Author name: Scott Balson

Government officials and business leaders convened in Johannesburg this week to address the chronic dysfunction plaguing many municipalities, which has led to poor service delivery and challenging operating conditions for businesses. The meeting, attended by the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), and the Association of South African […]

In a harrowing courtroom confession, former preschool teacher Amber Lee Hughes has admitted to drowning her ex-boyfriend’s four-year-old daughter, Nada-Jane Challita, in January 2023. Hughes is currently on trial at the High Court in Johannesburg, facing charges of murder and rape. A Disturbing Admission Through her legal counsel, Hughes acknowledged that she intentionally drowned the

North West MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Conservation, and Tourism, Bitsa Lenkopane, is under fire from opposition parties after reaffirming the provincial government’s commitment to the R15 billion Urban Blue Gas-to-Power Plant project in Matlosana. The project, initially handed over to the City of Matlosana earlier this year, was paused for public consultation and legal

Five suspects linked to cash-in-transit robberies were fatally wounded in a shootout with police in Crown Mines, Johannesburg, yesterday. The incident follows a nationwide crackdown on armed gangs targeting cash vehicles, particularly in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. Intelligence-Led Operation Gauteng Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni confirmed that the suspects were tracked from KwaZulu-Natal, where they were allegedly

Frustrated residents of Tshepisong, Soweto, have taken to the streets in protest after enduring a week without electricity. The blackout follows Johannesburg City Power’s decision to suspend services in the area after several workers were allegedly held hostage earlier this month. Police Presence Heightened Amid Protest Fears A heavy police presence, including officers from the

The Hawks, South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, conducted a raid on the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) headquarters in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, yesterday. The operation is linked to allegations of irregular tenders totaling more than R18 billion. This development comes just over a month after the nonprofit organization Open Secrets took legal action against

The Executive Mayor of Polokwane, John Mpe, has dismissed explosive corruption allegations involving tender irregularities worth over R700 million, labeling them a politically motivated smear campaign. The claims, brought forward by a whistleblower, implicate Mpe and Municipal Manager Thuso Nemugumoni in alleged fraud involving incomplete projects and duplicate payments to companies linked to them. Explosive

Inkosi Mhlabunzima Maphumulo House: Last night, I received WhatsApp messages from community members in Ndwedwe who informed me about a drunk driver of a scholar transport. I also received a disturbing video of the drunk driver and other photos. I immediately assigned a team to urgently visit the scene of a horrific accident caused by

Retired Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has declared that South Africa’s decades-long battle against corruption has failed, with graft worsening since the dawn of democracy in 1994. Speaking at the South African Council of Churches’ (SACC) National Anti-Corruption Conference in Johannesburg, Zondo expressed frustration over the country’s inability to curb corruption despite sustained efforts. “It has

South Africa’s inflation rate rose to 3% in June, driven primarily by higher meat prices due to supply disruptions from the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, according to Koketso Mano, Senior Economist at FNB. However, underlying inflation remains subdued due to weak consumer demand and lower fuel costs. Food and Fuel Dynamics Shape Inflation In an interview Mano