Latest news with #Mdlalose
IOL News
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Why the voice of the music industry should be heard in the national dialogue
GIFT MDLALOSE SOUTH Africa's creative industry contributes more to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) than agriculture. This fact alone should compel us to ask: why are we constantly discussing other sectors like agriculture in national policy forums while music and the broader creative sector are completely sidelined? To speak of rebuilding the economy, addressing unemployment, and engaging youth without mentioning music is to overlook a billion-rand industry that not only creates jobs but shapes what the world knows South Africa to be today. Music is more than entertainment; it is a force that drives identity, unites communities, and sparks hope. It is a major critical economic engine, providing employment to thousands of young people across all nine provinces. Yet, despite its immense contribution, it remains an afterthought in national development discussions. The South African music industry suffers from a lack of institutional support, inadequate education, and limited access to legal, financial, and administrative resources. Most artists do not have access to music business training, and many are taken advantage of in a system that is poorly regulated. Their careers often shine brightly for a moment and disappear just as quickly, leaving behind disillusioned youth and lost potential. At the same time, our music is transforming global culture. Amapiano, a genre created and driven by South African youth, is now a global sound. It plays in cities across Africa, Europe, and Asia. International artists sample it. Global festivals book it. And yet, the creators of this genre often lack support, brand ownership, or intellectual property rights. How can we have national pride without investing in the culture that puts us on the world stage? It's for that reason why the National Dialogue is a perfect platform for the music industry players and creatives to come together and put their interests on the national stage without any censorship. Just like a producer mixing a song in a studio and the vocal artist singing their lungs out, our voice and rhythm should help make our mark in the National Dialogue. Institutions like the Music Business Academy are doing their part, educating artists, building infrastructure, and creating platforms for sustainable growth, but we cannot do it alone. We need government, civil society, and business executives to recognise the music industry as a priority sector. We need policy inclusion, access to funding, infrastructure support, and national strategies that include the creative economy. If we want a truly inclusive national dialogue, one that speaks to the future of our country, then music must be part of the conversation. Ignoring it would be ignoring one of South Africa's greatest assets. (Mdlalose is a managing director at Music Business Academy Southern Africa. His views don't necessarily reflect those of the Sunday Tribune, Independent Media Group or IOL)
IOL News
14-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Vodacom CEO faces backlash over R99 for 5GB data statements
Vodacom CEO Sitholizwe Mdlalose asserted that consumers can purchase 5GB of mobile data for just R99. Image: Screengrab Vodacom CEO Sitholizwe Mdlalose asserted that South African consumers can purchase 5GB of mobile data for just R99, igniting a storm of criticism on social media platforms. Addressing the Communications and Digital Technologies Portfolio Committee, Mdlalose highlighted a significant drop in data prices, reporting a reduction of nearly 50% over the last two years. 'One can look at that and see the retail price of that in 2019 was R149 for one gigabyte of data. As we have become more efficient, as the spectrum has been deployed and given, and as new technologies have come on, you can see the progression in the headline retail rate,' he said. 'You can see a very dramatic drop, especially post the spectrum allocation, where one gigabyte of data at a retail rate in 2021 was R85. Today, you can buy five gigabytes for R99. Essentially, that gives a view of how the rate has moved over time,' Mdlalose said. 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 ✕ He made the statement when mobile network operators (MNOs) made presentations on progress made towards the national goal of universal connectivity and the approaches towards further reducing the cost of communication, among others. However, Mdlalose's assertion was met with widespread scepticism and disdain on the social media platform, X (formerly Twitter). User @ApostleDeza challenged his saying: 'There is NO ONE in South Africa Buying 5GB for R99! Bathong!' @Apostle_Deza hoped that EFF MPs would 'hold this man accountable for his White Lies', but another X user warned of wanting to embarrass them. While some X users shared the sentiment that Mdlalose was lying and showing prices that did not display the 5GB for R99, user @Mxoza1 said: 'He is referring to this 5GB of LTE.' EFF MP Sixolise Gcilishe took up the issue of the reduction of data during the question-and-answer session. 'I think if we really have the same objective with the MNOs, we're not going to lie to each other or we're not going to deliberately mislead each other,' Gcilishe said. She said that after Mdlalose mentioned the 5GB for R99, she had taken her phone and tried to check what he was saying. 'The first thing I realised in the exercise I was doing was the inconsistencies as far as the pricing is concerned. When you check on your phone, you're going to buy with your airtime. The prices are different if you're buying through a bank.' Gcilishe also said the five gigabytes for R99 was for the data offers. 'That is for the modems when I had to check. Maybe you can clarify that because then now you're giving us an impression that there is five gigabytes that people can get for that amount.' She insisted that the reduction in data pricing was according to the packages and the modems, 'which is not something that the poor people are enjoying. They're not enjoying modems and the data packages.' In response, Mdlalose said the 5GB for R99 was available on mobile. 'It's not a separate internet offer. It's actually there. In fact, as the session was going on, honourable chair, there were people on social media asking about it. Our team has responded to them, shown them exactly where they can buy it. It's fully available. It's not hidden somewhere,' he said. 'The fact that you are not aware that that is available is part of the challenge for us to make you aware of that,' Mdlalose said. He added that within their business, there were different ways to distribute their products, and each of those different channels has different commercials that you need to pay for. 'There might be different prices on different channels, but ultimately, the five gigabytes is available for customers, available on all of our channels that we distribute directly,' Mdlalose said.
IOL News
03-06-2025
- General
- IOL News
Usindiso Fire: Arson trial resumes as survivors prepare to testify
Lawrance Sithebiso Mdlalose accused of starting the Usindiso building fire that claimed the lives of 76 people. The trial of the man accused of igniting the deadly fire at the Usindiso building in the Johannesburg CBD resumed on June 2 at the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court, with more witnesses expected to take the stand. Sthembiso Mdlalose, who previously admitted to starting the blaze, faces multiple charges including murder, attempted murder, and arson. The fire, which tore through the five-storey building in August 2023, claimed the lives of more than 70 people and left dozens injured. The tragedy shocked the nation and highlighted the dangers posed by unsafe, hijacked buildings in the inner city. Mdlalose's trial, which began earlier this year, has already featured explosive testimony and the reading of his confession. In the statement, Mdlalose claimed that the fire was not intended to kill others. According to his account, he had allegedly killed a man on the ground floor of the building and set the body alight to destroy evidence. The resulting fire quickly spread through the overcrowded structure, with fatal consequences. In previous court sessions, the defence attempted to have the confession thrown out, arguing that it had been made under duress. However, the magistrate ruled in favour of the prosecution, allowing the statement to be admitted as evidence. That ruling is expected to be a key factor in the State's case as it seeks to prove Mdlalose's intent and responsibility for the catastrophic blaze. The court will now turn its attention to eyewitness testimony from survivors of the fire. These personal accounts are anticipated to paint a harrowing picture of the events that unfolded on the night of the blaze, including desperate attempts to escape the smoke-filled corridors and the chaos that ensued. Prosecutors are expected to argue that Mdlalose's actions directly led to the deaths and injuries, regardless of whether he intended the full scope of the destruction. They have framed the case as not only about arson but about reckless disregard for human life in one of the worst residential fires in recent South African history. The Usindiso building, once a government-owned property, had been illegally occupied and was in a dilapidated state at the time of the fire. The tragedy sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny of urban decay and the ongoing problem of hijacked buildings, particularly in Johannesburg's inner city. Civil society organisations and housing advocates have called for greater oversight and intervention in the management of abandoned buildings, warning that without urgent action, similar incidents could occur. As the trial progresses, it continues to draw significant public and media interest. The outcome may not only determine the fate of the accused but could also set a precedent for how similar cases involving derelict properties and preventable disasters are handled in the future. Court proceedings are expected to continue on June 5, with more survivor testimonies scheduled and forensic evidence likely to be presented in the coming days.
TimesLIVE
14-05-2025
- TimesLIVE
Witness 'doesn't believe' Usindiso fire accused was forced to confess
A woman who survived the Usindiso fire in which 76 people were killed doesn't believe Lawrence Sithembiso Mdlalose, accused of setting the building alight, was coerced into confessing by an alleged Tanzanian drug dealer. Noluthando Khumalo-Mzizi testified at the Johannesburg high court sitting in Palm Ridge magistrate's court on Wednesday, a day after Mdlalose's confession was read in court. Mdlalose is accused of setting fire to the Usindiso building in Johannesburg in 2023, resulting in the deaths of 76 people and leaving 12 others injured. After the incident, a commission of inquiry led by former justice Sisi Khampepe to probe, among other aspects, the circumstances that led to the deaths was established in September 2023. Mdlalose gave testimony on January 23 2024, allegedly implicating himself as the person who started the fire, resulting in an order by Khampepe that he be taken to a magistrate to reduce his confession to writing. He is facing 76 counts of murder, one count of arson and 12 counts of attempted murder. Khumalo-Mzizi testified that she knew the alleged Tanzanian drug dealer as she used to do her hair at his salon. She told the court that she only knew tenants who were living on floor one, where she was staying, and didn't know Mdlalose. She said that night of the fire, she heard noise from the basement, where Master stayed, late in the evening before the fire started. 'I said to myself that those are Tanzanians, they had already started as they used to fight and make noise and hurt one another,' she testified, adding that it was normal for them to make noise. 'Upon hearing the noise, I ignored it.' She said that was around 11pm and she subsequently heard people screaming around 2am. She peeped through the window and realised that the smoke was emanating from Master's side, who lived on the ground floor. 'I took the phone, the gown and ended up opening the door. After that, I tried to run towards the west direction. I took two steps and I could feel there was heat on my face,' she testified, adding that she had been sleeping naked. 'I made a turn, heading to the other side where there is another gate. I could feel I was stepping on bodies.' She testified that she stumbled upon about 11 bodies while naked in the darkness. She said it was dark as there was no electricity in the building. She added that she jumped over the balcony from the first floor when one of the tenants advised her to put on her gown. She testified that she last saw the alleged Tanzanian drug lord, Master, three months after the incident. She testified that she didn't know who could have burnt the building, but she knew that it was set alight. When asked about Mdlalose's confession during cross-examination, she testified that she did not believe he was forced to confess. When asked if Master was responsible for the fire, she told the court that she didn't know anything. 'He is lying. Do you think someone will threaten you to do that, and agree to go to jail? If he was threatened, why didn't he go to the police and inform them? 'We are talking about Master, who is a foreign national, and when we talk about Sithembiso, we are talking about a South African citizen. How come he was threatened by a foreign national?' she asked. 'We were left with nothing because of him. We are left with no friends, no families, and some of the children have lost their parents. He must just come forth and tell the truth,' she said. She added that she knew Master was selling drugs, but she did not know who was selling drugs on his behalf. In his confession, Mdlalose said the man he had asked to sell R300 merchandise for him had not returned and he had already told Master that he gave the merchandise to KB and Master wasn't really happy with this explanation. 'I had to find him as my life was at risk. We found him on Wednesday evening,' he said in his confession. He said that he and Siwe took KB to Usindiso Building, ground floor, where they had a room called Slaghuis — a room where people are tortured. He said at the time he didn't squander the proceeds and had to prove himself to Master by assaulting KB. 'Based on the fact that I acted in rage, I think I overdid the assault. I returned later, saw he was conscious, so I started beating him again. There was a kettle cord which I used to strangle him,' he said in his confession. He said he wasn't intending on killing KB, but when he realised that he was no longer breathing, he was in a state of confusion and panic he had to devise a way to get rid of the body or move it. 'I decided to go buy petrol. I didn't expect my actions would lead to innocent people dying and being injured. I came back after buying the petrol and I doused his [KB's] body with petrol and I went to stand near the doorway, struck a match and threw it at his body,' read the confession. The trial was adjourned until Friday.
Eyewitness News
12-05-2025
- Eyewitness News
Usindiso building fire: Court rules that Sthembiso Mdlalose's confession can be used as evidence
Mdlalose, the self-confessed Usindiso building arsonist, claimed that he was high on drugs when he confessed to starting the blaze. He also told the court that a Tanzanian drug lord forced him to confess by threatening him to take the blame. It was on these grounds that Mdlalose was trying to reverse his confession. But presiding Judge Cassim Moosa ruled that the confession was admissible in court and could be used against him. "The court finds that the statement which Mr Sthembiso Mdlalose made was made freely and voluntarily and without any undue influence being applied upon the accused." This means the trial-within-a-trial has now come to an end, and the State will continue with its case against the alleged arsonist.
