MAFOKO SECURITY FAILS TO HONOUR SALARY OBLIGATION

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MAFOKO SECURITY FAILS TO HONOUR SALARY OBLIGATION

CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS ONLINE_EDITOR 

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The Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) has learned with grave concern and deep disappointment that Mafoko Security Company, which was contracted to provide security services to the institution, has failed to pay its employees their December 2025 salaries.

 

The Legislature places on record that, following the expiry of its contract with Mafoko Security Company on 31 December 2025. It entered into a new agreement with an alternative security service provider with effect from 1 January 2026. Accordingly, the Legislature no longer maintains a contractual relationship with Mafoko Security Company, except in respect of the resolution of the outstanding matter.

 

This unacceptable conduct has left hardworking security officers and their families in distress and resulted in a bleak and painful festive season for those affected.

 

The GPL condemns in the strongest terms the exploitation of workers and the blatant disregard for labour obligations displayed by Mafoko Security Company.

 

The non-payment of salaries constitutes a serious breach of trust, contractual obligations and basic principles of human dignity.

 

The GPL places it on record that its last payment to Mafoko Security Company was made on 5 December, a payment which the Legislature reasonably and rightfully expected would be used to remunerate employees.

 

The GPL will not hesitate to take decisive legal action to protect workers from continued abuse and financial hardship.

The GPL takes these complaints extremely seriously and extends its sincere sympathy to the affected employees who suffered undue hardship as a direct result of Mafoko’s failure to honour its obligations. Workers like this, who have for years secured a National Key Point must never be made victims of corporate irresponsibility.

 

The Legislature further notes with concern that this is not the first instance in which Mafoko Security Company has failed to pay its employees. The Legislature had to put them on terms in January 2025 when again, they failed to pay some employees while others were paid late.

 

Despite this, they have once again failed to pay employees.

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Andy Mothibi’s appointment as NDPP

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Andy Mothibi’s appointment as NDPP

CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS ONLINE_EDITOR 

LISTEN HERE : @KASIBC_AUDIO

The DA congratulates Advocate Andy Mothibi on his appointment as National Director of Public Prosecutions. His appointment must be intended to translate into better management of the NPA, more prosecutions, and a reduction in crime. The appointment process itself is not without serious deficiencies, leaving much to be desired.

As the SIU head and with experience as a former prosecutor and magistrate, Mothibi is well-suited to lead the National Prosecuting Authority. A major stumbling block is his age. At 63 years of age, he has an extremely limited opportunity to make any impact at all, and will have his work cut out for him. It is somewhat concerning that the President has seen fit to appoint someone of Mr Mothibi’s age, given the serious and systemic issues currently within the NPA. The job itself is a much bigger one than that of Head of the SIU.

His appointment comes at a time when the NPA faces many difficulties.

Criminality has taken hold of the country, and the NPA needs a leader who will recapacitate the hollowed-out institution and reform the prosecutorial service into a crime-fighting machine.

It comes as no surprise that the panel tasked with finding Shamila Batohi’s replacement was unable to make a recommendation. The panel lacked any form of prosecution experience. It was devoid of criminal justice experts, and its inclusion of disgraced former NPA boss Menzi Simelane showed just how incapable the panel was.

The president's handling of the process of finding a new NDPP has been appalling. The president unnecessarily delayed the process for months, and when he finally initiated the process after sustained DA-led pressure, it had to be rushed due to time constraints. There is no doubt that this is a major reason why the ill-suited panel was unable to fulfil its mandate.

Adv Mothibi assumes this position at a time when the positions of the Deputy National Directors are also vacant, a problem that needs urgent attention. The DA urges Adv Mothibi to make this a priority, and we urge the President to initiate, immediately, a public and transparent process to deal with these appointments. It is crucial that there is long term consequence management developed at the top level in the NPA.

We hope that Adv. Mothibi’s appointment hails a successful era for the NPA - an era where state capture cases are finally prosecuted and crime is met with the full force of the law.

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4858 GRADE 1 AND GRADE 8 LEARNERS REMAIN TO BE PLACED IN GAUTENG

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4858 GRADE 1 AND GRADE 8 LEARNERS REMAIN TO BE PLACED IN GAUTENG

CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS ONLINE_EDITOR 

LISTEN HERE : @KASIBC_AUDIO

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane wishes to announce that *only 4858 learners remain unplaced as part of the 2026 Online Admissions process for Grade 1 and Grade 8, reflecting sustained progress in learner placement across Gauteng for the 2026 academic year.

 

As at *Tuesday, 6 January 2026*, the Gauteng Department of Education’s Online Admissions system recorded a total of 4858 unplaced learners, translating to:

Grade 1: 1381 learners

Grade 8: 3477 learners

 

This represents approximately 1.5% of the total 358 574 complete applications received for the 2026 academic year, comprising 175 792 Grade 1 and 182 782 Grade 8 applicants.

 

The Department continues to release placement and transfer offers daily, supported by targeted interventions in high-pressure districts, to ensure that all remaining learners are placed as efficiently and fairly as possible, in line with regulated admissions criteria and available school capacity.

PLACEMENT PER DISTRICT: HIGH-PRESSURE AREAS

Placement data per district indicates that the majority of the remaining unplaced learners are concentrated in urban and metropolitan districts, where sustained population growth and infrastructure constraints continue to place pressure on available school capacity.

Ekurhuleni Districts

Ekurhuleni remains the highest-pressure district, with a combined total of:

Ekurhuleni North: 1741 unplaced learners (Grade 1: 381; Grade 8: 1360)

Ekurhuleni South: 1181 unplaced learners (Grade 1: 569; Grade 8: 612)

Gauteng East: 247 unplaced learners (Grade 1: 85; Grade 8: 162)

 

This results in a total of 3169 unplaced learners in Ekurhuleni, with pressure particularly at Grade 8 level in Ekurhuleni North.

Johannesburg Districts

Only two Johannesburg districts account for a significant number of remaining unplaced learners:

Johannesburg North: 3 Grade 8 learners

Johannesburg East: 1173 (Grade 1: 95; Grade 8: 1078)

Johannesburg South: 352 (Grade 1: 250; Grade 8: 102)

 

Placement pressure remains highest in Johannesburg East, largely driven by demand for secondary school placements.

Tshwane Districts

Tshwane has shown significant progress in placing learners, with only Tshwane having a minuscule amount of learners to place:

Tshwane North: 14 unplaced learners (Grade 1: 1; Grade 8: 13)

Sedibeng and West Rand Districts

Sedibeng and West Rand have also shown tremendous placement progress with comparatively lower numbers as well and are largely stabilised:

Sedibeng East: 70 (Only Grade 8)

        

The Department has prioritised Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg as high-pressure districts, with intensified district-based placement, continued release of placement and transfer offers, and strategic utilisation of available capacity across neighbouring schools.

LATE APPLICATIONS FOR GRADE 1 AND GRADE 8 REMAIN OPEN

The Late Applications period, which commenced on 17 December 2025 and will close on 30 January 2026, has to date recorded a total of 11 183 late applications, comprising:

5 701 Grade 1 learners

5 482 Grade 8 learners

 

All late applications processed during this period result in final placements at the school selected by parents or guardians, subject to available capacity. 

Parents are advised to visit the selected school from 14 January 2026 to submit all required documentation.

 

MEC Chiloane reminds parents and guardians that the 2026 Online Admissions system remains open for Late Applications, particularly for those who did not apply during the main application period or whose applications were incomplete.

 

Parents and guardians are urged to apply online by registering or logging on to www.gdeadmissions.gov.za.

 

During the Late Application period, only schools with available space will appear on the system.

Applicants may select one school only, and once selected, the learner will be finally placed for the 2026 academic year. 

Placements made during this period cannot be declined, and no objections or appeals will be permitted thereafter.

PROGRESS ON APPEALS AND OBJECTIONS FOR 2026 ONLINE ADMISSIONS

The Department confirms that a grand total of 6736 placement appeals* have been lodged as part of the 2026 Online Admissions process, and only 637 objections await adjudication. The appeals adjudication process is at an advanced stage, with outcomes communicated directly to parents and guardians as finalisation progresses.

 

Parents are reminded that appeal outcomes are final.

 

“We are encouraged by the steady progress made in placing learners across Gauteng. We once again urge parents and guardians to remain patient and cooperative as the Department continues to work tirelessly to ensure that every Grade 1 and Grade 8 learner is placed for the 2026 academic year,” said MEC Chiloane.

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Mangaung Closed-Door Council Meetings

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Mangaung Closed-Door Council Meetings

CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS ONLINE_EDITOR

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DA condemns closed-door council meetings and unlawful extension of Centlec CEO’s contract in Mangaung

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mangaung condemns the Executive Mayor and Speaker for misusing closed council meetings to push questionable decisions, limit public access, and undermine transparency. Despite the municipality being under administration since 2019, governance continues to deteriorate because the necessary legislation is not being followed.

The DA will alert oversight bodies, including the Auditor General, the Provincial Legislature, and the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, to urgently address these ongoing governance failures.

On Tuesday, 30 December 2025, during a virtual council meeting held behind closed doors, the DA opted not to participate in the vote regarding a three-month extension of the Centlec CEO’s contract. The DA warned that this decision violates legal requirements and exposes the municipality to serious governance, audit, and legal risks.

The five-year term of Centlec’s CEO, Mr Malefane Sekoboto, expired on 31 December 2025. The ANC, EFF, Freedom Front Plus (FF+), and Patriotic Alliance (PA) nevertheless voted to keep the CEO in office until 31 March 2026.

According to the Municipal Systems Act, CEOs of municipal entities must be employed on fixed-term contracts. Once such a contract expires, the position must be declared vacant and an acting CEO legally appointed. Extending an expired contract is unlawful and circumvents the very safeguards designed to prevent the recycling of senior management contracts.

By approving this extension in committee and excluding the public, the ANC-led council has chosen a legally questionable shortcut instead of following a transparent and compliant process. We cannot allow the ANC to approve various items behind closed doors while withholding critical information from the media and residents. The media and the public have the right to know that the current Centlec CEO’s contract has been extended for a further three months.

The DA will hold the ANC to account to ensure transparency in the municipality’s governance. Secret meetings and unlawful decisions erode public trust and further weaken an already fragile administration.

If the DA governed the metro, we would have obeyed the law, kept council meetings open to the public, legally appointed an acting CEO, avoided unnecessary legal exposure, and prioritised residents over political convenience.

We remain committed to opposing the manipulation of council procedures for political gain and will continue to expose the misuse of committee meetings and unlawful appointments. We insist that Mangaung’s leadership govern openly, lawfully, and in the best interests of residents.

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PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA APPOINTS NEW NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS

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PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA APPOINTS NEW NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS

CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS ONLINE_EDITOR 

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The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (“Constitution”) and the NPA act, states that the President appoints the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP). Due to the importance of the position in the criminal justice system, President Ramaphosa set up an advisory panel for the selection of the NDPP (“panel”) which conducted an open and transparent selection process.

The panel which was led by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Hon. Mmamoloko Kubayi included;

Mr Andrew Christoffel Nissen, Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission

• Ms Nthabiseng Sepanya-Mogale, Chairperson of the Commission for Gender Equality

• Ms Tsakani Maluleke, Auditor-General of South Africa

• Prof Somadoda Fikeni, Chairperson of the Public Service Commission

• Mr Nkosana Mvundlela, President of the Black Lawyers Association

• Mr Machini Motloung, President of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers, selected six candidates for interviews out of 32 applicants.

The Panel concluded its process and submitted its report to the President on the 12th of December 2025. In its report, the panel advised the President that none of the interviewed candidates were suitable for the role of NDPP. 

Accordingly, President Cyril Ramaphosa has in terms of section 179(1) (a) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, read with section 10 of the National Prosecuting Authority Act, 1998 (Act 32 of 1998), decided to appoint Advocate Jan Lekgoa Mothibi, with effect from 1 February 2026, as the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP). 

Adv. Mothibi who is currently the Head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) began his career as a Public Prosecutor in the Johannesburg and Soweto Magistrates and Regional Courts. He also served as a Magistrate in the Johannesburg and Soweto Magistrates Courts. Adv. Mothibi has previously served in various public and private sector roles managing legal, compliance and risk management operations, including at SARS as Head of Corporate Legal Services and Head of Governance.

President Ramaphosa has thanked Advocate Shamila Batohi for her service and contribution to the country’s prosecutions agency and wishes Advocate Batohi well in her future endeavours.

President Ramaphosa extends his gratitude to the members of the panel for their counsel and for carrying their task judiciously. 

With the appointment of Adv. Mothibi as the NDPP leaving a vacancy at the Special Investigating Unit, the President has decided to appoint Mr. Leonard Lekgetho as the Acting Head of the Special Investigating Unit with effect from 1 February 2026 in line with Section 3(1) (b) of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996 (Act No. 74 of 1996) 

Mr Lekgetho is currently serving as the Chief Operations Officer of the SIU. He has over 22 years of forensic investigations experience, including serving as the Forensic Investigator at the then Directorate of Special Operations, which was known as the Scorpions. 

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