Author: newsnote correspondent

South Africa’s Deputy Finance Minister, David Masondo, expressed optimism this week that the upcoming national budget will secure approval from lawmakers, following the scrapping of two previous drafts due to disputes within the governing coalition. Speaking at an event in Cape Town, Masondo declared, “I’m very confident that we’re not going to have budget 4.0,” a sentiment echoed by ongoing discussions between the National Treasury, the Democratic Alliance (DA)—the coalition’s second-largest member—and other political parties. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is set to present the third version of the budget on May 21. The earlier drafts met with significant pushback after…

South African households are increasingly turning to personal loans as a means of dealing with escalating living costs, according to the latest DebtBusters debt index for the first quarter of 2025. The report reveals a troubling trend: one in three South Africans finds themselves unable to keep up with debt repayments, with a staggering 91% of those seeking debt counselling reliant on personal loans. Benay Sager, Chief Operations Officer at DebtBusters, expressed profound concern over these alarming figures. “The challenge is that the costs come up and grow, and consumers feel the need to supplement them with additional sources of…

Mamelodi Sundowns has once again established their dominance in South African football, clinching the 24-25 league championship with a resounding 3-0 victory over Chippa United at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Wednesday night. This latest triumph marks the 15th time the club has secured the Premier Soccer League title, reinforcing their status as a formidable force in the sport, and the remarkable eighth consecutive title they have won. Entering the match with a comfortable 12-point lead over second-placed Orlando Pirates, the Brazilians showcased their intention to wrap up the league title early. The visitors wasted no time, taking the…

As South African President Cyril Ramaphosa prepares for his significant visit to the United States, concerns mount over the potential diplomatic minefield that awaits him. International relations experts are recalling the uncomfortable scenarios faced by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his interactions with former President Donald Trump, as Ramaphosa gears up to tackle controversial narratives surrounding Afrikaners in South Africa. The backdrop of this trip is stark: Trump’s executive order, signed in February, allows for the resettlement of Afrikaners from South Africa who assert they are victims of ethnic violence. This narrative has taken hold, largely fostered by groups like…

New revelations about the post-mortem conducted on Inkosi Albert Luthuli, the renowned South African statesman and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, have raised disturbing questions about the circumstances surrounding his tragic death in 1967. A review by Dr Sibusiso Johannes Nsele, a senior forensic pathologist from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, revealed significant inadequacies in the original examination conducted by Dr Jakobus Johannes van Zyle. The findings suggest not only a lack of professionalism but raise serious doubts about the accuracy of the conclusions drawn from Luthuli’s autopsy. Luthuli died shortly after being allegedly struck by a goods train on July…

Koyo Kouoh, a towering figure in the global art scene and a relentless advocate for African artists, passed away last weekend at the age of 57, leaving an irreplaceable void in the contemporary art world. Her death, confirmed by husband Philippe Mall, follows a brief but arduous battle with cancer that was only diagnosed recently, plunging the artistic community into mourning. Robin Rhode, fellow artist and friend, was among the first to express shock at the news, offering a poignant reflection on Kouoh’s impact. Alongside renowned Nigerian curators Bisi Silva and Okwui Enwezor—who tragically left us in 2019—Kouoh represented a…

In a devastating blow to public health, HIV testing and monitoring in South Africa has been severely impacted by a significant reduction in aid from the United States. Unpublished government data reveals a disturbing trend, particularly affecting vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, infants, and young adults, who are bearing the brunt of these funding shortfalls. With an estimated 8 million South Africans living with HIV — about one in five adults — the nation already grapples with the world’s highest concentration of the virus. Up until early 2023, the US contributed approximately 17% of South Africa’s total HIV budget.…

Cassie Ventura, the former girlfriend of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, took the stand again on Wednesday morning as the high-profile federal trial unfolds in New York City. Ventura, eight and a half months pregnant, detailed harrowing accounts of her alleged abuse during her tumultuous decade-long relationship with Combs, which is now at the centre of serious charges including sex trafficking and racketeering. On day three of the trial, Ventura revisited haunting memories of a 2016 hotel assault, where she described an incident where Combs threw a vase at her, missing her by inches. “I remember it hitting the wall.…

In a night filled with emotion and triumph, Spanish coach José Riveiro led the Orlando Pirates to a resounding 3-0 victory over Golden Arrows at the Orlando Stadium, marking his final game with the club. As the Pirates faithful cheered and celebrated, Riveiro reflected on his journey from humble beginnings to managing one of Africa’s most storied teams. Rumours are swirling that the 47-year-old is set to trade the Pirates for Egyptian giants Al Ahly, just in time for their participation in the highly anticipated FIFA Club World Cup next month, hosted in the USA. However, Riveiro chose not to…

South Africa’s state-owned power utility scheduled nationwide rolling blackouts through Thursday because of a delay in restarting generation capacity that was offline for repairs along with additional equipment breakdowns. Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. will implement so-called stage 2 loadshedding — taking 2,000 megawatts offline to prevent a total collapse of the grid — during peak-use hours starting Tuesday evening, the company said in a statement. The rand weakened after the announcement. Less than two weeks ago, the utility forecast a low risk of sustained power cuts as South Africa heads into the winter season that drives up demand for electricity. It…