By Abigail Visagie
The search for Benjamin van Wyk’s(20) body, who drowned inside the Heidedal Quarry located behind Twin City Mall in Bloemfontein, is now in its third day.
On Thursday afternoon, Van Wyk (20) and two friends went swimming when tragedy struck.
He reportedly jumped into the water...
President Cyril Ramaphosa has suspended Inspector-General of Intelligence, Imtiaz Fazel, with immediate effect, pending the outcome of a formal investigation by Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI).
The presidency confirmed this in an official statement on Wednesday night.
According to the statement, the JSCI recently notified Ramaphosa that it had received a complaint regarding Fazel’s conduct and would launch an inquiry under Section 7(4) of the Intelligence Services Act (Act 40 of 1994).
In line with Section 7(5) of the Act, the President holds the authority to suspend the inspector-general during the course of such an investigation.
Fazel, who was appointed as South Africa’s Inspector-General of Intelligence in November 2022, was responsible for overseeing the activities of the country’s intelligence services, ensuring they operate within the legal and constitutional framework.
His suspension marks a significant development in South Africa’s intelligence oversight landscape and raises critical questions about internal accountability.
This is because Ramaphosa established a commission of inquiry into the corruption of the police force, judiciary and the intelligence agencies.
This is after KZN Police Commissioner, Lt-Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged that there was serious corruption in the SAPS and also other arms of government.
“The Inspector-General may be suspended by the President pending a decision in such investigation,” the Act states, underscoring the seriousness of the allegations now under review.
While details of the complaint remain confidential, the move signals the government’s commitment to transparency and legislative oversight within the intelligence community.
Fazel’s suspension is expected to draw sharp scrutiny from political and civil society circles, especially given his watchdog role in a sector historically marred by secrecy and controversy.
The JSCI investigation will determine the next steps, including whether Fazel will be reinstated or face further action.
The Presidency has not indicated who will serve as acting inspector-general during the suspension period.
Meanwhile, Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu, is expected to appear before the Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating the corruption.
Legal Aid South Africa says it's extremely concerned with the delays and setbacks in the Senzo Meyiwa trial.
The trial resumed on Monday after another lengthy postponement.
The defence has finally opened its case, calling its first witness.
On Monday, Legal Aid’s high court unit manager, Joshua Mojuto, attended court to see whether the defence would bring an application as agreed in a prior meeting.
He said as the funder of the accused’s case, Legal Aid was watching proceedings closely.
"Legal Aid is very concerned with the delay that we have been experiencing and we have been managing the matter. We have been having meetings with the practitioners, giving instructions as to how, as the instructing attorney, we would like the matter to proceed."
*This article was first published by Eye Witness News
Hangani Maumela has been identified by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) as a key figure in a syndicate accused of looting R2 billion through Tembisa Hospital tenders.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says none of his family members have benefited from government tenders in recent years, following speculation linking him to alleged tender fraudster, Hangwani Maumela.
Maumela has been identified by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) as a key figure in a syndicate accused of looting R2 billion through Tembisa Hospital tenders.
Last week, the SIU raided his lavish three-story mansion in Sandton, seizing luxury sports cars and other items.
During a media briefing in Pretoria on Monday, the Presidency addressed claims suggesting Ramaphosa had ties to the alleged fraudster.
Since Maumela came into the spotlight for his alleged involvement in looting Tembisa Hospital tenders, claims have surfaced suggesting he is the president’s nephew.
Ramaphosa has clarified that he was previously married to Maumela’s aunt, a union that ended in 1989.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said that while Ramaphosa noted the allegations against Maumela, he does not consider him a family member.
"Just before the president was appointed the deputy president, he gathered his immediate family and relatives and sternly instructed all of them to either exit or stop any business that they did or intended to do with the government or any state institution. Maumela was not part of that family gathering because he is not part of the president’s immediate family."
Magwenya said the president has always been concerned about allegations of looting Tembisa Hospital tenders, which is why he signed the SIU proclamation to investigate procurement irregularities at the facility.
In a compelling address at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation's Drakensberg Inclusive Growth Forum, Lesetja Kganyago, the Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, discussed the evolving relationship between exchange rates and tariffs, highlighting both historical context and present-day implications for the South African economy.
The focus of Kganyago's speech was the dual nature of exchange rates, an age-old concern compounded by the contemporary challenge of tariffs. "We no longer live in a world where leading countries favour openness to trade," he said, addressing a significant shift in dynamics that has unfolded in recent years. With tariffs making a comeback in global trade, countries are recalibrating their economic strategies, needing to grapple with new realities that could potentially shift exchange rate valuations.
Kganyago broke down the textbook understanding of how tariffs typically lead to an appreciation of local currencies by making imports more expensive and allowing domestic industries to command higher prices. However, he noted that the unexpected depreciation of the US dollar this year has complicated these narratives. After beginning 2025 at a multi-decade high, the dollar shifted downwards, leaving South Africa in a surprisingly advantageous position against the backdrop of broader macroeconomic trends.
For South Africa, Kganyago indicated that recent economic conditions have produced a silver lining: a stronger rand, lower domestic interest rates, and rising terms of trade. "2025 has been a better year for emerging markets than many had feared," he stated, suggesting that the combination of a weaker dollar and a strong rand could bolster South Africa's resilience amid global pressures.
Delving deeper into the relationship between exchange rates and economic growth, Kganyago referred to the Mundell-Fleming framework that typically predicts decreased growth with a stronger currency. However, he challenged this conventional wisdom by pointing out that South Africa's weaker currency over the past decade has coincided with stagnation, a clear indicator that other factors are at play.
Amidst this economic landscape, Kganyago stressed the importance of understanding the broader picture. He cautioned that currency values could reflect deeper national issues. "A country that looks good will attract investment and appreciate in value," he explained, drawing attention to how perceptions of governance, structural reforms, and economic health directly influence currency strength.
In reflecting on South Africa’s exchange rate policy, Kganyago pointed to the nation’s commitment to exchange rate flexibility, established after a tumultuous history of monetary interventions. He emphasised that this approach has allowed the rand to act as a buffer in times of international economic stress while preventing greater financial instability.
Kganyago's remarks also touched on inflation perceptions, noting that South Africa has long been an outlier in terms of inflation targets compared to its peers. He asserted that as the country moves towards a more aligned inflation rate, the rand could behave differently, promising potentially healthier economic dynamics.
He concluded with an optimistic outlook for South Africa, reinforcing that despite global challenges, the nation’s external position has markedly improved. "When people tell you the rand is a weak and volatile currency, encourage them to think again," he urged, signalling a confident push towards a more resilient economic future.
The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) reported a staggering R29 billion loss on toll payments due in the 2024/25 financial year, reflecting expected credit losses on amounts owed to the agency.
This is according to SANRAL’s annual report covering April 2024 to March 2025.
While the agency did not register any fruitless or wasteful expenditure during the year, nearly R13 million in spending remains under investigation.
The Board had previously approved writing off R33.7 million of fruitless or irregular spending in 2023/24.
In 2024/25, an additional R186 million of irregular expenditure was confirmed, with R1 billion still “under assessment” at the end of March.
The report noted there was no confirmed irregular expenditure linked to criminal conduct. Employees responsible for R96 million in condoned irregular expenditure in 2024 received written warnings, following recommendations by the loss control committee and board approval.
“Human resources has instituted disciplinary action against perpetrators of irregular cases concluded by the loss control committee and independent reviews,” the report said.
SANRAL also recorded R33.7 million in fruitless and wasteful expenditure deemed unrecoverable during 2024.
However, the Auditor-General of South Africa (AG-SA) flagged weaknesses in reporting systems.
“The underlying systems and controls developed by management were inadequate to provide reliable evidence to support the reporting on predetermined objectives for the programme selected for auditing.”
The AG-SA also said management had failed to perform adequate reviews to ensure accuracy and consistency of reported performance information.
In the foreword, Themba Mhambi wrote: “We note the AGSA's findings… with a view to reinforcing that which works, and correcting that which requires attention, including through consequence management.”
CEO Reginald Demana said SANRAL’s budget for 2025/26 is R63.6 million, with 41% allocated to road maintenance and rehabilitation, 50% to capex projects, and the remaining 9% for operational costs, aimed at preserving and improving the country’s road network.
President Cyril Ramaphosa's spokesperson said a video showing him outside the posh Sandton home of Hangwani Maumela - a central figure in a massive corruption scandal involving the looting of over R2 billion from Tembisa Hospital - is purely coincidental.
Ramaphosa has denied ever meeting Maumela, who was related to him through a previous marriage.
Last week, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) raided Maumela's home as part of an operation to seize assets linked to the alleged Tembisa Hospital looting.
A recent SIU report found that Maumela led one of three major syndicates that diverted public funds meant for healthcare services through a complex web of fraudulent tenders, inflated prices and non-existent deliveries.
Among the items confiscated were three Lamborghinis, designer furniture, expensive artwork, and other property. The total value of assets preserved was R133,5 million, with a total of R900 million worth of assets targeted.
The SIU's investigation found that Maumela allegedly used a network of 41 companies to siphon off R820 million from Tembisa Hospital over two years. The broader investigation uncovered that three syndicates were responsible for looting over R2 billion.
A day after the raid, a video of Ramaphosa outside Maumela’s house was circulated on social media.
Ramaphosa spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the video shows Ramaphosa in the middle of radio DJ Tbo Touch (Thabo Molefe) and Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Jomo Sibiya, who at the time was the Special Advisor to the President.
“As it is well known, President Ramaphosa loves to walk whenever he finds time. He had invited Mr. Sibiya for a walk. He regularly invites his staff, even Ministers, on walks. They passed a house which is now well known as Maumela's house.
"While passing this house, they were stopped by Tbo Touch, who was in the company of his mentor and friend, Bishop Noel Jones. They took pictures, and there's even a video. During the walk, the president stopped and spoke to several people along the way, including taking pictures with them,” said Magwenya, who added that Ramaphosa did not know that the house belonged to Maumela.
“The president regularly walks and drives past the house because this is the street that is not too far from his house in Hyde Park. It's a street that he would use when driving to and from Sandton. I also use the same street quite often when going to the President's house, coming from the Sandton direction."
Magwenya said it was wrong to use the video 'as evidence of the President's relationship with Maumela, adding that Ramaphosa maintains that he has no personal relationship with Maumela.
“He is not related to him except that he was once married to Maumela's aunt.”
Magwenya also said that before Ramaphosa was appointed as Deputy President (in 2014), he gathered his immediate family and sternly instructed them to either exit or stop any business that they did or intended to do with the government and state institutions.
He said Maumela was not part of that meeting because he is not an immediate family member.
On Sunday, the entrance to Maumela's luxury house in Sandhurst in Sandton, was guarded by muscular security guards, wearing black shirts and jeans, who asked anyone getting to close to the entrance to leave 'or be assisted to leave'.
They also insisted that no pictures be taken of the property.
An official said that Maumela has not been at home since the SIU raid on Thursday.
Maumela lives a lavish lifestyle among wealthy neighbors in the elite Sandton and Hyde Park suburbs.
The property, reportedly purchased by his family trust, was created by combining two plots of land with a total value of R86 million.
Public records show that the MHR Maumela Family Trust purchased two adjacent stands in Sandhurst, one for R70 million in 2021 and another for R16 million in 2022.
It is described as a three-story mansion with features such as multiple wings, infinity pools and manicured gardens.
Other amenities include a car wash and a hair salon.
The mansion is secured with a perimeter wall that deters unwanted access and is further enhanced with CCTV cameras and LED lights.
The streets are quiet and people who appeared were either walking or jogging with their pets.
A group of employees who work as gardeners in the suburb said many politicians, including EFF leader Julius Malema, live in the area. The group also described the area as quiet and crime-free.
