Latest news with #ATM
NDTV
15 hours ago
- Business
- NDTV
RBI To Phase Out Rs 500 Notes By 2026? Here Is A Fact Check
A viral WhatsApp message, claiming that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is preparing to discontinue the circulation of Rs 500 notes by March 2026, has confused the public. The claim has now been officially debunked as false and misleading. The message, which has been "forwarded many times," alleges that the RBI has instructed all banks to gradually stop dispensing Rs 500 notes from ATMs, 75 per cent of ATMs by September 30, and 90 per cent by March 31, 2026. It urges people to "start liquidating" their Rs 500 notes in advance. Here's what the viral message says, "RBI has asked all banks to stop disbursing 500 notes by 30 Sept 2025 from ATM. Target is 75% of all BANKS ATM & then 90% ATM by 31 Mar 2026. ATM going forward will disburse only 200 and 100 notes only. So start liquidating the Rs 500 notes that you have in hand from now on." The Press Information Bureau's Fact Check unit has called out the message as completely untrue. Posting on X, PIB Fact Check clarified that the RBI has issued no such directive and that Rs 500 notes remain legal tender. "Has RBI really asked banks to stop disbursing Rs 500 notes from ATMs by September 2025? A message falsely claiming exactly this is spreading on WhatsApp. PIB Fact Check: No such instruction has been issued by the @RBI. Rs 500 notes will continue to be legal tender." The PIB instructs to not "fall for such misinformation." "Always verify news from official sources before believing or sharing it," they warned. As of now, there is no official statement or circular from the RBI suggesting any change in the status or circulation of Rs 500 currency notes. The note continues to be accepted for all transactions across the country. Has RBI really asked banks to stop disbursing ₹500 notes from ATMs by September 2025? ???? A message falsely claiming exactly this is spreading on #WhatsApp #PIBFactCheck ✅ No such instruction has been issued by the @RBI. ✅ ₹500 notes will continue to be legal tender. ????… — PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) July 12, 2025 This speculation may have been triggered by a genuine RBI circular issued in April, which directed banks and White Label ATM Operators (WLAOs) to increase the availability of smaller denomination notes, specifically Rs 100 and Rs 200, through ATMs.
The Star
a day ago
- Politics
- The Star
There is no link between the name ‘Azania' and the indigenous people of South Africa
Kenneth Mokgatlhe | Published 22 minutes ago We should be asking ourselves where the word 'Azania' originates from, which language, and how it is related to the people of South Africa. There are no cultural, historical, linguistic, or political connections to the name, says the writer. Image: Picture: Henk Kruger/ Independent Newspapers The proposal of constitutional amendment by the African Transformation Movement (ATM) to change the name of South Africa to the 'Republic of Azania' is nonsensical, unnecessary, and irrelevant to the inhabitants of this place. We should be asking ourselves where the word 'Azania' originates from, which language, and how it is related to the people of South Africa. There are no cultural, historical, linguistic, or political connections to the name. It was during my time as a young and vibrant activist within the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) that I was firmly convinced that South Africa should be renamed 'Azania'. I had been persuaded by the existing argument that 'South' was merely a geographical direction and therefore did not have substantive cultural and historical connections befitting a nation's identity. However, I later realised that my comprehension of the term 'Azania' was very limited to its use within Pan Africanist and Black Consciousness discourses. Never mind my strong ideological conviction and commitment, I was unable to intellectually express a clear historical or cultural justification for the adoption of the name, nor could I trace its relevance in juxtaposition to the people, history, and identity of the country. It is important to note that the name 'Azania' has no historical or cultural connection to my people. It was never part of our vocabulary or identity. The term did not exist in our oral traditions or historical records, and my community had never encountered it before modern political movements began to invoke it. It is important to note that the pre-colonial South African society was home to various independent kingdoms and queendoms, each governed by its rulers. I descend from the Bahurutshe, one of the largest sub-groups of the Batswana people, who previously occupied the area now known as the Marico region or Zeerust. Our ancestors referred to their kingdom as Kaditshwene (a place of baboons) and Tshwenyane (a little baboon), an ancient twin-city settlement that thrived between 1300 to 1884. Like many other indigenous polities, it functioned as a sovereign polity, free from foreign or external domination. There was a dramatic shift in the geopolitical landscape after the Berlin Conference of 1884, where European powers gathered to partition Africa among themselves, which laid the foundation for the modern nation-states we recognise today. As a result, we — descendants of various kingdoms — were forced to adapt to these new political realities and form countries under Western-imposed frameworks. A country known as the Union of South Africa was established in 1910, led and governed by white minority rule. A referendum was held in 1960, where white South Africans decided to leave the Commonwealth, became independent, and referred to themselves as the Republic of South Africa on 31 May 1961. While the name 'South Africa' is descriptive of a geographic location, the name gives a strong cultural, political, and historical connection. It reminds us of different epochs in our history and how we interacted with other countries. The name South Africa is not unique in the world, as other countries have historically adopted names which are geographically descriptive of their land, such as South Sudan, Central African Republic (CAR), North and South Korea, North Macedonia, and East Timor. My discomfort at the term Azania was vindicated after I came across one of the compelling writings of South African freedom fighter and journalist Paul Trewhela, who is now based in the United Kingdom. Through his sharp historical analysis, he provides a well-substantiated account of the origins of the name 'Azania', demonstrating that it was a term imposed by slave traders/masters to demean the Black Africans in some parts of East Africa. Trewhela contends that the name 'Azania' does not bear any link to the indigenous peoples of South Africa and carries connotations or implications of oppression rather than liberation. His esteemed scholarship helped clarify that the name 'Azania' lacks authentic historical, cultural, political, or linguistic connections to South Africa and its people, reinforcing my earlier doubts about its relevance and appropriateness as a national name. 'The name 'Azania' celebrates the centuries of enslavement of black Africans by Islamist Arab imperialism down the east coast of Africa. It is a disgrace for reactionary ideologists to be using this concocted name to replace the name South Africa,' he remarked. This name, 'Azania,' is primarily used by individuals who identify themselves as revolutionaries or radicals within South Africa's academic, political, and social spheres. It is largely preferred by black radicals in academia and by political formations considered to be on the far left, such as the PAC, the Azanian People's Organisation (AZAPO), the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), and trade unions affiliated with the National Council of Trade Union (NACTU), among others. Like I once did in the past, many of these individuals adopt the term 'Azania' as a symbolic rejection of apartheid and white supremacy. Their chief motivation emanates from a desire to eliminate any association with the apartheid regime, including the name 'South Africa', which they regard as a legacy of colonialism and racial oppression. Mokgatlhe is a political analyst and consultant.
IOL News
a day ago
- Politics
- IOL News
There is no link between the name ‘Azania' and the indigenous people of South Africa
We should be asking ourselves where the word 'Azania' originates from, which language, and how it is related to the people of South Africa. There are no cultural, historical, linguistic, or political connections to the name, says the writer. Image: Picture: Henk Kruger/ Independent Newspapers The proposal of constitutional amendment by the African Transformation Movement (ATM) to change the name of South Africa to the 'Republic of Azania' is nonsensical, unnecessary, and irrelevant to the inhabitants of this place. We should be asking ourselves where the word 'Azania' originates from, which language, and how it is related to the people of South Africa. There are no cultural, historical, linguistic, or political connections to the name. It was during my time as a young and vibrant activist within the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) that I was firmly convinced that South Africa should be renamed 'Azania'. I had been persuaded by the existing argument that 'South' was merely a geographical direction and therefore did not have substantive cultural and historical connections befitting a nation's identity. However, I later realised that my comprehension of the term 'Azania' was very limited to its use within Pan Africanist and Black Consciousness discourses. Never mind my strong ideological conviction and commitment, I was unable to intellectually express a clear historical or cultural justification for the adoption of the name, nor could I trace its relevance in juxtaposition to the people, history, and identity of the country. It is important to note that the name 'Azania' has no historical or cultural connection to my people. It was never part of our vocabulary or identity. The term did not exist in our oral traditions or historical records, and my community had never encountered it before modern political movements began to invoke it. It is important to note that the pre-colonial South African society was home to various independent kingdoms and queendoms, each governed by its rulers. I descend from the Bahurutshe, one of the largest sub-groups of the Batswana people, who previously occupied the area now known as the Marico region or Zeerust. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Our ancestors referred to their kingdom as Kaditshwene (a place of baboons) and Tshwenyane (a little baboon), an ancient twin-city settlement that thrived between 1300 to 1884. Like many other indigenous polities, it functioned as a sovereign polity, free from foreign or external domination. There was a dramatic shift in the geopolitical landscape after the Berlin Conference of 1884, where European powers gathered to partition Africa among themselves, which laid the foundation for the modern nation-states we recognise today. As a result, we — descendants of various kingdoms — were forced to adapt to these new political realities and form countries under Western-imposed frameworks. A country known as the Union of South Africa was established in 1910, led and governed by white minority rule. A referendum was held in 1960, where white South Africans decided to leave the Commonwealth, became independent, and referred to themselves as the Republic of South Africa on 31 May 1961. While the name 'South Africa' is descriptive of a geographic location, the name gives a strong cultural, political, and historical connection. It reminds us of different epochs in our history and how we interacted with other countries. The name South Africa is not unique in the world, as other countries have historically adopted names which are geographically descriptive of their land, such as South Sudan, Central African Republic (CAR), North and South Korea, North Macedonia, and East Timor. My discomfort at the term Azania was vindicated after I came across one of the compelling writings of South African freedom fighter and journalist Paul Trewhela, who is now based in the United Kingdom. Through his sharp historical analysis, he provides a well-substantiated account of the origins of the name 'Azania', demonstrating that it was a term imposed by slave traders/masters to demean the Black Africans in some parts of East Africa. Trewhela contends that the name 'Azania' does not bear any link to the indigenous peoples of South Africa and carries connotations or implications of oppression rather than liberation. His esteemed scholarship helped clarify that the name 'Azania' lacks authentic historical, cultural, political, or linguistic connections to South Africa and its people, reinforcing my earlier doubts about its relevance and appropriateness as a national name. 'The name 'Azania' celebrates the centuries of enslavement of black Africans by Islamist Arab imperialism down the east coast of Africa. It is a disgrace for reactionary ideologists to be using this concocted name to replace the name South Africa,' he remarked. This name, 'Azania,' is primarily used by individuals who identify themselves as revolutionaries or radicals within South Africa's academic, political, and social spheres. It is largely preferred by black radicals in academia and by political formations considered to be on the far left, such as the PAC, the Azanian People's Organisation (AZAPO), the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), and trade unions affiliated with the National Council of Trade Union (NACTU), among others. Like I once did in the past, many of these individuals adopt the term 'Azania' as a symbolic rejection of apartheid and white supremacy. Their chief motivation emanates from a desire to eliminate any association with the apartheid regime, including the name 'South Africa', which they regard as a legacy of colonialism and racial oppression. Mokgatlhe is a political analyst and consultant.
IOL News
3 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka probes Senzo Mchunu: Here's the focus of her investigation
The office of Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka will probe the damning allegations against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. Image: Jonisayi Maromo/IOL Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka will investigate embattled Police Minister Senzo Mchunu after a complaint was launched by the African Transformation Movement (ATM), which described the police minister's actions as a 'flagrant episode of abuse of power'. Earlier this week, IOL reported that in a letter backed by WhatsApp messages, audio recordings, and financial documents, the ATM alleged that Mchunu colluded with businessman Brown Mogotsi and murder-accused businessman Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala to derail critical investigations in the South African Police Service (SAPS), and shield politically connected individuals from justice. At the heart of the scandal is the collapse of the elite KwaZulu-Natal political killings task team, a unit that had secured over 100 convictions and made breakthroughs linking firearms to a string of high-profile assassinations. The allegations that recently rocked the country were made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi on Sunday. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Following ATM's complaint, IOL has seen a letter from the Public Protector's office, signed by Acting Chief Operations Officer, advocate Nelisiwe Nkabinde, confirming the probe sought by ATM Member of Parliament, Vuyo Zungula. In his complaint, the parliamentarian had urged the Public Protector to investigate Mchunu's conduct under the Executive Members Ethics Act (EMEA) of 1998. Zungula contended that Mchunu's actions breached the Executive Ethics Code, citing the collapse of the effective political killings task team of the SAPS, and alleged ties to criminal elements alleged by Kwazulu-Natal provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, as evidence of misconduct. ATM Member of Parliament, Vuyo Zungula Image: Supplied In the Public Protector's response, the Chapter 9 institution stipulated that it would probe the following allegations, including whether Mchunu lied about his relationship with Brown Mogotsi, denying knowledge of the North West politician in a March 2025 parliamentary committee session. This week, Mchunu turned around, describing Mogotsi as 'just a comrade'. The Public Protector will investigate whether Mchunu disbanded the political killings task team of the SAPS. Another allegation is whether Mchunu unduly delayed and derailed the investigation of cases 'many of which are linked to politically sensitive investigations, with an intention to protect criminal syndicates. The Public Protector will also probe whether there was a conflict of interest in the awarding of a R360 million SAPS contract to Matlala. However, the Public Protector's office told Zungula that due to the several complaints raised by the parliamentarian, the extensive investigation will not be finalised within 30 days as prescribed by Section 3(2) of Executive Members Ethics Act (EMEA). Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa has called a family meeting on Sunday to address allegations that Mchunu and senior police leadership are linked to a criminal syndicate with ties to drug cartels. This comes as the DA, uMkhonto weSizwe party (MK), and the EFF on Thursday lodged criminal complaints against Mchunu, accusing him of misleading Parliament and being linked to individuals allegedly involved in the capture of the SAPS. IOL News
IOL News
5 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
ATM accuses Mchunu of cover-ups in explosive political killings scandal, calls for Public Protector probe
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu at the center of serious allegations involving the collapse of KZN's elite political killings task team. Image: File African Transformation Movement (ATM) has filed an urgent request to Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka, demanding an immediate investigation into what it describes as a 'flagrant episode of abuse of power' by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. In a letter backed by WhatsApp messages, audio recordings, and financial documents, the ATM alleged that Mchunu colluded with businessman Brown Mogotsi and murder-accused Vusimuzi Matlala to derail critical investigations and shield politically connected individuals from justice. At the heart of the scandal is the collapse of the elite KZN political killings task team, a unit that had secured over 100 convictions and made breakthroughs linking firearms to a string of high-profile assassinations. The team was disbanded late last year under mysterious circumstances. More than 120 criminal dockets, many tied to political assassinations, have reportedly been shelved since the task team was dismantled. ATM claimed Mchunu violated the Constitution, misled Parliament, and subverted the rule of law—all to serve narrow political and private interests. The party is calling this a matter of 'national security' and insists that the Public Protector place all other matters aside to give this top priority. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ 'They form a factual matrix that speaks to a systematic effort by the Minister to derail active investigations, protect criminal syndicates, and subvert the criminal justice system for political and private gain,' the party said. However, Mchunu denied ever meeting Matlala, speaking to him or ever requesting anything from him. The appeal follows a bombshell press conference by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who accused Mchunu of executive overreach and political interference, specifically blaming him for orchestrating the task team's shutdown. ATM demanded that Mkhwanazi formally be summoned under oath to provide Gcaleka's office with all evidence in his possession, including recordings, documents, timelines, and sworn statements. The party insisted that a full-scale inquiry must be launched immediately to determine the legality, motive, and fallout of the task team's disbandment. This is no longer just about politics—it's about justice, accountability, and the lives lost to unchecked power, the ATM stated. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa promised to tackle this issue when he returned home, admitting that he did not see this one coming. IOL Politics
