Election campaigns for COPE gains momentum in Mpumalanga

Election campaigns for COPE gains momentum in Mpumalanga

BY BRIAN KAJENGO

As the day for the National Elections is knocking around the corner, COPE in Mpumalanga is making massive strides in its door to door elections campaigns aimed at gaining support for the party.

The provincial leaders of COPE were on the ground over the weekend with the provincial deputy chairperson Comrade Nomsa Kubayi recruiting for votes in the Mkhuhlu and surrounding areas.

The premier candidate of COPE, Comrade Sizile Ndlovu, who was accompanied by other comrades, went on a door to door campaign in Msholozi and neighboring places near White River.

The weekend for COPE in Mpumalanga started with an outside radio broadcast   (live interview) by Ligwalagwala FM at KaNyamazane community hall on Friday evening.

This broadcast was attended by a number of political parties including EFF, DA, UDM and others.

The parties were asked to explain to the people what their manifestoes entailed and what their political parties aimed to do if they were elected into government.

Comrade Ndlovu was the one who represented COPE and outlined a number of issues that COPE intends to sort out if it was given the mandate by the voters.

Water for the people, the damaged roads and jobs in the province topped the issues that COPE intended to make sure they were solved.

Comrade Ndlovu also pointed out that COPE intended to appoint a trained police commissioner instead of the ones that were politically deployed.

He insisted that South Africa indeed needed a better government as compared to the ANC led government that has failed the people of the country despite having ruled for 20.

A picture for the group of leaders who were on a door to door campaign in the Mkhuhlu area and who were led by Comrade Nomsa Kubayi is attached to this media statement to support it.

COPE will continue to make the expected strides and will participate in the election debate that SAFM will broadcast live on April 12.

Three separate accidents claim eight lives in Mpumalanga

Three separate accidents claim eight lives in Mpumalanga

Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC, Vusi Shongwe has called for increased vigilance on the part of road users following three separate accidents that claimed the lives of eight people in the province over the weekend.

Three people died on R570 Road between Malelane and Jeppes Reef when a sedan collided with a Light Delivery Vehicle (LDV) on Sunday, 30 March 2014. The three people who died were occupants of a sedan. Two people sustained serious injuries and rushed to a nearby hospital.

In another accident, one passenger perished when a Toyota Avanza overturned on R40 Road between White River and Hazyview on Saturday, 29 March 2014. Two people seriously injured while five were slightly injured.

Meanwhile, four people also died instantly in another accident that occurred on the N12 Toll Road between Witbank and Johannesburg. The accident, which took place last week Thursday 27 2014, happened when an eight ton truck lost control and overturned allegedly from a tyre burst.

The police are investigating all three accidents. Shongwe is sending condolences to the bereaved families and has also wished those were injured a speedy recovery. “Our thoughts are with the families and we hope that they find strength to deal with sudden loss of their loved ones,” Shongwe said.

The MEC has meanwhile warned drivers about the dangers of negligence and not obeying the rules of the road. He said that with increased vigilance on the part of all road users, instances of injuries and loss of lives on the road would be minimised. He has also urged drivers and truck owners to always ensure their vehicles are road worthy because failure to do so endangers other people’s lives.

He has further called on law enforcement agencies to clamp down on bad driving in order to enhance road safety. He urged community members to report any bad driving to authorities so that appropriate measures taken to deal with any wrong doing.

SANParks ANNOUNCE APPOINTMENT OF INTERIM CEO

SANParks ANNOUNCE APPOINTMENT OF INTERIM CEO

 BY BRIAN KAJENGPO

The South African National Parks (SANParks) Board has appointed Mr. Abe Sibiya, the Managing Executive of Kruger National Park (KNP), as the acting Chief Executive Officer from 1 April 2014 as the current Chief Executive Officer’s term of office ends on 31 March 2014.

He will have the support and assistance of the Board on all strategic matters as well as help from the Department of Environmental Affairs in terms of rhino management.

 Mr. Sibiya has had extensive leadership experience both during his tenure as Managing Executive of KNP as well as in his previous job where he held a senior position in the Mpumalanga Parks and Tourism Board.

The recruitment process for the appointment of the permanent SANParks CEO will commence shortly.  The SANParks Board would like to thank Mr. Sibiya for his willingness to serve in this acting capacity until the permanent CEO is in place.

The Companies Tribunal encouraging transparent, accountable, sustainable, and ethical business practices

CAPTION: The Chairperson of the Companies Tribunal, Advocate Maruping Lebala SC

The Companies Tribunal encouraging transparent, accountable, sustainable, and ethical business practices

By BRIAN KAJENGO

As more and more South Africans become entrepreneurs, it is not surprising that the issue of company names is becoming highly contested. Section 11(2) (a) of the Companies Act states, that the name of a company must not be the same as the name of another company, close corporation or co-operative. The fact that the name of one company is similar to the other, does not on that ground alone, justify a conclusion that there will be a likelihood of confusion even when the companies are trading in the common field of activity.

The Chairperson of the Tribunal Advocate Maruping Lebala said for the names to be regarded as confusing similar, it must be shown that a side-by-side use of the two company names will result in deception and/or confusion.

“This means therefore that mere similarity is not sufficient there must be a comparison of the two competing trade names for confusing similarity. Although the Tribunal applies High Court rules in its hearing procedures it is mindful of the need for flexibility and responsiveness in order to fulfill its mandate as a quasi- judicial body,” said Advocate Lebala.

The Companies Tribunal also provides mediation, conciliation and arbitration services. The use of resolving company disputes through mediation, conciliation and arbitration is highly encouraged as it simple, speedy, cost effective and enables parties to resolve their dispute without resorting to often lengthy and at times acrimonious court processes. 

Advocate Lebala added that the Companies Tribunal will thus play a critical role in alleviating the litigation work load in the High Court.   

The Companies Tribunal is one of the institutions established by the Act and is an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry.  The Tribunal has been in operation since September 2012 and comprises of members appointed by the Minister of Trade and Industry. Members have  expertise in the different areas envisaged in the Act; some of the members also serve as Acting Judges of the High Court; others are senior advocates and attorneys; a law Professor and Chartered Accountant.

The aim of establishing the Companies Tribunal was, amongst others, to provide accessible, speedy and cost effective mechanism for the resolution of company disputes. The Companies Tribunal is thus mandated to adjudicate certain types of disputes in terms of the Act.  The Companies Tribunal adjudicates disputes relating to company name and directorship of companies. It also considers applications for exemption from establishing a social and ethics committee; extension of time for holding of an annual general meeting (AGM), amendments of the Company’s Memorandum of Incorporation;  reviewing of compliance orders or notices issued by Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC). Such notices of the CIPC may relate to the appointment of a company secretary, auditor or audit committee.

One of the innovations brought about by the Act was the need for companies to establish social and ethics committees which report to shareholders and not to the Board. The establishment of social and ethics committees is intended to ensure sustainable development and ethical business practices. Companies are thus encouraged to establish such committees.

The Companies Tribunal is continuing in its efforts of strengthening the regulatory environment through the development of a new jurisprudence in company law and thus contributes to the realization of a globally competitive economy characterized by transparent, accountable, sustainable, and ethical business practices.

The Companies Tribunal can be contacted at www.companiestribunal.org.za or email registry@companiestribunal.org.za or telephone 012 – 394 3071.

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COPE in Mpumalanga says Premier David Mabuza and President Jacob Zuma must both go

COPE in Mpumalanga says Premier David Mabuza and President Jacob Zuma must both go

COPE in Mpumalanga supports the call by the Institute for Accountability in Southern Africa that President Jacob Zuma must either resign on his own accord or be recalled as a presidential candidate for the May elections.

COPE in Mpumalanga urge for the same to happen to the provincial premier, David Mabuza for having undermined the people of the province by failing to give them the expected service delivery.

“As COPE we appreciate the fact that the institute has already written to the ANC’s Secretary General, Gwende Mantashe saying the findings by the Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, that Zuma had unduly benefited from state-funded work on his private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal and the shadow of corruption charges linked to the 1999 arms deal, made him (Zuma) unfit for the post.” Sizile Ndlovu said. 

"We would urge you and your colleagues on the National Executive Committee [NEC] of the ANC to reconsider the implications of persisting with JZ [Jacob Zuma] as your presidential candidate in the forthcoming elections and to give serious attention to recalling him as presidential candidate if he does not opt to voluntarily resign," the institute's director Paul Hoffman wrote to the ANC.

COPE in Mpumalanga says Zuma and Mabuza must go together because the latter has failed the people of the province and even made a shocking claim that the province had spent over R12-billion in the past five years for development such as road infrastructure but the roads in the province remain in a shocking state, with small dams that are called potholes.

This province has seen a number of service delivery protests some of which resulted in the death of innocent community members and this was because people were not getting services such as water.

COPE in Mpumalanga says the protests have taken place since Mabuza took office in 2009 and they are still continuing which is proof enough that the honourable premier has indeed failed.

“Everyday when one reads any newspaper service delivery problems are usually the ones leading especially here in Mpumalanga. The problem is obviously with the ruling party under the leadership of Mr.  Mabuza. We call on the voters to look back and reflect to all the problems related to water, roads and others in the province in order to realise what a better way forward would be,” said COPE Mpumalanga premier candidate, Sizile Ndlovu.    

Mabuza and Zuma both compromised under the circumstances and could not therefore exercise the fulfilment of their obligations any further.

WOMAN STABBED 36 TIMES, ACCUSED SENTENCED

WOMAN STABBED 36 TIMES, ACCUSED SENTENCED

Nelspruit – On Thursday 28 March 2014, the Middelburg Circuit of the Pretoria High Court sentenced a 35-year-old man, Phillemon Ramatsikiso for brutally killing a woman on 09 May 2010, at Nazareth in Middelburg.

The trail of evidence through witnesses revealed that their friends dropped off Ramatsikiso and the victim at his place of residence. The following morning, the body of the victim found abandoned near a graveyard with 36 stab wounds.  After a thorough investigation by police, it emerged that Ramatsikiso was responsible for the death of the victim and then apprehended on 27 May 2010. He also confessed that he was the one who committed the offence.

The court did not hesitate to accept his plea of guilt to murder and sentenced him to 12 years incarceration.   

“We welcome the sentence even though we wish he could have received more years; however we have confidence in our courts. We believe that evidence presented before the court compelled the judge to arrive to this conclusion. We therefore accept the sentence and hope it will serve as a deterrent to other potential criminals”, said the Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thulani Ntobela.

On the same breath, the Provincial Commissioner congratulates the members for working tirelessly and managing to secure a conviction. He said their hard work did not go unnoticed.

COGTA MINISTER ADDRESSES THE LAUNCH OF A DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION IN BUSHBUCKRIDGE

COGTA MINISTER ADDRESSES THE LAUNCH OF A DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION IN BUSHBUCKRIDGE

Pretoria – The Minister for the Department of cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs – Mr Lechesa Tsenoli, will give a keynote address at the launch of Manyeleti Development Foundation, an event that was organised by a group of professionals from the Manyeleti Region of the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality, who has a mission of contributing to the socio-economic upliftment and the improvement of the standard of living in an area that is made of 15 villages.

The event aimed at building capacity amongst the Youth and assist local government and local leadership, both political and traditional to elaborate context customised development programmes.

MPUMALANGA HEALTH SYSTEM CONTINUES TO BECOME A SERIOUS HEALTH RISK

MPUMALANGA HEALTH SYSTEM CONTINUES TO BECOME A SERIOUS HEALTH RISK

COPE in Mpumalanga alleged to have visited a number of hospitals in the province on Wednesday and Thursday during a fact finding mission embarked together with the assistance of some members of both print and the electronic media.

The first such hospital was the controversial Mapulaneng in Bushbuckridge where many patients had to rely on a single doctor for nearly the entire day.

While we accept the fact that the province is currently running short of doctors it remains a fact that Mapulaneng hospital does not only have a single doctor but quite a number of them and it therefore becomes a mystery if only one doctor had to attend to all patients who consulted at the hospital.

One of the patients at the hospital was so angry that he had stayed there for a long time without being attended to and offered his contact numbers for any media house that would like to interview him with his bad experience.

The patient’s contact numbers can be given at request.

The second hospital which also showed some kind of unsatisfactory results was the Barberton hospital where patients also complained about poor services.

“We have been waiting for our names to be called since this morning but that has not happened. I’m coming for the second time in this hospital after failing to see a doctor yesterday,” said one patient who looked very ill.

Rob Ferreira was also not spared the rod since it was previously in the news for all the wrong reasons.

A woman who had given birth to stillborn twins at the Rob Ferreira hospital in Nelspruit was reportedly left in a pool of her own blood while nurses allegedly told her they were still awaiting linen from the laundry in Barberton hospital.

COPE says the moral regeneration of health workers in Mpumalanga health institutions has deteriorated so much that the only solution under the circumstances is just to vote out the ruling party because it continues to undermine our communities.

“We call on all the voters out there to note that their votes can make a great change in the country, COPE is ready to give an alternative government which will make great strides in improving health in the country,” said COPE Mpumalanga premier candidate, Sizile Ndlovu.

AGANGSA vows for free and fair election

AGANGSA vows for free and fair election

By BRIAN KAJENGO

AGANGSA says the three alleged Independent electoral commission have to with draw from the system.

“It is imperative in the interests of a free and fair election that is above reproach, that Adv Pansy Tlakula, Norman du Plessis and Stephen Langtry, the three Independent Electoral Commission officials implicated in tender irregularities by an independent forensic investigation conducted by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) that followed an earlier report from the Office of the Public Protector, stand down from their positions until after the election.” Paul O’Sullivan said.

Paul O’Sullivan says the PWC investigation found that Tlakula had acted improperly to secure office space for the IEC, that the process was not transparent, with hidden beneficiaries to the deal costing the tax-payer R110 in wasted expenditure, that the office space secured was 50% larger than required, no doubt to fill the building owned by hidden benefactors and was rented at well above market rates.

In addition, the investigation found that African National Congress members registered as co-directors with Adv Tlakula of a company which has a stake in the business from which the office space leased.

“With the Public Protector’s findings on Nkandla out of the way for now, we believe the eyes of the nation should be fixed on events at the IEC which have the potential to cast a shadow over the elections on the 7^th May, so we can demand appropriate steps to ensure our elections and democracy remain protected,” says Agang SA spokesman on corruption and forensic consultant, Paul O’Sullivan.

The 2014 election expected to be the most closely contested since 1994. For the first time, the governing ANC is under severe pressure and is increasingly desperate to hold on to power.

For instance, the ANC’s traditional election machinery is stalling, with the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) and the Congress of South Africa Trade Unions (COSATU) mere shadows of their former selves, the decision of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) to withdraw electoral support from the ANC and begin the process of starting up a new party, and widespread discontent with President Zuma within the ANC.

The scale of protests – 3 000 in the past three months – and the barring of entry to ANC officials in a growing number of communities, is widely regarded as a sign of the mounting unhappiness among the electorate which could result in some ANC officials, as has allegedly occurred in Tlokwe, to take steps towards election fraud.

“Against this background, it is critical that the IEC remains above reproach. It simply cannot do that with Adv Tlakula, du Plessis and Langtry still in their positions,” says O’Sullivan. "The whole nation has come to expect the highest levels of integrity and ethics from the executive of the IEC, in order to maintain the dream that Mandela and so many like him, made their sacrifices. That level of integrity and ethics has now evaporated, placing the oversight of the elections at risk, and calling the whole organisation into doubt. We simply owe Madiba a duty to see that his vision for our country maintained. He suffered for a better country and we just owe him that duty." he said.

In addition, Agang SA party leader Dr Mamphela Ramphele has insisted that teachers, who in the past been deployed to manage polling stations and who are members of the South African Democratic Trade Union (SADTU), which is a COSATU affiliate organization and therefore part of the governing alliance, be removed from this role.

“There is an inherent conflict of interest in SADTU members operating as electoral officers in a multi-party election process.  This is magnified when we have an IEC who's executive are engaged in secret business deals with ANC members, resulting in what can best be described as a fraud ont he nation. In addition, when do they do their primary duties if they play the electoral officer role that demands so much attention to detail?” asks Ramphele.

“Along with other parties, we intend raising these and other matters, that are concerning us with the IEC when we meet in the next few weeks,” says Ramphele.

Among the questions parties will put to the IEC are: who has won the tender to print ballot papers and the basis for their selection; which auditing firm will oversee the count ballots and on what basis was the audit firm chosen; whether the ballots have serial numbers; what security exists to ensure non-tampering with ballots; under what circumstances are extra ballots printed, stored, and distributed to voting stations? 

The IEC should also spell out, says Ramphele, how it intends to protect the election against potential voter fraud, particularly in far-flung rural areas. 

“Political Parties need to have sufficient time to engage with the IEC to ensure the required checks and balances are in place, so we are anxiously waiting for the meeting with the IEC,” says Ramphele.

“It is going to be crucial to these elections that we motivate for and get national scrutiny of this election from suitably independent and international election monitors who can monitor behaviour such as the use of cell phones by political party activists to intimidate or bribe voters into taking photos of their completed ballot paper in exchange for rewards for voting the right way.” says O’Sullivan. "Rumours of this intended vote-buying have become more prevalent and it has to be stamped out immediately, with anyone seen photographing their vote having same declared invalid," he concluded.

At stake, says Ramphele, is the integrity of the election which forms the bedrock of South Africa’s emerging democracy that struggle heroes fought and died for.

Farm owners urged to transport workers safely

Farm owners urged to transport workers safely

By BRIAN KAJENGO  

Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe urged farm owners in the province to ensure that they safely transport their workers to avoid exposing them to road accidents.

Shongwe’s comments follows an incident where a truck that was transporting farm workers who are believed to be working in one of the sugar cane farms,  lost control and overturned on R571 Road between Komatipoort and Koppersdal. The accident happened today (26 March 2014) around 05h00. Three people were seriously injured while 57 of the passengers sustained slight injuries.

The MEC Vusi Shongwe said: “we do not want a repeat of what happened two years ago when a train collided with a truck near Malelane killing twenty four people who were at the time being transported to work in one of the farms near Hectorspruit. Farm owners need to ensure that their workers are transported in road worthy vehicles and by people who are fit and proper to drive.”

He has also called on drivers to obey traffic rules whether in rural or urban areas and to also ensure that they drive with great caution. He said those who will be found overloading or are infringing on any laws governing the roads would be harshly dealt with.

Shongwe has meanwhile wished those who were injured a speedy recovery.

MINISTER DAVIES TO SPEAK AT THE DESTRUCTION OF GOODS FUNCTION

MINISTER DAVIES TO SPEAK AT THE DESTRUCTION OF GOODS FUNCTION 

Members of the media are invited to attend the destruction function of more than 300 000 of non-complying products which will be addressed by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies in Pretoria. The National Regulator will host the event for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) on Thursday 27 March 2014 at The Waste Group, Plot 36, Lavender Road, Born Accord, Pretoria

The non-complying products which will be destroyed range from steam irons, plugs, respirators, adaptors, paraffin stoves, swimming aids, chemicals, compact fluorescent lamps, incandescent lamps for vehicles, circuit breakers, adaptors, power supply, cell phone chargers, paraffin stoves, plastic carriers, digital photo frames, television sets, electric kettles, hair clippers, motor cycle helmets, child restraints, tryes, seals, microphones, DVD players, extension cords to massagers. The value of these products estimated at R8.5 million. 

The NRCS inspectors while conducting market surveillance as well as surprise raids aimed at ensuring compliance with compulsory specifications and ridding the country of unsafe products discovered the products. A significant percentage of the products also intercepted at the ports of entry including sea ports and inland ports.

The destruction of goods is in line with the NRCS’s mandate of protecting human health, safety, the environment and ensuring fair trade.

GOVERNMENT SHOULD PRIORITISE AFTERCARE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

GOVERNMENT SHOULD PRIORITISE AFTERCARE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

BY BRIAN KAJENGO 

Aspiring entrepreneurs and co-operatives attending the enterprise development workshop organised by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) together with the City of Tshwane Municipality requested government to increase resources in order to take care of struggling businesses operating at a small scale.

The workshop which held in Hammanskraal, Pretoria yesterday, was aimed at coordinating and facilitating enterprise development activities aimed at assisting aspiring enterprises to be formalised, so as to access various support interventions offered by the dti and its agencies.

The chairperson of Building Nation Co-operative, Mr Kgotso Ramasa said co-operatives and small businesses be prioritised in these kinds of workshops and aftercare intensified in order for them to be fully operational.

“The struggle for small businesses is not only a direct lack of financial resources, most of the time it is the lack of know-how of running the business, and without government intervention and support some of us will not survive in the future,’’ said Ramasa.

Ramasa pointed out the need to hold enterprise development workshops frequently in order to keep track of the development and challenges facing small businesses.

The Director of Communications and Marketing at the dti, Ms Qondani Rwigema said working together with stakeholders, sharing information, as well as working with target groups ensures that aspiring entrepreneurs and businesses get through the necessary business steps to be operational and are provided with business growth services.   

“the dti’s objective today was to work with a focus group of small businesses to develop them in a specific area with the hope of them becoming viable and key in their specific sector,” said Rwigema.

Rwigema added that the process would encourage businesses to aspire to be emerging exporters in their respective fields and take part in the different export market platforms offered by the dti.

National Credit Bill Passed

National Credit Bill Passed

By BRIAN KAJENGO

The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Wednesday 26 March passed the National Credit Amendment Bill, which seeks to provide uniformity in the application of affordability assessment regulation.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies says that the Bill will benefit consumers in the following way:

• There will be compulsory regulations for affordability test which will curb reckless

   Lending.

• Clampdown on the selling of expired (prescribed) debt as part of the loan books by credit providers.

• It will be an offence to charge the interest rates and other costs of credit in the manner that exceeds the limit that is set in the law.

• Minister Davies will in consultation with the Minister of Finance issue regulations to

   curb the high cost of credit insurance.

Davies added that the Bill provides for an automatic removal of adverse listing.

“Which means consumers will not have to go to court to remove the adverse listing against their names. It is an obligation of the government to protect vulnerable consumers against unscrupulous practices,” he added.

The Minister said the Bill will through proper affordability test prevent consumers from falling into a debt cycle that they currently find themselves in.

According to the Bill all lenders irrespective of size will have to register with National Credit Regulator (NCR).  This will enable government to identify the illegal providers that keep holding consumers Identification Documents, Bank Cards, Sasa Cards, and charge high interest on credit.

As from next month the Government Gazette Notice No. 37386, Regulations for the Removal of Adverse Credit Information and Information Relating to Paid-up Judgments will come into effect. 

This Notice includes regulations to remove adverse consumer credit information (such as adverse classifications of ‘handed over’ or ‘written off’) and information relating to paid-up judgments (such as default judgments where the consumer has settled the capital amount under the judgments).

Cogta MEC must intervene in illegal municipal workers strike

Cogta MEC must intervene in illegal municipal workers strike

Service delivery in the Emakhazeni local municipality has come to a complete standstill as workers went on illegal strike action over the lack of personal protective clothing.

Last week workers went on a go-slow when the municipality informed them supply that PPE clothing to them after about two weeks. However, the go-slow eventually turned into a full blown illegal strike, as workers simply refused to report for duty.

 The result is of course unsurprising

·         No refuse collected in Belfast, Dullstroom, Waterval Boven and Machadodorp leaving four tourist towns covered in garbage a few days before the April school holidays.

·         The water treatment works in Machadodorp, which needs to be manned round the clock, stands unattended, and residents are forced to go without water for hours on end.

·         Residents of Siyathuthuka near Belfast have been without water for two days now, as water tankers have stopped running.

·         Residents’ complaints and request for assistance are falling on deaf ears and officials are simply not willing, or able to assist.

This strike could potentially cause severe damage to local businesses, which rely heavily on holiday seasons to make a decent living, and Mayor Hamzer Ngwenya’s failure to act and protect the interests of residents is of particular concern. .

I will therefore request my colleagues in the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature to write to cooperative governance MEC SPD Skhosana, requesting him to intervene in the matter.

 Residents and local businesses be forced to suffer due to illegal strike action.

DA lays criminal charges against Thaba Chweu municipality

DA lays criminal charges against Thaba Chweu municipality

By BRIAN KAJENGO 

The DA this past week laid criminal charges against the Thaba Chweu municipality for its refusal to attend raw sewage leaks into watercourses and for its failure to correctly dispose of waste at the Lydenburg landfill site.

The charges were laid in accordance with Sections 26 and 67 of the National Environmental Management Act: Waste (Lydenburg SAPS case number 109/3/2014) and Section 151 (i) and (j) of the National Water Act (Lydenburg SAPS case number 121/3/2014).

“This is not the first time that charges laid against this municipality for wilfully or negligently polluting water courses or disposing of waste in a manner that could pose a health risk, but Thaba Chweu is rapidly becoming a threat to the greater Ehlanzeni district and beyond.” Bernadie said.

“Raw sewage from unattended leaks in Sabie, Lydenburg, Graskop and Pilgrim’s Rest are polluting rivers and streams as far as Limpopo and the Kruger National Park, while burning landfill sites are causing potential health risks to tourists and residents along the popular Panorama tourist route,” Said Bernardie.  

Given that the next few weeks will see thousands of holidaymakers and tourists flock to the area, Thaba Chweu, the Ehlanzeni district municipality and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs have a responsibility to ensure that people unnecessarily exposed to any health risk.

It is clear that the task team dispatched to Thaba Chweu in October last year has been unable to provide the necessary technical and administrative support to normalise service delivery.

Cooperative governance MEC SPD Skhosana has no choice but to admit that his department’s interventions so far have failed, and that the only avenue left is to dissolve council under the auspices of Section 139 (1)(c) of the Constitution and declare fresh elections in Thaba Chweu.