🇿🇦South AfricaSouthern Africa
DA declares the ANC's demise in KwaZulu-Natal, citing spectacular failures
via The Citizen13 min read
Francois Rogers, the DA leader in KwaZulu-Natal and MEC of Finance, stated that the ANC in the province has "died" due to its spectacular failures across all spheres of government and municipalities. Speaking at the DA national congress in Johannesburg, Rogers emphasized that the era of one-party dominance is over, and voters are no longer giving political parties a blank cheque to govern. He highlighted that coalitions, when built on principle, delivery, and accountability, are the future of South African politics. Rogers noted that the DA has exposed corruption, inflated contracts, and empty bank accounts in KwaZulu-Natal municipalities, even while being part of a coalition with the ANC. He mentioned that the decision to place the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education under Section 18 of the PFMA, a Treasury intervention, nearly caused the collapse of the government of provincial unity. The ANC's mother body has been attempting to revive support in the province after a significant defeat in the 2024 provincial elections, leading to the appointment of a provincial task team to rebuild branches. There are reports that the ANC's National Working Committee will discuss the possible removal of Jeff Radebe as the convenor of this task team due to perceived failures.
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Must ReadThe Constitutional Court ruled on May 8, 2026, that Parliament acted irrationally in December 2022 by rejecting the referral of a Section 89 panel report to an impeachment committee. This decision mandates the National Assembly to establish an impeachment committee, as outlined in Rule 129I, to investigate President Cyril Ramaphosa. The inquiry will focus on three potential grounds for removal: serious violation of the constitution or law, serious misconduct, or inability to perform duties. Key aspects of the investigation will likely include the origin of $580,000 stolen from Ramaphosa's Phala Phala game farm in February 2020, which he stated was payment for buffaloes to Sudanese businessman Hazim Mustafa. Questions persist regarding the cash transaction, the non-delivery of the buffaloes, and why the money was not returned. The inquiry will also examine allegations of a cover-up, including the failure to report the burglary to the South African Police Service and the alleged involvement of Wally Rhoode, head of the Presidential Protection Service, in a cover-up and unlawful cross-border activities. The storage of the cash for 44 days without declaration to the South African Reserve Bank, violating Exchange Control Regulations, will also be scrutinized. Following the committee's report, the National Assembly will vote on removal, requiring a two-thirds majority of 267 votes. The current Government of National Unity, comprising the ANC and its partners, holds 287 seats, indic
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Former public enterprises minister Malusi Gigaba's defense team has received the state docket in a case involving alleged irregularities at Transnet. Gigaba, along with former Transnet chief financial officer Anoj Singh, former chief executives Brian Molefe and Siyabonga Gama, and former Transnet Freight Rail chief procurement officer Thamsanqa Jiyane, appeared at the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg for a pre-trial conference. The case centers on allegations that tender processes were flouted during the procurement of locomotives between November 2010 and May 2014, resulting in billions of rand in losses for Transnet. The state also alleges that Gigaba accepted undisclosed amounts of cash from members of the Gupta family during his tenure as minister. Gigaba's attorney, Nicholas Kourie, confirmed that the former minister has secured funding for legal representation after his application for state-funded assistance was refused. The legal team intends to consult with Gigaba to determine whether to file a Request for Further Particulars or submit representations. Procedural matters regarding legal representation have been resolved, and the firm will continue to represent Gigaba. The matter has been postponed to July 10, 2026, for further pre-trial processes.
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