The Weekend View

As South Africa grapples with rising financial stress, Employment Law experts at law firm, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr say the legal, psychological, and employment implications of over-indebtedness are increasingly impossible to ignore. Health experts have found that excessive debt has been linked to deteriorating mental health, impaired decision-making, and diminished functional capacity. The firm adds...

A new report by WaterCAN reveals that nearly 40% of water samples tested at South African schools are unsafe to drink. The month-long project saw pupils from 95 schools test tap, tank, and river water, many showing contamination and low pH levels. The report further reveals that for many pupils, especially in rural and quintile 1-3 schools, water has become an item they carry from home, with some...

Rwanda and the DRC have signed a US-brokered peace deal aimed at ending years of bloodshed in eastern Congo. Deadly clashes have ravaged the mineral-rich region, with the DRC accusing Rwanda of backing the M23 rebel group, a claim Kigali denies. While previous peace efforts failed, this new accord includes commitments to cease hostilities and disarm militias. Critics, however, warn it could become...

Mamelodi Sundowns suffered their first defeat at the FIFA Club World Cup after losing 4-3 to Borussia Dortmund at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio  YESTERDAY. Sundowns looked more ambitious and hungry in the early stages of the match, and their efforts were rewarded with an opener in the 11th minute. Despite the loss, coach Miguel Cardoso has hailed the teams brave display ahead of their k...

Banks in South Africa have been criticised for using aggressive tactics to address home loan arrears. Some of these tactics include initiating legal action for repossession even when homeowners are actively reducing their arrears, imposing excessive legal costs that quickly surpass the actual debt and failing to engage meaningfully with customers before resorting to court action. This week a High...

There are no signs of de-escalation as Iran and Israel trade new missile strikes for a ninth day. There are reports THIS MORNING of an explosion in the central Iranian city of Isfahan, home to Iran's largest nuclear research complex. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Iran's nuclear programme is peaceful and his country remains open to diplomacy, but Israel's attacks must stop first. Isr...

In a damning report, Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka has given Eastern Cape COGTA MEC Zolile Williams 90 days to act against officials involved in the R15 million Leeseyton Sports Field in the Enoch Mgijima Municipality. If you don't remember this story, let me refresh your memory a little bit. It was an open field with what appeared to be grandstands yet no athletics tracks, soccer field, abluti...

South Africans are more digitally connected than ever, but with this convenience comes growing risk. The increase in internet usage, mobile penetration, and social media engagement has led to a surge in online fraud, with scammers exploiting every opportunity to target vulnerable consumers—especially those seeking credit. Leonie van Pletzen, CEO of MicroFinance South Africa says increased re...

According to the National Shelter Movement of South Africa 82.8% of young African women in impoverished areas are engaging in sexual relationships with older men. As youth unemployment has reached an all-time high in South Africa, a recent study conducted by NSMSA has revealed this shocking evidence that economic hardship, gender inequality and social media trends are driving blesser/blessee relat...

In the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup competition, Mamelodi Sundowns face Germany's Borussia Dortmund TODAY in a pivotal Group F clash at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, USA. While Dortmund were held to a 0-0 draw in their Club World Cup opener against Fluminense, Sundowns made history with a 1-0 win over Ulsan HD. With qualification for the knockout rounds still wide open, this encounter could prove...

The Bulls failed in their bid to lift the United Rugby Championship trophy after succumbing 32 -7 against Leinster in YESTERDAY's final at Croke Park in Dublin. Fans were left in disbelief after Jake White's team conceded 14 points in as many minutes in a terrible start to the title decider. Earlier in the day however, the Proteas made history when they claimed the World Test Championship mace aft...

A study on absent fathers at the University of Johannesburg found that South Africa has an exceptionally high number of absent fathers with approximately half of the children in the country living without daily contact with their fathers. Experts suggest that this situation presents social and developmental challenges.  According to the Human Sciences Research Council, most children in South...

  The 16th of June marks National Youth Day in South Africa. This year,  youth month is commemorated under the theme  "Skills for the changing world – Empowering youth for meaningful economic participation". Government is calling on all South Africans to invest in young people and to prepare them for the evolving demands of the global economy. Meanwhile, Professor Letlhokwa Ge...

The South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) is urgently appealing to young men between the ages of 16 and 35 to register as stem cell donors. SAMBR says their critical underrepresentation is costing lives.  According to the group this deficit drastically limits the chances of finding suitable matches for patients with life-threatening blood cancers, especially those from certain ethnic gro...

The Volkswagen Group South Africa has recalled over 100 of its vehicles due to safety concerns.  The National Consumer Commissioner has also confirmed the recall of 142 Volkswagen Polos and eight Volkswagen Taigo vehicles by the manufacturer. To find out more Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Prudence Moilwa, Head of Complaints and Investigations at the National Consumer Commission..

The first batch of SANDF soldiers that was expected to return to South Africa from the DRC YESTERDAY afternoon, has finally touched down on home soil. The group, which initially expected to arrive at the Bloemspruit Air Force base in Bloemfontein arrived at the Waterkloof Airforce base in Pretoria yesterday evening. They were part of the Southern African Development Community - SADC -  Missio...

The flood victims in the Eastern Cape will be relocated to a safer area. This after severe floods destroyed a number of homes.   President Cyril Ramaphosa, members of his cabinet and humanitarian organisation's visited the flood stricken province to asses the damage. To discuss the disaster situation in the Eastern Cape and other affected provinces Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Co-operative Governan...

It was not a final, but YESTERDAY's clash between the Bulls and Sharks at Loftus Versfeld, for a place in the United Rugby Championship final, was possibly the biggest rugby match in South Africa this year. In the end the Bulls' registered a convincing 25-13 victory over the Sharks, booking a trip to Ireland to face Leinster in the final... Bongiwe Zwane spoke to SABC sports reporter, Simon Burke&...

The 2025 Comrades Marathon is now well under way since nearly 25,000 runners set off in Pietermaritzburg. The 89km race started at 5.45 am, with the cut-off time coming 12 hours later at 5.30pm. One of the biggest changes this year was a new two-group start. This first group of the fastest qualifying runners in the field, with the elites at the front, went off first. This first group had around 12...

The feud between two of the world's most powerful billionaires shows no sign of ending after the US president claimed on Friday that the richest man in the world had "lost his mind". Even though observers have long speculated that Donald Trump and Elon Musk would eventually fall out, few predicted the speed and ferocity with which their differences erupted.  To discuss the spectacular fallout...

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has expressed regret at the United States sanction of four judges of the court. Donald Trump's administration imposed sanctions on the four judges in retaliation for the war tribunal's issuance of an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, and a past decision to open a case into alleged war crimes by US t...

20 years ago THIS WEEK, Sibusiso Vilane made history by becoming the first black African to summit the world's tallest mountain, Mount Everest twice and by two different routes. After the first ascent in May 2003 via the south side, on June 3 2005 he stood on top of the world again and this time he did it via the North Ridge—a more difficult and statistically less-successful side. Sibusiso h...

South Africa has just concluded its week long National Child Protection awareness week and now advocacy groups are calling on government to crack down on a growing threat to children's health. Groups  such as Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA) says child protection begins in the trolley as aisles in supermarkets are bombarded with food and beverages high in sugar and saturated fat contained in c...

Despite progressive constitutional guarantees, including the rights to food and basic nutrition, millions of South Africans still face chronic and acute hunger. This disconnect  between legal promise and lived deprivation, is the focus of the Union Against Hunger (UAH), a South African alliance dedicated to eradicating hunger and malnutrition . To mark this year's World Hunger Day, the UAH he...

Former President Joseph Kabila this week surfaced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, just days after he lost his immunity amid accusations he is helping armed rebels fighting in the eastern DRC. Kabila, on Thursday, was visiting the eastern city of Goma, which has been seized by the Rwanda-backed M23 militia. He was reported to have held meetings with local religious figures in the presence...