
‘A coup is not discussed on social media': Holomisa says no need to press panic buttons
Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Bantu Holomisa, has seemingly shrugged off claims about a coup threat, amid growing conversations surrounding South Africa's national security.
Minister in the Presidency responsible for State Security, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, disclosed this week that the security cluster had identified a 'potential risk' of a coup d'état.
Ntshavheni also emphasised that the National Security Strategy and National Intelligence Estimates report flagged other risks, including terrorism and violent extremism.
Holomisa speaks on coup d'état fears
Speaking to the media at 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria on Thursday, Holomisa stressed that the security of the state remains a key priority.
'I don't want to get involved in the reports of what comes from the Cabinet because they are privy to better briefings.
'If there is anyone who has such plans, I think he or she is advised to stop that because it has been exposed. A coup is not discussed on social media, that's not a coup,' he said.
The deputy minister assured the public that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is fully capable of defending the nation against any serious threat.
ALSO READ: Why a military coup d'etat in SA is unlikely
He further indicated that the country is not facing any imminent external threats, but the military may be called upon to support the police in managing internal unrest.
'We are not expecting conventional warfare in South Africa. The major threat I foresee is civil disobedience, where we are asked by the police to assist and protect them.
'In that case, we will be ready to assist police, but as far as fighting an outside war with outside players or countries, that is not in the offing.'
[B]
• Address cybersecurity vulnerabilities at organs of State including in procurement,
supply chain management and reliance on foreign-based companies within
national security domains.
• Investigate activities related to terror financing that are characterised by… — Khumbudzo Ntshavheni (@Khu_Ntshavheni) July 15, 2025
Holomisa added that the army is now better equipped to respond to potential riots since the 2021 July unrest.
'The Minister of State Security did table a report, and they seem to be, at least this time around, ahead of the game.
'Anyone who wants to use violence, I think that the South African security in general, combined, they can deal with that matter. But I don't think that we should start pressing panic buttons.'
Security concerns deepen amid Saps allegations
Ongoing concerns about national security have also been compounded by serious allegations involving the South African Police Service (Saps).
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi earlier this month accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of working with criminal gangs to dismantle a task team investigating politically motivated killings.
Mkhwanazi went on to claim that investigators had uncovered a criminal network tied to a drug cartel, implicating politicians, police officers, metro police and members of the judiciary.
In response to the allegations, President Cyril Ramaphosa placed Mchunu on leave and appointed Gwede Mantashe as acting police minister.
Professor Firoz Cachalia is set to take over the role in August.
Ramaphosa also announced the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate Mkhwanazi's claims.
NOW READ: 'Where's the proof?': Calls for Ntshavheni to answer for coup claims
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Citizen
an hour ago
- The Citizen
Students vow to continue Madiba's fight for free education
On Mandela Day, Friday, July 18, over 180 students gathered in the Tshwane metro, not just to honour the legacy of Nelson Mandela, but to confront the reality that many of his dreams for South Africa remain unfulfilled. Hosted by the Office of the MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, in partnership with SRCs and youth leadership forums, the student colloquium offered a blend of history, dialogue, and activism. Students were taken on tours of the Old Ou Raadsaal Building and the Palace of Justice, where the group of students could gain glimpses into pivotal moments in South African history. The students saw the cell where the nine ANC and Umkhonto we Sizwe leaders were held during the Rivonia Trial , the courtroom where they were sentenced in and even the original Freedom Charter written on the cell walls. After the tours, the programme included keynote addresses from city officials and student leaders, as well as interactive panel discussions, and key resolutions aimed at transforming the student experience in Tshwane. While many students felt Mandela Day should still be recognised, the South Africa he had envisioned however is a far cry from the reality that Tshwane students face today. 'Mandela is a very prominent figure to us because he fought for free education in this country. So, we as students must carry on that fight. We're going to fight for free education, because to this day we have not seen that,' said Tandazo Seoko, TUT Pretoria Campus's SRC President. 'All of us are still struggling with unemployment, and a lot of us are still struggling with student accommodation and funding. We must take our spears and fight these struggles. Mandela has fought, but it's still up to us as the youth to carry on. 'As student activists, we are still struggling with funding. This is not even a TUT or Tshwane-specific thing; it's all over. A majority of students are defunded and have no backing to pay for tuition fees. Till today, our students are struggling to find spaces in higher education, our government must implement plans to bring higher education to more students,' Seoko said. Beshley Disoloane from TUT's Soshanguve campus said the metro's water woes are making life difficult for students and shared similar sentiments regarding the need for more funding. 'Water interruption affects the campus's daily activities. Students now have to be at home because on campus, there's no access to clean running water. We're provided with mobile toilets, but they aren't enough to accommodate the students. Additionally, there are only two JoJo tanks on campus, which are meant to accommodate over 1 000 students, and the maintenance is nonexistent, too. Safety is also another big issue, students get robbed daily. 'We want the City of Tshwane, especially, to consider that during these dialogues and commemoration. You can't say that students get robbed and killed because we go to parties, when they know which are the hotspots where drug dealers and criminals operate in our area,' Disoloane said. Disoloane said commemorating Mandela Day carries little meaning when students and young people are still subjected to economic inequality. He believes that until students are safe and can study for free, Madiba's legacy won't be fulfilled. 'Young people come to this province, come to this city, to study. The government must introduce measures to address the crime affecting students. We don't trust our government; there's no point. All political parties speak the same language, promising everything, but on the ground, nothing changes,' Disoloane said. Teryl Mazwai said it's still important to celebrate Mandela Day to know where we come from and never take the freedom we enjoy for granted. 'Decades have gone by, and people have forgotten how we got to the place we're in now. So I think it's really important to learn about the struggles that freedom fighters went through to enjoy what we have now,' Mazwai said. Mazwai said she felt a deeper connection to the country's history after the tour. 'One spot that really took me back was the holding cells. It was really dark, it's a dark place, you could see that people who were kept in there were not okay. They were thinking about their families and wanted to be free. I think it's a good thing that they preserved the walls because it's good to see all the writings. The handprints also took me back because they show, at least for me, that they were going through a lot of mental torment,' Mazwai said. She said tuition fees are a great hindrance in the pursuit of education for many students, especially as most come from disadvantaged backgrounds. She said getting accepted alone is a feat, but maintaining fees and other expenses leave students destitute, and more governmental interventions are needed. To honour Mandela Day, she said more initiatives such as the colloquium should be held to ensure the youth never forget the country's history. 'I think more things like today are needed, more tours and educate us more on how we got to where we are now, let us not forget where we come from,' Mazawi said. After holding panel discussions and addresses at Tshwane House, the day ended with a pledge wall signing. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!

IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Cyril Ramaphosa faces pressure to appoint US ambassador as tariffs loom
President Cyril Ramaphosa has been urged to appoint a US ambassador 'urgently' amidst impending tariffs. . Image: Supplied While the Presidency announced the appointment of Ambassador Vivianne Fock Tave as the new Seychelles Ambassador to the United Nations in New York on Monday, partners in the Government of National Unity (GNU) are intensifying calls for President Cyril Ramaphosa to appoint an ambassador to the United States as a matter of urgency. This comes days before the implementation of 30% tariffs on South African products exported to the US, imposed by President Donald Trump's administration. South Africa has been without an ambassador to the US since March when Ebrahim Rasool was expelled over comments deemed an attack on the Trump administration. In response, Ramaphosa appointed Mcebisi Jonas as a special envoy. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading However, the DA revealed that the US government denied Jonas a diplomatic visa in May and informed the Presidency that he would not be recognised as South Africa's official interlocutor. Jonas and Rasool are both seen as Trump's adversaries after they criticised him on two different occasions. In mid-March 2025, the Trump administration expelled Rasool as South Africa's ambassador to the US, following his critical comments about the US government during a webinar. Rasool had characterised the "Make America Great Again" movement as partly a reaction to "a supremacist instinct" and anticipated demographic changes in the US, specifically the projected decline of the white population to minority status. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly denounced Rasool as a "race-baiting politician who hates America" and declared him persona non grata. In 2020, Jonas referred to Trump as "a racist, homophobic, and narcissistic right-winger", which resurfaced following his appointment as Special Envoy to the US. This exclusion of the two officials coincided with escalating tensions between the US and South Africa, fuelled by the US disapproval of South Africa's legal proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice and the US freezing aid to South Africa. GOOD Party secretary-general Brett Herron emphasised the need for Ramaphosa to take the nation into his confidence and update citizens on the Washington strategy. "Ramaphosa must update the nation on Washington strategy. President Cyril Ramaphosa owes the nation an update on progress... with the nation's diplomatic relationship with the US," Herron said. Another GNU partner, the IFP, during a media briefing on Monday, also urged Ramaphosa to appoint an ambassador as a priority. IFP national spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said the party is expecting the president to appoint the ambassador as a matter of urgency, given the diplomatic fallout between the two countries. He further stated that urgency was also necessary because South Africa will hand over the G20 Presidency to the US. Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, referred questions to the Presidency. However, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya did not respond to questions on what the status of appointing an ambassador was. Last week, the Presidency and the DA were engaged in a war of words after the DA revealed that despite being aware of the US rejection of Jonas's credentials, the Presidency continued to present him as the special envoy to North America. "The United States of America denied Mcebisi Jonas a diplomatic visa in May this year. The US government has formally rejected Jonas's credentials...," the DA initially stated. In response, the Presidency warns against treating DA disinformation on international relations as official government policy. "Special Envoys do not present credentials, and Mr Jonas's role, while supportive of DTIC (Department of Trade, Industry and Competition) and DIRCO in trade negotiations and diplomatic relations, does not supersede them. He has been assisting in developing trade proposals and resetting diplomatic ties. "President Ramaphosa has not urgently required Mr Jonas to visit the US due to ongoing processes and recent contact with President Trump. The Presidency is concerned about the DA's persistent campaign against South Africa's national interest, originating from their ideological visit to the US earlier this year. The DA is attempting to use a foreign state to change national policies and is exploiting critical engagements to protest President Ramaphosa's removal of Mr Andrew Whitfield,' Magwenya said. He further said the DA's insults against other nations and international organisations harm South Africa's international relations and could negatively impact businesses and livelihoods dependent on global trade. The impending 30% tariffs on South African exports to the US, expected to take effect next month, pose significant challenges to South Africa's economy. Additionally, South Africa is on the brink of losing its African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) status when it expires this year. AGOA enables economic growth and development in sub-Saharan Africa by providing eligible countries with duty-free access to the US market for thousands of products.


The Citizen
2 hours ago
- The Citizen
IFP reaffirms GNU role, slams NPA and urges reforms within justice system
The IFP reaffirmed its commitment to the GNU while demanding action on political killings and faster prosecutions. Inkatha Freedom Party president Velenkosini Hlabisa is seen at the IFP's Health and Welfare Summit, 14 July 2023, in Fourways. Picture: Michel Bega/ The Citizen The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has reiterated its commitment to remaining a 'vocal participant' in the government of national unity (GNU) as it took aim at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa said the party remains a vocal participant within the GNU, holding the government to its promise of transparency and swift justice. The party president said this during an IFP media briefing on Monday afternoon. The party reflected on matters pertaining to South Africa's governance, the GNU and the government of provincial unity (GPU). IFP reaffirmed its GNU role 'The IFP is in the GNU or GPU in order to govern or be part of governance. But this does not dilute the image of the IFP,' Hlabisa said. Hlabisa reiterated the IFP's commitment to the GNU and GPUs, saying that they embody a vision of healing the wounds of the past while working towards a brighter and inclusive South Africa. ALSO READ: Steenhuisen has made a bad situation worse with tactical blunders 'After one year of participating in the GNU, the Gauteng GPU and leading the KwaZulu-Natal GPU, we believe our impact can be felt at every level, but particularly on crime reduction and economic development,' the leader said. Speaking of crime, the party addressed allegations of political interference made by KwaZulu-Natal's police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. The IFP said President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to place Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave and to establish a judicial commission of inquiry aligns with the party's recommendation to the president. Party calls for full-scale investigation Hlabisa said this demonstrates the party's influence in the GNU, adding that problems within the South African Police Service (Saps) lie at the core of political violence and the failure to resolve political murder cases. The IFP also called for a full-scale investigation into political interference and disruptions that have hindered the progress of political killing investigations. ALSO READ: National dialogue is being used as the beating stick for ANC, DA 'The allegations by Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi have entrenched a trust deficit between the Saps and the country, which must be reversed through due process and through investigation,' Hlabisa said. The party believes that a Saps-led investigation is not an option under the circumstances, given the focus on the Saps in investigations. The IFP also took aim at the NPA, saying it needs to do more and better, refocusing itself on speedy prosecutions, especially on the findings of the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into state capture. NPA needs to do 'more and better' IFP President Velenkosini Hlabisa says: "The work of the NPA so far does not inspire any confidence, and it is a bleeding ground for public mistrust. Restoring public trust in our security and legal system remains our priority." — SABC News (@SABCNews) July 21, 2025 'The work of the NPA, so far, does not inspire any confidence, and it is a bleeding wound. It is a bleeding ground for public mistrust,' Hlabisa said. The party leader added that restoring public trust in the security and legal systems remains the IFP's priority when it comes to the question of the National Dialogue. ALSO READ: National Dialogue: Ramaphosa slams DA 'hypocrisy', says party will miss out on 'biggest show in SA' He recalled the vision of IPF founder Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who emphasised the importance of a National Dialogue on issues like land reform, traditional leadership, poverty and social cohesion. Hlabisa said the party believes that South Africa's future depends on an open, inclusive and honest dialogue amongst its citizens. IFP supports National Dialogue As a result, the IPF supports the upcoming National Dialogue, recognising that genuine nationhood can only be achieved when leaders listen to the cries of the people and work together. 'South Africa needs more than just hope. We need a united effort to rebuild and transform our nation,' Hlabisa said. 'This requires a sense of genuine urgency, decisive reform and active participation for all sectors of our society. The current moment demands that we go beyond mere talk.' Watch the IFP media briefing here: NOW READ: The DA must decide to stay in GNU or step aside