Latest news with #R500
TimesLIVE
4 hours ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Joburg's motorists brace for a tougher month as fuel prices rise
Motorists across Johannesburg woke up to steeper fuel prices on Wednesday, with the department of mineral and petroleum resources confirming a sharp increase in petrol and diesel costs driven by international oil prices and tensions in the Middle East. Many petrol stations were quieter than usual on Wednesday morning, with most motorists coming in having no idea of the petrol price hike. Some drivers who had heard about the increase on Tuesday had filled up before the increase, while others were caught off guard, with many expressing frustration and concern about how the price rise will affect their already tight monthly budgets. Phumzile Chambers, one of the motorists caught off guard, did not know about the price hike until Wednesday morning, though she said you 'should expect anything in South Africa'. 'I was supposed to put in a full tank, now I'm only putting R700. That's already R100 more than last month. But I refuse to leave my car at home. I'll put R200 a day if I have to, but tell [President Cyril] Ramaphosa we are striking,' Chambers told TimesLIVE. Enos Maake, filling up his car at an Astron Energy garage in Johannesburg, said the fuel hike reflects bigger issues with government. Maake said things will only worsen as the petrol hike filters into food costs. 'We were told GNU would make things better, but it's the same story. 'The poor are going to feel it the most,' Maake said. Maake added people might have to ditch their cars and take taxis as fuel prices are high. 'I spend a lot on petrol because I drive a lot, so this month will be worse, that's why I might get a bicycle [or motorbike]. I'll be tired when I get home, less traffic anyway,' he said. Xoliswa Mabala finds taking a taxi cheaper and has parked her car to save up on money as using her own car is expensive. Image: Kabelo Mokoena Inside a taxi, Xoliswa Mabala said she has parked her car at home to save costs. Mabala said the petrol hike will crush South Africans. 'We will have to park our cars and use taxis now. But then taxi prices will also go up. People relying on R350 grants won't cope.' Taxi drivers in Johannesburg, who fill up their tanks daily, have also balked at the hike. 'It will be as if we are working for nothing,' taxi driver, Sibonise Sithole said. Sithole also did not know about the hike, adding he puts in R500 worth of fuel every day and usually keeps his tank full. Uber driver Ndivhuwo Mulaudzi has the same concern as minibus taxi drivers and other motorists. Mulaudzi told TimesLIVE that the price increase will make his life even harder as he is not making a profit as it is. 'Petrol is up and Uber prices are down. There's no profit. We can't sit at home doing nothing, so we just keep working,' said Mulaudzi. Taheera Hamit luckily filled up her car earlier this week. 'There is nothing you can do to prepare. One day it's R22, the next it's R23. This will affect my budget massively as a car owner. You just have to squeeze it in. No more nice things, no more chocolates, the luxuries are gone,' Hamittold TimesLIVE during her lunch break. I The DMRE announced this week that the fuel price hike was based on global and local market conditions, particularly rising Brent Crude oil prices, which jumped from $63.95 to $69.36 a barrel during the review period. Tensions in the Middle East, especially between Iran and Israel, have increased fears of supply disruptions. The international price of petroleum products followed the same upward trend, pushing the basic price of petrol up by as much as 52c per litre. Though the rand appreciated slightly against the US dollar during the period, this wasn't enough to offset the rise. Effective July 2, the fuel price adjustments are as follows: Petrol 93: up by 55c/litre Petrol 95: up by 52c/litre Diesel 0.05%: up by 82c/litre Diesel 0.005%: up by 84c/litre Illuminating paraffin: up by 67c/litre The maximum retail price of liquefied petroleum gas is down by 57c per kg countrywide, except in the Western Cape, where it increased by R1.90/kg due to import costs through Saldanha Bay. With the cost of living already on the rise, many Joburg residents said they will be forced to make tough decisions this month, whether that means cutting luxuries, changing transport methods, or simply walking to work.
IOL News
9 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
Government pensions administrator rebuffs allegations of financial mismanagement
The GPAA is a government component which reports to the Minister of Finance and administers funds and schemes on behalf of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), the largest pension fund in Africa. Image: Sipplied The Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) has responded to recent concerns surrounding a document that has raised eyebrows within the public domain. A week ago, the Public Service and Commercial Union of South Africa (PSCU) raised alarm over alleged financial mismanagement of pension funds amounting to more than R500 million at the GPAA. According to a preliminary internal audit report for the 2024/25 financial year, compiled by Abacwaningi Business Solution (ABS) Audit & Advisory Services, there are a number of key governance concerns at the GPAA, which the auditors have brought to the attention of management to ensure sound governance. The GPAA is a government component which reports to the Minister of Finance and administers funds and schemes on behalf of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), the largest pension fund in Africa. It thus administers the pension affairs of approximately 1.7 million government employees and pensioners, as well as the affairs of their spouses and dependants. The report found an apparent discrepancy between the reported R15.3 million irregular expenditure and the R30.8m logged in the internal register. 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 There was also an innocuous purchase order of R67m, which ballooned into a staggering R495m lease liability, allegedly signed post-audit on 23 May 2025 but backdated to commence on 31 July 2024. The report also raised serious concerns regarding R11.9m in prepayments, an additional R6.8m for undelivered uniforms, and a R12m NPS system devoid of deployment evidence. The PSCU has now demanded evidence of Supply Chain Management compliance and the National Treasury approval over all these allegations, and requests all pertinent contracts, invoices, and approvals regarding multiple contracts, alongside confirmation of any forensic investigations initiated as per the audit recommendations. It wrote a letter to the GPAA CEO, Kedibone Madiehe, a fortnight ago requesting clarification and remedial measures in response to the report. However, the GPAA said no such letter has been received by the GPAA's CEO, or her office. The GPAA told Business Report this week that the document in question was merely a preliminary internal audit report still in progress and was illegally obtained, shared, and published, further complicating the discourse surrounding its contents and validity. GPAA spokesperson, Mack Lewele also said the annual financial statements will be released as part of the Annual Report as soon as they are finalised and approved for publishing. 'It is a preliminary internal audit report that we are working on as per normal audit process (Annual Financial Statement). The document was illegally obtained, shared and published. It is an internal, classified working document that is neither complete nor signed off for distribution,' Lewele said. 'A full picture will emerge when the audit process is complete and signed off and at that point we will be in a position to comment on these matters or answer any question. 'The fact that it was illegally accessed and shared makes it impossible for us to comment on it, particularly the incompleteness thereof. We will invoke the relevant procedures to deal with the illegal distribution of the document.'
IOL News
13 hours ago
- IOL News
Attorney ordered to pay R500,000 for false assault charges against colleague
An attorney who laid false charges of assault against her colleague, also an attorney, which resulted in him spending eight days in prison, has to pay him R500,000 in damages Image: File picture An attorney's actions by laying false charges of assault against a colleague at the same law firm where she is based, causing him to spend several days in custody under harrowing conditions, will cost her R500,000. The Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, did not only order Sameera Malekjee to pay her colleague, Christopher Jukes, this amount in damages for defamation, but it was also directed that a copy of this judgment be sent to the Legal Practice Council. Acting Judge Nigel Redman said: 'The defendant (Malekjee) is an attorney and an officer of this court. The defendant appears to have abused the criminal justice system for her own ends.' The judge added that making a false and malicious complaint to the police is reprehensible. 'The defendant's conduct is of great concern and may have to be dealt with by the Legal Practice Council.' Jukes claimed R1.5 million for the humiliation and hardship he had to endure. He is said to be a successful attorney who has been practising in Benoni for approximately 14 years. He is currently a partner of the firm Jukes Malekjee. He told the court that in July last year, the defendant reported a case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm against him. In an affidavit to the SAPS, she claimed Jukes had stabbed her in the left leg the previous day. Her allegations included that Jukes stabbed her with a glass on her 'left toe's whole toenail completely came out (sic).' She further claimed that he called her a b**** and that he threatened to shoot her. She demanded that the matter be investigated and added that he 'must face the full might of the law' (sic). Two months prior to laying the complaint with the police, the defendant had verbally threatened to injure herself and lay a criminal charge against the plaintiff accusing him of assault. This threat was recorded by the plaintiff on his cellphone. The complaint to the police was also preceded by WhatsApp messages being exchanged between the plaintiff and the defendant. In these messages, the defendant had threatened the plaintiff with false criminal charges and she threatened that she would take steps to ensure that he lost his licence as an attorney if he did not comply with her demands. While she accused him of physical assault, threatening behaviour, and abuse, the plaintiff provided evidence that this did not occur. Malekjee, on the other hand, did not defend herself in court. Resulting from the false complaint, Jukes was arrested at his offices in front of witnesses, including a candidate attorney and the owner of the neighbouring property. He was incarcerated for eight days at Modderbee Prison. He told the court of his hardships there, where he was forced to sleep on a concrete floor without blankets, a mattress, or a pillow, and required to use an open toilet and shower in front of other prisoners.
The Citizen
a day ago
- The Citizen
Former HR manager jailed for defrauding special needs school of R6m
Former HR manager jailed for defrauding special needs school of R6m The Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court has sentenced a former human resources manager at New Hope School to 12 years imprisonment. The school in Ashlea Gardens in Pretoria east is a school catering for learners with special educational needs. Ralton Christopher Fischer (44) was convicted on 11 counts of fraud of over R6-million committed between July 2018 and April 2022 while employed at the school. Six years are suspended for five years, on condition that Fischer is not convicted of fraud or theft during the period of suspension. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said his duties included managing payments to staff members employed by the school governing body, and not by the Gauteng Department of Education. 'During this period, Fischer fraudulently made 11 payments into multiple bank accounts registered in his name, including accounts at ABSA, Standard Bank, Discovery Bank, Nedbank, Bidvest, FNB, and Capitec,' explained Mahanjana. The fraud came to light when Fischer scanned and sent documents to a colleague, requesting that they be forwarded to his personal email. The colleague noticed irregularities and raised the alarm, and a preliminary investigation uncovered payments to non-existent employees. The matter was then reported to the police, and Fischer was arrested on April 4, 2023. According to Mahanjana, Fischer pleaded guilty, claiming he used the stolen funds to feed his gambling addiction and purchase a VW Golf GTI valued at R150 000. He further asked the court to impose a sentence of correctional supervision or a wholly suspended sentence, citing his responsibilities as a father to four minor children, two of whom live with disabilities. However, the prosecutor, Advocate Abram Machitela, argued for a custodial sentence, citing the seriousness of the offence, the abuse of a position of trust, and a lack of remorse shown by the accused. He emphasised that Fischer's actions directly prejudiced the school and its vulnerable learners, many of whom use wheelchairs and rely on specialised support. The school also suffered tax liabilities exceeding R500 000 due to Fischer's criminal conduct. Magistrate Ignatius du Preez agreed with the prosecution, finding that Fischer's crimes were not merely driven by addiction, but also by selfishness and greed. Mahanjana said, 'The court noted Fischer's lack of genuine remorse and that his guilty plea was primarily due to the strength of the State's case.' The magistrate concluded that only a direct term of imprisonment was appropriate under the circumstances. She pointed out that the NPA remains unwavering in its commitment to protecting vulnerable communities, particularly children with special needs. 'This case highlights the organisation's zero tolerance for white-collar crime, especially when committed by individuals who abuse positions of trust. Stealing from a school that serves learners with special needs is both morally and legally indefensible. The court's firm sentence affirms that such betrayal will be met with the full force of the law. The NPA welcomes the outcome as a clear statement that those who exploit public institutions will be held accountable.' Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
How your education level affects where you live
There are nearly 12-million households earning less than R13,000 a month with just less than 2.5-million properties available if households stick to the guideline that they spend no more than a third of their income on housing. This is equal to one property for 4.8 households in this income band, showing how low-income households in South Africa face an acute shortage of formal housing stock, said Hayley Ivins-Downes, managing executive of real estate at analytics company Lightstone Property. The ratio improved to 3.3 households for every one formal property if the salary threshold moved to R26,000 a month. For higher income groups, this ratio was closer to 1.2 to 1. Most of South Africa's households earn less than R26,000 per month, which means affordability remains a major obstacle to most households having a property to call their own, Ivins-Downes said. This pushed many into backyard rentals, informal structures or traditional dwellings that weren't formally registered — and often these options were further away from work than is ideal. 'In many towns, lower income working people struggle most to find accommodation.' For homes valued at less than R300,000 — 80% of which were subsidised — only 1% had been bought or sold in the past five years compared with 4% in the R300,000 to R500,000 price band, 6% in the R500,000 to R750,000 price band and 13% in the R750,000 to R2m price band. 'The data told us that not only was there a significant shortage of affordable housing, but there were proportionately fewer transactions among lower income earners, limiting mobility, equity growth and broader economic participation,' Ivins-Downes said. The more education people have, the more likely they will be able to buy houses in higher price bands, the data also shows. 'A household with two working people who did not have matric would probably be able to afford a house valued at R250,000 — but this jumped to R380,000 where the two have a matric and to R1.8m when they have degrees,' she said. Mapping these affordability scenarios to suburbs showed how the difference in education — and consequently earning potential — affected housing choice. In Johannesburg, couples without matric found affordable stock in areas such as Hillbrow, Johannesburg Central and Orange Farm, while couples with degrees would be buying in suburbs such as Morningside, North Riding and Weltevreden Park. She said the insights underscored the need for integrated housing, education and economic policies to address the barriers facing lower income households.
