The African National Congress (ANC) says it is prepared to engage political parties, civic movements and independent candidates as it seeks to establish coalition governments following its losses in the 2026 Local Government Elections. The party’s Special Extended National Executive Committee (NEC), which met from Thursday to Friday, has mandated its leadership to begin coalition negotiations in municipalities where no political party secured an outright majority. In a statement released on Friday, ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu said engagements with…
The Border Management Authority (BMA) has intercepted two groups of foreign nationals in separate incidents at OR Tambo International Airport, amid what officials say is suspected human trafficking activity. The interceptions involved 16 Bangladeshi and 14 Ethiopian nationals whose travel patterns were flagged as suspicious during routine passenger data analysis. Acting BMA Commissioner Jane Thupana said the successes follow intensified festive-season security measures and an intelligence-led approach to border control. “Preliminary investigations revealed a modus operandi commonly used by trafficking…
Two officials from the Department of Basic Education have been suspended with immediate effect following a breach that led to the leaking of three matric exam papers in Pretoria. Minister Siviwe Gwarube confirmed the suspensions during a media briefing in Parliament, revealing that the leak was first detected through the department’s stringent marking system. According to Gwarube, the Gauteng Education Department alerted national officials after markers noticed an unusual similarity between a candidate’s answers and the marking guideline for English…
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has welcomed the National Minimum Wage (NMW) Commission’s recommendation for a CPI + 1.5% increase to the NMW, set to take effect from 1 March 2026. The proposal, gazetted by the Department of Employment and Labour in December 2025, marks a progressive real-terms adjustment and is now open for public comment until 12 January 2026. Final approval will rest with Minister of Employment and Labour Nomakhosazana Meth.Key Details of the ProposalCurrent NMW…