Jacob Zuma accused of selling South Africans to Russia, and Ramaphosa gets dragged to court over NHI
Today, 19 February, the rand is trading at R16.08 to the dollar, up from R16.06 at the close of business on Wednesday.
The Madlanga Commission, which is investigating allegations of corruption in the police and criminal justice system, will continue hearing the testimony of Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya today.
The suspended Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection began his highly anticipated testimony on Wednesday.
He told the commission that he was surprised when Police Minister Senzo Mchunu issued a letter disbanding the Political Killings Task Team and denied that he is friends with convicted crime kingpin Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala.
In Parliament today, President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the house following two days of debates on his State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Political parties responded to the address on Tuesday and Wednesday, expressing mixed opinions on Ramaphosa’s plans for the year and on the progress made by the President’s administration.
The Phala Phala scandal was a frequent topic of debate, with multiple political parties calling for the President to account for the $500,000 stolen from his Phala Phala farm.
Here are five other big things happening in South Africa today:
Jacob Zuma accused of selling South Africans to Russia – eNCA
Chaos erupted in Parliament on Wednesday when International Relations Minister and ANC MP Ronald Lamola accused former President Jacob Zuma of selling South African citizens to Russia, referring to the 17 South Africans who were sent to fight in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Ramaphosa gets dragged to court over NHI – BusinessTech
Another legal case has been launched against the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act, challenging the constitutionality of the legislation and seeking to have it declared invalid. Civil rights group AfriForum has issued a summons to the President and Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.
Gayton McKenzie comes out on top in court battle – Daily Maverick
South Africa will not be represented at the 61st Venice Biennale this year, after the Gauteng High Court ruled in favour of Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, who cancelled South Africa’s contribution to the event.
Steenhuisen does a 180 on vaccine rollout – Newsday
Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen announced during his response to the SONA that private veterinarians can now register to administer foot-and-mouth vaccines. This comes after the minister faced heavy criticism for attempting to keep the vaccine rollout under the department’s control.
Red flags in Health Department’s ARV tenders – EWN
The Economic Freedom Fighters want the Special Investigating Unit to probe the Department of Health’s tenders for antiretroviral drugs, after two of the seven companies appointed in 2025 applied for business rescue in December, the same month they were due to begin supplying the drugs.
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Heed the learning, and oversight, we desperately need to change.
The NHI is a reality, and the incoming government need to address it in their mandates, based on the actual needs of this country.
A point to ponder for the Western Cape Government, especially the Mother City of Cape Town.
1) Rated property taxes and revenues are tightening the noose around vulnerable property owners, who now find that they are grouped and surrounded by affluent areas, due to their new and adjusted ward incorporation.
Lets seperate the current measuring requirements into pre and post 1994, and adjudge the discriminated areas rates and taxes based on pre 1994 conditions, inconveniece, flooding, and distancing from employment centers.
Whats the use of road and rail investment, when no tangable attention is guided towards prevent, control and manage continous Winter flooding.
“South Africa is still not a fair and equal society”, our historic seperation is still evident in all spheres, eg: race, financial circumstances, priviledges, strategic ward allocations and much much more other unknowns.
2) NHI have to be a working reality. 99% of the real citizens of South Africa demand this constitutional and human right.
3) All eyes have to be on the material and environment impact of climate change on the Cape Flat lands.
Remember the continous flooding, disaster management with no relief in sight.
We tend to just pour in cash, with no future innovation or creatuve ideas on how to manage disasters.
The flatland could become useless to all, if do not control and manage its movements.
All of you South African intellects, come outof your bed of slumber, and exploite your creative juices of how to manage and sustain future life in the Western Cape.
A 9 Province South Africa will become a reality, if the other 8 provinces do not toil the soil together in their areas of government manangement and control
Lesseon A:
Look to the Northern Hemisphere, how did they manage the flooding, channeling its use, and raising the land, mostly channelling and controlling its flow, converting it usfully, and using ferrires as a mode of transport.
The above are repeated rquests from interested and affected citizens over time, and still the ruling party continues to pump money, with no nepair replacement plan in place.
B) We all need to heed the warnings of the flat lands flooding, or we sink altogether.
C) Citizens must assertively assess our Winter rainfall 2026, follow through on previous photographs of land erosion and flooding.
D) Be prepared to start deep dredging these flooded parts, using this sludge to deepfill, and raise the land surrounding these water ways.
Raised land to be used to relly house persons who do not wish to be relocated.
Matter of fact, the old and abused do not want to move from these part, due to their sentiments, mostly historical attachments.
Now that moving or relocation is out of the question, how do we make useful and tangable progress in managing this reality.
E) Build canals, interlocking concrete waterways, which could then allow for a ferry transport system.
I have continously pushed for this alternate brain adjustment in 1980, and when I relocated to the Western Cape since 1990.
It is time to adopt change, contain, control, and mostly manage spartial development.
There is no more land available, and the flatlands have the answers, of how we can fully manage our unflooded land, our low lying and continously flooding below the waterline, and get intune with nature by raising the existing landscape.
Ps: We will run soon run out of land for human accomodation, and must consider truckng in landfill, from the inland and high veld, and really raise our flatland.
Failure to change the current status quo, will really make us feel the angry wrath of a long oppressed and disadvantaged society. The writing is on the wall, and only Civil Champions for Global Peace can change this “ending”.
Remember the true and felt reality of climate and weather changes, and work with haste as the sun shines.
Lets build South Africa and Africa together.