Prominent Mangaung businessman Ben Moseme has strictly distanced himself from growing political speculation suggesting he intends to stand for the executive mayoralty of the metro.
The founder of the Cultural Urban Festival Africa (CUFA) issued a formal statement dismissing claims that he holds any...
The allegations of maladministration, corruption and irregular expenditure linked to two major infrastructure projects in the Northern Cape have prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to authorise the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate.
The investigations will focus on the construction of the new Kuruman Secondary School in Wrenchville/Kalahari and the rehabilitation of road MR938 between Hotazel and Kathu.
The road rehabilitation project was put out to tender in 2017, but the procurement process was later challenged in court, with the tender award set aside in 2020.
The Kuruman New English Medium Secondary School project was planned in response to a longstanding need for additional school infrastructure in the area. Concerns about school accommodation and learner capacity in Kuruman date back years, with the provincial government previously highlighting pressure on existing schools including Wrenchville Secondary School and Kalahari High School.
By 2023, the new Kuruman school had been identified as one of seven schools being built in the Northern Cape to address infrastructure challenges.
The province’s 2023/24 annual report recorded the project as still under construction, while its 2024/25 infrastructure evaluation listed it amongst projects affected by municipal approval challenges.
Under Proclamation 331 of 2026, the SIU will investigate the procurement of goods, works and services for the Kuruman Secondary School project in the Northern Cape Department of Education.
The investigation covers conduct between 8 December 2016 and 7 August 2026. It may also extend to conduct outside this period where it is relevant to the investigation and involves the same people, entities or contracts.
“The investigation will determine whether procurement processes were conducted fairly, competitively, transparently and cost-effectively, and whether any irregular expenditure was incurred,” said Selby Makgotho, SIU Spokesperson.
Makgotho said that the SIU will also examine any irregular, unlawful or improper conduct by officials, employees, individuals or entities linked to the project.
Meanwhile, Proclamation 333 of 2026 empowers the SIU to investigate the rehabilitation of road MR938 between Hotazel and Kathu under Tender DRPW 039/2017.
The investigation period runs from 8 December 2017 to 7 August 2026. The SIU can also investigate related conduct outside this period where necessary.
The investigation follows allegations of maladministration, irregular procurement and wasteful expenditure in connection with the project.
Makgotho also stated that the SIU will investigate the conduct of officials, service providers and other entities implicated in the allegations, including whether procurement and related processes complied with the law.
“The investigations form part of the SIU’s broader mandate to identify wrongdoing, recover financial losses suffered by the State and address systemic weaknesses that may contribute to future losses,” he added.
Where evidence of criminal conduct is uncovered, the SIU will refer the matter to the National Prosecuting Authority for possible further action.
He stated that the SIU may also institute civil proceedings in the High Court or Special Tribunal to recover losses or address wrongdoing arising from corruption, fraud or maladministration.
The latest SIU investigations come as the Northern Cape government faces growing questions about accountability and the management of public funds.
The Roads and Public Works department has recently been under the spotlight following the resignation of MEC Fufe Makatong.
Makatong resigned after raising concerns about changes being made in the department without proper consultation and communication.
The developments also come as Northern Cape Premier Zamani Saul pushes for lifestyle audits of government officials. Saul has called for officials to account for their wealth and assets as part of efforts to improve accountability in the provincial government.
The SIU has been conducting lifestyle audits across the province, with Saul previously stating that more than 60% of the required audits had been completed.
The recent provincial executive reshuffle by North West Premier and ANC provincial deputy chairperson, Lazarus Mokgosi, is believed to be a veiled strategy to consolidate political power, rather than a means of realigning governance and service delivery strategy.
Political observers believe the rearrangement forms part and parcel of the ANC’s factional battles in the province, with Mokgosi believed to be setting himself up to challenge incumbent provincial chairperson, Nono Maloyi, at the party’s next provincial elective conference expected in early 2027 after the local government elections this November.
The removal of Viola Motsumi - Mokgosi’s political detractor - from the MEC for Education portfolio and ultimately from the provincial cabinet is believed to be a political power play by the premier. Motsumi was replaced by former provincial legislature Speaker, Dr Desbo Mohono, who is believed to be Mokgosi factional ally.
Meanwhile, MEC’s Virginia Tlhapi and Wessels Morweng simply switched roles with the former being moved from Sports Arts and Culture to lead the Community Safety and Transport Management portfolio, while the latter moved in the opposite direction. All the other provincial executive members remain in their positions.
The ANC in the North West remains divided between two major factions termed N12 and M26 respectively. The N12 faction is alleged to be led by Maloyi, while the M26 grouping is believed to be led by Mokgosi himself.
Within the ANC provincial top five officials the N12 faction maintains a clear majority through Maloyi, provincial secretary, Louis Diremelo, and deputy provincial secretary, Motsumi.
Mokgosi serves as the sole M26 representative within the top five, while provincial treasurer, Sello Lehari, is believed to be non-aligned – at least not yet.
While the ANC maintains strict discretion regarding internal leadership contestation, the N12 and M26 rivalry reflects broader factional alignments with the party’s national sphere factions. The N12 faction is supposedly linked to ANC Deputy President, Paul Mashatile, while M26 is believed to be Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula.
Mashatile and Mbalula are expected to prospectively contest for the ANC presidency at the party’s national elective conference in 2027.
Political analyst and Local Governance and Public Leadership Research Fellow from University of the Free State, Dr. Harlan Cloete, highlighted that Premiers can reshuffle their executives on both governance and political grounds.
“It could be that there's underperformance in a department … that could be the reason. Secondly, there could be a tension between the head of department and the member.
“Thirdly, there could be factional reasons why he or she needs to reward people that have fallen out of favour with him,” Cloete added.
Additionally, Cloete said that the latest changes could also be viewed against the backdrop of the upcoming local government elections.
He suggests that Mokgosi could be seeking to strengthen his executive and improve government delivery ahead of the polls.
“It could also be local government elections coming. Maybe there is somebody else he wants to appoint as MEC of local government, to make sure that the resources are used to ensure a continuation,” he said.
As the weather continues to deteriorate across the country, the MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Saki Mokoena, urges the public to avoid traveling to snow-affected areas for recreational purposes and to limit unnecessary travel until conditions improve.
This follows the South African Weather Service's issuance of a Yellow Level 2 warning, with approximately 4 to 10 centimeters of snow expected today, which may result in icy roads, localized traffic disruptions, and temporary closures of some non-major mountain passes.
They have indicated that disruptive snowfall is expected along the Lesotho border and may extend to the north-eastern parts of the Free State.
“Snow may look beautiful, but these conditions can change very quickly and place lives at risk. We therefore appeal to our communities not to go out into the snow simply for fun and to avoid unnecessary travel at all costs,” said Mokoena.
He says the provincial disaster management teams have been deployed across affected areas and are working with municipalities, emergency services and other disaster management structures to monitor conditions and assist affected communities.
“The Thabo Mofutsanyana District Disaster Management Centre and Maluti-a-Phofung Fire and Rescue Services are closely monitoring the situation from Harrismith.
“This is because snowfall has been reported in mountainous areas around Tsheseng, with no reports of snowfall in residential areas, he said.
The African National Congress (ANC) is set to unveil its mayoral candidates this weekend after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) adopted its local government election manifesto on Friday.
The move signals a break from the ANC’s long-standing practice of choosing and announcing mayors only after elections, as the ruling party seeks to reclaim lost ground and defend several metros currently governed through coalitions.
Journal News understands that the ANC’s Top Seven have concluded the selection process for key metros, with the candidates expected to be announced ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s manifesto launch on 23 August.
In the closely watched City of Johannesburg, veteran politician Frank Chikane is expected to carry the ANC’s mayoral bid. He is likely to face DA candidate Helen Zille, ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba and EFF candidate Tlaleng Mofokeng.
The ANC is also set to retain several incumbent mayors in an effort to strengthen its campaign and woo voters. They include Gregory Nthatisi in Mangaung, Nkosindiphile Xhakaza in Ekurhuleni, Cyril Xaba in eThekwini and Princess Faku in Buffalo City.
Meanwhile, new faces are expected to take the reins in two key metros, with Tlangi Mogale tipped for the City of Tshwane and Andile Lungisa for Nelson Mandela Bay.
The early announcement of mayoral candidates is expected to give the ANC more time to campaign around its preferred candidates as it battles to regain control of municipalities ahead of the local government elections.
The party’s highest decision-making body between conferences also finalised its election priorities and campaign focus.
Briefing the media on the sidelines of the ANC NEC meeting in Boksburg, East Rand on Friday, Mbalula also explained the delays in the announcement of candedates and the launching the manifesto.
“We are going to announce the mayoral candidates in a week leading to the manifesto, it will happen before the 23rd, on the 15th of August, there is a Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting in Durban which will end on the 17th. The leader of the campaign is the President, and that is him who launches the manifesto, so he will not be available on those dates and that is why we were able to inform the media that we will now launch on the 23rd. So it has got nothing to do with finances and our manifesto will be launched in Riverside, Diepsloot,” said Mbalula.
Business leaders, investors and experts have called for fresh thinking, strategic partnerships and innovation to unlock Matjhabeng’s economic potential.
The future of Matjhabeng’s economy came under the spotlight at the Matjhabeng Local Municipality 2026 Investment Symposium, which brought together people from diverse fields of expertise, including potential investors, business leaders and professionals eager to share ideas that could help shape the municipality’s economic future.
Among those in attendance was Reggie Mutsi of the Matjhabeng Business Sector, who drew on decades of business experience to highlight opportunities that could help Matjhabeng reinvent itself and attract new economic activity.
Mutsi believes the municipality can build on the Free State’s established tourism appeal by finding innovative ways to transform its mining legacy rather than simply abandoning it.
“Part of what we do is to look innovatively at what we can do to change and not just abandon those areas, but to change some of them to attract tourism into them, but to also think about what we can do to change the outlook of Welkom that would replace and still get the economy of Matjhabeng going,” he said.
Drawing on an experience from a town in Germany that he described as having faced circumstances similar to those confronting Matjhabeng, Mutsi said the municipality could explore alternative uses for areas affected by the decline of mining.
His message was clear: the end of an industry does not have to mean the end of a town’s economic story.
Mutsi also pointed to the growing presence of solar panels in and around Matjhabeng, saying the expansion of solar energy has had an impact on the local economy and presents another issue that needs to be considered as the municipality plans for its future.
The changing retail landscape was another area of concern. Mutsi highlighted the growing influence of online shopping and its effect on major retail outlets, saying communities and businesses need to think collectively about how to respond to these shifts while respecting consumers’ choices.
“It is important to look at our contribution as a united force and as citizens of the area in terms of what we should do to sway people from moving in that direction. This issue has also affected the motor industry countrywide,” he said.
Bridging the public-private divide
The symposium also created an opportunity for Brand South Africa Global Ambassador Imram Macama to share his perspective on strengthening cooperation between government and business.
Macama said he had spent the past two years working to bridge the gap between the private and public sectors, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that communities and municipalities benefit from stronger partnerships.
“I believe that as you are all present here, you are fully aware that many of our municipalities have great plans and amazing programmes that are meant to develop and transform our communities. But the biggest thing is the lack of a protocol for funding, the lack of strategic partners that can come in to assist in executing the said plans and programmes,” said Macama.
As National Head for Africa Young Entrepreneurs, Macama said the organisation’s message on global platforms is centred on positioning South Africa as a gateway to the African continent.
For that vision to become reality, however, he stressed that investment and strategic partnerships must first be established at local level.
Macama pointed to a practical example of this approach, saying that through Brand South Africa, a strategic partnership had been established between Gangala district and a key municipality in Shandong province in the People’s Republic of China.
For Matjhabeng, such partnerships could provide an avenue for municipalities to turn ambitious development plans into tangible projects while opening doors to new investment and expertise.
Universities: an untapped economic engine
The role of education in local economic development was also highlighted by Mr Qondakele Sompondo of the Central University of Technology (CUT) Welkom Campus.
Sompondo cautioned against overlooking the contribution of higher education institutions when discussing the development of municipalities and cities.
“The student economy is quite big, but also that economy is anchored on institutions of higher learning,” he said.
According to Sompondo, universities do far more than provide education. They can serve as catalysts for employment, entrepreneurship, innovation and broader economic activity.
“Cities and towns were developed by universities because universities create employment; attract advancement, stimulate entrepreneurship, develop innovation ecosystems, and create demand across different sectors,” he said.
His comments added another dimension to the investment symposium’s central conversation: Matjhabeng’s economic renewal will require more than attracting capital. It will require the municipality, businesses, educational institutions and communities to work together to create an ecosystem where investment can take root and grow.
