Author: Motlhaping Modise

A three-week stand-off between the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the mining company Triple M at the Impala Platinum Mines in Rustenburg in the North West has ended, with workers returning to work immediately. This comes a few days after the NUM President, Phillip Vilakazi, visited the striking miners and issued a fiery directive to the mining company’s management, demanding immediate recognition of the union’s majority status. Speaking on YOU FM Newshour, NUM Deputy Regional Chairperson Oageng Motshwaedi said the strike ended after the company acceded to the workers’ demands. “I can confirm that the company has consented to…

Stakeholders in the sector, including the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), have begun preparing for the elections following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that the municipal elections will be held on 4 November 2026. The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) said it has convened the National Municipal Managers Forum (NMMF) in Johannesburg from Wednesday to Thursday, bringing together municipal and city managers from across the country’s 257 municipalities at a pivotal moment in the local government calendar. Speaking on YOU FM Newshour, SALGA national spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said the forum will focus on strengthening the readiness of municipalities to navigate the…

Power utility Eskom says it has dispatched its recovery teams to attend to reports of unplanned power outages caused by inclement weather conditions. Several parts of the country have been battered by adverse weather conditions, resulting in heavy rainfall, flooding and gale-force winds affecting the Eskom network, causing multiple outages and leaving thousands of customers in total darkness. Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena says the utility has received thousands of fault reports but faces major challenges in some areas where infrastructure is inaccessible due to severe flooding and unsafe conditions. Mokwena said that the Western Cape is more severely affected than…

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Deputy Minister Dr Dickson Masemola has stressed the importance of empowering firefighters to serve communities with integrity, professionalism, and without fear or discrimination. Masemola is leading a two-day national commemoration of International Firefighters’ Day 2026 at the Rustenburg Civic Centre in the North West. The 2026 national commemoration is hosted in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Centre, the North West Provincial Disaster Management Centre, and other stakeholders. The aim is, among other things, to honour firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty; celebrate the courage, discipline, and professionalism of South…

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has vowed to intensify its industrial action against Impala Platinum’s Triple M Mine outside Rustenburg in the North West, until its organisational rights are fully recognised and implemented. The union began an indefinite strike last Friday, accusing the mining company of deliberately undermining collective bargaining processes and subjecting workers to substandard employment conditions. Speaking on YOU FM Newshour, NUM General Secretary Mpho Phakedi said the strike was triggered by the company’s continued refusal to grant formal recognition to the union, despite meeting the required membership threshold. “We have a report from March which clearly…

Civil society groups, political parties, and trade unions have welcomed government’s decision to extend fuel levy relief measures aimed at easing pressure on households and the economy. The extension includes a R3 per litre fuel levy cut on petrol, now extended until 2 June 2026, while diesel relief has been increased to R3.93 per litre for May—effectively reducing the diesel levy to zero for the month. The announcement, made by the National Treasury and the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources on Tuesday, confirms that the temporary relief measures—originally due to expire in early May—will now continue into June. Officials…

The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) has urged families and communities to empower young people, to gain a better understanding of democracy, through storytelling as part of the ongoing commemoration of the Freedom Day. SALGA says this focus is significant as this year marks 30 years of the association and 30 years of organised local government, which it describes both as a milestone that highlights the role municipalities have played in deepening democracy at community level since 1994.The Association’s President Bheki Stofile told YOU FM Newshour that society can play an active role in helping children to understand their…

The Police Ministry has strongly condemned recent acts of xenophobic violence and intimidation targeting Ghanaian nationals and other foreign nationals across South Africa. A renewed wave of attacks and threats has been reported this month in parts of the Eastern Cape and Gauteng, primarily affecting African foreign nationals, including citizens from Nigeria, Ghana, and Zimbabwe. The incidents have largely involved vigilante-style actions, with foreign-owned businesses being targeted amid rising tensions in certain communities. Police Ministry spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi described the attacks as unlawful and a direct violation of South Africa’s constitutional values. “These actions are not only unlawful, but they…

The Legal Practice Council (LPC) and various legal bodies have strongly condemned what they called “a senseless killing” of a 35-year-old Attorney Jeannette Gallichan near Gandhi Square in Johannesburg on Monday. Gallichan was on her way to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to represent a mining company in a dispute involving workers who had been allegedly laid off and were seeking compensation. The LPC’s national spokesperson Kabelo Letebele told YOU FM Newshour that Gallichan was shot and killed by two yet-to-be identified suspects. “The reports allege that the lawyer was being followed by her murderers before she…

A detailed investigation into what could have led to an unusual mud rush at the Kimberly based diamond, Ekapa Mineral Mine has officially begun following the successful retrieval of all the five bodies of mineworkers who were trapped underground for over a period of five weeks. The accident occurred on February 17 when a mudslide affected one of the operational areas leaving five miners trapped. Speaking on YOU FM Newshour, the Chief Inspector of Mines David Msiza confirmed that the rescue operation has officially been concluded. “We have been here for the last five weeks since February. Working day and…