AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: FROM KRAALS TO CONCRETE: IS URBANISATION CHANGING HOW WE CONNECT WITH OUR HERITAGE?

For generations, the idea of “home” for many South African families has meant more than the house where you grew up. It could mean the rural homestead — the place where your grandparents lived, where family rituals were performed, where the umsamo was kept, where the kraal formed part of the homest…

Financial Sector Conduct Authority ( Ms. Alicia Moses - Designation: Manager: Consumer Education, FSCA )

For millions of South Africans, the Two-Pot Retirement System has changed the way we think about our retirement savings. Since 2024, members have been able to access a portion of their retirement savings when they need financial relief. And when you're dealing with debt, school fees, household expe…

REVISITING THE FLAG DEBATE ON HERITAGE DAY ( Bandile Magibili )

Every time we see the South African flag flying, particularly during Heritage Month, we’re reminded of the country we became in 1994 — a country emerging from apartheid and attempting to build a new national identity. But how much do we actually know about the history behind the flag itself? The of…

AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: HOW ARE WE GRIEVING AS A COUNTRY?

South Africa is a country that has experienced a tremendous amount of loss. We lose people to illness, accidents, crime, suicide and violence — and for many families, one loss can come before they have even had the opportunity to process the one that came before it. Yet life carries on. We go back …

Mpox Cases Rise to 22 in South Africa: What You Need to Know

South Africa’s confirmed Mpox cases have now risen from 18 to 22, with four new laboratory-confirmed infections recorded as of Tuesday. The majority of the cases are concentrated in the Western Cape, which accounts for 18 of the 22 cases, while Gauteng has recorded three and KwaZulu-Natal one. One …

Political Parties sign IEC’s Electoral Code of Conduct. Can it restore trust?

With just 42 days to go before South Africans head to the polls for the local government elections, political parties and independent candidates have now put pen to paper, committing themselves to the IEC’s Electoral Code of Conduct. On the face of it, signing a code may sound like a routine part o…

AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: Are Our Screens Changing Our Eyes? The Global Rise of Myopia

We spend hours looking at screens — our phones, tablets, laptops and televisions. And for children, that screen time is increasingly happening from a very young age. But could the way we live — spending more time indoors and focusing on things close to our faces — actually be changing the way our e…

Dr Bandile Masuku, Chairperson of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature's Portfolio Committee on Community Safety

What does it tell us about crime in Gauteng when one precinct records 76 kidnapping cases in a single quarter? And perhaps more importantly, what sits behind that number? The latest SAPS statistics show that Kempton Park recorded 76 kidnappings between April and June 2026, compared with 48 in the s…

CAN CAPE TOWN UNLOCK MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS? ( Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis )

The housing crisis in Cape Town is about more than simply building houses — it is also about where people can afford to live, how close they are to jobs and whether the city has enough affordable rental stock to keep up with demand. Today, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says the City wants to u…

AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: Should Matric Dances Be Scrapped — Or Should Learners Have To Earn The Right To Celebrate?

For many South African teenagers, the matric dance is one of those moments they have been dreaming about for years. The dress, the suit, the photographs, arriving with your friends, celebrating the end of 12 years of schooling — it is supposed to be a night to remember. But should that celebration …