The Weekend View

There has been a recent spate of kidnappings in South Africa, prompting the question whether these incidents are on the rise. Most cases of kidnapping in the country are a side-effect of carjacking, robberies and rapes but crime experts say an increasing number of victims are now being singled out directly.  Police are also warning parents to be vigilant during the festive season around beaches an...

Last week Gauteng engaged in Public hearings on the proposed tobacco bill which among other things proposes a ban on the sale of single cigarettes (loose draws) and the public display of nicotine products. The Tshwane leg of the public hearing was marred by allegations that some people were not able to enter the venue to  air their views.  Last week we heard the views of  the National Informal Tra...

The violation of Women and Children is one of the biggest challenges in our societies. As South Africa observes the 16 days of Activism Against Gender-based violence- we want to look at men's role in the fight against GBV. Are men left behind in the conversation? *Tomorrow the African Union (AU) Men's Conference on Positive Masculinity begins. The aim is to consolidate bold continental efforts tha...

Social Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu, says the government remains committed to protecting the right of every person to live free from discrimination and persecution based on who they are and who they relate with. 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign will run from today to 10 December 2023. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Gender Activist and Fundraising Director of Rise Up Ag...

The National Informal Traders Alliance of South Africa - NITASA - is urging the public, spaza shop owners and hawkers to use this weekend's public hearings in Gauteng to voice their opposition to the Tobacco Bill. NITASA says they are opposed to proposals in the bill which include the ban on the sale of single cigarettes, the ban on the display of all tobacco products and the extreme penalties for...

With the increase in the cost of living and rising interest rates, more and more homeowners are finding themselves unable to continue paying their bonds. This has resulted in a surge in distressed house sales. The property market has seen a hike in the number of homeowners forced to sell their properties sometimes within as little as two years of purchase. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to CEO of Privat...

As the holiday season approaches and Black Friday is currently in full swing; employees eagerly anticipate the coveted end-of-year bonus or thirteenth cheque to further contribute to the upcoming holiday month. While these additional financial rewards can be a powerful tool for reminding staff that their hard work and commitment are valued, the question remains, are they an obligatory part of comp...

South Africans skeptical about the validity of recent crime stats

SA youth encouraged to register to vote

 IEC's voter registration weekend underway

Liberia elects a new president

President Cyril Ramaphosa was this week at pains to explain to a skeptical South African public that the country's efforts to fight corruption are gaining traction. Speaking at a dialogue on building a corruption-free SA, an upbeat Ramaphosa said while there is a long road ahead, the fight against corruption is gaining momentum. Among the successes, he listed 9 separate court cases, involving 47 i...

International Law professor from the University of Pretoria, Dire Tladi, now sits at the International Court of Justice in the Hague. The first South African to serve at the World Court, Prof Tladi becomes one of 15 judges elected for 9-year terms to settle disputes between nations in accordance with international law and give advisory opinions on questions of international law. The UN Security Co...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the deployment of 3,300 soldiers in cooperation with the South African Police Service, to tackle illegal mining and the construction Mafia under Operation Prosper. The operation seeks to prevent and combat crime while maintaining and preserving the rule of  law. In August, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) had indicated that it intends t...

 Former ANC Northern Cape chairperson and MEC, John Block has been released on parole. He was sentenced to 15 years for corruption and money laundering on 6 December 2016.  Block took the Correctional Services department to court, claiming that he qualifies for parole, if presidential remissions are taken into account. Meanwhile, the Former ANC Northern Cape chairperson is currently facing another...

With the soon to be introduced two-pot retirement system, pension funds are at potential risk of criminals intercepting withdrawals of high-value investments. While fraudsters won't be able to drain an entire pension, the savings in a pot is still a significant amount of money for most people - especially in the current difficult economy. To find out how pension funds can be kept safe we We spoke...

 Lifestyle genetic testing and screening is said to be the future of medicine. The process enables people to take personal ownership of their health, and by doing so, reduce their risk of disease. The tests are evidence-based DNA screenings that look at specific genetic markers of health like nutrition, exercise, sleep, environmental exposures and other lifestyle factors, that contribute to the de...

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA forum concluded in JHB yesterday. The forum was set to strengthen trade relations between the United States and the rest of the African continent. Some analysts say the African countries stand to enhance their economies by being part of such agreements as AGOA. Given the recent tussle between the US and South Africa- how beneficial is it for us to conti...

The Proteas are this morning expected to experience World Cup pressure in its raw form as India's 'Blue Army' will fill Kolkata's Eden Gardens for the 2023 Cricket World Cup fixture. The game starts at 10h30. With the hosts seen as one of the contenders for the title, some analysts say India opener Rohit Sharma and his South African counterpart Quinton de Kock could well decide the outcome of this...

The Springboks will this morning conclude their victory tour when they parade the Webb Ellis trophy in the streets of East London in the Eastern Cape. Today's parade wraps up the 4-day victory tour which started in Gauteng on Thursday before heading to Cape Town on Friday and Durban yesterday. Thousands of fervent supporters from all walks of life have gathered on the streets of the cities the Bok...

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden has been named the best botanical garden in Africa. The garden, nestled at the eastern foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town, received the accolade from the World Luxury Travel Awards. It is one of 10 National Botanical Gardens administered by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Institute's Director of Marketing and Co...

Following this week's tabling of the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, there has been growing opposition to continued cuts to social service budgets. The Public Service Accountability Monitor  -PSAM - has put the blame for budget cuts squarely on the government's hands through its failure to curb the intentional erosion of public finances through fraud, corr...

A recent report released by the South African government paints a grim picture of the country's water resources and water infrastructure as well as the overall quality of its drinking water. Among the issues of biggest concern are a collapse of the country's waste-water treatment works and a sharp rise in the number of local authorities that are failing to meet minimum compliance standards. To com...

Today is the last day of the  African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum hosted by the South African government, in partnership with the United States government. Business Unity South Africa (BUSA)  CEO Cas Coovadia says the expansion of the AGOA agreement which expires in 2025, is key in realising the meaningful contribution of the African continent to the global economy. The forum holds signifi...

The Africa Century International African Writers' Conference is set to take place next Tuesday in Potchefstroom in the North West Province.  Ibrahima Aya, Timbuktu-born Malian author,  co-founder and director of the literary festival Rentrée littéraire du Mali, is set to deliver the International African Writers' Day Lecture under the theme: Decolonisation and Decoloniality. The South African Lite...