It is important for Home Affairs to understand that they are dealing with actual people’s lives. This is a life-altering case and was supposed to be treated like one. Officials must act fairly, lawfully, and in alignment with our constitutional principles. The Minister and the DG must be ashamed for even allowing this case to get to court.  References [1] https://groundup.org.za/article/judge-slams-home-affairs-for-unintelligible-illogical-babble-in-gay-case/ [2] https://mg.co.za/article/2016-09-13-homophobic-home-affairs-officials-government-sanctioned-discrimination/  [3] https://www.sahrc.org.za/index.php/sahrc-media/news/item/428-home-affairs-supports-petition-against-homophobic-pastor  [4] https://za.boell.org/en/2018/10/11/double-challenge-lgbti-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-south-africa 

Beneficiaries of the old age grant, child support grant, disability grant, and care dependency grant are being unfairly punished for Sassa’s incompetence in ensuring that the social grants system works as it should.    Since 2022, social grant beneficiaries have experienced various issues getting their grants, from system glitches to delayed payments [1] that left beneficiaries stranded. More recently, Sassa released a number of media statements stating that some beneficiaries would need to undergo biometric tests for identity verification [2] and later that grants for over 210,000 people would be delayed in June 2025 [3].  Sassa also claimed to have contacted beneficiaries who would need to present themselves at their offices for identity verification. However, some recipients who have experienced difficulties have not received any form of communication from Sassa. Sassa continues to be unreachable and provide confusing, inaccessible information. They continue ignoring emails asking for clarity and do not take phone calls. Now, the National Treasury has ordered Sassa to use the unfair and exclusionary SRD grant regulations on the social grants system [4]. Taking lessons from the SRD grant regulations, we know that many people have been unfairly denied the grant because they received small amounts of money from friends and family members, which Sassa would then classify as a ‘source of income’. The current qualifying threshold for the grant is R624, but even if a person receives a lesser amount in their bank accounts, they still get declined for the grant for that month.  In January 2025, the Pretoria High Court ruled the regulations unconstitutional and invalid in a court case brought by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) and #PayTheGrants [5]. If the SRD regulations are used on the social grants system, many people will be kicked off grants, even if they qualify. Social grants will remain a necessity for as long as our people continue to suffer in poverty. Join the campaign to demand dignified lives for those who cannot access economic opportunities and support themselves and their families. [1] Sassa payment problems fixed, Postbank says, Garth Theunissen for Business Day, 7 November 2025. [2] Mandatory biometric verification for Sassa clients without standard ID numbers, Shonisani Tshikalange for TimesLive, 29 April 2025. [3] Over 200,000 social grant beneficiaries flagged for fraud by SASSA, June payments delayed, Simon Majadibodu for IOL, 2 June 2025. [4] Budget: Changes ahead for R370-a-month SRD grant, Marecia Damons for GroundUp, 21 May 2025. [5] Explosive court ruling on SRD grant, Marecia Damons for GroundUp, 24 January 2025.

Ngokuhamba kweminyaka, izinhlangano eziningi ziye zakha ingcindezi yomphakathi yokunyusa nokuhlanganisa izibonelelo zikahulumeni. Kodwa noma ngabe sithola ukwenyuswa okukhulu kwesibonelelo sikahulumeni ebesikufuna, izindleko zokuphila zizobukela phansi lokhu kunqoba futhi zigcine abantu bempofu. U-R370 awenele ukuya kwinhlolokhono yomsebenzi noma ukuqala ibhizinisi elincane, ingasaphathwa eyokuthenga ukudla okwanele kwenyanga. Isibonelelo Sikahulumeni Sezingane singaphansi Komugqa Wobumpofu Bokudla. Sesikhathele yizitolo ezinkulu ezifana noShoprite ezishaya sengathi zinakekela abathengi ekubeni zinganyusa intengo yokudla ngaphandle kokukhombisa ukuthi lokhu kuzwakala kuvumelekile. Lesi yisinyathelo esisodwa nje sokuxazulula inkinga yendlala ekhona ezweni. Kusekuningi okusamele kwenziwe. Funda kabanzi ngakho kuwebhusayithi ye-Union Against Hunger lapha: https://unionagainsthunger.org/ Hlala ubukele ikhasi lethu lemicimbi ukuze ubone ukuthi ikhona yini imicimbi eyenzekayo ngaphakathi naseduze kwakho: https://awethu.amandla.mobi/petitions/shoprite-bring-your-food-prices-down/events https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BljI1fBr2Ys References [1] Being part of the Shoprite team. https://www.shopriteholdings.co.za/careers/being-part-of-the-shoprite-team.html?p=6 [2] Shoprite CEO is SA’s best-paid retail boss as package hits R83m, by Nompilo Goba for Business Day, 15 October 2024. https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/companies/retail-and-consumer/2024-10-15-shoprite-ceo-is-sas-best-paid-retail-boss-as-package-hits-r83m/#:~:text=At%20Shoprite%2C%20the%20CEO%20earns,%2C%20Clicks%2C%20Truworths%20and%20Spar. [3] Pick n Pay agrees to cap some prices amid investigations into alleged price gouging. Business Tech. 15 March 2021 [4] Advocate-Double-Discounted-List-of-Ten-Best-Buy-Foods. https://dgmt.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Advocate-Double-Discounted-List-of-Ten-Best-Buy-Foods-V2-Online.pdf

Mengwangeng ye e fetilgo, mekgatlo e mentši e ile ya ikopaganya go bea kgateletšo tabeng ya go oketšwa ga thušo ya tšhelete ya batho (social grants). Efela, tšhelete yeo e okeditšwego go di social grant e sale ye nnyane kudu ka gore ditshenyagalelo tša bophelo (cost of living) di godimo go fetiša. Grant ya R370 ga ya lekana go ka tšeya maeto a poledišano ya mešomo (job interviews), go thoma kgwebo, goba go lefelela dijo tšeo di ka fetšago kgwedi. Grant ya bana e ka tlase ga Food Poverty Line.  Re bile le mo go lekanego ka taba ya gore dikgwebo tše kgolo tša dijo tša go swana le Shoprite di tšwele pele go ikgakantšha mabapi le taba ya gore ditheko tša bona tša dijo di godimo moo e le go gore setšhaba ga se kgone go ka lefelela. Ye ke kgato fela ya mathomo go rarabolola bothata bja tlala mo nageng ya rena. Go nale mo gontši kudu mo go sa swanetšego go dirwa. Bala ka botlalo ka taba moralong wa khomputara (website) ya Union Against hunger mo: https://unionagainsthunger.org/ Dula o lebeletše letlakala la rena la ditiragalo tša rena tšeo di lego kgaufi le wena mo: https://awethu.amandla.mobi/petitions/shoprite-bring-your-food-prices-down/events

Apha eminyakeni edlulileyo, kudala imibutho emininzi ye Civil Society inyanzelisa urhulumente ukuba anyuse iiSocial Grants. Kodwa nokuba bezinokunyuswa iiSocial Grants, azinokwenza mehluko ukuba izinga lokuphila siliyeka libenamaxabiso aphezulu ngoluhlobo.Ukuba izinga lempilo lizawubanamaxabiso aphakame ngoluhlobo, abantu bayawuhlala behluphekile kwaye bephila ngendlala. Kwale granti yeR370, ayonelanga ukuba abantu baye kwii interview semisebenzi okanye baqale amashishini abo. Le granti yeR370 ayonelanga ukuba abantu bathenge ukutya kwaye negranti yabantwana ingaphantsi komgca we ntlupheko (ukutsho oko ke ipoverty line). Sidikiwe ngoobhazabhaza beevenkile zokutya abazenza ngathi babakhathalele abathengi kodwa bahlala benyusa amaxabiso okutya naxa kungekho sizathu sokwenza njalo.  Funda kabanzi nge Union Against Hunger kule website https://unionagainsthunger.org/ Hlala nathi kwi-events page yethu, ujonge ukuba akhomicimbi yenzekayo ongaza kuyo na https://awethu.amandla.mobi/petitions/shoprite-bring-your-food-prices-down/events https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BljI1fBr2Ys References [1] Being part of the Shoprite team. https://www.shopriteholdings.co.za/careers/being-part-of-the-shoprite-team.html?p=6 [2] Shoprite CEO is SA’s best-paid retail boss as package hits R83m, by Nompilo Goba for Business Day, 15 October 2024. https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/companies/retail-and-consumer/2024-10-15-shoprite-ceo-is-sas-best-paid-retail-boss-as-package-hits-r83m/#:~:text=At%20Shoprite%2C%20the%20CEO%20earns,%2C%20Clicks%2C%20Truworths%20and%20Spar. [3] Pick n Pay agrees to cap some prices amid investigations into alleged price gouging. Business Tech. 15 March 2021 [4] Advocate-Double-Discounted-List-of-Ten-Best-Buy-Foods. https://dgmt.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Advocate-Double-Discounted-List-of-Ten-Best-Buy-Foods-V2-Online.pdf

Dilemong tse fitileng, mekhatlo e mengata e hahile khatello ea sechaba ea ho eketsa le ho tlatselletsa dithuso tsa sechaba. Empa leha re ka fumana dikeketso tse kgolo tsa dithuso tsa setjhaba tseo esale re di batla, ditjeho tsa bophelo di tla nyenyefatsa diphenyo tsena mme di boloke batho ba le bofutsaneng. R370 ha e lekane ho ea dipuisanong tsa mosebetsi kapa ho qala khoebo e nyane, re sa bue ka ho reka lijo tse lekaneng khoeli. Thuso ea grant ea Bana e ka tlase ho mola oa bofuma ba dijo. Re khathetse ke disuphamakete tse kang Shoprite tse iketsang eka di hlokomela bareki athe ba ka nyolla ditheko tsa bona tsa dijo ntle le ho bontša hore keketseho eo e nepahetse. Ena ke mohato o le mong feela oa ho rarolla bothata ba tlala bo teng naheng ena. Ho na le tse ding tse ngata tse ntseng di lokela ho etsoa. Bala haholoanyane ka eona webosaeteng ea Union Against Hunger mona: https://unionagainsthunger.org/ Dula u mametse leqephe la rona la diketsahalo ho bona hore na ho na le diketsahalo tse etsahalang ka hare le haufi le uena: https://awethu.amandla.mobi/petitions/shoprite-bring-your-food-prices-down/events https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BljI1fBr2Ys References [1] Being part of the Shoprite team. https://www.shopriteholdings.co.za/careers/being-part-of-the-shoprite-team.html?p=6 [2] Shoprite CEO is SA’s best-paid retail boss as package hits R83m, by Nompilo Goba for Business Day, 15 October 2024. https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/companies/retail-and-consumer/2024-10-15-shoprite-ceo-is-sas-best-paid-retail-boss-as-package-hits-r83m/#:~:text=At%20Shoprite%2C%20the%20CEO%20earns,%2C%20Clicks%2C%20Truworths%20and%20Spar. [3] Pick n Pay agrees to cap some prices amid investigations into alleged price gouging. Business Tech. 15 March 2021 [4] Advocate-Double-Discounted-List-of-Ten-Best-Buy-Foods. https://dgmt.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Advocate-Double-Discounted-List-of-Ten-Best-Buy-Foods-V2-Online.pdf

Over the years, many organisations have built public pressure to increase and top up social grants. But even if we get the significant social grant increases we have been demanding, the cost of living will undermine these victories and keep people in poverty. The R370 is hardly enough to travel to a job interview or start a small business, let alone buy enough food for the month. The Child Support Grant is way below the Food Poverty Line.  We are tired of supermarkets like Shoprite pretending to care for consumers when they can increase their food prices without showing that the increase is justified. This is just one step to solving the current hunger crisis in the country. There is a whole lot more that still needs to be done. Read more about it on the Union Against Hunger website here: https://unionagainsthunger.org/ Stay tuned to our events page to see if any events are happening in and around you: https://awethu.amandla.mobi/petitions/shoprite-bring-your-food-prices-down/events https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BljI1fBr2Ys References [1] Being part of the Shoprite team. https://www.shopriteholdings.co.za/careers/being-part-of-the-shoprite-team.html?p=6 [2] This is according to the Shoprite Group’s 2024 Annual Financial Statement, which put their profit at R6.2 billion at the end of 2024 and R5.9 billion at the end of 2023. https://www.shopriteholdings.co.za/docs/shp-afs-2024.pdf (Page 19).  [3] Shoprite CEO is SA’s best-paid retail boss as package hits R83m, by Nompilo Goba for Business Day, 15 October 2024. https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/companies/retail-and-consumer/2024-10-15-shoprite-ceo-is-sas-best-paid-retail-boss-as-package-hits-r83m/#:~:text=At%20Shoprite%2C%20the%20CEO%20earns,%2C%20Clicks%2C%20Truworths%20and%20Spar. [4] 15 million South Africans don’t get enough to eat every day: 4 solutions by The Conversation, 26 February 2025. https://theconversation.com/15-million-south-africans-dont-get-enough-to-eat-every-day-4-solutions-250700#:~:text=At%20least%2015%20million%20South,die%20from%20malnutrition%20each%20year [5] Pick n Pay agrees to cap some prices amid investigations into alleged price gouging. Business Tech. 15 March 2021 [6] Advocate-Double-Discounted-List-of-Ten-Best-Buy-Foods. https://dgmt.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Advocate-Double-Discounted-List-of-Ten-Best-Buy-Foods-V2-Online.pdf

Health activists, everyday people, and health experts have gathered year after year to demand an increase on the Sugary Drinks Tax. It’s time that Godongwana and Treasury listen! Every year that Treasury delays increasing the Sugary Drinks Tax to its most effective 20% rate, it chooses to lose R2.7 billion in revenue, money that the country desperately needs. The sugar industry has tried different tactics to delay and scrap the Sugary Drinks Tax. They even went as far as to exaggerate statistics regarding claims that the Sugary Drinks Tax causes job losses, when research from Trade and Industry Policy Strategies found otherwise [1]. We call on Treasury and Minister Godongwana to finally listen to us and increase the Sugary Drinks Tax. You cannot continue to put industry profits before people’s health.  References [1] Researchers challenge cane growers’ claims that sugar tax killed jobs, by Tamar Kahn for Business Day, 11 June 2024

Why Should Bergview Past Pupils Sign the Petition? Because we know what it should feel like to be safe at school. Because we walked those corridors. Sat in those classrooms. Because we were once those learners — and we know they deserve better. Signing the petition is not just about showing solidarity. It’s about standing up against the gross violations of learner safety happening at our former school. It’s about using our voices and influence to demand accountability, change, and protection for the next generation. We cannot be silent while learners are unsafe in a place meant to empower them. Let’s make sure Bergview lives up to the values it taught us. South African schools have a legal and constitutional duty to safeguard the safety and well-being of all learners. Section 28(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa asserts that “a child’s best interests are of paramount importance in every matter concerning the child.” This principle is operationalized through the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996, which obligates schools to implement reasonable measures ensuring learner safety on school premises and during school activities. The Children’s Act 38 of 2005 further mandates that any individual responsible for a child—including educators and school governing bodies—must protect them from maltreatment, abuse, neglect, and degradation.​ Judicial interpretations have reinforced these obligations. In the case of MEC for Education, North West Province v Izak Boshoff Foster and Others [2023] ZASCA 11, the Supreme Court of Appeal held a school liable for injuries sustained by a learner during a rugby match due to the absence of competent first aid providers. The court emphasized that schools, acting in loco parentis, have a duty to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm to learners under their care. ​ Moreover,  The "Regulations Relating to Safety Measures at Independent Schools," issued under Government Gazette No. 26663 on 20 August 2004, outline the safety requirements and protocols that independent schools must adhere to. These regulations provide detailed guidelines for maintaining a safe environment for learners and staff. Issued by Bergview College Alumni

1. Promotes transparency and accountability: By demanding a revamped online registration portal, the petition promotes transparency and accountability in the NLC's funding process. 2. Ensures equitable access to funding: The current online registration portal creates barriers for organizations, particularly those in rural or disadvantaged areas. A new, user-friendly, and inclusive system will ensure equal access to funding opportunities. 3. Supports worthy causes: The NLC's funding process should prioritize supporting worthy causes that benefit South African communities. A revamped online registration portal will help streamline the application process, allowing more organizations to focus on delivering vital services. 4. *Addresses systemic inefficiencies*: The current online registration portal is plagued by technical issues and inefficiencies. By scrapping the current system and developing a new one, the NLC can address these systemic issues and create a more efficient funding process. 5. Empowers marginalized communities: The petition emphasizes the need for an inclusive system that allows equal access to funding opportunities, regardless of technical expertise or internet connectivity. This will empower marginalized communities to access funding and resources, promoting social justice and equality. 6. Holds the NLC accountable to the public: As the NLC is funded by lottery proceeds from the public, it is essential that the organization is accountable to the people. The petition demands that the NLC takes immediate action to address concerns and create a more equitable funding process. By signing the petition, individuals can contribute to creating a more transparent, equitable, and efficient funding process that benefits the community.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued a stark warning: global warming is on track to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, a threshold that will lead to catastrophic impacts such as rising sea levels, more frequent droughts, and extreme weather events. South Africa has already been significantly impacted by climate change, with droughts, heatwaves, and severe storms becoming more frequent and intense, claiming lives and destroying infrastructure. As we enter the second half of what scientists have dubbed the critical decade, the worst of the climate crisis is yet to come. Without ambitious, actionable plans, South Africa risks further deepening existing social and economic inequalities.As the ministry responsible for climate policy, particularly with the submission of the Nationally Determined Contributions, your leadership is crucial in driving immediate and transformative action to safeguard South Africa’s future. We are calling on you, Minister, to rise to the moment - to demonstrate bold leadership and take decisive action. It is your responsibility to do what it takes to keep the Paris Agreement goal of 1.5°C alive through the following actions: • Submit an ambitious NDC • Alignment of NDC and Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) • Clear and Practical Plans for Phasing Out Fossil Fuels • Stronger Emission Reduction Targets • Fair and Equitable Climate Finance • Social Safety Nets for Climate-Displaced Communities • Investment in Early Warning Systems

The unlawful exploitation of our natural heritage by foreign interests for short-term profit undermines our constitutional rights and jeopardises future generations. Furthermore, this project is built on the promise to deliver jobs for the community in the area, but we know that it is a lie. The economic fault lines upon which Makhado’s great arc and blast furnaces will be built run deep. A terrible price will be paid for any jobs created, as those jobs will not last. It is an environmental and economic disaster waiting to happen. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------End of open letter Your signature can help us stop the creation of a new sacrifice zone for coal and steel in Limpopo. Sign the open letter now! To further understand the gravity of the issue Carte Blanche has released this telling exposé. Watch here: https://youtu.be/CW_CanP31Mk