AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: The Funding Gap: Why Is It Still So Hard for Women to Get Money?

Entrepreneurship is often sold as the great equaliser — have a good idea, work hard, build a strong business and the money will follow. But for many women entrepreneurs, getting the money to turn that idea into a viable business can be one of the biggest hurdles they face. From bank loans and ventu…

ALLEGED KZN POLICE HIT SQUADS: COMMISSION HEARS CLAIMS OF TARGETED KILLINGS

The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has turned its attention to KwaZulu-Natal, and the evidence being presented is raising deeply troubling questions about the conduct of some police task teams. The commission has heard allegations of police hit squads targeting suspects linked to cash-in-transit ro…

AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: DIABETES: SOUTH AFRICA’S SILENT KILLER

Diabetes is no longer just a chronic condition that South Africans are being warned to manage — new mortality figures show that it has become the country’s leading underlying natural cause of death. Stats SA data shows that diabetes accounted for 27,692 deaths in 2023 — about 5.8% of all recorded d…

EMFULENI: FROM CRISIS TO RECOVERY?

Emfuleni has been battling years of financial pressure, failing infrastructure and poor service delivery, from sewage and water problems to potholes and irregular refuse collection. But in his State of the Municipality Address last week, Executive Mayor Councillor Hassan Mako declared that the muni…

Your Voice, Your Law: South Africans Invited to Comment on Major New Bills

South Africans are being urged to take part in shaping four pieces of legislation that could have significant implications for how the country deals with illegal mining, the legal profession, trusts and incitement to commit serious crimes. Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi says the proposed laws ar…

AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: PUBLIC URINATION: WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT US?

JMPD has issued a warning to people urinating in public, saying those caught could face fines, arrest and even criminal prosecution. It’s a problem we see in many of our cities — on pavements, next to buildings, around transport hubs and in other public spaces. But beyond the embarrassment, the sme…

SA Unemployment Crisis Deepens as Jobless Rate Climbs to 33.6%

South Africa’s unemployment crisis is deepening, with the official unemployment rate climbing to 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026, up from 32.7% in the first quarter. That means another 345,000 people have joined the ranks of the unemployed, taking the total number of unemployed South Africans t…

AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: THE SILENT VOICES THAT FAIL WOMEN: WHY DO WE KEEP LOOKING AWAY FROM GBVF?

GBVF doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Behind many cases are people who knew something was wrong but chose to remain silent; friends who looked the other way, men who refused to challenge other men, women who sometimes protect abusive partners, and institutions that fail victims when they need help most.…

FROM HEALTH ADVOCATE TO CITY HALL: CAN TLALENG MOFOKENG LEAD JOHANNESBURG?

The EFF has entered the race for Johannesburg with a candidate who comes from outside traditional party politics. Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng has been announced as the party’s mayoral candidate for the City of Gold, following the EFF’s manifesto launch in Thohoyandou over the weekend. Mofokeng is a medical…

AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: WOMEN BEYOND IN BLUE, BEYOND THE BADGE

For generations, women in South Africa have fought for the right to be seen, heard and respected in spaces that were once considered the preserve of men. Few professions embody that struggle more than policing. Every day, women in blue put on their uniforms and step into some of the country's most …