Category: MIL-OSI

Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Babalwa Lobishe has welcomed the acceptance of the final scoping report for Eskom’s proposed 5 200-megawatt nuclear power plant at Thyspunt in the Kouga Local Municipality, Eastern Cape.

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s decision allows the project to proceed to the full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) phase. It does not, however, constitute authorisation to construct the facility.

Lobishe described the decision as a serious step forward for one of the most significant infrastructure investments ever contemplated for the region and province.

She said the proposed development presents opportunities to strengthen energy security, support industrial growth and create jobs in the region.

“For too long, the Eastern Cape has been spoken about as a province of potential. A project of this scale gives us the chance to turn that potential into permanent economic strength,” Lobishe said.

As the economic engine of the Eastern Cape, the mayor said Nelson Mandela Bay is ready to anchor this investment.

“Our port infrastructure, automotive and manufacturing base, engineering capability and Nelson Mandela University make the metro the natural partner for a development of this magnitude,” she said.

Lobishe highlighted five clear opportunities for the region, including:

•    Energy security that underpins industrial competitiveness and protects jobs in our manufacturing sector.
•    Construction and operational employment over many years. The Mayor will be calling strongly for local recruitment and skills development for young people across the Bay and Kouga.
•    Supplier development opportunities for local businesses, small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and cooperatives in logistics, construction, hospitality and support services.
•    Skills transfer and research partnerships with universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, building a new generation of engineers, artisans and technicians.
•    Investment in roads, water and supporting infrastructure that will serve communities long after construction ends.

The announcement follows an oversight visit to Koeberg Nuclear Power Station in the Western Cape by an Eastern Cape delegation led by Premier Oscar Mabuyane. The delegation included district leadership from Sarah Baartman, representatives of Coega, the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) and the Eastern Cape Socio-Economic Consultative Council (ECSECC), as well as Khoi-San traditional leadership.

“At Koeberg, I saw firsthand how a nuclear facility operates alongside a host community. We were briefed on its safety systems, environmental management, employment footprint and local procurement practices, as well as its impact on surrounding communities and the natural environment over four decades.

“What we saw confirmed that nuclear power can coexist with coastal communities, tourism and a healthy environment when it is properly managed. I returned with valuable lessons, but more importantly with confidence that Nelson Mandela Bay and the Eastern Cape are ready to support a project of this nature,” Lobishe said.

The Mayor acknowledged the rigorous requirements set by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, including detailed studies on wetlands, marine life, the chokka squid fishery, heritage, water security and community impact.

“We welcome this scrutiny. Development that ignores the environment and the people who live alongside it is not development we want,” she said.

Lobishe urged residents, fishing communities, heritage organisations and businesses to participate fully in the next phase of public engagement, so that every voice shapes the outcome.

She said the city will continue engaging with all stakeholders, Eskom, Kouga Local Municipality, other state-owned enterprises, organised business, civil society, traditional authorities and the provincial government to ensure that the project’s potential benefits are shared equitably across the region. – SAnews.gov.za
 

 

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A former South African Police Service (SAPS) constable, already behind bars on separate stock theft charges, is facing additional charges of fraud and theft after allegedly misappropriating police fleet card funds for personal use.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, arrested Bafo Siyabonga Cindi, 35, following an investigation into the alleged misuse of a SAPS FNB fleet card while he served as a police investigator.

According to the Hawks, an investigation was launched in 2024 after the matter was reported by the Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit in Standerton, Mpumalanga.

It is alleged that Cindi, who was attached to the unit as an investigating officer at the time, used the fleet card to conduct personal transactions amounting to approximately R8 000.

Following an investigation by the Hawks’ Secunda Serious Corruption Investigation, the case docket was submitted to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), after which an application for a warrant of arrest was authorised.

On Thursday, Hawks members executed the warrant at the Ermelo Correctional Centre, where Cindi is currently detained pending trial in separate stock theft cases registered in Perdekop and Greylingstad. He was previously denied bail in those matters.
Cindi was dismissed from the SAPS in May 2026.

He appeared before the Standerton Magistrate’s Court on 22 October 2026, on charges of fraud and theft. The matter was postponed to 05 November 2026 to allow him to secure legal representation.

The Acting Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in Mpumalanga, Brigadier Bruce Davenport, said the arrest demonstrates the Hawks’ commitment to ensuring accountability within law enforcement and the broader public sector.

“No uniform, badge or rank places anyone above the law. Those who abuse their authority and misuse state resources for personal enrichment will face the full might of the law,” Brigadier Davenport said in a statement on Friday.

He added that the Hawks in Mpumalanga remain committed to protecting the integrity of the criminal justice system and restoring public confidence through decisive action against corruption. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Yusuf Cassim has called for expanded skills development opportunities in underserved communities through partnerships with Community Education and Training colleges and Community Learning Centres.

Delivering a keynote address at the at the Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA) Accounting Authority stakeholder engagement session in Cape Town on Thursday, Cassim said community-based training can help connect learners to economic opportunities in tourism, hospitality, cultural enterprises and small businesses, particularly in rural areas where formal employment opportunities are limited.

He said the opportunities created by skills development must also be accessible to South Africans who face geographical, financial and other barriers to participation.

“This is particularly important in rural communities and areas where formal employment opportunities are limited. Learners do not all have the same access to transport, technology, infrastructure, or proximity to employers. Our programmes must take these realities into account,” Cassim said.

The Deputy Minister called on CATHSSETA to explore practical models for collaboration that respond to local needs, noting that working with community education and training colleges and community learning centres can help extend the reach of skills development.

The Deputy Minister also called for training programmes to respond to changing skills requirements driven by digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and evolving consumer expectations.

In tourism and hospitality, digital marketing, online booking platforms and data analytics are changing how businesses operated, while conservation, arts, culture and heritage, as well as gaming and lotteries, faced emerging skills needs.

“The gaming and lotteries environment is also changing, increasing the importance of capabilities such as data analytics, cybersecurity, and digital platform compliance. This is why sector skills planning must be an ongoing exercise, informed by evidence and regular engagement with industry.

“Being future-fit does not mean abandoning foundational capabilities. Communication, critical thinking, leadership, problem-solving and customer service will remain essential. It means combining these foundations with the technical and digital skills that emerging working environments demand. – SAnews.gov.za

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The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) has arrested a 46-year-old Nigerian national, following an operation targeting premises allegedly linked to commercial sexual exploitation in the Ermelo Central Business District (CBD).

The suspect is expected to make his first appearance before the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court today.

The operation was conducted on 22 October 2026 and involved the Secunda Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI), members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Gert Sibande District Office, Ermelo SAPS and officials from the Department of Home Affairs.

During the multidisciplinary operation, law enforcement officials searched the premises, in terms of the applicable laws.

“Six females and one male were found on the property. Preliminary investigations revealed that three of the females were Lesotho nationals, two were Eswatini nationals and one was a South African citizen. All the foreign nationals were found in possession of valid passports,” the police said in a statement.

Further enquiries led investigators to the 46-year-old Nigerian national, who was allegedly operating from the property and was found in possession of an expired asylum document.

“Information gathered during the operation suggests that the premises were allegedly being used for activities linked to the contravention of provisions of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act.

“The suspect was subsequently arrested and charged for allegedly renting out rooms to the women,” the police said.

Investigations are continuing to establish the full extent of the alleged unlawful activities, including the possible liability of other individuals, who may have knowingly facilitated, benefited from or permitted the use of the premises for criminal purposes.

The Acting Provincial Head of the DPCI in Mpumalanga, Brigadier Bruce Davenport, commended the collaborative effort displayed by all stakeholders involved in the operation and issued a stern warning to those involved in the facilitation of commercial sexual exploitation. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Yusuf Cassim has called on sector education and training authorities (SETAs) to measure the success of skills development programmes by their impact on employment and economic participation rather than the number of learners trained or certificates issued.

Cassim said skills development must be closely aligned with industry needs to ensure that qualifications equip young people with relevant skills and improve their prospects of finding work.

“Public funding must produce measurable results. Consistent data, effective follow-up and a willingness to act on the evidence are essential to achieving this,” he said.

The Deputy Minister was speaking at the Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA) Accounting Authority Stakeholder Engagement Session in Cape Town on Thursday.

He warned that South Africa cannot afford to treat skills development as a peripheral issue, given the country’s high unemployment rate.

Statistics South Africa’s second-quarter 2026 figures put the official unemployment rate at 33.6%, while unemployment among young people aged 15 to 34 stood at 47.4%.

“Skills development cannot solve unemployment on its own. However, when training is disconnected from economic demand, we risk wasting both public resources, including those generated through the skills development levy, and human potential,” the Deputy Minister said.

CATHSSETA’s mandate covers the hospitality, tourism, conservation, gaming and lotteries, as well as arts, culture and heritage sectors. Cassim said these sectors had distinct workforce requirements that needed to inform training programmes.

The authority’s Sector Skills Plan identifies challenges in filling vacancies, including a lack of work experience and suitably qualified candidates, as well as gaps in leadership, people management, conflict management and customer service.

Cassim called for stronger partnerships between training providers, employers, and public institutions to ensure that what learners are taught reflects workplace expectations.

“Work-integrated learning, internships, apprenticeships and structured workplace exposure must be meaningful components of the learning journey, not simply administrative requirements to be completed.

“CATHSSETA should strengthen its partnerships with industry to expand quality workplace placements and create more opportunities for learners to gain practical experience. This must include finding workable ways for small businesses to participate.”

Tracking learners beyond graduation

Cassim urged CATHSSETA to strengthen its monitoring of learners after they complete their programmes to determine whether they secure employment, start businesses or pursue further studies.

The authority’s track-and-trace study, which covered 319 learners and 30 employers, found that 58.5% of surveyed respondents have secured full-time employment, while others reported fixed-term or casual work.

He added that the findings must be understood in the context of the study’s sample and methodology.
“They should not be interpreted as a national employment rate or assumed to represent every CATHSSETA programme. Nevertheless, they demonstrate the value of tracking outcomes and listening to employers.

“I would like to see CATHSSETA strengthen its reporting on these outcomes and provide a clear annual account of what happens to the learners it supports. This should help us understand where programmes are succeeding, where barriers remain and where improvements are needed,” Cassim said.

Accountability for public resources

Cassim said CATHSSETA’s Accounting Authority and management also has a responsibility to ensure that strategy translated into effective delivery and that the organisation demonstrates the value of its work.

He said performance targets for learner enrolments, learnerships, skills programmes, internships and workplace learning should be assessed against the quality of training and the outcomes achieved.

“Accountability should do more than establish whether targets have been met. It should help identify what works, where delivery falls short and what needs to change.”

He acknowledged that skills development alone cannot resolve the country’s structural economic challenges and that government cannot guarantee every graduate a job.

However, he said the system can improve its responsiveness to economic demand, expand meaningful workplace placements, track outcomes more consistently and prepare learners for emerging skills requirements. – SAnews.gov.za
 

 

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