Author: Larson Thebe
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus has named four uncapped players in the team that will face Wales in the third Nations Championship fixture on Saturday in Durban. The four are Jaco Williams (wing), Vusi Moyo (fly-half), Ruben van Heerden (lock) and Carlu Sadie (prop). Erasmus has struck a fine balance by naming a strong team while staying true to his word to give every player in his expanded squad a chance to prove themselves at the highest level. The match-day squad also features André-Hugo Venter (hooker) and Herschel Jantjies (scrum-half) among the replacements. Moyo and Williams, who play for the Hollywoodbets…
The Gauteng Health Department has today rolled out the fourth edition of its Mandela Month Surgical Marathon. The department says 19 public healthcare facilities across the province have pledged to perform more than 1,000 surgeries and clinical procedures in honour of Nelson Mandela International Day. According to department spokesperson Steve Mabona, the initiative forms part of its ongoing efforts to reduce surgical waiting lists, improve access to care, and restore the dignity of patients awaiting procedures at Gauteng’s public hospitals.“With a total pledge of 1,078 surgeries and clinical procedures, the department aims to surpass the 806 procedures performed during the…
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus makes history today as he takes charge of South Africa for a record-breaking 55th Test when the world champions face Scotland at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. According to the South African Rugby Union (SARU), Erasmus now holds the record for the most Tests coached by any Springbok mentor since South Africa played its first Test match in 1891. The milestone comes across two spells in charge – from 2018 to 2019 and from 2024 to the present – eclipsing the previous record of 54 Tests set by 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning coach Jake White between 2004…
President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended the duration of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry to 16 November 2026, instead of the original deadline of 31 August. Ramaphosa has also set 2 October 2026 as the deadline for the submission of evidence and 16 November 2026 as the reporting deadline, enabling the Commission to conclude the matters it has opened during hearings to date. “The extension allows the Commission to hear evidence on all of the matters listed in its terms of reference. Without an extension, the Commission would have to leave large parts of its work unfinished,” said Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent…
As part of efforts to strengthen immigration enforcement capacity in the country, the Department of Home Affairs has announced that it is recruiting an additional 301 Immigration Officers across the country. The department says it currently has only 868 Immigration Officers, and the new cohort is expected to support immigration enforcement across the entire country. In a statement, the department said that despite the severe resource constraints it continues to face, reprioritisation work has been undertaken to enable the recruitment of this cohort of additional officers. “The increase from 868 to 1 169 officers will enhance enforcement capacity by 35%.…
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, Khusela Sangoni Diko, has formally written to Minister Solly Malatsi requesting a comprehensive written explanation, together with all related documents, regarding any meetings held with Starlink and Tony Leon’s Resolve Communications. The allegations were made by former Democratic Alliance (DA) leader and then Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, during a recent media interview. During the interview, Steenhuisen alleged that Resolve Communications, which is owned by former DA leader Tony Leon, facilitated engagements between members of the government and private-sector clients, including Starlink. In her letter to the Minister, the…
Proteas Women’s coach Mandla Mashimbyi has praised the team despite their defeat to England in the ICC T20 World Cup semi-final at The Oval in London. The hosts defeated the Proteas by 40 runs and will now face Australia in the final at Lord’s on Sunday. England, who batted first, set a score of 169/5, and the Proteas could only manage 129/8 in front of a 21,000-strong crowd. Despite the defeat, Mashimbyi said the team had learned valuable lessons. “I think if you get to the semi-finals, you must have done something right, and I think we did do something…
Consumers supplied by City Power will have to dig deeper into their pockets, as the entity has implemented an 8.63% electricity hike for the 2026/27 financial year from today. City Power sought to assure consumers that the increase is below that approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) and Eskom, which stands at 8.76%, as it aims to cushion customers against rising electricity costs. “This reflects the entity’s commitment to balancing the increasing costs associated with maintaining and operating a reliable electricity network while recognising the financial pressures facing households and businesses,” said City Power spokesperson Isaac…
President Cyril Ramaphosa has made several changes to the national executive following consultation with the leadership of the Democratic Alliance (DA) as part of the Government of National Unity (GNU). According to the Presidency, the changes will affect the Ministries of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Environment; Trade, Industry and Competition; Electricity and Energy; Higher Education; and Water and Sanitation. “Accordingly, President Ramaphosa will, in line with section 91(3)(b) of the Constitution, appoint Willem Aucamp as Minister of Agriculture and David Maynier as Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment,” said Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya. Furthermore, Magwenya stated that, in accordance…
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources has announced an adjustment to fuel prices based on current local and international factors, with effect from Wednesday. According to the department, international factors include the fact that South Africa imports both crude oil and finished products at prices set at the international level, including importation costs, e.g. shipping costs. “The main reasons for the fuel price adjustments are due to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the US and Iran, which has improved the global supply outlook,” said the department’s Head of Communications, Lerato Ntsoko. Ntsoko also highlighted other…