SANDF troops return home from DRC mission
South African Minister of Defence Angie Motshekga leaves after conducting a press conference at Tembe Military Base prior to the expected arrival of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers following their deployment to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), in Bloemfontein.
A first contingent of South African troops repatriated from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo arrived in Pretoria Friday night, the defence ministry said.
Videos shared by the ministry showed soldiers in uniform dancing and chanting on arrival at the Waterkloof airforce base in the capital Pretoria, welcomed by airbase staff with cheers and fist-bumps.
The troops were deployed under a Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission sent to the war-torn country in December 2023 to help restore peace and security in the region.
But the SADC said in March it would end its military mission in the mineral-rich area after 17 of its soldiers were killed.
Earlier this year, fighting in the region erupted once more when the Rwandan-backed M23 force seized large swathes of DRC's north and south Kivu provinces -- both of which border Rwanda.
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Homeowners rise: Class action against SA banks echoes Erin Brockovich's fight for justice
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These are people who fell on hard times, couldn't meet their mortgage payments, and had their homes repossessed. But the real scandal lies in what happened next: the homes were sold at auctions, sometimes for as little as R1 000 - often with no reserve price, no regard for actual market value, and no concern for the human cost. This was allowed under pre-2017 rules, when South African courts didn't require a minimum sale price. Thankfully, that loophole has since been closed. But for those who suffered under the old regime, the scars remain. As a homeowner myself, I can't begin to imagine what they went through. How powerless they must have felt going up against the might of the banking system. Blood, sweat, and tears went into trying to keep their homes. In the end, they lost not just property, but dignity. Now, after seven long years, these former homeowners are finally getting their day in court. It's worth remembering that justice in South Africa is not always accessible. Our courts are under-resourced, backlogged, and too expensive for the average person. But in this case, the Lungelo Lethu Human Rights Foundation has taken up the fight, led by Advocate Douglas Shaw. Shaw says banks should have thought about the Constitution before acting - and he's pushing for a criminal investigation into each sale. 'When I go to court, I go up against 27 people,' he told Stephen Grootes on The Money Show. 'Me versus large numbers of people from the top banks in the country. It's a scary thing to do. Most lawyers would say no. It's difficult.' Interestingly, Shaw's research shows that having your house sold for much less than the market value has only happened in South Africa. He is appealing to people to step forward, tell him your story and to get get your case out there. "You can help us help you by filling your case into our class action, which will in turn make you viable for reinbursement of the money you have lost," he says on his website. This isn't just a legal case—it's a moral one. And it's one the country will be watching closely. It brings to mind the story of Erin Brockovich, the woman played by Julia Roberts in the film, who took on a massive corporation in a fight for justice. Brockovich was an ordinary person who refused to be silent, and her courage changed lives. In the film Brockovich, a legal clerk named Erin Brockovich uncovers a massive cover-up by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) involving the contamination of Hinkley, California's water supply with hexavalent chromium. The contamination, linked to a PG&E compressor station, caused serious illnesses among residents. Brockovich, along with her boss Ed Masry, spearheaded a class-action lawsuit against PG&E, culminating in a record-breaking $333 million (R5.9 billion) settlement for the affected residents. The case highlighted the dangers of industrial pollution and brought Brockovich to national attention, later inspiring the 2000 film. That same spirit is alive here. South Africa's former homeowners may not wear suits or command boardrooms, but they are standing up, together, against a system that failed them. If Erin Brockovich marked a moment of reckoning in the US, this could be ours. A moment when ordinary citizens remind powerful institutions that they are not untouchable. And if the banks are found guilty? The implications are massive. Will they absorb the cost or pass it on to consumers? Will trust in the financial system crack even further? It's unlikely the banks will lose their licences—such a move could shake the entire economy—but their reputations may never fully recover. One thing is certain: South Africa's financial sector will not be the same again. Philippa Larkin, is the executive edior of Business Report. Image: Supplied Philippa Larkin in the executive editor of Business Report. If you need help against the banks from Dr Advocate Shaw and his team: contact Dr Advocate Shaw· If your house has already been sold at:banksoldmyhouse@ If your house is about to be sold at:now@ If you want to help the cause at:volunteers@ BUSINESS REPORT
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Proof that caring governments can deliver
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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 ✕ The Housing Company Tshwane is a City-owned company that can offer homes for rent at less than the market rate. These below-market rentals provide housing to the so-called 'missing middle' segment of the market, to those households with a combined income of less than R22,000 per month. 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IOL News
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How Africa can foster sustainable diplomacy amidst global trade tensions
Ashraf Patel The abrupt exit of Donald Trump from the G7 Summit in Canada, without having side meetings with Global South leaders from South Africa, India et al, and this week's NATO Summit where core nations committed to a 5% of GDP spending on Defence amidst Trump tariffs has cemented 'nationalism as the new normal.' Meanwhile, 9 July is a key date when Trump tariffs kick in and will further erode African nations - who face high costs of capital and many face social conflicts amidst multiple cost of living crises facing the continent. In this context, South Africa should develop a smart agile and sustainable diplomacy rooted in both national interest and continental solidarity. Traditional blocks and alliances are no longer viable for middle powers. It is thus imperative that South Africa needs to craft a more nuanced trade and investment-people partnership to address its sagging economy and deep-seated structural problems such as unemployment, inequality, hunger and digital deficits. The recent announcement by China to accept duty-free access for 53 African nations is a huge boost that can promote exports and preserve jobs - but trade facilitation and meeting product standards will be crucial to leverage these opportunities. Both China and India offer a market of hundreds of millions of consumers that African exporters can tap into. Russia and the St Petersburg Economic Forum In early June Deputy President attended the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Russia's second-largest city. This year's forum, "Shared Values: The Foundation of Growth in a Multipolar World attracted nearly 20,000 representatives from 140 countries and regions and heads of several international organizations. Russia has managed GDP growth and currency reserves despite sanctions and war and is the Gateway to Eurasia. This forum is held when the global economy is facing severe challenges. It is a platform for issues ranging from accelerating digitalization to addressing climate change and formulating specific, practical solutions that can adapt the global economy to new conditions. The forum included more than 150 events, with entrepreneurs from Russia, China, the United States, Türkiye, Brazil, Vietnam, India, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Africa. Southern Africa, SACU and AFCFTA expansion Our Southern African region comprises over 300 million citizens with huge trade and development potential. AFCFTA has been operational for five years but trade is negligible. Trade facilitation capacity and product quality support are needed as well as tech transfer. As the G20 host nation South Africa needs a new trade and investment package rooted in SADC industrialisation and energy plans. Smart tariffs would be needed with SACU nations Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana. However, South Africa Inc.'s story in Africa has been that of a 'regional hegemon exploiting the rest of Africa', especially in mining and retail. Can a new AFCFTA be possible? One rooted in fair trade, solidarity and the SDG model with smaller nations? Here responsible diplomacy is needed beyond rhetoric. France and its commitments to Multilateralism and SDGs agenda In the current geopolitical situation, France is ensuring multilateralism and UN norms are adhered to. President Macron's stated position on advancing the two-state solution for Palestine will go a long way in ensuring a peaceful settlement. The Paris AI Safety Summit in February with France committing to a progressive vision for AI rooted in sustainability, inclusion and addressing inequality is progressive and aligned to UN and G20 commitments. The annual Paris Peace Conference is a global platform providing the world with a plethora of progressive ideas -and solutions on a range of key global issues for dialogue. At a bilateral level, a visit to France in early June saw Deputy President Paul Mashile deepen partnerships in areas of investment, development infrastructure, energy and technology. Indonesia, Malaysia and the ASEAN bloc ASEAN nations Indonesia and Malaysia nations offer enormous opportunities. With a population of 250 million, this is a major opportunity in trade especially in small business developments, exports, tourism and culture. Canada and Australia - progressive Commonwealth nations with common values Canada and Australia are fellow Commonwealth nations that currently have progressive governments in power with a deep commitment to multilateralism. Australia's Labour leader and Prime Minister Albanese is an example of smart diplomacy and managing a 'strategic autonomy' balance with major powers in the Asia Pacific region, China and the EU. His domestic agenda is rooted in progressive social policies from climate change to social cohesion. For example, the smartphone ban in Australian schools is seen as a game-changer in regulating social media and youth, a policy Africans can learn from. Canada too has a range of commitments to development aid and investments in skills development across Africa. Both nations are major investors in mining in Africa and committed to the sustainable mining agenda, although much more can be done in terms of human rights and mining. Solidarity and Sustainability in Latin America In Colombia President Gustavo Petro has showed the way of solidarity and banned coal exports to Isreal. The city of Bogota is known to be a model city in terms of urban transport and spatial transformation, something South African metros can draw upon. Chile a progressive social democracy and once a poster child of Chicago-style neoliberalism, now has a solid social democracy increasing well-being and wealth social safety nets, and higher education access. Here South Africa can learn much on how to manage the headwinds of neoliberalism and ensure our eroding social agenda is preserved. Bolivia's socialist government is maturing and learning to be in government. South Africa has cordial relations for two decades. With large reserves in lithium and being in the headwinds of large power competition for resource extractions, South Africa and African nations can better engage Bolivia and Latin American nations in the big development ideas on resource governance and the beneficiation of critical minerals for development, trade and the UN SDG sustainable agenda. While Trump 2.0 tariffs have severely disrupted African nations, neighbours Canada and Mexico, we can learn from Cuba, who for decades have endured the illegal US blockade yet managed to maintain their sovereignty and continue to advance their historical mission and revolution. By contrast, our current tariff challenges are merely a 'walk in the park'. Hence, internationalism and solidarity should still be a core feature of foreign policy while also being smart in navigating partnerships with a diverse range of nations across continents regardless of ideological blocs. However, in order to navigate the 'new nationalist normal' in this chaotic trade geopolitics nexus calls for a new generation of smart and agile diplomats. Smart and sustainable diplomacy and outreach are required by our embassies, chambers of commerce as well as academic institutes and civil society towards a more calibrated trade, investment, solidarity and people-to-people partnerships. We may do well to establish Bi-National Commissions with some of these nations. * Ashraf Patel is a Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Global Dialogue, UNISA. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
