Eligible South Africans have been urged by government to register to vote and update their addresses on the voters’ roll this weekend. “Government calls upon all eligible South African voters to visit their voting stations this coming weekend,” said Communications Minister Nomvula Mokonyane. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) will on Saturday, 10 and Sunday, 11 […]

Former South African Police minister Fikile Mbalula has officially resigned as a Member of Parliament. The African National Congress (ANC) Chief Whip, Jackson Mthembu said in a statement that the resignation of Mbalula was effective from February 26. “The office of the ANC chief whip confirms that former minister of police, comrade Fikile Mbalula tendered […]

South African Airways (SAA) and Mango airlines have received qualified opinions according to their audit reports, which were due in September last year, tabled in Parliament today. According to Alf Lees, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Finance, the adverse findings by the Auditor General partly explain why there has been a such a reluctance by SAA […]

This Sunday’s episode of Carte Blanche is packed with all the latest hot topics in South Africa – Listeriosis, the rising EFF party, Cape Town’s Day Zero and Minister Nomvula Mokonyana’s ‘Leaky Legacy’. South Africans abroad can watch the show (and many more) by subscribing to Showmax International, where this episode will be available to stream from Tuesday 13 […]

South Africa’s economy grew by 3.1% in the fourth quarter of 2017 ending the year on a strong footing, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) announced on Tuesday. At a media briefing in Tshwane, Stats SA’s Deputy Director-General: Economic Statistics Joe de Beer announced that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the fourth quarter grew by 3.1% […]

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba says the Parliamentary Committee responsible for providing oversight on Home Affairs has accepted the explanation provided by the department on the application of naturalisation for some of the members of the Gupta family. The Minister said this when he briefed the media at the department’s Cape Town offices on Tuesday. […]

South Africa’s newly reappointed Finance Minister, Nhlanhla Nene made his first public appearance on Monday, as a speaker at the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) conference in Pretoria. “So I told them that the long and short of it was that I’ve been on sabbatical,” he joked. Nene said: “We are at a point […]

South Africans of all political leanings and colours have come out against Economic Freedom Fighter (EFF) Leader Julius Malema’s latest apparent racist rant. At a time when the country is urgently seeking unity, relieved to be rid of the allegedly corrupt Jacob Zuma years and revived under the promising new leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa; […]

The ‘honeymoon’ between opposition parties the DA and EFF seems to be over, after the DA voted against the EFF’s motion for land expropriation without compensation in Parliament earlier this week. Although the EFF’s motion was successfully passed with a majority vote, the EFF retaliated against the DA by tabling a motion of no confidence […]

The Office of the ANC Chief Whip has confirmed the resignation of former Minister of Public Enterprises, Lynne Brown, as a member of Parliament effective 27 February 2018. Brown joined the National Assembly in 2014 and had previously served as a member of the Western Cape Provincial Legislature in various capacities from 1994 till 2014. […]

The African National Congress (ANC) has appointed Comrade Fikile Mbalula as the Head of Elections at the ANC Headquarters, Chief Albert Luthuli House with immediate effect. Love him or hate him, Fikile Mbalula – former Minister of Police, and before that Sports – is one of the most charismatic and hard-working ministers the country has […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of his new cabinet this evening illustrates that the problem in South Africa lies with the ANC itself, says opposition leader, Mmusi Maimane. The DA Leader said in a press statement late Monday evening: “The ministers who make up Ramaphosa’s compromised and partially captured cabinet show what we’ve known all along […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced  the following changes to the National Executive.It was a “radical” reconfiguration of the cabinet, including 23 changes and many female appointments. Some of the new appointments – including new Deputy President of South Africa, David Mabuza – will first be sworn in as members of the National Assembly tomorrow in Cape […]

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa will announce changes to the National Executive at 22h00 tonight, Monday 26 February 2018, in a statement to media at The Presidency, Union Buildings, Pretoria. (Please note: This has been updated from earlier versions. The President was due to address the media at 20h30 but has been delayed. Acting Presidency […]

For weeks two opposing conspiracy theories about Cape Town’s drought have been circulating. One appears to have traction in the Muslim community, and the other in the Jewish community. In the past few days they’ve entered the mainstream, one receiving support from an ANC politician and the other from the Wall Street Journal. News24 reported […]

Following a complaint by the DA, the Public Protector has found Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown guilty of misleading Parliament, when she failed to disclose if there had been any contracts of engagement between Eskom and Gupta-linked, Trillian. The report has now given President Cyril Ramaphosa 14 days to take action against the Minister after it found […]

In this week’s episode, Showmax international subscribers will find out from the Carte Blanche team about the most important development of last week: the end of Zuma’s presidency. Country on the verge of change It’s been a tumultuous week of anxiety and insecurity as South Africans waited for developments in the political arena, which culminated […]

The ANC government is “making the people of South Africa pay back the money that they [the ANC] have stolen”, claimed Mmusi Maimane after Wednesday Budget Speech was delivered in Parliament by Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba. The Democratic Alliance (DA) Leader said the 1% increase in VAT and the fuel levy will see the cost […]

The African National Congress (ANC) put on a united front on Tuesday night as President Cyril Ramaphosa hosted a cocktail function at Tuynhuys in Cape Town to honour his predecessor Jacob Zuma, who resigned as head of state last week. The private event was attended by ministers and deputy ministers. In official pictures issued, both […]

COPE’s Mosiuoa ‘Terror’ Lekota struck a chord on Monday with his challenge to new President Cyril Ramaphosa to tell South Africa exactly who ‘our people’ are, referring to Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address that land will be returned to ‘our people’. Lekota’s outburst has since gone viral. The Congress of the People leader made […]

South African Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga says that numerous changes will be implemented in the education sector, and that the “education system needs to prepare pupils for the fourth industrial revolution”. Speaking in parliament, Cape Town, during the debate on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address, Motshekga stressed that new skills […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the most important people are ordinary South Africans, who are faced with socio-economic challenges ranging from poverty to diseases. The President said ever since he delivered the State of the Nation Address (SONA) last week, many have given him an indication of a sense of patriotism with the message, “Send me”. […]

South African comedian Trevor Noah has compiled a 37-minute farewell video to former President Jacob Zuma, using key footage from his comedy shows over the last few years. Posting a trailer on Twitter, Trevor said: “I don’t care what the people say, he will always be the President of jokes. Farewell Jacob Zuma.” Trevor joked […]

Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba will this week table the 2018 Budget in Parliament. The much anticipated budget will be tabled in the National Assembly on Wednesday. Appointed to head National Treasury following former President Jacob Zuma’s Cabinet reshuffle in March 2017, Minister Gigaba is set to deliver the budget in a tough economic environment. It […]

Messages of congratulations have poured in from Heads of State across the world for South Africa’s newly-elected President Cyril Ramaphosa. “President Cyril Ramaphosa received messages of congratulations from a number of Heads of State and Government during a round of telephone calls on Sunday 18 February 2018. President Ramaphosa took the calls at his official […]