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Polity.org.za offers a unique take on news, with a focus on political, legal, economic and social issues in South Africa and Africa, as well as international affairs. Now you can listen to the top three articles on Polity at the end of each day.

  1. 19 hr ago

    SA govt intensifies mass migration repatriations, crackdown on vigilantism

    SA govt intensifies mass migration repatriations, crackdown on vigilantism The South African government is accelerating its five-point migration strategy, marking significant milestones in the deportation, verification, and repatriation of undocumented foreign nationals across multiple provinces. Established by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration is overseeing a strict enforcement mandate, with a focus to crackdown on legal violations, border security technology upgrades (including drones and satellite monitoring), legislative reforms, and strategic diplomatic partnerships across the African continent. Thousands of migrants are queuing in major cities for processing, ahead of the nationwide anti-immigration protests set for Tuesday. Fears of violence against foreign nationals are heightened as police and private security coordinate ahead of Tuesday's planned protests. While standard deportations continue through the Lindela Repatriation Centre, a growing number of African nations have actively requested the voluntary repatriation of their citizens. Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have all engaged with South African authorities to facilitate this process. To date, 15,162 Malawian nationals have been processed for repatriation, with more currently undergoing verification. To expedite this high volume, the government has extended the jurisdiction of the Musina Refugee Reception Office in Limpopo to handle verifications. Logistics are currently being activated to transition operations to a new Temporary Repatriation Processing Centre (TRPC) outside Musina. Once fully operational, the Ethekwini facility will close, and remaining Malawian nationals will transfer to Musina. This decentralised approach aims to relieve pressure on Lindela and fast-track clearances through the Beitbridge Port of Entry. The expansion is supported by international and local stakeholders, including the UNHCR, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Red Cross, and Save the Children. The IMC issued a stern directive declaring June 30 a normal working day, explicitly warning civilian groups against taking the law into their own hands. The committee reiterated that no unauthorised individual has the right to demand identification or proof of nationality from anyone. Furthermore, authorities emphasised that blocking anyone from accessing clinics, hospitals, schools, or public services is a prosecutable offence and that violence, intimidation, or targeting individuals based on nationality is criminal and will face the full force of the law. The committee warned businesses hiring and exploiting undocumented migrants to bypass labour laws will be prosecuted under the Immigration Act. This warning follows recent anti-immigration protests in the Free State earlier this month, which were accompanied by the looting of shops. The South African Police Service (SAPS) has since opened criminal cases and enacted arrests linked to these incidents. Multi-disciplinary, intelligence-led operations spearheaded by the Deputy Ministers of Home Affairs, Police, and Employment and Labour are intensifying nationwide. The IMC stated that while continental migration presents deep complexities, South Africa's path forward must remain anchored in the Constitution, human rights, and the rule of law. The State remains resolute that it will not tolerate the circumvention of its immigration systems, nor will it permit acts of lawlessness against foreign nationals.

    3 min

  2. 20 hr ago

    Families, survivors of apartheid crimes fight Zuma, Mbeki’s court bid

    Families, survivors of apartheid crimes fight Zuma, Mbeki's court bid A crucial legal battle is set for the Constitutional Court on June 29, when 25 families and survivors of apartheid-era crimes, alongside the Foundation for Human Rights (FHR), will formally oppose an application lodged by former Presidents Jacob Zuma and Thabo Mbeki. The high-stakes hearing marks the latest hurdle in a decades-long struggle for truth and accountability. In March, the Gauteng High Court dismissed the application brought by Zuma and Mbeki to withdraw retired Justice Sisi Khampepe as chairperson of the Commission investigating alleged political interference in the prosecution of apartheid era crimes, known as the TRC Cases Inquiry. Zuma and Mbeki are seeking direct leave to appeal the majority judgment. The High Court originally threw out the former Presidents' review applications because they failed to get prior consent to sue a sitting or retired judge, a strict requirement under Section 47(1) of the Superior Courts Act. In response, Mbeki and Zuma bypassed regular appellate channels to file an urgent application directly with the Constitutional Court, alongside conditional applications in the Supreme Court of Appeal. The families and the FHR will ask the apex court to dismiss the former leaders' applications, arguing that they failed to establish a genuine basis for an urgent hearing, and that their case does not meet the strict legal criteria required for direct appeal or direct access to the Constitutional Court. The families say the merits of both the appeals and the underlying recusal review lack legal substance, noting that granting further delays deeply harms a process that has already been stalled for generations. The TRC Cases Inquiry was established after landmark Constitutional damages litigation launched by apartheid-era victims' families and the FHR in January 2025. The families argued that their constitutional rights were actively violated because the State failed to investigate and prosecute apartheid-era crimes. They alleged that successive administrations used political interference to unlawfully suppress the work of the National Prosecuting Authority and the Hawks. A partial settlement in that lawsuit led President Cyril Ramaphosa to officially establish the Commission on May 29, 2025. While the families respect the constitutional right of any citizen to approach the courts, they warn that strategic litigation is actively harming aging survivors and relatives. For these families, this is not an abstract academic exercise or a political chess match, they said, but a painful process concerning the State-sanctioned deaths, disappearances, torture, and systemic suffering of their loved ones. The families emphasise that the Commission has already lost significant momentum owing to ongoing court battles.

    2 min

  3. 20 hr ago

    Johannesburg collapse risk spurs call for State to run city

    Johannesburg collapse risk spurs call for State to run city South Africa's government may soon need to make the politically fraught decision to take control of Johannesburg to avert the city's financial collapse, according to a consultant appointed by two of the country's leading business groups. While such a move would be difficult for the ANC before crucial local elections in November, it may have little choice but to act, Lael Bethlehem, a partner at Genesis Analytics, said during the presentation of a study commissioned by Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) and Business For South Africa. "The City of Johannesburg is essentially bankrupt," Bethlehem said Thursday. "We may have a situation where they may not be able to limp on until November and the government will have to implement" a takeover plan, she said. Her presentation came a day before a Friday deadline set by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana for the city to explain how it will address financial shortcomings or lose R8-billion in annual State funding, or about a 10th of its budget, a letter seen by Bloomberg showed. Mayor Dada Morero will respond next week, his spokesperson, Khathu Mulaudzi, said. Run by an ANC-led alliance, Johannesburg has descended deeper into dysfunction in recent months and is expected to be among the fiercest battlegrounds in the Nov. 4 municipal vote. The DA, a partner of the ANC in the national coalition government, has nominated former party leader and Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille as its mayoral candidate. The city owes hundreds of millions of dollars to state-owned power and water utilities and has been threatened with power cuts. It has also run out of fuel for vehicles used to provide essential services, such as road repairs. Godongwana, in an earlier warning letter, instructed Morero to cancel what he called an "illegal" wage deal to pay city workers an additional R10.3 billion over the next two years. Even so, Johannesburg plans to increase its workforce by about 1 700 people this financial year to more than 40 000, a review of its budget documents by Bloomberg showed. The deterioration in Johannesburg's finances has alarmed business and the government because the city of 4.8-million people is the economic hub of South Africa, contributing about 16% of gross domestic product. A financial collapse would reverberate across the national economy, impacting growth and tax revenue. "The state of the city has become a matter of national importance," BLSA Chief Executive Officer Busi Mavuso said as she introduced the presentation. Afterward, she said it had left her "with a profound sense of disbelief and sadness. How did we get here?" Bethlehem's analysis showed that despite spending more per resident than South Africa's seven other major metropolitan areas, Johannesburg lags almost all of them on most measures of financial health and performance. Johannesburg has 8.5 employees for every 1 000 inhabitants, compared with a national metropolitan average of 6.4. It loses 45% of its water to leaks and theft compared with about a quarter in Cape Town. Almost a third of its power is stolen or wasted versus 11% in Cape Town and it's adding housing units at less than half the rate of its coastal rival. Over the past decade, the city has added 108 000 jobs while its working-age population has grown by 850 000. That's a third of the number added in Cape Town, which has had lower overall population growth. Operating expenditure has almost doubled since 2010, while capital investment has fallen 13%. "The City of Johannesburg has a large budget. Lots of money is being spent, it is just being spent wrongly," Bethlehem said. "You cannot run a city by spending all of your income on operating expenditure and so little on capital." The city's decline has also weighed on property values. Adjusted for inflation, property prices in Johannesburg have fallen by a fifth since 2010, compared with a 34% rise in Cape Town. The options for the government should ...

    4 min

  4. 1 day ago

    SAPS urges taxi industry to use influence to prevent disruption ahead of June 30 march

    SAPS urges taxi industry to use influence to prevent disruption ahead of June 30 march The South African Police Service (SAPS) has called on the country's taxi industry to reject any attempts to destabilise South Africa or disrupt economic activity ahead of a planned nationwide protest against undocumented immigration on June 30. Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane made the appeal during high-level engagements with South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) president Abner Tsebe and his leadership team. The meeting was prompted by the upcoming march demanding that undocumented foreigners leave the country. Highlighting the massive influence of the taxi industry, Dimpane urged operators to stand firmly with law enforcement and the public. "The taxi industry is the backbone of public transport in South Africa. Every day, millions of people rely on taxis to get to work, school, hospitals and places of business. It is for this reason that we are appealing to every taxi association, every taxi owner, every operator and every driver across the country to ensure that June 30 remains business as usual," she said. SAPS has specifically requested that taxi operators maintain normal transportation routes for all commuters; reject any calls to block national, provincial, or local roads; and to prevent criminal elements from "hijacking the industry for unlawful gains". The SAPS urged the taxi industry to actively oppose any form of passenger or driver intimidation. Dimpane expressed optimism following the engagement, noting that Santaco's leadership responded positively to the security briefing. "Our economy must continue to function. Our people must continue to go to work," Dimpane added, thanking Santaco for adding its voice to calls for peace and respect for the rule of law. She assured citizens that nationwide security deployments are finalised. While the SAPS will protect the constitutional right to peaceful and lawful protest, a zero-tolerance policy will be enforced against lawlessness, she stressed. Security forces remain on high alert to handle any attempts at infrastructure damage, public transport blockades, or violence.

    2 min

  5. 1 day ago

    South Africa producer inflation accelerates to 7.8% y/y in May

    South Africa producer inflation accelerates to 7.8% y/y in May South Africa's producer inflation quickened to 7.8% year on year in May, up from 4.8% in April, statistics agency data showed on Thursday. The Producer Price Index increased 2.6% month on month in May, Statistics South Africa said.

    19 sec

  6. 1 day ago

    Pretoria pushes back against US criticism on diplomatic engagements

    Pretoria pushes back against US criticism on diplomatic engagements South Africa has issued a formal rebuke following critical remarks made by U S Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III regarding the African nation's foreign policy alignments. On Thursday, the country's Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) delivered a firm message clarifying its sovereign stance and the strategic distinction between non-alignment and passive neutrality. The friction escalated after Bozell III took to social media to criticise South Africa's active diplomatic engagements with China and Iran. "The Government of South Africa rolls out the red carpet for Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, while Deputy President Paul Mashatile is in Beijing deepening ties with China. Pretoria calls this 'non-alignment'. We call it what it is: a choice. The South African people deserve an honest conversation about who their government is choosing to stand with. #NotSoNonAligned" he posted on X. International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola's Spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said while government purposefully avoids public disputes with resident envoys, the ambassador's remarks required an immediate reaffirmation of the country's foundational foreign policy. "As a sovereign nation, South Africa pursues an independent foreign policy firmly anchored in the principle of non-alignment," Phiri said. Pretoria explicitly challenged the premise of the American critique by drawing a sharp line between being non-aligned and being neutral, saying it refuses to be drawn into contemporary superpower contestations or be forced to choose sides. The State prioritises inclusive, global dialogue, international peace, and its own national interests above external strategic agendas, Phiri said. Pretoria pointed out that it reserves the right to cultivate and maintain bilateral relations across the entire global spectrum without external validation. A central pillar of South Africa's pushback was pointing out what it terms an inherent contradiction in US foreign policy communication. The Ministry noted the irony of South Africa being publicly scrutinised by Washington for engaging with Beijing and Tehran, when the U S government maintains highly active, direct interactions and formal channels with China and Iran. Last week, Lamola had publicly welcomed a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding signed directly between the United States and Iran aimed at fostering regional stability, highlighting Washington's own pragmatic engagements with the nations it critiques others for hosting. The diplomatic rift underscores a broader, ongoing tension between Pretoria and Washington, which has faced multiple structural strains over international legal disputes, trade terms, and differing global alliances. Moving forward, the South African government reiterated its unwavering commitment to using established, formal diplomatic channels to engage with the U S. The Ministry called for mutual respect, expressing trust that proper diplomatic protocols will be strictly upheld by resident envoys in the future.

    3 min

  7. 2 days ago

    DA leader reflects on party's inspiring heritage, leadership push in new coalition era

    DA leader reflects on party's inspiring heritage, leadership push in new coalition era As the DA marks its twenty-sixth birthday, now under the leadership of newly elected federal leader Geordin Hill-Lewis, he says the occasion serves as a reflection of the party's historic roots and a forward-looking commitment to its future in South African governance. Hill-Lewis noted that the party's story was intertwined with the South African liberal tradition, noting the formation of the Progressive Party in 1959 and Helen Suzman being the party's only Member of Parliament in 1961. He said this foundation established a "lasting inheritance for the DA". "Now we stand on the brink of a new era, one in which the DA will strive to take the final step to become the largest party in South Africa, which will then be able to lead governing coalitions. We can afford to set ourselves such ambitious targets only because of the immense efforts of the great South Africans who went before us. Becoming the largest party will be as hard a task as we have ever undertaken," Hill-Lewis said. He believes that voters are looking for a reversal of decline and further believes that the DA has established an exceptional governance record to ensure this happens. As the party celebrates its milestone, Hill-Lewis emphasises that its overarching mission is to continue taking the necessary steps to eventually become the largest party in South Africa. "On the DA's birthday, we honour those who built this party: those who stood alone, those who fought for democracy, those who governed well, and those who kept believing when hope was hard to find. Now it is our responsibility. South Africa can work — for everyone. And together, we are proving it," he declared.

    1 min

  8. 2 days ago

    Outa warns of entrenched S African municipal crisis, as no metro achieves clean audit

    Outa warns of entrenched S African municipal crisis, as no metro achieves clean audit Not a single metropolitan municipality in South Africa achieved a clean audit for the 2024/25 financial year, according to the latest Auditor-General (AG) reports, with the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) warning that this failure points to an entrenched crisis in local government. Metros represent 54% of total local government expenditure and serve millions of citizens, therefore, Outa says their financial regression directly threatens both community service delivery and the national economy. While 61% of municipalities achieved unqualified audits, severe underlying issues persist. Outa highlights a "toxic combination" of over-reliance on external consultants, poor budget execution, and a systemic lack of consequence management. The AG's report reveals a severe lack of financial and performance discipline across the country. Only 39 out of 257 municipalities achieved a clean audit status, 17 municipalities received unqualified opinions with findings, leading to complacency rather than improvement and 225 municipalities spent a combined R1.61-billion on financial reporting consultants. The report also highlighted major flaws in compliance and performance reporting. Outa executive Julius Kleynhans notes that the AG report exposes problems far deeper than poor financial administration. The steady erosion of institutional capability explains why service delivery deteriorates despite rising municipal budgets, he says. Municipalities routinely bypass internal capacity in favour of expensive private contractors. Spending R1.61-billion on financial consultants highlights a failure to build internal skills. This practice creates a cycle of dependency without fixing underlying accounting errors, Kleynhans says. He points to a weakening culture of transparency and institutional integrity that plagues local leadership and allows compliance failures to go unpunished. He adds that without automatic consequence management for officials who ignore laws or lose public money, financial drift remains the norm. Further, many local governments fail to implement credible, funded, and service-delivery-based budgets and traditional budgeting structures allow bloated historical costs and wasteful contracts to be rolled over annually without review, Kleynhans notes. SOLUTIONS To make clean audits the standard rather than the exception, Outa advocates for immediate review of all expenditure categories and existing contracts from scratch to eliminate waste. Outa wants to mandate immediate legal and disciplinary action against officials and contractors who abuse procurement systems, and to fill critical vacancies with qualified professionals to eliminate dependency on external financial consultants. The organisation wants the urgent deployment of sustained provincial and national intervention teams to monitor metropolitan expenditure. Without rebuilding basic institutional capability and enforcing strict discipline, any future audit improvements will remain entirely superficial, it warns.

    3 min
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Polity.org.za offers a unique take on news, with a focus on political, legal, economic and social issues in South Africa and Africa, as well as international affairs. Now you can listen to the top three articles on Polity at the end of each day.

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