Religion shapes some of the most controversial decisions that governments need to make: access to abortion, same-sex marriage, the death penalty and the legal status of sex work. Indeed, it is likely that most voters across the world consider religion to be essential to their lives. Yet research on religion and political parties remains surprisingly […]

Eskom says it expects to implement Stage 4 and 5 load shedding (electricity power cuts) until further notice, as a result of further breakdowns and delays in return to service of some generating units at power stations. Stage 4 began at 4pm today (Tuesday) and will continue until 4pm on Wednesday. Stage 5 loadshedding will […]

Consumers will have to tighten their belts even further after the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) announced price increases across the board for all grades of fuel, illuminating paraffin and gas. The increases announced by the DMRE are as follows: Both 93 and 95 petrol will increase by R1.27 Diesel 0.05% sulphur will […]

“Toxic” levels of E. coli will require national government intervention, say water activists. By Lucas Nowicki Two organisations monitoring E. coli levels in Durban’s rivers have raised the alarm and are calling for a national intervention to fix eThekwini’s sewage infrastructure crisis. Water activists say the polluted rivers and beaches pose a serious risk to businesses […]

The Financial Action Task Force has placed South Africa on a list of countries under increased monitoring, commonly known as the grey list after it failed to address all of the shortcomings of money laundering and the financing of terrorism that the task force identified in its 2019 evaluation of the country. The decision has serious […]

National Hawks Head, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, has commended the Directorate’s Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team for seizing R30 million worth of suspected illicit cigarettes in Limpopo. In a multi-disciplinary sting operation with the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Limpopo, the Hawks, the South African National Defence Force and South African Revenue Services pounced […]

At least six elephants have been gunned down in less than five months in northern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). And in January, a tourist viewing boat came under fire by armed gunmen in KZN. Elephant monitor, Suzette Boshoff, was on the boat that day. She says: “They came to Africa for a beautiful African experience, and they […]

South African National Parks (SANParks) announced today – Friday 24 Feb – that they are closely monitoring the path of cyclone Freddy and relying on updates from the South African Weather Service (SAWS), which has warned that parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga might be affected. All camps in the Kruger National Park (KNP) – with […]

South Africa’s Big Concerts has called out US reseller Viagogo for their “false and misleading representations to South African consumers”. Viagogo has already been called out by Australia, Italy and New Zealand for its allegedly harmful practices. Big Concerts claims that Viagogo uses Google advertisements to create an impression that it’s a legitimate seller of […]

Here’s what’s coming up on Carte Blanche this week. You can watch the show on Sunday 26 February in South Africa on DStv Now OR stream it overseas in most countries on Showmax from Tuesday 28 February if you’re abroad. Gearing up for Greatness Tough to break into and even tougher to succeed in, motorcycle racing is […]

With all eyes on André de Ruyter at the moment, South Africans around the world have the opportunity next week to join a zoom session live with the former group chief executive of Eskom. UPDATE: Unfortunately the event has been cancelled. Organisers said: “Given the developments over the past week, Andre de Ruyter is no longer […]

MTN has announced that it will hike its consumer price plan subscription fees by an average of 5.1% “as a challenging market environment continues to place pressure on the industry”. The increased price plan will come into effect on 1 April 2023. The highest actual subscription fee increase will be 7.4%, according to My Broadband. MTN […]

For South Africans abroad who are unable to view the Andre de Ruyter interview in our earlier article (because the video has been blocked to anyone outside SA), here’s a version you should be able to view in most countries. WATCH Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter’s explosive interview and shocking revelations about corruption in high […]

The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the unemployment crisis in South Africa. In the second quarter of 2021, unemployment rates were the highest ever officially recorded. Many people who lost their only source of stable income fell into poverty as a result. Social grants provide income that helps people to survive the short-term economic hardship of unemployment. […]

South Africa’s current electricity crisis has been described as “a perfect storm”. A number of factors have converged to reach this point: an ageing and inadequately maintained fleet of coal power stations, delays in upgrading the Koeberg nuclear power station and significant failures at the recently built Medupi and Kusile coal power stations. Since the […]

Health activists demonstrating in Cape Town for a rise in the tax on sugary drinks were disappointed by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s announcement in his Budget speech that the tax would be frozen for two years. Godongwana said this was “due to the difficult operating environment for the sugar industry from the impact of flooding […]

Outgoing Eskom CEO André de Ruyter is to leave Eskom with “immediate effect”, Eskom said in a statement issued on Wednesday evening. (Watch the full Andre de Ruyter’s full interview that led to his sudden exit from Eskom.) This follows an explosive interview which was posted to YouTube by Orca Media, in which De Ruyter […]

The City of Cape Town announced this week that the Western Cape High Court has granted its application for eviction notices to be served at “various unlawful occupations in the Central Business District”. The City said it expects a final eviction order to be granted in April. The sites include encampments on Buitengracht Street, FW […]

Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana will present his second full budget speech from Cape Town City Hall today, Wednesday, 22 February, at 14:00. READ: Budget Speech 2023: SAFTU calls for R1 500 Basic Income Grant GODONGWANA TO DELIVER SECOND FULL BUDGET SPEECH ON WEDNESDAY Godongwana’s first speech was highlighted by tax relief and improved spending. Members […]

Local businesses are currently participating in high-profile exhibitions in the UAE, flying the South African flag high. In Dubai, a South African business delegation comprising 16 agro-processing firms is showcasing products in the Gulfood exhibition, whilst in Abu Dhabi, there are 11 SA companies operating in the defence sector that are participating in the International […]

South Africa is set to have a new deputy president in Paul Shipokosa Mashatile, the deputy president of the governing African National Congress (ANC). He’ll replace the incumbent, David Mabuza, who announced he would step down. Who is Mashatile and what does he bring to the position? Mashatile (61) is a veteran politician from the […]

South Africa’s electricity utility Eskom has made it clear that “load shedding” – rolling scheduled power cuts – isn’t going to end any time soon. This reality, and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement during his annual state of the nation speech on 9 February 2023 that tax incentives for solar power use are imminent, means that […]

Eskom has announced that Stage 6 load shedding will be implemented until further notice. This as the power utility has buckled under the pressure of the breakdown of some eight power generation units at power stations and coal supply challenges. “Since Sunday afternoon, a generating unit each at Arnot, Hendrina, Lethabo and Majuba [power stations] […]

Australia today issued a Smart Traveller update to its citizens about travel to South Africa in the face of rolling blackouts (load shedding) occurring throughout the country, and warned this can potentially lead to an increase in crime as well as civil unrest and protests. The update was issued by the Australian Department of Foreign […]

Here’s what’s coming up on Carte Blanche this week. You can watch the show on Sunday 19 February in South Africa on DStv Now OR stream it overseas in most countries on Showmax from Tuesday 21 February if you’re abroad. Ella’s Triumph In 1943, at the height of Germany’s occupation of Poland during the Second World War, […]