Latest news with #HermanMashaba
IOL News
4 days ago
- General
- IOL News
Tshwane allocates R5. 3 billion to enhance public safety in the upcoming financial year
ActionSA President Herman Mashaba recently visited a Soshanguve fire station, where he briefed workers on Tshwane's plans to upgrade the facility. Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers The City of Tshwane's R5.3 billion budget allocation to the Community Safety Department for the next financial year, starting July 1, will enhance public safety. The budget allocation includes R3 million for upgrading three key satellite fire stations in Ga-Rankuwa, Cullinan, and Soshanguve. ActionSA President Herman Mashaba recently visited a fire station in Soshanguve, where he discovered that two out of three fire trucks have been out of commission for years, posing a risk to the local community. The station also faces other challenges, including non-functional ablution facilities, broken gym equipment, laundry machines that have been awaiting repair since last year, and a male shower without hot water. 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 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. Next Stay Close ✕ Section 79 chairperson for community safety, Neo Mocumi, said a significant portion of the budget, R565m, will go toward protecting municipal assets, and the Emergency Services Department has been allocated R1.7 billion. She said the budget allocations to both entities highlighted the city's commitment to securing its critical infrastructure and the crucial role emergency responders play in protecting residents. Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya has constantly said the 2025/2026 budget aims to protect municipal assets, especially electricity infrastructure, which was left vulnerable to vandalism and sabotage by previous administrations. The budget, she said, is a concerted effort to reduce power outages and water disruptions that have affected communities due to years of neglect. Additionally, the city plans to recruit over 200 metro police officers through the budget allocation to strengthen its crime-fighting efforts. Mocumi stated that 21 emergency facilities are earmarked for renovation as part of the city's medium-term strategy. Three satellite fire stations have been prioritised for upgrades, with each station receiving R1m for the work. Mocumi said: 'This budget marks a significant commitment to strengthening emergency response capabilities, reinforcing public safety, and ensuring that critical services remain fully operational and responsive to community needs. With these investments, the city is not just funding services, it is safeguarding lives.' Tshwane's MMC for Community Safety, Hannes Coetzee, and TMPD Chief of Police, Commissioner Yolande Faro, recently launched a new fleet of high-performance motorcycles to bolster crime-fighting efforts in the city.
The Herald
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald
ActionSA branch launch in eThekwini cut short after shooting incident
ActionSA's launch of a new branch in eThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal was suspended on Sunday after a shooting incident. The incident took place in full view of party president Herman Mashaba and provincial chair Zwakele Mncwango. Party members scurried for cover as one of the gunmen who arrived in a Toyota Quantum fired shots inside the venue. Some party members managed to disarm the gunman. Mcwango confirmed the incident and said the men stormed the meeting venue and started shooting. 'We managed to disarm the suspects and took them to Sydenham police station,' he said. Mncwango said the branch launch had to be cancelled because members were terrified. He said they want the suspects to reveal who sent them. Mncwango has many enemies in the province for his stance against corruption in the provincial government and eThekwini municipality. He has spoken out against corruption in the department of health and education in the province and eThekwini municipality officials who are allegedly implicated in fraud and corruption. In a media statement on Sunday, Mncwango said they were left with the difficult decision to cancel the planned branch launch for Ward 25 in eThekwini after a violent and deeply concerning attack on their activists. 'Several shots were fired during the incident, and fortunately, the perpetrator was successfully disarmed. Unfortunately, one of our activists was physically assaulted and sustained injuries during the altercation. Due to the seriousness of these attacks and in the interest of ensuring the safety of our members and activists, including our president Herman Mashaba, we made the difficult decision to cancel the branch launch,' he said. Mncwango said this incident serves as a stark reminder of the history of political intolerance in KwaZulu-Natal. 'It is a direct infringement on the rights of South Africans to freely support the political party of their choice without fear of intimidation or violence,' he said. He said that as they approach the 2026 local government elections, they are calling on all political parties and their members to foster an environment of respect and tolerance. 'It is a shame that in our quest to improve the lives of ordinary South Africans, we have found ourselves under attack for simply engaging with communities,' said Mncwango. He said they have opened a criminal case at the Sydenham police station. The suspect and his co-accused are expected to appear in court on Tuesday. 'I believe this gunman was sent by someone who is trying to intimidate us. What they are doing is not going to succeed,' he said. Mncwango said they will follow the case until the end. KwaZulu-Natal police had not responded to questions sent to them by TimesLIVE. The story will be updated with their comment when received. TimesLIVE
TimesLIVE
6 days ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
ActionSA branch launch in eThekwini cut short after shooting incident
ActionSA's launch of a new branch in eThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal was suspended on Sunday after a shooting incident. The incident took place in full view of party president Herman Mashaba and provincial chair Zwakele Mncwango. Party members scurried for cover as one of the gunmen who arrived in a Toyota Quantum fired shots inside the venue. Some party members managed to disarm the gunman. Mcwango confirmed the incident and said the men stormed the meeting venue and started shooting. 'We managed to disarm the suspects and took them to Sydenham police station,' he said. Mncwango said the branch launch had to be cancelled because members were terrified. He said they want the suspects to reveal who sent them. Mncwango has many enemies in the province for his stance against corruption in the provincial government and eThekwini municipality. He has spoken out against corruption in the department of health and education in the province and eThekwini municipality officials who are allegedly implicated in fraud and corruption. In a media statement on Sunday, Mncwango said they were left with the difficult decision to cancel the planned branch launch for Ward 25 in eThekwini after a violent and deeply concerning attack on their activists. 'Several shots were fired during the incident, and fortunately, the perpetrator was successfully disarmed. Unfortunately, one of our activists was physically assaulted and sustained injuries during the altercation. Due to the seriousness of these attacks and in the interest of ensuring the safety of our members and activists, including our president Herman Mashaba, we made the difficult decision to cancel the branch launch,' he said. Mncwango said this incident serves as a stark reminder of the history of political intolerance in KwaZulu-Natal. 'It is a direct infringement on the rights of South Africans to freely support the political party of their choice without fear of intimidation or violence,' he said. He said that as they approach the 2026 local government elections, they are calling on all political parties and their members to foster an environment of respect and tolerance. 'It is a shame that in our quest to improve the lives of ordinary South Africans, we have found ourselves under attack for simply engaging with communities,' said Mncwango. He said they have opened a criminal case at the Sydenham police station. The suspect and his co-accused are expected to appear in court on Tuesday. 'I believe this gunman was sent by someone who is trying to intimidate us. What they are doing is not going to succeed,' he said. Mncwango said they will follow the case until the end. KwaZulu-Natal police had not responded to questions sent to them by TimesLIVE. The story will be updated with their comment when received.
The South African
7 days ago
- Politics
- The South African
'Not suprised': Herman Mashaba reacts to Liam Jacobs's DA exit
Herman Mashaba has reacted to Liam Jacobs's Democratic Alliance (DA) shock departure, stating that he's unfazed by the news. Like the young MP, Herman resigned from the party over an internal race row. Surprisingly, Liam jumped ship to the Patriotic Alliance (PA) under the leadership of Gayton McKenzie, whom he recently criticised in a parliamentary committee meeting. On Saturday, 14 June, South Africans woke up to the news that Liam Jacobs had swapped the DA for the PA. While many were confused and shocked by the news, Herman Mashaba was not. Responding to a snippet from Facebook Live where Liam alleged that the DA had secured the majority of the coloured community vote, but had not elected a coloured representative as a cabinet minister or deputy minister, Herman responded: 'I'm not surprised'. In another X post, the DA laughed off the post's claim that it had not received Liam Jacobs's resignation letter. He posted: 'They must just move on. The train has left the station'. Like Liam, Herman – who now heads ActionSA – was a prominent member of the Democratic Alliance who left over party politics. In 2019, Herman Mashaba quit his position as Joburg mayor and DA member amid an internal race row. He said in his resignation statement: 'I cannot reconcile myself with a group of people who believe that race is irrelevant in the discussion of inequality and poverty in South Africa. I cannot reconcile myself with people who do not see that South Africa is more unequal today than it was in 1994'. Another former prominent DA leader weighing in was Phumzile van Damme. Wishing Liam Jacobs well, she posted on X: 'All of the best at your new political home. You owe no one your life or its decisions. Your life is yours & yours alone to live & do what makes you happy. She added: 'I don't care which party you belong to, I care for all young MPs.' In 2021, Phumzile, a Democratic Alliance MP and shadow minister of communications, quit the party. Hinting at internal issues, she said at the time: 'My resignation as an MP is not because the DA is a so-called 'racist party' but because of a clique of individuals. And in order not to make the good women and men still in the DA suffer, I will not delve further into this.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
04-06-2025
- General
- IOL News
Jabulani Fire Station faces crisis as two out of three fire trucks are out of service
ActionSA President Herman Mashaba addresses workers at the Jabulani Fire Station in Soshanguve about Tshwane's plans to upgrade the facility during his oversight visit on Wednesday. Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers Two out of three fire trucks at the Jabulani Fire Station in Soshanguve have been out of commission for years, putting the local community at risk. The station also faces additional issues, including non-functional ablution facilities, broken gym equipment, laundry machines that have been awaiting repair since last year, and a male shower without hot water. ActionSA President Herman Mashaba uncovered the station's dire situation during a Wednesday oversight visit, where workers informed him that they lacked essential tools to perform their duties effectively. He assured the workers that his party was there as part of the coalition government and was committed to taking responsibility and implementing plans to address past failures and improve their working conditions. 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 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. Next Stay Close ✕ He expressed concern that the only operational fire truck was the water tanker, which could barely accommodate three workers. 'They are here with trucks that don't work, and if there is a fire, what do they do? You run a fire station with trucks that don't work. Is it not an indictment of the failure of the municipality? How do you expect them to work without having the necessary infrastructure?' he asked. According to him, the city last allocated funds to the fire station in the 2014/2015 financial year. He mentioned that the recently passed budget allocates R1 million for the Jabulani station. Mashaba said the budget would be used to properly service the fire trucks, with immediate plans to repair them. 'When you don't really have money to buy new ones, fix the existing ones. With a million rand, you won't be able to fix all of them properly. You must also upgrade the facility,' he said. He also expressed concern about the broken gym equipment, saying: 'Any fire station, anywhere in the world, training is really one of the critical factors.' He explained that due to limited financial resources, it was not possible to address all the issues in one year. He also visited the Soshanguve AI substation, which has been identified as the source of constant power outages in the township. The city energised the newly-installed cables in Block DD in Soshanguve on May 7 as part of efforts to manage ongoing power outages. Residents recently expressed their frustration over the power outages by resorting to protests, which included barricading roads with burning tyres. Mashaba said: 'People of Soshanguve, just bear with us, there is a budget allocation just to ensure that you can have reliable electricity services in your communities going forward.' He lashed out at the previous DA administration, saying that since 2021, they have been presenting an unfunded budget. Last week, DA Tshwane spokesperson on finance Jacqui Uys said her party rejected the 'farce that is the City of Tshwane's budget'. 'Tshwane's budget, while promising to uplift and make life easier for the residents of Tshwane, is nothing but a protection of ANC patronage, while using residents as cash cows,' she said. The ANC, on the other hand, welcomed the city's fully funded 2025/26 budget, saying it marked 'a turning point for the City of Tshwane's financial governance and service delivery capabilities'. 'The approval of this budget restores credibility to the city's institutional capacity and sends a clear message that the municipality is moving forward with purpose, discipline, and unity of vision,' the ANC said.
