Oyisa George

The first visit to South Africa by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah has opened discussions on improving travel and strengthening cooperation between the two countries. Speaking to VOC News, Safeer Hajj and Umrah Chairman Sedick Steenkamp says one of the key developments was an announcement that Saudia is expected to resume direct flights to South Africa in 2027, which could make travel easier […]

Exam anxiety, perfectionism and fear of failure can place significant pressure on young people, particularly as Grade 12 learners prepare for their final exams. Speaking to VOC News ahead of Suicide Prevention Day on Thursday, 10 September, clinical psychologist Thabang Tlaka says high expectations from families can leave learners feeling unable to make mistakes. “When family always says things like, ‘we know you can do it, you’re supposed to get […]

Golden Arrow Bus Services will operate as normal on Thursday after a court interdict prevented a planned strike by the National Union for All Sectors (NUFAS). The strike was linked to a dispute over disciplinary processes at the company, with the court ordering employees to report for duty according to their normal rosters. Speaking to VOC News, United Commuters Voice Provincial Secretary Patrick Lugogwana says commuters would have faced serious […]

Golden Arrow Bus Services is facing the possibility of a strike from Thursday, 10 September, after the National Union for All Sectors (NUFAS) and the company failed to resolve a dispute over disciplinary processes. NUFAS Deputy General Secretary Vuyo Lufele says the union is opposing Golden Arrow’s urgent court application to interdict the planned strike. “We are opposing that urgent application and we believe that it stands to fail because […]

The growing use of GLP-1 medications for weight loss is raising questions about their potential impact on mental health, with a specialist psychiatrist warning that patients need to be closely monitored. Speaking to VOC News, Dr Gagu Matsebula, a specialist psychiatrist, says GLP-1 medicines have been used for around 20 years to treat type 2 diabetes, but their weight-loss benefits have increasingly brought them into the spotlight. He says the […]

South African households, particularly low-income families, are expected to come under further financial pressure as the latest fuel price increases take effect on Wednesday, with higher transport and food costs adding to the strain. Speaking to VOC News, Advocacy Coordinator at the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group, Sibusiso Mboto, says the impact will extend beyond motorists to households relying on paraffin for cooking and other basic needs. “This is […]

Security and policing expert Eldred De Klerk says the City of Cape Town needs to clearly demonstrate how granting municipal police investigative powers would strengthen its existing mandate and improve public safety. Speaking to VOC News, De Klerk says the debate should focus less on political disagreements and more on whether the proposed powers would address the gaps in policing and law enforcement. “The city needs to make its case. […]

The Western Cape E-Hailing Association (WCEA) and Operation Ubuntu are calling for urgent intervention at Cape Town International Airport, amid reports of intimidation and violence involving e-hailing drivers at the airport’s staging area. Operation Ubuntu spokesperson Indiphile Matini says the situation has deteriorated because of what the organisations describe as failures by Uber, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), the Western Cape Department of Mobility and SAPS. Matini says legitimate drivers […]