For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Shomolekae.

Making headlines: Ramaphosa hands over R40m in symbolic housing cheques to TRC beneficiaries; MKP introduces land expropriation Amendment Bill to extend restitution claims to colonial times; And, South Africa private sector returns to growth but Iran war clouds outlook, PMI shows

Ramaphosa hands over R40m in symbolic housing cheques to TRC beneficiaries

Housing is not only about shelter, it represents stability, dignity and belonging to a community, President Cyril Ramaphosa said at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission housing reparations launch ceremony today, where he handed over symbolic cheques, representing R40-million in cumulative assistance being provided to verified beneficiaries.

In handing out the once-off cheques, which beneficiaries can use to build a home or improve their existing homes, Ramaphosa said government is marking the implementation of regulations that allow victims of apartheid, identified through the TRC process, to receive housing assistance from the State.

Speaking in KwaZulu-Natal, Ramaphosa noted that as of last month, the total number of approved listed beneficiaries in Ndwedwe, north of Durban, was 220.

He said 114 approved beneficiaries in Ndwedwe have already been paid out about R21-million by the President’s Fund, which was established in terms of the TRC Act.

Ramaphosa highlighted that to respect the safety and privacy of beneficiaries, representatives of traditional leaders will be receiving the cheques on their behalf.

MKP introduces land expropriation Amendment Bill to extend restitution claims to colonial times

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party will on May 27 officially introduce the Constitution Amendment Bill to the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, which urges restitution claims from as far back as 1652.

The Bill seeks to amend Section 25 of the Constitution to explicitly provide for the expropriation of land without compensation for purposes of land reform.

MKP National Spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela explained that the Bill declares land as the common heritage of all South Africans, to be held under the joint custodianship of the State and traditional leadership in the public interest.

He pointed out that the amendment will enable the full expropriation of land without any form of compensation, remove all references to compensation in Section 25, and extend the cutoff date for national restitution claims from June 19, 1913 to April 6, 1652.

He added that this will bring the 87% of land currently excluded into the restitution & redistribution process, addressing historical dispossession dating back to the arrival of colonialism.

And, South Africa private sector returns to growth but Iran war clouds outlook, PMI shows

South Africa's private sector returned to growth last month as faster output and hiring outweighed a slump in export orders and business confidence linked to the US-Israeli war in Iran, a survey showed today.

The S&P Global South Africa Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 50.8 in March from 50.0 in February. PMI readings above 50.0 indicate growth, while those below denote contraction.

Output grew at the fastest pace in six months, supported by new projects and stock replenishment.

But new orders fell for a second month and export sales posted their sharpest decline in just over two years.

Employment increased at the quickest rate since May 2024 as firms built capacity for new projects.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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