Author: The Bulrushes
Ottawa- In a case that authorities have compared to a movie script, a former Air Canada captain stands accused of commanding hundreds of commercial flights carrying tens of thousands of passengers without the required captain’s license for almost two decades. Fifty-nine-year-old Geoffrey Wall, of Barrie, Ontario, was arrested on June 1, 2026, as part of a fraud investigation dubbed “Project Icarus” by Peel Regional Police. Wall began his career with Air Canada in 1998 and flew for a total of 27 years. He was promoted to captain in 2009, but, according to police, never obtained or properly held the mandatory…
AVBOB Funeral Services has confirmed that a recent disruption to its digital platforms and services was caused by external malicious actors. The company is treating the incident as a serious cyber attack and has mobilized technical teams and specialist partners to restore functionality. Adriaan Bester, General Manager of Corporate Affairs at AVBOB, on Monday, 8 June 2026, said: “The matter is being treated with the utmost seriousness, and our technical teams, together with specialist partners, are working around the clock to restore functionality.” He added that while investigations are ongoing to determine the full scope of the breach, including whether…
Johannesburg – Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has earned a reputation as someone who can transform a country’s economic fortunes. After launching Nigeria’s only oil refinery in 2024, the country’s annual GDP growth jumped from 2.74% in 2023 to 3.4% in 2024,and is projected to hit 4.3% in 2026. Analysts estimate the refinery could boost Nigeria’s economy some $400 billion by 2030, driven by a revival of the country’s manufacturing sector. Perhaps most importantly, the refinery has proved that Africa can build and operate world-class industrial infrastructure. After the war in Iran strangled oil exports from the Gulf, Dangote’s refinery upped its output…
Durban – South Africa has hosted its first national round of the international engineering competition HackAtom, bringing together university students from across the country to compete in solving technology and energy-related challenges. The winning team from the University of Zululand will now advance to the international final in Moscow alongside participants from 15 countries. From 5 to 6 May, South Africa hosted its first-ever national selection round of the international engineering hackathon HackAtom, bringing together 7 teams from the University of Zululand, Tshwane University of Technology, North-West University, the University of the Witwatersrand, University of Johannesburg, University of Limpopo, and…
Pretoria – The Presidency has announced that President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation tonight at 20:00 regarding the judgment of the Constitutional Court that ordered Parliament to initiate an impeachment inquiry. The matter relates to the case brought by the Economic Freedom Fighters challenging the National Assembly’s decision with respect to Section 89 proceedings against the President. The President will address the nation as follows: Date: Monday, 11 May 2026 Time: 20:00
In contemporary South Africa, debates about the future tend to split into separate conversations. Energy specialists talk in megawatts and emissions; cultural practitioners in narratives and identities. Yet both spheres, in different ways, are grappling with the same question: what kind of future do we consider acceptable, and what will power it — materially and imaginatively? Last year in October, Electricity Minister Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa stated that South Africa could have cleaner energy and an end to load-shedding in 14 years. Ramokgopa was presenting the Integrated Resource Plan 2025, outlining the country’s future electricity strategy. The plan envisions adding 105 gigawatts of…
The University of Zululand will host the South African Global HackAtom on 5-6 May 2026 at its Kwadlangezwa Campus. HackAtom is an international 24‑hour hackathon where students who study different disciplines at the same university develop practical solutions to real challenges in the nuclear and high‑tech sectors. The organisers invite students from across South Africa to form teams and take part in this intensive marathon. “South African students have enormous potential to shape the future of clean and reliable energy,” noted CEO of Rosatom Central and Southern Africa Ryan Collyer. “Global HackAtom is more than a competition – it is…
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has initiated legal action against the City of Johannesburg to halt what the party claims is the implementation of an unfunded R10 billion salary agreement. Councillor Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku, the DA Johannesburg Caucus Leader, on Wednesday, 4 March 2026, said her party, ”served the City with legal papers to stop the implementation of an unfunded R10 billion salary agreement concluded with the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU), which threatens to push the municipality deeper into a financial and service delivery crisis”. Earlier this year, 2026, the City of Johannesburg approved salary hikes for top officials, aligning…
Pretoria – The controversial National Health Insurance (NHI) has been put on hold pending the outcome of a ruling by the Constitutional Court. The litigation that has been initiated by various parties against the President and the Minister of Health. These cases relate to the public participation process that led to the adoption of the NHI Bill by Parliament. Following consultations with Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, President Cyril Ramaphosa agreed to delay the proclamation of any sections of the NHI Act until the Constitutional Court has handed down its judgments in challenges due to be heard from 5 to 7…
Kimberley – Ekapa Minerals Joint Shaft Mine in Kimberley, Northern Cape, has suspended operations and intensified search and rescue operations for five missing miners. The mine workers went missing earlier this week when a mudslide hit the mine and trapped them underground. RELATED: Ekapa Mine Mudslide: 5 Miners Remain Trapped, NUM Calls For Urgent Rescue – The Bulrushes Five mine workers have been trapped underground since Tuesday, 17 February 2026, on level 842, due to the mudrush. “The immediate priority remains the intensive 24-hour rescue operation aimed at locating and bringing to safety the five mine employees who are currently unaccounted…
Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA), South Africa’s leading social insurer, has officially launched its flagship STEAM Project at Botlhabelo High School in Brits, in the North West province, marking a major investment in South Africa’s future skills pipeline. The initiative, funded by RMA in partnership with the Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (INSETA), the North West Provincial Department of Education, and Northam Platinum Mines, represents a multi‑million‑rand commitment to strengthening science, technology, engineering, accounting, and mathematics (STEAM) capabilities among learners in rural and underdeveloped areas. As part of RMA’s broader Social Insurance mandate, the project highlights the organisation’s commitment to…
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on all law enforcement agencies and other relevant criminal justice institutions to act with speed in implementing the recommendations of the Madlanga Commission’s interim report. In a statement made available to The Bulrushes on Thursday, 29 January 2026, President Ramaphosa revealed that the interim report had found serious wrongdoing and that immediate action should be taken against implicated individuals. “The Commission, in accordance with its terms of reference, makes several referrals concerning matters that require immediate further investigation by the relevant and impacted law enforcement institutions, including criminal investigations,” the statement said. “President Ramaphosa expects all…
Mettus, a collective of data and analytics businesses that includes credit bureau Xpert Decision Systems (XDS), has launched the Splendi app to help consumers understand their credit profile, build healthier money habits, and approach the year ahead with more confidence rather than more debt. Splendi is a South African credit wellness platform geared towards younger, digitally active individuals who may be new to credit or juggling multiple small account. It provides users with free access to their most up-to-date credit information, including an automatically calculated credit score every time they log in. Consumers can also view their full credit report…
Johannesburg – A selected group of 50 South African students is travelling to study e-commerce in China. The graduates selected from 21 Technical, Vocational and Education Training (TVET) colleges will receive training in e-commerce and global exposure in international retail standards and trade trends. The students will depart from OR Tambo International Airport on Monday, 12 January 2026, to participate in a one-year e-commerce programme fully funded by the Wholesale and Retail SETA (W&RSETA). In a statement on Friday, 9 January 2026, W&RSETA Spokesperson Vukani Mnyandu explained that the programme was mainly aimed at equipping South African youth in digital…
The Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA), South Africa’s pioneering social insurer, has participated in the three-day South African Local Government Association (SALGA) National Members Assembly. The SALGA conference, which took place in Durban from 25 to 27 November 2025, is a cornerstone event in the local government calendar that brought together leaders, policymakers, and partners to address the challenges and opportunities facing municipalities. RMA said its attendance underscores its commitment to protecting workers’ rights and supporting municipalities with tailored insurance solutions. As the voice of local government, SALGA plays a critical role in strengthening service delivery, promoting cooperative governance, and ensuring…
The increasing reliance on advanced technologies capable of operating all day and all night has heightened fears of possible job losses at mining companies. Commenting on mounting concerns about how this development is impacting employment and local communities, Deputy Chair of Corridor Mining Resources (CMR) Praise Ragimana, said: “Technology should be implemented responsibly in the mining sector”. Ragimana, who is also a seasoned entrepreneur, said technology should complement workers’ output and not replace them. “New mining technology, which can mine and produce more efficiently and operate around the clock, must not be used as a reason to replace local communities,”…
AfriForum has brought a court application challenging the City of Johannesburg’s by-law that seeks to regulate and control CCTV networks installed in public spaces and private property. AfriForum says it brought the court application in the High Court in Johannesburg on Friday, 18 July 2025, to challenge the Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality’s controversial CCTV by-law. The by-law seeks to regulate and control CCTV networks installed in public spaces and private property of which the range and angle of coverage include public space. “The use of traditional CCTV cameras, drones, automatic number plate recognition systems and even body-worn cameras will be regulated…
FlySafair has cancelled some flights owing to a pilot strike prompted by the impasse over salary hikes. Solidarity, the union that represents most of the pilots, warned last week of an impending strike after FlySafair’s final offer – a 5,7% salary increase along with some additional adjustments to compensation – was rejected by the vast majority of Solidarity members. RELATED: Strike Looms At FlySafair: Salary Negotiations Deadlock – The Bulrushes On Monday, 21 July 2025, the low-cost airline issued a notice on its website saying: “We’re sorry to inform you that due to the intensifying strike action, some of our flights…
Businessman Yakub Ahmed Suleman Bhikhu, who evaded arrest for six years, has been sentenced to 10 years for fraud, forgery, uttering, and money laundering involving R66 million stolen from Transnet. However, the Pretoria Regional Court, which convicted Bhikhu and his company, Homix (Pty) Ltd, on 81 counts that include fraud, forgery, uttering, money laundering, and the Contravention of the Tax Administration Act, suspended half the sentence. The accused pleaded guilty to all charges levelled against him and his company. As a result of these crimes committed by Bhiku and his company between 2012 and 2015, Transnet lost R66 million. Explaining…
President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is away in Brazil, has warned against continuing the public spat between KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) top policeman, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, and Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. The KZN police commissioner, Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi, on Sunday accused Minister Mchunu of meddling in criminal cases. RELATED: KZN Police Boss Mkhwanazi Accuses Police Minister Of Meddling In Crime Cases – The Bulrushes Police Minister Mchunu responded, saying Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi was making “wild allegations” without evidence. Accusations of wrongdoing made by the police boss in a live television broadcast against the Police Minister have been noted by President Ramaphosa, who is attending…
The reason Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema was denied a visa to enter the United Kingdom has been revealed and his party says it is “not surprised”. The UK has revealed that it denied Malema a visa because of his openly expressed support for Hamas and utterances considered as inciting racial violence. Reacting to the revelations, the EFF in a statement on Thursday, 19 June 2025, said it was “not surprised by the confirmation from the UK that the visa application by the Commander in Chief and President of the EFF Julius Malema was in fact denied due to…
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has delayed social grant payments of thousands of applicants who did not disclose that they have other income. SASSA said Tuesday, 27 May 2025, that it was assisted by registered Credit Bureaus when it “identified about 210 000 social grant beneficiaries who appear to be receiving income that was not truthfully disclosed to the agency”. The Social Assistance Act and its regulations say beneficiaries are legally required to fully disclose all sources of income during their initial application. They are also obligated to inform SASSA of any changes to their financial circumstances after…
The move to relax Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment laws to enable Starlink to have a shot at setting up shop in South Africa has not only raised eyebrows but attracted the interest of Parliament. The Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies in Parliament has invited Minister Solly Malatsi and the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies to brief it on “the recently gazetted policy directions that appear to be in contravention of the Electronic Communications Act and in favour of low earth orbit satellite provider SpaceX”. On Friday, 23 May 2025, Minister Malatsi announced, through a media statement, the…
The Department of Home Affairs has launched a biometric verification operation to combat illegal immigration. “This morning, the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr. Leon Schreiber, launched ‘Operation New Broom’ as the latest technology-driven initiative to arrest, convict, and deport illegal immigrants occupying public spaces,” the department said on Wednesday, (21 May 2025). “The first operation of what will be an ongoing nationwide campaign took place in District 6 in Cape Town, where 25 suspects were arrested while occupying land meant for restitution to the victims of forced removals.” The department explained that “Operation New Broom” tackles an old issue with…
The Competition Commission (“Commission”) has recommended that the Competition Tribunal (“Tribunal”) approves the proposed transaction whereby Groupe Canal+ SAS (“Canal+”) intends to acquire MultiChoice Group Limited (“MCG”), with conditions. The recommendation follows the Commission’s investigation of the large merger notification received on 30 September 2024. The primary acquiring firm is Canal+, a French société par actions simplifiée registered with the Registre du Commerce et des Sociétés in Nanterre, France. Canal+ is a subsidiary of Canal+ SA, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market. Canal+ together with its ultimate controllers, and the firms controlled by those firms are…