Latest news with #CraigWoolley
IOL News
16-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
KZN Transport Department, Transnet, and eThekwini Municipality face R339 million flood damage lawsuit
Several areas especially in south Durban were flooded during the April 2022 heavy rains. Image: Independent Newspapers Archives The KwaZulu-Natal Transport Department, Transnet, and the eThekwini Municipality are being sued for more than R339 million due to the deadly floods in 2022 that caused extensive destruction to a business premises in Durban. The three entities have been named as defendants in a lawsuit filed by the insurer of Caxton and CTP Publishers and Printers Limited (Caxton), which suffered significant damage at its Prospecton premises during the floods. The lawsuit, a subrogated recovery action, where the insurer steps into the shoes of the insured and directs the litigation, has been filed in the Durban High Court under the name of Caxton on behalf of the insurer. Several companies in the southern part of Durban experienced extensive damage during the floods, prompting their insurers to take legal action to recover losses incurred as a result of the flooding. This lawsuit follows a separate R6.5 billion claim filed by Tokio Marine and Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Ltd, the insurers of Toyota South Africa Motors, against the same three entities. Craig Woolley, a director at law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, representing the plaintiff, stated, 'It is correct that there is a summons on behalf of the publishing company, a subrogated recovery action.' A representative of Caxton confirmed that they are aware of the subrogated recovery action being instituted by the insurer. He stated that the lead insurer is Chubb and said Caxton had no further comment on the matter. At the heart of the claim is the assertion that the three government entities failed to act appropriately to maintain and service their infrastructure, which caused it to fail at a critical moment. This negligence allegedly led to the flooding of Caxton's Prospecton premises, resulting in millions of rand in damages. The claim specifies that three structures failed: the Umlaas Canal, the diversion berm, and the stormwater management system. According to the court papers, the claim states that the three parties should have been aware that the failure of their infrastructure and the lack of maintenance of their flood control systems would result in flooding of the business premises. 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 Consequently, damages amounting to R339.5 million are being claimed, which include R284.2m for the fair and reasonable costs incurred in the repair and reinstatement of the plaintiff's premises and property, and R55.3m for business interruption. The court papers detail that the plaintiff operated a printing business from its premises in the Prospecton Industrial Area. 'The first defendant (Transnet) owned and was responsible for the management and maintenance of the Umlaas Canal. The Department of Transport was responsible for the management and maintenance of the diversion berm, as well as the flood risk associated with it. 'The third defendant (eThekwini Municipality) owned, managed, and was responsible for the maintenance and control of the stormwater management system for the Prospecton Industrial Area, including the flood risk associated with this system,' stated the court papers. The papers state that Transnet and the Department of Transport failed to ensure that the Umlaas Canal and diversion berm were functioning as designed, and the municipality failed to ensure the proper functioning of the stormwater management system in the area. The court documents state that on or about 12 April 2022, the structural integrity of both the diversion berm and the Umlaas Canal was compromised, resulting in 'stormwater flowing uncontrollably into the Prospecton Industrial Area and onto the plaintiff's premises, causing extensive flooding and resultant damage to the plaintiff's property.' It is further stated that as a result of the flooding, Caxton had to engage various third parties to perform cleaning and drying of the premises and property, was compelled to hire contractors to effect repairs to the damage caused by the flooding, and engaged specialist engineers to address the repair of structural damage to the premises, as well as damage to electrical installations, plumbing, air conditioning, manufacturing, and assembly equipment. They also had to replace printing and ancillary equipment that was damaged beyond economical repair and suffered losses of raw materials, fixtures and fittings, office contents, and electronic equipment. Furthermore, the plaintiff was unable to conduct its business activities during the repairs and consequently sustained damages due to this business interruption. Transnet said it has filed a notice of its intention to defend the summons. 'The matter is receiving priority and will be dealt with through the appropriate platforms,' said the company in a statement. The Transport Department said that it was not in a position to comment and the eThekwini Municipality said it was gathering information on the claim. THE MERCURY
IOL News
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Toyota files R6. 5 billion lawsuit against KZN government for flood damages
Toyota's Prospecton plant was flooded in the April 2022 floods. | Supplied by Motor Industry Staff Association. Image: Supplied Toyota South Africa Motors has initiated a R6.5 billion lawsuit against the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government, Transnet, and the eThekwini Municipality, claiming damages from the April 2022 floods that severely impacted its Prospecton plant. In summons filed in the Durban High Court, Toyota South Africa Motors Pty Ltd said it had suffered damages to the tune of R6.5 billion. This included costs in excess of R4 billion for repairs and reinstatement work at the storm-impacted plant and R2 billion for business interruption. Transnet, the KZN Department of Transport, and the eThekwini Municipality have been cited as the defendants. Craig Woolley, a director at law firm Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa Inc, which is acting for Toyota, said all three defendants had 'entered an appearance to defend.' In the court papers, Toyota said that the three organisations had failed in their duty to maintain infrastructure and should have known that neglecting such responsibilities could lead to flooding. During the April floods, the structural integrity of the Umlaas Canal and the diversion berm were compromised, leading to stormwater flowing into the Prospecton Industrial Area, where the Toyota plant is situated, causing extensive flooding and damage, read the court papers. It stated that Transnet owned the Umlaas Canal and was responsible for its management and maintenance, as well as the flood risk associated with it. The concrete-lined canal is intended to channel and divert the uMlazi River around the Prospecton Industrial Area. Together with the diversion berm, it forms an integral part of the flood control and prevention mechanism for the Prospecton Industrial Area, it further stated. It said the Department of Transport was responsible for the management and maintenance of the diversion berm, while the municipality owned, managed, and was responsible for the maintenance and control of the stormwater management system for the Prospecton Industrial Area. 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 ✕ The Umlaas Canal, south of Durban, pictured yesterday. The canal was compromised during the April 2022 storm leading to extensive flooding of the Prospection Industrial Area, according to Toyota's court papers. Image: Doctor Ngcobo Independent Newspapers Detailing its court action against each of the defendants, Toyota said Transnet should have known that in the event of the Umlaas Canal and the diversion berm failing to manage this stormwater, the Prospecton Industrial Area was likely to be flooded, resulting in damage to the company's premises and property. It said the defendants failed to ensure that these structures were functioning as required to prevent flooding in the Prospecton Industrial Area. Additionally, it had neglected to carry out regular maintenance on the Umlaas Canal, resulting in structural weaknesses, and failed to repair previous flood damage. It said it fell on the Department of Transport to ensure that the diversion berm and canal were functioning properly and it had failed to do so. It added that the municipality should have known that in the event of the stormwater management system not functioning as required, the area where the plaintiff's business was situated was likely to be flooded. 'As a result of these failures, Toyota was compelled to engage various contractors to repair the damage caused by the flooding and hired specialist engineers to repair the structural damage to the premises, as well as damage to electrical installations, plumbing, air conditioning, and assembly systems.' The company suffered 'damages to fixtures and fittings, office contents, and electronic equipment, and experienced losses due to vehicles being flooded and damaged.' Furthermore, they were unable to conduct business activities during the repair period, leading to additional business interruption losses. 'As a result of the aforementioned issues, Toyota claims to have suffered damages amounting to R6 540 980 194.00, which includes R4 488 642 693.00 for the fair and reasonable costs incurred in the repair and reinstatement of the plaintiff's premises and property and R2 052 337 501.00 for business interruption.' 'The defendants are jointly and severally liable to compensate the plaintiff for the aforementioned amounts, along with interest thereon,' stated the court papers. Ndabe Sibiya, the spokesperson for the KZN Department of Transport, said that MEC Siboniso Duma regarded Toyota as an important stakeholder in the province. 'Respectfully, he does not believe that it will be appropriate at this stage to engage on this matter through the media,' said Sibiya. 'We can only indicate that the cut-off low-pressure system continues to leave a trail of destruction across the province. It has triggered floods, mudslides, and a rise in the water table. Bridges, road infrastructure, and houses have been damaged, costing both the KZN Transport and Human Settlements Departments billions of rands. For instance, in 2022 alone, we needed more than R6 billion to repair roads, and we could only reprioritise R2 billion from our budget,' Sibiya said. eThekwini Municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said the municipality was aware of Toyota's action and had filed a notice to defend. Transnet did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication. THE MERCURY
Business Wire
19-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
TekStream and LSU to Launch New Student-Run SOC
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- TekStream, a cybersecurity and IT solutions leader, is expanding its relationship with Louisiana State University (LSU) with the launch of a new, larger student-run security operations center (SOC). Located on LSU's campus, TigerSOC was established in partnership with Splunk and AWS to provide students with increased access to real-world cybersecurity experience supporting TekStream's Managed Detection and Response (MDR) operations. The International Data Corporation (IDC) estimates 82% of CISOs outsource their cybersecurity to managed service providers and overseas agencies. TigerSOC offers a U.S.-based solution for organizations that is affordable, scalable and proven to produce exceptional cyber talent. TekStream and the student-run TigerSOC will provide customers with access to 24/7 security coverage, with TekStream providing training and oversight to ensure the highest quality of service while also covering hours when students are unavailable. 'Students are the future of our workforce,' LSU CIO Craig Woolley said. 'TigerSOC provides our students with a unique opportunity to gain invaluable cybersecurity skills that give them the head-start they need in today's competitive job market. We're excited TigerSOC is not only paving the way for LSU graduates to be successful, but we also hope it sets a new industry standard for the level of hands-on education undergraduate students can receive on their path to long-term career success.' TigerSOC is built on TekStream's co-managed security monitoring services, which leverage the company's whole-of-state framework. By using a distributed network to establish a multi-tenant SOC with AWS and Splunk, organizations can safeguard their assets while benefiting from shared threat intelligence, a stronger overall security posture and reduced MDR costs. At launch, TigerSOC will provide cybersecurity training and career counseling for approximately a dozen students, regardless of major. Within the program, students can gain up to 1,000 hours of frontline cybersecurity experience in one year, acquiring skills equivalent to those of a mid-level cyber engineer before graduation. Combined with a detailed dashboard outlining all completed activities and events handled during their time in the program, TigerSOC graduates will enter the workforce with a significant competitive edge. 'The cybersecurity industry is at a unique crossroads,' TekStream CEO Rob Jansen said. 'There is a significant need for upskilling and developing new talent across the workforce. Meanwhile, the global economy is forcing many to tighten their budgets. Nearly 60% of current industry practitioners fear existing skill shortages put their organizations at risk. TigerSOC offers public and private entities an opportunity to invest in affordable, domestic talent while building the future of the workforce.' TigerSOC is modeled after the state-funded, student-run SOC powered by TekStream, LSU, Splunk and AWS. Launched in 2023, the program serves 38 higher education institutions in Louisiana. With the launch of TigerSOC, Louisiana is home to two world-class student-run SOCs serving the state's universities and commercial customers across the nation. Guided by TekStream, both SOCs equip students with tailored career support that aligns their academic progress with the cybersecurity fields in which they are most likely to succeed. Through immersive training that includes Splunk Academic Alliance coursework and hands-on use of TekStream's operational playbooks based on Splunk SOAR, students gain practical, workforce-ready experience from day one. Companies using TigerSOC will have the opportunity to hire graduates directly from the program, fostering a pipeline of top talent. TekStream was named a Representative Vendor in the 2025 Gartner® Market Guide for Co-Managed Security Monitoring Services. To access the report, click HERE. About TigerSOC TigerSOC, based at Louisiana State University (LSU), is a student-run security operations center (SOC). The SOC serves the university as well as public and commercial sector organizations to help safeguard assets, offer shared threat intelligence, reduce the cost of their MDR operations and ultimately provide a stronger overall security posture. TigerSOC was established in 2025 as a partnership between LSU, TekStream, Splunk and AWS to provide students with increased access to real-world cybersecurity experience while supporting TekStream's Managed Detection and Response (MDR) operations. About TekStream TekStream, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, helps clients accelerate digital transformation by navigating complex technology environments through a combination of technical expertise and staffing solutions. Named a Representative Vendor in the 2025 Gartner® Market Guide for Co-Managed Security Monitoring Services, TekStream provides proven processes and methodologies to help companies with legacy systems migrate to the cloud faster, enabling them to become more agile, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiencies. Focused on collaboration, shared intelligence and workforce development, TekStream's unique Whole-of-State cybersecurity approach addresses public sector vulnerabilities. Built on TekStream's Splunk-powered MDR services, the model combines workforce development with a cost-deferment strategy that empowers organizations to maintain long-term ownership of their programs. With hundreds of successful deployments, TekStream guarantees on-time and on-budget project delivery and proudly maintains a 98% customer retention rate. About LSU's Commitment to Cybersecurity Talent and Technology Development Under its Scholarship First Agenda, LSU has made cybersecurity a top priority for education and research to serve Louisiana and the nation. Designated by the National Security Agency (NSA) as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations (CAE-CO), LSU secured the country's first NSA-supported cybersecurity clinic for small businesses while building out student-staffed security operations centers (SOCs) on both its flagship campus in Baton Rouge and its LSU Shreveport campus.
