Stories from South Africa

Bunga Hinza admitted during cross-examination at a special sitting of the Transkei High Court that he was not assaulted to confess.

Hawks in the Western Cape have arrested two suspects in connection with a fraud scheme estimated to exceed 25 million rand. The investigation into the alleged fraud is ongoing.

The ANC regional conference is expected to begin tomorrow in Christiana in the Northwest province. Secretary General Fikile Mbalula issued a final verification report allowing the conference to proceed.

A magnitude 5.1 earthquake occurred approximately 1,522 km southeast of East London, South Africa. No immediate damage or casualties were reported in the initial alert.

Parliament is currently starting the process to appoint a small business ombudsman. The move follows previous discussions regarding the necessity of the role. Members of Parliament are reportedly attempting to interview Shorkeen as part of the proceedings.

The South African Competition Commission has concluded an impact study regarding employee share ownership plans. Chief Economist James Hodge discussed the findings of the comprehensive report on the program.

South Africa's Minister for Communications and Digital Technologies has withdrawn a draft set of AI ethics guidelines after discovering they contained fabricated citations. Experts identified the non-existent references as digital hallucinations that appeared plausible and authentic. The responsible ministry is now revising the draft from the ground up. The minister stated, 'As government, we have to take responsibility.' A machine learning and artificial intelligence expert stated that the errors in the draft guidelines can likely be corrected quickly. The expert told news channel ENCA that the situation should be viewed as a learning opportunity rather than a reason to discard the entire initiative. The expert suggested the government should receive some recognition for the attempt. The ministry acknowledged a lack of robust oversight regarding the document.

The University of Cape Town is marking five years since a fire destroyed parts of the Jagger libraries and several other campus buildings.

The newly revamped Boutelezzi Mall is scheduled to officially open its doors tomorrow in the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast region. Minister Valen Kossina-Klubbys stated the mall was renamed in honor of the late IFP founder, Prince Mangatu Dubutelesi.

Public opinion in South Africa is divided regarding the primary drivers of social tension. Some citizens argue that the country's main issues are unemployment, inequality, and crime rather than xenophobia.