A year of the 'unity project'
The GNU was formed in June 2024 following the May 2024 elections. These resulted in a hung parliament.
And on this day then, the ANC and DA signed a Statement of Intent, marking the formal establishment of the GNU and the appointment of the new cabinet.
Political analyst, Mpumelelo Mkhabela had a discussion with eNCA as the one year anniversary of the GNU approaches.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
4 hours ago
- IOL News
New parties fuel apartheid-era divisions, warns Jeff Radebe
JEFF Radebe, ANC KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Convenor, issued a warning to South Africa's political landscape, explicitly challenging entrenched power structures, political opponents, and high-profile figures undermining the nation's constitutional progress. Image: Sizwe Dlamini/Sunday Independent JEFF Radebe, ANC KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Convenor, this week, issued a warning to South Africa's political landscape, explicitly challenging entrenched power structures, political opponents, and high-profile figures undermining the nation's constitutional progress. In his Freedom Charter Lecture delivered at Unisa on Thursday, Radebe made a call to resist those seeking to dismantle the gains of decades of struggle for justice, and a clarion for radical reform rooted in the ideals of the Freedom Charter. 'These formations, which mushroomed in the aftermath of the 2024 electoral outcomes, seek to construct a society that is the antithesis of the Freedom Charter,' Radebe said, criticising emerging political entities that 'mobilise on the basis of racial exclusion and chauvinism'. He cautioned that these groups aimed to 'reverse the gains of constitutional democracy' and 'restore elements of apartheid logic', particularly 'the pursuit of parliamentary supremacy'. 'They are building 'Black Parties' as a counterweight to the vision of non-racial unity,' he said, calling their actions 'an attempt to undo the progress we have made as a nation'. 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 ✕ Ad loading Radebe's critique extended beyond domestic politics into foreign policy, where he condemned those 'who once spoke for the state', now supporting actions that threaten South Africa's dignity. 'The position of the Republic of South Africa, not any political party or former official, is the custodian of its foreign policy,' he emphasized. 'Silence is not neutrality—it is complicity. 'It is profoundly disturbing,' he continued, 'that some within our own country, who once occupied high office and bore the constitutional duty to speak on behalf of the Republic have chosen to undermine our principled foreign policy positions,' especially regarding the ongoing conflict in Western Sahara. 'We must state unequivocally: the position of the Republic of South Africa is to reaffirm unwavering solidarity with Western Sahara,' he said, condemning individuals who 'support rogue actions that undermine our principled foreign policy positions'. In his broader internal critique, Radebe condemned what he saw as a betrayal of revolutionary ideals. 'Supporters of newly established political parties that vehemently oppose the ideals of the National Democratic Revolution… seek to construct a society that is the antithesis of the Freedom Charter,' he said. 'They attempt to reverse the gains we fought so hard for, and we must resist with every ounce of our revolutionary spirit.' He made it clear that these political moves threatened 'the democratic, non-racial, and inclusive future envisioned by the Charter', and cautioned that, if these trends were not stopped, 'we risk turning back the clock to worse than apartheid'. Recalling the revolutionary origins of the Freedom Charter, Radebe stated: 'The Charter was born from the collective dreams and demands of ordinary South Africans. It was adopted by the people, and only later endorsed by the ANC as policy. That endorsement marked a major ideological shift: from resistance to reconstruction, from protest to programme. 'It is vital to remember that the Freedom Charter was not initially an ANC document. It was adopted by the people,' he reiterated, underscoring its grassroots origins and moral authority. 'It remains the moral compass of our post-apartheid state… these principles continue to guide us in our efforts toward justice and equality.' Shifting his focus to governance, Radebe took a sobering stance on systemic failures across the country. 'Over 90% of our municipalities are financially distressed or failing,' he noted, describing the situation as 'systemic decay'. 'In too many towns, water has not flowed in months, electricity is unreliable… and waste goes uncollected. These are not isolated failures; they signal systemic decay.' He warned that: 'When local government fails, it is not simply a service failure — it is a breach of the Constitution. The collapse of local government is the collapse of legitimacy,' he emphasised, framing current shortcomings as a betrayal of revolutionary principles of service and justice. In economic terms, Radebe denounced the ongoing inequality entrenched by the legacy of apartheid. 'Wealth is still largely controlled by those who benefited under apartheid,' he said, condemning the continued influence of 'corruption, elite capture, and institutional failure'. He highlighted the plight of skilled professionals, noting: 'South African pilots, among the most skilled professionals in our society, must plead for fair wages from foreign shareholders who extract profits from our skies but invest little in our country.' He also slammed the devastating impact of illicit financial flows (IFFs), which 'bleed our continent and our country dry to the tune of R80 billion to R100bn annually,' according to estimates. 'These flows are orchestrated theft from the public purse. IFFs are acts of betrayal against the developmental aspirations of our people. 'We must adopt a binding anti-IFF strategy, strengthen the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), criminalise corporate tax avoidance, enhance cross-border transparency, and repatriate stolen assets through multilateral partnerships. It is not anti-business to demand accountability; it is pro-development.' The speech also addressed systemic inequalities and inefficiencies in public service, citing the 2024 Auditor-General's report, which revealed that 'more than 90% of our municipalities are in distress or failing', with water not flowing in months and waste uncollected. 'These failures are a breach of the Constitution,' Radebe said. 'Local government is the frontline of our democracy… its failure is a failure of the social contract.' He called for a new, inclusive national dialogue — 'a modern-day Kliptown' — to reshape South Africa's future based on participation and collective ownership. 'This dialogue must not be a technocratic conference for the privileged few. It must be a radical forum where the people speak and shape the future… much like the process that led to the Freedom Charter, the dialogue must reflect the radical democratic spirit of collective authorship, not elite consensus.' Radebe urged the South African youth to lead this effort: 'Today's youth must lead in reimagining these frontiers of freedom… They must not be left behind but be the drivers of our future.' In closing, Radebe advised: 'Democracy is not inherited; it is built, and rebuilt, by every generation that refuses to accept injustice as normal.' He reaffirmed his commitment to lifelong resistance to corruption and inequality, and warned: 'If we fail to confront this fiscal injustice, we surrender the economic sovereignty that our freedom demands.' His words serve both as a warning and an appeal: 'The time has come for us to choose: Will we allow the Freedom Charter's dream to fade into history, or will we seize it anew and forge a Just and free South Africa?' Get the real story on the go: Follow the Sunday Independent on WhatsApp.
Daily Maverick
7 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Emfuleni crisis highlights local government debt as Treasury cracks the whip
The closure of the Emfuleni Local Municipality offices due to unpaid rent highlights the local government debt crisis, something Treasury hopes to fix by withholding grants from defaulting municipalities. Residents of Emfuleni were unable to make payments or lodge enquiries at the municipality's Vanderbijlpark offices this week after they were locked due to the failure to pay the monthly R6.4-million rent. According to the DA's Emfuleni caucus leader, Duncan Mthembu, this is a 'powerful symbol' of a nationwide crisis of municipal dysfunction and ballooning debt. Freedom Front Plus Councillor Hein van der Lith said the property owner had closed the building, which has more than 100 offices, twice previously this year and three times in 2024. He said the closure follows a recent recommendation from the Gauteng Legislature's Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) to place the troubled municipality under administration. Emfuleni was recently identified by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana as one of 39 municipalities that have persistently failed to pay water boards and other parties such as pension funds, medical aids, SARS, the Auditor-General, and continues to adopt unfunded budgets. The minister said he would suspend all grants to the 39 municipalities for the rest of the financial year due to their ongoing failures. The DA's Mthembu said the closure of the Emfuleni offices meant 'residents have been left confused and stuck on how to proceed in getting assistance with payments and enquiries'. Emfuleni is located in Gauteng and comprises areas such as Vanderbijlpark. Mthembu said this was 'nothing more but an abject failure in governance, and something as simple as communication. The municipality could not even inform residents of their offices' closure.' Account attached Emfuleni's problems have been compounded by Rand Water's decision to attach the municipality's bank account due to its R1.7-billion unpaid debt. Emfuleni Municipality spokesperson Makhosonke Sangweni denied that the municipality had failed to honour its payment agreement with Rand Water, describing it as 'arbitrary'. Emfuleni Finance MMC Hassan Mako said, 'The municipality is unable to access its bank account because Rand Water has attached the account, and this situation has persisted for two months.' He said the municipality had considered taking the matter to court, but the mayor refused. Mako said the municipality had formed a special purpose vehicle (SPV) with Rand Water that would manage the water and sanitation services. 'However, Rand Water seems to be more focused on delaying the launch process by continuously attaching the municipality's accounts,' said Mako. 'The SPV project requires R1.3-billion, while Rand Water is owed R1.7-billion. Nevertheless, the municipality has committed to servicing the debt in tranches so that other service providers can be paid,' said Mako. Describing the impact of having its bank account attached, Mako said, 'There is no diesel to pick up refuse. Contractors that were assisting us with cleaning illegal dumps are not paid and have left the sites. When offices are closed, it means workers are paid salaries for doing nothing, and municipal infrastructure projects are suffering.' Emfuleni also owes Eskom R8.5-billion as at the end of June 2025. 'We believe the municipality is being held ransom by Rand Water, which negatively impacts service delivery. As a collective, we urge the mayor to lead by allowing this matter to be resolved in court in the best interest of service delivery,' Mako added. Emfuleni's municipal debt came under the spotlight in a letter from Godongwana to Cogta Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa on the ongoing crisis in municipalities. Gondongwana cracks whip on debt-ridden municipalities At the end of June, Godongwana informed Hlabisa that he would invoke Section 216(2) of the Constitution against the 39 most dysfunctional municipalities for 'persistent non-compliance'. This section allows the National Treasury to stop the transfer of funds to an organ of state if it commits a 'serious or persistent material breach' of measures designed to ensure transparency and expenditure control. According to Godongwana, Treasury has outlined a strict mechanism to force compliance: if any of the 18 defaulting municipalities fail to provide proof of full payment to their respective water boards within seven days of the 30 June letter, their Local Government Equitable Share (LGES) will be stopped. This withheld equitable share will only be released in portions, with stringent conditions. The first portion must be strictly used to pay current water board accounts, with proof of payment required, before a second amount is released for arrears owed under a valid repayment arrangement. According to the letter from Godongwana, if these conditions were not met, or if evidence of payments to institutions such as SARS, pension funds and other statutory third parties is not submitted, Treasury would approach Parliament to endorse the stopping of all LGES transfers for the rest of the 2025/26 municipal financial year. Municipal financial years run from 1 July to 30 June. Treasury also plans to withhold conditional infrastructure transfers. 'It is advisable that, parallel to the LGES withholding process, Rand Water, Vaal Central, Lepelle Northern, and Magalies Water enforce their credit control policies to also attach the bank accounts of the defaulting municipalities to enforce a change in behaviour of these municipalities. The same applies to all the water boards, in order to avoid a similar situation and prevent escalating debt across water boards,' said Godongwana. Earlier this year, Hlabisa told Daily Maverick the national government was sending a message to municipalities that 'it is time to pay'. During his 2025 departmental budget vote debate speech, the Cogta minister said: 'We have concurred with Treasury to compel the payments for water boards and Eskom, and pay pension and medical aid contributions to third parties. Notably, the same principle will have to apply to all government departments who owe municipalities, they must be compelled to pay what is due to municipalities.' Municipalities across the country owe Eskom almost R110-billion. Writing in Business Live, Municipal IQ managing director Kevin Allan said the local government debt crisis was caused by poor governance, a lack of oversight, and weak administrative capacity. 'The suspension of grants, therefore, represents the Treasury's move from carrot to stick. But this approach is not without risk. Service interruptions, project delays and cash flow constraints may follow in affected municipalities. Residents could bear the brunt of deteriorating services, and protest action may escalate,' said Allan. He described Treasury's decision as 'both bold and necessary'. 'The stakes are enormous. Without intervention, the escalating debt spiral could not only collapse local government, but destabilise national service delivery and weaken the country's fiscal standing,' Allan continued. 'Above all, municipalities must get back to basics. They must adopt funded budgets, bill accurately, collect revenue diligently and prioritise creditor payments. Professionalising financial management, insulating administration from politics and enforcing accountability are not optional – they are essential. DM
The Citizen
9 hours ago
- The Citizen
uMngeni councillor murder: Traditional leader uncle among 5 arrested
A suspect accused of killing the late uMngeni municipal councillor Nhlalayenza Ndlovu was his uncle. According to Zululand Observer, Ndlovu was gunned down at his Masosheni home near Mpophomeni in December 2023. The uncle (56), who is an iNkosi (a Zulu word for 'chief'), was arrested on Wednesday and appeared alongside a 34-year-old accomplice in the Howick Magistrate's Court yesterday. The arrest by the SAPS Political Killings Task Team brings the total number of suspects to five. The matter has been postponed to next Friday for a formal bail application. DA leader Francois Rodgers said the iNkosi is allegedly implicated in a separate case involving the murder of his cousin. 'While the DA welcomes the progress in this case, we remain deeply disappointed by the delays in the arrests. The information that ultimately led to the arrests was already available to the authorities by the DA's independent legal team, yet it was disregarded,' said Rodgers. 'The disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has further weakened the state's ability to address politically motivated crimes. 'The presence of senior SAPS intelligence officials during court proceedings only deepens concerns about whether our intelligence structures are being used effectively and impartially in such politically sensitive matters.' Cogta MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi commended the SAPS on the arrest, saying it was a 'significant breakthrough'. Buthelezi praised the task team for their diligent work, which led to this progress and the arrest of more suspects. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on
