The American public may not find out who wins the presidential election on Nov. 3 or Nov. 4 or even Nov. 5. But, at some point, we will learn whether Republican Donald Trump is elected to a second term or if Democrat Joe Biden will be the next president. For the winner of the election, […]

Below is the acceptance speech, delivered in Durban, by newly-elected Federal Leader of the Democratic Alliance, John Steenhuisen. (Video at the bottom.) Fellow South Africans, I cannot think of a more fitting place from which to speak with you today than this beautiful City of eThekwini. Twenty-one years ago, I made my way up the […]

As predicted John Steenhuisen has been elected new Leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA), the official opposition party in South Africa. The Leadership Elections took place at the DA’s elective Federal Congress 2020 whereby voting for candidates was undertaken using the online OpaVote platform (which, according to the DA, worked extremely well and was compliant […]

As the world holds its breath, Carte Blanche viewers will find out on Sunday how a Trump second term or Biden presidency could affect South Africa. You can watch the show on Sunday 1 November in South Africa on DStv Now or stream it overseas in most countries from Tues 3 November if you’re abroad. […]

Over the last year, the Western Cape Government has committed itself to ensuring that all of the citizens of this province, no matter where they live, would have access to appropriate Covid-19 treatment, should they require it. It was important to me, from the outset, that every person has access to life-saving healthcare… writes Western […]

The Supreme Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of the DA being reinstated in the City of Tshwane, as voted for in the last election, and removing ‘unlawful’ ANC administrators. Calling the unelected ANC administrator’s running of the City an “antithesis of democratic” governance, the Supreme Court of Appeal affirmed the original judgement by […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa says government will continue to invest in transport infrastructure systems that will carry people safely and in a manner that will contribute to economic growth. In his weekly newsletter on Monday, the President said a well-functioning transport system could alleviate road congestion, resulting in reduced travel times, improved productivity, enhanced economic activity […]

The ANC Caucus in Parliament has laid all blame on the EFF for disrupting a public hearing in Limpopo today, on Expropriation of Land Without Compensation, which led to it being cancelled. The ANC said in a statement on Sunday evening that it condemns the EFF for “disorderly conduct” and that the “anarchy” today is […]

As fires have ravaged across areas of the Free Sate, North West and Northern Cape, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to urgently declare and gazette a state of disaster for the fire-ridden areas of these three South African provinces. It’s estimate […]

A well-known midwife in Gauteng, who runs her own private birthing home in the South African province, has allegedly been administering drugs to induce and speed up labour without her clients’ consent. Tonight Carte Blanche investigates this and more. Infant Deaths, Brain Damage and a Popular Midwife She was a popular pick for expectant parents […]

Since the year 2000, South Africa has made big strides in lowering levels of both child and adult hunger, as well as improving food security for many poor families. Research has shown that these improvements were largely driven by the expansion of the child support grant. Around 12.5 million of these grants are paid each […]

CoGTA Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has once again extended the national state of disaster, which was set to expire today, justifying it with “the need to continue augmenting the existing legislation and contingency arrangements undertaken by organs of state to address the impact of the disaster”… writes John Steenhuisen – Leader of the Democratic Alliance – […]

The following is a full transcript of President Cyril Ramaphosa‘s address to Parliament on Thursday, 15 October 2020: I have requested this sitting of the Joint Houses of Parliament to present the plan for the reconstruction and recovery of our economy and our country. In contrast to the State of the Nation Address, where we […]

The National Traffic Police (NTP) has shut down a Pretoria company that is allegedly producing fraudulent vehicle licence discs. This comes after the traffic police’s specialised unit, the Falcons, conducted a raid on the premises of the company in Kameeldrift on Tuesday morning. This after two trucks were found to have false vehicle licence discs […]

Most of South Africa’s seasonal rainfall occurs during the warmer summer months, from October to March. As a result, October is an important period for farmers to begin planning when to sow crops (such as maize, wheat and sunflowers) for the growing season. October is also an important period for the tourism industry to think […]

The Democratic Alliance today announced the names of candidates nominated to stand for election to party leadership roles at the DA elective federal congress on 31 October and 1 November. Only two candidates each will be standing for the the posts of federal chairperson (Helen Zille and Mike Moriarty, chief whip of the DA in […]

EFF Leader Julius Malema has announced that the Economic Freedom Fighters will be in Senekal in the Free State on Friday, where two suspects are due to appear in court charged with the murder of young farm manager Brendin Horner… and where a peaceful protest is planned against farm murders and violence. Addressing a crowd […]

South Africa has recorded 888 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of detected cases to 693 359. “Regrettably, we report 83 more COVID-19 related deaths – 17 from the Eastern Cape, 43 from the Free State, two from KwaZulu-Natal, 11 from Gauteng and seven from the Western Cape. “This brings the total number of […]

“Ramaphosa’s words on farm murders ring hollow, we need to see action,” says Dianne Kohler Barnard MP – DA Shadow Minister of State Security – in a press statement on Monday, responding to the South African President’s weekly newsletter in which he said the killing of young Free State farm manager Brendin Horner “should anger […]

Tomorrow the Democratic Alliance (DA) says it will lay criminal charges against EFF leader, Julius Malema, and EFF Member of Parliament, Nazier Paulsen, for social media posts that they say incite violence. On Wednesday, following Tuesday’s protests by farmers in Senekal in the Free State, Malema tweeted: “Magwala a chechele morago! (Cowards move to the […]

This Sunday Carte Blanche investigates what it means to be able to cross a borderline with no passport controls or customs checks. South Africans living in small towns along the eastern Free State’s highly porous border with Lesotho are under severe pressure as farm attacks, stock theft and violence escalate. You can watch the show […]

How do we speak trauma? We know from medicine that people embody trauma, beyond words. It shows up in our hearts and our blood pressure, our dreams and our nightmares; we pass it onto our children, and we work it through in arts, spirituality, counselling. My work has focused on a burning question in South […]

A former police officer, Post Office cleaner and two civilians were arrested on Wednesday, for alleged corruption and extortion, following a sting operation between the Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation Unit and Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit. This comes after the Virginia Post Office manager in the Free State was allegedly approached and lured by one of her […]

The civil rights organisation AfriForum addressed the community of Senekal today and branded farm attacks and murders in South Africa as a form of terror. This announcement came after the recent brutal murder of Brendin Horner (22) on a farm outside this town, said AfriForum. Representatives of AfriForum formed part of the crowds who came […]

Several groups and individual farmers are expected to gather in Senekal, South Africa, today to support the community as two suspects in the murder of Paul Roux farm manager Brendin Horner (22) appear in the Senekal Magistrates Court. Brendin’s body was discovered tied to a pole in the Paul Roux district, Free State, on early […]