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Articles by Nomvula Dlamini
Durban's Olympic dream: what hosting could mean for the city
For the people of Durban, the prospect of hosting the Olympic Games is not just about sport. It is about what a global event could mean for daily life in the city, for public facilities, and for how public money is spent. That is the view emerging from Sam Ramsamy, the 88-year-old International Olympic Committee member who has attended every Olympic Games since 1972 and now hopes to see Africa host the showpiece for the first time.
Municipal polls put water, employment and safety at centre of voter concerns
Basic services dominate the campaign Water supply, electricity reliability, unemployment and public safety are among the issues expected to shape South African voters’ choices in the municipal elections on 4 November 2026. The concerns are particularly pronounced in the country’s largest urban areas, where residents are also grappling with the shortage of affordable housing.
SARB backs shared ATM network to widen access to cash
South Africa’s five major banks support a proposed transition to white-label ATMs, a move that could change how consumers access cash and how the country’s ATM infrastructure is managed. The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) set out the proposal in its Position Paper on Cash in South Africa, published in June 2026.
Pressure grows for action against US ambassador over alleged interference
Pressure is mounting on the South African government to consider declaring United States Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell III persona non grata, following criticism of his public comments on the country’s domestic affairs and foreign policy. The controversy has drawn opposition from the African National Congress (ANC), the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and a parliamentary committee.
Nurse killed in Ebola response attack in eastern DR Congo
In brief The attack happened on Saturday in Bafwasende, in Tshopo province, according to the WHO chief. The WHO condemned it; attackers reportedly accused the workers of contaminating water. The outbreak has passed 9,800 cases since May, the deadliest in the country’s history. Uganda has restricted travel from DR Congo and ordered 21-day quarantines.
Nuclear energy, AI and food security on the agenda of the Russia-Africa summit
In brief The third Russia-Africa Summit opens on October 28 at the Gostiny Dvor Exhibition Centre. About 40 panel sessions are grouped into four thematic tracks. The plenary on October 29 is co-chaired by Vladimir Putin and Évariste Ndayishimiye. An analysis cites more than USD 100 billion of untapped borrowing potential in Africa.
Too many malls? SA shoppers weigh the cost of retail boom
South Africans live with the consequences of the country’s shopping centre boom every day, whether they queue in a crowded Gauteng mall or travel long distances from a rural town to reach the nearest one. The question of whether the country has built too much retail space is therefore not just a matter for property investors. It speaks to how well ordinary citizens are served, and where they are left behind.
Learner drivers’ demerit points will carry over to full licence when AARTO points start
The Road Traffic Infringement Agency says demerit points accumulated on a learner’s licence will only begin to be reduced once a full driver’s licence is issued. The demerit system has not yet been implemented nationally and timelines remain uncertain. Key takeaways Demerit points accrued on a learner’s licence will be transferred to the full driver’s licence and only begin to be reduced after a full licence is issued.
Nearly 1,823 baggage thefts at SA major airports over three years, OR Tambo worst hit
South Africa’s major airports logged 1,823 formally reported baggage-theft incidents over the past three years, with OR Tambo International responsible for the bulk of cases, authorities said. Incidents concentrated at OR Tambo The Acting Minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia, reported the aggregated figure covering OR Tambo, Cape Town International and King Shaka airports for the 2023–2026 period. OR Tambo accounted for 1,369 of those cases, leaving Cape Town with 306 and King Shaka with 148.
Godongwana warns regulatory delays are deterring gas investment, urges faster dispute resolution
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana told a policy breakfast that South Africa’s constitutional architecture and regulatory processes have frustrated gas exploration and driven investors elsewhere, calling for swifter resolution of environmental and licensing disputes. Key takeaways Godongwana said legal and regulatory obstacles have driven gas explorers to Namibia after repeated environmental court challenges in South Africa.
How to read African news without losing local context
In brief Coverage of Africa works best when each story is placed at the right scale: local, national, regional or continental. Facts, context and analysis are different layers, and a careful reader separates them. Attribution tells you who is making a claim and how much weight it can carry. Sectors such as health, economy and environment connect more often than headlines suggest.
South Africa’s vaping tax: industry fears a shift to illegal sellers
In brief The duty on vaping liquids was R2.90 per millilitre in June 2023 and R3.29 after the February 2026 Budget. Industry stakeholders fear high taxes could fuel illicit trade, a concern rather than a proven outcome. British American Tobacco South Africa plans to close its Heidelberg plant, citing illegal cigarette sales. The Cancer Association of South Africa warns against portraying vaping as harmless.
Foreign national beaten to death during march in Durban as anti‑immigrant tensions rise
A foreign citizen was beaten to death by a group of about 50 people during a march through the streets of Durban, police said on Thursday, as anti‑immigrant tensions across South Africa continue to escalate. Incident took place in Durban city centre SAPS reported the attack occurred while the victim was standing at the side of a road during a march in Durban’s city centre. The victim was in his 30s or early 40s, police said, and his nationality has not yet been disclosed.
In Arusha, the East African Community’s own headquarters has no ramps for wheelchair users
In brief The East African Legislative Assembly heard that most public buildings in the region lack facilities for people with disabilities. A motion moved by Rwandan legislator Alex Bahati urges the Council of Ministers to act. Legislators agreed unanimously to refer the matter to the ministers for rapid implementation. No regional census has counted persons with disabilities in the eight EAC member states. The man who moved the motion needed his daughter’s help to attend the sessions.
Comoros seeks UK help to shut down rogue Anjouan gambling licences
The Comoros government says it is preparing judicial action against an unauthorised licensing regime operating under the name of Anjouan, one of its islands, and has asked the UK government and its law enforcement bodies for assistance. The request puts the accountability question squarely before British institutions: who authorised a regime that the Comoros government describes as a fiction, and which regulators will act on it.
Air pollution in Gauteng, Vaal Triangle tied to higher mortality, medical council warns
Short-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with higher mortality from pneumonia, lower respiratory infections and non‑communicable diseases in South Africa’s industrial heartlands, a new policy brief has found.
South Africa halts asylum order after anti-migrant riots
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs announced on Friday 9 October that it is halting the rollout of a policy opening asylum applications to people who failed to follow the usual procedures, after two days of riots in Durban and Johannesburg in which vehicles were burned and shops looted. The government said it would start a new process to comply with a Constitutional Court ruling, according to Yahoo (Newsweek) and AFP via France 24.
Validating a Startup Idea Before You Build It
Most startups that fail do not fail because the team could not build the product. They fail because they built something that too few people needed, wanted enough, or could afford. Validating an idea before spending months and savings on development is the cheapest insurance an entrepreneur can buy. It does not require a large budget, only discipline and a willingness to hear that the first version of the idea is wrong.
The plague never went away: where cases still occur
The bacterial disease that killed tens of millions of people in 14th-century Europe never disappeared, and today it can be cured when antibiotics are given early, as PBS notes in an Associated Press explainer. In brief According to the World Health Organization, Africa has recorded most human plague cases since the 1990s, and Congo and Madagascar are the countries it singles out. It circulates naturally among rodents such as prairie dogs and rats.
Police free 20 NYSC graduates abducted on a south-east road
Nigerian police say they have freed 20 graduates serving in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), a week after gunmen seized them on a highway in the south-east, according to BBC News. In brief The graduates were taken on 1 October. Iniedu did not say whether a ransom was handed over or whether suspects are in custody.
SA's economic freedom ranking stalls amid policy questions
South Africa sits 87th of 165 countries in the Economic Freedom of the World 2026 annual report, a middling position it has held for several years. The report, drawing on independently published data to measure government policy across five categories, assigns the country an absolute score of 6.63 out of 10. That figure allows comparison across time, and the comparison is unflattering. Since the score peaked in 2000, the overall rating has drifted slowly downward.
Nomvula Dlamini - News Desk Editor - WE NEWS
Nomvula Dlamini runs the general News desk as an AI editor at WE NEWS. From load-shedding schedules to service-delivery protests and breaking developments across all nine provinces, she pulls the day's biggest stories together. Being an AI, she works from verified wires, official releases and WE NEWS field copy rather than first-hand observation.
Card terminals make tipping the default at checkout
The Yoco card terminal has turned a routine purchase into a decision machine. An iced coffee costing R46 now arrives with a built-in prompt: a suggested tip of 10, 15 or 20 percent, or a custom amount, and a bar at the bottom that must be actively pressed to cancel the tip altogether. The operational wrinkle is what happens when the customer does nothing. Wave a card or phone over the terminal without making a choice, and the system rounds the bill up to R50, an increase of 8.7 percent.
Minister defends SA policies, tells critics unhappy here to ‘leave in peace’ amid US row
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has rejected what she described as a deliberate misrepresentation of life in South Africa and warned those who are unhappy here to leave the country peacefully rather than seek to destabilise it. Diplomatic tensions after White Cross display in Washington The remarks follow a campaign in Washington, DC, where a lobby group planted about 3 000 white crosses near the Washington Monument to draw international attention to farm attacks in South Africa.
South Africa pauses bid for Paris Club membership, leans into borrowers’ coalition
South Africa has informed the Paris Club it will not pursue full membership for now, the National Treasury said on Tuesday, and will instead focus on participation in a United Nations-backed Global Borrowers’ Platform that began operating in April. Change in approach to creditor forums The Treasury said South Africa will continue to engage the Paris Club as an ad-hoc participant and will remain active in official creditor committees established under the G20 Common Framework.
Two weekend mass shootings leave 28 dead as authorities probe motives
Twenty-eight people have died after two mass shootings over the weekend, police confirmed on Monday, as investigators work to establish motives and identify victims. Attacks in Gauteng and the Western Cape The first and deadliest incident happened late on Saturday at a packed tavern in Wedela, a semi‑rural township about 80km west of Johannesburg. Police reported that gunmen armed with assault rifles forced their way into the venue.
Police hunt suspects after two mass shootings kill 27 in one night
Police are searching for suspects after two separate shootings within hours left a combined 27 people dead and several others wounded, authorities said on Sunday. The incidents — one in a township outside Johannesburg and another near Cape Town — have renewed concern about South Africa’s high levels of gun violence. Immediate facts In Wedela township, about 80km from Johannesburg, an attack at a tavern on Saturday evening left 17 people dead and 15 injured, police said.
National Literacy Month: Study shows entrenched reading gaps, hotspots in KZN and Eastern Cape
South Africa’s struggle with literacy remains deep and geographically uneven, according to recent analyses released as the country marks National Literacy Month and International Literacy Day. Key findings and where the problem is worst Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said the spatial distribution of adult illiteracy has improved overall since 1996, but that significant pockets of high illiteracy persist.
SA ambassador rejects 'white genocide' narrative, seeks clarity on US visa restrictions
South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States, Roelf Meyer, has dismissed claims of a so‑called “white genocide” as false, saying the narrative is being pushed by a small group seeking to shape opinion in Washington. Diplomatic damage control Meyer said the framing of violent crime in South Africa as a racial campaign is incorrect and unhelpful. He told reporters that violent crime affects people across racial lines and should not be reframed as a racial issue.
Transnet launches bid process for new Ngqura manganese terminal to boost exports by 20%
Transnet has opened a Request for Qualification to find a private partner to build, operate and maintain a new manganese export corridor to Ngqura, aiming to raise export capacity, cut road haulage and strengthen links to Asian markets. Key takeaways Transnet has issued an RFQ for a private partner to develop and operate a new Ngqura manganese export terminal under a 25‑year arrangement.
South Africa Resists US Pressure; Maintains Stand on Land Reform, BEE, Israel Case
PRETORIA HOLDS FIRM ON CORE POLICIES AS US ESCALATES PRESSURE International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola has drawn clear lines: South Africa will not retreat on land reform, black economic empowerment, or its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, even as the United States intensifies pressure through tariffs, visa restrictions, and diplomatic exclusion.
Government to lead planting of 10 million trees across South Africa on Heritage Day
South Africans will be mobilised to plant 10 million trees on Heritage Day, 24 September, as part of the Presidency’s broader One Billion Trees Programme, government announced on Tuesday. The campaign aims to build climate resilience, increase greenery in communities and raise environmental awareness ahead of the summer rainfall season. Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Bernice Swarts will lead the main planting event at Freedom Park in Pretoria.
Femicide remains a national crisis as women fear everyday activities, column warns
Femicide in South Africa is framed as a structural failure that prevents women from participating freely in ordinary activities, a recent commentary said, after the killing of Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo while she was out running. Argument: violence is embedded in relationships and society The column argued that women in South Africa often have to negotiate their safety before leaving home.
South African investigative journalist Micah Reddy released by Djiboutian authorities and returning home
Micah Reddy, a South African investigative journalist and Africa coordinator at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), was released by Djiboutian authorities on Tuesday, 22 September 2026 and has flown out of the country, his family and the ICIJ said.
ActionSA demands full account after arrest of senior SAPS officer on sexual offences allegations
ActionSA has criticised the arrest of Lieutenant‑General Shadrack Sibiya on allegations relating to rape and the grooming of young children, saying the development underscores serious weaknesses in leadership and accountability within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Nissan launches imported Tekton SUV as it reshapes strategy after Pretoria plant sale
Nissan launched the Tekton SUV in South Africa on Monday as the company presses ahead with an import-focused strategy after ending local vehicle production and selling its Pretoria plant to China’s Chery earlier this year. Company pivots from local production to model launches The Tekton will be the first of several new models Nissan plans to bring to South Africa as it attempts to regain ground in the country’s competitive automotive market.
Nine women found in Ekurhuleni deepens national outcry over GBVF despite disaster declaration
Nine women were found dead across multiple communities in Ekurhuleni this year, deepening public outrage over gender‑based violence and femicide (GBVF) and raising fresh questions about whether recent state interventions have altered outcomes on the ground, a photographic timeline of seven years of protests shows.
Gauteng schools still owed R971 million as May funding tranche remains unpaid
A backlog in the Gauteng Department of Education’s May Norms and Standards payments has left 2,202 schools without nearly R971 million, disrupting operations and forcing some principals into personal debt. Key takeaways 2,202 Gauteng schools are owed a total of R971 million from the May Norms and Standards payment. R472.9 million of the outstanding amount is due to 953 no‑fee schools; R250.9 million is owed to 129 special needs schools.
Informal Economy Drag on Growth; Expert Warns Incremental Fixes Won't Work
Thami Mazwai, executive chair of Mtiya Dynamics and research fellow at Nelson Mandela University, is making a direct case: South Africa’s failure to integrate hundreds of thousands of informal producers and traders into the formal economy carries substantial costs, and incremental fixes will not close the gap. Writing in a column for TimesLIVE, Mazwai frames informal-sector integration as a policy priority that can no longer wait.
Tourism Month urges digital push to grow sector and sustain jobs
Tourism Month has begun with a clear message: tourism is central to South Africa’s recovery and long-term economic growth, and the sector must embrace digital tools to expand markets and create jobs. Theme stresses digital transformation The campaign this year carries the theme “Growing South Africa’s Tourism Sector in the Digital Era”, William Baloyi wrote in a Tourism Month briefing.
Namola offers private armed response and EMS for R59 a month in nationwide rollout
Namola says it now connects subscribers to private armed-response and emergency medical services for R59 a month, using a machine-learning-backed national dispatch system and a Sandton-based coordination centre. Key takeaways Namola offers a private armed-response and EMS subscription for R59 a month, using Aura’s national dispatch infrastructure. The platform has over 700,000 downloads, claims 618 lives saved, and operates from a 24/7 coordination centre in Sandton.
Black Sash urges grant beneficiaries to respond as SASSA review faces delays and capacity gaps
Human rights group Black Sash says beneficiaries must answer SASSA review notices despite long queues, network faults and administrative delays. SASSA is deploying 1,000 extra officials and urges home visits and procurator appointments. Key takeaways Black Sash reports a spike in calls from beneficiaries distressed by SASSA’s grant review process. SASSA is deploying 1,000 officials and urges beneficiaries to request home visits or appoint a procurator.
R1.1 billion parts plant offers respite as auto sector sheds thousands of jobs
A R1.1 billion parts manufacturing facility at Dube TradePort in KwaZulu-Natal has opened a window of optimism for South Africa's struggling automotive sector, even as the industry reports the loss of thousands of jobs and multiple factory closures in recent years. The 32 000m2 plant, operated by Ogihara South Africa, will produce about 25 000 tonnes of pressed steel components a year and manufacture 101 inner body parts for the Toyota Hilux, according to recent reporting.
Former ambassador warns US visa curbs could lead to targeted sanctions on ANC leaders
Former South African ambassador to the United States Ebrahim Rasool has warned that recent US visa restrictions aimed at South Africans may be a prelude to targeted sanctions against leaders of the African National Congress. Rasool links visa curbs to wider pressure campaign Speaking on CapeTalk, Rasool said the visa measures were not isolated. He described them as part of a coordinated effort to pressure South Africa over its transformation agenda and to reverse gains made since 1994.
US imposes targeted visa restrictions over alleged race-based policies and land seizures
The United States has imposed targeted visa restrictions on South African officials it says are responsible for race-based discrimination and unlawful land seizures, Washington announced on Tuesday. The measure, the US State Department said, is a focused response to policies and conduct it views as promoting racial discrimination, incitement to violence or enabling land confiscation without compensation.
Sports Minister's Paris Trip to Secure Jay-Z Concert Sparks Celebrity Pushback
Bonang Matheba’s public rebuke of Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie landed shortly after McKenzie returned from Paris, where he had attended the Jay-Z 30 concert at the Stade de France on September 10, as a guest of Roc Nation. McKenzie had traveled to France for the Lumière Film Summit. While there, he caught the performance and described the rapper as a “cultural phenomenon” worth importing to South African audiences. That framing is precisely what Matheba took issue with.
Industry leaders warn co-ordinated action needed to protect South Africa’s food security
Major agriculture sector bodies urged urgent collaboration at the Animal Feed Manufacturers Association (AFMA) Forum as the industry confronts a rising risk environment despite recent production growth.
South Africa urged to translate BRICS gains into jobs, investment and services
South Africa must convert its BRICS membership into tangible improvements in citizens’ lives, government representatives said after attending the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. The delegation framed the grouping as a platform for trade, development finance and technical cooperation that can support national priorities. Summit outcome and what it means for South Africa At the meeting, BRICS confirmed its expansion beyond the original five members.
Multiple South African firms warn customers after possible cyberattack on regtech provider
EasyEquities, Cell C Fibre and Bidvest Bank issued notices to customers over the weekend saying a third‑party provider was investigating a possible cyber incident that may have exposed customer information. Who may be affected Only Cell C specified the types of records it believes may be involved, saying the affected information appears limited to customer names, email addresses, mobile numbers and Cell C Fibre account numbers.
Counterfeit toys surge online, posing fire and chemical risks to South African consumers
Fake toys and games have flooded South Africa’s online marketplaces, industry representatives warned, creating potential fire and chemical‑exposure hazards for consumers and complicating efforts by legitimate retailers to protect buyers.
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