Government Opinion Pieces

Dear Fellow South African, Last week the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DLRD) announced that members of the public will be able to apply to lease 700 000 hectares of…

Dear Fellow South African, Every South African knows how important electricity is in our lives. When it is available no one thinks about it. But when we have load shedding everything just goes…

Dear Fellow South African, The United Nations will this week begin the 75th session of its General Assembly, where the nations of the world gather to seek collective solutions to global challenges…

Dear Fellow South African, In many countries around the world, the coronavirus pandemic has required the limitation of many civil liberties and put social cohesion to the test. But countries with…

Dear Fellow South African, A year ago, almost to the day, thousands of women, men and children marched to Parliament to protest against a spate of rapes and killings of women and girls. At the…

Dear Fellow South African, There are few callings more important for a person than the call to public service. It is an opportunity to improve people’s lives and change society for the better. It…

Dear Fellow South African, The coronavirus pandemic has had a dramatic impact on the social, economic, business and industrial landscape of our country and countries around the world. As we work…

By Phumla Williams

As South Africa celebrates women’s month we also remember the many formidable women across our continent. Every day these women, like many in our country, strive to…

Dear Fellow South African, At midnight tonight, our country will move to alert level 2 in our response to the coronavirus pandemic. This will come as a relief to all South Africans who have had to…

By Phumla Williams

The unique challenges posed by COVID-19 has called on humanity to remain apart through social distancing.  This has caused untold anguish as people have been…

Dear Fellow South African,

Yesterday, the country celebrated Women’s Day. This occasion marks the anniversary of the day in  1956 when 20,000 women marched to  the Union Buildings – a…

Dear Fellow South African, Corruption during a national disaster is a particularly heinous type of crime, and perpetrators are going to be dealt with decisively and harshly. It is difficult to…

Dear Fellow South African, As several parts of our country experience a surge in coronavirus infections, we are also confronted with the economic damage of this pandemic. The most recent economic…

By Naledi Pandor The pandemic has caused mass destruction of an already brittle global socio-economic landscape. At this moment of re-imagining President Mandela, we should be re-emboldened to…

Dear Fellow South African, The old saying that ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ comes to mind when I think about the resilience and ingenuity shown by South Africans during the past three…

Dear Fellow South African, Last night, I addressed the nation on the state of the coronavirus pandemic in our country. What follows is an edited version of that address: Our nation is confronted…

Dear Fellow South African,

For those fortunate enough to have an elderly parent or grandparent still alive, not being able to spend time with them has been one of the most difficult parts…

Dear Fellow South African, The number of deaths from coronavirus recently passed the 2,000 mark. Among those who have lost their lives are health care workers, consummate professionals who cared…

By Zweli Mkhize 

I tuck my feet back into the consolation of my blankets — they’ve turned stiff in the chill that has cocooned my bedroom.

A glance towards a slightly frosted window…

Dear Fellow South African, More than 100 days after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in South Africa and after two months of a nation-wide lockdown, our economy is in the throes of the…