
IFP praises police for swift response in murder, attempted murder case of its members
On Thursday, two people appeared at the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court for the murder and attempted murders of three IFP members.
ALSO READ:
- IFP suspects shooting of members is related to external political motives
- 2 suspects in murder of IFP MP Khethamabala Sithole abandon bail bids
- Police offer R60k for info on remaining suspect in IFP MP Khethamabala Sithole's murder
On 31 May, IFP's former Member of Parliament (MP), Petros Sithole, was fatally shot while leading a branch meeting at the Buyafuthi Hostel in Katlehong, east of Johannesburg.
Alco Ngobese and Sambulo Nxumalo were also shot but survived.
It took less than a week for police to arrest the men suspected of being behind the shooting.
Gauteng police have also issued a R60,000 reward for any information leading to the successful arrest and conviction of the third suspect, Zamani Ngila Ximba.
The party's provincial chairperson, Bonginkosi Dhlamini, said all murder cases should be handled like this.
'This one, we think, is a catalyst for how we think police should work. With this case, there is one thing we have seen, when the case is removed from local police station and taken to province and national, there is progress. So, there is an issue with your local police because they have got relationships with criminals.'
The matter returns to court on 29 July.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
‘Women should not only be present in science – they must shape its direction'
This year marks 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a global agenda for advancing women's rights which includes their access to education, technology and leadership. Image: Supplied More than 30 years ago, South Africa took its bold first steps into democracy. It was a moment of unprecedented hope, not just for political freedom, but for the transformation of society in all its dimensions. As the country reflects on passing its three-decade milestone, it's an opportune time to assess the progress made by women in science, technology and innovation (STI). While the road has been uneven, the strides that have been made are undeniable. This year marks 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a global agenda for advancing women's rights which includes their access to education, technology and leadership. As we mark just over 30 years of freedom and reflect on 30 years of global gender advocacy since the Beijing resolution, we must shift our efforts from a focus on participation to a demand for leadership. Women should not only be present in science – they must shape its direction. That means ensuring that women lead laboratories, policy development, global scientific collaborations, and research and training institutions. It also means rethinking how we define innovation – more value needs to be placed on community-based knowledge, indigenous science and interdisciplinary approaches that centre on people, not just products. To understand how far we've come, we must begin with a pivotal moment in our country's history: the Women's March to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956. On that day, more than 20 000 women of all races and backgrounds marched peacefully against apartheid's pass laws. They stood united in defiance of an oppressive system, carrying petitions and chanting, 'Wathint' Abafazi, Wathint' Imbokodo!' ('You strike a woman, you strike a rock'). That historic act of resistance was not just about civil liberties – it was a declaration of women's power to shape South Africa's future. Fast-forward to today, and that same spirit continues to drive South African women, not just in politics or activism, but in laboratories, tech hubs, industry and innovation spaces. In many ways, the progress of women in STI is one of the quiet revolutions of our democratic era, largely influenced by our policy frameworks that support women in this sector. The National Development Plan 2030, the Department of Science and Innovation's White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation, and the more recent Decadal Plan all advocate for gender transformation and gender-responsive planning as national priorities. 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 ✕ Dr Rakeshnie Ramoutar-Prieschl, Head of Research Capacity Development at the University of Pretoria Image: Supplied Yet structural inequalities persist. Women – especially women of colour – remain under-represented in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) leadership roles, with a national representation of a mere 30% of the workforce. Barriers such as unequal access to quality education, limited mentorship opportunities, and gender bias in academia and industry continue to constrain progress. So, how can these systemic challenges be tackled? One of the most effective ways to empower women in STI is through mentorship. Access to mentors helps young women navigate the complex terrain of academia, research and industry, especially in male-dominated environments, such as mining- and engineering-related fields. It builds confidence, opens doors and fosters a sense of belonging. Science outreach efforts in rural and township schools, particularly those that bring in female scientists from similar backgrounds as role models, can have a transformative impact. When girls see someone who looks like them succeeding in science, it fundamentally shifts what they believe is possible. Embedding targeted programmes that focus on raising awareness of women's and girls' rights into school or university curricula can help address some of the societal ills that disproportionately affect girls and women. These include cyberbullying (especially on social media platforms), gender-based violence, exploitative relationships (such as those that involve 'sugar daddies'), and reproductive health and teenage pregnancies, among others. This calls for politicians, governments, higher education leaders, schools and communities to work together to co-create and co-develop inclusive innovation strategies for accelerated change. As we commemorate almost 70 years since the 1956 Women's March, we must remember and honour this defining act of resistance and unity. The women who marched to the Union Buildings were not just resisting oppression; they were demanding a future in which their daughters and granddaughters could be free to learn, lead and innovate. That dream is still being realised, in university labs, coding bootcamps, data science hubs and tech start-ups. But our work is far from done. We must shift from symbolic inclusion to structural transformation: more women in leadership, more equitable funding, more inclusive curricula and sustained support from childhood through to the career stage. The rocks that built this nation must now become the architects of its innovative future. Let us honour their legacy not just with words, but with policies, platforms and partnerships that ensure every girl, from the village to varsity, can rise, lead and transform the world. Dr Rakeshnie Ramoutar-Prieschl, Head of Research Capacity Development at the University of Pretoria

IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
30% Tariffs from the US government, 0% Leadership from the GNU government
Trade tensions between SA and the US, and represents a direct threat to thousands of South African jobs in key export sectors such as automotive manufacturing, agriculture, and mining. Image: Armand Hough /Independent Newspapers Build One South Africa (BOSA) expresses deep concern over the imposition of 30% tariffs on most South African imports to the United States, which will come into effect after a seven-day window. This marks a serious escalation in trade tensions between SA and the US, and represents a direct threat to thousands of South African jobs in key export sectors such as automotive manufacturing, agriculture, and mining. The outcome is not solely the result of an increasingly protectionist White House. It is a self-inflicted wound caused by years of incoherent and ideologically driven foreign policy from the South African government. What should have been a moment for skilled diplomacy and strategic engagement has instead become a textbook case in diplomatic failure. Key opportunities to repair and restore trust with US lawmakers and officials were squandered. 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 ✕ Even under the more diplomatic Biden administration, South Africa failed to rebuild trust. We did not use the opportunity to engage, negotiate, or reassure. And now, under a more transactional Trump presidency, patience has run out. What is clear is that South Africa urgently needs a foreign policy rooted in clear principles and strategic interests instead of nostalgia and ideology. Our diplomacy must be led by the state, above party politics, and laser-focused on three core objectives: expanding trade and economic growth, defending human rights, and advancing democracy on the continent and beyond. The current bipolar approach, with mixed signals from different actors, is unsustainable and deeply damaging. BOSA calls for five urgent steps to arrest this crisis and rebuild South Africa's credibility in Washington: Reassert official diplomatic leadership and prevent political freelancing that undermines national trade priorities. South Africa must speak with one credible, united voice. Engage directly with the US Congress, where AGOA's future will ultimately be decided. The case must be made for the mutual benefits of continued trade cooperation and use the over 500,000 US jobs linked to trade with South Africa as leverage. Present a credible trade and investment plan that highlights the potential of key export sectors and aligns with US strategic interests, especially in green energy and technology. Commission an urgent economic risk assessment to quantify the impact of these tariffs on jobs and industries, and guide responsive, sector-specific relief measures. Appoint a qualified ambassador to Washington who understands the intersection of economics and diplomacy and can lead the high-level engagements needed to restore trust and rebuild lost ground. South Africa cannot afford more indecision, ideological posturing, or diplomatic negligence. Our future economic growth depends on pragmatic, clear-headed leadership in foreign policy that puts South African jobs front and centre. Roger Solomons - BOSA Spokesperson


Daily Maverick
3 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Makana Municipality faces allegations of fraud and corruption over missing R2.6m water pump
The Makana Local Municipality lost a valuable asset meant to help supply much-needed water. This week marked three years since the Makana Local Municipality in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, paid more than R2.6-million for a mysteriously missing water pump. On Thursday, 31 July, the Makana council was set to discuss efforts to find the pump, which is crucial to provide water to residents of the iconic university town. Lungile Mxube, a councillor for the Makana Citizens Front, laid a charge of fraud and corruption against the municipal manager and the mayor last week over the 'loss' of the pump and related political manoeuvring that followed. Part of his complaint was that they had failed to recoup the municipality's losses for the pump. Makhanda has two major sources that provide water to the town. One of them, a dam in Howieson's Poort, has a pump station that ideally needs three pumps, but only had two. Then, in July 2022, one of them was sent in for a service and never returned, or a new one was ordered and never supplied – nobody is quite sure what happened – despite the municipality making a payment of R2.6-million under a service level agreement with the supplier, Manco Business Enterprise in East London. The municipality's former director of infrastructural services and engineering, Asanda Gindana, was fired in November 2023 for paying for the pump that disappeared, among other things. She approached the Local Government Bargaining Council in November 2024 to argue that she had been unfairly dismissed, and the municipality was ordered to pay her R634,000 in damages. Gindana didn't testify at this hearing. She had been charged with the unlawful payment of R2.6-million to Manco Business Enterprise for the supply and installation of one of the Howieson's Poort water pumps without doing due diligence. But even during this legal action the municipality took against her, there was no evidence explaining what had ultimately happened to the pump. One of the contested points was the question of whether the payment was for goods received or a service, and whether it was a prepayment or not. Searching in vain Jay Kruuse from the Public Service Accountability Monitor said he wished there was 'concrete evidence' that could be used to find the pump. 'There were allegations that a supplier was withholding the release of a pump as they had not been paid for repairs to another pump, but whether the missing pump is one and the same remains to be established,' Kruuse said. Phone calls to Manco Business Enterprise, based in Sterling Street in East London, went unanswered and emails that had been used by its directors during the tender process bounced back. Mxube has now asked the Hawks to step in. In an affidavit explaining his opening a case against the municipal manager, Pumelelo Kate, and executive mayor Yandisa Vara for contravening the Municipal Finance Act, he writes: 'It is reported that, on or about 25 July 2022, the former director of the Infrastructure and Engineering Department allegedly and wrongfully facilitated a payment of R2.694.029.63 to a private company known as Manco Business Enterprise for the supply, installation and delivery of a water pump to the Makana Local Municipality. 'I asked the accounting officer [Kate] a question as to whether the money was paid to a private business and whether a pump was delivered, and if it was delivered, where it is stationed, so that I can do an in loco inspection to assess its condition. 'The accounting officer confirmed on record that indeed, the amount mentioned was paid and no pump was delivered and no explanation was given as to why the pump was never delivered.' Mxube said Vara, municipal officials and Manco Business Enterprise should be charged for fraud and corruption over the missing pump. 'Both the accounting officer and mayor as the political head are responsible for this unlawful, irregular, wasteful, fruitless and reckless spending which resulted in Makana Municipality having incurred an unlawful expenditure of over R3.2-million. 'This total of irregular, wasteful and fruitless expenditure payments breaks down as the amount of R2,694,029.63 that was unlawfully paid to a private business company … and an amount of R634,696.25 being the damages awarded by the Bargaining Council for the unlawful termination of the former director's employment contract,' Mxube adds in his affidavit. 'Lost control of pumps' Emeritus professor Philip Machanick said the Makana Business and Residents' Association also applied for information on the missing pump, and the other pumps used by the municipality for potable water, but never received a straight answer. He said at first the municipality just ignored the application, and the association had to threaten it with contempt of court proceedings to get answers. The municipality did not answer all its questions and still did not say where the missing pump could be, but it also became alarmingly clear, Machanick explained, that Makana was also not in full control of the other pumps in its possession and could not accurately say where they were. 'These are major assets. It is not like putting down your cellphone and forgetting where you put it. You can't just lose a thing like that,' he added. Machanick said the window for the municipality to bring civil proceedings against Manco Business Enterprise was closing because of a legal prescription allowing only three years to take steps to recover money. 'When we ask the municipality,' Machanick said, 'it claims the case is sub judice, but until today we have not seen court papers or anything like that showing that it is trying to get back the money paid for the pump.' He added that the case was with the Hawks now and said the association believed it had a strong case. The Makhanda community has been experiencing a severe water crisis for more than a decade, stemming from a combination of ageing infrastructure, financial mismanagement and drought. Residents have faced prolonged water shortages, inconsistent supply and contaminated water due to the municipality's struggles to maintain and upgrade its water systems. The Makana Local Municipality did not respond to a request for comment or questions about whether it knows where the missing pump is. DM This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.