The University of South Africa (UNISA) has confirmed that Sarah-Jane Trent is a graduate of the institution after a statement circulating on social media falsely claimed she did not hold a degree from the university. In a media statement released on Monday, Unisa said Trent obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the institution in May 2013. The university also strongly distanced itself from a document that had been widely shared online and which purported to be from Unisa,…

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has issued a subpoena compelling the Head of Department (HOD) of the Eastern Cape Department of Health, Dr Rolene Wagner, to appear before the Commission over widespread failures in public healthcare services in the province. The subpoena was issued by the Commission’s Eastern Cape Provincial Office following a growing number of complaints from communities across the province regarding deteriorating conditions at state healthcare facilities. According to the SAHRC, the subpoena forms part of…

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has welcomed a judgment by the Western Cape High Court declaring that the power to change South Africa’s Value Added Tax (VAT) rate lies with Parliament and not the finance minister alone — a ruling the party says affirms its long-standing argument about democratic oversight over taxation. The court found that a provision in the Value Added Tax Act 89 of 1991 allowing the Minister of Finance to unilaterally alter the VAT rate is unconstitutional.…

Former African National Congress (ANC) MP Vincent Smith has been sentenced to seven years’ direct imprisonment by the Johannesburg High Court after entering into a plea and sentence agreement with the State in a corruption case linked to the Bosasa scandal. Judge Mohamed Ismail handed down the sentence on Thursday after accepting the agreement in terms of Section 105A of the Criminal Procedure Act. In delivering judgment, Ismail said the court had to carefully consider the seriousness of the offences…

Fresh delays have hit the high-profile attempted murder case involving the son of former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe after proceedings at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court were halted by a power outage on Thursday. The case against Bellarmine Mugabe (28) and his co-accused, Tobias Tamirepi Matonhodze (33) has now been postponed to March 11. Both men remain in custody. The latest postponement comes after court operations were disrupted due to the lack of electricity at the Alexandra court building, preventing the…

Fear and uncertainty are gripping thousands of South Africans caught in escalating violence in the Middle East, as government officials explore ways to assist citizens seeking to leave the region. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) says more than 6,400 South Africans in the Middle East have now registered on its Travel Smart system, a platform used by the government to track citizens abroad during emergencies. The department has urged South Africans currently in the region for non-essential…

A child has died, and 14 others were injured after a scholar transport minibus taxi overturned in KwaMashu, prompting authorities to call on the driver, who fled the scene, to hand himself over to police. KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma extended condolences to the grieving family following the crash in the Mount Moriah area on Wednesday afternoon. The minibus taxi was transporting children from daycare centres when it overturned, leaving several young passengers seriously injured. Emergency…

Tributes are continuing to pour in from across South Africa’s political spectrum following the death of veteran politician and anti-apartheid activist Mosiuoa Lekota, who passed away at the age of 77. President Cyril Ramaphosa led the nation in mourning, describing Lekota as a patriot whose life was closely intertwined with South Africa’s journey to freedom and democracy. Lekota, affectionately known as “Terror”, died in a Johannesburg hospital in the early hours of Wednesday after a period of ill health. “South…

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has vowed it will not support an ANC candidate to chair Parliament’s newly established Committee on the Presidency, setting the stage for a political contest within the Government of National Unity (GNU). The committee is expected to elect its chairperson on Wednesday morning at Parliament, in what is being described as a key test of oversight over President Cyril Ramaphosa and his office. DA Chief Whip George Michalakis said the party would field its own candidate,…

The Congress of the People (COPE) has announced the death of its president and co-founder, Mosiuoa Lekota, who passed away at the age of 77 following a period of illness. Lekota died in the early hours of Wednesday morning at a Johannesburg hospital, the party confirmed in a statement issued on 4 March 2026. His passing marks the end of a long and influential political career that spanned decades, from the struggle against apartheid to leadership roles in South Africa’s…