Months of uncertainty surrounding the controversial Bodulo Mothong housing project could come to an end today when the Free State High Court delivers judgment in a closely watched legal battle that could determine the future of hundreds of vulnerable families awaiting relocation to safer living cond...
Forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan will return on Thursday to continue his evidence before Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating corruption in the criminal justice system.
Last Thursday, O’Sullivan stormed out of proceedings after indicating that he had a flight to catch.
This angered members of the committee who agreed that O’Sullivan must be summoned and forced to appear.
On Monday, the ad hoc committee during its housekeeping meeting received a legal on O’Sullivan’s walkout and its legal options.
But O’Sullivan has since agreed to come back voluntarily.
Evidence leader Norman Arendse explained: “In relation to O’Sullivan himself, he has confirmed that he will be in attendance on Thursday to conclude the questioning by advocate Bongiwe Mkhize. Think she had two or three questions lefts.”
*This article was first published by Eye Witness News
Bloemfontein has secured a major off-field win after Mangaung Toyota Stadium was upgraded to Class B (Tier 2) Test status, paving the way for the city to host top-tier international rugby fixtures.
The classification confirms the stadium now meets national standards required to stage high-profile Test matches — including fixtures involving the world champion South Africa national rugby union team.
The upgrade places Bloemfontein firmly back in contention among South African cities competing for major international rugby events, with significant economic benefits expected for the Mangaung metro.
According to the municipality, Test matches attract thousands of travelling supporters, sponsors, and media, boosting hotels, restaurants, transport operators, and informal traders, while creating opportunities in hospitality and event management.
The achievement follows a coordinated effort between the Free State Rugby Union, the Free State Cheetahs, Mangaung Local Municipality, the Free State Sport Confederation, and the South African Rugby Union to meet safety, infrastructure, and broadcasting requirements.
Free State Cheetahs representative Rory Duncan said the process required both facility upgrades and a cooperation agreement with the municipality. “We all had the same goal — to get the stadium upgraded,” he said.
While the new status does not guarantee a Springbok Test, it strengthens the stadium’s case when future hosting rights are allocated — renewing hopes that international rugby will soon return to Bloemfontein.
Nearly a year after being removed from the Northern Landfill Site in Bloemfontein, a group of homeless people – referred to as the “Born to Kill” (BTK) gang – has returned and is once again illegally occupying the land, engaging in a cat-and-mouse game with authorities.
A large-scale multi-agency operation, led by the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality’s Landfill Site Management Unit and supported by the South African Police Service (SAPS), Wild Olive Estate, AfriForum, the Community Police Forum (CPF) and MMM Law Enforcement, raided the municipal dumping site in April last year and forcefully removed the illegal occupants.
However, when the Journal News team visited the landfill on Thursday, new makeshift structures had been erected by individuals believed to be the same group, who claim the land belongs to them.
The alleged BTK leader, who declined to be named, insisted they would not leave. “The land belongs to us. You remove us, we will be back here sooner than you think,” he said. “This is our home and the only home we know. As for crime being committed here, I don’t know anything about that.”
The development has heightened tensions in surrounding neighbourhoods, with homeowners reporting late-night gatherings, suspected drug activity and growing intimidation.
Residents say the group was previously cleared during last year’s enforcement operation. However, amid renewed complaints of alleged criminal activity, illegal dumping and informal dwellings within the landfill premises, authorities may once again be compelled to intervene.
Unions say back-to-back contribution hikes are swallowing modest wage increases and deepening financial strain on public servants.
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) in the Northern Cape has called on the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) to reconsider its latest contribution increases, warning that the hikes are pushing public servants deeper into financial strain. The medical aid scheme reportedly increased contributions by 13.4% in 2025. A further proposed increase of 9.8% is set to take effect in January, followed by another 9.5% adjustment from 1 April. NEHAWU members at Klerksdorp Hospital joined a nationwide picket on Tuesday, staging a lunchtime protest outside the facility in solidarity with workers across the country opposing the increases. Employees say the scheme was initially introduced as an affordable medical aid option for government workers, but claim it has since become one of the most expensive. “Recently, it’s become one of the most expensive medical aids. As the union, we are tired of GEMS’ operations and we are calling on board members, including management, to think of the employees because some of them are not earning that much,” said Tshepo Zwem, chairperson of NEHAWU’s Klerksdorp branch. Zwem added that demonstrations will continue until GEMS management agrees to engage with unions and reconsider the proposed increases, arguing that many workers simply cannot afford the higher contributions. According to reports, GEMS was established as a social solidarity medical scheme through PSCBC Resolution 1 of 2006 and was never intended to operate as a commercial enterprise. Other unions, including the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), Public Servants Association (PSA), and South African Onderwysers Unie (Saou), have also expressed dissatisfaction, describing the increases as “unjustifiable.” The unions argue that the contribution hikes come at a time when public servants are already grappling with rising living costs, mounting household debt, and stagnant real wage growth. Public servants received a 5.5% salary increase for the 2025/2026 financial year and are set to receive a further 4% increase for the 2026/2027 financial year, effective April 2026 — adjustments unions say are being swallowed up by escalating medical aid costs. “We are here to say we don’t want the proposed increment; we want them to give us affordable GEMS medical aid,” Zwem said.
North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi has declared 2026 the “Year of Decisive Action to Fix Local Government and Transform the Economy,” unveiling an aggressive turnaround strategy aimed at restoring collapsing municipalities and improving service delivery across the province. Opening the provincial legislative year on 26 February 2026, Mokgosi committed to ensuring stable, functional municipalities ahead of the upcoming Local Government Elections, while pledging full support to the Electoral Commission to deliver free and fair polls. “Municipalities are the closest sphere of government to our people. They affect daily lives directly and serve as the practical base for economic activity,” Mokgosi said, referencing Section 153 of the Constitution, which mandates municipalities to promote social and economic development. He stressed that fixing local government means restoring administrative functionality to meet basic community needs and create an environment conducive to business growth and job creation. “We must improve water provision, electricity supply, refuse removal and road maintenance,” he said. The Premier highlighted improvements in provincial governance, noting that nine of eleven departments received unqualified and clean audit outcomes in the last audit cycle. All senior managers have complied with financial disclosure requirements, a move aimed at strengthening ethical leadership and preventing conflicts of interest. Performance agreements have been signed by Executive Council members, with political consequence management promised for non-performance. Several cases involving government and municipal officials are under investigation, while others are before the courts. On finances, Mokgosi reported that the province spent 98% of its allocation from National Treasury and expects no funds to be returned to the national fiscus this financial year. A province-wide Smart-Gov Monitoring and Evaluation Dashboard will be launched at the start of the 2026/27 financial year, integrating all departments into a single real-time oversight platform to track expenditure, performance and service delivery outcomes. Encouragingly, municipalities such as Moses Kotane, Taung and JB Marks improved from qualified to unqualified audit opinions. Disclaimer audit outcomes have dropped dramatically from nine municipalities in 2020/21 to just one — Ditsobotla — in 2024/25. However, Mokgosi admitted that instability has devastated some municipalities. He described Ditsobotla as a “textbook example” of how poor governance destroys local economies, erodes revenue and worsens unemployment. To strengthen struggling municipalities, the province will invoke Section 154 of the Constitution to enhance capacity in waste management and road maintenance. Ditsobotla and Matlosana are priority areas, with support from SANRAL and farmers’ organisations. Remedial action plans are underway, alongside Section 106 investigations into alleged maladministration at Matlosana, Madibeng and Tswaing. Eskom will assist municipalities battling load reduction through energy efficiency and demand management grants. Through the “Adopt a Municipality” initiative, Ramotshere Moiloa has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Infrastructure South Africa. Over the next 24 months, the partnership aims to fast-track infrastructure development, boost revenue collection and address maintenance backlogs. Water and sanitation remain a major priority. The province has allocated R300 million for water and sanitation projects, alongside R1.9 billion for bulk water supply initiatives in Madibeng, Ratlou, Mahikeng and Ramotshere Moiloa. Mokgosi apologised to residents affected by delays, citing vandalism and criminality as contributing factors. Cases have been reported to the South African Police Service for investigation. “The people of North West must see change,” he said. “We will not only listen — we will deliver.”
