FA News | 20 January 2026 The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), an entity of the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (INSETA) to advance skills development, innovation, and capacity-building within the insurance sector and related industries. The MoU was signed on Thursday 18 December in Johannesburg. Through this five-year agreement the two entiti

The Citizen | 21 January 2026 Trades and technical skills are proving more practical than many traditional degrees. It is a useful and timely reminder from the Kagiso Trust that young people and new matriculants should consider 99 occupations which are in high demand and which they can qualify for through technical and vocational education. Kagiso Trust CEO Mankodi Moitse says the reality is that the economy is crying out for skilled workers across numerous sectors. Of the 35

Alex Hogg | 20 January 2026 Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) remains one of the most polarising policies in post-apartheid South Africa. Supporters argue it is essential for correcting historical injustice, while critics contend it has become economically destructive and socially corrosive. In a candid interview with Alec Hogg, Gerhard Papenfus, Chief Executive of the National Employers’ Association of South Africa (NEASA), sets out why he believes BEE has failed to deliver m

Thulani Dasa | 18 January 2026 The minister of labour must introduce clear, strategic interventions to decisively reduce South Africa’s unacceptably high unemployment. This cannot remain a discussion exercise while millions of citizens are locked out of economic participation. We must urgently identify basic and entry-level jobs that should be prioritised for only South African citizens. Fuel station attendants are often foreign nationals. On farms, in restaurants and in othe

IOL News - Journal News | 14 January 2026 The Department of Employment and Labour said the submission would mark the first year in the submission of EE Reports since the amendment of the EE Act that now requires designated employers to prepare and implement EE Plans for the period from 1 September 2025 until 31 August 2030. The department explained that the Employment Equity Amendment Act, No. 4 of 2022, became operational from 1 January 2025. Since then, two sets of EE Regul

Creamer Media | 14 January 2026 In response to an increasingly complex regulatory and policy environment, senior leaders across South Africa’s mining and original equipment manufacturing (OEM) sectors are being invited to participate in two focused, outcomes-driven workshops to be held on February 5, 2026, in Johannesburg. Hosted by the industry association OEM Mining Supply Forum in collaboration with the Minerals Council South Africa, the workshops are positioned as strateg

Yuneal Padayachy | 14 January 2026 As we move into the new year, we do so with optimism and energy to deliver impact through Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) legislation. 2025 has seen a number of debates surrounding B-BBEE legislation, some positive, some negative, but nevertheless under the spotlight in various ways. The year of 2025 introduced new concepts such as the Enterprise and Supplier Development Fund by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competiti

Duma Gqubule | 13 January 2026 Flawed methodologies behind mining’s empowerment claims. In his 2024 state of the nation address President Cyril Ramaphosa said the participation of black people in the mining industry was increasing. “Black ownership stands at approximately 39% ... compared with 2% in 2004,” he said. Last month, during a discussion about Anglo American’s merger with Canadian company Teck Resources, which I opposed and he supported, mining minister Gwede Mantash

Marcus Moloko | 12 January 2026 SpaceX founder and chief executive Elon Musk has renewed his criticism of South Africa’s telecommunications rules, claiming his satellite internet service Starlink is being kept out of the country because he is “not black”. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk said: “Starlink is not allowed to have an internet provider license in South Africa for the sole reason that I am not black. This is not OK.” Musk’s comments followed his appearance at

Tara Roos | 6 January 2026 Land reform and rural development minister Mzwanele Nyhontso has disclosed that forensic audits into farm equity schemes are happening, with the department pursuing fund recovery and considering further investigations into corruption. This follows a written question in the National Assembly by MK MP Andile Mngxitama, who asked what measures are in place to address corruption benefiting white farmers and to secure justice for farmworkers. Farm equity

Infrastructure News | 5 January 2026 Speaking at Water Wise’s Drop-by-Drop Water Conservation Outreach Project in Soweto – Nkanyezi Blose, project manager, EWSETA – highlights that communities are central to building a sustainable future. The Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA) is one of South Africa’s 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) established under the Skills Development Act. “We are proud to work together with all of th

Fast Company Contributor | 6 January 2026 Elon Musk’s SpaceX has unleashed one of the most ambitious consumer broadband experiments in history, beaming high-speed internet from low-Earth orbit via its Starlink satellite constellation. Globally, the service now counts millions of subscribers across roughly 100 markets. Yet in Africa, a region where affordable, reliable internet could transform economies, Starlink’s rollout is proving far more turbulent than the hype suggested

Molefe Seeletsa | 5 January 2026 The ANC veteran urged them to take initiative and actively seek employment, rather than basking in the sun. Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has come under fire after suggesting that South Africans have become overly reliant on the state. His remarks, made during an interview on Sunday ahead of the ANC’s 8 January birthday celebrations, have sparked widespread debate online. Mantashe argued that the ANC has often downpl

Mthobisi Nozulela | 8 December 2025 Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana has revealed that hundreds of companies that were flagged for blacklisting by the government are still under review, with only 18 formally restricted so far. This comes as the government looks to crack down on corruption, fraud, and non-performance in public procurement. Last month, the Minister of Public Works & Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, also said that 40 contractors had been blacklisted since Ju

SAHRC | 3 December 2025 Today we commemorate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities under the theme “Fostering disability inclusive societies for advancing social progress.” This theme speaks directly to South Africa’s ongoing journey. Our Constitution guarantees the rights, dignity and equal protection of all people. Yet for many persons with disabilities, these rights remain unrealised in daily life. South Africa has strong policies and a substantial legal frame

TygerBurger | 3 December 2025 CAPE TOWN – South African workplaces are failing to deliver on the promise of inclusion for persons with disabilities, despite legal obligations under the Employment Equity Act (EEA) and global commitments such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). According to the 25th Commission for Employment Equity (CEE) Report, persons with disabilities make up only 1.4% of the workforce, well below the national 3% target.

Siphiwe Ndlovu and Zweli Zwane | 3 December 2025 The policy is not perfect, but it needs to be improved, not abandoned. Recent media commentary has featured calls to scrap the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Act, with critics arguing it has only benefited a small, connected elite. While the policy is not perfect, discarding it entirely would be a severe setback for redressing historical economic injustice and building an inclusive society. BBBEE’s objectives ex

Mayibongwe Maqhina | 27 November 2025 Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau on Wednesday revealed that the review of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) will be executed in two phases. Responding during a question-and-answer session to DA MP Toby Chance in the National Assembly, Tau detailed the dual-pronged approach aimed at refining and realigning South Africa's economic empowerment framework. He said the first phase will be a short-term review,

Shaun Jacobs | 28 November 2025 The government is set to make changes to Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) legislation after a two-phase review in the coming years to understand the outcomes of the policy framework.  This comes after BEE has come under increasing criticism from business leaders, lobby groups, and parties within the Government of National Unity (GNU). Many, including the DA, have called for BEE to be replaced with means-based redistribution policies to improve

Johan Fourie | 26 November 2025 For all their differences, BEE and apartheid are subject to the same hard logic of economics and politics. South Africa’s history has a way of circling back on itself. Four decades ago an oppressive racial order began to crack under the weight of economic pressure. Today, a different policy — BEE — faces scrutiny as its own unintended consequences mount. It is crucial not to confuse the two. Apartheid was a heinous system designed to entrench r