Proposal to hike taxi fares by 30%
South Africans who rely on taxis to commute face a possible fare hike of between 25% and 30% because of record-high petrol prices. The proposed hike comes courtesy of the National Taxi Alliance, which says that it has done what it can to stave off…
Cape Town’s new traffic rules let authorities impound your car on the spot – what you should know
The City of Cape Town has approved a new traffic by-law which will allow authorities in the city to immediately impound vehicles caught breaking the rules. The traffic by-law was first promulgated in 2010 to regulate public transport vehicles and traffic within the city’s jurisdiction,…
Unions plan national shutdown in South Africa – amid worries we’re becoming ‘another Zimbabwe’
The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) is planning a national shutdown to protest the rising costs of living in the country and the ongoing energy crisis. SAFTU is the country’s second-largest trade union confederation with an estimated membership of 800,000 workers. “We cannot…
South Africa’s new visa system is already causing headaches
At the start of June, Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced a complete overhaul of South Africa’s immigration system. The first area of change is long-term visa applications by foreign nationals wishing to stay for over three months in South Africa. However, these changes have…
South Africa plans to join international wealth club
South Africa has upgraded its participation in the Paris Club to prospective member, taking it a step closer to becoming the first African nation to fully join the group of wealthy creditors. Africa’s most-industrialised economy will participate in all Paris Club meetings and have the…
Here’s how private medical aids could work with the new NHI in South Africa
While private healthcare providers in South Africa continue to sound alarms over the government’s National Health Insurance (NHI) plans, some operators in the sector have a far more optimistic view. The question hanging in the air around the NHI is what the project means for…
Proposed change for R350 social distress grants in South Africa – with more people set to qualify
Social Development minister Lindiwe Zulu has proposed adjusting the income threshold for the social relief of distress grant from R350 to R624, which means significantly more South Africans are set to qualify for the grant. The change was proposed by Zulu in a government gazette…
Middle-class worry over changes coming for South Africa’s health system
South Africa’s health system is facing immense pressure as lower-income people continue to receive insufficient care, while middle-class South Africans are concerned about the changes that will be introduced through the incoming National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme, say health experts. Speaking to the City Press,…
Cities in South Africa are blowing millions on surveillance networks – but are they even working?
South Africa’s municipalities are spending millions of rands on costly closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems as part of their crime prevention strategies – but a new policy brief from researchers at the South African Cities Network (SACN) questions whether these tools are effective. According to the…
Unions threaten to shut down SARS this week
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) says it will mobilise its workers to shut down the South African Revenue Services (SARS) after wage negotiations hit an impasse. In messages circulated on social media, Nehawu said the shutdown will commence on Tuesday (12…
South Africa wants to create 2 million jobs before 2024 election
South African labour minister Thulas Nxesi wants to add as many as 2 million new jobs before the next elections as the nation grapples with one of the highest unemployment rates in the world. About 12 million South Africans are without jobs. Unemployment according to…
Proposed changes to fix South Africa’s ‘dysfunctional’ schools
The Equal Education Law Centre (EELC) says school governing bodies should have the power to hold underperforming schools accountable. South African schools, particularly in rural areas, are entrenched in dysfunction with little to no resource allocation and are ill-supported to provide children with opportunities to…