JHB South Edition
A FRESH APPROACH TO LOCAL NEWS 29 October 2021
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IEC predicts upcoming elections to be
ONE OF THE MOST CONTESTED
The most contested municipality is the City of Johannesburg with at least 56 parties on the PR candidates list. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo says the upcoming Local Government Elections will be one of the most contested in South Africa’s history.
Issued and printed by Greg Krumbock, DA Federal Head Office, Gardens, Cape Town.
Mambolo was speaking at the launch of the national Results Operation Centre (ROC) in Tshwane, ahead of Election Day on Monday, with special votes expected to be cast over the weekend. The elections will see millions of South Africans going to vote for local governent leaders who will represent them in the country’s 257 municipalities. “On account of the number of candidates and political parties, this election is highly contested. There are 95 427 candidates who qualified to take part in this election. In the corresponding election in 2016, we just had over 60 000 who were contesting. 61 111 candidates will contest wards and 34 316 candidates will contest the proportional representation (PR)
seats,” he said. Mamabolo added that independent candidates competing in the elections had also increased by 42% to 1 546 from the previous local elections. The most contested municipality is the City of Johannesburg with at least 56 parties on the PR candidates list. At least 26 million South Africans are registered to vote in this year’s elections. All systems go Mamabolo said the commission has delivered all “logistical items necessary to conduct a credible process” to its sites ahead of the elections. “In the last few days remaining, final picking and packing per voting station is being finalised. This operation is guided…in the logistics information system which is a bespoke business application of the commission. “Predicated on the number of registered voters per voting station, the use of the logistics
United we WIN The ANC is weaker than ever, and this is the best chance South Africa has to rescue towns and municipalities from ANC corruption and mismanagement across the country. But this can only happen if we unite behind the only party big enough to beat the ANC. When we unite behind the DA, we have the best chance of winning. DA Leader John Steenhuisen
information system will alleviate shortages of supplies in the election value chain,” he said. Mambolo assured the public that despite facing challenges related to factors including preparation time and difficulties related to COVID-19, the commission is expected to deliver the elections in line with the Constitutional requirements. “[The] launch of this centre is not just an expression of our readiness to deliver a national event but one that bares significant Constitutional importance. We have sought to prepare for this election within the constraint of time and the constraints imposed by COVID-19. “Yet, we are reasonably confident that all measures necessary have been put in place to realise an election of the standard contemplated in the Constitution,” he said. New technology Mamabolo announced that the customary “zip-zip” machines that have been part of the
A split opposition is NO opposition
Malema has publicly said that he is pleased that smaller parties will take votes from the DA because that helps the EFF become the main opposition.
country’s voting traditions since 1998 have been replaced by enhanced devices. Mambolo said the new devices are expected to strengthen controls in the voting process, “while improving efficiency” in the electoral process. “We have acquired voter management devices…(which) will be used to record the opening and closing of stations, monitor the ballot paper usage as well as capture addresses of those 1.2 million residual voters for whom we still do not have an address,” he said. Ballot papers Turning to ballot papers, Mamabolo said the commission had produced the ballot paper in the “record shortest possible time”. “Ballot papers are central to determination of the will of the voter. Therefore, no credible election is possible without an accurate ballot. The whole ballot production process was undertaken in 18 days and the last ballots will be delivered to municipalities on Thursday,” he said.
Unite to WIN The DA is not perfect, but we run the best, cleanest governments in South Africa. Only the DA has a track record of getting things done.
The DA gets things done
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Lalela Mswane crowned Miss SA 2021 The 24-year-old from KwaZuluNatal is a model and dancer and holds a Bachelor of Law qualification from the University of Pretoria. She receives R1 million in cash, the use of a fullyfurnished apartment at Central Square Sandton, and a Mercedes Benz C-Class sedan for the year of her reign. Hailing from Bloemfontein, the young student will receive R1 million in cash, the use of a fully-furnished apartment at Central Square Sandton, and a Mercedes Benz C class sedan for the year of her reign. The beauty is using her platform as Miss South Africa to ensure that she is ” at the forefront of fighting against social injustices and celebrate one another for our authenticity and individualities.”
29 October 2021
COVID-19 SRD grant recipients urged to wait for their SMS before lining up Recipients of the special COVID-19 SRD grant are urged to visit the Post Office, Pick n Pay or Boxer supermarket only after they have received an SMS. Those who chose to have the R350 grant deposited into a bank account cannot go to another collection point. Post Office officials say beneficiaries who withdraw their grant from the supermarket must carry their cell phone and identity document. “The grant will not be available if you try to collect it before you have received an SMS. The SA Post Office has become aware of large numbers of beneficiaries who try to withdraw their R350 SRD grant before receiving their SMS,” explains spokesperson Johan Kruger. Only beneficiaries who chose to receive their grants from the Post Office can collect their money at the supermarket. “The first week of every month is set aside for paying our old age, disability and child grants.
During this week SRD R350 grants cannot be paid out,” says Kruger. Unclaimed COVID-19 SRD grant funds Sassa CEO Busisiwe Memela-Khambula says approved applicants whose unclaimed funds from the first round of the grant were to be forfeited on 31 August 2021, can still collect their unclaimed funds at the Post Office. “The affected beneficiaries have until 30 November 2021 to collect their unclaimed
Tembisa 10: Five shocking details from Independent Media’s decuplets report
Independent Media has made some shocking statements about what happened to Gosiame Sithole, the woman who reportedly gave birth to the “Tembisa 10”. The media group released the findings of its investigation into the decuplets. Sithole made international headlines in June when news broke that she had given birth to the babies. She was thought to have broken a Guinness World Record with the birth. News of the “Tembisa 10” came as a shock to government officials, who said they could not find the woman who gave birth to 10 babes. When officials eventually tracked down Sithole, they claimed that there were no records of her giving birth. Medical reports allegedly confirmed that there were no signs that she was recently pregnant. Health officials took Sithole for a psychological evaluation and later on, government officials were accused of trying to cover up medical negligence. T hey denied this and threatened to sue Piet Rampedi and Independent Media. Decuplets report
Independent Media says its report confirms that Sithole did give birth and recently had a Cesarean section. Gynaecologist Dr Mpho Pooe supported the claim at a briefing held on Wednesday. The media group’s executive chairman, Dr Iqbal Survé , says the government needs to account for the “missing” decuplets. Here’s a look at five shocking details from Independent Media’s report on the “Tembisa 10”. Tembisa 10 hospital admissions Sithole allegedly gave birth to 10 babies but two of the babies died. Survé says Sithole was taken to the following hospitals: Steve Biko Academic Hospital Lenmed Zamokuhle Private Hospital Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital Tembisa Hospital Steve Biko Hospital has denied that the babies were born at the facility. Lenmed says it has no records of Sithole giving birth at any of its facilities. No hospitals appear to have any record of their birth. Survé also made allegations of negligence by health officials. He says there were not enough doctors to deliver the babies. Possible human trafficking Independent Media claims hospitals in South Africa are possibly involved in human trafficking. It alleges that Home Affairs officials are also involved in the syndicate. “‘Our state hospitals are the epicentre of human trafficking and baby trafficking… About 50 percent of the babies are given up for adoption, the other 50 percent are used for muti, cosmetic surgery and stem cells,” Survé says. Picture of Tembisa 10 confiscated Survé says a nurse at one of the hospitals took a picture of the babies. The nurse allegedly took a picture on her phone. The human trafficking syndicate allegedly destroyed her phone. Independent Media vows to expose powerful politicians Independent Media says it has produced a video series that will reveal what happened to Sithole and her babies. Survé has vowed to expose all those involved, including powerful politicians. “We stand for the truth and will publish the truth…”
funds,” says Memela-Khambula. Unclaimed funds will be forfeited to the state to fund other government priorities after the deadline. Sassa has received close to 14 million applications for the new iteration of the COVID-19 SRD grant. Officials have approved over 8.3 million applicants. Sassa paid over 5.6 million people by September 2021.
Come back for your second COVID-19 jab, urges Gauteng Premier
Gauteng Premier David Makhura is urging people to return for their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Makhura said people are pitching up to get the first dose of the Pfizer dose but not coming back. He fears Gauteng may fail to reach its vaccination target. “From a population immunity point of view, reaching 70% is still the ideal thing to do. I wouldn’t want to change the target. But I can see the rate at which we are vaccinating, we will not reach that
target by mid-December,” he says. According to the premier, the only reason is that people are not returning for their second doses. “This is a matter of great concern. We went through a terrible third wave. It was ravaging. We still have 2000 in hospitals in Gauteng. “They have stayed longer so there are not many hospital admissions. There is a difference that the vaccination programme is making,” Makhura says. He adds that he is concerned that the municipal election on 1 November could be a super spreader event.
29 October 2021
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Springboks are in a good place after psychologically difficult few months 29 September 2021
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has confirmed what many suspected and that is that the Boks were almost mentally out on their feet by the end of the Rugby Championship in Australia. After a season like no other, it required a superhuman effort for Siya Kolisi’s men to almost beat the All Blacks in the Centenary Test and then get it right a week later in the 101st match between the bitter rivals. Nienaber is in Paris where the Boks will train for a week before moving to Cardiff to play Wales on November 6. “Mentally, it was very tough towards the end of the Rugby Championship,” Nienaber admitted. “It is nobody’s fault how the rugby calendar unfolded this year. “With a normal schedule, you would have two Tests and then a regeneration week or bye week, then maybe two more games, then more rest ... “But we played Georgia, then had to pick our guys in the form of SA A to play the Lions because our second Test against Georgia was cancelled, then three very intense Lions Tests was followed immediately by two Tests against the Pumas, then we were in Australia where we quarantined for two weeks before playing two Tests in a row against the Wallabies, then straight into two matches against the All Blacks. “After the year that we had, to play Australia and New Zealand twice each in one month was very tough but it was nobody’s fault — it is just how the cards landed in the time of Covid,” Nienaber stressed. “It is not normally this way and from a player welfare point of view, it was unfortunate. “It was psychologically difficult — we had no clue how tough it would be for that extended
period of time in a bio bubble — but what does not kill you makes you stronger. “We had to dig deep, but I had no doubt that we would rally. “After we did not win the first Test against New Zealand I was not disappointed in the players but in myself because I maybe made some stupid substitutions. “I thought I squandered that Test match after we were in a good position to win it, but we got a second chance against the All Blacks and we took it. “We had a good break and it was actually nice to get on a plane and go north for more rugby,” he added.
“Coming to France has been easier than going to Australia because we are all vaccinated and we went straight through and we don’t have to do quarantine,” he said. “The break was very good for us — seeing loved ones and being able to do whatever you want was a great tonic — but it was also nice to see all the guys again and we are excited to finish the year on a high,” Am added. “As a group, we are in a good space after finishing the way we did against the All Blacks, that gave us a huge shot of confidence and we will definitely keep to our strengths and try and close this year out positively.”
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