8 July 2025- Three suspects aged between 26 and 45 were arrested by the police from the Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes unit in Ventersdorp for unlawful possession of firearms on 3 July 2025. The arrested suspects were part of six who were apprehended by the Ventersdorp police driving a vehicle that matches the description of the vehicle believed to have been seen speeding off from the Kuruman business robbery crime scene on 2 July 2025.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Timothy Sam said they are at this stage in a process of establishing a connection to the crime scene before processing them for court. Sam said the police are still tracking three more suspects who can assist in the investigation of this case.
“Anyone who might have information that may lead to the arrest of the rest of the suspects can contact Colonel Letlhogonolo Kanakang at 071 686 1360 or 08600 10111 and or the police MySAPS App. All information will be treated confidentially,” he said.
8 July 2025 – The Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade has expressed grave concern over the impending 30% tariff imposed by the United States government on key South African exports, as the tariffs will have far-reaching consequences for exporters and on the broader ailing South African economy. The committee said the US tariff order, which was signed yesterday and is set to come into effect on 1 August 2025, undermines the historical US–SA trade cooperation and poses a serious threat to strategic sectors such as citrus, macadamia, automotive components, steel and aluminium.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Sonja Boshoff said these industries are not abstract economic indicators. Boshoff said they are lifelines for tens of thousands of workers, particularly in rural and small-town South Africa.
“South Africa’s citrus industry alone supports more than 35 000 jobs and contributes over R38 billion annually to the economy. A tariff of this magnitude threatens not only the profitability of our exporters, but the livelihoods of workers and the economic stability of entire agricultural regions.
“The tariff order also casts a dark shadow over the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which has long facilitated preferential access to US markets. With the new duty effectively neutralising those preferences, there is growing uncertainty for producers who depend on predictable market access to plan, invest and grow,” she said.
Boshoff further said it is critical that trade agreements are honoured in good faith. She added that no country can plan its industrial or export strategy under a cloud of sudden and unilateral tariff hikes.
“The committee recognises that the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) is pursuing negotiations with its US counterparts, reportedly offering strategic Liquefied Natural Gas procurement in exchange for a more reasonable tariff ceiling.
“However, such engagements must be swift, transparent and rooted in the national interest. We cannot afford diplomatic dithering. Every delay will deepen the uncertainty in our export industries,” said Boshoff.
She said the government must urgently finalise a sustainable trade path with the United States and, simultaneously, accelerate diversification into new markets across the EU, Asia and Africa. Boshoff said the committee calls on the DTIC and the Department of Agriculture to provide support packages and market reorientation strategies for the most affected industries.
“This must include logistics relief, export finance support, and new market facilitation, particularly for emerging farmers and SMEs. At a time when South Africa is battling record unemployment and low growth, punitive tariffs by our biggest trading partners are not just economic risks, they are catalysts for deeper inequality.
“We must respond with urgency, precision and policy agility. This unprecedented development cannot be approached with a let it go attitude. We call on the South African government to urgently send a high-level delegation to Washington to undertake repair of diplomatic ties and to reaffirm South Africa’s commitment to constructive engagement,” she said.
Meanwhile, the US President, Donald Trump signed the tariff order on 7 July 2025, after the withdrawal of US grant funding for critical programmes in South Africa. The tariff order, which will apply to all South African products entering the US market, will come into effect from 1 August 2025.
Picture: The North West MEC for Social Development, Sussana Dantjie and SASSA Regional Executive Manager in North West, ZodwaMvulane/Supplied
By BAKANG MOKOTO
8 July 2025- A new chapter unfolded as SASSA (South African Social Security Agency) celebrated the grand opening of a fully digitized office in Sekhing village, near Taung. SASSA said this marked a significant milestone in bringing accessible social services closer to the community.
The newly-opened office was officially opened by the North West MEC for Social Development, Sussana Dantjie. The SASSA Regional Executive Manager in North West, Zodwa Mvulane said the auspicious ceremony formed part of the first broader Ministerial Outreach Programme in the region, which focuses on bringing services closer to the people.
Mvulane said the new office continues to enhance access to SASSA services for community members from 14 villages.
“The ceremony kicked off with different government departments offering the much-needed services to the community. We are committed to continuously improving our systems ensuring faster and more reliable service delivery.
“The integration of digital tools and innovations like this new office reflect our dedication to making social grants more accessible and secure for our communities. We are moving towards a future, where every person can access their benefits with ease and confidence,” she said.
Mvulane further said the event reaffirmed SASSA’s dedication to transforming service delivery through innovation, community engagement, and partnership. She added that, with the new Sekhing Local Office, now fully operational, residents can look forward to faster, more efficient support, a true step forward in social development.
Following the opening, Dantjie took a walkabout of the new office, marvelling at the innovative features, including a cutting-edge Queue Management System, New Touch Screen Self-Service Kiosks and the Beneficiary Biometric Enrolment designed to enhance customers’ experience. She also applauded SASSA for its efforts and emphasized the importance of community care and support for local offices.
“These offices are vital gateways for social development. I encourage communities to take good care of these offices, ensuring they remain safe and accessible for all,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Baga-Mothibi Tribal Council expressed their enthusiasm, sharing their excitement and commitment to supporting the new facility, recognizing its potential to transform community access to social services.
8 Phukwi 2025- Sepodisi sa kwa Huhudi se tlhalositse fa se butse kgetsi ya morago ga loso. Se, se tla morago ga gore mosadimogolo wa dingwaga di le 68 a lakailwe ke molelo kwa ntlung nngwe kwa Mariri Street kwa motsesetoropong wa Huhudi, gaufi le Vryburg, mo letsatsing la Tshipi.
Sebueledi sa sepodisi mo sedikeng sa Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Warrant Officer Tryphosa van Rooyen are, go begwa fa ba di tirelo tsa tshoganyetso, ba ile ba tsibosiwa ka ntlo e e shang kwa motsesetoropong o. Van Rooyen are ba ile ba itlhaganelelwa koo, mme ba fitlha ba tima kgabo eo ya molelo.
“Ka maswabi, go ile fa fitlhelwa setopo sa mosadimogolo se se neng se jelwe ke molelo mo ntlung,” van Rooyen wa tlhalosa.
Setshwantsho: Nama ya kgomo e go belaelwang fa e utswilwe
Ka REGINALD KANYANE
8 Phukwi 2025- Bogodu jwa leruo e tsweletse go nna tlhoba-boroko mo kgaolong ya Taung le Pampierstad. Se, se tla morago ga gore banna ba le bane ba ba dingwaga tse di mo mogareng ga 16 le 37, ba tshwarwe ke batlhankela ba sepodisi ba lephata la Tsela-kgolo (High Way Patrol Unit) mo letsatsing la maabane. Go begwa fa sepodisi se ile sa longwa tsebe mabapi le sejanaga sa modiro wa Polo Vivo se go begwang fa sene se tsamaisa nama ya kgomo.
Sebueledi sa sepodisi mono Kapa Bokone, Sergeant Molefi Shemane are batlhankela ba sepodisi go tswa Hartswater High Way Patrol Unit ba ile ba tsiboga ka bonako morago ga dipego tsa gore kgomo eo e ka tswa e utswilwe pele ga e ka tlhabiwa. Shemane are batlhankela ba sepodisi ba ile ba leba kwa motse-setoropong wa Pampierstad.
“Batlhankela ba, ba ile ba bona sejanaga se go belaelwang fa ele sone se se neng se pegile nama eo ya kgomo. Ba ile ba emisa sejanaga seo, mme ba se puruputsha. Batlhankela ba sepodisi ba ile ba tshwara banna ba le bane morago ga go fitlhela nama ya kgomo ya boleng jwa R12 000 mo sejanageng seo.
“Go begwa fa mmelaelwa a le mongwe a ile a tshaba fa a bona batlhankela ba sepodisi, mme ba le bane bone ba ile ba lelelwa ke ditshipi. Morago ga dipatlisiso, go ile ga netefadiwa fa kgomo eo e utswitswe,” Shemane wa tlhalosa.
Shemane are sejanaga seo le sone se ile sa tsewa ke sepodisi, gonne ba bega fa se dirisitswe go ka dira bosenyi. Shemane are ba ikuela go mongwe le mongwe o a ka tswang a na le dikgomo tse a sa di itseng kwa lesakeng la gagwe, go leba kwa seteisheng sa sepodisi sa Pampierstad go ka itsise sepodisi.
“Kgotsa ba ka letsetsa nomoro ya sepodisi e lwantsha bosenyi ya 08600 10111. Re ikuela go baagi ka kakaretso gore ba tlhokomele leruo la bone, gonne bogodu jwa leruo bo jele setsi segolo bogolo jang mo kgaolong ya magae.
“Fela sepodisi se tlile go tswelela pele ka twantsho ya bosinyi,” Shemane wa tlhalosa.
8 July 2025- The Republic of South Africa (RSA) president, Cyril Ramaphosa said last week, the world came together at the 4th Financing for Development Conference in Sevilla, Spain, to agree on a set of actions to advance development over the next decade. Ramaphosa said this year’s conference took place at a moment of great consequence for humanity.
He further said they face more daunting challenges than at any other time, from the growing devastation caused by climate change to persistent levels of poverty in many parts of the world. Ramaphosa added that, to confront these challenges, they need to mobilise funding to tackle climate change, reduce poverty and build infrastructure that enables sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
“It is estimated that the world needs an extra $4 trillion dollars a year to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, a gap which can only be closed through more affordable, long-term sustainable financing. A major contributor to this financing gap is the growing debt burden faced by many developing economies, particularly those in Africa. Around 3.4 billion people now live in countries that are spending more on interest payments to creditors than on health and education.
“As the Jubilee Commission appointed by the late Pope Francis notes, while few countries have defaulted on their debt, they are defaulting on their people, their environment and their future. Debt can be a tool for development, if it is affordable and spent efficiently on infrastructure and other investments that support growth. However, a succession of external shocks – including the COVID-19 pandemic, the destabilising effect of various conflicts around the world and tightening financing conditions – has caused the cost of debt to rise rapidly for many developing economies,” he said.
Ramaphosa said at the inception of our G20 Presidency, they appointed an Africa Expert Panel led by Trevor Manuel, their former Minister of Finance, to develop recommendations that the G20 can take forward. He said they did so because they are convinced that Africa’s development must remain front and centre this year and into the future.
“We have since been focusing on practical solutions to achieve debt sustainability, such as improving the G20 Common Framework for debt treatments to enable timely and adequate debt restructuring. We are also working to expand the use of innovative mechanisms to alleviate the debt burden in times of crisis, such as climate resilient debt clauses, which automatically paused debt payments when a country faces a climate disaster.
“Going forward, a key priority is to ensure that more support is available to countries facing financial liquidity challenges, with interventions taking place early enough and providing enough relief to avoid a crisis. We have shown that this is possible through previous efforts spearheaded by the G20, such as the Debt Service Suspension Initiative, which created fiscal space for low-income countries during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Ramaphosa.
He said there is no shortage of solutions to address the debt burden. What we need is the political will to translate proposals into action and to do so at a scale that matches the size of the challenge. Ramaphosa said countries committed in Sevilla to “take concrete actions to enhance fiscal space, address debt challenges of developing countries and lower the cost of capital”.
“This commitment was reinforced by the Rio de Janeiro Declaration adopted at the BRICS Leaders’ Summit in recent days, which recognised the need to “address in an effective, comprehensive and systematic manner the debt vulnerabilities of both low and middle income countries. The world cannot stand by and watch as rising debt service costs crowd out development for a generation or more.
“For this reason, South Africa is committed to working together with all countries to confront the debt challenge in a manner that is effective, sustainable and just,” he said.
Picture: Bafana Bafana players celebrating duirng a match
By AGISANANG SCUFF
8 July 2025 – Yesterday marked 33 years since the first-ever Bafana Bafana match against Cameroon in Durban and the South African Football Association (SAFA) is launching a supporter travel package to the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 in Morocco at the end of the year. SAFA said the package will afford fans an opportunity to follow the South African senior men’s national team during the African football showpiece in Morocco in December 2025.
SAFA CEO Lydia Monyepao said these customised packages will include official and exclusive Bafana Bafana merchandise, match tickets, as well as for some fans to meet the players that will be travelling with us to Morocco. Monyepao said for years, fans have been asking for packages to travel and follow the team at international tournaments, their pleas are about to be heard.
“The first phase packages will be available in the group stages in Marrakech and Agadir, with the second phase to be determined by how and where the team progresses. SAFA has roped in the services on Tourvest’s Pure-Travel to manage this curated travel experience based on their extensive knowledge and experience in managing many sporting codes.
Monyepao further said during the AFCON 2023 in Ivory Coast, their office was inundated by calls from fans and businesses looking to travel and support or entertain their clients with Bafana Bafana at the tournament. She added that they saw it fit to take their time and create these packages and also expand on what they trialled locally with their partners SAA and Southern Sun in 2024 when Bafana Bafana played in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.
“South Africans have a thirst to travel locally and internationally, with a compelling proposition of them following Bafana Bafana. We believe we are beginning a journey of visibility at away matches and tournaments to give our teams a feeling of home with the travelling fans. We hope fans and business take up this opportunity and travel with us to enjoy a unique Bafana Bafana experience in Morocco,” said Monyepao.
Meanwhile, the sentiment was shared by the captain Ronwen Williams. Williams said it was great to see the fans in Ivory Coast last year and they are looking forward to welcoming more of the fans in the stands when they go for gold at the next AFCON 2025 in Morocco.
“We hope to make our nation proud. As we today commemorate our very first match and the first Bafana Bafana generation that eventually won the AFCON in 1996, we hope to do it again for South Africa and make our people proud,” he said.
For more information about the package details contact: sports@pure-travel.co.za
Picture: A suspect nabbed with dagga worth R20 000
By BAKANG MOKOTO
7 July 2025- The police in Northern Cape said targeted Operation Shanela II has once again pounced on an alleged drug trafficker in Kuruman with dagga worth approximately R20 000. The police said vigilance of John Taolo Gaetsewe (JTG) Highway Patrol members on 6 July 2025, at around 8:20am, allowed them to spot a suspicious vehicle parked next to the N14 road in Kuruman.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sergio Kock said the police approached the Polo Vivo tactically and during the search, they confiscated 8.68kg of dagga worth approximately R20 000. Kock said the suspect (41), who is allegedly from Mahikeng in the North West, is expected to appear in the Kuruman Magistrate’s Court soon on charges of illegal possession of dagga.
“The SAPS in the Northern Cape will tighten their grip specifically focusing on the proliferation of drugs,” said Kock.
8 July 2025- The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) said it has taken note of the recent public revelations made by the South African Police Services’ (SAPS) KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi against the entire value chain of the criminal justice system. POPCRU said while it acknowledges the gravity and extensive nature of the information shared, which touches on matters central to the internal operations and integrity of law enforcement structures, it notes with seriousness the implications these disclosures may have on the broader stability and credibility of the country’s security architecture.
POPCRU spokesperson, Richard Mamabolo said they are of the firm view that the safety and security of South Africans must never be compromised. Mamabolo said this moment demands responsible leadership, maturity and transparency, not public spectacle or factional posturing.
“It is precisely during moments like these that the nation must rally behind principles of accountability, justice, and institutional integrity. As matters stand, the public discourse is increasingly dominated by accusations and counter-accusations, many of which risk derailing the legitimate concerns that should instead be addressed through competent and independent processes.
“We therefore call for calm and caution against such speculation. The criminal justice system should be shielded from any interference, and mechanisms of oversight must be allowed to function, leading to a process that will result in facts being placed in the open,” he said.
Mamabolo further said POPCRU remains confident that, upon his return to the country, the Republic of South Africa (RSA) president Cyril Ramaphosa, will exercise his constitutional duty as Head of State and the Commander-In-Chief of all armed forces to ensure this matter is urgently prioritised. He added that it is essential that no stone be left unturned in determining the full scope of the issues raised, holding those found responsible accountable, and restoring public confidence in SAPS leadership.
“We call on all members to remain committed to upholding the rule of law under extremely challenging conditions, to continue the fight against crime and corruption and to ensure the environments they work under are not compromised. As POPCRU, we reaffirm our commitment to defending the dignity of all officers who serve with honour and discipline,” he said.
9 July 2025- The South African Union Council of Independent Churches (SAUCIC) has expressed concern regarding the withdrawal of the Democratic Alliance (DA) from the upcoming National Dialogue declaring it as irrational, myopic, unpatriotic and a sign of immaturity. SAUCIC said that any Government of National Unity (GNU) partner that is working against the social compact initiative undermines the will of the people and their support for national unity, consensus building and cooperation.
SAUCIC President Cardinal Archbishop Dr Modiri Patrick Shole said the DA’s tendency to throw tantrums and issue misguided ultimatums to President Cyril Ramaphosa depict a party that is in crisis as well as rudderless. Shole said it seeks to put itself above the country’s national interests, while inadvertently jeopardising the stability of the economy necessary for faster economic growth, job creation and attracting investors.
“Fortunately, the markets are no longer responding to their empty threats nor taking them seriously. The need to reset the national agenda, reposition the country for renewal and adopt a national plan that will take South Africa on a new development trajectory is non-negotiable.
“The forward march towards creating a non-racial, non-sexist, united, democratic, peaceful and prosperous society envisioned by the Freedom Charter cannot be held to ransom by the usual theatrics associated with the DA and those opposed to equality, social justice, redress of past imbalances and radical socio-economic transformation,” he emphasised.
Shole further stressed that the national dialogue is about redefining the South Africa that all its people want and mobilising the broad spectrum of society, i.e. faith based communities, traditional leaders, women ,youth, business, the academia, trade unions, NGO’s as well as civil society organisations including government and all political parties behind a new vision. He added that, it is about all of them leaving their cocoons, laagers and overcoming prejudices to engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve current challenges facing South Africa.
“Neither self-respecting as well as right-thinking individuals nor grouping would refuse to be part of the journey to reaffirm our common identity, shared values as well adopt a new National Development Plan that will unlock economic opportunities for shared growth and prosperity for all.
“The DA and other reactionary formations must be reminded that the dialogue will not be about establishing hegemony, self-preservation or perpetuating lies about the imagined white genocide, but finding one another for peaceful and harmonious co-existence,” underscored Shole.
He urged all churches, fraternal including people of faith to reclaim their prophetic voice, stand in the gap and pray for the reconciliation as well as unity that have eluded us thus far. Shole further asserted that a new united society with a new mindset must be birthed and emerge, i.e. if South Africa is to overcome the myriad of challenges it is currently facing that including among others the impact of geopolitics on the economy, the crisis of rising youth unemployment, illegal foreign nationals, deepening inequality as well as poverty affecting the most vulnerable, unacceptable crime levels and gender-based violence affecting communities.
“Those who cannot imagine it and contribute solutions because they are enticed and preoccupied with pursing a narrow white supremacist regime change agenda will remain irrelevant beyond the dialogue and even in the future,” he said.
The Guardian 