FORMER President Thabo Mbeki’s foundation has refused to comment on claims that his leaked letter to ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile has raised “good points” at the “wrong time” for all the “wrong reasons.” The criticism came at the height of Mbeki’s name having once again taken centre stage on matters concerning incumbent ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa. This time the former statesman has received praise for the leaked letter that he addressed to Mashatile and copied the rest of the…

THREATS of sanctions against South Africa by the United States (US) are a typical example of so-called big countries bullying smaller countries in the worsening geopolitical conflicts. It also presents a litmus test to South Africa’s foreign policy stance of neutrality as the country gets caught up in the fallout among the world’s most influential nations. The threat of sanctions by America follows the Iran warships docking at the Cape Town port last Friday. Iran is a long-running rival of…

SUSPENDED Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has threatened to take legal action against the parliamentary impeachment committee for allegedly holding an illegal meeting in her name. Richard Dyantyi, the chairperson of Parliament’s Section 194 committee probing the Public Protector’s fitness for office, called the meeting in order to allow presentations from the evidence leaders, who are not committee members.  The meeting follows the suspension of the inquiry after Acting Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka wrote a letter informing the committee that…

EFF leader Julius Malema has laid into President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC, saying their U-turn on withdrawing South Africa from the International Criminal Court (ICC) was a sign that they are not truly in charge of the country. He said their overnight decision to backtrack on the matter last week was taken after their alleged handlers, “white capital”, allegedly reprimanded and ordered them not to pull out of the Rome statutes, despite the ICC’s perceived impartiality and double standards…

Bapedi Queen Manyaku “Hlapogadi A Phaahla” Thulare has blasted government leaders for allegedly neglecting the poor. The Queen was speaking during a birthday celebration hosted at her house by EFF leader Julius Malema at Mohlaletse in Sekhukhune, Limpopo, on Friday. During the celebrations, Malema unveiled a double cab bakkie that the EFF bought for the Queen. He said they also provided a borehole for Queen Thulare in order to restore her dignity. The gift, which comes a few years after…

Tshwarelo Hunter Mogakane Limpopo ANC chairperson Stanley Mathabatha has narrowly dodged a meeting which many believe could have marked the beginning of the end of his tenure as premier. This follows his fallout with President Cyril Ramaphosa over his support for Dr Zweli Mkhize’s failed bid for the governing party’s presidency at the Nasrec conference in December.  According to correspondence from ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, which the Sunday World has seen, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ANC was…

THE ANC in Gauteng is in over drive to lure back voters ahead of the 2019 elections and it has started by deciding to scrap the controversial e-tolls system. This was the decision taken during the two-day provincial elective conference which we held at the St George’s Hotel in Irene where David Makhura was elected as chairperson. The system was introduced in Gauteng highways in 2013 and has been widely rejected by motorists in the province who have called for…

THE ANC in Gauteng has been backed into a corner with all sectors of society gunning for it following the election of Qedani Mahlangu as a member of the Provincial Executive Committee. Mahlangu has been at the centre of controversy since she oversaw the Life Esidimeni tragedy. Another addition that has captured people’s  attention was that of Brian Hlongwa, who was also elected to be part of the PEC.  The party is now in over drive trying to difusse the…

THE National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) have called on Eskom to increase workers wages or face a national picket that could possibly affect power supply. The unions told the media on Tuesday that government has to do everything in it’s power to ensure the power utility is well resourced to meet its demands or the lights will go off. The pair announced on Tuesday that they would declare a dispute of…