By CATHLEEN POWELL, Associate Professor in Public Law, University of Cape Town While the world is largely united against the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, South African public figures, including the government, have attempted to downplay that it is, in fact, an invasion. And their frequent calls for negotiation tend to present the conflict as one in which both sides should be prepared to make concessions. President Cyril Ramaphosa has even reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin appreciates his ‘balanced approach’ to the conflict. So what does international law say about one country sending armed troops across a border and shelling another’s towns? The…
Author: Rod Amner
By OVAYO MILISA NOVUKELA and ROD AMNER Makana Municipality Speaker Mthuthuzeli ‘Mabhuti’ Matyumza has acknowledged the Auditor-General’s serious ongoing concerns about the non-compliance of the municipality’s financial systems and vows that plans are being put in place to “deal decisively with these issues”. The Supreme Court of Appeal recently ordered the Eastern Cape government to report to a judge every three months on progress made in the Makana Municipality’s Financial Recovery Plan. The order came in the wake of a shocking report from the Auditor-General on the municipality’s financial health. It found that the municipality’s liabilities exceeded its assets by…
By ZIMKITA LINYANA Nkosekhaya Booi, affectionately known as Lali, is the founder of the three-person workforce currently sprucing up the city’s unkempt streets, sidewalks and stormwater drains. He says he feels “very seen” by the Makhandan community and appreciates the warmth and appreciation he has been getting. Sometimes he has to hold back tears. “It’s hard to believe that such kind words are said about me, almost unreal. I’ve only ever been labelled with bad words – even parents never want to see their child near me. I’m a write-off. The kindness and encouragement mean the world to me,” he…
The governing party has been criticised for abandoning the impoverished in favour of naked greed and avarice judging by their presidential candidates ahead of the elective conference, writes New Frame’s ANNA MAJAVU. Leaders of various grassroots movements have warned that a looming human catastrophe will surpass the violence, bloodshed, and destruction seen in the July riots last year. And, they say, the race for the ANC presidency will further divide an organisation seemingly run along factional lines, which bodes ill for good governance and finding solutions to the myriad crises in South Africa, including a weak economy, high unemployment and…
By SIVE FAITH GINYA South Africa’s most-awarded cartoonist, Jonathan Shapiro, better known by his pen name Zapiro urged South Africans to continue advancing social justice during the 16th annual Neil Aggett Memorial Lecture at Kingswood College on Tuesday, 15 March. Through a tour of his cartoons, Zapiro reflected on his journey against injustice in South Africa. In the 1980s, he joined the United Democratic Front and the End Conscription Campaign, designing its logo. He was arrested under the Illegal Gatherings Act and was monitored by military intelligence. More recently, he has been sued for defamation – unsuccessfully – by former…
By LUCAS NOWICKI The Grahamstown High Court has ordered the Eastern Cape Department of Education to provide all outstanding textbooks and stationery to public schools across the province by 30 March. Judge Murray Lowe handed down the order on Tuesday afternoon. Late last month, the Legal Resources Centre (LRC), representing education organisation Khula Community Development Project and children and parents from Makhanda and across the province, brought the urgent application to the court. This came after the Eastern Cape Department of Basic Education failed to deliver textbooks and stationery to over 3,000 schools in the province because of “unprecedented budget…
By ROSS MARRINER The Russian invasion of Ukraine and concerns about global inflation have sparked a decline in the value of stock markets across the globe. How investors deal with this type of setback could result in a successful investment outcome or a permanent erosion of capital. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the value of our investment portfolio only went up and up? Unfortunately, this does not happen in real life, as investing in growth assets means having to experience negative returns from time to time. Market setbacks occur far more often than is commonly believed. On average, equity…
Dear editor, We have gone two long years without our favourite bookfair – two years too long! We have a date set for Sunday, 1 May this year. Subject to adequate support, and of course excluding the possibility of another lockdown, we intend to plan for a bookfair this year. If you are selling out-of-print books, postcards and other paper ephemera, or vinyl, then this is for you. Also, there may be space for local authors and publishers. All parties desirous of taking selling space in this year’s event should contact us by email soonest at aesop@fables.co.za We will provide…
By CARY CLARK, Democratic Alliance (DA) Makana Caucus It is no surprise that the Makana Municipality has once again received a disclaimer of audit opinion from the Auditor-General (AG). This is the fourth consecutive audit disclaimer under the tenure of the current Municipal Manager (MM). An audit disclaimer is issued when the auditee provided insufficient evidence in the form of documentation on which to base an audit opinion. Some of the reasons provided by the AG for the disclaimer are: No documents provided to substantiate information provided;Poor to non-existent record keeping;Non-compliance with the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA);Unlawful Supply Chain…
By STAFF REPORTER The Joza Youth Hub Open Lab, operated by Awarenet, is open from Monday to Friday from 11 am – 5 pm and on Saturdays from 10 am until 1 pm. “We have free internet access; anyone can use our open lab for schoolwork or work purposes,” said lab coordinator Thanduxolo Royi. “We are trying to promote our open lab so that all the people from Grahamstown and neighbouring schools in the Joza township know about it.” Access to the lab is free.