Three former employees of the Gauteng West Department of Education have been convicted and sentenced for theft and fraud after creating ghost employees and siphoning funds from the department’s payroll system.
Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesperson Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela says the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sentenced Thaniso Ralethe 37, Kenneth Maredi Mothiang, 43, and Banyana Caroline Mokela, 50, following their convictions earlier this year.
Mavimbela revealed that the trio “whilst employed by the department between the year 2014 and 2015 fraudulently created ghost employees on the department's payroll system and assigned those ghost employees to the Bekkersdal Primary School.”
Their fraudulent activity came to light when Bekkersdal Primary School submitted a request to the department to fill vacant posts, a process that prompted an internal review.
“This unlawful criminal act was uncovered when the school in question submitted a request to the department to fill vacant posts at the school prompting an internal review,” Mavimbela said.
Once the review was completed, the matter was reported to the police, leading to the arrests of the three officials.
“The matter was then reported to the police resulting in the three implicated individuals resigning from the department in December 2015 following their arrest,” said Mavimbela.
After being found guilty on May 23 2025, the trio received their sentences on 2 October 2025.
Thaniso Ralethe, was sentenced to three years imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years, on condition that he is not convicted of fraud, theft, or attempted theft during the suspension period.
Kenneth Maredi Mothiang received ten years imprisonment, with four years suspended on similar conditions, resulting in an effective six years in jail.
Banyana Caroline Mokela was sentenced to an effective eight years imprisonment.
*This article was first published by IOL News
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi may have had noble intentions when he established the provincial crime-fighting unit known as the Crime Prevention Wardens — or “AmaPanyaza” — but the initiative is unlawful, according to KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Mkhwanazi made the remarks before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee, which is probing the explosive allegations he recently made against senior officials.
He told MPs that he had strongly objected during a meeting of the SAPS Board of Commissioners (BOC) to the creation of the Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens, arguing that the structure was not sanctioned by law — a view later supported by SAPS Legal Services.
The BOC, he explained, is the highest decision-making body of the SAPS, comprising all provincial commissioners, divisional commissioners, and the acting national head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks.
“When the premier of Gauteng (Lesufi), with good intentions to fight crime in the province of Gauteng, started a unit that by law should not exist — the Mapanya-panya that is famous. I raised that at the BOC and I said this is illegal,” said Mkhwanazi.
“It is against the law, and the premier must be advised. He has got good intentions but it cannot be done. The law doesn’t allow it. The very senior managers in the police said no, just leave the premier alone. At the next BOC, Legal Services came up with a presentation and they argued the same thing I had argued.
“They presented that what has been done in Gauteng is against the law, it should not be allowed. This was when there was an engagement at executive level, between the minister and the premier at the time,” he said.
Mkhwanazi told the committee that despite his objections, training of the wardens had gone ahead.
“My argument in the BOC and the support from Legal Services was not taken seriously. So they continued with the training. But because Legal Services had taken note of it, they went to the minister and said, minister you cannot sign this off, it is against the law.
“Obviously, the premier of Gauteng was not very pleased that Minister (Bheki) Cele did not want to sign them. As a result, to date, that unit, that group of members, could not be incorporated into the Police Act. They are still there in Gauteng, I’m not sure whether they are enforcing the law, or what they are doing in Gauteng, but legally they are not supposed to be there,” Mkhwanazi emphasised.
In 2023, IOL reported that then Justice Minister Ronald Lamola granted the Crime Prevention Wardens the same legal status as Gauteng’s provincial traffic officers.
Lamola’s spokesperson Chrispin Phiri explained at the time that although the wardens were legally designated as traffic officers, they could still engage in crime-fighting activities, albeit with powers more limited than those of the SAPS.
Lamola was updating the public on the status of the 6,000 wardens — established in February 2023 by Lesufi and then Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko to combat crime in Gauteng’s communities.
IOL further reported that the wardens underwent three months of training at a farm in Cullinan and had made headlines after crashing more than 22 BMW vehicles assigned to them.
“After conducting a thorough analysis of the applicable legal frameworks, it was determined that for the Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens to exercise peace officer powers, they must assume the same legal status as Gauteng provincial traffic officers. Provincial traffic officers currently carry out their duties within the ambit of their peace officer designation, supported by the necessary legal framework,” said Phiri at the time
The Gauteng government had written to Lamola in June 2023, seeking his approval to designate the wardens as peace officers under Section 334 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977.
Phiri explained that, in terms of Section 334(1)(a), the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services may confer peace officer powers on any person by virtue of their office to exercise authority under the Act for specific offences or categories of offences.
He said Lamola had engaged in discussions with Lesufi and then Police Minister Cele in an attempt to resolve the contentious matter.
*This article was first published IOL News
In a dramatic show of frustration during protests, University of Fort Hare students in the Eastern Cape have allegedly set alight the administration and Student Affairs buildings on fire.
The act of arson comes after growing unrest and desperation among students, who feel their voices are not being heard regarding their governance and representation.
Students are also calling for Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu's removal.
Meanwhile, the SABC reported that during the Wednesday protest, two students have been taken to hospital after sustaining injuries while clashing with police.
Student leader Uzusiphe Vuzane told the broadcaster that the shots fired were through live ammunition.
“The other student was shot on the left knee the other student was shot just above the heart near the shoulder," Vuzane was quoted as saying.
*This is a developing story
*This article was first published IOL News
The Supreme Court of Appeal has upheld President Ramaphosa’s 2022 recognition of King Misuzulu, overruling a previous judgment.
While the Supreme Court of Appeal has put an end to the legal battle over who leads the Zulu nation, cultural expert Professor Musa Xulu says the ruling also exposes deeper issues within the way traditional leadership is governed, largely through oral traditions that leave room for dispute and interpretation.
On Monday, the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein ruled that President Cyril Ramaphosa acted lawfully in recognising Misuzulu kaZwelithini as the Zulu King in 2022.
At that time, members of the Zulu royal family who opposed Misuzulu’s ascension to the throne approached the court to oppose the recognition.
This week's judgment overrules the one made by the Pretoria High Court in December 2023 which found in favour of Princes Mbonisi and Simakade Zulu.
The SCA accepted that all processes had been followed and confirmed that it is the royal family and not the president who chooses the king.
Cultural expert Professor Musa Xulu explains that the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act, No. 3 of 2019, was introduced to address the way in which leaders are appointed.
"Basically, it should be based on your traditions", he says. "It is very much based on oral and customary perceptions...the Act does not prescribe how it must be."
On the issue of establishing a more formal, codified system, Xulu adds, "I once mentioned to the president in passing that he should consider forming a committee that would be able to help write down codification for all these customary practices."
He notes that one of the reasons there are frequent disputes around traditional leadership issues is due to the complexities of the oral tradition.
And what of a possible challenge to the Supreme Court ruling and the likelihood of an appeal being launched with the Constitutional Court?
Xulu says it's possible, but unlikely.
"That judgment is very tight, but you never know."
*This article was first published by Eye Witness News
The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) will, on Tuesday morning, begin its oversight enquiry into the evidence of, and allegations of maladministration, financial impropriety, and the misuse of public funds at the Road Accident Fund (RAF).
The enquiry will begin with the RAF and the Department of Transport in the afternoon. On Wednesday, the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, the Office of the Accountant General and the Auditor-General of South Africa will appear before the committee.
The Special Investigating Unit is expected to appear on Friday.
Among SCOPA’s key concerns are:
Failure to perform adequate background checks on senior management and executive appointments who nonetheless have access to and manage significant sums of public funds, despite having a deeply concerning employment and disciplinary history involving allegations of reckless financial management decisions.
Subsequent refusal by the RAF to disclose to the committee where such funds are kept and for what purpose.
Failure to appoint critical officials such as a Chief Claims Officer, Head of Claims Operations, Head of Legal, Chief Corporate Support Officer, Head of People Management etc, for an unacceptably long time while decisions with a significant financial impact on the RAF are being taken, alternatively, not being taken when they should.
Apparent failures of governance with a direct impact on the rule of law, the authority and powers of Parliament, as well as Chapter 9 institutions tasked with performing oversight on behalf of the South African people.
Numerous whistleblower accounts relating to supply chain irregularities involving more than R1 billion, while internal management controls appear not to be applied.
The Oversight Enquiry is a legally mandated process to allow Parliament to conduct its oversight in a structured manner, but it is neither a judicial nor a quasi-judicial process, and is not adversarial in nature.
According to the RAF Terms of Reference: “The Oversight Enquiry is an inquisitorial process, informed and underpinned by Parliament’s oversight mandate. The SCOPA does not seek to usurp the functions of any other organ of state or law enforcement agency.
“The SCOPA, therefore, acknowledges that parallel investigations or enquiries outside (and even inside) of Parliament may be taking place. This, however, cannot absolve the SCOPA from carrying out its oversight functions.”
SCOPA Chairperson Songezo Zibi said that they have been preparing the inquiry for the last three months. Zibi said that since October last year, they have asked for accurate and truthful information from the RAF, and that the information received has either been unreliable or not forthcoming at all.
“We will begin the enquiry, which will be led by the (committee) members themselves. I will chair the sessions, and it will go on for several weeks until the middle of November.
“We will do our best to complete our report either by the end of November or the beginning of December so we can table it before the National Assembly with recommendations, which will then form part of our oversight work.”
Zibi thanked the public and other stakeholders for their submissions after SCOPA put out a call. He said they received just under 100 submissions, with some of them running into hundreds of pages.
“A lot of them we very useful and they got us in touch with several people, inside and outside of the RAF, that helped us determine how we are going to conduct the enquiry.”
“We have received a lot of allegations that have caused us to do this inquiry, so we are going to probe all of that,” Zibi said.
“All of this will be conducted in public, and at the end of each day, we will upload documents so that members of the public can see for themselves.”
*This article was first published by IOL News
International oil prices tested four-month lows late last week, and that could bring good news for motorists in November with early data showing significant fuel price reductions could be on the cards.
Unaudited data from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) is pointing to petrol price cuts in the region of 48 cents for 95 Unleaded and 51 cents for 95 Unleaded.
Diesel looks set for a more modest reduction in the region of 10 cents per litre for both grades.
However, if we see a continuation of current trends, as portrayed by the latest daily data, price cuts in the region of 30 cents for diesel and 70 cents for petrol could be on the cards.
This significant over-recovery for fuel prices is being driven by a stronger rand and lower international oil prices.
Late last week, the South African rand hit a one-year low of R17.17 to the US dollar, and the local currency is currently trading at R17.21.
The price of Brent Crude oil dropped below the US $65 per barrel mark on Monday, down from $70 since late September. While prices edged upwards slightly on Monday, closing at $65.51 on Monday after the OPEC+ cartel agreed to a modest production boost, oil is still 6.5% down on last week’s price peak, boding well for a continuation of the current over-recovery.
OPEC+ has been steadily increasing output in 2025, after implementing cuts in the previous two years, which was originally meant to be phased out by September 2026, Euro News reported.
South Africa has seen relatively stable fuel prices this year, with both petrol and diesel currently costing around the same level as they did in January.
Following October’s modest increase of eight cents per litre, 95 Unleaded currently costs R20.84 at the coast and R21.63 in Gauteng. 93 Unleaded, following this month’s one cent increase, costs R21.48.
Diesel saw modest October decreases of 10 cents for 500ppm and eight cents for 50ppm, with the latter now carrying a wholesale price of R18.63 at the coast and R19.39 inland.
*This article was first published by IOL News
