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The Citizen
30-04-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Top 10 stories of the day: Budget 3.0 date confirmed
Here's your daily news update for 30 April: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. News today includes Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana confirming that a new national budget will be presented in parliament on 21 May. Meanwhile, Advocate Dali Mpofu has dismissed the misconduct charges against him as 'nonsensical' following the postponement of his disciplinary inquiry before the Legal Practice Council. Furthermore, Afrikaans TV content sees a decline while state broadcaster SABC struggles to pay for the productions. Weather tomorrow: 1 May 2025 Severe thunderstorms and hail are expected across four provinces on Workers' Day, with warnings for strong winds, dangerous sea conditions along the coast, and icy conditions in the Northern Cape and Western Cape until Friday. Full weather forecast here. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way. Budget 3.0 to be tabled on 21 May — Godongwana confirms Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has confirmed that a new national budget will be presented in parliament on 21 May. The decision to introduce a revised budget comes in the wake of government's move to abandon the plan by the National Treasury to increase the value-added tax (VAT). Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. Picture: Gallo Images/Die Burger/Jaco Marais The original proposal aimed to raise VAT by 0.5% starting on 1 May 2025, followed by an additional 0.5% hike in the 2026/2027 financial year. The plan was intended to bolster government revenue, but it faced significant public and political resistance due to concerns over the potential impact on the cost of living and economic inequality. CONTINUE READING: Budget 3.0 to be tabled on 21 May — Godongwana confirms 'They should be embarrassed': Mpofu slams charges as disciplinary hearing postponed Advocate Dali Mpofu has dismissed the misconduct charges against him as 'nonsensical' following the postponement of his disciplinary inquiry before the Legal Practice Council (LPC). The legal practitioner was scheduled to appear on Wednesday before an independent disciplinary committee at the LPC's offices in Pretoria. Advocate Dali Mpofu at the Pietermaritzburg High Court on 20 March 2024. Picture: Gallo Images/Darren Stewart Mpofu faced seven charges of misconduct, including matters involving former public protector Thuli Madonsela and Chief Justice Mandisa Maya. Speaking to the media after the postponement, Mpofu described the inquiry as 'a mighty waste of our time'. CONTINUE READING: 'They should be embarrassed': Mpofu slams charges as disciplinary hearing postponed Afrikaans TV content dwindles amid SABC cash crunch State broadcaster SABC doesn't seem to have a vendetta against the Afrikaans language – but is so broke it cannot pay for the productions. One of the Afrikaans shows, Voetspore, could soon face the axe. One of SABC's Afrikaans shows, Voetspore, could soon face the axe. Picture: Supplied. Earlier this month, Afrikaners saw red when the SABC failed to broadcast the Afrikaans news on the first weekend of the month due to technical issues. CONTINUE READING: Afrikaans TV content dwindles amid SABC cash crunch Ramaphosa launches commission of inquiry into apartheid-era justice delays President Cyril Ramaphosa is establishing a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate attempts to prevent the investigation or prosecution of apartheid-era crimes referred by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The commission will probe allegations of improper influence in delaying or hindering the investigation and prosecution of crimes referred by the TRC to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: Nigel Sibanda 'Allegations of improper influence in delaying or hindering the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes have persisted from previous administrations,' the Presidency said in a statement on Wednesday. CONTINUE READING: Ramaphosa launches commission of inquiry into apartheid-era justice delays 2025 budget: Godongwana refuses to resign as Mbalula warns against another 'weekend special' Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has made it clear he has no plans to step down, despite mounting pressure and calls for his resignation following the 2025 budget impasse. Godongwana announced at a media briefing on Wednesday that a third revised budget will be tabled in Parliament on 21 May. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana tables 2025 Budget Speech at the Nieuwmeester Dome in Cape Town on 12 March. Picture: X / @ParliamentofRSA This follows a court ruling that reversed the recently proposed value-added tax (VAT) increase. CONTINUE READING: 2025 budget: Godongwana refuses to resign as Mbalula warns against another 'weekend special' Here are five more stories of the day: Yesterday's News recap READ HERE: Top 10 stories of the day: Three missing cops found dead | Easter fatalities down | Wydad confirm Rulani exit
The Citizen
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Afrikaans TV content dwindles amid SABC cash crunch
Cultural organisations warn of language decline as SABC axes Afrikaans shows and fails to pay for productions due to deepening financial troubles. One of SABC's Afrikaans shows, Voetspore, could soon face the axe. Picture: Supplied. State broadcaster SABC doesn't seem to have a vendetta against the Afrikaans language – but is so broke it cannot pay for the productions. One of the Afrikaans shows, Voetspore, could soon face the axe. Earlier this month, Afrikaners saw red when the SABC failed to broadcast the Afrikaans news on the first weekend of the month due to technical issues. SABC doesn't have vendetta against Afrikaans language MyBroadband reported that Voetspore's 14th season would likely be the last viewed on SABC2, after an extensive battle over the SABC's decision to stop payments in December last year. AfriForum's head of cultural affairs Alana Bailey said the organisation was sorry to hear that Afrikaans was being scaled down even further on the SABC. ALSO READ: SABC says Afrikaans remains important part of broadcasting mandate after 'technical issues' 'AfriForum is still waiting for feedback on its [Promotion of Access to Information Act] application to the SABC to obtain more information about the Afrikaans news bulletins and their future on the SABC,' she said. Bailey said the abolition of Voetspore on SABC2 also pointed to the necessity of independent Afrikaans channels and options such as AfriForum TV because they kept the language alive. Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge (FAK) operating officer Ziegfried van Huyssteen said 'the protection and development of our language and culture is of paramount importance'. A dying language? 'That is why it is always sad when one hears rumours about Afrikaans as a dying language, whether it is on TV, radio, in the news, or even in schools. 'These types of stories offer an incredible opportunity for every Afrikaans speaker to take ownership of their language again – become storytellers of the future because nurturing and living your language is the only way one will be able to keep it alive,' he said. ALSO READ: What's behind SABC news glitch? Ziegfried said Afrikaans was by no means a dead language and encouraged everyone to work with FAK to build a future for the language. MyBroadband also reported that the auditor-general (AG), in a presentation before the standing committee on public accounts last week, said the SABC had shown no real financial improvement despite the R3.2-billion bailout it got in 2019. AG deputy business unit leader Nathan Lawnet said the public broadcaster missed 48% of its targets in the 2023-24 financial year. SABC missed 48% of its targets Lawnet said the declining viewership related to the number of top 20 shows offered by the SABC. 'The more top-rated programmes that you are showcasing mean that you are attracting viewers to come watch your shows. Higher viewership directly correlates to advertising,' he said. ALSO READ: How the Suidlanders plan to outrun the apocalypse Political analyst Piet Croucamp said it could be as simple as the SABC was bankrupt and didn't have money. 'It's costly for it to fulfil its mandate and legal responsibilities. It has a specific statutory responsibility which includes languages, regions, education and sport,' he said. Croucamp said it was hard to tell whether there was some sort of political vendetta or vindictiveness behind the decision to remove Afrikaans from the SABC2. Hard to see political vendetta 'It could well be, like they say if you want to see the pigeons scatter, take their food away,' he said. Croucamp said the statutory regime according to which they must have a diversity of programmes and different languages, was there for a good reason. NOW READ: 'Every SA language should be protected' – Marc Lottering on Afrikaans' 100th anniversary
News24
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Travel docuseries creators sue SABC for R10m
The creators of the SABC2's travel documentary series, Voetspore, are suing the public broadcaster for breaching a R10 million TV and commercial rights agreement for the episodes completed two years ago. In court papers filed last week, Kew Productions CC says it had a valid contract with the SABC for the production of seasons 12, 13, and 14 of the award-winning series, but claims the public broadcaster has failed to pay the R10 million owed under the agreement. There were 46 episodes in total. Johan Badenhorst and his team have undertaken many epic journeys throughout the African continent since the first Voetspore adventure in 2000. Head of communications Mmoni Ngubane, confirmed to City Press that the SABC was aware of the matter. "The SABC is aware of the matter. As it is currently before the courts, we are unable to comment further," Ngubane said. The production company says the cash-strapped SABC paid R663 344 in December last year. Key Productions lodged its claim at the Johannesburg High Court on 15 April after attempts to resolve the matter amicably failed after the SABC failed to respond to written demands. According to the claim, the SABC failed to pay R578 345 monthly since January. The court papers also show that it made four payments of R818 064 between December 2023 and last September. The papers read: The parties agreed that the SABC shall be granted exclusive rights to broadcast the series on any of its platforms as per the payments agreed upon. However, the production house says did not relinquish its rights to the master tapes of the documentary. The papers continue: If any dispute arises in connection with this agreement, whether directly or indirectly, the parties must refer the dispute for resolution by way of negotiation and in the event of that failing, by way of arbitration. The company also claims that the SABC ignored its invoices for outstanding payments and a letter of demand. "In March this year we gave written notice to the SABC of the breach and demanded that it remedy this within 14 days of receipt of the written notice," reads the papers. Last month, City Press reported that the public broadcaster had allegedly failed to pay the production companies responsible for some of its hit prime time TV shows including Muvhango, Generations The Legacy and Skeem Saam. According to an insider, Word of Mouth Pictures, Serite Productions and MMSV Production responsible for hit SABC1 and SABC2 drama series have not been paid since February, with the SABC citing financial struggles. "Over the last couple of months, SABC television has prioritised the smaller production houses when it comes to payments, leaving out the bigger partners and pleading with them that payments would come later than expected," said the source. Ngubane said the SABC would not discuss the financial affairs of production houses with the media.
