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IOL News
6 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Suspended and spoiled: Taxpayers fork out R5m for benched SAPS officers
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu disclosed that 11 SAPS officers remain on suspension with full pay, drawing public concern as vacancies in key policing roles surpass 11,700 nationwide. In the last three years, South African taxpayers forked out more than R5 million to keep 11 suspended police officers on the South African Police Service (SAPS) payroll. According to SAPS Minister Senzo Mchunu, as of May 16,2025, the 11 members are on suspension with full pay. Responding to questions put forward by BOSA, Mchunu detailed the individual suspensions, which include two lieutenant generals, one of whom has been suspended since July 2022, resulting in a cost to SAPS of more than R3.4 million alone. The reply includes a breakdown of each officer's rank, date of suspension, and the cost to date. The total amount paid to suspended officers stands at R5,020,731.11, according to the Minister. 'There are no unfunded vacancies at South African Police Service,'' said Mchunu.
The Citizen
24-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
City Power explains why it charges some customers more than others
Some customers are being charged a higher fixed fee than others, City Power explains why. City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava has explained a phenomenon in which customers reload their prepaid electricity meters, only for the power utility to charge them a fixed fee of about 50% of their initial amount. This comes amid complaints about the high cost of units beyond the R200 surcharge on prepaid electricity for residential customers, introduced last year. Mashava explained in a media briefing on Tuesday why the power utility has been charging some customers more than others. ALSO READ: New tariff structure may raise costs for some Eskom users 'With prepaid customers, we charge a basic fee of about R200, whereas we charge the post-paid customers about R900,' said Mashava. 'Last year, we needed to validate meters. In that process, we obviously discovered customers who had bypassed their meters or whose meters were vandalised. We corrected this from around December, January and February. 'For those customers whose meters were vandalised between July last year and February this year, or bypassed their meter, when we then installed the new meters, it meant that we would then have to recover the basic charges of the previous months. This has happened for a number of customers. ALSO READ: City Power says load reduction is 'vital' 'We will continue to issue communication around that, and we will engage with the affected customers. If you have not paid the R200 in the six months of 2024, it means that when you buy your tokens in 2025, we will then recoup that money. The system is programmed to recover all the amounts from July.' City Power vs Eskom dispute In May last year, Eskom approached the High Court in Johannesburg in an attempt to get City Power to settle its debt. This was after the utility started to default on its payments from October 2023. When the matter was heard on 4 June 2024, the amount owed to Eskom was R3.4 billion. The amount relates to bulk electricity that Eskom supplied to the City of Joburg. The bulk electricity supply is in terms of Electricity Supply Agreements binding between Eskom and the City of Joburg. The High Court ordered the City of Joburg and City Power to pay R1.073 billion, including interest, for the unpaid electricity account. However, on Tuesday, Minister of Electricity and Energy Dr Kgosientsho Ramaokgopa said his department intervened in the matter and pulled both parties from the court process. ALSO READ: City Power launches free basic electricity drive for Joburg residents: Here's who qualifies 'We shouldn't be burdening the courts with matters that can be resolved between the parties. We pulled them out of the court process. I don't think we should be burdening the judges with making a determination on issues that are really of a technical nature and can be easily resolved,' said Ramokgopa. 'This particularly taxing exercise required cool heads and a degree of maturity for us to be able to settle disputes that go as far back as 10 years. The quantum of money involved runs into tens of millions of rand. If they were not to be amicably resolved, they were, over a period of time, going to endanger the financial sustainability of City Power and, over a period, the sustainability of Eskom.' Settlement Ramokgopa announced that City Power, the City of Joburg and Eskom had reached a settlement, where the two would settle their debt over four years. 'This is a big ticket of R3.2 billion. Of course, this amount has been a subject of dispute. City Power wants to emphasise that they have done everything possible to maintain paying the main account despite all these difficulties,' said Ramokgopa. 'We have been able to write off that R830 million, they don't have to pay interest on that which is owed. Eskom has conceded with regard to the periods of load shedding, the estimations and penalties that have to do with notifiable maximum demand. So, all of those have been removed, totalling R830 million.' He explained that the settlement will not affect the customers. 'It will not affect the tariffs,' he said. READ NEXT: Eskom battles overloading and theft, 400 transformers replaced
IOL News
24-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
City Power, Eskom reach R3. 2 billion settlement in long-running billing dispute
Johannesburg residents have been given some relief after power utilities reached an agreement to resolve their long-running electricity debt dispute. Image: Pexels Johannesburg residents have been given some relief after power utilities Eskom and City Power reached an agreement to resolve their long-running electricity debt dispute. Earlier this year, Eskom threatened to cut power to the City of Johannesburg and City Power over an unpaid bill of R4.9 billion, plus R1.4 billion in current charges. City Power however had consistently disagreed with the amount. It claimed Eskom had over-billed by more than R3.4 billion, which led to the Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa appointing the South African National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi) to compile a technical report on the matter. The report was expected within six weeks but, according to the Minister, was delayed due to the magnitude of the work involved. In a press briefing on Tuesday, Ramokgopa provided an update on the dispute and announced that the two utilities had settled for R3.2 billion, to be paid over four years. "Johannesburg City Power will pay R3.2 billion over a period of four years. It's important to appreciate that this is a significant amount, and City Power and the City of Johannesburg have done everything possible to maintain payments on the current account," Ramokgopa said. "Despite all these difficulties of course there will be challenges from one month to the other but the issue in dispute remained in dispute until we resolved this matter" He added that R830 million of the original debt had been written off, mainly due to meter reading failures caused by load-shedding. "First we were able to confirm that there are issues that have to do with the impact of load-shedding remember this period also spanned that period where we had intense load-shedding. "Where there is an absence of metering you are doing estimates and you can imagine you will not be accurate I think one of the lessons going into the future is we need to ensure that there's bulk metering so that when there's load-shedding it reads zero," Ramokgopa added. Executive Mayor Dada Morero acknowledged the challenges faced during the negotiation process but praised the efforts of all parties involved in reaching a workable settlement. "The process that we undertook from November, yes it had its challenges but we want to acknowledge the work that the team put in place to ensure that at the end we can arrive at a settlement that we can all be comfortable with," Morero said. [email protected] IOL Business Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Transnet Port Terminals stabilises operations and positions for future expansion
Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) CEO Jabu Mdaki speaking at the Transport Forum in Durban on Tuesday. Image: Supplied Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) is shifting into a growth trajectory following the recent stabilisation of its business operations, as CEO Jabu Mdaki revealed at the Transport Forum in Durban on Tuesday. This rally comes after the terminal operator adopted a multifaceted approach, which is now beginning to yield significant results in the freight and logistics sector. TPT has earmarked a substantial R3.4 billion for new equipment acquisitions in the 2025/2026 financial year, demonstrating its commitment to modernising infrastructure and enhancing operational efficiencies. Key initiatives include a thorough review of loading cycles in the container sector, upgrading rail infrastructure and agricultural capacity at the Cape Town Multipurpose Terminal, and the anticipated delivery of a third tippler to Saldanha's Bulk Terminal operations by October 2025. Historically, underinvestment in equipment alongside adverse weather conditions and strict policies has hampered TPT's operational efficiency. However, the company has embarked on an ambitious plan to refurbish its current fleet across 16 terminals, which handle various cargo types including agricultural, mineral bulk, breakbulk, containers, and automotive. 'We have also had to employ newtechnologies, automate some of our processes and maximise data analytics in order to predictmaintenance and obtain business intelligence for effective planning and performance,' saidMdaki. To further drive recovery, TPT has introduced new technologies, automated key processes, and leveraged data analytics to predict maintenance needs and derive business intelligence for effective planning and performance improvement. Recent preliminary figures for the 2024/2025 financial year indicate that TPT has surpassed volume targets at five of its 16 terminals, including remarkable achievements at the Richards Bay Terminals, Durban Container Terminal Pier 1, Durban Multipurpose Terminal, and the Port Elizabeth Container Terminal. Despite these successes, Mdaki emphasised the operator's ongoing focus on improved efficiencies, increasing volume growth across sectors, and expanding its market share. While TPT faces challenges such as the impact of US tariffs on South African exports, Mdaki reassured stakeholders of ongoing collaborations within the industry aimed at mitigating potential repercussions on operational plans and annual forecasts. The citrus fruit season, which commenced in April, has further spotlighted TPT's initiatives. New equipment, including ship-to-shore cranes at the Port Elizabeth Container Terminal, rubber-tyred gantry cranes, straddle carriers, rail-mounted gantry cranes, haulers, forklifts, trailers, reach stackers, and additional cranes at the Durban and Cape Town container terminals, have been commissioned and deployed, amplifying the terminal's operational capabilities. BUSINESS REPORT
The South African
28-04-2025
- Sport
- The South African
LIV Golf Mexico City: Here's how much the South African quartet earned
LIV Golf was back in action in Mexico City, it's sixth event of the season and first since the Masters. It was the league's first visit to Mexico City and the third visit to Mexico after playing in Mayakoba in each of the last two years. Joaquin Niemann shot a final-round 65 to come from behind and top Bryson DeChambeau in the final round at the Club de Golf Chapultapec. Niemann took home the customary $4 million for his victory from the overall $20 million purse. DeChambeau (even-par 71) tied Lucas Herbert (10-under 61) for second place, three behind Niemann. Niemann now has an insurmountable lead in LIV Golf's individual standings that he's assured of earning the league's exemption into the US Open at Oakmont. Jon Rahm's Legion XIII team won the team title and now tops the league's team standings. Rahm finished in fourth place and still has not finished outside the top 10 in every LIV Golf event he's ever played. Sergio Garcia's Fireballs are second in team points. From a South African point of view, Charl Schwartzel finished in a tie for seventh on 9-under par and banked $493 125 (R9.2 million). Branden Grace and Dean Burmester both finished in a tie for 26th on even par and earned $182 500 (R3.4 million). Louis Oosthuizen struggled somewhat and ended 40th on four-over par but still took home $135 000 (R2.5 million). The all-South African Stinger GC side finished seventh out of 13 teams on 5-under par. Next up for LIV Golf: South Korea next week to play at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club. Here is the rundown of what each player earned in Mexico City. WIN: Joaquin Niemann, -16, $4 million T-2: Lucas Herbert, -13, $1.875 million T-2: Bryson DeChambeau, -13, $1.875 million 4: Jon Rahm, -12, $1 million T-5: Tyrrell Hatton, -11, $750,000 T-5: Cameron Smith, -11, $750,000 T-7: Bubba Watson, -9, $493,125 T-7: Sebastian Munoz, -9, $493,125 T-7: Dustin Johnson, -9, $493,125 T-7: Charl Schwartzel, -9, $493,125 T-11: Richard Bland, -7, $370,000 T-11: Caleb Surratt, -7, $370,000 T-13: David Puig, -6, $330,000 T-13: Talor Gooch, -6, $330,000 15: Thomas Pieters, -5, $300,000 16: Carlos Ortiz, -4, $285,000 T-17: Graeme McDowell, -3, $255,000 T-17: Patrick Reed, -3, $255,000 T-17: Harold Varner III, -3, $255,000 T-17: Matt Jones, -3, $255,000 21: Jinichira Kozuma, -2, $230,000 T-22: Brendan Steele, -1, $206,250 T-22: Phil Mickelson, -1, $206,250 T-22: Anirban Lahiri, -1, $206,250 T-22: Paul Casey, -1, $206,250 T-26: Branden Grace, E, $182,500 T-26: Abraham Ancer, E, $182,500 T-26: Charloes Howell III, E, $182,500 T-26: Dean Burmester, E, $182,500 T-30: Fredrik Kjettrup, +1, $162,500 T-30: Luis Masaveu, +1, $162,500 T-30: Brooks Koepka, +1, $162,500 T-30: Marc Leishman, +1, $162,500 T-34: Tom McKibbin, +2, $146,250 T-34: Chieh-Po Lee, +2, $146,250 T-34: Henrik Stenson, +2, $146,250 T-34: Jason Kokrak, +2, $146,250 T-38: Peter Uihlein, +3, $138,750 T-38: Lee Westwood, +3, $138,750 40: Louis Oosthuizen, +4, $135,000 T-41: Andy Ogletree, +5, $128,500 T-41: Sam Horsfield, +5, $128,500 T-41: Kevin Na, +5, $128,500 T-41: Danny Lee, +5, $128,500 T-41: Ian Poulter, +5, $128,500 46: Cameron Tringale, +6, $125,000 T-47: Matthew Wolff, +7, $121,250 T-47: Martin Kaymer, +7, $121,250 49: Mito Pereira, +8, $60,000 50: Sergio Garcia, +9, $60,000 51: Anthony Kim, +10, $60,000 52: Adrian Meronk, +13, $50,000 53: Yubin Jang, +17, $50,000 54: John Catlin, $33,333 WD: Ben Campbell, $16,667 WIN: Legion XIII (Rahm, Hatton, McKibbin, Surratt), -28, $3 million 2: Ripper GC (Smith, Herbert, Jones, Leishman), -26, $1.5 million 3: Torque GC (Niemann, Munoz, Ortiz, Pereira), -21, $500,000 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.
