Electoral Commission of South Africa IEC Chairperson Mosotho Moepya emphasized the importance of youth participation in the upcoming November 2026 municipal elections during the National Learner Leadership Summit. Moepya stated that voting is a constitutional imperative and a tool for shaping the nation's future, echoing Nelson Mandela's sentiments on freedom and self-determination. He highlighted that Section 19 of the constitution guarantees free, fair, and regular elections, asserting that government must reflect the will of the people. Moepya warned against disengagement, noting that municipal elections directly impact local communities. He acknowledged Human Sciences Research Council data indicating a decline in political efficacy among 18- to 24-year-olds, but countered that apathy harms communities, not just politicians. While recent voter registration saw many young people register, millions remain unregistered, effectively excluding themselves from critical decisions. Moepya concluded by urging the youth of 2026 to be purpose-driven, emphasizing that their collective participation, as the largest demographic block, can move the nation.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Citizen.
ActionSA's Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate, Xolani Khumalo, and his co-accused, Duma Radebe, the chairperson of Gauteng Anti-Crime Units, have been acquitted of all charges, including assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and the pointing of a firearm. The Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court granted them a discharge under section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act, finding them not guilty. The charges against Khumalo stemmed from a televised anti-drug raid on 19 December 2025, during which a suspected drug dealer in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, alleged that Khumalo and others assaulted him and threatened him with a firearm at his home. Following their arrests in January 2026, Radebe was granted bail of R500, while Khumalo was released on R2,000 bail. Khumalo expressed his elation on X, stating that justice had prevailed. During the trial, the complainant, Bongani Radebe, testified that he was physically assaulted, struck and beaten with a firearm, had a weapon pointed at him, and had a plastic bag placed over his head during the raid, which he claimed lasted between 45 minutes and an hour.
Tenderpreneur Vusimusi "Cat" Matlala has pleaded guilty to charges of corruption, fraud, and money laundering after reaching a plea deal with the state. Matlala appeared before the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria on Thursday, June 25, 2026. The charges are related to a R228 million contract awarded to his company, Medicare24 Tshwane District. This contract is part of a larger R360 million health services tender with the South African Police Service Saps that involved 17 accused, including suspended national police commissioner Fannie Masemola. Investigations found the tender to be irregular, with R50 million paid out before its cancellation in May 2025. According to the state, Medicare24 Holdings managing director James George Murray and Captain Brian Cartwright are accused of assisting Matlala in preparing the bid submission. Cartwright allegedly helped draft bid evaluation committee minutes and submitted documents to the bid adjudication committee. Nine police officers on the bid evaluation committee are accused of failing to identify concerns during the evaluation process. Senior procurement officer Tumisho Nehemiah Maleka is accused of not properly scrutinising the submission. Additionally, Matlala's alleged girlfriend, Brigadier Rachel Matjeng, from Saps' forensic services division, is accused of facilitating purchase orders and receiving R900,000 in bribes. Authorities also allege that funds were laundered through financial movements involving Matlala, M
South Africa's Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke reported that all eight metropolitan municipalities failed to achieve clean audits in 2024-25. Her report highlighted a worsening situation, with five metros receiving qualified opinions and irregular expenditure reaching R73.87 billion over four years. Service delivery losses were significant, including R9.89 billion in water and R17.28 billion in electricity. Maluleke attributed these issues to weak leadership, poor oversight, and a collapsing accountability ecosystem, urging urgent reforms as a new local government administration prepares to take office. She emphasized the need to professionalize local government, strengthen oversight, improve skills retention, and enforce consequences for misconduct. Only 39 out of 257 municipalities achieved clean audits, and 195 municipalities submitted financial statements with material misstatements. Concerns were also raised about the R1.61 billion spent on financial reporting consultants by 225 municipalities, with 61% of those still submitting erroneous statements. Irregular expenditure has accumulated to R145.21 billion since 2021-22, with procurement failures exposing municipalities to fraud and corruption risks.