South

Exciting changes are on the horizon for South Africa's telecommunications landscape, as the government prepares to ease local ownership rules for foreign satellite service providers. This policy shift particularly targets innovative companies like Elon Musk's Starlink, which have faced significant regulatory hurdles. It’s intriguing to consider what this means not just for business, but for South Africa's digital future. According to Solly Malatsi, the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, the…

In an incident that caught the attention of media outlets and sparked significant debate, U.S. President Donald Trump recently featured a screenshot during a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. His display was supposedly meant to support his claim of mass killings targeting white South Africans. “These are all white farmers that are being buried,” Trump asserted, presenting a printout of an article alongside an accompanying image. This meeting transpired in the Oval Office, a setting where pivotal…

A recent court ruling has placed a group of migrants, who were deported from the United States, in Djibouti as they await further proceedings. This decision comes in light of the Trump administration's actions. The U.S. government has stated that these eight migrants, hailing from various countries, were expelled due to previous convictions for violent crimes. On Tuesday, they embarked on a flight destined for South Sudan instead of their home countries, as the U.S. was unable to secure the necessary approval from those…

Widening Perspectives: Diplomatic Conversations Between Trump and Ramaphosa WASHINGTON — In a world where words carry weight and diplomacy shapes futures, a recent meeting between South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and former President Donald Trump shone a spotlight on the complexities of international relations. Yet, an unexpected narrative took center stage—the controversial claim of a "white genocide" in South Africa. Imagine walking into a meeting, expecting to forge alliances, only to find yourself navigating a…

Contentious Relations: The Land Reform Debate Between South Africa and the U.S. For months now, the tension between South Africa and the United States has simmered, grounded in a complicated and emotional discourse surrounding land reforms and the tragic events surrounding the killing of white farmers. This isn’t just a simple geopolitical spat; it’s an inflection point for both nations, touching on issues of racial inequality, historical injustices, and deeply entrenched societal divides. The situation took a…

Enoch Godongwana, the Minister of Finance, made a notable reappearance in Parliament today, seeking to present the revised 2025 Budget Review after several prior attempts. This return to the legislative arena was not just routine; it carried the weight of expectation and anticipation. What led to this repeat moment? One might wonder. The atmosphere was charged as he approached the lectern. Legislators, many of whom had been following the fiscal discussions closely, perched on the edges of their seats. Godongwana’s task was…

Controversial Deportations Raise Ethical Concerns An unsettling email originating from a detention officer has unveiled a troubling situation involving a Burmese national identified merely as "N.M." The startling news? N.M. was "removed...to South Sudan." This revelation, while succinct, has set off a flurry of reactions that reveal the complexities of immigration policies and the human cost behind them. The move has not only caught the attention of the public, but it has sparked significant criticism from various…

In a significant development for the South African technology landscape, the government is contemplating extending a special exemption to Elon Musk, allowing his ambitious satellite internet service, Starlink, to operate within its borders. This move bypasses the stringent Black ownership requirements that characterize the country’s economic policies, particularly those aimed at promoting Black Economic Empowerment. This proposed exemption emerges amid rising tensions involving not only Musk but also former U.S.…

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed that it initially opted not to proceed with a prosecution in the deeply troubling case of a seven-year-old girl, widely referred to as Cwecwe, who is alleged to have been raped. This decision was reportedly based on a lack of compelling evidence. Prosecutors highlighted that medical examinations, combined with interviews conducted, failed to establish irrefutable proof of rape or sexual assault. In April, Cwecwe's mother voiced her concerns, revealing that the police…

Until recently, the United States' President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) played a pivotal role in South Africa’s healthcare landscape, funding roughly 17% of the nation’s HIV budget. Yet, in the wake of significant cuts during the Trump administration, particularly targeting USAID—the world’s foremost donor organization dedicated to health and humanitarian assistance—South Africa found itself grappling with an unexpected funding crisis. Relations between South Africa and the U.S. grew increasingly…