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Eyewitness News
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Ramaphosa's cabinet scandals and the collapse of credible leadership
Judith February 11 July 2025 | 9:26 Government of national unity (GNU) Cyril Ramaphosa FILE: President Cyril Ramaphosa at the first day of the Police Summit held at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Johannesburg on 8 April 2025. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/EWN President Ramaphosa's decision to fire DA deputy minister of Trade Industry and Competition Andrew Whitfield for travelling abroad without permission was followed by the inevitable melodrama of 'will they (the DA) or won't they' leave the GNU? In the end, we heard that the DA was not leaving the GNU but it would not be part of the National Dialogue, convened by Ramaphosa and it would not vote in favour of corrupt ministers' budgets. On the National Dialogue scheduled for 15 August, it is hard to understand what a National Dialogue held in one day will achieve. After all, we understand our challenges very well and South Africans, being as loud and cacophonous as we are and thanks to our free press, are able to document our travails very we need is action – the right prescription, however. 15 August is likely to be a mishmash of 'rainbowism' (from our beloved sporting heroes) with everything but the kitchen sink thrown in was in fact the dialogue coalition partners ought to have had prior to forming the GNU. Granted there was not the luxury of time but the reason the GNU keeps faltering is because its strategy and goals have been unclear from the action our country needs must come, primarily, from our inert President. But, far be it from Ramaphosa to take on anything thorny or difficult. His cabinet reads a little like a Rogues' Gallery, in parts. Where to start? Allegations swirl around Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, minister in the Presidency who for some reason seems to have the President's ear- she is being investigated by the Hawks for 'what a judge called a 'repugnant and devastating' tender awarded during her tenure as municipal manager of the Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality.' In addition to allegations of corruption, Ntshavheni has also shown herself comfortable using xenophobic rhetoric. Since last year serious allegations related to VBS bank corruption have been reported against minister Thembi Simelane. Simelane was the mayor of Polokwane between 2014 and 2021 and was appointed as justice minister in July 2024. Her appearance before Parliament about alleged corrupt activities left more questions than answers. If the allegations are true, she would have been party to the VBS scam which was a crime against the poorest in our despite repeated calls for her removal, Ramaphosa simply moved her from Justice and Constitutional Development to take up the position of Human settlements minister in December 2024. What a travesty. Presumably Ramaphosa believes the poor, desperate for housing, deserve a minister with a cloud of corruption over her the spat about Whitfield was continuing, Gayton McKenzie, minister of Sports Arts and Culture was mouthing off on social media in defence of Ramaphosa's decision. Ramaphosa turned a blind eye to McKenzie's xenophobic comments just weeks earlier when, while addressing the chairpersons and CEOs of all Department of Sport, Arts and Culture entities – including museums, theatres and heritage and funding agencies, he launched into an attack on 'foreigners' in South Africa. A large grouping of civil society organisations has called McKenzie's remarks, 'vulgar', in a statement released on 20 May McKenzie, who has said that he is eyeing the Presidency (we should be concerned about this given some by-election results and the global trend towards populism), also threatened to 'shut down' the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation. Since our passive President has not acted against McKenzie's menacing comments against civil society and his illegal pronouncements against government entities, we must assume that these comments represent the GNU he leads. In addition, allegations of corruption have been levelled against McKenzie in the past week after his son's purchase of a SuperSport United's PSL can be surprised that McKenzie is now emboldened in his base conduct? After all, Ramaphosa knew that McKenzie was a corrupt xenophobe when he asked him to join his cabinet. Yet, he remains, representing and embarrassing our country both here and abroad. But in South Africa there is always more. While the Whitfield matter reared its head, Minister of Higher Education, Nobuhle Nkabane was facing serious 'allegations of corruption, misleading Parliament and making political appointments to the boards of Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas). Sasco president Alungile Kamtshe has also called for her removal, yet the President has been unmoved and the ANC has defended Nkabane. Compounding Ramaphosa's challenges, on Sunday Lieutenant -General Mkhwanazi, Kwa-Zulu-Natal Police Commissioner made damning allegations against the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu in essence claiming he is in cahoots with criminals. He also cited WhatsApp exchanges which implicate the minister, senior law enforcement officials as well as members of the judiciary in Gauteng. Who is to know exactly where the truth lies in a country used to politicians in bed with all manner of criminals? Mchunu has issued various blanket the very least, the allegations show serious divisions between the minister, a powerful regional commissioner and the broader Police service. At worst it represents an attack on the democratic state and the rule of law. No South African can feel safer or more comforted after the President's statement. In fact, quite the opposite. The corruption and dysfunction run deep within our police structures and ordinary citizens are the casualties (literally) in a country with levels of crime which are completely out of control. The social contract has been broken and only concerted effort will fix things. The President was driven to make a statement about this matter from Brazil, where he was attending a BRICS meeting. Both his and the ANC's statements were bland with the Presidency now announcing an address to the nation on Sunday evening. Quite where that leaves us, only time will tell. Will the President act on the Mchunu allegations and use Sunday evening's announcement as the opportunity to clean out his cabinet? Or, will he, as he has throughout his Presidency, put party above country by acceding to ministers in crucial portfolios who have not properly answered the serious allegations of corruption against them? Their presence in powerful positions is a threat to the rule of law and undermines whatever confidence citizens have in government. But firing rogue ministers would mean that Ramaphosa would have to take on some powerful forces within his own party. He has repeatedly shown that he does not have the stomach for that, instead preferring to warm the seat of power, while stepping back from his responsibility to protect and defend the constitution, or take important decisions on the economy, for that matter. Early on in his Presidency when goodwill from business and civil society towards him was at its highest, South Africa having endured a decade of state capture's nightmare, Ramaphosa chose to squander that goodwill and a rare opportunity for a whole-of-society effort to reclaim our country. Instead his gaze was on the unfixable ANC. So, no National Dialogue will help the President grow a spine to do what is needed, no National Dialogue will convince South Africans that we have a president who is willing to expend his political capital (such as it is) in the interests of the country. Instead there will be more grinning photo-ops on a 'feel-good' will, no doubt be interspersed with those attending who hold earnest intentions to improve the socio-economic conditions in our country and who understand that ever-increasing unemployment, a fraying social fabric and deepening inequality are a danger to democracy. But that cannot address the leadership vacuum this President leaves. If Ramaphosa wants to lead with conviction, he needs to make some unpopular decisions. That is how one saves a country.
eNCA
02-07-2025
- Business
- eNCA
R730-million of looted VBS money recovered
JOHANNESBURG - At least R730-million out of billions of rands looted from the defunct VBS Mutula Bank has been recovered, according to the Prudential Authority's last report. The bank was liquidated in 2018 after 'The Great Bank Heist' report uncovered financial mismanagement. Around R2,3-billion was siphoned. The Prudential Authority says its focus is to claw back the remainder of the money for the benefit of creditors. Municipalities and pensioners had invested in the bank. Twenty-nine cases have been initiated as a result of criminal activities at VBS.
Daily Maverick
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Flying close to the sun(s) — Floyd Shivambu, SA's political Icarus whose wings are tied with VBS strings
Flloyd Shivambu is politically vulnerable, having fallen foul of both Jacob Zuma and Julius Malema, with the stink of the VBS scandal still clinging to him. If one were to measure a revolutionary by the state of their facial adornment, then Floyd Shivambu's dalliance in politics currently looks as patchy as his beard. Shivambu – edging closer to what might be the political wilderness after a Darwinian coup in his new political home, the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party, prompted by a 'false intelligence report' – is on a mission – to find a rightful place in South African revolutionary politics. On Friday, 27 June, Shivambu announced he would be 'consulting' widely to gauge the temperature for the launch of his own political party to contest the 2026 local government elections. While there appears to have been no formal announcement that Shivambu has in fact left the MK party, it is clear he is eyeing the party's spinning revolving door. The party's ver verlate vlaktes (far and desolate plains) are already home to the hungry ghosts of Jimmy Manyi, MK party founder Jabulani Khumalo, Mervyn Dirks, Arthur Zwane, Sifiso Maseko and several others who have been through Zuma's meatgrinder. Last week, still dressed in his MK party regalia, Shivambu announced on Elon Musk's platform X: 'On Friday, 27 June 2025, we will announce the National Consultation Team (NCT) of Mayibuye Consultation Process. 'As always, we will use the opportunity to exercise what Amilcar Cabral taught us that as revolutionaries, we should 'hide nothing from the masses of our people'. 'Tell no lies. Expose lies whenever they are told. Mask no difficulties, mistakes, failures. Claim no easy victories … Tell no lies … Claim No easy victories …,' he trailed off. Those who have thrown their lot in with Shivambu's initiative include former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MPs Vusi Khoza and Fana Mokoena, and former MK party members Patrick Sindane, Menzi Magubane and Bishop Stephen Zondo. Downfall Shivambu's slide in 10 months from top leadership of the country's largest opposition party was lubricated after the staunch Marxist's visit, over Easter, to fugitive pastor, Shepherd Bushiri, in his hideout-in-plain-sight in Malawi. Bushiri skipped bail and SA with his wife, Mary, in 2020 after facing charges of rape, money laundering and fraud. In an interview after the controversial drop-in, Shivambu said that joining the MK party had been 'the best political decision' he had ever taken, until it appears it wasn't. Zuma, claimed Shivambu, had given his blessing, so to speak, for the meeting but others in the party distanced themselves from this tea diplomacy, smelling more fish than cookies. Shivambu was first demoted – the eighth secretary-general to come through the party's chaotic works – and offered a spot in the National Assembly (NA), which he has turned down. It is clear that his Mayibuye Consultation Process, an attempt to bring together 'progressive forces' on the left, will consume his spare time in future, and he will have a lot of it. How he will fund this initiative is yet to be revealed; however, Shivambu said thousands had already volunteered their time and money. The problem with 'we' Earlier this week, prior to announcing the media conference, Shivambu referred to himself as 'we' on social media. The slippery slope begins when politicians begin to use 'we'. It is the red flag, the flare, the canary in the coal mine, the straightjacket moment. Before 'we' was always a duo, Malema and Shivambu, now it is Floyd alone in the spotlight. After betraying Julius Malema, his childhood fellow-revolutionary and EFF commander-in-chief, Shivambu fell in August 2024 into the warm arms of former president Jacob Zuma, followed by a chilling embrace from Zuma's charming daughter, Duduzile. Shivambu's Mayibuye Africa Movement feels a bit bit like Agang, Mamphela Ramphele's 'political platform' or Mmusi Maimane's Build One South Africa movement, which turned into a political party that now has three seats (two in the NA and one in Gauteng). It was needed, said Shivambu, because the MK party, led by a man he once publicly called a thief, was a 'Zulu nationalist movement'– as if he were born yesterday and wasn't aware of what the rest of us knew from the start. Was Shivambu asleep during all those memorable 'pay back the money' chants in the NA? 'With this in mind, we will be visiting all corners of South Africa to listen to the people,' Shivambu promised. Personal Cults R Us Shivambu has explained this quest noting 'we ask these questions because our strong conviction and belief is that no individual should start a political party out of their own personal convictions and not collective convictions'. He added that 'a political party should never be a family project', nor should it be 'tribal' or a 'regional or provincial project'. It should also 'never be a private property' nor a 'cult or fiefdom. Instead it should be a 'fighting instrument' for 'the people as a whole', espouse 'deep democratic principles and values' and be 'transparent and accountable to the people'. Hoor, hoor. Speaking of which. The ghost of VBS At this point it would be appropriate to drop in the fact that Tshifhiwa Matodzi, former chair of VBS bank, is serving 15 years in jail after pleading guilty to 33 counts of corruption, theft, fraud, money laundering and a pattern of racketeering activities. In July 2024, Matodzi entered a plea deal and signed a 70-page witness statement which, with annexures, totals 263 pages and took around three weeks to draft. As colleague Pauli van Wyk wrote at the time: 'Malema and Shivambu knew the funds they received from VBS were unlawful, Matodzi claims, because Malema and Shivambu created a front company called Sgameka Projects. 'There was no legitimate business reason for these payments — they told him they needed money for their restaurant in Soweto and, tellingly, they tried to 'regularise' the payments after the curatorship of VBS by backdating a contract that was never entered into'. Later, after four years of investigation by the joint committee on ethics and members' interests, a letter to the Democratic Alliance from the Parliament's acting registrar of members' interests, advocate Anthea Gordon, indicated Shivambu's salary was docked nine days for breaching Parliament's code of ethics. The committee found that Shivambu had failed to disclose money transferred to him from Sgameka Projects, which was owned by his brother Brian. This was an R180,000 transfer to his account in August 2017. In 2019 Brian Shivambu was ordered by the Johannesburg High Court to pay R1.78-million to the bank's liquidators. SARS payback In June 2021 Brian Shivambu signed a secret contract admitting to having received R4.55-million from VBS, promising to repay the money, which belonged to municipalities as well as pensioners in Venda. As Van Wyk reported, Brian Shivambu's attorneys insisted on a secrecy clause before their client signed an 'acknowledgement of debt' for R4.55-million in favour of Vele Investments, the majority shareholder in VBS Mutual Bank, during Vele's insolvency inquiry. Vele and VBS, along with other related companies, created a single criminal enterprise under the stewardship of bank chairman, Matodzi, with the goal of fraudulently siphoning off money from the bank's depositors and laundering proceeds to participants in the scam, which amounted to about R2.7-billion. Several arrests related to the VBS Mutual Bank scandal have been made, including Limpopo ANC heavyweight and businessman Danny Msiza, who is facing charges of fraud and corruption for pushing mayors into supporting VBS. Swings and roundabouts According to Matodzi's claims, Malema and Shivambu's EFF had been counted among the most vociferous critics of the VBS loan to Zuma. Malema had in fact campaigned on stage against VBS at political rallies. 'As chairman of VBS, I then decided that Malema and EFF should be approached for VBS to explain its position and how the loan was granted.' Van Wyk revealed that Matotzi had claimed that a meeting was arranged 'with Julius at the EFF's penthouse in Sandton around April/May 2017' . While Van Wyk found no deed document registered to the EFF that suggested the party owned a penthouse in Sandton, journalist Jacques Pauw had published in his book Our Poisoned Land that Malema had had access and at times full use of tobacco baron Adriano Mazzotti's penthouse at the Raphael Penthouse Suites in Sandton. Matodzi's version is that he explained to Malema and Shivambu that their political rallies were embarrassing and damaging to VBS and that 'as black brothers, the EFF's constituencies were VBS target market also'. It was then that Matodzi swung the vociferous VBS/Zuma critics in his favour: 'I further informed them that VBS was willing to offer a donation to the EFF. I then proposed that VBS can donate R5-million immediately once a bank account has been opened at VBS and R1-million per month to the EFF. I also made it clear that the amount could only be deposited into a VBS account, and that EFF should therefore open a bank account with VBS.' The money pipeline Daily Maverick's Scorpio investigation also highlighted that VBS funds were funnelled through fronts towards the building works of a restaurant, Grand Azania. Were the NPA and SIU not so busy chasing the State Capturers who live among us, they might now have time to consider Shivambu, who is politically more vulnerable having, like Icarus, flown two close to two suns, the one (Malema) hotter than the other (Zuma). DM
IOL News
26-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Steenhuisen's address raises questions on DA's stance regarding the Division of Revenue Bill
DA leader John Steenhuisen says a DA deputy minister is removed for not getting a response to seeking permission to travel, while there are members in the Cabinet implicated in the VBS scandal and looting. Image: Henk Kruger / Independent Newspapers Discontent between the Government of National Unity (GNU) partners played out in Parliament on Thursday when DA leader John Steenhuisen left many guessing how his party was to vote on the Division of Revenue Bill following the axing of their member from Cabinet. Although the Bill was ultimately passed, Steenhuisen's address left the members, including Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, anxious about how the DA might use their unhappiness over the axing of Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield to withdraw their votes. Speaking during the debate, Steenhuisen started off by narrating how President Cyril Ramaphosa had informed him of his intention to fire Whitfield as deputy minister of Trade, Industry and Competition. He said he had requested 24 hours to speak to Whitfield and inform the DA. 'However, before I could even do so, just three hours later, Whitfield received a letter informing him of his removal,' said Steenhuisen. This prompted MK Party MP Brian Molefe to raise a point of order. 'The Speaker, with respect, is irrelevant to the topic of today,' Molefe said. House Chairperson Cedric Frolick asked Steenhuisen to get to the topic dealing with the Division of Revenue Bill. In response, Steenhuisen said: 'I am setting out the reason why we will be voting as how we will be voting in the House today on this Bill.' This drew heckling from the EFF, with Frolick asking the Red Berets' Chief Whip Nontando Nolutshungu to ask her members to calm down. 'You don't even know the reason yet, so let us listen to the debate, honourable members.' Continuing with the debate, Steenhuisen said Whitfield was fired for not obtaining permission to travel abroad earlier this year. He said Whitfield had requested permission to travel to the US on February 12, but did not receive any response 10 days later about the trip, and then subsequently apologised and again received no response. Steenhuisen said Ramaphosa unilaterally removed 'a DA deputy minister' without even giving the DA an opportunity to discuss with Whitfield. While Ramaphosa's spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said Whitfield's removal was not part of a broader reshuffle, Steenhuisen said it was a calculated political assault on the DA. 'What makes matters even worse, this unilateral action is a result and the product of a flagrant double standard. While a DA deputy minister is removed for not getting a response to seeking permission to travel, there are members in the Cabinet implicated in the VBS scandal and looting. There are members on the Cabinet who, despite apparently misleading Parliament over an attempt to deploy corrupt cadres to SETA boards, remain in Cabinet.' While he did not mention the affected ministers, his prepared speech named Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane and Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane and Deputy Minister David Mahlobo. He dismissed a suggestion by EFF MP Sinawo Thambo that Whitfield was incompetent. Thambo had earlier congratulated Ramaphosa 'for developing testicular fortitude to remove the DA deputy minister, who was incompetent'. Steenhuisen maintained that Whitfield was succeeding in his job. 'He had opposed an attempt to make suspect appointments to the Industrial Development Corporation board. He was raising uncomfortable questions about the Transformation Fund opportunities for looting. He was asking uncomfortable questions about the Lotto tender award,' he said .Steenhuisen said it would have been easy for a party treated with disdain by an irresponsible coalition partner to vote against the Bill, but the DA was nothing like the ANC. 'The DA will always put South Africa's interests over narrow politics. We will vote for this Bill today, not for politics, but for South Africa.' Closing the debate, Godongwana remarked that kushushu (it is hot). Referring to Steenhuisen, he said there were often fights when the Budget was up for discussion in the House.
Daily Express
11-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Minister visits Sepanggar Port after industry feedback
Published on: Wednesday, June 11, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 11, 2025 Text Size: KOTA KINABALU: Industrial and Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe ( pic ) has taken proactive steps to address congestion and operational concerns raised by logistics and transportation stakeholders at Sepanggar Port. Phoong conducted a follow-up visit to the port and met directly with operator DP World after receiving feedback from key associations including SABFFLA, PPLKKK, and FMM Sabah. Advertisement He was briefed on improvements, including the deployment of three new Rubber Tyred Gantry cranes, which have helped reduce berthing waiting times and improved wharfside operations. Despite these gains, congestion persists at the entrance and container yard due to a spike in export volume, with TEU growth reaching 11 per cent year-on-year as of May this year. DP World is set to roll out a Vehicle Booking System (VBS) in July to ease lorry traffic and reduce queuing times, while the Sepanggar Port expansion remains on schedule for completion by Q3 2026. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
