After 8 Is After 8: When winning becomes everything — the pressure on young athletes

Imagine a child who spends hours training, sacrifices weekends with friends, balances schoolwork with competitive sport and knows that a place in the first team could determine their future opportunities. Now imagine that same child making a mistake during an important match. Instead of simply bein…

ConCourt Rules in ANC’s Favour in Candidate List Dispute

The African National Congress has won a major legal battle against the Electoral Commission of South Africa, with the Constitutional Court ruling in its favour in a dispute over 181 of its candidates who were excluded from contesting the upcoming local government elections. At the centre of this di…

After 8 is After 8: What Is Fear Stopping You From Doing?

Imagine looking back on your life ten years from now and realising that some of the things you wanted most never happened — not necessarily because you lacked the talent, the qualifications, the resources or the opportunity, but because you were too afraid to try. Afraid to fail. Afraid to be rejec…

THE COUNTDOWN TO THE POLLS — IS THE IEC READY?

South Africa is officially in the final stretch towards the 2026 Local Government Elections, with just 21 days to go before voters head to the polls on the 4th of November. The Electoral Commission says preparations are gathering pace, with more than 66 percent of the country's 79 million ballot pa…

SASSA Sets the Record Straight: Who Qualifies for Social Grants in South Africa?

South Africa’s social grant system is once again at the centre of a heated debate, particularly as tensions around immigration and access to public services continue to rise. There are growing concerns among some South Africans about whether foreign nationals are benefiting from social grants while…

AFTER 8 IS AFTER 8: MATERNAL BUFFERING — WHEN MOTHERS GO WITHOUT SO THEIR CHILDREN CAN EAT

There is a reality many mothers live with but rarely talk about — going without so their children don’t have to. It’s a phenomenon known as maternal buffering, where mothers sacrifice their own basic needs, including food and water, to ensure their children have something to eat and drink. When the…

Ekurhuleni Women’s Murders: Does the Latest Arrest Bring the Family Closer to Justice?

The arrest of three suspects in connection with the smartwatch belonging to murdered Kempton Park runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo has brought a new development in a case that has left a family grieving and a community demanding answers. The 38- year-old mother was last seen on 9 September wh…

When a Teacher Becomes a Threat: Educator Dismissed for Harassing Learner with Special Needs

Teachers are entrusted with the responsibility of educating, guiding and protecting learners, particularly those who may be more vulnerable and require additional support. But what happens when the very person entrusted with that responsibility crosses the line? A Western Cape teacher has been dism…

After 8 is After 8: The Long Walk to Learn — Is Scholar Transport Reaching the Children Who Need It?

For thousands of South African schoolchildren, the journey to education begins with a long walk. Before the sun rises, children in rural villages and under-resourced communities are already on the road, walking kilometres to get to school. Some travel along isolated roads, others navigate busy hig…

Thulani Shongwe: Is He Ready to Govern Ekurhuleni?

The race to govern Ekurhuleni is heating up ahead of South Africa’s local government elections, with political parties putting forward candidates who say they have what it takes to turn the city around. Among them is Thulani Shongwe, a Member of Parliament representing the uMkhonto weSizwe Party, w…