South Africa

Champions of freedom, peace, human rights, social justice and equality is how President Cyril Ramaphosa described the recipients of this year’s National Orders.

From sewer flowing in the streets to dry taps and poor roads, these are the urgent challenges that Deputy President David Mabuza says the three spheres of government will prioritise, among others, in 64 dysfunctional municipalities once councils have elected their leadership.

The Department of Health has extended the offer of R100 grocery vouchers to people in their 50s who receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from 18 November 2021.

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is considering its next course of action after the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg ordered that the revenue collector release former President Jacob Zuma’s tax information.

The South African COVID-19 Modelling Consortium (SACMC) says South Africa is likely to experience lower death and hospitalisation rates in the 4th wave due to vaccination coverage.

Eskom says it expects to lift Stage 2 load shedding from 9pm this evening with the utility moving to implement stage 1 on Friday morning.

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is currently holding stakeholder consultations on the proposed eligibility criteria and conditions for financial aid to be effective from 2022 academic year.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says the online booking system for drivers licences that was initially introduced in Gauteng has provided a basis for it to be rolled out nationally to deal with the license renewal backlog.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan says the R131 billion COP26 climate financing to help SA transition from coal to low-carbon energy has nothing to do with covering Eskom debt.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has handed four names to the Judicial Service Commission and political party leaders in Parliament for consideration for the position of Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court.

Entrepreneurs have been urged to use WhatsApp for Business as a tool to grow their small businesses and communicate directly with their customers.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan says Eskom management must take strong disciplinary action against employees at the power utility who “undermine” its work.

The police’s war on drugs produced positive results this week when detectives from the Northern Cape Organized Crime Unit confiscated drugs worth approximately R1 million when they pounced on an alleged drug laboratory in Kimberley.

South Africa now has 16 102 982 or 40.46% of its adult population who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since the start of the inoculation programme.

The Department of Water and Sanitation has called on residents to value their sanitation facilities to prevent the spread of illnesses in communities.