Solidarity warns Ramaphosa on NHI implementation

Solidarity pointed out on Friday that government cannot, through "political rhetoric or administrative manoeuvres", continue implementing the National Health Insurance (NHI) system, which is currently stalled by a court order.

This was in response to President Cyril Ramaphosa's statement during Thursday's parliamentary question and answer session, in which the organisation said he gave the impression that the implementation of the NHI Act is continuing, even though, according to a recent court order, it cannot.

Last month Ramaphosa confirmed that he would not promulgate any provisions of the NHI Act prior to the Constitutional Court handing down judgment on the public participation challenges, and that he would not enforce any part of the Act until he was requested to do so by the Minister of Health.

The court cases related to the public participation process that led to the adoption of the NHI Bill by Parliament, arguing that it was inadequate on this score.

The President clarified that the court order would not stop preparatory work already underway, such as registering patients who would use the NHI, as well as the accreditation and contracting of health service providers.

"The President is living in a dream world if he thinks that the court order will not disrupt the NHI timeline," said Solidarity Research Institute economic researcher Theuns du Buisson.

Solidarity's legal team will study Ramaphosa's statements to determine whether the preparatory work mentioned could potentially be a violation of the court order.

Du Buisson believes that Ramaphosa is trying to create the impression that the NHI already has momentum and that implementation is inevitable.

"This is not the case. The position is clear: the NHI must not proceed at this time. The NHI is not going to materialise," he said.

The organisation pointed out that many of the examples that Ramaphosa presented as preparation for the NHI – such as the renovation of hospitals, the construction of new health facilities and the appointment of doctors – do not actually relate to the implementation of an NHI system.

Du Buisson said it was misleading to suddenly present such basic State functions as NHI-related.

"That kind of thing should be done in any case, without any mention of an NHI. It would, of course, be good if doctors were appointed, and hospitals were built and maintained. Unfortunately, this has not been done and has been neglected for many years," he said.

The only element that could be linked to an NHI scheme is the development of new financial systems and record-keeping, he added.

"Even in this regard, it is inconceivable that something like this has never been done for the existing public healthcare system to this day," Du Buisson said.

Following the court order, Solidarity also sent a formal notice to Ramaphosa, the Department of Health, the National Treasury and relevant Ministers, warning them against any possible disregard of the court order.

In the notice, the organisation expressly stated that no implementation, preparation or budget allocations regarding the NHI may now take place, and that any action in violation of the court order may lead to further litigation.

Du Buisson said that, with the necessary support, Solidarity's litigation would "avert the NHI disaster", as he reiterated the organisation's argument that the system was unaffordable and unworkable.

Parly committee, ANC support SANDF deployment as operations underway

Parliament's Select Committee on Security and Justice and the African National Congress (ANC) have expressed appreciation for the visibility of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in various parts of the country, saying the deployment should be understood in context as creating stability in communities, and protecting society from crime.

There have been mixed reactions to the deployment, with some political parties and civil society organisations raising alarms about the legality of the deployment, citing concerns with constitutional oversight.

Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the deployment of the SANDF to support the South African Police Service (Saps) in tackling gang violence and illegal mining in the Western Cape, Gauteng and Eastern Cape.

Committee chairperson Jane Mananiso said an impression must never be created that Ramaphosa acted unlawfully or bypassed parliamentary processes.

"This deployment will ensure the restoration of peace to troubled and violated communities. Our police have for too long become victims to criminals while they needed to observe legislative requirements instead of dealing aggressively with criminals who have no regard whatsoever for other people's human rights," she said.

The committee emphasised the importance of cooperation, collaboration and partnership between all law enforcement agencies in combating crime and bringing peace to communities.

"Our communities want decisive action in combating drugs, gangs, extortion, the water mafia, illegal mining and illegal immigration. All these affect service delivery negatively if not responded to," Mananiso said.

ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu explained that the deployment was a plan in action, to curb gangsterism, the proliferation of drugs and illegal mining.

She refuted what she said were distortions by the Democratic Alliance (DA) that the army was not well trained and prepared to deal with these crimes.

The DA on Thursday demanded Ramaphosa urgently clarify why the letters of employment for the SANDF deployments, particularly those relating to gang violence in Gauteng, the Western Cape and Nelson Mandela Bay, had still not been tabled before the Joint Standing Committee on Defence.

The party said while it welcomed the SANDF's short-term deployment to support the Saps, it as concerned by the apparent lack of constitutional compliance.

"The DA's posture and rejection of the army deployment, falsehoods of unpreparedness and allegations of heavy handedness and brute force akin to the erstwhile apartheid army occupation of communities is opportunistic and indifferent to the plight of the people of the Western Cape, which is infested by the high levels of crime which have reached alarming and uncontrollable proportions," stated Bhengu.

Creamer Media marks 45 years of independent engineering and mining journalism

When Creamer Media celebrates its forty-fifth anniversary this March, it marks not only a company milestone, but also a rare achievement in specialist journalism: four-and-a-half decades of continuous, independent reporting focused on engineering, mining, industry and economic development.

Founded on March 13, 1981, by publishing editor Martin Creamer and his wife Veronica Creamer, the business began in modest circumstances in Commissioner Street, Johannesburg. From those early days in a small inner-city office, the company has grown into a multimedia publishing house employing about 48 people and serving a global specialist audience across print, digital, video and webinar platforms.

The Gap Creamer Media was built on a simple but powerful editorial insight: that technical and industrial sectors needed the same hard-news treatment as mainstream current affairs.

At the time, many industry publications were corporate-funded or promotional in style. Martin Creamer, coming from a general news background at titles such as the Sunday Express and the Sunday Times' Business Times, saw an opportunity to bring frequency, urgency and headline-driven reporting to engineering and mining coverage.

The founding editorial philosophy, which is still repeated to Creamer Media's news journalists to this day, is straightforward: facts are sacred; comment is free.

48 - The number of people that Creamer Media employs

That principle has remained non-negotiable across 45 years and multiple technology cycles.

From the outset, speed and accuracy defined the newsroom culture. In the pre-digital era, Creamer became known for arriving at interviews with a typewriter and completing stories on site, facilitating immediate fact-checking in a time before email, laptops or mobile phones.

Launching an independent publishing business in the early 1980s required more than editorial conviction. It demanded financial creativity and relationship-building.

With limited access to bank funding, the company adopted a self-funding model supported by supplier credit. Early breakthroughs included a typesetter who provided workspace and extended payment terms, and a Pretoria printer who agreed to 90-day terms. This allowed the fledgling publisher to produce and distribute newspapers while advertising revenue cycles caught up.

That early ecosystem of trust helped establish what would become one of South Africa's most durable specialist publishing houses. In its first year, in 1981, the flagship publication won the Best Specialist Publication of the Year award – the first of many industry accolades.

Flagship Titles, Expanding Platforms Today, Creamer Media is best known for its Engineering News, Mining Weekly and Polity websites, which are updated in real-time, and which have also resulted in spin-off offerings, such as Research Channel Africa and Creamer Media's Virtual Showroom.

These publications have extended their reach dramatically through the release of daily email newsletters, which are distributed for free to registered subscribers, as well as through regular news bursts across the most powerful social media platforms.

The founding editorial philosophy, which is still repeated to Creamer Media's news journalists to this day,

is straightforward: facts are sacred; comment is free

Creamer Media's digital presence remains underpinned, however, by the group's flagship weekly print magazine Engineering News & Mining Weekly, which is published every Friday and continues to defy the gravity that has grounded so many other specialist titles in South Africa.

So, what began as a fortnightly tabloid newspaper has evolved into a fully integrated multimedia operation delivering text, audio, video, data-rich features and live digital events to readers and viewers in South Africa and internationally.

The company remains a privately owned family business, with five Creamer family directors.

Technology S...

City of Joburg entities identify fraudulent transfer of various city-owned properties

The City of Joburg Property Company has reported that it has discovered several city-owned properties that were fraudulently transferred to other individuals without the city's knowledge or consent.

The company notes that the case was first identified by the City of Joburg's geographic information system department, which tracks and verifies all properties that are transferred so that the city's billing system can be updated to bill the correct property owners.

The GIS department assisted the JPC by extracting transfers that occurred on the properties that are owned by the city, which were then analysed internally to check the legitimacy of the transfers.

"The preliminary findings by the Property Intelligence and Asset Management Unit indicated that fraudulent documents with forged signatures, purporting to be those of CoJ, JPC and Gauteng Provincial Department of Human Settlements officials were used to fraudulently transfer the properties to other individuals.

"This is not in line with the provisions of Section 14(2) of the Municipal Finance Management Act, which governs the disposal of municipal assets," says the JPC.

Following these findings, the JPC says the Property Intelligence and Asset Management Unit has opened 18 criminal cases with the South African Police Service for further investigation.

The criminal cases were opened between February 17 and March 11, with 13 cases reported in Bramley, two each in Booysens and Honeydew and one in Sandringham.

In addition to the criminal investigations currently under way, the company says JPC Legal Services is currently in the High Court, within Gauteng, to obtain interdicts and court orders to transfer the properties back to the city.

The JPC says it remains committed to safeguarding public assets and ensuring accountability in the management of municipal property.

The entity says it will continue to work closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure that those responsible for these unlawful transactions are held accountable.

The city also reiterates its zero-tolerance stance on fraud, corruption and the unlawful disposal of municipal assets.

HSF, DA concerned over lack of SANDF deployment compliance

The Helen Suzman Foundation has expressed concern over the lack of compliance in a South African National Defence Force deployment, with the Democratic Alliance calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently table the SANDF letters of employment for the combating of gang-related crime.

Last month, Ramaphosa announced the deployment of the SANDF to support the South African Police Service in tackling gang violence and illegal mining in the Western Cape, Gauteng and Eastern Cape.

Ramaphosa said he directed Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia and the SANDF to develop a tactical plan on where security forces should be deployed in the Western Cape and Gauteng to deal with gang violence and illegal mining.

The HSF called on government to urgently clarify operational safeguards, and oversight mechanisms governing the deployment to ensure full compliance with the law and to prevent any abuses of power.

The foundation and the DA said they were alarmed by the lack of compliance with legislative provisions governing the deployment of SANDF in cooperation with the Saps.

The HSF pointed out that Minister of Defence Angie Motshekga failed to issue a notice in the Government Gazette within 24 hours of Presidential authorisation as required by the Defence Act.

Ramaphosa has said, as required by the Constitution, that he will inform the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces regarding "the timing and place of deployment of the soldiers and what it will cost".

"The Presidential Minute rather confusingly shows a deployment starting date of 30 January 2026. Even if this is a typographical error, it is worrying in a document of such import and should be corrected," said the HSF.

The HSF pointed out that as to compliance with the legislative requirement for training of SANDF members before deployment in support of the Saps, it is worrying to note that on March 4, Cachalia stated that the deployment of SANDF in Gauteng would take longer than initially anticipated after a gang-related violence incident.

He stated that the soldiers would first need to receive appropriate training to understand their limitation of power in engagement with civilians.

The organisation highlighted that in a country with a painful history of military and police brutality, including in 2020 with the torture and death of Collins Khosa in Alexandra, Johannesburg, it was imperative that training was adequately and appropriately completed.

Meanwhile, the DA is demanding urgent clarity from Ramaphosa as to why the letters of employment for the SANDF deployments announced during his State of the Nation Address, particularly those relating to gang violence in Gauteng, the Western Cape and Nelson Mandela Bay, have still not been tabled before the Joint Standing Committee on Defence.

DA National Council of Provinces Member on Security and Justice Nicholas Gotsell said Parliament only on Monday received a letter authorising an SANDF deployment to combat illegal mining in Gauteng under Operation Prosper, even though the deployment began on January 30 and will end on April 30.

"This means Parliament was informed 38 days after troops were promised to be deployed. Whilst the DA welcomes the deployment, it is concerned by the apparent lack of constitutional compliance - particularly when R80-million is made available for a deployment that is almost at its end," he explained.

The party noted that when notification occurs more than a month after the fact, Parliament's ability to meaningfully exercise its oversight powers is significantly undermined.

"The decision to employ the SANDF should already have been informed by consultations with Saps, the SANDF Chief and relevant national security structures. Yet the absence of the employment letters for the gang-related deployments, combined with the clear lack of preparedness displayed by the Department of Defence (DoD) and Saps during last week's Joint Standing Co...

DA wants clarity on senior health officials' suspensions

The Democratic Alliance on Thursday questioned whether accountability and consequence management are prioritised in the Department of Health, calling on Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi to clarify the suspensions of director-general Sandile Buthelezi and two senior officials.

On Thursday President Cyril Ramaphosa directed Motsoaledi to place Buthelezi, deputy director-general for hospitals services, tertiary health services and human resource development Dr Percy Mahlati and CFO Phaswa Mamogale on precautionary suspension following their arrests on allegations of fraud and theft.

The officials were arrested in an ongoing investigation into allegations of theft and fraud of over R1-million in public funds from the DoH.

The suspensions are said to be until their cases are finalised.

DA spokesperson on Health Michele Clarke questioned the suspensions, though, saying Motsoaledi's statement did not make clear whether the suspension would apply until the matter is finalised within the criminal justice system, which she said could take years, or whether the Minister would employ an internal disciplinary process.

"A department that cannot afford to employ sufficient doctors or nurses cannot afford to indefinitely pay the salaries of three senior officials accused of corruption, fraud, and theft," she explained.

The party said the investigations by the Hawks should be paralleled by an independent internal investigation, and the Minister needed to take the country into his confidence on whether the three officials were receiving their full salaries while under suspension, and what type of suspension that was.

The DA said it on Thursday asked Ramaphosa in Parliament how he was going to deal with the investigation and consequence management on this issue.

ANC distances itself from food parcel distribution, takes internal action

The African National Congress (ANC) on Wednesday distanced itself from the distribution of food parcels, emphasising that the activity was not under the mandate or authority of the party.

The party noted social media images depicting the distribution of food parcels by Deputy Minister and ANC MP Bernice Swarts, while displaying the name, colours and branding of the party.

ANC National Spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu said the images created the false impression that the distribution was part of an official ANC programme or campaign.

"The ANC wishes to state categorically that the distribution reflected in these images is not an ANC campaign and was not authorised by any structure of the organisation," she said.

Bhengu said the party has taken internal steps to address the matter and has reprimanded Swarts, as well as those who participated in the activity under the ANC banner without authorisation.

The ANC acknowledged that some of its members undertake a social responsibility role in their communities by assisting vulnerable households and supporting local initiatives.

"…such acts of solidarity reflect the values of Ubuntu and service to the people that define the movement. However, members are reminded that acts of charity or community assistance must never be conducted using the ANC name, colours or branding, nor should they be presented as organisational programmes when they are private initiatives," Bhengu stated.

The ANC further stressed that assistance to communities must uphold their dignity and respect and must not diminish their humanity.

The ANC said its members, organisations and individuals must refrain from "misusing" the ANC name and symbols, in ways that undermine the dignity of communities or mislead the public.

Ramaphosa asks Motsoaledi to suspend Health DG, other officials

President Cyril Ramaphosa has directed Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to place Departmental Director General Sandile Buthelezi on precautionary suspension following his arrest on allegations of fraud and theft.

Buthelezi was one of three senior officials who were arrested in an ongoing investigation into allegations of theft and fraud of over R1-million in public funds from the Department of Health.

He will remain on precautionary suspension until his cases are finalised or until his contract comes to an end.

National Health Insurance Deputy Director General Professor Nicolas Crisp will act as Director General for three months.

Meanwhile, Motsoaledi has also placed the Deputy Director General for Hospitals Services, Tertiary Health Services and Human Resource Development Dr Percy Mahlati on precautionary suspension until his cases are finalised, or until the expiry of his contract.

Department CFO Phaswa Mamogale is also on precautionary suspension until his cases are finalised.

"Minister Motsoaledi would like to allow the law to take its course. All officials affected by the decision have been formally notified of their suspensions. Minister Motsoaledi would like to assure the stakeholders and public that the department will continue to function optimally according to its mandate," his office said.

EFF calls for expulsion of Trump's ambassador

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the African National Congress (ANC) have condemned US ambassador to South Africa Leo Brent Bozell III's utterances on South Africa's foreign policy and domestic laws, with the EFF calling for his expulsion as an Ambassador and for him to immediately be declared persona non grata.

The party believes Bozell has expressed contempt for the country, the President of South Africa, the legislature and South Africa's judiciary.

Bozell has issued several warning regarding South Africa's foreign policy and domestic laws.

Bozell assumed office last month after being nominated by US President Donald Trump.

Relations between Washington and Pretoria have deteriorated in the last year as Trump accused South Africa of persecuting its white minority, criticised its ties with Russia and China, imposed steep tariffs on its exports and cut all aid.

South Africa has not had an ambassador in Washington since the Trump administration expelled Ebrahim Rasool.

In an address to a Biznews 2026 conference Bozell outlined the US's supposed frustration with South Africa for not adhering to requests on land expropriation, Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, the protection of white farmers and others.

The EFF said these requests were being made by the "child-killing war-mongering Donald Trump administration".

In his address, Bozell noted the continued and mutually beneficial relationship South African has with US-based tech-companies, Google, Microsoft, Amazon VISA and the more than 500 US companies which operate in South Africa.

The EFF pointed out that while these companies undoubtedly contribute to employment in the country, they conversely extract profit from South Africa's economy.

"…therefore, any suggestion that their commercial presence is South Africa is a sign of 'goodwill' and 'commercial diplomacy' by the US, is indicative of the economic and political illiteracy that plagues the White House today," the party said.

The EFF said it is puzzling that Bozell suggests that the private sector endeavours of US-based companies in South Africa represent a measure of political goodwill, which can be withdrawn due to the meaningless dissatisfaction of American politicians.

"As the EFF we highly doubt that these companies perceive their investment in South Africa as an extension of Donald Trump's political ambitions, and we doubt these companies would appreciate being used as leverage in diplomatic relations," it added.

Meanwhile, ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula said threats of investors pulling out from South Africa are unfounded, noting that these companies attended the G20 even though the Trump administration did not.

"US companies are confident in the South African economy as seen by Walmart recently entering the South African market. South Africa is open for business and is a safe destination for global companies to do business," he said.

The ANC reiterated that South Africa believes in a multipolar world which respects international law and international institutions that support a system of multilateralism.

The EFF stated that Bozell has "taken it upon himself" to dictate to South Africa what should characterise its nation's domestic and foreign policy, expressing displeasure at the "genocidal Trump-regime he represents".

Bozell also suggested that to retain investment in the country, South Africa ought to cut ties with adversaries of the United States, particularly Iran.

"Perhaps most disrespectfully as a diplomat, Bozell stated that he does not care what our courts say about the struggle song Kill The Boer, Kill The Farmer, and that our government must condemn what our courts correctly characterised as free speech and part of our history in the struggle against racial domination," the EFF said.

The EFF said it has informed Bozell that the US has no say in what constitutes South Africa's domestic and foreign policy agenda, and added that his displeasure ...

GDP: ActionSA criticises GNU for 'stagnated economy' as govt welcomes 'accelerate inclusive growth'

ActionSA has expressed concerns with the latest GDP figures, accusing the Government of National Unity (GNU) of "sitting on its hands" while the economy stagnated.

Statistics South Africa on Tuesday reported that the country's GDP increased by 0.4% between October and December 2025.

The economy grew by 1.1% in 2025, an improvement from 0.5% growth in 2024.

However, ActionSA Member of Parliament Alan Beesley stated that nearly two years into its tenure, the GNU has "yet to present a credible, coherent plan" to lift the country out of a low-growth trap.

"Instead, South Africans are left to watch the listless economy drift, unemployment remains entrenched, and businesses struggle to survive," he said.

He pointed out that with GDP growing by only 1.1% in 2025, against a population growth of around 1.4% to 1.5%, GDP per capita is "effectively shrinking".

Beesley said the sectoral breakdown is alarming.

"Manufacturing contracted by 1.2% in 2025, signalling persistent weakness in a key productive sector. Even more concerning is construction, which shrank by 4.4%, leaving a historically vital job-creating industry in freefall, despite claims to have turned SA into a construction site," he said.

He argued that these declines reflect a government that has failed to create the conditions necessary for investment, growth, and employment.

He said South Africa's stagnation is in contrast to the global environment.

"Emerging and developing economies are growing at roughly 4%, and Sub-Saharan Africa is expanding at a similar pace. South Africa's weak performance is not inevitable but the direct result of policy paralysis and a government unable to implement a coherent economic reform agenda," he said.

Meanwhile, the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) welcomed the latest GDP data, attributing the growth to partnerships between government and business.

The GCIS noted that the fourth quarter performance marks the fifth consecutive quarter of economic growth, which it said signalled continued resilience in the economy despite a challenging global environment.

On the production side of the economy, growth was largely driven by key service-related sectors, including finance, real estate and business services; trade, catering and accommodation; and personal services.

The GCIS explained that positive contributions were also recorded in agriculture and general government services.

"On the expenditure side, economic expansion was supported by increased household spending, growth in gross fixed capital formation, and higher government consumption, which collectively contributed to the positive quarterly outcome," it said.

The GCIS pointed out that the fourth quarter performance helped lift annual GDP growth to 1.1% in 2025, the highest annual growth rate since 2022, when the economy expanded by 2.1%.

"Government believes that the reforms that are being implemented through Operation Vulindlela and government/business partnerships are enablers of this sustained growth," the GCIS said.