South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address, delivered in Cape Town on February 7, has attracted a fair amount of praise. But while the speech scored an A for its vision and plan for economic renewal, it scored an F for education. If the amount of time spent on a topic during […]

Organisations are concerned the number of adoptions will decline. A debate is raging over a proposed amendment to the Child Care Act that would outlaw charging fees for adoption services. The amendment is expected to be passed by the end of the year, as part of a number of changes to the Act. Adoption is […]

South African National Parks (SANParks) today confirmed that one of the fixed wing aircrafts went down in the Kingfisherspruit section of the Kruger National Park (KNP) this afternoon, 09 February 2019 while in pursuit of suspected poachers. The aircraft, a Foxbat Bantam was on an anti-poaching mission when the accident happened. Details are still sketchy […]

Student leaders call off protests. Activities at Wits University were brought to a halt as student protests entered a fourth day on Thursday. About 200 students, led by the Wits Student Representative Council (SRC), went door-to-door across campuses, stopping lectures along the way. In its letter of demands sent to Wits management last week, the […]

State capture’s most visible effect is the breakdown of Metrorail. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) offered South Africa much hope. He spoke of plans to grow the economy, create new jobs and improve health-care. Particularly exciting was the mention of reading programmes for young learners, which we hope will make […]

Dispute over admitting students with debt. Wits University students said they were starting a hunger strike on Tuesday morning. About 150 people set up blankets and pillows on the floor of Solomon Mahlangu House. The sit-in followed protests on Monday, where students assisted by the SRC shut down lectures. The students are protesting against a […]

Several dozen employees of South African state power firm Eskom picketed the firm’s headquarters on Wednesday protesting against potential job cuts and a proposal to split up the ailing company. Eskom, which supplies more than 90 per cent of the power in Africa’s most industrialised economy, is struggling with around 420 billion rands ($31 billion) […]

The Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) says three security officers have been suspended for an incident in December 2018, where people were reportedly escorted from Clifton 4th Beach in Cape Town. PSIRA on Monday appeared before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs inquiry into the incident in December, where people were allegedly escorted from […]

Okay, I feel it is my citizen’s duty to inform you as a member of the public, that somewhere in your lifetime, you WILL have to go to a government department writes South African photographer Gabriel Sithole. I just picked up my new licence card… after a long and frustrating wait! I have compiled just 10 […]

South Africa says it is actively playing its part to combat transnational organised maritime crime, while remaining committed to combating lawlessness at sea. Ambassador Mxolisi Nkosi, the Deputy Director-General of Global Governance and Continental Agenda at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), on Tuesday addressed a United Nations Security Council debate on transnational […]

The Hawks have arrested seven suspects – including a former correctional services commissioner and Bosasa officials – on allegations of corruption, money laundering and fraud. Wednesday’s high-profile arrests follow a marathon investigation wherein almost R1.6 billion is said to have been misappropriated in the tender processes for the procurement of various services by the Department of […]

Over 10 000 cattle affected by Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) have been vaccinated to eliminate the spread of the outbreak. This follows confirmed FMD in cattle in the Vhembe District of Limpopo early this year. Updating the media on the status of FMD in Pretoria on Monday, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana said […]

What would you pack in a suitcase if you suddenly had to abandon your home because of fire? Pat had chosen a blue suitcase with wheels. She packed 3 sets of clothes for her husband, a pair of knickers and a top for herself; 2 books from her Book Club; their passports and ID documents; […]

Scotty rescued Nonzame Vuyi in a shack fire in Cape Town; now he may have to be sent to the Eastern Cape. “Do you know how painful it is to not be able to afford to buy even a R30 pantihose for your daughter to wear at school?” asked Nonzame Vuyi, a 41-year-old resident of […]

World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director Dr Matshidiso Moeti says thousands of lives can be saved in Africa with proper cancer prevention, early detection, access to proper treatment and care. Moeti made the remarks on Monday as the world commemorates World Cancer Day. This year’s World Cancer Day is observed under the theme “I am […]

South Africa expressed disappointment on Sunday after The Sunday Times claimed that the United States and other Western powers wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa urging him to tackle corruption, and said those countries had breached diplomatic protocol. However, according to a Daily Maverick report this diplomatic incident is a misunderstanding and refers to a memo from meetings […]

A nearby community is convinced it is, but test results are inconclusive. Are residents of a Cape Town neighbourhood being poisoned by one of the city’s main waste treatment plants? A Carte Blanche exposé in January said yes. Residents of Sandvlei were shown suffering with sores and tummy infections. Scientists too have warned that the plant is […]

Zimbabwe’s Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is receiving treatment in South Africa, the second time in four months, after falling ill last week, a privately owned newspaper reported on Monday. The health of Chiwenga, 62, is closely followed in Zimbabwe because he is widely seen as the power behind President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the front-runner to […]

South Africa’s struggling state power firm Eskom moved a step closer to narrowing a funding gap for the financial year which ends in March by agreeing to a 15 billion rand ($1.1 billion) loan with a local and international bank on Friday. Eskom is vital to the health of Africa’s most industrialised economy as it […]

The Department of Correctional Services has warned members of the public of a jobs scam doing the rounds on social media and other channels where members of the public are invited to apply for employment and learnership opportunities. “We therefore wish to warn South Africans against falling prey to this scam and would like to […]

The National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, the Hawks, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya has expressed disappointment in the conduct of an officer who was convicted for fraud and money laundering. “It is disappointing that some officers still involve themselves in criminal activities. We hope [the conviction] serves to remind those within our […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has offered his “deepest sympathy” to the families and friends of the three young South Africans who died at their school – Driehoek High School in Vanderbijlpark – in Gauteng yesterday. He also wished the 23 injured learners a speedy recovery following the tragedy yesterday where part of the school infrastructure – […]

Coming up on Carte Blanche this week – Sun 3 Feb if you’re in South Africa, and available to stream from Tues 5 Feb if you’re a South African living abroad. (Take advantage of the 14-day Free Trial). Bosasa Explosive testimony at the Zondo Commission on State Capture has lifted the lid on gross corruption and bribery, lining […]

JOHANNESBURG – The entire board of South Africa’s state-owned state pension fund, the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), resigned on Friday, citing instability at the firm following corruption allegations against at least four directors. “These events have been unbearable to us as individuals,” the board said in a letter to the Finance Minister Tito Mboweni. “It’s […]

Gauteng MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi has on behalf of national and provincial government extended sincere condolences to the families of learners who died after a walkway collapsed at Hoërskool Driehoek in Vanderbijlpark on Friday morning. Three learners were killed and 23 sustained injuries after a bridge, which connected two buildings, collapsed and trapped several […]