The South African government has initiated a process to formalise and regulate the country’s large, yet informal minibus taxi industry, with a view to making it viable and free of violence. The government envisions the industry being restructured “along legally recognised business units” that pay corporate tax and comply with labour laws. Formalisation will eventually […]

The South African Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, has sent his condolences following a shocking fatal accident in KwaZulu-Natal in which 13 family members tragically perished, while two others sustained serious injuries. Fikile said: “We are deeply saddened by this horrific collision. These untimely deaths have left a void in the lives of many. We […]

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 […]

The wheels of justice are grinding slowly at one of South Africa’s most important courts. The Pretoria High Court (or Gauteng Division as it is also known), has its home in the administrative capital of the country and jurisdiction-wise hears most cases involving legal challenges to government, many of which are deemed urgent. However, according […]

Astor Mansions, one of the most iconic Art Deco buildings of central Johannesburg, has been down on its luck lately. And even more so today, when fire broke out on the ground floor. The cause of the fire in the residential building hasn’t been made known yet, and it apparently only damaged the ground floor, […]

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 […]

In a recent interview with News24, Police Minister, Bheki Cele, scapegoated and victim-blamed farmers for the brutality, torture, rape, mutilation and murder of farmers and their families. To state that the motive for these brutal attacks is due to worker conditions show utter ignorance on the part of the Minister… writes Dianne Kohler Barnard MP […]

Gauteng Premier David Makhura has dismissed Health MEC Bandile Masuku for his failure to execute his duties over the procurement of personal protective equipment in the department. Masuku was one of the first government people fingered for PPE contract irregularities. The demotion comes after the Special Investigations Unit found that Masuku had failed to carry […]

The Western Cape Division of the High Court has dismissed Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s application to stop a parliamentary inquiry into her fitness to hold office. After the Democratic Alliance was granted a request by the Speaker, Thandi Modise, for an investigation into the public protector’s fitness to hold office, Mkhwebane launched a court case […]

After repeatedly excusing himself from appearing before the Zondo Commission investigation state capture, and demanding that the commission chief recuse himself, former president Jacob Zuma will be issued a summons to appear at 10 am on the 16 to 20 November, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo ordered today. “Failure to comply with the instructions of […]

Antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 detection will be rolled out to all ports of entry in South Africa with immediate effect. The purpose of the rollout is to ensure level 1 travel regulations are met – which stipulate that all travellers who arrive at a port of entry without a certified negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR test result […]

As the threat of a COVID-19 pandemic emerged earlier this year, many felt a sense of apprehension about what would happen when it reached Africa. Concerns over the combination of overstretched and underfunded health systems and the existing load of infectious and non-infectious diseases often led to it being talked about in apocalyptic terms. However, […]

The number of COVID-19 deaths in South Africa continues to climb after 160 more people succumbed to COVID-19 on Thursday. Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has expressed his concern about the noticeable spike in the number of deaths in recent weeks. However, according to the Minister, the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) confirmed there […]

Musician Tactix SA is on a mission to make two athletic heroes in South Africa famous in the hope of helping them reach their target to help feed hungry children. The men – Kabelo Mabalane and Peteni Kuzwayo – ran 600 km (579km to be exact) from Joburg to Durban in 17 days to try […]

A story about a farmer’s encounter at a spaza shop in Paul Roux, Free State, is lifting spirits around the nation. The farmer, Gareth Going, shared his incredible experience on Facebook yesterday (Wednesday), a day after hundreds of farmers turned up in front of the Senekal Magistrate’s Court where two suspects in the Brendin Horner […]

Eight officials from the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries were placed on suspension following a forensic investigation into R2.1 billion worth of contracts allegedly irregularly awarded by the Waste Management Bureau. The bureau’s mandate includes promoting and facilitating minimisation, re-use, recycling and recovery of waste, and disbursing of revenue collected from waste management charges. […]

At least 55,000 people have since July signed a petition to be sent by the Democratic Alliance to President Cyril Ramaphosa  asking him to take urgent action against farm attacks and to apologise for a public statement in which he denied farm killings were taking place in South Africa. In the same week that two […]

In line with the mission of World Animal Day on 4 October, young South Africans have stepped up to raise welfare standards and conserve our collective wildlife heritage, starting in South Africa… writes Louzel Lombard Steyn. A new generation of conservationists are on the rise and on World Animal Day, young leaders have called for […]

The newly launched Earthshot Prize, publicised by Prince William in an interview with the famous environmentalist Sir David Attenborough as the most prestigious in the world, will award one million pounds to five people each year for the next decade for their contributions to clean up the environment and the world. The five prizes awarded […]

Former Proteas cricketer Vernon Philander has asked for his family’s privacy to be respected as they recover from the horrific fatal shooting of his younger brother Tyrone in Cape Town yesterday. Vernon said: “Our family is coming to terms with the brutal murder in my hometown of Ravensmead earlier (yesterday). I would like to ask […]

Condolences have poured in after Willem de Klerk, the son of former South African President FW de Klerk, passed away on Wednesday 7 October following a long “courageous” battle with cancer, believed to be in his jaw. The FW de Klerk Foundation said the 53-year-old passed away at his home in Durbanville, Western Cape. The […]

The body of missing man, Leighton Frank Agg (41), has been found, his devastated sister has confirmed. Leighton was last seen in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, on 30 September. His family issued a call for help in finding him and hundreds responded. Last night – Wed 7 Oct – his body was retrieved just outside […]

The owner of the well-known Pofadder Hotel, Leon Brits (40), has been brutally murdered. According to local reports, his wife Suretha (30) discovered his body in their undercover swimming pool, at around 11h45 on Wednesday morning after she couldn’t reach him on the phone. The community has been urged to remain calm. UPDATE 29 MARCH […]