Power FM (Gauteng, South Africa)

The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry is tightening scrutiny of medical certificates submitted by participants seeking to be excused from proceedings, amid concerns over the validity of some sick notes. The issue arose after Advocate Andrea Johnson submitted a medical certificate citing illness, following an earlier warning by Commission Chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga that vague or insufficient medical certificates would not be accepted.

A first-of-its-kind study in Africa has measured real-world vehicle emissions on Johannesburg’s roads, collecting more than 250 000 roadside emissions readings better to understand the impact of traffic on air quality.

Non-profit organisations (NPOs) in Gauteng say persistent delays in funding decisions and payments are worsening, with some claiming the province’s administrative capacity has deteriorated significantly. Gauteng Care Crisis Committee’s Lisa Vetten, said that Gauteng’s Department of Health was once regarded as one of the country’s best-performing provinces when it came to processing contracts and payments.

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has welcomed the 25-year prison sentence handed to André Claude Dickoumba-De-Diguela for his role in a R62 million VAT fraud scheme, describing it as a major victory in the fight against tax crime. SARS said Dickoumba-De-Diguela and his company, Assistance Médicale Internationale CC, entered into a plea agreement in which they admitted to 127 counts of fraud and 66 counts of money laundering linked to fraudulent VAT refund claims submitted over 12 years.

The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, has welcomed the arrest of a Border Management Authority (BMA) official as part of efforts to tackle corruption within the Home Affairs system and strengthen the integrity of South Africa’s immigration processes.

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport has urged minibus taxi and scholar transport operators to collect their operating licences before 14 August 2026, warning that failure to do so could result in the licences being cancelled. The department said more than 400 valid operating licences remain uncollected despite improvements in processing times and efforts to reduce the backlog.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to strengthening ties with France during talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. “This engagement is a welcome opportunity to exchange views on global developments of mutual interest, as well as to review our progress in advancing our bilateral priorities,” Ramaphosa said. He said France remains a key strategic partner and welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen bilateral cooperation.

The Joint Standing Committee on Defence has resolved to support the deployment of 3 400 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to assist the South African Police Service (SAPS) under Operation Prosper: Illegal Migration. The deployment will run from 28 June to 31 July 2026 and is intended to support police should heightened security be required because of increased anti-migration protests.

South Africa has intensified its preparedness measures against Ebola as outbreaks continue in two Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the government is taking proactive steps to ensure the country is ready should the virus be detected in South Africa. He said that Ebola has reached the region SADC in two countries, in DRC and in Uganda.

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU), Zwelinzima Vavi says municipalities must be held accountable for how they use public funds, but has warned that withholding transfers from struggling municipalities will have severe consequences for poor communities. He said the corruption, maladministration, financial mismanagement and the looting of municipal resources have undermined service delivery and betrayed millions of working-class and poor South Africans.