Cape Times 2022-05-23

From page 1 most likely an attempt to conflate unrelated matters with the investigation into Mnqasela. “The DA has a zero-tolerance approach to corruption, and when evidence-based allegations arise, we hold our office bearers to account, without fear or favour. It is telling that certain commentators see the DA taking action against potential fraud as being ‘damaging to its reputation’. The public expects nothing less than the DA’s level of transparency and accountability.” Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo said they received the documentation from the DA and were busy evaluating it to determine which mandate it fell under. University of Stellenbosch’s School of Public Leadership’s Dr Zwelinzima Ndevu said the issue with Mnqasela was something that the DA should be dealing with internally so that the directive from the party…

From page 1 “When we got back to the residence I told my friends that I think I have been raped. They told me they will run me a bath and we can talk about it in the morning. “When I got into the bath, the blood was covering the water. We reported it to the house manager who then called the police. “It has been a week now. The university has offered me counseling. I don’t know if I am ready yet to open up,” she said. The student’s family said they were battling to cope after the incident. “We can’t cope as we think of the things that our daughter went through. It is very traumatic. We think of our child who is going through so much. We…

KHAYELITSHA and Gugulethu are tipped to have new offices constructed to cater for the high number of people requiring the services of the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa). This was according to Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu when responding to parliamentary questions from DA MP Alexandra Abrahams. Abrahams enquired whether Sassa intended to establish more offices and increase staff capacity within the Western Cape in order to keep up with increased demand. She said the Stats SA mid-year population estimates showed that provinces such as Gauteng and Western Cape have the highest provincial in-migration numbers, while provinces such as Eastern Cape, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal have the highest provincial out-migration numbers. Abrahams also enquired whether Sassa intended to reinstate the regular usage of community halls and civic centres within…

The provincial department of local government, environmental affairs and development planning has identified major risks going into the winter months, including mudslides associated with ongoing wet weather. This is according to the Provincial Winter Preparedness plan. MEC Anton Bredell said some of the risks identified include heavy rains and flooding, low temperatures, informal settlement fires and electricity constraints. Bredell said to address the risks, several proactive steps had already been taken, including an agreement with the SANDF to use helicopters in rescue operations and awareness-raising among people living in low-lying informal settlements. He said the recent flood disaster in KwaZulu-Natal was a wake-up call for everyone that tragedy could strike at any time. “At the heart of this matter is the fact that disasters happen, and it is almost always…

JOBURG mayor Mpho Phalatse said she was concerned about her own life following the deaths of at least three mayors in the past year. Phalatse was speaking at the funeral of the late former mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Mpho Moerane, who died at the Milpark Hospital last week, after slipping into a coma following a car accident. His medical team had tried their best to revive him. Speaking at Moerane’s funeral in Alexandra yesterday, the current mayor of the city said there was fear that she would be the next one to die since she was succeeding at least three dead mayors. Some among the mourners murmured and gasped as Phalatse spoke about herself in this way. Phalatse said the city had lost about 18 councillors to death.…

NATIONAL Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said the restoration of the two buildings gutted by fire in Parliament in January was not yet on the cards. This as the South African Heritage Resources Agency (Sahra) says it will treat Parliament as a priority in efforts to restore the buildings gutted by fire earlier this year. The National Prosecution Authority (NPA) is also set to make a decision on whether the man accused of arson, Zandile Christmas Mafe, will be charged for violating the National Heritage Act. On Friday, Parliament heard that the extent of damage, the cost of the damage and the restoration costs were pending a final report by Coega Development Corporation (CDC). “Restoration process can only be a discussion by Parliament once we have received the final report from…