South Africa is at a critical juncture in its approach to gambling regulation, with government seriously considering implementing a 20% national tax on gross gambling revenue (GGR) as the online betting sector continues its explosive growth across the country. The proposal, which targets online, interactive, and sports betting platforms, represents one of the most significant … Read more
South Africa’s anti-corruption watchdog is making a bold push for expanded powers that could fundamentally reshape how we investigate corruption among public officials. The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has thrown its weight behind legislative amendments that would grant the agency independent authority to conduct lifestyle audits on government employees — a move that could prove … Read more
The global energy crisis triggered by Middle Eastern tensions has sent fuel prices soaring, leaving South African motorists watching anxiously as international petrol markets fluctuate. While governments worldwide grapple with the fallout, a contentious debate has emerged around one proposed solution: suspending motor fuel taxes. Yet as we’ve seen from developments across the Atlantic, this … Read more
Political campaigning in South Africa has fundamentally transformed, moving away from expensive traditional advertising towards authentic, phone-driven storytelling that connects directly with voters on the ground. Tebogo Ditshego, CEO of Ditshego Media, has highlighted this seismic shift in how parties are now reaching South Africans ahead of crucial elections, particularly at the local government level … Read more
President Cyril Ramaphosa has come out swinging in defence of Roelf Meyer’s appointment as South Africa’s next ambassador to the United States, dismissing criticism about the veteran diplomat’s political past and insisting that all envoys must uphold government policy regardless of their background. The announcement has sparked heated debate across the political spectrum, with critics … Read more
Julius Malema has scored a significant legal win in the Gauteng High Court, where a judge ruled in his favour in a defamation case brought against controversial social media commentator Musa Khawula. The ruling comes at a time when the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader is awaiting sentencing at the East London Regional Court on … Read more
Last month Meenu Batra, a 53‑year‑old court interpreter, was abruptly detained at Harlingen International Airport while heading to Milwaukee for work. Batra, the only Texas‑licensed interpreter for Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu, has spent more than two decades aiding South Asian migrants through the immigration court system. Her routine trips from the Rio Grande Valley to … Read more
The heat surrounding the Trump Pope feud has taken on a global dimension, with the US president’s relentless barbs at the head of the Catholic Church spilling over into the already volatile Iran conflict. From Washington to Johannesburg, political analysts are watching nervously as the spat threatens to reshuffle alliances both across the Atlantic and … Read more
The Phala Phala scandal has taken a significant new turn after a damning report by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) confirmed that members of the Presidential Protection Service ran an unlawful, off-the-books investigation into the 2020 burglary at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm. The report, which was completed back in 2023 but … Read more
A classified report by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), completed in 2023 and recently obtained through a Promotion of Access to Information Act request, has laid bare a deeply troubling chain of events surrounding the 2020 theft of approximately $580,000 — roughly R9-million — at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm. The report paints … Read more