Aneeqa Du Plessis, Author at Voice of the Cape

Najwa Petersen parole decision referred to review board

Correctional services minister Pieter Groenewald has referred Najwa Petersen’s parole to the Correctional Supervision and Parole Review Board (CSPRB). Earlier this month, the Pollsmoor parole board placed Petersen, the mastermind behind an act of “sheer savagery” that claimed the life of her legendary musician husband Taliep Petersen, on parole from November. Groenewald said on Friday the CSPRB was tasked with reviewing the decision and must confirm or replace it with its own decision. […]

29 September 2024

International News

Three days of mourning in Lebanon for slain Hezbollah chief Nasrallah

Interim PM Najib Mikati’s office says the official mourning would start on Monday, with flags to fly at half-mast on public buildings. Lebanon has announced three days of mourning for Hassan Nasrallah after an Israeli air strike in Beirut’s southern suburbs killed the longtime Hezbollah leader. In a statement on Saturday, interim Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s office said the official mourning would start on Monday, with flags to fly at half-mast […]

29 September 2024

International News

Israel prepares for a potential ground invasion in Lebanon

By Kouthar Sambo Palestinian media reported that Israel’s Military Chief, Herzi Halevi, informed of a potential ground invasion in Lebanon earlier this week. This comes as Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fires, leaving thousands displaced and injuring scores of innocent civilians in Lebanon, including children. Halevi added that Israeli air attacks aim to destroy Hezbollah’s infrastructure. Early reports revealed that the Israeli occupation forces claimed to have killed the […]

28 September 2024

International News

US state Missouri executes Marcellus Williams despite calls for clemency and racial bias concerns

By Ragheema Mclean The US state of Missouri has executed 55-year-old Marcellus Williams, a Black man and devout Muslim, despite widespread objections from prosecutors and the victim's family, who had agreed to a life sentence. Williams was put to death by lethal injection on Tuesday at a prison in Bonne Terre, Missouri. Williams, who served as an Imam for Muslim inmates at the Potosi Correctional Center, was convicted of the […]

27 September 2024

Local

NERSA’s decision on Eskom’s proposed tariff increase will be made on 20 December

By Kouthar Sambo The power utility Eskom approached the regulator National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) for an application amounting to R446 billion for the 2025/26 financial year. This is a 36% tariff increase which far exceeds inflation in our industrialized economy. NERSA’s decision on Eskom’s proposed tariff increase will be made on 20 December. According to early reports, this process will be followed by public hearings across nine provinces […]

27 September 2024

Local

The Department of Basic Education Minister attributes funding crisis to above inflation increases

By Kouthar Sambo The Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, noted the funding crisis within the Department of Basic Education funding, attributing this to above-inflation increases in public sector wages. As a result, budgets have been, either cut or remain the same. This comes as several provinces are forced to terminate educators’ contracts at the end of the year, placing added pressure on the education sector to fill the growing […]

27 September 2024

News

Opposition parties unified in welcoming the dismissal of Cilliers Brinks as mayor of Tshwane

By Daanyaal Matthews Former Spokesperson for the Democratic Alliance (DA), Cilliers Brink, has lost his position as Mayor of Tshwane after being ousted by opposition parties in the municipality, who have cited major issues in governance as the reason behind his failure to maintain power in the metro. The dismissal of Brinks has been welcomed by the primary caller for his elimination—the African National Congress (ANC). The ANC has alleged […]

27 September 2024

Local

Sadtu launches campaign to combat education budget cuts

By Lee-Yandra Paulsen The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) launched its "Go Public Fund Education Campaign" on Friday to push back against ongoing education budget cuts, which will affect more than 2000 educators at the end of the 2024 academic year. Speaking on VOC Breakfast on Friday, Western Cape Sadtu secretary Sibongile Kwazi emphasized the importance of prioritizing education in national budgets, particularly in times of financial strain. “When […]

27 September 2024

Local

Rondebosch East Civic Association Challenges the City of Cape Town on a Housing Project

By Rachel Mohamed Residents of Rondebosch East are up in arms opposing plans for social development housing on the corner of Kromboom and 7th Avenue. They argue that establishing such a project would create a traffic nightmare for the larger community. Speaking on VOC’s News Beat show, the Chairperson of the Rondebosch East Civic Association, Rashad Davids stressed his frustration with the City of Cape Town’s (COCT) Kromboom plan to […]

27 September 2024

Aneeqa Du Plessis

Download our new app

Download
our new app