The main opposition party in South Africa has taken MP Ghaleb Cachalia out of an important role in the government because of comments he made about the conflict between Israel and Gaza.
MrCachalia, who was the shadow minister for public enterprises for the Democratic Alliance (DA), is believed to have disobeyed the party’s stance on the conflict.
The party chose someone to speak for them in the Israel-Gaza conflict and told other members to not say things publicly that could make the situation worse.
But on Tuesday, Mr. Cachalia posted on Twitter: “I refuse to be kept quiet. ” Israel is killing many people.
The leader of the DA, John Steenhuisen, said that the MP’s behavior is selfish and focused only on their own interests rather than the greater good, according to SABC.
Mr Cachalia said he got a letter from the DA leader firing him, but he still supports the party.
“I will keep a close look on human rights violations here and around the world, and I will always speak honestly and fearlessly to those in authority,” he said.
Mimmy Gondwe will take over as the party’s spokesperson for public enterprises instead of him.
Tag: South Africa
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South Africa MP kicked out of shadow cabinet following remarks against Israel
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South Africans alerted of proposed tax increased
South Africans will experience more difficult times as Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has warned that taxes are expected to increase in the coming year.
During his speech in parliament about the budget for the next few years, he mentioned that the economy wasn’t growing well, not enough money was being collected, and the interest costs on the country’s debt were quickly rising. Because of these reasons, it is likely that taxes will be increased.
The government will continue to take steps to reduce its spending. This will involve making its departments smaller. Godogwana said this.
He said he would make sure important services like healthcare, police, and education are safe from budget reductions.
However, trade unions and civil society groups cautioned that limited funds would make it difficult to hire new teachers and put added strain on healthcare services.
The government responded to social activists’ demands and decided to extend a monthly financial assistance given to over eight million people who are facing financial problems.
The monthly payment started in 2020 to assist people temporarily during the Covid lockdowns. -
Watch video of how armed men robbed Ghanaian Pentecost church in SA
A Church of Pentecost in South Africa for the Ghanaian community was attacked by armed robbers during church service.
Prior to the operation, the pastor was delivering his sermon. In a video on social media, he dropped the microphone, lifted his hands, and proceeded to lie prostrate on the ground when the robbers arrived.
Other members, including the organist, laid low. The video captures two robbers who made away with phones and other valuable objects they set their eyes on.
It is reported that the incident occurred over the weekend. Per reports, a church elder was taken captive and is currently missing.
In the meantime, the Ghanaian High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa, has announced its collaboration with the Church of Pentecost (CoP) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) to expedite the safe release and return of the CoP deacon who was abducted on Sunday, October 29, 2023.
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South Africa urges UN intervention to protect Gaza
South Africa has proposed the deployment of what it terms a “rapid protection force” by the United Nations to intervene in the Israel-Gaza conflict with the objective of safeguarding the civilian population from further bombardment.
In a strongly-worded statement, South Africa’s international relations ministry has drawn attention to the tragic loss of children’s lives in the ongoing conflict and has accused Israel of violating international law.
Israel, on the other hand, has justified its actions, including the bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza, by citing self-defense as a response to the killing of 1,400 people by Hamas on October 7th.
Additionally, 230 people were reported as kidnapped hostages during the conflict.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has reported that more than 8,000 people have lost their lives since the commencement of Israel’s retaliatory bombing campaign.
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Pentecost Church in South Africa robbed at gunpoint during church service
A Church of Pentecost in South Africa for the Ghanaian community was attacked by armed robbers during church service.
Prior to the operation, the pastor was delivering his sermon. In a video on social media, he dropped the microphone, lifted his hands and proceeded to lie prostrate on the ground when the robbers arrived.
Other members including the organist laid low. The video captures two robbers who made away with phones and other valuable objects they set their eyes on.
It is reported that the incident occurred over the weekend. Per reports, a church elder was taken captive and is currently missing.
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Hospital in South Africa has detained suspected phoney doctor
A well-known TikToker from South Africa who pretended to be a doctor has been taken into custody after being accused of being a fake by authorities for almost three weeks.
Matthew Lani was taken into custody by the security team at Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg. He was trying to get into the hospital on Sunday night.
The people in charge in the Gauteng province said that he was given to the police.
The police department said in a statement that just before 8pm, Lani was caught. Lani was pretending to be someone else by wearing a hoodie, a surgical mask, and having a stethoscope around his neck.
It also said that Lani had gone to the same place before and shared wrong information, pretending to be a real doctor.
Lani became popular on TikTok because he shared medical videos and sold his own pills.
He claimed he became a doctor from the University of the Witwatersrand, but the university has confirmed that this is false.
He also said that his name was Dr. Sanele Zingelwa, but it was discovered that he pretended to be a medical intern at another place.
The Health Professions Council of South Africa stated that Lani is not officially certified as a health practitioner. -
South Africa to recieve $1bn World Bank loan to address power cut challenge
The World Bank is providing South Africa with a $1 billion loan to aid in addressing the country’s energy crisis, which has worsened due to its most severe power cuts.
The country has been grappling with power outages since 2007, and these disruptions have intensified in recent years, leading to daily blackouts lasting as long as 16 hours.
These frequent power cuts have had a detrimental impact on South Africa’s economy, causing a slowdown in its GDP growth, as noted by the World Bank.
“The loan endorses a significant and strategic response to South Africa’s ongoing energy crisis and the country’s goal of transitioning to a just and low carbon economy,” the World Bank said in a statement on Wednesday, after its board approved the loan.
Burning coal produces more than 80% of the electricity used in South Africa. The nation is therefore listed as the 14th largest carbon dioxide emitter in the world.
According to the World Bank, the loan will enable South Africa to restructure its state-owned electricity company, Eskom, which is in debt totaling more than $26 billion.
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Three Africans held captive by Hamas – Israel
Hamas is reportedly holding two Tanzanian individuals and one South African individual captive as stated by the Israeli government. This happened after the attacks in Israel on 7 October.
None of the three have been given a name.
The ambassador of Tanzania to Israel has said that two people from Tanzania have been captured, or taken hostage.
The BBC talked to the father of a Tanzanian person who went missing in Israel. This person’s name is Joshua Mollel and he was studying agriculture on a kibbutz that was attacked.
He said to the BBC that he still hasn’t heard any news about what happened to his son.
Earlier this week, he mentioned that they had not talked since October 5th – just two days before the attack. He also mentioned that the entire family was extremely worried.
“He said on Sunday that we are unable to eat or sleep. When I go to the market, people inquire about the reason behind my significant weight loss. ”
The people in charge in South Africa have not said anything about the report that someone from their country is one of the hostages.
Israel has stated that people from 25 different countries are currently being held by Hamas.
A total of 135 out of the 224 individuals being held are from Thailand. Thailand has the highest number, with 54 individuals.
They were captured when members of Hamas, which many countries consider a terrorist group, entered Israel from Gaza and killed around 1,400 individuals.
Israel has responded by attacking Gaza with airstrikes. The health ministry run by Hamas claims that these attacks have caused the deaths of nearly 6,500 people. -
KFC closes its branches in Lesotho due to avian flu in South Africa
KFC is shutting down all its restaurants in Lesotho because there is a serious bird flu outbreak in nearby South Africa.
The government of Lesotho has stopped allowing any poultry to be brought into the country. This decision has greatly affected KFC’s ability to get chicken for their restaurants.
KFC says the chickens it uses are from farms in South Africa that are checked and confirmed to not have bird flu.
Lesotho is a country with many mountains and it is completely surrounded by South Africa.
South Africa has been working hard to control bird flu for several months and has killed more than seven million egg-laying hens – which is about 20-30% of all the hens in the country.
Last week, Mozambique killed around 45,000 sick chickens it had brought in from South Africa.
Namibia has also forbidden the bringing in of poultry from South Africa since September.
The outbreak has caused a lack of eggs and chicken meat in a few countries in southern Africa.
KFC Lesotho said they are working to find a solution and promised customers that their restaurants will reopen soon. -
World Bank lends $1 billion to South Africa to address electricity problem
The World Bank will give South Africa $1 billion to help the country fix its energy problem. South Africa is experiencing its worst-ever power outages.
There have been electricity cuts since 2007, but they have become worse recently, with periods of no electricity lasting up to 16 hours every day.
The World Bank says that the often power outages have really hurt South Africa’s economy and made their GDP growth slower.
The World Bank said in a statement that the loan supports South Africa in tackling its energy crisis and moving towards a fair and eco-friendly economy. The loan was approved by the board.
Most of South Africa’s electricity comes from burning coal. As a result, the country is considered the 14th biggest producer of carbon dioxide in the world.
The World Bank said that the loan will help South Africa improve its state-owned power company, Eskom, which owes more than $26 billion. -
Ghana, South Africa collaborate to resolve housing deficit
Ministries of Works and Housing in Ghana and Human Settlements in South Africa have jointly announced their intent to collaborate in advancing the development of crucial areas related to housing, human settlements, and urban development in both nations.
This collaborative effort underscores the commitment of Ghana and South Africa to address the intricate challenges associated with housing and human settlements.
This development emerged during a bilateral meeting held in Accra between South Africa’s Minister for Housing and Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi (MP), and Ghana’s Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye (MP).
Minister Kubayi’s official visit to Ghana is part of a comprehensive effort to strengthen diplomatic relations and seek new opportunities for collaboration in the domains of housing delivery and human settlement development between the two nations.This visit comes in the wake of productive discussions that transpired between the respective ministers in the housing sector in Poland and South Africa, laying the foundation for exploring partnerships, particularly in enhancing the institutional framework for housing delivery in both countries.
In his welcoming address, Asenso-Boakye stressed that the intricacies associated with housing delivery not only demand immediate attention but also call for innovative solutions, underscoring the importance of a shared commitment from the governments of both nations.
Asenso-Boakye’s opening remarks emphasised that addressing the complexities of housing delivery necessitates not only a sense of urgency but also a dedication to innovative solutions, rooted in a mutual commitment from both governments.
“Our joint efforts in pressing issues of slum upgrading and improving informal settlements and the lives of those who inhabit them can have profound impacts on the well-being and living conditions of a significant portion of our populations,” Ghana’s sector minister noted.
On her part, Minister Kubayi said South Africa’s government stands ready to commit to a new partnership that will work out how to resolve the many myriads of problems in both countries’ housing delivery.
“To us, this partnership and commitments also include sharing experiences, knowledge and best practises in the housing sectors of our countries and how we can practicalize the implementation of what we seek to accomplish,” Minister Kubayi added.
Minister Kubayi and her delegation are expected to call on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as well as partake in other engagements, notably a business session to be hosted by the Ghana Investments Promotion Centre (GIPC) for housing sector players from both countries.
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South African miners manage to flee underground ‘hostage situation’
Workers at a mine in South Africa have started coming back up to the surface after being trapped underground for three days. The police are calling it a situation where the workers were held as hostages.
On Wednesday, the police said that more than 500 miners at the Gold One mine were held hostage by armed people who had weapons like clubs and mining tools.
The workers were stuck in a situation where two groups disagreed with each other.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said that some troublemakers had forcefully trapped its members, not letting them go.
But the rival union called Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) said it did not trap workers at the mine that is close to Johannesburg. Amcu said that the miners were there on their own accord and were doing a peaceful protest by sitting in.
Over 100 workers came out of the mine again on Wednesday morning. A worker, who didn’t want their name to be known, told the BBC: “I left because I was concerned about my well-being. ”
“Lwazi” mentioned that he understood and felt sorry for Amcu. Amcu has been trying to be officially recognized at the mine for about five months. Currently, NUM has an agreement with Gold One mine where they are the only union allowed to represent the workers there.
“Lwazi agreed with the idea of allowing another union to organize at the mine, but didn’t support the way they went about it. ”
On Wednesday, the families of the workers were waiting outside the mine for their loved ones to come out.
A woman told the BBC that she had been waiting outside since Monday morning because her husband didn’t come back from work the previous night.
I feel pain. I don’t know when my husband will come back. He is sick. He has a disease called tuberculosis.
My husband is the one who earns money for our family. “I’m scared to go back home because I won’t know how to answer my kids’ questions,” she said.
Brenda Mudiri, who speaks for the police, said that officers were talking to the miners as they came out of the mine.
The people we spoke to said that they were kept somewhere without being allowed to leave. They informed us about fifteen people who were holding others captive. She said that it is difficult to tell which group these people who took hostages are associated with.
The people in charge at the mine agreed with the police and NUM’s opinion that the miners were taken captive.
Amcu claims that Gold One bosses worked together with the NUM, but the mine says this accusation is not true. -
Malema urges South Africans to boycott Israeli goods
The Economic Freedom Fighters, a political party in South Africa, held a protest outside the Israeli embassy in Pretoria, the capital city.
Julius Malema, the leader of a political party, recently said that Israel’s government doesn’t care about people and he wants to close the embassy.
Mr Malema also told shops in the country to take away Israeli-made products from their shelves by the end of October.
If they don’t take out products from Israel, we will take them out ourselves. Mr Malema said that we do not want the products of Israel to be sold in South Africa. We do not want to consume food from individuals who are responsible for the deaths of innocent people.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) protested outside Israel’s embassy on Friday.
ANC Deputy Secretary General Nomvula Mokonyane urged South Africans to stop buying products from Israel to show support for the Palestinians.
Ms Mokonyane repeated South Africa’s request for an urgent stop to fighting in the Middle East.
A woman who spoke for the ANC Women’s League left her job last week. She said the party didn’t understand the “Jewish point of view” in the Israel-Palestine conflict. -
45,000 hens in Mozambique set ablaze amid spread of South African bird flu
More than 45,000 hens have been culled, incinerated, and buried in southern Mozambique to curb the spread of avian flu. These birds were originally imported from South Africa, which is grappling with a severe bird flu outbreak.
The disease has now reached Mozambique’s Morrumbene district in the southern Inhambane province, raising concerns about its potential spread.
Avian flu is highly contagious among poultry and wild birds, and it can rapidly affect entire flocks through droppings, saliva, or contaminated feed and water.
The outbreak has resulted in egg and chicken shortages, causing prices to surge in Mozambique, including the capital, Maputo.
The price of chicken has nearly doubled from 350 Mozambican metical ($5; £4) to 600, and a dozen eggs have risen from 100 to 150 metical.
The 45,000 hens were destroyed due to their contact with infected chickens from South Africa, according to Mozambique’s National Director of Livestock Development, Américo da Conceição.
These hens had been imported to Mozambique for egg production.
South Africa’s bird flu outbreak has forced the culling of seven million egg-laying hens, equivalent to 20-30% of the country’s total stock, according to the South African Poultry Association. The outbreak has also led to egg and chicken meat shortages in South Africa.
Mozambique has banned the importation of chickens, eggs, and chicken feed from South Africa as a response.
Additionally, the circulation of chickens, eggs, and animal feed from the outbreak’s epicenter, Morrumbene, to other parts of Mozambique has been halted.
Authorities have confirmed that the hens were incinerated to prevent people from taking and consuming them after the culling.
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President of South Africa to attend Cairo Gaza conflict summit
The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, is going to a meeting in Cairo to talk about ways to stop the fighting between Israel and Gaza.
Egypt’s president invited him to participate in discussions. The talks will focus on the growing conflict in Israel and the Gaza Strip, the immediate need for humanitarian aid, and the request to restart the peace process. These details were mentioned in a statement released by the South African presidency.
It was reported that Mr. Ramaphosa is very worried about the attacks on innocent people, the forcing of people out of their homes, and the severe problems faced by people in the Gaza Strip.
The South African leader previously stated that he was willing to help resolve the disagreement between Israel and the Palestinian territories.
He said his country could use its knowledge of solving problems in Africa and other places. -
Leaders of South Africa and Ukraine speak about renewing grain deal
South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky both want the Russia-Ukraine conflict to be resolved peacefully.
They met and talked on Tuesday because the Ukrainian president asked them to. This was confirmed by the South African presidency in a statement on Wednesday.
It means that Mr. Ramaphosa was happy that Mr. Zelensky wants to bring back the Black Sea Grain Initiative. They both promised to keep working together on it.
Russia stopped participating in a grain agreement that was made between the UN, Turkey, and Russia in July 2022. This agreement allowed grain from Ukraine to be sold to other countries.
Ukraine has suggested creating places in African ports where grains can be stored and traded.
Last month, the President of Kenya, William Ruto, announced that Ukraine had agreed to establish a center for storing and distributing grains in the port of Mombasa. This center will provide grains to the eastern African region.
Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan were some of the countries that gained advantages from the Black Sea Grain agreement.
During the discussions, Mr. Ramaphosa also expressed his country’s dedication to actively participating in the Africa Peace Initiative. This initiative was proposed by seven African leaders earlier this year as a potential way to achieve peace.
He agreed that his country will take part in the peace talks proposed by Ukraine, which will involve national security advisors. -
Nigerians go hard on Tinubu after Ghana-South Africa visa waiver announcement
Nigerians on Twitter, now under the X platform, have expressed their frustration with their government following a recent visa waiver agreement between Ghana and South Africa.
These concerned citizens widely shared Ghana’s foreign ministry statement, which announced the agreement with South Africa, and questioned why their government has not been able to secure similar arrangements.
While some Nigerians on social media mocked the situation, others attributed it to a lack of seriousness on the part of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu government.
For some, Nigerians believed that the situation was a consequence of actions they had taken, particularly crimes that had been reported, especially in South Africa, Africa’s most industrialized nation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration made an announcement last week regarding a visa waiver for individuals holding ordinary passports in both Ghana and South Africa.
In their statement, the ministry highlighted that this agreement would lead to substantial improvements for travelers between the two countries.
The Visa Waiver Agreement is slated to come into effect on November 1, 2023.
“Travellers may transit through, depart from and stay in the territory of both countries for a cumulative period of up to ninety (90) recourse to work. The travelling public is thereby advised to take note,” the statement concluded.
Here are tweets from some Nigerians.
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South Africa invites leader of Hamas to discuss aid
The foreign affairs minister of South Africa talked to the leader of Hamas to discuss providing help to Palestine, said her office.
After a violent group called Hamas carried out a harmful attack on Israel last week, the Israeli army has put a blockade on Gaza. Gaza is a highly populated area where Hamas is centered.
The Foreign Minister of South Africa, Naledi Pandor, spoke on the phone with Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, representing the South African government.
Hamas, not South Africa, started the conversations, according to the office.
Minister Pandor, while talking on the phone, agreed with the government and said that South Africa is on the same side as Palestine. They also expressed feelings of sadness and regret for the innocent people who died in both Palestine and Israel.
“Minister Pandor and the leader of Hamas talked about ways to provide important help to Gaza and other areas of the Palestinian territories. ”
The minister’s office said they did not support the Hamas attack on Israel, contradicting what a local media house reported.
South Africa is one of the few countries that has openly admitted to having conversations with Hamas since the war started last weekend. -
‘Fake doctor’ on the run detained by South Africa’s police
A fugitive accused of posing as a doctor, has reportedly been re-arrested, according to South African police.
As we previously reported, the police claimed to have started a manhunt for the defendant who escaped from custody the previous week.
They called him a “Facebook con artist” who preyed on female users.
He was allegedly detained once more early on Monday in Vosloorus, a town close to Johannesburg, as a result of a tip from a media outlet.
“[The] police in Gauteng appreciates the role played by the media in particular and the community in general in the fight against crime,” a police statement said.
The suspect, whose birthplace has not yet been made public by the police, was supposed to appear in court in Pretoria on Tuesday but managed to flee.
He was already charged with several offenses, but now he also faces the allegation of evading arrest.
He is said to have posted on Facebook that he was looking for investors before defrauding health professionals in two separate instances.
Chele hasn’t responded to the charges yet.
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Police in South Africa looking for phoney doctor who fled custody
Police in South Africa are searching for a suspect who ran away from custody. The suspect is accused of pretending to be a doctor.
Kingsley Leeto Chele is someone who pretended to be a doctor or pharmacist on Facebook and tricked women into giving him their money, according to the police.
He is also known as Dr Kingsley Chele or Dr KJ Ncube.
Chele is being accused of lying to healthcare workers on Facebook about wanting to find investors. He then took their money without actually having any projects to invest in.
He got caught by the police on October 2nd because people reported he was doing fraudulent things in June.
A court in Pretoria said he couldn’t be released from jail and he had to stay there until his next court date, which was set for this Tuesday.
He got away on the day before yesterday, while the police were arranging his things at his home, and he has been running away ever since, says the police.
The police want anyone who knows where he is to contact them.The man, Dr. Matthew Lani, recently appeared on the app TikTok. He was seen wearing medical clothing called scrubs and giving advice on health matters at a public hospital.
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Ghanaians to be able to apply for South African visas online starting November 1 – MFA
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MFA) has announced that, starting from November 1, 2023, Ghanaians interested in traveling to South Africa can now apply online. This development follows Ghana’s formal inclusion in South Africa’s e-Visa program.
In a statement released on October 13, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that Ghana had reached an agreement regarding a visa waiver program for individuals holding regular passports. The Ministry also clarified that applicants are permitted to stay for a total of 90 days without seeking employment.
“Travelers may transit through, depart from and stay in the territory of both countries for a cumulative period of up to ninety (90) days without recourse to work,” the MFA noted.
In the meantime, the South African High Commission, in a statement released on September 29, 2023, expressed optimism that this advancement will lead to an improved visa application process.
Furthermore, it emphasized that the implementation of the e-Visa program will optimize and simplify the visa application procedure, offering increased convenience for Ghanaian travelers.
The commission also directed Ghanaian travelers to access comprehensive information on the Department of Home Affairs of the Republic of South Africa’s portal.
“The information is available on the portal of the Department of Homes Affairs of the Republic of South Africa. The Ghanaians are urged to visit the following website https://www.dha.gov.za to obtain more information.
“It should be noted that the normal requirements such as passport details, letter of invitation/ proof of accommodation and bank statement would be verified on arrival at a point of entry,” the commission earlier said.
The announcement also stated that anyone who have been waiting longer than three months for their passports because of this modification can now pick them up at the VFS Global Office.
“Passports that have been more than 3 months at the High Commission could be collected at the VFS Global Offices,” it stated.
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Two South Africans perish in Israel-Hamas conflict
Two people from South Africa have died in the ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas.
South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) shared this news on Friday, but they did not say who died.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has been told that two South Africans have died in the conflict between Palestine and Israel, according to spokesperson Clayson Monyela.
“We are currently investigating because one of the people has an Israeli ID number. We need to find out if they have dual citizenship or what the situation is. ”
Mr Monyela, representing the government, expressed sympathy to the family and friends of the individuals who have passed away.
He said: “Our teams in Ramallah and Tel Aviv are working together and helping the families of our citizens with consular services. ”
The fighting started because Hamas militants started a very violent attack on Israel recently.
Over 2,700 people in Israel and Gaza have died. -
Egypt uses Sinai airport to provide assistance to Gaza
Egypt has revealed that it is routing international aid flights for Gaza through an airport in northern Sinai.
Egypt, a significant mediator between Israel and the Palestinians, has urged Israel to refrain from targeting the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, which was subjected to multiple bombings earlier in the week.
Several nations, including South Africa, have extended offers to assist in resolving the crisis. Multiple sources indicate that Egypt had alerted Israel to a looming attack days before Hamas initiated a deadly cross-border raid into Israel.
However, Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed these reports as “absolutely false.”
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Manhunt continues as six South African convicts escape prison
The South African officials in the Western Cape are looking for six prisoners who ran away from the cell at a court.
One of the prisoners got caught, but the other five are still running away.
Officials warn that the inmates, who are between the ages of 20 and 33, are “carrying weapons and are a threat to others. ”
The prisoners were waiting to go to a jail after they went to court earlier today.
Initial findings indicate that the detainees took control of one of the police officers and took away his weapon. Someone shot at the police, but no one got hurt or injured, said police spokesman Malcolm Pojie to South Africa’s News 24 outlet.
He said that the people who did the bad thing got away by running.
The criminals were in court for many serious crimes, such as killing someone, trying to kill someone, stealing violently, and attacking someone.
After they ran away, the police have added more charges against them. They are now being accused of escaping from custody, trying to kill someone, and stealing a gun. -
3% migrants make up South Africa’s population – 2022 cencus
The 2022 census results for South Africa indicate that the country’s population has increased to 62 million, up from 51.7 million in 2011.
Furthermore, the census reveals that there are over 2.4 million migrants in the country, constituting approximately 3% of the total population.
The majority of these migrants originated from neighboring countries, with 45.5% coming from Zimbabwe, 18.7% from Mozambique, and 10.2% from Lesotho.
Additionally, the statistics demonstrate a decline in the white population, decreasing from 11% in 1996 to 7.3% in 2022.
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8 Ghana Air Force officers fly to SA for Basic Air Traffic Control Course
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), AVM Bekoe, has encouraged eight officers who are embarking on the “Basic Air Traffic Control Course” in South Africa to give their utmost effort and strive for excellence.
He emphasized the importance of this phase in their careers, noting that it would significantly expand their knowledge and expertise.
“I believe that, the exposure you will gain on this course will enhance your skills and enable you to tackle challenging situations with a global perspective. This will enable you to perform your duties effortlessly in ensuring the safety and efficiency of air travel” he underscored.
AVM Bekoe delivered these remarks on Friday, October 6, 2023, during a meeting at the Air Force Headquarters with the eight Air Force officers who are preparing to embark on their overseas “Basic Air Traffic Control Course.”
Furthermore, the CAS emphasized that the officers should recognize the broader scope of their roles, extending beyond the military sphere. He urged them to serve as exemplary ambassadors for their nation while in South Africa.
In response, the officers expressed their heartfelt appreciation to the Chief of the Air Staff for the invaluable opportunity to acquire knowledge that would contribute to their personal growth and professional advancement.
They conveyed their unwavering commitment to remain dedicated to their studies and aspire to become outstanding air traffic controllers.
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South Africa takes steps to secure its open borders
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has started a new border force to make the country’s borders stronger.
The inauguration happened in the town of Musina, where the busy Beitbridge border post with Zimbabwe is located.
Immigration is a very important political problem in South Africa.
Controlling the borders has become chaotic, and the government is being asked to do more to limit the number of people entering the most advanced country in sub-Saharan Africa from its neighboring countries.
At the same time, political parties are using xenophobia to gain support from unhappy South Africans before the 2024 elections.
Until now, four different government departments were responsible for looking after the borders. They had to follow 58 laws made by the government.
But now the Border Management Authority, which was very expensive to create, is now South Africa’s third organization responsible for enforcing laws, after the police and army.
The creation of the agency means that South Africa now has a border police bureau that works together under one leadership.
Many border guards have been hired and will be working alongside the defense force. They will be working at the entry points of South Africa, which include eight ports where ships arrive, 52 borders where people can enter by land, and eleven airports where people can come from other countries.
The event was also attended by Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who had discussions with Mr Ramaphosa earlier.
The leader of South Africa said that both men agreed that our countries want to live peacefully beside each other.
South Africa has faced more problems with its border control recently.
A really expensive fence that was built between South Africa and Zimbabwe fell down, making it hard to prevent people from illegally immigrating.
In simpler terms, many police officers have been caught and arrested for being corrupt. They were asking for bribes.
South Africa counted its population in 2022, and the compiled information will be made public on 10 October.
Information from the 2011 census showed that there were 3. 96 million people from other countries living in South Africa, some of whom did not have official documents. Statistics South Africa confirmed that this means approximately 6% of the people living in the country.
Many people think there might be a lot more illegal immigrants than what is officially reported. They say the government is not doing enough to stop undocumented foreigners from coming into the country.
Some groups, like the street movement Operation Dudula, say that illegal migrants are causing a lot of crime.
The argument about immigration is often spoiled by violence, fear of foreigners, and false information. Some jobless people in South Africa have been made to think that undocumented migrants from other African countries are taking their jobs.
This week, the police closed down shops owned and operated by people from outside South Africa in Soweto. This happened when two kids died after eating biscuits they bought from a nearby store. -
South Africa limits sale and purchase of eggs amid bird-flu outbreak
South African supermarkets are imposing egg rationing measures as the country faces a shortage of poultry products due to a severe avian flu outbreak.
According to local reports, some supermarkets are restricting customers to purchasing a maximum of six eggs.
Woolworths, a major retail chain, confirmed that they have “implemented a limit on whole egg purchases in our stores to six eggs per customer,” as reported by local media outlet News24.
Another chain, Pick n Pay, has reportedly urged customers to “shop responsibly” and will restrict purchases to one or two egg packs per customer.
Producers have been issuing warnings about the scarcity of eggs and poultry meat caused by the outbreak and the impact of power shortages on the industry.
The agriculture ministry reported last week that more than 2.5 million chickens had been culled, with five out of eight provinces affected by the outbreak.
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Ministers and MPs from South Africa exonerated of corruption
A government official from South Africa and three other members of the ANC political party have been found not guilty of corruption by a group in parliament.
Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi and MPs Cedric Frolick, Mosebenzi Zwane, and Winnie Ngwenya were accused of being involved in a big corruption scandal called “state capture” while Jacob Zuma was the president.
Mr Nxesi was accused of getting money from a well-known businessman named Edwin Sodi. The other three MPs were linked to different corruption accusations.
On Tuesday, the parliament’s Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests said that the four lawmakers did nothing wrong.
The Zondo commission, led by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, discovered that many government-owned organizations were involved in corrupt activities. This investigation took place from 2018 to 2022.
No one has been found guilty in a court case for a crime yet.
The President, Cyril Ramaphosa, said that suggestions from the inquiry will be put into action when the time is right.
In 2018, Zuma stepped down from his position as president before his second term was supposed to finish. He stepped down because of accusations of corruption. -
Ex-South African Airways official faces corruption charge
Former chair of South African Airways, Dudu Myeni, faces corruption charges, including receiving bribes and home security upgrades from Bosasa, a company implicated in various corrupt deals during Jacob Zuma’s presidency.
A Commission of Inquiry found that Myeni had influenced Zuma to favor Bosasa, which received over $100 million in government contracts.
Trevor Mathenjwa, a Bosasa subsidiary director, also faces corruption charges. Both have been released on bail, with a court appearance scheduled for November.
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Kenya part of 10 countries ranked for efficient usage of Truecaller App
Kenya ranks among the top 10 countries worldwide in terms of monthly active users of Truecaller, a caller identification service, according to a company announcement.
Truecaller, which aids users in identifying potential spam calls, boasts a presence in 175 countries and a global user base of 356 million active monthly users.
In Africa, other leading users of the platform include Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, and South Africa. Truecaller has offices located in seven different regions, spanning Sweden, India, Israel, Egypt, and Kenya.
“Truecaller’s 10 largest markets (are) India, Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, South Africa, Malaysia, Iraq, Kenya, Colombia, and Jordan – based on monthly active users (MAU),” said the company.
Truecaller identifies a caller, detects and prevents spam calls and texts, allows call recording, allows users to search for the identification of a mobile number, and checks the availability of the person they are attempting to contact.
Local and international criminals, marketing firms, and digital credit providers (DCPs) are among the most prominent sources of spam calls and SMS in Kenya.
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Western Cape in South Africa devastated by deadly floods
At least 11 people died when strong rain and winds hit South Africa’s Western Cape province, including Cape Town, over the weekend. There was a lot of damage caused.
Officials are cautioning that more people might die as the floodwater goes down.
The bad weather caused flooding in homes, and damaged roofs, crops, roads, and other things.
Rescue teams are still looking for people who may be stuck in homes that are partially under water.
72 children and 10 grown-ups couldn’t leave a resort in Oudtshoorn because the Le Roux River next to it flooded. They were saved on Wednesday morning, after the water went down.
Around 200 farm workers are stuck in places that have been separated due to flooding. We are trying hard to save them.
According to Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, over 80 roads were shut down and approximately 15,000 homes lost electricity.
Train services in certain areas of the Western and Eastern Cape provinces have temporarily halted.
The floods had a big impact on the farmland in the area, which includes the famous vineyards. The harvests are expected to be very negatively affected.
The Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, has asked for more help and support to deal with the consequences of the heavy rainfall.
The city has shut down the Steenbras Nature Reserve and Gorge hiking route to see how the floods have affected them.
Anton Bredell, a minister in charge of the environment, said that helicopters were looking for people who were stuck and needed help. “He said that we anticipate the most severe outcome there. ”
The heavy rains that caused damage stopped on Monday. These rains happened one week after unusually high tides during the spring season.
Climate change has been accused of causing certain recent weather events in South Africa.
In 2022, heavy rain caused flooding in KwaZulu-Natal and over 430 people died. The coastal city of Gqeberha also faced a shortage of water last year. -
Namibia bans South African chicken imports due to bird flu
“In a response to the severe bird flu outbreak in South Africa, Namibia has suspended all imports of live poultry and poultry products from its neighboring country.
The decision comes as a result of the rapid and alarming spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in various regions of South Africa.
According to Namibia’s agricultural ministry, new cases of HPAI have been reported across several provinces in South Africa, including Kwazulu-Natal, Western Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North West.
The outbreak has already resulted in the loss of over two million chickens. Namibian authorities have clarified that this suspension applies to the following:
Live poultry, Fresh frozen poultry meat, Table eggs, Day-old chicks, Hatching eggs.
This measure has been taken to safeguard Namibia’s poultry industry and prevent the spread of the virus across borders.”
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South Africa names road after Mandela’s late wife
The city of Johannesburg in South Africa has given a road the name of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who fought against apartheid.
On Tuesday, the city changed the name of William Nicol Drive to Winnie Mandela Drive.
The city administration said that this achievement shows how determined the city is to remember and honor Winnie Madikizela Mandela’s important life and legacy.
William Nicol was a church minister and teacher during the time of apartheid. He believed that Afrikaans should be used in schools in South Africa.
The mayor of Johannesburg, Kabelo Gwamanda, said that renaming is a way to get rid of things that represent the bad treatment and control of people in South Africa.
The road will be revealed on 26 September, which is the same day Mrs. Mandela would have turned 87.
She passed away in 2018 after being sick for a while.
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress proposed a motion in 2018 to change the name of the road. They believe that this change will help future generations remember the brave people who fought against apartheid and other unfairness. -
Google unveils a doodle in honour of Late South African artist Matshikiza
Google paid tribute to South African jazz pianist, composer, and journalist Todd Matshikiza by unveiling a doodle on Monday.
Matshikiza, who passed away in 1968 at the age of 47, is celebrated as one of South Africa’s most significant trailblazers in the realms of arts and culture.
The doodle, prominently displayed on Google’s homepage, was crafted by South African artist Keith Vlahakis.
Google stated, “On this day in 1956, his commissioned cantata Uxolo (peace) was played by the orchestra at the 70th Johannesburg Festival,” explaining the choice to honor Matshikiza on September 25.
Notably, Matshikiza is recognized for his composition “Quickly in Love,” featured in the 2013 film “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.” He is also acclaimed for his musical contributions to stage productions like “King Kong” and “Mkhumbane.”
Google frequently employs its doodles, creative variations of its logos, to commemorate anniversaries or celebrate the lives of notable individuals.
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South Africa ends power outages in Cape area due to flooding
Arranged control cuts in parts of South Africa have been suspended in the midst of overwhelming flooding.
Seriously storms caused broad harm within the Western Cape and Eastern Cape areas over the end of the week.
After flooding proceeded into Monday, state-owned control utility Eskom said the downpour had caused “broad harm to electricity infrastructure”.
Within the two influenced territories, load-shedding “will be suspended with prompt impact”, Eskom said.
In spite of being Africa’s most created economy, South Africa has been encountering load-shedding – or an composed arrangement of rolling power outages – for the past 15 a long time. The control cuts are required since the framework cannot adapt with the request for vitality.
Eskom included that the point of Monday’s suspension is to help the secure rebuilding of power supplies, whereas load-shedding will proceed in zones unaffected by the surges. -
Isle of Man Island to honour South African culture
A festival to celebrate the culture, food, and music of South Africa will happen for the first time on the Isle of Man.
Approximately 1,200 individuals from our country currently reside on the island.
The organizer, Vanessa Naude, said that the event would help newcomers feel more comfortable and meet new people.
The festival is a joint effort between Isle Settle, an events company, and the Isle of Man Chapter of the UK South African Chamber of Commerce.
Ms Naude said that more people from South Africa are interested in moving to the island for work. This interest has been made stronger because the Manx government has been working to encourage business connections between the two countries.
Officials from Finance Isle of Man, a government agency, went to the country alongside the chief minister to build stronger connections and promote business opportunities.
Ms Naude said that the event on Saturday at the Nunnery in Douglas was planned to happen at the same time as the nation’s Heritage Weekend. It was a chance for people to gather and celebrate the special South African way of life.
The event was meant to help people fit in with the local communities in South Africa and the Isle of Man. Moving to a new country can be tough, so the event aimed to make it easier for them. -
South African students hospitalized over cannabis cookies discharged
Eighty-seven primary school students in South Africa have been released from the hospital one day after consuming cannabis-laced biscuits, colloquially known as “space cookies.”
According to provincial education authorities, three students from Pulamadibogo Primary School in Soshanguve, located northwest of the capital, Pretoria, are still under medical care.
All of the affected students had reported nausea, stomach cramps, and vomiting after consuming the snacks purchased from a street vendor near the school.
The potential legal consequences for the vendor remain unclear at this time.
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Shortage of eggs, chicken in South Africa likely to get worse amid power cuts – Farmers
Poultry farmers and retailers in South Africa are cautioning residents to prepare for increased prices for eggs and chicken due to the ongoing deaths of millions of chickens caused by a combination of power outages and avian flu.
The outbreak of avian flu in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province was initially reported in April, followed by the more lethal H7N6 strain of the flu in May.
Since then, the avian flu has extended its reach to four additional provinces, compelling poultry farmers to carry out mass culling of their chickens.
“The bird flu has already caused short supplies of table eggs into the market, and it is expected that the supply of poultry meat into the value chain could be affected negatively in the coming months,” Astral Foods, one of South Africa’s biggest chicken producers said on Thursday.
The company reported a decrease in its financial performance, attributing it to losses linked to bird flu and rising operational expenses resulting from power shortages.
The company disclosed that it incurs monthly expenses of 45 million rand ($2.4 million; £1.9 million) to operate diesel generators.
Abongile Balarane, the leader of the South African Poultry Association, stated to the Daily Maverick earlier this month that the nation had suffered the loss of over four million chickens, equivalent to 15% of the country’s total production.
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South Africa to remove criminal records from Covid lockdown
South Africa’s parliament has approved a law that will erase criminal records for people who were convicted of breaking Covid-19 lockdown rules.
South Africa had very strict rules which led to over 400,000 people getting arrested. These arrests were for things like not wearing masks, drinking alcohol, and breaking curfew.
People who admitted they did something wrong and paid money as a punishment will no longer have any official records of that wrongdoing.
Many South Africans are happy about this bill.
This text means that the approval of the National Council of Provinces and the signature of President Cyril Ramaphosa are required for it to become law. However, it is highly likely that it will become law.
The bill to make changes to the legal system received widespread political backing during discussions in parliament.
The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), which was in favor of the bill, pointed out how having a criminal record made it hard for some people to get jobs.
ACDP MP Steven Swart expressed his hope that we will not have any more unreasonable rules that were made without involvement or supervision from Parliament.
In April 2021, the police minister, Bheki Cele, stated that 411,309 individuals were taken into custody for breaking the rules during the lockdown.
It’s not known how many of the people who were arrested were eventually found guilty.
But, some MPs did not vote for the bill to become a law.
The EFF, a left-wing political party, liked some parts of the bill but couldn’t support the entire bill.
EFF MP Veronica Mente said that during the pandemic, the regulations from the Disaster Management Act led to prosecutions and persecutions. This showed how the judiciary system could be used to severely restrict people’s rights.
“May the law never be used for bad intentions like what happened during the Covid-19 pandemic. ” -
South African authorities detain suspected Grindr kidnappers
Seven people have been taken into custody for supposedly kidnapping a homosexual student at a university in South Africa. They enticed him into meeting them by using a dating app called Grindr.
The 18-year-old student, who is studying at the University of Witwatersrand, was reported as not being present by his roommate on Tuesday.
The police said that the people who took him away then asked his family for about $1,500 (£1,200) to let him go.
The group got caught after one of the criminals tried to take out the ransom money from a cash machine in Johannesburg.
He showed the police where the victim was kept – the officers found him tied up and not awake.
The people who are believed to be guilty have been connected to at least 85 incidents where members of the LGBTQ community were singled out and asked for money in return for their safety.
In simple terms, South Africa has a very fair constitution that supports the rights of gay people. It is the only African country where same-sex marriage is legal. However, many gay and lesbian individuals still experience unkindness and unfair treatment. -
Navy submarine catastrophe in South Africa claims three lives
Three sailors from the South African navy who were on a submarine died, and four others were injured because they were swept off the submarine‘s deck by big waves.
The boat was near Cape Town in the ocean when seven crew members were taken away by strong waves.
A helicopter was giving things to people while getting more fuel, according to the AFP news agency.
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) said in a statement that the sailors were taking part in a navy training when the accident happened.
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The army said that all seven members were found, but unfortunately three people died, including a high-ranking officer who is in critical condition.
Five more people were rescued in another rescue mission, according to the report.
The police said they started an investigation after the accident in the navy.
The accident happened after a weekend with strong winds and rough waves. The weather service in South Africa said there would be big waves that could cause damage in Cape Town on Wednesday. -
South Africa and Qatar prioritise world peace and development
We just received messages from the ruler of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa.
Al Thani spoke about many different regional topics including Lebanon’s economy, conflicts in Libya and Yemen, racism, the environment, and what he called “harsh and extreme” Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip.
He also praised Qatar for organizing the 2022 World Cup very well, saying it should be used as an example for future tournaments.
Ramaphosa mainly talked about how it is getting harder to achieve the goals of the UN’s Agenda 2030. He said that things like war and other disasters have made it more difficult to reach those goals.
He said that the wars in Africa and Ukraine can and should be stopped.
He also asked other countries to do more to help bring peace and stop violence in Africa, especially in Sudan and the Horn of Africa. -
South Africans urged to shower for 2 minutes to curb water shortage
Water suppliers in Johannesburg, South Africa, have issued an urgent appeal to city residents and its suburbs to reduce water usage as a severe water shortage threatens to “cripple the system.”
Rand Water and Johannesburg Water issued a joint statement on Sunday sep 17 2023, expressing concern about the excessive water consumption by residents, which has led to a significant decline in water reservoir levels.
To address this crisis, the companies have requested that residents take several measures, including limiting showers to two minutes, flushing toilets only when necessary, washing cars using buckets on weekends, refraining from filling swimming pools until the water shortage is resolved, avoiding the use of clean water for gardening or lawn irrigation, and promptly reporting any water leaks.
Johannesburg, currently operates under annual water restrictions, typically enforced during South Africa’s dry season, which spans from September to March.
In recent weeks, water shortages have led to disruptions affecting some city residents and essential facilities like hospitals, leading to growing public dissatisfaction.
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South Africa conducts state funeral to honor the Zulu leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi
Thousands of people, some in traditional warrior attire, gathered at a small stadium in Ulundi, the ancient Zulu kingdom capital, to honor Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the founder of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) who passed away at the age of 95.
President Cyril Ramaphosa paid tribute to him, acknowledging his impact on South Africa’s modern history.
Family members led a procession with the coffin draped in an animal skin and an IFP flag, while mourners, some in traditional attire, sat around.
The IFP Women’s Brigade chanted in Zulu, and various dignitaries, including former presidents Jacob Zuma and Thabo Mbeki, attended the ceremony.
Buthelezi’s legacy remains contested, with some viewing him as a protector of Zulu culture and others as an apartheid collaborator and mass murderer due to the violence associated with the IFP.
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Outrage in South Africa after man shackled to police van and dragged down street
The police arrested a man and tied his hands together with handcuffs. Then, they pulled him along the road using their van and later physically attacked him.
A very upsetting video has become very popular in South Africa. It appears to show a man being pulled along a road in a very violent way on Friday evening around 6pm.
Police officers supposedly tied one of Milosh Basson’s hands to the back door of their car because they thought he had drugs.
A few people from the area chased after the van when it started driving in a neighborhood in Cape Town. They were yelling and screaming, and one person even tried to grab Milosh’s hand.
Milosh said he felt like he wasn’t fully awake for most of the difficult situation because he had been sprayed with pepper spray right before.
He was reportedly abandoned inside the van, injured and covered in blood, for a long time before being brought to the police station. He says that once there, officers kicked him and hit him with pipes.
Milosh said to SowetanLive that he was scared they might harm him at some time.
A video appears to show a person being handcuffed to a police vehicle in South Africa while it was moving.
Lawyer Keegan Lasker mentioned that he could only meet with his client after 10pm on that particular evening.
‘His clothes were covered in blood. He said that it was clear to him that he couldn’t help the person on a Friday because he was being treated badly by the police.
Milosh got out of custody on Monday after allegedly being accused of having drugs and not cooperating with the police.
The police are looking into what happened in a video that was shared and the officer who got hurt during the violent situation in Kensington.
The Ipid, which is in charge of overseeing the police in South Africa, said its investigators are going to meet with Milosh and ask him to share his statement.
A spokesperson said that they are starting to look into three people.
People often say that the police in South Africa are very violent and cruel. This reputation goes back to apartheid, when officers were used to make sure discrimination and segregation happened.
Although there have been big improvements, some of the old ways still exist as the country has become a democracy.
According to Ipid statistics, in the year 2019 to 2020, one person was killed every 20 hours because of police actions, on average.
In Johannesburg on August 26, 2020, a major case happened where a disabled 16-year-old named Nathaniel Julius was shot.
Police officers are being accused of causing his death because he was unable to respond to their questions due to his Down syndrome which made it hard for him to talk.
His family said he went out to buy biscuits and something really bad happened.
On August 16, 2012, the police in South Africa shot at a group of mine workers who were on strike in a place called Marikana, located in the North West province. This incident caused a lot of negative attention towards the police.
Around 34 people were killed and 78 people were severely injured when protests for higher wages turned violent, which is now referred to as the Marikana massacre.
Even the police minister, Bheki Cele, said that incidents of police violence in the country are concerning.
He recently explained to Parliament members that some police officers are doing a great job, but others are simply a result of the difficult social problems faced by all South Africans.
He said that these members are from very upset communities in our society.
Mr Cele continued, saying that the behavior we are currently seeing from South Africans should be the same behavior we expect from them. I heard that children are often similar to their parents.
He said that the state was trying to make things better for the police by hiring more psychologists and social workers to help with their well-being and mental health. -
Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi: The person who separated South Africa
Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who has passed away at the age of 95, was a very important person in South African politics. President Cyril Ramaphosa called him an excellent leader.
During apartheid, he was the leader of the KwaZulu Bantustan, a region set aside for the Zulu people by the country’s white supremacist government.
Many people believed that his government was controlled by South Africa. It did not allow any political opposition and was mostly influenced by his own party, Inkatha, which he created in 1975.
He joined forces with the African National Congress (ANC) in fighting against apartheid and worked to free Nelson Mandela.
However, he disagreed with the ANC’s position on using weapons and imposing global penalties, because he believed it was detrimental to black South Africans.
During the change to having multiple political parties, Buthelezi was worried that he would lose his control and influence. He wanted a government system where the power is shared between the central government and the local government. He also wanted to make sure that the traditional leaders of the Zulu people would be treated with respect and their positions would be protected.
The ANC and Inkatha fought against each other, and around 12,000 people died in violent battles in the early 1990s. Many people think that the apartheid government caused these fights to happen.
Some people were afraid that the fighting would start a civil war, but Buthelezi later agreed to be part of Mandela’s government in 1994. Despite ongoing conflicts, he held the position of minister responsible for domestic matters for a period of ten years.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), led by Buthelezi, had a hard time gaining support outside of the Zulu people, who are the largest ethnic group in the country. However, Buthelezi was able to stay in charge and keep his position as the party’s leader despite efforts to remove him.
He stepped down as the IFP president in 2019. He was one of the few leaders from the old semi-autonomous areas who adjusted to the time after apartheid. He was admired for his ability to survive in South African politics.
Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi was born on 27 August 1928 in a place that used to be in the southeast part of Zululand.
His mother was a princess named Magogo kaDinzulu. She was the sister of the Zulu king and was well-known for singing traditional songs.
The king wanted to fix a problem between their families, so he made a plan for her to marry Buthelezi’s father, who was the leader of a very strong group of people.
When he was 14 years old, someone told him that his dad had passed away.
He was brought to the family house. He poked the ground with a spear, like Zulus do, to mark where the hole for the grave should be dug. Then he shouted loudly that he was taking ownership of what he inherited.
Buthelezi went to Adams College, a famous missionary school near Durban. However, when he started university in the Eastern Cape in 1948, the National Party won the election and started enforcing apartheid.
He became a member of the ANC and campaigned against the new government with Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo.Because he was politically active and involved, he was kicked out of university. As a result, he went back to KwaZulu-Natal to become the leader of his family clan.
He got married to Irene, who is studying to become a nurse in Johannesburg. People said that his father had about 40 wives, but he didn’t want more wives because he was a practicing Anglican and didn’t want to give in to traditional Zulu pressure.
In 1954, King Cyprian chose him to be his traditional prime minister. The message was very important and often taken by a member of the Buthelezi family.
Ten years later, he acted in a movie called Zulu alongside Michael Caine. He acted as his own great-grandfather, King Cetshwayo, in the battle of Rorke’s Drift.
At that time, the first Bantu authorities were created and Buthelezi was picked as the Chief Executive of KwaZulu. A new set of laws gave him all the control over running the government, while the king’s duties became mostly symbolic.
He built his own group called Inkatha to advocate for the rights of Zulus and oppose white control.
However, supported by his new party, Buthelezi ruled with strict and firm control.
Being a part of the party was almost necessary for people who didn’t want to get fired from their jobs.
The prime minister decided to personally handle his country’s money matters and have full control over the police forces.
During apartheid, Buthelezi did not want to accept the limited amount of independence that the South African government offered the Bantustans.
“He said that South Africa is a single country. ” It only has one fate. The people who are trying to split up our country are trying to stop the flow of progress in history.
However, some people who opposed apartheid did not agree with his position.
Steve Biko, a prominent leader who fought for Black rights, was sadly killed by the South African security services. He believed that Buthelezi, another leader, was being taken advantage of by the apartheid regime. Buthelezi, on the other hand, believed that he was working alongside the system to bring it down.
His relationship with the ANC leaders who had been forced to leave the country got worse in the late 1970s.
The ANC and the South African Communist Party were working together, but Buthelezi strongly opposed communism. He believed that the group had a lot of Marxists and didn’t want to offer safe places for the armed members.
He worked to convince others to remove economic punishments against South Africa, strongly believing that he needed to make sure black children received food and clothing.
Buthelezi received compliments from British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher for his method, but one ANC activist criticized him as a South African government follower who was living in a delusional world.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu had to ask him to leave a funeral because many black mourners were throwing stones.When Nelson Mandela was put in prison, Buthelezi and the ANC agreed on the same thing.
The leader of Inkatha was determined in his efforts to have the highly respected person released from prison on Robben Island. Afterwards, he proudly stated that he was solely responsible for making it happen.
However, fights between followers of the two groups became more intense leading up to the initial democratic elections.
Until he died, Buthelezi said that the ANC caused most of the violence. However, later on, it was found out that Inkatha received help from the South African military to fund groups of people who would commit attacks.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which was made to find out the hidden wrongdoings of the apartheid time and encourage healing, blamed him of being involved in severe violations of human rights.
The allegations made people very mad.
Chief Buthelezi said he never allowed or supported violations of people’s rights. The TRC’s final report in 2003 was postponed because Buthelezi insisted on certain changes.
Many ANC activists disliked him, and he initially intended to not participate in the important 1994 elections. However, he had a last-minute change of heart and decided to participate after all. Buthelezi’s photo had to be stuck onto each voting slip because the ballot papers were already printed.
South Africa’s new constitution stated that the ANC, which won the election, must create a government with multiple political parties, sharing power temporarily until a permanent government is established.
As a result, Buthelezi was given the job of being in charge of Home Affairs. Sometimes, he would pretend to be the president when Nelson Mandela was away.
He kept his job after the 1999 elections, but his relationship with the ANC started to deteriorate again.
A disagreement about new rules for people moving to a different country resulted in an unusual event where President Thabo Mbeki sued a member of his own government.
“I don’t know of any other case where a president has sued his own minister and even tried to make him pay the legal costs personally,” Chief Buthelezi said afterwards.
After the 2004 elections, Inkatha, which changed its name to the Inkatha Freedom Party, went back to being in the minority group in the government.
Five years later, the IFP lost votes to the ANC’s new leader, Jacob Zuma, who was also Zulu.
The young members of the party in KwaZulu-Natal wanted new leaders, but they were kicked out of the party.
Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi is a prominent leader who has played a significant role in South African politics.
In 2019, Chief Buthelezi said he would not run again for the IFP presidency. He left the job after being in it for 45 years.
But he still stayed as a member of the South African parliament and traditional prime minister in a place called KwaZulu-Natal.
In his 90s, he played a key role in the fight for the Zulu royal family’s leadership after King Zwelithini died in 2021.
Buthelezi’s chosen person to become king was successful, but there was a disagreement over who would be the leader of the Ingonyama Trust Board. This led to heated arguments and fighting. The trust board takes care of large areas of land that belong to the royal family.
In 2023, King Misuzulu kaZwelithini had to deny rumors that someone had given him poison. The royal family had arguments and this caused people to hear that the king’s relationship with his chief minister was almost broken.
Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi was someone who had many different qualities and characteristics.
He was proud, liked to sue people a lot, and made impulsive decisions. He was well-known for his extremely long speeches in parliament. One of his speeches was 427 pages long and it took him over two weeks to finish.
He had a personality that could be described as intimidating. People said he was able to easily switch between being very charming and being exceptionally aggressive.
However, it was his actions and decisions during the time of apartheid that continue to cause disagreements and conflicts within South Africa.
Chief Buthelezi tried his hardest to keep his people safe from a bad government, even though he was secretly working against them.
However, his enemies will remember him as someone who held a powerful position comfortably, while “true” activists were being sent to prison, forced to leave their homeland, physically assaulted, and even killed. -
Conflict erupts in South Africa following Trevor Noah tourist agreement
A suggestion to give Trevor Noah, a famous comedian who has won an Emmy award, 33 million rand ($1. 7m, £13m) to promote South Africa as a place for people to visit has created a big controversy in the country.
South Africa’s Tourism Minister, Patricia de Lille, told parliament that they want to pay Trevor Noah to appear in a short video promoting tourism in South Africa.
A lot of MPs have disagreed with the idea, but Ms de Lille says that the South African comedian and TV host won’t receive money from the government.
She said that he would get paid using money from a private organization that represents the travel and tourism businesses in South Africa.
Some people in South Africa have also expressed their disapproval of the planned agreement on social media, saying that it is pointless. Some people say that its timing is not considerate because many South Africans are having money problems.
We hope the government doesn’t spend money we don’t have on things that aren’t useful. We are not concerned about his identity, but the country is in a state of chaos. They don’t have electricity and jobs, but they have 33 million to give to Trevor Noah. “What has Trevor Noah done to make this country better. ” a user on Twitter asked.
However, some people in South Africa believe that Noah’s popularity in Hollywood could help attract more tourists to the country.
In March, Noah and tennis star Roger Federer, who have both South African and Swiss nationalities, appeared in a campaign promoting Switzerland as a place to visit. -
Chaos in South Africa over Trevor Noah tourist deal
The proposal to allocate 33 million rand ($1.7 million or £1.3 million) to enlist Emmy-winning comedian Trevor Noah for the promotion of South Africa as a tourist hotspot has sparked controversy within the nation.
South Africa’s Tourism Minister, Patricia de Lille, informed parliament about the intention to compensate Noah for his involvement in a five-minute promotional video aimed at showcasing South Africa’s tourism offerings.
Despite facing opposition from numerous Members of Parliament, Minister de Lille clarified that Trevor Noah’s remuneration would not be drawn from public funds. Instead, the funds would be sourced privately from the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, an overarching body that represents the interests of the country’s travel and tourism sector.
Critics of the proposed deal, both on social media and within South Africa, have deemed it unnecessary. Some argue that the timing is inappropriate, given the financial struggles faced by many South Africans.
One Twitter user expressed frustration, stating, “We expect the government not to waste money we don’t have on useless things. We don’t care who he is; the country is in shambles. No electricity, no employment, but they have 33 million to give to Trevor Noah. What has Trevor Noah contributed to the betterment of this country?”
On the other hand, some South Africans believe that Trevor Noah’s prominent status in Hollywood could potentially enhance South Africa’s tourism industry.
In March of the same year, Trevor Noah, alongside tennis legend Roger Federer, both of whom hold dual South African and Swiss nationalities, participated in a campaign aimed at promoting Switzerland as a travel destination.
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No proof South Africa provided Russia with weapons – inquiry
President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that an investigation has concluded there is no proof that South Africa gave weapons to Russia.
The group disagreed with the statements made by the US ambassador to South Africa that a Russian ship was filled with weapons and ammunition in Cape Town in December of last year.
The claims caused people to doubt if the country was really staying neutral in the war with Ukraine.
Mr Ramaphosa said that it had hurt the country’s money and how people view them.
“The group determined that there was no proof to back up the assertion that the ship carried weapons from South Africa to Russia,” the president explained in a speech to the country on Sunday, broadcasted on television.
No permission was given to send weapons out of the country, and no weapons were sent out.
A representative from the US embassy in Pretoria said that the US understood that South Africa took the claims seriously, but they choose not to say anything about what was in the report.
The investigation discovered that the Russian cargo ship brought weapons from Russia to South Africa, which were ordered in 2018.
Ambassador Reuben Brigety talked about a boat called Lady R that arrived at the Simon’s Town naval base on December 6th to 8th, 2022.
In May, during a press conference in Pretoria, he said that he was sure that weapons and ammunition were put on the ship as it sailed back to Russia.
The next day, South Africa’s foreign ministry said Mr. Brigety had said sorry without holding anything back for the claims.
After the meeting, Mr Brigety expressed his thanks on social media for the chance to. Fix any misunderstandings caused by my public statements.
Mr Ramaphosa instructed a impartial investigation led by a judge, after Mr. Brigety made some remarks.
Mr Ramaphosa stated that none of the people who made these accusations were able to provide any proof to support the claims made against our country. This statement was made after the conclusion of the investigation.
The president will only share a brief summary of the report for safety reasons.
The investigation went to the navy base and talked to about 50 people and looked at over 100 documents, Mr.
South Africa has tried to be friends with Russia since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The US and other Western countries have criticized them for this.
This country is one of the few that didn’t vote in favor or against in several UN votes about the conflict. They chose not to openly criticize Russia regarding this issue.
The US has been worried before about Russia and South Africa doing naval exercises together.