When South Africans express shock at corruption, few seem to know that it is perhaps the country’s oldest tradition. Citizen anger about corruption, a constant theme in South African political debate, reacts to a very real problem. This was underlined recently by news that well-connected people had enriched themselves at the expense of efforts to […]

This weekend Herman Mashaba launched his new party, Action South Africa. He has drawn several disaffected ANC and DA members like Makhozi Khosa and Funzi Ngobeni. (One probably shouldn’t mention Vytjie Mentor, who gave shaky testimony at the Zondo Commission and has lots of question marks about her past, which she brings with her into […]

This Sunday Carte Blanche investigates the situation in Standerton, South Africa, that has shocked the nation. Video footage this week of the streets of Standerton in the Lekwa municipal district in Mpumalanga, showed how the residents and municipal workers are burning fires late into the night and dumping their rubbish right outside the municipal buildings. […]

I have to admit, I have never spent more time avoiding “real work” to watch YouTube like I did this week, I bluffed myself that is was “sort of” real work as the content I was consuming was #StateCapture and the #ZondoCommission.   #Netflix may lose a subscriber if this type of content keeps pouring out. […]

South Africa’s National Treasury and the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) today presented “damning findings” before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure which, according to the Democratic Alliance (DA), suggests that Minister Patricia De Lille was much more involved in the procurement of the Beitbridge “Washing Line” than she has previously admitted. These findings […]

Soccer star Lucas Radebe along with other South African celebrities like Francois Pienaar and Karen Zoid are inviting South Africans abroad to join them to raise funds for South Africa’s COVID-19 Solidarity Fund this weekend, which is a Bank Holiday weekend in the UK. South Africans across the globe can join the well known personalities […]

The ANC Parliamentary Caucus says it has learnt with “great shock and sadness” of the sudden passing of ANC MP Comrade Hishaam Mohamed due to a heart attack early Monday evening. Mohamed joined the National Assembly in the 6th Parliament, serving as a member in the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services and Whip […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s seven-page letter to his ‘comrades’ in the ANC yesterday has been met with much skepticism around the country. The letter, which holds hope and promise, begins with a bold heading in capitals – “Let this be a turning point in our fight against corruption”. The letter details the public’s “sense of anger […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has strongly reprimanded Finance Minister Tito Mboweni following comments made by the Minister on social media regarding the removal of Zambia’s Central Bank Governor by President Edgar Lungu. In one of his tweets, Mboweni “promises to mobilise”, if not given the reasons the Zambian Central Bank Governor was fired by President Lungu. […]

Before the heroic return of opposition figure, Tundu Lissu, in late July 2020, Tanzania’s political landscape lacked the exuberance and ebullience that comes with an election season. Lissu’s return reignited the hopes of a despondent opposition that had been subdued by the oppressive and restrictive political environment during President John Magufuli’s five-year term. Lissu has […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape says it welcomes the life sentences handed down to four of the five accused, and eighteen years for the fifth accused, in the murder trial of DA councillor, Johannes Baatjies, and his business partner Jeffrey Shuping Nouse who were shot dead in 2016, just hours before Baatjies […]

Even though the deputy president is meant to carry out government’s business in Parliament, South Africa’s David Mabuza has been obviously absent lately. His non-appearance at an important meeting yesterday was his seventh missed meeting since late 2019. The Democratic Alliance has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to appoint a replacement from his Cabinet, as […]

Mvuleni Mapu, Acting City Manager of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, was arrested at his home on charges of fraud and corruption in the early hours of Friday morning. According to the Hawks the charges against Mapu are based on actions within the Municipality’s department of human settlements, […]

Every day, Zwelakhe Mnomiya from Gqamu in KwaZulu-Natal walks about 20km to and from school. The grade 11 learner is among dozens of children who make the journey on foot to Gcotoi High School in rural Kranskop. According to Gcotoi High, more than 100 learners walk between 11 and 20 km to and from school […]

Photos from today’s large protest convoy against farm attacks in Mookgophong (formerly Naboomspruit) and across the nation show some haunting scenes, as the farmers and farm workers who gathered together looked up at the sky with their arms crossed above. The protest came as three of the five suspects in the murder of Alwyn van […]

With South Africa moving to alert level 2 at midnight, President Cyril Ramaphosa has cautioned South Africans against letting their guard down by not observing COVID-19 health and safety protocols. South Africa moves to level 2 of the lockdown at midnight, in a move that will see many restrictions lifted. “With this comes increased risk […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his heartfelt condolences following the passing of anti-apartheid activist Paul David who passed away on Thursday, 13 August 2020, at the age of 79. “The passing of Paul David as the last member of the Consulate Six is a great loss to our country and especially to the people of […]

South Africa’s move to level 2 of the lockdown is a step in the right direction, says the South African Medical Association (SAMA). “This is the correct decision by government and signals a major shift in the country’s response to the Coronavirus. We are happy with this decision and believe it will go some way […]

The five people accused in the murder of Danie, Breggie and Elzabie Brand in Hartswater, made their second appearance in court on 13 August. The triple murder of the family members on 27 July shocked South Africans around the country. The case was postponed until 27 August to allow the accused to apply for bail. […]

Former DA Mayor of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, has announced that his new political party will be launched on 29 August… while former DA Leader Mmusi Maimane has also spoken out about the new kind of leadership required in South Africa. Maimane, who now leads One South Africa Movement – a grassroots activist movement aiming to unite a […]

The Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, recently announced a further extension of visas for foreign nationals in South Africa. However, in the words of the Democratic Alliance (DA), he has “bizarrely refused” to make any provision for South Africans abroad whose passports will expire as a result of the extended lockdown. The DA is […]

South Africa has once again been plunged into darkness on Thursday morning when stage 2 load shedding was implemented countrywide due to the delay to return five generation units to service and a further two units went offline. Some will be experiencing their loadshedding later today. Eskom has issued warnings of a “severely constrained” power system and […]

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa’s despatch of envoys to Zimbabwe in a bid to defuse the latest crisis, in which the government has engaged in a vicious crackdown on opponents, journalists and the freedoms of speech, association and protest, has been widely welcomed. Such has been the brutality of the latest assault on human rights […]

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen says it is high time for President Cyril Ramaphosa to “grow a spine, stand up to his party and start putting South Africa first”, in his party’s call for the South African president to end hard lockdown immediately and end the “irrational bans on tobacco and alcohol”. In a […]

Dr Naledi Pandor, Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Minister, sits down for a very candid interview: Naledi Pandor on her parents “Our parents played a very important role, especially our mother. Our father was very active in politics, in the struggle and so our mother was the one who was at home,” International […]