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KwaZulu-Natal African National Congress (ANC) provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo stated on Tuesday that no one will unseat the ANC in the province in the 2024 elections, as he boasted that the current membership of the party in KZN is above 200 000.

He was speaking during a dialogue with the media in the province, which aims to build relations.

Mtolo said ANC officials had taken a decision to interact with party members to discuss the challenges and successes of the organisation's National Democratic Revolution.

He said the ANC could not share its strategies on how it could win the upcoming 2024 elections.

He added that the ANC and other political parties were analysing the upcoming elections based on reliance on the local government 2021 results, which he said would be unhelpful.

Mtolo said the party lost many votes that year, as the election was on a Monday, which was a long weekend during the Covid-19 lockdown.

He believes contesting parties in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) will not be able to unseat the ANC. He called the suggestion "a pipe dream".

He warned journalists against involving themselves in internal factions.

"If you choose a life of a journalist and a politician, your skin must be hard as we are going into the elections. There will be heated moments," said Mtolo.

He further criticised the media for not reporting on positives in the province.

Mtolo said it was unfortunate that the media was not highlighting the achievements of KZN Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube and Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC Siboniso Duma for their clean governance in the province, after the Provincial Legislature and six provincial departments obtained clean audits for 2022/23.

ANC KZN chairperson Siboniso Duma stressed that the ANC in the province was the "only vehicle that can totally liberate South Africans" if its policies were implemented.

He warned journalists to tread carefully and not be absorbed by political infighting.

"If you write incorrectly, many people, even your extended families, will be affected," he warned.

He said the eThekwini municipality was working swiftly to address water issues in the province, while 58 000 youth were being trained as school assistants to address unemployment.

He said there were more developments in the pipeline and asked the media to assist in selling the province to the world.

KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane said the ANC leadership had had sleepless nights relating to service delivery.

"We sit and take stock of how far we have gone. We exist to change the lives of our people, primarily the previously disadvantaged," she said.

Mutual respect, she noted, was important between the leadership and the media.

"We take journalism as a profession. Do not ask us questions like why are comrades not shaking hands? We believe that the media should be partners of all political parties. We respect you, but be respectful professionals," said Simelane.

She promised a follow-up on departments that take an extended amount of time to respond to media questions.

On the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital that was recently built in KwaMashu, Simelane said 1 400 posts were filled following proper procedures.

She said the hospital catered for all people in the province, and dismissed protests against hiring staff from outside of KwaMashu.

Simelane said people from KwaMashu should not complain as "some of their people also work in far-flung areas in the province".

She said she was aware that those who were complaining wanted tenders, which the health department did not have.

Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader Velenkosini Hlabisa has denied that there is crisis within the party, and assured that the IFP is "solid, strong, and united".

Hlabisa was speaking on Tuesday during a press conference where he allayed any fears of tension in the party, following reports that some members had planned a motion of confidence against him.

Last month, IFP secretary-general Siphosethu Ngcobo received a request from 20 petitioners for a special urgent sitting of the IFP National Council.

The IFP's National Executive Committee (NEC) considered the matter and resolved not to accede to the request.

Hlabisa said the National Council members were called to appear before the NEC, on Monday, to engage colleagues on their petition.

Furthermore, two signatories withdrew their signatures, thus the petition no longer held constitutional muster in terms of the IFP constitution, which prescribes a minimum of 20 signatures.

"We had a fruitful and constructive engagement with the colleagues, who went as far as offering an apology to the Party for the confusion and public anxiety the petition has caused. Whilst the IFP constitution provides for petitions, it must be understood that this is an exceptional measure. The colleagues have categorically distanced themselves from the speculation that suggested that through their petition they would table a motion-of-no-confidence in the IFP president," said Hlabisa.

He reiterated that the IFP will not be distracted by the "desperate mischief" of its detractors who seek to sow divisions in the party through speculation or rumour mongering.

The IFP leader said the National Council members indicated that they wanted the party to finalise the issue of party regalia and branding relating to the use of the face of the IFP founder and president emeritus, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.

There have been reports that the party is divided on whether the party should use Hlabisa or Buthelezi's face as preparations for the 2024 elections gain traction in the country.

Hlabisa has said contrary to speculation, the IFP has emerged out of Monday's NEC meeting stronger in its unity and has full confidence in the leadership collective of the NEC and National Council.

"We are a united leadership at work. Any speculation to the contrary is wishful thinking by our opponents. The country is in trouble on every front: from poverty, to crime, to corruption, to unemployment, to lack of service delivery. Therefore, the IFP, as an alternative to those in power, is firmly focused on securing a decisive election victory in 2024," added Hlabisa.

Policing the ongoing taxi strike in Cape Town has resulted in law enforcement resources being pulled away from "other policing functions", which has led to opportunistic crimes such as looting.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said on Tuesday that the strike had crippled the transport industry and left two people dead, scores injured and many public and private vehicles torched.

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said that "isolated incidents of looting and damage to structures" had been reported and were under investigation.

"We can confirm that police members have arrested and detained suspects in various policing precincts on charges of public violence. Integrated forces will remain deployed to ensure that the safety and security for the inhabitants of the entire province is maintained," he said.

Cape Town Safety and Security MMC JP Smith said on Monday night that there had been "sporadic attempts at looting" at small retail centres and convenience stores, and "numerous offenders were arrested".

According to estimates by Smith, about 100 people were arrested on Monday.

On Tuesday, Winde chaired an extended meeting of the Western Cape cabinet where the provincial government heard updates from police and mayors on the strike.

He said municipal services had been disrupted since Thursday last week, with healthcare and education disproportionately affected in the Cape Town metro.

"It angers and saddens me to see how law-abiding residents are being prevented from going about their everyday lives by this deadly thuggery.

"In our meeting this morning, I again made it clear that those who break the law and place our residents at risk must face the consequences," said Winde.

He called on law enforcement agencies to arrest those blocking roads and shops.

Winde said, "Our main objective is to protect law-abiding residents, businesses and communities; to reopen the economy; and to restore calm and order."

"It is encouraging to see that the leadership of the SA National Taxi Council in the Western Cape is calling for calm."

"I appeal to the council to take every opportunity to ensure that its affiliates respect and abide by the court interdicts granted by the Western Cape High Court to prevent further unrest."

Winde also called for negotiations to continue to end the strike, with further talks to resolve long-standing issues.

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has announced that he intends to put Unisa under administration after a report revealed "financial and other maladministration" at the institution.

Nzimande wrote to Unisa council chairperson James Maboa on Friday to inform the council of his intention to appoint an administrator.

"Minister Nzimande intends to exercise his powers in terms of Section 49B of the Higher Education Act 101 of 1997, which empowers him to appoint an administrator. In terms of Section 49E of the Higher Education Act, the council of Unisa will be dissolved upon the appointment of an administrator," Nzimande's spokesperson, Ishmael Mnisi, said.

He said the decision followed reports from independent assessor, Professor Themba Mosia, and a ministerial task team, chaired by businessman and academic, Vincent Maphai.

"Minister Nzimande is satisfied that the independent assessor's report reveals financial and other maladministration of a serious nature which affects the effective functioning of Unisa. The report reveals that the appointment of an administrator is in the best interest of Unisa and of higher education in an open and democratic society," said Mnisi.

The Ministerial Task Team conducted an independent review of Unisa's "mission drift".

It made a "rigorous assessment of how the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its associative disruptions and shifts" would affect the university's operating model.

Nzimande has allowed the Unisa council to make written representations to him within seven days of receipt of his letter.

A little more than a week ago, News24 reported that Professor Steward Mothata had been fired as registrar following a scathing 309-page report into various allegations, including poor leadership and governance.

Mothata's dismissal came after Unisa principal and vice-chancellor, Professor Puleng LenkaBula, put him on precautionary suspension for, among others, failing to advise her, the council and its committees about governance matters and possible related risks.

The registrar was accused of breaching confidentiality policies and of gross abuse of office, gross dishonesty, and gross insubordination.

In his report, Mosia recommended that Unisa be put under administration, and that the council and management members be relieved of their duties.

The report details his findings on various issues, including the state of governance at the institution, the performance of management and the council, financial management, upgrades to the vice-chancellor's home, claims of intimidation and bullying, and the leaking of confidential reports.

Mosia found the registrar's portfolio needed to be fixed due to poor consequence management, outdated policies and a failure to protect student data, among other concerns.

President Cyril Ramaphosa noted on Monday that it is only through greater sponsorship and support that women's sport will be able to grow and attract larger audiences.

Ramaposa wrote in his weekly letter to the nation that increased participation of women and girls in sport supports women's empowerment and advances gender equality.

South Africa recently held the Netball World Cup, where South Africa finished sixth. The FIFA Women's World Cup, meanwhile, South Africa bow out in the Round of 16 on Sunday, after a 2-0 defeat to the Netherlands.

On Wednesday, the country will celebrate National Women's Day to mark the anniversary of the great women's march of 1956, where women marched to the Union Buildings to protest against the carrying of pass books.

Ramaphosa explained that male-dominated team sports, such as football, cricket and rugby, still receive the lion's share of funding and sponsorship, and have established professional leagues, whereas women's football, cricket and rugby do not.

He said this contributes to the huge disparity between the remuneration of female athletes and their male counterparts.

"Equal pay for work of equal value is one of the most fundamental tenets of gender equality. The sporting fraternity is neither exceptional nor is it exempt. That female athletes should still earn less than their male counterparts is an affront to our nation's sportswomen, more so at a time when the achievements of some of our women's sports teams surpass those of our men's teams," he added.

Ramaphosa noted that sponsors and sporting bodies should direct greater resources to women's sports.

"It is only through greater sponsorship and support that women's sport will be able to grow and attract larger audiences. As they attract a greater following, women's sports events will provide greater value to sponsors," he said.

Ramaphosa explained that participation in sport provides numerous benefits and positive effects.

"Engaging in sports helps maintain a healthy lifestyle, improving overall physical fitness, building strength, perseverance, endurance and flexibility. Regular physical activity through sports can also reduce the risk of chronic illnesses. Sports can also impart critical life skills like discipline. These skills also include leadership, time management, goal setting and problem-solving," he said.

He added that competing in sports fosters a sense of empowerment among women, helping them build confidence in their abilities and breaking gender stereotypes.

He noted that, through sports, women can challenge societal norms, experiencing personal growth and achievement.

"All of these can enable women and girls to be more assertive and confident in society, and can support the fight against discrimination and gender-based violence," he said.

SPORTS WOMEN'S SUCCESSES

Ramaphosa said the country's female athletes have reached new heights across a number of sporting codes, and have hosted several women's international sports tournaments.

"As a nation we are exhilarated by the successes of our sportswomen on the field, track and pitch. Our women's national football team, Banyana Banyana, the reigning Women's Africa Cup of Nations champions, has delivered some stunning performances in the FIFA Women's World Cup taking place in Australia and New Zealand. Our women's netball team, the Proteas, put in a strong showing at the Netball World Cup that ended in Cape Town yesterday," he added.

In February, South Africa hosted the first International Cricket Council Women's T20 Cricket World Cup to take place on African soil. The country's national team made history as the first South African team to reach the final.

Ramaphosa explained that the success of the major women's sports tournaments that have been hosted in South Africa will no doubt bolster the county's bid to host the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2027.

"Our nation's sportswomen have proven themselves, time and again. It is up to us, as a society, to provide the necessary enviro...

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde says the provincial government is pursuing legal action and an interdict against striking taxi operators, along with the City of Cape Town.

The taxi operators have been protesting since Thursday, with widespread torching of buses and City resources.

On Monday, Winde chaired a special cabinet meeting to discuss the ongoing taxi strike and report back on the various engagements and interventions since the beginning of the strike.

He said that despite the "urgent negotiations" since Thursday, there was still no resolution.

"I am angry that as a result of the strike, residents have been unable to get home to their families or to work, school, shops, clinics and other critical sites. Many government services, including health and social development, are having to close facilities and are unable to provide desperately needed services to our communities," he said.

"Our schooling system is also being affected. This is not acceptable."

On Sunday, Golden Arrow Bus Services was granted an interdict by the Western Cape High Court against the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) and its affiliates. Winde said the provincial government would also be "pursuing legal action".

Winde welcomed the Santaco in the Western Cape's condemnation of the violence, but said he remained "deeply concerned".

"The ongoing violence is making it very difficult for negotiations to proceed. We are a government that stands for the rule of law. A withdrawal of services is an important constitutional right, but violence, intimidation and destruction of property are not," he said.

"This is non-negotiable. We want to bring all stakeholders back to the negotiations, but this has to be in an environment of calm. We must also not allow this issue to be politicised as this will only further complicate matters."

Winde added that his cabinet would continue to meet daily.

Former president Jacob Zuma's private prosecution against News24 specialist legal journalist Karyn Maughan and senior State advocate Billy Downer has been postponed.

Zuma still has two appeals outstanding - one for his private prosecution loss and another for an enforcement order to prevent private prosecution actions.

Three judges set aside his private prosecution, calling it an abuse of power. Zuma took the ruling on appeal.

The private prosecution could fall away if the appeal fails.

On Thursday, the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg ruled in favour of Downer and Maughan in their enforcement application, halting actions relating to Zuma's private prosecution.

Zuma, who is back from Russia where he sought medical treatment, was present in court.

Zuma filed a leave to appeal application immediately after the enforcement order ruling.

Through his lawyers, Zuma called for the dismissal of the enforcement order, arguing that the urgency of the enforcement application was contrived and amounted to an abuse of court process. He said no exceptional circumstances for the order had been established on a balance of probabilities and added that the underlying decision for the order was "inherently deficient and riddled with irregularities".

The private prosecution matter is scheduled to return to court on 1 November.

Outside court, News24 editor-in-chief Adriaan Basson said he didn't expect to see Maughan back in the dock.

"This is a huge win for media freedom. The only aim of this private prosecution is to intimidate Karyn Maughan and Billy Downer. This court has been unequivocal in the ruling of the private prosecution, and that is why an enforcement order was granted yesterday.

"We believe the enforcement order case will go to the Supreme Court of Appeal, but we don't think there is any prospect of success. We believe Karyn will not have to be back in the dock after today," he said.

Speaking on behalf of the Jacob Zuma Foundation, Mzwanele Manyi said he believed Maughan and Downer would appear on 1 November.

"This is not about media freedom," he said.

African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general (SG) Fikile Mbalula argued, on Friday, that legislative framework should be put in place to regulate coalition governments to safeguard democracy, sustainable development and service delivery.

Mbalula spoke at the two-day gathering of the National Dialogue on Coalition Governments held in Cape Town where he said the squabbles in current coalition governments impact on service delivery in municipalities.

About 80 municipalities and metros in the country are in a coalition arrangement.

"Having observed the disturbing developments in hung municipalities and metros, affected communities and citizens will have good reason to believe that collectively as political parties, we are only interested in power politics instead of addressing their needs. This dialogue should, through a sufficient degree of consensus, prove that we are truly and generally committed to stable functional developmental and accountable government. We must, therefore, strive to come out of this dialogue with a framework that will lay a basis for new legislation," said Mbalula.

Among the measures proposed by the ANC for a framework he said coalitions must be based on a common minimum programme, or a "citizens charter", that focuses on measurable targets for service delivery and development in the communities.

Secondly, coalition partners must commit to shared values, stability, accountability, ethics and integrity, Mbalula said.

The ANC also wants the party with the largest votes to lead said coalition and fill executive positions proportionally.

The ANC is also seeking a threshold relating to what amount of electoral support qualifies a party or candidate to be part of councils and coalition governments.

The ANC hopes that framework will restore confidence to frustrated communities that have at times resorted to service delivery protests.

He reminded other political parties that the ANC is not in attendance to discuss the upcoming elections in 2024.

The ANC SG said the ANC is concerned about the coalition chaos in municipalities and added that the framework should help to resolve it.

Mbalula added that his party is confident that 2024 will result in none of the parties having obtained an outright majority to govern.

He acknowledged that the coalitions in their current "free floating institutional set-up" are not working for the people and are not held together by any transparent safeguards.

"The health of our democracy should be measured by the well-being of citizens as well as stability and ability of democratic institutions to serve the people even when there are changes after every five year electoral cycle," he said.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile said on Friday that government is fortunate that this could be the generation in the country's evolving democracy that co-creates and designs resilient solutions to the country's political architecture.

Mashatile was delivering the keynote address at the two-day National Dialogue on Coalition Governments, held in Cape Town, where he pointed out that despite a promising future, the "frequent collapse" of coalitions at a local government level is deliberate, and is sometimes even unrelated to the pursuit of the public good.

The aim of the dialogue is to lay the foundation for a National Framework on Coalition Governments, which will serve as a guide for effectively managing and navigating coalition governments where they become necessary.

In attendance were political parties, Ministers, Premiers and civil society organisations. Former President Kgalema Motlanthe, former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela and retired South African politician Mac Maharaj were also among those attending the dialogue.

Mashatile said coalitions must consolidate national efforts to create a truly substantive democracy that was based on the will of the people.

This as South Africa deals with increasingly unstable coalition governments.

He saluted the work done by a number of institutions to improve and stabilise coalition governments at the local level. Mashatile said government had contributed to a commitment to a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, and prosperous society and a coalition leadership based on the actual votes received by each party in an election.

He added that it had also committed to Batho Pele principles, working towards poverty eradication through a growing and inclusive economy, good governance and zero tolerance for corruption.

Mashatile explained that people were free to make proposals, saying government intended to synthesise proposals from as many South Africans as possible and present these in the coming months as a framework for consideration, which may or may not end up in legislation.

"This is the first time ever that the leadership of as many sectors of our country have met to deliberate on a critical issue that has caught the imagination of the nation and will undoubtedly resonate beyond our borders," he said.

Mashatile acknowledged that in reality, the political parties' deliberations over the next two days were several years late, as the country's democracy had been continuously evolving, though with little collective reflection among broad sections of the country's leadership.

He said had government paused earlier to reflect on how best to promote and maintain consensus within the country's evolving democracy, some of the recent unstable coalitions that had played out dramatically in some metropolitan municipalities, could have been avoided.

SOCIOLOGICAL AND POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Mashatile said while government must be ready and willing to learn from the coalition experiences of other countries, it must also bear in mind South Africa's unique sociological and political characteristics.

He noted that challenges were also exacerbated by an economy that had not grown sufficiently over the years to absorb greater numbers of job seekers.

He said the sociological characteristics of the country's society and the stagnant economy manifested in a stampede towards the political sphere, especially by the youth, who increasingly demanded greater representation in politics than in the professional space leading to a rise in variants of right-wing and left-wing populism.

He explained that the country's sociological reality impacted the state of political parties and the country.

"I am suggesting that our social structure and its economy are central to all our endeavours. With or without coalitions in any sphere of government, but most especially because of coalitions, South Africa requires a growing economy, which creates opportunities for people beyond the political sphere. As an enduring divide...

Political parties exploring a multi-party agreement announced on Thursday that Professor William Gumede will be the Independent Chairperson of the Multi-Party National Convention.

The parties involved are the Democratic Alliance (DA), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Freedom Front Plus (FF+), ActionSA, the United Independent Movement (UIM) and Spectrum National Party.

Opposition party leaders will hold a National Convention on August 16 and 17 in Johannesburg to discuss a possible pact in the run-up to the 2024 elections.

As an independent chairperson of the process, Gumede is not affiliated to any of the participating parties.

He is an Associate Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand's School of Governance and founder of the Democracy Works Foundation.

He also teaches a programme for MPs of the Commonwealth on how to manage country Parliaments, ensure effective oversight of the executive and government entities, and how to conduct themselves ethically as MPs.

He also runs a course on public policy and economics, including how to put together the National Budget for MPs from all political parties in South Africa.

He mediated in several country civil and communal conflicts, including the eSwatini conflict between the king and his allies and opposition parties ahead of the 2013 national elections.

Gumede has advised several African governments on alternative approaches to hold violent belligerents accountable following civil wars, including the civil war between Christians and Muslims in the Central African Republic and the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He was the facilitator in the healing and reparation process between the mine, victims and communities, following the Marikana Massacre in South Africa.

The parties noted in a joint statement that there was a need for the talks to benefit from the wisdom and experience that was available in South Africa and, which they sid, was too often ignored by political leaders.

"In considering Professor Gumede's significant contributions to South Africa and various democracies around the world, it is evident that there is no South African who is better placed to guide our multi-party process," the political parties explained.

For the Pact conversation, Gumede will manage the process together with former Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration CEO Nerine Kahn, Germany's Trier Institute for Democracy and Party Research director Professor Uwe Jun and experienced journalism and communications specialist Zamayirha Peter, who will be a communications adviser for the convening team.

The parties said Gumede had already begun chairing weekly meetings to establish a multi-party agreement for the event.

"These meetings enable parties to engage around the agenda for the Convention and to build greater consensus ahead of the Convention. Already these engagements are benefitting from the experience and wisdom that Professor Gumede and his team have brought to the table," the parties said.

They expressed their commitment to presenting South Africans with a compelling alternative vision and direction for the country, adding that the basis for this agreement would be an agenda to address the greatest challenges facing the country.

This agreement must lay the foundation for a new multi-party government in 2024 that can start the work of moving the country forward again, they said.