All you need to know about Zingiswa Losi: The woman who schooled Donald Trump on South Africa
Zingiswa Losi, the president of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), delivered a pointed response to US president Donald Trump's controversial remarks on South African land reform and violence against white farmers during a high-level meeting at the White House on Tuesday.
Losi, the country's first female president of COSATU, joined president Cyril Ramaphosa as part of a delegation aiming to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties between the two nations.
Trump used the opportunity to repeat long-standing, debunked claims of 'systematic killings' of white farmers, raising alarm over land expropriation policies in South Africa.
She countered his narrative with a clear message: crime in South Africa is a universal scourge, not a racially targeted phenomenon.
"The problem in South Africa is not necessarily about race, but it's about crime," Losi told Trump. "Black men and women in our rural communities are just as many victims of brutal crimes as anyone else."
Born in 1975 in KwaZakhele, Eastern Cape, Losi began her activism in the anti-apartheid struggle, inspired by her politically active family. She served in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) from 1996 to 1999 before joining Ford Motor Company in Port Elizabeth, where she became a shop steward for the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA).
Her rise within the labour movement was steady. She served as COSATU's second deputy president from 2009 and became its first female president in 2018, securing re-election in 2022.
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IOL News
2 hours ago
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The national dialogue must include the concerns of the Indian minority
Indian South Africans are descendants of indentured labourers. To build a just and cohesive future, the writer says South Africa must engage with every community's story, not only in the past tense, but in the living reality of today's challenges. Image: South African History Online PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement of a National Dialogue is a powerful call to action. It is not a mere event or ceremonial gathering, it is a participatory, unfolding process that will stretch from grassroots consultations to a National Convention, aiming to reset our democratic compact and imagine a shared South African future. As the first phase begins on August 15, it is vital that the concerns of all communities are placed firmly on the agenda. This includes the Indian minority, whose contributions and challenges remain under-recognised in national discourse. The National Dialogue promises to be inclusive, representative, and future-focused. Civil society, political parties, traditional and religious leaders, workers, youth, and other key voices are to be engaged in conversations that will culminate in a second National Convention. There, a common vision and programme of action will be adopted. An Eminent Persons Group will help guide this historic initiative, ensuring it is more than rhetoric, it must be renewed in action. Yet, if this dialogue is truly to reflect the diversity of our nation, it must acknowledge the unique experiences and present-day realities of Indian South Africans. The prognosis for this community, which has been rooted in South African soil since 1860, is shaped by a history of marginalisation, contemporary economic pressures, and a search for identity within a changing socio-political landscape. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Indian South Africans are descendants of indentured labourers and free migrants who came to work in the sugar cane fields of Natal, later becoming traders, workers, and professionals despite the systematic discrimination of colonialism and apartheid. From forced removals under the Group Areas Act to limited political representation under white rule, their history is one of struggle and resilience. Post-apartheid freedom offered formal equality, but the legacy of exclusion persists. Indian South Africans remain a small minority navigating between integration and the preservation of cultural identity. This balancing act is complicated by rising economic inequality, political fragmentation, and at times, resurgent xenophobia and racial scapegoating. Economically, the Indian community often occupies a middle-tier status, better off than many, but still vulnerable. Many small businesses, particularly in logistics, trade, and manufacturing, are threatened by infrastructure failures, load-shedding, and water shortages. While affirmative action is vital for redressing historical wrongs, it can create new forms of exclusion when not applied sensitively. The perception of Indian South Africans as a "privileged" group masks the deep inequalities within the community itself. In recent years, skilled professionals have increasingly sought stability abroad, while working-class Indians remain in under-resourced townships like Chatsworth, Phoenix, and Lenasia, grappling with drugs, unemployment, and crime. These townships are also increasingly diverse, as African and Indian communities live side by side, an opportunity for unity, but also a potential flashpoint if tensions are not addressed through inclusive dialogue. The Indian identity in South Africa is multifaceted, comprising Hindu, Muslim, and Christian faiths, and languages like Tamil, Hindi, and Gujarati. This internal diversity enriches the cultural landscape of the nation. Indian festivals, places of worship, and traditional practices remain vibrant, even as the younger generation increasingly blends identities and adopts cosmopolitan lifestyles. To build a just and cohesive future, South Africa must engage with every community's story, not only in the past tense, but in the living reality of today's challenges. For Indian South Africans, this means: recognising historical contributions and present vulnerabilities; ensuring meaningful political representation in both local and national processes; supporting economic resilience through inclusive growth strategies; protecting cultural expression while promoting intercultural solidarity; addressing township neglect, crime, and substance abuse with tailored, community - driven interventions. The National Dialogue provides a rare moment of reflection and reimagining. If we are to emerge stronger from the crises of our time - inequality, political division, climate shocks, and social fragmentation, we must build a South Africa where every community sees itself in the national mirror. Indian South Africans, while a minority, are not marginal to the national story. Their inclusion in this dialogue is not a favour; it is a necessity for a credible, durable, and democratic social compact. Let us speak not just of unity, but of justice, rooted in recognition, responsibility, and renewal. Jerald Vedan Image: Supplied
eNCA
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World Bank and IMF climate snub 'worrying', says COP29 presidency
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IOL News
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National Dialogue 2. 0… the last throw of the dice?
A cartoon by award-winning, Nanda Soobben Image: Nanda Soobben IT IS A common cause that 31 years since the formal demise of apartheid, the promises, great expectations and dreams of democracy are rapidly turning into horrific nightmares for the poor and disadvantaged. At the same time (new and old) elites rule the roost. Socio-economic and spatial inequalities of the apartheid era widened, while the politically-connected continued to accumulate wealth and power at the expense of the poor. Crime and corruption escalate exponentially and are inextricably connected to political elites, global mafia operations of every genre magnetically gravitate to our country, and gender-based violence is a pandemic. South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world (33%), especially among young adults. The poor have inadequate access to essential services like water, electricity, health care and basic education. Many of these challenges were aggravated by state capture. As highlighted by the Zondo Commission, state capture in South Africa involved the systematic and deliberate subversion of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) for private gain. State capture eroded good governance practices within SOEs and government departments (including law enforcement and intelligence services), decreasing operational performance and effectiveness. This entailed influencing appointments, procurement procedures, governance, and institutional structures to favour specific individuals and organisations. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Key SOEs like Eskom, Transnet, and South African Airways were significantly impacted by state capture, with subsequent multiplier effects on all aspects of South African life, destroying the economy. All these problems and challenges were aggravated during the hegemonic rule and reign of one political party, the ANC. Not surprisingly, some of its senior members were implicated in the State Capture report. Still, no one has yet been convicted because of the hollowing out of capacity in the National Prosecuting Authority. When he was firmly ensconced on the throne, Jacob Zuma repeatedly said that the "ANC will rule until Jesus returns". However, there were some obvious indications that the ANC was haemorrhaging, for example, in the 2021 Local Government Elections, it received 45.59% of the vote. In the May 2024 General Elections, the ANC lost its parliamentary majority, winning 40.18% of the vote. Ironically, Zuma's newly-established uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party (while he still claimed to be a disciplined member of the ANC) eroded the support of the ANC, winning 14.58% of the vote. The notion of a National Dialogue entered the public domain against the background of the ANC's declining electoral support. Former president Thabo Mbeki initially proposed a national dialogue in May 2024, where he called for 'seismic reflections". This was endorsed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who in his inauguration address after the May 2024 national elections, invited 'all parties, civil society, labour, business and other formations to a national dialogue on the critical challenges facing the nation'. President Ramaphosa said: 'By establishing the government of national unity, by preparing for a national dialogue, we have deliberately set ourselves along the path towards a 'co-operation nation.' We would like all of us as South Africans to behave like 'weaver birds'... despite all the challenges, despite our differences, despite all the headwinds.' There is a view that ruling elites have frequently utilised national dialogues to obtain or regain political legitimacy. According to the Geneva-based Inclusive Peace and Transition Initiative: 'National Dialogues are typically convened when the fundamental nature or survival of a government in power is questioned. Thus, they usually intend to redefine the relationship between the state, political actors, and society by negotiating a new social contract.' A national dialogue can be used for peacebuilding and reconciliation to increase confidence and trust amongst national actors, encourage inclusive engagement, and advance agreement on critical social, political, and economic challenges. The "National Dialogue Handbook" defines national dialogues as: 'nationally owned political processes aimed at generating consensus among a broad range of national stakeholders in times of deep political crisis, in post-war situations or during far-reaching political transitions.' The goal is for national leaders (political, business, religious, civil society, sports, etc.) across the ideological spectrum to debate, discuss and encourage inclusive engagement and advance agreement on significant social, political, and economic challenges. It is worth noting that the first National Dialogue was the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA), which took place in Johannesburg in December 1991. It was a critical step in the process of transitioning South Africa from apartheid to a democratic state. Nineteen political organisations participated, including the ruling National Party and the dominant African National Congress (ANC), comprising 228 delegates. Key aspects of CODESA included signing a "Declaration of Intent" committing to negotiations and creating a new, democratic constitution. The parties agreed on the principles of a unified, democratic, and non-racial South Africa, with a supreme constitution and an independent judiciary. CODESA established the foundation for negotiations for a democratic South Africa. While there were many disagreements, CODESA was a crucial step in the process of dismantling apartheid and building a new nation. The procedure was sufficiently adaptable to permit the creation of new forums and committees and modifications to existing ones based on political South Africa's transition from apartheid proceeded (with all its twists and turns), a Multi-Party Negotiating Process (MPNP) was established in March 1993, culminating in the adoption of an interim Constitution and preparations for the country's first non-racial elections. Parties with opposing views had to make substantial concessions during this process. Given the protracted conflict and violent past, the comparatively quiet and orderly democratic transition was praised globally as a miracle. Essential outcomes from the first National Dialogue were the RDP and the Constitution. The National Development Plan (NDP), which presented a long-term vision and goals for South Africa to achieve by 2030, was released in 2012. All three documents can influence outcomes in the National Dialogue 2.0. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Almost a year since it was initially proposed, on June 10, 2025, Ramaphosa released the names of the Eminent Persons Group to 'guide and champion the National Dialogue.' All the problems in South Africa cannot be solved by national dialogues alone. For a national dialogue to be successful, several challenges must be addressed, including political actors' opposition and resistance to change, a lack of support from groups, persistent violence, crime, corruption, instability, and a lack of inclusivity. The National Dialogue 2.0 should not be about saving the ANC. It is about saving our country. All stakeholders must put their shoulders to the wheel, rise above personal, parochial, and party interests, and put South Africa first. In many respects, National Dialogue 2.0 may well be the last throw of the dice. Brij Maharaj Image: File
