The Weekend View

As the World marks World Autism Awareness month - experts are calling for greater awareness and stronger support systems for individuals on the autism spectrum. Data from the Centre for Diseases Control (CDC)shows that about 1 in 31 children are autistic. According to CDC, boys are more than three times as likely to be diagnosed than girls, highlighting disparities in diagnosis. For more Bongiwe Z...

African countries cannot avoid being harmed by the current Gulf war. This is according to Danny Bradlow, Professor and Senior Research Fellow for the Centre for Advancement of Scholarship at the University of Pretoria. He adds that it is clear that the war initiated by Israel and the US against Iran would harm Africa in a number of ways. He says there are lessons that, if followed, can help the co...

A network of researchers and civil society organisations have gathered together and launched the Prosecutions Project which is aimed at addressing the constitutional and structural independence of the National Prosecutions Authority. The group says the current legislation and systems of the NPA are constrained and outdated. For more Bongiwe Zwane spoke to the Executive Director at Corruption Watch...

As South Africans are enjoying the easter weekend, the national conversation is once again focussing on road safety, traffic volumes and inevitably the number of lives lost. But what happens after the headlines fade? Every year, thousands of South Africans survive road accidents. While fatalities dominate the news cycle, far less attention is given to those who are left behind to deal with the lon...

As of 2024, an estimated eight million people are living with HIV in South Africa, representing approximately 13 percent of the global total, of whom five-point-two Million are women. Despite significant progress in treatment coverage and a fifty-three percent reduction in new infections since 2010, the country recorded approximately 170-thousand new HIV infections in 2024 alone, the highest annua...

The City of Johannesburg is disconnecting government buildings owing more than R1.4 billion in combined utility arrears. The recovery drive was launched on Friday. The City is taking advantage of the 31 March 2026 Financial year-end for National Provincial as well as state owned entities to enforce payment of outstanding municipal debt. Jon Gericke caught up with Lufuno Mashau,City of Johannesburg...

The ANC is grappling with three elective conferences in three provinces, names Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape. The Polokwane High Court had earlier dismissed an application to interdict the conference from taking place while in Mpumalanga it's been smooth sailing for the province's conference. Meanwhile, the Eastern Cape conference has been marred by internal squabbles with the East Lond...

The future of the South African Post Office hangs in the balance, as Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Communications received a crucial update on its sustainability plan and possible exit from business rescue. This comes amid warnings that liquidation remains a real possibility if funding delays persist, a move strongly opposed by trade unions, who say it would devastate workers and vulnerable...

The Royal House of AbaThembu says it wishes to distance itself from the trending social media posts and pictures purporting to portray AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo as welcoming and officially granting royalty to a Nigerian National. Jon Gericke spoke to the King's Senior Royal Advisor advocate Matthew Mpahlwa...

Free State Agriculture, alongside Sakeliga and SAAI, is heading to the High Court of South Africa this week on Tuesday. The groups are seeking urgent relief to stop what they describe as government blocking private procurement and use of FMD vaccines. This follows failed mediation, with the organisations warning the restrictions are causing uncertainty and financial losses in the agricultural sect...

The Western Cape High Court will hear from Monday and Tuesday, a case to challenge against offshore drilling by Total Energies in the Deep Western Orange Basin. Fishing groups and civil society argue the approval was flawed and unconstitutional. Small-scale fishers and coastal communities are set to protest outside court, with solidarity actions planned in other provinces, warning the project thre...

A South African man has been unsuccessful in his attempt to avoid paying maintenance for his former wife's children, after the Western Cape High Court ruled he had taken on the role of a parent during the marriage and could not simply walk away from that responsibility. This has sparked debate about the financial obligations of step-parents when a marriage is dissolved. The man in question has to...

The South African Human Rights Commission says March 21, 1960 remains a defining moment in South Africa’s human rights struggle. The Commission says the day reflects a painful past when the majority were denied basic rights. As the country marks Human Rights Day, it honours those who sacrificed their lives demanding equality, freedom and justice, urging South Africans to continue protecting...

The City of Johannesburg Municipality has rejected claims of a widespread billing system collapse affecting 1.5 million customer accounts, describing them as false, misleading, and irresponsible. The city says there is no evidence its systems have failed or that property transfers have stopped. It warns such allegations could spark unnecessary panic among residents, investors, and the property sec...

As financial pressure on households continues to rise, more South Africans are being pushed toward unregistered lenders who operate outside of the law and without consumer protections. The Credit Association of South Africa (CASA) is warning consumers that while regulated credit providers must comply with strict affordability assessments and pricing limits under the National Credit Act (NCA), ille...

, the Fuel Industry Association of South Africa says fuel supply remains stable despite ongoing tensions in the Middle East. The Association says there's enough petrol, diesel, and Liquified Petroleum Gas nationwide, supported by imports and coordinated planning. The Association further says a temporary refinery shutdown in Cape Town is being managed, with no major disruptions expected. The Associ...

Civil society groups, including Judges Matter, Section 27 and the Legal Resources Centre, are urging President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently appoint two Constitutional Court judges. The groups say it's been over five months since the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) concluded interviews and submitted its recommendations for the appointment of two Constitutional Court judges. The civil society group...

Members of South Africa's LGBTQIA+ community are expected to march to Pretoria today with the aim of pressing government to accelerate the implementation of equality and inclusion. This as the country marks Human Rights Day - a day which coincides with the tragic Sharpeville massacre and the celebration of the constitution which gives equal rights to all. Organised by the SA Queer Movement, the ma...

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to assist the South African Police Service (SAPS) is expected to significantly reduce serious and violent crime in targeted areas affected by gangsterism and illicit mining. Ramaphosa was responding to oral questions in the National Assembly on Thursday this week , following a question about the measu...

TV host and social entrepreneur TT Mbha, together with his daughters TJ and Tumi, has co-authored a new pre-teen book, My PMS Diary. The book is set to be launched on 28 March. The book follows a young girl, Palesa, as she documents her first period through diary entries. Inspired by honest family conversations about puberty, the interactive journal aims to help girls understand menstruation, refl...

Police say the task team established to investigate cases emanating from the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry have registered their first breakthrough in the murder investigation of Marius Van Der Merwe, also known as Witness D in the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. Police say the suspect believed to be the gunman was arrested in Johannesburg on Saturday. Investigators have also seized a vehicle bel...

Business leaders from across various sectors gathered recently for the inaugural CEO Sleep-In initiative in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities South Africa. The symbolic yet deeply practical act of solidarity saw CEOs spend a night at Ronald McDonald House standing in support of families whose children are receiving life-saving medical treatment far from home. The initiative was hosted at...