Free State Targets Surgical Backlogs
The three-day Cataract Marathon, held over the weekend at Boitumelo Regional Hospital in Kroonstad, was a great success, with over 100 patients receiving treatment.
Screening was conducted last week Friday with cataract operations scheduled for Saturday and Su...
Civil society groups have raised alarm over the impact of rising fuel prices on food affordability, warning that the knock-on effects will deepen financial strain on South African households, particularly the most vulnerable.
Groups including the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD) say recent increases in diesel and petrol costs are likely to drive up food prices in the coming months, reversing recent gains in affordability and placing additional pressure on already stretched consumers.
Evashnee Naidu, KwaZulu-Natal regional manager of Black Sash, on Tuesday said there is growing concern about further fuel hikes, especially given ongoing global instability.
“Particularly the steep increase in diesel is concerning as this impacts the transport of goods within South Africa like food items," she said.
"Given the ongoing global crisis and the possibility that this might not be resolved in the short term, it is the households of the most impoverished and social grant recipients who will feel the brunt and impact of this.”
Naidu warned that rising costs will push vulnerable households deeper into hardship, affecting not only their ability to afford food but also access to healthcare, job-seeking opportunities, and broader economic participation.
“Whilst we note the immediate response from the government to decrease the fuel levy to provide some cushion, this is still insufficient to adequately protect the poorest of the poor.”
Mervin Abrahams, director at PMBEJD, said that diesel is regarded as the lifeblood of economic activity in the country, more importantly in the field of agriculture.
“It is used by farmers to power their equipment whether during planting or harvesting, so an increase in diesel is certainly bound to have a major impact on the entire food system and food prices.”
Abrahams added that the positive decrease in some food prices during March Household Affordability Index could now see an increase in food prices.
“It is very concerning especially because we had seen some food items decreasing in prices and had been hoping for the trend to continue in order to ease the burden on both middle and low-income earners.”
“While the situation will be difficult for middle-income earners, it will be more dire for low-income earners. The situation in the Middle East is concerning because we have already seen a rise in fuel prices and if the conflict is not resolved, we will see a rise in food prices.”
Siyanda Baduza, a basic income researcher at the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ), said that the R7 per litre increase in diesel follows fuel levy hikes, which were previously mitigated to provide consumer relief.
“Since an external factor drives this change, it is impossible to guarantee this will be the only increase. Diesel prices affect transportation costs and food prices through increased logistics," Baduza said.
"Higher fuel prices also impact paraffin prices, which disproportionately affect poorer communities. Overall, this context points to an increased cost of living for everyday South Africans.”
Baduza added that social grants provide protection for as many as 50% of these households. Social protection, in the most literal sense, is intended to function as a buffer against these unexpected increases.
“Ideally, it works as insurance to ensure that if a crisis occurs, people can still afford their basic needs. Unfortunately, it does not work well in South Africa, where the largest grants fall below all objective measures of need.”
Baduza said that amounts of R580 and R370 are already too little to provide for unemployed people and children in a normal context; in the coming crisis, their effectiveness will be even more blunted.
“They are effective tools to alleviate poverty, but they only work if they are at dignified levels. An increase in these grants would act as a far more effective buffer than minor fuel levy forgiveness.”
Weeks after swimming and snorkelling in a pothole, Helen Zille has taken up a new extreme watersport – pedalling in dirty drainwater.
The Johannesburg mayoral candidate has posted another amusing video of her campaign trail on her social media platforms.
HELEN ZILLE ROWS INFLATABLE BOAT IN DIRTY DRAINWATER
On her social media platforms, Helen Zille posted a clip of her pedalling an inflatable boat down a road in Dobsonville, Soweto, that had filled with water from a blocked drain.
In the clip, the 75-year-old rowed the inflatable past a group of stunned spectators.
“Molweni”, she casually greeted.
Helen chatted to locals, who revealed that the drain had been blocked for the past 6 years. The drain had led to the road being permanently flooded with dirty water, posing sanitation and safety hazards.
“You know what to do at elections if you want this place fixed”, she told one woman.
In the video caption, Helen Zille claimed that the City of Johannesburg had spent only 26% of its capital budget. The mayoral candidate alleged that the funds – meant to be invested in projects like stormwater infrastructure – were “either stolen or mismanaged.
Surprisingly – or not – Helen revealed that city officials had been dispatched to drain the water after she visited the location.
“The Gogo effect”, she captioned the clip.
POTHOLE PR STUNT WAS ‘UNPLANNED’
Meanwhile, Helen Zille has claimed her pothole pool party – which made international headlines – took place on the spur of the moment.
The former DA leader went viral after she swam and snorkelled in a pothole in Douglasdale.
The three-year pothole was caused by a leaking pipe and damaged roads.
Helen’s shock actions prompted the city mayor, Dada Morero, and Rand Water to visit the site. Repair work has since begun.
Helen claimed local residents invited her to the site of the pothole, who had staged a “pool party”.
She told the Sowetan: “I didn’t even know about the pothole at the time. Earlier that day, I got a message from people who have been dealing with this huge pothole for three years.
“They’d tried again and again to get it fixed, but nothing had happened. They asked if I could come and take a look at it.”
She continued: “I said ‘yes’. When I got there, there were people standing around, and I said, ‘Whoa, this pothole is big enough to swim in.’ One of the residents then said, ‘Well, I’ve got a wetsuit. Do you want to swim?’ And I said, “Sure.”
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality has accused the Executive Mayor of misleading the public during an interview on Lesedi FM on Tuesday, March 24.
The party says the mayor incorrectly claimed that the DA had taken him to court to stop the allocation of residential sites to Mangaung residents.
“The Executive Mayor told listeners that the DA has taken him to court to stop him from allocating residential sites in Brandkop (near Lourierpark), Sepane (near Botshabelo), an unnamed area near Thaba Nchu, and another near Grootvlei Prison,” the party said in a statement.
However, the DA insists this is not true, adding that there is no court interdict preventing the Mangaung Metro from developing land in Sepane, Grootvlei or Thaba Nchu.
The party argues that the mayor is using public platforms to spread misinformation to mask what it describes as a municipality in financial and administrative decline.
It clarified that legal action related to Brandkop is a separate matter, linked to land preparation carried out without complying with the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA) and other legal requirements.
The DA says the mayor’s remarks are an attempt to deflect from failures in adhering to spatial planning laws and delivering dignified services and adequate housing.
“The DA has consistently supported the urgent need to provide land to qualifying beneficiaries. However, our position is clear: land must be allocated in a manner that restores dignity, promotes sustainable human settlements and complies with basic standards of human habitation,” the party said.
The party has called on the Executive Mayor to stop spreading misinformation and instead prioritise the provision of serviced stands that meet residents’ basic needs.
The North West province and the nation are mourning yet another tragic loss after a school transport accident claimed the life of a fourth learner.
The crash, which occurred on Wednesday, 8 April 2026, initially claimed the lives of two learners and the driver at the scene, while two others were left critically injured.
The injured Grade 12 learners were rushed to hospital, but one later succumbed to her injuries on Saturday, 11 April 2026.
The four learners and their driver were travelling in private transport from Delareyville to Vryburg for the reopening of schools for the second term when tragedy struck.
It is reported that the vehicle collided with a truck approximately 20 kilometres from Vryburg, resulting in the immediate deaths of three occupants. The deceased learners were in Grades 9 and 10.
North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi, said there had been hope that the third learner would recover.
“On Wednesday, following the accident, I rushed to meet with all the families to offer my support, and we were all optimistic that she would recover. Unfortunately, that was not the case; God had other plans which were not the same as ours. I wish to convey my sincerest condolences to all the bereaved families and pray for a full recovery for the learner who is still in hospital,” she said.
The North West Department of Education has extended its condolences to the affected families and the Vryburg High School community during this difficult time.
The fourth learner, also in Grade 12, is recovering well after undergoing a successful operation at Milpark Hospital.
Details of memorial services and funerals will be announced once consultations with the families have been finalised
Newly elected DA Federal Executive Chairperson Solly Msimanga has framed his victory as both a personal milestone and a strategic turning point for the party, promising organisational renewal and a push into areas where the DA has historically struggled to grow.
Speaking shortly after his election at the party’s Federal Congress, Msimanga said his leadership mandate reflects ideas he first presented to the party years ago, but which have only now gained broader support.
“Well, I’m glad that something that I spoke to the party about in 2018—and unfortunately at that point I didn’t get, you know, the mandate to, you know, be in that leadership so that I can implement, is now something that has been accepted, you know, now in 2026.”
“I’m excited that we can now go and make sure that we grow the party in areas that we haven’t been growing. And we are now going to be representing, or presenting, a South Africa that the people of South Africa can look at and say they can see themselves in there. This is something that I’m hoping that we are able to then, you know, take going forward,” he said.
At the centre of his vision is repositioning the DA as a party that resonates more broadly across South Africa’s diverse electorate. Msimanga said the goal is to present “a South Africa that the people of South Africa can look at and say they can see themselves in.”
His comments come at a critical moment for the DA, which has faced persistent questions about its ability to expand beyond its traditional voter base and appeal to a wider cross-section of the country.
Beyond electoral growth, Msimanga placed strong emphasis on internal reform, echoing broader leadership messaging at the congress about strengthening the party’s organisational capacity ahead of upcoming elections.
“You cannot go into elections, whether it’s 2026 or 2029, if you haven’t really strengthened your internal capability and organisational structure,” he said.
He described the party’s internal systems as central to its electoral competitiveness, adding that the focus would be on ensuring the DA’s “machinery is very, very well-oiled and extremely capacitated” before entering future campaigns.
This signals a shift towards a more systems-driven approach to campaigning, where internal cohesion, operational discipline, and execution are prioritised alongside messaging.
Msimanga also addressed pre-congress narratives that suggested instability and potential fractures within the party. He dismissed the notion that internal tensions were unique to the DA, instead framing them as part of a normal political cycle.
“Every political party goes through the ups and downs,” he said. “The trick is what happens when you get a moment like this, a moment where you’re able to press a reset button.”
According to Msimanga, the Federal Congress serves that function precisely: recalibrating leadership structures, introducing new voices, and reassessing strategy.
“Well, I think every political party, you know, goes through the ups and downs. The trick is what happens when, when, when you get a moment like this, a moment where you’re able to then press a reset button. And this is what FedEx, this is what the Federal Congress does.”
“It allows you to press a reset button, to set a few, you know, structures in place, to set new people, or, you know, a mixed, a new mix of people in place,” he explained, adding that it also creates space to evaluate past missteps and chart a new direction.
Msimanga pointed to policy resolutions adopted at the congress as evidence that the party is actively responding to both internal and governance challenges. He said these proposals are not only inward-looking but are also intended to shape how DA representatives operate in government.
“Some of the issues that we would want our ministers to be driving much more in government are finding expression in what has been said here today,” he noted.
While he did not outline specific policy details in the interview, his remarks suggest a closer alignment between party structures and governance priorities, particularly as the DA continues to play a role in coalition politics at national and provincial levels.
With national and local electoral cycles approaching, Msimanga’s immediate challenge will be translating the congress’s resolutions into measurable organisational and political gains.
His messaging indicates a dual-track strategy: rebuild internally while expanding externally.
The North West Department of Education, Viola Motsumi convened an accountability meeting with Departmental Senior Managers of the Department at Royal Marang on Friday, 10 April 2026.
The purpose of the session was to closely monitor and evaluate the performance of each Directorate within the department. Such meetings are aimed at strengthening oversight, improving service delivery and ensuring that strategic education goals in the province are being effectively implemented.
The managers presented their 2025/2026 Fourth Quarter achievements: Expenditure Report as of 31 March 2026, Post Audit Action Plan (PAAP) Report as at 31 March 2026, Infrastructure Progress Report, Progress Report on Filling of Posts, Status of Security in Schools and Presentation of the Status of Schooling in the Province, since the Reopening of the Schools for Term 2 (08 April 2026).
The MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi firmly questioned Senior Managers about their inability to meet performance targets during the accountability meeting.
“Why are we not able to reach our targets? For the Department to perform, I must convene monthly accountability meetings. There must be consequence management for those Directorates which fail to reach their annual targets, and this is totally unacceptable.
“Work cannot be done only when I have requested it, officials should be able to do their work without being told to do so. Directorates should not wait until the end of the quarter to compile their reports, reports should be compiled monthly”, said MEC Motsumi.
MEC Motsumi further stressed the importance of financial accountability, by stating that all those who owe the Department must pay back the money. She emphasized that Senior Managers should lead by example in this regard, reinforcing a culture of integrity, responsibility and consequence management within the department.
*This article was first published by the North West Department of Education
