South African travellers are set to benefit from improved international travel opportunities following confirmation that Japan’s electronic visa programme remains available to South African passport holders, while airlines continue expanding long-haul services connecting the country to Europe and beyond. Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that South Africa remains the only African country whose…
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday urged the US side to respect China’s core interests and uphold the one-China principle. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Manila, the Philippines. Noting…
A sharp decline in firearm licence renewal applications has raised concerns about growing numbers of gun owners falling outside South Africa’s legal regulatory framework, prompting renewed calls for government to clarify firearm licensing rules and amend existing legislation. Gun Free South Africa (GFSA) says the country’s firearm relicensing system is under increasing pressure after renewal…
President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged that years of ageing infrastructure, weak municipal management and inadequate maintenance have contributed to South Africa’s worsening water crisis, as government prepares a series of long-term reforms aimed at restoring reliable water services. In his weekly newsletter released on Monday, Ramaphosa admitted that government has not done enough to maintain…
South African law enforcement agencies have intensified their campaign against illegal mining syndicates and organised crime, arresting 1,149 suspects during Operation Prosper in June as authorities continue efforts to restore law and order in crime hotspot provinces. The nationwide operation, led jointly by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African National Defence…
A weekend of maritime emergencies in South Africa saw one fatal boating accident in KwaZulu-Natal and a successful offshore medical evacuation in the Eastern Cape, highlighting both the risks of recreational boating and the importance of coordinated rescue operations. Emergency services were called to Durban North on Sunday evening after a leisure boat carrying six…
South African authorities have secured a significant victory in the fight against organised crime after the High Court ordered the forfeiture of property and cash linked to a clandestine drug manufacturing operation uncovered in Gauteng last year. The preservation order, granted by the High Court of South Africa’s Gauteng Division in Pretoria under the Prevention…
South Africa’s Department of Health says science and preparedness, rather than fear, are guiding the country’s response as regional Ebola outbreaks continue to prompt heightened vigilance across Africa. Although no Ebola cases have been confirmed in South Africa, health authorities are strengthening surveillance, expanding border screening and ensuring hospitals are ready to respond should an…
South Africa is preparing for significant changes to its eviction framework through proposed amendments to the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act (PIE), with the government seeking to strengthen protections for property owners while maintaining constitutional safeguards for unlawful occupiers. The draft Bill, published for public comment by Minister of…
Global oil markets are once again facing heightened uncertainty after renewed tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz raised the prospect of additional shipping costs that analysts warn could become a long-term burden on energy prices. The latest concerns follow renewed efforts by the United States to tighten pressure around the strategic waterway, alongside US President…
