Due to a loss of 10 generating units at seven power stations at Eskom this past weekend, the power utility is implementing stage 2 load shedding. Eskom implemented loadshedding on Sunday at 5pm and it is expected to end on Tuesday at 10pm. “The failure of three-generation units at Tutuka was due to loss of […]

Cabinet has approved the extension of the National State of Disaster on COVID-19 until 15 June 2021. “The extension considers the need to continue augmenting the existing legislation and contingency arrangements undertaken by organs of state to mitigate against the impact of the disaster on lives and livelihoods,” a statement released after this week’s Cabinet […]

The Information Regulator of South Africa has after correspondence, written to WhatsApp LLC requesting the company to revise its privacy policy in South Africa to the standard used in the European Union (EU). On 15 May 2021, WhatsApp will require users to accept new terms and conditions for using the app. In a statement released […]

The Electoral Commission (IEC) has announced voter registration for the October Local Government Elections will be held on the weekend of 17-18 July 2021. In a statement, the Commission said on this weekend all 23 146 voting stations around the country will open from 8am to 5pm to assist new voters to register and existing […]

To hear President Ramaphosa’s 22 April address to the Virtual Leaders’ Summit on Climate Change, you’d think South Africa were going “above and beyond” when it comes to addressing the climate crisis. Not so. SA’s long-awaited draft updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) closed for written public comment on 30 April. The NDC is our country’s pledge to take action […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – The secretary general of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC), who has been suspended by the party over corruption charges, told the SABC on Friday “I am not going anywhere” and said he was being treated unfairly. The ANC suspended Ace Magashule this week in line with tougher rules for members […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC) has served its Secretary General, Ace Magashule, with a suspension letter, Eyewitness News reported on Wednesday. Magashule faces corruption charges. The party said on Tuesday that one of its committees had reaffirmed that all members charged with corruption or other serious crimes must vacate their […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – A top committee of South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC) has reaffirmed that all members charged with corruption or other serious crimes must vacate their posts within 30 days or face suspension, the party said on Tuesday. The ANC added in a statement that the National Working Committee (NWC) had instructed […]

South Africa’s opposition party, the DA (Democratic Alliance), says it notes the report by News24 that a foundation registered to Deputy President David Mabuza received a “strategic donation” of R30 million from General Electric through Eskom in 2016 when he was still the Mpumalanga premier. “If the ANC is consistent in the application of its own […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday the governing party “could and should” have done more to prevent corruption under his predecessor Jacob Zuma, in highly anticipated testimony to the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture and corruption. Ramaphosa, Zuma’s former deputy, was appearing in his capacity as current leader […]

The DA has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to institute an urgent Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigation into allegations that the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has wasted millions of taxpayers’ money on chartered flights and luxury accommodation. The DA also calls for the minister to be suspended without compensation pending the […]

A well known farmer in the Karkloof area, near Howick, in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Midlands has died after being stabbed during a farm attack in the early hours of this morning. Trevor Murphy unfortunately succumbed to his injuries on the way to hospital. According to security reports, three armed suspects gained entry to his premises […]

South Africa’s beloved former Public Protector Thulisile (Thuli) Madonsela, has had the French knighthood officially bestowed upon her in a beautiful ceremony in Stellenbosch this week. Writing on Twitter, Madonsela said she was “immensely overwhelmed with gratitude”. Prof Madonsela was appointed as Knight of the Legion of Honour by France’s President Emmanual Macron in November […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has tonight, Wednesday 21 April, announced 27 October 2021 as the date on which local government elections will take place. In a statement on the Presidency, it said this will be the sixth time under South Africa’s democratic dispensation that voters will elect leadership and public representatives at metropolitan, district and local […]

The National Treasury and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) have dismissed as a scam, reports of trillions of Rands donor funds going missing – after apparently being deposited at the central bank. The allegations were made by businessman and politician Tokyo Sexwale during an interview he had with eNCA on Sunday evening. During the […]

A South African minister’s residence in Cape Town has been destroyed by the Table Mountain fire that has been raging since Sunday morning, and which has already burnt historically-important properties including part of the UCT Library and the Rhodes Memorial restaurant, amongst others. Several ministerial families have been forced to evacuate their homes today, while […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has this week welcomed new Ambassadors and High Commissioners-Designate from nine countries, at a ceremony held at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Tshwane. The Ambassadors and High Commissioners-Designate were nominated by their respective governments to serve in diplomatic missions in South Africa. The Ambassadors are to advance diplomatic relations between their […]

There’s finally hope on the horizon for many thousands of South Africans around the world who inadvertently lost their SA citizenship when they applied for another country’s passport… without knowing they had to request permission from the SA government first and receive a Letter of Retention (which at the moment is not even possible due […]

According to President Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s Presidential Employment Stimulus has assisted to create 8 000 new jobs. Launched in October last year in response to the economic impact of the pandemic, the Presidential Employment Stimulus is designed to support a spectrum of opportunities, focusing on job creation through public employment; job retention in vulnerable […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has met in Maputo with other high-level leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to assess the growing Islamic State-linked threat in the region. Carte Blanche delves deeper this week, speaking to South Africans who survived the most recent horrific attack in Palma. This follows as eyewitness accounts and disturbing video […]

SADC Heads of State have reiterated commitment to contribute towards the efforts of bringing about lasting peace and security, as well as reconciliation and development in the Republic of Mozambique. This comes amid a spate of attacks in the country’s Cabo Delgado Province in the last two weeks. The leaders condemned the violence during this […]

Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has announced that the second phase of South Africa’s vaccination rollout will begin on 17 May. This, he said, is thanks to the millions of vaccine doses that are expected to land in South Africa in the next coming weeks. Dr Mkhize said the country has secured a combined 51 […]

The South African government has welcomed the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) revised upward growth outlook of South Africa from 2.8% to 3.1% for 2021. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Ministry in the Presidency: Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, said the upgrade affirmed the robustness of the country’s economy and positive economic interventions despite tough […]

Tony Leon is the most prolific of all former leaders of the Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s main opposition party, as befits the chair of a communications company. In his latest and fifth book, Future Tense: Reflections on my Troubled Land, he comes across as articulate and persuasive. The Democratic Alliance has, ever since its […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation on developments in South Africa’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic at 7.30pm this evening, Tuesday 30 March 2021. The address follows meetings in recent days of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC), the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC) and Cabinet. “As South Africa rolls out its national COVID-19 vaccination […]