South African former Finance Minister, Trevor Manuel has described the presidency of Jacob Zuma as a ‘total disaster’. Manuel was addressing the gathered audience at the Archbishop Thabo Makgoba Public Lecture at the University of Western Cape on Wednesday night. “I make no apologies, Archbishop, for my views that the presidency of Jacob Zuma was […]

Contrary to the “kill or be killed” headlines about ITV’s ‘On Assignment’ programme, which aired on Monday night and “annoyed” several South African viewers… a full viewing of the episode shows it was a little more balanced, and a lot more positive than the SA critics (who maybe only watched the trailer) had given it […]

South Africa’s farm murders and the government’s plan to implement land expropriation without compensation is receiving global attention this week. Firstly, ITV in the UK aired an On Assignment episode on Monday night, which investigated the issues… and last night, the USA’s largest television news channel, Fox News (which has a reputation for biased reporting […]

South Africa has recalled its ambassador to Israel, following an attack on the Gaza border which left 55 Palestinians dead and 2,700 wounded… on a day in which the United States opened a controversial embassy in Jerusalem. South Africa condemned “the indiscriminate and grave manner of the latest Israeli attack”. Turkey also recalled its ambassador from […]

Recent actions by US President Donald Trump’s administration are severely straining relations with South Africa’s new government led by President Cyril Ramaphosa. And relations between the two governments are likely to worsen. The first blow was last month’s threat by Trump’s UN Ambassador Nikki Haley that countries unwilling to tow the US line would be […]

  The DA says it will call for a full disclosure on the status of funding for South African Airways (SAA)… given that a further bailout of R5 billion, its third cash injection in just one year, may have been sourced. Alf Lees MP – DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Finance – said that on […]

This Sunday’s episode of Carte Blanche is packed with all the latest hot topics in South Africa – De Lille vs The DA, Protea Glen Land Grabs, Murder By Appointment and Being Transgender. South Africans abroad can watch this show (and many more) by subscribing to Showmax International, where this episode will be available to stream from Tuesday 15 […]

On Friday two political leaders from different parties were assassinated in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and a third was assassinated in front of his family on Monday… sparking fears that political killings which previously plagued the province are “rearing their ugly head” again, as the country prepares for the National Election next year. The African National […]

The South African government says it will fast-track land reform while waiting for the Parliamentary process to unfold (whereby the Constitution is due to be amended to pave the way for land expropriation without compensation). Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane says the department will use the existing legal framework to fast track […]

Mogalakwena Municipality’s Council has agreed to purchase a brand new vehicle for its Mayor, Andrina Matsemela, that will apparently cost R1 million… despite the poverty-stricken municipality’s huge service delivery shortcomings, claim the DA. Korny Dekker, DA Councillor in Mogalakwena, said the DA has unambiguously opposed this decision, which was taken during a special council meeting yesterday. The Mayor’s existing […]

Former South African Western Cape Police Commissioner Arno Lamoer has been sentenced to six years in prison for corruption. Lamoer appeared in the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town on Thursday where he was handed an eight year sentence, two of which were suspended. The police commissioner was found guilty of corruption in February […]

The deadline for written submissions on the proposed review of Section 25 of the Constitution – in order to allow for land expropriation without compensation – has been extended by two weeks until 15 June 2018. This extension will make the period for written submissions a total of 60 days given to the public to make […]

The DA has declared that “we have not and will not offer to keep Patricia de Lille on as Mayor of the City of Cape Town”. In a media statement on Thursday, Natasha Mazzone – Deputy Chairperson of Federal Council – clarified: “We have offered to agree, in order to prevent any further unnecessary legal delays, […]

South Africa’s founding President Nelson Mandela was on this day, 24 years ago, inaugurated as Head of State. (Watch Madiba’s speech below.) Mandela took the Oath of Office as the first President of a democratic dispensation at a ceremony held at the Union Buildings. The day followed the historic 27 April 1994 elections, which saw […]

South African Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu released a statement on Wednesday addressing the Democratic Alliance (DA) matter of terminating Cape Town Mayor Patricia De Lille’s membership. Tutu and his family expressed sadness at the exit of De Lille. He described De Lille as a “unifier” and also acknowledged the role the mayor played in Cape […]

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa couldn’t stand the “incessant chirping” (in the words of the SABC) anymore… and broke in Parliament yesterday, telling the opposition party’s Chief Whip John Steenhuisen: “I want you to shut up!” It was two hours into the Question and Answer session in the National Assembly and Ramaphosa just wanted to […]

Despite the ANC welcoming the ‘voluntary’ resignation of South African North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo, it appears he has NOT yet resigned. He was expected to make his resignation official today. In an interview with eNCA on Wednesday morning, Mahumapelo said he is waiting for his PEC, who are meeting, to tell him their decision […]

If he were alive today, Nelson Mandela would probably be puzzled to find that it has become popular among South Africans frustrated with the pace of change to join former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe in casting him as a villain. The charge against Mandela, who became South Africa’s first democratically elected President on May 10 […]

Murder cases have increased in three out of four police districts in eastern Johannesburg, rising 30% from 136 murders to 177 murders in the last year. The most affected areas are Yeoville, Jeppe, Sandringham and Cleveland. According to Jack Bloom, DA Johannesburg East Constituency Head, these figures from April-February (2016-17) to April-February (2017-2018) were revealed […]

The assault case against former South African Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Mduduzi Manana has been withdrawn. Just three weeks into her job, Manana’s domestic worker – named as Christine Wiro in local reports – laid charges against her employer on Sunday night at the Douglasdale police station. She claims that Manana had tried to push […]

The Chief in Commander, Julius Malema, of the South African Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) will be sworn in as a member of the Pan African Parliament (PAP), together with four other SA Members of Parliament (MPs). The swearing in of the five will take place during the Opening Ceremony of the 6th Ordinary Session of […]

Despite being at loggerheads with three of his senior colleagues, South African Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, Mmusi Maimane says he is standing by his comments about white privilege. Addressing DA supporters in Shoshanguve, Pretoria for a Freedom Day rally, Maimane said white privilege and black poverty must be addressed to bring out the true meaning […]

Suspended SARS Commissioner Tom Moyane has been served with disciplinary charges, the Presidency announced on Friday. This relates to alleged misconduct in violation of his duties and responsibilities in terms of the South African Revenue Service Act, Public Finance Management Act and SARS Code of Conduct. The Presidency said Monyane was served with the charges […]

Just a few days after retiring from politics, former African National Congress (ANC) Member of Parliament, Makhosi Khoza has been appointed as the head of the South African Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA). The organisation announced on Friday that Khoza will be an executive director and head of its local government programme. Khoza says she is […]

The clean-up in South Africa continues as Minister of Public Enterprise, Pravin Gordhan has officially announced the resignation of Transnet chairwoman Linda Mabaso and two other non-executive directors, Vusi Nkonyane and Yasmin Forbes. Gordhan said late Thursday that Mabaso resigned with immediate effect ahead of a shareholder meeting on Friday with board directors. Gordhan said […]