Author: Silver Sibiya

Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela has on Monday launched a large-scale road maintenance activation in Mogale City as part of the province’s intensified campaign to rehabilitate key mobility corridors and improve road safety. The initiative forms part of a wider rollout across all municipalities, aimed at strengthening service-delivery capacity and addressing critical infrastructure needs. The route undergoing upgrades carries high traffic volumes and is considered essential for connecting communities, supporting local businesses, enabling tourism and facilitating freight movement across the West Rand. Diale-Tlabela said the province has significantly boosted its maintenance capability, allowing teams to respond more…

The final day of the G20 Summit is underway, and Johannesburg motorists are being warned to brace for severe traffic disruptions as delegates depart the country. The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) says rolling closures remain in effect across the city, with highways and major arterial routes expected to be shut down intermittently to allow VIP convoys to pass. Each closure may halt traffic for 30 to 60 minutes at a time. JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla urged motorists to plan accordingly, saying: “We are urging motorists to plan ahead and avoid major routes where possible. The highway network is…

As South Africa welcomed world leaders for the G20 Summit, reactions from Soweto residents are mixed. The high-profile event, which began on Saturday in Johannesburg, has required extensive security, infrastructure upgrades and logistical planning. Government estimates the total cost of hosting at nearly R700 million. Officials say the summit aims to boost South Africa’s global reputation, attract investment and reinforce its role as a leading voice for the Global South. But residents living just a few kilometres from the main venue remain skeptical. Dobsonville resident Nthabiseng Mlaba expressed hope that the investment will lead to long-term benefits such as economic…

Police clashed with members of Operation Dudula on Friday afternoon after the group attempted to march toward the Nasrec Expo Centre, where world leaders are gathered for the G20 Leaders Summit. Authorities aslo wearing protective gear used teargas and fired stun grenades to disperse the crowd, who pushed back in defiance of the security cordon around the summit venue. The G20 Summit is being hosted on African soil for the first time, with South Africa deploying heavy security across Johannesburg. Roads around the Nasrec precinct have been blocked off, with police warning that no unauthorised marches or gatherings would be…

South Africa is pushing to rebalance its growing trade deficit with Vietnam by shifting from raw commodity exports to value-added, industrialised trade, Deputy President Paul Mashatile said. He was addressing the South Africa–Vietnam Business Forum in Sandton, held on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. Mashatile revealed that South Africa exported goods worth US$610.89 million (about R10.9 billion) to Vietnam in 2024, while imports from Vietnam reached US$1.14 billion (about R20.3 billion) leaving Pretoria with a trade deficit of nearly 30%. He said the disparity reflects a long-standing structural challenge: South Africa mainly exports raw materials such as minerals, ores…

In a landmark moment for South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa this afternoon formally declared gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) a second national crisis alongside the existing energy emergency, pledging that the state will now treat the epidemic with the same urgency, coordination and resource mobilisation once reserved for the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking to a packed hall of almost 4,000 delegates at the closing ceremony of the Presidential Social Sector Summit at Birchwood Hotel in Ekurhuleni, Ramaphosa received a standing ovation when he announced: “We in government, having listened to the cries of our people, and recognising the daily plight of…

President Cyril Ramaphosa says US President Donald Trump will not intimidate or derail the G20 Leaders’ Summit, despite reports that Trump has urged South Africa and other member states not to endorse the final G20 Declaration. Speaking at the closing session of the G20 Social Summit in Boksburg, Ramaphosa stressed that global decision-making must not be influenced by pressure from any single powerful nation. This comes as world leaders prepare for the formal G20 Leaders’ Summit, where negotiations over the final declaration often highlight tensions between major economies. Trump’s objections according to diplomatic sources relate to disagreements over global trade,…

The North West’s signature summer celebration is officially back and it promises to be bigger, bolder, and more vibrant than ever. Under the warm Hartbeespoort Dam sunshine, the North West Department of Arts, Culture, Sports, and Recreation unveiled the 2025 Mahika Mahikeng Music Cultural Festival, setting the tone for a December weekend bursting with music, creativity, and homegrown pride. Speaking at the launch, Head of Department Itumeleng Mogorosi described the festival as the beating heart of the province’s cultural identity and a fast-growing magnet for tourists and creatives alike. “We’re proud that last year we saw around 16,000 people come…

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…