PRETORIA – South African Police Services (SAPS) say they have arrested 567 persons in 265 cases relating to the student protests over fees at the country’s institutions of higher learning and training. SAPS acting National Commissioner General Kgomotso Phahlane said at a briefing in Pretoria on Monday the arrests were made from 1 February 2016 to […]

At about 6:30am Monday morning about 30 student protesters blocked Baxter Road outside the University of Cape Town’s Tugwell and Leo Marquard residences. This is the main stop of the university’s shuttle service. The protesters eventually swelled to about a hundred people. At times private security moved the protesters out the road, but the protesters […]

JOHANNESBURG – Oakbay Investments – the holding company for the Gupta family’s businesses in South Africa – has announced the sudden resignation of its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nazeem Howa with immediate effect. In a statement this evening, Oakbay said after a period of illness Howa is stepping down, “due to health issues and medical […]

Sometimes fans can spoil a good thing, and a post published yesterday on Facebook as a presumably well-intentioned salute to the good that the Democratic Alliance (DA) is doing in Joburg, is currently backfiring. The post – which appears to show how much the DA has cleaned up the streets of Joburg since they took over […]

South Africa is playing host Monday to the 30th Anniversary Service of the late Mozambican President Samora Machel, who died in a plane crash over South African soil on 19 October 1986, along with 34 others. Only nine survived the crash at Mbuzini, Mpumalanga. Questions still hang over the crash today, with some suspecting it was not […]

South African sporting legend – and Technical Director of the SA Football Association (SAFA) – Neil Tovey (54) has suffered a heart attack. In a press statement, SAFA said his brother Mark Tovey confirmed the incident, adding that the former Bafana Bafana captain was in critical condition and doctors were battling hard to stabilise him. […]

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have opened a criminal case against the “Gupta Criminal Syndicate” on Sunday in South Africa… and revealed they “fear that due to their connection to high office, the suspects will temper with evidence and crucial witnesses.” The charges pertain to the so-called ‘State Capture’ by the Gupta family, including ‘money […]

Mmusi Maimane called on ANC ministers to make their voices heard and support a call for South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma to step down or be recalled; and called on all South Africans to be in Pretoria on the 2nd of November. “We all need to stand together in this time of crisis,” Maimane said. Maimane’s […]

Congratulations to Johannesburg’s former Mayor Parks Tau who has been appointed President of world body United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the umbrella body of local governments around the world. UCLG, which has its headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, is the equivalent of the United Nations (UN) for local government. It represents over 240,000 towns and regions, 175 […]

Golden Lions Julian Redelinghuys is due to undergo surgery Sunday morning, and is expected to make a full recovery following the “desperately unlucky collision” during Saturday’s Currie Cup match against the Free State Cheetahs in which he sustained a serious neck injury. The Lions Rugby Union published the medical report from team doctor Dr Rob […]

Adv Thuli Madonsela woke up this morning feeling like a team captain “that has completed an epic race and survived by grace”… and by this evening she had inspired many others to start on a similar race, with grace, to achieve a better more equal, less discriminatory South Africa for all. South Africa’s former Public […]

University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) students have been quick to distance themselves from the violent incidents which occurred in Braamfontein, South Africa, Friday night… where an SABC van was set alight, bottles were thrown at passing vehicles and students were allegedly shot with rubber bullets by police. One student – Arnold Maflow – tweeted just […]

While South Africa’s President Zuma has extended condolences to the people of Thailand following the passing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, there are many South Africans in the country who are as heartbroken and “gutted” as the locals. One South African, who has been living in Thailand for years, wrote: “RIP Your Majesty You are a […]

As South Africa thanks Advocate Thuli Madonsela for the incredible job she did at protecting the country from corruption, at being the Public Protector we could only have dreamed of having… here are some wise words from the lady herself that may help us move forward without her. Outgoing Public Protector, Adv Thuli Madonsela, on life and […]

The South African President’s son, Edward Zuma, has released a media statement accusing Finance Minister Gordhan Pravin of being a “cry baby”, and outgoing Public Protector Adv Thuli Madonsela, and her “handlers” as being in “panic mood”. Supporting his father, the President’s son also took part in a radio interview late Thursday evening on Power […]

DAKAR (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Boko Haram has freed 21 of more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by the Islamist militant group in April 2014 in the northern Nigerian town of Chibok, the government said on Thursday. UPDATE 3 FEB ’23: A documentary film about Boko Haram has won the International Film Festival Rotterdam – Le […]

South African fast food restaurant chain Nando’s has created an advert in tribute to outgoing Public Protector, Advocate Thuli Madonsela, who serves her last day as PP Friday. Referring to Madonsela’s courage in questioning even the leader of the country, President Jacob Zuma, the advert says “Always the griller. Never the chicken” and “Thuli, your courage […]

The relatively trivial nature of the charges against South Africa’s Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, and the way in which the prosecution has been pursued, leads to the conclusion that this is a trumped up charge. It also suggests that Gordhan is being prosecuted for reasons unrelated to the law and order mandate of the body […]

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane claims that the motive behind the summons – issued by special police unit, the Hawks, to Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan – is because of an impending nuclear deal with a Russian delegation… which is allegedly in the country. In a tweet early Thursday, Maimane said: “We are reliably informed that there is high […]

South Africa’s outgoing Public Protector, Advocate Thuli Madonsela, has been selected by the Tällberg Foundation to form part of its Global Leaders list for 2016. The Foundation on Wednesday announced Adv. Madonsela among the “five extraordinary women who are responding to leadership challenges of the 21st century”. The Foundation is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit education organisation […]

South Africa made history Wednesday at Newlands stadium, in Cape Town, as the first team in history to inflict a whitewash against Australia in a five-match ODI (One Day International) series! Kangaroos’ captain Steve Smith said: “It’s been a tough series, we’ve been outplayed.” Rilee Rossouw, with his maiden ODI century against Australia, and JP Duminy […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it welcomes the “unusual decision” by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) Wednesday that it would prefer to hear oral arguments in open court in President Jacob Zuma’s application for leave to appeal the decision of the Gauteng North High Court (see Court Order below). The DA said Zuma “must take responsibility… and not […]

President Jacob Zuma has spoken out again in support of South Africa’s Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, although for many South Africans it sounded like empty rhetoric. The President urged the NPA (National Prosecuting Authority) to conduct the matter – of Gordhan being summonsed to appear in court on charges of fraud – with the necessary “dignity […]

EFF leader Julius Malema has called on South Africans to support democracy by taking to the streets of Pretoria on the day that Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan will appear in court on charges of fraud, 02 November 2016. Malema’s call came Tuesday, following the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA’s) announcement that Gordhan and two former colleagues from the SA Revenue Services […]

South Africa’s Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, along with former SARS (SA Revenue Services) officials Ivan Pillay and Oupa Magashula, are being charged with fraud. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the three accused men have been informed of the decision and have been served summonses to appear in court on 02 November 2016. The […]