insert_link South Africa Agricultural Union TLU SA Expresses Concerns Over Alarming Increase in Department of Agriculture’s Wasteful Expenditure Agricultural union TLU SA has raised concerns about the misuse of funds within the Department of Agriculture, as revealed in a parliamentary committee budget review and recommendations report. The report highlights a significant rise in wasteful expenditure from 33 thousand rand in the 2021-2022 financial year to a staggering 30 million rand in 2022-2023. Bennie van Zyl, spokesperson for TLU SA, attributes most of this wasteful spending to payments for […] todayMarch 6, 2024 18
insert_link South Africa South Africa says force should be used to break Israel blockade on Gaza aid South Africa's Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor on Tuesday said that countries should use force to break Israel's blockade on aid getting into Gaza. Pandor was meeting with his Danish counterpart in Pretoria. The two leaders discussed bilateral ties and Israel's war on Gaza. "Those powerful armed forces of the world should be instructed by their presidents or prime ministers that they will go to the Rafah border and […] todayMarch 6, 2024 15
insert_link South Africa South African Federation of Trade Unions Expresses Concern Over Impact of Fuel Price Hikes on Working Class The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) has voiced apprehension regarding the recent fuel price hikes, emphasizing the strain it imposes on the cost of living for the working class. Petrol has surged to one rand and 21 cents per litre, with corresponding increases in diesel and illuminating paraffin. SAFTU's spokesperson, Trevor Shaku, highlights data from the Household General Survey, revealing that two-thirds of the country's workforce relies on […] todayMarch 6, 2024 20
insert_link South Africa Gauteng Finance MEC Pledges E-Tolls Resolution by Month’s End Jacob Mamabolo, Gauteng's MEC for Finance, has affirmed a resolute commitment to resolving the longstanding e-tolls issue by the end of this month. This commitment follows a policy pronouncement in 2022, where the province agreed to contribute 30% to settle the debt of the South African National Roads Agency, with the national government covering the remaining 70%. In his provincial budget address, Mamabolo assured that gantry lights and cameras would […] todayMarch 6, 2024 5
insert_link South Africa Public Works to investigate mismanagement of police headquarters One of the bathrooms at the building used by SAPS at the Telkom Tower complex in Pretoria. Photo supplied The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has launched an internal investigation into the mismanagement of the Telkom Towers complex, the headquarters of the South African Police Service (SAPS), as well as other properties owned by the department in Pretoria’s city centre. This was revealed by the newly appointed head of […] todayMarch 6, 2024 7
insert_link South Africa Joburg residents march over water outages and unreliable electricity Protesters march past an illegal dump in Kensington, complaining about poor services and a lack of bylaw enforcement. Photo: Masego Mafata By Masego Mafata via GroundUp About 80 fed-up residents of the east of Johannesburg marched from Rhodes Park to Darras Centre in Kensington on Tuesday morning, demanding better services and the enforcement of bylaws. The residents came from Bellevue, Bruma, Bertrams, Cyrildene, De Wetshof, Bezuidenhout Valley, Kensington Observatory and Troyville. […] todayMarch 6, 2024 8
insert_link South Africa FNB SA Analyst Urges Spending Caution as Fuel Costs Rise, Forecasts Post-Election Economic Improvements Ester Ochse, an analyst at FNB SA, has advised consumers to exercise financial restraint in the face of escalating fuel costs. The bank expresses concern that heightened fuel expenses may strain budgets, impacting both vehicle owners and public transport users. Anticipating potential repercussions, FNB warns of potential increases in product prices, contributing to consumer inflation and diminishing purchasing power. Despite these challenges, FNB remains optimistic about post-election economic improvements, anticipating […] todayMarch 6, 2024 5
insert_link South Africa Concerns Mount as Nighttime Shootings Escalate in Mpumalanga, MEC Shongwe Urges Action Vusi Shongwe, the MEC for Community Safety, Security, and Liaison in Mpumalanga, has expressed growing concern over the increasing number of shooting incidents in nighttime entertainment venues within the province. The latest incident occurred on Sunday night in Tweefontein, where two armed men entered a tavern, indiscriminately opening fire and resulting in the tragic deaths of three individuals. The department's spokesperson, Moeti Mmusi, revealed that similar shooting cases near taverns […] todayMarch 6, 2024 12
insert_link South Africa At least 22 people arrested during student protests in Bloemfontein Police disperse protesting students at Bloemfontein’s Central University of Technology (CUT) with stun grenades on Monday. Photos: Becker Semela By Becker Semela via GroundUp Lectures at the Central University of Technology (CUT) in Bloemfontein were suspended on Tuesday morning as a protest by students entered its third day. Since Friday, the situation outside the main campus has been tense with students protesting over lack of funding for food, housing and study […] todayMarch 5, 2024 14
