Goodbye Eskom – big electricity changes coming

NOORDWESTER – LICHTENBURG - South Africa is on the point of starting a traded electricity market that will give consumers a choice of power products along with a range of pricing options, according to a top investment bank. 
Africa’s most industrialised economy has relied on state-owned Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd for the bulk of its electricity supply for more than a century.

Bad news for anyone with a South African passport

NOORDWESTER – LICHTENBURG - The South African passport is the 100th most powerful passport in the world – a middling placement that comes across as weaker, due to severely limited visa-free travel, poor global perception and limited personal freedom.
This is according to Nomad Capitalist, a tax and immigration consultancy, as per its Nomad Passport Index 2025. Unlike other passport ranking metrics, Nomad Capitalist analyses five important aspects of passport strength:

Trio aprehended for busines robbery, ulawful possession of a firearm and ammunition

NOORDWESTER – VENTERSDORP - On Wednesday afternoon, 16 April, Rustenburg and Phokeng Public Order Police (POP) were activated after information was received about a blue Hyundai Accent with three occupants allegedly involved in a business robbery in the Ventersdorp area. 

The information was operationalised, leading the team to the R30 between Derby and Rustenburg. The team spotted and intercepted a blue Hyundai Accent and pulled it over.