“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 […]

“Not everything that came out of this Covid-19 situation was bad,” says aspiring artist Njabulo Khuzani. Khuzani is one of the many homeless people who were moved into eThekwini Homeless shelters across Durban since March as part of the municipality’s attempt to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. Dozens of homeless people in Durban have been […]

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has launched a toll-free number in order for South Africans to be able to “expeditiously lodge misconduct complaints” against “rogue” police officers. Speaking at the launch on Monday, Police Minister Bheki Cele said while he was confident that the majority of police officers were hardworking, dedicated and honest, there […]

The Expropriation Bill 2020 has been submitted to Parliament for introduction. The bill, which is set to replace the Expropriation Act of 1975 that is inconsistent with the Constitution, was gazetted on 09 October 2020. The bill is part of the work of government in ensuring that a comprehensive land redistribution for agricultural purpose, human […]

A high-ranking South African Police Service (SAPS) officer has been arrested during a predawn raid in connection with a 2017 SAPS multi-million rand tender, becoming the 13th accused expected to appear before the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court on charges of corruption, fraud, theft and money laundering. UPDATE: The officer, identified as Bonang Mgwenya, is the […]

In his weekly letter, President Cyril Ramaphosa has addressed the issue of farm attacks and crime in South Africa, saying that the brutal murder of young farm manager Brendin Horner less than two weeks ago, and many other deaths in South Africa, should anger everyone. Ramaphosa has often been criticised for avoiding the farm murder […]

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 […]