Author: Silver Sibiya
Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero says the city is still working through a large backlog of applications from informal traders hoping to operate legally in the inner city, as officials try to stabilise a sector long affected by disputes over permits, enforcement and overcrowding. Speaking during a media briefing in Johannesburg Morero revealed that around 2,000 new informal traders have recently applied for trading permits in the CBD. The high number of applications reflects growing pressure on economic opportunities in the city, where thousands rely on informal trading for survival amid high unemployment. The City of Johannesburg has for years struggled…
Deputy President Paul Mashatile says South Africa’s hosting of the G20 Social Summit offers the country and the African continent a crucial opportunity to influence the global conversation on peace, stability and inclusive development. Mashatile delivered the keynote address at the gathering in Boksburg on Tuesday. The G20 Social Summit brings together civil society groups, labour organisations, community leaders and international partners to discuss social priorities that will inform South Africa’s agenda as it chairs the G20 in 2025. This is the first time the summit is being held on African soil, marking a significant moment for the continent. Mashatile…
MTN Group says data is now firmly driving its growth, with data revenue climbing 40.3% in the third quarter of 2025 even as traditional voice services continue to decelerate, rising only 10% year-on-year across its markets. The shift reflects a clear change in customer behaviour, with MTN’s 301 million subscribers increasingly opting for mobile internet and digital communication platforms over conventional voice calls. Nigeria and Ghana power revenue growth Overall Group service revenue grew 25.9%, supported by strong performances in MTN Nigeria (up 57% in constant currency) and MTN Ghana (up 35.9%). A key highlight for the period was MTN…
Astral Foods has reported solid results for the financial year ending 30 September 2025, supported by higher broiler production, improved market conditions, and careful cost management. The company’s revenue rose 10.4% to R22.6 billion, up from R20.5 billion in 2024. The Poultry Division contributed 82.5% of sales, with the Feed Division making up 17.5%. Operating profit increased 10.9% to R1.25 billion. Excluding last year’s one-off insurance payouts, underlying profits jumped 42.8%, reflecting stronger core performance. Astral ended the year with over R1 billion in cash and invested R336 million in new equipment and operational improvements. The company also resumed dividend…
Residents gathered outside the Constitutional Court on Monday, demanding an end to what they allege is the manipulation of the rand and calling for President Cyril Ramaphosa to step down. The protest, which began byvyoung people as a social media campaign, highlights a long-running case in which the Competition Commission claims that credit ratings agencies colluded with banks to manipulate South Africa’s currency. The case has been in and out of court for nearly a decade, raising public concerns about transparency, accountability, and economic fairness. Lunga Ngubane, a resident from the West Rand, told Newsnote that the alleged manipulation disproportionately…
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has survived a motion of no confidence in the provincial legislature, with 24 votes in favor and 54 against. The motion was tabled by the Democratic Alliance (DA) following findings by the Public Protector, Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, that the Amapanyaza programme, an initiative championed by Lesufi, was not legally constituted. Earlier, the DA had attempted to force a secret ballot on the motion but failed to secure enough support. The results of the vote were announced by Gauteng Speaker Morakane Mosupyoe. “One member abstained and there is no one who absent and there is one member…
President Cyril Ramaphosa says US President Donald Trump will be the “biggest loser” for choosing not to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg next weekend. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Kliptown Cleanup Campaign in Soweto today, Ramaphosa reacted to Trump’s announcement that neither he nor any senior US official will participate in the summit — a decision analysts warn could further isolate Washington at a time of heightened global economic uncertainty. Ramaphosa insisted the G20 gathering will proceed successfully without Trump. “If you boycott an event or process, you are the biggest loser,” he said.…
Police have opened a case of attempted murder after three people including a one-year-old child were shot and injured in Westbury on Thursday night. The shooting happened at around 20:30 on 13 November 2025.According to police, two suspects were chasing a man who fled into a house in the area. The gunmen followed him and opened fire inside the home. Three people in the house were hit by stray bullets, while the man being pursued managed to escape. The victims were rushed to nearby medical facilities and are reported to be in serious but stable condition. Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel…
President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived at Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto, this morning to participate in the CEO-City Clean-Up Partnership Programme.He is currently in a closed meeting with private-sector CEOs, government officials, and civil-society leaders to develop sustainable solutions to Johannesburg’s urban decay.The initiative, launched earlier this week by Mayor Dada Morero, aims to restore dignity and functionality to the city’s neglected areas.Ramaphosa will later conduct a walkabout at the historic square and plant a tree before briefing the media.Gauteng Premier’s spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said: “We want to lead from the front in showing our people what to do.”
A banner declaring South Africa the “most race-regulated country in the world” has sparked a legal showdown between the trade union Solidarity and the City of Johannesburg, highlighting tensions between freedom of expression and government authority just weeks before the G20 Leaders’ Summit. City of Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero condemned the banner, accusing Solidarity of deliberately stirring racial tensions. “Our country’s laws are inclusive and aimed at protecting all citizens, regardless of race,” Morero said, defending the transformation policies underpinning employment equity and Black Economic Empowerment. Solidarity, however, argues that the city overstepped its authority by removing the banner from…