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Polity.org.za offers a unique take on news, with a focus on political, legal, economic and social issues in South Africa and Africa, as well as international affairs. Now you can listen to the top three articles on Polity at the end of each day.

  1. 7h ago

    DA welcomes former FF+ caucus leader to its ranks

    DA welcomes former FF+ caucus leader to its ranks The DA on Tuesday welcomed to its ranks former Freedom Front Plus (FF+) Tshwane Caucus Leader Grandi Theunissen, a move that DA Tshwane mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink said bodes well for the blue party. Theunissen, a former FF+ regional chairperson for Tshwane, said he hopes to make a positive contribution to the DA and to the metro. "As I said, leaving a party of which I have been a member since 1994 is a difficult decision. As chairperson of the FF+'s largest region, I worked hard to grow the party. I also held a highly winnable position on the Tshwane candidate list. However, between 2023 and 2024, the FF+ voted to topple several DA mayors in the Western Cape. Cilliers Brink and I promised each other that we would not allow this kind of politicking to jeopardise our own coalition here in the Tshwane metro," he said. He pointed to shared values and interests between himself and Brink, also noting strong bonds of friendship. Brink said Theunissen's move to the DA was significant for Tshwane residents. "Our opponents in this election are those that break down institutions, deploy cadres, and attack the bedrock of good governance in our City. When we governed together in Tshwane, Grandi served as a Mayoral Committee Member and he proved himself to be entirely aligned, working against forces of corruption and capture," he stated. Brink pointed to Theunissen's experience in the FF+, stressing that he did not leave his former party as a disgruntled member. Brink noted the upcoming local government election, and expressed readiness for the DA's ability to govern the metro, again. "My focus is now on the future. We must stand together to win," Theunissen said.

  2. 7h ago

    Parly flags R300m shortfall at Home Affairs following spike in deportations

    Parly flags R300m shortfall at Home Affairs following spike in deportations The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has raised serious concerns over a R341-million financial shortfall facing the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), following intense anti-illegal-immigration protests on June 30 and a subsequent surge in immigration enforcement, deportations and repatriations. With its yearly deportation budget already fully depleted, the department faces severe operational risks if fiscal interventions are not approved, the committee warned. The DHA has officially requested R292-million in "unforeseen and unavoidable expenditure" from the National Treasury to help cover the sudden enforcement. However, a major concern is the lack of an explicit guarantee that the funds will be reimbursed. Committee chairperson Mosa Chabane warned that the situation is untenable. If the Treasury rejects the request, the DHA will be forced to absorb the costs from its existing baseline budget. This will compel the department to reprioritise funds away from its structured annual plans. Ultimately, such budget shifts threaten to delay key operational milestones and directly degrade the quality of public services provided to citizens, Chabane said. In response to the crisis, the DHA has initiated diplomatic engagements with the governments of countries whose nationals were deported, aiming to secure financial reimbursement. While the committee welcomed these discussions, it cautioned that international diplomacy is a lengthy process that cannot replace sustainable, long-term budgeting. The committee highlighted that the situation underscores an urgent need for a comprehensive strategy to secure South Africa's porous borders. Consequently, Parliament has called on the DHA and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation to intensify joint engagements with foreign nations. The goal is to establish structured mechanisms where foreign governments contribute directly to the deportation and repatriation costs of their respective citizens. To ensure financial compliance, the committee has directed the DHA's internal audit component to expedite its scrutiny of all procurement and expenditure linked to the recent enforcement operations. This proactive review aims to ensure strict legislative compliance and resolve potential irregularities before the Auditor-General's mandatory audit. The committee expressed dissatisfaction with the Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs and the Refugee Appeals Authority of South Africa. Both entities failed to provide timely, complete information regarding their migration management challenges, which hindered Parliament's oversight process. The committee confirmed it will delay its interrogation of these specific migration-related matters until all outstanding data is received, reiterating that effective migration management demands total transparency from all State institutions.

  3. 7h ago

    CDE report says Joburg budget is ‘disconnected from reality’, with water failures biggest risk

    CDE report says Joburg budget is 'disconnected from reality', with water failures biggest risk With unpaid bills owed to the City of Johannesburg rising from about R15-billion in 2014/15 to nearly R72-billion in 2024/25, the Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) cautions that the City's budget is "increasingly disconnected from reality". In the second issue of the independent think tank's new report series, 'Johannesburg Matters: Fixing South Africa's growth engine', which highlights the multiple crises confronting the City of Johannesburg and presents recommendations, the CDE warns that the City is falling into a dangerous financial spiral. It noted the non-payment of rates and utility bills by residents, amid the City's lack of service delivery and failing infrastructure, and stressed that the municipality's financial situation was more serious than just a budget deficit. "Johannesburg's budget is increasingly disconnected from reality. The City spends money it does not collect, imposing ever-higher costs on a shrinking rates base and stagnant economy, while squeezing infrastructure investment and turning its suppliers into de facto lenders," the report found. CDE executive director Ann Bernstein explained that the City registers its bills to residents and businesses as revenue, assuming that it can catch up. She noted that over the last decade, unpaid bills to the City have increased to almost 17% a year. Added to that, infrastructure investment has fallen by about 50% since 2014/15 and by almost 70% per resident. The City's spending, the CDE said, has increased much faster than its stagnant economy can support, noting significant issues in water and electricity. The CDE report says water poses the greatest danger for the City, with unpaid water bills over the last decade growing by 20% a year. "The City needs revenue to maintain and upgrade water infrastructure. But the more unreliable the infrastructure becomes, the harder it is to bill accurately, collect consistently and persuade residents that payment is justified by the quality of the service they receive. Johannesburg can survive potholes and poor refuse collection for a while. It cannot survive without reliable water. Households need water, firms need reliable supplies of water. The deterioration of the water system is an existential threat to the city," stressed Bernstein. While electricity previously provided the bulk of the City's revenue, that has now fallen from 34% to 28% in ten years, leaving poorer households to foot the bill to maintain the electricity network as wealthier customers adopt electricity alternatives to reduce their dependency on the municipality. SUPPLIERS FINANCE CITY'S OPERATIONS The CDE report further noted that in the wake of collapsed infrastructure investment, employee and contractor costs have risen significantly. Employee-related costs rose by 9% a year over the last decade, from R8.6-billion to R20.7-billion, and now absorb about 40% of the revenue collected from customers. This as suppliers debt rose from R12-billion a decade ago to over R28-billion, today, resulting in the City delaying payments to deal with its revenue deficit. "This means Johannesburg is forcing its suppliers to finance its operations. That is not a sustainable financing model. It also shifts the costs of Johannesburg's failure onto institutions that are themselves important to the national economy," Bernstein stated. She further warned that lenders are increasingly more apprehensive about financing the city, noting the recent decision by the French development finance agency AFD to not extend its R2.5-billion loan, pointing to concerns over governance. The CDE warned against an unconditional bailout for the City. "Johannesburg is too important to the country to be allowed to collapse. But national government must not write a cheque that allows the same political and financial practices to continue. Any assistance must form part of a fundamental restructu...

  4. 1d ago

    Oversight tightens as McKenzie faces Parly committee grilling

    Oversight tightens as McKenzie faces Parly committee grilling Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie will face an intense parliamentary committee on Tuesday as opposition parties gear up to demand accountability over a multimillion-rand overseas trip and allegations of political patronage in board appointments. McKenzie is scheduled to appear before the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture for a second time to account for a controversial R30.9-million taxpayer expenditure incurred by his department for a 151-member delegation to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The DA has vowed to challenge McKenzie on Tuesday for a detailed, itemised breakdown of the spending, while the MKP is demanding transparency over the alleged appointment of 19 individuals linked to his party, the PA, to public boards. The DA is spearheading the push for financial transparency regarding the delegation sent to the global soccer showpiece. According to DA spokesperson on Sport, Arts and Culture Leah Potgieter, the minister and his department have "run out of excuses". "This time there can be no excuse. The Minister and the department have been given ample time to provide the promised World Cup receipts," Potgieter stated. During a committee meeting earlier this month, members rejected a "lacklustre" presentation by the department. Tensions escalated when McKenzie left the meeting just as the probe into the World Cup spending began, leaving MPs unable to question him directly. On Tuesday, the DA will demand a comprehensive report covering the exact expenditure attributable to each of the 151 delegation members and the full names, professional credentials, and specific responsibilities of each attendee that justified their inclusion. The party also wants a clear account of what each member did and a detailed log of all official meetings and engagements held by the Minister and a breakdown of all sponsorships received alongside measurable proof of the return on investment secured for South African sports, arts, culture and tourism. Meanwhile, the MKP has raised formal governance concerns regarding public entity boards within McKenzie's portfolio. Reports allege that 19 individuals with ties to the PA have been appointed to these structures. MKP national spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu clarified that while political affiliation does not automatically disqualify a candidate, merit must always come first. "We are demanding that political proximity must never substitute for competence, experience, integrity and suitability," Mahlangu said. "These entities manage public resources and have a direct impact on the livelihoods of artists, cultural practitioners, filmmakers, athletes and young people. They cannot be treated as political rewards or extensions of party structures." The MKP is calling on the portfolio committee to subject these appointments to rigorous parliamentary scrutiny. It wants the release of appointment criteria, candidate shortlists, interview processes, competency assessments, final recommendations, qualifications and official declarations of interest. Mahlangu added that if McKenzie is confident that due process was followed, he should welcome the opportunity to lay the evidence before Parliament.

  5. 1d ago

    Business, govt unanimous on economic growth plan, jobs target

    Business, govt unanimous on economic growth plan, jobs target The Presidency and business organisation Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) have united behind the plan, announced last week, to lift economic growth above 3% a year and contribute towards the creation of one-million new jobs by 2030, with both social partners agreeing that the focus must now shift from fixing the economy's structural weaknesses to unlocking its growth potential. The agreement forms the basis of Phase 3 of the Government-Business Partnership, launched at Summer Place, in Johannesburg, on August 20, with more than 30 CEOs committing private-sector expertise, resources and capacity to work alongside government on this growth agenda. In his latest weekly newsletter, President Cyril Ramaphosa has highlighted that the first two phases of the partnership were focused primarily on stabilising the economy and addressing binding constraints, particularly in electricity, freight logistics and the criminal justice system. "When we started, our immediate objective was to respond to the crises in electricity and logistics. We brought on board private sector capabilities through the National Energy Crisis Committee and undertook joint efforts in freight transport to halt the decline in these critical network industries. "We mobilised support from business for the structural reforms that government had embarked on and drew on its resources to build institutional capacity in the State," Ramaphosa says. The partnership was established in 2023 when South Africa was facing severe loadshedding, deteriorating logistics performance and persistent security challenges. Since then, government and business have worked together on reforms and operational improvements, contributing to more than 400 days without loadshedding, improved port performance and the opening of freight rail corridors to private operators. Other notable improvements include South Africa's removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, while ongoing work in public finances and economic reforms have contributed to more positive credit-rating assessments. Echoing the President's sentiments on government-business collaboration, reform improvements and economic growth in her weekly newsletter, BLSA CEO Busi Mavuso says the current progress made in this regard demonstrates that this partnership has moved beyond discussion and produced some tangible outcomes. "The partnership's renewal marks an important change in emphasis. We have been focused on fixing what's broken. That has involved major reform and operational turnarounds in our critical network infrastructure. "Government has also been highly effective in turning around the dire state of public finances to the point where we have received upgrades to our national credit rating," she highlights. Moreover, Mavuso notes that the private sector has already invested more than R360-billion in new energy generation capacity, while more than R20-billion had been committed to port and rail infrastructure. However, she says these reforms should be viewed ultimately as growth enablers rather than an end in themselves. "The hard work starts now. Growth of more than 3% is the target we must all be held to. The jobs South Africa needs depend on us hitting it," Mavuso stresses. Phase 3 of the Government-Business Partnership is built around three areas of intervention, with government and business aligned on the need to consolidate reforms while targeting sectors capable of generating significant economic activity and employment. The first pillar focuses on completing reforms in the core economic enablers of energy and transport. This includes the unbundling of State-owned power utility Eskom, the expansion of electricity transmission infrastructure, the operationalisation of the South African Wholesale Electricity Market (SAWEM) and greater private-sector participation in freight rail. The second pillar targets sectors where South Africa has sig...

  6. 1d ago

    ANC says it has learnt from past mistakes as it vows ‘capable’ municipal leadership ahead of elections

    ANC says it has learnt from past mistakes as it vows 'capable' municipal leadership ahead of elections The ANC has the capacity to lead municipalities effectively following a rigorous selection process for its local government election candidates, the party has promised. Speaking on Monday, a day after the launch of its election manifesto, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula emphasised that party did not choose just anyone to fill the mayoral seats. Instead, he said the ANC leadership invested time into analysing every prospective candidate to ensure they possessed the right qualifications, leadership experience, and capabilities. "The party has upped its ante based on the experience in the past," Mbalula noted, acknowledging that previous governance challenges have forced a shift toward stricter vetting. The internal selection process reached a critical milestone over the weekend when the ANC decided to postpone its final mayoral candidate announcement until September. The party shortlisted 42 nominees across eight key municipalities. Mbalula admitted that the party made "costly and dire" mistakes in the past, but insisted that the party is actively fixing them. "Some of those mistakes and weaknesses have been corrected; we have a plan that is not based on fiction but on reality," he explained. "We talk about water, electricity, fixing potholes, budgets, building more houses for our people, creating good infrastructure for shelter, and at the same time dealing with the question of a new urban settlement and upgrading informal settlements." He further asserted that these plans are already being implemented, even with what he described as complex and restrictive environments of coalition governments. According to Mbalula, where the ANC holds an outright majority, it has historically "done wonders". He pointed to the City of Johannesburg before the advent of coalition politics as an example. "The ANC was doing good; we fixed potholes, we did all of these things where we governed on our own, and we were able to do things differently on our own consistently," Mbalula argued. He attributed modern municipal instability to the unpredictable nature of coalition partners. "The municipality fell into the hands of the coalition... We have people who we have got no control over, so that on its own does not account to be a weakness, but does not give us total power to totally govern," he stated. Mbalula singled out the Emfuleni municipality as a major disappointment for the ANC. While maintaining that the party "did its best" as the majority party, he stated that "once it fell into the hands of the coalition government, it became worse". He said that the ANC is doing all it can within the context of coalitions but ultimately aims to regain a total majority to decisively fix these deep-seated issues.

  7. 4d ago

    Border security top of SA-Zim BNC agenda as Ramaphosa hosts Mnangagwa

    Border security top of SA-Zim BNC agenda as Ramaphosa hosts Mnangagwa President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for deeper bilateral cooperation between South Africa and Zimbabwe, urging both nations to modernise respective border systems, tackle trans-border crime, and correct a "massive" trade imbalance. Speaking at the fourth session of the South Africa–Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission (BNC) at the OR Tambo Building in Pretoria, Ramaphosa emphasised regional prosperity for neighbours with "vast shared potential, seamless migration and robust economic collaboration". Ramaphosa hosted Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday, when he stated that to facilitate the smooth movement of citizens and commercial goods, both nations must modernise their infrastructure and border management systems. He stressed that infrastructure upgrades must be paired with stricter security enforcement. "We must strengthen our combined efforts to counter trans-border crime," Ramaphosa said, noting that secure and efficient borders are foundational to regional stability. Zimbabwe remains one of South Africa's largest trading partners, with the value of bilateral trade nearly doubling over the last four years. Despite this rapid growth, Ramaphosa highlighted economic disparity, noting that South Africa exports significantly more to Zimbabwe than it imports. Ramaphosa urged the usage of the Memorandum of Understanding on Economic Cooperation to narrow the gap. He pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area as a "vital mechanism" to increase trade volumes and balance trade composition. "We must enable both Zimbabwe and South Africa to expand the production and export of goods that we manufacture from our abundant natural resources," he added. He asserted that economic growth relies heavily on aggressive infrastructure expansion, assuring that South African financial institutions, such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the Industrial Development Corporation, are ready to fund high-impact projects in Zimbabwe. Targeted cross-border infrastructure initiatives include building bridges, roads, airports, and connecting farms and factories to markets, constructing dams and water pipelines, connecting power stations to businesses and homes and developing health facilities and schools. Ramaphosa also praised the Southern African Power Pool and urged both countries to leverage its potential to establish Southern Africa as a leader in clean, affordable, and reliable energy. With Zimbabwe experiencing rising mining revenues driven by gold, platinum, and critical transition minerals like lithium, Ramaphosa called for a shift away from exporting raw materials. He noted that South Africa is increasing its own investment in exploration and beneficiation, stating, "We have said for many years that our minerals should be processed at home, that we should export finished products. Together, we need to put that aspiration into practice." Ramaphosa also highlighted the agreement to supply water from Zimbabwe's Beitbridge Water Works to the South African border town of Musina as a prime example of successful cross-border resource sharing. "This is one example of how we can work together to meet our people's basic needs and make our countries more resilient in the face of climate change," Ramaphosa said, reaffirming that joint efforts are the only way to convert regional resources into local jobs and long-term prosperity.

  8. 4d ago

    NPA drops corruption charges against top crime intelligence bosses amid Madlanga Commission revelations

    NPA drops corruption charges against top crime intelligence bosses amid Madlanga Commission revelations The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) has formally withdrawn all corruption charges against the Divisional Commissioner of Crime Intelligence Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo, and six other high-ranking police officials. The legal turnaround follows a direct intervention by National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Advocate Andy Mothibi. The NPA said the decision was triggered by "emerging, undisputed evidence of serious irregularities" in how the State handled the high-profile case. The withdrawal vindicates a significant portion of the South African Police Service Crime Intelligence top brass. Charges were dropped against Khumalo, Major-General Philani Lushaba (CFO at Crime Intelligence), Major-General Nosipho Precious Madondo (Component Head of Intelligence Analysis and Coordination), Major-General Josias Lekalakala (Gauteng Provincial Head: Crime Intelligence), Major-General Zwelithini Gabela (Technical Management Services), Brigadier Phindile Ncube (Section Head: Personnel Security - Vetting) and Brigadier Dine Mokwele. Mothibi invoked Section 179(5)(c) of the Constitution, read alongside Section 22(2)(b) of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Act. These legal provisions grant the NDPP the explicit power to review and intervene in prosecutions if established policy directives are violated. The NPA said the decision was reached after a "careful review" of case evidence compiled by IDAC, legal representations submitted by the accused officers' defence teams and "undisputed testimonies" delivered during the ongoing Madlanga Commission, which is currently investigating internal streams of IDAC. Testimonies at the Madlanga Commission exposed severe procedural flaws and improper conduct in the building of the State's case. While the Commission has not yet concluded its work or submitted a final report to the President, the NDPP ruled that immediate intervention was necessary to safeguard the integrity of the NPA and ensure the interests of justice. The NPA has launched formal disciplinary processes against three suspended IDAC officials implicated in improper conduct during the Madlanga Commission hearings. The NPA explained that a comprehensive process to "reset" IDAC is now underway to restore eroding public confidence and the unit is executing mandatory lifestyle audits alongside skills and qualifications assessments to ensure staff are fit for purpose. Following recent leadership shakeups, the NPA confirmed that the process to appoint a new acting Investigating Director is being treated with the "utmost urgency". This systemic reform strategy aligns with a joint mandate delivered by the Minister of Justice and the NDPP during a media briefing last month, aimed at forcing the unit to operate strictly within the bounds of the law. The NPA has promised full communication with the public once the institutional overhaul and leadership appointments are finalised.

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Polity.org.za offers a unique take on news, with a focus on political, legal, economic and social issues in South Africa and Africa, as well as international affairs. Now you can listen to the top three articles on Polity at the end of each day.

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