TimesLIVE – In the News

Thousands of Rise Mzansi supporters gathered at the Ruimsig Stadium in Roodepoort on Sunday for the party’s final rally ahead of the May 29 general elections.With many experts predicting a coalition government after the elections, Rise Mzansi national chief organiser Makashule Gana told TimesLIVE they will focus on coalitions once they know the results. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa says he is satisfied with the way in which the government, disaster management personnel and other stakeholders handled the multistorey building collapse in George. Ramaphosa, cabinet ministers and diplomats from various neighbouring country's visited the site on Thursday.  He also assured affected parties, whether bereaved families or victims in hospital, that they would be[...]

Two graduates from the Cyber Excellence Academy, Gontse Motloung and Teven Kunene, enrolled in the institution because they were once hacked online.  The academy, together with Takenote IT Solutions,  offers a free cybersecurity programme to address growing demand for cybersecurity professionals in South Africa.  The programme runs for a year, and students learn about cybersecurity, providing them with the knowledge, skills, and expertise necessary to[...]

Police minister Bheki Cele has committed to finding the killers of five-year-old Ditebogo Junior Phalane who was shot during a hijacking in Soshanguve at the weekend. Cele along with police management visited the family on Tuesday.  The police ministry also unveiled policing interventions to be deployed in the area to combat escalating violent crimes. 

The George municipality has confirmed six of the deceased at the collapsed building have been positively identified.  At least 20 people are still unaccounted for as the death toll rises to 32 after the collapse of the partially built building on Monday last week. The municipality says they are striving to fast-track the process of identifying[...]

The EFF’s Mbuyiseni Ndozi says his party’s friend, MK Party leader Jacob Zuma, must go home and rest because he had his chance in government for two decades. Ndlozi asked what the former president would do now that he could not do while he was president.  Zuma was president from 2009 to 2018 in what[...]

Thousands of staff members and beneficiaries of various non-profit organisations (NPOs) in Gauteng are facing persistent funding issues that have left many on the brink of shutting their doors. This has been an ongoing issue for the past two years.  We hear from two affected parties: a social auxiliary worker and disabled young woman about[...]

The Department of Employment and Labour in the Western Cape are still trying to locate the owner of the multistorey building that collapsed in George on Monday. The departments  chief inspector in the province David Esau, says the owner was issued with a subpoena but has not responded.  This emerged during a multidisciplinary briefing at the disaster[...]

Western Cape local government and environmental affairs MEC Anton Bredell says though the 48-hour mark is approaching since the collapse of a multi-storey building under construction in George, search and rescue operations will continue. Bredell said a possible move to a recovery phase will be determined on Thursday morning. Volunteers have come to the aid of[...]

Sunday Times deputy Mike Siluma speaks to the CEO of the Vaal Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Xola Sithole about how the SEZ is boosting the economy of Gauteng.

Deputy editor of the Sunday Times Mike Siluma speaks to the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) Sochayile Khanyile.

Business Day Political Editor Hajra Omarjee speaks to MEC for Finance Jacob Mamabolo about his role as Gauteng government head of treasury and what has been achieved since he took over.

EFF leader Julius Malema says voters should not drink alcohol on voting day and then vote. Malema told supporters to “bury” the governing ANC on May 29 and “remove a criminal in the Union Buildings”. He said “the real freedom is coming on May 29, what was missed in 1994 is going to be achieved[...]

The state in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial has been accused of not sharing documents timeously.  The defence in the Pretoria high court on Thursday complained about the introduction of documents and additional evidence by the state during proceedings.  Advocate Zandile Mshololo, who is representing accused No 5 Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli, told the court she[...]

Former president Thabo Mbeki wants the country to convene for a national dialogue after the election to tackle what he called counterrevolution which has been making the democratic government fail since 1994. Mbeki diagnosed what has paralysed the democratic state led by the ANC since 1994 and called for an inclusive dialogue with civil society[...]

TimesLIVE speaks to a survivor of an assassination ,where he was shot 14 times and lost two of his friends.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told supporters in the Western Cape there are benefits they will be excluded from, such as getting jobs without experience required, because they are governed by the DA and not voting for the ANC.  Mbalula said ANC supporters in the province choose to gallivant on voting day while DA supporters come[...]

The survivors of the Usindiso building fire and shack fires in Johannesburg marched to premier Panyaza Lesufi's office on Friday with a letter of demands.   More than 70 people died in the fire on August 31. The survivors were moved to a temporary shelter in Denver, close to the Johannesburg CBD. A commission of inquiry was[...]

Former ANC president Thabo Mbeki says he has not put aside his grievances with the ANC and the party will have to get the criminals out. Campaigning for the party in Soweto on Thursday, Mbeki acknowledged problems within the ANC and said the party would attend to them. Mbeki told the media that the ANC[...]

The South African Human Rights Commission has slammed the Eastern Cape health department, Eastern Cape Liquor Board and the South African Police Service in relation to the Enyobeni tavern tragedy. Twenty-one young people died during school end-of-year celebrations at the tavern.   Presenting the commission's report on the investigation into the tragedy on Thursday, commissioner Nomahlubi[...]

About 700 government officials have been found guilty of corruption in the past five years, according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). National Director of Public Prosecutions advocate Shamila Batohi and NPA executive committee members held a media briefing on Wednesday. Batohi said in complex corruption cases guilty pleas are rare. 

EFF leader Julius Malema claims load-shedding will be implemented when vote counting starts and votes will be stolen. When counting starts after the May 29 national and provincial elections, stage 6 load-shedding will be implemented, according to Malema. “They must find you ready, that’s why I’m telling you this, I’m preparing you. I know these[...]

EFF leader Julius Malema says the language criminals understand is violence and police should fight fire with fire so offenders live in fear. He said the rate of crimes such as murder, gender based violence and rape is staggering and criminals have declared war on law-abiding citizens. "Today law-abiding citizens are scared ... Criminals are[...]

Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says the 26 days of no load-shedding so far has nothing to do with the elections and has cautioned against the big improvement being used as an “electioneering tool”.Briefing media on Monday, he urged the public to avoid the noise and look towards a further reduction in load-shedding intensity. 

Cellphone data analyst Gideon Gouws confirmed communication between the five men accused of murdering football star Senzo Meyiwa.  The evidence ties in with that of previous witness, police cellphone analyst Col Lambertus Steyn. Gouws was asked to analyse data downloaded from Bongani Ntanzi and Sifisokuhle Ntuli's cellphones to check if there was any communication between them[...]

Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi says they have ordered surveillance drones, speed boats and handheld biometric devices to help manage the country's porous borders. South Africa's land borders cover about 4,700km. Insufficient security and the poor state of fencing make the borders insecure, with foreigners entering illegally and allowing other acts of criminality. Speaking on[...]

The Roodepoort magistrate's court has postponed the case against six suspects charged with the murder of Kaizer Chiefs player Luke Fleurs to April 19.  The suspects face charges of murder, robbery under aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of unlicensed ammunition and defeating the ends of justice. The suspects are aged 21 to 36 and[...]

Chris Hani's widow Limpho says whoever becomes president after the May 29 general elections should not have a bloated cabinet.  She was speaking during an event in Ekurhuleni on Wednesday commemorating her late husband's death.    She questioned the role of some deputy ministers. 

From April 12 e-tolls will no longer exist, and Gauteng road users will no longer be required to pay for the service.  This was announced during a media briefing on Wednesday held by the department of transport, with the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) and Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi.  During the briefing issues of[...]

Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says the intensity of load-shedding is dropping.  He briefed media on Tuesday to give an update on implementation of the energy saving system.   Stages 1 and 2 load-shedding accounted for half the power cuts South Africans experienced so far this year. 

Police minister Bheki Cele says South Africa's prisons hold almost 14,000 foreign nationals and more than 144,000 South Africans. He was briefing the media on Sunday to provide an update on successes achieved by the police service in response to serious and violent crimes and how crime intelligence has improved. Cele said the prison stats indicate it[...]

With less than two months to go before the May 29 elections, EFF leader Julius Malema says he is prepared to give the EFF vote to the ANC nationally if it doesn't get 50%. He was speaking to JJ Tabane on the Frank Dialogue podcast. Malema said he will have one demand - the ANC must[...]

Former National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula was granted R50,000 bail after her first appearance before the Pretoria magistrate's court on Thursday. The former speaker faces 12 charges of corruption and one of money laundering. In her affidavit read by her lawyer, advocate Graham Kerr-Phillips, Mapisa-Nqakula said she believed the state’s case against her was weak.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) hosted the signing of the Electoral Code of Conduct and ballot paper draw at Gallagher Estate in Midrand on Thursday ahead of the May 29 elections. 

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba on Wednesday announced the top 10 politicians his party would prosecute if it was elected into government after the May 29 general elections.  Mashaba announced this in Saxonwold, Johannesburg, outside the former Gupta residence. He said two years after the Zondo commission submitted the final state capture report, nothing has been done to[...]

Rise Mzansi led a picket on Tuesday at the labour and employment department in Pretoria. The party believes the age limit for government programmes is discriminatory against people aged 35 and older who are looking for employment or to improve their skills.The National Youth Commission Act and the National Youth Policy set the definition of[...]

The Pretoria high court on Tuesday dismissed with costs the urgent application by National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to interdict law enforcement authorities from arresting her during corruption investigations. Last month the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate (ID) conducted a search and seizure operation at Mapisa-Nqakula's home in Bruma, Johannesburg. The operation was was linked to[...]

A popular radio station based in KwaZulu-Natal, Gagasi FM, is consulting with its attorneys after former presenter Penny Ntuli disclosed the station offered her a monthly salary of R2,800. Ntuli's declarations led to the station being lambasted and labelled as exploitative. The station dominated social media trends this week as Ntuli lifted the lid on[...]

Cellphone records, vehicle tracking and CCTV footage have allegedly linked the five men accused of killing Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and his friend Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane to the crime.During bail application proceedings at the Durban magistrate's courts on Wednesday the state presented its version of events and evidence. Detective Bob Pillay from the police's organised crime unit[...]

The announcement of the closure of Educor institutions Damelin, CityVarsity, Icesa City Campus on Friday has shocked the sector and left students and parents in limbo Students at the Damelin College in Braamfontein have been left in the dark about the deregistration of Educor colleges by the higher education department. According to the department these Educor institutions had not[...]

The Electoral Court on Tuesday ruled the Electoral Commission of South Africa's (IEC) registration of the newly formed MK party was not unlawful.  The ANC filed an application challenging the MK party's registration, arguing the IEC contravened the law by allowing the party, to supplement its registration application after it had already been rejected. 

Aurum Institute director for tuberculosis (TB) and monitoring Sicelo Dlamini says TB can be easily controlled and treated. On World TB Day, March 24, the focus was on the theme “Invest in action to end TB”. 

ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina says the party's parliamentary caucus will comment on the raid by the Hawks at the house of National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula when there are “proper findings”. The National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Investigating Directorate (ID) on Tuesday conducted a search and seizure raid at her house in Bruma, Johannesburg. 

IEC says it’s working with the security cluster to ensure peaceful elections amid threats to stop voting. The commission made a presentation to the home affairs committee in parliament on Tuesday on its readiness for the elections. Several committee members raised concerns over intimidating remarks made by the new kid on the political block, the[...]

Investigating Directorate members raided the home of National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula on Tuesday morning.

The ANC will remain in government after the elections, said the party’s secretary-general Fikile Mbalula just before another mic-snatching drama transpired after the singing of Wenzeni uZuma. “The ANC governs and I can tell you when we wake up on May 30 the ANC will still be government” he said in KwaZulu-Natal. He was delivering[...]

The MK party has announced 81-year-old former president Jacob Zuma as its presidential candidate in the national and provincial elections. They do not want any engagements on the topic, said the party’s youth leader Bonginkosi Khanyile. Zuma has ambitions of being president again to “fix things” but the constitution will not allow him. There has[...]

Sifiso Mkhwanazi has been found guilty by the Gauteng High Court sitting in Palm for killing six Johannesburg sex workers. On Wednesday Judge Cassim Moosa found Mkhwanazi guilty of six counts of murder, six of rape, six of defeating the ends of justice, and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Three of the four suspects alleged to be involved in the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith, have abandoned their bail applications. Additionally, the state withdrew charges against accused number four, Phumza Sigaqa.  The accused, who are charged with kidnapping and human trafficking appeared in the Vredenburg magistrate’s court on Wednesday. Joshlin’s whereabouts remain unknown. She was[...]

MK Party leading member Jacob Zuma says if voters don’t vote for his party and “liberate” black people that would be the last straw and he would give up the cause. He would wash his hands of his attempts to free black South Africans. He is the number one candidate for the MK Party, according[...]

Leader of the MK Party Youth League Bonginkhosi Khanyile says Springbok captain Siya Kolisi is not a hero to black people. Speaking on the Hustlers podcast with DJ Sbu, Khanyile insinuated Kolisi makes black people slaves of “white propaganda”.

Pule Morake and Johannes Tshabile had known each other their entire lives. The two men lived kilometres apart as children, grew up together and even competed in the same sports tournaments. However one became a detective within the South African Police Service while the other became one of South Africa's most wanted serial rapists.

ANC Youth League leader Collen Malatji says “the ANC pays you for being born, pays you for living, pays you to go to school, pays you to go to university and gives your mother water and electricity”. He was speaking at Alexandra Stadium in Johannesburg, praising the governing party’s efforts but lamenting youth unemployment as[...]

Collen Malatji, the ANC Youth League president, says the ANC will win 100% of votes, and post elections if President Cyril Ramaphosa fails to deliver on promises, the youth league will “overthrow him and [ANC secretary-general] Mbalula” because the league are “not cowards”. The party has been on a constant decline since the 2009 national[...]

Relief, happiness and a sense that justice had been served. This is how some of Johannes Tshabile's victims described their feelings after the hefty sentence handed to the serial rapist. Tshabile was sentenced to 11 life terms for rape and a cumulative 363 years for attempted murder, theft, and robbery with aggravating circumstances among other[...]

Those who threaten instability should things not go their way in the elections will be arrested, says President Cyril Ramaphosa. A few fiery supporters of the MK Party have promised violence. Supporters of the new kid on the political block have been “sending a clear message” to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and[...]

Four suspects appeared in the Vredenburg magistrate’s court on Thursday in connection with the disappearance of six-year-old Joslin Smith from Saldanha Bay. The suspects, who include her mother face charges of human trafficking and kidnapping. MEC for police oversight & community safety in the Western Cape Reagen Allen said more charges might be added and[...]

ANC regional task team co-ordinator in Ekurhuleni Jongizizwe Dlabathi has expressed his disappointment in the speaker of the Ekurhuleni council Nthabiseng Tshivhenga. This comes after a fight broke out in council chambers last week during the sitting called to debate an ActionSA motion of no confidence in Ekurhuleni mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana.  Objects were thrown around and[...]

The national minimum hourly wage increase from R25.42 to R27.58 entrenches apartheid’s cheap black labour, says The Casual Workers' Advice Office (CWAO). The 8.5% increase, 2.5% higher than the latest inflation rate, came into effect this month. It was announced last month by employment and labour minister Thulas Nxesi. While Cosatu welcomed the hike, activists[...]

“Who made the law that a man can date another man? Who will women be left with?” asks former president Jacob Zuma. Zuma is against legalisation of same-sex relationships and said if people vote for the MK Party the “laws people never supported” will be prohibited. He said he wants African law instead of Dutch[...]

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the ANC's cadre deployment policy has produced “some of the best directors-general” in government departments over the years. Mbalula briefed media at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Thursday. The ANC had to hand over its cadre deployment committee meeting minutes to the DA by 5pm on Monday.Last week, the Constitutional[...]

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said on Wednesday the MK party's target of a two-thirds majority in May's election is just a pipe dream. Mbalula was addressing the ANC's rally in Msinga north of KZN. The secretary-general said former president Jacob Zuma failed to amass a two-thirds majority when he was the ANC president. He spoke[...]

Finance minister Enoch Godogwana on Wednesday says tax revenue collection streams such as sin taxes will increase in 2024/2025. Alcohol products and tobacco products saw increases. The Minister also announced government spending which includes education, health and  job creation programmes. 

Convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester has complained that prison is denying him his own clothing, calls and diabetic food. Bester and his girlfriend Nandipha Magudumana, with seven co-accused, face charges ranging from fraud to violation of a corpse and arson.  Bester, Magudumana and one other accused are in custody while the rest are out[...]

A black member of the DA in Tshwane said she wants apartheid back, the system that controlled black people with racist laws enshrining white supremacy. Olgar from Hammanskraal said the Tshwane CBD, which is governed by the DA, is dirty. She was speaking to SABC News as the DA launched its manifesto this weekend. She[...]

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi said the provincial government will borrow money from a national government financial institution to pay the R12bn e-toll debt to the South African National Roads Agency). Lesufi was briefing the media on Tuesday morning after his state of the province address (Sopa) on Monday. During his speech Lesufi said e-tolls would be scrapped,[...]

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi says the process to switch off e-tolls in the province will begin by the end of March. He was delivering his State of The Province Address on Monday at the Nasrec Expo centre. Over the past few years, government has indicated several dates and deadlines for the scheme to be scrapped[...]

Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane says the grade 6 pupil who allegedly shot a school principal was also allegedly intending to shoot two  other teachers. Chiloane visited the school in Germiston after the incident on Friday.The MEC said the pupil was allegedly planning to shoot the principal, deputy principal and a teacher.According to Chiloane the pupil[...]

Arguments, misunderstandings and provocation remain the main causes of murders in South Africa. Police minister Bheki Cele released the crime statistics for the last quarter of the 2023/24 financial year on Friday. Cele said 7,710 murders were reported between October and December. More than 1,100 were because of arguments, misunderstandings or provocation. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa told DA leader John Steenhuisen he was hurt by his “inherently racist, humiliating, degrading and demeaning” remarks. He was responding to comments Steenhuisen made last month while expressing discontent with Gauteng crime wardens, referring to them as “drunkards”. “What did [Gauteng premier] Panyaza Lesufi do? He took your tax money to buy[...]

President Cyril Ramaphosa says some people started their own businesses with the R350 social relief grant they get from the government. He was speaking in parliament on Thursday in response to the Sona debate after his address last week. He told MPs how the grant saved people from poverty. The president was explaining how his[...]

EFF leader Julius Malema is calling for the deployment of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in a peacekeeping mission to be “withdrawn with immediate effect”. Malema says the deployment is “out of order” and should be stopped until South African soldiers are “fit and proper”.  President Cyril[...]

Western Cape premier Alan Winde has criticised ANC and boasted about his province’s achievements “where ANC had failed”: from employment, education, policing and crime. Winde said the governing-ANC has “dismally failed the citizens of this country”. He said the ANC cannot keep the lights on or trains running, deal with corruption, does not know how[...]

Hundreds of supporters gathered at OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday for the arrival of Bafana Bafana. Bafana exceeded expectations, finishing third in this year's Africa Cup of Nations, beating Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties. Earlier, South Africa lost to Nigeria in a nail biting semi-final in the tournament.Supporters gathered in the early hours on Wednesday,[...]

ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji says the private sector should remove work experience as a requirement for entry level jobs to address the high unemployment rate. In September last year government said previous work experience would no longer be a requirement for entry level government jobs and it has since advertised junior level vacancies[...]

Deputy chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Sylvia Lucas says load-shedding isn't the end of the world.She was speaking in parliament on Tuesday morning during the debate about the state of the nation address (Sona).  After the Sona last Thursday Eskom announced stage 3 load-shedding minutes after President Cyril Ramaphosa said the end of[...]

DA leader John Steenhuisen on Monday officially laid criminal charges against Deputy President Paul Mashatile at the Cape Town Central police station. This after media reports implicated Mashatile in alleged corruption dating back to when he was MEC for human settlements in Gauteng. Steenhuisen delivered a charge sheet detailing the allegations which have been investigated[...]

EFF leader Julius Malema says he won’t let “mediocre” people lead the party,  and has outlined criteria for party leadership and MPs. Merit will be a key factor for EFF MPs who want to return to parliament. The party's MPs must motivate what they have done in parliament to be reinstated. They must have matric,[...]

The 2007/2008 global financial crisis, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, state capture, the July 2021 unrest and the Covid-19 pandemic are to blame for South Africa not reaching its potential, says President Cyril Ramaphosa. These, and gender-based violence, are factors that have held the country back, he said. Bearing the brunt are millions of resilient citizens[...]

During his state of the nation address (Sona) on Thursday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted the story of Tintswalo, a child born in 1994 who had grown up in a society that was worlds apart from the South Africa of her parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.Ramaphosa delivered the Sona ahead of national and provincial elections to[...]

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the end of load-shedding is within reach, and part of the plan is receiving help from the private sector.The president delivered his state of the nation address (Sona) on Thursday, the last Sona for the sixth administration. He says 14,000km of transmission lines will be built and private investors will be approached[...]

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says he's proud of the players after their defeat to Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) semifinals. Bafana lost 4-2 to the Super Eagles in a penalty shoot-out. This was the first time since 2000 that South Africa has reached the Afcon semifinals. Broos says Bafana Bafana defeated Cape Verde playing[...]

A survivor of the Usindiso building fire says if the firefighters had started extinguishing the blaze earlier, many people from the building would have survived. The commission of inquiry into the deadly fire in the Joburg CBD continued on Wednesday with new witnesses taking the stand. Maditaba Ramotoso moved into the building in 2019. She told the[...]

With government saying there are no funds to employ doctors, qualified unemployed doctors say the government should bail out the health sector as with Eskom and other public entities. Dr Sanelisiwe Shozi who studied at the University of KwaZulu-Natal has been without a job since the beginning of 2023 and has been looking for employment[...]

Rise Mzansi has announced its national chairperson Vuyiswa Ramokgopa as its Gauteng premier candidate for the 2024 national and provincial elections. Founded in October 2023, this will be the first time the party contests elections. Speaking to party members on Tuesday at Joubert Park in the Johannesburg CBD, Ramokgopa said no one is coming to “save” the[...]

A survivor of the Usindiso building fire says most residents who survived know the City of Johannesburg was aware of what was happening inside the building. The commission of inquiry into the deadly fire in the Joburg CBD continued on Monday, with new witnesses taking the stand. 

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter "brought load-shedding and then left". Mbalula was briefing the media on the outcomes of the party's national executive committee lekgotla. Recently De Ruyter did an interview giving advice to his incumbent Dan Marokane. Mbalula said his advice was filled with ideology and politics. 

Sthembiso Lawrence Mdlalose, who allegedly set the Usindiso building on fire in August, is expected to return to the scene to point out how the incident happened.The blaze in the Johannesburg CBD claimed the lives of more than 70 people. Mdlalose briefly appeared in the Johannesburg high court for a second time on Thursday.

A witness to the alleged assault of a colleague by their employers who unleashed a dog on him, says he fears for his life. This is according to the testimony of Constable Grigory Maleasenya, who took the stand at the Groblersdal magistrate's court in Limpopo on Wednesday.  Piet Groenewald and his son Stephan, are facing charges[...]

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa says opponents want to deprive his party of the ability to change people’s lives. “The strategy of our opponents is to consolidate anti-transformation forces through things such as coalitions or pacts,” he said after an ANC lekgotla in Ekurhuleni. The ANC maintains it will achieve a decisive victory and does not[...]

A survivor of the Usindiso building fire in the Johannesburg CBD, Busisiwe Mhlebi, has told the commission of inquiry into the deadly fire on August 31 2023 she woke up in hospital two days after the blaze to hear her teenage daughter had died. The commission, chaired by retired Constitutional Court judge Sisi Khampepe, is[...]

for unemployed people. “There is a strong case for a permanent form of a targeted income support grant for the unemployed within our fiscal constraints.” Ramaphosa said discussions should continue among the ANC national executive committee (NEC) about interventions to tackle poverty. During the release of the party’s January 8 statement Ramaphosa boasted about what[...]

Religious leaders in KwaZulu-Natal sent a message to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), threatening that they will “shut the country for good” and reject the IEC outcomes if they “don’t give MK party a two-thirds majority”. A pastor, named by the party as Vader Maluleke, said to be representing some religious and traditional leaders, took[...]

The high court in Pretoria on Tuesday heard a statement from Simphiwe Buthelezi which alleged accused number two in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, Bongani Ntanzi, was a known hitman and gun supplier for hitmen around the country. Buthelezi was an associate of Ntanzi’s in the supply of illegal weapons and ammunition who later worked[...]

The horrifying statistic that a child goes missing every few hours is the tip of the iceberg as only those brought to the attention of authorities are accounted for. This is according to Dr Shaheda Omar, director of the Teddy Bear Foundation for Abused Children, who explains why children go missing and what we can[...]

The City of Ekurhuleni is looking to transform the metro into a digital city. This means citizens will no longer have to stand in long queues to pay for services but will rather do it at the click of a button using the e-Siyakhokha system on the MyEkurhuleni App.  The city has been working to implement[...]

The commission of inquiry into the Usindiso building fire in the Johannesburg CBD in August has heard firefighters at the scene lacked adequate resources to deal with the blaze. Wynand Engelbrecht, who has more than 50 years' service as a firefighter, testified on Wednesday. Engelbrecht said though the city employed enough firefighters and support staff, it had[...]

After receiving 17 nominations over the past five tears, Trevor Noah has finally won his first Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Series with The Daily Show with Trevor Noah at Monday night's 75th annual awards ceremony. Noah has had a great start to the year. He was nominated at the Golden Globe Awards for Best Stand-Up[...]

The education quality assurance council Umalusi says 11 people have been arrested for allegedly selling fake matric certificates. Umalusi was briefing the media on Monday about the 2023 matric examination results.  CEO Dr Mafu Rakometsi said an official in the department of higher education was arrested for allegedly selling a matric diploma for cash. 

A total of28-million South African citizens, or 47% of the population, rely on social grants. ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed the governing party’s efforts to “tackle poverty head on”. He was referring to the monthly R350 social relief of distress grant government introduced in 2020 which about 10-million people receive and other social grants[...]

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has thanked the youth for excelling in making the amapiano music genre a global sensation. He was delivering the ANC's January 8 statement at the Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga over the weekend. Ramaphosa said he is learning how to dance to amapiano. 

The EFF says confirmation by Fikile Mbalula that President Cyril Ramaphosa was begged by the ANC not to resign is a sign he’s lost interest in leading the country. Mbalula on Sunday told supporters in Barberton, Mpumalanga, that Ramaphosa was at one point ready to resign but the party stopped him.  “He was about to[...]

City of Joburg management announced on Thursday the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Lilian Ngoyi (formerly Bree) Street in Johannesburg's CBD, which was damaged by an explosion in July last year, will cost R196m. The cause of the explosion was linked to methane gas. During a media briefing in August, the city had estimated the repair project would[...]

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the party's former president Jacob Zuma is “as good as gone” and he has made his ANC exit complicated, but formal processes will follow and the party is preparing itself for “war”. Zuma said in December he would vote and campaign for the newly registered MK party but would remain[...]

ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe says Fikile Mbalula, the party's secretary-general, said things he shouldn’t have said about the Nkandla “fire pool” saga. Mantashe said leaders should count their words or catch fire. This after Mbalula claimed the party protected former president Jacob Zuma by lying that the swimming pool at his Nkandla homestead is a[...]

Higher education, science and innovation minister Blade Nzimande has dismissed allegations that he, the SACP and National Student Financial Aid Scheme board chairperson Ernest Khosa received kickback payments from service providers contracted by the scheme. The allegations, with leaked recordings, were made by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) last week.  Nzimande convened a briefing on Monday[...]

DA leader John Steenhuisen says the party is preparing legal charges against minister of higher education Blade Nzimande after allegations about his involvement in receiving  kickback payments from service providers contracted by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).  Last week the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) released leaked audio recordings which suggest Nzimande, NSFAS[...]

ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile says the party's leadership is rebuilding and renewing the organisation.He was speaking to the media outside Church on the Hill in Mbombela at the weekend. Mashatile was attending a church service. The party turns 112 years old on Monday, and members are celebrating the birthday in Mpumalanga before the main rally[...]

Remember when the governing ANC justified the R3.9m pool at former president Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla as a fire pool and not a swimming pool? Well, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula now says that was a lie to defend Zuma. At the time, the government justified the so-called fire pool as being solely for security reasons, arguing[...]

EFF leader Julius Malema says former president Jacob Zuma is in denial that the governing party is dead and if EFF members “try what Zuma did to the ANC” they’ll be expelled. Zuma said in December he would vote for the newly registered MK party. Malema says if Zuma had decided to vote for the[...]

The Department of Correctional Services says Oscar Pistorius is a parolee as of Friday. Pistorius was granted parole in November last year nearly 11 years after killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's day in 2013. He will be under the supervision of the correctional services and will be subjected to parole conditions until his[...]

He was a people’s person but was only discovered days after he died. Mthobeli “KCi” August’s family say they are distraught after his death. “We called him on Christmas Day and couldn’t reach him, to realise the time we couldn’t reach him he was in trouble.” The former Umhlobo Wenene FM presenter’s death was announced[...]

An unexpected coalition, an election date, a new sports star, astrologer and sangoma Rod Suskin throws the bones on what lies ahead for South Africa in 2024. Last year he predicted a good sports year and so it was as South Africa shone internationally, with Banyana Banyana performing magnificently in the Fifa World Cup, the[...]

A memorial service for veteran playwright and musician Mbongeni Ngema was held at the Playhouse theatre in Durban on Wednesday. Ngema died on December 27. His brother Nhlanhla Ngema penned a tribute letter describing how the veteran playwright’s legacy will continue to resonate through the melodies of his songs and power narratives. 

Mbongeni Ngem was born in 1955 in Verulam KwaZulu-Natal, he started his career started his career as a theatre backing guitarist. He wrote the musical Sarafina! and co-wrote Woza Albert!, both of which won numerous awards. Ngema also became a household name for writing hit songs, including Stimela sa se Zola. Ngema died on December[...]

When Vusi Nova visited Zahara on the Thursday before she died he had hoped the songstress was getting better.  “I walked in there as usual, she was in a private [hospital] room sitting without all those pipes. She had removed them and was smiling,” he said. “I said to her: 'Don’t ever do that again,[...]

Industry colleagues, family and friends gathered at the East London International Convention Centre on Friday for the memorial service of Bulelwa Mkutukana, the award-winning singer known as Zahara. Zahara died on December 11, a few weeks after being admitted to hospital. 

Zahara’s producer has shared an unreleased song the late star recorded. Mojalifa “Mjeks” Thebe said: “This is the last song me and Zahara did in studio; the real song is an up-tempo high-spirited song. “I feel Zahara knew what was coming and she prophesied and made a song that is saying thank you to all[...]

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) is on an undercover mission to arrest officials and motorists guilty of bribery. Last week it arrested nine officials for fraud and corruption in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal after complaints from members of the public. The corporation has again warned corrupt law enforcement officials that they will find themselves behind[...]

Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says in the short term the load-shedding outlook is “upbeat”. He provided an update to the media on Thursday morning on the country's electricity grid. Ramokgopa says South Africans can't celebrate an end to load-shedding just yet as most businesses and industries are closed for the festive season. The country is experiencing much lower[...]

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party speaks to us about its political formation. The party does not yet have a policy but it's hoping to prioritise load-shedding, deal with illegal foreigners and land expropriation. “We are coming from the background that when the ANC from the [19]60s was in trouble, uMkhonto weSizwe was formed to help[...]

Bafana Mahugela, the man accused of murdering Kirsten Kluyts, says the only crime he committed on the day of her murder was taking off her clothes. He appeared at the Alexandra magistrate's court on Monday and Tuesday for his bail application.Mahugela told the court he is not a criminal. 

Underestimating former president Jacob Zuma’s announcement that he won’t be voting for the ANC would be foolhardy, says political analyst Dr Ongama Mtimka. Zuma announced at the weekend he will no longer vote or campaign for the party he once led and has been a member of for more than six decades. Instead he will[...]

She could die at any time, Zahara's family was told as they watched the heart rate machine while praying The sister of Bulelwa Mkutukana — better known as Zahara — broke down recalling the star’s words, “I’m dying”, two days before being admitted to hospital. Lumka Mkutukana said she was called by her sister before[...]

As fans and friends gather in Johannesburg to honour songbird Zahara, some fellow stars admitted “we’ve been unkind to Zahara”. Popularly known as Zahara, Bulelwa  Mkutukana, died on Monday evening after being admitted to a Johannesburg hospital just over two weeks ago with liver complications. On Thursday a memorial service was held for her at[...]

Born Bulelwa Mkutukana in the Eastern Cape on November 9 1987, Zahara started singing as a street performer in East London. She began showing a love for music at the age of 6 and was appointed the lead singer of a Sunday school choir in her hometown Phumlani. Zahara was spotted by TK Nciza of TS Records, who[...]

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the ANC's political opponents are “bewitching” his party. Mbalula was welcoming back to the ANC alleged former EFF members.  He told the crowd they should defend “the people’s movement” ... “2024 is our 2024, we are going to defend freedom and we will defeat our enemies”. Mbalula alleged more than[...]

Minister Blade Nzimande has complained he is being called too often to account in parliament. The minister of higher education, science and innovation was appearing before a parliamentary portfolio committee at its last meeting for this year. Nzimande said being called “too much” to account to the committee does not give him and his team[...]

 Deputy President Paul Mashatile says the purpose of public servants is to serve the people and not think of self-enrichment. He was giving the keynote address at the anti-corruption summit held at the University of South Africa on Friday. The world is observing International Anti-Corruption Day on December 9. 

Higher education, science and innovation minister Blade Nzimande says perhaps National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding allocation should be prioritised according to certain degrees and programmes based on the country’s needs. But before this “discrimination”, as the minister called it, there should be a large college sector that can absorb students who don’t get[...]

“Merit and the ANC are not mutually exclusive and we can prove it,” says minister in the Presidency for women, youth and people with disabilities Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. She was speaking in the National Assembly on Tuesday about the National Youth Development Agency (Nyda) Amendment Bill. The bill provides for additional Nyda board members and a[...]

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the party has never procured posters from Ezulweni Investments.It was revealed last week that the ANC faced liquidation after it allegedly failed to pay its debt to KwaZulu-Natal printing and marketing company Ezulweni for supplying the party with election campaign material in 2019. Mbalula was briefing the media on Wednesday and[...]

MPs met to discuss the financial management of the National Assembly on Tuesday, with opposition parties fuming over an alleged secret R1.8m salary hike for secretary to parliament Xolile George. Demanding answers, they claimed the salary differed from the R2,604,661 annual package that was advertised. According to the Sunday Times, George earns a whopping R4.4m.[...]

Former president Thabo Mbeki says the Brics bloc of countries needs to properly define its main purpose. He was speaking to Russia Today in an exclusive interview on Monday. In August South Africa held the fifth Brics Summit and recently Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, the UAE and Argentina joined the bloc. 

The Constitutional Court has ruled on Monday that independent candidates will need 1,000 signatures to partake in an election. The apex court gave a judgment on an application brought forward by One South Africa, challenging the number of signatures required to contest an election. According to the Electoral Amendment Act signed into law in 2023 after a[...]

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba says under his government the private sector will flourish to give South Africans success and upward mobility. He was speaking at the party's 2024 election campaign launch in Ga-Ramotse in  Hammanskraal during the weekend. 

Cyril Ramaphosa, Jacob Zuma, Julius Malema, Mmusi Maimane, Helen Zille and John Steenhuisen rank as the top politicians in the country, according to a recent polling. The IRR says President Ramaphosa and EFF leader Malema are the only politicians doing well and who could grow their support even more. According to the Institute of Race[...]

Political parties, trade unions and members of the public marched from the Johannesburg CBD to Constitution Hill on Wednesday in solidarity with the Palestinian people. The world marked International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People on Wednesday amid Israel's war with Hamas.ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told marchers Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested and the[...]

The Institute of Race Relations’ (IRR) data suggests “all talk of racism and colonialism is by politicians trying to find excuses for their failures”. About 67% of participants in a recent study voted in favour, saying politicians use racism and colonialism as a cover up for their failures. Hermann Pretorius, the IRR's head of strategic[...]

The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) says an accident that claimed the lives of 11 workers and left 75 others injured at Impala platinum mine in Rustenburg on Monday could have been avoided. Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa said such a mechanical fault should have been addressed/avoided  with regular maintenance.  Implats CEO Nico Muller and[...]

Minister of sports, arts and culture Zizi Kodwa has announced new awards for the creative industry. Kodwa was briefing the media on Tuesday.He says the awards ceremony will be held in towards the end of March or early April next year.  Meanwhile, the minister has appointed an independent board for Netball South Africa and a new[...]

Energy analysts say we’re experiencing higher stages of load-shedding than what Eskom announces. They cite municipalities adding more hours to Eskom schedules so that stage 6 may be a stage 8 when municipalities add their hours. Chris Yelland, Lungile Maskele and Liziwe McDaid say the schedules don’t align with what is being implemented. On ending[...]

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula on Monday backtracked on his claim that load-shedding would end next month. A few months ago, on several occasions, Mbalula was adamant load-shedding would end by December. In January, during the ANC’s 111th anniversary celebrations, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced five “urgent priorities to put citizens first”. These included eradicating corruption, ending[...]

A scuffle ensued between a prison warder and some of the accused in the Senzo Meyiwa trial during a tea break at the Pretoria high court on Monday. It is alleged the scuffle began after some of the accused failed to follow instructions given by warder Vusi Jele, who instructed them to sit as they normally[...]

“President Cyril Ramaphosa is a sheep in the midst of wolves in the ANC, sometimes I wish to ruffle him up”, says ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula. Mbalula believes his party leader is too much of a good person and said it sometimes frustrates him).  “He is a good and kindhearted person in the ANC. Sometimes[...]

Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie says under a PA government people will be forced to go into the army at the age of 18. He was speaking at the party's 10th birthday celebrations at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto at the weekend. 

Black Friday buyers did not waste time on Friday as more than 160,000 transactions were made by 10am. At Woodmead Retail Park, queues were more than 2km long with people having arrived from 4.30am to get their hands on special offers. This is what people in the queues had to say. 

Johannesburg Emergency Services (EMS) says its members have recovered the body of an unidentified woman at the Klip River.Media liaison Xolile Khumalo says the emergency services are uncertain whether it is one of the bodies of two young people who drowned in the river. 

The committee investigating the conduct of EFF MPs who stormed the stage in parliament during the state of the nation address (Sona) in February wants the party members to apologise, be banned from parliament and not receive their salaries. If the recommendations succeed, EFF leader Julius Malema, deputy leader Floyd Shivambu, secretary-general Marshall Dlamini, Mbuyiseni[...]

Johannesburg Emergency Services (EMS) say residents must stay hydrated and avoid sitting, standing and playing in the sun.Gauteng is experiencing a heatwave, with temperatures predicted to reach a high of 32ºC on Wednesday.Joburg EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said residents should avoid direct sunlight between 11am and 3pm The South African Weather Services says the heatwave is[...]