JUNE 16 AND THE BETRAYAL OF A GENERATION
![Hordes of students marching against the Bantu Education system and the use of Afrikaans as a medium in schools, during the June 16, 1976, Student Massacres / Soweto Uprisings [Image: GSMN]](https://gsmn.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Soweto-uprising-2-1-1.jpg)
The mother of the nation, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela once brilliantly said: “The power of the people is greater than the people in power.” This is the sentiment that stands out when I think of the youth of 1976. Theirs was, and remains, one of the most profound sacrifices in our nation’s history. Yet today, it feels […]
CONSTITUTION UNCONSTITUTIONAL: A CRITIQUE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S 1996 CONSTITUTIONAL DISPENSATION
The 8th May marked 30 years since South Africa adopted a new constitutional dispensation in 1996 under a democratic order. The constitution is not just a symbolic document. It is the supreme law and the foundation upon which our constitutional democracy rests. Its importance cannot be over emphasised given the country’s history of divisions stemming […]
PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA DISMISSES MINISTER TOLASHE
President Cyril Ramaphosa has in terms of section 91(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,1996, removed Minister Sisisi Tolashe from the position of Minister of Social Development. In the interim, President Ramaphosa has appointed Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga as the acting minister in […]
STOP THE POLITICAL GRANDSTANDING—THE JUDGMENT AGAINST THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IS NOT A VERDICT AGAINST PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA
In the wake of the Constitutional Court’s judgment in Economic Freedom Fighters and Another v Speaker of the National Assembly and Others [2026] ZACC 17, there has been an unseemly rush by certain political parties and individuals; those who have made it their mission to vilify President Cyril Ramaphosa to demand his resignation. Let us […]
SOUTH AFRICA CANNOT ACHIEVE PEACE WITHOUT ENDING GBVF AND FIXING THE ECONOMY
![Gender-based violence and femicide protest in south africa [image: M&G]](https://gsmn.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/37a6bca9-gbv-1024x614-1.jpg)
South Africa speaks often about peace. We celebrate reconciliation. We invoke unity. We remind ourselves of our democratic miracle. But peace is not a slogan — it is a lived reality. And for millions of South Africans, particularly women and young people, that reality remains fragile. If we are honest, South Africa cannot claim peace […]
PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA APPOINTS JUDGES OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
![President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Justice Nambitha Christabel Dambuza-Mayosi and Justice Katharine Mary Savage as Judges of the Constitutional Court [Image : Instagram of News24]](https://gsmn.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/WhatsApp-Image-2026-04-15-at-22.38.18.jpeg)
President Cyril Ramaphosa has in terms of section 174(4) of the Constitution appointed Justice Nambitha Christabel Dambuza-Mayosi and Justice Katharine Mary Savage as Judges of the Constitutional Court with effect from 1 May 2026. As directed by the Constitution, President Ramaphosa has made these appointments after consultation with Chief Justice Mandisa Maya and leaders of […]
PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA DELIVERS THE 2026 STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS
“Seventy years ago, thousands of women of all races marched to the Union Buildings, their hearts beating with a common purpose. Armed with extraordinary cunning and resolve, these women braved police checkpoints and harassment. In a voice loud and clear, they said: “We shall not rest until we have won for our children their fundamental […]
HERE TO STAY: MOTHER TONGUE BILINGUAL LEARNING REINFORCED AS A SILVER BULLET TO SOLVE SA’S DIRE LITERACY CRISIS
2025 has been a watershed year for South Africa’s Mother Tongue-based Bilingual Education (MTbBE) “equaliser” policy. It has also been the year that confirmed the country’s severe literacy crisis. Casting a shadow on South Africa’s ability to achieve its 2030 goal that all 10-year-olds will be able to read for meaning, last week’s release of […]
“STOP ABUSING PEOPLE WHO HAVE ENTRUSTED THEIR FAITH IN YOU”, RELIGIOUS LEADERS WARNED
October 2, 2025 will rank as a great milestone for the community members of faith in the march to bring to a stop the perpetuation of harmful practices of some religious leaders in their congregations. The milestone has been spurred by the Commission for the Promotion and Protection Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Rights (CRL). The […]
NYDA EXECUTIVE CHAIRPERSON AT 80TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
As the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), we were honoured to form part of the South African delegation to the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Week. During this historic gathering, we participated in the high-level plenary meeting commemorating the 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth, reaffirming […]
DIRCO MOURNS HIGH COMMISSIONER TO KENYA, AMB MNINWA MJ MAHLANGU
It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Mr Ronald Lamola, announces the untimely passing of a dedicated family man and public servant, Mr Mninwa Johannes Mahlangu, who passed away on 24 August 2025, on his way to a South African hospital after a short illness. […]
TRAFFICKED, TORTURED AND FORGOTTEN: THE MODERN ENSLAVEMENT OF HUNDREDS OF SOUTH AFRICANS
A mere month ago, it was reported that over 200 South Africans are currently stranded in Thailand, after having been lured into a sophisticated human trafficking ring with the false promise of employment in Myanmar. This comes after 23 South Africans were rescued, following their initial trafficking back in March 2025. They are among thousands […]