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Johannesburg mayor shrugs off no-confidence motion, and municipal CFO accused of major misconduct
These are the key developments unfolding in South Africa today, 21 January 2026.
WEDNESDAY, 21 JANUARY 2026, 09:44

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These are the key developments unfolding in South Africa today, 21 January 2026.

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South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago said that inflation was on course to meet the bank’s new target of 3% in 2026 as prices remained stable.
Top Stories
At Davos, Canada’s prime minister argued that the ‘rules-based order’ was always a useful fiction, but now the sign has to come down. Borrowing Václav Havel’s greengrocer parable, he warned that ‘go along to get along’ won’t buy safety in an age where tariffs, supply chains and finance are weapons. His pitch: middle powers aren’t helpless, but they need honesty, ‘value-based...

Top Stories
The BBC spoke to people in Sydney about the four shark attacks in 48 hours along Australia’s New South Wales coast.

South Africa
The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial resumes on Wednesday morning at the High Court in Pretoria.

South Africa
Two suspects arrested in connection with Marikana mass shooting are set to appear in Athlone Court

South Africa
Cyril Ramaphosa will focus on Early Childhood Development at the Basic Education Sector Lekgotla

South Africa
Two people were killed and three others were wounded outside the court.
World
UK tabloids accused of “unlawful information gathering” against Prince Harry and six high-profile figures insisted Tuesday they had relied on “legitimate” sources for their stories.

World
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said Wednesday he had agreed to join U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, after his office earlier criticized makeup of the board.

World
Iran on Tuesday warned Donald Trump not to take any action against the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, days after the U.S. president called for an end to the nearly 40-year reign.
World
US President Donald Trump descends on Davos for a showdown with European leaders Wednesday as his bid to seize Greenland threatens to tear the transatlantic alliance apart.

Africa
Thousands of Senegal fans join the parade to celebrate Afcon champions on their return home.

Africa
The new government is addressing fuel shortages and strengthening the budget but many are not happy.

Africa
Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba is accused by Burkina Faso of trying to kill current President Ibrahim Traoré.

Africa
Ogun state police say they have made one arrest as they look into the death of the Afrofuji artist.

Business
It is the last set of monthly inflation figures before the next interest rate decision on 5 February .

Business
Karooooo has seen a record addtion of subscribers for its main business, Cartrack, with the company pushing aggressively into growth businesses.

Business
The Durban University of Technology (DUT) proudly celebrates 21 years as a dynamic force in South African higher education.

Business
The Reserve Bank is looking to review the prime lending rate used to determine home loans and other debt in South Africa, but experts say it is unlikely to have the impact they want.

Politics
Former IPID head Robert McBride will continue testifying at the Ad Hoc Committee hearing.

Politics
Fikile Mbalula added that the election year must be “the decisive year to fix local government”.

Politics
McBride says Phahlane isn’t smeared but is a senior police figure facing multiple criminal trials.

Politics
Government has maintained South Africa’s conduct did not breach diplomatic or security protocols.

Sport
“At the end of the day, it’s bigger than me,” said Azeez Al-Shaair.

Sport
Meet Callum Walsh, the Irishman tasked with kicking off Zuffa Boxing and living up to being Dana White’s first boxer.

Sport
As the 2026 World Rally Championship gets under way this weekend in Monte Carlo, Elfyn Evans says the “intense” calendar helps him get over his latest title miss.

Sport
The Champions League and its forerunner the European Cup have a combined 70-year history. Can you name all the cities that have staged the final of the men’s competition?
Education
[Daily Maverick] Relentless rains have submerged roads, collapsed bridges and damaged dozens of schools across Limpopo’s Vhembe, Mopani, and Sekhukhune districts and Mpumalanga’s Bushbuckridge, forcing the closure of more than 400 schools, delaying the academic year for thousands of learners. Damage reports are on the rise and access remains impossible for many, while parents and officials face...

Education
IFS says system failing to deliver for those who need it and ministers face stark choices with white paper imminent
The government is facing “crunch time” over the rising costs and failures of special needs education for children in England, according to a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
The IFS said government spending on educating children with special needs would double between...
Education
[SNA] – Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Seif Al-Nasr Haroun lauded Al-Nilein University’s leading role in keeping pace with scientific and technical progress, praising its swift rehabilitation of facilities damaged during the Rapid Support Forces militia rebellion. He reaffirmed the ministry’s readiness to cooperate fully to enable the university to carry out its mission.
Education
[New Dawn] Over 188 students from Margibi County Electoral District #2 have received scholarships through their Representative, Ivar K. Jones.

Lifestyle
In a stroke of fortune, one lucky South African won the PowerBall Plus jackpot, walking away with R33.8 million in last Friday’s draw.

Lifestyle
The department is still mulling over extended South African driving licences in 2026. However, when it does go ahead, the price will go up …

Lifestyle
Entries for the Mrs South Africa 2026 beauty pageant are open. However, there are only five days left until the application deadline.

Lifestyle
South Africa’s largest immigration reform programme yet sees a host of overhauls to boost the economy. Here’s why …

Entertainment
“(Vinicius) was really sharp, looked dangerous every time he had the ball, created loads,” Bellingham.

Entertainment
Looking at South Africa’s global position in this changing world order, there is no optimism from an analyst.

Entertainment
Guardiola struck a despairing tone as he discussed the reasons for City’s slump.

Entertainment
The winning team in the qualifier match on Wednesday will progress to this weekend’s final.

Science/Tech
Precious Nduli is the Chief Commercial Officer at Discovery Insure and a veteran of the South African insurance industry.

Science/Tech
In the last six years, Stitch Money has grown from offering just one payment method to being a full end-to-end payments services provider.

Science/Tech
The rise to $2.21 was a sigh of relief for Polkadot (DOT) holders after months of a downtrend. But it turned out to be a brief sunshine before the return of dark clouds. Whales quickly grabbed profits and went for the exits, putting pressure on the DOT price. On-chain data shows that whales are joining […]
Science/Tech
alternative_right shares a report from ScienceAlert: Thanks to a giant eruption on the Sun and a large opening in its atmosphere, we’re currently experiencing G4 conditions — a severe geomagnetic storm strong enough to disrupt power grids as energy from space weather disturbances drives electric currents through Earth’s magnetic field and the ground. Experts say the storm could even reach G5...

Motoring
A South African court has set a new legal precedent for motorists caught exceeding the speed limit.

Motoring
New research shows that there is an opportunity for electric cars to take off in South Africa.
Motoring

Motoring
The pricing for the new Toyota GR Corolla hot hatch has been uncovered ahead of its South African debut.

Health
Steph Hoy dropped from 25 stone to eight stone after surgery.
Health
Leaders of the D.S.M., the world’s most influential psychiatric manual, have been split for more than five years over whether to recognize postpartum psychosis as a distinct disorder.

Health
How the third Monday of January came to be known as the most depressing day of the year.

Health
Bosses, in a post to staff, say in hindsight, it was not a good use of charitable funds.