Latest news with #R1.5
IOL News
11 hours ago
- IOL News
Former fleet supervisor jailed for demanding bribe from service provider
A former worker of the uMsunduzi Municipality has been sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment for demanding a bribe from a service provider. Image: File The Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court has sentenced a former employee of Msunduzi Municipality to 10 years' direct imprisonment for demanding a R100,000 bribe from a service provider. The service provider was owed R1.5 million by the municipality. Nhlakanipho Dlamini, 46, was employed as a fleet supervisor by the municipality in January 2020. During the execution of his duties, Dlamini demanded a bribe from the service provider so that he could start processing the R1.5 million. However, he only processed R1 million and continued to demand cash to process the residue amount. 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 According to the Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo, Dlamini was caught red-handed on January 17, 2020, after collecting cash from the complainant. Mhlongo stated that this followed an intensive investigation and an undercover operation. 'He appeared in court and was released on bail. On August 27, 2024, Dlamini was found guilty on two counts of corruption; hence, he was sentenced,' he said. Additionally, Mhlongo said Dlamini was sentenced to eight years' direct imprisonment for the first count of corruption and another eight years' imprisonment for the second count of corruption. 'Six years of count one and count two will run concurrently, meaning that he will effectively serve a total of 10 years' direct imprisonment,' he clarified. KwaZulu-Natal Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Provincial Head, Major General Dr Lesetja Senona, welcomed the sentence and commended the investigating team as well as the prosecution team for the good work.
IOL News
a day ago
- Business
- IOL News
Cities cut salaries as inflation bites – R1. 5 billion slash in municipal wages
National Treasury did note that – as at the end of March – almost 30% of the adjusted salary budget had yet to be spent. The National Treasury's statement on local government revenue and expenditure for the last quarter of the 2024/25 fiscal year shows that the municipal budget for salaries was almost a third, at 27.4%, of total operating expenses. However, the statement also indicates that salaries and wages, including that of Councillors, declined 0.9% between the February and October budgets last year. This was a decline of R1.5 billion at a time when inflation was, on average, 3.6%. National Treasury did not indicate whether this was due to less staff, although the Auditor-General's most recent report into municipalities indicated that there were vacancies in key areas such as finance and technical services. National Treasury did note that – as at the end of March – almost 30% of the adjusted salary budget had yet to be spent.
The South African
6 days ago
- Business
- The South African
Deal breaker? Kaizer Chiefs face financial hurdle in Mayele pursuit!
Kaizer Chiefs are reportedly R20 million short of Fiston Mayele's asking price, which diminishes their chances of signing the CAF Champions League winner. 'The only way Mayele can join Kaizer Chiefs is if the player himself wants to reunite with coach Nasreddine Nabi. It won't be because of money,' the Siya crew confirmed. 'Pyramids FC are offering him enough money to stay at the club or sell him to a club that can offer more money than Kaizer Chiefs. Chiefs are believed to be offering around a R5 million signing-on fee to be spread over three seasons and a monthly salary of between R1 million and up to R1.5 million.' 'So, it's kind of difficult for Chiefs to sign him if it's all about money only. Unless the player himself loves to come and play for the club.' Further decreasing Kaizer Chiefs' hopes of signing one of Africa's most in-form strikers is the competition they're facing. According to reports, several North African giants are vying for his services. 'Apart from the money is that his club is still negotiating to keep him for two more seasons, and you know the owners are wealthy people and can afford him,' a source revealed. 'Apparently, there is also interest from other top Egyptian sides, which could make it easy for him to remain in Cairo. That's what makes it even more difficult for Chiefs to win him over,' the second insider revealed. 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.
The South African
12-06-2025
- Business
- The South African
The quiet Western Cape towns South Africans are semigrating to
If you were wondering where South Africans are semigrating to in 2025, it seems the Western Cape's smaller, country towns are becoming quite popular. According to BusinessTech and property experts from Seeff Property Group, country towns across the Western Cape are experiencing a surge in demand for property as more South Africans wish to opt out of busy city life. This semigration trend was seen, in particular, amongst remote workers, retirees, and families looking for quieter and safer lifestyles. Some of the most popular Western Cape country towns include Barrydale, Bonnievale, Ladismith, Swellendam, Pearly Beach, Riversdale, Gansbaai, Still Bay and Struisbaai. BusinessTech also reported data that showed that over 8 000 property transactions worth nearly R9.5 billion occurred across the Cape countryside last year, with an estimated 90% of these sales coming in under R1.5 million per transaction. 'We're seeing strong interest from all over the country, with nearly 60% of buyers from Gauteng,' Anet Rossouw from Seeff noted, as per BusinessTech . Another 10 percent are from the other South African provinces, with the rest of the buyers being from the Western Cape itself, looking for second homes or future retirement homes. 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.
The Citizen
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
SCA overturns Nulane accused's acquittal and orders a retrial
The Nulane scam case was one of two matters in which the state tried and failed to seek the extradition of Atul and Rajesh Gupta from the UAE. Limakatso Moorosi, Seipati Dlamini, Iqbal Sharma, Ronica Ragavan and Dinesh Patel appear at the Bloemfontein High Court on 23 January 2023. Picture: Gallo Images/Volksblad/Mlungisi Louw The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has overturned Bloemfontein Judge Nompumelelo Gusha's decision to summarily acquit all the accused in the R24.9 million Nulane Investments fraud, money laundering and corruption scam, saying she committed 'numerous errors of law'. SCA Judge Cagney John Musi handed down judgment on Thursday, saying the leave to appeal has been granted. 'It is ordered that the respondents may be retried for the same offences in respect of which they were acquitted by the Free State High Court on 21 April 2023, as if they had not previously been arraigned, tried and acquitted: provided that a different Judge shall preside over the trial'. Nulane scam The Nulane scam case was one of two matters in which the state tried and failed to seek the extradition of Atul and Rajesh Gupta from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The case is based on allegations that R24.9 million was paid to Nulane Investment – a company owned by Sharma – to conduct a feasibility study for the Free State province's flagship Mohoma Mobung project, which paved the way for the controversial Estina/Vrede dairy project. Nulane was contracted by the provincial government on the basis that it had unique skills to perform the work. The state alleged that Nulane, however, had no employees on its books and in fact subcontracted Deloitte to produce the report, for which Deloitte was paid R1.5 million. It's alleged that the only change made to the Deloitte report was to identify Paras Dairy as a suitable implementing partner for the development of a milk processing plant in Vrede. ALSO READ: SCA asked to dismiss state's appeal on Nulane case amid questions about witness's testimony Acquittal In April 2023, seven of the eight accused, including former Free State government officials Peter Thabethe and Seipati Dhlamini, along with Nulane Investments director and Gupta associate Iqbal Sharma, successfully applied to be discharged under section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) in the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein. High Court Acting Judge Nompumelelo Gusha also found former head of the Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Limakatso Moorosi, not guilty, and she was acquitted. Gusha, in her judgment, criticised the state's investigation and concluded that the testimony of the state's sole witness, Shadrack Cezula, who had been the acting supply chain manager at the Free State Department of Agriculture, was 'evasive'. She concluded that the state had failed to prove its case against the accused before the court. 'Errors of law' However, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) appealed the matter. The NPA's Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) maintained that Gusha erred on several key legal questions, which the SCA on Thursday concurred with. 'The High Court made numerous errors of law that resulted in the acquittal of the respondents. This is unfortunate, particularly in a case such as this, where it was prima facie established that scarce public funds were unlawfully extracted from the Department and channelled to the UAE, by fraud and the misuse of power. 'This subverted the aims of the Project to generate income through farming and alleviate poverty, undermines the functionality of democratic institutions, and endangers the rule of law. The trial in the High Court can be summed up in a single sentence: This was a failure of justice. Regrettably, this erodes public confidence in the criminal justice system.' Musi ruled. ALSO READ: Court hears how nearly R1 million was spent fixing welding at Estina Dairy Farm NPA welcomes judgment The NPA welcomed the SCA ruling, saying the judgment paves the way for IDAC to reinstate the case within a reasonable period. NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said the prosecution body remains resolute in its stance of effectively prosecuting and holding accountable those responsible for state capture-related corruption. 'Beyond this important case, IDAC has made significant progress in its efforts to ensure accountability for serious and complex corruption and related crimes stemming from the state capture era. 'It has enrolled 50 cases, declared 133 investigations and partnered with the Asset Forfeiture Unit to obtain freezing and preservation orders amounting to R14.3 billion with R8.2 billion in confiscation orders deposited to the Criminal Asset Recovery Account (CARA),' Mhaga said. Mhaga said convictions in complex corruption cases take time, and not just in South Africa. 'The NPA is making steady and important progress in this endeavour and will continue to execute its mandate without fear, favour or prejudice'. ALSO READ: NPA says it will reinstate Estina dairy farm case after it was struck off court roll
