The Weekend View

The South African government is in a conundrum and it's not yet clear whether it will formally invite Russian President Vladimir Putin who has a warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court. South Africa will host the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, and China at the 15th BRICS Summit from August 22 to 24 this year, raising questions about whether or not the government should act if Pu...

The Department of Correctional Services says it has instituted an investigation into the escape of the so-called Facebook rapist Thabo Bester. The department says the controversial offender, Bester, who was sentenced to a 75-year jail term, did not commit suicide, as earlier reported. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Department of Correctional Services spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo...

The United Nations High Commission for Human Rights, THIS WEEK, joined the chorus of condemnation as it slammed the Ugandan anti-homosexuality bill passed on Tuesday which imposes severe punishment for same-sex acts, including labeling some acts as crimes punishable by death while imposing stiff sentences for people identifying as LGBTQI+. The UN and other nations have called on President Yoweri M...

The Western Cape government says in the coming months it will be identifying 4 or 5 towns in the province to be taken off the National grid. Also,100 schools will be identified, to be fitted with solar power systems that are linked to battery and inverter systems. This is part of its energy resilience plan amid rolling Eskom blackouts. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Western Cape Premier, Alan Winde.....

SECTION27, in partnership with the Centre for Child Law, launched an online accountability tool, The Michael Komape Sanitation Progress Monitor, to track progress made by the Limpopo Department of Education to eliminate unsafe and undignified sanitation at public schools throughout the Limpopo province. Section 27 is also calling for the safe installation of decent sanitation facilities. The Micha...

The National Consumer Commission is concerned about the increasing trend where smaller retail and spaza shops across the country are re-packaging edible goods into smaller packets to enable their customers to buy at a cheaper price. While this might look enticing and affordable for most in poorer communities, there are various health and accountability concerns around this practice. This was among...

The International Criminal Court in the Hague on Friday issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin. It accuses him of being responsible for war crimes in Ukraine, including the unlawful deportation of children. Russia's Commissioner for Children's Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, is also subject to an arrest warrant. This after the United Nations released a report earlier this we...

The police have reassured South Africans that they will maintain high visibility during tomorrow's planned national shut down led by the EFF. Other formations that will take to the streets in support of the shutdown include  the South African Federation of Trade Unions - SAFTU - and the Pan Africanist Congress - PAC. The protesters are demanding the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa citing...

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is expected to embark on a national shutdown tomorrow . The EFF is calling for President Ramaphosa's resignation and to highlight South Africa's socio-economic pressures, including load shedding. The march is expected to be supported by many other organisations and other South African citizens who share the same sentiments. Many other South Africans including bu...

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is expected to embark on a national shutdown tomorrow .The EFF is calling for President Ramaphosa's resignation and to highlight South Africa's socio-economic pressures, including load shedding. The march is expected to be supported by many other organisations and other South African citizens who share the same sentiments. Many other South Africans including bus...

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)  and other organisations are on Monday expected to embark on a national shutdown. This has led to fears that companies and their employees will be severely affected in some way or another by the protest action. But how do employers and workers navigate their rights in such a situation. To help us understand we have on the line Tamsanqa Mila, Senior Associate at...

Rescue workers in Malawi are still recovering more bodies following the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Freddy in Malawi which has killed 326 people. Soldiers have joined rescue operations and have been rummaging through debris in search of victims swept by mudslides and floods. The Zambian government has provided two aircraft to help in rescue and distribution of relief aid to victims in are...

The capital city is still without a mayor. This after the election of a new Tshwane executive mayor will now be held next week after a special council meeting during which the election was to be held collapsed last night. The DA multi-party coalition members stormed out of the chambers citing their disgruntlement with the speaker's refusal to concede to their demands. For more,We spoke to  the DA'...

President Cyril Ramaphosa says he is pleased that at this early stage -- the country is beginning to see the implementation of measures to reduce load-shedding in the country. He says SA will see a great deal of progress in ensuring that load-shedding is reduced. It's currently on Stage One and has been suspended for Sunday between 5am and 4 pm. Ramaphosa was addressing the media in Pretoria, at t...

The Defence department has plans to set up a permanent SANDF rapid response unit, which will support the SA Police Service when needed, with a brigade of between 2 000 and 5 000 soldiers. The unit is in response to the public unrest in July 2021 which highlighted the need to strengthen law enforcement agencies, including the SANDF to ensure they are equipped to respond quickly to such incidents. W...

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)  have dismissed acting Public Protector, Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka's findings that cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of wrongdoing, saying that he appropriately declared interests in his farming businesses. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa says he cannot comment yet on the preliminary report by the Public Protector which cleared him of any wrongdoing in conne...

Former Tshwane Mayor Dr. Murunwa Makwarela resigned on Friday and was disowned by his party COPE after the Gauteng High Court dispelled information that it issued him with an insolvency rehabilitation certificate in 2018.  Makwarela had submitted the fake certificate, a day before, to city manager Johann Mettler to prove he was not an unrehabilitated insolvent and was eligible to occupy a public o...

The National Assembly has passed a resolution and approved the National Freedom Party's motion calling for the "downgrading of the South African embassy in Israel until such time Israel respects the rights of Palestinians".  The motion sailed through with 208 voting in favour and 94 against. There were no abstentions. NFP Parliamentary leader Ahmed Shaik-Emam thanked the AIC, ANC, Al Jama ah, EFF,...

Seventeen Lonmin Marikana mine workers accused of murder have managed to put their trial on ice for now. This follows a ruling by the North West High Court sitting in the Mogwase Reginal Court to remove their murder trial from the roll -- pending a review application in the Pretoria High Court to have charges against them dropped. They are charged with seven counts of murder, four of malicious dam...

The City of Tshwane says it has received and accepted the resignation letter from embattled mayor Dr. Murunwa Makwarela. The former mayor's sudden departure came after he issued the city with a fraudulent insolvency rehabilitation certificate. He also resigned as a COPE councilor and a member of the party. Makwarela's resignation came after he issued the city with a fraudulent insolvency rehabilit...

There were intense arguments in the National Assembly Programme Committee THIS WEEK over the delay by President Cyril Ramaphosa to appoint a new SABC Board. This as National Assembly Speaker and Programme Committee Chairperson Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula revealed that, based on legal asdvise, the 12 names recommended by Parliament to serve on the SABC board were enough for consideration for appointmen...

South Africans are growing more and more anxious in anticipation of the eminent cabinet reshuffle. Some have even accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of unnecessary delays. After having several meetings with different stakeholders including the ANC and its alliance partners Cosatu and the SACP, Ramaphosa is expected to change his executive any time now, with speculation that it could even be later t...

Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, this week lashed out at western countries for criticizing Uganda's parliament after it approved a bill that is likely to have a negative impact on the rights of the LGBTQI community. Speaking during his State visit to South Africa on Wednesday, Museveni also defended his country's decision to close the United Nations human rights office saying  they had develope...

Government says the recently published national state of disaster regulations relating to the electricity crisis are aimed at minimising the impact of loadshedding on livelihoods, the economy, small businesses, policing functions, and health services, among others.  The regulations were published this week, more than two weeks after President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the electricity crisis a natio...

Another case of cholera has been confirmed in Gauteng, bringing to six the number of laboratory confirmed cases in the country. The latest case is that of a 19-year-old woman from Emandleni informal settlement in Benoni east of Johannesburg. The patient was identified by the Outbreak Response Team during contact tracing where over a thousand people were reached. This follows the death of a 24-year...