Five months into 2024, and many a thing has happened, requiring us to sit down and catch our collective breath.

The South Africa we embrace today, where individuals are allowed to move freely, speak without fear and associate with whomever they want, would not be possible without the sacrifices of those who fought for our freedom. This year, as we commemorate 30 Years of Freedom and Democracy on the 27th of April, we will reflect on our journey thus far and our progress in advancing our democracy.

I believe that we can all agree that, at the end of the day, a decisive reduction in the unacceptably high level of unemployment is dependent on higher economic growth resulting in more jobs. This process is led by business investing in the private sector with resultant economic development and rising employment.

With the clock inching closer to Voting Day when citizens will mark their X next to the name of their preferred candidate in the 2024 general elections, it is important that we all go into the various voting booths across the country armed with all the relevant information to make an informed choice, writes Neo Semono.

The deployment of a contingent of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) as part of the SADC Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) and the subsequent tragic deaths of Captain Simon Mkhulu Bobe and Lance Corporal Irven Thabang Semono have provided plenty of grist to the opinion mill.