Author: Silver Sibiya

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation has called on South Africans to unite in condemning US President Donald Trump’s “false and dangerous” claims of a white, Afrikaner genocide in South Africa, warning that the remarks threaten to inflame racial tensions and distort the country’s image internationally. Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform this week, alleged that white Afrikaners are being “killed and slaughtered” and that their farms are being “illegally confiscated.” The Foundation said the comments echo long-debunked conspiracy theories propagated by far-right groups and serve a political purpose within Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement. “This rhetoric…

Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza has defended the municipality’s delay in suspending Metro Police Deputy Chief Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi, following explosive allegations revealed by the Madlanga Commission. The Commission heard that Mkhwanazi allegedly called his own SWAT team to clean up a murder scene in Brakpan and approved the installation of blue lights on private vehicles belonging to businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala. Speaking during the unveiling of new vehicles for the city’s Festive Season Safety Campaign on Wednesday in Kempton Park, Xhakaza said the City acted as soon as credible information became available. “I’m not making excuses, but there have been…

ActionSA says its call for greater funding for the South African Revenue Service (SARS) — instead of increasing Value Added Tax (VAT) has been vindicated. The party’s proposal to strengthen SARS’s capacity has paid off after the agency received an additional R4 billion earlier this year. According to the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) tabled in Parliament on Wednesday, SARS is now expected to collect about R19.7 billion more in revenue for the 2025/26 financial year than what was initially projected in the February Budget. ActionSA says it has long argued that South Africa’s revenue problems stem not from insufficient…

The City of Johannesburg will on Wednesday launch a landmark CEO–City Cleanup Programme, aimed at restoring the city’s infrastructure, improving service delivery, and reviving civic pride. Mayor Dada Morero says the initiative marks a “moment of truth” for Johannesburg, bringing together government, business leaders, and communities in a collective effort to reverse years of urban decay and service backlogs. “This is more than a campaign — it’s a partnership to restore Johannesburg’s glory,” Morero said. “Leadership is not about position; it’s about participation.” The programme will begin with cleanup and revitalisation work in the Inner City, Braamfontein, Hillbrow, Berea, Yeoville,…

Residents of Reiger Park in Ekurhuleni have voiced frustration over the lack of police resources in their area, following a spate of deadly gang-related attacks. They raised their concerns during Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia’s visit to the community after six people were killed in Reiger Park and two others in Westbury recently. Some residents have questioned whether the minister’s new crime-fighting plan will bring real change. Community leader Lycinder Grootboom said many coloured communities across the country are living in fear.  “I’m hoping this visit is not just for show because there has been an outcry in all coloured…

Zimbabwean opposition politician Job Sikhala (53) and his uncle, Alexander Ferrowst Thema (78), briefly appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates Court on Monday on charges of possession of explosives. Police allege that on 6 November 2025, the pair were stopped while driving along Kgosi Mampuru Street in Pretoria, where a search of their vehicle uncovered 26 blasting cartridges and 15 connector cap fuses. Sikhala, a former Member of Parliament and senior figure in Zimbabwe’s Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), has been a vocal critic of the ruling ZANU-PF government. He spent more than a year in detention in Zimbabwe for charges…

Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia has unveiled a new government strategy to address rising crime in key hotspot provinces, including the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng. Cachalia spoke at the Johannesburg Martindale JMPD headquarters after meeting with community leaders as part of ongoing consultations to strengthen policing and public safety. This follows the shootings that left eight people dead in Westbury and Reiger Park respectively. Two were shot and killed in October in Westbury while five others were seriously injured and rushed to hospital and few weeks later six were killed in Reiger Park and three injured.…

Vodacom has posted strong financial results for the six months ended 30 September 2025, reporting higher profits despite making a multi-million rand payout to “Please Call Me” inventor Nkosana Makate, closing a two-decade legal saga. The telecommunications giant confirmed that it has settled out of court with Makate, bringing finality to one of South Africa’s most publicised corporate legal battles. While the settlement amount remains confidential, industry estimates place the figure in the hundreds of millions of rand, potentially close to R748 million — a sum that would have weighed heavily on most balance sheets. Yet, Vodacom’s numbers tell a…

National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Deputy President Duncan Luvuno has urged mineworkers to unite across union lines and put safety and health first, saying no life should be lost because of division in the workplace.Luvuno was addressing employees during a Tuberculosis (TB) Awareness Campaign at Harmony Gold Mine in Doornkop, west of Johannesburg, on Saturday. The event, attended by workers, union representatives and health professionals, aimed to raise awareness about TB and other occupational diseases that continue to affect mineworkers.He stressed that unity is crucial, particularly when it comes to safety underground. “We must move away from saying, this is…

Kendrick Lamar is not just leading the nominations for the 2026 Grammy Awards he’s on a historic chase. With nine nods this year, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year, Lamar edges closer to breaking the record for the most Grammy wins by a rapper, currently held by legends Jay‑Z and Kanye West. His latest album, GNX, has been nominated for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album, reinforcing his reputation as one of hip-hop’s most innovative voices. The album’s critically acclaimed production and lyrical mastery make it a strong contender in…