South Africa grants two-year extension for Zimbabwe and Lesotho permit holders

South Africa grants two-year extension for Zimbabwe and Lesotho permit holders

By Joseph Chirume via Groundup Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi announced on Friday that new permits will be issued for holders of the Lesotho Exemption Permit (LEP) and the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP), which will be valid for two more years, until 29 November 2025. Motsoaledi faced a litany of litigation from civil society organisations challenging the decision to terminate the LEP (held by about 55,000 people) and the ZEP (held by […]

December 4, 2023 4

South Africa

South Africans are living longer, mostly thanks to HIV treatment

By Daniel Steyn and Nathan Geffen via GroundUp President Nelson Mandela in 2002 wore the Treatment Action Campaign’s iconic HIV-positive T-shirt to try to convince President Thabo Mbeki’s administration to provide antiretroviral treatment in the public sector. Photo: Brenton Geach (copyright reserved) South Africa has some state-run systems that are working well. One of these is the HIV treatment programme. We quite possibly have the largest public sector chronic medicine programme for a […]

December 1, 2023 10

South Africa

The Big Issue might have to shut down after R600,000 cyber scam

By Ashraf Hendricks via GroundUp The Big Issue is battling to survive after scammers robbed it of R600,000. Photos: Ashraf Hendricks The Big Issue may have to close early next year if enough money doesn’t come in to cover the R600,000 lost in a cyber scam. “If we don’t get funds from the public now, it will kill us,” says Derek Carelse, managing director of The Big Issue. The Big Issue […]

December 1, 2023 25

Africa

Climate action for Africa in 2023: three big developments

By Nicholas P. Simpson, Overseas Development Institute 2023 is highly likely to be the hottest year ever recorded. And climate change is to blame for one-quarter of the global population being exposed to dangerous levels of extreme heat. We need signs that countries are taking steps to address this. Specifically, we need climate action that helps us adapt and that cuts greenhouse gas emissions, if we want to minimise the […]

November 30, 2023 4

South Africa

SA’s SECTION27 and CASAC launch the Democracy and Constitutionalism report

SA's SECTION27 and the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution have launched a conference report titled Democracy and Constitutionalism: Civic Education Conference Report and Keywords. The report brings into focus the importance of civic education at a time when South Africa is preparing for elections next year, which are widely viewed as the most significant since 1994. SECTION27’s spokesperson, Pearl Nicodemus, says the current state of basic […]

November 29, 2023 7

South Africa

South African Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union says negligent mine bosses should be charged

The South African Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union says negligent mine bosses should be charged with culpable homicide in cases of workers dying while on site. This comes after eleven mineworkers died at Impala Platinum Mine in Rustenburg in the North West on Monday. An elevator transporting mineworkers up and down the shaft unexpectedly dropped 200 metres. Amcu president, Joseph Mathunjwa, says this disaster could have been avoided.

November 29, 2023 12

Business / Economics

South Africa’s Mine Union calls for more shaft inspections to avoid accidents

The South African National Union of Mineworkers’ Health and Safety secretary, Masibulele Naki, has underscored the urgent need for mines to clarify and prioritise shaft inspection procedures to prevent accidents. This follows an incident at Impala Platinum in Rustenburg, North West, in which 11 mineworkers were killed and 75 seriously injured. Reports indicate that a lift fell down a one-kilometer shaft for about 200-meters as miners were being brought to […]

November 29, 2023 5

South Africa

The DA in Gauteng tabled several motions over the last six months to ensure residents have quality of life

The DA in Gauteng tabled several motions over the last six months to ensure residents have quality of life and are protected from bullying and discrimination. The party also tabled a motion to debate the role of Independent Power Producers in improving access to electricity for all Gauteng residents. The DA’s Nico de Jager says the ANC, through its majority, rejected the motion in their desire to block accountability for […]

November 29, 2023 7

South Africa

SA investigates claim Ramaphosa’s speech written by chatbot

The South African presidency is investigating whether parts of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s speech last week were written using the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT. According to SA media, it follows claims online that a section of the speech delivered last week at an education forum by Ramaphosa did not come from the president or his speechwriters. However, presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya denied the claims, saying they do not use AI tools […]

November 28, 2023 5