Political Analyst and Chairman of the South African Institute of International Affairs Moeletsi Mbeki argues that South Africa's excessively compensated public service significantly burdens the economy. He suggests that the government should consider reducing the costs associated with public service salaries. Mbeki's comments come in response to the proposed two-point increase in Value Added Tax, which has been cited as the reason for the postponement of the first budget speech under the Government of National Unity. Donald Trump's decision to cut aid to South Africa citing concerns over land reform policies that he claims negatively impact the white minority has raised worries about the future of the AGOA deal with the United States. Under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), South Africa benefits from tariff-free quotas on various agricultural exports, including wine, citrus fruits, soybeans, sugar cane, and beef. Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition Parks Tau emphasises the need for South Africa to expedite its engagement with the United States.

Gauteng Economic Development and Finance MEC Lebogang Maile says he has requested the Gauteng Liquor Board to temporarily suspend the operating licence of Zanzou nightclub whilst investigations continue. MKP leader Jacob Zuma's former aide, Isaac Leshona, has exposed glaring rifts among the party's leaders. In a striking public letter, he criticised Zuma's daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, labelling her as incompetent and warning that she could harm the party's future. He also described the party" 's secretary general Floyd Shivambu as arrogant. While the MK Party claims Leshona was dismissed nearly seven months ago and is no longer the private secretary to President Zuma, Leshona insists he is unaware of such termination. Newly appointed MK Party National Disciplinary Committee Chairperson Advocate Dali Mpofu says the party's MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla will be treated like any other member. Recently, an internal disciplinary process was initiated against her for insulting the party's Secretary-General, Floyd Shivambu. Mpofu says discipline is non-negotiable

The Democratic Alliance is challenging the Expropriation Act in court amidst an international outcry regarding the legislation. Helen Zille, the DA Federal Council Chairperson, has initiated court proceedings to contest the Act, emphasising that the DA has opposed the Bill since its introduction in 2018. South Africa's ambassador to the US faces a tough challenge as he seeks to mend strained relations between the two countries. Trump recently signed an executive order cutting off aid to South Africa and allowing Afrikaners the chance to resettle in the U.S. Trump claims Afrikaners face racial discrimination in the country. Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool says they have had no inquiries on refugee offer Chair of the UN Commission of Inquiry on the occupied Palestine territory Dr Navi Pillay says forced displacement of civilians from occupied territory is strictly prohibited under international law what consequences. This follows President Donald Trump's announcement that the United States would take over war-ravaged Gaza and create a "Riviera of the Middle East" after resettling Palestinians elsewhere.

Standing Committee on Defence Co-Chairperson Malusi Gigaba says the remains of soldiers who were killed in the eastern DRC will be repatriated on Wednesday, Gigaba also clarified that the deployment of South African troops is part of a Southern African Development Community agreement, not a bilateral deal with the DRC. He confirmed that SANDF troops are safe in camps and not captured, following M23 declaring a ceasefire in DRC Fourteen soldiers lost their lives last month in a conflict with M23 rebels. EFF's Secretary General, Marshall Dlamini, says the South African National Defence Force is not engaged in a peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Instead, he emphasised that the army was on an offensive mission aimed at defending the territory, as well as the mineral and business interests in the eastern region of the country. Afriforum CEO Kallie Kriel says it will write to the U.S. government requesting that President Donald Trump's proposed punitive measures against South Africa target senior ANC leaders instead of the country's residents. The organisation says it will also urge the South African government to amend the Expropriation Act to protect property rights and avert a potential crisis. This comes after the US president falsely claimed that land was being confiscated in the country, and threatened to cut aid to South Africa as a punitive measure.

Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe has reiterated President Paul Kagame's earlier warning that Rwanda is ready for confrontation if necessary. He says SANDF is at Rwanda's border, and while Rwanda does not seek aggression, it is prepared to defend itself if attacked. Nduhungirehe also mentioned that South Africa was invited into the Democratic Republic of the Congo by a government seeking to overthrow the Rwandan government. Minister of International Relations Ronals Lamola says there is clear evidence that Rwanda supports M23 . Lamola says South Africa wants a cessation of hostilities and their mandate is to support the government of DRC. Deputy Defence Minister Bantu Holomisa has attributed the declining condition of the South African National Defence Force to budget cuts, highlighting that the signs of this struggle have been evident for over a decade. On the escalating conflict in DRC, Holomisa says the department's priority is to return deceased & injured soldiers back home.

The Democratic Alliance says it will reconsider its participation in the GNU if it continues to be treated as a bystander by the ANC. The DA has been left disgruntled by the signing of the land expropriation bill into law. The party claims the Bill was signed into law despite a legal opinion from its minister Dean Macpherson. DA's federal executive member Karabo Khakhau says Retired SANDF Lieutenant General Maomela Motau says South Africa can assert its will on the M23 rebels. SANDF has confirmed that 13 South African soldiers have been killed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This includes three soldiers who lost their lives in a mortar attack by the M23 rebels on Monday. ActionSA Leader Herman Mashaba states that South Africa should withdraw from the DRC. The party has also expressed concerns regarding the spending of Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga on travel.

ANC NEC member Mzwandiile Masina has asserted that the Expropriation Bill signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa into Law serves the public interest and promotes land reform. Masina highlighted the ANC's goal of amending Section 25 of the constitution. Conversely, MK Party Chief Whip Mzwanele Manyi has criticized the Expropriation Bill as ineffective, pointing out that farms have still been returned to the people without this legislation. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says she is bound by her oath of office to move forward with implementing the BELA Act. Objections were previously raised regarding some controversial clauses of the Act- leading to delay in the act being fully implemented The MK Party has appointed new leaders in Mpumalanga with former Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane at the helm. However, her predecessor, Mary Phadi insists she is still the party's leader in the province. Phadi took the party to court last year after her dismissal and won. Phadi says Mkhwebane is in contempt of court.

Minister of Defense and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga has reassured South Africans that, despite the numerous challenges faced by the South African National Defence Force, it can defend the country. Motshekga has also defended the appointment of Nontobeko Mafu as the Acting Director-General of the Department of Military Veterans. She says Mafu completed a bridging certificate, and her qualification is considered equivalent to a South African matric certificate. The uMkhonto weSizwe Party has announced that Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane is the party's legitimate leader in Mpumalanga. However, Mary Phadi claims to still be the rightful leader after the Mpumalanga High Court ruled in her favor following her dismissal from the party. The organisation believes Mkhwebane will help stabilise the party's presence in the province. Mkhwebane says work to build strong branches has started in the province

As operations in Stilfontein come to an end, Zimbabwean officials are being enlisted to help identify and repatriate the remains of many illegal miners back to their home country. Undocumented Zimbabwean nationals are among over 80 illegal miners who lost their lives at the Buffelsfontein gold mine during a police operation aimed at cracking down on illegal mining in the area. Zimbabwe's Ambassador to South Africa David Hamadziripi says one of the significant challenges in the aftermath of the operation is identifying the deceased, as many lacked documentation. Head of the NPA, advocate Shamila Batohi, had previously stated that it has been difficult to make progress on State Capture cases because they don't have full access to the database. She told Parliament's Justice Committee that this had prevented the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption from doing its work. Newly appointed Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi says there was a miscommunication between the NPA and the Justice Department then. Kubayi says the impasse between the NPA and her department over access to the state capture database has been resolved

On Face The Nation tonight, over 80 illegal mine workers have been brought to the surface at an abandoned mine shaft in Stilfontein in the North West over the last two days. We spoke to the Deputy Minister of Police Polly Boshielo The community lays the blame squarely at the feet of the government for what they call an inhumane response to the illegal miners still underground at the Stilfontein mine. About this, we spoke to Mametlwe Sebei, an attorney at Lawyers for Human Right The NHI has been an issue of contention between the big parties in the GNU. Health minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi spoke to us...

ANC Treasurer General Dr. Gwen Ramokgopa says the ANC remains a strong movement, despite not performing well in last year's elections. She emphasised that the ANC will maintain its identity within the Government of National Unity (GNU). Ramokgopa mentioned that the party will use the January 8 Statement to reflect on the challenges they have faced, with the aim of improving their service to the people. Notably, in the May 2024 elections, the ANC fell below 50 percent of the national vote for the first time in 30 years. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has dismissed allegations made by ActionSA that their leader and Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, uses luxury vehicles equipped with blue lights. ActionSA accused Steenhuisen of enjoying the benefits of several high-end cars, including an Audi Q7, BMW X5, and Toyota Prado, all fitted with blue lights and signaling systems. DR Mbuyiseni Ndlozi is no longer a Member of Parliament. The EFF has confirmed his resignation from the House along with Yazini Tetyana, who served in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature. The EFF says in a statement that Ndlozi however remains a party member. His resignation from Parliament follows months of speculation about a fall-out between him and EFF leader Julius Malema. Political analysts Asanda ngoasheng and Bongani Mahlangu unpacks what this means for the EFF going foward

Mining Affected Communities United in Action has approached the Constitutional Court in its fight for illegal miners occupying an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein to be rescued. This comes after its previous legal bid at the Pretoria High Court failed. The organisation has now made an urgent application for direct access and leave to appeal directly to the apex court to compel the government to speed up the operation to bring illegal miners back to the surface. MACUA Executive Director Christopher Rutledge says the miners have now resorted to eating human flesh. The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has declared the City of Johannesburg's controversial VIP protection policy unconstitutional and invalid. In its current form, the policy allows for ten bodyguards for the mayor, eight for the speaker, and as many as five for other members of the mayoral committee and committee chairs. DA Johannesburg caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echo-zo-njoku says the DA raised their concerns inside the council and cautioned that the policy violates the constitutional upper limits. The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has terminated contracts of people aged 55 years and older. The department said this was due to budget cuts and other related issues. The CWP is a government initiative that provides temporary employment for people of working age, while they search for permanent jobs. COGTA Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa says it is important to note that the decision to end contracts of CWP participants was not taken lightly, but it followed extensive discussions and assessments which entailed a thorough look at any available intervention that could have been adopted to avert this situation.

Airports Company South Africa has offered assurances on the state of readiness for the festive travel season after operational challenges led to delays last weekend. Passengers experienced delays at passport control processing points due to a system failure. This incident was preceded by flight delays and cancellations due to issues with the fuel bypass line earlier this month. National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Shamila Batohi says they have taken important steps to ensure the investigation and prosecution, in appropriate cases, of cases stemming from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In recent years, the NPA has reopened and pursued priority cases and enhanced its internal capacity to ensure effective handling of these cases. A total of 137 cases have been registered for investigation; 21 matters finalised with a decision and 10 matters on the court roll.

There has been a significant amount of frustration in and around Johannesburg since Friday due to water shortages. The city's water infrastructure underwent maintenance over the past few days, carried out by Rand Water and Johannesburg Water. This 86-hour maintenance period left many residents without water for more than three days. Ntshavheni Mukwevho, the Managing Director of Johannesburg Water, stated that while the maintenance has been beneficial, 70% of the affected areas are still recovering. Mukwevho also mentioned that 111 water tankers have been dispatched across the city to assist residents. SACP General Secretary Solly Mapaila says the reconfiguration of the Alliance will now proceed on their own terms. Mapaila says the 5th Special National Congress has decided to implement this plan without their Alliance partner, the ANC. Mapaila criticised some government advisors, describing their actions as economically misguided. Passengers at OR Tambo International Airport faced delays yesterday due to technical issues with the Biometric Movement Control System, causing extended immigration queues. Airports Company South Africa confirmed that the system's unresponsiveness led to longer waiting times. BMA Commissioner Dr. Michael Masiapato says the glitches have now been resolved.

The EFF's third national people's assembly is happening over the next three days in Nasrec, Johannesburg, with over 2,500 members expected to attend and elect new leadership. EFF North West Secretary Papiki Babuile confirmed that EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi was present today, despite reports that he had been barred from the conference. Advocate Shamila Batohi, the Head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), says the challenges the NPA faces in prosecuting state capture cases are worsened by limited access to evidence held by the Department of Justice. Batohi says the NPA may explore the possibility of using its subpoena powers to obtain the necessary evidence.

Since the launch of Operation Vala Umgodi last December, over 50,000 illegal miners have been arrested in various provinces. The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) urges the government to reopen abandoned and care-maintenance mines. President Mametlwe Sebei believes this could help address unemployment by rehabilitating old mines. Members of the All African Alliance Movement successfully challenged their expulsion in the Western Cape High Court, claiming Jacob Zuma, leader of the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party, sidelined them. On December 4, 2024, the court annulled their expulsion and reinstated them on candidate lists. MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela says the party is reviewing the judgment. Snuki Zikakala, President of the African National Congress Veterans League, has expressed concerns regarding President Cyril Ramaphosa's recent decision to redeploy Thembi Simelane to the Human Settlements Department following a cabinet reshuffle. Given the circumstances, Zikakala believes that a more appropriate course of action would have been to place Simelane on leave. He has indicated that the ANC Veterans League intends to request a meeting with President Ramaphosa to discuss their concerns further. Additionally, Zikakala emphasized the importance of addressing corruption, which he identifies as a significant issue facing the ANC.