WeeklySA_Admin
The multimillion-rand project to transform Soweto’s erstwhile entertainment mecca – Eyethu Cinema – into a Eyethu Shopping Centre in the heart of Soweto is nearing completion and scheduled to open its doors to the public on November 23. Now a heritage site, the old Eyethu cinema building has been incorporated into the design of the centre, and will host cultural events.The development comprises approximately 10,000m² of prime convenience retail anchored by Shoprite, Clicks Pharmacy and OBC Chicken, supplemented by a mix of national fashion retailers, with other food offerings including Chicken Licken Fly Thru.
MIRROR
Briefs
UDF ACTIVIST HIT: KZN MAN JAILED
A man convicted of killing a United Democratic Front (UDF) activist 34 years ago has been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for the murder.
The Durban Regional Court on Thursday convicted and sentenced the 53-year-old Wesley “Matiri” Madonsela, to 10 years direct imprisonment for the murder of Siphelele Nxumalo, said the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks).
Nxumalo was approached by Madonsela and his accomplices who fired at him on a road on 2 February 1989.
“They fired shots towards him and fled the scene. According to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report, Nxumalo was a United Democratic Front (UDF) activist when he was shot and killed by members of Chesterville A-Team during the political conflict between the UDF and Inkatha supporters,” said the Hawks on Friday.
Nxumalo died of multiple gunshot wounds. A case of murder was reported at the Cato Manor police station and Madonsela was later arrested. He appeared in court and was granted bail.
He then absconded and fled the country. A warrant of arrest was issued and the case docket was filed.
“Madonsela was on the run since then and he never appeared in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). In July 2023, he was traced and arrested by the Hawk’s Serious Organised Crime Investigation based in Durban that is assigned to deal with TRC cases in the province, then ultimately convicted and sentenced.” – www.fullview.co.za
Three-month-long Tshwane strike ends
The City of Tshwane has announced that the strike by workers affiliated to South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) which lasted over three months is finally over.
Workers downed tools on July 26, demanding the metro to implement a 5.4% wage increase from the three-year wage agreement signed at the SA Local Government Bargaining Council in 2021.
Mayor Cilliers Brink insisted the city cannot afford the R600m required for the agreement.
The City has since reinstated 81 of its 123 dismissed employees who were found to be participating in the unprotected strike in recent months.
The throng of employees was reinstated after Tshwane took note of an error that occurred during the processing of their dismissals. The metro has dismissed 200 employees since August.
Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba said the strike is finally over.
“All the employees are back at work executing their duties. Basic service delivery has returned to normal, and most backlogs have been cleared.
“Services such as waste collection, electricity and water outages, including fixing leaks, which were severely impacted by the strike action, have gradually returned to normality.
“The Tshwane Bus Services, whose operations ground to a halt during the strike due to intimidation directed towards the non-striking bus drivers, are back to full capacity.
“The customer care walk-in centres and clinics have also resumed full services and are functioning optimally.”
Bokaba said the city and labour unions, the Independent Municipal & Allied Trade Union (IMATU) and SAMWU were currently engaged in discussions over the salary increase dispute facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA).
City Manager Johann Mettler said the end of the strike has come as a relief to the city.
“We’re relieved that the strike, which was marred by violence, intimidation, and destruction of municipal property, is finally over, and services have resumed in earnest.”
Electricity Minister gets more powers
President Cyril Ramaphosa will allocate more powers to his electricity czar to accelerate efforts to end the nation’s power crisis, a top governing party official said.
The proposal has the backing of the ANC, which is seeking faster implementation of an energy action plan before next year’s general election, Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said in an interview in Johannesburg yesterday.
Ramaphosa appointed Kgosientsho Ramokgopa as electricity minister in March to end power outages of up to 12 hours a day that have curbed output in Africa’s most industrialized economy. It took the president two months to assign powers to Ramokgopa as he sought to avoid fallout between the energy and public enterprises ministers, who oversee energy policy and state power utility Eskom, respectively.
“He will be allocated more powers,” Mbalula said. “You can’t manage a sector or a crisis without powers.”
Ramokgopa’s current powers preclude him from any procurement or dealing directly with Eskom’s board, meaning he needs the permission of Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and Mineral & Energy Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe to make decisions.
“He has been given generation powers, which were taken from the Department of Energy and Mineral Resources,” Mbalula said. “The most important thing is to have power in order to be in a position to direct what needs to happen without asking from somebody else.”
The power cuts, known locally as load-shedding, have eroded support for the ANC. The party, which won 57.5% of the vote in 2019, is at risk of losing its majority nationally next year for the first time since it came to power in 1994.
“Everything possible is being done and being explored to ensure that we reduce the severity of load-shedding, that we add more generational capacity to the grid, and we resolve all other related value chain factors,” he said. – S’thembile Cele and Ntando Thukwana
Ramaphosa congratulates Prof Dire
President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated Professor Dire Tladi on his election by the United Nations (UN) as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Ramaphosa said on Friday that Tladi’s election as a judge of The Hague-based court was an outstanding personal achievement that the nation shared with great pride.
In a statement, the president wished Tladi well in his new role, saying he would make an immense contribution to the ICJ and its jurisprudence.
“We wish Prof Tladi well as he prepares to contribute to the Court and its jurisprudence from the Palace of Peace in The Hague, Netherlands, “the President said.
The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN) and one of the six principal bodies of the UN.
The Court’s role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by states and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorised United Nations organs and specialised agencies.
The Court comprises 15 judges who are elected for terms of office of nine years by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council.
Tladi is a leading international law scholar whose accomplishments span different areas of the field, including academic, government service, diplomatic and practice.
He is Professor of International Law at the University of Pretoria and serves as President of the South African Branch of the International Law Association and Executive Member of the International Law Association.
Tladi has served as Chair of the International Law Commission, an organ of the UN generally regarded as a feeder body for the International Court of Justice. – Lehlohonolo Lehana
