Aneeqa Du Plessis, Author at Voice of the Cape

Two suspects arrested amid rising crime and illicit firearm concerns

By Lee-Yandra Paulsen As crime rates continue to rise in South Africa, particularly involving drugs and illegal firearms, reports indicate that the Southern African region is flooded with illicit weapons, fuelling violence, conflict, and organized crime. The South African Police Services (SAPS) spokesperson Wesley Twigg said an 18-year-old suspect is due to appear in the Athlone Magistrates Court on Friday. “The 18-year-old suspect was arrested in David Vanda Street, Betterlife, […]

26 September 2024

Local

Exorbitant increases in electricity tariffs would put further strain on the nation’s poorest residents- SAHRC

Exorbitant increases in electricity tariffs would put further strain on the nation's poorest residents. Eskom's request to recover R8 billion for the 2021–2022 fiscal year retroactively was recently approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA). Widespread objection to the large rise has resulted in requests for the electricity company to reevaluate its anticipated 36% raise for 2025. Speaking on VOC Breakfast on Thursday, Chris Nissan Chairperson of […]

26 September 2024

Local

Eskom’s application to NERSA proposes a 36.15% hike during its 2026 financial year

By Kouthar Sambo Eskom assured it would continue to provide reliable electricity services while improving its financial sustainability through a migration to cost-reflective prices. However, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has published the power utility’s controversial multi-year revenue application up until 2028. This comes as Eskom’s application to NERSA proposes a 36.15% hike during its 2026 financial year, 11.81% in 2027, and 9.10% in 2028. According to […]

25 September 2024

Local

Government to repatriate remains of 49 liberation fighters from Zimbabwe and Zambia

By Ragheema Mclean Government will this week receive the remains of 49 liberation fighters who died in exile in Zimbabwe and Zambia. The first group of five remains will arrive on Wednesday at Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria, marking the start of a three-year repatriation project. Speaking on VOC’s News Beat show, Onicca Kwakwa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans, expressed the complexity and significance of […]

25 September 2024

Local

Heritage Month: Language Diversity in South Africa with an emphasis on language and culture

By Rachel Mohamed As we continue to celebrate Heritage Month under the theme “Celebrating the lives of our heroes and heroines who laid down their lives for our freedom." VOC Journalist Rachel Mohamed provided some insight on how South Africa prides itself on 12 official languages, with a multilingual population fluent in at least two Indigenous languages, IsiZulu and IsiXhosa, regarded as the largest and most spoken language in the […]

25 September 2024

Local

COSATU set to strike against economic hardship calling for Government to stimulate economy

By Daanyaal Matthews The Republic of South Africa has been touted by President Cyril Ramaphosa as entering an ‘era of prosperity’ following the establishment of the Government of National Unity (GNU) and the subsequent decreases in inflation and fuel prices with the apparent end of loadshedding and strengthening of the rand. However, while all these improvements have been lauded by civil organizations, economists, political analysts, and more, the growing concern […]

25 September 2024

Local

Thousands of teachers at risk due to budget cuts, warns Education Minister

By Lee-Yandra Paulsen The Minister of Basic Education announced that thousands of teachers will be affected by the recent budget cuts. Briefing the media on Wednesday, minister Siviwe Gwarube said the budget cuts bring with it several other challenges. “The harsh reality is that our education system is under immense financial pressure. It is no secret that, in recent weeks, several provincial education departments have spoken out about the budget […]

25 September 2024

Local

South Africa’s parole system faces crisis due to criminologist shortage

By Ragheema Mclean South Africa’s parole system is grappling with significant challenges, primarily due to a critical shortage of trained criminologists within the Department of Correctional Services. A recent parliamentary briefing highlighted this pressing issue, revealing that the shortage of qualified professionals is a key factor delaying parole decisions. Currently, there is only one criminologist assessing parole applications for life-sentence prisoners, leading to substantial backlogs and raising concerns about the […]

25 September 2024

Local

Elsies River teen killed for refusing to join gang

By Ragheema Mclean Authorities have confirmed the tragic death of a 15-year-old boy, who was fatally shot while sleeping in his bed last week in Elsies River. The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by communities on the Cape Flats, where crime and violence continue to surge. Speaking on VOC Breakfast community activist Imraan Mukkadam, explained that such killings are especially common during school holidays. “It is very tragic; a […]

25 September 2024

Aneeqa Du Plessis

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