As Parliament resumes with key debates and committee meetings, global attention turns to the Vatican and a fragile truce in Ukraine.
Monday 5 May
DA Federal Chairperson Helen Zille leads a media briefing in Johannesburg ahead of the party’s High Court challenge to the Employment Equity Amendment Act.
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie opens the second G20 Culture Working Group session in Sandton.
Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu releases the findings of an investigation into the procurement of laptops by the provincial Department of Education.
The 2025 Pulitzer Prize winners, recognised for excellence in journalism, literature and the arts, are announced by Columbia University in New York.
Revolutionary thinker Karl Marx was born on this day in 1818 in Trier, Prussia.
Tuesday 6 May
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition hosts the second G20 Trade and Investment Working Group meeting in Somerset West.
Deputy Minister of Basic Education Reginah Mhaule and North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi address the G20 Education Provincial Indaba in Potchefstroom.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde hosts the opening of the 2025 Mediterranean Climate Action Partnership at Leeuwenhof, his official residence.
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson addresses a commemoration in George to mark one year since the building collapse that claimed 35 lives.
The National Assembly holds two commemorative debates: one for Freedom Day and the other for Workers’ Day.
The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education assesses the condition of school infrastructure, maintenance plans, and the implementation of norms and standards.
The Portfolio Committee on Transport is briefed by the Department of Transport and PRASA on their strategic, corporate and budget plans for 2025/26.
The Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry is briefed by the Department on the implementation of the Steel and Metal Fabrication Master Plan.
The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture is briefed on the status of foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks and containment measures.
The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs is briefed on the Immigration Amendment Bill and cases involving disputed marriages, divorces and immigration status.
Germany’s Bundestag is expected to elect Friedrich Merz as Chancellor after the Social Democrats approved a coalition deal with his centre-right CDU/CSU bloc. The new government promises reforms on defence, migration and economic growth.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney meets US President Donald Trump at the White House for talks on trade and sovereignty, following Carney’s election on a policy platform opposing US trade and foreign policy.
Wednesday 7 May
Ministers in the Economics Cluster answer oral questions in the National Assembly.
The Select Committee on Appropriations hears National Treasury’s responses to submissions on the Division of Revenue Bill.
A conclave of 135 cardinals begins in the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, to elect a new pontiff following the death of Pope Francis. Voting will continue daily until a candidate secures a two-thirds majority.
The US Federal Reserve announces its interest rate decision after weak GDP figures and renewed criticism from President Donald Trump urging faster cuts.
Utah becomes the first US state to ban fluoride in public water supplies. This follows concerns from US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about potential health risks – claims widely rejected by medical experts, who warn the move could harm children’s oral health.
South Africa Women face India Women in the fifth ODI of the Sri Lanka Women’s Tri-Nation Series.
Thursday 8 May
Deputy President Paul Mashatile answers questions in the National Assembly.
The United Nations marks the ‘Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation’ on the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, when Germany surrendered unconditionally in 1945.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk are set to sign a major defence and economic pact in Nancy, France deepening ties amid concerns over Russian aggression and waning US security guarantees.
The Bank of England is widely expected to cut interest rates at its Monetary Policy Committee meeting. This follows a February reduction and growing concerns over weak UK growth and global economic headwinds.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine from 7 to 10 May to coincide with Victory Day commemorations. The US and Ukraine have dismissed the move as a political gesture.
Friday 9 May
Deputy President Paul Mashatile hands over title deeds to the Qelana and Qolombana communities near Mthatha, restoring land rights lost under apartheid’s Betterment Policy as part of the 30th anniversary of the Restitution of Land Rights Act.
Parliament holds virtual mini-plenary sessions to debate a range of issues, including gender-based violence and femicide, white nationalism and the influence of global white supremacist movements, and the effective use of the R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow, underscoring deepening ties with the Kremlin as the war in Ukraine continues. The visit coincides with a unilateral ceasefire declared by President Putin, and marks the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II.
Leaders of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) will meet in Oslo to discuss continued support for Ukraine. The UK-led defence grouping includes ten Northern European nations.
European Union foreign ministers will visit Kyiv to mark Europe Day in a show of solidarity with Ukraine. The visit, hosted by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, highlights Ukraine’s commitment to European integration.
South Africa Women take on Sri Lanka Women in the sixth ODI of the Tri-Nation Series.
On this day in 1960, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first oral contraceptive, marking a major milestone in reproductive health and women’s rights.
Saturday 10 May
The three-day ceasefire declared by Russia in Ukraine ends at midnight.
China is expected to release its Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for April, providing fresh insight into inflation trends in the world’s second-largest economy.
Kaizer Chiefs face Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup final at Moses Mabhida Stadium, in one of South African football’s most anticipated showdowns.
Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as South Africa’s first democratically elected president on this day in 1994.
Sunday 11 May
Mother’s Day is observed across South Africa. Nearly four in ten children live in single-mother households – among the highest rates in the world.
Albania holds parliamentary elections to elect 140 members of the Kuvendi, with Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party seeking a fourth consecutive term. The vote marks the first to allow participation from the Albanian diaspora via a digital platform.
Haiti is expected to hold its first constitutional referendum since 1987, with voters set to decide on sweeping changes including the abolition of the Senate, the creation of a vice presidency, and the shift to a full presidential system.
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