Publication
ANC wins ConCourt battle to reinstate candidates in six municipalities
THE ANC has won its Constitutional Court bid to reinstate candidates in six municipalities ahead of the November 4 local government elections, with the ruling coming as the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has already printed 66% of ballot...
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EThekwini mayoral candidates debate migration, policing and service delivery
UNDOCUMENTED migration, crime, failing infrastructure and eThekwini's strained finances dominated a political debate in Durban yesterday, as mayoral candidates outlined their plans ahead of the November 4 2026 local government elections. The National...
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Congestion: Durban risks losing freight to rival ports
DURBAN faces a severe risk of losing vital freight business to regional competitor ports unless urgent action is taken to resolve severe road congestion, deteriorating infrastructure, and persistent security risks around the harbour. Although Transnet...
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Fierce backlash against Eskom tariff hikes
THE PROSPECT of further electricity cost pressures has drawn strong objections from civil society, political representatives and local government, warning that struggling households could bear a disproportionate burden under Eskom’s proposed tariff...
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Nobel Peace Prize winner Judge Navi Pillay says ‘Justice is integral to peace’
2026 NOBEL Peace Prize winner Judge Navanethem “Navi” Pillay yesterday batted away the criticism aimed at her by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying she had ‘worked for justice and human rights all her life,...
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Elections: Chronic water shortages cast shadow over Durban businesses
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ConCourt ruling puts Home Affairs under pressure as scores queue at department’s offices
SOUTH Africa's capacity to manage its asylum system is under renewed scrutiny following a Constitutional Court judgment that has widened access to the asylum process, raising questions about the state's ability to process applications, verify...
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Dr Iqbal Survé launches international press photo exhibition 2026
THE power of photography to transcend borders, preserve human stories and encourage understanding between people was at the centre of Dr Iqbal Survé’s address at the opening of the Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest Exhibition in...
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SANDF vehicle fleet crisis undermines Operation Prosper
THE South African National Defence Force's (SANDF) crime-fighting efforts under Operation Prosper are facing severe operational hurdles due to an ageing, unreliable, and poorly maintained vehicle fleet. Defence Minister Angie Motshekga confirmed these...
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Illegal diesel blending
DIESEL illegally blended with illuminating paraffin could account for as much as 7% of South Africa's diesel market, or up to 800 million litres a year, according to new industry research cited by the Fuels Industry Association of South Africa...
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IPID report reveals surge in cases of rape, GBVF by police
CIVIL society organisations have expressed deep concern over the latest gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) statistics from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), pointing to the alarming involvement of law enforcement officers...
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Prison gangs exploit intelligence gaps
POLITICAL parties are calling for the overhaul of the criminal justice system not only to address the overcrowding problem in South Africa's prisons, but to also deal with court backlogs which they say are a major contributor to the prisons...
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‘Government has failed women’ - Ramaphosa
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has announced four immediate measures to fight the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide amid a national outrage following the discovery of multiple bodies of women across Ekurhuleni over the past two...
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Taxi bosses ran R2 million extortion racket via WhatsApp
WHATSAPP messages presented to the Madlanga Commission have detailed allegations that taxi bosses Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni and Bafana “King of the Sky” Sindane used threats, intimidation and the prospect of violent disruption to extract money from...
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Commission rejects taxi boss’s delay bid, orders him to testify
THE Madlanga Commission has rejected Pretoria-based taxi boss Oupa Jossiah “Bafana” Sindane's attempt to postpone his testimony, finding that he delayed bringing both his court challenge and postponement application despite knowing the grounds for...
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Senzo Mchunu raid: Police hunted for specific phones
THE second police raid on properties linked to suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu was built around a narrow target: at least six devices, including cellphones and an iPad, identified by telephone numbers, IMEI numbers, and periods of use. However,...
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Scopa flags crumbling services in Pietermaritzburg
PARLIAMENT’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) said its recent oversight meeting with the Msunduzi municipality (Pietermaritzburg) had revealed that it was heavily crippled by crumbling, poorly maintained infrastructure, leading to utility...
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Taxi boss challenges Madlanga Commission’s use of cellphone evidence
MPUMALANGA taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni has objected to the Madlanga Commission using cellphone and WhatsApp material obtained in connection with his pending criminal case, calling it an “absolute abuse and open-ended violation” of his privacy and...
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Three questioned in Ekurhuleni women’s deaths
THREE persons of interest have been called in for questioning as a high-level investigation into the deaths of nine women in Ekurhuleni gathers pace, with authorities saying they have yet to establish whether the cases are linked. Meanwhile, the...
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Police investigate string of murders as nine women found dead
THE families of Dineo Evelyn Motapane and Itumeleng Kekana are united by grief and one painful question: how did their loved ones end up dead? Motapane, 38, was found naked on the side of the road in KwaThema, Springs, while Kekana, 32, disappeared in...
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Alarm over 'weaponised prosecutions' of top cops
THE withdrawal of charges against senior South African Police Service (SAPS) leadership has ignited a debate on whether disciplinary and criminal processes are being weaponised to settle internal scores or manipulated by criminal syndicates to...
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DNA samples requested from families of six South Africans missing in Nepal
NEPALI authorities have requested DNA samples from the direct families of six missing South Africans, following devastating floods across Nepal and China, as search and rescue teams continue operations in the Himalayan region. On August 26, a flood in...
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Eskom’s independent grid shift does not guarantee cheap power
SOUTH Africa’s Eskom restructuring is entering a decisive phase, with the government betting on an independent transmission operator to strengthen competition and the power system, but the promise of cheaper and more reliable electricity is not...
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BRICS leaders push for overhaul of global institutions
AMID escalating geopolitical tensions and weakening international systems, leaders at the 18th BRICS Summit in India called for urgent global governance reform, reaffirming their commitment to multilateralism, the UN Charter, and a fairer voice for the...
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Drug cases rise at country's major airports
NEWLY released parliamentary data reveals that general theft and narcotics smuggling remain the top security challenges across South Africa's primary aviation hubs: OR Tambo, Cape Town, and King Shaka international airports. Covering the 2023/24 to...
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SA secures Egypt red-meat deal to boost exports
SOUTH Africa's agreement with Egypt on the veterinary conditions for red-meat exports could help rebuild trade battered by foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), but industry leaders say one market alone will not reverse farmers' losses or guarantee better...
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Government silent on policing and deportation costs for September 30 protests
THE Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration is staying mum on the policing, deportation and repatriation operation costs for the planned September 30 anti-undocumented migration protests. The IMC in a media briefing yesterday said it undertook...
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SA households at breaking point
South African households are running out of room in their monthly budgets as the cost of keeping the lights on, getting to work and putting food on the table consumes an ever-larger share of their income, turning the cost-of-living crisis into a battle...
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The stalled battle for SA’s hijacked buildings
FOR years, hijacked and illegally occupied buildings have remained a stark symbol of South Africa's housing crisis, urban decay, and weak enforcement, a problem stretching across major cities and provinces. From eThekwini and Johannesburg to Cape...
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Officials paid to ignore fraudulent visa papers
HOME Affairs officials allegedly took kickbacks from foreign nationals to ignore fraudulent supporting documents and approve visas for applicants who did not qualify, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has revealed. The SIU has confirmed that 205...
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Calls grow for tax relief after fuel hike
PRESSURE is mounting on government to take further steps to reduce the tax burden built into South Africa's fuel price as tensions between Iran and the United States continue to drive oil-market volatility and add pressure to household budgets. There...
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Crime survey: Police seen as unwilling or unable
SOUTH Africans are increasingly taking their safety into their own hands, with new crime data revealing a gap between people's experience of crime and their willingness to report it to police, raising fresh questions about public trust in law...
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Public servants paid millions to stay at home
PROLONGED suspensions of hundreds of public servants with full pay, is costing the state about R800 million a year, with the spotlight now on suspended Ekurhuleni Deputy Chief of Police Julius Mkhwanazi who has been paid more than R1.2 million while...
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SAPS on high alert at South African airports
SOUTH Africa's major international airports and associated air-cargo facilities have been flagged as strategic organised crime priority areas, with dozens of narcotics-smuggling cases emanating from the country's ports of entry. These high-traffic hubs...
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South Africans missing in Nepal tragedy
RESCUE teams waded through mud yesterday searching for more than 1 400 people missing after flash floods and landslides struck the Nepal border, as the death toll rose sharply to at least 362, with entire villages swept away. A glacier collapse in...
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SA braces for possible food price pressure as El Niño looms
SOUTH Africa’s record maize harvest and improved water reserves should protect against immediate food shortages, but a strengthening El Niño could reduce agricultural output and push food prices higher next year. El Niño is a climate pattern...
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Trump’s renewed Iran sanctions threaten SA’s diplomacy and economy
SOUTH Africa faces a fresh diplomatic and economic balancing act after the Trump administration threatened countries doing business with Iran with secondary sanctions, with the fallout potentially extending far beyond its limited trade with...
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Activists alarmed by 50 000 GBV cases annually
SOUTH Africa's fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) faces renewed scrutiny following the release of sobering police statistics for the 2025/26 financial year. Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia reported that 50 511 GBVF...
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Ramaphosa unveils ANC’s manifesto for local governance
THE ANC held its manifesto launch at Riverside Park, near Diepsloot yesterday, with party President Cyril Ramaphosa saying that despite gains, there remained serious weaknesses in the functioning of local government. With the local government...
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Concern over KZN’s slow manufacturing recovery, lower productivity
KWAZULU-Natal's manufacturing recovery remains fragile as eThekwini's economy struggles to regain its preCovid footing, with City manufacturing businesses employing fewer workers on average and business confidence slipping back into negative...
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Stun grenades, looting and violent clashes erupt during anti-immigration march
CHAOS erupted in Cape Town yesterday as an anti-illegal immigration march descended into violent clashes as tensions between South African protesters and foreign nationals boiled over. Police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse crowds and to...
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Westville Girls’ High Griffins celebrate Marimba World title
WESTVILLE Girls' High School's Griffins marimba band from KwaZulu-Natal has made history by winning the inaugural 2026 Marimba World Championship after finishing first overall at the tournament on Sunday in Cape Town. The Griffins won the open-age...
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Over 4 200 undocumented migrants intercepted
MORE than 4 200 undocumented foreign nationals were intercepted attempting to enter South Africa outside formal ports of entry between April and July, highlighting continued gaps in border control even as almost 90 000 people were repatriated. Border...
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South Africa’s alarming healthcare crisis
SOUTH Africa had 1 518 vacant medical posts at the end of March, but the National Department of Health says it does not know how many doctors who completed community service remain unemployed. The disclosure comes as medical organisations continue to...
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ConCourt rejects appeal on Ramaphosa impeachment
THE Constitutional Court's refusal to urgently hear the African Transformation Movement's (ATM) challenge to the suspension of President Cyril Ramaphosa's impeachment proceedings has sparked a fresh political row. The ATM and MK Party have questioned...
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SA’s doctor unemployment crisis deepens
NEWLY qualified doctors in South Africa are struggling to find permanent employment after completing compulsory community service, with medical organisations warning that funding constraints, frozen posts, and poor workforce planning are leaving...
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Pharmisa calls for action on fake drugs
THE Pharmaceuticals Made in South Africa (Pharmisa) has called for urgent government intervention to combat the illicit trade in medicines, warning that the illegal market now also involves healthcare practitioners. The warning was made by Pharmisa...
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Mchunu wanted to ‘clean up’ Crime Intelligence, Commission hears
SUSPENDED Police Minister Senzo Mchunu allegedly told Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) former head Advocate Andrea Johnson that he intended to “clean up” the SAPS Crime Intelligence unit, which is led by Lieutenant-General Dumisani...
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Soaring diesel costs threaten to drive up prices
SOUTH Africans may be paying less for petrol from today, but the sharp increase in diesel prices is expected to push up the cost of transporting goods, food and other essentials within weeks, business leaders and consumer advocates have warned. The...
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Calls for reform at IDAC amid leadership turmoil
ONGOING testimony at the Madlanga Commission has placed the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) at the centre of a raging debate – should the unit be scrapped or subjected to legislative reforms. IDAC is the country's key...
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New top cops appointed ‘to boost crime-fighting’
FOUR new provincial police commissioners are expected to strengthen detective and crime intelligence capabilities and enhance accountability while working closely with communities and stakeholders to rebuild and maintain public confidence in the...
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IDAC investigators suspended as Justice Minister takes action
THE Investigating Directorate Against Corruption's (IDAC) chief investigator, Dylan Perumal, has been suspended by Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi. Kubayi announced his suspension along with that of senior investigator...
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Durban ICC to undergo R11.9 million upgrade ahead of SADC summit
THE eThekwini Municipality will spend R11.3 million to upgrade Durban's ICC for the 46th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit. The Durban ICC is currently hosting the SADC industrialisation week until July 31. President Cyril Ramaphosa...
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Contractors demand action on payment delays
AS THE eThekwini Municipality “touts” progress in addressing payment challenges in its online invoice system, city contractors have claimed that hundreds of invoices for work done have not been paid. The contractors spoke out as Durban Mayor Cyril...
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Calls for action after Adv Johnson’s resignation
THE government has been called to take disciplinary action against Advocate Andrea Johnson, who recently resigned as the head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), and ensure that she does not escape accountability by merely...
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IDAC head Andrea Johnson seeks immediate release from office
ADVOCATE Andrea Johnson has resigned as head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), saying sustained attacks against her and the controversy surrounding her leadership have become a reputational risk to both the anti-corruption...
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Drakensberg cable car project gains momentum
THE work to build the Drakensberg cable car has taken another major step forward following the meeting of three key role players who agreed to move the project forward. KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Musa Zondi, told The Mercury this week...
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Johnson accused of breaching IDAC mandate
THE decision by head of Independent Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) Advocate Andrea Johnson to solicit a Section 27 affidavit from MP Fadiel Adams sparked concerns that she acted outside the IDAC mandate and out of fear of the suspended Police...
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Close to R100bn in gas projects to boost KZN energy
THE multibillion-rand gas projects earmarked for the Richards Bay area are set to transform the province and ensure its energy security. This is according to experts who said that KwaZulu-Natal is one of the most energy-insecure provinces in the...
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R326 million seized from Maumela syndicate empire
THE JOHANNESBURG High Court has ordered the final forfeiture of assets worth about R326 million linked to the alleged [Hangwani] Maumela syndicate, providing a major boost for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in its crackdown on corruption tied...
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Durban residents face ongoing water sabotage
THOUSANDS of Durban residents were left without water from Friday following widespread sabotage of eThekwini municipal water infrastructure. In a public notice, the municipality revealed the scale of the impact, pointing out that close to 30 roads...
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Durban faces days without water if usage isn’t reduced
DURBAN residents are warned to reduce water usage or risk severe water restrictions that could leave thousands without water for days. Officials from the uMngeni-uThukela Water Board yesterday described the situation as dire, as the water authority...
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PIC grapples with governance crisis and power struggles
THE Public Investment Corporation (PIC) is reeling from a deepening governance crisis as internal power struggles continue to undermine the state asset manager. This is according to the Association for the Monitoring and Advocacy of Government...
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RACISM STOPS WITH ME Revolving door in king's office raises concerns
CULTURAL experts and Royal House insiders have expressed dismay at the revolving door of senior officials in King Misuzulu's office, saying the situation paints a picture of an institution battling to maintain stability. This comes after the sacking...
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Commission loses day over Johnson’s sick note
THE Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has suffered a setback, losing a day of proceedings after the head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), Advocate Andrea Johnson, called in sick yesterday when she was expected to...
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SKILLS DRIVE TO REPLACE FOREIGN WORKERS
THE business community and the eThekwini Municipality has announced a programme aimed at skilling locals to take up jobs that have been left vacant following the departure of foreign nationals. The areas of focus include the textile, machinist,...
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Suspended Ekurhuleni officials face court as corruption probe intensifies
THE CASE against suspended Ekurhuleni officials, including deputy chief of the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) Julius Mkhwanazi, former city manager Imogen Mashazi, suspended head of legal services Advocate Kemi Behari, and suspended head of...
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Funding freeze risks service delivery in KZN Councils
THE municipalities impacted by the National Treasury's decision to temporarily suspend the July equitable share transfers have warned of serious disruption to service delivery operations and staff salaries. This comes as the South African Local...
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Malema implicated in plot against Crime Intelligence inspector-general
THE Madlanga Commission of Inquiry heard evidence yesterday implicating EFF leader Julius Malema in an alleged plot with Major-General Feroz Khan and suspected tobacco smuggler Mohammed 'Mo' Sayed to oust former Crime Intelligence Inspector-General...
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Controversy erupts over vehicle allocation for amakhosi in KZN
THE move to allocate more top-of-therange SUV vehicles to amakhosi has sparked a rift among key parties in the Government of Provincial Unity in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature. The DA and the IFP in the legislature are at loggerheads over the...
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March and March leader fires back at proxy funding claims
MARCH and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma is pushing back against claims that the anti-illegal migrant movement is being funded by proxy, stating that if the organisation had funding, they would be much more effective in their...
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Public Protector complaint lodged against Leon’s Resolve Communications
ACTIONSA has lodged a formal complaint with the Public Protector, calling for an investigation into Resolve Communications, the public relations firm founded by former DA leader Tony Leon, over its alleged dealings with ministers in the Government of...
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Dina Pule’s return to Cabinet sparks political uproar
THE ANC congratulated President Cyril Ramaphosa for appointing controversial former communication minister Dina Pule back into the Cabinet, 13 years after then-president Jacob Zuma had fired her for unethical behaviour. Ramaphosa announced Pule's...
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March and March vows weekly protests until undocumented migrants leave
MARCH and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma announced that supporters will take to the streets every Thursday until the government takes action to remove undocumented immigrants from South Africa. Addressing protesters outside SAPS Point in Durban...
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