August 10, 2023
South Africa: Robust SA June Manufacturing, Mining Data Underscore Private Power Generation, Hold Promise for Q2 Growth
Relatively robust mining and manufacturing data for June suggest that South Africa's economy probably expanded again in the second quarter (Q2) though it's still not shooting the… Read more »
South Africa: Changing of the Guard - Public Protector Set to (Ignominiously) Bow Out While Another Steps in
The ignoble end to Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane's stint -- her unprecedented impeachment inquiry has upheld four misconduct and incompetence counts -- coincides with the… Read more »
South Africa: Millions of Litres of Poo a Day Never Even Reach SA's Failing, Underserviced Sewage Plants
A significant portion of our untreated sewage never even gets to our sewage plants. It goes straight into streams, rivers, dams, groundwater, and ultimately the ocean -- untreated… Read more »
South Africa: Unisa Vice-Chancellor's Fate in the Balance After Nzimande Plans to Put Institution Under Administration
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande wants to place the University of South Africa under administration and is awaiting the university council's response. Read more »
South Africa: Correctional Services Boss Set to Decide Whether Zuma Goes Back to Prison
Correctional Services Commissioner Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale is expected to announce on Thursday, 10 August whether former president Jacob Zuma must return to prison to complete… Read more »
August 09, 2023
South Africa: Microcosm of a Fractured Society - Taxi Operators' Strike Is Not a Simple Black and White Issue
The Western Cape taxi operators' strike and its associated violence reveal much about our country and its politics. Suffering in the middle are commuters and bystanders -- ordinary… Read more »
August 10, 2023
South Africa: Karpowership Offers to Chop 20-Year Energy Deal to Five Years - But There's a New Price
Following the extended controversy over the merits of procuring power from Karpowership, the Turkish company says it's willing to enter into a five-year deal. Read more »
August 09, 2023
South Africa: Taxi Strike Affects Service Delivery in Western Cape Municipalities
One of the effects of the now week-long taxi strike in the Western Cape is delays in service delivery. While some communities were already having service delivery issues, the… Read more »
South Africa: Western Cape Taxi Strike Extended for Two More Days Despite Santaco's August 9 End Date
The SA National Taxi Council originally said its strike in the Western Cape would end on 9 August. But on that day, the council failed to resolve its dispute with the City of Cape… Read more »
South Africa: 'Maybe Today, I'll Slip Away...' Sugar Man Sixto Rodriguez Passes Away
Sixto Rodriguez, a huge star in South Africa in the 70s and again later with the release of a documentary in 2012, passed away at the age of 81. The official Rodriguez website… Read more »
August 08, 2023
South Africa: Officials Play Blame Game Over Western Cape Taxi Strike As Commuters Suffer
On the sixth day of the Western Cape taxi strike, the word 'arrogance' was bandied about during two separate media briefings by national government officials on Tuesday. While… Read more »
South Africa: Garbage Piles Up in Cape Town Suburbs As Taxi Strike Drags On
Tuesday marked Day 6 of the taxi strike in the Western Cape. Daily Maverick visited the suburb of Observatory and found that residents were grappling with rubbish piling up and… Read more »
August 09, 2023
South Africa: Minibus Taxis Critical to Cape Town's Effective Functioning - Government Must Work With the Industry
Putting aside the issues surrounding the current strike and violence, as the main form of public transport, there should be measures in place to increase the operational efficiency… Read more »
South Africa: Stable Coalitions Depend On Politicians and Political Parties Being Honest and Principled
News that the ANC government has quietly been working on draft legislation to stabilise coalition governments in the local sphere has caused some consternation among smaller… Read more »
South Africa: Why Women in Rural Communities Continue to Be the Face of Statelessness in South Africa
As we mark Women's Day we must confront why these women continue to bear the brunt of this existential crisis. Read more »
August 08, 2023
South Africa: Why Santaco Views Taxi Strike As More Than Just a Fight Against a New City of Cape Town By-Law
SA National Taxi Council members went on strike primarily in response to a new City of Cape Town by-law, which has led to large numbers of taxis being impounded. But the industry… Read more »
August 07, 2023
South Africa: Iran's President Will Probably Attend Brics Summit - Minister of International Relations
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor has insisted that Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi's likely attendance at the BRICS Summit does not mean the group… Read more »
South Africa: Economic Fears Set in After Five Days of Western Cape Taxi Strike
Western Cape business owners are feeling the pinch as the taxi drivers' strike in the province continued for the fifth consecutive day on Monday. There are also concerns about the… Read more »
South Africa: Spur Sees Profits Soar Despite Multimillion-Rand Tax Bill
The group said it had achieved a strong trading performance for the 2023 financial year, with franchised restaurant sales increasing by 23% on the previous financial year. Read more »
South Africa: Taxi Strike Impact - Almost Half a Million Learners Blocked From Western Cape Schools
A matric learner at a taxi rank is told - 'We told you to stay home. Go back home and sleep!' She is among the 456,020 learners who were prevented from getting to school on Monday… Read more »
August 06, 2023
South Africa: Day 4 - Brace for Another Day of Western Cape Taxi Strike After Santaco-Government Talks Collapse
Western Cape commuters have again been left in limbo as talks to halt the ongoing taxi strike could not deliver any good news on Sunday. This comes after a weekend of sporadic… Read more »
South Africa: International Crime Syndicate Targets South Africans Using Smartphones
According to Statista, between 20 million and 22 million South Africans were using smartphones by January this year. As the use of smartphones with near-field communication has… Read more »
Ghana: 'Game-Changer' Obuasi Mine in Ghana Now the Jewel in Anglogold's Crown, Says CEO
One theme that has been emerging in AngloGold Ashanti's results is the improbable recovery of its Obuasi mine in Ghana, which a few years ago was overrun by an army of illegal mine… Read more »
South Africa: Is the Killing of Media Photographers and Journalists Becoming a Trend?
If he cold-blooded murder of Isolezwe photographer Bongani Mbatha in KwaZulu-Natal is part of a trend to silence the journalist messengers in South Africa, then our country's… Read more »
South Africa: Startling Twists in Senzo Meyiwa's Murder Trial As No-Nonsense Former Soccer Player Judge Cracks the Whip
For almost nine years of long, slow court proceedings, soccer star Senzo Meyiwa was thought to have been killed by robbers. But new evidence - and a new judge - puts another slant… Read more »