In case you missed it: Ramaphosa on Middle East crisis | B-BBEE abandonment not an option | City Power gains R1bn in revenue
· Citizen
In the news today, President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on all nations to show restraint after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Saturday.
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Meanwhile, Deputy President Paul Mashatile insisted that scrapping B-BBEE is off the table, urging stronger enforcement and reforms to fix implementation issues.
Furthermore, City Power announced it has collected over R1 billion in revenue after taking over billing from the City of Johannesburg as part of efforts to stabilise its finances.
Weather tomorrow: 1 March 2026
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Ramaphosa calls for ‘maximum restraint’ as Middle East crisis worsens
Protesters gather with Iranian national flags during a demonstration in support of the government and against US and Israeli strikes outside a mosque in Tehran on 28 February 2026. Picture: ATTA KENARE / AFPPresident Cyril Ramaphosa has called for calm and restraint following the US and Israel’s strikes on Iran, and Iran’s subsequent missile retaliation.
He emphasised that all parties should prioritise diplomacy and respect international law to prevent further escalation.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, said the president has expressed “deep concern” regarding the escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
“These developments pose a serious threat to regional and international peace and security, with far-reaching humanitarian, diplomatic and economic consequences.”
CONTINUE READING: Ramaphosa calls for ‘maximum restraint’ as Middle East crisis worsens
Mashatile says abandoning B-BBEE ‘not an option’
Deputy President Paul Mashatile speaks at the Frank Dialogue on the Future of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment in South Africa on 28 February 2026 in Durban. Picture: GCISDeputy President Paul Mashatile reiterated that abandoning broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) is not on the table, despite widespread criticism over its uneven implementation and ongoing challenges such as fronting.
Speaking at a dialogue in Durban, he acknowledged that while the policy has had inconsistent application and bureaucratic hurdles, the solution is not to scrap it but to strengthen enforcement and refine the framework.
Mashatile argued that fronting, where companies misrepresent their empowerment credentials, significantly weakens public trust and undermines the policy’s goals of inclusive economic participation.
CONTINUE READING: Mashatile says abandoning B-BBEE ‘not an option’ – but implementation must improve
City Power surpasses R1bn in revenue
Picture: iStockCity Power announced a major financial turnaround, reporting that it has generated more than R1 billion in revenue since assuming billing responsibilities from the City of Johannesburg in July 2025.
The utility said it has already reached approximately R1.025 billion of its target R2.9 billion in recovered and optimised billing income for the 2025/26 financial year.
A significant portion of the revenue came from correcting billing errors, regularising accounts and addressing previously unbilled or misclassified meters.
CONTINUE READING: City Power surpasses R1bn in revenue after taking over billing from City of Joburg
ConCourt rules on the differences between states of disaster and emergency
Picture: iStockSouth Africa’s Constitutional Court delivered a judgment clarifying the legal distinction between a state of disaster and a state of emergency.
The court issued two differing judgments: one finding that the section was unconstitutional for limiting Parliament’s oversight, and another upholding the constitutionality of the DMA by emphasising the substantive differences between a disaster and an emergency.
It concluded that a state of disaster does not, by default, become equivalent to a state of emergency, and that existing parliamentary oversight is sufficient under the Constitution.
CONTINUE READING: Constitutional Court rules on the differences between states of disaster and emergency
Lobby group to take petition to US requesting special envoy for Afrikaners
The Statue of Liberty in New York City. Picture: iStockA lobby group led by Ernst Roets’ Lex Libertas has partnered with the New York Young Republicans Club to launch an international petition urging the United States to appoint a special envoy to engage with Afrikaners and other cultural minorities in South Africa.
The campaign includes plans for a petition, public events such as a vigil on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and future hearings before the US Congress. Lex Libertas wants the envoy to assess the situation first-hand and push for structural policy solutions.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) responded by asserting that domestic issues should be resolved within South Africa’s own constitutional and institutional frameworks and that the country is a sovereign republic.
CONTINUE READING: Lobby group to take petition to US requesting special envoy for Afrikaners