Category: English

The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has commended the Groblersdal Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offenses (FCS) Unit for securing two life imprisonment sentences for a 36-year-old man.

The man was arrested for rape and sexual assault to his 15-year-old stepson.

According to the police reports, the abuse began in 2019 when the stepfather, who had been living with the victim and his mother in the Masakaneng Informal Settlement in Groblersdal, would often come home drunk and molest the minor.

“The abuse escalated to rape with the stepfather forcing himself on the victim to perform unacceptable acts and often uttering degrading words to him.

“The ordeal continued for four years until the victim finally opened up to his mother in 2024, who immediately reported the matter to the police. The accused was arrested on 11 October 2024 at his workplace at a local farm by members of the Groblersdal FCS Unit,” the police said in a statement.

Warrant Officer Victoria Lekgala Phala was assigned to the case and worked tirelessly to ensure the accused was brought to justice. 

The accused made several court appearances before being granted bail but was ultimately found guilty of two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault on Tuesday.

The Groblersdal Regional Court sentenced the accused to two life terms of imprisonment for rape and five years for sexual assault. The court also declared the accused unfit to possess a firearm.

Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, welcomed the tough sentence.

“This sentence sends a strong message to perpetrators of gender-based violence and child abuse that the police will leave no stone unturned in ensuring they are brought to justice.” – SAnews.gov.za

As South Africa marks Human Rights Month, the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality is set to begin Phase 2 of the redevelopment of Dark City and Silver City hostels, as part of efforts to restore dignity and advance the right to adequate housing.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to reinforce this commitment when he conducts a site visit to the Dark and Silver City Community Residential Units (CRU) in Mangaung on Thursday afternoon.

The visit comes as government continues to position housing delivery as central to the realisation of human rights, particularly for low-income households still affected by apartheid-era spatial planning and inadequate living conditions. 

The second phase of the project, to begin in April 2026,  and expected to run until March 2027, will build on progress already made in transforming the ageing hostels into sustainable, family-oriented rental housing.

This follows the completion of Phase 1, which delivered 130 residential units, 100 at the bottom site and 30 at the top site with water and electricity infrastructure now in place through prepaid systems.

A Facility Management Company has been appointed to oversee the administration and tenanting of the completed units, with the first group of tenants expected to occupy units from April 2026. The process will be rolled out incrementally.

The redevelopment forms part of broader government interventions aimed at addressing historical inequalities in access to housing and basic services. Through programmes such as the Community Residential Units (CRU) and Breaking New Ground policy, government has sought to transform former hostels into integrated, well-located human settlements.

These efforts are aligned with the constitutional right to access adequate housing, as well as government’s commitment to improving living standards through the provision of water, sanitation, electricity and secure tenure.

The Dark City and Silver City hostels have long been associated with overcrowding and deteriorating infrastructure, conditions that undermine residents’ dignity and quality of life.

At the start of the project, Silver City hostel consisted of 314 units with limited communal ablution facilities serving about 1 248 residents, while Dark City had 128 rooms accommodating more than 2 000 people, with shared kitchens and toilets.

Government first introduced the Hostel Redevelopment Programme in 2001 to address these conditions. Mangaung Municipality began implementing upgrades in 2009, including the provision of basic services such as water, sanitation, electricity and roads.

As part of the initial redevelopment, the hostels were reconfigured to accommodate approximately 619 family units, along with 121 RDP houses for qualifying beneficiaries.

Despite this, the project has faced significant challenges, including delays, contractor non-performance and vandalism of construction sites. The Auditor-General also identified material irregularities linked to project implementation.

Government has, however, maintained that stabilising and accelerating such projects is critical to restoring public trust and ensuring that communities benefit from improved living conditions.

The Provincial Department of Human Settlements said the project remains a key intervention in advancing spatial transformation and delivering dignified rental housing on well-located land.

Once complete, the units will be handed over to the municipality, which will take over long-term management and maintenance in line with CRU programme guidelines. – SAnews.gov.za

The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources has clarified recent media reports that reference remarks made by the Director of the Fuel Pricing Mechanism, Robert Maake, suggesting that working from home could help employees manage the impact of rising fuel costs.

“The department categorically states that these remarks were made in response to a question from the floor during a workshop on fuel pricing mechanisms. 

“In that context, working from home was mentioned purely as an example of one of several possible options that individuals or organisations might consider to mitigate rising transport-related costs,” the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources said in a statement.

“It is therefore incorrect to report or interpret the response given during the workshop as an official position or policy proposal of the department or government.”

The department said the response was not presented as a directive, recommendation, or policy intervention, but rather as part of a broader discussion during the workshop.

“Government continues to engage on matters relating to fuel supply, fuel pricing and the broader cost-of-living pressures affecting South Africans. Any policy positions or decisions will be communicated through the appropriate official channels,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa’s economy is showing clear signs of recovery, pointing to renewed investor confidence and sustained growth as key indicators that the country is “turning a corner”.

Speaking at the opening of Ninety One’s new offices in Cape Town on Thursday, President Ramaphosa said the investment was a strong vote of confidence in the country’s economic future. 

“This investment signals a long-term commitment to South Africa and its future. It is a tangible demonstration of confidence in our economy, and a step forward in our national ambition to be a global financial services hub,” he said. 

The President highlighted improving economic indicators, including four consecutive quarters of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, a stabilising national debt and three years of primary budget surpluses.

He said these developments, alongside structural reforms, were positioning South Africa as an increasingly attractive destination for global investors.

“Across the world, investors are looking at South Africa with renewed interest, as an emerging market with strong institutions, sound policy and a solid track record of reform. 

“The tangible improvements in our economic performance that we are experiencing now are the result of a sustained, multi-year effort to reform our economy and to fix what was broken,” President Ramaphosa said.

The financial sector, he noted, remains a cornerstone of the economy, contributing more than a fifth of GDP, generating around 25% of corporate income tax, and supporting nearly three million jobs.

The President said government was working to strengthen the sector and position the country as a global financial services hub, particularly for firms seeking a base for African and emerging market operations. 

He also pointed to progress in key reforms, including improvements in energy supply, rail and port operations, and efforts to attract private sector investment.

“The crippling electricity crisis has ended, investment is on the rise, and the economy is creating more jobs. 

“We have implemented far-reaching reforms in our energy sector to enable private investment and are moving to restructure Eskom and establish a fully independent Transmission System Operator to create a level playing field for competition,” he said.

Government plans to spend more than R1 trillion on infrastructure over the next three years, to unlock further private investment through public-private partnerships and financing mechanisms.

President Ramaphosa added that collaboration between government and business had been central to the country’s recent progress, particularly in stabilising state-owned enterprises and restoring governance following years of state capture.

He said milestones such as South Africa’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list and its first sovereign credit rating upgrade in nearly two decades were further signs of economic improvement.

The President described Ninety One’s expansion as an example of the strength of South Africa’s financial sector and local talent.

“With its long and established presence at home combined with a global footprint, Ninety One can play a leading role in elevating the prominence, stature and scale of our financial sector.

“This company stands as proof that we more than have what it takes, that our local talent is world-class, and that our ambitions are well-placed,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) has expressed deep sadness at the passing of veteran journalist, legendary author and struggle stalwart, Terry Bell, at the age of 84. 

Bell played an active and principled role in the struggle against apartheid, using both his voice and his writing to advance justice, expose inequality and support the cause of democratic change in South Africa. 

Through his distinguished career in journalism and his contributions to books documenting labour struggles, political history, and the lived realities of working people, he helped preserve critical chapters of our nation’s journey to freedom.

“He left an indelible mark on the country and beyond its borders. Bell was pivotal in supporting international solidarity efforts against apartheid, including campaigns to boycott the Springboks and protests in New Zealand opposing apartheid policies in South Africa. 

“Grounded firmly in his principles, his contribution in the Truth and Reconciliation process helped shine a light on the heinous crimes of the past and contributed meaningfully to the nation’s pursuit of truth, justice and reconciliation,” the GCIS said on Wednesday. 

As a valued stakeholder in the communication environment, the media sector continues to draw inspiration from his integrity, courage and dedication to truth-telling and democratic accountability.

“GCIS extends its sincere condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and the media fraternity. His legacy will remain an enduring reminder of the important role of ethical journalism in strengthening our constitutional democracy.” –SAnews.gov.za

Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe has called on South Africans not to panic as the South African fuel supply remains stable.

The Minister was answering questions in Parliament on Wednesday.

Fuel supply security has come under scrutiny following heightened tensions in Iran which led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz – causing a disruption in the flow of global oil and liquified natural gas supplies.

“Despite the heightened geopolitical risk, including disruptions in the Middle East shipping routes, the Republic’s current petroleum supply security arrangement remains robust. The latest monitoring report confirms the overall supply is stable across petroleum products, with imports arriving as planned through the mid-April 2026.

“Inland supply is supported by stable refining. Sasol, SAPREF [South African Petroleum Refineries] and the coal to liquid refinery in Secunda is ensuring that there is a reliable supply of energy.

“The reason why we are confident is that our department meets the petroleum producers – all of them – twice a week to monitor the situation. So, when we articulate a position, it’s not only for the state-owned entities, but we are also talking for everybody,” Mantashe said.

The Minister added that the Cape Town refinery’s maintenance shutdown ends at the end of April, which is expected to “add to the reliability of the supply in the country”.

Turning to Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), Mantashe assured that supply on this front has also remained stable.

“Our crude oil is sourced from Africa and the Atlantic basin – not in the Middle East. So, every arrangement that we do is supplementing what we normally source from the Middle East. Our refining capacity is giving us 40% security in energy supply. But forward imports are covering for longer periods as we look for diversification.

“Even the Strait of Hormuz allows cargo that comes to South Africa without interruption. That means, we are having the chance of having stable supply over a long period. There should be no panic in society,” he explained.

Mantashe added that supply is secured “until the end of April, including jet fuel”.

“Jet fuel…has been announced as short. It is not short. The price has gone up dramatically, almost double. But there is no shortage of supply of jet fuel,” the Minister said.

He revealed that South Africa has at least 8 million barrels of crude oil in its strategic fuel stock.

“That is not used. It will be used when it’s a real crisis. Our supply of energy is divided into two. [Some] 60% is imported processed products and 40% is processed by our own refineries and Sasol,” Mantashe said. – SAnews.gov.za