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The South African
7 days ago
- Business
- The South African
Cheaper electricity possibly on the cards, says Ramaphosa
President Cyril Ramaphosa today delivered his 2025 Budget Vote address. High on the president's list of promises was that cheaper electricity was on the cards for South Africans. 'We are putting in place the foundations for a competitive electricity market to unlock massive new investment in energy generation,' said Ramaphosa. He said they were working with stakeholders that would ensure more renewable energy powers the country's economy. The president said the energy sector has made outstanding progress in reducing the severity and frequency of load shedding in recent months. 'There was a time when daily load shedding was the norm. Now, it is very much the exception,' he continued.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Voter registration closes July 15; Early/advance voting starts Wednesday
The clock is ticking away, moving ever closer to the Aug. 5 Primary Election that will narrow the field of candidates who will vie for three open positions on the Abilene City Commission. Ten Abilene residents filed for the city commission race. The primary will eliminate four of the candidates, allowing the top six vote-getters to move on to the Nov. 4 General Election. With 10 candidates, the Abilene commission race is the only one in Dickinson County that requires a primary election. Today Tuesday, July 15, is the last day to register to vote or update voter registration information. Registration can be done in person at the Dickinson County Clerk/Election Office or online through the Kansas Secretary of State's website. This deadline applies to registering online, by mail, or in person. You can register online through the Kansas Secretary of State's website. You can also register by mail, with the application needing to be postmarked on or before the deadline. Registration can also be done in person at your county election office. Early/Advance voting starts on Wednesday, July 16 in the Dickinson County Clerk/Election office at the courthouse, 109 E. First, Abilene.
IOL News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Minister Siviwe Gwarube says BELA Act is being implemented despite ongoing work on regulations
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says the BELA Act is being implemented, but Parliament urges urgency on final regulations—especially for admissions and language policy—to ensure clarity, consistency, and full compliance across all provinces. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act is already being actively implemented, even as work continues on the finalisation of supporting regulations. Addressing Parliament's portfolio committee on Tuesday during the 2025/26 Budget Vote, Gwarube said her department had rolled out extensive support to provinces and districts to ensure the Act's smooth implementation since it came into effect on December 24, 2024. 'This support has included training of provincial and district officials, the development of interim guidelines and the development of an extensive suite of draft regulations to further support implementation,' she said. Gwarube confirmed that the first two regulations , focused on admissions and school capacity , will be published for public comment in the coming weeks. She stressed the Department of Basic Education's (DBE) commitment to a "legal and policy framework that is responsive and fit for purpose." However, the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education expressed concern over delays in the drafting of the full set of regulations. Committee Chairperson Joy Maimela said: 'The majority of Members of the committee are of the view that deliberate attempts are being made to hold the full implementation of the BELA Act by delaying the drafting of regulations, especially those that speak to the two contentious sections. These regulations should provide the necessary clarity to implementers of the Act.' The committee was particularly concerned about Sections 4 and 5 of the Act, which relate to school admission and language policy—issues that remain contentious. Although additional time had been given for stakeholders to reach consensus, no agreement was reached, and the Act was enacted with the understanding that detailed regulations would follow. Maimela reminded Gwarube that the deadline for finalising the regulations was the end of June 2025.
IOL News
04-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
SAPS Budget 2025: Mchunu targets GBV, corruption, and high-crime zones with R120 billion plan
Police Minister Senzo announces sweeping reforms to strengthen visible policing, invest in digital tools, and tackle gender-based violence, signalling a bold shift in SAPS strategy for the 2025/26 financial year Image: Tumi Pakkies/Independent Newspapers Police Minister Senzo Mchunu says South Africa's policing system is undergoing a strategic overhaul aimed at improving crime prevention, restoring public trust, and modernising police operations. Tabling the Budget Vote for the 2025/26 financial year in Parliament, Mchunu laid out a R120.89 billion allocation for the South African Police Service (SAPS), Civilian Secretariat for Police Service, and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID). ''While we welcome and appreciate the allocation, we are under no illusion about the scale of the task ahead. Crime is adaptive, dynamic, and, in many cases, well-financed — and so must our response be.' Mchunu outlined nine key crime-fighting priorities, including reducing the murder rate, fighting gender-based violence, tackling illegal firearms and drugs, and rooting out corruption within the SAPS. "Our commitment is to lead a police service that protects the vulnerable, disrupts criminality, and restores trust," he said. Mchunu noted that four provinces, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape, remain the primary focus due to high crime levels. ''It is clear that identified high crime zones in all four provinces require intelligence-led targeted deployment of specialised units to combat criminality.' He also confirmed that 225 hotspot police stations have been identified for synchronised interventions. Mchunu said visible Policing will receive over 53% of the total budget, while Detective Services will account for nearly 20%. Compensation of employees remains the largest cost driver, making up more than 80% of the budget. He also confirmed that 5,500 new police trainees will be enlisted in January 2026 to maintain the personnel complement of 188,000. A total of R219.2 million has been allocated for securing the G20 conference in November 2025, R400 million for the 2026 Local Government Elections, and R34.8 million for costs related to the appointment of an additional Deputy Minister. Furthermore, R150 million is being shifted to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) to support its anti-corruption partnerships. Community policing is also getting a boost, with R28 million allocated to Community Policing Forums and R8.5 million for public awareness campaigns, he said. To address Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBV+F), a total of R1.6 billion will be spent, including R1.5 billion for Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Units. Mchunu said, 'The country is gripped and aggrieved by GBV+F, as its prevalence has reached distressing levels.' Moreover, Mchunu said to modernise operations, R670 million will be invested in building and upgrading police stations, while R20 million will fund mobile Community Service Centres. and R45 million on police station maintenance. Mchunu highlighted the role of partnerships with the private sector, particularly with Business Against Crime South Africa. Projects include piloting automated police stations, expanding forensic labs, and integrating SAPS systems with private sector technologies. SAPS will also roll out drones, body-worn cameras, and digital tools to enhance public safety and investigative capacity, he said. Mchunu highlighted the role of partnerships with the private sector, particularly with Business Against Crime South Africa. Projects include piloting automated police stations, expanding forensic labs, and integrating SAPS systems with private sector technologies. "The SAPS continues to advance its modernisation agenda through the deployment of strategic technology solutions aimed at improving operational efficiency, situational awareness, and public safety," Mchunu said. Addressing corruption within police ranks, Mchunu confirmed, 'We have taken a defined stance against corruption within the SAPS and we unequivocally state that there is no tolerance for corruption.' This includes recent arrests of senior officials in Crime Intelligence. Human resources are being restructured, with new recruitment strategies, leadership development, and incentives. A new Detective Critical Skills Allowance of R1,000 per month will be introduced from October 2025 to retain skilled investigators. Additionally, 200 former detectives will be re-enlisted and more contract appointments made, said Mchunu. Furthermore, the DPCI will ramp up efforts against corruption, cybercrime, and unresolved Truth and Reconciliation Commission cases.
The South African
02-07-2025
- Business
- The South African
SAA's wings in full flight - and profitable!
Following several challenging years, State-owned airline, South African Airways (SAA), is now in a position to contribute economic value. This is according to Transport Minister Barbara Creecy, who presented the departmental Budget Vote in Parliament on Wednesday morning. SAA was racked by allegations of fraud and corruption during the State capture years. It was put under business rescue and grounded but has recovered to fly domestic, continental and international flights. 'With unencumbered assets and renewed profitability, SAA is well-positioned to drive economic value through expanded international services, job creation, and increased contributions to tourism and trade,' Creecy said. Furthermore, the airline is now contributing to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). 'According to [an Oxford Economics Africa] study, SAA contributed R9.1 billion to South Africa's GDP in 2023/24, a figure projected to more than triple to R32.6 billion by 2029/2030. Over the same period, the airline's operations are expected to support 86 700 jobs, up from the current 25 000, demonstrating its growing role as a national employer and economic catalyst. 'The airline has concluded three out of four outstanding audits and reported a profit of R252 million for the 2022/23 financial year for the first time since 2012. Now operating independently and no longer reliant on government guarantees, SAA is self-funding its operations and fleet growth, while remaining open to a strategic equity partner as part of its long-term restructuring,' the Minister highlighted. Creecy revealed that the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has been allocated some R21.7 billion for infrastructure development. '[This is] in order to meet our target of moving 42 million passengers per year and increasing air freight handling through the ACSA network of airports. This will improve facilities for passenger safety and comfort over the medium-term and build a new freight terminal at OR Tambo International Airport. 'In addition, we are fast tracking projects to ensure reliable availability of jet fuel to all airlines at all our airports, as well as the general upkeep and upgrading of facilities and technologies at each of our airports to improve both security of passengers and cargo, as well as convenience of airport users,' she said. Creecy told Parliament that the state of roads in South Africa remains an important issue that the department is concerned about, with the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) taking over some 3 099 kilometers of provincial roads over the past year. 'Over the period of the MTDP [Medium-Term Development Plan] and beyond, SANRAL has reprioritised within the existing maintenance and capital allocated funding so that these roads are serviced through the Route Road Maintenance Programme,' she said. Creecy also revealed that the driver's licence printing machine is now back in operation. 'The old card machine is currently fixed and we are hard at work to clear out the printing backlog of licence cards. To ensure we have a backup solution, we have signed a MOU with the Government Printing Works. We expect that within three months, this backup solution will be able to print driver's licence cards,' she said. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
