Indholdsfortegnelse for 2025-12-02 i Daily News

The pulse of Durban’s streets has hit the global stage once again with the release of New Wave, a 16-track album crafted by Dankie Boi, Blacks Jnr and GoldMax. More than just a collection of songs, New Wave represents a bold evolution of gqom music, a genre born in Durban’s vibrant townships and a central pillar of South African dance culture. Speaking to Independent Media, Dankie Boi, born Mfanafuthi Buthelezi, explained that his approach to the album was rooted in respect for gqom’s origins. “Evolving gqom starts with understanding where it comes from,” he said. “I grew up on that raw, minimal, hard-hitting Durban sound. With New Wave, I did not want to change gqom. I wanted to stretch it, add to new melodies and sounds, but keep the heartbeat…

The High Court in North West frowned upon an application by a bank that tried to repossess a car from a client who fell into arrears with her monthly instalments – all because she had died. Lilian Botsane honoured her monthly instalments with FirstRand Bank to finance her Ford Figo from the moment she bought it in October 2023. Her account remained up to date until her death in January last year. Falling into arrears with the payment, the bank issued a summons against her to repossess the vehicle. When the matter was called, the court was told by Botsane’s elderly parents that she had passed away on January 23, 2024, which was several months before the summons was issued on August 22, the previous year. Her parents, both of…

In a significant political shift, Lucky Montana, the former CEO of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) and a current Member of Parliament for the Umkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP), has officially resigned from his position in the National Assembly. Yesterday, Montana posted on his X account that he had written to the party's parliamentary leadership earlier this year, informing them he intended to vacate his seat. Montana stated that on August 30, he wrote to the now-suspended MKP deputy, Dr. John Hlophe, and the party Chief Whip, Colleen Makhubela, confirming his resignation. "Today my resignation takes effect," Montana wrote. Montana's resignation was confirmed in a statement by MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela saying the party has accepted his resignation. "Montana has served the MK Party with steadfast…

The National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) is disapproving of the proposed return of Dr Thami Mayise as CEO of Victoria Mxenge Hospital (formally known as King Edward VIII Hospital), following ongoing allegations of misconduct and workplace bullying against him. Yesterday, Nehawu's Secretary, Prince Manthane, outlined the union's stance regarding their opposition to Dr Mayise's return. He asserted that the decision to reinstate the doctor was fraught with risks and threatened to undermine the fragile peace at the institution. In September 2023, Nehawu submitted a memorandum of demands to the Department of Health, where they raised concerns about Mayise's conduct as CEO and called for accountability regarding his alleged actions. Following the complaints, an investigation was launched. Initial recommendations pointed towards his removal from office to allow for…

Golden Arrows and AmaZulu will bring down the curtain on the 2025 Betway Premiership calendar when they meet in a high-stakes Durban derby at the King Zwelithini Stadium tonight at 7.30pm. With the AFCON break set to freeze domestic football for weeks, both sides know this final fixture carries the weight of momentum, confidence and local pride. Arrows arrive in the derby placed 10th on the table, while AmaZulu come in sitting 5th. That five-position gap accurately reflects the contrasting journeys of the two sides this season – Arrows searching for stability and identity, AmaZulu steadily building towards a top-four challenge. But derbies rarely obey form lines, and the last match of the year adds a layer of unpredictability that could tilt the encounter either way. For Arrows, the campaign…

South African swimming spent much of the past decade searching for its next wave of global contenders. In 2025, the tide finally turned. A blend of breakout youngsters and resurgent established names produced the most promising season since the eras of Chad le Clos and Tatjana Smith. From Pieter Coetzé’s surge onto the world stage to Kaylene Corbett’s first international medal and Rebecca Meder’s World Cup consistency, the sport’s talent pipeline flowed strongly again. Coetzé announces himself as SA’s next male superstar For years, Coetzé has been earmarked as South Africa’s next major men’s swimmer. In 2025, he delivered on that promise. The twenty-one-year-old backstroke specialist produced a breakthrough season of world-class times, calm race execution and a new mental edge. At the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, the Tuks…

South Africa’s franchises will shift their focus to the European club rugby competitions this coming weekend as the EPCR Champions Cup and Challenge Cups kick off. The Stormers, Bulls and Sharks will have the tough task of fronting up in the Champions Cup against the elite clubs of Europe, while the Lions and Cheetahs will fly the flag in the Challenge Cup. Following losses in their latest United Rugby Championship (URC) matches, the challenge won’t get any easier for the Bulls and the Sharks, who both have to contend with French Top 14 sides on Saturday, while the travelling Cape side will also faces Bayonne on Friday evening. Loftus Versfeld will welcome Bordeaux-Bègles on Saturday in what should be a top clash between the two teams. The Bulls are still…

South African rapper Emtee recently announced on X that he is preparing to release what he says will be his last album. He wrote, “I’m dropping my last album soon. I’m gonna focus on running my label. It was nice while it lasted.” Fans responded with shock and a mix of humour. One wrote, “It’s going to be tough to see Emtee’s journey come to an end ... I’m very disappointed his music has been a huge part of my life, and it’s going to be weird not hearing new stuff from him.” Another quipped, “The album better consist of 124 songs with a deluxe of 67 more songs, otherwise you are not going anywhere.” A third simply said, “You owe us a lot of songs, Mthembeni.” Emtee’s discography reflects…

Durban is fully prepared to welcome 1.3 million visitors this festive season, with swimming facilities along the beachfront now ready and operational, according to the eThekwini Municipality The city has completed maintenance and refilling of all swimming pools along the promenade, including the Children’s Amusement Centre pool, South Beach paddling pool and Laguna swimming pool, in ensuring a safe environment for bathers. Repairs have also been finalised at two facilities in Illovu and Asherville, which facilitates their reopening after suffering extensive damage. In a statement released on Monday, the municipality assured that bathing beaches were safe for swimming. "The beach water quality continues to be constantly monitored by a team of expert scientists at all beaches to ensure that Durban complies with water quality and safety standards. At present, all…

The government’s announcement last year that special schools will be spared from the latest education budget cuts has brought relief in some circles. At the same time, that announcement raised an important question: does preserving funding for special schools truly advance the rights of learners with disabilities? At face value, the decision appears protective, but it overlooked deeper systemic challenges within South Africa’s education system. Rather than easing the crisis, it risks intensifying long-standing barriers to quality education for learners with disabilities. Inclusive education remains a central policy commitment grounded in equity and access, but implementation has been uneven, and budget constraints threaten to widen existing gaps. As South Africa marks Disability Awareness Month (November 3 to December 3), this piece seeks to contribute to the national conversation on disability…

Ahead of the second Ashes Test, Marnus Labuschagne highlighted Usman Khawaja’s sustained excellence but avoided offering an opinion on whether the veteran should be retained for this week’s pink-ball game at The Gabba. Despite nearing 39-year old, Khawaja remains central to Australia’s Ashes considerations, with team insiders continuing to value his experience and reliability. Since regaining his Test spot four years ago, Khawaja has outscored every other Australian in the format and stands as the only batter in the current squad to feature in all three previous pink-ball Tests at the Gabba. “Usman’s a high-quality player,” Labuschagne said, ahead of Australia’s training session yesterday. “You look at his record … what he’s done for Australian cricket. Especially since he’s come back, he’s been super consistent; he’s really been the rock…

Four-time league champion Gavin Hunt believes the title race is finally poised for a genuine contest, with Orlando Pirates emerging as a serious challenger to Mamelodi Sundowns’ long-standing dominance. The Durban City coach, who last lifted the league trophy with Bidvest Wits in the 2016/17 season, says the Buccaneers’ depth and schedule give them a clear competitive edge this time around. Speaking after his side were beaten by the Sea Robbers over the weekend in Durban, Hunt gave his verdict on Pirates’ title chances. “When you look at this Pirates squad, over the last three years, I think they have huge impact players, which makes the difference,” he said. For Hunt, that difference becomes even more significant when viewed alongside Pirates’ absence from continental football. “You combine that with them…

ThE saga around Ithala Bank's future as a KwaZulu-Natal-based financial institution might be advancing towards a potential turning point as various key stakeholders work towards a resolution. Hopes of Ithala's survival were made known during a media briefing session held at the KZN Premier Thami Ntuli's office in Durban on Monday. One of the outstanding outcomes delivered at the session was the announcement that Ithala's clientele would soon be able to access their funds that had been frozen for nearly a year. Ithala was reported to be insolvent in early 2023, resulting in an application from the Prudential Authority (PA) for the institution’s liquidation, a move that threatened to place depositors' investments at risk. Earlier this year, Ithala clients' accounts were frozen. To fix Ithala and secure its buoyancy, attention…

“Common solutions to shared problems” is the bold declaration made by the leaders at the G20 Summit held in South Africa recently. Here, the world’s most influential nations committed to multilateral co-operation, macro policy co-ordination, global partnerships for sustainable development, and solidarity. This stance was particularly pertinent in South Africa, where more than 85% of total net financial assets are owned by a mere 10% of the population. The question on the minds of business owners in the coming year is likely to be: How can I scale up my business? How do I grow revenue, expand reach, and essentially level up? Fayez Raidan, Managing Director at Global Free Trade, who manages exports from Durban through a trade corridor between South Africa and the UK, emphasised that it was all…

Five suspects accused of luring five men to Russia for gun training programmes appeared in Kempton Park Magistrate's Court yesterday. Among the suspects was a SAFM radio presenter, attached to the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). Nonkululeko Mantula, 39, who hosts the morning show "The Morning Bliss", which is aired between 3am and 5am on weekdays, was charged alongside Thulani Mazibuko, 24, Xolani Ntuli, 47, Siphamandla Tshabalala, 23, and Sfiso Mabena, 21, for the contravention of the regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act. Mantula and the other four have been detained in custody pending a formal bail application in seven days. The suspects were arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) over the weekend. Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale said the arrests followed a tip-off received from the…

The 20th Summit of the G20 held in Johannesburg, the first on African soil, offered a snapshot of shifting global power in ways that reinforce the need for sustainable focus, mutual solidarity and unity in Africa and the Global South. The US, the biggest economy in the world, elected to snub the summit over its unsubstantiated ideological diplomatic criticism of South Africa. Washington’s absence, viewed from the massive attendance of the G20 members, highlights its waning influence, silent differences with many leaders who attended the summit, or a misreading of the contemporary geopolitical moment related to a rejection of transactional bilateralism in preference for equal, mutually representative, and beneficial multilateralism. The Trump administration has indicated that South Africa may not be invited to the G20 processes and summit to…

Marco Jansen fondly remembers the first time he encountered Indian legend Virat Kohli. Still a gangling teenager back then, Jansen and his identical twin brother, Duan, were called up to be “net bowlers” to the touring India squad at a Wanderers training session. Despite not being called on during the first day, the Jansen brothers waited patiently before getting their chance the next day. “There were two days at the Wanderers. The first day was both my brother and myself, we didn’t bowl a single ball or we bowled like the last 20 minutes,” Jansen said, after the Proteas’ 17-run defeat to India in the first ODI in Ranchi. “And then in those 20 minutes, I think Ravi Shastri was the coach back then. He asked us to please…

Mikel Arteta insisted Arsenal deserved respect after the English Premier League leaders battled to a bruising 1-1 draw with title rivals Chelsea at the end of a gruelling week. Arteta’s injury-hit side salvaged a point at Stamford Bridge thanks to Mikel Merino’s 59th-minute header. It took everything Arsenal had to emerge unscathed after fired-up Chelsea ignored Moises Caicedo’s 38th-minute red card and took the lead through Trevoh Chalobah’s 48th-minute header. Arteta was especially impressed with Arsenal’s display because they started a Premier League match without injured centre-backs William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes for the first time this season. Martin Odegaard and Viktor Gyokeres were only fit enough for the bench, while Leandro Trossard was also absent due to injury. In the circumstances, Arteta was delighted to see his team refuse…

Mamelodi Sundowns could be heading into one of the sternest examinations of their eight-year rule over the Betway Premiership. Fresh from their latest continental assignments, they approach the end of the calendar year needing to make up ground – a situation that has become unfamiliar for a side accustomed to leading from the front. The Brazilians will meet Siwelele FC in a Betway Premiership match tomorrow at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium (7.30pm kick-off), where they will attempt to close the three-point gap that Orlando Pirates have opened. Both teams have played 12 matches, but Pirates currently enjoy a three-point advantage, adding extra urgency to Sundowns’ midweek assignment. Although the league table may imply that Miguel Cardoso’s side should cruise through this contest – an assumption strengthened by the depth…