Aneeqa Du Plessis, Author at Voice of the Cape

Cape Town residents are advised to prepare for stormy weather expected over the weekend

Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management Centre Spokesperson, Charlotte Powell, has announced that the South African Weather Services has issued alerts for rain, windy, and damaging waves this weekend. According to Powell, a Yellow Level 4 Warning for disruptive rain, which may result in flooding and hazardous driving conditions, is expected for the City of Cape Town, the Cape Winelands, western areas of the Overberg, and the southern parts of the […]

6 June 2025

Local

Western Cape farmers urged to remain alert following foot-and-mouth disease outbreak

By Rachel Mohamed The Western Cape Agriculture Department is advising livestock farmers to stay vigilant and exercise caution in light of recent foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks reported in Newcastle and Bergville, KwaZulu-Natal, which have also spread to Mpumalanga and Gauteng through auctions. Mary James, the department’s spokesperson, emphasized the importance of purchasing animals only from trusted sources and, where feasible, avoiding livestock from areas affected by the outbreaks. Symptoms of […]

6 June 2025

Local

Cosatu welcomes the passing of the Older Persons Amendment Bill

Cosatu has welcomed the passing of the Older Persons Amendment Bill in Parliament, which has now been sent to President Cyril Ramaphosa for his signature. Once implemented, this new legislation will allow authorities to relocate an older person to temporary safe care without needing a court order. Cosatu’s spokesperson, Matthew Parks, stated that they have long supported this important bill, which aims to ensure that older individuals can retire in […]

5 June 2025

Local

An economist notes the fuel cut will help reduce cost pressures in agriculture

FNB senior economist Koketso Mano states that as the harvesting of summer crops is underway, the recent fuel price cut will enhance farmers' profitability, as fuel costs represent nearly 13% of input expenses in grain production. Both grades of petrol have decreased by five cents per litre, while diesel prices have dropped by 37 cents per litre at the pumps. Mano also notes that the citrus export season is in […]

5 June 2025

Local

Millions of Hajj pilgrims gathered at Arafah

By Rachel Mohamed Today marks one of the holiest days on the Islamic calendar, the day of Arafah, millions of Hujaaj gathered on the plains of Arafat. At Masjid Namirah, Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah Al Humaid delivered the annual Hajj Khutbah, highlighting a moment of deep spiritual and historical significance, when Muslim pilgrims gather to pray. Translating the khutbah for VOC, Shaykh Yusuf Gassiep of Town Centre Mosque shared: […]

5 June 2025

Local

Floyd Shivambu demoted from Secretary General of the MK Party

By Rachel Mohamed Floyd Shivambu has been demoted within the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK)Party from his position as secretary-general to a member of Parliament. This change in status is linked to his controversial trip to Malawi earlier this year, where he visited fugitive pastor Shepherd Bushiri in Malawi. Speaking on VOC’s News Beat show, political analyst Sanet Solomon commented that several members of the party have expressed disappointment with Shivambu’s alleged […]

4 June 2025

Local

GDP grows by 0.1%

By Rachel Mohamed Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) recently released its report on the first quarter of 2025, indicating a 0.1% increase in GDP. Key contributors to this growth included sectors such as agriculture, transport, finance, and trade. However, declines were noted in both the manufacturing and mining industries. Speaking on VOC’s News Beat show, Professor Bonke Dumisa, an independent economic analyst, commented on last year's disappointing figures. “In the […]

4 June 2025

Local

Police investigate body found in Paarl

The Paarl East Police are investigating the disappearance of 16-year-old Chanelle Plaatjies, who was reported missing by her mother last week Wednesday, 28 May 2025. Meanwhile, Paarl police have registered a murder case for further investigation after an unidentified body was discovered in the area yesterday. However, it remains unclear at this stage whether the body is that of the missing girl. SAPS Spokesperson Joseph Swaartbooi stated: "We can confirm […]

3 June 2025

Local

Western Cape High Court rules against Dr John Hlophe’s appointment

By Rachel Mohamed The Western Cape High Court has overturned the National Assembly’s decision to endorse former Judge President John Hlophe—now Deputy President of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party—for a position on the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). The court ruled that Hlophe is unsuitable for the role due to his previous impeachment by the commission. Speaking on VOC’s News Beat, Mbekezeli Benjamin, a researcher at Judges Matter, noted that the […]

3 June 2025

Aneeqa Du Plessis

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