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Home Affairs deportations hit 46% since GNU formation

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) revealed on Thursday that since the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU), 109 344 illegal immigrants have been deported, a cumulative 46% increase over the last two financial years.

Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber said the numbers demonstrated the DHA's commitment to uploading the rule of law.

The GNU administration increased deportations by 30%, from 39 672 in the 2023/24 financial year to 51 560 in 2024/25.

This was followed by another increase of 12%, to 57 784, in 2025/26.

"These numbers show that we are now reaping the fruits of reforms focused on greater efficiency and intensified enforcement against immigration violators. Through ongoing campaigns like Operation New Broom, as well the increasing use of biometric verification tools, we have already increased deportations by 46%. Our message remains clear: If you are in South Africa illegally, self-deport now before we find you and ban you from ever entering our country legally in future," he stated.

The department is also focused on deterrence and modernisation to deal with illegal immigration, with Schreiber noting the use of drones and body cameras, as well as the improvement of the Electronic Travel Authorisation system to efficiently read biometrics of travellers.

Govt calls for comment on new Bill to strengthen whistleblower protections

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mamoloko Kubayi officially released the proposed Protected Disclosures Bill on Thursday, calling for stakeholders across civil society, business, and labour to submit input by May 14.

Speaking in Pretoria, Kubayi emphasised that the new legislation was not only an update, but an intervention to deal with corruption networks in the country.

"Without strong and credible protection mechanisms, individuals will be discouraged from coming forward, thereby weakening accountability and undermining our collective efforts to combat corruption," she said.

The proposed legislation arose largely from the findings of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into allegations of State Capture, led by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, as well as recommendations from the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council.

Kubayi described this Bill as a robust, all-encompassing framework for protecting whistleblowers, effectively addressing previous legislative weaknesses.

She remarked that while the current Protected Disclosures Act offered a basic structure, it had been found to be "critically flawed", lacking standardised reporting protocols and failing to protect whistleblowers from occupational detriment.

The primary goal of the proposed Protected Disclosures Bill was to provide secure reporting avenues, shield individuals from reprisals, and ensure that disclosures were managed by capable institutions, she added.

The draft Bill is informed by local judicial findings and extensive comparative research into international best practices across several jurisdictions, including the UK and Australia.

Furthermore, Kubayi pointed out that the Bill aligned with global standards such as the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption and the United Nations Convention against Corruption to enhance and modernise existing laws.

She strongly emphasised the personal consequences of weak legislation, pointing out that whistleblowers often sacrificed their homes, assets, and careers.

"... while current legislation exists, there have been numerous instances of whistleblowers suffering occupational detriment, including suspension and dismissal. In some cases, dismissals are used to punish employees, payouts of benefits are delayed, and tragically, some whistle-blowers have lost their lives," she explained.

Kubayi honoured the memory of those who "paid the ultimate price", specifically acknowledging the late Babita Deokaran of the Gauteng Department of Health, Athol Williams for his role in exposing corruption at the South African Revenue Service which ultimately forced him to emigrate, Martha Ngoye of Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, and the late Mpho Mafole of Ekurhuleni municipality.

Meanwhile, opposition parties have blamed government for the delay in the protection of whistleblowers, with the Democratic Alliance having implemented local initiatives such as the approved whistleblowing policy and hotline in the Fezile Dabi district municipality.

ActionSA has written to Kubayi, requesting an urgent meeting to fast-track its own proposed legislation.

Earlier this year, the party announced its Fallen Whistleblowers Bill, which seeks to amend the Public Procurement Act to enhance protections for whistleblowers, introduce meaningful incentives, and enable private prosecutions to ensure accountability where the State fails to act.

However, the party welcomed the Minister's announcement of proposed amendments to the Protected Disclosures Act, which it said drew directly from its proposals by similarly strengthening protections and introducing incentives for whistleblowers.

Public comments on the Bill can be made here.

SA outperforms Saudi, Greece in Bank of America equity market ranking

Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) acting government spokesperson Nomonde Mnukwa pointed out on Wednesday that despite a challenging global environment, South Africa's financial markets continue to demonstrate stability, depth, and strong regulatory oversight, which she says reinforces the country's position as a top investment destination in Africa.

Mnukwa welcomed the recent ranking by Bank of America placing South Africa at the top of its regional equity market assessment.

South Africa maintained its number one position from March, outperforming regional peers such as Saudi Arabia, Poland, Greece, and Qatar.

"This recognition represents a strong vote of confidence in South Africa as an attractive and competitive investment destination," Mnukwa said.

She said this endorsement by a leading global financial institution reflected the underlying resilience and sophistication of South Africa's financial system and that investors should note these positive developments and partner with South Africa to drive inclusive economic growth.

Mnukwa added that this ranking demonstrated that government's economic reforms were yielding positive results.

Ongoing efforts to stabilise energy supply, improve logistics, and strengthen fiscal management were contributing to renewed investor confidence and improved market performance, she added.

She noted significant opportunities across key sectors of the country's economy, assuring investors that South Africa remained committed to policy certainty, structural reform, and a conducive business environment.

The GCIS is also encouraged by the recent investment commitments totalling R889.8-billion announced during the sixth South Africa Investment Conference, which Mnukwa said signalled growing domestic and international confidence in the country's economic trajectory.

She said South Africa was "open for business", and this latest recognition affirmed that the country remained a compelling destination for investment.

South Africa accredits new US envoy amid tensions with Trump

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa accepted new US Ambassador Leo Brent Bozell's credentials, a month after the diplomat was issued with a formal reprimand for criticising the government and questioning a domestic court ruling.

Bozell and envoys from 19 other nations, including Cuba, Lebanon, Zimbabwe and Ukraine, were formally accredited at a ceremony in Pretoria, the capital, on Wednesday, enabling them to fully assume their duties.

"We are two nations with great shared values and interests," Bozell said. "It's my goal in my time here to build on those shared interests, to build on self-respect, to build on our shared values, to take our two nations to places they have never been before."

Relations between the US and South Africa have deteriorated sharply since Donald Trump returned to the White House last year. The US president has repeatedly accused Ramaphosa's administration of subjecting White farmers to a genocide and seizing their land, claims that have been widely discredited.

Trump has also offered refugee status to members of the Afrikaner minority, imposed the highest tariffs in sub-Saharan Africa on South African imports, and ordered US officials to boycott Group of 20 meetings hosted by Pretoria last year. He has further criticised South Africa's ties with Iran, and rejected its Black economic empowerment policies.

Bozell, 70, was issued with a démarche last month, after he doubled down on the criticism and warned that Trump is running out of patience with South Africa over its failure to address US demands for changes to its domestic and foreign policies.

He also criticised a Constitutional Court ruling that found the anti-apartheid Kill the Boer chant isn't hate speech.

"I'm sorry, I don't care what your courts say. It's hate speech," he was quoted as saying.

Bozell subsequently downplayed the differences between the two countries, emphasising their strong economic ties.

"We will not see every issue in the same way; that is the nature of relations between independent nations," he wrote in a column published in Johannesburg's Business Day newspaper.

"At times our positions will diverge on global or bilateral questions. Yet in my conversations with South African leaders across the country it is clear that even where differences exist we can still identify areas to work together, build trust and expand opportunities for the US and South Africa."

Bozell was a controversial choice for ambassador, having opposed efforts by the African National Congress — the biggest political party in Ramaphosa's coalition government — to overturn White-minority rule in the 1980s.

He replaces Reuben Brigety, who was appointed during Joe Biden's presidency and resigned after Trump's election victory in late 2024.

DA's Rasilingwane says Ekurhuleni 'leadership crisis' fuels her bid to be a decisive mayor

The Democratic Alliance's (DA)'s mayoral candidate for Ekurhuleni Khathutshelo Rasilingwane on Wednesday vowed, ahead of the 2026 local government elections, to implement strict consequence management, professionalise city institutions, and stabilise finances to revive the metro.

Speaking exclusively with Polity on her campaign priorities, Rasilingwane said she was motivated by the current leadership crisis facing the city, assuring that her leadership would be decisive.

"It is going to be a leadership that prioritises its residents as compared to prioritising friendship, family, and cadres… Mine is going to be focused a lot more on servicing our communities simply because of the passion that I have for the people," she said.

Explaining her passion for the job, Rasilingwane revealed that she hails from an informal settlement in Tembisa, where she grew up with no service delivery in terms of water, electricity and refuse removal.

"… and so that experience truly brought me closer to obviously wanting to get involved and understanding more. It really began in a small shack that did not have water and electricity. And after being raised by a mother that was a street vendor, obviously seeing her work hard to just give us that life truly motivated me," she said.

Rasilingwane formerly served as a Councillor and an MMC in the City of Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality.

She expressed dissatisfaction at the fact that there were many young people who were still trapped by poverty, adding to her motivation to challenge the status quo in the city.

Rasilingwane stated that her approach to her mayoral nomination was to connect with people by prioritising their needs, regardless of the colour of their skin or their cultural background.

She expressed her committed to fostering an inclusive community, honouring the hard-fought journey toward a united South Africa where citizens embraced one another.

"My strength lies in this combination of grassroots understanding, proven leadership experience in diverse communities, and the meaningful relationships I have built over time," she said.

PROMISED PRIORITIES

The City of Ekurhuleni has been heavily implicated in the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, with evidence pointing to deep infiltration of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department by criminal syndicates.

Rasilingwane has promised to prioritise the credibility of institutions, by holding those found wanting accountable.

She also has plans to address the city's massive debt to suppliers, of about R13-billion, and its debt to Eskom, while ensuring that the municipality avoids further threats of power cuts.

She blamed collapsing infrastructure in the city on a lack of leadership that understood the urgency.

Rasilingwane pledged to end the culture of cadre deployment, promising that departments such as water and electricity would be led by qualified professionals.

The municipal council term expires on November 1, with local government elections expected between November 2 and the end of January 2027.

MKP introduces land expropriation Amendment Bill to extend restitution claims to colonial times

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) will on May 27 officially introduce the Constitution Amendment Bill to the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, which would allow restitution claims from as far back as 1652.

The Bill seeks to amend Section 25 of the Constitution to explicitly provide for the expropriation of land without compensation for purposes of land reform.

MKP National Spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela explained that the Bill declares land as the common heritage of all South Africans, to be held under the joint custodianship of the State and traditional leadership in the public interest.

He pointed out that the amendment will enable the full expropriation of land without any form of compensation, remove all references to compensation in Section 25, and extend the cutoff date for national restitution claims from June 19, 1913 to April 6, 1652.

"This will bring the 87% of land currently excluded into the restitution & redistribution process, addressing historical dispossession dating back to the arrival of colonialism," he added.

As part of the party's People's Mandate, the Bill gives primary authority to African royalty and traditional leadership in land governance.

The party says this is essential to restoring the dignity and indigenous governance systems of the majority.

The Bill will also be referred to the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San leaders.

Ndhlela said that under the proposed framework, the State, in partnership with traditional leadership, will assume custodianship of land on behalf of the nation and grant secure, long-term leases that recognise traditional systems of inheritance and allocation under the guidance of traditional leaders and African royalty.

"These leases will be designed to be bankable and will provide citizens, farmers and businesses with the confidence to invest productively, while preventing speculation hoarding, and foreign ownership.

"The system will prioritise productive land use, safeguard food security, and provide targeted support to women, youth and rural communities," he explained.

The MKP said it remains confident that this custodianship approach, rooted in African traditional governance, is both practical and workable.

The Bill also aims to accelerate equitable access to land to allow the majority of South Africans to participate in ownership, agriculture, and economic development. This, the party argues, will advance food security, alleviate poverty, and allow for broader socio-economic transformation.

Ndhlela said it would consult with other parties committed to land reform, such as the African National Congress, Economic Freedom Fighters, Inkatha Freedom Party, African Transformation Movement, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, United Africans Transformation, and the United Democratic Movement.

South Africa private sector returns to growth but Iran war clouds outlook, PMI shows

South Africa's private sector returned to growth in March as faster output and hiring outweighed a slump in export orders and business confidence linked to the US-Israeli war in Iran, a survey showed on Tuesday.

The S&P Global South Africa Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 50.8 in March from 50.0 in February. PMI readings above 50.0 indicate growth, while those below denote contraction.

Output grew at the fastest pace in six months, supported by new projects and stock replenishment.

But new orders fell for a second month and export sales posted their sharpest decline in just over two years.

"The latest data showed a bifurcated trend in the South African private sector," said David Owen, senior economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Employment increased at the quickest rate since May 2024 as firms built capacity for new projects.

Business confidence weakened further as concerns over the severity and duration of the Middle East war weighed. Positive sentiment dropped to its lowest level since July 2021, even though around 32% of firms still expected output to rise over the next year.

"The duration of the war will be a key factor determining the extent of the impact on South African companies, including how much a drop in foreign demand and a mark-up in prices filters through to domestic activity," said Owen.

Ramaphosa hands over R40m in symbolic housing cheques to TRC beneficiaries

Housing is not only about shelter, it represents stability, dignity and belonging to a community, President Cyril Ramaphosa said at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) housing reparations launch ceremony on Tuesday, where he handed over symbolic cheques, representing R40-million in cumulative assistance being provided to verified beneficiaries.

In handing out the once-off cheques, which beneficiaries can use to build a home or improve their existing homes, Ramaphosa said government was marking the implementation of regulations that allow victims of apartheid, identified through the TRC process, to receive housing assistance from the State.

"The handover of these symbolic cheques today affirms our belief that reconciliation and reparations must be concrete and tangible," he stated.

Speaking in KwaZulu-Natal, Ramaphosa noted that as of March, the total number of approved listed beneficiaries in Ndwedwe, north of Durban, was 220.

He said 114 approved beneficiaries in Ndwedwe had already been paid out about R21-million by the President's Fund, which was established in terms of the TRC Act.

Ramaphosa highlighted that to respect the safety and privacy of beneficiaries, representatives of traditional leaders would be receiving the cheques on their behalf.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ndwedwe was one of the areas in KwaZulu-Natal most affected by political violence, with many people forced to flee their homes.

"…homes were burned, and property was destroyed. Many innocent lives were lost. Families were rendered homeless and broken up. Many people lost their livelihoods and access to their land," he said.

The effects of the violence lasted many years, and some persist to this day.

The TRC documented hundreds of cases of arson, assaults, killings and forced removals in Ndwedwe and formally recognised several residents as victims of gross human rights violations.

Ramaphosa said Ndwedwe stood as a powerful site of memory and survival, representing rural communities whose suffering often received less public attention but was no less devastating.

The final report of the TRC made several recommendations to the President on possible measures that could be taken to restore the dignity of victims.

These measures included one-off grants, medical benefits and other forms of social assistance, the construction of monuments, and other forms of community rehabilitation.

The report recommended that the State give special attention to housing assistance in areas such as Ndwedwe, where violence resulted in mass destruction of property and displacement.

Ramaphosa pointed out that the housing assistance regulations published in January flowed directly from these recommendations.

MKP moves to have Section 235 of Constitution repealed, arguing it promotes confusion not protection

The uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP) on Thursday announced its introduction of an Amendment Bill that proposes repealing Section 235 of the Constitution, which gives communities with a common cultural and language heritage the right to pursue self-determination.

The MKP argued that its Bill was a "necessary intervention" to protect national unity, arguing that Section 235 is ambiguous and that the Bill of Rights already protects language, cultural rights, freedom of association and religious freedom.

Section 235 reads, "The right of the South African people as a whole to self-determination, as manifested in this Constitution, does not preclude, within the framework of this right, recognition of the notion of the right of self-determination of any community sharing a common cultural and language heritage, within a territorial entity in the Republic or in any other way, determined by national legislation."

MKP argued that Section 235 has remained "dormant, undefined and legally inoperative for three decades".

Compared with the rights protected in the Bill of Rights, MKP says Section 235 has not been operationalised through legislation and that it creates confusion instead of protection.

"The MK Party is deeply concerned that Section 235 has increasingly been misused and misrepresented to promote racially exclusive enclaves; suggest a constitutional basis for territorial fragmentation and advance secessionist narratives that have no grounding in law. This Bill decisively closes that gap," the party said.

It further argued that its amendment would prevent "misuse" of the Constitution to justify exclusion or division.

"This amendment is not about limiting democracy, it is about defending it from distortion. South Africa's future cannot be built on fragmentation, enclaves or exclusion. It must be built on unity, justice, and equal rights for all," the party stated.

Ramaphosa appoints Makhubu as new head of Sars

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday appointed Ngobani Johnstone Makhubu as the new commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (Sars) for a period of five years, effective May 1.

Makhubu, currently Sars's deputy commissioner for taxpayer engagement and operations, will take over from Edward Kieswetter, whose tenure ends on April 30.

According to a statement from the presidency, Makhubu brings over 17 years of senior leadership experience in tax administration, as well as commercial, finance and operations management.

Africa's largest economy collected a net R2.01-trillion of tax in the fiscal year that ended on March 31, 8.4% higher than the previous year, preliminary figures showed on Wednesday.

For the 2026/27 fiscal year beginning on April 1, Sars forecast collections of about R2.13-trillion, a 5.8% increase. Kieswetter, who has served as the commissioner since 2019, worked to turn around the tax agency which was marred with inefficiencies.