“Ramaphosa to meet Trump, says 49 Afrikaners headed to US are not ‘refugees’” 1 of 2

https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/politics/ramaphosa-meet-trump-49-white-south-africans-refugees-us/

12 May 2025 03:34 pm

Ramaphosa said he does not regard the group of Afrikaners that left South Africa to be refugees.

Preparations for President Cyril Ramaphosa to travel to the United States (US) on a working visit are at an advanced stage, said Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola.

Lamola briefed the media on Monday about preparations for the G20 summit and other related matters.

Ramaphosa’s meeting with US President Donald Trump will take place amid rising tensions between the Trump administration and South Africa over alleged human rights violations against Afrikaner farmers.

“The presidency will soon announce the dates and the engagement will happen. I can only say that this is at an advanced stage,” he said.

This comes after the US government flew some Afrikaner farmers and their families to Washington on Sunday using a chartered flight.

The group will become refugees in the US and is the first to leave South Africa following Trump’s executive order giving them refugee status.

‘White people not being persecuted in South Africa’

Lamola denied that white Afrikaner farmers were being persecuted.

He said diplomatic engagements with Washington will continue to correct the false narrative that has been created in the US.

“In terms of the international definition, they do not qualify for that status (refugee).

“There is no persecution of white Afrikaner people in South Africa; this has been proven by a wide number of statistics in our country, including police reports.

“We are glad that a number of organisations, even from Afrikaner structures, have denounced this so-called persecution and they have stated that where there are challenges, there are platforms to resolve them within the South African context, which makes this a domestic issue,” he said.

Trump’s attendance at G20 Leaders’ Summit

The tensions between Pretoria and Washington have left uncertainty about the US’s full participation in the G20 summit and its various activities.

Lamola said there has been some participation by the US, but could not confirm if Trump would attend the Leaders’ Summit of the G20.

“The G20 is for all members of the G20 and all the leaders of the G20 are invited to attend. Obviously, the US president as a member state of the G20 will be invited, but it is up to the US whether they attend or not.”

>>23028370

“Ramaphosa to meet Trump, says 49 Afrikaners headed to US are not ‘refugees’” 2 of 2

https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/politics/ramaphosa-meet-trump-49-white-south-africans-refugees-us/

12 May 2025 03:34 pm

Special envoy to the US

Meanwhile, Lamola said former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas would lay the groundwork for resetting the relationship between the two countries.

Jonas has been appointed as a special envoy to the US.

“The appointment of the special envoy does not negate the need to appoint an ambassador, but we have to do so having assessed the environment with regard to bi-lateral trade relations and trade relations between South Africa and the US.

“The president will appoint an ambassador, but we want the special envoy to first lay the ground to build a terrain that will help us navigate these uncharted waters,” he said.

Meanwhile, a senior official at the Department of Home Affairs told reporters that the 49 white South Africans who have now taken up refugee status in the US would hold a press conference with US officials.

He said they would use this press conference to explain how they are being persecuted in South Africa.

These individuals had declined to give media interviews at the OR Tambo International Airport before their departure.

‘We didn’t chase the coloniser’

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa told a panel at the Africa CEO Forum in Ivory Coast that he does not regard the group of Afrikaners who left South Africa to be refugees.

Ramaphosa said he even spoke to Trump on the phone and told him that he is being misled.

“I said ‘president, what you have been told by those people who are opposed to transformation back home in South Africa is not true.

“Iadded that we were well taught by Nelson Mandela and other iconic leaders like Oliver Tambo on how to build a united nation out of the diverse groupings that we have in South Africa.

“We are the only country in the continent where the colonisers came to stay and we have never driven them out of the country, so they are staying and they are making great progress,” he said.

More issues behind US tension with SA

Africa affairs analyst Koffi Kouakou told The Citizen that tensions between South Africa and the US were deeper than they appear.

“Trump’s backers and those who are funding him are mainly Israelis and Zionists who are now angry that one country in the whole world, South Africa, that is not that powerful but has used a moral power it has left in international relations to express anger at the genocide that has been taking place in Gaza and then filed a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel.

“They want South Africa punished. There is no other reason people can jump up and down and say anything else, but that is the core of that. They are adding things like the Expropriation Act and white South Africans being killed in droves,” he said.

>>23028373

>Koffi Kouakou: "South Africa… has used a moral power."

>>22978036

>>22978041

>>22978052

>>22978061

>Lonmin

>>22978070

>The Stilfontein massacre, reminiscent of the Marikana massacre,

“Koffi M. KOUAKOU (South Africa – Scenario Planning, Foresight, Strategic Communications, Media Sociology and Psyhcology)”

https://www.ires.ma/images/PIP-2017/pdfs/Constitution-du-Panel/Koffi-M.-KOUAKOU.pdf

Mr Kouakou is the managing director of Stratnum Futures, a scenario planning, futures and strategy consulting and advisory firm. He is also a director with the South Africa Node of the Millennium Programme, a network of affiliate of the Millennium Programme in Washington, D.C. that deals with futures and foresight-based activities and produces the authoritative annual publication “State of the Future”.

He specialises in scenario planning, foresight studies, strategic information communications technologies for development and telecommunications adapted to sustainable environmental management issues in Africa.

He is an alumnus of the Oxford University Said Business School Scenarios Programme and the Global Business Network Developing and Using Scenarios (DUS).

Mr. Kouakou was a lecturer at the Tshwane University Technology Business School in Pretoria where he lectures on change management, strategy translation and innovation. He was a former senior lecturer and now a course convenor at the Wits School of Governance at Wits University where he teaches strategic communications, media sociology and scenario planning and the discipline of anticipation. He lectures at the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism (IAJ) in Johannesburg.

He is the former director of the Unilever Mandela Rhodes Academy for Communications and Marketing Academy (UMRA), a funded initiative by the Unilever Foundation and the Nelson Mandela Rhodes Foundation. He is also a business strategist, futurist, social commentator, storyteller and author.

He has facilitated the Open Society Initiative in Southern Africa (OSISA) scenario planning project for Swaziland and Zimbabwe, Anglo Platinum, Rio Tinto Africa Strategy workshops on communications strategy, Communities and Engagement Development with a particular focus on the changing Mining environment and strategies for a new Mining order in Africa.

He also lectured on Communicating Public Policy, the OSISAsponsored leadership course for four years since 2011. He has also facilitated a Finland-sponsored workshop on mainstreaming Human Rights Policies in to Finnish Programmes in Southern Africa in 2015.

He is a senior associate member and media contact of Mining Dialogues 360 Degrees, a non-partisan mining dialogue facilitation platform set up in July 2012 to bring together the mining industry stakeholders in South Africa.

He has worked on the Lonmin Economic Footprint Research, a report on the economic footprint network of Lonmin, the mining and resources company in South Africa.

He was the co-ordinator of the Program on Environment Information Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa with the World Bank in Washington, DC for seven years. He also served as the co-Director of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Virtual Reality Solutions in Pretoria, South Africa.

Works

For the past decade, his works has combined scenario planning, foresight, strategic communications, media sociology and psyhcology mainly in Africa.

He has co-authored a book titled AfricaDotEdu: IT Opportunities and Higher Education in Africa, 2003.

Contributor to the Foresight For Development (FFD) www.sampnode.org.za/

Panelist to the Panel International des Prospectivistes (PIP) of the Royal Institute for Strategic Studies (2016 -27).

He is a regular commentator and an analyst on African Affairs and the future of the continent with a particular on the AfricaChina nexus. He is fluent in English and French and does work in Francophone Africa.

He has been a regular Africa regional and media contributor to international, local media and business magazines such as the Al Jazeera, ANN7, BBC (TV and Radio in English and French), CCTV (China TV), France24 (English and French), Deutsche Welle, Radio France, SABC, SAfm, Power FM (Local radio in Southern Africa) Sputnik Radio, eNCA, VOA, The People’s Daily and the China Economic daily in China, Brainstorm, The Media, CIO.COM, Intelligence and Brainstorm in South Africa

>>23172975

“🇮🇷 46 Years of Resilience & Progress: Iran’s Islamic Revolution Anniversary 🇮🇷”

https://youtu.be/vC0GtPMSSuM

Feb 19, 2025

“Strengthening Ties: Iran and South Africa Forge Ahead with Multifaceted Collaboration”

https://www.satorinews.com/articles/2025-02-14/strengthening-ties-iran-and-south-africa-forge-ahead-with-multifaceted-collaboration-549651

Published February 15, 2025

In a significant diplomatic event held in Pretoria, marking the 46th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, Iranian Ambassador to South Africa, Mansour Shakib Mehr, outlined a robust roadmap for enhancing the bilateral relations between Iran and South Africa. With a history spanning over three decades, the partnership between the two nations has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar collaboration, promising even greater expansions ahead.

Last year, the relationship achieved substantial milestones with 15 joint commissions facilitating extensive cooperative ventures across sectors like telecommunications, energy, and polymers. South African firms like MTN and Sasol have already planted firm stakes in lucrative Iranian enterprises such as Irancell and Arya Sasol Polymer Company, respectively. These engagements underscore the economic vitality and potential synergies within this partnership.

The ambassador recalled the shared revolutionary paths of Iran in 1979 and South Africa in 1994, emphasizing the common spirit of overcoming imperialism and oppression. He linked these historical narratives to the broader aspirations of both countries toward self-determination and independent development.

With these renewed commitments, the parley between Iran and South Africa is set not just to continue, but to thrive, leveraging deep historical ties and a shared vision for a sustainable and robust future partnership.

>>23203815

>Iranian Ambassador to South Africa, Mansour Shakib Mehr

“The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Pretoria Presents Credentials to the President of Mozambique”

https://southafrica.mfa.ir/en/newsview/768203/The-Ambassador-of-the-Islamic-Republic-of-Iran-in-Pretoria-Presents-Credentials-to-the-President-of-Mozambique

2025/06/12 - 16:36

On Wednesday Mansour Shakib Mehr Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to South Africa—also accredited as a non-resident ambassador to Mozambique—presented his credentials to His Excellency Daniel Francisco Chapo President of Mozambique at the Presidential Palace in Maputo.

During the meeting, Ambassador Shakib Mehr conveyed warm greetings from the President and people of Iran to the President and people of Mozambique, expressing Iran’s readiness to enhance bilateral relations in political, economic, and cultural spheres.

He emphasized that Africa is a key priority in Iran’s foreign policy and reaffirmed Iran's willingness to share its expertise in various fields, including new technologies, energy, agriculture, technical and engineering services, and healthcare, with friendly African nations.

The ambassador also voiced Iran’s readiness to facilitate exchanges of high-ranking political and economic delegations. Additionally, he called for the release of 12 Iranian prisoners in Mozambique and their transfer to Iran as part of humanitarian efforts.

Reflecting on the historical bilateral relations between Iran and Africa, Shakib Mehr highlighted Iran’s support for African struggles against apartheid and urged all nations—particularly members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation—to take decisive action against the genocide and crimes committed by Israel in Gaza and the occupied territories.

“Financial Networks in South Africa Allegedly Funneling Funds to ISIS”

https://www.satorinews.com/articles/2024-03-02/financial-networks-in-south-africa-allegedly-funneling-funds-to-isis-194387

Published March 02, 2024

An alarming development has surfaced, placing South Africa in the spotlight as a significant conduit for funding extremist groups. Global efforts to combat the Islamic State have hit a stumbling block as investigations reveal that money, including proceeds from criminal activities such as robberies in Johannesburg, is being channeled to ISIS's branches in Central Africa.

The Counter ISIS Finance Group (CIFG), which includes a coalition of countries dedicated to disrupting ISIS’s financial strength, recently shed light on these troubling financial transactions. According to CIFG's latest findings, the al-Karrar Office in Somalia, an established ISIS entity responsible for managing funds, has been exploiting informal financial networks to move money discreetly. This includes routing illicit funds through South Africa.

Within South Africa’s intricate financial landscape lies the hawala system – an age-old, trust-based method of transferring money internationally without moving the physical currency. This system is inherently difficult to track due to its separation from formal banking institutions. Hawaladars, or brokers, in South Africa reportedly ask counterparts in other countries to release equivalent funds to a designated recipient, a practice that falls outside the radar of conventional regulatory oversight or law enforcement.

The CIFG report identifies this informal network which allows ISIS to sustain operations in their Central Africa Province, which currently spans the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique. The funding not only strengthens these branches but it also underpins the operational capabilities leading to widespread violence and terror within the region.

The gravity of these findings cannot be overstated. It serves as a stark reminder of the continuous need for robust financial intelligence and reinforces the urgency for international cooperation in combating terrorism financing. South Africa's role in this illicit financial web implicates local criminal networks but also highlights challenges in global counter-terrorist financing efforts.

With these developments, the question of South Africa’s capacity to manage its financial system vulnerabilities is brought to the fore. The international community expects transparent action and significant improvements to the safety and integrity of the country's financial system. Strikingly, a failure to act could have profound implications, contributing to the destabilization of Central African nations and the amplification of global terrorism concerns.

South Africa’s financial intelligence and regulatory bodies now stand at a critical juncture, where their actions, or lack thereof, might define the country's role in the international effort to dismantle ISIS's global financial arteries.

>>23172975

>>23203815

>The ambassador recalled the shared revolutionary paths of Iran in 1979 and South Africa in 1994

>>23203818

>Shakib Mehr highlighted Iran’s support for African struggles against apartheid

>>23203824

“South Africa: A safe haven for terrorist financing”

https://www.politicsweb.co.za/opinion/south-africa-a-safe-haven-for-terrorist-financing

18 February 2025

Tim Flack

On February 13, 2025, South Africa issued its first court order under Section 23 of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities Act (POCDATARA Act), marking a historic yet long-overdue intervention in the fight against terrorist financing. The order, granted by the South Gauteng High Court, targeted two individuals, Abdirizak Mohamed Abdi Jimale and Bashir Abdi Hassan, and two entities, Almisbaax Pty Ltd (formerly Heeryo Trading Enterprise) and Heeryo Trading Enterprise in Somalia. The court found reasonable grounds to believe that these parties had committed, participated in, or facilitated acts of terrorism, resulting in the immediate freezing of their assets under South African law.

This article delves into the realities of terrorist financing within South Africa, the systemic failures that allowed extremist networks to thrive, and the political selectivity in counterterrorism enforcement, particularly regarding groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, which continue to operate with impunity under the ANC government. By exposing these inconsistencies, this sheds light on the urgent need for stronger financial oversight, international cooperation, and an unbiased approach to tackling terrorism in all its forms.

Reports suggest that more than R400 million flowed out of South Africa between 2020 and 2021 in suspected terrorist-related transactions, a figure that places the country among the most exploited financial hubs for extremist funding. Compared to nations with stricter anti-terror financial laws, South Africa’s relative lack of enforcement has made it an attractive option for illicit fund movements, raising concerns among international security agencies. Facilitated by financial loopholes and informal money transfer networks, these transactions have been particularly exploited by ISIS-linked cells, which use South Africa as a critical hub for laundering money and distributing funds across East and Southern Africa.

Two individuals, Abdirizak Mohamed Abdi Jimale and Bashir Abdi Hassan, and two entities, Almisbaax Pty Ltd and Heeryo Trading Enterprise, have now been targeted in the FIC’s first major action against terrorist financing. These individuals and businesses allegedly moved hundreds of thousands of dollars through South Africa to fund terror operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Uganda, and Tanzania. The implications of these financial networks are far-reaching, fuelling regional instability and strengthening militant groups that continue to wreak havoc across the African continent.

The African National Congress (ANC) has a history of supporting Palestinian causes, often hosting Hamas leaders and facilitating their activities within South Africa. In 2023, the ANC met with a Hamas delegation visiting South Africa, a move that drew criticism from various groups. This support has enabled Hamas and Hezbollah operatives to raise funds, organize events, and engage with South African politicians who view them as 'revolutionary' groups rather than terrorist organizations. Such interactions have legitimized these groups' presence and allowed them to operate openly, exploiting legal loopholes to secure financial and logistical support.

This situation creates a double standard in South Africa's treatment of different extremist organizations.

Unlike ISIS, these groups are not designated as terrorist organizations in South Africa. Instead, they are often welcomed by the ANC government, receiving VIP treatment and even meeting high-ranking officials.

>>23203841

>This support has enabled Hamas and Hezbollah operatives to raise funds, organize events, and engage with South African politicians who view them as 'revolutionary' groups rather than terrorist organizations.

>>23203815

>The ambassador recalled the shared revolutionary paths of Iran in 1979 and South Africa in 1994

Iran also supports Hamas and Hezbollah

https://www.fpri.org/article/2023/10/iran-and-the-axis-of-resistance-vastly-improved-hamass-operational-capabilities/

October 27, 2023

It is no secret that Iran has long supported a regional network of proxy groups that it funds, trains, and equips. Not only Hamas and Hezbollah, but also Palestine Islamic Jihad, Houthi rebels in Yemen, and a range of Iraqi Shiite militias groups known as Hashd al-Sha’bi. What was not apparent, however, was the extent and impact of training that Iran, via Quds Force, provides. Iran has helped develop Hamas into a formidable organization, growing it from a rag-tag militia into a force that now boasts 40,000 fighters, a naval commando unit, and cyber warfare capabilities.

>>23203815

>>23203818

>>23203851

“South Africa condemns Israeli attacks on Iran”

https://dirco.gov.za/south-africa-condemns-israeli-attacks-on-iran/#:~:text=South%20Africa%20expresses%20profound%20concern%20regarding%20the%20attacks,civilian%20casualties%2C%20alongside%20military%20personnel%2C%20are%20deeply%20troubling.

13 June 2025

South Africa expresses profound concern regarding the attacks conducted by Israel on targets within Iran on 13 June 2025, including reported impacts on military areas, nuclear facilities, and civilian infrastructure. Reports of civilian casualties, alongside military personnel, are deeply troubling.

These actions raise serious concerns under international law, including the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the protection of civilians enshrined in the UN Charter and international humanitarian law.

South Africa notes with particular concern the implications for nuclear safety and security arising from attacks in the vicinity of nuclear facilities. We recall the firm stance of the IAEA General Conference, reflected in resolutions such as GC(XXIX)/RES/444 and GC(XXXIV)/RES/533, against armed attacks on peaceful nuclear installations as violations of the UN Charter and international law.

Article 51 of the UN Charter provides for self-defence only when a state has been subjected to an armed invasion. Thus, Israel’s public announcement of acting in pre-emptive self-defence is not valid and its actions are once again, unlawful. Anticipatory self-defence is not permitted under international law. Self-defence cannot be based on assumption or anticipation.

South Africa extends its sincere condolences to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the families of all victims.

We reiterate our unwavering commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes. South Africa urges maximum restraint by all parties and calls for the urgent intensification of diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions and promote stability in the Middle East. We support ongoing bilateral discussions, such as those between the USA and Iran, and reaffirm the critical importance of establishing a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in the Middle East.

>>23203815

>>23203818

>>23203851

>>23203862

“Statement by the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Pretoria”

https://southafrica.mfa.ir/en/newsview/768514/Statement-by-the-Embassy-of-the-Islamic-Republic-of-Iran-in-Pretoria

2025/06/15 - 14:22

In Response to the Aggression of the Zionist Regime Against the Sovereignty of Iran 14 June 2025

The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Pretoria strongly condemns the recent act of aggression by the Zionist regime against the sovereign territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In a deliberate and unlawful attack, the occupying and rogue regime targeted multiple sites in Tehran and other cities, including civilian neighbourhoods, military installations, and nuclear infrastructure.

This heinous assault resulted in the martyrdom of some of Iran’s most devoted military commanders, scientists, scholars, and innocent civilians, including women and children. It represents a blatant violation of Iran’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as a grave breach of international law.

As conveyed in the official communications from Foreign Minister Dr Seyed Abbas Araghchi to the United Nations Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council, Iran has demanded urgent action by the international community to uphold peace and security and to hold the aggressor accountable. A separate letter has also been submitted to the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in response to the targeted strike on peaceful nuclear facilities, requesting an emergency session of the Board of Governors.

These violations would not happen without the direct support and coordination of the United States and its allies, whose role in enabling and encouraging such reckless acts cannot be ignored. The responsibility for the consequences of this aggression lies not only with the Zionist regime but also with all those who support and shield it.

The Embassy expresses its sincere appreciation to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) of the Republic of South Africa for its clear and principled stance in condemning the violation of Iran’s sovereignty by the Zionist regime. This position reflects South Africa’s longstanding commitment to justice, peace, and the rule of international law.

Additionally, it expresses gratitude and appreciation to all those who, since the beginning of the Israeli regime’s aggression against Iran, have contacted the embassy or sent messages of sympathy, solidarity and support.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is committed to defending its people and territory and punishing any aggressor.

>>23172975

>>23203815

>>23203818

>>23203824

>>23203841

>>23203851

>>23203862

>>23203866

Will South Africa be dealt with?

“Explainer: How can Iran help South Africa advance its civilian nuclear program?”

https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/03/01/743705/explainer-how-iran-south-africa-advances-nuclear-program

Saturday, 01 March 2025 12:45 PM

Recent statements from South African authorities suggest that the country is open to Iran's assistance in advancing its civilian nuclear program, including the supply of nuclear fuel, construction of uranium enrichment facilities and development of new nuclear power plants.

Speaking to media persons on February 17, South Africa’s Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, did not rule out involving Iran or Russia in the country’s nuclear expansion plans.

The press queries to Mantashe, one of the South African government's leading proponents of expanding nuclear capacity, and other South African officials, followed recent remarks by the Donald Trump administration about bilateral cooperation between Iran and South Africa.

Washington has increased pressure on Pretoria after President Trump signed an executive order on February 7, accusing South Africa – without providing evidence – of "reinvigorating ties with Iran for commercial, military, and nuclear arrangements."

South Africa has also reiterated that its international partnerships, including those with Iran and Russia, remain fully compliant with its commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the regulations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

During the 1970s and 1980s, as part of its military nuclear program, South Africa developed the unique Helikon vortex separation process and independently enriched uranium.

However, these capabilities were irreversibly dismantled when the country acceded to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1991.

While South Africa initially intended to rebuild fuel production capacity as part of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) project, although on a test scale, the project was ultimately abandoned.

Today, the country does not operate large-scale uranium enrichment facilities for domestic use or export and remains dependent on imported enriched uranium from the US and France.

With its advanced enrichment technology, Iran could also assist South Africa in developing uranium enrichment facilities – an area where many nuclear-capable states maintain a strategic monopoly.

On the other hand, a mutually beneficial bilateral agreement could grant Iran access to South Africa’s substantial uranium reserves. According to IAEA estimates, South Africa possesses 612,000 metric tons of uranium, the sixth-largest stockpile globally, significantly surpassing Iran’s 9,900 metric tons.

Such collaboration would position both nations as key players in the global nuclear fuel market, improving international competitiveness and driving more favorable pricing.

In September 2024, on the sidelines of the BRICS energy ministers' meeting in Moscow, Iranian Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi and his South African counterpart, Gwede Mantashe, exchanged ideas on potential nuclear cooperation.

Highlighting Iran's expertise in the energy sector, Aliabadi said Iran is “ready to share these technical and specialized capacities with BRICS member countries, including South Africa.”

>>23334465

“THE MANTASHES LIFE OF PATRONAGE”

https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/the-star-south-africa-late-edition/20250519/281479282323288

19 May 2025

THE powerful Mantashe family is once again under the public microscope, following revelations that Buyambo Mantashe, son of ANC National Chairperson and Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, was appointed chairperson of a Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) board.

The leak of a list of Seta appointments triggered a political storm in Parliament, with opposition parties questioning the legitimacy and transparency of the process.

Members of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) led the charge against Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane, demanding clarity on how the appointments were made.

Critics claimed the process smacked of favouritism, pointing to Buyambo's appointment as indicative of the ANC's alleged practice of rewarding insiders and politically connected individuals.

The controversy deepened when Zakhele Buthelezi, another new appointee, prematurely introduced himself to a parliamentary committee as the chairperson of the Construction Education and Training Authority (Ceta), even though Parliament had not been formally notified.

The confusion sparked outrage among MPs, who raised concerns about procedural irregularities and the broader credibility of the appointments.

Facing mounting pressure, Minister Nkabane ultimately withdrew Buyambo Mantashe's appointment.

This is not the rst time the Mantashe family has faced allegations of using political connections for personal or familial gain.

In 2021, a News24 investigation known as ‘‘The Eskom Files'' reported that Gwede Mantashe's daughter, Nombasa Mantashe Mawela, received funds linked to kickbacks involving Eskom suppliers during the Kusile Power Station project. The payments were allegedly funnelled through former Eskom executive Frans Hlakudi and were tied to a poultry venture associated with Mawela.

Although the Press Ombudsman later criticised News24 for a misleading headline that implied Mawela knowingly received “dirty money,” most of her complaints were dismissed. The incident further entrenched the public perception that the Mantashe family had reaped disproportionate benfits from their proximity to political power. Those perceptions were already long in the making. One of the most enduring scandals dates back to 2015, when a R631-million toilet tender awarded by the Amathole District Municipality to the Siyenza Group raised eyebrows.

The deal was linked to Gwede Mantashe's wife, Nolwandle, and implicated the sons of both Mantashe and Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu. Although then-Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane cleared the senior politicians of direct interference, she referred the case to the Hawks and the Asset Forfeiture Unit for criminal investigation into the broader network involved. In 2022, the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture recommended a criminal investigation into Gwede Mantashe himself.

The commission found a “reasonable suspicion” that Mantashe received free security upgrades, including CCTV systems and electric fencing at three properties, courtesy of Bosasa, a company notorious for its dealings with government officials. Mantashe has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

The controversies have not been limited to state tenders and government appointments. In 2021, the Gwede Mantashe Foundation dismissed its Chief Operating Officer, Caswell Mokoena, after it emerged that a company he directed had received up to R6 million from Voltex, a subsidiary of Bidvest. The funds were allegedly disguised as donations to the foundation. Mantashe denied that the foundation received the money, saying it did not even operate a bank account and that all support was channelled directly to its social initiatives. For critics, the recent Seta appointments have added yet another chapter to a long history of politically connected dealings.

>>23334465

>>23335662

Is this one of the reasons for Mantashe’s appointment?

“Mafia state: Richards Bay Minerals pushes back, but the war is far from over” 1 of 3

https://turnaroundtalk.co.za/special-features-archived/rbm-mafia/

16 August 2024

It is also the story of three men: gangster Nkululeko Mkhize; Werner Duvenhage, MD of Richards Bay Minerals (RBM); and Martin Mbuyazi, a community representative with influential political connections.

Mkhize was shot dead by police in September 2023, but his legacy still looms large in a tale of murder, grand-scale theft, extortion and claims of police corruption – a tale of a “resource curse” centred on Richards Bay that has already claimed at least 18 lives.

The BEE entity includes four local tribes (Dube, Sokhulu, Mbonambi and Mkhwanazi) whose land is mined for mineral-rich sands to produce zircon, rutile, iron and slag, which are in turn used in a range of products, including paint, smartphones and sunscreen.

A 2009 deal established trusts to manage the community benefits paid by RBM.

Since then, RBM has paid about R530 million to the four tribes, but the battle for control over that wealth has been a factor in the destabilisation and violence that have plagued the surrounding communities.

As we will see, it seems that the same considerations – access to resources and power – may have driven some interventions from the provincial government and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE).

AmaB has found evidence of internal police conflict over the RBM case, though it is difficult to establish whether it was a turf war or something more sinister.

The RBM murder dockets and the RBM theft dockets appear to have been taken from the task team and put under the control of provincial police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

However, this was resisted by Major-General Nonhlanhla Zulu, SAPS Specialised Operations Component head, who effectively controlled the task team.

AmaB was reliably informed that on 19 December 2023, a complaint relating to defeating the ends of justice was opened in Richards Bay. Notes in the complaint file refer to task-team leader Zulu getting a call from Mkhwanazi demanding the handover of dockets.

A senior Richards Bay company executive told amaB: “All these things are connected. Procurement, trusts—if you stand back, the same people appear, like Nkululeko Mkhize.”

Private security experts and company executives point to the sophistication of crime syndicates in Richards Bay.

Stolen minerals are exported, requiring a multi-layered network of players, including truckers, corrupt port and customs officials, freight forwarding companies and companies that sell the stolen product offshore.

>>23335673

“Mafia state: Richards Bay Minerals pushes back, but the war is far from over” 2 of 3

https://turnaroundtalk.co.za/special-features-archived/rbm-mafia/

16 August 2024

Various sources said criminals are politically connected and have links to business forums and taxi businesses.

“This is very dangerous. It’s important to spotlight how well-developed this organised crime is. It is sophisticated, violent, and brutal.”

In a Sunday Times report last year, RBM’s annual losses to theft were reportedly R750 million.

If hundreds of millions worth of products are stolen from RBM and other big companies in Richards Bay every year, who are the big players in that game, and how are they linked?

Various sources said criminal syndicates had key people embedded in strategic firms in Richards Bay and at the port. They also have police on their payroll.

During its product theft investigation in 2023, RBM conducted a sting operation after tracking a truck to a warehouse belonging to Chinese giant Cosco Shipping in City Deep, Johannesburg.

In the Anton Piller court documents, various companies and individuals are named, including: Cosco Shipping; Aerotex Commodities; Seletha Industrial and Hydraulics; Opulent Minerals; Tobun and Tobun; and Sambhic Resources.

Regarding Southway, SAPS said a truck driver was found in possession of stolen zircon and chloride worth R15.5 million and the investigation led police to Durban, where the RBM minerals were found. All the named companies have denied wrongdoing.

At the time, police said that since the establishment of the Richards Bay task team, 43 suspects had been arrested for charges ranging from murder, theft, trespassing and possession of suspected stolen property to unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, fraud and intimidation. Police said 68 dockets were under investigation; 47 of these cases were in court and 202 guns had been confiscated.

In July last year, Duvenhage told the Sunday Times that theft was down 80% in four months.

Duvenhage said that despite the drop in thefts, criminal kingpins operating syndicates still had to be caught. “It is critical that we get to that level. Some of our frustrations stem from how we are stepping up that ladder to the top,” he said.

At the Mining Indaba earlier this year, Duvenhage said that murders at RBM were linked to procurement, not to the disputes over the community trusts.

The company said that “at Richards Bay Minerals, the safety and security of our people and the host communities remains our priority, and our core motivation for sustained pushback on crime.

“In 2021, RBM faced significant operational disruption due to an escalation in the security situation, including increased civil unrest and criminal activity. RBM subsequently discovered the existence of a sophisticated criminal network involved in product theft affecting our business. This criminal activity not only had a detrimental financial impact on our business, but it also contributed to instability in the region and negatively impacted the safety and security of our people and host community members.

“These disruptions also threaten the viability of the Zulti South project, which is essential in the next stage of development for RBM, and key to maintaining RBM’s contribution to the province and our partner communities. Today the project is indefinitely suspended and neither RBM nor the host communities can benefit from it until we can be confident that it can be developed in a stable and safe environment.”

>>23335673

>>23335675

“Mafia state: Richards Bay Minerals pushes back, but the war is far from over” 3 of 3

https://turnaroundtalk.co.za/special-features-archived/rbm-mafia/

16 August 2024

Conclusion

The links between Nkululeko Mkhize, the taxi industry, and business forums synonymous with violence and extortion are illustrative. The ANC provincial government’s handling of the Mbonambi leadership dispute and the installation of Martin Mbuyazi as administrator raises red flags about political manipulation.

Another concern is the police handling of the RBM product theft and murder dockets. Why did the police blow hot and cold on the investigation, and why were the dockets suddenly reassigned just before the fatal shootout with Mkhize?

Were the investigations disrupted to arrest key figures linked to criminal networks? The tussle and internal police strife over handling the cases are suspicious and undermine effective law enforcement responses to organised crime and perceptions about police effectiveness.

Executives at several big companies in Richards Bay are convinced Nkululeko Mkhize operated with the blessing of “higher ups” but that he got too big for his boots and threatened to upset their organised criminal network, for which he was conveniently shot dead by police.

A source said that “he was becoming a hindrance to the longevity of the mine and the benefits associated with that.”