Head coach Rassie Erasmus insists the Springboks are keeping their tactical options open for the All Blacks, while offering franchise players a route into the Test squad.

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In an urgent bid to restore parliamentary oversight, the EFF have petitioned the Constitutional Court to overturn a Western Cape High Court ruling that halted Parliament’s Section 89 impeachment process against President Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa emerged victorious after his interdict application to halt Parliament’s impeachment process relating to the Phala Phala scandal was successful. The Western Cape High Court in Cape Town delivered its ruling on Friday, following two days of argument heard last week before Judges André le Grange, Matthew Francis and Diane Davis. In a founding affidavit deposed by EFF President Julius Malema, the party seeks to join the urgent application already filed by Vuyo Zungula and the African Transformation Movement (ATM). Legal battle The legal battle centres on whether the president can utilise the courts to suspend a constitutional process designed to hold him accountable while he reviews the independent Panel Report. The dispute arises from a Western Cape High Court majority decision that stayed “public impeachment hearings” pending the president’s review of the Panel Report. The EFF strongly opposes this, aligning with the minority judgment of Francis J, who observed that the Panel Report remains valid and operative “unless and until set aside”. Ramaphosa review application According to the EFF, a mere review application cannot dislodge this status, and the Impeachment Committee remains entitled to rely on the report, which found a “prima facie case for the Impeachment Committee to consider”. At the heart of the EFF’s appeal is the argument that the High Court’s interim interdict severely violates the separation of powers. The EFF contends that the order is, in substance, a “constitutional interdict” that “temporarily immobilises Parliament from carrying out its core and exclusive constitutional function”. Holding executive to account Malema argues that holding the Executive to account is “primarily and exclusively the function of Parliament”. Consequently, the EFF warns of immediate constitutional damage. “Every second that the order operates, Parliament’s constitutional accountability function is curtailed”. ‘OUTA principle’ The EFF further accuses the High Court majority of misapplying the landmark OUTA principle. The majority justified its intrusion by finding that the decision to hold the President accountable was not a “policy-laden polycentric” one. The EFF calls this “the wrong question,” explaining that policymaking belongs to the Executive, whereas holding the Executive to account belongs to Parliament. “Instead, the court should have asked “how fundamentally is it Parliament’s function to hold the President accountable?” Because this function lies at the “heartland, primary and exclusive domain of Parliament,” the court should have been highly disinclined to intervene.” Rule of law Additionally, the EFF challenges the High Court’s framing of the rule of law. The majority ruled that “Accountability cannot function above the rule of law”. In response, the EFF maintains that “the separation of powers is an instance of the rule of law, and that the two cannot be set against each other”. They argue that “accountability too is a rule of law principle” and that pitting these concepts against one another is an “inherent contradiction and inconsistency” fatal to the judgment. ‘Great national importance’ The EFF emphasises that the matter is of “great national importance” and requires “prompt attention”. “Leaving the impeachment process “suspended in mid-air” harms the public interest and undermines constitutional democracy. Unless the Constitutional Court intervenes, the EFF warns that the majority’s reasoning will allow any constitutional office-bearer to halt accountability processes simply by launching a review and alleging reputational or “rule of law” harm.

Many parents are worried about the late announcement of school applications by the Gauteng department of education and fear another year of delays and unplaced pupils. On Monday, Gauteng education MEC Lebogang Maile announced applications for the 2027 academic year will open at 8am on 1 August and close at midnight on 4 September. Every applicant must complete the department’s compulsory five-step process by registering the parent or legal guardian, registering the pupil’s residential address, capturing the pupil’s personal details, applying to a minimum of three and a maximum of five public schools and uploading or submitting all required supporting documents in seven school days after completing the online application. Required documentation includes identity documents of the parents and the pupil’s birth certificate, proof of physical address, proof of parents’ work address, vaccination card (only for the registration of Grade 1 pupils), and the most recent Grade 7 report card (only for the registration of prospective Grade 8 pupils). Growing learner numbers raise concerns Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysunie (Saqu) spokesperson Dems Nel said the union anticipates a record number of pupils will register to attend Grades 1 and 6 in 2027. “The department of education must urgently take steps to upgrade the infrastructure of the existing, already overburdened schools and build new schools to accommodate the growing number of pupils,” he said. Nel added because Grade R was now compulsory, the department will possibly face additional challenges to accommodate the Grade Rs in terms of the amended Schools Act. “For Saqu, increased pupil numbers are seen in a positive light as this will lead to additional teacher posts, which will in turn help relieve the unemployment pandemic in SA,” he said. AfriForum head of education projects Carien Bloem said the delayed opening again points to a placement disaster. Parents urged to prepare early Bloem has urged parents wishing to enrol their children in Gauteng schools for Grade 1 or 8 for 2027 to prepare for the online registration process and warned, as in previous years, a placement disaster may await the Grade 1s and Grade 8s for the next academic year. “The online registration platform will again open late this year, and with an estimated 400 000-plus pupils requiring placement within four weeks before the end of the 2026 school year – combined with the system’s poor track record – parents need to prepare for a challenging registration process,” she said. DA’s Gauteng spokesperson on education Sergio Isa Dos Santos said the party would monitor the admissions process and hold the department accountable for ensuring every pupil is placed before the 2027 school year begins.

The Springboks will face Argentina in Buenos Aires next Saturday, and while some may have initially questioned the logic behind this one-off Test, the value of this encounter has now come into clear focus. With 10 players returning from a stint on the sidelines due to injury, it presents a perfect opportunity to allow some key players to bank some much-needed game-time before the All Blacks arrive for a four-Test tour. “The game is a good time for us,” Rassie Erasmus stated. “You will quickly see who is ready two weeks after that match to play against New Zealand, and obviously to beat Argentina. “Ethan (Hooker), Canan (Moodie), Sacha (Feinberg-Mngomezulu), Eben (Etzebeth), Lood (de Jager), Morné (van den Berg) are all ready.” Siya Kolisi also ready to return for Springboks After missing the first three Tests of the year due to a hamstring injury, Kolisi is also set to lead the Springboks out against Argentina. “Siya could have returned a week earlier (to face Wales), but we wanted to make sure (he was ready); a hamstring is a difficult thing,” Erasmus commented. “Argentina are a quality team, and you’ll quickly see who is ready to play against New Zealand two weeks later. That said, this match wasn’t planned with that reason in mind – it was always about honouring our relationship with Argentina, but yes, most of those guys will be involved.” Erasmus set to reveal squad for Argentina tour on Saturday The Bok squad assembled in Johannesburg on Sunday and had two days of training. They will enjoy a day off on Wednesday to rest and recuperate before wrapping up their on-field preparations on Thursday. The group will then return home for a few days, while the squad travelling to Argentina – which will be announced on Saturday – will travel to South America in two different groups that day, while the rest of the players will return to their training base in Johannesburg to begin their preparations for the four-Test series against the All Blacks.

The Springbok coaches are currently working with a 44-man group, but this squad will be split this weekend, with some players travelling to Argentina for the one-off Test on 8 August, while the rest of the players will return to their training base in Johannesburg to begin their preparations for the four-Test series against the All Blacks. “We’re taking 26 guys across (to Buenos Aires),” Rassie Erasmus commented. “At the end of the week we’ll make sure that no one has an injury or a niggle.” However, with 10 players returning from a stint on the sidelines due to injury, Erasmus gave an update on the players’ availability for next weekend’s match-up against Los Pumas. Ox Nche (knee injury) and Franco Mostert (ankle injury) are unfortunately set for a lengthier period on the sidelines, and it does appear that they might be in doubt for the start of the All Blacks’ four-Test series. “There are only two guys who won’t be available due to longer term injuries, and they are Ox Nche and Franco Mostert,” said Erasmus. “Apart from them, everyone is ready to play. I wouldn’t say it is ideal (that they are all returning from injury now). We would have liked the guys not to be injured and to have been able to manage their time right from the start. “We just want to see how we get through this week; we’ve had one or two guys that have flu, which is manageable,”  Springboks assessing squad options Erasmus is set to finalise his official Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry squad following the team’s return from Argentina. “Then maybe we release, say Vusi (Moyo) to the Sharks, get Ntuks (Ntuthuko Mchunu) in because Ox is not 100% ready, or release Ntuks to play (for the Stormers) against the All Blacks, to give us some feedback. “Most of the guys who played a lot of rugby will stay here, and then some guys who can’t play yet – like Ox and Franco – will stay behind. The guys who need game time – you can do the math – will go over to Argentina.” LATEST BOK SQUAD Props: Thomas du Toit (Sharks), Wilco Louw (Stormers), Ox Nché (Sharks), Zachary Porthen (Stormers), Carlü Sadie (Bordeaux Bègles), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Boan Venter (Lions), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Stormers).Hookers: Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears).Locks: Lood de Jager (Saitama Wild Knights), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Ruan Nortjé (Kubota Spears).Loose forwards: Paul de Villiers (Stormers), Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Cameron Hanekom (Bulls), Siya Kolisi (Stormers), Elrigh Louw (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).Utility forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Cobus Wiese (Bulls).Scrumhalves: Herschel Jantjies (Bayonne), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Morné van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Kobe Steelers).Flyhalves: Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Vusi Moyo (Sharks), Handre Pollard (Bulls).Centres: Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), André Esterhuizen (Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles).Outside and utility backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Mitsubishi Dynaboars), Aphelele Fassi (Toshiba Brave Lupus), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Quan Horn (Lions), Cheslin Kolbe (Stormers), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers). Players released to play for clubs in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry:Forwards: Ntuthuko Mchunu (Stormers), Evan Roos (Stormers), André-Hugo Venter (Stormers).Backs: Jaco Williams (Sharks), Embrose Papier (Bulls). Standby: Ruben van Heerden (Montpellier).

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