The nation faces a heightened risk of social unrest following this month’s election due to its status as one of the world’s most unequal societies, plagued by high unemployment, inequality, and crime. The violent unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in 2021, sparked by political developments and desperate socio-economic conditions, was a stark reminder that a rapid deterioration in the security environment remains an ever-present risk, Louw Nel, senior political analyst at Oxford Economics Africa, writes in the first research briefing for the elections. The first briefing, titled the ANC & ..read more

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has accused the ANC of abusing Nelson Mandela’s legacy to gain votes. ANC uses Mandela footage in ad Mashaba was reacting to an ANC campaign advert circulating on social media in which Mandela’s face and voice is used in the advert. Watch the ANC advert here: A South African Story, brought to you by the ANC. 30 years since our first step to freedom, we've made incredible strides together. From restoring dignity to providing basic needs, building safer communities to universal healthcare, we're shaping a better South Africa.… pic.twitter.com/s6hKxrm1LA — Afric ..read more

A 45-year-old stepfather was arrested by the South African Police Service (SAPS) after he allegedly gave his 17-year-old stepdaughter alcohol and later raped her while her mother wasn’t home. The SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences Unit in Thabong, Free State, is investigating a case of rape after the teenage girl was allegedly raped by her stepfather on Monday at around 4pm. The crime was referred to the police to lay a charge after the victim’s mother took her daughter to the Department of Social Development on Tuesday as they had an appointment. Mother wasn’t home Th ..read more

Economic activity in South Africa has improved to the highest level in eight months thanks to the suspension of load shedding and the upcoming elections adding to the somewhat ‘positive mood’. The BankservAfrica Economic Transactions Index (BETI), which measures all interbank economic activity processed by BankservAfrica, recovered further in April. “Reaching an index level of 134.2 in April, the BETI almost reached last August’s level and improved by 0.6% on a monthly basis,” Shergeran Naidoo, BankservAfrica’s head of stakeholder engagements, says. ALSO READ: Economic activity moving largely ..read more

This heartfelt Mother’s Month competition The Citizen would love to send 3 BEST MOMS EVER to The Garden Route, Knysna and Franschoek Western Cape in the most memorable guest houses and manors! Old Victorian style guest house built in 1898. Les Chambres Guest House is in the heart of Franschhoek, just a 2-minute walk from some of Cape Wineland’s best restaurants. The elegant garden features an outdoor pool, sun loungers and seating areas in the garden and on the terrace. Stylish rooms in the restored Victorian house are decorated with a mix of antique and modern furnishings. All are equipped wi ..read more

This heartfelt Mother’s Month competition The Citizen would love to send 3 BEST MOMS EVER to The Garden Route, Knysna and Franschoek Western Cape in the most memorable guest houses and manors! WEDDING & FUNCTION VENUE | HOTEL & MANOR HOUSE | RESTAURANT | FISHING & TRAILS Portland Manor is a historical country estate, situated on a working farm in Rheenendal, a 25-minute drive from central Knysna, on the scenic Garden Route. Surrounded by 212 hectares of undisturbed wilderness with forests of indigenous trees and rich birdlife, the recently refurbished Residence and Manor House have ..read more

One of the political parties barred from participating in the elections has dismissed the suggestion that the registration portal of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) did not experience any technical difficulties. The Labour Party, the Afrikan Alliance of Social Democrats (AASD) and the African Congress for Transformation (ACT) appeared before the full bench of the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) on Wednesday for their appeal applications to be heard. Parties appeal exclusion from elections The applicants are seeking to appeal an Electoral Court ruling which upheld the I ..read more

In a coordinated operation on Tuesday, law enforcement authorities conducted a raid in Centurion, Gauteng, resulting in the confiscation of a significant consignment of counterfeit petroleum oil products valued at R225 000. The operation, led by the National Counterfeit Unit and Commercial Crimes Investigations (CCI), in conjunction with brand protection agencies, followed actionable intelligence, according to police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Amanda van Wyk. Acting on obtained warrants, the team descended upon an address in Monavoni, a suburb on the outskirts of Centurion. The raid yield ..read more

The family of late rapper and dancer Constantinos ‘Costa Titch’ Tsobanoglou will be able to properly mourn their son after a post-mortem revealed the cause of his death, after foul play was suspected. “The post-mortem examination revealed significant strain on Costa’s hart, unbeknownst to him, compounded by enduring stress and fatigue. This culmination likely led to an irregular heartbeat, triggering the seizure that claimed his life,” averred a statement from the rapper’s family. Costa died on 11 March last year after collapsing on stage during a performance at the Ultra South Africa music fe ..read more

The African National Congress (ANC) has intensified its election campaign by inviting well known faces as it tries to convince South Africans to give it another chance to government the country. Former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe last week joined the party’s campaign trail in Gauteng. This week it has brought in former Gauteng premier and businessman, Tokyo Sexwale, who conducted a door-to-door campaign for the ANC in Katlehong on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Sexwale was in Soweto, and joined by soccer legend Doctor Khumalo, jazz legend Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse and former Operati ..read more