ActionSA looks to unlock economic transformation
The party says that 31 years into democracy, South Africa remains the most unequal country in the world.
READ: The jobs emergency | Ramaphosa lauds strides made in economic transformation
The party is tabling a draft resolution in the National Assembly to establish an ad-hoc committee to investigate and shape reforms aimed at achieving economic justice.
ActionSA has also come up with a strategy to grow Tshwane's economy by 3,9% by 2029.
With more than 30% of South Africans unemployed, it can only be hoped that ActionSA will succeed in its attempts.
eNCA's Tshenolo Khaile filed this report.
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The Star
29 minutes ago
- The Star
ActionSA demands accountability over R28 million Boipatong Old Age Home scandal
Masabata Mkwananzi | Published 4 hours ago ActionSA in Emfuleni is outraged by the state of the Boipatong Old Age Home, where R28 million has already been spent, yet construction has not progressed, and no elderly residents are benefiting from the stalled project. The project, launched by the Emfuleni Local Municipality in 2015, has been plagued by delays, from contractor failures and poor administration to community unrest. Most shocking of all, planning came to a halt nearly a decade later after the late discovery of a gas pipeline beneath the site. Bongani Dhlamini, ActionSA Emfuleni Regional Chairperson, said the Boipatong Old Age Home debacle highlights the ANC-led government's disregard for residents' well-being and blatant misuse of public funds, adding that those responsible must be held accountable. 'The Department of Infrastructure Development, Emfuleni Municipality, the appointed contractors, as well as all political and administrative officials who oversaw this project without intervening when the project was halted, must be held accountable. Political leadership cannot hide behind bureaucratic excuses - oversight is their duty, and failure to act makes them accessories to the failure of this project.' The Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) has now promised that the Boipatong Old Age Home project could be completed by the end of 2026, but only if all conditions are favourable. Dhlamini criticised the Department of Infrastructure Development, calling its 2026 completion promise nothing more than 'political theatre' in the absence of a transparent plan, secured funding, and confirmed contractors. He said ActionSA is demanding a detailed, publicly accessible recovery plan with monthly progress reports to ensure accountability. During an oversight visit last year, 2024, ActionSA said they interacted with residents and families of the would-be beneficiaries, and according to Dhlamini, their local structures have maintained regular contact. The feedback has been deeply troubling; many feel abandoned, have lost trust in the government, and doubt whether the project will ever be completed. Some community members expressed deep frustration and despair over the stalled Boipatong Old Age Home project, sharing their concerns and disappointment on social media. Lori Batista said, 'This is heartbreaking. Only black citizens can stop this. They need to be shown how they're being used. If they don't vote out the corrupt leaders, there's no future; South Africa will end up worse than Zimbabwe. My heart bleeds.' 'Not one project completed in more than 30 years of ruling. Only corruption and stealing to line their own pockets,' said Lettie Hattingh Kriel. Vivienne Haddad Kirkbride echoed these feelings, expressing disbelief that those involved in the project show no shame. She said, "I would never live with myself if I took even a teaspoon that didn't belong to me…We're not all cut from the same cloth." Theo Nkonki, spokesperson for Gauteng MEC Jacob Mamabolo, told The Star that the government is taking strong steps to ensure the Boipatong Old Age Home is finished by 2026: 'We have launched a detailed planning process that includes updated technical studies, revised project scopes, and active engagement with key stakeholders like SASOL.' Nkonki added that safety considerations and redesign efforts are underway, and new contracts will include penalties to hold contractors accountable. When asked why the gas pipeline wasn't detected during the early planning phases, Nkonki explained that the pipeline was only identified during a more thorough review after the department took over the project. 'The SASOL gas pipeline next to the construction site was uncovered during a comprehensive technical assessment that had not been done in the earlier stages. 'The lack of coordinated planning and inadequate initial evaluations contributed to the oversight. We are now in consultation with SASOL to reassess the project's feasibility and prioritise public safety,' he said. The Star [email protected]
IOL News
3 hours ago
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Count Me in Movement calls for reform of spaza shop regulations to support local businesses
The Count Me In Movement has decried the systemic exclusion of South African citizens and township business owners from accessing crucial government support as the nation grapples with a burgeoning informal retail sector. . Image: Independent Newspapers Archives The Count Me in Movement has taken a firm stand against the "systematic exclusion" of South Africans within the current Spaza Shop regulatory framework, calling in the process for a significant overhaul of South Africa's spaza shop regulatory system. The movement said the current system excludes township business owners from accessing crucial government support while the nation continues to grapple with a burgeoning informal retail sector. This comes after the recent government announcement of the R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund (SSSF), which seeks to empower eligible South African spaza shop owners in both townships and rural areas, offering them a lifeline to improve, expand, and sustain their businesses. However, the Count Me in Movement argues that many local entrepreneurs remain locked out of this initiative, primarily due to excessive compliance burdens, fragmented registration processes, and pervasive barriers within the licensing system. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ In a statement released on Friday, the movement appealed directly to Small Business Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, urging her to address these pressing challenges. They disclosed that while spaza shops play a pivotal role in township economies, a lack of streamlined and accessible compliance requirements often deters local operators from benefiting from government initiatives. "Despite playing a critical role in township economies, many of these businesses remain locked out of the Spaza Shop Support fund due to excessive compliance. burdens, fragmented registration requirements, and systematic barriers in the licensing process," it said. The movement said unregistered spaza shop owners, most of whom are undocumented foreigners have made the process very difficult for local spaza shop operators. "Adding to the challenge is the rapid proliferation of unregistered spaza shops, operated by undocumented foreign nationals, who are not subjected to the same inspections or regulatory scrutiny--creating an uneven and unfair playing field for local entrepreneurs. "Our local entrepreneurs are being set up to fail by a system that expects full compliance with scattered, expensive and inaccessible requirements. The current model disproportionately impacts South African spaza shop owners who lack the digital access, financial resources, or administrative support required to navigate complex state systems," the movement added.
IOL News
4 hours ago
- IOL News
ActionSA demands accountability over R28 million Boipatong Old Age Home scandal
ActionSA is holding the ANC-led government accountable for the failure of the Boipatong Old Age Home project in Emfuleni, where R28 million has been wasted on a stalled construction that has yet to benefit the elderly. Image: Supplied ActionSA in Emfuleni is outraged by the state of the Boipatong Old Age Home, where R28 million has already been spent, yet construction has not progressed, and no elderly residents are benefiting from the stalled project. The project, launched by the Emfuleni Local Municipality in 2015, has been plagued by delays, from contractor failures and poor administration to community unrest. Most shocking of all, planning came to a halt nearly a decade later after the late discovery of a gas pipeline beneath the site. Bongani Dhlamini, ActionSA Emfuleni Regional Chairperson, said the Boipatong Old Age Home debacle highlights the ANC-led government's disregard for residents' well-being and blatant misuse of public funds, adding that those responsible must be held accountable. 'The Department of Infrastructure Development, Emfuleni Municipality, the appointed contractors, as well as all political and administrative officials who oversaw this project without intervening when the project was halted, must be held accountable. Political leadership cannot hide behind bureaucratic excuses - oversight is their duty, and failure to act makes them accessories to the failure of this project.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) has now promised that the Boipatong Old Age Home project could be completed by the end of 2026, but only if all conditions are favourable. Dhlamini criticised the Department of Infrastructure Development, calling its 2026 completion promise nothing more than 'political theatre' in the absence of a transparent plan, secured funding, and confirmed contractors. He said ActionSA is demanding a detailed, publicly accessible recovery plan with monthly progress reports to ensure accountability. During an oversight visit last year, 2024, ActionSA said they interacted with residents and families of the would-be beneficiaries, and according to Dhlamini, their local structures have maintained regular contact. The feedback has been deeply troubling; many feel abandoned, have lost trust in the government, and doubt whether the project will ever be completed. Some community members expressed deep frustration and despair over the stalled Boipatong Old Age Home project, sharing their concerns and disappointment on social media. Lori Batista said, 'This is heartbreaking. Only black citizens can stop this. They need to be shown how they're being used. If they don't vote out the corrupt leaders, there's no future; South Africa will end up worse than Zimbabwe. My heart bleeds.' 'Not one project completed in more than 30 years of ruling. Only corruption and stealing to line their own pockets,' said Lettie Hattingh Kriel. Vivienne Haddad Kirkbride echoed these feelings, expressing disbelief that those involved in the project show no shame. She said, "I would never live with myself if I took even a teaspoon that didn't belong to me…We're not all cut from the same cloth." Theo Nkonki, spokesperson for Gauteng MEC Jacob Mamabolo, told The Star that the government is taking strong steps to ensure the Boipatong Old Age Home is finished by 2026: 'We have launched a detailed planning process that includes updated technical studies, revised project scopes, and active engagement with key stakeholders like SASOL.' Nkonki added that safety considerations and redesign efforts are underway, and new contracts will include penalties to hold contractors accountable. When asked why the gas pipeline wasn't detected during the early planning phases, Nkonki explained that the pipeline was only identified during a more thorough review after the department took over the project. 'The SASOL gas pipeline next to the construction site was uncovered during a comprehensive technical assessment that had not been done in the earlier stages. 'The lack of coordinated planning and inadequate initial evaluations contributed to the oversight. We are now in consultation with SASOL to reassess the project's feasibility and prioritise public safety,' he said. The Star
