Top 10 stories of the day: Second group of SANDF troops return home
Here's your daily news update for Sunday, 15 June 2025: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories.
News today includes 257 SA National Defence Force (SANDF) members have arrived in South Africa on Sunday, with another group expected on Monday afternoon.
Meanwhile, as the death toll in the Eastern Cape rises to at least 88 people, officials have reportedly confirmed that some of the areas hardest hit by flooding this week were occupied illegally.
Furthermore, despite being on the other side of the world, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran could soon see you paying more at the petrol pumps in South Africa.
WATCH: Second group of SANDF troops return to SA, more to arrive on Monday
Picture for illustration: Gallo Images/Brenton Geach
257 SA National Defence Force (SANDF) members have arrived in South Africa on Sunday, with another group expected on Monday afternoon.
The troops were returning from a Southern African Development Community (Sadc) mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They were on the frontline of a conflict between the Congolese army and M23 rebel fighters, which raged for three years in the East of that country until a ceasefire was called in April.
CONTINUE READING: WATCH: Second group of SANDF troops return to SA, more to arrive on Monday
Eastern Cape flood victims reportedly occupied land illegally
A shack surrounded by water after heavy rains fell in Motherwell on 10 June 2025 in Gqeberha, South Africa. Picture: Gallo Images/Die Burger/Lulama Zenzile
As the death toll in the Eastern Cape rises to at least 88 people, officials have reportedly confirmed that some of the areas hardest hit by flooding this week were occupied illegally.
Rescuers claim that around 10 000 people have been displaced, and 3 000 homes damaged or destroyed. At least 1 500 have been relocated to temporary shelters in community halls and other structures. Thursday has been declared an official day of mourning.
CONTINUE READING: Eastern Cape flood victims reportedly occupied land illegally
Israel vs Iran: Why you may soon have to pay more for petrol in South Africa
Petrol pumps are pictured at a filling station in Melville on 20 January 2021. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
Despite being on the other side of the world, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran could soon see you paying more at the petrol pumps in South Africa.
Israel unleashed a barrage of missiles in a 'preemptive strike' on Iran on Friday amid concerns over Tehran's nuclear programme.
CONTINUE READING: Israel vs Iran: Why you may soon have to pay more for petrol in South Africa
Hungani and Stephanie Ndlovu call it quits after six years of marriage
Hungani and Stephanie Ndlovu. Picture: iStock
Tough times in the marriage of two television personalities, Hungani and Stephanie Ndlovu, seem to be lasting, as rumours say the two are heading for a divorce.
The two tied the knot in 2019 and welcomed their first child in 2022. However, the ship has been sinking since October last year, when Hungani reportedly decided to move out of their matrimonial household.
CONTINUE READING: Hungani and Stephanie Ndlovu call it quits after six years of marriage
Did you win R2.2m? Here's where the winning PowerBall ticket was bought
Image for illustration purposes: iStock
A Lotto PowerBall millionaire is on the loose, and it could be you!
Lottery operator Ithuba Holdings on Sunday confirmed that the winner of the R2.2-million PowerBall jackpot on 12 November 2024 has still not come forward to collect their money.
The winning player bought their ticket seven months ago in Mayfair, Johannesburg, Gauteng.
They have less than five months to come forward, or they risk losing their fortune.
CONTINUE READING: Did you win R2.2m? Here's where the winning PowerBall ticket was bought
Here are five more stories of the day:
Yesterday's News recap
READ HERE: Top 10 stories of the day: Eastern Cape floods death toll rises | How much Proteas will bank | Minister on unemployment statistics
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The Citizen
9 hours ago
- The Citizen
Top 10 stories of the day: Second group of SANDF troops return home
Here's your daily news update for Sunday, 15 June 2025: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. News today includes 257 SA National Defence Force (SANDF) members have arrived in South Africa on Sunday, with another group expected on Monday afternoon. Meanwhile, as the death toll in the Eastern Cape rises to at least 88 people, officials have reportedly confirmed that some of the areas hardest hit by flooding this week were occupied illegally. Furthermore, despite being on the other side of the world, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran could soon see you paying more at the petrol pumps in South Africa. WATCH: Second group of SANDF troops return to SA, more to arrive on Monday Picture for illustration: Gallo Images/Brenton Geach 257 SA National Defence Force (SANDF) members have arrived in South Africa on Sunday, with another group expected on Monday afternoon. The troops were returning from a Southern African Development Community (Sadc) mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They were on the frontline of a conflict between the Congolese army and M23 rebel fighters, which raged for three years in the East of that country until a ceasefire was called in April. CONTINUE READING: WATCH: Second group of SANDF troops return to SA, more to arrive on Monday Eastern Cape flood victims reportedly occupied land illegally A shack surrounded by water after heavy rains fell in Motherwell on 10 June 2025 in Gqeberha, South Africa. Picture: Gallo Images/Die Burger/Lulama Zenzile As the death toll in the Eastern Cape rises to at least 88 people, officials have reportedly confirmed that some of the areas hardest hit by flooding this week were occupied illegally. Rescuers claim that around 10 000 people have been displaced, and 3 000 homes damaged or destroyed. At least 1 500 have been relocated to temporary shelters in community halls and other structures. Thursday has been declared an official day of mourning. CONTINUE READING: Eastern Cape flood victims reportedly occupied land illegally Israel vs Iran: Why you may soon have to pay more for petrol in South Africa Petrol pumps are pictured at a filling station in Melville on 20 January 2021. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark Despite being on the other side of the world, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran could soon see you paying more at the petrol pumps in South Africa. Israel unleashed a barrage of missiles in a 'preemptive strike' on Iran on Friday amid concerns over Tehran's nuclear programme. CONTINUE READING: Israel vs Iran: Why you may soon have to pay more for petrol in South Africa Hungani and Stephanie Ndlovu call it quits after six years of marriage Hungani and Stephanie Ndlovu. Picture: iStock Tough times in the marriage of two television personalities, Hungani and Stephanie Ndlovu, seem to be lasting, as rumours say the two are heading for a divorce. The two tied the knot in 2019 and welcomed their first child in 2022. However, the ship has been sinking since October last year, when Hungani reportedly decided to move out of their matrimonial household. CONTINUE READING: Hungani and Stephanie Ndlovu call it quits after six years of marriage Did you win R2.2m? Here's where the winning PowerBall ticket was bought Image for illustration purposes: iStock A Lotto PowerBall millionaire is on the loose, and it could be you! Lottery operator Ithuba Holdings on Sunday confirmed that the winner of the R2.2-million PowerBall jackpot on 12 November 2024 has still not come forward to collect their money. The winning player bought their ticket seven months ago in Mayfair, Johannesburg, Gauteng. They have less than five months to come forward, or they risk losing their fortune. CONTINUE READING: Did you win R2.2m? Here's where the winning PowerBall ticket was bought Here are five more stories of the day: Yesterday's News recap READ HERE: Top 10 stories of the day: Eastern Cape floods death toll rises | How much Proteas will bank | Minister on unemployment statistics
TimesLIVE
17 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Second group of SA troops returning home from DRC to arrive on Sunday
The second group of South African soldiers returning home after being deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of the Sadc peacekeeping mission is expected to arrive on Sunday afternoon, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) confirmed. They are scheduled to land at Air Force Base Waterkloof between 3pm and 5pm while a third group is expected to return on Monday afternoon. The SANDF said, the returning troops would undergo the standard demobilisation programme, which includes health screenings, psychological support and reunification services.
The Citizen
08-06-2025
- The Citizen
Initiation season in South Africa: why state regulation clashes with customary laws
Criticisms of initiation schools also reflect negative attitudes towards indigenous laws. Initiates seen at a circumcision school in Mthatha, Eastern Cape. Picture: Gallo Images / City Press / Denvor de Wee It's nearly winter in South Africa, which means the opening of winter initiation schools is approaching. These rituals mark a transition to adulthood and are deeply ingrained culturally. But they're often the subject of headlines because of deaths and safety issues. Now government is looking to tighten its enforcement of the Customary Initiation Act of 2021. We asked Anthony Diala, a scholar of African customary law, to break down the issues. What is traditional initiation in South Africa? Traditional initiation is a cultural rite of passage. Millions of South Africans observe varying forms of initiation rites to mark significant events such as birth, puberty, adulthood, marriage and death. Initiation reflects important ancestral ties, values and cultural identity. These rites vary from community to community. Male initiation among the Xhosa people of the Eastern Cape province, for example, includes circumcision and seclusion in specially constructed lodges away from communities. Initiates learn survival skills, cultural traditions and social responsibilities from tribal elders. Some training involves rituals and dietary restrictions. ALSO READ: Gauteng man arrested for illegal initiation school and taking in children Female initiation prepares girls for social roles as wives, mothers and aunts. Initiation ceremonies by the Bantwane of Mpumalanga province, for example, teach appropriate social and sexual behaviour for very young girls through a six-week rite of passage. They include real and symbolic circumcision. (Symbolic circumcision means a slight cut or 'nick from a trained health worker' rather than full circumcision.) In traditional communities, initiation to adulthood reflects intimate connections between farming practices, seasonal changes and ancestral rites. It reinforces the relationship between human development and agricultural productivity. So, it typically coincides with critical farming seasons and crop cultivation cycles. Why are initiation practices regulated? From my research on the interaction of legal systems, I know the state is mandated to protect public wellbeing. The Customary Initiation Act of 2021 asserts the state has a 'duty to set norms and standards' for initiation practices. There are good reasons for this. Initiation practices are sometimes accused of violating bodily autonomy and other human rights. There's concern about the abduction of boys into initiation schools, questionable consent of initiates, the risk of physical injury through negligence, poor hygienic conditions and unqualified traditional practitioners. Since 1995, hundreds of male Xhosa initiates have died from complications. Thousands have suffered penis amputations due to practitioner incompetence. READ MORE: Traditional leaders warn initiation schools to toe the line This health risk is the strongest argument for state regulation. But criticisms of initiation schools also reflect negative attitudes towards indigenous laws. Some Africans condemn their own indigenous practices because they have embraced western culture and its notions of civilised behaviour. The Europeans who colonised South Africa used Christianity, Eurocentric education and new systems of work to alter the behaviour of their subjects. They created new cultural values for Africans, who went on to replicate these values. South Africa adopted a western-style constitution and uses its foreign values to regulate indigenous practices. What does the new regulation propose? The Department of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs recently invited comments on Draft Customary Initiation Regulations. These will regulate the enforcement of the Customary Initiation Act by clarifying the roles of the National Initiation Oversight Committee and provincial initiation coordinating committees. The Customary Initiation Act itself demands the registration of initiation schools and traditional surgeons. It requires written consent from parents or legal guardians for minors, and forbids initiation for children under 16. It even restricts initiation seasons to school holidays. How does regulation reflect a clash between customary and common law? Indigenous laws cherish communal welfare. Common laws prioritise individual wellbeing. While indigenous laws emerged in agrarian (farming) settings, the laws imposed by European colonisers developed in industrial societies. The clash of cultures has been intense in the courts. European colonial judges refused to enforce customs they considered contrary to public policy, natural justice, equity or good conscience. READ MORE: Boy runs away to join initiation school, family given list of items to secure his return This enabled them to 'civilise' African behaviour. Today, the 'civilising' role is performed by Africans themselves using the constitution's bill of rights. The Customary Initiation Act wants to transform initiation practices to reflect the values in the bill of rights. Sections 15, 30-31, 39(3) and 211 of the constitution recognise customary law and mandate courts to apply it. But the bill itself emerged from foreign ideas. Specifically, it came from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. Western powers adopted this with zero input from indigenous Africans. So, state regulation of initiation practices continues to make European laws culturally superior to indigenous African laws. What's the way forward? Obviously, the state is obliged to protect everyone's human rights, including those of initiates. But traditional communities also have a constitutional right to practise their culture without undue state influence. Therefore, a balance needs to be struck between protecting teenagers and preserving culture. In striking this balance, everyone must keep in mind the agrarian origins of initiation rites and the colonial origins of the modern South African state. In the precolonial era, families and tribal leaders had the duty of protecting initiates. There is no reason why this should not continue. READ MORE: Initiation schools: Commission wants answers on why recommendations haven't been carried out State regulation should be limited to establishing minimum health standards and providing training for traditional practitioners. In my view, it should leave age participation guidelines and informed consent to traditional authorities. This would be a sign that the state respects indigenous law as a legitimate source of law in South Africa. To assuage health concerns, some initiation rites can be performed symbolically. Traditional practitioners can be trained to incorporate modern health knowledge without compromising cultural authenticity. This will improve health standards. Hopefully, it will also reduce negative perceptions of initiation practices. This article was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here.
