Latest news with #Courier
The Citizen
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
DA takes eThekwini municipality to court over sewage crisis
The DA is taking eThekwini municipality to court over years of sewage spills, failed service delivery and crumbling coastal infrastructure. The case will be heard in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Thursday and Friday, July 25 and 26, with a public protest planned outside the courthouse. A years-long sewage crisis has plagued communities, damaging tourism, the environment and public health. The DA, which is fully funding the civil suit, is urging residents to join the protest and demand accountability for environmental degradation and the collapse of public amenities. Provincial leader Francois Rodgers MPL, provincial chairperson Dean Macpherson MP, and DA eThekwini caucus leader councillor Thabani Mthethwa will lead the demonstration. 'This case centres on the inability of the ANC-IFP-EFF-run municipality to implement a turnaround plan to fix infrastructure issues and comply with environmental directives from both national and provincial government,' said Macpherson. 'We will hold the failed ANC-IFP-EFF-run eThekwini municipality accountable for the terrible state of service delivery in the city.' Communities such as Umdloti, Tongaat, La Mercy, Mount Moreland, and Westbrook have endured years of sewage spills and infrastructure neglect. Umdloti and Westbrook have suffered the worst effects, with unsafe beaches impacting tourism, the environment and public health. DA Ward 58 councillor Geoff Pullen highlighted the environmental and economic toll. 'We have a sewerage crisis in eThekwini,' Pullen told the Courier. 'We have lost all our Blue Flag beaches due to E. coli contamination from poorly maintained sewer works.' In 2020/21, 12 eThekwini beaches, including Westbrook Beach, Umdloti Tidal Pool and Umdloti Main Beach, held Blue Flag status. Today, none remain. Pullen emphasised the blow to tourism caused by pollution. READ MORE: Sewage spill nightmare in Tongaat | North Coast Courier 'Just think how many tourism jobs we are losing because our sea is polluted. The DA is keen to get our sewerage works functioning properly,' he said. The office of eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba could not be reached for comment. However, in a July 8 blog post on the eThekwini Municipality's website titled Enhancing Service Delivery Remains a Goal, Xaba acknowledged the issue. 'We are also responsible for reticulating sewage without spillage and for treating and discharging sewage at an acceptable quality,' wrote the mayor. READ MORE: Sewage spill in Umdloti blamed on sand infiltration and budget constraints | North Coast Courier Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news. Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here or if you're on desktop, scan the QR code below. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Msinga fire chief shot dead in suspected ambush
Msinga police have launched a manhunt following the murder of Msinga Municipality's fire chief, Khalesakhe Mchunu, who was shot dead in his vehicle last night. The 46-year-old was ambushed in the oFabeni area, where he lived. Lieutenant Colonel Paul Magawaza of SAPS Communications in Durban, told the Courier that initial reports suggest Mr Mchunu was on his way home when he came under fire. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene. 'The motive for the attack is not yet known, and the matter is under active investigation,' said Lt Col Magawaza. Police are urging anyone with information to come forward. Information can be passed on to any police station. HAVE YOUR SAY: Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram or email us at [email protected]. Add us on WhatsApp 071 277 1394. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Dundee's Nomcebo aims high in national teen pageant
Seventeen-year-old Nomcebo Ntombela, a matric learner at Sarel Cilliers High School in Glencoe, is making waves in the modelling world as she prepares to compete in the Miss Teen Excellency South Africa pageant. Already crowned a provincial winner in the Miss Face of Schools South Africa competition, Nomcebo is calling on her community to support her journey to the national stage. She will represent KwaZulu-Natal in the finals, which highlight not only beauty, but leadership, confidence and purpose. 'I am excited to represent my province and show what young women from small towns can achieve,' she said. Unlike traditional pageants, Miss Teen Excellency South Africa focuses on inner beauty, self-assurance and a commitment to positive change among the youth. 'We believe that no matter your background, your dreams are valid,' said the organisers. 'The competition empowers young women with life skills, confidence and opportunities for leadership and service.' With a passion for cooking and youth development, Nomcebo is especially committed to ensuring young girls complete their education. She now seeks R3 500 in sponsorship to help her reach the next stage. 'I would appreciate any support from Courier readers, and I promise to give back to the community,' she said. Donations can be made to Nedbank account 1261321626, reference: K Ntombela. She can be contacted on 069 317 6885. HAVE YOUR SAY: Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram or email us at [email protected]. Add us on WhatsApp 071 277 1394. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Dundee July returns with fashion, music and racing glamour
The countdown has begun for the much-anticipated 20th edition of the Dundee July, taking place this Saturday at the Endumeni Racecourse in Dundee. This vibrant annual event, celebrating horse racing, high fashion and homegrown music, continues to grow in popularity and prestige. This year's theme, African Jewel, draws inspiration from the Durban July's recent Marvels of Africa concept, and is expected to attract thousands of race-goers, fashion lovers and music fans from across KwaZulu-Natal and beyond. But the Dundee July is more than just a day at the races – it has become a major cultural highlight on the provincial calendar, known for its blend of glitz, tradition and township flair. Star-studded entertainment lineup unveiled A strong lineup of artists has been confirmed, promising entertainment across a range of genres including Maskandi, Afropop, Amapiano and Gqom. According to a poster shared on social media by Maskandi star Mthandeni, the stage at the Battlefields Country Lodge arena will host a mix of chart-toppers and rising stars. Confirmed headlining acts include: DJ Tira (Afrotainment hit-maker) Kabza De Small (renowned Amapiano producer) Kelly Khumalo (award-winning AfroPop singer) Musa Keys (known for his signature smooth beats) MaWhoo (soulful vocalist) Mthandeni (Maskandi heavyweight) Mawelele and Naledi Aphiwe (up-and-coming talents) Adding glamour to the day will be media personality and former Idols South Africa judge Somizi Mhlongo, who will take the mic as master of ceremonies. Organisers say preparations are well underway, with logistics and security plans in place to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees. Local fashion designers, vendors and hospitality providers are also getting ready for what many expect to be a record-breaking turnout. The annual parade will run through town on Friday, July 18 – watch the Courier's digital platforms for updates! HAVE YOUR SAY: Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram or email us at [email protected]. Add us on WhatsApp 071 277 1394.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dem media group sounds alarm on slow investment: ‘We need help'
As Republicans closed in on passing Donald Trump's spending bill, the leader of a prominent partisan Democratic news organization sent out an urgent plea to donors. In an email earlier this month to top donors and other Democrats obtained by Semafor, Courier Newsroom founder Tara McGowan said that the organization was running low on the funds it needed to sufficiently push out content about the spending bill, which included cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, and increases in immigration enforcement and defense spending, among other provisions. McGowan said the organization had published over 500 stories around the bill across 11 different Courier-owned outlets. But she said they were not breaking through, and after the organization's worst fundraising quarters in six years, Courier needed more funds to promote the articles across social media. 'The problem isn't the volume of the stories we are publishing — it is that without funding, we can't get these stories in front of more of the audiences we need to be reaching to increase awareness and opposition,' she said. 'We currently do not have any funding to boost our coverage of this bill to news-avoidant Americans who are not already subscribing to our newsrooms, and no new funding to increase our subscriber bases in critical competitive districts and states.' She continued: 'As a deep believer in the need for our movement to invest in year-round, always-on media infrastructure, I hate asking for rapid response funding, but this is a crisis moment and year-round media efforts like ours are still not getting the resourcing we need to be as effective as we can be.' She said if given the resources, Courier could provide 'scalable boosted news and/or targeted subscriber acquisition program using our coverage of this bill within hours,' and said the organization could also promote pieces reaching in districts where Republican members are opposed to Medicaid cuts and reckless spending. 'If we can raise $2M this week, we can reach 6 Million under-reached Americans across battleground states now through the next four weeks or the final votes on this bill — through boosting our news through targeted ads and through our network of local, trusted creators in our states.'McGowan's email reflects the attitude that has often made her the focus of Republican attacks and suspicion from nonpartisan journalists. Courier is open about its partisan lens and its funding from Democratic donors. But the fundraising email does not make the point that money is needed to power meaningful journalism — rather, it's to accomplish a political end. The email also emphasizes Courier's continued reliance on a tactic that has been at the center of Democratic digital debates. Courier continues to regularly spend money promoting its articles and content in social feeds, which garners more eyeballs and audiences. But some skeptics say the practice disincentivizes the need to create content that could reach those same audiences organically. Still, McGowan's funding difficulties reflect an experience that many in Democratic circles have had: Donors have been much slower to get back into national politics. The slowing pace of funding reflects a confluence of factors. Some donors continue to feel bitter about the massive amounts of money spent by Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign and the Biden/Harris aligned super PAC Future Forward. Others are more hesitant to face off against an aggressive federal government and a vindictive president looking to inflict pain on his political enemies. And the money that is flowing is being sent to groups who've been targeted by the administration directly. This presents a problem for progressive organizations hoping to redefine the party's media strategy. Activists have been gathering regularly in places like DC, Texas, Utah, Southern California and elsewhere to discuss how Democrats and progressives lost cultural influence and how they can regain momentum. Semafor noted in February, for example, that a collection of activists and progressive media organizations met with donor advisors at the offices of the Laurene Powell Jobs-backed Emerson Collective to discuss ways in which the party could build digital infrastructure and reach new audiences. But the sluggish giving environment has slowed some of these efforts, as new organizations have struggled to raise money and existing orgs haven't been able to expand. Articles like a May New York Times story that laid out some acronym-heavy efforts to reach men through media haven't necessarily helped. Part of McGowan's pitch to donors is that the collapse of traditional print media in much of the country has created a news vacuum that progressive organizations need to fill. 'If we have collectively learned anything from Democrats' loss last year, please let it be that we cannot rely on the traditional media, or traditional ad spending, to educate and mobilize Americans to vote and protest in line with their own values and livelihoods,' she said in the a response to Semafor's inquiry about the fundraising plea, McGowan said the organization had a 'diversified revenue strategy and a solid baseline level of support at Courier,' and had grown its audience significantly, adding 1.4 million followers on TikTok this year, and had 2 million active subscribers across its 11 products. McGowan said while there is 'more energy and philanthropic interest in investing in year-round communications infrastructure and emerging media projects than we have previously seen on the left, that has not yet translated into meaningful investments for many proven, fast-growing, values-driven media organizations that reach non-elite Americans with news that impacts them.' She continued: 'A culture change moment is happening right now in pro-democracy and civic philanthropy — sectors that are used to making cyclical investments in communications and media to increase voter education about what's happening in Washington — but we fear that evolution to see communications funding as a proactive and long-term investment is still moving too slowly.'
