Daughter continues testimony

PIETERMARITZBURG - Chief Albert Luthuli's daughter is continuing her testimony at the inquest into her father's 1967 death.
Dr Albertina Luthuli says the Security Branch was monitoring her father in the months leading up to his death.
The apartheid government claimed a goods train hit the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
But his daughter says this is unlikely, as he was always very cautious around trains.
Luthuli's family and the ANC have long disputed this version of events.

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Daily Maverick

2 hours ago

• Daily Maverick

Floyd Shivambu and our politics of churn

The decision by former MK party secretary-general Floyd Shivambu to 'consult' before starting a new party is another indication of what could become a dominant trend in our politics. We are now likely to see more parties being formed more often, and, in many cases, failing. This churn is all about palace politics and may lead to more disengagement. Floyd Shivambu's recent trajectory, from his position as deputy leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), to joining the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party, becoming its secretary-general, being fired and now working on a new party is all about position and palace politics. While he and his supporters might argue that it is about ideology, this is hard to square with reality. The EFF describes itself as a progressive pan-African force; the MK party wants traditional leaders to govern (under Jacob Zuma). Clearly Shivambu's claim that joining the MK party was 'the best decision' he's ever made was not true. It now appears likely that he will be expelled from the party and will start a new party. In historical terms this is part of a much longer process. As the African National Congress (ANC) continues to fracture, so more parties are flowing from its former members. It should not be forgotten that this process started with the expulsion of Bantu Holomisa from the ANC. He formed the United Democratic Movement. Since then, there have been many parties that have fought one or two elections and then fallen from view. The Independent Democrats, Congress of the People (Cope) and Agang are good examples of this. But now it appears that the process has sped up, and we can expect many more such parties. While some were clearly non-starters, others fell victim to the kind of palace politics that Shivambu has clearly been involved in. Parties such as Cope and Agang disappeared mainly because of disputes among their leaders. The Independent Democrats disappeared when Patricia de Lille decided to join the Democratic Alliance (DA). When that marriage fell apart she formed another party in Good. Importantly many of these parties do have their roots in the ANC in some way shape or form. This is why Dali Mpofu was not wrong to say that he felt he deserved to belong to the ANC, the EFF and the MK party all at the same time. He was merely speaking about the fact that many of our newer parties have their roots in the ANC. The ANC was easily the most prominent movement in the fight against apartheid, and the way our society was structured at the time meant that most people who wanted to be politically active joined it. Or something that was affiliated with it in some way. Personality politics One of the key features of these newer parties has been that they are so often about personality politics. Many parties are unable to move on past their first leader, because so often, the party is the leader. This then leads to a large percentage of churn — parties that come and go based on the whims of their leaders. This has a huge impact on our politics. And it can lead to absurd consequences In Joburg, Colleen Makhubela became the Speaker after representing Cope as a proportional representation councillor. The party had won just 0.22% of the vote. She used this position to bargain, as she appeared to hold the balance of power between coalitions led by the ANC and the DA. Then she left Cope (or was expelled, depending on whom you care to listen to) and formed the SA Rainbow Alliance. That received 12,450 votes in last year's elections. Following all of that she joined… you guessed it… the MK party. Someone who is able to do that can have no ideology. But apart from the absurdity there are more important consequences. Declining trust The first is that these smaller outfits make forming and maintaining coalitions almost impossible. The fact that it is about individual personalities, and that the leadership of these parties changes so often, means that their behaviour is impossible to predict. This leads to short-lived coalitions in councils and, soon perhaps, the National Assembly. The second is that all of this palace politics of personality will lead many people to conclude, correctly, that none of this is about helping people. While our politics has been through phases of protecting party leaders, or certain classes, now it is becoming more about just individual personalities. But it is all happening in plain sight. Everyone can see it. Which means that voters are likely to simply turn away from our politics. It will lead to greater levels of people simply refusing to vote. All of this could spiral downwards. As more parties are formed and as their leaders use them simply for bargaining in coalitions, so governance will get worse. More and more decisions will be made simply for the purposes of patronage. In turn people will be less inclined to stay involved in our politics. Why vote if you know a party is just a personal vehicle for someone who is not interested in improving your life? This is a difficult dynamic to stop; individuals and groups must be allowed to move from party to party and to form parties when they wish. Some measures, such as those that would limit representation in legislatures to parties that get over a certain percentage of support, might help. But in the end, it appears as if we are destined to have a lot more churn in our politics, with serious consequences as a result. DM

IOL News

4 hours ago

• IOL News

EThekwini politics: Zandile Gumede sidelined as new task team emerges

Former eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede's political role in the ANC is uncertain after she was not included in the eThekwini task team list. Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers The role of of Zandile Gumede, once a powerful ANC chairperson of eThekwini region and its former Mayor, appears to have hit a dead end in the region's politics following her exclusion from the soon-to-be announced new regional task team. In the leaked list, Gumede who is currently on trial for corruption involving the R320 million Durban Solid Waste tender scandal, has been left out of the regional task team and the additional members list, apparently ending her political role in the region's politics. Also excluded from the list is Gumede's once deputy chairperson Thembo Ntuli, who assumed the acting role in her absence. After she was arrested and charged for corruption, Gumede was subsequently removed from her mayoral position in 2018 and was also placed on the party's step aside policy, which effectively stripped her of her political powers. However, in 2022 she made a strong comeback when her faction elected her as regional chairperson, although she was absent from the conference because of the step aside rule. Topping the regional task team list as convener is Nigel Gumede who is making a strong political comeback in eThekwini politics. He was in charge of the Human Settlement Committee when James Nxumalo was the mayor of eThekwini and was in the faction that lost to Zandile Gumede in the 2022 elective conference. Nigel Gumede was in the faction that was viewed as being aligned to President Cyril Ramaphosa during the eThekwini elective conference and sources said his appointment will give the president direct control to one of the biggest and most influential regions in the country. Both Gumedes did not respond to requests for comment. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The ANC held a service delivery summit in Durban on Sunday and the provincial task team coordinator Mike Mabuyakhulu said the process to appoint a new regional task team had been completed but the party will publicly announce the names next week after formally informing branches. 'In line with the ANC protocols, we are not going to announce the names of the people that will lead our regions as task teams before informing our branches first. Next week we will begin that process and announce the names,' said Mabuyakhulu. Although all the regions' terms had already expired, the party had an option to retain the regional committees until the next elective conference, however, sources within the party said the decision to remove them was prompted by branch audit outcomes. Sources said the audit outcomes revealed that many branch executive committee members were sympathetic to the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), and the ANC felt it should disband regional committees as they appeared to have lost control of the branches. EThekwini, which is the only metro in the province and one of the largest regions in the country, with a voting population of close to two million, is the party's main strategic point. The region, which has been the party's stronghold for decades, fell to former president Jacob Zuma's MKP in last year's national general elections, relegating the ANC to third place in terms of electoral support. The region is expected to be a battleground between the ANC and the MKP ahead of next year's local government election. Despite the ANC's insistence that regional task teams are an opportunity for renewal, others view them as a strategic decision by Luthuli House to have direct control over branches in the province ahead of the party's elective conference in 2027. Sources said the changes will give party Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula an edge over other potential presidential candidates since he will have direct control of branches. Mbalula, Senzo Mchunu, and Kgosientsho Ramokgopa have been touted to replace Ramaphosa, who is serving his last term as ANC president.

IOL News

9 hours ago

• IOL News

One Year of GNU: Young South Africans say, ‘this is not what we voted for'

A year into the Government of National Unity, many young South Africans say the reality of unemployment, poor service delivery, and corruption is not the future they voted for. Image: SoraAI 'Unemployment remains critically high, service delivery frustrations continue across many municipalities, and corruption scandals still emerge'. These are the words of Eastern Cape youth voicing concern over challenges after one year of South Africa's GNU. They say this is not what they voted for. Speaking with IOL News, as the country marks one anniversary of GNU, Inathi Madandile, from Mount Fletcher in the Eastern Cape, said the coalition at the national level is totally what she expected. She said it is not yielding any positive results for ordinary citizens. 'Personally, I would say the GNU is not working for South Africans. There are a lot of promises that were made during the formation of the GNU which are still not met,' said the 24-year-old. 'Unfortunately, the GNU has not delivered in any meaningful way, at least not yet. These issues are deep-rooted and complex, and while the GNU have acknowledged them, the pace of implementation and visible results has been slow.' 'For example, unemployment remains critically high, service delivery frustrations continue across many municipalities, and corruption scandals still emerge… this is not what we voted for at all.' The Government of National Unity (GNU) was formed after the May 2024 elections, where African National Congress (ANC) secured only 40% of the vote, losing its long-held parliamentary majority. However, the coalition has since been fraught with tension, especially between the ANC and DA, with policy disagreements straining its ability to function effectively. The stability and future of the GNU remain uncertain amid ongoing political infighting. Madandile said she has little faith that the GNU can deliver real change for everyday South Africans. 'No, it cannot,' she told IOL News. 'We need a united government, and the GNU has shown itself to be one of conflicting ideologies and priorities. They're too focused on internal conflicts and not on the real issues affecting people.' Another Eastern Cape youth, Morena Nkosi from Matatiele, did not mince his words when asked whether the GNU had delivered on its mandate. 'For now, I see nothing. We have a high crime rate, unemployment, and dismantled government entities. The only thing they've done is oppose a VAT increase, but what does that help when we're hit with a new petrol levy?' said the 24-year-old. Nkosi argued that most pressing issues are being minimally addressed in urban centers while rural and township communities are neglected. 'Maybe they're still in the process of implementing, and yes, in Tshwane GPU governance seems to be working under the new mayor,' he said. 'But when I voted last year, I was looking for a new party to lead - not for the ANC to stay in power through a coalition.' Nkosi criticised the ANC's 30-year tenure, saying it has squandered the country's resources through corruption. 'We have all the resources, but politicians are corrupt. Even if the country were white-led, maybe systems would change, but the black majority still wouldn't have economic freedom. And as it stands, we don't have that freedom either.' He added, 'Things will never change for as long as the ANC holds the majority. The DA is trying to build but is sharing a bed with the ANC. The other parties have lost the plot. Political parties are now run like companies, just chasing tenders for personal gain.' Meanwhile, political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe described the GNU as a 'patient in ICU' that has yet to walk or provide clear direction for the country. 'There's no coherent message from the GNU. The only thing they seem united on is keeping the EFF and MK out of power. That's their only consistent stance,' he said. Seepe criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa's narrative that the GNU reflects the people's will. 'The GNU is actually a result of the people rejecting the ANC,' he said. 'Under Ramaphosa's leadership, the ANC has lost 22% of the vote - 5% in 2019 and another 17% in 2024. That's a clear vote of no confidence.' He added that any leader who lost that much support would normally step down. 'Instead, Ramaphosa is spinning the GNU as a win. But this coalition is a result of failure, not success.' Seepe said the coalition is a marriage of convenience, held together not by common purpose, but by mutual opposition to parties like the EFF and MK. Meanwhile, Thabo Mopasi, from Alexandra township in Gauteng, argued that the GNU has made some progress but acknowledged much work remains. 'Stability and cooperation among parties have improved, which is positive. I hope other parties like MKP and EFF will join without conditions,' he said. Mopasi said promising projects to address unemployment, crime, and poverty have been implemented, but said tangible results will take time. 'Infrastructure, healthcare, and service delivery still need significant improvement, especially as many youth and graduates remain unemployed,' he added. Mokgadi Sefora, 33, from Mentz outside Polokwane, in Limpopo, said internal clashes are undermining the GNU's ability to govern. 'The parties in the GNU are not united. They keep clashing on policies like the Land Expropriation Act, National Health Insurance (NHI), and the BELA Bill. The DA opposes all of these,' she said. 'We didn't vote for more gridlock…We voted for real change, like tackling unemployment, crime, and gender-based violence. But they have failed dismally.' She added that the GNU is filled with leaders pushing their own agendas. 'They're not serving the people. And corruption is still rampant.' Sefora referenced several high-profile corruption scandals that have gone unpunished, such as those involving Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane and Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni as a former municipal manager. Simelane was previously the mayor of Polokwane when she took a R575,600 loan from the now-collapsed VBS Mutual Bank to buy a coffee shop in Sandton. She has also been linked to inflated billing during her time with Eskom contractor Vitrovian, allegations she denies. Ntshavheni, meanwhile, has been under investigation by the Hawks for R2.5 million in alleged tender fraud during her tenure at Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality. When asked if the GNU has addressed any of the country's major issues - corruption, unemployment, crime, poverty, service delivery, Sefora was blunt. 'No. The GNU is too busy fighting itself. It's just a holding space until the next election.'