MAFUBE CLEAN WATER @KASIBCNEWS

KASIBCAUDIO https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j9LIyBusXpxCGlmJ9ovkuJK5hLSqK1Nn/view?usp=drivesdk

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will intensify oversight of the Mafube Local Municipality and demand immediate action to ensure clean, reliable water for all residents. The failure to address water quality and supply issues in Frankfort, Tweeling, and surrounding areas continues to harm the community despite adequate rainfall and ongoing projects.

On 14 January 2024, during a monthly feedback meeting on the Lesotho Highlands Water Project shutdown, DA Councillor Suzette Steyn represented the interests of Mafube residents. The meeting covered updates on the maintenance-related tunnel closure, municipal interventions during this period, and the condition of local rivers.

At the previous meeting on 11 December 2024, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) official, Ms G Venter, committed to discussing water quality testing results with Mr S Thejane, Mafube’s acting technical director. However, at the January meeting, Mr Thejane admitted to failing to meet this request. He attributed the lack of water quality control in Frankfort and Tweeling to high turbidity levels in the Wilge River and Liebenbergsvlei.

Additionally, he revealed that three of the six sand filters at Frankfort’s water treatment plant are non-operational, with the plant upgrade only expected to be completed by October 2025.

The ongoing Frankfort abstraction and raw water supply upgrade project aims to resolve these issues. Key benefits of this project include implementing an immediate temporary pumping solution at the Frankfort abstraction works; refurbishing Frankfort’s water treatment plant; and replacing the current pipeline, prone to frequent bursts, with a more durable 630mm HDPE pipe that will increase capacity from 160 l/s to 267 l/s (23 ml/day).

Construction is already underway. However, Engineer Philip de Wet from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) criticised Mafube Local Municipality’s poor project management, underspending, and slow progress, which limit the department’s ability to allocate additional funds. He also highlighted severe waste dumping near the Frankfort water extraction point, warning it could lead to contamination. Immediate action to clean this area is critical. Mr Thejane noted that a request for assistance with debris removal was submitted to the Department of Environmental Affairs, but feedback is still pending.

The water crisis in Tweeling also remains dire. Residents have endured an eight-day outage without any prior communication. Mr Thejane explained that a burnt-out cable required a new pump motor, while delays in upgrading the Tweeling pump station exacerbated the situation.

Rural Free State has since begun upgrading the electrical system, but persistent low water pressure continues to affect higher-lying areas. This issue can only be resolved when six new boreholes are equipped and operational. Unfortunately, the borehole pump house’s relocation due to flood line issues has delayed progress. DWS confirmed they have received the updated servitude request.

The DA is deeply alarmed by Mafube’s insufficient water quality control measures. The reliance on “jar tests” conducted by chemical suppliers is inadequate to ensure potable water for our communities. Complaints about yellow, foul-smelling water are increasing daily, raising serious public health concerns.

To address these challenges, the DA will:

• Submit formal questions to the Department of Water and Sanitation regarding water quality testing processes and timelines for infrastructure upgrades;
• Demand Mafube Municipality urgently expedite all outstanding processes, including the relocation of the Tweeling pump house and the completion of Frankfort’s water treatment plant upgrade;
• Insist on immediate waste removal near Frankfort’s water extraction point to prevent contamination; and
• Strengthen our oversight efforts to hold the municipality accountable for providing safe, clean drinking water—a basic human right.

The neglect of Mafube’s water systems continues to harm residents’ health and daily lives. The DA calls on the municipality to prioritise action and restore dignity to our communities.

ILLEGAL MINERS #KASIBCAUDIO

EFF MP, Commissar Sinawo Thambo in conversation with Ashraf Garda on SAfm’s The National Pulse, discussing the hateful remarks made by MMC Kenny Kunene regarding the slaughter and skinning of illegal miners.

ROYAL AM R27MILLION SPONSORSHIP @KASIBCNEWS

The Democratic Alliance in Msunduzi local municipality has submitted a motion calling for the municipality to review and ultimately terminate R27 million sponsorship for the Royal AM football club (view motion here).

The municipality cannot continue supporting a business facing serious legal proceedings, including allegations of tax evasion. Non-compliance with tax laws and deliberate tax evasion are criminal offences that should not be taken lightly by any municipal authority.

Maintaining a relationship with an entity under such scrutiny is damaging to the municipality’s reputation. Royal AM is already under curatorship, facing sequestration processes, and unable to pay staff salaries. The club has breached contracts with former players, is facing sanctions from FIFA, and risks being declared insolvent by the world football governing body. Continuing this sponsorship brings nothing but disrepute to the Msunduzi Municipality.

The DA has consistently opposed the sponsorship of Royal AM, especially given the dire state of service delivery in Msunduzi. Collapsing infrastructure has left residents without consistent access to water and electricity. The DA strongly believes that the R27 million allocated to Royal AM could be better utilized to address these critical issues and support the youth of Msunduzi through the maintenance of sports facilities and the funding of sports and youth programs. Young people in the municipality are left vulnerable to crime and drug abuse due to a lack of support, yet Msunduzi is funding an entity that contributes nothing to the city apart from controversy and embarrassment.

The DA will also appeal to the Provincial Treasury and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) to intervene in this matter.

Msunduzi deserves better. The municipality must prioritize its residents and redirect funds to address urgent service delivery and youth development needs.

CRIMINAL CASE OPENED AGAINST MINISTER DEAN MACPHERSON @KASIBCVIDEO

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) will open a criminal case against Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson, for his corrupt interference in tender processes at the Independent Development Trust (IDT), violation of National Treasury Regulations and violation of the Executive Members Ethics Act, 1998.

MANGAUNG METRO MUNICIPALITY @KASIBCNEWS

MANGAUNG METRO MUNICIPALITY @KASIBCNEWS

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will persist in holding the Mangaung Metro Municipality accountable by pushing for tangible strategies to restore and maintain critical infrastructure, reduce excessive taxes, and address service delivery failures. These measures are essential to making the Metro attractive for local and international investment.

At the recent Property Indaba hosted by the municipality on 17 January 2025, the disparity between Mangaung’s enormous investment potential and its dire governance became starkly evident. While Mangaung is geographically positioned as a prime location for development, the leadership of the Executive Mayor, Gregory Nthatsi, has proven to be a significant obstacle for prospective investors.

The Indaba revealed glaring shortcomings in the municipality’s approach. Despite recognising challenges such as the country’s highest property tax rates, unaffordable land prices, and crumbling infrastructure, the Metro leadership presented no actionable plan to resolve these issues. The lack of vision and failure to prioritise sustainable solutions erodes trust among investors and developers.

Multiple stakeholders at the event highlighted the municipality's failure to provide even basic services or maintain infrastructure. High taxes and service fees further deter potential investment, compounding the region’s economic stagnation. Meanwhile, Metro CFO Zuziwe Thekisho defended the excessive rates and taxes as essential for balancing the budget. Yet, as attendees pointed out, residents and businesses cannot bear the weight of these unreasonable levies, particularly in a Metro marked by one of the highest levels of inequality globally.

Paul Jackson, CEO of Trust for Urban Housing Finance (TUHF), underscored the main impediments to investment, including:

• Unaffordable property rates and service fees have risen disproportionately compared to average income increases.
• Rampant corruption that stifles economic growth.
• Ineffective urban management, marked by neglected infrastructure, unenforced by-laws, and poor financial practices.

Mangaung Metro embodies these failings, with no evidence of a plan to reverse its decline. Instead, residents shoulder the brunt of this mismanagement, enduring unreliable services and a dwindling quality of life.

The DA remains committed to advocating for a clear, results-driven approach to these challenges. We will continue to hold the municipality accountable, proposing practical solutions such as capping property taxes, ensuring budget transparency, and prioritising infrastructure upgrades. The ANC’s repeated failures have proven costly for Mangaung, but dignity and opportunity can be restored to our Metro with the DA's leadership.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile: Annual NEDLAC Organised Labour School @KASIBCNEWS

Deputy President Paul Mashatile: Annual NEDLAC Organised Labour School @KASIBCNEWS 

Programme Director, COSATU President Zingiswa Losi;

Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth; 
Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau;
President of the Federation of Union of South Africa (FEDUSA), Godfrey Selamatsela;
President of the National Council of Trade Union (NACTU), Pat Mphela;
President of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU), Mosima Maredi;
Director of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Country Office for Eswatini, Botswana, Lesotho and South Africa, Alexio Musindo;
Chief Executive Officer of Proudly SA, Eustace Mashimbye;
Key partners and other stakeholders here present;
Ladies and gentlemen;
Delegates and comrades;

Good Morning,

Last year in September I had the honour of attending the 29th Annual NEDLAC Summit, in a year that marked the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s democracy and NEDLAC. I am equally honoured today to have the opportunity to address the 2025 annual Organised Labour School. The Annual Labour School remains a critical platform for reflecting on the state of our labour market, addressing the challenges we face, and charting a way forward for the workers of South Africa. In this regard, it continues to uphold the democratic principles enshrined in our Constitution, anchoring workers’ rights and aspirations at the heart of our economic and social policies.

Over the past 30 years, the government and NEDLAC have strengthened collaboration and dialogue, with NEDLAC continuing as the cornerstone of social dialogue and consensus building in our nation, playing a crucial role in advancing our collective vision for a prosperous and inclusive society.

In 2024, shortly after addressing the Summit, we lost two of the key drivers of the formation of NEDLAC, and its development at those elementary stages, former Ministers; Tito Mboweni and Membathisi Mdladlana respectively. In some ways, their departure represents the turning of the tide, and the necessity for new ideas and ways to emerge in advancing the struggle, and “Building Unity for Workers to Advance Decent Work for All”.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Over the past decade, South Africa has made significant strides in advancing workers' rights and improving labour conditions. Most notably in the Employment Equity Progress, the 2023-2024 Commission for Employment Equity (CEE) Annual Report highlighted a notable increase in the representation of designated groups across various occupational levels, reflecting the positive impact of the Employment Equity Act.

In the 2023/2024 financial year, the Department of Employment and Labour conducted 308,799 workplace inspections, exceeding the annual target by 4%. This proactive approach underscores the government's commitment to ensuring compliance with labour laws and protecting workers' rights.

For the first time in a year, South Africa's official unemployment rate decreased from 33.5% in the second quarter to 32.1% in the third quarter, marking a positive shift in our labour market.

The government's collaborative efforts have led to the introduction of improved retirement packages and social benefits for dependents of labour union members, providing greater financial security for workers and their families.

Comrades,

We are meeting at a time when the world is facing a multi-crisis characterised by inequality, high levels of unemployment, climate change, wars, migration, urbanisation, and the growing youth dividend.

As a country, while there are changes in our economic patterns, we must admit that the pace of our economic growth and development is protracted and not at its optimum levels. While the country is trying its best to promote economic growth through the promotion of investments and infrastructure development programmes, these efforts have not yet yielded satisfactory results.

The current mooted closures and scaling down of production in the steel industry and some of the companies in the mining sector have resulted in massive job losses.

Through our collective efforts, we have managed to develop collectively agreed sector plans. However, all Stakeholders of NEDLAC must bear the responsibility of facilitating the speedy execution of these plans for them to live up to our expected outcomes.  

There is evidence that we can do this!

In the past 30 years, we have together introduced policy programmes aimed at ensuring that we create decent employment for the majority of the people.

Together we have created an environment for labour unions to practice their democratic rights as enshrined in the constitution, the Labour Relations Act and other critical legislation that reversed apartheid policies thereby introducing progressive policy interventions.

We have also introduced the minimum wage, the two-pot retirement system as well as other policies that cushioned workers and the poor. These and many other progressive policies are a result of our commitment to transforming the economy and society so that many who were excluded can meaningfully participate in the economy.

In 2024, we celebrated further victories, including enhanced mechanisms for fair and equitable labour dispute resolutions, greater participation of women in union leadership, and strengthened labour rights enforcement.

However, despite the progressive policy interventions we have introduced, we are still faced with the challenges of high levels of unemployment and poverty as well as inequality. We are also faced with challenges of crime, Gender-Based Violence, and corruption as well as weak implementation and delivery of services.

The COVID-19 pandemic also tested the resilience of our labour sector and exposed vulnerabilities within our economic framework. It is through the collective efforts of government, unions, and the private sector that we were able to protect millions of workers' livelihoods even in the middle of adversity.

Through navigating the effects of the pandemic, we were collectively able to develop and implement strategies that expanded access to Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefits, cushioned workers during periods of economic disruption, strengthened workplace health and safety regulations, and preserved jobs in key industries through innovative wage subsidy programs. These measures not only mitigated the immediate impacts of the pandemic but also laid a foundation for a more robust labour market.

We therefore expect that labour in South Africa, will through the Civil Society 20 contribute to discussions that will reshape the global agenda, as we seek to resolve the challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality, but also reframe and reposition global financial institutions towards social justice.

As we look ahead, it is imperative to harness the collective power of all stakeholders—unions, government, and the private sector—to ensure that South Africa’s labour market is inclusive, fair, and globally competitive.

We must address income inequality and improve the quality of life for our workforce, we are not merely fostering economic growth but building a South Africa where every worker feels valued and empowered.

In closing, let us all recommit ourselves to the values of solidarity, equity, and justice. The labour movement, as the backbone of our nation, holds the power to drive South Africa’s economic transformation. Together, through collaboration and collective action, we can overcome the challenges of the 21st century and create a future of dignity, equality, and prosperity for all workers.

Thank you.

Paul Mashatile Deputy President South Africa 

 

SAMRO R3.4MILLION FRAUD @KASIBCNEWS

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) condemns the ongoing corruption at the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO), following revelations of R3.4 million in fraudulent claims facilitated by former employees. This disgraceful conduct is not an isolated incident but part of SAMRO’s longstanding failure to prioritise the rights and livelihoods of South African musicians. SAMRO, mandated to collect royalties and license fees for artists, has once again proven itself to be a haven for corruption. 

The Funduzi Forensic Services investigation has uncovered that former employees colluded with publishers to fraudulently claim funds without ownership proof, amounting to gross irregularities in the management of artists’ earnings. Despite SAMRO’s claims of taking legal action, its history is riddled with scandals, exposing a pattern of exploiting musicians and failing to uphold its mandate. For decades, South African artists have been subjected to systemic exploitation, from the apartheid era, when they were stripped of their copyright ownership, to the present day, where SAMRO has repeatedly colluded with major recording companies to cheat musicians out of their royalties and publishing rights. 

This latest scandal demonstrates SAMRO’s continued betrayal of the creative industry and the artists who rely on it for fair compensation. SAMRO’s shady dealings have been well-documented, including its controversial 2018 loss of R47 million in some plan to invest in a music right organisation in the United Arab Emirates. The deal “fell through” resulting in  the loss of these millions that were never accounted for, an utterly misguided use of the funds of SAMRO members. Additionally, SAMRO has been embroiled in scandals around its opaque administration fees, which have inexplicably siphoned millions from the royalties meant for musicians. 

These practices have left countless South African artists impoverished, unable to reap the rewards of their creativity. The EFF has been consistent in the fight for royalties and publishing rights for artists, exposing the injustices and corruption within SAMRO and the exploitation of South African musicians. In February 2021 following a protest by our Member of Parliament Fighter Eugene Mthethwa at SAMRO offices, we challenged SAMRO to publish a list of its top-earning artists, and to shed light on how royalties are distributed. SAMRO, however, refused and continues to refuse to comply or address these concerns, highlighting the dire need for systemic change in the music rights sector to ensure fairness and justice for all artists. 

The EFF is, therefore, calling for tough actions to be taken against all those who have been found guilty of corrupt activities and to be named and shamed as a harsh deterrent of such a conduct that has rendered many artists/composers poor and unable to make ends meet. This cannot be a matter treated with impunity when the sector’s many great sons and daughters have faced the shame of being buried through sponsored funerals. 

The EFF further calls for government to further investigate SAMRO and all other collecting societies to assess if they are managed properly in the best interests of their members. These follow-ups should be informed by the Copyright Review Commission’s Report and its recommendations that were adopted by Parliament in 2011, as there has never been any updates post that exercise. 

Additionally, the EFF has raised concern about the ongoing delays in the enactment of the Copyright Amendment Bill and the Performers' Protection Amendment Bill, both of which are crucial in addressing the exploitation of South African artists. These bills, introduced to Parliament in 2017, aim to strike a fair balance between the rights of copyright holders and users, while also protecting the economic and creative rights of performers.  

Despite their importance, President Cyril Ramaphosa has continuously delayed their implementation, citing questionable constitutional concerns. Most recently, in October 2024, he referred the bills to the Constitutional Court, further stalling progress. These delays perpetuate the suffering of artists and performers, who continue to be denied fair compensation and control over their work. 

This lack of urgency in signing the bills into law reflects the government’s neglect of those who drive the creative economy.