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The GOOD Party announced its leader Patricia de Lille as its candidate for Western Cape Premier, expressing confidence in her abilities to ensure that the right plans are implemented swiftly and according to the law.

The party believes that De Lille is the only candidate for Premier who has executive experience in all three spheres of government, assuring voters of her tenacity in serving the public.

"De Lille, or Aunty Pat as she is fondly known, offers voters a tried and tested leader with unmatched experience that is necessary to attend to and eradicate the suffering experienced by the majority of the province's residents," the party said.

It said when political parties present plans and manifestos to voters, it's important for voters to also consider who will be charged with implementing these plans.

De Lille served as a Member of Parliament and chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport and as MEC for Social Development in the Western Cape.

She was mayor of Cape Town, and served a full five-year term of office which received four consecutive clean audits.

In 2019, consistent with the practice of having an opposition leader serve in the national Cabinet, De Lille was appointed as Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure.

The party noted that she cleaned up a department that had been "riddled with corruption" scandals and managed to rapidly accelerate the redistribution of public land.

"When the President appointed her to sort out Tourism, as the new Minister of Tourism last year, she immediately got to work cancelling the scandalous R1-billion Tottenham Hotspurs deal," said the GOOD Party.

The party expressed confidence in De Lille, saying there is no doubt that she has experience and the "guts" to take on any "lethargy in government" to make sure that the right plans are "swiftly and legally implemented".

The Public Servants Association (PSA) wants government to prioritise cybersecurity, including investing in skills development, following recent cyberattacks on government systems.

The PSA expressed extreme concern about the implications for citizens of these attacks.

In February 2024, the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) system experienced an attempted cyberattack when an unauthorised party attempted to access information at the GPAA. The PSA noted that, fortunately, this failed.

The Department of Justice was also attacked in 2023, with the PSA highlighting a recent incident at the Department of Home Affairs where an attempt was made to attack the systems.

The PSA said it was gravely concerning that government systems were vulnerable, adding that such attacks disrupted government services.

It wants government to be proactive and put stringent measures in place against such attacks. In addition, the PSA explained that departments must have contingency plans to restore systems in case of any breach.

The PSA further urged government to ensure that critical and confidential information on citizens and employees is secured.

"Such breaches expose the vulnerability of government systems with the potential of being compromised. Failure over years to invest in upgrading information technology security systems may have far-reaching implications for the personal data of citizens," it said.

The association advised government to install the latest technologies and security systems and to ensure it had sufficient resources and the right skills to prevent such attacks.

Cyberattacks would further impact the country and citizens as government would be unable to render effective services, it said.

The PSA warned government employees to be vigilant against acts of cybercrimes, saying they must report any suspicious information to the authorities.

Cyberattacks are linked to cyber extortions and the PSA urges crime intelligence to be proactive in this regard.

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in KwaZulu-Natal has won three highly-contested wards from the African National Congress (ANC) in the Newcastle municipality.

The IFP expressed excitement at Wednesday's by-election results, which saw it win Wards 12, 19 and 23.

IFP KwaZulu-Natal chairperson and Premier candidate Thami Ntuli said that in Ward 12, the IFP received 1 973 votes compared with the ANC's 763 votes. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) received 94 votes, and Team Sugar South Africa (TSSA) managed 256 votes.

Ntuli said in Ward 19, the IFP garnered 1 566 votes, surpassing the ANC's 732 votes, the EFF received 65 votes, and TSSA bagged 137 votes.

Ward 23 saw the IFP secure 1 498 votes, while the ANC received 315 votes, the EFF received no votes, and TSSA received 213 votes.

"These results again underscore the significant growing support for the IFP. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our supporters, volunteers, and structures for their unwavering dedication to our party. In particular, the IFP would like to thank our provincial secretary, Mr. Xolani Dube, for his leadership during the campaign," Ntuli said.

He noted that as the party approached the provincial and national general elections, the victories in the by-elections bolstered its confidence and reaffirmed the party's commitment to delivering meaningful change for the people of KwaZulu-Natal.

"We are energised and determined to build on this momentum as we continue toward our goal of rebuilding KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa," he said.

He noted that this "remarkable victory" was a testament to the lasting legacy of the party's late founder and president Emeritus Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.

His commitment to the principles of honesty, humility and integrity continues to inspire the IFP as it strives to uphold his legacy, Ntuli said.

The IFP also extended its gratitude to Newcastle residents for trusting the party with their votes and for demonstrating their confidence in the IFP as the best alternative.

"We recognise and appreciate the immense responsibility placed upon us, and we are committed to serving our constituents with dedication and integrity," said Ntuli.

The party called on its newly-elected councillors to emulate the exemplary leadership of Buthelezi, serving the people with dedication, honesty and humility.

South Africa's central bank governor said on Wednesday that he was confident the country would be removed from an international financial crime watchdog's "grey list" next year, given the work that is under way to fix identified issues.

The International Financial Action Task Force (FATF) last year placed South Africa on a "grey list" of countries under special scrutiny over implementing standards to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing.

Speaking at a financial sector conference, South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago said being on the watch list had "been a costly episode for us".

"The lesson is that joint efforts are required to look after the integrity of South Africa's financial system. We all suffer when this is compromised," he said.

Last month, the National Treasury said the task force confirmed that five of 22 actions it had identified had been addressed or largely addressed, but that it would be a challenge to address all remaining 17 items by February 2025, when the task force conducts its next review.

Being placed on the list was a reputational setback for Africa's most advanced economy, and analysts said it could complicate its attempts to obtain funding and support from multilateral development institutions and official lenders, among other negative factors.

South Africa's economy eked out marginal growth of 0.6% in 2023, with growth inching up just 0.1% in the final quarter.

"We are falling behind. A big reason for this is that other places have functioning rail networks, ports and electricity," said Kganyago.

At the same time, government debt has risen too fast and is too high, he said.

Inefficiencies at South Africa's State power utility Eskom and port and freight rail operator Transnet have stifled growth, while a cost-of-living crisis has squeezed consumer spending.

The Multi-Party Charter on Wednesday promised that if it comes into government it will prioritise preventing crime by addressing its root causes.

The 11 parties in the Multi-Party Charter unveiled their plan to address one of South Africa's most devastating crises by focusing on four priorities: professionalising the police service, improving the criminal justice system, addressing the nation's drug problem, and tackling corruption and State capture.

The parties touted a focused, evidence-based strategy for a safer South Africa.

"We will be tough on crime and even tougher on the causes of crime, to protect people, property and infrastructure, while deterring anti-social behaviour and the abuse of power," it said.

The Charter explained that the primary duty of the State was to ensure a safe and secure environment for all citizens, pointing out that South Africa was one of the most dangerous places for women and children.

"Our high crime rate is a symptom of government's failure to detect, prevent, arrest and prosecute criminals. This failure has created a crisis in which lives are being destroyed and lost. This needs to change," it said.

The Charter highlighted that it would appoint police leadership on merit and improve the training and capacitation of police officers, the detective services, and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks).

It will also promote the establishment of municipal police services and prioritise the South African Police Service's budget towards critical functions such as public order and visible policing.

The Charter will ensure that policing forums are well-resourced and create additional specialised law enforcement units to boost local community policing efforts.

These would be aimed at gangs and criminal syndicates who terrorised communities, it said.

Priority will be on the safety of women, children and other vulnerable groups by dedicating funding for crime prevention as well as victim support services.

The Charter will create specialised courts and police units to deal with corruption, sexual and gender-based violence, gangs and drugs, and also increase budget allocations to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to recruit and retain critically needed skilled and experienced prosecutors and specialised forensic accountants, auditors and financial investigators for the Investigating Directorate and Asset Forfeiture Unit.

Law enforcement and intelligence efforts aimed at dismantling drug supply networks and illicit trade will be increased.

The Charter highlighted that it would ensure that there were harsh consequences for anybody convicted of drug dealing and drug trafficking, while assisting drug users to quit through treatment and harm reduction support mechanisms.

The Charter promised to end cadre deployment and ensure all public appointments were made on the basis of merit and said it would implement lifestyle audits for government officials selected randomly through a process similar to that which South African Revenue Service utilises to identify taxpayers for audits.

The Charter noted that in 2024, there was an urgent need for the electorate to remove a "failed government" and hand the reins to a leadership with the skills, political will and integrity to achieve law and order that combats crime, corruption and drugs.

The Multi-Party Charter for South Africa is that leadership, it said.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has rejected what it said was an "attempted money grab" by the African National Congress (ANC), as the Electoral Matters Amendment Bill was passed in the National Assembly with 240 votes to 90.

The Bill will now be sent to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence.

DA Shadow Home Affairs Deputy Minister Adrian Roos said the Bill passed is a "crude" attempt at directing more public and donor funds to the coffers of the ANC to help them try and cling on to power.

"This is being done by changing how party funding is allocated to suit themselves and by possibly removing limits for maximum donations and reporting thresholds for a while to create an opportunity to stuff their couches. These amendments have nothing to do with the inclusion of independent candidates," added Roos.

Additionally, the Bill provides for the inclusion of independent representatives who may receive funds from the Multi-Party Democracy Fund (MPDF).

Parliament noted that the fund aims to raise and distribute donated funds from the private sector to represented political parties and will be administered by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

The Bill prevents the IEC from accepting donations for the MPDF if there is reason to believe they come from proceeds of crime.

"The Commission can also suspend the payment of money to a represented political party, independent political party, or independent representative if it is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the represented political party or independent representative has failed to comply with the Act," explained Parliament.

The DA pointed out that Section 236 of the Constitution provided that "National legislation must provide for the funding of political parties participating in national and provincial legislatures on an equitable and proportional basis."

Section 236 was clear that this must be done to enhance multi-party democracy, the party said.

"Clause 29 of the Bill does exactly the opposite. It increases the proportionality of the party funding allocation from 66.6% to 90% and decreases the equitable allocation from 33.3% to 10%," the DA added.

The party highlighted that the proportional portion was split among represented parties according to their share of seats in the relevant legislature while the equitable allocation was shared equally between all represented parties.

"This has the effect of an extra R50-million going to the ANC in the next year alone while smaller parties' income is drastically reduced. As independent representatives are limited to one seat their allocation would be more than halved," said Roos.

According to the Bill, a political party, independent representative, or independent candidate must disclose all donations they received to the Commission. A juristic person or entity that donates to a political party, independent representative or independent candidate above the threshold prescribed must disclose this to the Commission.

The DA noted that as the Bill was now referred to the National Council, it would continue to challenge the allocation and press for limits for maximum donations and reporting thresholds to be retained in the interests of fairness to enhance multi-party democracy.

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said an anticipated improvement in electricity supply should see him out of a job by the end of 2024.

The country, which has been plagued by crippling power cuts, will get an additional 6 000 megawatts of supply from State sources by the end of the year, Ramokgopa told an infrastructure conference organised by Ninety One Plc in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

"There will not be a need for this ministry by the end of the year," he said. "I will be the happiest person within three months. More and more you will wake up to a hot bath. Much later a cooked meal at home."

Ramokgopa was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to help resolve the 15-year power crisis last year. Outages, often lasting 10 hours or more daily, have slowed economic growth and have become a lightning rod for criticism of the ruling African National Congress's management of the economy in the run-up to national elections in May.

Within about a week, the government and the State power utility, Eskom, will announce how private investors can participate in an expected R390-billion expansion of the national transmission grid, Ramokgopa said.

Non-governmental organisation My Vote Counts called on members of the National Assembly to reject amendments to the Electoral Matters Amendment Bill (EMAB) and for Parliament to ensure that any changes in the law are in the public interest.

The National Assembly will on Tuesday vote on what My Vote Counts describes as the "far-reaching" EMAB.

My Vote Counts said that in a "show of political expedience", several of the amendments that relate to political party funding have strayed far beyond the scope of what is necessary to be in line with the amended Electoral Act.

The EMAB was introduced by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi in December 2023, with the aim of bringing several laws in line with the amended Electoral Act (2023), adopted by the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on March 1, and is waiting to be signed into law.

My Vote Counts said it is clear that the EMAB amendments are unconstitutional and a grave threat to the country's democracy, and that if it is signed into law, it will have detrimental consequences to the constitutional imperatives of transparency, openness and accountability.

"If signed into law, these wide-reaching amendments will open opportunities for a money-grab by political parties prior to a highly contested election," it added.

Specifically, it is concerned about the amendments relating to the Political Party Funding Act (PPFA) and includes the allocation formula for political party funding from the State through the Represented Political Parties Fund and the way the yearly upper limit of donations and the disclosure threshold is determined.

It noted that the amendments seek to change the allocation formula to disperse funds from two-thirds proportional and one-third equitable, to 90% proportional and 10% equitable.

"This reverts to the funding formula in place before the introduction of the PPFA and will only benefit larger parties. The funding formula that has been in effect since April 2021 (two-thirds proportional and one-third equitable) was developed to provide a more even playing field in terms of public funding, and to provide smaller or emerging parties with a bigger slice of the public funding pie," it said.

Additionally, the adopted version of the Bill repeals the Regulations that regulate how the annual disclosure threshold and the annual upper limit are determined. The previous proposed amendments sought to expand the President's powers to make the determinations, but was rejected following public criticism.

"…there will be a legal void if the EMAB is signed into law, without a simultaneous proclamation by the President of the disclosure threshold, which is R100 000 and the upper limit, which is R15-million. If this transpires, there will be no disclosure threshold or upper limit in place, completely undermining key objectives of the PPFA," My Vote Counts explained.

The organisation is of the opinion that this move is consistent with the African National Congress's (ANC's) ongoing campaign to undermine the PPFA, by expanding its reporting threshold and annual funding limits.

My Vote Counts noted that a year ago, the ANC instructed its MPs to use Parliamentary processes to give life to this campaign.

The organisation said that ironically, when President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the PPFA into law in 2021, he said that it was, "part of the commitment of this administration to improving transparency and accountability in government".

"If the ANC forces this through Parliament without remedying these defects, it will not only be challenged in Court, but reinforce the notion that the governing party is willing to forego on value and principle in the pursuit of power," My Vote Counts said.

The campaign has also been supported by other established political parties and, if successful, will take the country back to the years of secrecy in politics and will see the grip that money has on the country's democracy expanded, it added.

Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo assures that the credibility of the commission is not dependent on a single factor - "it is an important factor, yet not the only determinant of the credibility of the commission", he said in reference to the recent leaked candidate lists of the African National Congress and the uMkhonto weSizwe Party.

Mamabolo said the person responsible for circulating the lists has been fired from the IEC.

On Saturday, the IEC reported that it had become aware of lists of candidates that were being circulated on social media platforms. The IEC indicated that the lists contained hallmarks that suggested it was circulated by a user inside the organisation.

"For that reason, an enquiry was instituted to establish the circumstances of the unauthorised circulation and the person or persons responsible. Following investigations over the weekend and early hours of [Monday], the Electoral Commission is able to give a preliminary report that the investigation has narrowed the source of the disclosure to a workstation that had been used to generate and store the reports," Mamabolo said.

He assured that the reports were deleted from the workstation, which had since been secured and imaged in the presence of the staff member whose credentials were used to generate the reports.

He highlighted that a forensic analysis of the computer was under way.

"The Electoral Commission reiterates its regret for the unauthorised disclosure of the lists and the disclosure of personal information of candidates on those lists. The Electoral Commission continues to cooperate with the Information Regulator in this regard," Mamabolo said.

He explained that several measures had been taken since the matter came to light on Friday, saying access to the report section of the candidate nomination had been scaled down.

He added that there was also heightened awareness created among all staff members, noting that corrective actions had been taken in terms of internal policies of the IEC.

VOTERS ROLL TO BE CERTIFIED

Meanwhile, Mamabolo announced that since the voters' roll was compiled for the first time ahead of the 1999 national and provincial elections, it had shown steady growth of over 35% and contained the highest number of registered voters, recording an increase of 9.6-million voters since the 1999 general elections.

Mamabolo said that over 27.79-million voters were eligible to cast their votes in the 2024 national and provincial elections.

Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the elections would take place on May 29.

During the 1999 national and provincial elections, the IEC recorded 18.17-million registered voters, 20.67-million in the 2004 elections, 23.18-million in the 2019 elections, 25.39-million in the 2014 elections and 26.74-million in the 2019 elections.

Mamabolo explained that the voters' roll would be certified by the chief electoral officer on Tuesday and would be published at the IEC's head office, each of the nine provincial offices of the commission and at each municipal office of the commission.

Certification signals confirmation of those citizens who are eligible to vote in the elections, he said.

"Electronic copies of the voters' roll which contains the redacted identity numbers of voters in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act will be provided to all political parties and independent candidates who have qualified to contest the elections," he explained.

Mamabolo noted that the provincial breakdown of the registered voters indicated that Gauteng remained the biggest voting block, followed by KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape respectively.

"The highlight of the certified roll is the increase in the rate of representation of persons in the age cohort 18 to 39 years. This age band accounts for 42%, or 11.7-million, of the voters on the voters' roll. In fact, the increase in this age category from the 2021 local government ele...

ActionSA president Herman Mashaba announced the party's national chairperson Michael Beaumont, Eastern Cape provincial chairperson Athol Trollip and party spokesperson Lerato Ngobeni are among the candidates the party will be fielding to represent it in the National Assembly.

Mashaba was unveiling his party's 'Team Fix South Africa' in Johannesburg, where he noted that if given the mandate to govern, an ActionSA administration would reduce the number of national government departments to about 20, and eliminate the position of deputy minister in all departments.

He said the chosen candidates represented some of the best minds and skills the country had.

He announced Beaumont as the party's Team Fix South Africa's member for Infrastructure and Public Enterprises, Ngobeni as Team Fix South Africa's member for Home Affairs and Trollip as Team Fix South Africa's member for Land and Agriculture, and as the party's leader of Executive Business in Parliament.

The list also includes Dr Tsholofelo Maforah, Dr Tutu Faleni, Solly Moeng, Pieter Scribante, Mpho Madisha, Dr Kgosi Letlape, Nothukhela Mahkohliso, Dereleen James, Advocate Julie Seaton, Thuli Khoza, Mohammed Rafeek Shah, Nompumelelo Edward, Sello Lediga and Alan Beesley.

"They represent some of the most patriotic South Africans who are committed to undoing the legacy of the current cruel and uncaring government. Those who form part of 'Team Fix South Africa' have already served this country in the public and private sectors for many years, and are now ready to take that contribution further," Mashaba said.

He noted that his party would reduce the benefits Ministers received, including "excessive" catering and travel allowances, it would slash the budget for VIP protection, and ensure that Ministers were always transparent about the actions they took.

He added that at a time of fiscal constraint and a cost of living crisis that is ravaging the nation, the perks of Ministers should be slashed before any other budgetary cuts.

He said leaders must set an example for fiscal responsibility.

"With their announcement today, we want to demonstrate to the South African people that we are not a party hallmarked by career politicians with no real-world experience in the portfolios they are meant to lead," he said.

He committed that an ActionSA government would be appointed based on merit, and not political connections.

"Whether ActionSA governs with a majority, or in coalition, we will be uncompromising on ensuring that we appoint the best persons to Cabinet positions who have real-world experience in the portfolios they are supposed to lead. We will not engage in cadre deployment, nepotism and cronyism. We will only appoint people on merit and with impeccable track records with a commitment to clean governance and service delivery," he said.

While other political leaders might make space for compromised leaders within their ranks, Mashaba said ActionSA was unwavering in its commitment that the party's leaders must be above reproach.

He explained that all candidates had undergone an extensive and rigorous selection process, adding that the party had spent countless hours interviewing candidates and scoring tests to ensure that ActionSA only sent the best people possible to Parliament to possibly fill Cabinet positions.