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A reformed, effective public service, is a minimum condition for South Africa to achieve the accelerated levels of economic growth which are necessary to start dealing with the country’s societal problems. This is the message from the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) in a new report – In Service of the Public: Reforming South Africa’s …

The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), in collaboration with the Gauteng Department of Health, National Priority Programmes, and the Wits Diagnostic Innovation Hub (DIH), has developed South Africa’s first National Diabetes (HbA1c) Dashboard — a major step forward in tackling one of the country’s leading causes of death.  The NHLS on Tuesday said the dashboard, …

South African consumers are spending again – but not in the way a recovery might typically suggest. New data from the SpendTrend26 report, released by Discovery Bank and Visa, shows that consumer spending grew 0.8 percentage points above inflation in 2025, marking the first real expansion in several years. But the more important shift is …

South Africa’s largest airline, FlySafair, has announced that it has reduced the temporary fuel surcharge imposed on flyers for the second consecutive week. The surcharges, which were introduced to protect FlySafair’s long-term stability and low-fare offerings, have been reviewed and adjusted weekly, in line with fluctuating jet fuel prices. At the time these were implemented, …

Foreign trawlers compete with South African fishing, often illegally. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks A Chinese fishing company was fined R400,000 last month when four of its trawlers violated their conditions of passage through South African waters. But the vessels seem to have committed several other offences, including apparently fishing for days in Algoa Bay before …

Staff Writer  ·28 Apr 2026 The Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) has laid out its goals for the year, including the national rollout of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act, starting in two months’ time. The RTIA’s annual performance plan for 2026/27 has set the target of rolling out AARTO nationally by …

Wednesday, 29 April, 2026 SASA The hunt for the next star of the South African wine scene is officially on. The South African Sommeliers Association (SASA) is thrilled to announce that registration is now open for the Best Young Sommelier of South Africa 2026 competition. While we are excited to host the finals in Gauteng for the …

Iran has extended an offer to supply crude oil to South Africa, a proposal communicated to South African authorities in the department of mineral resources & energy in April, according to people familiar with the matter. Pretoria has given no indication it intends to accept, with mineral & petroleum resources minister Gwede Mantashe declining to …

Staff Writer  ·28 Apr 2026 As South Africa heads to the end of the month, fuel prices are showing steep under-recoveries, with petrol users on the line for a R2 per litre hike. The latest data from the Central Energy Fund, showing month-end projections, points to an under-recovery of between R1.77 and R2.09 per litre …

Malcolm Libera  ·28 Apr 2026 Taxpayers have been warned that the National Treasury’s newly proposed procurement regulations will drive up costs, reduce competition, and ultimately lead to a higher tax burden. This month, the National Treasury has published the draft General Public Procurement Regulations for public comment. The policy in its current form could lead …

Staff Writer  ·28 Apr 2026 National Treasury and the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources have announced that the fuel tax relief will be extended, with additional relief for diesel. This follows the R3.00 per litre relief announced in March, which provided limited short-term relief to households from rising fuel prices following the Middle East …

Luke Fraser  ·27 Apr 2026 South Africa’s currency has remained unchanged ahead of Freedom Day, as the world continues to monitor the conflict between Iran and the US. While developments in the Iran war have been overshadowed by shots at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the war in Iran has seen several developments. The Iranian …

By Larry Claasen STELLENBOSCH -based EV charging company Zimi is bypassing the consumer market to focus exclusively on commercial fleets, betting that partnering with logistics companies before building infrastructure will give it an edge in South Africa’s nascent electric vehicle (EV) sector. Zimi EV charging strategy focuses on fleet-based infrastructure The company, founded by Michael …

Today, 27 April 2026, we celebrate Freedom Day in South Africa. We are now roughly 32 years into South Africa’s democracy, and many have written extensively about the country’s progress since the dawn of democracy. It is sufficient to say that, while daily challenges can often leave one feeling despondent, as a collective, we have …

An excursion to the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Facility to see the gallows was an eye-opening insight into our past. Wits Journalism 2026 class visited the Gallows museum in Pretoria and met the unexpected Visiting the gallows was an unsettling yet needed confrontation with our South African history A journey through the disheartening and silencing …

The ANC is overhauling how it picks its mayoral candidates for this year’s local government elections and the new framework may inadvertently open a door that has long been closed to the party’s elder statesmen and women. A meeting to discuss the elections timeline last week also took up the idea of bringing experienced party …

South Africa’s Freedom Day celebrations in Bloemfontein highlighted both the promise of democracy and the persistent inequality facing millions, as leaders and citizens reflect on 32 years since the end of apartheid. Today (April 27) marks Freedom Day in South Africa, a time to honor the sacrifices made to end apartheid while reflecting on the …

At the end of the third full week of April, data from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) showed that South Africa’s motorists can expect a price hike in May, though not as much as was feared earlier in the month. The CEF’s latest report, published at the end of last week, revealed that under-recoveries for …

Flagship range-extending five-seater is expected either before year-end or early 2027. Having made the rounds at a number of high-profile events since its world debut last year, iCaur officially removed the wraps from the right-hand drive market specific V27 at the Beijing Motor Show last Friday. The Chery-owned new energy brand’s first range-extending electric vehicle …

Motorists are paying up to R208 more to fill up their tanks with petrol than they were at the start of the year. South Africa got off to a great start in 2026 with fuel prices dropping to a four-year low in January. Prices dropped even further in February, but this positive momentum has since …

South Africa would seem like the perfect place for widespread uptake of solar energy, not least because switching to solar would help cut electricity bills, which have more than doubled over the last 10 years. Yet solar power makes up less than 10% of the country’s energy mix. About 74% of South Africa’s electricity still …

Check against delivery Speech by the President of the United Democratic Movement and Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Bantu Holomisa at the UDM Qonce (King William’s Town) Rally 27 April 2026 Fellow South Africans, Leaders of our communities, Members of the United Democratic Movement, And to our new members who …

Communities in and around Bloemfontein in the Free State have gathered at the Dr Rantlai Molemela Stadium in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality for the national Freedom Day celebrations. President Cyril Ramaphosa will give the keynote address at the stadium. Similar celebrations are being held in all provinces throughout the country, led by the Premiers. Freedom …

Luke Fraser  ·27 Apr 2026 Millions of young South Africans have matriculated from the school system, but many lack the necessary skills to enter the job market. While South Africa’s matric pass rate reached a new record of 88% in 2025, South African students have continued to struggle in previous years. This is due to …