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Cabinet Ministers, Blade Nzimande, Thulas Nxesi and ANC Secretary General, Fikile Mbalula, have rejected the bribery claims levelled against them by Professor Mthunzi Mdwaba as defamatory. The controversial businessman and scholar is accusing government officials of trying to solicit a R500 million bribe from a R5 billion UIF deal to create jobs. Mdwaba claims he was approached by three high-ranking government officials who solicited the bribe, claiming they were sent […]

  Human rights activist and social worker, John Clarke, says South Africa has developed into what he terms, a thugrocacy and a thugocratic machine. Clarke alleges that a number of people have infiltrated government in various sectors, including the police. "We've got people that are basically criminal networks that have infiltrated in all sorts and of course - they will try and infiltrate police and they will try and infiltrate […]

The SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) has applied for a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) in order to ascertain what exactly was discussed between the International Relations Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, and the leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, during their recent phone conversation. Last month, SAJBD lambasted Pandor for allegedly offering support to Hamas, an accusation the department has strongly refuted. The Jewish Board says Pandor's discussions […]

Lawyers in the Senzo Meyiwa trial have been struck with yet another blow to their defence, after an application to withdraw one of the accused’s medical records failed. It’s understood the dental records show Bongani Ntanzi had no injuries at the time his defence claims he was assaulted by police. Ntanzi’s defence attorney, Thulani Mngomezulu, had initially brought the records, despite his objections to them being regarded as evidence today. […]

  As the festive season approaches, South Africans are being urged to be more vigilant as criminality increases during this time. During the Christmas period, criminal activities, including burglaries, robberies, hijackings, ATM bombings and cash-in-transit heists, tend to surge across the country. Hijacking expert, Richard Brussow, says South Africans should be on high alert for scams. Brussow says one of the latest scams is called the 'School Girl' and the […]

International Relations Minister, Naledi Pandor, says no decision has been taken on Israel's Ambassador to South Africa. This as calls mount for the axing of the ambassador amid the escalating tensions in the Middle East. Earlier this week, Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, described the ambassador's presence in the country as untenable. Ntshavheni revealed that the ball is now in the hands of the Department of International Relations (Dirco) […]

Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng has ruled that confidential documents brought by a state witness will not be allowed as evidence in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial. It follows assertions from Sergeant Vusimuzi Mogane that the sensitive material was seen by the five men accused of Meyiwa’s murder. In a revelation that brought the Pretoria High Court to a standstill, Mogane said he believed the safety of witnesses had been jeopardised as […]

Education activist, Hendrick Makaneta, says there's not much universities can do to prevent incidents of individuals claiming to have received degrees from various institutions in the country. Makaneta was commenting on the recent incident where three people claimed to have received honorary doctorates from the University of South Africa (Unisa). Malawian socialite Phemphero Mphande, musician Patience Namadingo and Mansoor Sharif Karim took to social media over the weekend, claiming to […]

International Relations expert, John Stremlau, says it might prove difficult for US President, Joe Biden, to extend Washington's AGOA trade agreement with South Africa by another 10 to 16 years. Stremlau says reservations expressed by US Democratic Party Senator, Chris Coons over the possible extension could work against South Africa. Coons is prominent on the Foreign Relations Committee and is close to Biden. "Powerful US Democratic Party Senator Chris Coons is circulating a discussion draft […]

Crime activist, Ian Cameron, says the recent attack on the Transport Minister and her blue light protection detail shows how vulnerable citizens are with regards to violent crimes. Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga and her bodyguards were held at gunpoint on the N3 near Vosloorus on Monday. It is reported that the suspects fled with two police service pistols and personal belongings. The tyres of the Minister's car are reported to have […]