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        <title>Polity.org.za | Statements</title>
        <description><![CDATA[Polity has an easily accessible archive of statements made by South African politicians, organisations, political parties and businesses. These can be accessed via the Statements tabs on the website and are published as received.]]></description>
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            <title>Withholding of municipal grants confirms widespread governance failures – AfriForum</title>
            <link>https://www.polity.org.za/article/withholding-of-municipal-grants-confirms-widespread-governance-failures-afriforum-2026-07-08</link>
            <description><![CDATA[According to AfriForum, the National Treasury’s decision to temporarily withhold R13,5 billion in equitable share allocations from 69 municipalities for July serves as proof of the extent of financial mismanagement and non-compliance at local government level. AfriForum, however, warns that the government’s eventual corrective action against municipalities that repeatedly fail to meet their legal obligations will only be effective if accompanied by meaningful reform. Morné Mostert, Manager for Local Government Affairs at AfriForum, says the Treasury’s actions demonstrate that the municipalities in question have failed to comply with fundamental financial management requirements. “Communities have been living with the consequences of these failures for years – manifesting in, among other things, deteriorating infrastructure, failing water and electricity services, sewage spills and poor refuse removal,” says Mostert.]]></description>
            <author>Haydon Whitley</author>
            <category> Statements</category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:18:00 +0200</pubDate>
        <a_id>725250</a_id>
        <updated>1783513259</updated>
        <published>1783513080</published>
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        <editor>Creamer Media Reporter  </editor>
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            <title>Failed political leadership exposed in seven KZN municipalities as Treasury withholds equitable ...</title>
            <link>https://www.polity.org.za/article/failed-political-leadership-exposed-in-seven-kzn-municipalities-as-treasury-withholds-equitable-share-funding-2026-07-08</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes National Treasury’s lawful and necessary decision to temporarily withhold the July 2026 equitable share transfers from iMpendle, uMzinyathi District, Newcastle, eMadlangeni, Amajuba District, AbaQulusi and uMkhanyakude District municipalities. With a DA Deputy Minister of Finance helping drive accountability, this intervention sends an important signal that persistent non-compliance will be met with action.]]></description>
            <author>Haydon Whitley</author>
            <category> Statements</category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:56:00 +0200</pubDate>
        <a_id>725247</a_id>
        <updated>1783512334</updated>
        <published>1783511760</published>
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        <editor>Creamer Media Reporter  </editor>
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            <title>Portfolio Committee On Agriculture Elects Dr Nobuhle Nkabane As Acting Chairperson </title>
            <link>https://www.polity.org.za/article/portfolio-committee-on-agriculture-elects-dr-nobuhle-nkabane-as-acting-chairperson-2026-07-08</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture today elected Dr Nobuhle Nkabane as Acting Chairperson of the committee, in accordance with Rule 159 of the National Assembly Rules. The election became necessary following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s appointment on 30 June 2026 of the former committee Chairperson, Ms Dina Pule, as Minister of Social Development, which left a vacancy in the committee’s leadership. In electing an acting chairperson, the committee sought to ensure continuity in its oversight ...]]></description>
            <author>Haydon Whitley</author>
            <category> Statements</category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:16:00 +0200</pubDate>
        <a_id>725236</a_id>
        <updated>1783505875</updated>
        <published>1783505760</published>
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        <editor>Creamer Media Reporter  </editor>
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            <title>North West’s municipalities are in financial ICU: Voters must prescribe the cure in LGE 2026</title>
            <link>https://www.polity.org.za/article/north-wests-municipalities-are-in-financial-icu-voters-must-prescribe-the-cure-in-lge-2026-2026-07-08</link>
            <description><![CDATA[National Treasury acts after repeated failures to comply with financial legislation. More than half of the province's municipalities have failed residents through poor governance. Your vote in 2026 can put North West back on the road to recovery.  The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes National Treasury's decisive action to temporarily withhold July 2026 equitable share transfers from municipalities that have persistently failed to comply with the law. This demonstrates government's commitment to protecting the public purse, enforcing financial accountability, and ensuring municipalities comply with the Municipal Finance Management Act. Unfortunately, this intervention also exposes the devastating consequences of years of ANC mismanagement in the North West. Twelve of the province's 22 municipalities have had their July 2026 equitable share transfers temporarily withheld because of persistent financial mismanagement and repeated failures to comply with the law.]]></description>
            <author>Haydon Whitley</author>
            <category> Statements</category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:13:00 +0200</pubDate>
        <a_id>725235</a_id>
        <updated>1783505748</updated>
        <published>1783505580</published>
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        <editor>Creamer Media Reporter  </editor>
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            <title>Dbe Must Avoid Confusion Around Eradication Of School Pit Latrines, Says Select Committee On ...</title>
            <link>https://www.polity.org.za/article/dbe-must-avoid-confusion-around-eradication-of-school-pit-latrines-says-select-committee-on-education-chair-2026-07-08</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Chairperson Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Sciences and the Creative Industries, Mr Makhi Feni, has criticised the Department of Basic Education for incorrect messaging around school sanitation. Mr Feni said there should be no tiptoeing around the poor state of school sanitation in many schools in some rural provinces in South Africa. “It is unfortunate that the DBE and the Minister knowingly cited as an achievement the completion of an old project that should have been ...]]></description>
            <author>Haydon Whitley</author>
            <category> Statements</category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:10:00 +0200</pubDate>
        <a_id>725234</a_id>
        <updated>1783505601</updated>
        <published>1783505400</published>
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        <editor>Creamer Media Reporter  </editor>
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            <title>ActionSA Takes Gauteng Health to HPCSA, SANC and Public Protector Over Accountability Scandal</title>
            <link>https://www.polity.org.za/article/actionsa-takes-gauteng-health-to-hpcsa-sanc-and-public-protector-over-accountability-scandal-2026-07-08</link>
            <description><![CDATA[ActionSA is deeply appalled, though regrettably not surprised, by the blatant failure of consequence management and the systemic protection of corrupt and negligent officials within the Gauteng Department of Health. In a shocking written legislature reply from the Health and Wellness MEC, Faith Mazibuko, dated 30 June 2026, it has been laid bare that the department is actively letting both medically negligent staff and corrupt syndicates off the hook at the expense of patient safety and public funds.]]></description>
            <author>Haydon Whitley</author>
            <category> Statements</category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:06:00 +0200</pubDate>
        <a_id>725233</a_id>
        <updated>1783505434</updated>
        <published>1783505160</published>
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        <editor>Creamer Media Reporter  </editor>
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            <title>Minister Patricia De Lille welcomes Turkish Airlines' expansion to South Africa</title>
            <link>https://www.polity.org.za/article/minister-patricia-de-lille-welcomes-turkish-airlines-expansion-to-south-africa-2026-07-08</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, has welcomed the decision by Turkish Airlines to increase its direct services between South Africa and Türkiye to 20 weekly flights, further strengthening air connectivity between the two countries. From October 2026, the airline will operate 10 weekly direct flights between Istanbul and Johannesburg and 10 weekly direct flights between Istanbul and Cape Town.]]></description>
            <author>Haydon Whitley</author>
            <category> Statements</category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:02:00 +0200</pubDate>
        <a_id>725229</a_id>
        <updated>1783505148</updated>
        <published>1783504920</published>
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        <editor>Creamer Media Reporter  </editor>
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        <image_title>Patricia De Lille - Minister of Tourism</image_title>
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            <title>DA Minister Gwarube delivers completion of 2018 SAFE pit toilet backlog</title>
            <link>https://www.polity.org.za/article/da-minister-gwarube-delivers-completion-of-2018-safe-pit-toilet-backlog-2026-07-08</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the announcement by the Minister of Basic Education, the DA’s Siviwe Gwarube, that the Department has achieved 100% completion of all school sanitation projects identified through the 2018 Sanitation Appropriate for Education Initiative audit. All 3,372 schools identified through that audit have now been provided with safe and appropriate sanitation facilities.]]></description>
            <author>Haydon Whitley</author>
            <category> Statements</category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0200</pubDate>
        <a_id>725211</a_id>
        <updated>1783501309</updated>
        <published>1783501200</published>
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        <editor>Creamer Media Reporter  </editor>
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        <image_title>Desiree van der Walt MP - DA Spokesperson on Basic Education</image_title>
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            <title>ActionSA welcomes stronger municipal financial accountability, calls for swift compliance to ...</title>
            <link>https://www.polity.org.za/article/actionsa-welcomes-stronger-municipal-financial-accountability-calls-for-swift-compliance-to-protect-service-delivery-2026-07-08</link>
            <description><![CDATA[ActionSA welcomes National Treasury's decision to temporarily withhold portions of the July 2026 Local Government Equitable Share from municipalities that have repeatedly failed to meet the financial management standards required by law. This is not about punishing municipalities. It's about restoring accountability.]]></description>
            <author>Thabi  Shomolekae</author>
            <category> Statements</category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 09:54:00 +0200</pubDate>
        <a_id>725198</a_id>
        <updated>1783497833</updated>
        <published>1783497240</published>
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        <editor>Creamer Media Reporter  </editor>
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        <image_title>ActionSA Gauteng Legislature Caucus leader Funzi Ngobeni</image_title>
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            <title>Cogta Committee Calls For Urgent Compliance After Treasury Withholds Transfers To Municipalities</title>
            <link>https://www.polity.org.za/article/cogta-committee-calls-for-urgent-compliance-after-treasury-withholds-transfers-to-municipalities-2026-07-08</link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) today welcomed the intent behind National Treasury’s announcement to temporarily withhold the July 2026 equitable share transfers to 69 municipalities. The committee noted that equitable share transfers are critical to supporting municipalities in delivering basic services to communities. It urged affected municipalities to urgently comply with the conditions set by Treasury so that funds can be released and not ...]]></description>
            <author>Haydon Whitley</author>
            <category> Statements</category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 09:20:00 +0200</pubDate>
        <a_id>725193</a_id>
        <updated>1783503477</updated>
        <published>1783495200</published>
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        <editor>Creamer Media Reporter  </editor>
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        <image_title>Committee chairperson Zweli Mkhize</image_title>
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