Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson and Deputy Sihle Zikalala Wrestle Over Expropriation Act

The expropriation bill, which President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law on Thursday, has pitted the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), Dean Macpherson, against his deputy, Sihle Zikalala.

This was after the two expressed contradictory views on X (Twitter) today, 24 January 2025, with Mcpherson dismissing Zikalala’s eagerness to implement the expropriation law as nothing more than a personal “opinion.”

The Expropriation Act is the latest policy battleground between the DA and the ANC, Mcpherson and Zikalala’s political homes,READ MORE

King Misuzulu KaZwelithini has filled the first critical post that was left vacant last week he abruptly fired Prince Simphiwe of KwaMinyamanzi as his representative in the KwaZulu-Natal House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, and in the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders in Cape Town.

The Zulu King has since appointed Prince Sylope Gumbela Zulu from the Mandlakazi Royal House in Nongoma to take over the position.

This is contained in a letter seen by the African TimesREAD MORE

Ethiopia has achieved US$1.5 billion in revenue from gold exports during the first half of the current fiscal year. This is reported by Fana Media Corporation (FMC), a partner of TV BRICS.

The Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration reported this milestone, with Minister Kassahun Gofe highlighting the pivotal role of Ethiopia’s diverse topography and climate in supporting a range of valuable resources.

Kassahun emphasised the importance of optimising Ethiopia’s abundant natural resourcesREAD MORE

Egypt’s Finance Minister, Ahmed Kouchouk, has announced the upcoming approval of a new simplified tax system designed to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), entrepreneurs, and professionals. The initiative forms part of a broader government strategy to stimulate investment and foster private sector development, thereby bolstering the country’s economy.

A key feature of the reform is the reintroduction of selective tax audits for all taxpayer categories, which is expected to enhance trust between businesses and the state. This is reportedREAD MORE

A rural school in northern South Africa has risen from 28% to 98.2 matric pass rate, a turnaround that has made it the pride of the community and one of the best-performing educational institutions in the country.

Within three years, Mashooro High School in Bolobedu, outside Tzaneen in the Limpopo Province, transformed itself from one of the worst-performing schools into a centre of excellence. 

Situated at Ga-Mokgwathi Village, the school’s matric pass rate rose from an embarrassing 28% inREAD MORE

First Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus Sergey Lukashevich met with President of the New Development Bank (NDB) Dilma Rousseff. This is reported by BelTA, a partner of TV BRICS, with reference to the press service of the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting was held at the NDB headquarters in Shanghai. The Belarusian delegation included representatives of the Ministry of Finance.

It is noted that the parties discussed the development of financial mechanismsREAD MORE

The Head of the Hawks, Lt Godfrey Lebeya, has publicly confirmed that the fraud and corruption investigation against Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the embattled Minister in the Presidency, is almost done.

Lebeya said the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) are currently tying up some loose ends in the high-profile corruption case involving Ntshavheni, a member of the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC). 

He was speaking to SABC News earlier on Thursday (January 23) about their investigation into Ntshavheni’s alleged corruptionREAD MORE

The staff of the Maluti-a-Phofung Water Board started 2025 on a sour note after their employer failed to pay their January salaries on time. 

The staff believed to be slightly over 100 were supposed to receive the salaries Thursday (January 23), but that did not happen.

The water board is owned by the troubled Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality in Phuthaditjhaba in the Free State province. In December last year the municipality took over the responsibility to pay staff salaries after aREAD MORE

Humming factories, bustling ports, and shuttling merchants highlight the vibrancy of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. Over the years, this partnership has grown significantly, optimising trade structures and fostering mutual development. This deepening collaboration is evident in China’s role as Africa’s largest bilateral trading partner for 15 consecutive years. 

During the first seven months of 2024, trade between China and African countries reached $167 billion, reflecting a 5.5-percent increase compared to the same period in 2023. According to the InternationalREAD MORE

The Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party has reinforced its parliamentary forces by bringing in former City of Joburg Speaker Colleen Makhubele and energy expert Crown Prince Adil Nchabeleng as its new Members of Parliament (MP). 

The party announced their appointment late on Wednesday (January 22) and outlined its expectations from them as they assume their new roles. 

Former President Jacob Zuma’s party won more than 50 seats in the May 29 2023 general elections. 

They join a growing list of prominentREAD MORE