Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu has called on private sector players to come forward and partner with his department to fast-track multi-billion infrastructure development projects. Amid crippling water shortage and deteriorating infrastructure nationwide, Mchunu says he has established a partnership office in his department to allow private companies to work with the government to upgrade dams and bulk water pipes in conjunction with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA).  Addressing Mvula Trust’s 30th Anniversary celebrations in Midrand on…

JOHANNESBURG – Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is a prominent feminist, activist, and defender of the rights of women, children, and the poorest people in Africa. Born in a small village on the outskirts of Zambia, she suffered inequality and injustice at an early age. She saw bright moments of opportunity amidst hardship and ignorance. Her dedication to the struggle for equality, social justice, and better living conditions for the most vulnerable groups of people has made her one of the most prominent…

In a major blow to the ANC, the Electoral Court of South Africa has ruled in favour of the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party, paving the way for former president Jacob Zuma’s party to participate in the upcoming national elections on May 29, 2024. This decision comes after weeks of uncertainty surrounding the party’s future, following attempts by the governing party to challenge the MKP’s registration in the court, which sat in Bloemfontein, Free State. The ANC’s objections centered on…

The Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party has accused the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of selective prosecution and weaponising the judicial system. It also claims President Cyril Ramaphosa is using the NPA to fight his political battles and prevent the party from challenging the African National Congress (ANC) in the general elections on May 29. The Electoral Court sitting in Bloemfontein is expected to deliver a verdict in the case between the ANC and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). The governing…

AFTER a decade-long delay attributed to poor performance and alleged tender irregularities, contractors appear to have made significant progress towards the R4.1 billion Giyani Bulk Water Project.   Residents say their water supply has improved since late last year, after the government made notable progress in installing water pipes and refurbishing the reservoirs.   They told African Times that while water rationing remains, the new contractors appointed by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) have repaired leaking reservoirs and connected water…

The MK Party has strongly condemned the DA’s claims that it poses a threat to national security, labelling the official opposition’s call for the US to intervene in South Africa’s upcoming general elections a “treasonous act.” The newly launched political party led by former President Jacob Zuma threatened legal action against the DA unless it withdrew the “derogatory” allegations against it. South Africa’s independent elections body, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), also expressed reservations about the DA’s unorthodox approach which…

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of South Africa has responded decisively to address concerns about the security of its systems after the leak of sensitive information from the lists of candidates of the African National Congress (ANC) and Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) political parties. An official from the country’s independent elections management body has been identified through a preliminary investigation, according to the IEC’s chief electoral officer, Sy Mamabolo. Mamabolo was addressing the media at the IEC offices in Pretoria on…

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has denied the widely publicized allegations of personally benefiting from military tenders during her time as South Africa’s Minister of Defence and Military Veterans. According to the Sunday Times on Sunday, a whistleblower identified Mapisa-Nqakula as one of the beneficiaries in an affidavit to the Independent Directorate of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). It added that businesswoman Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndhlovu had decided to testify against South Africa’s legislative branch leader, who served as…

  Several energy companies are recruiting former Eskom executives allegedly to gain an unfair competitive edge, benefit from insider trading, and position themselves for billions of tenders at the power utility.  According to insiders and industry sources, the growing trend raises questions about an alleged revolving door phenomenon involving former Eskom bosses, the power utility’s failure to enforce the government’s restraint of trade policy, and threatens the credibility of the state-owned company’s procurement processes.  Former Eskom Group CEO Brian Dames,…

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) has been met with criticism from South African political parties and social media users, who have expressed their skepticism towards his portrayal of a prosperous country. On Thursday, February 8, 2024, Ramaphosa delivered his final SONA for the sixth parliament but delivered what detractors called an ANC re-election campaign. Using a metaphorical approach, Ramaphosa shared the fictional story of Tintswalo, who was born in 1994 and experienced the positive effects of…