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South Africa's president appointed Kgosientsho Ramokgopa as acting finance minister, while Enoch Godongwana takes leave.

Ramokgopa, appointed in March as the nation's energy czar to end the nation's electricity crisis, took up the acting finance minister role on Monday, Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson for President Cyril Ramaphosa, said by text message on Tuesday.

"It is normal for ministers to act on behalf of their counterparts," Magwenya said.

Godongwana is currently on leave after presenting the medium-term budget policy statement earlier this month, the National Treasury said in an emailed response to questions. Ramokgopa will serve in the acting capacity until November 22, it said.

Godongwana plans to attend the Group of 20 Africa Compact meeting in Berlin next week, the Treasury said.

Parliament has said that progress is being made in the restoration of its infrastructure that was damaged by a major fire in 2022, with the planned completion date scheduled for November 28, 2025.

The project restoration team has put together a programme of designs scheduled for completion by February 2024 to allow for pre-qualified contractors to price their bids.

So far, significant efforts have been directed towards the construction of new offices, rubble removal and the recovery of assets, the installation of a temporary roof, the restoration of fire burnt buildings and repairs to the Old Assembly and the National Assembly.

Secretary to Parliament Xolile George has hailed the efforts in the repairing and upgrading of the building. However, he has noted that the work is being executed under considerable space constraints as building facilities were not fully compliant with the National Building Regulations (NBR).

He has also outlined that the planning, design work and procurement were concluded for the reshaping of the fourth and fifth floors of the Parliament building.

"Construction started on 17 July 2023 and was completed on 6 September 2023. A total of 155 new offices for Members of Parliament were completed within a period of seven weeks. These offices are now fully furnished, including two meeting rooms, three pause areas with kitchenettes, two reception areas, and three storerooms. Also part of the project was building 20 interpretation booths and two sign language studios to support the core business of Parliament," George said.

Parliament is also working with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to secure additional floors to the building in view of reshaping them into additional offices and committee rooms.

It also highlighted that approximately 750m3 of rubble was removed from the old and new assembly buildings and the recovery of movable assets from 382 offices. Books of historical importance and heritage artifacts were retrieved and are being kept at an off-site storage facility.

Parliament has also installed a temporary roof with the view of ensuring that the interior of the building is protected from the elements and that work during construction can continue without disruptions. It has also outlined that the repairs and upgrades to the Old Assembly and National Assembly buildings are at the concept and viability stage.

"With regards to concept and viability, the professional team conducted detailed condition assessments on the two buildings and the extent of non-compliance with the NBR. Most services and control systems were rendered dysfunctional. Many of the mechanical and electrical assets that were not affected by fire had reached the end of their life cycle, are outdated, and require replacement," George said.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has appealed to the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) to enact tougher sanctions against financial misconduct on the part of public servants and to standardise the disciplinary code on financial impropriety.

In a written reply to a DA parliamentary question, Minister of Public Service and Administration Noxolo Kiviet made the disclosure that there were 523 cases of financial misconduct by public servants reported during the 2021/22 financial year and this cost the State R1.5-billion.

Kiviet's reply has also revealed that a Lieutenant Colonel in the Department of Defence only received a reprimand amid accusations of irregular expenditure to the amount of R8-million. Further, two directors and deputy directors in the Department of Employment and Labour who lost R66-million owing to gross negligence were issued with final written warnings and kept their jobs, and a public servant in the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition had their written warning withdrawn despite accusations of malfeasance amounting to R2-million.

The DA has asserted that the issue will only worsen under the current system if the department continues to impose light and inconsequential sanctions on offenders.

"[The DPSA's] lack of tough action against public servants involved in financial misconduct is entrenching a culture of impunity and not enough deterrence against would-be offenders," said DA MP Mimmy Gondwe.

She said that the DA remained concerned about the disparities in the extent of graft between national government departments and provincial government departments. Public servants in national government departments account for R1.3-billion of the loss whereas their provincial counterparts account for R230-million.

"It cannot be business as usual when the South African taxpayer is robbed blind of R1.5-billion, at a time when the country's public finances are in such a deep crisis. The professionalisation of the public service will remain a pipe dream for as long as the DPSA folds its arms and refuses to introduce strong consequence management interventions to deter malfeasance in the public service," Gondwe said.

Colleen Makhubele is no longer a member of the Congress of the People (Cope).

Cope announced on Monday that two prominent leaders had "terminated their own contracts" by joining the South African Rainbow Alliance (SARA).

Posters depicting Makhubele's image were on street poles on Sunday, urging residents to register to vote for the "birth of a new nation".

Documents seen by News24 have Makhubele listed as the executive president.

In a press briefing, Cope also announced that Ofentse Moalusi is no longer a member of the party.

"A councillor in Johannesburg municipality has her name on the posters and on the [street] polls, and in the media circulation, as a member of SARA. As such, she has terminated her own membership of the Congress.

"Another councillor in Tshwane… the person calling himself the chairperson of SARA and therefore has taken membership of SARA, meaning that there is the termination of membership on the councillor of Tshwane," the party announced.

It said correspondence to this effect was on the way to the "former comrades" because they had "terminated their own membership since they joined SARA".

SARA is the amalgamation of minority parties, formally called the "Super Pact".

According to information on Makhubele's X account, the "arrangement is founded by the African Amalgamated Restorative Movement, the Independent Citizen Movement, Cope, the National Freedom Party and churches".

A Gauteng Partnership Fund (GPF) investigation has found that the loans it granted to Deputy President Paul Mashatile's son-in-law Nceba Nonkwelo's company were possibly reckless and not in the GPF's best interest.

At a press conference on Monday, Human Settlements MEC Lebogang Maile, flanked by GPF CEO Lindiwe Kwele, presented the report following an investigation by Gildenhuys Malatji Incorporated (GMI).

The investigation sought to determine the circumstances around the loans totalling R24.9-million to Nonkwelo's company, Nonkwelo Investments, between 2013 and 2017. The loans were for the construction of student accommodation in Highlands, Johannesburg, that was never done.

Shortly after News24 published these revelations in July, Maile ordered the GPF board to launch the investigation and report back to him within 30 days. It has been three months since that deadline passed.

The investigation found that, following a change in the scope of the project from affordable housing to student accommodation, which was legally "uncertain", any approval of funding would be irregular and "not in the best interest of the GPF".

"Unless there is a reason for this, it would otherwise have been an arbitrary and possibly a reckless decision. By stepping in and approving a senior funding loan to Nonkwelo Investments, investigators expressed a view that this caused GPF to continue to assume an even greater risk," it said.

It further found that the project "was not viable".

The GPF entered into a settlement agreement with Nonkwelo Investments, the nature of which was not disclosed.

"Nonkwelo Investments failed to make a single payment at the end of the moratorium period, as such was in material breach of the second loan agreement," the report concluded.

According to Maile, "We have taken full cognisance of the findings in the investigation report, including the financial and legal implication, as well as the institutional integrity of the GPF as as important entity of the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements.

"Whilst the findings are clear about the governance pitfalls, we are however of the view that the recommendations are not conclusive. Accordingly, we have asked the board to institute a process of reviewing them with an intention of strengthening the areas of weakness."

Zwakele Mncwango has accepted his party's nomination for KwaZulu-Natal Premier and promised that ActionSA will restore good governance and appoint leaders with integrity.

Party founder and leader Herman Mashaba announced Mncwango's candidacy in Durban, on Monday.

A former Democratic Alliance member, Mncwango said ActionSA will implement proper vetting in government, including lifestyle audits of all politicians and municipal and government officials.

He said to Mashaba that if he is found to have committed any wrongdoing, the ActionSA leader can "take me out".

"That's a commitment I am making because we can't keep shifting people around because we are friends. There's no friends in politics, we are just colleagues, we are here to serve our country. Criminals must go out. Not in this organisation," he stated.

He promised that ActionSA would remain transparent and effective and more accountable to the people while following the rule of law.

He also promised that commission of inquiry recommendations would be implemented under an ActionSA leadership.

Mncwango said ActionSA would not outsource services that could be done internally and questioned why the Department of Public Works outsourced the maintenance of schools.

"We will minimise the tender system. We will only go on tender for critical work that can't be done internally," he promised.

Mncwango has been at the forefront of fighting corruption in KZN which led to the cancellation of the province's controversial hosting of the South African Music Awards which would have seen R20-million spent on the event, which he said would impair service delivery.

Mncwango said his party would do "everything in its power" to stop the looting of public funds and stressed that his party supported the creative industry.

"This task I am given means that things need to change," he stated.

EDUCATION

Mncwango promised the people of the province that he would close the gap between the rural and urban schools by restoring the culture of teaching and learning.

"Currently we have got a dysfunctional system where learners who go to rural schools will never receive the same education as those in urban areas. That must come to an end. Every learner must have the same education, but quality education," he laid out.

He said his party would do away with the employment of teachers according to union affiliations, and would hire educators based on their qualifications.

He also promised that ActionSA would fill vacant teaching positions, as there were many graduates who were looking for employment in the education sector.

"If we can't employ teachers, it will affect teaching and learning in the schools," he warned.

The party also aimed to address the dilapidated condition of rural schools, which Mncwango said inhibited qualified teachers from working in rural areas as some schools had no water and electricity.

ActionSA also wanted to bring back teacher training colleges in the province and wanted to "deal decisively with the collapsing food nutrition programme".

The province was found wanting at the beginning of 2023 when many learners were unable to eat at schools owing to alleged tender corruption in the procurement for the scheme.

Discussing the KZN Department of Education's plans to close 900 rural schools by 2028, Mncwango said his party would never allow that to happen, calling the move "an injustice to our poor communities because the reason why those schools are being closed is mainly because they can't provide education, then parents start to take their children to get quality education, then we have a low intake to such schools."

Addressing the issue of increasing rape cases in schools, Mncwango said his party would make safety for learners and teachers a priority.

HEALTH

ActionSA wants to "properly" train healthcare workers and ensure that the service of the rural healthcare facilities is on par with those in the cities.

The party also wants to see 24-hour clinics "because it doesn't help if our...

Freedom Under Law (FUL) says it will legally challenge the Judicial Service Commission's (JSC's) "inadequate" reasons for only filling two of four vacancies at the Supreme Court of Appeal - and snubbing two candidates who it described as "excellent".

FUL made the decision to seek a review of the JSC's SCA appointment process after reading the reasons that the commission provided to the Council for the Advancement of the SA Constitution (Casac) about why it only filled half of the Appeal Court vacancies during interviews held last month.

"FUL has studied these reasons and is of the view that the reasons are inadequate, and do not address the significant public concerns which were raised about the appointments in the immediate aftermath of the interviews," it said in a statement.

"FUL has accordingly resolved to take the JSC's decision in relation to the appointments to the Supreme court of Appeal on review, and is instructing its legal representatives accordingly. As a courtesy, FUL has advised the JSC [of this] today."

In a letter sent to Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, the chairperson of the JSC, FUL's Judith February explained that the organisation "has significant concerns about the process followed by the JSC, and the ultimate appointment recommendations" during the SCA interviews.

"Accordingly, FUL has resolved to take the JSC's decision on review," she said.

That legal action will force the JSC to fully disclose the nearly four hours of deliberations that resulted in the commission appointing Judges Fayeeza Kathree-Setiloane and Maleshane Kgoele to the SCA.

While Kathree-Setiloane was clearly a favourite among commissioners (having received 20 votes from a pool of 23 commissioners), the JSC's letter to Casac reveals that some commissioners were "not convinced" by the answers that Kgoele gave in her interview, "and whether these reflected an adequate grasp of legal principles".

Those reasons also revealed that unsubstantiated claims of racism and arrogance blocked widely respected Judge David Unterhalter from being appointed to the SCA. The judge had not been asked to address any of these accusations during his interview.

Despite being described by SCA Deputy President Xola Petse as one of the "heavy lifters and lawyers of substance" that the Appeal Court desperately needs, following the retirements and promotions of its most senior judges, and being praised for his erudite rulings and solid work ethic, Unterhalter was not appointed to SA's second most powerful court.

The only explanation for that non-appointment appeared to lie in unsubstantiated racism claims.

"Some commissioners stated that Judge Unterhalter is not a team player and appears to be arrogant and even 'racist'. These allegations were considered by some commissioners to be without substance and baseless," the JSC stated in its letter to Casac - without providing any further details of these claims or who had made them.

The JSC also noted that some of its commissioners had considered Gauteng High Court Judge Thina Siwendu - who had competently handled a number of high-profile cases and had much-needed experience as a commercial lawyer and business rescue expert - as "an excellent candidate" who had "written cogently on questions of transformation of society and rule of law".

Despite this, "some" unnamed commissioners felt that Siwendu did not have enough experience as a High Court judge, the JSC told Casac.

President Cyril Ramaphosa extended his congratulations to University of Pretoria Professor Dire Tladi for being selected by the United Nations (UN) to be a judge in the International Court of Justice.

The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the UN and one of its six principal bodies.

Tladi is the newest member of a law fraternity of South Africans globally who are in positions of service to the international community.

The President hopes "he will make important contributions to the better world we seek to build".

Tladi is Professor of International Law at the University of Pretoria and serves as President of the South African Branch of the International Law Association and Executive Member of the International Law Association.

In May, Cabinet endorsed Tladi's nomination by the South African Government, together with South Africa's membership on the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The Court's role is to settle legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorised UN organs and specialised agencies.

Commenting on Tladi's appointment, University of Pretoria pan-African collaborative research platform Future Africa director Dr Heide Hackmann said his appointment is a milestone in the pursuit of global peace and justice.

She said Tladi being the first South African judge at the International Court of Justice, will undoubtedly raise the important voice of Africa and contribute to shaping a safer and more equitable world for all.

"We look forward to witnessing the positive influence his expertise will have and commit our support to him in taking on this important international role," she said.

Reflecting on his election which she said was intense and humbling, Hackmann said she was overwhelmed with gratitude because "so many people played a role in this journey".

On Friday, the Department of Correctional Services said the parole board considered John Block's "meritorious service," including obtaining a Diploma in Business Management since his 15-year sentencing for corruption and money laundering in 2016.

The department added that Block, 55, was among the inmates who benefitted from the Special Remission of Sentences of 2019, 2020, and 2023, which brought forward his detention period to 13 September 2023.

Block had been out on R50 000 bail in a separate R51-million tender fraud case.

Highlighting that "South Africa comes first," Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise has warned even that foreign nationals will be dealt with harshly if they break the law in SA.

"If South Africans go into any country [and] they rape, [or] they steal, [or] they kill, then they must be dealt with as harshly as the citizens of that country and we shall do the same," she said.

Modise was addressing the media on gains made in their efforts to combat organised crime, along with Police Minister Bheki Cele, as part of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster (JCPS).

She said the government was making inroads in its efforts to deal with criminal syndicates and their operations.

"South Africans have borne the wrath of criminals masquerading in our communities, causing disruption in their daily lives. In some parts of our communities, extortion and protection fees demanded by criminal syndicates have become the order of the day," the minister said.

"Infrastructure mafias continue to destabilise the construction industry through intimidation, threatening of the people's lives. These and other criminal activities have put fear in our people and undermine the authority of the state," she said.

The minister also highlighted the success of Operation Shanela, which bagged more than 213 000 arrests for various crimes, such as cash-in-transit robberies, extortion at construction sites, and kidnappings, in the past six months.

Seventy-five wanted CIT suspects were arrested in the past six months.

"The arrests were made during foiled CIT attempts, during the commission of these crimes, and during targeted tracing operations."

Through intelligence-led operations, the following major takedowns were achieved.

In April, a syndicate allegedly linked to a number of CITs in Gauteng was intercepted in Sebokeng where 11 suspects were shot dead. They were intercepted before they left a house that was allegedly used as a safe house, and were en route to commit a CIT.

Nineteen suspected CIT robbers were shot dead in Makhado, Limpopo on 1 September. Thy were intercepted at a house in Makhado where they were allegedly planning to commit a robbery. This group has allegedly been linked to several CIT incidents in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo.

At all these crime scenes, explosives, high-calibre firearms, and ammunition were seized, as well as high-performance vehicles that had either been hijacked or stolen.

Turning to extortion cases, the cluster said the country had experienced sporadic incidents of violence and extortion at economic sites due to demands for a 30% share in community projects.

From April to date, 61 people who are allegedly linked to these extortion rings were arrested.

In cases of kidnapping for ransom, the DPCI (Hawks) and detectives had dedicated teams responsible for tracing and investigating.

The main priority is to rescue and reunite kidnapped victims with their families.

"From April 2023 to date, 98 suspects have been arrested for these crimes, and more than 30 victims have been rescued."

The minister said some of the cases that the team was able to crack involved a syndicate targeting members of the LGBTQIA+ community on a dating app.

"In that operation, an 18-year-old Wits student was rescued, and seven suspects arrested."

In October, another syndicate targeting Portuguese businessmen was also traced, and nine people were arrested.

On the illegal mining front, the cluster said there were 6 100 derelict and ownerless mines, 518 mines in operation in Gauteng, and an additional 1 170 mines in operation in the rest of the country.

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) is expected to rehabilitate three mines. It has closed 40 mines per year.

It plans to deal with the issue over a period of time.

On the drug front, law enforcement officers have closed down nine drug laboratories worth more than R3-million in Gauteng, the North West, and the Western Cape.

In the space of three weeks, police interc...