Author: Kgaogelo Magolego

Angry residents of Diepkloof in Soweto have shutdown foreign owned spaza shops following the death of yet another child after allegedly eating snacks bought from a tuck shop. 5 year-old Siyabonga Mnisi was with three friends when they bought and shared the snacks. The children started complaining about stomach cramps an hour or so after eating the snacks and were rushed to hospital where Siyabonga sadly passed on. Residents raided the shop where the snacks were bought and found various expired items. The Ethiopian national who runs the shop also slept inside the store. “We want these people to go,…

In a bid to enhance its economic landscape, the North West’s Madibeng Municipality, which encompasses the scenic town of Brits and the picturesque Hartebeestpoort Dam, has launched an initiative to attract foreign investment. This effort comes as part of an investment conference held this Tuesday, which served as a networking platform for local entrepreneurs, diplomats, and international investors, primarily from Russia and Taiwan.The Madibeng Municipality, situated in the Bojanala District—a region renowned for its rich mining resources and lush agricultural land—has firmly established its economic foundation on tourism, agriculture, and mining. However, the changing dynamics witnessed at the investment conference…

The South African government is undertaking a significant initiative to register thousands of spaza shops as part of a broader effort to curb the alarming rise in deaths caused by contaminated food purchased from these informal food outlets. The move comes at a time of heightened tension, as the anti-immigrant pressure group, Operation Dudula, has vocally rejected government interventions aimed at including foreign nationals in the registration process. Spaza shops, which play a crucial role in the informal economy, have been predominantly run by foreign nationals. The dominance of these establishments by immigrants has ignited sporadic xenophobic violence, especially as…

Despite disruptions in Jabulani, Soweto Gauteng province appears to have taken the lead in the registration of Spaza Shops as directed by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday. Ramaphosa announced a series of measures in response to rising deaths caused by contaminated food purchased from Spaza Shops. There’s been more than 800 incidents of food poisoning reported in 2024 alone with at least 23 children having been confirmed dead as a result of such contamination. On Tuesday Gauteng finance MEC Lebogang Maile led a provincial government delegation in a meeting with the province’s 11 municipalities to agree on how registration is…

Anti-immigrant pressure group has rejected the government’s proposed intervention in the Spaza shop sector aimed at curbing deaths caused by contaminated food. The pressure group held demonstrations in Jabulani, Soweto on Monday and said the entire township economy should be reserved exclusively for South Africans. The protest was in response to President Cyril’s Friday address in which he directed Spaza Shops to register in terms of the law of the land. Ramaphosa also revealed the government has set aside R 500 million to curb deaths resulting from consumption of contaminated food bought from spaza shops. Spaza Shops across South Africa…

The EFF has refused to be drawn into speculation that MP and member of its powerful Central Command Team Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi is about to quit the party to join Umkhonto Wesizwe.Rumors of Ndlozi’s departure have been doing the rounds for weeks and intensified recently when Floyd Shivambu who was the first to jump ship and has already been promoted twice in MKP defined him as a dear friend and a brother when he denied ever having any personal ties to party leader Julius Malema.Ever since Shivambu’s brother comment made on Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh’s podcast, leading MK figures have been openly…

The Economic Freedom Fighters says it has almost completed preparations for its National People’s Assembly, elective conference and highest decision making structure scheduled for the 12th to 15 December. The party held its 26th Central Command Team meeting in Johannesburg on Thursday which was among others expected to receive a political report from party leader Julius Malema and update on branch activities ahead of the conference. Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting Secretary General Marshal Dlamini said all branches that approved to attend the NPA have held meetings to elect delegates. “In terms of readiness our branches as per…

Tensions are intensifying between the main players in the so-called Progressive Caucus ( informal parliamentary block opposing Government of National Unity). The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have vowed to fight back against Umkhonto Wesizwe over the latter’s active recruitment of the former’s leaders. Outgoing EFF leader Julius Malema made the point during an interview with the party’s National Spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys on an internal platform. Malema accused former President Jacob Zuma of declaring war on him by poaching EFF leaders. Malema’s former deputy, Floyd Shivambu is the most prominent person to defect to the 11 month old MKP with the…

The City of Joburg has managed to maintain its blue drop status despite its aging infrastructure and rapidly rising population that has led to demand for water far exceeding supply. The 98 percent blue drop status means tap water in and around Johannesburg is of the best quality possible. Mayor Dada Morero addressed the media alongside Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi as well as Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina on Monday to announce an intervention aimed at averting a full blown water crisis in South Africa’s most populous city ( just under 6 million people) and the rest of the…

A multi stakeholder high level team has been formed to prevent Gauteng’s ongoing water problems from escalating into a full blown crisis. On Monday political principals involved in the intervention in Johannesburg to announce some of the measures being put in place. Key players in the response are the ministry of water and sanitation represented by among others the Minister Pemmy Majodina alongside her deputy David Mahlobo, the provincial government represented by the Premier Panyaza Lesufi and local government MEC Jacob Mamabolo. The City of Joburg is a key player in the strategy with both Rand Water and Johannesburg Water…