Latest news with #Booysen
The Citizen
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
DA anniversary: Can a ‘white party' govern SA again?
The DA is now part of the government of national unity alongside the ANC. Twenty five years since the DA was formed, the party is still trying to convince South Africans that they are not a whites-only party. The party was established on June 24 2000, following a merger between the Democratic Party (DP) and the New National Party (NPP). Over the years, the party has seen many prominent black leaders leave for various reasons, including Mmusi Maimane, Herman Mashaba, Lindiwe Mazibuko, Mbali Ntuli, and former Midvaal mayor Bongani Baloyi. Political analyst Sanet Solomon said the departures of these black leaders have left many South Africans wondering about the internal affairs of the DA. 'The DA has been subject to a lot of critique given its struggle to retain its prominent black leaders. This challenge has translated into its inability to extend its voting base. 'While some of its policies have the ability to positively impact society, voters are also influenced by perception,' Solomon said. Transformation in the top structures Solomon said black leaders do not seem to have strategic positions in the party, which could easily create an impression that the party only really serves one racial group. 'Voters may need to see better integration. This may require the Federal Chair to be one racial group, the Chief Whip of another group, and the leader of a completely different group. 'South Africa is diverse, and this needs to be reflected in their leadership positions. There are phenomenal and competent people across all the diverse groupings. This is what people want to see,' she said. Despite the DA being the second biggest party in the government of national unity (GNU), Solomon said it is unlikely the party will run the country by themselves anytime soon. 'Some of their policies would be suitable for a ruling party, but it is unlikely that they would be able to become a majority party as the current system of proportional representation would result in more coalition governments,' she said. ALSO READ: Zille to the rescue: Will she save Joburg as the city's mayor? DA's balancing act Another analyst, Professor Susan Booysen, said the DA has made progress since it was founded. 'They have managed to keep their electoral territory, opinion polls indicate that they have made slight advances.' Booysen said that even though the DA is not close to being a majority party in SA, it could use the current coalition politics to influence policy. 'If they continue this current but modest progress, then they will probably be a very likely or inevitable coalition partner for future governance,' she said. Booysen said the DA has been forced to tread carefully around issues of race in the party. 'They are doing an often torturous, delicate, intricate balancing trick between coming across as more inclusive and simultaneously playing to their own small, racially-defined constituencies. 'It is the dilemma it is going to run into: simultaneous and competing endorsements by its own small internal constituencies and the broader South African community that is looking for restitution.' DA for all DA spokesperson Willie Aucamp rubbished claims that the party only serves white interests. 'The DA is the most diverse party in South Africa, and we elect leaders on merit, not race. 'Yes, people come and go in politics, but we remain focused on building a capable, non-racial alternative that serves all South Africans.' Aucamp said the party has proven that it can lead where it governs, and is now ready to take over the Union Buildings. 'South Africans are ready for a government that gets things done. The DA has shown we can lead with competence and integrity, and more people are turning to us to rescue the country from decline, including in Gauteng,' he said. The party will celebrate its birthday with a blanket drive on Tuesday. NOW READ: 'I am finally home' – Liam Jacobs ditches DA for Patriotic Alliance
Daily Maverick
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
No contracts, no clarity – almost a year of the GNU and still no ministerial scorecards
As the first anniversary of the Government of National Unity draws near, ministerial performance agreements have yet to materialise. South Africa's 10-party coalition turns one this month, but signed ministerial performance agreements – an important accountability tool – are still nowhere in sight. However, the Presidency says the work of government is not hampered by the absence of performance agreements. 'The process is under way and remains between the President and the concerned members of Cabinet. There are enough public accountability measures through Parliament when APPs (annual performance plans) are presented and assessed,' Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told Daily Maverick this week. In a response to Parliament in August 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Cabinet ministers would only sign performance contracts once the 2024-29 Medium-Term Development Plan, which outlines the key priorities for the seventh administration, had been approved. The Medium-Term Development Plan was approved by the Cabinet in February, but ministers' performance agreements still seem some way off. President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed a bloated Cabinet and executive (32 ministers and 44 deputy ministers) to accommodate the parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU). The GNU Statement of Intent outlines the gargantuan government's agenda and strategic priorities. But, as Bhaso Ndzende, an associate professor of politics and international relations at the University of Johannesburg, wrote, exactly how each minister is to contribute to the realisation of these priorities is unclear in the absence of performance agreements. Previously, the ministerial performance agreements of the sixth administration were based on the 2019-2024 Medium-Term Strategic Framework, and ran from June 2019 to April 2024. But most of the agreements were signed only in late 2020. In his 2020 State of the Nation Address, Ramaphosa pledged to publish the agreements online, in an attempt at transparency. However, progress on those agreements was never made public. It's unclear whether the President will choose to make the performance agreements of the current administration public. Political analyst Professor Susan Booysen, says it could be a gamble so close to the 2026 local government elections. Booysen, however, said she regards ministerial performance agreements to be 'extremely important'. 'They can be a great accountability tool, not just internally for the ANC – and that would've been in times when it was just the ANC in power – but also now, in times of coalition. It would really help specify what the exact expectations are [and] what the exact permissions,' she said. Booysen said these agreements would define what was expected of each minister and what each minister was allowed to do. This is crucial because there have already been tensions and disagreements between coalition partners over responsibilities, with ministers being accused of overstepping or claiming credit for work started before their time, she said. 'We have seen that kind of acrimonious exchange happening, and a performance agreement would help spell out in exact details what it is that the expectations and requirements are,' she said. DA spokesperson Willie Aucamp told Daily Maverick that 'there [haven't] been any targets that have been set'. 'We believe, from the DA's side, that it is very important to get targets set. You must have measurables to be measured on,' he said. Aucamp said the DA supported making the contracts public, for South Africans to assess the work of the executive. 'Should the President not make [them] public, the ministers from the DA will make their targets public, as well as the achievement thereon,' he said. The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Good and the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) told Daily Maverick they would support the publication of the performance contracts. IFP national spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Transport Mkhuleko Hlengwa described performance contracts as 'important tools to measure performances against the desired and set targets'. 'The IFP ministers and deputy ministers are visibly hard at work with or without the performance agreements because they know the commitments and the agreements they made with the voters,' he said. Good's secretary-general Brett Herron said the party 'fully [supports] meaningful performance agreements for members of the executive' and expected them to be 'concluded soon' given that the Medium-Term Development Plan had been adopted and the Budget had been tabled in Parliament. He said: 'We must remember that the GNU Cabinet was appointed in June 2024 – thus the executive has really been implementing the final few months of the previous term of office's performance plans. The delay in finalising the performance agreements is somewhat explicable in this context, though it is reasonable for the South African public to expect performance agreements to be wrapped up now and ready for signature – now that we have a governing programme and hopefully a Medium Term Budget to implement it.' However, Wouter Wessels, MP and national spokesperson for the FF Plus, said the party believed the finalising of ministerial performance agreements was taking too long. 'We do believe that performance agreements are an important component of accountability. Ministerial performance is, however, not solely dependent on such agreements… The conclusion of these agreements [is] taking much too long. We believe this should be expedited,' he told Daily Maverick. On whether to make them public, Wessels said: 'There is no need to keep such agreements secret.' 'Effective accountability can only take place in the presence of transparency,' he said. DM
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Who is MrBeast's fiancé and to be-wife Thea Booysen? She is a gamer, scholar, and author
Jimmy Donaldson, widely recognized as MrBeast and one of the most successful YouTubers in the world, is no longer single. In January, he made his relationship status public by announcing his engagement to his longtime partner, Thea Booysen . The news delighted fans and followers who had been curious about the personal life of the digital content mogul known for his philanthropic stunts and jaw-dropping videos. Despite his reputation for massive giveaways and expensive productions, Donaldson lightheartedly admitted through a social media post that his liquid assets were quite limited. To fund his upcoming wedding, he mentioned turning to his mother for help. His financial situation, however, is far from dire. Rather than accumulating wealth in traditional ways, Donaldson has poured most of his earnings into scaling up his content creation efforts and investing in numerous business ventures, leaving him with relatively little cash on hand but a vast empire in the digital and entrepreneurial world. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo Donaldson proposed to Booysen during the holiday season, choosing Christmas Day as the special moment to ask her to marry him. The couple is planning an intimate ceremony, possibly on a secluded island, away from the public eye and media frenzy that typically surrounds them. Their journey as a couple began in 2022 when Donaldson visited South Africa. During that trip, he attended a dinner organized by a mutual acquaintance who also invited Booysen. The two hit it off during that meeting, sparking a connection that quickly blossomed into a relationship. Their bond grew steadily, and within a few months, they were seen together at the Kids' Choice Awards in April 2022, making their relationship public. Who Is Thea Booysen? Thea Booysen is a prominent content creator in her own right. Originally from South Africa, she has built a reputation as an esports analyst and digital entertainer, using the alias 'TheaBeasty' in the gaming world. Her journey in the gaming industry started back in 2016, when she began streaming strategy-based card games on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. She is also part of the leadership team at Nixuh, a South African esports organization. An Illustrious Academic Background Booysen's accomplishments extend beyond the digital realm. She has an impressive academic background. In 2022, she earned a law degree and an honors degree in psychology from Stellenbosch University. Two years later, in November 2024, she completed her master's degree in neuropsychology from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Celebrating this academic milestone, she shared a picture of herself with Donaldson, marking the occasion. Alongside her gaming and academic pursuits, Booysen is also a writer. She published her first young adult fiction book, The Marked Children, in 2022. The story was a labor of love she began crafting during her school days, showcasing her creative spirit and storytelling talent. Together, MrBeast and Thea Booysen represent a modern digital-age power couple, united not only by affection but also by shared ambition and individual brilliance.
Mint
04-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Billionaire MrBeast says he is borrowing money from mother for his wedding; social media reacts, ‘Hope this is a joke'
Famous YouTuber MrBeast says he doesn't have much personal money. The billionaire influencer, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, shared on X (formerly Twitter) that he has asked his mother for money to help pay for his upcoming wedding. 'I personally have very little money because I reinvest everything (I think this year we'll spend around a quarter of a billion on content),' he wrote on X. 'Ironically i'm actually borrowing $ from my mom to pay for my upcoming wedding lol. But sure, on paper the businesses I own are worth a lot,' he added. Social media users reacted to his post. One X user wrote, 'Built an empire, spends hundreds of millions on content, and still keeps it humble with mom's help for the wedding. Absolute legend.' 'But the money you're borrowing from your mom you probably gave her,' commented an X user. 'I hope this is a joke. No one, except a 10-year-old, believes any of this,' wrote another. Another reacted, 'Who cares how much you have in cash. net worth is the only thing that matters. cash has almost no intrinsic value.' The popular YouTuber is all set to get married to South African content creator Thea Booysen. MrBeast met her in 2022. MrBeast proposed to Booysen on Christmas Day 2024. "In my mind, we're already married. We're already on the same page. We talk about children, how we're going to live together when we're 70 years old … this was just another step in the process," Booysen told PEOPLE. According to MrBeast, he reinvests most of his earnings into making videos. He is expected to spend nearly $250 million on content this year. MrBeast runs many ventures like his show Beast Games and his chocolate brand Feastables. According to Celebrity Net Worth, MrBeast's net worth has hit $1 billion. He has become the only billionaire under 30 who didn't inherit his wealth. The 27-year-old is also the eighth youngest billionaire in the world. After meeting once, MrBeast and Thea Booysen began chatting online. He flew back to South Africa just to see her again. They started dating soon after and made their first public appearance in April 2022. Booysen, who spends half her year in the US and the other in South Africa, now lives with MrBeast and their adopted dog. She's an esports commentator and content creator known as TheaBeasty. A law and psychology graduate, she also completed her master's in neuropsychology in 2024. Booysen, a published author, wrote her first novel The Marked Children over seven years.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Billionaire YouTuber MrBeast is borrowing money for his wedding; Find out why
Billionaire YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson , known online as MrBeast , has revealed that he is borrowing money from his mother to fund his upcoming wedding to fellow content creator Thea Booysen . He has an estimated net worth of $1 billion. Donaldson explained that he has little personal cash due to heavy reinvestment into his business ventures. In a post on X on June 1, Donaldson addressed a comment describing him as 'the only billionaire under 30 to have not inherited his wealth.' He clarified, 'I have very little money because I reinvest everything (I think this year we'll spend around a quarter of a billion on content).' He humorously added, 'Ironically, I'm borrowing $ from my mom to pay for my upcoming wedding lol.' He concluded, 'But sure, on paper the businesses I ... .' Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villa For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search ads Learn More Undo Donaldson's business endeavors include the popular competition series Beast Games, which awarded its first season winner $10 million, and his ethical snack company, Feastables. He has also been vocal about the impact of tariffs on production costs, particularly concerning his chocolate brand. Live Events However, Donaldson has faced legal challenges. In May, the Mexican government ... his video "I Explored 200 ... alleging misuse of archaeological sites for commercial purposes. The government claimed that while Donaldson's team had a filming permit, they did not have authorization for commercial use. Donaldson's spokesperson denied the allegations, stating that the video aimed to highlight the Mayan sites and that no advertisement material was shot on archaeological sites. Additionally, in September 2024, five contestants from "Beast Games" filed a lawsuit alleging mistreatment and misconduct during the production. Donaldson's company responded by acknowledging complications during the shoot, including extreme weather and logistical issues, and stated that they are reviewing the situation and have communicated with the majority of participants to gather feedback. Despite these controversies, Donaldson and Booysen are planning a private wedding, emphasizing intimacy over extravagance. Donaldson wanted to celebrate with close friends and family, stating, 'This will definitely be more family and ... .' Booysen added that they are considering an island location to ensure privacy. The couple met in 2022 during Donaldson's visit to Booysen's home country, South Africa, and have been together ever since.
