South African government faces pressure to halt coal exports to Israel amid genocide claims
via The Citizen3 min read
The South African government is facing increasing pressure to stop mining companies from exporting coal to Israel, with claims that the fuel contributes to the conflict in Gaza. The SA Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions BDS coalition sent a letter to the government demanding an immediate halt to coal supply deals, arguing that continued exports contradict South Africa's stance against the alleged genocide in Palestine, especially given the country's case at the International Court of Justice ICJ. BDS highlighted that the ICJ confirmed a plausible risk of genocide in January 2024, triggering international obligations for states to prevent it. In March, BDS formally demanded that Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau use statutory powers to prohibit coal exports to Israel and delivered a report titled "Fuelling Genocide." On April 1, BDS also urged Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy to investigate and prohibit vessels transporting South African coal to Israel. The Congress of SA Trade Unions Cosatu has joined the call, with Matthew Parks stating their support for legal efforts to end Israeli aggression, including sanctions. Mining expert David van Wyk noted the difficulty in stopping these exports as private companies, not the government, mine the coal and have existing off-take agreements. Kaamil Alli, spokesperson for Minister Tau, confirmed receipt of the BDS letter and stated a response would follow. Glencore, a major mining company, declined to comment. Po
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As Bafana Bafana prepare for their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener, the team and coach Hugo Broos made a young Mexican fan's dream come true. While arriving at their Pachuca hotel, the 26-man squad took selfies with the boy, who was the only fan present. Broos then gifted him the team's green jersey, which was subsequently signed by the players, along with his World Cup album. This gesture quickly gained traction on social media, highlighting the team's humility. Bafana Bafana are scheduled to play Jamaica in a warm-up match at Hidalgo Stadium on Saturday at 11 pm SA time. This game will be played behind closed doors and not broadcast, as Broos aims to keep his tactics private before South Africa's opening match against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium on June 11. Broos expressed satisfaction with Jamaica as an opponent, despite their failure to qualify for the World Cup, noting their narrow 1-0 loss to the Democratic Republic of Congo in a March play-off. The warm-up match is intended for fine-tuning strategy and building confidence.
Must ReadA 28-year-old foreign national has been arrested in the Eastern Cape in connection with the Motherwell mass shooting that resulted in the deaths of five teenagers. The suspect was apprehended in Gqeberha on Friday, June 5, 2026, following an intensive investigation by the Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit. The shooting occurred on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at a residence in Mnenga Street, NU10, Motherwell, where police found five males with gunshot wounds. Three victims were declared deceased at the scene, a fourth succumbed to injuries at the scene, and the fifth died later in hospital. The deceased were identified as Mpendulo Sjadu 17, Sonwabise Mkhweta 17, Luvuyo Crowly 17, Ibrahim Said 18, and Vuyisani Pinini 18. Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana stated that the suspect faces five counts of murder and is expected to appear in the Motherwell Magistrate’s Court on Monday, June 8, 2026. Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Vuyisile Ncata commended the investigating team for their efforts in tracking down those responsible for violent crimes.
A 49-year-old Zimbabwean national was arrested in the Moletlane policing area of South Africa after police intercepted a truck carrying illicit tobacco valued at R1.5 million. The operation, which also led to the seizure of the R800,000 Nissan truck, followed intelligence that the vehicle was transporting illicit tobacco from Zimbabwe to Gauteng Province. Police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba stated that the Provincial Tracking Team, supported by Tshimollo Security and Investigations, stopped and searched the truck on the R518 public road, discovering 333 master boxes of Hookar tobacco. Further investigations revealed the suspect was in South Africa illegally. The combined value of the seized truck and tobacco is R2.3 million. The suspect is scheduled to appear before the Zebediela Periodical court on Monday, June 8, 2026, facing charges under the Customs and Excise Act and the Immigration Act. This arrest follows a recent case where a Limpopo cigarette trafficker, Toni Nathaniel Gumbo, was sentenced to 13 years in jail for similar offenses, a judgment that Tax Justice South Africa TJSA highlighted as a significant step in combating tax crime.
Must ReadThe Department of Home Affairs has revealed significant irregularities in Traffic Register Numbers TRNs issued to foreign nationals for vehicle documentation. TRNs are provided to foreign nationals and entities without South African ID numbers to register vehicles, apply for driving licenses, and conduct transactions on the eNatis System. An investigation was launched after 973 TRNs were issued from a small Northern Cape office in four months in 2019, a town with only 12,000 residents, compared to 130 from the province's largest office. Home Affairs found foreign nationals applied for TRNs in the Northern Cape and then duplicates in Cape Town within an hour, often using the same address. Forensic investigator Maria Mnisi noted that eNatis could capture applications without ID information and lacked mechanisms to verify submitted documents. Cross-referencing over a million TRNs issued between January 2000 and July 2023 against Home Affairs' systems showed that only 2.7% matched the National Immigration Identification System, and 747,350 were unmatched against the Visa Adjudications System. Of the 29,653 TRN recipients with files on the NIIS, only 1,677 were legal, with the rest providing false information. TRN holders allegedly used fraudulently obtained TRNs to acquire luxury vehicles, including 40 "elite supercars" and 327 Porsches, even after visa application rejections. Gauteng saw 244 Porsches, six Bentleys, four Lamborghinis, five Ferraris, and a McLaren purchased with T