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Daily Maverick
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Cracks in the skills system — allegations of corruption, waste, cover-ups in SA's Setas (Part 1)
South Africa's Sector Education and Training Authorities have once again landed in the headlines, this time over former higher education minister Nobuhle Nkabane's bungled appointment panel. Allegations ranging from political interference and misleading Parliament, to questionable board appointments have set off a storm of public outrage, legal reviews and parliamentary scrutiny. A look beyond the immediate uproar over former higher education minister Nobuhle Nkabane's bungled appointment panel reveals that South Africa's Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas) are anything but recent. Long before Nkabane's tenure, these institutions were plagued by governance failures and corruption. Read more: Educated for leadership and engulfed by scandal, Minister Nkabane faces her sternest test. Damning case studies – on the Local Government Seta (LGSeta), the Health and Welfare Seta (HWSeta), and the Service Seta – reveal just how extensively public funds have been misused. LGSeta under fire for tender scandal and millions in wasteful spending The LGSeta has found itself entangled in controversy following a whistle-blower tip-off received by its current CEO, Ineeleng Molete. The whistle-blower, via former board chairperson Phumlani Mntambo, raised serious allegations of corruption, triggering a forensic investigation in 2022. The findings were staggering. Investigators uncovered systemic governance failures, including procurement irregularities linked to a R2.3-billion tender process riddled with noncompliance. The report also cited the irregular appointment of training providers, unauthorised discretionary grant allocations, financial bias and overpayments. Appearing before Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Higher Education in May 2025, Molete confirmed that a criminal case had been opened with the Hawks but said LGSeta was unable to name those implicated while legal proceedings were ongoing. Daily Maverick followed up with LGSeta to understand whether the case was still active. Molete said it is pending further investigation by the Hawks, adding that 'no arrests of individuals have been made by SAPS'. Reports of financial mismanagement didn't end there. In the 2023/24 financial year, LGSeta recorded R39.7-million in fruitless and wasteful expenditure, including R172,000 on trip-related incidentals. Molete defended the spending, explaining that R39,519,356.83 related to discretionary grant contracts that expired on 31 March 2024. 'While funds were disbursed, no money was lost or unnecessarily paid. The initial concern was deemed invalid and has been removed in the current financial year,' he said. He added that R122,800.00 was for learners who had passed away during their programmes. 'Consequently, despite funds having been committed for their development, LGSeta could not fully achieve the intended value for money,' Molete said. Another R104,651.00 had gone to a professor invited on an LGSeta trip as a subject matter expert, while R39,272.13 had been used during an official travel trip. Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority The HWSeta recorded R1.72-million in wasteful expenditure in 2023, including unpaid stipends, accommodation for absent learners, post-resignation salaries and interest on overdue invoices. Irregular spending hit R2.8-million due to inflated purchase orders and payments to unregistered stakeholders, though an internal probe confirmed only R160,000 was formally irregular. HWSeta has opened legal action against organisations that withheld learner stipends, including Afrika Connect (R900,000), Ludziwo Foundation (R469,000), Remmogo VE (R166,000) and Lithala Financial Education (R989,000). Two additional lawsuits loom. Lerong Consulting (Pty) Ltd is suing HWSeta for R823,267 over an alleged contract breach, with legal costs of R800,000, while True Harvest College seeks damages for reputational and financial losses, anticipating R550,000 in legal fees. HWSeta spokesperson Rulleska Singh told Daily Maverick about the disciplinary measures taken against those who signed off on payments to entities not registered with CIPC and the current status of the legal proceedings. 'Where wrongdoing was established, disciplinary proceedings were concluded, resulting in dismissals of responsible personnel… The Lerong Consulting matter remains ongoing, with a trial date yet to be set. The True Harvest College case has a trial date scheduled for 2026,' said Singh. She added: 'When stipend misuse was identified through the organisation's tip-off hotline, immediate action was taken, including referrals to legal representatives and opening cases with the South African Police Service. Of the 302 learners affected by these incidents, 232 have been compensated thus far. Recovery processes continue for all outstanding amounts.' DM
TimesLIVE
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
More young women are financing cars — see which makes are their top pick
The company said while financing trends have shifted, the top brand choice for young buyers hasn't. 'Volkswagen's position as the No 1 choice has been a constant, though 14 brands have held a position among the top 10 brands,' said Lightstone Auto. Ford was the second most popular brand in 2015, but was overtaken by Toyota in 2020 and has since slipped behind Suzuki, which only entered the top 10 in 2020 but has quickly gained favour. 'Nissan has moved between positions four and seven, and is now at number five, while Haval and Chery find themselves in the top 10.' Luxury brands still hold sway. 'There is a demand for premium brands among younger consumers as Audi and BMW have retained spots in the top 10 over the past decade, though they have slipped slightly from where they were in 2015.' Younger buyers are also spending more. 'Since 2015 there has been a gradual increase in the average price point at which younger buyers were prepared to finance a vehicle purchase. In 2015 a buyer under 35 was prepared to finance a vehicle purchase at an average of just under R200,000, but in 2025 this has jumped to R321,500.' The data shows the average price of a used vehicle financed for a woman rose from R172,600 in 2014 to R297,800 in 2024. For new vehicles, the jump was steeper, from R252,000 in 2014 to R440,000 in 2024.
IOL News
20-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Cape Town father challenges R172,000 maintenance order, citing financial strain despite over R1 million bonus
A Cape Town father who receives over R1 million in bonuses challenged a ruling which ordered him to pay over R172,000 maintenance. Image: Pexels A Cape Town father who reportedly receives over R1 million in annual bonuses, has challenged the mother of his children and refused to produce his proof of income. The parents, who divorced in August 2010, have been at odds over financial responsibilities, as the mother continues to care for their children, aged 15 and 19. In February 2025, the maintenance court ordered the father to pay R172,188.63, which, amongst other things, will go towards the tuition cost of their older child. The money had to be paid before the end of March 2025. He was further ordered to pay over R20,000 towards the annual school fees of their second child. The total amount he had to pay was over R222,000. However, following the court's ruling, the father swiftly filed an urgent application in the Western Cape High Court to suspend the maintenance order. He argued that the amount was nearly double his net salary, asserting his financial inability to honour such payments. The high court granted a temporary suspension of the order, while simultaneously requiring the mother to demonstrate why this suspension should not become permanent pending the appeal hearing. The mother took further legal action, serving both the father and his employer with a subpoena duces tecum. A subpoena duces tecum is a court order requiring a person to appear in court and produce specific documents or other physical evidence relevant to a legal case. According to the mother, the father misled the court in his application to suspend the maintenance order. She argued that the maintenance court granted the order in line with what was provided by the father in terms of his monthly salary as well as his annual bonus which amounts to over R1 million. She further argued that the father did not provide proof to support his claim that he cannot afford to pay maintenance. He also didn't provide any evidence to support that his financial position had changed for the worse since the order was made. Furthermore, she said the father lied in his affidavit as his IRP5 showed that he had received more than R1 million in March 2025. With this information, she sought to have the interim order suspending the maintenance order to be dismissed. Furthermore, the mother highlighted discrepancies in the father's affidavit, alleging that his IRP5 tax document, which revealed earnings exceeding R1 million as of March 2025, illustrates his capacity to pay the mandated maintenance while still maintaining a comfortable lifestyle. 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 In response, the father approached the high court again, seeking to have the subpoena set aside. He claimed the documents requested by the mother were irrelevant and warned that such disclosures would cause irreparable harm. Presiding over the matter, Judge James Lekhuleni said the previous maintenance court order revealed that the mother battled to coerce the father to honour his maintenance obligations. He only provided financial support to the children when it suited him. He commented on the mother's diligent efforts, recognising that she was an unrepresented litigant trying to safeguard her children's welfare. The judge made it clear that the mother's attempts to compel the father to meet his obligations should not be viewed as an abuse of the legal system. Moreover, judge Lekhuleni emphasised that denying the subpoena would unduly harm the mother and the children, while the father would not suffer significant prejudice from its continuation. "As I see it, there is no prejudice that the applicant (father) will suffer if the subpoena is not set aside. While on the other hand, setting aside the subpoena will have deleterious effects on the first respondent (mother) and the children," he said. The father's application was dismissed. IOL News Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
Eyewitness News
04-06-2025
- Business
- Eyewitness News
Some opposition parties in Gauteng Legislature remain critical of Maile's revised budget
JOHANNESBURG - Some opposition parties in the Gauteng Legislature remain critical of Finance MEC Lebogang Maile's revised provincial budget, even after adjustments were made. Maile retabled the budget on Wednesday to accommodate key changes in the province's projected revenue. An additional R886 million has been added, bringing the total projected revenue to R172 billion for the current financial year. ALSO READ: • Gauteng govt discloses that only 4 of 11 municipalities tabled funded budgets • Gauteng govt increases total projected revenue to R172bn in revised budget Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) provincial chairperson Nkululeko Dunga said Maile's budget doesn't reflect the true state of the province. "I think the priorities on the budget are skewed on the basis that you have R1.2 billion that is allocated for the provincial legislature and political parties while you still have about R240 million allocated towards housing. A sound decision would have been to allocate R1.2 billion to the housing and the R200 million to the political parties." The Democratic Alliance (DA)'s Ruhan Robinson said that budget allocation could have been better. "All in all, many of our concerns stay exactly the same as with the previous budget. It's the enormous allocation of almost R5 billion to pay for the e-toll debt, which we still believe is not for the province to pay. We shouldn't be paying that money."
Eyewitness News
03-06-2025
- Business
- Eyewitness News
Gauteng govt increases total projected revenue to R172bn in revised budget
JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng government has revised its budget, increasing its total projected revenue to R172 billion for the current financial the previous fiscal period, the province underspent by R1.8 public outcry, a portion of these unspent funds has been rolled over into the current financial MEC Lebogang Maile re-tabled the budget on Tuesday to reflect these adjustments to the province's annual financial the R1.8 billion unspent in the financial year that ended in March, R1.4 billion came from the provincial equitable share, with the remainder from conditional this amount, R886 million has been returned to the province's budget and reallocated to the relevant province has faced criticism for underspending its budget while service delivery in some areas remains gave himself a proverbial tap on the shoulder for ensuring that the unspent funds were rolled over."These additional resources were made possible through the provincial allocation of unspent funds, but we have also overcollected." The money will be reallocated to six provincial departments.
