Author name: Scott Balson

Western Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile, has announced a heightened security strategy—including area lockdowns and targeted raids—in response to a devastating surge of gang-related violence that has left nearly 30 people dead in the past week across Cape Town. The announcement comes amid growing public outrage and questioning over why such drastic measures […]

Government has officially gazetted the first two sets of regulations under the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (BELA Act) 2024, for public comment. Members of the public are invited to submit written comments by 5 September 2025.  The regulations focus on key provisions of the South African Schools Act relating to school capacity and school

In a significant step towards recovery, Human Settlements Minister Thembi Nkadimeng on Wednesday handed over more than 200 permanent houses to families who were displaced by the devastating 2022 KwaZulu-Natal floods. The catastrophic torrential rains and landslides, which claimed more than 400 lives and left thousands homeless, destroyed entire communities two years ago. The handover

Businesses and residents in Lydenburg under the Thaba Chweu Local Municipality are reeling from massive and unexpected increases in fixed electricity charges, with many fearing for their livelihoods as the municipality grapples with a staggering R1.6 billion debt to power utility Eskom. The controversy centres on a sharp rise in the “capacity charge,” a fixed

For three weeks, the gates at Dayimani High School and Hlalakahle Primary School have remained locked, not by officials, but by a coalition of concerned parents who say they can no longer risk their children’s safety in dilapidated and dangerous classrooms. The protest, which has completely halted education for hundreds of learners in the Cortenburg

A dual crisis of violent crime against women and systemic failures within the justice system is gripping communities east of Pretoria, leaving residents terrified and demanding action. The townships of Eersterust and Mamelodi are on high alert following the grim discovery of several charred bodies of women found near a local railway line in recent

A violent altercation between learners from Hoerskool Roodepoort and West Ridge High School has left three students hospitalised with serious injuries and a school principal treated for stab wounds. The incident, which occurred west of Johannesburg, escalated to such a degree that police were called to the scene and have opened an investigation. The principal

In a significant move to address crippling municipal debt, power utility Eskom has agreed to write off over R248 million owed by the Sol Plaatje municipality. This forms part of a stringent national relief program designed to stabilize the finances of struggling municipalities and the utility itself. The write-off, which will come into effect in

Defying significant global trade challenges, South African agricultural exports to the United States saw a robust performance in the second quarter, with a notable 26% year-on-year increase to $161 million, according to recent data highlighted by the Department of Agriculture. The positive figures come amid ongoing concerns over punitive tariffs imposed on South African goods

Rise Mzansi has stated it is not inherently opposed to the proposed expansion of the Government of National Unity (GNU) but insists the coalition requires a fundamental “reset” to address critical failures in its political management. The party’s leader, Songezo Zibi, made the remarks during a media briefing on Tuesday, where he delivered a status