Author: Larson Thebe
Government has welcomed the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) by one year, after it expired last year. The extension comes after US president Donald Trump signed the legislation, to extend the trade agreement from 20 September 2025 until 31 December 2026. AGOA is a critical legislation that allows for eligible sub-Saharan African countries to enjoy duty-free access to the US market. Following its expiry last year, there were uncertainties in the continental economies, resulting in many job losses. “This extension will provide some relief to South African products exported under the scheme,” said Tau. The minister…
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has raised concerns about the non-payment of workers’ pension fund contributions at the Ditsobotla Local Municipality in the North West. The union said it was made aware about this by its affiliate at the municipality, South African Municipal Workers Union. According to COSATU, the troubled municipality has allegedly failed to pay the contributions for 14 months. The union spokesperson, Zanele Sabela, has warned that the non-payment will have a dire consequence on the workers, especially when they retire. “This is playing with fire as it robs workers of the compounding effect that…
The leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA) John Steenhuisen is expected to announce on Thursday that he will not seek re-election as party leader during their elective conference in April this year. The announcement comes amid internal tensions in the DA, including a public spat between Steenhuisen and former minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Dion George. This after Steenhuisen called for the removal of George as minister, accusing him of incompetence, with George also accusing him of interfering in the running of the department. George also accused Steenhuisen of being captured by the African National Congress in the Government…
Consumers can breathe a sigh of relief, following the announcement of a fuel decrease by the department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources. The price decrease will take effect from Wednesday. “Both grades of petrol will decrease by 65 cents a litre. Diesel will decrease by 50 and 57 cents a litre. Illuminating paraffin at retail level will decrease by 70 cents a litre. LP gas will increase by 31 cents countrywide and by 36 cents in Western Cape,” said the department spokesperson, Robert Maake. According to Maake, the reduction is due to local and international factors. “The rand appreciated against…
Four people have been injured and transported to nearby hospitals, after a transformer exploded in a building at the intersection of Lower Railway Road and Staib Street, New Doornfontein. According to the Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) the building is used as a student accommodation. The EMS says its officers immediately initiated firefighting operations during their arrival at the building, and the fire has since been extinguished. “The transformer was housed within a small utility storage room. The explosion allegedly caused the collapse of a room and adjoining boundary wall. All residents in the immediate vicinity have been evacuated to a…
South Africa has expelled Israel’s Chargé d’Affaires, Ariel Seidman, ordering him to leave the country within 72 hours. The government said the decision follows a series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practices that pose a direct challenge to South Africa’s sovereignty. “These violations include the repeated use of official Israeli social media platforms to launch insulting attacks against His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa, as well as a deliberate failure to inform the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) of purported visits by senior Israeli officials,” said DIRCO spokesperson Chrispin Phiri. Phiri stated that such actions constitute a…
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Disciplinary Board has imposed hefty fines against both the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), following a chaotic African Cup of Nations (AFCON) final between the two countries two weeks ago in Rabat. The final was overshadowed by scenes of a walk-off by Senegal players, in protest against what they regarded as biasness by the match official. This after Morocco were awarded a controversial penalty in the dying minutes of the match, while Senegal was angry that they were not awarded a penalty minute earlier. This resulted in some clashes…
President Ramaphosa has directed the Minister of Police Professor Firoz Cachalia and National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, to establish a special investigations task team, which will investigate recommendations made by the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. The directive comes after Ramaphosa studied the commission’s preliminary report, which was handed over to him in December last year in line with the delivery timelines that had been determined by the President. “The task team will institute investigations against people identified by the Commission for investigation. Establishing a special unit is critical to ensure that these investigations take place as a matter of urgency,”…
Parliament Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has subpoenaed Brown Mogotsi to appear before it. This after the controversial Mahikeng alleged political fixer refused to appear physically before the committee on Thursday, as scheduled. According to the committee, Mokgosi had raised security concerns and the financing of his personal security detail, as the reason why he’s refusing to appear before the committee. Committee Chairperson Soviet Lekganyane, described Mokgosi’s demands as “ridiculous” arguing that it is disingenuous for Mokgosi to seek new demands, after initially requesting that parliament provide him with protection. Committee…
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is calling on the government to halt what it described as a “mind boggling planned R372 million budget for the Defence Force Day parade and related activities” to be held next month in Thohoyandou, Limpopo. The federation says the event is a waste of state resources, which can be better utilised to address the many pressing needs of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). COSATU’s parliamentary coordinator, Matthew Parks, cautioned that spending R372m on a one-day parade will take wasteful expenditure to new lows for the SANDF and the nation.…