Home | Politics The memorial service for democratic South Africa’s first Minister of Education, Professor Sibusiso Bengu, will take place in Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday. He has been granted a special official category two funeral. Bengu died at his home in Mtunzini last month at the age of 90. In an interview with SABC News in 2019, he had said that the quality of education in South Africa had improved. However, he said more needed to be done to achieve greater success. Democratic South Africa’s first minister of education Sibusiso Bengu, said education and land, were the two key elements to be addressed by the new government. He told SABC News in 2019, that Nelson Mandela’s government faced an immense challenge to create a new education system for all citizens in the country. Bengu passed away at his home at Mtunzini on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast at the age of 90 last week. President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that Bengu be afforded an Official Funeral Category 2. Prof Sibusiso Bengu said, “I remember that when I was appointed, it was a surprise to me, but I know that I was qualified to take the position, I was educated, I had been a member of the ANC, I had consulted with ANC members who were abroad and in South Africa and I knew exactly where we needed to take the country to.” A passionate educator, Bengu became a teacher in 1952 and founded the Dlangezwa High School near Empangeni in 1969. In 1974 he completed a PhD in political science at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. That was followed by his appointment in 1977 as a professor at the University of Zululand. He returned to South Africa from exile in 1991 and became Vice-Chancellor of Fort Hare University. He was appointed Minister of Education in 1994, in former president Nelson Mandela’s cabinet. Bengu, spoke to SABC News about his role as minister of education, in the first democratically-elected cabinet. He said they wanted to have a system that would include all people. Prof Sibusiso Bengu recalled, “The other challenge came as a result of the different schools, 17 departments, having to have different cultures, having different languages, having different money given to them, and different teachers, and all of that was the source of irritation to the parent who children were not receiving enough money, and that The challenge was great and I remember that for me as a minister I had to explain all that to groups of parents.” During his time as Minister of Education, Bengu implemented a number of major policy changes. In 1997 he announced a revision of the national curriculum under the new Curriculum 2005. It was an Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) system. Although OBE faced significant challenges and was eventually revised, it represented a bold attempt to transform education in the country and laid the groundwork for future reforms. Bengu also passed a law that banned corporal punishment. He does not regret banning corporal punishment in schools despite being critised by many who believe it contributed to social ills in schools such as drug abuse, murder, and rape. He maintains that alternative punishment should be used instead of corporal punishment. Bengu’s daughter Sbusisiwe says although they only had a chance to be with their father after he retired, he was very supportive. “He even inspired us in terms of education and to achieve in different ways wherever we are, we try to do our best in whatever we do in those principles we got from him, in terms of his life, it was not easy as we were worried for him and his safety but at the same time we supported him, and of course having a father like him means that he was not all the time with us, in terms of time spent with us it was not a lot.” His wife Funeka Bengu described her husband as a family man. “He is a provider he was taking responsibility for his family, he gave his children education, he wanted all of them to have masters degrees, they all have and even went beyond, I think he fulfilled his work as a provider, a man, and a father, he liked education.” Bengu will be laid to rest on Friday in Mthunzini on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast. DURBAN - The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) in KwaZulu-Natal said it's working on relief efforts for 53 people who have been displaced following a veld fire in Eshowe. The blaze erupted at the weekend and was only contained on Tuesday. One man died, and his burnt body was found by firefighters. Department spokesperson Senzelwe Mzila said over 90 structures have been affected by the fire. “Our teams are still on the ground doing assessments, but preliminary assessments indicate that we have about 50 partially damaged structures and over 40 that have been totally destroyed.” Sections DUT PROMOTES MOBILE DIGITAL LITERACY AMONGST HIGH SCHOOL LEARNERS IN ESHOWE in collaboration with the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA) and the Emmanuel Biyela Educational Foundation recently hosted a highly successful Career Day and Mobile Digital Literacy initiative for learners in Eshowe engaged 400 dedicated grade 11 and 12 students from Princess Langazana High School The Career Day component of the event provided students with valuable insights into DUT’s six faculties guidance on application procedures through the Central Applications Office (CAO) the DUT Short Course Unit introduced the Mobile Digital Literacy course highlighting its benefits and relevance in today’s digital age The event also featured the participation of esteemed organizations such as MICTSETA all of whom offered specialised career guidance and information about their respective fields Their upcoming visit will extend the educational outreach to two additional schools: Bhekeshowe and Matheku High Schools These visits are scheduled for 5-8 August 2024 and aim to provide Mobile Digital Training to over 1000 learners from Grades 10 to 12 The training will consist of a comprehensive one-day online course with 14 assignments participants will receive a certificate acknowledging their achievement This initiative not only equips youth with essential digital literacy skills but also fosters collaboration among educational institutions and community stakeholders thereby contributing to sustainable development and empowerment in the region Pictured: DUT’s Cindy Stewart with learners from Princess Langazana Secondary School DUT PAIA Manual                         Privacy Policy P O Box 1334, Durban 4000 AVBOB celebrates a milestone by rewarding its members on a large scale ESHOWE - A KwaZulu-Natal community has become a symbol of healing and reconciliation after dealing with years of faction fighting and killings Premier Thami Ntuli led the provincial commemoration of Reconciliation Day in eShowe in northern KwaZulu-Natal on Monday READ: Acknowledge the past but focus on the future - IFP Ntuli called for tolerance and unity to help entrench social cohesion and prosperity in the province “We are hoping that what we have achieved in the province to bring people together for social cohesion is something that must be enhanced by the commemoration of this important day," he said KwaZulu-Natal (25 August 2024) – If there’s one thing South Africans excel at or even just a spontaneous burst of movement Mzansi people have a natural rhythm that’s hard to resist Our ability to captivate an audience with our dance moves is just legendary Demonstrating this from a small rural town in KZN were Eshowe High School’s talented dancers who brought immense pride to their school and country recently After successfully participating in Dance Sports School Leagues competitions Amukelwa Xulu and Sifundo Mpungose aced provincials made the all-star national team and went on to represent South Africa at the UDO World Championship in Blackpool showcasing their exceptional skills and determination on the global stage According to the school both Sifundo and Amukelwa also attended a capping ceremony in Durban where they were recognised for their achievements They took to the skies on 12 August and competed on the world stage showcasing their incredible moves and agility The duo moved on to the semi-finals and Amukelwa also progressed to the semi-finals for his exhilarating solo performance They returned to South African soil on Tuesday 20 August where they received a warm welcome from their coach and dance team “We congratulate Amukelwa and the entire South African team for their outstanding performances and achievements They have brought great honour to Eshowe High School the Eshowe community and South Africa as a whole,” the school shared Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a1ce06383206cbaa339aee1fdcd1f5f2" );document.getElementById("d2d9e305b5").setAttribute( "id" and website in this browser for the next time I comment Would you like to receive truly phenomenal inspirational and good thing stories right to your inbox Then subscribe to our weekly GoodThingsGuy newsletter today I accept GTG’s Privacy Policy GoodThingsGuy is the home of everything good and those are the things that really matter We believe that there is good news all around us and over 1 million readers a month agree with us GoodThingsGuy was officially launched on the 1 August 2015 in order to only promote good news inspirational stories and promote only positive multi-platform media company that distills unique content across multiple media platforms We consider individual and corporate contributions through the website or mail us directly here. Your GPS did not respond. Be sure you have your GPS enabled and try again. The Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Department in the province confirmed the deaths in Durban “Tragically since last [Wednesday] night six people have died due to the heavy floods in Durban in areas around kwaMakhutha where two members of the families the house collapsed while they were sleeping inside and Umlazi three people died because of the mudslides and in Eshowe a young child was swept away while trying to cross a river,” said KZN COGTA MEC Buthelezi has called on residents in the province to be on high alert as severe rains are still expected “We want to express our condolences to the families but also to call up on citizens of KwaZulu-Natal to be vigilant and high alert.”  [WATCH] One person has been confirmed dead here in KwaMakhutha, south of Durban as a result of last night’s severe weather. Various emergency services are on scene. @_NMabaso pic.twitter.com/VoB4K5kvz5 DURBAN - The Pietermaritzburg High Court has sentenced a man linked to the brutal murder of six of his relatives to six life terms Nkosinathi Mthimkhulu shot and killed his uncle and five other relatives -- including children aged 8 and 10 years old in the Nkanini area of Eshowe Mthimkulu went on a murder spree over allegations that his uncle was involved in witchcraft practices READ: Task team to probe shooting that killed 7 family members in KZN "The  NPA commends the work done by the prosecution and police. It is incumbent on us to fight for justice on behalf of the victims of crime," said NPA spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara. Ramkisson-Kara said the Prosecution Authority hopes the sentence sends a strong message against crime. "We hope that stringent sentences like this convey our commitment to the fight against crime." Home | South Africa South Africa’s first democratic minister of education Professor Sibusiso Bengu’s memorial service takes place on Thursday in Eshowe He has been accorded a Special Official Funeral Category Two The Apostolic Administrator of Eshowe Diocese has expressed condolences and asked for prayers following a tragic accident on Sunday August 18 that left several pilgrims injured and one deceased two taxis travelling from Fatima to Nkandla were “involved in an accident avoiding a beast on the road.” “The two taxis by all accounts were speeding to Nkandla so much so that when the leading one took evasive action to avoid hitting a beast in the road the following one hit the first causing it to spin around roll over a couple of times before landing on its wheels,” said Cardinal Napier OFM in a message shared with the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) Communication office In the message the Archbishop Emeritus of Durban Metropolitan Archdiocese confirms that one woman succumbed to injuries whilst being transported to hospital Eshowe Diocese for the Assumption of the Virgin Mary celebrated by Cardinal Napier and Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa CMM of Kokstad Diocese “The deceased appears to have been thrown out and severely injured While still alive when put in the ambulance May the Lord have mercy & bring healing & comfort to her family and all affected!” “We are awaiting further information from the two priests who will be visiting the injured in hospital this morning,” he added Cardinal Napier asks for prayers “for the deceased The mission of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy ©2024 Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference The African National Congress’s (ANC) Senzo Mchunu has described South Africa’s first Education Minister in democratic South Africa, the late Professor Sibusiso Bengu, as a man whose actions spoke louder than words Bengu’s memorial service has taken place at the Eshowe Town Hall in KwaZulu-Natal Bengu’s legacy lies firmly in the education sector since 1966 when he taught at the Eshowe Teachers’ Training College Mchunu delivered a tribute on behalf of the ANC “Professor Bengu was a leader whose quiet actions spoke louder than words He leaves behind a rich legacy of hope and progress It started with the education system in South Africa which was not complex but very chaotic it’s education systems and its progress.” VIDEO | Professor Bengu’s memorial service On 01 December, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) officially closed its long-term HIV/TB project based in the KwaZulu-Natal town of Eshowe bringing to an end 23 years of continual MSF HIV/TB operations in South Africa.  94% of those were on antiretroviral treatment and 95% of those had a suppressed viral load).  “Our withdrawal does not mean that we think that HIV is over – it is not,” said Tom Ellman the head of MSF’s Southern Africa Medical Unit.  “We know that 90-90-90 isn't enough – there is a growing realization that even if you reach 90-90-90 you are going to stumble as people become fatigued and cycle in and out of care today South Africa has one of the world’s most impressive roll-outs of HIV services leaving less of a role for the large vertical projects that used to make up the bulk of MSF HIV activities,” said Ellman Earlier MSF HIV/TB projects in Khayelitsha and Lusikisiki were known for innovating new approaches to treating and caring for HIV and drug-resistant TB patients and with mustering the right levels of defiance needed to ensure that those models of care became policy not just in South Africa but regionally and elsewhere.  “The Eshowe project was a little different,” said Liesbet Ohler “Its scope was massive - we implemented activities at all levels of HIV care in an area of more than 2000km2 MSF Eshowe took everything that we know you need to do to reduce HIV-related illness and death adapted these models to an unique context and showed that if you do all of these things with the right people and sufficient resources you can make a difference,” she said.  In a detailed analysis of the project’s HIV work MSF’s Stockholm Evaluation Unit found that it “demonstrated the importance of investing in relationships concurred: “This is a highly traditional area in which levels of HIV and TB stigma were off the charts so we needed to consult deeply and imaginatively before we could launch a single activity everyone from patients and their families to traditional leaders and health practitioners to ensure that the community felt a sense of ownership of the services that were brought in.” The Eshowe project handed its HIV activities over to the government and other partners in 2018 patient-centred approach to combatting HIV.   including a study aimed at enhancing TB diagnosis in hospitalized adults that almost doubled TB diagnosis and a similar study for children that demonstrated how TB detection can be significantly improved mirroring the impact on the national TB program successive COVID-19 lockdowns hampered the work,” said Ohler who added that MSF remains concerned about the slow pace at which services for DR-TB patients have been decentralized in King Cetshwayo District “Progress has been made but children with DR-TB and patients with extensively drug-resistant TB still have to travel several hours to King Dinizulu Hospital in Durban for treatment and care,” Ohler said MSF continues to make major investments in HIV/AIDS in places that have been most neglected in the roll-out of HIV services with a focus on the populations that are known to be most neglected.  According to MSF’s regional operations director “In October 2023 we launched a new non-communicable diseases (NCD) project in the Eastern Cape We believe that much of what MSF in South Africa has learned over the last two decades in working with HIV and tuberculosis (TB) including in the recently concluded Eshowe project is relevant to the management and care of type-2 diabetes and hypertension and that these lessons can be easily adapted to transform the ways in which NCDs are identified and managed,” he said.  MSF field staff worldwide give life-saving medical and technical assistance to people who would otherwise be denied access to basics such as healthcare or find out about other ways that you can support MSF SA and the work that we do The support from donors like you means that MSF is ready to offer emergency medical care to patients in need Each month we produce an e-newsletter with articles and updates on our work in the field It's a great way to keep in touch with our activities throughout the world Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio First published in the Daily Maverick 168 weekly newspaper “Den of Thieves” or “The Abode of the Robbers” is what a Zulu prince – later to become King Cetshwayo kaMpande – named his royal homestead at Eziqwaqeni, which is today the bustling trading town of Eshowe in northern KwaZulu-Natal.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads One wonders what it was that led to Cetshwayo’s insight and assessment back in 1860 forewarning visitors of the potential dodginess of this the oldest European settlement in the region and a place where tumultuous historical currents coalesced The first settler was Norwegian missionary Ommund Oftebro Later Eshowe was to become a key town in the Zulu Kingdom forming a backdrop to the 1899-1902 Anglo-Boer War which came to shape the trajectory of land ownership in South Africa Welcome to the Hotel Zumafornia Even more significant was the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 when the invading British marched on Ulundi and were surprised by the Zulu army at Nyezane just outside Eshowe Contemporary Eshowe is a rich and deep blend of this history Some of the white English-speaking residents who live and trade in the town are able to trace their roots back 100 years Most speak fluent Zulu and could think of nowhere finer to live in the world A sprinkling of Afrikaans-speaking South Africans run successful businesses too A 2011 census pegged Eshowe’s population at around 15,000, with 80% black/African, 7% white and 5% Indian and coloured, according to government’s classification.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Property between R800,000 and R1-million is moving well as government officials who work in surrounding areas venture to invest in a modest but solid home in the shadow of an indigenous forest Eshowe is also accessible from two main highways and there are good schools a historical society and an active tourism sector It falls under the uMlalazi Local Municipality which is part of the King Cetshwayo District Municipality that also embraces 14 tribal authorities Eshowe is sustained in part by the 33% agricultural activity in the area It is known for its close location to the 250ha Dinza forest which is alive with birdlife and crisscrossed by walking trails It is here you might spot the rare Delegorgue’s pigeon or the spotted thrush There are as many renegades and rogues among its residents as there are straight-up forward-thinking survivors in a tough economic climate From cultivating marijuana to conjuring up farming fertiliser from growing indigenous trees to running a funeral parlour the residents of Eshowe and surrounding areas know how to hustle and keep going They will brew their own flagship beer, Zulu Blonde – soon to be found in bars in France and the UK – they will have their music festivals, they will have their weekend downtime.advertisementDon't want to see this? 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Remove ads For those throughout the world interested in Zulu history as well as that of the Anglo-Boer or Anglo-Zulu wars Eshowe provides endless possibilities for pilgrimage established in 1883 as a barracks for a Zulu peacekeeping force including the wheelchair King Cetshwayo used later in life and a sad-looking plaster British soldier in his hot highly visible red jacket and white helmet King Cetshwayo’s legacy still looms large in Eshowe His portrait graces the entrance to the George Hotel built on a site once occupied by the residency of British Residential Commissioner Sir Charles Saunders Cetshwayo’s place in history was secured after a civil war in 1856 when his Usuthu forces beat the Gqoza regiment of his brother and rival Cetshwayo became not only heir to Mpande but also the Zulu Kingdom defeated the British at the famous Battle of Isandlwana in 1879 During the second British invasion Cetshwayo was defeated and exiled first to Cape Town and then London According to the municipality’s website the importance of the town of Eshowe to the region was evident in that “its contribution to gross geographic product, in terms of the Government Sector, which is mainly within Eshowe town, is 21%”.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The effect of Jacob Zuma on the region over several years is marked government officials and businessmen and businesswomen were drawn to this town only 52km from Zuma’s home While Zuma’s shadow still looms large over Eshowe as one of the most controversial presidents prepares to meet his destiny in various court proceedings and commissions Eshowe will no doubt remain standing and survive through it all You can get your copy of DM168 at these Pick n Pay stores ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Deputy Minister of Education Dr Reginah Mhaule says Professor Sibusiso Bengu’s memorial service is not meant to mourn him but to celebrate his work Bengu’s memorial service is underway in Eshowe He died last week at the age of 90 Professor Bengu was the first education minister in democratic South Africa we are here to celebrate we are not here to mourn we are here to celebrate the work done by Professor Bengu we are standing on the shoulders of the giants When he came to the Department of Education there were 19 different departments that were based on segregation Then Professor Bengu had to start a new department of education bringing together the 19 departments segmented departments.” Deputy Minister @ReginahMhaule is today attending the memorial service of Professor Sibusiso Bengu, the first education minister in a democratic South Africa. pic.twitter.com/JS9omXXVEO — Dep. Basic Education (@DBE_SA) January 9, 2025 VIDEO | Deputy Minister of Education Reginah Mhaule reflects on Professor Bengu’s life Mhaule says that merging the departments was a monumental task adding that it was not an easy task because some people enjoyed the benefits of segregation it was fight after fight and he fought until he managed to bring it to one education department He was part of the people who pioneered outcome-based education Remember the education that was there before was just to make you read But he said we want an outcome-based education that will see the fruits and today we are here because he laid a strong foundation.” VIDEO| Professor Bengu’s memorial service three suspects were shot and killed in a confrontation with KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson for the South African Police Service (SAPS) armed and allegedly en route to carry out an assassination were intercepted by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Stabilisation Team officers responding to intelligence on their activities.“The suspects were spotted near King Dinizulu and upon police signalling for their vehicle to stop triggering a high-speed chase,” Netshiunda stated.Realising that the police were gaining ground the suspects exited their vehicle and opened fire on the pursuing officers resulting in the fatal injury of all three suspects One police officer sustained injuries during the exchange.Upon investigation authorities found the suspects in possession of two firearms hand grenades and rifle rounds were discovered within the suspects’ vehicle “Two of the suspects have been positively identified and were allegedly linked to numerous cases of taxi-related murder and attempted murder within the King Cetshwayo District,” Netshiunda revealed The international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) today released findings from a follow-up survey of its community-based HIV/TB project in Eshowe, KwaZulu Natal. It shows that the project has achieved the UNAIDS targets of 90-90-90[1] one year ahead of the 2020 deadline with results of 90-94-95: 90% of people living with HIV know their status 94% of those were on antiretroviral treatment and 95% of those had a suppressed viral load.  The results support MSF’s view that interventions at community level can successfully reach and directly support more people living with HIV who do not access conventional health services which is key to getting ahead of the HIV epidemic Along with similar findings from several other HIV population surveys, including two surveys released at SAAIDS this week[2] the MSF results provide strong evidence that achieving the 90-90-90 targets is possible in South Africa along with hopeful data suggesting that the number of new infections is decreasing in certain areas The 90-90-90 target is an important indicator of the success of a country’s HIV response with South Africa’s national results estimated at 85-71-86 (HSRC “We’ve shown that it’s possible to reach 90-90-90 in an area with one of the highest HIV infection rates in the country where one in four people is living with HIV These results are testament to the full engagement of the entire community Everyone - from local civil society and patient groups health staff and traditional health practitioners traditional leaders and their members – was deeply involved in designing and helping this project to deliver from the beginning we have ensured 94% of people who tested HIV positive started treatment including people who are much less likely to test for HIV and link to care which included 3,286 people aged 15 to 59 years is a follow up to a 2013 survey done by MSF and Epicentre in the same area which was performed to inform priority activities The 2018 survey found a significant increase in overall HIV status awareness (increased by 14%) and in starting people on treatment (increased by 24%) between 2013 and 2018 there were striking increases in knowledge of HIV status (first 90) from 68% to 83% and on treatment (second 90) Preliminary HIV incidence results (which means the number of new HIV infections) show a trend to decrease This is supported by survey findings which show that among the people surveyed the proportion of those living with HIV who were virally suppressed increased from 56% (2013) to 84% (2018) signifying a dramatic reduction in the number of people with the potential to transmit HIV MSF cautions against interpreting the survey results as an outright declaration of victory with significant challenges remaining among specific age groups “While incidence decreased among women aged 15-29 years from 2.9% to 1.2% this figure remains high and points to the continued risk faced by adolescent girls and young women MSF’s Medical Coordinator for South Africa who overall achieve poorer treatment outcomes across the cascade More than half of young men aged 15 to 29 years diagnosed with HIV are still not on treatment We hope these findings will help focus our collective energies on reaching these groups who remain the most vulnerable to HIV.” The ‘Bending the Curves’ project which started in 2011 before the 90-90-90 targets were set by UNAIDS in 2013 aimed to bend the curves of new HIV infections Numerous activities were launched in partnership with communities and the KwaZulu Natal Department of Health to prevent HIV infection Today the project covers ten clinics and two hospitals the project invested in community-based prevention and HIV testing strategies including extensive door-to-door testing by lay workers with over 120,000 door-to-door tests conducted between 2012 and 2018 1,35 million condoms were distributed annually We had the total commitment of the traditional leadership and close collaboration with the departments of Health and Education at each stage it was almost impossible for people to even imagine talking about HIV Today people even stop our MSF vehicles and ask for an HIV test [1]  ’90-90-90’ treatment goals require that 90 per cent of people living with HIV know their status that 90 per cent of people living with HIV initiate and remain on ARV treatment and that 90 per cent of people on ARV treatment reach and maintain an undetectable viral load [2] 1 The HIV Incidence Provincial Surveillance System (HIPSS) in Vulindlela and Greater Edendale subdistricts KwaZulu Natal; 3 DREAMS Evaluation Study HIV Incidence in eThekwini and uMgungundlovu in KwaZulu-Natal and City of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni in Gauteng [3] Viral suppression means that the antiretroviral treatment is successfully suppressing the amount of HIV virus in a person’s blood ensuring overall health and greatly reducing the chances of HIV transmission It was defined as viral load <1,000 copies/ml Celiwe Dlamini-Ndlovu works as a project coordinator support in MSF Eshowe/Bending The Curves project in KwaZulu Natal (KZN) province Doctors Without Borders(MSF) is providing TB and HIV support to South Africa’s Department of Health (DOH) in the healthcare facilities (2 hospitals and 10 PHC clinic) under Umlalazi Municipality Wards 1-14 The project started in 2011 running mainly HIV programmes and is now shifting into TB only as the project exceeded the 90-90-90 target 2 years ahead of the deadline. Eshowe and Mbongolwane communities are still facing different challenges to access health care facilities one of them being distance to the healthcare facilities Our MSF teams are implementing different interventions which aim to reach out to communities to ensure they have access to health care services and people are very welcoming to these MSF activities Working with Eshowe and Mbongolwane communities is great; I see that day by day; people understand the importance of owning their health and supporting community health as well irrespective of challenges I have been working in the project for 9 years now & I have a couple of interesting moments that really touched my heart When we started the Child Disclosure Counselling sessions for children who are living with HIV in 2012 It was not easy to get the parents to talk to their children about HIV as it meant they had to talk about sex which is still not culturally easy in our context Explaining how their children are infected with the virus sometimes especially to the grandparents who lost their children because of HIV As we continued to capacitate the guardians and parents with proper health education they eventually realized how important it is for the children to know their HIV status as that helps in terms of treatment adherence We then established ongoing support post-disclosure counselling for the children and Children and youth had an opportunity to open up and talk about their feelings fears and concerns when it comes to their HIV status and treatment We supported them to have a better understanding of the importance of adhering to HIV treatment and they benefited a lot from their peers and healthcare workers as well As we aligned our health services to be suitable for adolescents & children the disclosure counselling reminds healthcare workers that children who are HIV positive are also visible and have a voice Rather than discussing everything with the parents/guardians when the child is the one who is taking treatment every day This is one of the many programs that I am proud of; there are many MSF interventions that resulted in reaching the UNAIDS targets ahead of the deadline Eshowe/Mbongolwane reached 90% - 94% - 95% that proves that working with communities for public health concerns is vital and very possible The project will use the lessons learned in achieving the 90% - 90% - 90% HIV targets in finding TB missed cases including through community engagement bringing health services at community level bridging the gap and continue providing clinical support in the healthcare facilities.  FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES AND APPLIED SCIENCE AIMS TO BRING CHANGE TO THE COMMUNITY OF ESHOWE The Durban University of Technology (DUT) Faculty of Management Sciences and Applied Science recently hosted a meet and greet session at the Aloe Lifestyle Hotel situated at Eshowe The purpose of this event was to present the importance of advanced entrepreneurship accelerate capacity building in communities facilitate active project-based learning through onsite assessment at Ngodini Bunduz and expose students to entrepreneurship This project is a collaboration between The Department of Applied Management Entrepreneurial Studies and Management and the Ngodini Bunduz The esteemed guests for the event were Aloe Lifestyle Hotel Marketing and Tourism Officer Mr Sifiso Ngubane Ngodini Bunduz Founder Mr Thokozani Mabaso and his team Eshowe Fort Nonqayi Village Museum representative Mr Thabani Ntuli delegation from Induna yenkosi (Tribal Authority) DUT post graduate students and lecturers from the collaborating departments The programme for the event was facilitated by the Public Relations Lecturer Mr Nyane Mofokeng who expressed that he believes the meet and greet session for the project is the beginning of greater things that will bring change in the lives of Eshowe people The DUT Department of Eco-Tourism lecturer Ms Zikho Qwatekana presented the different execution plan phases (community involvement at Ngodini market) educational program for local schools linked with school curriculum and more information that will ensure that the project becomes a success DUT Entrepreneurial and Management lecturer Ms Thuli Ndlovu emphasised the importance to formalise registering the project and creating a sustainable relationship with the community as a whole “The aim is to have a forum that will be representing the different businesses that already exist The relationship will be an exchange of knowledge between the two partners We want to encourage students to work with entrepreneurs to learn and be able to create job opportunities instead of gaining knowledge to be employees Mr Ngubane stated that Aloe Lifestyle is not just a hotel but an experience one of the important services is providing people with the Zululand experience which may include adventure parks cultural experiences and many more activities “The existence of the hotel is based on a partnership which means the involvement of the community as a whole The project will add a lot of value and benefits the community I am really excited because the partnership will reduce unemployment and boost our economy Mr Ntuli expressed his gratitude for the project and explained that it will indeed bring a lot of change and exchange of information since Eshowe has a lot of attractions that have a different history where tourists may gain knowledge there was a discussion session and all the attendees proceeded to a site visit at the Ngodini Bunduz where Mr Mabaso expressed his excitement about the project “This is a very exciting day for me as the founder of Ngodini Bunduz I hope this project will open the eyes of the community members to learn to use the available resources to make a living start and improve on their existing businesses The project will also assist the community members to understand the marketing strategies and many more with that assistance and knowledge they can better their lives Pictured: DUT Department of Eco-Tourism lecturer If expectant parents Mary and Joseph had been travelling through Eshowe in December 2013 and had needed somewhere to bunk down for the night they would most certainly have been turned away That month there was not a single vacant bed or unoccupied room in any of the 17-odd guest houses located in the town as President Zuma as well as the president’s rather large personal security entourage descended on the region for the annual holiday break Even when the President stopped off at Nxamalala a few weeks ago to “rest” and visit a few voter registration centres none of the security team or his personal travelling medical team overnighted at the R66-million “security” village of around 25 thatched rondavels which are immediately visible on approaching the President’s home from the Kranskop road President Zuma and his large family’s needs have also benefited local businesses – many of them white-owned – including interior decorators who provided fittings and furnishings for the President’s sprawling security estate to catering companies contracted to feed the multitudes who attend various parties and functions to the local bed and breakfasts that accommodate the president’s support staff “I’ve been waiting for someone from the media to come out here for a long time and listen; you can’t print my name my business will be finished if you do,” joked one guesthouse owner as she sipped iced tea in the tropical heat my B&B has grown but it didn’t only grow because of Jacob Zuma,” said another guesthouse owner there is a lot of business generated by his security guys but there are other officials who also visit the area then there are the people who work in Eskom who are in the region for electrification projects.” many from Norway and who visit the area because of the historical links to Norwegian missionaries also make up significant numbers of visitors the guesthouse But there is no doubt that for those who orbit his life or who linger in his slipstream President Jacob Zuma has brought good fortune to Eshowe and a few surrounding areas they drink and they bring women for parties They also don’t eat the food that has been prepared for them and which is paid for sometimes they don’t touch it at all,” the guesthouse owner said of the President’s security detail Those seeking culinary delights in Eshowe will be bitterly disappointed situated at the Fort Nongqayi Museum Village the only other options are the usual fast food outlets along the main drag some in the President’s security are said to favour a local tavern owned by controversial local businesswoman known variously as Nomatandazo Connie Mtembu or Nomthandazo Mathaba-Mthembu Mathaba-Mthembu’s unmarked restaurant/tavern is situated in an old house set back from a street and encircled by a security fence The only indication that it is an eating-house is the discreet green Heineken sign inside the yard The establishment is closed during the day The Daily Maverick spent several days in Eshowe speaking to owners of hotels and guesthouses about the influx of guests and about the possible ethical concerns of making an income out of the President indirectly paid for by taxpayers Often bookings get cancelled at the last minute when the president’s movements change it’s like I’m paying myself with my own tax,” our iced-tea sipping owner quips with a laugh The owner of one five-star guesthouse confirmed that the Economic Freedom Fighter’s Commander in Chief had sent his “security detail” to check out the establishment in December when the leader visited the area on an ill-advised mission to build a house for one of Jacob Zuma’s well-off neighbours “They said the place wasn’t good enough so he checked in at another guest house.” It is still not clear who is bankrolling Malema, but his one-time hero and mentor, Jacob Zuma, has quite possibly influenced the EFF leader’s taste for luxury accommodation. The guesthouse owner who did end up hosting Malema said the Commander-in-Chief was “a pleasure” and refused to disclose any more details.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Some who have done business with the President’s support staff are quick to rise to the president’s defence my opinion is that Jacob Zuma has done a lot of good things for the area He brought Patrice Motsepe here recently to watch a soccer match at the local school and to help out The Eskom people and others are here getting electricity and water to the outlying areas I think it is only natural that a person will want to see their own area uplifted.” Motsepe paid for the construction of a Salvation Army church that First a short distance from the Presidential home.) While the national narrative about Jacob Zuma might be overwhelmingly negative and most daily headlines pivot around the massive R206 expenditure on security to his private home in Nkandla as well as the high levels of corruption and wasteful expenditure that have occurred on his watch in his home-province of KwaZulu-Natal the ethical lines are blurred and the President is clearly held in high esteem by many building Nkandla with the taxpayer’s money Aren’t they angry about the excessive amounts of wasted expenditure the erosion of the democratic state?” one may ask The answers for some inhabitants of the province – black and white – who benefit enormously from the power and influence that Jacob Zuma wields in the province are not quite that clear-cut Even a superficial visit to KwaZulu-Natal will provide evidence of some of the growth and infrastructure developments that have most certainly benefited some people’s lives in the province The provision of electricity and water and the upgrading of schools and hospitals have eased the desperate hardship of rural life in the province And there is little doubt that a lot of people believe that Jacob Zuma is directly responsible for this growth and development Jeremy Steere is a UCT-trained architect who moved to the sub-tropical holiday village of Mtunzini some twelve years ago and who has subsequently worked on a variety of public works projects including the revitalisation of several clinics community centres and the police station at Eshowe Steere’s distinctive designs pay homage to local and existing architectural features combined with a utilitarian industrial edge Steere personally met Jacob Zuma during a consultation at his private home at Nxamalala and was impressed by the president’s hospitality “We went to discuss some structural matters and I found him to be extremely humble and a wonderful host,” recalls Steere “There has been enormous development and if you live here you see the huge and direct impact it has made on people’s lives Next time you come here I’ll take you out there to show you I have just finished working on an R18 million stand-alone operating theatre with central sterile services departments (CSSD) where instruments can be sterilised and sent to other hospitals and clinics I have also just finished work on a R60 million project at the Thembinfundo School for disabled children about five kilometers from the president’s home It is wonderful; it has a full-on kitchen as well as a performance hall and dormitories,” says Steere And that’s the ethical dilemma of Jacob Zuma: the dancing who seems blissfully unaware of the money haemorrhaging from the public purse as he cuts a destructive swathe through the political landscape fresh from his victory after being elected President at the ANC’s 52nd National Conference at Polokwane in December 2007 located on a slope at the entrance to the village on Hely Drive The guesthouse is owned by Ann Walters (and her then-husband Mike) who was Chancellor of the University of Zululand at the time was in the district to attend and make a speech at the annual graduation ceremony his medical team of two and several personal bodyguards spent two nights at the guesthouse a few days after the ANC President and his entourage – which consisted then of around 22 people (the bulk of whom bedded down in Richard’s Bay) – had departed the inevitable small-town tongues began to wag “Apparently,” someone remarked to someone else behind a cupped hand in the supermarket “Zuma called room service and asked for a bowl of fruit in the middle of the night asks for a bowl of fruit in the middle of the night Maybe he wanted Ann to deliver it personally if you know what I mean,” nudge Ann Walters chuckles when she learns what the village gossip has been He came back late from making his speech at the university and was hungry so he asked me for a snack,” she recalls sitting at her guesthouse pool deck with its magnificent view stretching across the dense tree-tops of Mtunzini all the way to the blue Indian Ocean in the distance He spoke to me directly and not through staff He was extremely polite and very humble and I really He made a very good impression,” Walters recalls That Jacob Zuma is an accessible leader to the people of his province is not in dispute he is apparently so accessible that his minders have had to find ways of keeping the president safe from the endless requests from citizens seeking a private audience with “the chief” and who trudge to his home in Nxamalala and sit and wait in the amphitheatre On the second night of the ANC president’s stay at her guesthouse Walters also watched as a steady stream of people began to appear apparently “out of nowhere” The bodyguards began taking all these phone calls People from all walks of life began arriving A lot of them were ordinary working people and they sat here patiently waiting for him We drew the curtains of the dining room so he could have privacy He spoke to them all gently like a father for a very long time,” she recalls You are making Mtunzini a real place of rest He clearly enjoyed the visit and a short while later booked out the guesthouse once again One on Hely rates back then were R680 a night for double and twin rooms and R500 a night for a single with an extra charge of R80 for breakfast “A while later his office contacted me again and booked out the house I was asked to get a live chicken that we needed to slaughter in a certain way The bodyguards had arrived ahead of the president and they were sitting around waiting for him Then suddenly there was this flurry of activity and they all just got up and left I asked what was going on and they told me there had been a change of plans.” Walters learned that one of the ANC president’s daughters had complained that she had not seen enough of her father and had wanted to spend time with him so he had simply checked into another guesthouse in Richards Bay We got paid with vouchers issued from the Office of the Presidency,” recalls Walters Of course we all know that Jacob Zuma is a “nice guy” Even Helen Zille has remarked on how affable she has found him to be His regional political power base and support and reward for being ‘his people’ is obvious and more than welcomed by an overwhelming majority of them But while Zuma might be very good for business and development in ‘his’ parts of KwaZulu-Natal he also happens to be the president of the Republic of South Africa services and an idea what the future will bring Photo: Traditionally clad Zulu warriors blow horns as members of the Shembe faith (Nazareth Baptist Church) a religious hybrid of Christianity and African traditions The town of Eshowe in KwaZulu-Natal has an indigenous forest snaking through its centre where tiny blue duiker skitter around in the undergrowth the sounds of the taxi rank are clearly audible — pumping bass and singing voices It is a place of many sharp contrasts: the natural and the manmade When UNAIDS came up with the targets in 2014 modelling suggested that achieving them would enable the world to end the Aids epidemic by 2030 The achievement of 90-90-90 by MSF and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health was therefore noteworthy not least because it happened two years ahead of the deadline and in an area of intense HIV stigma and high HIV prevalence underscored this in a speech he made at the Eshowe project’s official closure event MSF’s Eshowe project was both more and less than it was purported to be the director of the Southern Africa Medical Unit (Samu) explained that MSF’s earlier HIV projects in Khayelitsha (1999-2022) and Lusikisiki (2002-2006) had demonstrated that it was possible to treat people with antiretrovirals (ARVs) in even the most challenging contexts “and in the face of HIV denialism and a global rejection of the idea that ARVs could become affordable “The big challenge for the HIV community in 2009 was: how do we get everybody on treatment given impetus by the seminal HPTN052 study together with deploying all the prevention knowledge we had at our disposal “‘Undetectable equals untransmissible’ was the slogan of the time and the strategy that was proposed for achieving this became known as ‘test and treat’ “The idea was to pilot a simple model that was going to show how by drastically scaling up treatment and then treating everyone who tests positive in a smaller district we could decrease the number of new infections as well as mortality and morbidity,” said Reuter adding that colleagues of his came up with the phrase “Bending the Curves” which ultimately became the name of the project MSF looked at many areas in southern Africa where HIV incidence was known to be high but zoomed in on KwaZulu-Natal where the healthcare system was relatively robust both for its high burden of disease and the supportive attitudes of prominent leaders in the district department of health In 2013, two years after the project launched, Epicentre undertook a large-scale population survey, which provided the data against which the Eshowe project intended to measure the impact of its activities.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “The results showed that one in four people had HIV, so we knew we were in the right place,” Reuter said.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads MSF set out to massively scale up testing but came up against deeply entrenched HIV stigma “We were working in areas where HIV and TB were equated with witchcraft and talking about sex was simply taboo We realised it was important to work closely with traditional leaders as this is a traditional area in which the word of the chiefs carries a lot of weight,” said Ntombi Gcwensa Reuter said this signalled a change in approach for MSF which in Khayelitsha and Lusikisiki had worked closely with the activist-led TAC “where the guiding idea was that the people living with HIV are the leaders But King Cetshwayo District is indeed a deeply traditional area perhaps requiring a less confronting approach although I am still not convinced that we went in the right direction who leads when your organisation pulls out?” Individuals with a proven track record of working with amakhosi (clan chieftains) and izinduna (headmen) were hired to drive MSF’s door-to-door testing programme and it was only in 2016 (far too late for some) that MSF started implementing “test and treat” in Eshowe and Mbongolwane the government launched a policy of “universal test and treat” making antiretroviral therapy available to all HIV-infected people regardless of CD4 count This is exactly what MSF had been aiming to push for in South Africa So where did this development leave its Eshowe project who joined the project as its medical coordinator in 2016 it made sense for MSF to continue with what it had started “It can take a very long time before government policies are implemented the project had already moved on from a singular focus on ‘test and treat’ to a much broader strategy that involved intervening at every level of the cascade of care,” she said If MSF’s earlier HIV/TB projects were known for their innovation and for mustering the right levels of defiance needed to ensure that those models of care became policy “took everything that we know you need to do to reduce HIV-related illness and death and showed that if you do all of these things sincerely and intuitively the project framed its goal in a new way — to achieve the UNAIDS 90-90-90 treatment targets in the project area healthcare workers went door-to-door in rural communities offering HIV counselling and testing (HCT) and a mobile clinic visited high schools and “high transmission areas” like Eshowe’s technical college and the area’s sprawling commercial sugarcane farms Project staff tested in clinics and hospitals and from parkhomes located in busy parts of town Health department nurses were trained to be able to initiate patients on treatment and lay health workers were trained to become treatment adherence counsellors The Eshowe project introduced “differentiated service delivery” that increased the number of ways in which people living with HIV could access treatment and support These care options were duly included in South Africa’s national HIV guidelines it was this expansion of treatment options that made the difference “If you want to bend the curves [of the HIV epidemic] you must place individual choice and patient-friendly options at the centre of programme strategies I think we really showed this to be true.” The greatest affirmation of the project’s work came after a second population survey was conducted in 2018 to measure progress within the population in the project area returning results of 90-94-95 (90% of people living with HIV know their status 94% of those were on antiretroviral treatment and 95% of those had a suppressed viral load) and showing that the UNAIDS targets had been exceeded MSF’s Stockholm Evaluation Unit highlighted “the importance of investing in relationships The project duly handed its HIV activities over to the government and other partners in 2018 patient-centred approach to combatting HIV too — a study aimed at enhancing TB diagnosis in hospitalised adults almost doubled TB diagnosis and a similar study for children demonstrated how TB detection can be significantly improved; however successive Covid-19 lockdowns hampered the work “We remain concerned about the slow pace at which services for drug-resistant TB patients have been decentralised in King Cetshwayo District in spite of significant investments from MSF in support of this vital process,” said Ohler adding that there has been some progress: “several hospitals in the district are today managing DR-TB [drug-resistant TB] patients independently and DR-TB is also being managed at the primary care level in two clinics and a community health centre but children with DR-TB and people with extensively drug-resistant TB still have to get treatment from the central provincial DR-TB hospital in Durban the district health department’s deputy director but what was particularly necessary was your voice and the fact that your status as a non-governmental organisation enabled you to push bureaucratic walls that were previously not moving.” MSF’s withdrawal does not mean that the organisation is de-prioritising HIV/TB and for many marginalised populations and contexts There is a growing realisation that people become fatigued after years of medication and may stop taking their pills every day as needed to fully suppress the virus leaving less of a role for the large vertical projects that used to make up the bulk of MSF HIV activities,” he said MSF continues to make major investments in HIV/Aids in places that have been most neglected in the roll-out of HIV services Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo with a focus on the populations that are known to be most neglected the operations director for MSF in South Africa the organisation remains committed to South Africa we launched a new non-communicable diseases (NCDs) project in the Eastern Cape is relevant to the management and care of type 2 diabetes and hypertension and that these lessons can be adapted to transform the ways in which NCDs are identified and managed,” she said His Eminence Wilfred Cardinal Napier is now the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Eshowe following the appointment by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, whose decision was communicated to the President of SACBC, Bishop Sithembele Sipuka through the Nunciature on the 9th of February 2021 Cardinal Napier takes over as an Apostolic Administrator following the transfer of Bishop Kumalo to the Diocese of Witbank Bishop Kumalo whose installation is yet to be announced was appointed the Bishop of Witbank by Pope Francis on the 25 November 2020 Bishop Sipuka wished Cardinal Napier well being aware that he has the added responsibility after the recent passing away of the Coadjutor Archbishop of Durban one of the areas worst hit by the HIV pandemic tourists inspired by verdant sugar cane fields and blossoming trees write about “a corner of Eden” Locals and specialists know the small town set high among the rolling hills that run along South Africa’s eastern coast for another reason With the world’s attention now focused on a new infectious and potentially lethal disease there is hope that South Africa’s long battle against an earlier pandemic – and other infectious diseases – can provide ideas for possible solutions and hope South Africa remains the centre of the global HIV pandemic, and about 8 million people were estimated to be living with HIV in 2019, including one in five of all those aged 15–49 KwaZulu-Natal is the worst-hit province of the country and Eshowe is among the very worst-hit communities there is a growing belief in a future without HIV “I think one day there will be no more HIV here senior officials involved in the fight against HIV say they are more optimistic than ever before much better place … it is an effort that has involved many South Africa’s deputy director general for health “There is no magic bullet here … ultimately you need a strong health system and you have got to work with communities.” Buthelezi’s story is also that of her community, and in part that of South Africa, where the first HIV cases were reported in 1982, when she was nine prejudice and a series of disastrous failures of political will and understanding had crippled South Africa’s response to the HIV epidemic the family faced appalling prejudice and ignorance “People were afraid of anyone who was HIV positive They said: ‘We can’t help you,’ and told me to take her home and give her vegetable juice,” she remembered questioned the link between HIV and suppressed immunity suggesting that other factors could be responsible for the high mortality rate among those living with the virus The high-level political resistance to the distribution of ARVs may have cost as many as 300,000 lives The difference between Mbeki’s approach and the vigorous sweeping and rapid response of South Africa’s current president “The initial response is obviously in complete contrast with that to the HIV pandemic,” said Dr Richard Lessells a specialist in infectious diseases based in Durban Unfounded fears of possible infection made the family social outcasts funeral workers and relatives refused to help with her corpse “We were not even allowed to talk about HIV which stop pregnant mothers transmitting the infection to their children meant that her own daughter was born with HIV and died the South African government began backing the distribution of ARVs helped by funding from the US under a scheme to fight HIV in Africa introduced by President George W Bush the international NGO Médicins Sans Frontières began a pilot project in Eshowe which aimed to educate the community about HIV and mobilise local people to fight the disease themselves Initiatives included a massive distribution of free condoms outreach to community leaders and traditional health practitioners mobile testing vans and the deployment of huge numbers of community health workers View image in fullscreenA child drinking from the river at Eshowe in 2001 Photograph: Schalk Zuydam/APThe experience of fighting the HIV pandemic is now informing the battle against Covid-19 One principal lesson from fighting HIV – and tuberculosis – is that if you don’t have the community with you “They’ve been trying to do this with people not just by telling them what to do … There’s been an excellent mass public information campaign They really invested in communications,” said Lessells Other resources for fighting infectious diseases in South Africa are now being repurposed to face a new enemy. It is hoped that almost 200 machines used to screen for tuberculosis can now be converted for use against Covid-19 though the test kits and vital chemical agents may still be lacking South Africa also has a well-developed network of community health workers many of whom are now being redeployed to battle the new threat Many of the initiatives piloted in Eshowe have been introduced elsewhere by national health authorities But no one doubts the remaining challenges in the battle against HIV The project in Eshowe was very resource-intensive Though South Africa receives significant international aid and the country can also leverage the huge scale of its programme to bring down the huge cost of ARV treatment even before the vast expenditure caused by the coronavirus crisis But that there has been huge progress is undeniable Over 6.8 million people in South Africa are living with HIV.1 KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province has been particularly impacted by the epidemic—among those aged 15-49 years 27.9% are HIV-positive2 and incidence stands at 2.22%.3 HIV infections per annum in the general population in KZN increased from 1 550 955 in 2009 to 1 628 536 in 2013 constituting approximately 28% of national infections.4 Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has been providing HIV/TB services in South Africa since 1999 in partnership with the KZN Department of Health (DOH) MSF started an HIV/TB project called “Bending the Curves” in uMlalazi Municipality MSF supports nine clinics and three hospitals in an area with a population of 114 000 The coverage zone provides an opportunity to demonstrate the outcomes of activities in both the urban setting of Eshowe and rural setting of Mbongolwane MSF has rolled out community-based and facility-based activities dedicated to increasing uptake of HIV/TB testing and counselling the project promotes a client-centered approach to delivering treatment and improving retention in care by supporting patient clubs and adherence groups This brief outlines innovative strategies that have been undertaken at each stage of the cascade to improve outcomes and recommends interventions that could be replicated or scaled up elsewhere in order to support the achievement of national and international targets for successfully treating people living with HIV Mystery surrounds a luxury hotel situated on the outskirts of the northern KwaZulu-Natal trading town of Eshowe, used to accommodate former president Jacob Zuma’s security entourage, and how it grew from a modest cluster of rondavels in 2014 into the R60-million four-star establishment it is today.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads in a sworn statement in an application filed in the Pietermaritzburg High Court named Zuma as the “true owner” of the Aloe Lifestyle Hotel in Eshowe which is the closest town on Route 66 from Nkandla and about 75km from it “is also exceptionally wealthy in his own right Most of the assets which are beneficially owned by the respondent are not registered in his own name” She specifically cited the Aloe Lifestyle Hotel in Eshowe which she claimed “is registered in the name of a third party (or a corporation in which the shareholding is owned by a third party) but [Zuma] is the beneficial owner of this hotel” An investigation by Daily Maverick has revealed that the purchase of the hotel was negotiated in 2015 by former Johannesburg City Power CEO This was confirmed to Daily Maverick by two independent sources Despite South African taxpayers forking out R135-million in 2009 for the construction of an exclusive “security village” at former President Jacob Zuma’s home at Nxamalala members of his personal protection unit have never utilised these Daily Maverick in 2014 highlighted that Zuma’s entourage had used private guest houses and scrutinised invoices by these establishments sent to the Office of the President to settle Rates at the time varied between R800 and R1,000 a night per person Sources have told Daily Maverick that Zuma’s security have never been accommodated at the R135-million security compound at Nkandla as the buildings were never officially handed over by the Department of Public Works (DPW) Daily Maverick was awaiting a reply from the DPW at the time of writing Prior to the construction of the Aloe Lifestyle Hotel Zuma’s entourage utilised several other establishments in Eshowe The private accommodation costs of the former president’s security and medical detail have been footed by taxpayers for more than a decade and amount to millions considering Zuma’s term of office from 2009 to 2018 when he stepped down Since its opening in 2019, Zuma’s security detail has been exclusively accommodated at the Aloe Lifestyle Hotel at the cost of R1,150 a day – the going rate advertised on the hotel’s website.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads SAPS have declined to confirm this, citing “security reasons”. Daily Maverick has confirmed that the former president’s entourage remained at the hotel during the Covid-19 lockdown and continues to be accommodated there, paid for out of the public purse.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Daily Maverick came across an event by the Department of Agriculture hosted at the Aloe The hotel is a popular weekend hangout for locals with its bar large-screen TV and colourful children’s play area currently CEO of the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers He owns a R2.5-million home at the Eshowe Hills Golf Estate and hails from Nkanini In 2013 he found himself in the spotlight as CEO of City Power Johannesburg when he acted as a key figure in the awarding of a R1.2-billion contract to supply smart electricity meters to Zuma’ self-confessed benefactor Vivian Reddy and his Edison Group In 2013 Reddy took amaBhungane to the Press Ombudsman after a team of investigative journalists found that the tender for the smart meters had been “manipulated” to favour Reddy’s company.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads That investigation found that the initial technical evaluation scoresheet had been amended to improve the result for Reddy’s company It found that a letter informing Edison that it had won the bid was dated prior to City Power supply chain management receiving the bid recommendation and the signing-off of the decision by the chair of the adjudication committee Edison’s share of the contract, amaBhungane found, had been inflated from an initial recommendation of a R600-million share of an R800-million contract to an exclusive contract for R1.25-billion. Xulu, the report noted, had played a central role in the award to Reddy’s company.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The Press Ombudsman dismissed a complaint by Reddy who had stated that the investigation by the journalists had insinuated his company had been awarded the contract solely because of its “relationship with the president” Xulu stepped down from his position at City Power in July 2017 after Herman Mashaba was elected mayor of Johannesburg in 2016 and following the implementation of a forensic investigation into various alleged tender irregularities took place on 15 September 2015 after it had been negotiated by Xulu Ndhlovu was appointed as the sole member of the CC on 22 September 2015 and as sole director of the Pty Ltd in 2019 and has confirmed to Daily Maverick that she is the owner Building began soon afterwards and Daily Maverick confirmed that cash was used to purchase some of the building materials overlooking the incomplete low-cost housing Sunnydale Development were razed to the ground and a R60-million hotel rose over time Building was stalled temporarily in 2016 but soon resumed The Aloe Lifestyle Hotel was officially opened to great fanfare on 12 May 2019 an event attended by Zuma and King Goodwill Zwelithini Constance Khensani Ndhlovu is listed in CIPC records as a “semi-skilled” tax consultant with Mahoua Tax and Consulting in Gauteng Two months after buying the Fleurdale B and B CC for R8-million along with her bosses at Mahoua Tax and Consulting Alain Brice Siassia (a Congolese citizen) and South African Gildas Bonaventure Mahouassa Ndlhovu resigned as a director of Louya Properties in July 2020 Daily Maverick sent a list of detailed questions to Ndhlovu in light of our own investigations into the sale of the Aloe Lifestyle Hotel We asked Ndlhovu how she was able to raise R8-million in cash as well as the estimated R60-million that went into the complete refurbishment considering tax consultants typically earn between R122k and R570k annually attended the PP Hlungwani High School in Limpopo before enrolling as a student at the Tshwane University of Technology and later the Guarantee Trust a “provider of nationally registered tertiary qualifications including National Certificates and Diplomas” She has only ever worked for Mahoua Tax and Accounting she was aware of tax reporting regulations relating to the cash sale of such a large amount and her relationships with Sicelo Xulu and former president Jacob Zuma Ndhlovu said she would not be addressing our detailed questions and that this should not be viewed as “as an admission thereof” had based her allegations on “rumours” that were “unfounded” “The establishment of Aloe Lifestyle Hotel brought vibrancy to the community of Eshowe and this has also brought competition to local businesses and forced them to be competitive and innovative,” she alleged Ndhlovu implied that it was disgruntled business owners in Eshowe who “have been paddling [sic] inaccurate information to affect our reputation” “We also suspect that these rumours have culminated in [the president’s wife] making ‘unfounded’ allegations pertaining to our establishment as spokesperson for the Aloe Hotel in response to a previous query by the Sunday Times Ndhlovu responded that he was “a well-known Reputation Management Consultant” She said that the Aloe Lifestyle Hotel was a “well-respected establishment in Eshowe It is operated with pride and aims to be a beacon of transformation & growth within the community.” She denied “outright” that former president Jacob Zuma “is the true owner or beneficial owner of the hotel or that he has any interest in the hotel” She denied that Xulu had assisted with the “negotiation of the purchase of the business” but did admit that he did “on occasion consult and advise our establishment based on his knowledge of the area” he often visits his family and hometown in Eshowe and our hotel always welcomes him.” She said she had been “involved in the development of this hotel from the onset” and had indeed attended the opening Ndhlovu blamed a “group of white-owned B&Bs in and around Eshowe” for a “campaign” being waged against her as a result of a loss of business She confirmed that the former president’s security detail “have opted to stay at our establishment” as opposed to other options in Eshowe She described criticism of the hotel as a “witch hunt” and accused one B&B owner of dispatching “two white males and a white female” to Aloe Lifestyle Hotel for purposes of a “surveillance” at the property She said it should be “placed on record that if false information is publicly reported about Aloe Lifestyle Hotel which seeks to cause harm to our establishment we reserve all our rights to take necessary steps for loss of income In the 28 February 2020 issue of the Zululand Observer a notice was placed advertising an auction due to take place on 10 March 2020 as a result of an execution order by the Durban High Court for the sale of almost all of the furniture in the Aloe Hotel in a matter brought by Voltex (Pty) Ltd T/A Waco Briardene Daily Maverick has approached Voltex to inquire as to the nature of the debt Voltex had not responded at the time of writing Daily Maverick has learnt that the auction never took place responded to Daily Maverick’s questions as to why it did not take place “We have closed our file given that the debt owed by our client has since been settled.” Detailed questions to Xulu had not been answered at time of writing Daily Maverick asked Jacob Zuma’s legal representative Eric Mabuza to respond to the allegation that Zuma is the owner of the Aloe Lifestyle Hotel Sicelo Xulu hails from Nkanini near Eshowe Prior to his appointment as CEO of City Power in 2012 Xulu joined Eskom in 1995 In 2002 he joined City Power as Transmission Senior Engineer working his way up to Managing Director and then CEO His LinkedIn Profile describes him as “a professional Engineering Technologist registered with the ECSA and has over 20 years of engineering experience” Tech in Electrical Engineering from the Central University of Technology in the Free State a BSc Honours from the University of Pretoria and obtained his Masters of Philosophy (MPhil) in Electrical & Electronics Engineering (cum laude) He also completed an Accelerated Directorship Programme with the Institute of Directors in South Africa (IoDSA) and Executive Development Programme and Municipal Finance Management Programme with Wits Business School In 2015 he was voted by the Utility Week Industry Awards as African Utility Executive of the Year Xulu is currently CEO of the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers a year after Xulu’s appointment as CEO of City Power managing partner of the amaBhungane investigative unit said Xulu had played a central role in the tender award for City Power’s installation of smart meters to ANC and Zuma benefactor Vivian Reddy’s Edison Power group chaired the adjudication committee and issued a letter of award to Reddy’s consortium Xulu has denied any close relationship to Jacob Zuma Boksburg-based Constance Khensani Ndhlovu is the registered owner of the Aloe Lifestyle Hotel in Eshowe She bought the CC which owned the concern for R8-million cash in 2015 Around R60-million was poured into the development completed in 2019 Ndhlovu is employed as a tax consultant with Johannesburg-based firm Mahoua Tax and Accounting owned by Alain Brice Siassia (a Congolese citizen) and South African Gildas Bonaventure Mahouassa she attended the PP Hlungwani High School in Limpopo before enrolling as a student at the Tshwane University of Technology and later the Guarantee Trust she has only ever worked for  Mahoua Tax and Accounting The hotel’s bankers should however now start getting very nervous “White owned” is becoming a very hackneyed phrase used as an excuse by those who are asked to explain questionable financial dealings Please put forward more believable reasons as to why your unexplained wealth should not be questioned About Ndhlovu’s description as a “semi-skilled” tax consultant – are there any comedians out And regarding “provider of nationally registered qualification…” with the emphasis on ‘provider’… are there any qualifications/requirements to ‘provide’ I wonder what Constance Ndhlovu’s assets and liabilities have reflected over this period She has only worked as a tax consultant and suddenly purchases a hotel for R8m cash I would love to see her financial statements solid business relationship and great service from ABSA saw Suzuki Zululand scooping up a Golden Partner Award The dealer won this award from the bank in the Franchised Small category earlier this year and it was more recently also awarded Platinum dealer status by Suzuki Dealerfloor had a chat with Roland Witthoft Dealer Principal of the Suzuki Zululand as well as the Chery and Haval dealerships in Richards Bay on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast are the owners and directors of the East Motor Group with seven dealerships in total The dealerships include Toyota and Ford in Eshowe and another Suzuki and Chery dealership in Salt Rock “My brother started out with the Toyota dealership in 2001 and I joined when the Suzuki dealership was added to the portfolio We have been in the used and new car business for many years and have built up a good reputation my original staff members when we started with Suzuki are still with us and we boast very good teams at all our dealerships,” says Roland and some of our other dealerships have also won various awards over the years We are a family business and believe to be hands-on in all respects and customer care is an absolute priority for us,” Roland tells us Asked about the obstacles the motor retail business faces today and especially in KwaZulu-Natal Roland says although the floods and unrest in the province had a serious effect on business conditions they were fortunately spared physical harm and damage “We are glad to see an improvement in stock availability across the spectrum we are privileged that the manufacturer could deliver a good stock supply even during the more difficult times but also put the brand on the podium in terms of overall sales and market share in the country “The Suzuki range starts at real entry level models and a wide variety of offerings are really doing great while our Chinese brands like Chery and Haval are also shining in the market segment in which they do battle And it is no surprise that in the more rural and agricultural settings of Eshowe our Ford and Toyota dealerships’ pick-up range is immensely popular,” he says And what does the future hold in terms of expansion but in Salt Rock there is room for growing our footprint and we look at numerous possibilities,” Roland concludes Isuzu introduced the latest evolution of the MU-X locally with the latest model line-up raising the bar with improved styling The range is also being bolstered with the addition of a new flagship model The future of Proton in South Africa might be in jeopardy and the Malaysian brand which is partly owned by Chinese automotive giant might be packing up for the second time in South Africa although no final decision has been taken The 15th edition of the Simola Hillclimb was characterised by difficult emotions mixed with brave competition at the highest level during the King of the Hill challenge Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot and anyone going faster than you is a maniac The transition from a career in the OEM environment to the business at dealership level was like chalk and cheese Audi Centre Sandton was named 2024 Dealer of the Year while Hatfield Motor Group walked away with the coveted 2024 Dealer Group of the Year prize during Audi South Africa’s annual Vorsprung Awards For a dealership to make an 180-degree U-turn within two years and then went on to win the overall Volkswagen Dealer of the Year award This dealer-focussed innovation is made possible with the support and endorsement of Absa Vehicle and Asset Finance All content copyright of Panthera Media Pty Ltd 2020 We use cookies to personalise content and ads and to analyse our traffic and improve our service You consent to cookies if you continue to use our website Subscribe to daily business and company news across 19 industries “The three Zululand towns form a micro-economic hub with Melmoth and Gingindlovu having both recently acquired large shopping centres with major chain stores anchoring these developments,” says Spark Media’s channel manager “This means that many residents of these towns are becoming increasingly independent and not as reliant as they were in the past on the larger neighbouring towns of Ulundi and Empangeni necessitating the need for their own community paper.” The paper has a distribution of 8,000 copies and is aimed at the upper income earning consumer The Zululand Mail will meet the needs of these three closely-knit communities bound together by agricultural and tourism enterprises Spark Media invited a handful of clients and agency representatives to experience the Zululand areas first hand “It was the perfect way to highlight all the major development taking place in the area from a retail perspective Our clients had a two night stay at the Thula-Thula private game reserve which is part of the Anthony family legacy Clients received a presentation on the Zululand Observer media offering and its proud history “As community newspapers are one of the few categories to buck the declining print trend we are always looking at increasing our footprint providing advertisers with the key to unlocking successful marketing campaigns,” states Gill Randall “Research indicates that people shop locally and The Zululand Mail provides advertisers another opportunity to reach these consumers at a micro-level.” Choose a topic below and thereafter view all articles on the topic using the "Next >" button or swiping left Choose a topic below and thereafter view all articles on the topic using the "Next >" button or the keyboard right 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