Author: Kgaogelo Magolego

The Democratic Alliance’s position has become increasingly threatened in South Africa’s Government of National Unity. The DA’s decreasing influence in the GNU follows its consistent opposition to any form of transformation, which has often embarrassed even its own representatives in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet. The DA has opposed the National Health Insurance, the BELA Act and the Expropriation Act, all laws meant to bring about equality in South Africa following some 250 years of colonialism and apartheid which saw blacks oppressed while whites enjoyed unrestrained benefits including job reservation. The party is currently challenging the various laws in court and…

Public Works Minister Dean McPherson has come out strongly in defence of the Expropriation Act, a law challenged by his party the Democratic Alliance. McPherson said it would be foolhardy for any country to think it could carry out a development agenda without laws allowing the state to expropriate land. McPherson briefed the media on his department’s plan of turning South Africa into a construction site through a rollout of massive infrastructure projects and said such ambitions could be frustrated by greedy land owners. “Any country that wants to grow its economy, wants to expand ports,  wants to expand rail, wants…

President Cyril Ramaphosa is demanding a swift crackdown on the so-called ‘water mafia’ known for sabotaging infrastructure to create opportunities for their tankering businesses. Across the country municipalities are increasingly relying on the tankering businesses to supply water to communities as infrastructure breakdowns become increasingly an everyday occurrence. Ramaphosa addressed the two-day National Water Indaba at the Galagher Convention Center in Midrand on Thursday and said it was time to confront criminal gangs operating in the sector. “There are people who make it their business to go and cut water lines to create businesses for themselves so that they can…

The government has dismissed criticism of its decision to host Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy when he’s increasingly isolated globally. The Presidency said Zelenskyy’s state visit to South Africa in April was not just meant to help facilitate peace talks with Russia but also part of a process of possibly forging closer ties with the Eastern European country. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said during a media briefing at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Thursday that the government was looking beyond the conflict also reminding critics that for some time South Africa was the only country able to easily talk to Zelenskyy and…

After his initial bold assertion that South Africa will not be bullied, President Cyril Ramaphosa has now toned down as the US continues to take a litany of unprecedented actions against South Africa with the most recent being the expulsion of Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool who the Donald Trump administration accuses of being a radical. With Rasool expected back home, Ramaphosa has urged those planning homecoming ceremonies for him to exercise restraint as to avoid provoking the Trump administration further. “We would like to urge all political formations that are planning various homecoming rallies for Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool to assist us…

The government has once again expressed concern about right wing groupings’ lobbying of the United States to intervene in the country’s domestic affairs. The latest group to announce it will be undertaking a trip to Washington DC to seek the support of the Donald Trump administration is separatatist group Cape Independence which is seeking cessation from South Africa. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said President Cyril Ramaphosa was deeply upset by the move and warned the group to desist from inviting external forces to interfere in the domestic affairs of the country. Magwenya briefed the media at the Union Buildings on…

The Democratic Alliance has called on Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi to intensify the crackdown on cable theft and vandalism.The party said in a statement the major cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria have been severely affected by theft and vandalism, often plunged into complete darkness. The party also urged Lesufi to arrange protection for technicians as they are often attacked while trying to restore power. “There are unconfirmed reports that City Power technicians have been shot underground by illegal miners while working to fix and restore power which has resulted in delays in restoring power. The armed illegal miners operating in…

Rwanda has cut ties with its former Colonial master Belgium accusing the European country of fuelling anti-Rwanda sentiment globally over the war in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo DRC. The East African country said the decision was taken as part of efforts to safeguard its national interests which it believes are under threat from Belgium which it accuses of attempting to sustain a colonial hold on the African continent. “The Government of Rwanda notified the Government of Belgium today of its decision to sever diplomatic relations, effective immediately. Rwanda’s decision has been taken after careful consideration of several factors,…

The South African government has expressed hope of continued relations with the USA even after Donald Trump’s administration expelled South Africa’s ambassador Ebrahim Rasool accusing him of race-baiting. Secretary of State Marcon Rubio made the announcement via his official X account on Friday night. This as South Africa struggles to gain an audience with Trump and those around him who have sought to misrepresent the country’s policies and have amplified false claims of the mass killings of white Afrikaners. Rubio also accuses Rasool of hating Trump. “South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country.…

ANC Secretary General has dismissed calls for the size of cabinet to be reduced along with their benefits which some believe constitute luxury when millions of South Africans languish in poverty. Mbalula briefed the media at the party headquarters Luthuli House in Johannesburg where he expressed confidence that the budget will be adopted despite political parties’ initial widespread rejection of it. Mbalula said perks of ministers have been cut from as far back and dismissed those calling for cuts as making noise. “It is very easy for anyone to say cabinet and all of that, which is fine, but we…