News you should know tonight: Top 5 stories you may have missed on August 5, 2025
Good evening, IOL News family!
It's Tuesday, August 5, 2025, and it's time for a wrap of the biggest headlines making waves in South Africa and beyond. Don't forget to join the IOL WhatsApp Channel to stay in tune, informed, and in the know.
'We cannot proceed as if it's business as usual' – Ramaphosa slams ANC municipalities over poor service delivery
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa says ANC-led municipalities cannot operate as they wish while citizens continue to endure poor service delivery. To read on, click here.
Ad hoc Committee sets Friday deadline to finalise terms of reference in Mkhwanazi's probe
At the first meeting of the newly established ad hoc committee, ANC MP Molapi Soviet Lekganyane was appointed to lead the committee investigating serious allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lt-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. To read on, click here.
Kenny Kunene ordered to apologise for calling Julius Malema a 'cockroach'
Suspended Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene has no choice but to issue an apology to EFF leader Julius Malema for repeatedly calling him a cockroach during a television interview. To read on, click here.
'The President is both player and referee': Families fight Ramaphosa's attempt to delay apartheid justice case
The Pretoria High Court will on Wednesday hear an application brought by President Cyril Ramaphosa and the government seeking to reinstate their opposition in the constitutional damages case. To read on, click here.
Careers over cradles: Why fewer South Africans are having children
South Africa's population is estimated to have reached 63.1 million in 2025, but behind the growing number lies a sharp and sustained decline in fertility rates; a trend that has sparked urgent questions about the nation's socio-economic trajectory. To read on, click here.
Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
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Daily Maverick
7 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
After the Bell: SA's economy — it's the politicians, stupid
The main reason the US tariffs are having such a big impact on us is because we're so weak, yet our leaders seem impotent in the face of it. In the past couple of weeks, friends of mine who have come to Joburg for business or a meeting (or, in one brave case, to actually find a house to buy because they're moving back) have all used the same phrase to describe the city. They say, with some feeling, it's like 'a war zone'. What they're really pointing to is the visible damage to the city, the potholes that have been there for so long they have plants, trees and, in at least one case, a birthday party. And, of course, treated, drinkable water just flows down the street because Joburg Water is such a mess. At the same time, every minister and official and political person is now talking about the US tariffs. And watch, in about five minutes after you read this, they're going to start blaming the tariffs for our economic situation. Actually, it's really them. On Monday night, the Mpact CEO Bruce Strong told me on The Money Show that in the six months to the end of June, their facility in Ekurhuleni had been without power for 18 days. This is a 24-hour factory. It produces packaging and paper. Can you imagine workers sitting around with nothing to do for 54 whole shifts? It's the same in the Eastern Cape. For all of the tears being spilt around our car industry and the factories there, so many of their problems are really about local government. But no, we will be told it's the impact of the US tariffs. And, of course, as we all know, almost every council outside the Western Cape just can't manage their money. It's now at the point that National Treasury has in effect told the Joburg mayor, the ANC's Dada Morero, that it will refuse to pay some of their national grant, simply because Morero has done nothing to sort out how the money is treated. The coalition in Joburg is so fragile that Morero has not even appointed a new mayoral committee member for finance. Now, some of the smaller parties are demanding that their candidate, Kabelo Gwamanda from Al Jama-ah, must get the job. Just imagine this for a minute. You have a group of parties, some of them with just one councillor, insisting that their person take over the finance role in the country's biggest city. Knowing all along that they are largely responsible for the situation we find ourselves in. Last night, the ANC finally finished its long-postponed NEC meeting. One of its proclamations was that we are now in an 'economic state of emergency'. My first thought was that they had stolen the idea from Lesotho. Obviously, you have to ask yourself: How did it happen? Does the ANC really understand the role that its economic policy, and our broken politics generally, has played in this? Of course, you cannot blame one party. If you look at all of our neighbours, they have almost exactly the same unemployment rate as ours. Even Botswana, which so many kept saying was run so well for so long. Over the past couple of days, plenty of good well-meaning people have made the same point: we need a national effort, we need to work together to fix our economy. And, obviously, they're right. The main reason the tariffs, and everything else that is happening in the world (and it's a long list at the moment), are having such a big impact on us is because we're so weak. And yet, strangely, our leaders seem, well, impotent in the face of it. We need action, not a 'National Dialogue'. I can't believe I have to say this out aloud. But the one thing we absolutely do NOT need to do is talk. Now, I hate to have to say this, but do you believe there is any reason this is going to improve? Me too. Instead, what I think is going to happen is that our politicians, each chasing a smaller sliver of support, are going to shout and scream, and try to make it all about them. My greatest fear is that, in fact, we will end up with a national government in the future that is a lot like Joburg's now. Of course, nothing is predestined. There can be a lot of change. And, considering the nature of our society, there probably will be. But when our politicians start to blame the US, or Trump, or whoever, for our economic situation, we must remind them who is really responsible. It's the politicians. Not us. DM
IOL News
8 hours ago
- IOL News
Rob Hersov's inflammatory remarks reignite race relations debate in South Africa
Businessman Rob Hersov Image: Supplied South African businessman Rob Hersov ignited controversy when he fired a series of inflammatory remarks about the country's black population and the historical figure Zulu king Shaka during a recent episode of the American podcast "Thought Leaders." His comments drew widespread condemnation but have also reignited discussions about the delicate fabric of race relations in South Africa. Speaking on a platform associated with the conservative Epoch Times, Hersov referred to black South Africans as "barbaric." He also labelled Shaka a "rapist" known for throwing people off cliffs. Such statements were seen as promulgating deeply entrenched stereotypes and alarmist narratives regarding violence in South Africa. Hersov did not shy away from insisting that the country was plagued by two farm attacks each day and two murders of farmers each week. He asserted that farmers were three times more likely to be murdered than police officers, a statement that lacked reliable data or credible sources to back it up. His utterances aligned with the rhetoric associated with organisations like AfriForum, which faced accusations of misrepresenting the realities of farm violence, even though official statistics for the 2022/23 period told a different story. 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 While Hersov claimed farm murders were rampant, reports indicate that 111 police officers were killed during that period. This was in contrast to AfriForum's figure of 49 alleged farm murders. Furthermore, a recent assessment by suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu revealed that, out of 12 farm murders in the last quarter of 2024, only one victim was white. Similar sentiments have been echoed by US President Donald Trump, who recently alleged that a "white genocide" was happening in South Africa. He proposed measures such as cutting US aid to the country and granting expedited citizenship to Afrikaners. Those assertions were rejected by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who, during a meeting with Trump, stated that the narrative of a white genocide does not reflect the realities of the nation. Ramaphosa underscored the South African government's dedication to democratic principles and freedom of expression while also stressing that extreme views do not represent state policy. "What you saw in the speeches made is not government policy. We have a multiparty democracy in South Africa that allows people to express themselves," he stated previously. Political analyst Siphamandla Zondi denounced Hersov's claims as mere election-style rhetoric lacking substantive evidence. He noted that the narrative of "white genocide" serves to amplify fears and alarm without addressing the broader context of violence that affects all demographic groups.
IOL News
9 hours ago
- IOL News
News you should know tonight: Top 5 stories you may have missed on August 5, 2025
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa says ANC-led municipalities cannot operate as they wish while citizens continue to endure poor service delivery. Good evening, IOL News family! It's Tuesday, August 5, 2025, and it's time for a wrap of the biggest headlines making waves in South Africa and beyond. Don't forget to join the IOL WhatsApp Channel to stay in tune, informed, and in the know. 'We cannot proceed as if it's business as usual' – Ramaphosa slams ANC municipalities over poor service delivery ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa says ANC-led municipalities cannot operate as they wish while citizens continue to endure poor service delivery. To read on, click here. Ad hoc Committee sets Friday deadline to finalise terms of reference in Mkhwanazi's probe At the first meeting of the newly established ad hoc committee, ANC MP Molapi Soviet Lekganyane was appointed to lead the committee investigating serious allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lt-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. To read on, click here. Kenny Kunene ordered to apologise for calling Julius Malema a 'cockroach' Suspended Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene has no choice but to issue an apology to EFF leader Julius Malema for repeatedly calling him a cockroach during a television interview. To read on, click here. 'The President is both player and referee': Families fight Ramaphosa's attempt to delay apartheid justice case The Pretoria High Court will on Wednesday hear an application brought by President Cyril Ramaphosa and the government seeking to reinstate their opposition in the constitutional damages case. To read on, click here. Careers over cradles: Why fewer South Africans are having children South Africa's population is estimated to have reached 63.1 million in 2025, but behind the growing number lies a sharp and sustained decline in fertility rates; a trend that has sparked urgent questions about the nation's socio-economic trajectory. To read on, click here. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL News
