Delivering his budget vote address in Parliament on Wednesday, Motsoaledi said the new central hospitals would be located in Mpumalanga, the North-West and Northern Cape.
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the planning for three new district hospitals is in the very early stages to address chronic overcrowding at many facilities.
Delivering his budget vote address in Parliament on Wednesday, Motsoaledi said the new central hospitals would be located in Mpumalanga, the North-West and Northern Cape.
As ActionSA called for limits to be placed on foreign nationals seeking medical assistance, Motsoaledi said the strain on public facilities was a result of a growing population.
Motsoaledi said six new hospitals are at varying stages of construction to reduce the high demand in Gauteng, but also in underserved areas.
But former doctor turned ActionSA Member of Parliament (MP) Kgosi Letlape said his party wants the constitution to be amended to limit foreign nationals' access to health facilities.
“Section27 should not talk about everyone. It’s not time to be ‘Father Christmas’ when our people are suffering. It should be specific to citizens. Our hospitals are being overrun by people from elsewhere.”
But Motsoaledi said 86% of facilities are being used by South Africans, and that rapid urbanisation is contributing to overburdened facilities.
However, he said new hospitals will take several years to plan, design, construct and commission.
“If we do nothing, the demeaning scenes we see often on national TV, like the pregnant women sleeping on floors and chairs, will unfortunately be the order of the day.”
Motsoaledi said the government will also have to borrow money from international and local financial financing institutions to realise its plans of building more hospitals.
*This article was first published by Eye Witness News
At the weekend, Mkhwanazi made jaw-dropping allegations, saying his team of detectives had uncovered a syndicate operating within the police’s higher structures.
The national South African Police Service (SAPS) has revealed its KwaZulu-Natal Commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has been receiving threats since his bombshell media briefing.
At the weekend, Mkhwanazi made jaw-dropping allegations, saying his team of detectives had uncovered a syndicate operating within the police’s higher structures.
SAPS national leadership addressed some of these allegations during a media briefing on Wednesday at Vanderbijlpark, south of Johannesburg.
During his media briefing, Mkhwanazi said he was aware that going public with his allegations would put him in the crosshairs of some very dangerous people.
Masemola said security at Mkhwanazi’s home has been beefed up.
“Well, in terms of physical protection, he’s been getting threats to his life in that province; we have beefed up his security.”
Masemola said he didn’t take issue with Mkhwanazi’s media briefing.
“He won’t be persecuted. From my side, there won’t be persecution of any member of SAPS - not only him, but anyone.”
Masemola said the next step in this saga will be announced once he has briefed President Cyril Ramaphosa.
*This article was first published by Eye Witness News
Agriculture Minister, John Steenhuisen, says the looming export tariff hike by the United States on South Africa shows the country needs urgent reforms.
US President, Donald Trump, announced a 30% tariff on South African exports to the US effective from August 1.
Steenhuisen says there is still time to negotiate before the tariffs kick in.
He was delivering his department’s R7,6 billion Budget Vote in Parliament,
“Whilst we can breathe a sigh of relief that this tariff did not come into effect as it was due to tomorrow, it does give us an opportunity to urgently use the next few weeks to try and negotiate a way forward to prevent this. Whilst not explicit, the announcement would signal the end of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which gives South Africa duty free access to the US for more than 6,000 products, including goods and automobiles, agricultural and textile industries. The agriculture sector remains particularly exposed in the areas of citrus, wine, nuts and table grapes. Now more than ever, it highlights the need for urgent reform in South Africa,” says Steenhuisen.
SA government react on Trump’s tariffs: Sherwin Bryce-Pease unpacks this latest announcement
Economic experts react to the 30% tariff imposed by US:
*This article was first published by SABC NEWS
The Isipingo ratepayers and businesses called for regular clean-up campaigns in the business district and residential area to rid it of crime and grime.
The eThekwini Municipality held what it dubbed Operation Gijima, covering areas including Orient Hills, Isipingo Beach, and Isipingo Hills in Ward 90. The operation aims to address service delivery challenges in the ward, as stated by the municipality on Wednesday.
Several businesses were visited as part of the operation to assess health and safety compliance, as well as to ensure owners were trading with a business licence.
According to the municipality, officials confiscated expired food items being sold and issued fines for non-compliance. The operation also addressed service delivery challenges and saw blocked stormwater drains cleared, illegal dumps removed, water leaks repaired, and illegal electricity connections removed.
The municipality stated that as part of the operation, four people were arrested for failing to produce documents allowing them to be in the country legally.
Sunildutt Ramadhar, spokesperson for the Isipingo Ratepayers and Residents Association (IRRA), said the ongoing interventions in the ward were welcomed after a meeting was held with the municipality over poor service delivery in February 2025.
Ramadhar said a planning meeting was held with the area-based management officials to track this initiative.
“The clean-up operation is going on well, but we will still face the recurring problem of daily illegal dumping. Vacant land needs to be fenced off. We need a dumpsite to prevent this. We are working closely with officials to deal with undocumented people living or trading in the area,” he said.
Junaid Iqbal, chairperson of the Isipingo Business Forum, welcomed the clean-up but also emphasised the need to promptly clear blocked sewer pipelines regularly, find a solution for public transport off-peak parking, and road markings.
“Blocked drains are a consistent problem. There should also be an education drive to prevent people from littering on the pavements and sidewalks,” he said.
Businessman Aidan David said the operation is long overdue and hoped that this time around, the service delivery issues would be given the priority that they deserve.
David called for an overhaul of the entire drainage system and sewer system in Ward 90, which was built decades ago.
He hoped it would be upgraded due to the vast number of dwellings that sprang up over the years.
“I also hope that solutions are forthcoming for the community. The municipality's drainage non-compliance poses significant risks during heavy rainfall and causes major flooding in a lot of areas of Isipingo. I welcome the initiative, and I thank the team that has decided to do a sterling job to finally fix what is broken rather than interfere with what is working fine in Ward 90,” David said.
*This article was first published by IOL
This is according to the latest water justice report, which exposed the daily realities of those forced to queue or pay high prices for water.
The report, titled State Capture and Beyond: Water Justice, is a collaboration between Brot für die Welt (Bread for the World [BfdW]), the Human Rights Media Trust (HRMT), and the Legal Resources Centre (LRC), with funding from the European Union (EU).
The purpose of this project is to address corruption in South Africa based on the recommendations from the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.
The report stated that with a growing population, it is important for the government to carefully manage the storage, treatment, and distribution of water to avoid waste, but poor management and the influence of corruption, as identified by the commission of inquiry.
This, according to the report, has left the country with decaying water delivery systems.
“Infrastructure is failing because of a lack of maintenance, suspect tender practices, poor water quality and delivery, and inadequate wastewater treatment,” stated the report, adding that this leaves sections of the country, especially those who are poorest, with limited access to sufficient, safe, and affordable potable water.
*This article was first published by IOL
By JN Reporter
Awaiting trialist and Minister of Police Senzo Nchunu’s alleged associate, Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, is in hot water.
On Wednesday morning, the Department of Correctional Services Spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo, revealed that Matlala was found with a cellphone at the Kgoši Mampuru Correctional Centre during a raid.
“One of the raids conducted over the past weekend led to the discovery of a mobile phone in Mr Matlala’s cell. The discovery led to the department taking action, and the remanded inmate was then transferred to the facility’s C-Max section,” said Nxumalo.
However, in response to recent allegations made by KZN Provincial Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the embattled minister, Mchunu, insists he has never met alleged crime kingpin Matlala.
In a statement released on Wednesday morning, Mchunu said he has never spoken to Matlala nor requested or received anything from him.
Mkhwanazi made allegations of a link between Mchunu and Matlala and presented WhatsApp exchanges, which he said were extracted from Matlala's phone, showing alleged conversations between him and the minister.
Mchunu's spokesperson, Kamogelo Mokgotsi, said the minister has denied the alleged links.
"The minister did, however, initiate a review of the SAPS [South African Police Service] tender awarded to him when suspicions of possible wrongdoing surfaced. It was the same tender, which has since been terminated."
Furthermore, the statement has clarified that while the minister denies an association with Brown Mogotsi, he knows and has met him as just “a comrade.”
This is a developing story…
