Yesterday’s public hearing on the NERSA proposed tariff increases has highlighted several critical concerns, including poor venue selection and the exclusion of South Africans most affected by these decisions.

ActionSA is deeply alarmed by the findings of the Auditor-General’s Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) report for the 2023/24 financial year.

ActionSA has written to the National Consumer Commission (NCC) requesting an investigation into whether corporate conglomerates are exploiting the township economy by offloading expired or nearly expired goods, thereby endangering public health and safety in South Africa’s vulnerable communities.

ActionSA remains deeply concerned that, while aggravated contact crimes have shown a slight year-on-year decrease compared to July-September 2023, South Africa remains unsafe, with rampant criminality continuing to go largely unchallenged, as crime trends upward from the previous quarter.

ActionSA welcomes the arrest of 268 illegal foreigners found working in a factory within the Mabhodini area (Riverside Industrial Area) of Newcastle Local Municipality. 

ActionSA Northern Cape cautiously welcomes the announcement of a lifestyle audit being conducted by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) in the Premier’s Office. This represents an important step towards rebuilding public trust in governance and addressing persistent concerns about transparency in the Northern Cape. However, ActionSA challenges the Premier to demonstrate genuine commitment to accountability by subjecting not only himself but also the entire Legislature to a lifestyle audit.

ActionSA welcomes the steady progress being made in addressing the extensive issues affecting the KwaThema Police Station in Ekurhuleni, following ActionSA’s oversight visit, which revealed a derelict and under-resourced station in a state of disrepair resembling an apocalyptic scene.

ActionSA is dismayed at the death of yet another child due to food poisoning in Soweto. This comes barely a week after President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation as to the measures that his government would implement to curb the scourge of foodborne illnesses and deaths.

ActionSA welcomes the announcement by COGTA Minister, Velenkosini Hlabisa, that the Government is currently giving due consideration to declaring a State of Disaster in response to the ongoing deadly crisis caused by the consumption of contaminated or expired goods purchased from foreign-owned spaza shops.

Gauteng Youth Forum demands transparency and accountability from municipalities in issuing permits to spaza shop owners and vendors. All applications made within the 21-day timeframe and beyond must be made public for scrutiny.

ActionSA extends its heartfelt condolences to the Moripe family during this profoundly sorrowful time following the passing of football legend Lucas “Masterpieces” Moripe, fondly known “Modimo wa bolo” or “God of Football”.

ActionSA welcomes the latest inflation data released by StatsSA today, showing that annual consumer price inflation (CPI) dropped to 2.8% in October, its fifth consecutive monthly decline. While this is a positive development, this brings little respite to already distressed households.

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has once again demonstrated its blatant disregard for the Northern Cape by excluding it from the planned public hearings on electricity tariffs. Instead, residents of this vast province are expected to travel approximately 120 kilometres to Bloemfontein in the Free State to participate in these critical discussions. This exclusion is not only impractical but deeply insulting to the 1.4 million people of the Northern Cape—a province that has long been treated as an afterthought by the South African government.

Multiple years of neglect and incompetence by the Democratic Alliance (DA)-led government, in Tshwane, is the real reason why the Magalies Water Klipdrift Water Treatment Package Plant was unable to deliver clean water to Hammanskraal residents on time.

ActionSA welcomes MEC Vuyiswa Ramokgopa’s call to launch an internal investigation into the R36 million Farmyard project, which was aimed at establishing 16 container stores in Gauteng townships.