[TOP STORY] Illicit tobacco trade costs SA R20bn annually

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‘From a tobacco point of view, South Africa is the only country in the world where illicitly traded cigarettes are cigarettes that are traded over the counter,’ says economist, Sifiso Skenjana.

12 Jun 2025 9AM English South Africa Business News · Politics

[TOP STORY] Could forcing more South Africans into medical aid make it cheaper?

‘Medical aid schemes are effectively 20% to 30% more expensive because we never made it mandatory for employed people to belong to medical schemes,’ says Thoneshan Naidoo, CEO of the Health Funders Association.

4 Sep 8AM 7 min

Township economy trapped by red tape and unequal access

New data shows SA needs 8.8m more members to change medical aid maths and parents favour phone-free schools as concerns over social media grow.

4 Sep 6AM 34 min

[TOP STORY] Measles outbreaks expose SA’s growing childhood vaccination crisis

‘That really is the canary in the mine in that when you have these measles outbreaks, it tells us that there’s something seriously wrong with our immunisation programme,’ says Professor Shabir Madhi, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and professor of vaccinology at Wits University.

3 Sep 8AM 7 min

Tatjana Smith turns up heat on Swimming SA prize money dispute

Infant vaccination rates tumble, preventable diseases could return. Diesel shock hits farmers as planting season begins. And a national treasure takes flight on SA’s newest coins.

3 Sep 6AM 32 min

[TOP STORY] Popia enforcement gains teeth, but a critical loophole remains

‘That grace period for us is a problem, because if you look at our counterparts elsewhere in the world, once they find that the legislation has been infringed or violated, they impose a fine that has to be paid immediately,’ says Advocate Pansy Tlakula, chair of the Information Regulator.

2 Sep 8AM 8 min