations and other international organizations confirm that approximately 68% to 70%of the global population will live in urban areas by the year 2050, a disproportionate amount of this populationwill be concentrated in Asia and Africa.

We can anticipate that the City of Johannesburg as the premier commercial hub and gateway to Africa will automatically be affected by these projections.

At the same time, our constitutional mandate remains instructively clear that we must progressively realise access to adequate housing. The question before us is not whether we deliver, but how we deliver differently, more efficiently, and at scale.

This Summit is therefore timely and necessary. It creates space for alignment across spheres of government; critical engagement with private sector developers and financiers, and exploration of innovative public–private partnerships.

Therefore, the opportunity before us is to move beyond dialogue towards practical, scalable delivery solutions that respond to the housing backlog.

The 2024 White Paper on Human Settlements provides a clear policy foundation for this seismic shift. It reinforces the role of the private sector as a key delivery partner, the need for diversified housing delivery models and a transition towards integrated and spatially just human settlements.

This requires a move towards programme-based implementation, outcome-driven planning, and stronger intergovernmental coordination.

Transformation remains central to the sector. We have made significant progress in expanding participation of women in construction, supporting youth and emerging contractors in the built environment through our transformation and empowerment policies, and leveraging procurement to advance inclusion in the economy through participation.

However, the task ahead is to ensure that transformation is systemic, sustainable, and embedded across the value chain. Most importantly it must be impactful in improving the quality of lives of the historically marginalised.

Ladies and gentlemen, the recent IBT Summit held in February in NASREC

marked a turning point for the sector. The Summit confirmed that IBTs are no longer experimental. They are a strategic necessity for delivering durable housing at the required scale, speed, and quality.

The most significant outcome was a clear shift:

From pilots → mainstreaming

From fragmentation → system reform

From policy intent → implementation

Key outcomes from the Summit include regulatory alignment across NHBRC, Agrément SA and SANS, commitment to ring-fenced funding (minimum 2%) through our HSDG, strong focus on industrialisation and localisation, and integration of IBTs into climate-resilient delivery models.

Critically, the Summit established a clear implementation architecture, including comprising of a multi-stakeholder implementation forum, a Programme Management Office within the Department and most importantly, structured monitoring and reporting mechanisms.

Our collective responsibility now is to ensure that these outcomes translate into delivery on the ground.

Scaling delivery requires a responsive financing ecosystem. We are therefore working towards ensuring certified IBT housing qualifies for financing and insurance; strengthening partnerships with financial institutions; Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and investors.

Predictable demand, supported by aligned funding mechanisms, will be essential to unlocking scale.

This Summit must move beyond engagement to implementation. It must result in projects that are bankable, partnerships that are structured with clear delivery pipelines.

We must move collectively from dialogue to delivery, from planning to implementation.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We stand at a pivotal moment for the human settlements sector. The convergence of policy reform, technological innovation, private sector capability and local government leadership is indispensable in providing lasting solutions the property sector challenges.

If we succeed, we will not only address the housing backlog, but we will also drive economic growth, create jobs, and build inclusive and sustainable communities.

Let us therefore act with urgency, purpose, and collective resolve.

The time for incremental change has passed. The time for scaled, coordinated implementation is now.

I thank you.

Minister Thembi Simelane: 

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SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT WRAPS UP ISSUING OF FUNDING APPLICATION LETTERS FOR NPOs

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SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT WRAPS UP ISSUING OF FUNDING APPLICATION LETTERS FOR NPO'S 

CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS ONLINE_EDITOR 

 The Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD), led by MEC Faith Mazibuko, has officially concluded the distribution of confirmation letters to NonProfit Organisations (NPOs) approved for funding in the 2026/27 financial year — marking the final stage of a rigorous funding process. 

The confirmation letters were issued over a three-day period at the Johannesburg City Hall and the Department’s Regional Office in the Johannesburg inner city, to organisations that will partner with government in delivering essential social services to vulnerable communities across the province in the 2026/27 financial year. 

Today's issuing focused on Sustainable Livelihoods programme, which in the main includes food interventions, school uniforms, dignity packs and skills development. Addressing NPO representatives, 

MEC Mazibuko emphasised the importance of accountability, compliance, and safeguarding beneficiaries — particularly children and Persons with Disabilities. She urged all organisations to ensure that their board members and staff are vetted against the National Register for Sex Offenders through the Department of Justice. “As we conclude this important process, we reaffirm our commitment to working closely with NPOs to protect and uplift our communities. 

This partnership must be guided by compliance with the laws of the country and the highest standards of ethical service delivery,” said MEC Mazibuko. She further called on NPOs implementing skills development programmes to actively contribute to tackling unemployment by increasing their performance targets and prioritising job opportunities for South Africans, in line with the Provincial Government’s Nasi Spani Programme. 

Head of Department, Ms Phumla Sekhonyane, reiterated that the Department will ensure that funded programmes are impactful and aligned with provincial priorities. She noted that skills development initiatives offered by NPOs will be aligned with Gauteng Provincial Government training programmes aimed at equipping citizens with practical skills, including maintenance services within government institutions. 

The funding process follows a public call for proposals issued in August last year, inviting NPOs to partner with the Department in delivering services that improve the lives of the poor and vulnerable. 

The process closed in October 2025, with applications assessed based on current Departmental priorities. 

Overall, funded organisations will implement programmes across key service areas such as Victim Empowerment, Disability Services, HIV and AIDS, Substance Abuse, Social Crime Prevention, Children’s Services, and Sustainable Livelihoods. 

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Youth Parliament: A real platform for youth to lead today

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Youth Parliament: A real platform for youth to lead today

CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS ONLINE_EDITOR 

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Western Cape welcomes the constituting of the Western Cape Youth Parliament (WCYP) on Saturday, 28 March 2026 - a bold step that sets this province apart as a leader in meaningful, inclusive governance.

Public Participation is not a slogan in the Western Cape - it is a governing principle. The WCYP is a flagship initiative that demonstrates how a DA-led government actively opens the doors of Parliament to young people, ensuring that their voices are not only heard, but directly influence decision-making. 

This platform empowers emerging leaders to engage with legislative processes, raise the real challenges facing their communities, and help shape practical solutions that improve lives.

DA Chief Whip in the WCPP, Gillion Bosman, said: “Whilst many legislatures in South Africa have hosted once-off youth parliament events, the Western Cape is breaking new ground. 

The WCYP is a structured, 12-month programme with multiple sittings - a first of its kind in the country. This is what real commitment to youth empowerment looks like.”

“Through credible, merit-based processes facilitated by municipalities and the Western Cape Education Department, WCYP Members are drawn from Junior Town Councils and the Provincial Forum of the Representative Council of Learners. This ensures authentic, diverse and representative youth voices from across the province.”

The establishment of the WCYP is yet another example of how the DA governs differently. We do not pay lip service to the idea that “young people are the future” - we create real platforms for them to lead today. 

This stands in stark contrast to other parts of the country where youth engagement is often reduced to symbolic gestures with no lasting impact.

Importantly, the launch of the WCYP coincides with the work of Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee on Child Protection Reform - a clear indication of the DA’s reform-driven agenda. 

This Committee is tackling the urgent need to strengthen systems that protect the most vulnerable, by closing legislative gaps, improving coordination, and driving accountability across departments. It reflects a government that is not afraid to confront difficult challenges and implement real solutions.

Bosman added: “Both the Youth Parliament and the Ad Hoc Committee are more than symbolic exercises. They are structured, outcomes-driven platforms that will produce tangible recommendations, put questions to the executive, and strengthen oversight and accountability. This is how we build a responsive, capable state.”

The DA remains committed to expanding opportunities for young people and ensuring that governance in the Western Cape continues to be transparent, accountable, and people centred. 

Through initiatives like the WCYP, we are not only investing in the next generation of leaders - we are actively shaping a better future with them.

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THE PROPOSED DEPOSIT AMOUNTS FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS

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THE PROPOSED DEPOSIT AMOUNTS FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS 

CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS ONLINE_EDITOR 

The Electoral Commission will on Friday, 27 March 2026, publish a Government Gazette notice inviting political parties, independent candidates and all interested stakeholders to comment on the proposed deposit amount for the 2026/27 local government elections.  

By law, registered political parties and independent candidates intending to contest elections must pay deposits. The purpose of the deposit is to confirm a contestant’s intention to participate in the election and to create certainty on who the contestants in an election are. 

Deposits are refundable to contestants who obtain a seat in the applicable Proportional Representation election, or who obtain at least 10% of the valid votes cast in the applicable ward election. If a contestant loses, the deposit is not refundable and is paid into the National Revenue Fund. 

The proposed deposits are as follows: 

• The amount of the deposit to be paid in terms of Section 14(1)(b) of the Act is, in respect of each separate list submitted by a party-

• Four Thousand Seven Hundred Rand (R4700.00) in an election in a metropolitan municipality; 

• Two Thousand Eight Hundred Rand (R2800.00) in an election in a local municipality with wards;  

• One Thousand Eight Hundred Rand (R1800.00) in an election in a local municipality without wards and in an election in a district municipality. 

The Electoral Commission intends increasing the deposit as prescribed in Item 11(1) of the Municipal Electoral Regulations as follows: 

1) The amount of the deposit referred to in section 17(2)(d) of the Act, is R1 800.00 (one thousand eight hundred rand) in respect of an independent ward candidate and for a ward candidate nominated by a party who is not contesting the election of the relevant municipal council by way of a party list.” 

Representations or comment on the proposed election deposits may be emailed to Mr Kgosietsile Tshoke on deposits@elections.org.za or deliver written comments to Election House, Riverside Office Park, 1303 Heuwel Avenue, Centurion, 0157. 

The closing date for the submission of comments is Friday, 8 May 2026. 

The Electoral Commission emphasised that it had not yet decided on the election deposit amounts for the 2026/27 Local Government Elections. 

The Commission will review feedback and comments before making a final decision. 

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