@KASIBC_AFRICA

ONLINE EDITOR @KASIBC_AFRICA GAUTENG HANDS OVER 300 OPERATING LICENCES AS IT INTENSIFIES EFFORTS TO CLEAR BACKLOG  The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport today handed over 300 operating licences to compliant public transport operators during a ceremony held at the Ekurhuleni Council Chambers . This forms part of the province’s ongoing programme to clear the operating license backlog and stabilise the public transport sector. Since 1 September 2025, the department has issued a total of 525 operating licenses . MEC for Roads and Transport , Kedibone Diale-Tlabela , said that the handover demonstrates government’s commitment to strengthening regulation and improving service delivery to operators and commuters. “Today is more than a handover ceremony. It is a statement of our commitment to rebuilding a licensing system that is transparent, efficient and fair. We are working tirelessly to ensure operators receive services closer to their communities and within predictable tim...

ONLINE EDITOR @KASIBC_AFRICA PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA MEETS EUROPEAN UNION LEADERS ON THE MARGINS OF G20 SUMMIT 1. President Cyril Ramaphosa , President of the European Council , Mr António Costa , and President of the European Commission , Dr Ursula von der Leyen met on the margins of the G20 Summit on 20 November 2025. 2. This meeting follows a series of engagements between the leaders, including at the multilateral fora such as the UNGA80 in New York, the EU’s Global Gateway Forum in Brussels and the recent ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur .  3. The Leaders reviewed progress on the key political and economic outcomes agreed to at the 8th South Africa – EU Summit held in March 2025 , in Cape Town . 4. In the context of South Africa’s G20 Presidency and ahead of the 7th AU-EU Summit on 24-25 November in Luanda, Angola , this meeting took place against the backdrop of growing challenges to multilateralism and the ongoing conflict in Sudan . Leaders reiterated their March commi...

ONLINE EDITOR @KASIBC_AFRICA      McKenzie’s VAR: Vague, Unfunded and Risky The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling on Minister Gayton McKenzie to immediately release the official Treasury approval letter for the R20 million he claims has been allocated to the national VAR project , and to table a full feasibility study along with a detailed three-year financial and project plan . South Africans deserve an explanation for why the Minister publicly committed millions to this project before any verified costing, planning or technical assessment existed. Video Assistant Referee  is the technology used in football to review controversial decisions using multiple camera angles. It is expensive, highly technical and requires specialised equipment, trained operators, and stadium readiness. Yet the Minister has committed millions to a national rollout without knowing the real cost or whether such a rollout is feasible. In Parliament , he admitted that he had been given ...

ONLINE EDITOR @KASIBC_AFRICA PRETORIA HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS SGB TO FOCUS ON TRANSFORMATION  The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) welcomes the recent High Court judgment in the matter involving the Pretoria High School for Girls School Governing Body (SGB). We are pleased that the Court has clarified the situation, allowing everyone to move forward and focus on what matters most: the development of the learners and the school. The Pretoria High Court dismissed the SGB’s interim request to access the Department’s investigation report .  The report was commissioned by the GDE following allegations of racism involving learners at the school. The SGB had asked for the report as part of a judicial review , arguing it was necessary for their case. Accordingly, the report does not fall under Rule 53 , which only deals with documents showing the decisionmaking process in judicial reviews.  The Court also emphasised that the proper way to request such information is through...

ONLINE EDITOR @KASIBC_AFRICA  DA President John Steenhuisen Reshuffle DA  The Democratic Alliance takes note of the speculation surrounding the departure of Dr Dion George as Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment . I wish to set the record straight in this regard, not least given the reportage that seeks to make out that his removal is due to external pressure and interests. The simple truth is that it is not. The DA entered the Government of National Unity in June 2024 with a clear mission: to confront South Africa’s most urgent challenges and to deliver tangible improvements in the lives of our citizens. Central to this commitment to putting people at the centre of our concerns is our ongoing fight for the implementation of bold economic reforms that will unlock growth, attract investment, and create jobs. The DA currently holds twelve positions within the National Executive . It is therefore imperative that these roles are occupied by the most capable i...

ONLINE EDITOR @KASIBC_AFRICA  GAUTENG GOVERNMENT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SERVICE DELIVERY Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Infrastructure Development Jacob Mamabolo has lauded Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) and municipalities for their collaborative efforts in accelerating service delivery initiatives and enforcing the law across all five regions in Gauteng. MEC Mamabolo, who chairs the Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) Forum on Law Enforcement , received comprehensive progress reports from all municipalities on their ongoing crime-fighting initiatives.  The forum, established by Premier Panyaza Lesufi , coordinates integrated interventions to tackle crime, one of the 13 key challenges confronting the province. The Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) conducted various operations including crime prevention operations, roadblocks, bylaw enforcement and high visibility patrols to address priority crimes in the city.  Officials arrested 1...

ONLINE EDITOR @KASIBC_AFRICA  POSITIVE TURNAROUND IN EMPLOYMENT FIGURES IN SOUTH AFRICA  The African National Congress (ANC) welcomes the encouraging news released by Statistics South Africa , showing a significant and broad-based improvement in the employment landscape. The official unemployment rate has declined by 1.3% to 31.9%, while the expanded definition has dropped by 0.6% to 42.4% in the third quarter of 2025.  This progress reflects the tangible impact of a coordinated economic interventions and the ANC’s 10-Point Plan to grow the economy, create jobs, and restore hope among our people. More than 248,000 new jobs were created during the quarter, bringing total employment to over 17.1 million South Africans, the highest level since before the COVID-19 pandemic .  The number of unemployed persons decreased by 360,000, confirming that the country is steadily shifting from despair to renewal. This positive momentum underscores that our collective efforts t...