POWER Perspective

Drones are a remarkable invention that have transformed how we perceive our cities, communities, and landscapes by granting us a bird’s-eye view once reserved exclusively for aircraft and helicopters. Yet lately, the images they capture from South Africa’s townships have left me with deeply mixed feelings. Colleen Makhubele spoke to Dr Msizi Myeza, CEO at Council for the Built Environm...

China's shift toward placing scientists and engineers on massive city billboards—replacing pop icons, actors, and commercial influencers—reflects a broader effort to reshape public values and promote self-reliance in science and technology. Colleen Makhubele spoke to Frans Mashao, Brand / Marketing Specialist, Nokuthula Khwela, Editor-In-Chief, Timeless Trends Magazine and Letlhogonolo...

Colleen Makhubele conversation with Imvemnyama an artistic persona of South African singer, songwriter, and live performer Sive Mqikela. Born and raised in Ezibeleni, Komani (formerly Queenstown) in the Eastern Cape, he is currently based in Johannesburg. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Sunday Times investigation has revealed that South African government departments and state-owned entities channelled nearly R70 billion to service providers through contract expansions and extensions between October 2023 and March 2026. These variations frequently bypassed fresh competitive tender processes. Eskom accounted for the vast majority of this expenditure, responsible for approximatel...

When South Africa embarked on its post-apartheid democratic journey, it struck a foundational compromise etched into the national memory: full, public truth in exchange for amnesty. Yet for hundreds of families who surrendered their right to immediate criminal justice, that promise transformed into a multi-decade silence. The TRC Cases Inquiry—the Khampepe Commission—confronts this end...

The Educators’ Union of South Africa has rejected a ruling by the South African Council of Educators (SACE) that seeks to police the behaviour of teachers outside of school hours. In contrast, the National Teachers' Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) supports SACE’s code of professional ethics, which expects educators to adhere to standards of good conduct both on and off duty. Col...

As public universities and TVET colleges prepare for the upcoming academic cycle, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme finds itself at a historic crossroads. On one hand, demand has never been higher: hundreds of thousands of prospective students have flooded the portal, driven by the urgent aspiration for a tertiary qualification. Colleen Makhubele spoke to Ishmael Mnisi – NSFAS Spokes...

As South Africa approaches the local government elections, political parties are issuing sweeping manifestos filled with high-level promises. Yet, behind the official rhetoric lies a distinct gap: the systematic neglect of South Africa's micro-economies and frontline social safety nets. Colleen Makhubele spoke to Mandla Nkosi – chairperson for Real Reform for ECD, Brian Phaaloh South African...

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has lodged an urgent complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission regarding critical security threats, asbestos hazards, and deteriorating infrastructure at Eersterust Secondary School in Tshwane. Impacting 915 students, these severe conditions—compounded by a recent classroom robbery—highlight the Gauteng Department of Education's (G...

The revised White Paper on Local Government will introduce a differentiated funding approach and strengthen merit-based appointments to enhance municipal performance and service delivery, according to Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa. Colleen Makubele spoke to Dr. Zweli Mkhize Chairperson for Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Tradi...

The City of Johannesburg is actively exploring partnerships with the private sector to meet the ever-increasing water demand of its residents, who currently consume approximately 1.6 billion liters per day. Persistent water shortages—driven by a combination of widespread leaks, aging infrastructure, and poor management—are posing a direct threat to livelihoods across South Africa&rsquo...

The City of Tshwane supplied unchlorinated water to communities in Bronkhorstspruit for three weeks without informing residents that their water was unsafe. According to a Department of Water and Sanitation investigation into gastrointestinal illnesses that have affected 408 people—primarily children—the municipal supply posed significant health risks to the local population. Colleen M...

Ahead of the local government elections on 4 November, homeless community members—supported by the Denis Hurley Centre—presented the 2026 National Homeless Manifesto to representatives of major political parties in eThekwini, including the ANC, DA, EFF, and MK Party. The manifesto was originally launched on World Homeless Day (10 October) following extensive national consultations with...

A senior officer in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has confirmed that an instruction was issued to halt Project Kgala—the controversial military cooperation programme with Cuba. While the directive signals the end of the initiative, existing training courses currently underway will be allowed to reach completion before the programme is fully wrapped up. Colleen Makhubele sp...

South Africa today stands at a crucial crossroads of global diplomacy and domestic governance. On the international stage, our nation has taken a principled, unyielding stand—leading historic litigation at the International Court of Justice, championing human rights, and preparing to steer the global agenda at the G20. Yet, behind those elevated diplomatic halls lies a far more complex and v...

Despite possessing one of the most progressive constitutional frameworks in the world, South Africa faces a persistent human rights crisis regarding violence, abuse, and hate crimes targeting persons with disabilities. Across townships, rural settlements, and institutional settings, individuals living with physical, sensory, intellectual, or psychosocial impairments encounter severe, disproportion...

Political parties have expressed mixed reactions to a landmark ruling by the Constitutional Court that granted the African National Congress (ANC) permission to update its submission to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). The court's decision clears the way for the ruling party to add supplementary names to its existing list of councillor candidates. Colleen Makhubele spoke to Goodenou...

The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) extends its best wishes to the Class of 2026 as they begin their final matric examinations on Tuesday, 13 October 2026. As October marks Mental Health Awareness Month, the Department particularly encourages learners to prioritize their mental health and overall well-being throughout this demanding period. Colleen Makhubele spoke to Matakanye Matakanya - Gene...

The Director-General of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has officially withdrawn a directive that instructed department offices to accept asylum applications for evaluation based on their merits, rather than excluding applicants on procedural grounds. The directive had originally been issued on September 28 in response to a July Constitutional Court ruling. That landmark decision declared cer...

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) disbursed more than R1.3 billion in improper grant payments between April 2025 and March 2026. Addressing Parliament’s portfolio committee on social development regarding the department’s audit outcomes, Puleng Molapo from the Auditor-General’s (AG) office revealed that these funds were mistakenly paid out to individuals who failed...

Former Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane has called for South Africa to withdraw from all United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) conventions, proposing that the country subsequently rejoin them with reservations. Her comments follow recent violent protests triggered by the Department of Home Affairs’ controversial directive on asylum applications. Colleen Makhubele spoke to Ad...

The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) has warned that South Africa faces severe instability and risks burning if the country abandons its key transformation laws, such as Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE). Colleen Makhubele spoke to Cde Ashley Mabasa – ANCYL NEC member and Economic transformation subcommittee Chairperson, Theuns du Buisson, Solidarity Head of Econo...

In conversation with Soulful Clay (real name Clayton Damons ) a South African R&B/Soul singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and music producer based in Cape Town. Operating at the intersection of contemporary R&B, soul, Afro-pop, and electronic dance music, he has established himself as both a frontline performing artist and a key behind-the-scenes producer and composer. He is publish...

What was once a dignified, milestone celebration marking twelve years of academic endurance has transformed into a high-stakes arena of status, excess, and behavioral breakdown. The early shutdown of Roosevelt High School’s Class of 2026 matric dance at Avianto—triggered by reckless driving, underage intoxication, and severe threats to venue staff—was not an isolated anomaly. Col...

South Africans’ unyielding passion for gathering is driving a staggering multibillion-rand economy, even as an entrenched “party now, worry later” mindset places severe strain on household pockets. According to a landmark study by the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Liberty Institute of Strategic Marketing, titled The Celebrations Economy 2026 , traditional and modern festi...