PICS: Sleeves rolled up for a cleaner Vaal
This impactful campaign is scheduled to run until 8 June 2025, with the goal of restoring dignity and cleanliness to the community.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
an hour ago
- The Citizen
uMkhanyakude District challenges intervention
uMkhanyakude District Municipality is challenging the intervention instituted by Cogta MEC Thualasizwe Buthelezi. This after Buthelezi placed the district municipality under administration and announced the appointment of Bamba Ndwandwe as administrator on Monday last week. Ndwandwe, a seasoned local government veteran, has extensive experience working with various municipalities across the province. According to Buthelezi, Ndwandwe assumed his duties on 1 July and will serve as the ministerial representative until December. ALSO READ: uMkhanyakude District Municipality challenges Cogta intervention Buthelezi also announced the initiation of a forensic investigation into allegations of corruption and maladministration that have been brought to his attention. This investigation, being conducted in terms of Section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act, aims to thoroughly examine the various allegations. The intervention will ensure officials are held accountable should any wrongdoing be uncovered by investigators. Buthelezi further urged the municipal leadership to fully co-operate with the administrator and investigators. 'This cooperation is crucial to ensure the challenges facing the municipality receive the urgent attention they deserve,' he said. 'Fight back' uMkhanyakude Speaker Solomon Mkhombo claims the intervention has something to do with next year's local elections. 'He is using his position to say he is providing intervention in the interest of good governance. We know he is a wolf pursuing his political interest. 'We have written two letters to him, praying for him to open an engagement opportunity. We are still waiting for his response, but if he is not willing, we will be left with only one choice: to challenge the matter in court. 'We feel a lot of constitutional rights have been violated, and cannot fold our arms while being bullied. 'He is bringing a Section 106 investigation and we will co-operate with that investigation, provided it does not push any political agenda,' he said. ALSO READ: uMkhanyakude, Zululand districts get update on bulk water supply project Mkhombo said they viewed the MEC's action as undermining the legitimate authority of elected councillors and the will of the electorate that placed them in office. 'We do not have any reason to cooperate with the administrator; we will continue to work on our own, because as far as we are concerned, all the triggers that were raised before have been resolved. 'The previous intervention lasted almost five years, from February 2021 to 30 April 2025. When the intervention lapsed in April, the MEC misrepresented facts to Council on the basis that the intervention had not lapsed or terminated. 'Council refuted his claim in a letter addressed to him,' said Mkhombo. He went on to say that they are gravely concerned about the 'premature, unnecessary and procedurally unfair intervention that disregards the autonomy and constitutional rights of the local government institution', adding that the current state of governance at uMkhanyakude 'does not warrant this drastic measure'. 'The intervention should be used as a last resort, only when all other avenues have been exhausted, and only when there is a clear and sustained failure by the council to fulfil its executive obligations. We firmly believe this threshold has not been met in this instance,' he said. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
MEC Martin Meyer adopts struggling school for deaf pupils in Durban
KwaZulu-Natal Public Works and Infrastructure MEC Martin Meyer adopted a deaf school as part of Mandela Day commemoration. Image: Willem Phungula In commemoration of Mandela International Day, KwaZulu-Natal Public Works and Infrastructure MEC Martin Meyer has pledged his support by adopting a financially struggling school for deaf pupils. On Friday the MEC, flanked by his department head Dr Vish Govender and eThekwini Municipality ward 97 councillor Andre Beegte spent his 67 minutes in Durban School for hearing impaired in Amanzimtoti south of Durban where he participated in painting the school's ablution facilities. The school owes the municipality R1,5 million for water and R800, 000 for the electricity which the school attributed to undetected underground water leaks and cable theft. The school has just over 300 pupils which are some of them are intellectually impaired and autistic. It has only one therapist which the school management says gives them problems. Speaking at the event, the MEC pledged to support the school and announced that he will partner with the non-governmental organization to fix water leaks in the school. 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 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. Next Stay Close ✕ Meyer, who is now a new resident of Amanzimtoti, said it was a cabinet decision that all MECs must choose a school they will support. He said he chose the school because he always drive past it everyday when going to and from work. The MEC said the second reason he chose the school was that his brother is also hearing impaired. 'The other reason is that my department works closely with the people living with disabilities to a point that we developed the app to assist the disabled to get jobs,' said Meyer. The MEC said as the country is in a difficult place right now remembering Mandela and emulating his leadership has never been so important, He described him as a selfless leader who willingly served his one term and stepped down to allow others to lead, adding that today politicians don't want to leave office. The MEC said Mandela also loved children whom he called future leaders so it was important that new leaders also support children because they are the future. This year was the 16th commemoration of Mandela day where the United Nations declared 18 July -which is Mandela's day birthday- to be dedicated to the upliftment of the societies particularly the vulnerable communities where everyone must dedicate his or 67 minutes in honour of Mandela.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Toddler among two killed in Kennedy Road Settlement fire
Kennedy Road Informal Settlements face persistent challenges with fires and natural disasters. Bandile Zulu and Nonhle Mbango, victims of Kennedy Road Informal Settlements fire. Image: Collage/ SUpplied/ MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma. A 19-month-old baby and a 25-year-old woman died in a devastating fire that swept through Kennedy Road Informal Settlements, destroying 122 shacks. According to officials, the blaze originated from a burning candle. The victims have been identified as Bandile Zulu, the 19-month-old baby, and Nonhle Mbango, 25, who had recently buried her father just weeks before the tragedy. Government response to Kennedy Road Informal Settlements fire KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma said he engaged with Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane to coordinate emergency assistance for affected families. 'We wish to report that a roving team involving officials from the national Department of Human Settlements, the provincial Department of Human Settlements, and the eThekwini Municipality is already working out a plan to speed up the delivery of building material,' Duma said. The MEC confirmed that officials from his office have already met with the bereaved families. 'We send our deepest condolences to Zulu and Mbango families. May the departed souls rest in peace,' he stated. According to Duma, relief efforts awaited the completion of verification processes by disaster management teams from eThekwini Municipality and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta). ALSO READ: 'His brother is not coming back': Heartbroken mother speaks after toddler dies in Pretoria tent fire Extended family notification Duma indicated that authorities are prioritising communication with extended family members in distant areas. 'At this stage, their focus is to ensure that extended families in Mount Frere and Umzimkhulu are properly informed about the tragedy,' he said. The MEC is working alongside Ward 25 Councillor Themba Mkhize to assist families with burial arrangements for their loved ones. Recurring disaster pattern and relocation challenges Kennedy Road Informal Settlements face persistent challenges with fires and natural disasters. 'Kennedy Road Informal Settlements are always affected by fires and natural disasters such as floods,' Duma noted. The MEC expressed concern about settlement patterns despite previous relocation efforts. Many residents who were originally relocated to alternative areas returned to the informal settlement. 'Critically, we remain worried about the fact that residents who originally lived there were relocated to the newly built houses in Waterloo and double-story homes just across Kennedy Road,' Duma stated. During a recent meeting with Minister Simelane and eThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba, officials agreed on stronger enforcement measures. The leadership consensus focused on implementing bylaws to prevent people from reoccupying or renting shacks in the area. ALSO READ: Six-year-old Limpopo boy shot in the head by stray bullet Urban migration realities Despite enforcement challenges, Duma acknowledged the broader socio-economic factors driving the growth of informal settlements. People continue to migrate to eThekwini and other secondary cities in search of economic opportunities. 'These are realities that we are grappling with,' he said. MEC spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya confirmed the government's multi-level response to the tragedy. The spokesperson emphasised that building material delivery plans are already underway, pending final verification by the disaster team. READ NEXT: George building collapse 'was entirely preventable' – report
