Author: Agency

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has engaged its United States of America (USA) counterparts on the resettlement of South Africans claiming refugee status in that country. This follows reports that the US is preparing to fly at least 50 Afrikaaner South Africans to the US as early as this coming week. In a statement, DIRCO revealed that Deputy Minister Alvin Botes on Friday held a cordial discussion and raised concern with US Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, in this regard. DIRCO noted the internationally recognised definition of refugees, as set out in the 1951 Refugee Convention…

South Africa’s Presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) is a “defining moment” not only for the country but for the entire African continent. This is according to Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille, who was delivering remarks during the opening of the second G20 Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting held in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, on Sunday. “South Africa’s very proud to host the G20 for the first time on African soil. It’s a defining moment for South Africa and for the rest of the continent because the G20 nations represent 85% of the globally economy, 75% of international trade and 67% of the…

Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has reiterated government’s commitment to an energy transition that is just and inclusive for all. The Minister was delivering the opening remarks at the G20 Energy Transitions Working Groups (ETWG) Technical Teams meeting held in Cape Town on Thursday. “We must affirm, unequivocally, that a successful transition is one that does not displace workers but rather, transforms their prospects. It must prioritise reskilling, protect livelihoods and anchor new industries that generate quality jobs. “The transition must not extract from the many to enrich the few but [it must] expand opportunity in a…

Great news for millions of South African grant beneficiaries is that SASSA Gold Cards will remain operational beyond 31 May 2025, ensuring uninterrupted access to social grants. The announcement made last week, comes as a relief for beneficiaries who have not yet migrated to the new Postbank Black Cards, putting an end to any uncertainty about payment disruptions. In a statement, Postbank reassured users that Gold Cards will continue to function across all payment platforms, including ATMs, retail stores, and POS devices. This means beneficiaries can still withdraw cash, make purchases, and access their funds as usual – no immediate…

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has encouraged all Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant beneficiaries to ensure that they do an identity verification.  In a statement issued on Friday, SASSA Mpumalanga spokesperson Senzeni Ngubeni urged all beneficiaries that are required to go through this process to do so to avoid any delays.  “There is no short cut. All beneficiaries that are required to go through this process, they must do it to avoid delays and disappointment of not receiving the grant. The main reason one would receive a “identity verification” status message is that the agency suspects fraudulent…

Government needs several systems in place to implement the National Health Insurance (NHI), which is aimed at providing universal health coverage. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), an entity of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), is supporting the implementation of the NHI by developing some of the technology required. The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande, recently hosted President Cyril Ramaphosa at the CSIR. The President toured various facilities and was given information and demonstrations on several aspects of the CSIR’s work. These included the development of systems to support the NHI,…

Government has called on eligible South African spaza shop owners in townships and rural areas who want to improve, expand, and sustain their shops to apply for assistance with the R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund (SSSF). This as government officially opened applications for the fund aimed at increasing the participation of South African owned spaza shops in the townships and rural areas retail trade sector. READ | Government empowers spaza shops What the support fund seeks to achieve: •    It provides funding, training, business skills development, and technical support to help businesses compete effectively against larger retailers. •    Offers funding of…

The department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, has launched an online platform that allows a proponent intending to submit an application for environmental authorisation to screen their proposed site for any environmental sensitivity. Launched last week by the department’s Minister, Dr Dion George, the platform known as the National Web-Based Environmental Screening Tool, is a geographically based web-enabled application that streamlines environmental approvals, reduces bureaucratic hurdles, and fosters economic growth while protecting the natural heritage. It was gazetted on 5 July 2019 as mandatory for all Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) applications in terms of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)…

A 39-year-old cellphone shop owner is expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s next week where he will face charges of being in possession of suspected stolen property, said the South African Police Service (SAPS). This as police officers went to a block of flats in Alexandra Road, Bloemfontein. “Upon arrival, they encountered a 39-year-old foreign national who initially denied them entry to his flat. After persuading the suspect to grant access, officers discovered approximately ten large bags containing various brands of cellphones, tablets, and laptops,” the SAPS in the Free State said on Wednesday. Preliminary investigations indicate that a…

Four advanced unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones and 40 body-worn cameras will be deployed for the first time at the country’s ports of entry over the coming Easter long weekend. The drones are equipped with some of the most advanced night vision cameras in the world, including thermal detection technology. Powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), the devices are able to recognise and lock onto heat sources, moving people, or vehicles. They can also travel at speeds up to 43 kilometres per hour and are capable of operating in remote rural areas without access to GPS and even underground.…