Lephalale Express Online News

28/11/2025

EFF demands court action on President Ramaphosa Phala Phala farm scandal ruling

JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) marched to the Constitutional Court on Friday, demanding immediate release of a long-delayed judgment on President Cyril Ramaphosa alleged misconduct linked to a 2020 theft of U.S. dollars at his private game farm. The EFF, clad in its signature red berets, rallied at Mary Fitzgerald Square before proceeding to Constitutional Court to demand accountability withholding its ruling for over a year — four times longer than legal guidelines recommend....

JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) marched to the Constitutional Court on Friday, demanding immediate release of a long-delayed judgment on President Cyril Ramaphosa all…

28/11/2025

MK party lawmaker resigns amid Russia recruitment allegations

uMkhonto weSizwe party Member of Parliament Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla has resigned from the National Assembly, the party confirmed on Friday amid unresolved allegations she recruited citizens for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Mk party national chairperson Nathi Nhleko announced the resignation in a brief statement, saying Zuma-Sambudla "has stepped down from her position in Parliament." The party declined to elaborate on her departure or address claims that she facilitated the trafficking of young South Africans to Russian military zones....

uMkhonto weSizwe party Member of Parliament Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla has resigned from the National Assembly, the party confirmed on Friday amid unresolved allegations she recruited citizens for Ru…

27/11/2025

DA lay charges against lawmaker over alleged Russia-bound human trafficking

Democratic Alliance (DA) on Thursday filed criminal charges against Member of Parliament(MP) and daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, accusing her of recruiting and trafficking 22 young men to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, in violation of anti-mercenary laws. The charges, laid under the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act, follow an investigation into WhatsApp messages allegedly showing Zuma-Sambudla’s coordination of a scheme promising victims “security training” or foreign citizenship....

27/11/2025

AfriForum accuses ANC of escalating U.S. diplomatic row, urges farm murder reforms

JOHANNESBURG—South African advocacy group AfriForum on Thursday blamed the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for exacerbating a diplomatic rift with the United States, claiming the crisis could have been averted had the government heeded its proposed solutions. AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel accused ANC leaders of undermining bilateral ties by hosting Iran’s ambassador at party headquarters and making “anti-American statements.” He singled out Department of International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola for alleging U.S....

JOHANNESBURG—South African advocacy group AfriForum on Thursday blamed the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for exacerbating a diplomatic rift with the United States, claiming the crisis coul…

27/11/2025

South Africa rejects Trump G20 exclusion over farm attacks claim

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump claim that South Africa would be excluded from the 2026 G20 summit, calling the statement regrettable and based on misinformation. Trump cited South Africa handling of farm attacks targeting white farmers—which he termed killings and land seizures—and its alleged refusal to hand over G20 presidency symbols after a U.S. boycott of the Johannesburg summit in November....

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump claim that South Africa would be excluded from the 2026 G20 summit, calling the statement regrettable and based on misinfo…

24/11/2025

South Africa launches digital citizenship portal using biometric tech to streamline services

Department of Home Affairs introduced a fully digital citizenship verification platform on Monday, leveraging facial recognition and machine learning to resolve constitutional disputes over revoked citizenship while modernizing public service delivery. The portal, accessible globally at myhomeaffairsonline.dha.gov.za, allows citizens to confirm or reinstate their status without paperwork or in-person visits, aligning with a 2025 Constitutional Court ruling. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the system positions South Africa among a small group of nations deploying advanced biometric infrastructure for government services....

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Department of Home Affairs introduced a fully digital citizenship verification platform on Monday, leveraging facial recognition and machine learning to resolve constitutional disputes over revoked…

24/11/2025

U.S. claims breakthrough in Ukraine peace talks as Rubio cites “most productive day”

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced significant progress in Ukraine peace negotiations during a Geneva press briefing Sunday, calling it the "most productive day" in 10 months of talks. Diplomats narrowed 26 contested points in a draft agreement following three weeks of technical consultations and a 96-hour sprint of direct engagement with Ukrainian officials, including on-the-ground coordination by the U.S....

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced significant progress in Ukraine peace negotiations during a Geneva press briefing Sunday, calling it the “most productive day” in …

24/11/2025

G20 backs Africa-led climate finance push in landmark summit declaration

President Cyril Ramaphosa closed the 2025 G20 Leaders’ Summit on Sunday by declaring unanimous support for Africa-centered climate financing and debt relief frameworks, capping the bloc’s first meeting on African soil. The summit’s final declaration pledged enhanced aid to developing nations battling climate disasters and unsustainable borrowing costs while endorsing a cooperative critical minerals strategy to accelerate green transitions. Key outcomes included a G20 vow to “scale up quality and quantity” of climate finance to low- and middle-income countries, strengthen multilateral development banks, and back initiatives like the Just Energy Transition Partnership....

17/11/2025

Ramaphosa critics to formalise leadership challenge

JOHANNESBURG – President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday defied factional opponents within the ruling African National Congress, declaring at a tense National Executive Committee meeting that he would resign immediately if formally requested – but demanded critics "name the date" publicly rather than plot privately. The challenge follows months of internal ANC discord after the party lost its parliamentary majority in May 2024 elections, forcing a coalition government....

JOHANNESBURG – President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday defied factional opponents within the ruling African National Congress, declaring at a tense National Executive Committee meeting that he would re…

11/11/2025

PRETORIA– South Africa’s unemployment rate fell to 31.9% in the third quarter of 2025, down 1.3 percentage points from the previous quarter, as employment gains in construction and social services offset a shrinking labour force, official data showed on Tuesday. The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) reported a net increase of 248,000 employed persons, lifting total employment to 17.1 million, while unemployment declined by 360,000 to 8.0 million....

PRETORIA– South Africa’s unemployment rate fell to 31.9% in the third quarter of 2025, down 1.3 percentage points from the previous quarter, as employment gains in construction and social services …

11/11/2025

BELÉM, Brazil — Just 30 countries have incorporated food loss or waste reduction into their climate pledges ahead of COP30, NGOs warned on Tuesday, missing a critical opportunity to curb 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions linked to discarded food. ReFED, The Global FoodBanking Network, and WRAP will host a dedicated session at the UN climate summit on November 12 to push for broader adoption of food waste mitigation strategies....

04/11/2025

NEW YORK — The U.S. has drafted a United Nations Security Council resolution proposing an International Security Force (ISF) to govern Gaza for at least two years, with authority to disarm Hamas and manage the territory security through 2027, according to an Axios report confirmed by the Institute for Public Accuracy (IPA) on Tuesday. The resolution, circulated Monday, designates the ISF as an “enforcement force” rather than a peacekeeping mission, granting participating nations — potentially including Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, and Turkey — direct governance and security oversight....

NEW YORK — The U.S. has drafted a United Nations Security Council resolution proposing an International Security Force (ISF) to govern Gaza for at least two years, with authority to disarm Hamas an…