insert_link South Africa SA’s Rand Water Prevails in Court Against AfriForum’s Attempt to Halt Water Supply Reduction AfriForum's court action to prevent Rand Water from reducing water supply to seven municipalities owing over three billion rand has been unsuccessful. AfriForum had applied to the High Court in Pretoria to order Rand Water to restore full water supply to the affected municipalities, citing far-reaching implications for the communities. The municipalities, located in Gauteng, Free State, and Mpumalanga, face reduced supply due to outstanding debts. Rand Water welcomes the […] todayMarch 28, 2024 8
insert_link South Africa GOOD Party in SA Calls for Accountability on E-Toll Promises Ahead of Deadline The GOOD Party in SA is urging voters to hold Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi accountable for his promises regarding the e-toll system as the deadline approaches. Lesufi had pledged in his state of the province address that the e-toll system would be shut down by 31 March. According to the party, this isn't the first time such promises have been made, as similar commitments in 2022 fell through. Matthew Cook, […] todayMarch 28, 2024 12
insert_link Business / Economics South Africa’s Reserve Bank keeps repo rate unchanged The South African Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee has decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 8.25 percent. This keeps the prime lending rate in SA at 11.75 percent. SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago. todayMarch 27, 2024 27
insert_link South Africa Western Cape Agriculture Budget Aligned with Growth Strategy Ivan Meyer, the Western Cape MEC of Agriculture, has announced that the department's budget will support the provincial government's ambitious growth strategy, aiming to build a trillion-rand jobs-rich, inclusive, and sustainable economy. Meyer presented the department's budget of one billion rand in the provincial parliament yesterday. He highlighted that 38 million rand is allocated for flood damage support, while 57.8 million rand is earmarked for animal health services to prevent […] todayMarch 27, 2024 48
insert_link South Africa ActionSA Vows Legal Opposition to Government and Eskom’s Load-Shedding Appeal Herman Mashaba, President of ActionSA, has announced that the party's legal team will oppose the government and Eskom's appeal against the load-shedding judgment. Last December, the full bench of the North Gauteng High Court ruled load-shedding unconstitutional and mandated consistent electricity supply for public institutions such as schools, hospitals, and police stations. Deputy spokesperson James de Villiers of ActionSA asserts that load-shedding clearly infringes upon the fundamental rights of citizens. […] todayMarch 27, 2024 29
insert_link Lifestyle Zulu culture and sexual orientation: South African study reveals the health costs of stigma By Ikekhwa Albert Ikhile, University of South Africa Same-sex relationships are legal in South Africa and protected by the constitution. Unfair discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is against the law. But in practice many cultures don’t necessarily see this as a right. Traditional Zulu culture, for example, perceives same-sex relationships and sexual intercourse as taboo and unAfrican. Statements like “real men are not gay” […] todayMarch 27, 2024 31
insert_link South Africa Democratic AlliancePredicts ANC’s Majority Loss in South African Elections The Democratic Alliance asserts that the African National Congress is poised to lose its majority in the upcoming South African elections on 29 May. Despite receiving support from the National Treasury and stakeholders, the ANC and the Economic Freedom Fighters have jointly opposed the desirability of the DA's Responsible Spending Bill during a session of Parliament's standing committee on Finance. Dion George of the DA argues that passing the bill […] todayMarch 27, 2024 15
insert_link South Africa South Africa’s Education Minister Takes Action Against Deregistered Colleges Blade Nzimande, South Africa's Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation, has declared his department's refusal to tolerate gross governance and compliance failures. This statement follows the deregistration of Damelin, City Varsity, Icesa City Campus, and Lyceum College—owned by Educor—as higher education institutions. Since 2020, these four private colleges have failed to submit audited annual financial statements and have neglected to comply with certain regulations. Nzimande addressed the complaints received […] todayMarch 27, 2024 15
insert_link South Africa Legal Battle Between ANC and Umkhonto we Sizwe Party Heads to High Court The anticipated legal clash between the African National Congress and the Umkhonto we Sizwe Party is set for an open court hearing at the High Court in KwaZulu-Natal today. The ANC accuses the MK party of copyright infringement, contending that adopting the name of the ANC's disbanded armed wing constitutes trademark theft. However, media presence in the courtroom has been limited, with only 15 members permitted, including reporters and photographers, […] todayMarch 27, 2024 31
