The political storm in the City of Ekurhuleni deepened on Wednesday after ActionSA rejected claims that one of its senior leaders, Cllr Xolani Khumalo, had been appointed to the Mayoral Committee by Executive Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza. The party has described as “entirely fabricated” a media statement circulating after Tuesday night’s dramatic reshuffle, which listed Khumalo as the new MMC for Community Services and By-Law Enforcement. The reshuffle, announced just before midnight, saw Mayor Xhakaza unveil what he termed “strategic changes”…

Residents of the City of Ekurhuleni woke up on Wednesday to news of sweeping changes to the city’s Mayoral Committee, following a dramatic midnight reshuffle announced by Executive Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza. In a statement released with immediate effect from late 17 February 2026, Xhakaza confirmed that he had effected “strategic changes” to the composition of the City’s executive, citing extensive consultations with multi-party organisations represented in Council. Thirteen of the sixteen political parties participated in the discussions, culminating in what…

Despite holding talks with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) over the weekend in Durban, the National Freedom Party (NFP) has confirmed it remains outside the KwaZulu-Natal Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) and will back efforts to unseat Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli. In a statement on Tuesday, the NFP said discussions with the IFP are ongoing but have not yet concluded. It added that it is happy to remain in the opposition benches of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature in Pietermaritzburg. “Our position stands…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of political detainees and the holding of free and fair elections in South Sudan, as he delivered closing remarks at the C5 Meeting at the level of Heads of State in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Addressing fellow leaders on Sunday, Ramaphosa described the meeting as “long in the making” but constructive and necessary, saying it had helped craft a clear way forward for South Sudan’s fragile peace process. He thanked…

The President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has arrived in Lusaka for a three-day State Visit at the invitation of President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has described the visit as “a reciprocal engagement following President Hichilema’s State Visit to the Republic of Ghana in July 2023” and one that “builds on the outcomes of the Second Session of the Zambia–Ghana Joint Permanent Commission, held in Lusaka in October 2025.”…

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday deliver his 10th State of the Nation Address (SONA) to a joint sitting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces at Cape Town City Hall, against a backdrop of deepening socio-economic strain and intensifying political scrutiny. Presidency said SONA 2026 would outline the government’s programme of action for the coming financial year, reflect on progress made and confront persistent challenges. “The State of the Nation Address is an annual overview delivered…

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) was seemingly pressured by its longtime coalition partner, the DA, to urgently meet with the National Freedom Party to iron out their differences and save the KwaZulu-Natal government of provincial unity (GPU) from collapsing. This was deduced from a confidential letter dated 4 February 2026, seen by the African Times, which was addressed to the IFP’s Provincial Chairperson, Thami Ntuli. In the letter, the DA in KwaZulu-Natal raised concerns that the IFP was the only…

The National Leader of the DA, John Steenhuisen, has confirmed that he will not seek re-election to lead the liberal party for the third time, stating that he was doing so with a clean heart. Speaking at a media briefing in Durban on Wednesday, Steenhuisen said he will now focus fully on his role as Minister of Agriculture, particularly on combating the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak affecting the country. He said it would not be ideal for him to split his…

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has formally written to the Constitutional Court seeking clarity on when judgment will be delivered in the high-stakes matter of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and ATM v Speaker of the National Assembly and Others, a case heard more than a year ago on 26 November 2024. The letter, penned by ATM Parliamentary Leader Vuyolwethu Zungula, places renewed political and legal pressure on the country’s apex court, as frustration grows over prolonged delays in the long-awaited…

The African National Congress (ANC) has launched an investigation into alleged serious misconduct involving a service provider appointed to assist with the administration of its recent Johannesburg regional conference, raising fresh concerns about the integrity of internal party electoral processes. The probe follows an on-site inspection conducted on Sunday, 25 January 2025, by members of the South African Police Service, accompanied by ANC security officials, at premises where the alleged misconduct was believed to have taken place. Senior party structures,…