The Democratic Alliance (DA) has responded to the Palestine Embassy’s statement that it was not informed of DA leader Mmusi Maimane’s trip to Israel and Palestine. National spokesperson Phumzile Van Damme tweeted: “Er! SAns don’t require a visa to travel to the region, of course the Embassy wasn’t contacted. We communicated directly with the Pres […]

South African aid organisation Gift of the Givers (GotG) has confirmed that local photo-journalist, Shiraaz Mohamed, was kidnapped in Syria on Tuesday evening. He has not been seen since. According to his family “for months he had been talking of going to Syria”, and had finally secured this trip, facilitated by the esteemed humanitarian organisation, GotG, who are […]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s anti-graft watchdog has reopened an investigation into whether Barclays Africa Group benefited from an apartheid-era bailout, the bank said on Friday. A preliminary report by the country’s Public Protector has found that the apartheid government breached the constitution by supplying Bankorp, which was acquired by Barclays Africa unit, Absa, in […]

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma kicked off the new year by declaring that God was on the side of the ruling African National Congress (ANC). Speaking ahead of the ANC’s 105th birthday celebrations which took place at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, he reiterated a statement he has made several times before – that the […]

No matter what one’s thoughts may be on Barack Obama as a President, there can be no doubt that when it comes to being a husband and a father – he provided an inspiring role model for all the men out there. At his presidential farewell speech in the USA on Wednesday, the crowd went wild as […]

President Jacob Zuma has today, 11 January 2017, signed the following ten Bills into law according to a statement on The Presidency’s website: Taxation Laws Amendment Act The main purpose of the Bill is to amend certain provisions of various Acts related to the Taxations Laws Amendment Act including, amongst others, Transfer Duty Act, 1949; […]

The ANC Women’s League has thrown its weight behind Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, endorsing the President’s ex-wife as the next leader of African National Congress party… which could make her the first female President of South Africa when national elections are held in 2019. Nkosazana is the chairwoman of the African Union and ex-wife of the current president, Jacob […]

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 8 (Reuters) – South Africa’s ruling African National Congress needs to end infighting and focus on winning back public support, President Jacob Zuma said on Sunday as he tries to unite an increasingly divided party. Some senior ANC members called for Zuma to resign in November, pointing to the damage several corruption scandals […]

While the ANC were celebrating their 105th birthday down the road at Orlando Stadium in Soweto this morning, the Mayor of Johannesburg – Herman Mashaba from the DA – spent his Sunday morning addressing concerned residents gathered outside an electricity substation in Roosevelt Park. Power had been off since Saturday midnight, as well as for several […]

It looks like the weather may rain on the ANC’s parade again this weekend as the governing party celebrate its 105th birthday. Last year rain poured down during the 104 birthday celebrations, and just last month strong winds forced the ANC’s Reconciliation Day celebrations to be called off, as the North West venue’s tent was raised […]

South Africa’s deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed his availability to contest the presidency of the governing ANC at its 54th national conference later this year. He has already secured the endorsement of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (Cosatu). He failed in his bid to lead the party once before. Twenty years ago […]

PRETORIA – The new year has barely begun, and party political squabbles have already started between the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA). The latest squabble is over Tshwane Mayor Solly Msimanga’s recent trip to the City of Taipei, Taiwan. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) says the visit to […]

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) launched a social media campaign for its supporters… but in a typical ‘plot twist’, the campaign has backfired and been ‘hijacked’ by its detractors. It started with the ANC inviting supporters to tweet what #UnityInAction means to them, referring to the theme of the ANC’s 105th Anniversary which will […]

Margaret Thatcher wooed the South African government with promises of a “Marshall Plan for southern Africa” and helped “save” the independence of Namibia, according to newly released papers. The events they cover provide an insight into a March 1989 visit to Britain by the South African foreign minister, Pik Botha. The documents, from the prime […]

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane has wished all South Africans – at home and abroad – a 2017 that comes with positive change and leadership. (See full message below.) Economic Freedom Fighter (EFF) leader Julius Malema was equally positive, tweeting: “It will be a good new year, it must be a good new year. We […]

PRETORIA – South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has reiterated that religious leaders – in his opinion – should “avoid becoming embroiled in divisive party political squabbles”. The Presidency said President Zuma has noted the ongoing commentary on statements he made during the annual Twelve Apostles’ Church in Christ (TACC) International Thanksgiving Day celebrations held in Durban, […]

As South Africa sent condolences today to victims of the probable terrorist attack that struck in Berlin on Monday evening, an SAPeople follower from Germany has described the feelings her country is currently going through. Cornelia H. from Munich, who loves spending her holidays in “beautiful South Africa”, says: “Germany is in a state of shock. Everyone is […]

Conflict on campuses, hint of justice for miners, a heated election, our most successful Olympics, and other stories on GroundUp this year Accusations against police are commonplace in South Africa. Police work under stressful conditions for mediocre pay. Accusations of brutality are often too glibly made. However a description of officers assaulting a homeless man and […]

Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa has extended “deepest sympathies” to the family, friends and colleagues of City of Cape Town Transport Official Steven Otter who was murdered in the early hours of Friday morning. Otter (43) passed away from stab wounds after confronting intruders at around 4am in his new Harfield Village home, which […]

ZEERUST – Friday’s Reconciliation Day celebrations at Gopane in North West, South Africa, were called off after President Jacob Zuma had to be driven away during a freak storm. The violent storm with strong winds ripped through the marquee as the president was discussing compensation efforts for the families of the Markana massacre victims. He said part […]

While the South African Broadcasting Commission (SABC) Inquiry has kept South Africans shocked and entertained this week as one revelation after the next piled up, it has been lauded as a brilliant example of how great the country can be when Ministers from different political parties put South Africa first. Chairman Vincent Smith and the panel that […]

South Africa’s Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, must be suspended immediately, pending a full investigation into allegations that the invalid contract, awarded to Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) to distribute social grants to 17 million vulnerable South Africans, benefitted her friends, says DA Shadow Minister Bridget Masango. Masango says that today’s AmaBhungane report, published on […]

The National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (NUMSA) announced Wednesday that Hollywood star Danny Glover will address the Numsa Gala Dinner tomorrow night. The 70-year-old is a keen political activist and has long had an interest in South Africa and has starred in several movies related to or set in South Africa – from his […]

Thuli Madonsela’s successor The Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, paid a courtesy call to President Jacob Zuma yesterday morning at his Mahlamba Ndlopfu residence in Pretoria.  It was their first meeting since Adv Mkhwebane was appointed as the Public Protector on the 6th October 2016. President Zuma congratulated Adv Mkhwebane on her appointment and pledged his and […]

PRETORIA – Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba and Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba met in Pretoria on Tuesday to discuss issues related to international migration, specifically over 100,000 undocumented immigrants living illegally in Joburg, many of whom have allegedly ‘hijacked’ buildings. Gigaba said the meeting was prompted after the Joburg mayor labelled illegal immigrants as ‘criminals’, saying he found […]