Alerts

Today, Thursday, 21 May, marks both the first anniversary of US President Donald Trump’s “ambush” (as described by the Financial Times) of President Cyril Ramaphosa in the White House, and, ironically, the day on which Roelf Meyer is set to present his credentials to President Trump as the South African Ambassador to Washington. US President …

Africa Day is a profound reminder of Africa’s shared destiny, its unfinished struggles and its enduring aspirations for unity, dignity, sovereignty and development. Africa Day should not be reduced to romantic slogans detached from present realities or to empty rhetorical speeches and nostalgic tributes to our liberation past. It must instead serve as a powerful …

Staff Writer  ·21 May 2026 The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has received over 38,000 objections to changing the names of historic towns and metros in the country, including Graaff-Reinet and East London. The department gazetted official changes to towns and cities in February 2026, renaming Graaff-Reinet to Robert Sobukwe Town and East London …

Malcolm Libera  ·21 May 2026 South Africa’s rand, stocks, and government bonds strengthened on Wednesday following data that revealed a sharp increase in inflation for April. This has heightened expectations that the central bank may raise interest rates at its upcoming monetary policy meeting. The rand was trading at 16.5950 against the dollar, reflecting a …

2026 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS: MAYORAL CANDIDATE NOMINATIONS The African National Congress invites members of the public, civic and faith formations, business chambers, traditional leaders, intellectuals, professionals, community organisations and ordinary citizens of the Republic of South Africa to submit nominations for consideration by the National Officials of the African National Congress for appointment as Mayoral …

JOHANNESBURG – To mitigate the impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, South Africa is rerouting its imports. The government is importing refined fuels from the US and West Africa. READ: Rising fuel prices could squeeze consumers even further This is because the closed Strait is sending fuel prices soaring. There are also …

Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth has announced a R350 million commitment towards a government and business partnership aimed at placing 130 000 young people into learning and employment opportunities.  Delivering the Department of Employment and Labour’s Budget Vote 31 speech in Parliament on Tuesday, Meth said the intervention forms part of government’s intensified efforts …

DUT CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE STUDENTS MAKE HISTORY AT 25TH “CHINESE BRIDGE” CHINESE PROFICIENCY COMPETITION, SOUTH AFRICAN REGIONAL FINAL Durban University of Technology (DUT) has once again solidified its position as a leader in international engagements. Students from the DUT Confucius Institute (CI) achieved a historic milestone by clinching both the first and second prizes at the …

My Brother, Honourable Dr Phenyo Butale, Minister of International Relations of the Republic of Botswana; Honourable Ministers from our two Republics; Co-Chairs of the Senior Officials; High Commissioners of our two countries; Senior Officials from our respective Governments; Members of the Media,Ladies and Gentlemen,Good morning, I wish to begin by conveying our sincere and deepest …

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has notified consumers of product recalls issued by Stellantis South Africa. The recall affects certain 354 Jeep Grand Cherokees (WL Series) and 115 Jeep Wranglers. Jeep Grand Cherokee The affected vehicles, all sold in 2023, may experience erratic illumination of the driver seat belt warning indicator due to the airbag …

Staff Writer  ·20 May 2026 From 1 June 2026, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) will require all foreign-registered vehicles to be declared on the SARS Traveller Management System (TMS) prior to entering or leaving South Africa. The revenue service said this new measure aligns with international customs practices and will strengthen compliance and protect …

Luke Fraser  ·20 May 2026 Absa’s latest Homeowners Sentiment Index (HSI) has reached its best level since its initiation, with the South African property market showing sustained optimism. The latest HSI for the first quarter of 2026 shows that overall consumer confidence in South Africa’s property market grew by 1 percentage point to 88%. This …

 ·20 May 2026 South Africa is poised to join a handful of central banks in raising interest rates to contain the inflationary fallout from the Iran war in the coming weeks, even as most peers keep borrowing costs on hold. The conflict that erupted in late February has driven up energy, food and fertiliser costs …

Terence Corrigan Review: Liberation and corruption: why freedom movements fail, by Peter Hain (Jonathan Ball Publishers, 2025) While some politicians might opportunistically have attached themselves to the South African anti-apartheid struggle as a moral pantomime, Peter Hain was the real deal. Having spent his early years in South Africa, when state harassment made life impossible, …

The international trade in conventional arms reflects both geopolitical relationships and the evolution of domestic defence industries. South Africa represents a distinctive case, having transitioned from relative isolation during the apartheid period to active participation in global arms markets in the post-1994 era. This article provides a descriptive empirical analysis of South Africa’s arms exports …

Story audio is generated using AI By Denis Droppa Mitsubishi will soon add a higher-powered flagship variant to its Triton one-tonner bakkie range in South Africa. Imported from Thailand, the sixth-generation Triton was launched locally in 2024 with a 2.4l turbodiesel four-cylinder engine available in two outputs, with workhorse models getting 81kW of power and …

The author, Celeste Labuschagne A pattern is emerging within our schooling system that needs highlighting as South Africa faces its next major technology decision. In coding and robotics, with the best intentions, directives were given, curriculum was developed and then the move forward-stalled. We are beginning to see take shape again with AI. Globally, the …

Malcolm Libera  ·20 May 2026 The rand weakened on Tuesday as investors kept an eye on developments in the Middle East following US President Donald Trump’s decision to pause a planned attack on Iran. The rand traded at 16.7575 against the dollar, down 1% from its previous close. Trump stated on Monday that he had …

The South African Rugby Union needs victorious national teams to ensure the financial sustainability of the organisation. That is why it spends a quarter of its total income directly on the Springboks, national women’s team, the Sevens, Baby Boks and other national teams. This emerged from the financial statements, which were presented to member unions …

Staff Writer  ·19 May 2026 Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, says South Africa needs to fast-track the establishment of a new state-owned company to address rising fuel prices. South African consumers and industries have suffered massive price shocks, with petrol and diesel prices rising by a staggering R6.29/litre and R12.60/litre, respectively, over …

Leon Kluge and Team South Africa once again achieved success at the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, taking home a gold medal for their display. Supplied/Sven Musica South African landscape designer Leon Kluge and Team South Africa won gold at the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show for their “Life After Fire” display showcasing flowers that …

What Extreme Festival Round 3 PreviewWhere Zwartkops Raceway, PretoriaWhen Saturday 23 May 2026Community South Africa National National Extreme Festival races in Pretoria this weekend The 2026 National Championship circuit motor racing Extreme Festival returns home to Zwartkops for its third round on Saturday 23 May. Featuring the Dunlop Extreme Supercars which rejoin the National action …

South African cricket fans who were looking forward to going to the stadium to watch the Proteas play against England in a much-anticipated home Test series at the end of the year against the Old Enemy better rethink their plans. Tickets were released for the Test series yesterday morning, with games scheduled for Wanderers in …

19 May 2026 – Bafana Bafana have been drawn in Group D of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 following the tournament draw conducted in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday afternoon. The South African senior men’s national team was pitted against hosts co-hosts Kenya, Guinea and Eritrea. The tournament takes place from 19 June to …