Residents will, once again, have to grind their teeth and pay more for services that, in the eyes of some residents, are non-existent.
This will hurt the people more as they struggle daily to survive in this bad economic climate, and this is while the Executive Mayor, Cllr Zuma, insists on spending money on projects such as the huge failure, SEJACUFE. SEJACUFE is reported to surpass the R5m mark.
The following is stated in the Draft Budget Medium Term Revenue and Expenditure Forecasts (2024/2025)
Residents will have to face the following increases:
That proposed tariff increases BE ADOPTED in principle:
ASSESSMENT RATES
All property taxes as per the 2023/2024 tariff book increased by 4.9%.
SEWERAGE
All sewerage charges as per the 2023/2024 tariff book increased by 5.9%.
REFUSE
All refuse charges as per the 2023/2024 tariff book increased by 4.9%.
WATER
All basic water charges as per the 2023/2024 tariff book increased by 5.9%
ELECTRICITY
All basic electricity charges increase by 9.86% in line with NERSA
DEPOSITS
Tariff book 2023/24 book increased by 4.9%.
MISCELLANEOUS TARIFFS
As per the 2023/24 tariff book increased by 4.9%.
These are tariffs that are used on a need basis.
All tariffs exclude VAT except in the case of assessment rates that are zero-rated.
INTEREST / CAPITALIZED ARREARS
No interest will be levied on those arrears for which the consumer made formal arrangements.
Interest will only be levied on those arrears for which no formal arrangement exists and/or arrears as a result of not complying with the said arrangements.
Interest rates will be levied at market-related rates.
The municipality is implementing the inclining block tariffs on electricity and water. The IBT for the electricity is in line with the NERSA guidelines. The water tariffs are also designed using the inclining block model to promote a conservative approach to domestic consumers.
The municipality will still ensure that the poor are protected through the indigent support scheme as per the indigent policy and debt collection strategy. The threshold for increasing free basic services for a household will be reviewed. The increase in the package indicates the municipality’s commitment to protect the poor and also to ensure that those who cannot afford to pay are not burdened with the unpaid accounts.
The 2024/2025 draft budget comprises of R 3 149 billion for operating expenditure and R 117 million for capital investment programs. The total operating income budget is R 3 261 billion resulting in an operating deficit of R 111 million.
The budget that is contained in the agenda for March when it was passed by majority vote paints a pretty bleak picture.
GMM’s draft budget is R3149 billion which, currently, the municipality’s creditors amount to R5.5 billion, with Eskom and Rand Water’s debt totalling to R5.4 billion. The current outstanding creditors are in line with the cash flow, therefore the municipality is unable to pay its creditors timeously which might lead to litigations.
The municipality will be unable to pay the obligations when they become due and that will result in non-compliance with section 99(2)(b) of the Municipal Finance Management Act
There is no doubt that the new tariffs will have an adverse effect on all stakeholders.
While Eskom will be increasing the tariffs by 12% GMM approved an increase of 9,86%.
GMM is already struggling to cover just the normal costs, let alone a deficit on bulk purchases.
THE ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS (AIP) STRONGLY SUPPORTS DAILY MAVERICK’S CALL TO ACTION AROUND JOURNALISM EMERGENCY
The AIP strongly supports Daily Maverick’s shutdown to highlight the emergency in journalism across the globe and in South Africa’s cities, small towns, townships, and rural areas.
However, our members want to take a different stance. Most of our publishers don’t have the resources to close – not for a day, not even for an hour. Our margins are too slim. So as AIP we’re starting a campaign – with our audiences – highlighting the importance of what local media means to our communities, and what we believe will happen if it vanishes.
South Africa’s local media is shrinking. Rapidly.
AIP is an independent community media membership organisation. We represent 147 publishers and 178 publications across the country. (AIP members are independent of mainstream media companies such as Media24 and Caxton.)
Our publications are based mostly in townships, small towns and rural areas. We are a diverse, strong-minded, big-voiced grouping, representing all the 11 official languages in the country – 109 of our publications cover languages other than English.
And we’re fighting for our lives.
In 2016 AIP had 204 publications – now we have 178. The overall print runs were 7.5m monthly – now we have 2.5m. We boasted a monthly readership across the country of 22.6m. Now we have approximately 7.5m readers: a drop of 15.1m – over 8 years.
Covid was devastating for AIP. While mainstream media (e.g. the SABC and News24) had surging audiences online, community media, largely print-based, largely driven by local advertisers whose businesses had to shut their doors, haemorrhaged. It was difficult for poorer township and rural audiences to access online content at home. Also, the majority of our publications stopped printing. Approximately 40% of our publications closed for the duration of Covid.
Post-Covid there were green shoots.
Publications started printing again: but fewer copies and less frequently. Publishers printed not weekly now but monthly – and not 10 000 to 20 000 copies a week but 5000 copies per month.
One of the problems was that the price of printing kept surging.
Publishers were encouraged to go online – but there were no silver bullets. The majority of online advertising was absorbed by the big tech platforms (Google and Facebook). If it was difficult to make money in the mainstream media, it was even more difficult for local media. Online audiences are small at community level – but to make money online you need huge audiences (with millions of users). But further, even with large audiences it is difficult to earn revenue in African languages as they are simply not recognised by the big tech platforms.
What does this mean for local democracy?
As Daily Maverick points out, the shrinking of local voices means less local government accountability. It means more corruption and mismanagement at the municipal level in big cities, in small towns and rural areas. It means less delivery of services and more crime. And as local infrastructure collapses, it makes it more difficult for local businesses to operate.
Way forward
Alongside the calls for action outlined by Daily Maverick (calling for corporate support, government subsidies and tax breaks) AIP also calls for:
More corporate and small business advertising support for local journalism.
The strengthening of the Media Development and Diversity Agency to play a more proactive role in the community media sector and for all community sectors – print, online and broadcast – not just broadcast.
For National Treasury GCIS, provincial and local government structures to ensure government advertising is placed in local publications and to be transparent about what is spent and on which media.
For research to be done as regards all the advertising intermediaries that exist at community level to look at which ones assist the industry, and which don’t.
Finally, to ensure greater Seta support for local journalism training.
And all is not lost. The 147 publishers in AIP represent some of the most resilient media professionals in South Africa, with the closest understanding of the news interests and information needs in communities, most representative of South African citizenry. And AIP is committed to the fight to keep community news alive in South Africa.
CRUELTY COMES IN MANY FORMS AND MANY PEOPLE, UNKNOWINGLY, SUPPORT THESE PRACTICES OR INDUSTRIES.
In light of April being the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, we want to look at some industries and practices that are contributing to the cruelty to animals, that you might be supporting. Have you ever complained about a dog being chained, yet you take your kids to petting farms, aquariums, on animal rides, or to the circus? Whether it hurts them physically or not, there is always an ethical, welfare, and cruelty question! Let’s look at a few practices or industries.
Responsible people and tourists do not interact with captive wild animals! While many elephant-riding operations say that their animals are well treated, there is no quick, easy, or humane way to train any elephant, Asian or African, purely for the pleasure of people to ride these highly intelligent and majestic creatures. Also, look at the spine structure and think about whether it will hurt or not.
Too many animals living on one property can be a sign of animal hoarding. Thousands of animals are hoarding victims each year. Animals are kept in overcrowded, deteriorated areas and unfortunately, most hoarding animal victims will have to be euthanized due to ill health. Even animal welfare organizations resort to hoarding which is never beneficial for the animals.
Every year millions of animals suffer and die for nothing – animal-based experiments are misleading and retard medical progress. There are safe, modern, effective, accurate, reliable, and repeatable methods available that require no living beings. Watch this Save Ralph short film.
Make a difference where you can, by using kind options for household cleaners and grooming needs. It doesn’t matter what a brand says, it is what it can prove and remember that all bunny logos mean the same.
Even though we understand that hunting is deeply entrenched in the SA culture, we strongly object to any hunting or fishing for sport, entertainment, or recreational purposes. The sport does not justify causing suffering to animals.
A canned hunt is a trophy hunt that is not a “fair chase”; it has been made too easy for the hunter. Animals have been kept in a confined area, such as in a fenced-in area, increasing the likelihood of the hunter obtaining a kill. A canned hunt is a hunt for animals that have been raised on game ranches until they are mature enough to be killed for trophy collections.
The welfare concerns are crucial here and both the dog and its prey can get injured and die a terrible death, apart from the living conditions of the hunting dogs.
A line of beaters pushes the animal in the direction of a chain of waiting hunters, this way you can be relatively certain of getting a chance to shoot the game several times each day.
Fox hunting is a very disturbing form of hunting. There are more humane ways to deal with what you perceive as “pests”.
Are you ok with cruel beauty or comfort? If you’re considering buying a product stuffed with down or body feathers, the first thought on your mind probably isn’t: “Where did these feathers come from? One of the ways they collect feathers is live-plucking. Live plucking is exactly what it sounds like a goose or duck is held down by their neck or wings as the “targeted feathers” are torn from their skin. When the skin rips during this process it is sewn up with a straight needle (no analgesic or sterilization used) and the bird is left to recover before the next “harvest of feathers.” This process is repeated every 6-7 weeks before the bird’s eventual slaughter (or death from the trauma of the plucking process itself).
This is an amputation equivalent to the first digits of your fingers. We believe declawing cats is both unethical and inhumane. We also believe that Veterinarians should say no to this procedure unless there is a medical reason for it. There are many alternatives for responsible pet owners who are not lazy. Watch this video about declawing.
While docking and bobbing are more commonly used to refer to the removal of the tail, the term cropping is used for the ears. There is no justifiable reason to dock a dog’s tail or ears. Those who do it will be liable for prosecution under the Animal Protection Act no 71 of 1962. This mutalation affects the dog’s body language for humans and other animals. When you buy breeds where this has been done, you are supporting cruelty.
Many factors seriously compromise the welfare of the fish, leading to suffering and may even kill the animals. The water quality is affected and temperature changes are also a concern. Toxic (to fish) chemicals such as from toiletries or nail varnish may leach into the water. Chemicals used to clean or disinfect tanks or to clean clients’ feet before treatment may also be toxic to the fish. Overcrowding fish in a small volume of water will lead to increased concentrations of ammonia too. Well-fed fish may show no interest in human skin and may be unlikely to feed on the skin if they have access to appropriate food sources. There is also the question of what happens to the fish once they have become too big to be used for pedicures.
People catch & release for personal fun. Take a photo to boost your low self-esteem maybe or for some likes on Facebook? You are not doing this for conservation. Fish can feel the injury and depending on where you hook them, it can have detrimental effects on their well-being and that is apart from the fact that many die about a week later, due to infection of the injury site.
THE ANIMAL FOOD INDUSTRY, WITH A SPECIAL MENTION OF FOIE GRAS
The ethical questions regarding food sources is a topic on its own, but Foie gras and the methods used is a particular concern. Foie gras is a specialty food made of duck or goose liver. One bird is forced to consume between 160 and 210 kgs of corn mush in only three weeks. This is the equivalent of a 68kg human consuming roughly 27kgs of oiled pasta daily, or 54 boxes of pasta a day.
The list goes on…………….
There is no way for you to justify these cruel practices or industries. Animals do not deserve to be treated like products. They are sentient beings and deserve respect, care, and most of all freedom.
Next week we will look at laboratory animals used for testing.
Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga and Gauteng Premier Panizza Lesufi shut downe-tolls in Gauteng
Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi have together shut down the e-tolls system. “It has been a long road, but we have finally put an end to e-tolls in Gauteng,” Chikunga said, with Lesufi standing alongside her at a gantry on the N1 in Johannesburg on Thursday night.
Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga
“From midnight on Thursday, 11 April 2024, e-tolls are dead and motorists will no longer have to pay e-tolls,” said Minister Chikunga.
Minister Chikunga and Premier Lesufi were accompanied by Gauteng MEC for Transport and Logistics Kedibone Diale-Tlabela and SANRAL CEO Reginald Demana to witness the shutting down of the e-tolls system last night.
“Tonight we are celebrating a victory for our democracy. The decision to end e-tolls is a testament to our government’s commitment to its people; the voices of our citizens have been heard and our government has listened. As we bid farewell to e-tolls, we usher in a new dawn of an e-toll-free society where road users will no longer be charged for using the freeways in Gauteng,” she said.
Premier Lesufi said he and the citizens of Gauteng were relieved and excited that e-tolls were finally behind them. “The fact that we are here shows that we have eradicated a long-standing problem. I also want to say that we have proven wrong those doomsayers who didn’t believe us when we said we were going to end e-tolls. Here is the proof; e-tolls are no more and the residents of Gauteng can move forward.”
Speaking at the Central Operations Centre (COC) in Centurion, SANRAL CEO Reginald Demana said the infrastructure created for e-tolls would continue to be used for many other purposes. “One of our biggest priorities in this process is to ensure that we preserve the jobs of the more than 900 employees working at the COC, the call centre and various kiosks across the province. In addition to using the infrastructure for critical road safety and law enforcement functions, world-class interoperability systems, parking payment solutions, account-based ticketing and several other systems which we are considering for the future,” said Demana.
The FF Plus welcomes the fine of R200 million imposed by the Bethal Magistrate’s Court on the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality (Bethal, Charl Cilliers, Embalenhle, Evander, Kinross, Leandra, Secunda, Trichardt) on Tuesday for violating environmental legislation.
The fine was imposed after the state and the Municipality (GMM) entered into a plea and sentence agreement, according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
The Municipality was found guilty on six charges relating to National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) violations, the pollution of water sources, National Water Act violations and failure to comply with a compliance notice.
“The FF Plus has been putting pressure on the Municipality to resolve the ongoing sewage crisis and related pollution since 2019,” said Aranda Nel-Buitendag FF Plus councillor: Govan Mbeki Municipality, “In 2020, the party asked the Green Scorpions to investigate sewage violations in GMM. In 2021, the FF Plus went so far as to file a complaint with the police in Secunda against the then Municipal Manager, Ms Lizzy Shabalala.”
Aranda Nel-Buitendag, FF Plus councillor
The FF Plus resorted to that course of action after several requests to the Municipality, to urgently resolve the problem, fell on deaf ears.
The party asked the Green Scorpions in 2020 to investigate the sewage pollution, particularly in Evander.
In 2022, the party lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) about the flow of sewage from the Emzinoni settlement and the eMbalenhle water treatment plant to the Trichardt Tributary and Blesbok Tributary.
Decaying infrastructure and the mismanagement of funds are the main causes of this crisis.
The Govan Mbeki Local Municipality’s failure to routinely maintain and replace infrastructure is a violation of the community’s constitutional right to live in an environment that is not harmful to their health or wellbeing, in terms of section 24 of the Constitution.
“The FF Plus will keep fulfilling the role of watchdog for the community,” said Aranda
R200 million fine imposed on Govan Mbeki Municipality for Contravention of the Environment Act
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mpumalanga welcomes the R200 million fine imposed on the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality (GMM) for contravention of the National Environmental Management Act of 1998.
This week, the Bethal Magistrate Court fined GMM R200 Million for releasing raw and untreated sewage polluting the local freshwater streams. It is alleged that GMM has been polluting the water streams intentionally for almost two years.
“The DA has been consistent in calling on the municipality to deal with sewer spillage in GMM, but this was met with deaf ears. We first reported this matter to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) in 2012,” said Cllr James Masango – DA Councilor in Govan Mbeki Municipality, “The municipality, together with its former Manager, Felani Mndebele, were summoned to the SAHRC offices in Mbombela where they were asked to respond to the DA’s complaints about the sewage spills. However, nothing was done to improve the situation after that.”
Cllr James Masango
The sewerage system in GMM has deteriorated further due to systemic corruption, maladministration, fraud, incapacity and poor maintenance of the current infrastructure.
Most sewage pump stations and some Wastewater Treatment Plants in GMM are dysfunctional. Compounding the crisis is that the GMM is bankrupt, and it was one of the municipalities in Mpumalanga that were categorised as dysfunctional by the Provincial Government.
“It is not clear if this municipality is going to pay the R200 million if it is unable to pay Eskom and Rand Water,” said Masango
“It is a wake-up call for the people of Govan Mbeki to remove the uncaring and corrupt ANC from government. It is only a DA Government that can rescue GMM and the rest of South Africa from ANC mismanagement.”
AFRIFORUM WELCOMES “STINK FINE” FOR MP MUNICIPALITY, DISAPPOINTED THAT OFFICIALS ARE NOT HELD PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE
AfriForum today, welcomed the “stink fine” of R200 million, which was imposed on the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality yesterday by the Bethal Magistrate’s Court. However, the civil rights organisation argues that the relevant responsible municipal officials should much rather be held personally liable for the various violations of environmental and water legislation of which the municipality has now been found guilty.
The municipality was found guilty of widespread pollution of natural water resources with raw sewage and the mismanagement of municipal landfills that took place between November 2019 and September 2020.
According to Marais de Vaal, AfriForum’s Environmental Advisor, environmental legislation is generally applied very strictly in the case of the private sector. However, government agencies, which are among the nation’s biggest polluters and violators of environmental laws, are often not held accountable for violations. AfriForum, therefore, welcomes the court’s decision to act firmly against the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality, through a fine and accompanying court order to compel the municipality to carry out necessary repairs to municipal infrastructure.
However, AfriForum is disappointed that the relevant municipal officials are not held personally accountable. The private sector and government institutions must be judged by the same yardstick when it comes to environmental legislation. However, it is unfair that directors of companies are held personally liable for wrongdoing, while municipal officials get away with their crimes.
A further concern is that the fine imposed on the municipality, which must therefore be paid from the municipality’s budget, effectively means that taxpayers have to pay for the fine. This is while the community is already paying for the municipality’s failures and pollution.
“The fact that a proposal to buy a new, luxurious car for the mayor was recently tabled in the municipal council just highlights how unconcerned municipal officials are in carrying out their obligations in the service of the community. Service delivery can no longer be left in the hands of criminal municipal officials,” says De Vaal.
The fine that has now been imposed on the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality will only worsen the financial predicament in which the municipality already finds itself, explains De Vaal. He maintains that the R3 billion that is already owed to Eskom, and the R800 million that the municipality owes to Rand Water, together with the fine of R200 million leave serious concerns about the sustainability of the municipality.
AfriForum will reach out to the municipality to help tackle the pollution problem, which still occurs in many respects. According to De Vaal, the community has the necessary expertise and willingness to solve these problems.
Pets have no voice to cry out for help and they can’t dial 911. They aren’t able to alert authorities to abuse, and they can’t quietly discuss their pain and injuries with a veterinarian. You have to be the eyes and ears for the animals you encounter to ensure that if there is any abuse, it can be stopped in time or prevented. If you do not report cruelty, then you are complicit.
As we mentioned last week, neglect may require an educational visit from an SPCA inspector or animal welfare worker and abuse may require the removal of the animal from the home and prosecuting the offenders. Either way, your call will guarantee a better life for that animal.
Anti-animal cruelty awareness – Image by The Paw Company
This article is a re-print published 26 April 2023.
UNKNOWINGLY YOU CAN BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM.
Cruelty comes in many forms and you might, unknowingly, be supporting it!
• Breed – there’s no such thing as responsible breeding when we have a massive overpopulation crisis!
• Support breeders (registered or backyard) when millions have to die
• Support pet shops that sell animals
• Support Aquariums
• Support Zoos
• Support Petting farms
• Support wild animal interaction (e.g., rides)
• Support Circuses with animals
• Support unethical hunting practices
• Do not sterilize your pets
• Do not keep them safe and let them roam the streets (including cats)
• Support irresponsible organizations
• Do not report cruelty
• Abandon/abuse/neglect any animal
• Give animals away for free
• Use products tested on animals
• Support “free to good home” ads
• Not planning for your pets when you immigrate or in your will.
…..the list goes on and it is easy to unknowingly contribute to the problem.
REPORTING CRUELTY
Save your local SPCA office and emergency numbers on your phone. Also, include the numbers of the areas where your friends or family stay or where you visit frequently.
HOW TO REPORT
Is it safe to take a photo/video?
Get an exact address or pin drop.
Call your local SPCA. Find them via the NSPCA website.
Assist with the case.
Report if it happens again.
Please understand that the SPCA or animal welfare organizations can’t always just take the animal. There is a legal process to follow!
ALWAYS REPORT CRUELTY!
If you notice an animal that appears to be suffering, call your local animal welfare agency (mainly the SPCA in SA) immediately! Do not send a message or email or do this through social media as we lose precious time! Call until they answer! It can always be done anonymously and even if you are unsure, rather report so the SPCA can investigate. You can find an SPCA near your location or contact the NSPCA directly. You can also report it to your local SAPS, but I would rather do it through the SPCA or other local animal welfare organizations willing to assist.
Read here how to recognize the signs of cruelty, but if you are unsure whether it is cruelty or not, report it anyway! Please understand that the SPCA can’t just take an animal away on the first visit. They need proof of the cruelty and there is a process to follow including writing a notice to comply or warnings before a warrant can be obtained for the removal of the animal in question. In clear-cut cases, it can happen faster. When you call them and they go out, and you feel nothing has happened, follow up and contact the NSPCA – nspca@nspca.co.za. When it happens again, please contact them again and even provide affidavits where possible. This will help with the process. If you report cruelty to a SPCA and they claim it is not their area, by law, they still need to make sure that the case is attended to.
Be a responsible pet owner. Know about and fulfill the needs of your pet. Don’t just concern yourself with basic needs – give your pet positive experiences that really enhance their well-being. It is a lifetime commitment, not just when it suits you.
Be an example of kindness to other pets. Foster a pet that has suffered abandonment. Sadly, many pets are relinquished to shelters for various reasons. Foster homes help these animals to recover and prepare them to move on to a new permanent loving home. If you can, ADOPT!
Intervene if you witness animal cruelty, abuse, or neglect. Do what you can to stop someone from mistreating an animal. However, be sensible and if necessary, seek help from other witnesses or authorities. An animal that has been mistreated needs support, sometimes immediately. You can make a real difference by taking an animal out of a harmful situation.
You can keep food, water, a leash, and a blanket in your car. If you see an animal in need or roaming around you can help. Approach only if it is safe for both you and the animal, as we do not want them to run away into danger. If the animal is hurt, stay with them or follow them at a safe distance, while you wait for your local animal welfare organizations to come and assist you. If you can pick up the animal, take them to your Vet, the SPCA, or into your yard until the owners are found.
Teach your children to have respect for animals. Set a good example by being respectful towards animals. Show children how to interact with and treat animals with love and consideration. Even if your pet allows it, kids should not be sitting on or pulling on the ears or tails, etc. of pets. Help them to grow up to become the next generation of advocates for animals. Children who are cruel to animals often grow up to be cruel to people as well. Nip animal cruelty in the butt early on, even better, prevent it!
Know the legislation & support legislation that promotes kindness to animals. Stronger animal welfare laws and harsher penalties for abusers will lead to fewer cruelty cases. Support the campaigns and advocate for animal rights! Ask what animal welfare policies the political party you support has. You can read the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1993 (Act 169).
Animal and social welfare link. Consider that neglect of animals can be closely linked to domestic violence. Animal abuse usually precedes or is concurrent with other abuse. By reporting your suspicions, you may also be helping both the animal in need and the family members concerned.
Educate people around you about the issue. Help people to understand that they can intervene in situations where animals are being neglected or even tormented. Animals have a right to live without fear or pain, and we have a responsibility to step in if their rights aren’t respected. Promote programs at schools! You can read more on specific educational animal welfare topics on the NSPCA website.
Offer help to people who seem overwhelmed with their animals. Animals aren’t necessarily neglected out of a lack of love. An owner may not have the psychological resources to provide an animal with the appropriate care. Whatever the reasons may be, an affected pet must be removed from a place of neglect and given the care it needs to live and thrive. Any help you give to an animal may help a human too.
Volunteer in animal welfare, whether it is by fostering, helping at kennels, sharing posts, or by donating to those who do the work. Take care of those animal welfare workers in the trenches, so they can continue this sad and tough job. Whether it is words of encouragement, a gift, treatment, or just a coffee.
Using cruelty-free products like skin/body/hair/make-up and clothes. The www.humaneguide.co.za are products endorsed by Beauty without Cruelty (South Africa) that do not test on or pay for testing on animals. Don’t be fooled by companies’ smart and sly slogans. It is never what the company claims, but what they can prove! Be informed!
Don’t support “free to good home” ads and report the selling of animals on social media. Don’t support breeders, pet shops, animal dealers/brokers, the circus, aquariums, petting farms, animal rides, animal sports, unethical hunting practices, or any industry that exploits animals for money or entertainment.
Preventing animal cruelty is no easy task, but with your help, we CAN DO THIS!
In a ruling handed down yesterday morning by the Johannesburg High Court, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has won a seminal case finding the governing party of South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC) and its secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, guilty of contempt of court.
“The ruling confirms beyond all doubt that the ANC is a lawless criminal syndicate that is prepared to trigger a constitutional crisis to hide the fact that its corrupt cadre deployment committee is the root cause of state capture, corruption and service delivery failure,” said Dr Leon Schreiber MP – DA Shadow Minister of Public Service and Administration.
Dr Leon Schreiber MP – DA Shadow Minister of Public Service and Administration
“The DA approached the court, on an urgent basis, on 4 March 2024 after the ANC unlawfully redacted, destroyed and withheld records of its cadre deployment committee dating back to 1 January 2013, when Cyril Ramaphosa became its chairman. The court today agreed with the DA that this behaviour by the ANC, in violation of a court order upheld by the Constitutional Court, amounts to “wilful” and “male fide” contempt of court.”
While the ANC is clearly prepared to go to any length to hide its dirty cadre deployment secrets and undermine the rule of law, there is, fortunately, no limit to the DA’s determination to uphold the rule of law and abolish cadre deployment corruption from the face of this country.
The court consequently declared that the ANC is in breach of an order that was affirmed by the Constitutional Court. The court ordered the ANC to pay the DA’s full costs for the application, and to, within 15 days, give effect to the original court order by:
1. Providing to the DA all of the information that has already been disclosed and that is further required to be disclosed in unredacted form so as to ensure all names of persons are legible;
2. Providing to the DA all of the information related to the processes and decisions of the ANC cadre deployment committee during the period 1 January 2013 to 1 January 2021, including but not limited to minutes, draft minutes, notes, attendance registers, communications and decisions of the deployment committee whether prepared by or communicated to staff members of the ANC, members of the committee, chairpersons of the committee, and government officials; and
3. Emails, Whatsapps and other social media communications between and among members of the committee and between committee members, committee chairpersons and government officials.
4. Providing the DA with copies of all attachments to emails, Whatsapps and other social media communications;
5. Making available the following items to a neutral third-party information technology expert agreed to by the DA for the purposes of extracting information required to be disclosed by the court order:
The hard drive and laptop of ANC official Thepelo Masilela;
The personal email of Thapelo Masilela; and
The laptop of ANC official Lungi Mtshali.
6. The ANC is directed to report to the court and to the DA’s attorneys, in writing and under oath, of its compliance with the court order.
7. The ANC is ordered to pay the costs of this application on the attorney and client scale such to include the costs of two counsels.
In its ruling, the court specifically condemned the ANC’s contemptuous failure to disclose communications and records held by Cyril Ramaphosa. “The court noted that “in particular, [the ANC] was obliged to disclose communication relating to the committee’s work by, and involving, President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was the chairperson of the committee between 2013 and 2018,” said Dr Leon Schreiber to the Bulletin.
As a result of today’s ruling, the DA calls on Ramaphosa to act in accordance with his position as President of South Africa in order to bring an end to this escalating constitutional crisis triggered by his party, by abiding by the ruling and handing over to the DA all of his personal emails, Whatsapps and other communication revealing the role he personally played in state capture through his position as ANC cadre deployment chairperson.
“Once again, the clock is ticking on the ANC. It has 15 working days – until 24 April 2024 – to hand overall, complete and unredacted cadre deployment records, including those held by Ramaphosa. As we have done throughout our years-long battle to expose and defeat ANC cadre deployment, the DA reserves our right to pursue further action against the constitutional delinquents masquerading as a governing party,” concluded Dr Leon Schreiber
