Latest news with #AfriForum
The Citizen
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
AfriForum fears National Dialogue will turn into monologue
AfriForum says the National Dialogue process is at risk of being controlled by Ramaphosa loyalists. Afrikaner civil society group AfriForum has not ruled out participating in the planned National Dialogue, but is concerned about an attempt to hijack the process from civil society and make it a government issue. AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said the idea of a National Dialogue is a great one, but it had a false start when President Cyril Ramaphosa made pronouncements on it without consultation with other stakeholders such as civil society. Fears of government 'capture' 'From the AfriForum side, we believe dialogue is desperately needed in the interest of everybody in the country because we are experiencing crises on many fronts. That is why we are very disappointed there was a false start, or not a positive start, to this process with President Ramaphosa's announcement. 'Firstly, it seems as if there's an effort by the government to capture the process and dictate the process, while the idea originally started with the Thabo Mbeki Foundation. And the announcement by the president was done without prior consultation with anybody who has been involved.' Concerns about political loyalty Regarding the Eminent Persons' Group that Ramaphosa announced, Kriel said there were many good people in the group that he respected, but they were selected carefully to ensure that individuals would not criticise the ongoing mismanagement of the country. Kriel said some of the individuals in the group, such as Roelf Meyer, were Ramaphosa loyalists. ALSO READ: 'Bring all to dialogue': Experts insist national dialogue must be people-driven Call for genuine civil society leadership 'And you know the danger of appointing loyalists of the ANC and Ramaphosa is that this would no longer be a dialogue, it would become a monologue. 'But because this dialogue is so important, we will do what we can to make sure this process is not totally captured by the government and that civil society plays a bigger role,' said Kriel. As invitations to the National Dialogue had not yet gone out, AfriForum would wait before deciding what to do. Mbeki's idea The idea of a National Dialogue was initiated by former president Thabo Mbeki, who roped in other struggle stalwarts' foundations to participate in initial discussions. Mbeki told an SA Communist Party congress in December they would like to see the National Dialogue led by the people and civil society. He said the pre-1994 Convention for a Democratic SA was led by political parties and that should not happen again. Political analyst Khanyi Magubane said: 'We do need a National Dialogue but not another empty talk shop. The committee needs to tell us what this National Dialogue will achieve for South Africans.' NOW READ: Thandiswa Mazwai says she would've accepted invite to national dialogue had Ramaphosa sent it
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
AfriForum calls for tougher sentencing for cable thieves
AfriForum says civil society may need to step in where government fails. A man with alleged stolen copper cables around his neck in Mokgola village in Zeerust after his arrest. Picture: Gallo Images / Sowetan / Tiro Ramatlhatse AfriForum has called on the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to enforce harsher sentences for copper cable theft as its scale is staggering. AfriForum's chief spokesperson for community safety Jacques Broodryk said theft has become a national epidemic, especially in high-risk areas such as the Cape provinces, where cellphone towers, fibre networks and batteries for cellphone networks are systematically looted. This leaves entire communities without electricity, communication and access to emergency services. AfriForum slams petty theft narrative 'It is completely unacceptable that criminals can steal kilometres of copper from Eskom, Transnet and telecommunications towers while the courts treat it like petty theft. This is not a petty crime. This is economic sabotage,' he said. 'The people who suffer the most are ordinary South Africans in places like Port Elizabeth, the Garden Route and the Karoo. These are the ones who are literally left in the dark. 'Eskom reports up to R7 billion in annual losses due to illegal connections and non-technical losses in Gauteng alone. 'Even Transnet has recorded over 3 500 incidents of cable theft in a single year. The total cost of cable theft is estimated to be R46.5 billion per year. This includes lost productivity, repairs and estimated service disruptions at hospitals, schools and households,' he added. ALSO READ: Tshwane cleansing levy 'unfair double tax on residents', AfriForum says Civilian protection units Broodryk said AfriForum has already begun looking into training opportunities for specialised civilian teams to assist in safeguarding critical and essential infrastructure in areas, such as the Cape provinces, which are sometimes repeatedly hit without adequate response from government or law enforcement. 'If the government refuses to act, civil society must step in,' he said. Ward 1 councillor Leon Kruyshaar said in the Suiderberg area in the west of Pretoria, a 11kW cable was dug out overnight. 'It was trenched out. You can see the people worked here during the night and stole this cable. 'This is the reason why there is no power in Mountainview and Suiderberg areas. They stole the cable during the night which caused a back flash to the substation. 'This trench may have taken a day or two to dig. It's quite a bit of work, or there were several people busy trenching,' he said. Water meter theft Ward 98 councillor Dana Wannenburg was concerned about the daily theft of brass water meters. In some areas it was four or more daily. 'It is out of control and the City of Tshwane's failure to act pushes communities to the brink of desperation,' he said. NOW READ: AfriForum lays criminal charges against municipal managers
IOL News
3 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Mbalula will not apologise for remarks on Bergview principal, says ANC
The ANC has defended its Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula amid criminal charges from Berview principal. Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers THE ANC has remained unmoved by a criminal complaint against its secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, saying defending outrage against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBV-F) is not a crime. The party was responding to reports that Bergview College principal Jaco Pieterse lodged a criminal complaint against him. Represented by AfriForum's Private Prosecuting Unit, Pieterse, alleges that Mbalula, along with EFF leader Julius Malema and Eastern Cape Education MEC Fundile Gade, violated his dignity by falsely accusing him of raping a child. Pieterse claims the trio publicly accused him of raping a 7-year-old girl, known as Cwecwe, after her mother suspected that she was raped. Medical reports had since found that there were no traces of sexual assault. Last month the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) stopped pursuing the case saying they did not hold enough evidence. However, the ANC has slammed AfriForum's decision to pursue the matter, calling it "disingenuous, ideologically driven, and flawed." The party maintains that defending outrage against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBV-F) is not a crime. "We will not apologise for speaking out in defence of the voiceless," ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu wrote in a statement. 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 "We call on all progressive forces, including our Alliance partners, the ANC Women's League, youth formations, religious and community organisations, to reject any effort to criminalise outrage and moral clarity in the face of GBV-F,' Bhengu added. The party has reaffirmed its support for Mbalula, saying he carried the voice of millions when he condemned the rape of a seven-year-old girl at Bergview College. "We urge all to act with vigilance against those who exploit the justice system for ideological ends and threaten prosecution against those who defend what is right," the party said. EFF spokesperson Sinawo Tambo had not provided a response on charges being laid against Malema. Pieterse lodged a criminal complaint of crimen-injuria and intimidation at the Sophiatown police station in Gauteng against Mbalula, Malema, and Gade while Mbalula and Malema face additional charges of violating the Cybercrime and Intimidation Acts. In his affidavit, Pieterse asks that the rape docket be included as the first exhibit in his cases, citing the scope and extent of the lies told about him. "The consequences of the reckless and malicious statements made against me have had an irreversible and devastating impact on every aspect of my life," he said Spokesperson for AfriForum's Private Prosecution Unit, Barry Bateman, said the politicians' comments were unjust and violated Pieterse's dignity. "Pieterse was publicly labelled a paedophile, a label that in society's eyes is among the most irredeemable and damning," Bateman said. 'South Africa has a rape crisis, we have a child abuse crisis, and being falsely accused of committing such a crime against a child is devastating,' Bateman said. 'This is why we are pursuing these charges.' Bateman also criticised Mbalula, who he said had referred to Pieterse as 'an animal,' questioning how AfriForum could defend 'an animal who rapes children". 'This is simply unacceptable. There must be consequences for people who falsely accuse others in the public domain,' he said. Bateman added that both Malema and Mbalula have approached the courts in recent years because they felt their dignity had been harmed. 'Malema claimed that accusations of illegal dealings and accepting cocaine from drug dealers had left him feeling 'degraded and humiliated' while Mbalula's court case involved accusations of corruption, which the court found had caused him and his family "actual injury"," Bateman said. Cape Times
IOL News
4 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
ANC defends Mbalula amid criminal charges over 'Cwecwe' case
The ANC has defended its Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula amid criminal charges from Berview principal. Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers The ANC has come to the defense of its Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula, after Bergview College principal Jaco Pieterse filed criminal charges against him. Pieterse, represented by AfriForum's Private Prosecuting Unit, alleges that Mbalula, along with EFF leader Julius Malema and Eastern Cape Education MEC Fundile Gade, violated his dignity by falsely accusing him of raping a child. Pieterse claims the trio publicly accused him of raping a 7-year-old girl, known as Cwecwe, after her mother suspected that she was raped, however medical reports had since found that there were no traces of sexual assault. However, the ANC has slammed AfriForum's decision to pursue the matter, calling it "disingenuous, ideologically driven, and flawed." The party maintains that defending outrage against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBV-F) is not a crime. "We will not apologise for speaking out in defence of the voiceless," ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu wrote in a statement. 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 ✕ "We call on all progressive forces, including our Alliance partners, the ANC Women's League, youth formations, religious and community organisations, to reject any effort to criminalise outrage and moral clarity in the face of GBV-F,' Bhengu added. The party has reaffirmed its support for Mbalula, saying he carried the voice of millions when he condemned the rape of a seven-year-old girl at Bergview College. "We urge all to act with vigilance against those who exploit the justice system for ideological ends and threaten prosecution against those who defend what is right," the party said. EFF spokesperson Sinawo Tambo had not provided a response on charges being laid against Malema. Pieterse filed charges of crimen-injuria and intimidation at the Sophiatown police station in Gauteng against Mbalula, Malema, and Gade while Mbalula and Malema face additional charges of violating the Cybercrime and Intimidation Acts. In his affidavit, Pieterse asks that the rape docket be included as the first exhibit in his cases, citing the scope and extent of the lies told about him. "The consequences of the reckless and malicious statements made against me have had an irreversible and devastating impact on every aspect of my life," he said Spokesperson for AfriForum's Private Prosecution Unit, Barry Bateman, said the politicians' comments were unjust and violated Pieterse's dignity. "Pieterse was publicly labelled a paedophile, a label that in society's eyes is among the most irredeemable and damning," Bateman said. 'South Africa has a rape crisis, we have a child abuse crisis, and being falsely accused of committing such a crime against a child is devastating,' Bateman said. 'This is why we are pursuing these charges.' Bateman also criticised Mbalula, who he said had referred to Pieterse as 'an animal,' questioning how AfriForum could defend 'an animal who rapes children". 'This is simply unacceptable. There must be consequences for people who falsely accuse others in the public domain,' he said. Bateman added that both Malema and Mbalula have approached the courts in recent years because they felt their dignity had been harmed. 'Malema claimed that accusations of illegal dealings and accepting cocaine from drug dealers had left him feeling 'degraded and humiliated' while Mbalula's court case involved accusations of corruption, which the court found had caused him and his family "actual injury"," Bateman said. Cwecwe, whose case was widely supported nationally, was raped last October at a private school in Matatiele. Last month the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) stopped pursuing the case saying they did not hold enough evidence. According to NPA national spokesperson Advocate Mthunzi Mhaga, the case docket was first reportedly submitted in November 2024 to prosecutors at the Matatiele Magistrate's Court and the Matatiele Thuthuzela Care Centre. After interviewing the child and conducting a medical examination, prosecutors reportedly determined that the evidence was inconclusive and did not support prosecution. This was later upheld by the Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions after further review.
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Deep potholes fixed in Constantia Park and Wingate Park
Frustrated Constantia Park residents can breathe a sigh of relief after AfriForum repaired several dangerous potholes in the area that had gone unattended by the Tshwane metro for months. Resident Lizette Retief stated that the potholes began forming as early as December, growing larger over time and creating a hazard for drivers and public transportation. 'They came and fixed all the potholes in our area after we reported them for months with no response from the metro,' she said. 'We've got a bus service that goes through our area, and the holes got so big that buses had to swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid them.' Retief said some potholes were so deep they caused vehicle bumpers to scrape the ground when driven over. She added that there were especially bad ones near Castle Walk where they had to choose which pothole to hit because they couldn't avoid them all. 'Now they've been fixed by AfriForum, and it's much better.' The repairs have been welcomed by residents who say the smooth roads have brought immediate relief. 'I don't know who arranged it, but I was really impressed with AfriForum,' said Retief. According to AfriForum's district co-ordinator for Pretoria North, Llewellynn Hemmens, the repairs began on June 11. 'This project was driven by outreach from residents,' said Hemmens. 'We received at least 13 complaint reference numbers submitted to the metro without any feedback.' While AfriForum usually works under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the metro, Hemmens said this specific project was initiated independently due to the urgency. So far, the team has used about 650kg of tar (26 bags) at Wingate Park and expects to use another 26 bags to complete the job. 'We are still busy in that area and will probably use another 26 bags. 'The final number of potholes filled will be confirmed once the work is done.' Hemmens confirmed the potholes posed a major safety risk. 'Some were extremely deep and could cause serious damage to vehicles or even accidents.' At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
