Latest news with #ZainulDawood
IOL News
12-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Reflecting on the July unrest in Phoenix: A call for reconciliation
The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) at the commemoration ceremony for the July 2021 unrest in Phoenix on Saturday. Image: Zainul Dawood The commemoration of the July 2021 unrest in Phoenix, on Saturday, is expected to be an opportunity to announce the reconciliation and conflict resolution projects, as well as other initiatives that will be launched with the communities afterwards. The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) held the commemoration to serve as a symbolic gesture to promote peace, friendship, humanity, reconciliation, social cohesion, and solidarity between the members of the African and Indian communities in the surrounding areas. The SAHRC National Investigative Hearing report into the July 2021 unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal stated that the unrest was initially, and mainly branded and characterised by news reports of protests supporting former president Jacob Zuma, and their subsequent development into, and intertwining with the mass anarchy that ensued, characterised by burning warehouses and shops, a racialised tone of interpersonal violence began to emerge amid the narrative. Images and footage of gruesome violence were shared on social media, particularly attached to the hashtags #KZNViolence, #phoenixmassacre, #EthnicMobilisation, and #IndiansMustFall. 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 ✕ The SAHRC findings found Lapses in intelligence coordination and communication. Inadequate preparedness and response of the National Security Council. Insufficient security expertise and resource management. Failure of joint security expertise and resource management. Failure of joint security, intelligence, and operations bodies. Absence of community engagement in case reporting and access to justice. Lack of accountability and impunity within justice institutions. Private Security Industry Regulation (PSiRA) findings: poor regulation and abuse of power. Government accountability. On June 29, 2021, the Constitutional Court found Zuma guilty of contempt of court. He was sentenced to undergo 15 months' imprisonment. The mobilisation of protest actions and population of the #FreeZuma or #HandsOffZuma campaign on social media and other platforms occurred against this backdrop. It was reported that 40,000 businesses and 50,000 informal traders were affected, with 150,000 jobs put at risk. The financial damage of the unrest was estimated at R50 billion, and approximately 353 lives were lost. Before the event, Seelan Archary, Mount Edgecombe Arts and Culture Council chairperson, said that he hoped that lessons were learnt and people would not repeat this drama and tragedy that ensued during the unrest. 'Our society is intelligent enough to know the cause of this particular unrest, where ordinary citizens were caught in the middle. People came out in their numbers to protect their properties. However, opportunists and mischief makers did something criminal in nature. When the rule of law is applied, justice must be fair, just, and swift. We sympathise and send condolences to those who lost their family members in this incident,' Archary said. He appealed for calm, peace, and brotherhood, and further added that people had lived peacefully together all these years. 'We cannot let this tear up as a part. The government must also focus on developing the areas around Phoenix, like Inanda, so that those residents cannot say Phoenix is better off and has everything,' he said. Azad Seedat, community leader and member of the South African Communist Party (SACP), said we must look beyond racism, adding that both Indians and Africans lived alongside one another for decades and should not let political agendas get between them and sow racial division.
IOL News
30-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Letters: Israel must be held accountable, and unethical reporting – do something about it!
Please correct unethical reporting I am writing to formally raise a concern about reporter, Zainul Dawood's deliberate dissemination of misinformation that not only violates journalistic ethics but also contravenes the principles enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, particularly the right to freedom of expression and access to truthful information. It is deeply concerning that the article in the edition of the Daily News published on June 26, 2025, published on the front page titled: 'Ratepayers face big losses due to delays' included claims that were factually incorrect and presented in a misleading manner. This report by Dawood appears to be intentionally skewed, lacking proper context, or balance, thus compromising the public's right to accurate and fair information. The article falsely reported that ongoing delays by a contractor to improve the infrastructure at the Hammarsdale Wastewater Treatment Works has cost eThekwini ratepayers R60 million. The article is misleading and has distorted the facts from the Executive Committee (Exco) meeting, where the eThekwini Water and Sanitation Directorate tabled a report seeking approval to amend the contract of the consultant responsible for the Hammarsdale Wastewater Treatment Works project. This is a major project that has two main contractors, one being a consultant, JG Afrika (Pty) Ltd, whose contract is being extended in terms of the Municipal Finance Management Act since being appointed in February 2020. The other is a contractor, Stefanutti Stocks-WPCP JV, which was appointed in November 2023 for the implementation of the necessary upgrades, and whose contract is still in progress. The function of the consultant is the execution and completion of multi-disciplinary engineering design work and construction supervision required for the functional upgrade of the Hammarsdale Wastewater Treatment Works. It must be noted that the required improvements to this facility are critical to industrial and commercial growth in the Hammersdale is important to first point out that the delays reflected in the Exco report were not the result of the contractor's conduct or the municipality's fault. The reasons are explicitly stated in the report, including the Covid-19 challenge in 2020-2021 as there was a national lockdown prohibiting construction work to take place, associated budgetary constraints, technical issues arising during construction, and general project delays due to the complex nature of the engineering work being undertaken. Delays are normal in a project of this magnitude and complexity especially because of the explanation stated above and such unforeseen delays are often taken into consideration for budgeting purposes. This project has always been budgeted at R260m for construction, taking into account contingencies and escalation. Six months prior to tender, the cost of construction was estimated at R200m, which at the time did not include contingencies and escalation. However, your article creates an incorrect perception that the City is incurring 'additional costs of R60 million' which will be paid for by ratepayers due to delays caused by the contractor, which is not true. The cost of this project currently remains within budget, despite extending the contract for the consultant. The media was part of the project launch on January 26, 2024 and the project is well on track, and construction is in progress. The project includes a 30% CPG component amounting to R58m and local contractors have already benefited by over R15m. As per the Exco report, the reason for amending the contract of the consultant is to extend their term to attend to the project until its completion and commissioning, currently estimated to be in November 2026. Additionally, it is unethical for your reporter to quote the mayor, Councillor Cyril Xaba, on this matter in his article as if the mayor's comments were directly related to the Hammarsdale Wastewater Treatment Works project. Dawood attended the Exco meeting and knows that the Mayor's remarks about contract management were made in general and prior to the deliberation of all agenda items. The mayor's comments and the agenda report on the Hammarsdale Wastewater Treatment Works are therefore completely unrelated. Furthermore, Asad Gaffar from the eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement who was also quoted in this incorrect article was not at the Exco meeting where the Hammarsdale Wastewater Treatment Works report was discussed. This therefore means that Dawood deliberately gave Mr Gaffar false information for him to respond and react in the manner that he did in order to give his unethical and incorrect article credibility. According to Section 16 of the Constitution, all South Africans have the right to freedom of expression, which includes freedom of the press and other media. This right comes with the expectation that journalistic conduct must be responsible, ethical, and accountable. Spreading misinformation undermines public trust, inflames divisions, and endangers the democratic values our media is supposed to protect. I respectfully request that Dawood's unethical conduct be investigated and that appropriate action be taken to uphold professional journalistic standards. We request your publication to issue a public retraction and an apology to correct the misleading article. | Mandla Nsele Director, Communications and Marketing Directorate eThekwini Municipality When Convenience Trumps Conviction The DA has once again shown South Africans that political survival – not principle – is at the core of its decisions. The recent sacking of its Deputy Minister by President Ramaphosa has exposed the glaring contradictions and moral gymnastics the DA is willing to perform to remain in power. Let's be clear: cabinet ministers and deputy ministers are appointed by the president. This is not up for debate; it is a constitutional fact. They serve at the president's pleasure and are ultimately accountable to him. Yet, under this loose, hastily stitched-together arrangement called the so-called Government of National Unity (GNU), we have seen members from different political parties, including the DA, acting as if they are accountable to their party first, and to the president second. The case of the Basic Education Minister refusing to sign the Bela Bill – an ANC-driven policy – is a prime example. That DA minister was quickly brought to order, reminding us all that no matter the party colour on your tie, the president holds the final say in Cabinet. The DA, however, appears deeply uncomfortable with this arrangement. And rightfully so. They are there out of convenience, not conviction. The decision to join the GNU was done overnight, in back rooms, without consulting its own members or the broader electorate. John Steenhuisen and his inner circle pushed it through, offering a pathetic explanation – that it was done to 'save the country from chaos.' Really? This is not a coalition built on shared values. It is a coalition built on political desperation and opportunism. How can the DA sit in a Cabinet that implements ANC policies – policies fundamentally opposed to the DA's own manifesto – and still pretend to be a credible opposition force? The DA's hypocrisy was further exposed during the budget debate, where John Steenhuisen unceremoniously replaced the scheduled speaker to grandstand about the firing of his deputy minister. Instead of using the debate to address the real economic crisis facing South Africans – rising unemployment, collapsing municipalities, rampant corruption – Steenhuisen chose to whine about a decision his party knew was constitutionally correct. He told us things we already knew: That the ANC's Cabinet is full of ministers implicated in various scandals. But this is nothing new. The DA knew this when they enthusiastically joined the GNU. They knew they would have to share a table with the same ministers they once labeled as enemies of progress. Yet they signed up anyway. And now, as if to cement their hypocrisy, they suddenly oppose the R700 million 'national dialogue' – a dialogue they quietly supported when their seat at the Cabinet table was still warm. Only after losing a member did they find their spine. Suddenly, the DA remembers that R700m could be used to build classrooms, fix hospitals, or fund job creation programs. Convenient timing, don't you think? The DA's moral inconsistency does not stop here. They have criticized cadre deployment for years – yet they gleefully accepted Cabinet positions handed out by the very party they accused of state capture. They lament state corruption – yet now they share in the spoils of power, feigning innocence when the same corruption machine spits out one of their own. What we are witnessing is the death of principle in South African politics. The DA has shown that it will sacrifice its stated values at the altar of political expediency. It cannot claim to be an alternative to the ANC while propping up the very system it has spent years condemning. The people of South Africa deserve honest leaders who do not shift their moral compass depending on what's politically convenient. They deserve parties that stand on principle, not on opportunistic deals struck in smoke-filled back rooms. The DA must decide: Is it an opposition party, holding the ruling party to account and presenting a real alternative? Or is it simply another cog in the ANC's machinery, desperate to cling to whatever scraps of power it can get? Until they answer this question truthfully, South Africans will continue to see the DA for what it truly is – a party of convenience, not conviction. | Visvin Reddy MP MK Party Israel must be held accountable US President Donald Trump claimed that the airstrikes on Isfahan, Natanz and Fordow, the crucial Iranian nuclear facilities have been destroyed, and were a 'spectacular success'. I believe, only time will tell if Trump's statement that Tehran's nuclear programme has actually been obliterated is correct. Iran has consistently stated that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, such as energy production, medical research and is purely of a civilian nature. In spite of this proclamation by Iran, a paranoid apartheid Israel, without evidence, consistently insisted that Iran plans to build nuclear bombs. With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu achieving his objective of getting the US to buy into his long-standing exaggerated claim and strike Iran's nuclear facilities and emerge as the main recipient of this unlawful strike on Iran, now what? Will Israel stop the imposed starvation on the Palestinians, the ongoing weaponisation of aid and the genocide in Gaza, and agree to a permanent ceasefire? The way forward and to bring about sanity, not only in the Middle East, but around the world is to support the different international campaigns to abolish nuclear weapons. It is more important than ever that we campaign to get rid of all nuclear weapons globally. Together with campaigning for a nuclear-free world, apartheid Israel, the occupying regime, that has illegally occupied Palestinian land must be accountable for breaches of international law. | MOHAMED SAEED Pietermaritzburg DAILY NEWS
The Star
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Concerns raised over R1. 8 million payment for incomplete stadium project in Durban
Zainul Dawood | Published 1 day ago The management of the eThekwini municipality came under scrutiny for an allocation of R1.8 million for the rehabilitation of the Rotary Stadium in KwaMashu despite non-performance issues by the service provider. Councillors approved the urgent reprioritisation of a budget to cater for the stadium rehabilitation. According to the municipality, the R1.8 million is sourced from various projects including R585,000 from a library project. In a report before eThekwini council on Monday, the Parks Recreation and Culture (PRC) Unit stated that the mandate is to build new and to rehabilitate existing facilities. In 2024 and 2025, the PRC unit was allocated R185 million for capital projects to build new facilities and develop the existing facilities within the city. There were no figures provided on how much was already spent on the stadium. The municipality stated that the cancellation was due to circumstances beyond their control and that the project was halted due to non-performance issues by the service provider. The municipality stated that the final account for closing this project has been concluded and the invoice has been received for the payment. The municipality stated that the project line item currently has a budget shortfall, and the unit has identified savings within the unit's capital budget to be reprioritised for the payment of the final account for the project. Following an in-depth consideration of the item, the DA and Truly Alliance (TA) expressed reservations regarding the approval of this item and proposed that an oversight visit be conducted prior to the approval, as they were of the view that they needed to have all information regarding the work done and the work still outstanding. This submission therefore seeks authority to pay for part of work already undertaken under this project, with attention drawn to the urgency of the matter in view of threats being levelled against the municipal officials as a result of non-payment. Daniel Mea, DA Councillor, said the project had come before council again, this time not for progress, but for payment to a contractor who failed to complete the job. Mea said the DA will not endorse rewarding failure and because the facts placed before the council remain deeply concerning and unresolved. 'We were told that the contractor ran out of money and could not complete the contract. This raises critical red flags. Was there a proper project cash flow monitoring and did this not have a fixed scope or fixed budget contract? How did the contractor reach a point where the budget was exhausted but the work remained incomplete? And perhaps most alarmingly despite this failure the municipality now proposes to pay him more," Mea said. Mea said this sets a dangerous precedent and 'one cannot and must not create a culture where underperformance is rewarded and failure is f ollowed by financial rescue'. 'To date, council has not been provided with a comprehensive audit of the actual work delivered, nor the timeline of expenditure. If the council continues to rubber stamp such proposals then it is complicit in the erosion of accountability. Oversight committees must not be passive observers,' Mea said. Councillor Musa Khubeka, of ActionSA, expressed serious reservations, stating that one could not approve millions of rands when the report showed that other parties' views, concerns and suggestions of doing oversight were not addressed during a committee meeting. 'We demand transparency and accountability is very important, oversight must be done,' Khubeka said. [email protected]
IOL News
22-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
Residents of Sydenham flats face ongoing water supply crisis since December
Ward councillor Remona McKenzie said residents of Durban have been deprived of consistent access to water. Since December 2024, residents living in high-rise blocks of flats in Sydenham have not been receiving a regular supply of water to their taps. Image: Zainul Dawood Approximately 320 flats have been affected by intermittent water outages in the Sydenham area, with residents having to carry buckets of water up flights of stairs since December. The high-rise buildings of Sydenham Manor on Crouch Road, Sydenham Heights A Block, on Rippon Road, and Aslam Heights on Randles Road are most affected by the water outages. Leanne Lupke, a resident, said the water issue has become frequent and worse since December, which she heard was due to water pressure in the pipelines. Lupke stated that residents were uncertain about when the water supply would return to the taps.. If it does, she said, the supply only lasts a few hours or does not reach all the flats in the building. "I have been following up on WhatsApp groups and also noticed that other buildings in Sherwood and 45th Cutting are experiencing the problem. Residents believe that there is manipulation of the water system," she 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 ✕ Ad Loading Carol Noel, 72, who lives on the 6th floor in Sydenham Manor and uses walking aids, shared her plight of having to pay people, up to R50, in the building to fetch water for her. "The water tankers come at odd hours. We also went three days without water. We pay for water that we are not using," she said. Isaac Waljee, 67, said he had to walk up nine floors carrying buckets of water in Sydenham A-Block. Carl Lortan, Sydenham Ratepayers Association chairperson, said the city management must heed the concerns of residents who are paying for undelivered services. Lortan said residents were intending to hold a placard protest outside City Hall to highlight their plight, adding that children going to school and those reliant on medication were most affected by the water outages. Ward councillor Remona McKenzie said residents have been deprived of consistent access to water since December last year. Despite escalating this matter to the head of Water and Sanitation, Operations and Technical teams, the municipality has failed to provide any feedback or resolution. "This neglect not only breaches the rights enshrined in the Municipal Systems Act but also undermines the constitutional obligation to provide access to water. The crisis is forcing elderly residents to carry heavy buckets of water, placing an undue burden on them and highlighting the severe impact on their lives. We demand urgent action and accountability to restore our right to water," McKenzie said. Sandile Cele, acting area manager of Water Operations, Central Region, said residents' concern about water tanker availability is understood. In a statement, the municipality said that to prevent the system from collapsing, which may result in a prolonged recovery period, an urgent decision has been taken to shut off outflows on uMngeni-uThukela's Wiggins Water Treatment Works. The treatment works also supplies water to Sydenham. Other areas affected include Dunbar, Chesterville, and Bonela. The municipality said shutting off outflows is necessary to replenish storage reserves at the works, which will increase flow to the city's reservoirs. As per the previous communique on May 15, the municipality stated that shutting off the outflows will continue to be repeated until the system has fully recovered. The municipality added that it was working closely with its bulk supplier, uMngeni-uThukela, to remedy the situation and find a permanent solution. It is anticipated that storage reserves will improve overnight for outflow supplies to resume. However, consumers are cautioned that the interruption of supply may continue as the system recovers.
