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Parties wrestling to take over eThekwini Municipality The Quest’s MBULELO BALOYI explores possible scenarios ahead of the forthcoming municipal polls The future governance of eThekwini Municipality is increasingly defined by one word: uncertainty. What was once a relatively stable African National Congress (ANC) stronghold is now a fluid, competitive battleground shaped by coalition fragility and the disruptive rise of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP). At the centre of this

By LINDA XIMBA Sinamiso Ntuli chasing a title. The small town of Ladysmith, once the beating heart of boxing in KwaZulu-Natal, is desperate to reclaim its former glory. Not since the heyday of Maxwell “Shaluza Max” Malinga and his cousin Thulani “Sugarboy” Malinga has uMnambithi produced a celebrated champion. Ntuli Steps Into the Spotlight That hope now rests on Sinamiso Ntuli. On Saturday, he faces Dylan “Bam Bam” Prosser for the vacant SA super middleweight title at Cabo B

By CHRIS MAKHAYE The ANC NWC has announced a new leadership for KZN to reverse the electoral losses. The ANC in KwaZulu‑Natal has changed the chairs again. Jeff Radebe is out. Mike Mabuyakhulu moves in. Sboniso Duma steps up. Bongi Sithole‑Moloi joins the leadership team, while James Nxumalo, former mayor of eThekwini Municipality and Siphile Mdaka, former mayor of the uMkhanyakude Municipality, joins in as coordinator and deputy coordinator respectively. The rest of the Prov

By MBULELO BALOYI Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis takes over the leadership of the DA from John Steenhuizen. The recently elected leadership of the Democratic Alliance (DA) has drawn both intrigue and criticism, not only for its strategic posture ahead of the 2026 local government elections, but also for what its composition reveals about the party’s enduring identity crisis. A “War Council” for Coalition Politics At first glance, the DA’s top structure appears less like

By CHRIS MAKHAYE Defiance..........KZN MEC Shinga is facing fresh challenge to her position and membership of the NFP. She is currently the party's KZN chairperson. The KwaZulu-Natal Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) has been thrown into fresh turmoil after the National Freedom Party’s (NFP) disciplinary committee decision against KZN Social Development MEC Mbali Shinga was leaked to the media on Saturday. The committee ruled that Shinga was guilty of defying party instru

Global Shocks, Local Pain The collapse of the fragile ceasefire in the Middle East—drawing in the United States, Israel and Iran—has once again exposed the world’s economic fault lines. At the centre of the storm is the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which a significant share of global oil supply flows. Any disruption—or even the threat of closure—inevitably sends energy markets into panic. For South Africa, the consequences are immediate and severe. Rising

By CHRIS MAKHAYE The late IFP founder and Prime Minister of AmaZulu, Prince MG Buthelezi, seen here with King Misuzulu kaZwelithini and former chairperson of Ingonyama Trust Board Jerome Ngwenya At least two accounts belonging to Jerome Sipho Ngwenya, with millions of rands, have been frozen as the battle between the Ingonyama Trust Board (ITB) and its former chairperson intensifies. The ITB has made it clear that it will immediately move to seize his assets — including a far

By MBULELO BALOYI Solly Mapaile, the SACP's general secretary, is one of the leaders pushing for the SACP to go it alone in the upcoming local government elections. Tensions between the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) have intensified following events surrounding the 33rd anniversary of Chris Hani’s assassination, highlighting strains within the Tripartite Alliance ahead of the 2026 local government elections. The rift A planned co

By CHRIS MAKHAYE Some of the passengers on the Olympic bus to Tafelkop. The bus has become a moving coommunity forum, where challenges, grief and joys are discussed. Wednesday afternoon this week — at exactly 5pm — the Olympic bus pulled out of Durban’s bustling market rank, leaving behind the noise of traders and the comforting smell of cooked food. Inside, the atmosphere shifted almost immediately. Greetings were exchanged across the bus aisles, familiar faces acknowledged

By SINDI CELE “I don’t see the point of voting,” says Akhona Xulu, a 22‑year‑old second‑year IT student at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). She was among the students present when the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) launched its voter registration drive on campus — an initiative aimed at tackling low youth turnout and rebuilding trust in democracy. These sentiments were echoed by many students here, including Olwethu Khambule, 26, a student at the University

By Lindani Buthelezi SUZUKI has turned heads again with the launch of the Across mild‑hybrid — a bigger, bolder sibling to the Vitara that blends rugged stance with everyday practicality. Built in India but unmistakably Suzuki, the Across stretches 4,360mm in length, rides high with 210mm ground clearance, and arrives in South Africa with striking design, smart tech, and competitive pricing. Exterior, Package and Styling Distinct Suzuki genetics are visible inside and out, wi

By CHRIS MAKHAYE A man inspect the home of Sabatha Hadebe, which was allegedly bulldozed by two white farmers. The local court found the farmers not guilty. ON a warm September afternoon in 2023, Dumisani Phakathi, a 44‑year‑old farm dweller from Mamokgalieskraal near Brits, walked to fetch water from a communal furrow. He never made it back to his homestead on the farm. Three farmers — Jaco Wessels Kemp, Louise Coetzee, and Gert Frederik van der Westhuizen — dragged him into

By LINDA XIMBA Albert Mazibuko stuck with the multi award-winning Ladysmith Black Mambazo until the very end. DURBAN : South Africa and the global music community are mourning the loss of Albert Mazibuko, a founding pillar of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who passed away on Easter Sunday after a long illness. Mazibuko, fondly known simply as “Albert,” was more than a performer—he was the soul of a group that carried the sound of isicathamiya from rural KwaZulu-Natal to the world s

By MBULELO BALOYI As the Easter Weekend ends, the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry is set to resume hearings that have already exposed deep-seated corruption, political interference and alleged criminal networks within South Africa’s justice system. The Commission, established in September 2025 by President Cyril Ramaphosa, was triggered by explosive allegations from KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. He accused senior police officials and political actors o

Muizenberg’s colourful beach huts capture South Africa’s coastal charm — and with Middle Eastern routes disrupted by war, the country stands poised to benefit from redirected global tourism By The Quest Correspondent JOHANNESBURG: South Africa’s tourism sector is riding a wave of opportunity in the midst of global turbulence. The war in the Middle East has disrupted the once‑reliable Dubai–Doha aviation corridor, forcing millions of travellers to reconsider their routes. Som

By LEBO MOKOENA Electricity price hikes — 8.75% for Eskom customers and more than 10% for those supplied via municipalities — are adding sharply to South Africa’s cost of living. Competition Commission economist Andiswa Sibhukwana told reporters on Wednesday that their latest report highlights food, electricity, water, debt and transport as the biggest drivers of household strain. “Our research focused mainly on low‑income earners and those living on government grants, from t

By THE QUEST CORRESPONDENT South Africa is gambling itself into ruin — and yet, paradoxically, the industry remains one of the country’s economic engines. In 2024/25, citizens wagered more than R1.5 trillion, a staggering 36% jump from the year before. On the other side of the coin, gambling generated about R75 billion in gross revenue, contributes roughly 1% to national GDP, and directly employs more than 33,000 people. It is both a lifeline to the fiscus and a wrecking ball

By LINDA XIMBA In the unforgiving world of boxing, where resources often dictate success, Nobengazi “Now You Know” Nobenga has emerged as a beacon of resilience. The reigning South African Junior Middleweight champion from the small town of Mooi River is living proof that greatness can be forged in the humblest of places. Her journey began under the watchful eye of underrated trainer Phoriant Mnikathi. Together, they joined the modest Nkonjane Boxing Gym, a rented space in to

By LINDA XIMBA Every World Cup is a crucible where reputations are forged and myths are born. The 2026 edition will not only showcase the established giants but will also be remembered for the emergence of a new generation of brilliance. These are the players who have already lit up club football, dazzled on the international stage, and now stand on the brink of immortality. Spain’s Lamine Yamal is already a phenomenon. At just 18, he has become the heartbeat of Barcelona,

By Professor Richard Pithouse The Cuban people have long carried a moral weight in global struggles for justice, and South Africa’s debt to them is profound. When Cuba stood against apartheid, sending soldiers to Angola and offering solidarity to liberation movements, it did so not for material gain but out of principle. For South Africans, this solidarity was not abstract. It was decisive in shifting the balance of power in southern Africa, weakening apartheid’s military r