Latest news with #DeVos
The South African
5 days ago
- The South African
The highest speeding FINE ever recorded in South Africa
The highest speeding fine recorded in South Africa was handed down to a KwaZulu-Natal. In a country with one of the highest road fatality rates in the world, excessive speeding shouldn't go ignored by South African traffic authorities. So, what was the highest speeding fine recorded in South Africa? And who would so brazenly flout the law and actively endanger other motorists? Here's the highest recorded speeding ticket in South Africa – plus a few more – according to TopAuto . Minor speeding infractions typically cost between R500 and R1000. However, these speeders went well beyond 200 km/h. Image: File As such, the single highest speeding fine in South Africa on record was handed to Jan Hendrik De Vos. Back in 2007, he who was captured going 295 km/h on the N2 near Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal. A magistrate in the Scottburgh District Court came down hard on De Vos, handing him a R100 000 fine or three years in jail. This was indeed the highest speeding fine in South Africa. To add insult to injury, De Vos' superbike wasn't licenced and displayed no number plate, which contributed to the magistrate's sentence. Moreover, a Suzuki GSX-R 1100's top speed is quoted at 299 km/h, meaning De Vos was very close to the superbike's absolute V-Max. Suggesting he was riding that day with explicit intention of going as fast as possible. If you've accumulated a number of tickets and infringement notices, you should beware renewing your licence in person. Image: File Okay, this next one isn't actually for speeding, but rather cumulative traffic fines. The now-infamous scofflaw, known simply as MF Adonis, is a taxi operator in Cape Town. This 'juristic person,' under AARTO traffic laws, accumulated R110 700 of outstanding fines on his minibus taxis. This included 69 infringement notices and nearly as many warrants for consistently failing to appear in court. Ironically enough, he was arrested at the Greenpoint traffic department while attempting to renew the licences for his taxi fleet. An Executive Council member in the Free State was clocked well above 200 km/h but got off relatively lightly. Image: File The next highest speeding fine in South Africa also took place on the N2 in KwaZulu-Natal. This one amounted to R40 000. The driver, Kavilyn Govender, was arrested and charged, clocked at 216 km/h in a Mazda RX8. His license was also suspended for six months. In 2011, the Free State's Executive Council member for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Dan Andrew Mokhuwe Kgothule, was clocked at 235 km/h on the N1 in the Free State. He was driving a BMW 745i and was summarily arrested and tried in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court. He got off with a relatively minor R20 000 fine, however, and would not be reelected at the end of his term in 2014. In many Nordic countries like Finland and Norway, traffic fines are based on the offender's income and net worth. Therefore, traffic police verify the net income of the offender using the taxpayer database. In many instances this leads to higher fines for those who think they're above the law. Should a similar sliding scale be used in South Africa? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Gauteng High Court rules National Dialogue should continue
The Labour Party sought an urgent interim interdict to halt the National Dialogue which is set to commence on 15 August 2025. The Gauteng High Court sitting in Pretoria has dismissed the Labour Party's application to halt President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to convene a National Dialogue and two related conventions. Judge AJ de Vos handed down judgment in the application on Friday. 'Urgent interdict' The Labour Party sought an urgent interim interdict to halt the National Dialogue, which is set to commence on 15 August 2025. The party argued that the initiative is unlawful and unconstitutional. At the heart of its objections were the costs associated with the dialogue, arguing that it is not a genuine democratic exercise, but a costly and dangerous duplication of the national legislature. 'Lacking merit' Judge de Vos ruled the Labour Party's urgent application lacked merit, with no proof of unauthorised expenditure or irreparable harm. ALSO READ: Ramaphosa announces 'Eminent Persons Group' to guide national dialogue – These are the people appointed Application dismissed He said the Labour Party had not proven that the balance of convenience favours the granting of an interim interdict. 'In addition, it is not clear what relief the Labour Party would be able to obtain in due course. If it was so that the president was exercising powers he did not have, duplicating the work of Parliament and excluding sectors of society and spending more than R 700 million on such an unlawful endeavour, there would be no recourse that would undo that harm. 'Whilst the court ultimately rejected these findings – they were sufficient to show the Labour Party would not be able to obtain redress in due course. In these circumstances, the matter is urgent,' the court ruled. ALSO READ: Mbeki says issue of renewal of ANC 'not an invention' [VIDEO] Constitutional rights De Vos said the Labour Party asserted its constitutional rights. 'They litigated in the public interest. The litigation was not vexatious or frivolous, it was motivated by a concern of constitutional compliance. The state respondents accept that the application 'concerns a matter of significant public importance'. 'It affects a wide range of stakeholders and raises issues of national interest. In such circumstances, premised on the Biowatch principle, there should be no order as to costs,' De Vos ruled. De Vos said there was some dispute in the papers as to whether the Labour Party had relied on Section 172 in its papers. 'Assuming such a case has been made, the court declines to exercise its Section 172 jurisdiction for the reasons the court held that the Labour Party's prima facie rights are weak.' ALSO READ: 'What has gone wrong?' – Mbeki, Biko foundations call for national dialogue amid 'political crisis' Section 172 Section 172 of the South African constitution outlines the powers of courts when deciding constitutional matters. Specifically, it mandates that courts must declare laws or conduct inconsistent with the constitution invalid to the extent of the inconsistency and it allows courts to make any just and equitable order. Reaction In a statement, the National Dialogue communications subcommittee said the judgment reaffirms that the National Dialogue is a long-term, participatory process. 'It seeks to impact on and involve every part of our country, unleashing the energies and buy-in of every citizen and every sector – an assertion we have made since its inception. It is not a 'talk shop', as it aims to produce outcomes that are respected and adhered to by all sectors of society,' it said. 'The judgment further affirms the PTT's observation about the deliberate misinformation and disinformation about the Eminent Persons Group, the first national convention, scheduled for 15-17 August 2025 at Unisa and the National Dialogue. 'We would like to emphasise that the narrative surrounding the R700m budget for the National Dialogue is both misleading and unfortunate. As the Finance Minister advised the nation during his annual budget speech, the budgeting process for the National Dialogue is one of several items whose budgeting is still underway and shall be announced by him at the end of that process, the committee said. National Dialogue On 10 June 2025, Ramaphosa announced a National Dialogue – is a citizen-led, nationwide initiative to respond to South Africa's democratic challenges – supported by the government, national foundations and civil society. The dialogue aims to produce a shared national vision, accompanied by clear principles and develop a national compact and 30-year plan of action. ALSO READ: Clarity sought on alleged R700m cost of National Dialogue
TimesLIVE
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
A strong showing for TimesLIVE rookie racer at Zwartkops Raceway
The fourth leg of the Extreme Festival powered by Coca-Cola came and went at the Zwartkops raceway in Pretoria at the weekend. As part of the GR Cup media challenge competing for TimesLIVE against motoring journalists from four other local publications, and a regional manager from SuperSport, we share the racing space with Toyota dealers in GR Corollas and Toyota development drivers in GR 86 coupes in the largest single grouping of racing machinery and bodies in the series. Again the large GR Cup field lived up to its promise of action with 25 cars roaring off the starting blocks. The six development drivers started at a fair distance to lessen the chaos while the GR Yaris/Corolla pack fielded 19 cars after a few debutants from the Toyota dealer network. SuperSport's Nabil Abdool was in his element as usual, qualifying at the top of the field with a time of 1:11.571 for race one. In second place was dealer man Mario de Sousa (Motus Toyota) in a GR Corolla with a 1:12.013 and in third place was GR Academy manager Devon Scott with a time of 1:12.166 in one of the older GR Yaris manuals. I started fourth on the media/dealer grid for race one at midday after posting a qualifying time of 1:12.324 early on Saturday morning, ahead of the MD of the Toyota Gazoo Racing driving academy Paul de Vos with 1:12.434. Heat one got off without a hitch, but seldom do race drivers malign motorsport for its inherent frights and dangers, at least not in public or in the heat of the moment. While that is not a baseless critique expressed mostly in the aftermath, one cannot guarantee an incident-free outing or the trading of coats of paint when racing and which nearly happened to me on lap two when De Vos capitalised on the smallest of gaps to squeeze past me. In a split second decision to sustain the pressure and risk a mirror or something worse, I chose to relinquish the position, waving the Toyota man on his way, thus gifting class peer Abdool an extra cushion in the process. It was a lost cause, though, as Abdool had opened a sizeable gap between himself and the chasing trio of De Sousa, Scott and De Vos. Meanwhile, our front running skirmish had opened up a comfortable lead from the rest of the field and I finished race one in fifth, but second in the class. Race two started after 3pm with me not in a better position in fifth overall, but still second in our GR Yaris class behind Abdool. Again, the racing was a hard charged affair so much that our class experienced its first racing incident since the series began in March. Lawrence Minnie of AutoTrader connected with Kyle Kock of Car Magazine, with the latter's car suffering terminal damage and limping off to the pits. Minnie was able to finish the race and collected maximum points. My points haul has improved my position in the overall driver standings. I occupy second place behind Abdool, with three more races left in the series. Zwartkops was an otherwise fantastic outing for racing. There were no injuries from any of the racing incidents, thankfully, and the spectators added to the magic, some of them arriving at 5am to secure top spot for viewing. The round five race will be held in East London on July 19. We hope to meet and greet some the TimesLIVE readers from the region.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Somnee raises $10m for AI neurotech sleep wearables
US-based Somnee has secured $10m in a seed extension round to advance its AI-powered neurotech sleep wearables. The funding will aid the launch of the company's second-generation smart sleep headband. Khosla Ventures spearheaded the round with contributions from Marc Benioff's TIME Ventures, the DeVos family of the NBA's Orlando Magic, LEAD VC, Seaside Ventures, Metalab, and Nelstone Ventures. Based on sleep research and neuroscience, the company developed the headband that utilises AI technology and electroencephalogram (EEG+) to map the brain activity of users and provide personalised stimulation. This headband is said to aid individuals in falling asleep quickly, extending their sleep duration, and minimising restlessness. In a study, the headband demonstrated superiority over melatonin, Ambien, and cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-i). The headband features SmartSleep AI operating system, which will offer real-time monitoring and AI-driven interventions tailored to individual sleep patterns. Somnee's product is currently undergoing beta testing with certain NBA [National Basketball Association] teams and the performance training staff. Founded in 2022 by Dr Matt Walker and a team from the University of California, the company has seen significant progress under CEO Tim Rosa, who joined 18 months ago. Somnee is actively seeking further collaborations with professional sports teams, employers, as well as brands focusing on healthcare to leverage research that connects sleep quality with athletic performance, longevity, and productivity. Dr Walker said: 'We're trying to speak to the brain in its own language – using gentle, precisely timed pulses of electricity, not unlike how a conductor uses subtle hand movements to guide an orchestra into harmony. 'The goal was to create what I call a 'blast radius' of benefit: deeper sleep, more efficient sleep, and a quicker descent into sleep itself by preparing the brain just before sleep, we're trying to drive more powerful deep-sleep brainwaves, and give you a faster entry into sleep to begin with.' Last year, Somnee introduced an upgraded app and new features for its smart sleep headband. "Somnee raises $10m for AI neurotech sleep wearables" was originally created and published by Medical Device Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Change of venue granted for embattled Madison County Treasurer, upcoming trial moved to Boone County
WINTERSET, Iowa – The upcoming trial against embattled Madison County Treasurer Amanda DeVos, 37, has been moved to Boone County. Hours after delaying a trial hearing on May 19, an attorney for DeVos filed a motion for a change of venue, citing 'extensive media coverage and publicity' following her late January arrest for alleged Felonious Misconduct in Office, Tampering with Records, Fraudulent Practice in the third degree, and third-degree Theft. Motion-for-Change-of-Venue-250519-DeVosDownload The motion was granted on Thursday, with the new venue set for Boone County, about an hour from the courthouse in Winterset where the trial had originally been planned. A trial date for the criminal case had not been officially filed, according to court records. DeVos has been free from jail since posting a $5,000 surety bond shortly after she was arrested for allegedly using her access as county treasurer to alter government records to make it look like she paid for her vehicle registration plates when she had not. DeVos pleaded not guilty. Roughly three weeks later, the Polk County Sheriff's Office announced additional charges were pending against DeVos for an entirely different criminal scenario allegedly involving her property taxes. DeVos is represented by Timothy McCarthy, II, of McCarthy & Hamrock. Her application for a public defender had been denied due to an incomplete application form because she did not disclose what her income was, according to court records. Devos was making $78,787.13 after getting a 3.57% raise, according to online public records posted by the Iowa State Association of Counties. DeVos waived her right to a preliminary hearing in February, around the same time she was temporarily relieved of her duties by the Madison County Board of Supervisors. A new treasurer was appointed. However, due to her position as an elected official, the BOS does not have the power to officially remove DeVos from office, and she was reportedly still collecting her salary and county-supplied benefits for months after her arrest. According to County Attorney Stephen Swanson, DeVos had refused to resign from the position, which forced him to file a Ch. 66 petition in April to have her forcefully removed from the office. He also petitioned for an injunction that would prohibit her from being paid by the county. A judge granted the pause on her salary payments. A Trial Scheduling Conference in that case is scheduled for July 18 at 9 a.m. in Madison County. DeVos has not been charged in connection with the apparent mishandling of county funds, which appears to have plagued nearly every municipality and school district in Madison County. After her arrest, WHO 13 confirmed the City of Winterset received more than $250,000 in funds due for other municipalities and discovered that late property tax payments to the Winterset Community School District forced it to withdraw funds from investment opportunities to cover payroll multiple times. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
