A forensic investigation by Blitz Forensics has revealed that the cash-strapped Uthukela District Municipality, which is under administration, was forced to pay R11 million to repair water pumps that were never broken in the first place. This is contained in a report that was tabled behind closed during a council sitting last week. African Times was eventually able to obtain a copy of the 40-page report which lays bare how two officials flouted all municipal procurement rules to award the…

The findings of the forensic investigation into allegations of corruption in the procurement of the Zakheni Water Station pumps in July 2023 will be tabled by the UThukela District Municipality on Thursday. The pipes were removed and replaced even though they were not damaged, sparking allegations of corruption and self enrichment against some officials.  Officials from the municipality claimed that the pumps were damaged during the April 2022 floods and had to be replaced at a huge cost to the…

The forensic investigation commissioned by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) into allegations of brazen looting and corruption during the replacement of water pumps at Zakheni water station in Ladysmith has been concluded. As a result, CoGTA MEC, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi has instructed the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) led Uthukela District Municipality to take “corrective” measures as outlined in the report into the 2023 procurement process. The investigation was initiated after the DA, a coalition partner…

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) has instituted forensic investigations into three of the province’s troubled municipalities – Nongoma, KwaDukuza and Msunduzi in the Midlands. This was announced today, 13 March 2025 by the MEC for the department, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi in Durban. Buthelezi also announced measures to turn around municipalities in the province after it was revealed in the latest Auditor General’s (AG) report for the 2023-2024 financial year that municipalities across the province raked…

The Democratic Alliance (DA) returned from its US visit emboldened, declaring itself a “steadfast and credible advocate for South Africa’s national interests on the international stage” despite its junior role in the Government of National Unity (GNU). The ANC asserted that foreign policy remains the “preserve of the executive,” exposing the fragility of South Africa’s fragmented governance system, which internal divisions and global right-wing shifts strain. DA MP Willie Aucamp’s demand for ANC concessions on foreign policy, suggesting that the…

In recent months, a growing controversy has surrounded South Africa’s defense sector, driven by reports of questionable industrial deals and political maneuvering that raise concerns about transparency and oversight. At the center of this discussion is the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM), with speculations emerging about their roles in the broader defense industry landscape. Recently, DA representatives were reportedly denied access to the arms control directorate, an event some sources suggest may be linked to ongoing debates…

DA Federal Council Chairperson Helen Zille, in her latest desperate bid to remain relevant in South Africa’s political discourse, has once again thrown baseless and reckless allegations into the public domain—this time accusing South Africa of acting as a proxy for Iran. Without a shred of concrete evidence, she implies that the ANC’s stance at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israeli genocide is somehow dictated by foreign interests. Her irresponsible remarks are not only inflammatory but are designed…

In an unprecedented move since the dawn of democracy in 1994, the South African government has cancelled Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s 2024/2025 budget speech due to policy disputes within President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Government of National Unity (GNU). The governing African National Congress (ANC) and its grand coalition main partner, the Democratic Alliance (DA), could not agree on the proposed 2% increase in the Value-Added Tax (VAT) from the current 15% to 17%.  The postponement, announced during a Parliamentary sitting in…

Despite threats and grumblings by the DA, one of his Government of National Unity (GNU) partners, President Cyril Ramaphosa has fully signed the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (BELA) into law. In a statement released by the Presidency on Friday, December 20, Ramaphosa said he signed the new law and instructed Basic Education Minister and DA member Siviwe Gwarube to implement the BELA Act fully.  The first part of the act was signed in September this year, but two portions…

The MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) in KwaZulu-Natal, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has been temporarily stopped in his spirited bid to relocate the department’s traditional affairs division to Ulundi. The opening was billed for Thursday, 5 December 2024, but it was halted after Premier Thami Ntuli intervened. Ntuli said the halting would be until the government of provincial unity involving the IFP, ANC, DA and the National Freedom Party (NFP) is satisfied that all legal processes were followed. …