Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi claimed today that the Medical Schemes Amendment Bill and the National Health Insurance (NHI) Amendment Bill will introduce measures that will lift a financial burden from beneficiaries who are subjected to high healthcare costs. However the DA says no amount of spin will make NHI a success. After Dr Motsoaledi […]

When Free Speech is counter-attacked by intense scrutiny, intimidations and death threats because of unpopular views, we should all be concerned as that’s not how Constitutional democracy operates, write Neo Nino Mofokeng. Shashi Naidoo is yet another high profile South African who has been scrutinised, viciously attacked by the popular left and in the extreme, […]

Government will consider introducing computer coding in South Africa’s education system, Communications Deputy Minister Pinky Kekana said on Wednesday. “The time has come for us to introduce basic coding in our education system,” said the Deputy Minister. Addressing the IBM South Africa annual Think Johannesburg conference at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, Kekana said government acknowledges […]

South Africa’s Police Minister Bheki Cele and National Commissioner Khehla Sitole recently announced a new “high density stabilisation intervention” to tackle crime. The strategy focuses on cash-in-transit heists, car hijackings, murder, house robberies, and gang and taxi violence. It includes the deployment of desk-based police officials to the streets, particularly in “identified hotspots”, while dedicated […]

PRETORIA (Reuters) – South Africa‘s current account deficit widened more than expected in the first quarter to register its largest shortfall in two years as the trade balance swung to a deficit after a steep decline in exports, the central bank said on Thursday. Investor sentiment in South Africa picked up after President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged to clean up poor […]

The African National Congress (ANC) has announced the sad passing of Happy Joyce Mashamba, who was deployed as Limpopo’s MEC for Agriculture. Mashamba previously served as a member of the National Executive Committee of the ANC. On Wednesday night the ANC said it “extends its deepest condolences to her husband, ANC stalwart, Cde George and […]

South African Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi says he is expecting a “hurricane of protest” when he unveils the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill and the Medical Schemes Amendment Bill on Thursday. Motsoaledi said that he is not expecting a storm on Thursday, but a “hurricane”. “On Thursday this week I’ll be releasing two bills to […]

The Ahmed Kathrada foundation in South Africa has replied to comments made by Economic Freedom Fighter leader, Julius Malema about Indians. Addressing EFF youth at an event in Klerksdorp over the weekend, Malema said: “The majority of Indians hate Africans, majority of Indians are racist, and we must never be scared to say that. “They are […]

Now that Cyril Ramaphosa has served as South Africa’s president for more than three months, many pundits and ordinary citizens are assessing his performance. Some have argued that he’s doing a great job others are less impressed. Whatever one’s view, perhaps the most important element to take into consideration when assessing Ramaphosa’s work so far […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – The International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday that the South African government should clearly articulate its land reform plans in order to lift uncertainty weighing on investor sentiment. South Africa’s ruling African National Congress has said it plans to redistribute land without compensation to address racial inequalities that persist more than two […]

The South African Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane says Western Cape minister, Helen Zille was insensitive in her colonialism tweet last year. Zille had tweeted, whilst waiting to board a plane in Singapore back home to Cape Town: “For those claiming that the legacy of colonialism was only negative, they should look at various aspects of […]

According to South African civil rights organisation AfriForum, a petition against the proposed process of expropriation without compensation has been signed by nearly 250,000 members of the public. The organisation says it will be submitting the petition, as well as a memorandum, to Parliament in Cape Town tomorrow morning. “The memorandum contains a summary of […]

South African Airways’ (SAA) catering arm plans to lay off 118 workers, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) said, as the struggling airline implements a turnaround strategy to restore profitability. NUMSA said it had received notice of the layoffs from the catering arm, called Air Chefs, and said it would oppose the […]

South Africa’s rand firmed in early trade on Monday, recovering some of the losses from last week, as the dollar softened ahead of central bank policy meetings and the U.S.-North Korea summit this week. * At 0637 GMT, the rand traded at 13.0125 per dollar, 0.5percent firmer than its close on Friday. * The rand […]

South African opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), have their eyes set on the Northern Cape and Gauteng province as one of their strategies prior to next year’s general elections. DA leader Mmusi Maimane said on Saturday, after the meeting of the party’s federal executive in Johannesburg, that the DA aims to gain support in […]

In a series of tweets Sunday morning, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has “categorically” denied newspaper reports today that he demanded a R4.5-million “kickback” for a deal made by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). Mkhize described the allegations – which were published by the Sunday Times – as “a ridiculous and malicious […]

Attracting investment to grow the economy, creating jobs and addressing poverty and inequality in South Africa is top of mind as President Cyril Ramaphosa participates in the G7 Leaders’ Summit Outreach in Toronto, Canada. The President arrived in the country on Friday ahead of the two-day session hosted by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “The […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Elite South African police unit, the Hawks, raided offices of India’s Bank of Baroda on Friday and seized documents as part of an investigation into state corruption under former president Jacob Zuma, a police spokesman said. Bank of Baroda, which is winding down its operations in South Africa, was thrust into the […]

Former South African President Jacob Zuma, who was ousted by his own party in February, appeared at the Durban High Court on Friday for the second time on corruption charges relating to a $2.5 billion arms deal in the late 1990s. Zuma faces 16 charges of fraud, racketeering and money laundering relating to the deal […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa told congregants at the centenary celebrations of the Afrikanerbond that land needs to be shared in order to reduce poverty and unlock its economic value to benefit all South Africans. The President on Thursday night said the Afrikanerbond should not see the acceleration of land reform as a threat but as an […]

The African National Congress (ANC) has issued a statement saying it rejects Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) Chief Whip Floyd Shivambu’s “racist and narrow nationalist diatribe with the deepest contempt it deserves”. This statement goes a step further than an earlier one from the ANC Chief Whip, which had said Shivambu’s comment about National Treasury Official […]

The Office of the ANC Chief Whip says it condemns the “unwarranted and unsubstantiated utterances” attributed to the Chief Whip of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Floyd Shivambu. During a meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance in South Africa yesterday, Shivambu allegedly attacked National Treasury Official, Ishmail Momoniat, and objected to him presenting before […]

The South African National Congress councillor in Nelson Mandela Bay, Bongo Nombiba has been officially denied leave to appeal in Port Elizabeth Court. The councillor was  convicted of fraud and money laundering in March. He is serving five years at St Albany Prison. He pocketed R20 000 in donation money that was meant for a […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African father of nine Frank Mapara has been waiting nearly three decades to own a plot of land in the Johannesburg slum he calls home. If President Cyril Ramaphosa, who came to power in February after the African National Congress ousted Jacob Zuma, can keep his promise to redistribute land to […]

Global auditor KPMG said on Monday it will lay off 400 people as it closes offices in South Africa following a corruption scandal that resulted in the firm losing several major clients. “These hard decisions were necessary to put the firm on a more sustainable footing, while ensuring we continue to offer our clients the […]