TUESDAY, 16 DECEMBER 2025, 20:04
BMA rolls out festive season plan with drones, body cams and new cross-border partnerships
Border Management Authority (BMA) Commissioner Dr Micheal Masiapato has unveiled an expanded Festive Season Operational Plan that will see the deployment of advanced surveillance technology and strengthened regional coordination to manage the holiday travel surge.
Briefing the media in...
BMA gears up for bumper festive season
Border Management Authority (BMA) Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato says South Africa is facing one of its busiest travel periods in recent years, with traveller movements increasing sharply and enforcement operations yielding thousands of interceptions.
Briefing the media on festive season law enforcement plans for 2025/26, Masiapato said BMA...
Kubayi unveils wide-ranging reforms to strengthen justice system
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has outlined measures aimed at modernising technology systems and tightening accountability across the justice sector.
At a briefing on Saturday, the Minister said the seventh administration remains committed to building “a modern, transparent and...
Home Affairs withdraws 90-day visa exemption for Palestinian passport holders after “systematic abuse”
The Department of Home Affairs has withdrawn South Africa’s 90-day visa exemption for Palestinian ordinary passport holders, following investigations that found the provision was being deliberately abused by Israeli-linked actors involved in “voluntary emigration” efforts for...
Justice Minister sends condolences to the Van der Merwe family, friends
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has sent her condolences to the family of Marius van der Merwe, who was shot and killed in front of his family in Brakpan last night.
Van der Merwe was “Witness D” at the Madlanga Commission and had recently testified before the Commission.
“Our...
Justice Minister sends condolences to the Van der Merwe family
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has sent her condolences to the family of Marius van der Merwe, who was shot and killed in front of his family in Brakpan last night.
Van der Merwe was “Witness D” at the Madlanga Commission and had recently testified before the Commission.
“Our thoughts...
Police launch manhunt for suspects who fatally shot Witness D
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has launched a manhunt for the suspects who shot and killed “Witness D”, who had testified at the Madlanga Commission.
The National Commissioner of SAPS, General Fannie Masemola, will meet and brief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga on investigations into the murder of Witness D. Madlanga...
President Ramaphosa sends condolences to the Van der Merwe family
President Cyril Ramaphosa has offers his deep condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Marius van der Merwe, who recently testified before the Madlanga Commission.
Van der Merwe was a Brakpan-based security industry member and former Ekhurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department official. He was shot multiple...
SADC Media Awards recognise journalistic excellence
Deputy Minister in the Presidency Kenny Morolong has called on Southern Africa’s journalists to take ownership of the region’s story, saying the SADC Media Awards remain one of the most powerful platforms for shaping a shared regional identity.
Speaking at the 2025 SADC Media Awards dinner — where the 2026 competition was also...
IPID welcomes 20-year sentence imposed on EMPD officer
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has welcomed the 20-year sentence imposed on an Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) officer for the murder of his partner in 2023.
On 21 September 2023, at around 13:00, two Constables from EMPD went to fetch their colleague, Constable Robert Ngobeni from home...
SA remains resolute in achieving a just transition
South Africa has accelerated its efforts toward a just, inclusive, and community-centred transition, even as some countries remain slow to implement climate action. “In this ever-uncertain environment, South Africa stands proud. We have not wavered on our commitments and have in fact scaled up our climate action,” President...
A tip-off has led police to a 6kg cocaine shipment worth an estimated R3.6 million, which officers seized along the N12 in George.
Discovery Bank, South Africa’s fastest-growing bank, announced a wide range of new digital features, product updates and partner offers as part of a major platform enhancement that expands its financial services ecosystem. The updates follow earlier improvements introduced this year in financial planning tools, digital security and personalised banking experiences. Among the newest additions...
The African Union has wrapped up its first Conference on Digital Agriculture in Addis Ababa, placing a strong focus on how technology can modernize farming and strengthen food systems across the continent. Speaking at the event, AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment Moses Vilakati emphasized the potential of digital transformation […]
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how music is made. With platforms such as SUNO and Udio, it now takes only seconds to generate melodies, lyrics or even full songs. What once required studio time, musicians and long creative sessions can now be produced with a few prompts. For South African artists, this shift is both […]
South Africa’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Blade Nzimande, has urged greater vigilance in how scientific advancements are used as emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence become more widespread and more powerful. Speaking at the World Conference of Science Journalists (WCSJ) 2025 in Pretoria, Nzimande said the misuse of AI in global conflict underscores […]
Africa’s workforce is embracing artificial intelligence (AI) faster than any other region, with 64 percent of workers reporting that they used AI tools in the past year — far above the global average of 54 percent. This is according to PwC’s Africa Workforce Hopes & Fears Survey 2025, which signals that the continent’s digital adoption […]
Despite the persistence and scale of marketing from makers of mobile phones to push their AI products, new results from our 2025 Hypertext Mobile Survey shows that people in South Africa are still mostly split on the importance of AI software on smartphones. According to htxt’s readers, with over 800 surveyed, 52 percent said that […]
At the Digital Africa Summit South Africa 2025, a high-stakes conversation unfolded on what it will take for Africa to build an AI future rooted in sovereignty, inclusivity, and local relevance. Moderating the session titled “AI for Good Governance: Data-Driven Decisions for Africa’s Future,” I guided a panel featuring Elizabeth Migwalla, Vice President of International […]
Seventeen young men left Johannesburg bound for Russia on 8 July 2025 for training as bodyguards for former president Jacob Zuma’s MK Party. They soon discovered they were destined for the frontlines in Russia’s war on Ukraine. So far, there has been no success in bringing them back home.
A company involved in Sizekhaya Holdings’ successful bid to run South Africa’s national lottery has urgently appealed to Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau to step into what has become an increasingly acrimonious dispute.