by Dev_SACCAWU | Labour Market News
A new retail destination has opened in Hartenbos with the launch of Garden Walk, a 20,000sqm coastal-inspired retail and lifestyle centre designed to serve the growing Mossel Bay region and the broader Garden Route.
Developed by Moolman Group in partnership with Dorpstraat and Organic Coral Developments, the centre welcomed its first shoppers on 26 March 2026 following an official ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by project partners, municipal representatives, tenants and members of the local community.
The opening was marked by a festive community celebration, with choirs from Laerskool Hartenbos and Hoërskool Punt performing during the ceremony as residents, stakeholders and visitors gathered to mark the launch of the new centre.
A centre for a thriving coastal community
Hartenbos is a well-known coastal town on the Garden Route, located approximately 45km from George. It forms part of the broader Mossel Bay region – which also includes Mossel Bay itself, Glentana and the Groot and Klein Brak River areas – and functions as an important regional service hub along the Garden Route.
As a coastal tourism destination, Hartenbos is a perennial favourite along the Garden Route and remains a popular holiday town that attracts large numbers of visitors during peak seasons. It is particularly well known for the ATKV Hartenbos Resort, the largest self-catering holiday resort on the Garden Route coastline.
Hartenbos also supports a growing permanent residential community and offers a range of local amenities including schools, sports clubs and churches.
Garden Walk is located within the Hartenbos North area, which has developed into a key commercial and tourism node for the town. Positioned within this strong residential and holiday market, the centre provides convenient retail and services for both local residents and seasonal visitors to the region.
The centre is prominently located next to the N2 at the Hartenbos / Mossel Bay offramp, ensuring easy access for residents, visitors and travellers moving through the Garden Route.
National brands and local favourites
The single-level centre opened with 51 stores trading at launch, anchored by a 3,500sqm Checkers FreshX together with Food Lover’s Market and Dis-Chem, and providing 502 parking bays for shoppers.
Well-known brands include Outdoor Warehouse, Agrimark, Clicks, PNA, Pick n Pay Clothing, Miladys, Mr Price Home, Pencil & Oak, Volpes and PEP Home, alongside a range of specialist stores and service outlets.
Dining and coffee options include Spur, Doppio Zero, Mugg & Bean and Seattle Coffee Company, while several local establishments – including Elvis Brew, Krust Café, Craft Biltong, Indoblu, Waterplaas and KOALA – contribute a distinctly local flavour to the centre’s tenant mix.
Supporting regional growth
With a development history spanning more than five decades, Moolman Group has built a strong track record in developing retail centres for growing communities across South Africa.
“Our focus has always been on developing centres that respond to the everyday needs of the communities they serve,” says Pieter Lombaard, CEO of Moolman Group. “Garden Walk fits our ethos of creating a well-located retail environment that provides essential services while also contributing to the social life of a growing coastal community.”
Hermann Stassen, Head of Developments at Moolman Group, says the vision for Garden Walk extended beyond simply a retail centre. “Our aim was to create a space that is true to the character of the Garden Route while creating a welcoming environment,” he says. “From the architecture to the landscaped public areas and curated art installations, the centre was designed to feel connected to its coastal community.”
Jannie Kruger, director at Dorpstraat, adds that the project exemplified strong collaboration between the development team, contractors and local stakeholders. “Developments of this scale are the result of close cooperation between many partners, from the professional team and contractors to local authorities and the community itself,” he says. “We are proud to see the centre open its doors and begin serving the region.”
Shaped by the coastal landscape
The design of Garden Walk draws inspiration from the local terrain, with architectural elements that evoke the surrounding coastal landscape and maritime heritage of the Mossel Bay area. Natural textures, warm earthy tones and gently curved forms echo the shapes of nearby dunes and ocean horizons, while materials such as steel, timber and brick speak to the maritime character of the region.
The thoughtful planning creates a welcoming and easy-to-navigate shopping environment, with spacious walkways, intuitive pedestrian flow and a central piazza that acts as a natural gathering space within the centre.
Outdoor seating areas, free-standing restaurant terraces and a dedicated children’s play area combine with beautifully landscaped areas throughout the centre to create a relaxed setting where visitors can move comfortably between stores, restaurants and outdoor spaces.
Art, culture and community at the heart of Garden Walk
Art forms an important part of the character and atmosphere at Garden Walk, with a number of artistic installations incorporated throughout the centre. Inspired by the surrounding landscapes, indigenous fauna and flora, and the nearby ocean, murals and artworks by professional artists help connect the space to the natural beauty and cultural identity of the Garden Route.
At the heart of the centre is a communal workspace with free Wi-Fi, providing a convenient place where students, professionals, local residents and holiday visitors can meet, work or take a break during the day.
Together, these elements contribute to Garden Walk’s identity as more than simply a retail destination, creating a space where community, creativity and everyday life come together.
Economic benefits for the region
Garden Walk has already contributed to the local economy through construction activity and local procurement and will continue to do so through employment opportunities within the centre. During the construction phase, approximately 60% of the workforce was drawn from the local community, with an estimated R32 million spent locally during the building phase.
Executive Mayor of the Mossel Bay Local Municipality, Alderman Dirk Kotze, welcomed the development as an important investment in the region.
“Developments such as Garden Walk play an important role in strengthening the local economy while improving the quality of life for residents,” says Kotze. “This centre brings new retail opportunities, job creation and a vibrant gathering place for the community while supporting the continued growth of the Mossel Bay region.”
With its strategic location, diverse tenant mix and strong connection to the surrounding community, Garden Walk is expected to serve residents and visitors to Hartenbos and the broader Garden Route for many years to come.
Source: https://cbn.co.za/industry-news/property-development-sector-news/garden-walk-opens-in-hartenbos-bringing-a-new-retail-destination-to-the-heart-of-the-garden-route/
by Dev_SACCAWU | Labour Market News
Dr Vish Govender.
Image: Supplied
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
MEC Meyer, you stand at podiums declaring war on corruption. You speak about supposed death threats that you receive for your attempts to clean house. You stood next to Minister Dean Macpherson, the national Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, and denounced fraud as a cancer eating through the walls of public works. You keep promising consequences.
Then, in your authority as the MEC and highest decision maker, you had a hand in the permanent appointment of Vish Govender as the head of your department (HOD).
The public record requires no interpretation here. Govender is not a reformer brought in from the outside. He was the acting HOD) who presided over it during its most catastrophic period. The institution did not collapse before he arrived. It collapsed around him while he was the commander-in-chief.
MEC, the numbers are not in dispute. At a snapshot, under Govender, R1.1 billion was lost through a single corrupt supply chain official who distributed 29 contracts to one company. The Ngwelezana Hospital, a R100 million-plus health facility which was supposed to be completed, is still unfinished. Contractors are terminated. Deadlines are abandoned. Senior project officials are untouched. You yourself used the phrase “dereliction of duty” when you described the HOD’s steering of the department. The question you did not answer publicly is this: who was the accounting officer while that dereliction was taking place?
That answer is none other than Vish Govender.
Govender told the KwaZulu-Natal provincial legislature oversight structures, in his own words, that the department had become “basically bankrupt”. That admission did not come from opposition politicians or investigative journalists. It came from the man you have now confirmed as the permanent head. When an accounting officer publicly declares his institution bankrupt, the expected response from political leadership is scrutiny. The expected response is the consequence. What the people of KZN received instead was your giving him a permanent contract.
The auditor-general has not softened this picture. The department remains under a qualified audit. Its finances are in ruins. Project pipelines are stalled. These are not historical grievances. They describe the present condition of the institution under Govender as the then acting HOD and accounting officer.
The appointment process itself carries a further shadow. In November 2025, the MK Party formally demanded that the premier halt proceedings, citing whistle-blower testimony alleging manipulation of candidate scores and interview questions engineered to favour a predetermined outcome. Leaked WhatsApp messages followed, alleging that scores were being tampered with during the process. These allegations were never subjected to a transparent and independent forensic inquiry. You allowed the process to proceed. By signing off on the outcome, you did not merely overlook the allegations. You validated them.
This is not an argument about one individual. It is about what an appointment communicates across an entire public service. When the acting HOD that bled billions, received a qualified audit and admitted bankruptcy; is confirmed permanently at its helm – the message is crystal clear: failure does not end careers in this province. It consolidates them. It gets the blessing of your party, the DA.
Your party built its political identity on the explicit claim that it was different from this. The DA positioned itself as the antidote to a culture of impunity. That is the mandate you carried into office. Yet, the Govender appointment does not reflect that mandate. It contradicts it.
There is a choice still available to you. Rescind the appointment. Subject the selection process to a full independent inquiry. Find a HOD who has not spent the past year embedded in the very maladministration you declared war on.
If you allow this to stand, the record will say something simple. “MEC Meyer spoke loudly about accountability, yet when the moment came to enforce it, he rubber-stamped it.” The people of KZN are watching. They have been patient. Our patience is not without limit.
Source: https://iol.co.za/thepost/letters/2026-03-30-an-open-letter-to-kzn-public-works-and-infrastructure-mec-martin-meyer/
by Dev_SACCAWU | Labour Market News
Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has resumed his work as an ANC NEC member.
Image: ARMAND HOUGH Independent Newspapers
Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has officially resumed his duties as a National Executive Committee member.
In his first public appearance as an NEC member, five months of stepping aside, Mchunu delivered a eulogy at the funeral of ANC member, Bhekabathethwa Mthethwa in Richards Bay on Sunday.
Mchunu appeared before the Ad Hoc Committee and the Madlanga Commission to justify his decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) and respond to allegations of corruption, specifically regarding ties to a tender tycoon and interfering with police operations.
This was after KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of instructing the disbandment of the PKTT on 31 December 2024 without consulting national police leadership, allegedly to protect politically connected individuals.
Mkhwanazi further claimed Mchunu had ties to crime syndicates, controversial businessman Vusumusi ‘Cat’ Matlala.
Last week, Mchunu wrote to the ANC asking to resume his duties as an NEC member – this was confirmed by his private spokesperson Sithembiso Mshengu on Sunday.
“He voluntarily stepped aside, he wrote to the party to inform the leadership that he was returning to his position, not necessarily seeking permission, You remember that he is not facing any criminal charges to be forced to step aside. He asked to be excused to protect the image of the ANC after Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s accusations,” said Mshengu.
In terms of the ANC’s step aside policy, once a member is criminally charged, he or she must stop representing the party both in government and political platforms.
Mchunu was placed on special leave in July following Mkhwanazi’s explosive revelations that suggested he was working with a Gauteng drug cartel which had apparently influenced his decision to disband the PKTT.
Mchunu had repeatedly denied having been influenced by a drug cartel in his appearances in both Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee and the Madlanga Commission.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za
Source: https://iol.co.za/news/politics/2026-03-30-suspended-police-minister-senzo-mchunu-resumes-his-anc-work/
by Dev_SACCAWU | Labour Market News
President Cyril Ramaphosa has challenged the ANC in Limpopo to push its support to 90% in future elections.
Image: Facebook/ANC
African National Congress (ANC) president Cyril Ramaphosa has urged the newly elected Limpopo Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) to replicate its strong electoral performance in the upcoming municipal elections, saying that “the whole ANC relies on Limpopo.”
Ramaphosa delivered the closing remarks at the ANC’s 11th Limpopo provincial conference on Sunday.
He highlighted the province’s importance as a longstanding stronghold of the party.
Limpopo was the only province where the ANC secured more than 70% support in the May 2024 national and provincial elections.
Praising the province’s contribution, Ramaphosa said its leadership across regional, branch and ward levels played a key role in achieving the result.
“You gave us 70% plus of the vote, and thank you so much,” he said.
He added that the party depends heavily on Limpopo’s electoral strength.
“The whole ANC relies on Limpopo to come up with the top numbers,” Ramaphosa said.
However, he noted that he had expected even stronger performance in 2024.
“I had expected that you would give us 90% and more, but of course, you went down. But you still gave us the highest votes,” he said.
Ramaphosa called on the province to aim higher in the upcoming local government elections and beyond.
“You must make it a real home of the ANC by giving us 90% in the coming local government elections,” he added.
Local government elections are expected later this year, with political parties already announcing mayoral candidates in key metros and beginning their campaigns.
ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula previously said the party is intensifying preparations through a comprehensive strategy aimed at strengthening its position across municipal councils.
“Local government elections are fought in every municipality and every ward. Our wall-to-wall plan means we must have candidates for every one of the 205 local councils, eight metro councils, and 44 district councils, with more than 4,458 wards and over 23,000 voting districts,” he said.
Mbalula announced that candidate selection will begin on April 1, following a decision by the party’s National General Council.
“The Top 7 of the ANC will lead and appoint mayors at the metro level and in secondary cities. We have adopted the framework at national level and will unveil it this coming week,” he said.
The party plans to launch its local government elections manifesto in June and submit candidate lists before August.
“Our biggest challenge is changing the mood of potential ANC voters across municipalities,” Mbalula said.
Meanwhile, on Saturday IOL News reported that Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba has been elected unopposed as the ANC’s first female provincial chairperson in the province.
Her election followed a High Court ruling in Polokwane that dismissed an urgent application to interdict the provincial conference.
A unity slate emerged at the conference, with all top candidates elected without opposition.
Ramathuba replaces outgoing chairperson Stanley Mathabatha.
The newly elected provincial leadership includes:
-Chairperson: Dr Phophi Ramathuba
-Deputy chairperson: John Mpe
-Provincial secretary: Reuben Madadzhe
-Deputy secretary: Pule Shai
-Treasurer: Eddie Maila
Ramathuba assumes leadership at a critical time, with the task of consolidating unity, managing internal dynamics and strengthening the party ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
Source: https://iol.co.za/news/politics/2026-03-29-ramaphosa-urges-limpopo-anc-to-boost-electoral-performance-ahead-of-2026-elections/
by Dev_SACCAWU | Labour Market News
President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed ANC members and delegates at the 11th Limpopo elective conference on Sunday. Image: MYANC X Account
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed the party’s commitment to the country’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) policies amid the movement’s renewal agenda. Ramaphosa gave his closing address on Sunday at the 11th ANC Limpopo elective conference, which saw Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba elected unopposed as the provincial chairperson of the ANC.
Ramathuba’s election follows a ruling by the High Court in Polokwane, which dismissed an urgent application to interdict the provincial elective conference. The conference also coincided with another legal battle, which resulted in the indefinite postponement of the party’s elective conference in the Eastern Cape. This provincial conference was held in abeyance after a High Court interdict over procedural flaws and disputed branch credentials.
IOL reports that the ANC’s unity slate in Limpopo emerged with all candidates nominated at the branch level elected without opposition, with Ramathuba replacing outgoing provincial chairperson Stanley Mathabatha.
During his address on Sunday, Ramaphosa emphasised that renewal remains the ANC’s primary objective, as highlighted at the National General Council (NGC) last December
“Renewal is our number one priority, as declared by the NGC in December. As declared by the NGC, renewal manifests itself in many ways. This includes the way our municipalities work as well as the ways in which we, as leaders, conduct ourselves. Secondly, renewal and rejuvenation must be anchored by an effective developmental plan, where we reindustrialise our economy for mass employment creation,” Ramaphosa stated.
President Cyril Ramaphosa met with new leaders of the Limpopo provincial structure ahead of his closing address on the last day of the 11th ANC provincial elective conference on Sunday.
Image: MYANC X Account
Ramaphosa added that the NGC also resolved to consider how the country’s rural communities can benefit from the economy as the country reindustrialises to regain lost ground.
“We must ensure that our rural areas also become productive. That is what renewal must also manifest itself in. This should include strengthening the local government sphere to accelerate service delivery and to promote infrastructure development,” he added.
On the party’s progressive policies, which have been criticised by some of the ANC’s Government of National Unity (GNU) partners, including the DA, Ramaphosa said despite signing the statement of intent with those partners, the ANC will not turn its back on its policies.
“Those who say B-BBEE and affirmative action must stop are just dreaming because we will not abandon the B-BBEE policies that we have embarked upon. We want our people to have opportunities to advance their lives,” he added.
Touching on the current economic landscape, Ramaphosa acknowledged the adversity South Africans have faced over the past 15 years, with rising unemployment and deepening inequality contributing to the nation’s struggles.
“We must acknowledge that for the past 15 years, unemployment has gone up. Inequality has deepened, and economic growth is at a low level instead of improving. However, with all these challenges, we can now say, (with the reforms that we have undertaken), we have started to bring down the vestiges of State Capture,” he said.
siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za
Source: https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-03-29-south-africas-b-bbee-policies-are-here-to-stay-says-ramaphosa/
by Dev_SACCAWU | Labour Market News
Political leaders in KwaZulu-Natal are raising alarms over the shortage of immigration officers.
Image: BMA
With over a million illegal foreigners living in KwaZulu-Natal, civil organisations and political parties have raised concerns over the dire shortage of immigration officers in the province, which is also a countrywide problem.
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has 64 immigration officers permanently stationed in KZN, and tasked with managing the ever-growing issue of illegal migration.
ATM leader in Parliament, Vuyo Zungula, told the Daily News that there were only 832 immigration officers available to manage immigration issues across communities and workplaces in the country, according to feedback he received from the DHA.
He had previously directed questions to the DHA about the plight of immigration officers in policing the influx of illegal foreigners into the country and received responses from Minister Dr Leon Schreiber during a session in Parliament on Tuesday.
According to the parliamentary feedback Zungula received, there were an estimated 15 million illegal immigrants in South Africa; yet the country had little over 800 immigration officers to verify the authenticity of documents and perform other duties.
Zungula expressed concern that officers were also not properly equipped with the necessary electronic devices to perform these tasks. Given these challenges, coupled with the growing number of illegal immigrants in the country, Zungula proposed a large-scale recruitment of immigration officers.
“The government’s response, particularly President Ramaphosa’s previous suggestion to hire labour inspectors, does not solve the immigration policing problem due to legal limitations,” Zungula said.
He explained that only immigration officers were legally permitted to deal with suspected illegal foreigners.
Eric Jean Butoki Madel, Country Chairperson of the Southern Africa Refugee Organizations Forum (SAROF), said the term “illegal foreigner” was often weaponised by those fostering xenophobic attitudes.
He said that, according to SAROF, there is no credible support for Zungula’s figures on the number of illegal immigrants, with the DHA and Statistics South Africa failing to provide data to substantiate the claims.
“The only reliable figures available pertain to legitimate refugees and asylum seekers, which currently stand at 167,615, as per the latest United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) data—significantly lower than the 267,534 reported in November 2024.
“The consequences of this misuse of terms cannot be understated. The conflation of nationality and illegality can incite violence, particularly against Black African migrants, who often become targets during xenophobic outbursts. SAROF condemns this agenda, asserting that it is a tactic employed by politicians to exploit fear and garner votes ahead of the impending elections,” Butoki Madel said.
He added that the narrative suggesting immigrants are usurping job opportunities from South Africans is another distortion challenged by SAROF.
Butoki Madel said that recent revelations from the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) underline corruption within Refugee Reception Offices, particularly in major centres such as Pretoria and Durban.
“This exposes a concerning reality behind the management of refugee services, manifesting the state’s structural failure to safeguard vulnerable populations,” he said.
During the State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that illegal immigration presents a significant challenge for the country, noting its implications for national security, social stability, and economic development.
He emphasised that the government would intensify efforts to improve border management and enforcement by strengthening border security, upgrading infrastructure, and implementing enhanced technologies at ports of entry.
Ramaphosa also warned that businesses employing foreign nationals without the required legal documentation will face stricter enforcement under South African law.
To support these measures, the government announced plans to significantly increase labour oversight capacity. Approximately 10,000 additional labour inspectors are expected to be recruited to strengthen workplace inspections and ensure compliance with labour and immigration regulations.
The objective was to address unlawful employment practices and protect both lawful workers and compliant employers.
March and March leader and co-founder, Jacinta Ngobese Zuma, said the number of immigration officers was extremely small.
“The government needs to employ more officers in order to deal with the millions of illegal foreigners roaming around the province. The government must also provide police officers with training to enable them to handle illegal foreigners and to differentiate between fake and legitimate documents,” Ngobese Zuma said.
Source: https://iol.co.za/dailynews/news/2026-03-18-kzn-leaders-demand-more-immigration-officers-to-tackle-illegal-immigration/
