Over the past 15 years South Africa has been experiencing a gradually worsening number of electricity cuts. This state of affairs has prompted frustration among citizens, negative international economic sentiment and financial hardship for many businesses. Public pressure has grown more intense, leading to the extraordinary presidential decision by President Cyril Ramaphosa to proclaim a […]

About 25 refugees who had accepted reintegration into Cape Town communities have changed their minds and returned to the Wingfield campsite where they were housed. There are now about 168 people in the camp, and no sign of an answer to their demands. About 25 refugees who had returned to communities in Cape Town from […]

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has expressed South Africa’s concern about the conflict that broke out in Sudan over the weekend between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). “We are particularly concerned about the rising numbers of civilian loss of life, the destruction of private and public infrastructure, and the humanitarian […]

The Electoral Commission has welcomed the signing into law of the Electoral Amendment Bill. The Commission says the assent by the President provides the necessary legal certainty required to prepare for the National and Provincial Elections which will be held in 2024. “Such certainty in the legal framework can only augur well for the Electoral […]

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has announced the appointment of an interim board of directors for national carrier, South African Airways (SAA). Former Tourism Minister Derek Hannekom has been appointed as interim non-executive director and chairperson of the carrier. Professor John Lamola – who was the air carrier’s chairperson – will remain as an interim […]

Six months ago, #UniteBehind submitted complaints to the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests against six ANC MPs for their role in the collapse of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). With no sign that the Ethics Committee is taking action against the subjects of their complaint, on Monday the commuter activist […]

The National Skills Fund is expected to launch a training package in digital skills for unemployed youth in the country. This was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his weekly newsletter. According to the President, the move is aimed at ensuring that as investment into the digital economy continues to grow, South Africans are able […]

Eskom has appointed experienced energy executive Bheki Nxumalo as Head of Generation, with immediate effect. The State-owned power utility has been without a permanent Head of Generation since May last year following the resignation of long-serving head, Philip Dukashe. The power utility’s Acting Group Chief Executive, Calib Cassim, said the search for a permanent generation […]

Eskom’s announcement on Wednesday that load shedding will be escalated to Stage 6  is a direct indictment of the misplaced confidence in the power utility’s struggling coal-fired power stations by the Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, claims the DA. Ever since his appointment, Ramokgopa has doubled down on the «unreliable» coal stations by suggesting that […]

When Sge Mjoka’s father submitted a land claim in 2001, he did not expect that 22 years later, his family would still be waiting for the title deed. Less than half of land claims by former labour tenants have been finalised. Labour tenants were given access to land during apartheid in exchange for labour on […]

The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services has confirmed with “shock and dismay” that South Africa’s request for the extradition of the Gupta brothers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been unsuccessful. The Guptas – fugitives Atul Gupta and Rajesh Gupta – are alleged to be the masterminds behind the state capture and corruption […]

A number of African countries, including Kenya, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana and Zambia, are currently experiencing shortages of US dollars. The dollar is the dominant currency in international transactions. These countries rely on the US currency to pay for foreign debts, essential goods and industrial inputs. Development economist Christopher Adam explains to The Conversation Africa’s […]

Government says it has noted with concern the Israeli force’s attack and firing of stun grenades and arrest of Palestinian worshippers at the al-Aqsa mosque. According to CNN: “Police stormed the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, one of Islam’s holiest sites, for the second time on Wednesday, hours after they first raided the compound and arrested […]

The Gauteng Industrial Development Zone SOC Limited (Gauteng IDZ) has set its sights on being the leading economic zone in the country and in Africa. Gauteng Economic Development MEC, Tasneem Motara, on Tuesday said that the IDZ aims to promote job and enterprise development opportunities. Established in 2009, the Gauteng IDZ is mandated to develop […]

The country is gearing up to host the fifth South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC) on 13 April 2023 in Johannesburg. This conference is the final leg of the current investment drive to attract R1.2 trillion over five years. The SAIC attracts delegates from South Africa and the rest of the globe. Last year, the fourth […]

1 in 5 South African households begs for food – the link between food insecurity and mental health At least ten million South Africans didn’t have enough food or money to buy food in 2019, according to the country’s statistics agency. This food insecurity remains a leading health problem that is unlikely to be eradicated any […]

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has, since early 2021, used law firm De Swardt Myambo Hlahla Attorneys in a number of high-profile cases related to its labour issues, including many legal actions against Martha Ngoye, a whistleblower and suspended head of legal. But De Swardt is not on PRASA’s legal panel, and […]

The housing crisis in Cape Town could be considerably reduced if underutilised land, currently occupied by the military, was released for social housing. This is according to a collective of civil society organisations who have called on the President to take action. Their calls echo those made by the City of Cape Town for at least a […]

John Steenhuisen retained his position as the Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Leader when he defeated former City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor, Dr Mpho Phalatse. The Democratic Alliance held its elective congress at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng this weekend. JOHN STEENHUISEN ELECTED DA LEADER The DA said the congress is important for South […]

All South Africans know that a trip to Home Affairs is one of the most stressful outings that you can undertake. One never knows what the queues will look like, whether the doors will close due to loadshedding, and what the service will be like. Here’s a blow by blow account by Stefanie Minnaar of […]

From picking up pointers on YouTube to winning tournaments on the international circuit – 11-year-old golf champ Sim Tshabalala seems to have the eye of the tiger… Here’s what’s coming up on Carte Blanche this week. You can watch the show on Sunday 2 April in South Africa on DStv Now OR stream it overseas in most […]

The first cohort of traffic trainees in the country, who just completed the ground-breaking three-year intensive training, are ready to be deployed on the roads to ensure that law and order are maintained. This as the first 21st Century Cadre of Traffic Officers have completed the three-year training programme, which has been accredited as an […]

The Electoral Amendment Bill currently on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s desk proposes major changes to the way we vote. But the Bill has serious flaws and should be referred back to Parliament or to the Constitutional Court. As we head to the 2024 national and provincial elections, the matter is urgent.  The Bill amends the Electoral […]

Residents of Makhaza in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, have welcomed the announcement that they will be allocated a satellite police station by October. Makhaza residents in Khayelitsha will finally be getting a police station on the vacant site identified nearly 20 years ago. But this will be temporary until a permanent station is built in the […]

An urgent meeting has been requested between the South African and United Arab Emirates’ central authorities as well as the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola and his counterpart in the UAE – to get an update on the status of an extradition application pertaining to Atul Gupta and Rajesh Gupta. The brothers […]