Author: Agency

Individuals whose identity documents (IDs) were blocked prior to November 2022, have until 10 July 2026 to submit representations to unblocking their documents, the Department of Home Affairs said. in a statement on Monday, the department said it was launching a nationwide campaign to assist individuals whose IDs were blocked prior to November 2022 and to ensure the integrity of the National Population Register. “In accordance with section 3 of the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA) of 2000, affected individuals are invited to submit representations explaining why their identity numbers should be unblocked,” it said. It added that it…

President Cyril Ramaphosa says government will intensify efforts to grow the economy, create jobs and attract investment, despite growing global uncertainties that threaten South Africa’s economic recovery. Delivering the Presidency Budget Vote in the National Assembly on Tuesday, President Ramaphosa said the Presidency remains focused on driving inclusive growth and job creation, reducing poverty and the cost of living, and building a capable and ethical State. The President said South Africa’s economic outlook has improved following years of challenges. “Following years of challenges, our economy is on the mend. The macroeconomic environment has improved, tax collection revenues remain strong, public…

The Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (DMPR) has announced that petrol will increase by R1.43 this Wednesday, while the prices of diesel, paraffin and LP gas will decrease. The adjusted prices for this month are as follows: Petrol 93 (ULP & LRP): R1.43 increase. Petrol 95 (ULP &LRP): R1.43 increase. Diesel (0.05% sulphur): R3.24 decrease. Diesel (0.005% sulphur): R2.61 decrease. Illuminating Paraffin (wholesale): R5.96 decrease. Single Maximum National Retail Price for Illuminating Paraffin: R7.95 decrease. Maximum Retail Price of LP Gas: 17c per kg decrease and 20c per kg decrease in the Western Cape. “The average Brent Crude oil…

Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has outlined the government’s plans to combat misinformation, disinformation and malinformation, including proposals for a public fact-checking platform, restrictions on fake news broadcasts, and mandatory disclosure of AI-generated content on digital platforms. Tabling the Government Communication and Information System’s (GCIS) Budget Vote in Parliament on Wednesday, the Minister warned that digital media and artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly being used as tools to spread false information. “South Africa’s situation is exacerbated by the fact that South Africans are rated as the topmost people propagandised people in the world in the Ipsos Perils of Perception…

Nearly 15 000 people have applied for the Gautrain’s discounted KlevaMova affordability product within its first year, with the initiative now accounting for approximately 11% of all Gautrain passenger trips. Launched in May 2025, KlevaMova offers qualifying passengers a 50% discount on Gautrain fares. The product is aimed at households earning R350 000 or less annually, as well as scholars, pensioners and South African Social Security Agency disability grant recipients. According to the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport and the Gautrain Management Agency, around 6 000 approved users are actively using the system after completing the required verification process.…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has, in terms of section 91(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, has removed Minister of Social Development, Sisisi Tolashe, from her position.  Section 91(2) of the Constitution empowers the President to appoint and dismiss members of the Cabinet at his/ her discretion. In a brief statement issued on Thursday, the Presidency confirmed the immediate dismissal and announced an interim appointment to ensure continuity in the department’s operations. President Ramaphosa appointed Sindisiwe Chikunga to serve as acting Minister of Social Development with immediate effect, while a permanent appointment is expected to be made…

The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) is expected to receive almost R31 billion this year to maintain, rehabilitate, upgrade and expand the road network. “These funds will be used for capital expenditure on the non-toll network, the Gauteng Freeway Improvement project operations; the N2 Wild Coast route for ongoing construction on major bridges, and new road sections on our national highways as well as the development of the Moloto Road corridor,” Minister of Transport  Barbara Creecy said on Tuesday in Parliament. The Minister was tabling the Department of Transport’s R102 billion Budget Vote, aimed at building a transformed, inclusive and…

President Cyril Ramaphosa says he will not resign following last week’s Constitutional Court judgment on the Section 89 impeachment process linked to the 2020 theft at his Phala Phala farm. Addressing the nation at the Union Buildings in Tshwane on Monday evening, the President said nothing in the Constitutional Court ruling compels him to step down from office, adding that resigning would undermine constitutional processes and efforts to renew the country’s institutions. “I, therefore, respectfully want to make it clear that I will not resign. To do so would be to preempt a process defined by the Constitution. To do…

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) is inviting interested parties to submit bids in response to the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the appointment of a terminal operator to finance, operate, maintain, refurbish and/or construct a Liquid Bulk Terminal at the Port of Cape Town for a 25-year concession period. The project site is an existing brownfield development comprising a tank farm with eight storage tanks offering a combined storage capacity of approximately 44,430 m³, including an adjacent storage warehouse and admin building. The site allows for the interface with common-user berths at Tanker Basin 1 and Tanker Basin 2, supporting…

Cabinet has condemned the viral circulation of fake videos and images claiming to be of attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa. “The fake videos and images… are intended to undermine the good reputation of South Africa internationally and undermine South Africa’s pursuit of a better Africa agenda. “South Africans are within their right to protest against the spiralling illegal immigration challenge, but violence linked to those protests in the past is not acceptable and law enforcement must deal with the instigators of such violence,” said Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni on Thursday at a post Cabinet briefing in…

Cabinet says South Africa continues to demonstrate world-class medical and scientific expertise in its handling of the recent cases of Hantavirus. This comes after South African officials worked with speed to detect, contain and respond to the cases of Hantavirus in the country. Briefing media on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, 6 May, Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said Cabinet commended the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) for diagnosing two Hantavirus cases within 24 hours of the patients’ admission at a Gauteng hospital. Members were also briefed on the circumstances surrounding the transfer of…

The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) says there has been a significant decline in fraudulent learner licence passes, following the introduction of computerised testing systems at licensing centres across South Africa. The computerised learner licence testing system, introduced in 2021, was implemented to combat widespread fraud and corruption in the issuing of learner driver licences, improve efficiency and enhance road safety. Before the rollout of the technology, officials at testing centres were reportedly able to identify question papers in advance and illegally provide learners with answers before the test, allowing unqualified applicants to pass. According to the RTMC, the new…

The Department of Health (DoH) has called for public calm following confirmation of a rare Hantavirus case in a critically ill British national in South Africa. The patient was a passenger aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was travelling to the Canary Islands via Cape Verde from Argentina. The ship was carrying some 150 passengers and went past several islands, including mainland Antarctica, Falklands, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan, St Helena and Ascension. “Despite medical treatment provided to him at Ascension, his condition did not improve and necessitated his medical evacuation to a South African private health facility in…

The Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (DMPR) has announced that petrol and diesel prices will increase by between R3.27 and R6.19 from Wednesday. The increase comes alongside government efforts to cushion the blow for consumers through the extension of the R3 decrease in the general fuel levy for petrol with a R3.93 reduction for diesel. The adjusted prices for this month are as follows: Petrol 93 and 95 (ULP & LRP): R3.27 per litre (p/l) increase. Diesel (0.05% sulphur): R6.19 p/l increase. Diesel (0.005% sulphur): R6.19 p/l increase. Illuminating Paraffin (wholesale): R4.22 p/l increase Single Maximum National Retail Price…

South Africa will need nearly R2 trillion in public and private investment over the next 30 years to implement a plan positioning rail as the backbone of the country’s logistics and transport system.  This investment is expected to benefit the economy due to big infrastructure spending, with economic studies showing that for every R1 million invested, the economy could grow by about R4.3 million.  “This kind of investment would also support key industries like steel, cement, logistics, and engineering. It would create jobs and help increase people’s incomes,” Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy said on Thursday in Kempton Park, Gauteng. …

Home Affairs Minister, Dr Leon Schreiber, has welcomed Cabinet’s approval of the Revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection. Cabinet’s approval followed an extensive programme of public consultation undertaken by the Department of Home Affairs, which covered all nine provinces, and generated thousands of inputs from stakeholders and members of the public. According to the Department of Home Affairs, the Revised White Paper outlines the policy priorities for the most fundamental reform to South Africa’s citizenship, immigration and refugee protection frameworks. “It is designed to clamp down on fraud and abuse, enhance national security, improve service delivery through…

The Department of Home Affairs has launched a digital partnership model with banks, allowing people to apply for Smart ID cards directly at participating bank branches. The initiative officially entered its live operational phase on Sunday, marking what the department described as a significant reform in its history. Through the programme, South Africans can complete a secure Smart ID application at selected bank branches within minutes using integrated digital systems. The partnership is part of the department’s broader reform programme, known as Home Affairs @ home, aimed at transforming how citizens access identity and civic services through digital platforms. Instead…

National Treasury’s Targeted and Responsible Savings (TARS) programme has identified some R12 billion in wasteful and ineffective programs within government. This according to Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana who delivered the 2026 Budget Speech in Parliament on Wednesday. “[In] the Budget last May, we promised that spending priorities would not be funded through tax increases if this could be avoided. We have kept that promise, through our commitment to finding savings from unproductive expenditure, closing leakages, and rooting out inefficiencies. “I am happy to announce that R12 billion in savings have been identified over the medium term,” Godongwana said. He emphasised…

All social grants, barring the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, will increase in the next financial year. This is according to the 2026 Budget Review released by National Treasury on Wednesday. The grant increases are as follows: Old age grant will increase from R2 315 to R2 400. War veterans grant will increase from R2 335 to R2 420. Disability grant will go up from R2 315 to R2 400. Foster care grant rises from R1 250 to R1 295. Care dependency grant will increase from R2 315 to R2 400. Child support grant will go up from…

Government has officially withdrawn the R20 billion tax increase for Value Added Tax (VAT) that was previously penciled in for the 2026 Budget, to provide inflationary relief to taxpayers. Tabling the 2026 Budget in Parliament on Wednesday, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana explained that the withdrawal was due to the tax system demonstrating resilience despite slow economic growth. “For 2025/26, the gross tax revenue is revised up by R21.3 billion compared to the estimate in the 2025 Budget. Higher-than-expected net VAT, corporate income tax, and dividends tax collections improved the in-year outlook. “As a result, the government has decided to…

Some 23 suspected members of an alleged R1 billion international scam syndicate have appeared in the Johannesburg Commercial Crimes Court on charges of contravention of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act (FAIS Act). The suspects were arrested in Gauteng this week, in a multi-agency operation, led by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks. “The arrests were the culmination of prosecutorial, internationally coordinated investigations conducted by the DPCI, the South African Police Service Crime Intelligence, the Financial Intelligence Centre, the United Kingdom National Crime Agency, the United States Department of Homeland Security Service, Australian…

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has issued a record 4 002 964 smart ID cards in the 2025 calendar year — the highest rate of delivery in the history of the department. This milestone represents a 17% increase on the 3 427 468 Smart IDs issued during 2024, which was itself a new record at the time. The 2025 performance is about 1.3 million more than the number of Smart IDs issued during the 2023 and 2022 calendar years. This historic breakthrough represents the latest milestone under the department’s vision to deliver Home Affairs @ home through the pursuit…

South Africa has had over 200 days free of interrupted power supply, indicating that Eskom’s power system remains stable. “South Africa has now experienced 231 consecutive days without an interrupted supply, with only 26 hours of load shedding recorded in April and May during this financial year,” the power utility said in a recent statement. The power utility on Friday said it continues to meet electricity demand, supported by sustained and measurable improvements in generation performance, despite the heavy rainfall experienced in December 2025. “The Generation Recovery Plan is delivering clear results, and together with the intensive planned maintenance carried…

With just several days into the new year, consumers will breathe a sigh of relief as the price of all grades of petrol is set to come down by between 62 and 66 cents this week. As of Wednesday, 7 January 2026, a litre of Petrol 93 (ULP & LRP) will decrease by 62 cents a litre and Petrol 95 (ULP &LRP) will decrease by 66 cents a litre. The decrease in price means that a litre of 95, which currently costs R21.41 cents a litre, will now cost R20.75 in Gauteng. In the coast, a litre of 95 will…