Here’s your daily news update for Tuesday, 16 September 2025: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories.
News today includes ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa’s instruction to councillors to replicate well-run municipalities, including those administered by his political rival the DA, has not only split his party but also those in the tripartite alliance.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Development (DSS) has defended its R3 million expenditure on a trip to New York, in the United States, arguing that the investment delivered strategic diplomatic and policy benefits that will benefit South African women and girls for years to come.
Furthermore, United Nations investigators on Tuesday accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza in a bid to “destroy the Palestinians”, blaming Israel’s prime minister and other top officials for incitement.
Weather tomorrow: 13 September 2025
Saws predicts the country will experience mostly fine weather tomorrow, but warns of rough seas between the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Full weather forecast here.
Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way.
ANC tripartite alliance partners split on the Ramaphosa’s copy the DA comments
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa’s instruction to councillors to replicate well-run municipalities, including those administered by his political rival the DA, has not only split his party but also those in the tripartite alliance.
“Municipalities must act decisively to improve audit outcomes, comrades. It cannot and must not be acceptable that in our country we control a number of municipalities; it is hugely painful each time when the auditor general comes to report to Cabinet, and they put up their report, and those municipalities that do best are not ANC-controlled municipalities.
“And I can name it here because there is nothing wrong with competition; they are often DA-controlled municipalities. We need to ask ourselves what it is that they are doing that is better than what we are doing. There is nothing wrong with us saying we want to go and see what Cape Town is doing, we want to go see what Stellenbosch is doing,” he said.
CONTINUE READING: ANC tripartite alliance partners split on the Ramaphosa’s copy the DA comments
Shocking revelation about taxi driver who drove school kids off bridge
The minibus taxi driver who fled following a scholar transport accident in which at least 20 children were injured has been arrested.
The taxi veered off the road and plunged off the KwaKhetha Bridge on P127 on Monday morning.
KZN MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, said the driver was handcuffed on Monday.
“The driver has no driver’s licence. He violated the National Land Transport Act by transporting learners without a Professional Driving Permit (PrDP). The driver is in possession of a learner’s licence only.”
CONTINUE READING: Shocking revelation about taxi driver who drove school kids off bridge
How to justify a R3m New York ‘joyride’: Social development department tries to explain costly trip
The Department of Social Development (DSS) has defended its R3 million expenditure on a trip to New York, in the United States, arguing that the investment delivered strategic diplomatic and policy benefits that will benefit South African women and girls for years to come.
The department presented a comprehensive report to the Standing Committee on Appropriations on Tuesday, detailing costs and justifications for the trip to attend the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) conference.
Seven officials attended the event, including newly appointed Deputy Director-General for Welfare Services Sizakele Magangoe, who accounted for more than R1 million of the total expenditure.
CONTINUE READING: How to justify a R3m New York ‘joyride’: Social development department tries to explain costly trip
Minister calls for municipalities to buy their own water tankers
A call by the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, for municipalities to procure their own water tankers has found an unlikely ally in long-term political critic, the DA.
Majodina said on Monday that Johannesburg has already procured 20 water tankers. These will belong to the municipality.
“We started in March to encourage all the municipalities that have contracts for water tankers to start negotiating out of that contract. Let municipalities insource their water tankering.”
CONTINUE READING: Minister calls for municipalities to buy their own water tankers
UN investigators say Israel committing ‘genocide’ in Gaza
United Nations investigators on Tuesday accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza in a bid to “destroy the Palestinians”, blaming Israel’s prime minister and other top officials for incitement.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI), which does not speak on behalf of the world body and has faced harsh Israeli criticism, found that “genocide is occurring in Gaza and is continuing to occur”, commission chief Navi Pillay told AFP.
“The responsibility lies with the State of Israel.”
Israel immediately said it “categorically” rejected the report, with the foreign ministry describing it as “distorted and false” and calling for the immediate abolition of this Commission of Inquiry.
CONTINUE READING: UN investigators say Israel committing ‘genocide’ in Gaza
Here are five more stories of the day:
- Ex-Zambian president Edgar Lungu’s family loses appeal over burial dispute
- Child pornography: Alleged kingpin’s girlfriend to appeal bail denial
- Ramaphosa urges ANC councillors to match DA
- Zama zamas vs recyclers: Plastic City burns
- Parole board gives Donovan Moodley’s parole a thumbs up, Matthews family not happy
