The agricultural portfolio committee in the Eastern Cape has asked the provincial minister for agriculture, Max Mamase, to explain allegations that the bond on his R2,7-million home is partially funded by a local citrus farmer. Last week the M&G revealed that Mamase may have received kickbacks in the form of bond payments for his East London house from Norman Benjamin.

Anti-corruption investigators in the Eastern Cape are probing evidence that the mansion of provincial agriculture minister Max Mamase is being financed by the citrus farmer who landed a controversial R16-million empowerment deal from his department.

It’s been revealed that only one in 10 learners who register for sector education and training authority (Seta) learnerships finish their courses. National Skills Authority data up to June this year show that only 9 502 of a total of 70 000 of registered learners have completed their learnerships since the system was implemented in March 2001. These figures equate to a completion rate of 14%.

The Inkatha Freedom Party leadership has suspended two senior members of its youth wing who have challenged the party’s constitution by allegedly demanding that the new chairperson of the IFP Youth Brigade be democratically elected instead of appointed by party president Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Lucky Mthethwa and Sibusiso Msweli were suspended on the eve of the party’s youth conference.

An African National Congress document circulating in the Eastern Cape has warned that the province is entering ”a phase of political instability” that threatens the social and economic development programmes of the poverty-stricken province.

Despite the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) reaching breaking-point last week over leadership squabbles, the election results released on Thursday reflected resounding confidence in the union’s current leaders. The union’s Secretary General Slumko Nondwangu and president Mtutuzeli Tom were re-elected for the next four years. The new treasurer is Philemon Shiburi.

A dodgy R15-million black economic empowerment deal involving a provincial minister in the Eastern Cape and an affluent farmer was being investigated by the head of the provincial treasury, Monde Tom, at the time of his suspension two weeks ago. The M&G has learnt that Tom was probing the agriculture minister, Max Mamase, for his involvement in a controversial land deal.

”Moleketi you chicken shit!” read one of the hundreds of posters denouncing Minister of Public Service and Administration Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi for her failure to meet demands of striking public service unions. Lydia Briedenhann (61), a clerk in the Department of Safety and Security, said the fact that civil servants of all races marched together showed workers were truly united.