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 Democratic Alliance (DA) in Tembisa South has called on the City of Ekurhuleni to urgently accelerate bulk sewerage upgrade projects in the area, saying years of persistent sewer overflows have stripped residents of their dignity and exposed them to serious health risks. The call follows confirmation by the metro that two major bulk sewer projects are currently underway in Tembisa as part of a multi-year infrastructure programme scheduled to run until 2028. DA Political Head for Tembisa South, Refiloe…

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…

A political war of words has erupted between the Gauteng Provincial Government and the Democratic Alliance (DA) over the declaration of Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens, known as Amapanyaza, as Peace Officers — with accusations of opportunism, illegality and political grandstanding flying across the aisle. The row follows a joint announcement by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development, the Ministry of Police and the Gauteng Provincial Government confirming that qualifying traffic wardens had been declared Peace Officers after what the…

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana on Wednesday delivered a Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), calling for collective discipline to stabilise public finances while ensuring the protection of South Africa’s most vulnerable citizens. The Minister said that after years of fiscal strain, South Africa’s debt will finally stabilise at 77.9% of GDP this year and begin to decline over the medium term. The deficit, he said, was smaller than forecast earlier in the year, showing progress in government’s commitment to restore credibility…

The financially crippled Emfuleni Local Municipality has once again come under fierce criticism, this time for allegedly spending almost R12 million on grave-digging contracts between 2022 and 2025, despite having municipal staff capable of doing the job. According to a written response by Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Jacob Mamabolo, Emfuleni appointed four private companies, Busines Eneriso, Luselo and Seithuto JV, and Downtown Spares, to provide grave-digging services. The total cost of the contracts amounted to…

What was meant to be a hopeful journey home for dozens of travellers from Johannesburg to Zimbabwe turned into a scene of horror and heartbreak on Sunday evening, when a cross-border bus plunged down a steep embankment along the N1 near Ingwe Lodge in Limpopo. The devastating crash claimed 42 lives, including seven children, and left 49 others injured, six of them critically. Among the dead was a 10-month-old baby, according to rescue officials. The bus, carrying passengers from Zimbabwe…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has engaged in a critical phone call with United States President Donald Trump as South Africa stares down the possibility of damaging US tariffs that could hit key sectors and cost thousands of jobs. The early morning call on Wednesday, 6 August 2025, focused on bilateral trade and came amid growing concern that Washington may soon impose punitive tariffs on South African exports — a move that could severely disrupt trade relations and push the already fragile…

Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s visit to Mangaung for a high-profile cleaning campaign has sparked fierce backlash from the Democratic Alliance (DA), which has labelled the trip a “desperate PR stunt” intended to divert public attention from the deputy president’s deepening ethics scandals. The cleaning campaign, held under the theme “Bontle Ke Botho: A Free State That Works for All”, is part of the national Clean Cities and Towns Campaign, launched in Kliptown in June. While the government claims the campaign…