Oyisa George

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has confirmed the detection of two polio-related virus strains in wastewater samples taken from the Borchards Quarry Wastewater Treatment Plant, prompting heightened surveillance by health authorities. Officials stressed that no human cases or outbreaks have been recorded at this stage. Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale said the findings are being closely monitored as part of routine environmental surveillance systems used to detect […]

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has referred FlySafair to the National Consumer Tribunal over allegations that the airline systematically overbooked and oversold flight tickets in contravention of the Consumer Protection Act. The referral follows an investigation launched after complaints from consumers who claimed they arrived for flights only to be informed that no seats were available because the flights had been overbooked. The NCC said its investigation focused on bookings […]

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has announced a recall affecting hundreds of Jeep vehicles in South Africa due to safety-related defects identified by Stellantis South Africa. The recall affects 354 Jeep Grand Cherokee WL Series vehicles sold during 2023, as well as 115 Jeep Wrangler vehicles sold nationally between 2022 and 2024. According to the NCC, the affected Jeep Grand Cherokee models may experience erratic illumination of the driver seat […]

Consumer inflation rose sharply to 4.0% in April, up from 3.1% in March, with fuel prices driving the increase, according to Statistics South Africa. This marks the highest inflation reading since August 2024, when the headline rate stood at 4.4%, while the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 1.1%. Stats SA data shows fuel prices surged by 18.2% month-on-month — the steepest increase since the current CPI series began […]

Global oil prices have extended recent gains amid renewed geopolitical tensions involving Iran and fears of escalation in the Middle East. Markets are reacting to concerns over potential supply disruptions and the security of key shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz. Energy security and geopolitical analyst Tshepo Kgadima has cautioned against reading too much into the current spike, saying the situation is being driven by short-term panic rather than […]

Three South African universities have approached the High Court in Pretoria in a bid to resolve a long-running dispute with the South African Dental Technicians Council (SADTC) that has halted dental technology training programmes since 2019. The Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Durban University of Technology (DUT), and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) said the impasse over accreditation, assessment, and registration processes has prevented new student intakes for several […]

Civil society organisations have raised concerns over what they describe as critical gaps in the proposed Whistleblower Protection Bill, calling for stronger safeguards and an extension of the deadline for public comment. The Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa, alongside other organisations, has warned that the draft legislation does not go far enough to protect whistleblowers from retaliation, particularly in the workplace. Speaking to VOC News, Executive Director at Corruption […]