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Minister increases old-age grant by R130 to R2 315 and VAT rate goes up by 0.5% to R16

13Mar

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News

Minister increases old-age grant by R130 to R2 315 and VAT rate goes up by 0.5% to R16

By Thobile Jiwulane Presenting his 2025 Budget Speech in Parliament today, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana has announced that the social grants are allocated R284.7 billion in 2025/26. He said this would allow for increases to the old age and disability grants by R130 to R2 315 in April. The Child Support Grant by R30 to R560 per month and the foster care grant by R70.The COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD), in its current form, will be extended by a year to end March 2026. R35.2 billion is allocated for this purpose. As announced by the President in the State of the Nation Address, the SRD will be used as a basis for the introduction of a sustainable form of income support for unemployed people. The future form and nature of the SRD will be inf...

Big Brother Mzansi: Marcia “Cia” Morata Leaves the House for Health Reasons

17Jan

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Entertainment

Big Brother Mzansi: Marcia “Cia” Morata Leaves the House for Health Reasons

By Rorisang Rampheteng: Marcia Cia Morata (Image: Big Brother Mzansi) JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – Marcia “Cia” Morata has become the firsthousemate to leave the Big Brother Mzansi: Bazozwa house. Her departure wasannounced on Thursday, January 15, 2026, after she requested help for her well-being. A Difficult Decision Cia’s exit follows a series of emotional moments during her short stay in the house.According to an official update, she became emotional and started crying onThursday morning. After a scheduled yoga session, she told Big Brother that she wasnot feeling well. She received immediate help and spoke with an on-site psychologistto see if she was fit to continue. Health and Well-being First Following the medical assessment, the decision w...

QWAQWA’S OWN NATIONAL STAR: Top student aims for a university career

17Jan

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News

QWAQWA’S OWN NATIONAL STAR: Top student aims for a university career

By Rorisang Rampheteng: Bokang Vincent Mokubung: (Image: Matshidiso Selebeng) QWAQWA, FREE STATE – Bokang Vincent Mokubung, a student from Bluegumbosch Secondary School, has been named the best learner in South Africa for Mathematics among Quintile 3 schools. He says his success comes from hard work, help from his teachers, and never making excuses for failing. The road to the top was not easy Mokubung says his journey to becoming a top student was very long and difficult. He believes he reached this goal because he worked hard, stayed dedicated, and had passion for his schoolwork. He also proudly said his teacher played a big role in keeping him on track in his studies. "The thing that made me have that discipline is my teacher, who ...

Free State NSC results fall short of expectations but province maintains strong ranking

16Jan

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News

Free State NSC results fall short of expectations but province maintains strong ranking

By Rorisang Rampheteng: The pictures show Free State matric top performers and government officials, including Education MEC Dr Mantlhake Julia Maboya, during a media briefing held this morning ( Friday). (Images: By Rorisang Rampheteng) Although the Free State secured second place nationally in the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) results, concerns have been raised that the province’s overall performance did not fully meet expectations. The concerns were raised by the Free State MEC for Education, Dr Mantlhake Julia Maboya, during a media briefing held this morning ( Friday). MEC admits targets were not met Maboya acknowledged that while the province remains among the top-performing nationally, the department had hoped for stronger outcomes, especi...

China and Africa strengthen ties with people-to-people exchanges, boosting Afro-China relations and cooperation

16Jan

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Politics

China and Africa strengthen ties with people-to-people exchanges, boosting Afro-China relations and cooperation

By Thobile Jiwulane: China's Ambassador to South Africa, Wu Peng, takes a photograph with the cultural groups that performed at the event. (Image: Xiang Sun/CNS) The relationship between Africa and the People's Republic of China has moved to a new level with a renewed commitment by the two sides to implement people-to-people exchanges that are bound to benefit their respective societies in various ways and further strengthen China-Africa friendships. This was the focus of the launch of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges held at the Chinese Embassy in Pretoria this week. The launch was attended by the Chinese Ambassador to South Africa, Wu Peng, and African diplomats, with a huge presence of the South African government representatives, inc...

Siwelele Open Door for Magidigidi’s European Dream with his possible move to a Belgian Club

13Jan

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Sports

Siwelele Open Door for Magidigidi’s European Dream with his possible move to a Belgian Club

By Rorisang Rampheteng: Siviwe Magidigidi is moving to a Belgian side. 9Image: Siwelele FC ) Siwelele FC have confirmed that discussions are at an advanced stage regarding the potential sale of exciting young attacker Siviwe Magidigidi to Belgian First Division B side K. Beerschot V.A. The confirmation was made by Siwelele FC CEO Lerato Kholoanyane, who revealed that talks between the two clubs have progressed positively, although the deal has not yet been finalised. Interest Sparked Late Last Year According to Kholoanyane, Beerschot initially approached Siwelele late last year with an offer that the club felt did not reflect Magidigidi's true value or his importance to the team. “At the time, we believed Siviwe still had a lot to give to Siwelele,” said Kholoan...

NEW PLACES: Vietnam offers an exotic and economical holiday destination

12Jan

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Travel

NEW PLACES: Vietnam offers an exotic and economical holiday destination

By Fawzia Moodley: The view from the cableway leading to Ba Na Hills “Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world,” opined French novelist Gustave Flaubert. A short family trip to Vietnam over the festive period was a timely reminder of the uncharted world that lies beyond our borders. When we chose this Southeast Asian country, mainly because our Rand is more than double the value of the Vietnamese Dong, as our holiday destination, little did we realise what new vistas it would open up. This country, with a population of over 101 million, is an eye-opener with its hard-working and friendly people, teeming cities, bright lights and stunning scenery. For those who are conditioned to believe that socialist countries are drab and dr...

From the Monroe Doctrine to the Donroe Doctrine

10Jan

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News

From the Monroe Doctrine to the Donroe Doctrine

By Charles Matseke: Donald Trump (Image: Facebook) For more than two centuries, the Monroe Doctrine has shaped the United States’ relationship with the Western Hemisphere. Framed in 1823 as a warning against European colonial interference in the Americas, it evolved into a justification for U.S. dominance, intervention and regime change across Latin America. What we are witnessing today under Donald Trump is not a break from that tradition, but its mutation into something more volatile, personalised, and divisive: ‘The Donroe Doctrine’ 2026. Trump did not invent American unilateralism, but he has stripped it of its diplomatic restraint, institutional mediation, and moral pretence. Where the Monroe Doctrine cloaked power in strategic calculation, the Donroe Doctrine...

Courageous Struggle Journalist Subry Govender Publishes Memoir of Resistance and Resolve – a Chronicle of His Anti-Apartheid Battles

10Jan

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Culture

Courageous Struggle Journalist Subry Govender Publishes Memoir of Resistance and Resolve – a Chronicle of His Anti-Apartheid Battles

By Special Correspondent: Vereran struggle journalist, Subry Govender ( Image: supplied) Often the story of one individual relating his own life in a particular era becomes the story of the society in which he lived, including that of his fellows during that time - a fact that is expected to come out clearly when former anti-Apartheid activists and struggle era journalists pay tributes and congratulate prolific resistance journalist and activist, Marimuthu Soobramoney (aka Subry Govender) is launching his autobiography, 'Coolie Journalist', before the end of this month. Marimuthu Soobramoney was a founder member of the Media Workers Association of South Africa (MWASA) with other struggle journalists such as Zwelakhe Sisulu and others. 'Comrade Subry' was a ...

6Jan

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Opinion

Maduro’s Capture: Symptom, Not Disease

By Zola Pinda: Incumbent President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro (Image: Facebook) Zamikhaya Maseti’s latest analysis of Nicolás Maduro’s capture demonstrates intellectual rigour and the depth of insight often associated with Thabo Mbeki’s presidency. Like Mbeki, Maseti interrogates structural forces rather than merely chronicling events, situating Venezuela within a broader pattern of U.S. unilateralism and the erosion of multilateral norms. He is correct: Maduro’s capture is less a rupture than a symptom of a global order already under strain. Washington frames the seizure and trial of Maduro as justice delivered. Globally, however, it signals the audacious exercise of extraterritorial authority, unbound by law or institutional restraint. Vacuums in ...

Bafana fans call for Broos’ head as they express frustration after AFCON defeat

6Jan

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Sports

Bafana fans call for Broos’ head as they express frustration after AFCON defeat

By Rorisang Rampheteng: Bafana Bafana head coach, Hugo Broos. (Image: Lorenz Kohler) Bafana Bafana supporters have called for head coach Hugo Broos to go following the team’s 2–1 defeat to Cameroon on Sunday evening at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The loss has sparked widespread criticism from fans, many of whom believe the team underperformed at a crucial stage of the tournament. Broos’ tenure and mixed results Hugo Broos took charge of Bafana Bafana in 2021 and has enjoyed some success during his tenure. He guided the national team to a bronze medal at the 2023 AFCON, one of South Africa’s best performances in recent years. Under his leadership, Bafana Bafana has also shown improvement in World Cup qualification matches. However, d...