The Department of Home Affairs proposes a new R500 electronic processing fee for travellers using South Africa's Electronic Travel Authorisation system, aiming to streamline visa applications and enhance digital services

With heavy rain forecast for Durban, hundreds of refugees displaced by xenophobic violence are left exposed to the elements.

The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) has abandoned its panel system for procuring services from contractors for routine road maintenance (RRM) and engineering consultants, reverting to using an open tender process. Outgoing Sanral CEO Reginald Demana announced this on Tuesday, and said the agency has already started the process to procure these services through an open tender process. The decision follows last week’s Pretoria High Court ruling declaring the tender award that reduced the number of RRM contractors from 340 to 20 unconstitutional and unlawful. The court reviewed and set aside the award following legal challenges by Botle Ba Africa Roads and BCB Solutions. Judge Anthony Millar ordered Sanral to procure future RRM services through an open tender process, which shall be evaluated on both functionality and the preference points system. He also ordered that the incumbent contractors may remain in place until 30 November, unless Sanral requires and approaches the court for an extension at least five days before the deadline. In June, Sanral’s engineering consultants panel award was also declared unlawful because of irregularities in the tender adjudication process, following legal challenges by Zutari and Lathiso. There are currently no existing service providers for this service and no extensions were therefore required. Demana said that given the irregularities identified, Sanral accepted that the procurement processes were indefensible and proposed to the court and the parties that the tenders be declared constitutionally invalid, reviewed and set aside. He said this would allow fresh tenders to be issued while ensuring national road maintenance continues uninterrupted. ‘New’ tender process Demana said the new open tender process must be designed and launched without delay, and Sanral has already prepared the tender packs and is running a live proactive internal assurance process. It will be issuing tenders in batches in the coming days. A limited number of tenders have already been issued in the Western Cape and Northern Cape – “signalling our intention to move with speed.” Demana said it is not Sanral’s intention to go back to court to request an extension to the 30 November deadline. Demana said the procurement lapses and breaches in the RRM tender included that: Tenders were not opened at the tender box about one hour after closing, as Sanral’s own prescripts require, and the tender opening register was not made available to tenderers; Sanral failed to require competition on price thereby undermining Section 217(1) of the Constitution, with the panel appointed on functionality alone; Race was made the determining factor in selecting which of the 61 functionally competent tenderers were appointed to the panel of 20; and There was prima facie information pointing towards possible and suspected fraudulent conduct at Sanral, including awards to companies that do not appear to exist, or whose addresses and contact details cannot be traced together with serious irregularities throughout the bid specification, evaluation and adjudication process. He said Sanral’s new board has already introduced some reforms that must be implemented immediately to enable faster rollout of projects. These include establishing standing bid specification and evaluation committees, an enlarged pool of adjudication committee members, restoring internal assurance processes for high-value tenders, and a consolidated delegations-of-authority document. Consequence management According to Demana, Sanral has now settled the litigation matters related to panels, and has instructed its legal advisors to begin consequence management processes where required and necessary, based on their recommendations. “This, alongside rolling out new tenders, will be our big focus area. “In certain instances, the consequence management preparation processes are already well advanced,” he said. Demana confirmed that there was a dispute within Sanral’s supply chain management and instructed a law firm to conduct an investigation on matters related to the RRM, including establishing whether certain employees might have failed, intervened or obstructed the implementation of a board decision related to the extension of the RRM contract. It is believed this led to the suspension of chief procurement officer Khomotso Mhelembe, as well as Maupi Mahlo and Vukani Ndaba, two general managers in the procurement office. The three have challenged their suspensions in the Labour Court, where judgment remains pending after arguments were heard last month. Demana acknowledged allegations of corruption against him and referred to a social media campaign targeting him. He also acknowledged claims that Sanral’s RRM contracts dating back to 2011 were tainted by corruption, but said law enforcement agencies are investigating the allegations and that Sanral is cooperating fully. “I arrived at Sanral in 2023 and can only account for the period since I joined. As for the claims made against me personally, I reject them, emphatically and unequivocally.” He also dismissed as fabricated an audio recording circulating on social media in recent days that names him personally as a beneficiary of irregular tenders. Demana said it is not authentic, Sanral has said so formally, and he reiterated that he has never held the delegations that would make such a claim possible and he is not aware of any evidence that has been produced to support this claim. ‘Evergreen’ contracts Demana also referred to the R9.5 billion figure that is often raised in connection with alleged corruption or “evergreen” contracts. He stressed that Sanral does not have evergreen contracts, but since some years before he joined the company, it has been navigating historic irregular expenditure of about R9.5 billion linked to RRM contracts awarded between 2011/12 and 2018/19. Those matters have since been resolved and fully disclosed in Sanral’s annual reports that are publicly available, he said. He added despite that irregular expenditure, Sanral has received unqualified audit opinions throughout the period because none of the confirmed irregular expenditure was linked to fraudulent or criminal intent. Demana, who resigned earlier this month and will leave Sanral on 31 August, said he had resigned to follow his long-term ambitions and had not been asked to resign. Sanral’s chief legal, risk and compliance officer Kaiser Khoza said he is unaware of any issues related to prima facie fraud in the way the RRM contracts were awarded. Khoza added that Sanral is also not aware of any issues related to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) other than being asked for information pertaining to “certain names” they said were in some documents. “Indeed they did give us a Section 205 subpoena,” he said, adding that this record has been given to the directorate. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.

Muvhango actress Inno Manchidi and her husband, Mpho Manchidi, have welcomed their second child. The actress announced the birth of their son in a lengthy Instagram post. The couple first announced they were expecting their second child in April, sharing images from their maternity photoshoot. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Innocentia Manchidi (@inno_mm_) Inno Manchidi welcomes baby boy Announcing the arrival of her son, the actress expressed gratitude for her growing family. “Officially a mom of two beautiful angels. I’m still basking in this blessing right now, but believe me when I say God restores, okay?! “He restores and makes you whole again. The years 2023 and 2026 further revealed the goodness and faithfulness of God in our lives in the form of these children,” she wrote. Manchidi also shared details of her delivery and thanked her mother for the support. “Waiting to be wheeled into the theatre. I was so calm and just excited to meet our boy. And while I was calm, daddy was so nervous.” “My birth partner, mommy. Grateful to have had her by my side for both my deliveries.” The actress said bringing her newborn home reminded her of the birth of her first child. “I couldn’t stay asleep the first night. I kept looking at the baby and feeling so nostalgic.”

Orlando Pirates have signed a total of nine players ahead of the 2026/27 season as they look to retain the Betway Premiership. The players signed are Neo Rapoo, Aphiwe Baliti, Matome Mmolai, Bohlale Ngwato, Sbangani Zulu, Ghampani Lungu, Mthetheleli Mthiyane as well as Sebastian Pedersen. On Tuesday, Pirates confirmed the signing of midfielder Thapelo Mokobodi from Stellenbosch FC. The 23-year-old has signed a three-year contract and joined the rest of the squad later that day as they prepare to face Milford FC. Orlando Pirates make ninth signing “I am pleased to be here and look forward to meeting the rest of the team,” said Mokobodi. “It’s a big opportunity to play for such a club and I am ready to get going. I would like to make a meaningful contribution to this great institution,” he said. Mokobodi has been handed the number 33 jersey for this season. With a strengthened squad following the arrival of nine new signings, expectations are even higher this season. Orlando Pirates will be expected to dominate newcomers Milford FC and secure a convincing victory in front of their home supporters. A strong performance would not only give the champions the perfect start to their title defence but also send an early warning to their rivals that they remain the team to beat. With just a few days before their first match of the season, the Buccaneers could still sign one or two players before they reassess their squad before the transfer window closes. Where will Pirates finish?

Snow has been reported across parts of the Drakensberg as KwaZulu-Natal authorities ramp up preparations for potentially severe weather linked to a cut-off low pressure system. The latest update from the province’s Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) on Wednesday morning, 29 July, confirmed snowfall around the Sani Pass border area and Mount Fletcher. Rain was also reported in Kokstad, while conditions in Underberg were described as rainy and misty. The snowfall comes as provincial authorities continue to monitor the impact of the weather system, with teams from the Departments of Transport and Human Settlements placed on standby. Graders ready to clear snow before roads become impassable KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma said the province had activated its standard snowfall response plan following updated weather information from the South African Weather Service. Graders, working alongside RTI teams, are on standby to clear snow from roads before it can accumulate to more than 30cm. RTI teams in snow-prone areas are also closely monitoring conditions and will coordinate possible road closures if necessary to prevent motorists from becoming stranded. The areas being monitored include the N3 around Ladysmith, Kokstad, Underberg, Harding, Newcastle, the N11, Pietermaritzburg and the N2. The Van Reenen area between Harrismith and Ladysmith is also being watched closely, with authorities prepared to close roads where necessary to prevent motorists from getting stuck on the N3. Truck movements to be closely coordinated The province’s Road Freight Directorate will also engage with stakeholders in the freight and logistics industry to ensure a coordinated response to the severe weather. Duma said the province does not expect disruption to supply chain management but that the movement of trucks will be carefully coordinated to prevent congestion on already challenging road networks. The RTI has been monitoring road conditions since Tuesday night (28 July), with officials continuing to assess the situation as the weather develops. Flood-prone communities also on high alert While snow is affecting higher-lying areas, rain and drizzle are being reported elsewhere in the province. Human Settlements teams are monitoring coastal and low-lying areas, particularly informal settlements that could be vulnerable to flooding. Parts of Durban and other coastal municipalities were experiencing drizzle on Wednesday, while teams were also deployed to monitor vulnerable communities, including the Quarry Heights informal settlement. The province has also prepared emergency accommodation should flooding leave families without homes. More than 170 rooms have been made available at the newly acquired Montclair Lodge, where families who may be left destitute by flooding can be accommodated.

Government will provide guidelines and leave individual sectors to write their own artificial intelligence strategies.

It’s the biggest liability on the South African tech balance sheet – and it keeps compounding.