Category: English

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Call for motorists to exercise caution on the roads

Source: South Africa News Agency

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has called on motorists to take extra caution when driving on the roads as icy cold weather conditions have gripped the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) warned of widespread rain with disruptive snow over escarpments of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday.

“The RTMC advises travellers in affected areas to delay their trips until the situation improves.”

Travel routes are also affected with the N2 from Ingeli towards Kokstad in KwaZulu Natal being closed due to snow. 

The R58 Barkley East and West towards Barkley Pass was also closed due to snow. 

Heavy rains with strong wind were reported in Umzimkhulu and Ixopo KwaZulu Natal and this could lead to flash flooding in low lying areas. Motorists are advised to switch their headlights on to increase their visibility. 

Motorists should heed the following road safety precautions when driving on the road:

  • Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
  • Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
  • Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
  • Keep your lights and windshield clean.
  • Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
  • Do not use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
  • Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently travelled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
  • Do not pass snow ploughs and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you are likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
  • Do not assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads. – SAnews.gov.za

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Minister sets the record straight on the appointment of CEO

Source: South Africa News Agency

Public Works Deputy Minister Sihle Zikalala has, during a media briefing on Tuesday, set the record straight regarding the appointment of the Independent Development Trust (IDT) Chief Executive Officer, Tebogo Malaka.

The Deputy Minister said he had noted with “deep concern” media articles which appear to have been deliberately planted and arranged to defame and tarnish his image, disguised as concerns about issues of governance in the IDT.

The IDT is a Schedule 2 State-owned entity, which manages the implementation and delivery of critically needed social infrastructure programmes on behalf of government. It reports to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, who is the shareholder representative.

Addressing the media in Pretoria, the Deputy Minister explained that when he was appointed as Minister in March 2023, the appointment of the CEO had already been processed by the IDT Board with the concurrence received from his predecessor.

He said the recommendation to appoint Malaka as CEO had already been submitted to Cabinet for final processing when he joined the department.

“As the Minister, I withdrew the matter due issues that were emerging at the time about the entity and had to deal with the issues of due diligence,” Zikalala said.

He added that also informing his decision to withdraw the matter were allegations related to the office lease at the IDT, which was an issue that had been in the public domain long before his arrival in the department.

“I had to ensure that there is no conflict of interest. During the period of my arrival at the department, I found the IDT plagued by challenges and infighting among the board members, which defocussed the entity from its primary mandate of delivering social infrastructure to communities,” Zikalala said.

According to the Deputy Minister, at the time of his appointment as Minister, there were serious concerns about governance affairs of the IDT.

“As Minister at the time, I held a number of meetings to refocus the board to its governance and fiduciary duties, these efforts to focus the board on governance issues did not yield expected results. 

“I am the first Minister to task the board of the IDT to investigate the matter of the office lease and to give a report after six months,” Zikalala said. 

The Minister said he was committed to serving with integrity, transparency and accountability. – SAnews.gov.za