On Monday it was announced that President Cyril Ramaphosa had referred the contentious Copyright Amendment Bill back to Parliament on the basis that a number of its provisions are unconstitutional. This was 15 months after it had been passed by Parliament, more than 3 years after it had been formally introduced, and 9 years after […]

The Department of Public Enterprises has welcomed the court judgment, which will see the creditors’ meeting to vote on the #SAA business rescue plan, go ahead as planned today. The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) has welcomed the judgment to strike off the roll an urgent court application by SA Airlink. The airline this week […]

The government will need to borrow $7 billion from international finance institutions as one of the measures to cover the budget hole brought about by South Africa’s response to COVID-19, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said today during his supplementary budget. “Debt is our weakness. We have accumulated far too much debt. This downturn will add […]

South Africa’s economy is projected to contract by 7.2 percent in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Finance Minister Tito Mboweni. “This is the largest contraction in nearly 90 years,” he said tabling the Supplementary Budget Review. Inflation will likely register 3 percent in 2020. “Commodity price increases and a weaker […]

Fees charged by liquidators and business rescue practitioners, and the impact they can have on bottom-line payouts to affected employees, came under the spotlight at Monday’s meeting to consider a business rescue model for Edcon. 22,000 jobs are at stake if the rescue plan for Edcon does not work. Business rescue practitioners propose backdating and […]

Ambassador Bridgette Motsepe has hit back at what she calls “baseless allegations” implicating her of money-laundering, as announced by AfriForum on Tuesday morning, 23 June. Motsepe says she rejects the allegations as “preposterous”, and says they were already proved untrue six months ago. She has also appointed an international law firm, led by Cherie Blair, […]

The leaking of official documents at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa showed there was a “fight-back campaign” by highly placed officials unhappy about the cleaning up of corruption and maladministration at the state-owned enterprise, says administrator Bongisizwe Mpondo. Mpondo has directed the acting head of PRASA Security, Brigadier General Tebogo Rakau, to investigate […]

It’s goodbye to bad hair days as salons and many other personal beauty services are now free to operate, although under strict conditions, after almost three months of lockdown. These include hairdressing, barbering, nail and toe treatment, facial treatment and make-up, body massage, tattooing and body piercing. The Minister of Small Business Development, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, […]

Unemployment in South Africa has unfortunately risen to 30.1% in the first three months of 2020, Statistics South Africa has revealed. The results are contained in the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released by Stats SA on Tuesday. They show that employment decreased by 38 000 to 16.4 million in the first quarter of 2020. “The […]

The big medical aid heist? To replace my current lenses will cost R6,000 – of which #Bankmed will ONLY pay R1,500 – thus leaving me to pay R4,500 out of MY own pocket… writes Gauteng publicist and regular SAPeople contributor Georg Knoke. Some background: I’m on one of the highest levels of medical aid cover, […]

Before signing two copyright bills into law, President Cyril Ramaphosa has referred them back to the National Assembly because of reservations on the constitutionality of the legislation passed by Parliament. The Democratic Alliance welcomed the move, saying the Copyright Amendment Bill and the Performers’ Protection Amendment Bill, which also deal with “fair use” of artists’ […]

The Department of Public Enterprises has said it will oppose an application by SA Airlink to place South African Airways under provisional liquidation and finds the legal action “disturbing.” It was reported earlier today in Business Day that the private airline wanted to interdict a creditors meeting set for Thursday, and instead have the company […]

This Sunday South Africa’s top current affairs show Carte Blanche investigates if the R37-million fence between South Africa and Zimbabwe that the SA Government built is really doing its job to curb the smugglers. COVID-19: Beitbridge Border Blunder As the lockdown of national borders was meant to curb the movement of people and spread of […]

“Think of it as the Amazon, the Alibaba or even the eBay of Coronavirus resources on the African continent, made in Africa by Africans, the fundamental difference being that on this platform, the buyer is not an individual but governments,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said. As chairman of the African Union, he said yesterday the new […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa says government relied on scientific advice, consultations and the experience of other countries when it made the decision to gradually ease lockdown. The President said this when he fielded oral questions from members of the National Assembly during a hybrid question and answer session on Thursday. “In deciding on when to begin […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa says government has started a process of implementing an economic recovery plan, which is coupled with preserving the livelihoods of South Africans and saving lives… and that it won’t take long for the country to recover. The President was speaking before the National Assembly, responding to oral questions via a virtual link […]

Springbok coach and captain, Jacques Nienaber and Siya Kolisi, led a delegation of eight national players and coaches at the Food Forward SA warehouse in Cape Town today, where they assisted in packing food parcels in the fight against hunger. The visit to the Food Forward SA facility in Epping was part of SA Rugby’s […]

Transnet, the government utility controlling South Africa’s ports, freight trains and pipelines, has instituted a process of lifestyle audits for its employees, requiring them to declare their assets and credit history, as well as those of their immediate family. Transnet said in a statement today this was “part of efforts to ensure high standards of […]

South Africa’s captive-bred lion industry will go down in history as one of the most shameful wildlife disasters ever created by humans on earth. While it continues to spiral into an increasingly corrupt trade, it drags down with it our country’s credibility as a reputable wildlife tourism destination… writes Environmental Writer Louzel Lombard Steyn. A […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng says it is deeply concerned about the rise of farm attacks in Onderstepoort, North of Tshwane in South Africa. This follows seven incidents of farm attacks in 24 hours within a 15-kilometre radius at the Onderstepoort smallholding farms. Cases of house robbery, attempted house robbery and attempted murder have been opened […]

The South African government has emphasised its support for the national carrier, South African Airways (SAA). This comes following the publication of the carrier’s business rescue plan on 16 June 2020. “Government, as the sole shareholder of SAA, supports the business rescue plan where it results in a viable, sustainable, competitive airline that provides integrated […]

South Africa is poised to enter a new phase of normality as President Ramaphosa tonight announced the easing of restrictions on certain business industries in the country. Following discussions with industry leaders, scientists and in consultation with Premiers, the South African Cabinet has decided to ease restrictions on the following economic activities, said the President. […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the following address at the Union Buildings in Tshwane, on South Africa’s response to the coronavirus pandemic: It is now just over 100 days since the first case of coronavirus was identified in South Africa. For 100 days we have been living in the shadow of one of the greatest threats […]

In a sensational development, though long anticipated, the National Prosecuting Authority and the Hawks have arrested at least eight top people allegedly involved in the plundering of almost R2 billion from the defunct VBS Mutual Bank. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation of the SA Police, also known as the Hawks, made the arrests early […]

The unfolding US-China power rivalry bears a striking resemblance to the tensions between the US and the Soviet bloc during the Cold War years. Back then, African countries were positioned like pawns on a grand chessboard. Their social and economic progress was hampered because they expended energy aligning themselves with either of the superpowers in the battle […]