HIGH COURT AFFIRMS CITY OF JOHANNESBURG'S BY-LAW AUTHORITY IN MARBLE TOWERS DISPUTE

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

HIGH COURT AFFIRMS CITY OF JOHANNESBURG'S BY-LAW AUTHORITY IN MARBLE TOWERS DISPUTE

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​JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG – The Gauteng Division of the High Court in Johannesburg has granted a draft order by agreement, decisively cementing the City of Johannesburg’s authority to enforce building regulations and fire safety protocols in the inner city.

​The ruling, delivered by His Lordship Justice Stuart Wilson, settles an urgent legal dispute between the city’s municipality and property development firm Goldenrod Group (Pty) Ltd under case number 111519-2026. The legal battle stems from ongoing by-law enforcement and demolition operations targeting illegal structural additions at the landmark Marble Towers building in the Johannesburg CBD.  

​Terms of the Court Order

​Under the terms of the agreed-upon order, Goldenrod Group is strictly interdicted and restrained from continuing any further installation of units or related construction activities at the property. Furthermore, the developer is prohibited from permitting the use or occupation of any structures deemed non-compliant with building regulations.

​Key conditions of the court order include:

​72-Hour Cordon & Seal: Within 72 hours, all structures identified by the city as non-compliant with approved building plans must be cordoned off and sealed. Goldenrod Group is legally required to secure these zones with adequate fencing, clear warning signage, and measures to prevent unauthorized entry.

​Encroachment Removal: The developer must immediately dismantle and remove all structures encroaching on municipal property, public pavements, and road reserves.

​Fire Safety Mandate: Within 72 hours of receiving written notice of non-compliance from the city, the applicant must resolve all identified fire safety hazards. This includes rectifying issues with emergency exits (means of egress), fire protection/detection systems, emergency lighting, and evacuation plans, providing written proof of compliance to the city.

​The city retains the legal right to inspect the property immediately upon the expiration of the compliance window. Should Goldenrod Group fail to comply, the City of Johannesburg is authorized to pursue demolition orders, with all removal and cordoning expenses billed directly to the developer.

​A Broad Crackdown on CBD By-Law Violations

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The High Court agreement follows a series of highly publicized municipal clampdowns. On Wednesday, Executive Mayor Dada Morero and municipal officials led a delegation to Marble Towers to demolish unauthorized container shops built without municipal approval.  

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While Goldenrod Group initially secured a temporary block on the demolitions on Wednesday night, the subsequent High Court agreement establishes a joint inspection protocol to permanently identify and lock down non-compliant zones.  

​The City of Johannesburg has warned that no developer or business stands above municipal by-laws, confirming that weekly compliance checks will continue across the CBD to target illegal trading, structural violations, and unpaid municipal debt.  

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NATIONAL SAVINGS MONTH: CONSUMERS URGED TO PROTECT RETIREMENT FUNDS AND BUILD FINANCIAL RESILIENCE

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

NATIONAL SAVINGS MONTH: CONSUMERS URGED TO PROTECT RETIREMENT FUNDS AND BUILD FINANCIAL RESILIENCE

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​This is a powerful and incredibly timely reminder. When economic times get tough, it is tempting to view long-term retirement funds as an emergency escape hatch. However, treating future security as a short-term fix carries a massive, compounding cost.  

​Let's unpack the core truths of this message and look at how we can put them into practice during National Savings Month.

​1. The Real Cost of "Unnecessary" Withdrawals

​With the introduction of South Africa's Two-Pot retirement system, accessing a portion of your savings before retirement has become easier than ever. While designed to assist in true financial emergencies, dipping into these funds for non-essential spending is a major threat to wealth generation.

​When you withdraw early, you do not just lose the amount you take out; you lose the future compounding growth that money would have generated over 10, 20, or 30 years. You are also hit with immediate tax implications, as early withdrawals are taxed at your marginal rate rather than the more favorable tax tables applied at retirement.

​Withdrawing Early: Yields immediate cash, but the total is heavily reduced by tax. In the long run, it leaves you with a significantly smaller nest egg, as your funds miss out on the exponential power of compound interest.

​Preserving Savings: Requires temporary sacrifice and stricter budgeting today, but allows compound growth to turn untouched balances into a sustainable, dignified retirement income.

​2. Exercising Caution on "Too Good to Be True" Returns

​The urge to make up for lost savings or delayed planning often drives people toward high-risk, unregulated investment schemes promising massive, guaranteed returns. Genuine, sustainable investing is a marathon, not a sprint:

​Do your homework: Never invest in something you do not fully understand. Always verify that a financial service provider (FSP) is registered with the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA).

​Understand the trade-off: Higher returns always come with higher risk. If someone promises "zero risk" alongside "sky-high returns," it is almost certainly a scam.

​3. Practical Steps to Build Financial Resilience

​Building a financial cushion so you do not have to touch your retirement savings involves a few simple, daily habits:  

​Track and Trim: Use a basic spreadsheet or banking app to track exactly where your money goes. Cutting back on non-essential subscriptions, dining out, or impulse purchases can free up cash to build a small emergency fund.  

​Automate Your Savings: Pay yourself first. Set up a monthly debit order that automatically transfers a realistic amount into a high-yield savings account or a tax-free investment account (TFSA) right after payday.  

​Leverage Tax Incentives: Take advantage of government incentives to save. For example, the annual limit for tax-free investment accounts is R36,000 per year (up to a lifetime limit of R500,000), and the annual maximum tax-deductible limit for retirement fund contributions sits at R350,000 or 27.5% of taxable income.  

​Talk About Money: Keep the conversation open with family or a trusted, accredited financial adviser. Planning together takes the stress and isolation out of budgeting.

​Every small, disciplined choice you make today ensures that your future self has the dignity, independence, and peace of mind they deserve.  

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DA URGES SUPPORT FOR SCORPIONS 2.0 BILL AS ALLEGATIONS AGAINST IDAC BOSS REMAIN UNANSWERED

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

DA URGES SUPPORT FOR SCORPIONS 2.0 BILL AS ALLEGATIONS AGAINST IDAC BOSS REMAIN UNANSWERED

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​CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has voiced deep concern over the untested allegations of interference leveled against Advocate Andrea Johnson, the head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC). 

The party is demanding that Adv. Johnson appear before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry without delay to answer these serious claims.  

​The controversy peaks as the DA ramps up its legislative push for the Anti-Corruption Commission (Scorpions 2.0) Bill. 

The party argues that the current systemic vulnerabilities in state-led anti-graft units highlight the urgent need for a fully independent, Chapter 9-style institution to investigate and prosecute high-level crime.

​Madlanga Commission No-Show Raises Red Flags

​Advocate Johnson was scheduled to testify before the Madlanga Commission to address allegations that she unlawfully interfered in an assault investigation involving suspended Crime Intelligence Deputy Head, Major General Feroz Khan. However, her scheduled appearance was postponed after she was hospitalized due to sudden ill health.  

​Commission Chairperson, Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, strongly criticized the medical certificate submitted by her legal team, labeling it "useless" because it contained no specific information regarding her medical condition.  

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The DA emphasizes that because IDAC is tasked with spearheading the nation's fight against corruption, even untested allegations of political or internal interference cast a dark shadow over the unit's ability to act without fear, favor, or prejudice.

​The Case for "Scorpions 2.0"

​For the DA, the alleged implication of IDAC leadership in disputes involving senior members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) perfectly illustrates the core weakness of South Africa’s current anti-corruption framework.

​Under the current model, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and its sub-directorates are structurally and financially vulnerable:

​Lack of Budgetary Independence: The NPA relies heavily on the Minister of Justice for its budget and overall policy concurrence.

​Lack of Investigative Power: The NPA remains reliant on the police and the Hawks to investigate the very high-level politicians and state officials they are later expected to prosecute.

​Vulnerability to Disbandment: Special directorates within the NPA can be dissolved by a simple majority (50% + 1) in Parliament—the exact political maneuver that dismantled the original Scorpions unit.

​A Chapter 9 Solution

​To permanently insulate the country's primary anti-corruption unit from political executive overreach, the DA's Constitution Twenty-First Amendment Bill proposes the establishment of an independent Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC):

​Secure Tenure: By housing the "Scorpions 2.0" as a Chapter 9 institution, it would require a 75% majority in Parliament to disband, protecting it from political retaliation.

​Operational Autonomy: The ACC would hold exclusive powers to both investigate and prosecute serious corruption and organized crime, reporting directly to Parliament rather than the Minister of Justice.

​NPA Relief: Shifting high-level financial and political crimes to a specialized body would free up the NPA’s capacity to focus on prosecuting violent crimes—such as murder, assault, and rape—without administrative delays.

​The DA maintains that establishing a body completely independent of the executive is the only viable path to restoring public trust and building a corruption-free democracy.

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RISE MZANSI DEMANDS URGENT ACTION AND TRANSPARENCY FROM PIKITUP TO AVERT MASSIVE JOHANNESBURG WASTE STRIKE

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

RISE MZANSI DEMANDS URGENT ACTION AND TRANSPARENCY FROM PIKITUP TO AVERT MASSIVE JOHANNESBURG WASTE STRIKE 

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​JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG – Political party RISE Mzansi has called on the management of Pikitup, the City of Johannesburg's waste management entity, to immediately make public a pending legal opinion regarding the status and permanent absorption of casual workers.

​The demand comes amid growing fears of a full-scale, catastrophic collapse of waste management services across the metro, as permanent employees consider downing tools in solidarity with their casual colleagues.

​The Looming Legal Deadline and Scheduled Negotiations

​Following critical discussions between Pikitup management and representatives of the casual workers, it was revealed that the utility's leadership is currently awaiting a key legal opinion, which is expected to be delivered on Friday, 17 July 2026.

​In an effort to keep negotiations constructive, workers have requested that formal talks resume on Monday, 20 July 2026, at 14:00. This brief window is intended to allow all negotiating parties sufficient time to thoroughly review the legal document before returning to the table. RISE Mzansi has confirmed it will be present at Monday's meeting to monitor progress and advocate for a fair outcome.

​Systemic Reliance on Precarious Labour

​The current dispute highlights a long-standing grievance regarding how the city manages its cleaning services. For years, the workers responsible for keeping Johannesburg's streets clean have been subjected to precarious, casualized labour under third-party external contractors.

​The casual workers—many of whom have worked at Pikitup depots since the COVID-19 pandemic or as far back as 2019—have repeatedly protested against delayed recruitment and what they describe as broken promises of permanent employment. Recent protests at various depots, including the Waterval and Randburg depots, have already caused noticeable backlogs in refuse collection.

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Safety Breaches Fueling Permanent Staff Solidarity

​The threat of a wider shutdown has escalated significantly as permanent Pikitup staff prepare to join the strike. Beyond showing solidarity with their contract colleagues, permanent workers are protesting severe operational and safety standard violations on the ground:

​The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP): Dictates that no waste removal truck should leave a depot with fewer than six workers.

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The Current Reality: Due to staff shortages and ongoing disputes, trucks across most of the city's depots are being sent out with only two or three workers.

​This severe understaffing has left the remaining workforce heavily overworked, compromising both their physical safety and the efficiency of refuse collection across Johannesburg's neighbourhoods.

​A Crisis the City Cannot Afford

​Johannesburg's residents and businesses are already bearing the brunt of recurring waste collection backlogs. A joint strike by both casual and permanent employees would halt services entirely, creating a severe public health hazard.

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RISE Mzansi emphasizes that the city's residents, who pay for basic services, have a right to full transparency regarding what is stalling a resolution. 

The party is urging Pikitup's political and administrative leadership to prioritize the workers' safety and employment security before the city descends into a total waste management crisis.

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TINUBU MEETS DELOITTE AFRICA DELEGATION, DEFENDS TOUGH ECONOMIC REFORMS AS ‘BITTER MEDICINE’ WORKING FOR NIGERIA

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

TINUBU MEETS DELOITTE AFRICA DELEGATION, DEFENDS TOUGH ECONOMIC REFORMS AS ‘BITTER MEDICINE’ WORKING FOR NIGERIA

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ABUJA, NIGERIA – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday defended his administration’s sweeping financial and fiscal policy changes as "bitter medicine" that is laying a solid foundation for the country's economic future.

The President made these remarks at the State House in Abuja while receiving a high-level delegation from Deloitte Africa, led by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ruwayda Redfearn. The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, and the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji.

Foundational Reforms vs. Short-Term Applause

Addressing the Deloitte delegation, President Tinubu acknowledged the public friction caused by his administration's bold economic reforms—including the removal of the petrol subsidy, the unification of the foreign exchange market, and the sweeping modernization of the national tax system.

"Yes, reforms are difficult. It has not been a McDonald’s customer relationship but a harvester of good things, if implemented well, and that is what we are about. Yes, some issues are difficult to take—the bitter medicine—but it is working well. For the economy, Nigeria is making serious foundational progress." — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

The President pointed out that three years of consistent reform implementation have steadily stabilized the macroeconomic landscape, yielding positive growth indicators and gradually rebuilding global investor confidence.

A Call to Invest in Nigeria’s Dynamic Youth

Recalling his own early career days in Chicago where he "cut his childhood accounting teeth," President Tinubu praised Deloitte's legendary training culture. He urged the multinational professional services network to actively support Nigeria's economic growth by expanding its youth training, capacity-building, and recruitment pipelines locally.

Echoing the President’s call, Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele urged the Deloitte leadership to focus heavily on structural capacity-building for Nigeria's vibrant youth population.

Deloitte Pledges Support for Economic Transformation

Deloitte Africa CEO Ruwayda Redfearn highlighted the firm's immense global reach—boasting over 500,000 employees worldwide, including 6,000 across Africa—and confirmed that the firm's global revenue reached $74 billion in 2025.

Redfearn expressed Deloitte's readiness to leverage its vast digital and business transformation capabilities to support Nigeria's ongoing fiscal reforms.

Adding to this commitment, the CEO of Deloitte West Africa, Yomi Olugbenro, assured the President that the firm is fully aligned with his administration's long-term vision.

"Where we are at the moment, we believe that the ground has been solidly laid," Olugbenro said. "The bigger work is really about how to cascade some of those big reforms further down... to truly extract more value and deliver the dividends of democracy to ordinary Nigerians on the street".

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