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Severe El Niño Pushes Southern Africa Into Agricultural Crisis

Southern Africa is facing a mounting food security crisis as the 2023-2024 El Niño event, one of the strongest on record, triggers widespread drought conditions across the region. The climate phenomenon, characterised by abnormally high sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific, has resulted in severely below-average...

2 days agoSeptember 19, 2026Cape Flats NewsCommunity

Three Years Of Silence On State Land Requests Leaves Communities Stranded

Communities and social movements across the Western Cape are facing an indefinite wait for housing development, three years after formally requesting access to 24 parcels of state-owned land. Despite a high-level intervention initiated by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 23 August 2023, the promised processing of these sites has stalled, leaving...

3 days agoSeptember 18, 2026Cape Flats NewsCommunity

Flood Victims Return to Damaged Limpopo Homes After Shelter Fails

Nineteen of 21 families relocated after severe January floods in Tshakhuma village, Limpopo, returned to their damaged homes by the end of August 2026 because food and scholar transport at their temporary accommodation were inadequate, according to reporting by Sowetan and GroundUp. The families were moved to the Farm House...

3 weeks agoSeptember 2, 2026Bobby BoucherCommunity

Flood victims return to damaged Limpopo homes amid food and transport shortages

Nineteen of 21 families relocated after January 2026 floods in Tshakhuma village, Limpopo, have returned to their damaged homes because the temporary accommodation lacked adequate food and scholar transport, according to GroundUp reporting republished by AllAfrica on 31 August 2026 and picked up by Sowetan on 1 September. The families...

3 weeks agoSeptember 2, 2026By Layla HadidCommunity

Durban motorists face severe road closures ahead of 46th SADC Summit

Durban residents and commuters have been warned of significant traffic disruptions in the city centre as the 46th SADC Summit kicks off at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC). The summit, which brings together regional leaders, runs from 16 to 17 August 2026, forcing the implementation of multiple...

1 month agoAugust 16, 2026By Siphiwe DlaminiCommunity

Makhanda High Court Sets Aside Wild Coast Seismic Survey Rights

The Makhanda High Court has set aside the exploration rights granted to Shell and Impact Africa for seismic surveys along the Wild Coast, marking a significant legal victory for coastal communities. In a judgment delivered on 1 September 2022, the court ruled that the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy...

1 month agoAugust 15, 2026By Siphiwe DlaminiCommunity

Hillbrow Carnival Returns With Avian-Themed Public-Space Celebration

The annual Hillbrow Carnival, known as ‘Hey Hillbrow! Let’s Dlala!’, took to the streets of Johannesburg on 8 August 2026 to reclaim public spaces through community art. Curated by Tamzyn Botha, the event kicked off at the historic Windybrow Arts Centre, drawing residents into a procession focused on the migratory...

1 month agoAugust 15, 2026By Siphiwe DlaminiCommunity

Eastern Cape COGTA MEC heckled as Ngcobo shutdown enters third day

Eastern Cape COGTA MEC Zolile Williams was forced to abandon a public address in Ngcobo on 12 August after being heckled and insulted by protesters during a community shutdown. The protest, which began on 11 August, has brought the town to a standstill as residents demand the immediate removal of...

1 month agoAugust 15, 2026By Layla HadidCommunity

Ngcobo Shutdown Enters Fourth Day Over Municipal Manager Row

Residents of Ngcobo have maintained a total shutdown of the town for four consecutive days, blocking key access roads and forcing the closure of local businesses, government offices, and schools. The ongoing protest is driven by community demands for the immediate dismissal of the Engcobo Local Municipality manager, citing long-standing...

1 month agoAugust 14, 2026By Siphiwe DlaminiCommunity

Durban Flood Victims Lose Court Bid For Emergency Housing

The Durban Magistrates Court dismissed an urgent application by 11 flood victims on 11 August 2026, effectively denying their request for continued emergency housing. The group, consisting of approximately 17 people, had been residing in a private building on Point Road since December 2022 following the displacement caused by the...

1 month agoAugust 13, 2026Cape Flats NewsCommunity

Lenasia South Residents Face Water Outages Despite R45 Million Reservoir

Residents of Lenasia South continue to endure daily water supply interruptions, more than four years after the City of Johannesburg commissioned a R45 million reservoir to resolve the crisis. The 15-megalitre facility, which was officially launched on 30 June 2022, has failed to deliver the promised reliability to the community,...

1 month agoAugust 12, 2026By Siphiwe DlaminiCommunity

Ekurhuleni on High Alert as Severe Weather Hits Gauteng

The City of Ekurhuleni has placed emergency services on high alert following a yellow level 2 weather warning issued by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) on 11 August 2026. Residents are being urged to exercise extreme caution as heavy downpours and damaging winds sweep across parts of Gauteng. Disaster...

1 month agoAugust 11, 2026By Layla HadidCommunity

Legal hurdles as informal dwellings appear in gated communities

The sudden appearance of informal dwellings within the borders of gated communities or on adjacent vacant land often triggers immediate tension, raising complex questions regarding land rights and the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act (PIE Act) of 1998. While property owners frequently seek immediate...

1 month agoAugust 10, 2026By Siphiwe DlaminiCommunity

Seventy years after historic march, women still face violence pandemic

South Africa commemorates the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Women’s March today, as activists highlight the persistent gap between constitutional rights and the reality of gender-based violence (GBV) in communities across the country. On 9 August 1956, approximately 20,000 women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against...

1 month agoAugust 9, 2026Bobby BoucherCommunity

Postbank final warning to 43,000 SASSA Gold Card holders over expired cards

Approximately 43,000 social grant beneficiaries across the country remain at risk of payment interruptions after Postbank confirmed that expired SASSA Gold Cards will not be extended. Beneficiaries still in possession of these legacy cards must swap them for the new Postbank-issued version to maintain access to their funds. Urgent Action...

1 month agoAugust 8, 2026By Layla HadidCommunity

Unverified Reports Of Damaged Children’s Library In Cape Town

Claims circulating online regarding a new children’s library in Cape Town currently facing damage from rain remain unverified. CapeFlats.co.za has investigated these reports and found no evidence to substantiate the existence of such an incident in the city or the broader Western Cape. Investigation Into Public Appeals We have reached...

1 month agoAugust 8, 2026By Layla HadidCommunity

Municipal workers block Kariega streets over security failures

Approximately 100 municipal workers blocked Cuyler Street in Kariega on Wednesday, 5 August 2026, and Thursday, 6 August 2026, using burning tyres, rocks, and rubble to protest against unsafe working conditions. The industrial action, led by the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU), targeted the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s depots...

2 months agoAugust 7, 2026By CapeFlats.co.zaCommunity

Jamestown Residents Protest Luxury Estate Development and Governance

Residents of the historic Jamestown settlement gathered at the Stellenbosch Town Hall on 1 May 2026 to protest against the encroachment of luxury gated estates and voice grievances regarding municipal governance. The demonstration, led by the Jamestown Action Group, sought to present a memorandum to the mayor, who did not...

2 months agoAugust 6, 2026Bobby BoucherCommunity

KZN flood victims evicted from emergency shelters leaving families homeless

Displaced residents who had been seeking refuge at the Silverglen Hall in Chatsworth have been evicted from the facility, leaving many to sleep outside in the rain. The eThekwini Municipality began closing various community halls serving as emergency shelters this May, citing a need to return these public spaces to...

2 months agoJuly 31, 2026Bobby BoucherCommunity

Public outcry grows over SASSA child support grant maintenance responsibilities

Following the increase of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) Child Support Grant to R580 per month in April 2026, a surge of public debate has placed the issue of parental financial accountability back into the spotlight. Growing frustration across social media platforms has seen taxpayers and citizens calling...

2 months agoJuly 28, 2026By Siphiwe DlaminiCommunity

Public outcry over R580 child support grant sparks welfare reform calls

The South African government’s recent adjustment to the Child Support Grant, which saw payments increase from R560 to R580 in April 2026, has ignited a sharp debate regarding the adequacy of state support and the broader economic pressures facing poor households. While the increase was intended to combat rising living...

2 months agoJuly 26, 2026By Layla HadidCommunity

Social media backlash overlooks reality of child support grant effectiveness

A recent social media post by a mother expressing frustration over the insufficiency of the R580 Child Support Grant (CSG) has triggered a significant online backlash, with some users calling for the total abolition of the state benefit. Commenters, including individual Daniel Scott Kubatsi, argued that the monthly funding acts...

2 months agoJuly 26, 2026By CapeFlats.co.zaCommunity

Young gymnast seeks support to compete at national championships

A young gymnast from the Cape Flats is reaching out to the community for financial support as she prepares to represent her region at the upcoming South African Gymnastics National Championships. Roshan Abrahams qualified for the prestigious competition, which is scheduled to take place in Gauteng during August 2026. Funding...

2 months agoJuly 24, 2026By Siphiwe DlaminiCommunity

Community initiatives highlighted on Mandela Day observances

Community volunteers across the Western Cape marked Mandela Day on 18 July 2026 with a series of service-oriented initiatives aimed at addressing food insecurity and educational support in under-resourced areas. The annual tradition, which commemorates the birth of Nelson Mandela and his 67 years of public service, saw widespread participation...

2 months agoJuly 23, 2026By Siphiwe DlaminiCommunity

Recurring cycles of xenophobic violence show accountability failures

South Africa continues to grapple with recurring waves of xenophobic violence, with major outbreaks recorded in 2008, 2015, and 2019 that resulted in significant loss of life and the mass displacement of foreign nationals. Human rights organisations and official watchdogs cite a persistent culture of impunity as the primary driver,...

2 months agoJuly 22, 2026By CapeFlats.co.zaCommunity

West Bank land claimants still waiting for homes after 26 years

Approximately 2,000 beneficiaries of the West Bank Restitution Project in East London remain without homes, 26 years after the state officially settled their land restitution claims. Despite the passage of over two decades, not a single house has been constructed on the land earmarked for the families, who were originally...

2 months agoJuly 20, 2026Cape Flats NewsCommunity

Pensioners Voice Concerns Over Social Grant Eligibility and Tax Obligations

South African pensioners have recently taken to social media to express growing frustration over the exclusion of individuals with private retirement funds from government pension benefits. Many older citizens argue that their lifetime of tax contributions should entitle them to state support, regardless of whether they have managed to save...

2 months agoJuly 17, 2026By Siphiwe DlaminiCommunity

Port St Johns Residents Endure Two Months Without Running Water

Residents of Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape have been without clean, running water for two months, forcing families to rely on unsafe river water for their daily needs. The persistent water supply interruption across the region has triggered widespread community outcry and protests as the OR Tambo District...

2 months agoJuly 16, 2026Cape Flats NewsCommunity