Title deed ownership for housing beneficiaries in Eastern Cape

The following is an extract from a statement issued by Dacre Haddon (MPL), provincial spokesperson on housing, 7 December 2011:

"The annual- and financial oversight reports of the Department of Local Government was debated in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature this afternoon.

According to an article in Financial Mail, the number of housing beneficiaries without title deeds is a major concern.

The article states that the low transfer rates of subsidised homes can be blamed on flawed administration processes which in turn delay the flow of subsidy funds from provincial housing departments to developers.

It is pointless for a housing beneficiary to receive a house but no title deed to prove ownership.

I have asked the MEC for Human Settlements, Helen Sauls-August, to inform the legislature when she replies to her department’s 2010/11 annual report, to inform us about future plans and how this process can be fast tracked.

Next year I will be specifically focussing on this issue and asking for regular progress reports at portfolio committee meetings and community outreaches.

This is a serious issue and the province cannot fail the people on this matter."

Vandeesweek se goeie nuus

Barry Vosloo

“Die onderwysvakbond SADOU, oorweeg dit om vir die volgende tien jaar 'n moratorium op sy deelname aan stakings te plaas. Die president van SADOU, Thobile Ntola, sê die vakbond is van mening dat dit moontlik is om stakings te vermy. Die vakbond is in die verlede dikwels gekritiseer omdat hy stakings aangevoor en in die weg gestaan het van verbeterings in die stelsel.” Aldus RSG se 07:00-nuusbulletin op 7 Desember 2011.

Alle regdenkende Suid-Afrikaners sal SADOU se standpunt verwelkom. Dit is hoog tyd dat die organisasie een van die mees basiese professionele beginsels eerbiedig, naamlik om die integriteit van hulle professie en die belange van hulle leerders ondergeskik te maak aan hulle persoonlike belange.

The Courier – Die Koerier het ‘n vrugtelose internet-soektog op tou gesit om te probeer vasstel wat SADOU se standpunt in verband met standaarde van professionele gedrag is.

Hulle grondwet fokus hoofsaaklik op die ‘main aim’ t.w. ‘to eradicate all forms of discrimination in education and to strive towards a free and democratic system of education in South Africa.’

Te oordeel hieraan geniet die integriteit van die onderwysprofessie en belange van hulle leerders nie juis voorrang nie; dis nie die hoofdoelstelling nie.

Totaal oorheers deur die opgeblase retoriek van die SADOU-grondwet, verskyn die volgende doelwit - half toevallig:  ‘To encourage the development of the aesthetic aspects of the learner’s life and to help promote his or her educational, spiritual and physical development’.

Mense verander in die politiek

Rhoda Kadalie
Die Burger, 6 Desember 2011

Ek word dikwels gevra hoekom ek dit nie oorweeg om die politiek te betree nie. My reaksie is dat ek gesien het hoe die politiek te veel van my vriende vernietig. Mense wat voor 1994 heel aangenaam was, het arrogant, verwaand, eiegeregtig en narsisties geword. Politici oor die spektrum heen, met enkele uitsonderings, is ’n aaklige klomp.

Die ANC het talle mense vernietig wat vandag in ’n senior pos moes gedien het om rigting en leiding aan jong mense te gee. Pleks daarvan regeer jong, onervare, onopgeleide en onbekwame mense. En hul rolmodelle in die top-poste in die regering en die regbank was skelms.

Dié wurggreep van straffeloosheid in die heiligdom van die wetgewer moet vernietig word. Lees verder ...

Selebi gets what he deserves



Cartoon by Zapiro in Mail & Guardian, 5 December 2011



To pay or not to pay …

On 4 December The Courier – Die Koerier carried a report under the heading, Supreme Court of Appeal rules on non-payment of municipal rates and taxes.

The report stated that the Association of Democratic Alliance Councillors (ADAC) had given details of the judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal in the matter of Olga Rademan v Moqhaka Municipality, which deals with the powers of a municipality to discontinue the supply of electricity to payment defaulters.

The following is a further extract from the judgment that was delivered by Judge of Appeal T O Bosielo on 1 December 2011:

“The central dispute in this matter is whether the municipality was justified in disconnecting the electricity supply to the appellant whilst her account for electricity was up to date. The answer to this question is to be found in Section 102 of the Municipal Systems Act, which provides:

‘A municipality may

(a)   consolidate any separate accounts of persons liable for payments to the municipality;

(b)  credit a payment by such a person against any account of that person; and

(c)   implement any of the debt collection and credit control measures provided for … in relation to any arrears of any of the accounts of such a person.’

This section makes it clear that in pursuit of its obligation to charge and receive payments for municipal services, a municipality has the option to consolidate the accounts for various services it provides. This is intended to circumvent the very problem confronting us in this appeal, that is, allowing residents to choose which account the wish to pay and which they will not pay.”

The appeal was dismissed with costs.

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Jou krag mag nie af

President Zuma should explain appointment of Adv. Willem Heath

Statement by Helen Zille, Leader of the Democratic Alliance

5 December 2011

I shall today be writing to President Jacob Zuma requesting that he inform us of the reasons for the dismissal of Willie Hofmeyr as head of the Special Invesitgations Unit, and the reasons for his appointment of Advocate Willem Heath in his place.

The South African public remains in the dark about last week's sudden dismissal by the President of Willie Hofmeyr, and his replacement with Adv. Willem Heath.

The DA immediately raised concerns regarding the objectivity and independence of Adv. Heath.

These concerns were confirmed, and indeed exacerbated yesterday in an interview with Adv. Heath published in the City Press. It is clear from this interview that Adv. Heath has involved himself in factional ANC politics and aligned himself politically on the side of President Jacob Zuma.

This raises serious questions as to whether he will be able to objectively and impartially conduct investigations into corruption at all levels of government. Our concern remains that the President is trying to assert control over independent institutions by appointing people who are loyal to him as factional battles intensify in the run-up to the ANC’s Mangaung elective conference in 2012.

Section 3(4)(b) of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996 provides that the President may at any time remove the head of a Special Investigating Unit "if there are sound reasons for doing so".

We cannot allow the “Zumafication” of South Africa’s constitutionally independent justice system. We believe the President must now supply the “sound reasons” for removing Mr Hofmeyr.

Moreover, in the light of Heath's admitted political loyalty, the President should explain why he sees Adv. Heath as a "fit and proper person to be entrusted with the responsibilities of that office", as required in terms of the Act.

Supervisor stole money

Piet Liebenberg

Our Times, 2 December 2011

Janice Jolinda Savage, a former employee of the Kouga Local Municipality, was found guilty in the Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Port Elizabeth last week of stealing R264 030 in cash and R599 360 in cheques from the municipality.

Savage, who is not in custody, will be sentenced on February 6 next year.

State prosecutor Ulrike de Klerk confirmed the court found that in the week of April 15 to 23 Savage received cash and cheques from the municipality’s cashiers but omitted to hand this over to Coin Security officials who were supposed to have transported the money to First National Bank.

None of the cash has been recovered and the cheques were not banked by Savage or the municipality. It is believed she destroyed the cheques but kept the cash.

Savage was a supervisor in the financial department of the municipality at the time. She resigned when the municipality started disciplinary measures against her.

Her duties included counting the money received by the cashiers at the end of each working day. She then had to place the day’s takings into safe custody before handing this over to Coin Security for transportation to the bank.

Savage and her husband, Edward, who is still employed at the municipality as a senior foreman in the technical department, were also accused in 2009 of successfully tendering for municipal contracts despite government laws prohibiting this.

They were believed to have brazenly used municipal equipment to conduct the business from municipal premises.

According to notes in the annual financial statements of the municipality for the year ending June 30 2010, J Savage and ET Savage are listed as relatives of people in a company called Delevex 754 CC and GW Projects which were awarded contracts to the value of R334 256 and R49118 by the municipality.

An external auditing firm did an investigation at the time but the municipality was not prepared to divulge the recommendations.

It is unclear at this stage whether the asset forfeiture unit will get involved with the recovery of the money. The Savages are believed to own extensive residential property in Jeffreys Bay and several vehicles.

Municipal spokesman Mfundo Sobelo admitted the cash was not recovered.