Cape Town —
State Capture Whistleblower Vytjie Mentor Dies After Long Illness
Vytjie Mentor, 58, served as a member of parliament from 2002 to 2014. She testified at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry on the Guptas involvement in state capture. Several shock revelations were made, including how she was offered a ministerial position by them. Mentor resigned from the African National Congress and at the time of her death, was a member of ActionSA since its inception in 2020, as its provincial chairperson in the Western Cape.
Cold Weather, Yes, But Good News for Dam Levels in Cape Town
The Western Cape was hard hit by a cold fronts that brought rain, snow and frozen fingertips! The rain managed to fill the dams significantly though as levels are now just over 81.5% full from 76.4% a week earlier. The South African reports that the reticulation system in the Mother City remains in good condition. Major reservoirs and water storage facilities have benefited substantially from the rainfall.
Property Rates Hike Shocker for Schools In Gauteng
Over 700 private schools and 900 public schools in Gauteng were paying inflated rates after being reclassified as businesses. This was triggered by a directive by the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs to change property categories in the city, Eye Witness News reports. Rebates to these institutions are currently costing the City of Johannesburg R27 million a month. Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse said that the city was still at loggerheads with the department in a bid to challenge the reclassification of some properties, including educational institutions.
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