South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) launched a social media campaign for its supporters… but in a typical ‘plot twist’, the campaign has backfired and been ‘hijacked’ by its detractors. It started with the ANC inviting supporters to tweet what #UnityInAction means to them, referring to the theme of the ANC’s 105th Anniversary which will […]

Margaret Thatcher wooed the South African government with promises of a “Marshall Plan for southern Africa” and helped “save” the independence of Namibia, according to newly released papers. The events they cover provide an insight into a March 1989 visit to Britain by the South African foreign minister, Pik Botha. The documents, from the prime […]

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane has wished all South Africans – at home and abroad – a 2017 that comes with positive change and leadership. (See full message below.) Economic Freedom Fighter (EFF) leader Julius Malema was equally positive, tweeting: “It will be a good new year, it must be a good new year. We […]

PRETORIA – South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has reiterated that religious leaders – in his opinion – should “avoid becoming embroiled in divisive party political squabbles”. The Presidency said President Zuma has noted the ongoing commentary on statements he made during the annual Twelve Apostles’ Church in Christ (TACC) International Thanksgiving Day celebrations held in Durban, […]

As South Africa sent condolences today to victims of the probable terrorist attack that struck in Berlin on Monday evening, an SAPeople follower from Germany has described the feelings her country is currently going through. Cornelia H. from Munich, who loves spending her holidays in “beautiful South Africa”, says: “Germany is in a state of shock. Everyone is […]

Conflict on campuses, hint of justice for miners, a heated election, our most successful Olympics, and other stories on GroundUp this year Accusations against police are commonplace in South Africa. Police work under stressful conditions for mediocre pay. Accusations of brutality are often too glibly made. However a description of officers assaulting a homeless man and […]

Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa has extended “deepest sympathies” to the family, friends and colleagues of City of Cape Town Transport Official Steven Otter who was murdered in the early hours of Friday morning. Otter (43) passed away from stab wounds after confronting intruders at around 4am in his new Harfield Village home, which […]

ZEERUST – Friday’s Reconciliation Day celebrations at Gopane in North West, South Africa, were called off after President Jacob Zuma had to be driven away during a freak storm. The violent storm with strong winds ripped through the marquee as the president was discussing compensation efforts for the families of the Markana massacre victims. He said part […]

While the South African Broadcasting Commission (SABC) Inquiry has kept South Africans shocked and entertained this week as one revelation after the next piled up, it has been lauded as a brilliant example of how great the country can be when Ministers from different political parties put South Africa first. Chairman Vincent Smith and the panel that […]

South Africa’s Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, must be suspended immediately, pending a full investigation into allegations that the invalid contract, awarded to Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) to distribute social grants to 17 million vulnerable South Africans, benefitted her friends, says DA Shadow Minister Bridget Masango. Masango says that today’s AmaBhungane report, published on […]

The National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (NUMSA) announced Wednesday that Hollywood star Danny Glover will address the Numsa Gala Dinner tomorrow night. The 70-year-old is a keen political activist and has long had an interest in South Africa and has starred in several movies related to or set in South Africa – from his […]

Thuli Madonsela’s successor The Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, paid a courtesy call to President Jacob Zuma yesterday morning at his Mahlamba Ndlopfu residence in Pretoria.  It was their first meeting since Adv Mkhwebane was appointed as the Public Protector on the 6th October 2016. President Zuma congratulated Adv Mkhwebane on her appointment and pledged his and […]

PRETORIA – Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba and Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba met in Pretoria on Tuesday to discuss issues related to international migration, specifically over 100,000 undocumented immigrants living illegally in Joburg, many of whom have allegedly ‘hijacked’ buildings. Gigaba said the meeting was prompted after the Joburg mayor labelled illegal immigrants as ‘criminals’, saying he found […]

In breaking news Tuesday morning it has been reported that South Africa’s serious crimes unit, Hawks, has laid charges related to alleged high treason and a plot to remove President Jacob Zuma. Hawks has reportedly confirmed that its boss Mthandazo Ntlemeza submitted a warning statement to police watchdog IPID (Independent Police Investigative Directorate) yesterday, 12 December… and […]

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma narrowly escaped a call from some senior members of the governing party’s national executive committee for him to step down. The first stern action from inside the African National Congress’ (ANC) leadership against Zuma, while quelled by his supporters, is reverberating far and wide. The economic cluster of government is […]

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma and most of his Cabinet received an ‘F’ rating for their 2016 performance on their Cabinet Report Card. The report was presented by opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane in Parliament on Wednesday. Maimane said it is “a comprehensive assessment of President Zuma and his Cabinet, which reflects a wholly unaccountable […]

Breaking with tradition, the Democratic Alliance Chief Whip, John Steenhuisen, praised African National Congress Chief Whip, Mphikwa Jackson Mthembu, in a heartfelt tribute to his “worthy opponent” in Parliament on Wednesday. In Steenhuisen’s final speech in Parliament for 2016, he thanked all those who work behind the scenes and thanked the Chief Whips of other opposition parties […]

The whole economically-aware population of South Africa is celebrating that the three main ratings agencies held off on junking the country’s financial reputation in the past two weeks. I am celebrating too. But a closer look is needed. The statement by Standard & Poors – more strict than Fitch and Moody’s – lacked logic and […]

Reflecting on the third anniversary of the death of Nelson Mandela, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa said we need to question whether we have the same calibre of leaders today, and emphasised that there is an urgent need to redistribute wealth. He was speaking at a Nelson Mandela Foundation event. Ramaphosa said: “Despite the progress of the […]

Today – 05 December 2016 – marks the third anniversary since the passing of former South African President Nelson Mandela. To honour his life and the extraordinary influence he had over his beloved country and the entire world, here are 10 photos, 9 quotes and 1 Video we love… SEE Also 10 Famous Nelson Mandela Quotes 9 Nelson […]

Tomi Lahren has risen to fame and notoriety in America and around the world for her outspoken comments on everything from liberalism and feminism to the Black Lives Matter movement. The Daily Beast calls her a “right wing ranter” and yesterday the BBC profiled the 24-year-old under the heading “The young Republican who’s bigger than Trump […]

Opposition parties – the EFF (Economic Freedom Fighters) and Democratic Alliance (DA) – are laughing after yesterday’s decision by the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to continue to support Jacob Zuma and his leadership of the country, thereby potentially weakening the ANC’s chance of re-election in 2019. The DA said the unconventional attempt to table a “motion […]

As expected, the ANC (African National Congress) NEC has announced that President Jacob Zuma remains. They decided, they said, to rather focus their energy on “unity of the movement” than on the motion on whether the South African President should step down. However, at the end of the press Q&A, Secretary General Gwede Mantashe did reveal the […]

The African National Congress (ANC) has announced that it will present a Post NEC (National Executive Committee) media briefing Tuesday afternoon at its headquarters in Johannesburg. South Africans have been waiting all day with bated breath to find out whether a motion for President Jacob Zuma to step down would be passed. The motion of […]

History is a chamber of echoes, haunted by the ghosts of the past. Today, in the Pretoria suburb of Irene, President Jacob Zuma is fighting for his political life, in the face of a motion calling for him to step down. The venue for this historic clash of wills is the St George’s Hotel, which […]