Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane has disclosed that over 200 housing projects across the country are currently stalled.
This follows Simelane’s responses to a series of parliamentary questions from MPs of the MK Party and the EFF, detailing the current housing crisis.
Asked by the MK ...
With Local Government Elections on the horizon, the government is ramping up efforts to rebuild trust and fix failing municipalities, placing governance reform at the centre of its agenda.
Building on calls by CoGTA Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa for municipalities to strengthen governance systems and restore public confidence ahead of the 2026–2027 elections, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to sweeping reforms. Central to this is the near-complete review of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government, alongside ongoing work to improve municipal funding models and staffing frameworks.
The Free State Provincial Government, together with the provincial Department of CoGTA, took a decisive step by hosting a Consultative Engagement on the Draft White Paper on Local Government at Bloemfontein City Hall on 24 March 2026.
MEC Saki Mokoena did not mince words about the scale of the crisis, highlighting mounting service delivery backlogs, crumbling infrastructure, financial strain, governance failures, and rising community expectations.
The revised White Paper seeks to confront these challenges through a bold reform agenda focused on ethical leadership, accountability, financial sustainability, and responsive service delivery. It also prioritises stronger collaboration with communities and traditional leaders to build a more coordinated and capable local government system.
Kgosi Gaboilelwe Moroka of the Barolong boo Seleka Royal House underscored the need for unity, saying the process demands collaboration across all sectors to secure a better-functioning future for local government.
The engagement further highlighted the critical role of traditional leaders in governance, particularly within municipal structures. Deputy Minister Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe pointed to legislative provisions that enable their participation and potential assignment of municipal functions.
Ultimately, the success of these reforms will depend on implementation, accountability, and the ability to deliver visible improvements in people’s daily lives. As South Africa navigates complex governance challenges, the revised White Paper stands as both a blueprint for change and a test of the government’s commitment to rebuilding public trust.
ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has called on South Africans to unite in defending the country’s democracy.
Speaking at the people’s march in Johannesburg on Saturday, Mbalula said the movement marks the start of a broader effort to unite the country.
Led by the ANC and its alliance partners, the march honoured victims of the Sharpeville Massacre while commemorating 30 years of South Africa’s constitution.
Mbalula urged citizens to play an active role in defending the country’s democratic values alongside government.
"This is the beginning of uniting our people in defence of South Africa, our sovereignty and our democracy. The national executive committee of the ANC took a decision that we must not defend South Africa in board rooms, but we must take our people along.”
Rising medical aid costs are placing increasing financial pressure on public servants, sparking calls for urgent intervention.
PSA spokesperson Claude Naiker said the day serves as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made during the Sharpeville Massacre, where citizens stood against injustice and inequality. He noted that the lessons from this history require government to continuously uphold dignity, fairness, and equal access to essential services such as healthcare.
Against this backdrop, the PSA has raised serious concerns about ongoing contribution increases by the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS). Although the latest increase was slightly adjusted from 9.8% to 9.5%, it follows a significant hike in the previous year and continues to place financial strain on public servants, whose salary increases remain limited.
Naiker explained that access to affordable healthcare is closely linked to fundamental human rights, including dignity, equality and access to healthcare services as outlined in the Constitution.
He warned that when medical aid contributions rise faster than income, public servants are forced to make difficult financial decisions that can compromise their well-being and that of their families.
“Human Rights Day highlights a serious policy contradiction,” Naiker said.
Public servants are expected to uphold constitutional values and deliver essential services, yet many are struggling to afford the very healthcare system meant to support them.”
He added that rising medical aid costs risk excluding lower-income workers from adequate healthcare cover, which goes against the spirit of Human Rights Day.
The PSA believes that the slight reduction in the increase does not go far enough to address affordability concerns.
Naiker emphasised the need for meaningful engagement, greater transparency in cost management, and sustainable solutions to ensure that GEMS remains accessible and affordable for government employees.
“The erosion of workers’ socio-economic rights must be addressed urgently,” he said, adding that the PSA will continue engaging with stakeholders and advocating for interventions that protect public servants from escalating healthcare costs while preserving their dignity and well-being.
*This article was first published by Randfontein Herald
The Patriotic Alliance has hit back against claims made against the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, and his alleged ties to the drug trade, which had emerged during Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee earlier this week.
While Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by SAPS KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, wrapped up its oral hearings, it did so, revealing several allegations and new evidence.
On Wednesday, uMkhonto weSizwe Party’s (MK Party) David Skosana used his time to further question Mkhwanazi about the allegations made in a letter he received from an incarcerated individual, Jermaine Prim.
Prim’s letter, which has yet to be published in its entirety, touches on conversations he allegedly had with tendepreneur Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala. Prim claims he shared a prison cell with Matlala at Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility, and he detailed the details of their conversations in this letter.
Mkhwanazi acknowledged that the letter constituted hearsay evidence. In the letter, Prim alleges to have a voice recording linking McKenzie with drug dealers and drug money.
The PA’s Deputy President, Kenny Kunene, dismissed the allegations as lies on Friday, saying that neither he nor the minister is involved in drugs.
Kunene also claimed that during the by-elections in 2019, Prim’s mother was tasked with cooking for young people doing groundwork for the PA. They found that food and groceries “were disappearing under her care”, and after this evidence was raised, she was removed from the PA and cooking duty.
“Jermaine (Prim), since then, has been insulting not only the president of the Patriotic Alliance, Gayton McKenzie and myself, but also our councillors, especially in Eldorado Park.”
Kunene said that councillors have been insulted by Prim from prison, and writing WhatsApp messages from prison.
“I wanted to put it on record, Gayton McKenzie is not involved in drugs. I'm not involved in drugs. Jermaine has been in prison since then, and he then threatened the two councillors of the Patriotic Alliance in Ward 17 and 18.
“And with the evidence that they provided and escalated the matter to our president, Gayton McKenzie. McKenzie then informed the relevant authorities, wrote to the relevant authorities that Jermaine Prim has a cell phone in the cell, and he's using this cell phone to send lies to WhatsApp groups on the outside,” Kunene said.
“The authorities, with the evidence provided, decided to move Jermaine from Sun City Prison to C-Max prison. He was moved because he had a cell phone and he was making threats and spreading lies about Gayton McKenzie, our councillors, myself, and the Patriotic Alliance.
“We have ignored Jermaine because he's nothing but a criminal who is in prison. We have not responded to any of his lies because the people that we lead know what we do, and they know that he's a peddler of lies. He is seeking attention in prison,” Kunene said.
Kunene added that neither McKenzie nor he has ever met with Prim, and that he does not even believe that Prim spoke to Matlala.
“Yes, I have seen him at events, at functions of people, but I've never had a conversation with ‘Cat’ Matlala. However, now that he knows Matlala's name is in the mix somewhere, he tries to make his lies that he peddles credible.
“McKenzie has not given Jermaine any drugs to sell in prison. McKenzie is successful and is rich from legitimate businesses,” Kunene said.
“We have grown this party ethically. We have grown this party by going to the ground and talking to the people."
The Ad Hoc Committee has until March 31 to conclude its work and report to the National Assembly. Chairperson, Soviet Lekganyane, said the evidence leaders will present the overview of the evidence, and the secretariat will provide a report to be deliberated by the MPs.
Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Karabo Khakhau has appealed a party decision barring her from contesting the position of deputy chairperson of its Federal Council.
The decision stemmed from an outstanding amount — referred to as a "tithe" — that party officials are required to pay to the DA.
In a statement to the media, Khakhau strongly refuted the claim, insisting she had paid the amount in full and owed the party nothing. Despite this, she was forced to withdraw from the race after the party refused to issue her a letter of good financial standing, a prerequisite for the position.
"Yes, I am not happy, but cannot comment beyond the statement issued," she told IOL.
When pressed on whether she was considering leaving the party or appealing the decision, she replied: "No, I will not quit. I don't give up that easily. I have appealed the decision and will await the response from the party."
However, senior sources within the DA expressed outrage, accusing the party of applying double standards.
"What absolute bullshit. Yet again, they pick and choose how they apply rules based on who you are. John Steenhuisen failed to pay his contributions previously for months, and nothing was done. No action was taken. He abused the party credit card and is handled with kid gloves. Karabo is a hard worker and deserves a shot at the position. She paid her contributions and is being treated unfairly," one source told IOL.
Another insider called on the party to "do the right thing" and reverse the decision.
"The DA's Federal Executive Committee (FedEx) is the highest decision-making body of the party. Karabo's appeal to the party's Federal Legal Commission (FLC), even if successful, cannot override the decision by FedEx. This is an injustice and smacks of the party's usual double standards," the source added.
Former DA minister and party federal finance chair Dion George also weighed in via a post on social media:
"The DA has a very clear credit control policy. If a public representative contribution is not paid within seven days after it is due, action is taken. If Karabo missed a payment, she should have received a letter. If she didn't, that process failed her — double standard indeed!"
Khakhau maintains she received the letter for the outstanding payment in October 2025 and settled the amount within 24 hours.
The party has defended its decision, stating that Khakhau failed to meet the requirements to contest the position.
Khakhau's fury at being forced out of the race has fuelled speculation about her future in the DA and whether she might eventually leave.
Several prominent Black leaders have departed the party in recent years amid internal racial tensions and disagreements over political direction, including former leader Mmusi Maimane, Mbali Ntuli, and Herman Mashaba.
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and the Parliament Ad Hoc Committee has been urged to summon the head of counter-intelligence within the SAPS Crime Intelligence division, Feroz Khan, who has been accused of being “a political fixer” and politically protected.
Khan, who joined the police service in 1991, has been at the centre of several controversies involving professional misconduct, political interference and private business interests.
This is after KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, recently claimed that Khan received protection from senior politicians to shield him from investigations.
During his testimony before the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee, Mkhwanazi alleged that former Police Minister Bheki Cele pressured him in 2021 to protect Khan during an investigation into a massive drug bust.
This was after Khan was accused of defeating the ends of justice and bringing the SAPS into disrepute for allegedly interfering with the investigation after other officers reportedly tried to steal the narcotics.
However, Khan was acquitted of all charges in a disciplinary process in 2025. This was after he won an appeal after urgently applying to the Labour Court to prevent the police from instituting an expeditious disciplinary process in 2024.
Mkhwanazi in previous testimony to the Ad Hoc Committee claimed that Cele asked him to persuade Major General Jabulani Khumalo—who was investigating Khan—to resign from the SAPS in exchange for a five-year position in Gauteng. Mkhwanazi described this as an attempt to derail the probe and stated he had not spoken to Cele since that day.
Cele, during his testimony had denied allegations that he interfered in operational policing decisions, characterising his interactions as part of legitimate policy oversight. He described Mkhwanazi’s claims as “unfounded and misinformed".
Mkhwanazi also described the vetting unit, under Khan, as a “dirty office” that allegedly uses its power to delay or obstruct security clearances for integrity officers while protecting others.
He also revealed that his top-secret security clearance expired in 2018, and despite applying for renewal, he has not received clearance, adding that Khan has deliberately obstructed this process.
He further claimed that Khan’s influence reaches into the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) and other external networks, effectively “shaping conduct” beyond the police force.
During his testimony at the Madlanga Commission, Crime Intelligence head General Dumisani Khumalo also indicated that Khan was close to controversial businessman Brown Mogotsi, through WhatsApp messages.
This was after Mogotsi allegedly facilitated communication between suspected drug kingpin Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala and Khan.
Despite being heavily implicated, Khan did not appear before the Madlanga Commission.
MK Party MP, Vusi Shongwe, also expressed concern regarding the absence of Khan from the witness list.
Political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu said Khan should also respond to the Madlanga Commission and the Parliament Ad Hoc Committee to allegations levelled against him.
“He has been implicated in serious allegations of misconduct that include intimidation, abuse of authority, and being friends with criminal elements. The question is, who is protecting him? Why has he not been called to testify before the Madlanga Commission and the Parliament Ad Hoc committee? Whose responsibility is it to call witnesses to testify? Obviously, if he is doing bad things, then some powerful people would protect him,” said Ndlovu.
Security expert Andy Mashaile said that while he is hoping that the Ad Hoc Committee will explain its decision in its final report not to call Khan to testify, he believes that he will be called before the Madlanga Commission, as he is implicated as a key player enabling organised crime networks by frustrating the effectiveness and efficiency of policing.
Mashaile added that those responsible for promoting Khan as head of counter-intelligence must explain this move, based on the SAPS' human resources policies.
In 2023, Khan faced a public backlash for attending an EFF gala dinner, where he shared a table with individuals allegedly linked to illicit activities like cigarette smuggling Adriano Mazzotti, who had previously donated to the EFF.
It was reported that Khan’s lavish ticket was purchased by Mohammadh Sayed, a close friend of Khan and business partner to Mazzotti.
Mkhwanazi also claimed that Khan introduced him to the EFF leader Julius Malema in a meeting where Khan “bragged” about his access to high-profile politicians.
Malema has since denied any corrupt ties, stating that while he knows Khan, Mkhwanazi is dragging his name into internal police disputes to “fight Khan”.
Concerns have also been raised regarding Khan managing substantial business interests while overseeing police security, with calls questioning the compatibility of these roles.
This was after Khan was identified as an active director of multiple lucrative businesses, including a motor parts chain, Spares Oasis, which is valued at approximately R21 million.
The organisation Public Interest SA recently called on National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola to suspend Khan pending the outcome of ongoing investigations into serious allegations of misconduct.
This was after Khan was alleged to have summoned MK Party parliamentarian Sibonelo Nomvalo to a private venue, where Nomvalo was compelled to engage with him via video call. During that exchange, Khan reportedly issued a thinly veiled warning, instructing him to “stop suffocating” him.
Asked to comment on this matter and other allegations levelled against Khan, SAPS spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said she will forward questions to relevant departments, but could not respond at the time of publication.
Madlanga Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michael, responding to a question on whether Khan will be asked to appear, said the Commission does not comment in such detail on matters that arise from testimony.
