News South Africa

These are the key developments happening in South Africa today, 20 January 2026.

South Africa’s 2026 outlook is its strongest in years, driven by domestic reforms, fiscal and monetary improvement, favourable global conditions, and rising confidence in local assets despite lingering political risks.

South African miners are increasingly investing in renewable self-generation to escape soaring Eskom electricity prices that threaten competitiveness and profitability.

Boxing SA has vowed to license Zolani Tete as soon as his four-year ban ends.

Eight Milnerton High School learners are expected to appear in court on Tuesday.

A minibus used as scholar transport and truck collided, claiming the lives of 14 learners on Monday.

Defence witness Sifiso Gwabini Zungu has alleged that he was assaulted following his 2020 arrest.

Ramaphosa assessed flood damage as over 1 300 homes were hit, while authorities monitor heavy rains.

Tension is high as the World Economic Forum in Davos opens and President Trump threatens Europe over Greenland.

The coastal corridor from Lagos to Abidjan is shaping into a West African megalopolis. Starting in Lagos, Nigeria, we navigate the chaos, the checkpoints, and the road that could change it all.

Delegates from Vietnam’s communist party are meeting to choose leadership and chart its economic future. The current General Secretary To Lam is expected to keep his post and seek that of president.

Kasali Akangbe Ogun, who came from a long line of wood carvers and wanted to preserve local traditions, has been buried following his death after a brief illness.

Senegalese fans celebrate their team’s victory at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Police say armed gangs burst into the two churches in Kurmin Wali, Kaduna state, during Sunday service.

The Ethiopian Orthodox festival of Timket, or Epiphany, commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan.

The NEPHRA Repair Cafe is giving a new lease of life to broken appliances and saving people money.

The rand has seen some its early year gains reversed, with South Africans warned not to expect the same gains seen over the past year or two.

Rosebank International University College (RIUC), the groundbreaking institution launched last year by Africa’s leading private education provider, the ADvTECH Group, today proudly welcomed its inaugural cohort of students.

A host of technology is on offer to farmers, promising to raise farming yields and lower food prices.

McBride’s testimony is expected to focus on his role in some of the most contentious investigations.

Khumalo turned himself in at Katlehong police over assault claim by suspected drug dealer.

Mogotsi has raised concerns about his legal representation and personal security.

Xolani Khumalo and his co-accused hands themselves at the Katlehong police station in Ekurhuleni

The NBA’s plans to launch a European league are gaining momentum as it eyes a potential 2027-28 season launch

Former Chelsea star Salomon Kalou is still in the country. After first visiting Kaizer Chiefs, he has now shifted north to Mamelodi Sundowns.

There is one youngster who remains firmly on a trajectory that seems certain to lead to a Springbok call up this year.

The son of David and Victoria Beckham has made allegations of “bribery, sabotage, and inappropriate behaviour by his parents”.

Total pay of the qualification body’s top six executives has risen by 240% to £6.2m since charity sold it

The new owners of the vocational training body City & Guilds appear to have more than tripled the pay of its top six executives right at the moment the company is cutting £22m of costs and shrinking its UK workforce.

The large increases to salary and bonuses have emerged during a scandal...

Government replaces recruitment goal with plan to increase ‘education exports’ to £40bn a year by 2030

Ministers are scrapping target numbers for international students in the UK and will instead focus on encouraging universities to open hubs abroad, as part of a plan to bring British education to people “on their own doorsteps”.

The government’s new international education strategy will set...

The SPCA had their work cut out for them as they rescued these neglected fish from a Fish Hoek swimming pool-turned-cesspool.

When it comes to awarding title deeds as a type of land reform on communal/informal properties, a prominent bank chairman is all-in …

Switzerland – not Geneva. Stella Ndabeni-Anbrahams has become a meme on social media after she touched down in Switzerland this week.

Prince Harry, Sir Elton John and others are suing The Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday’s publisher over alleged unlawful information gathering practices.

Parents who do everything by the book are punished by an online school admission system that collapses under its own weight.

Analysts say corruption and failed governance have hollowed out the ANC beyond rescue by any single leader.

Sansa has warned that the CME is expected to affect Earth from the early hours of Tuesday.

Rights groups say a UK-backed project contradicts unresolved claims by sick former mineworkers and their families.

Today, Cartesian Capital, a boutique South African asset management firm, has announced the listing of an Actively Managed Exchange Traded Fund (AMETF) and an Actively Managed Certificate (AMC)on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), offering wealth managers, financial planners and retail investors access to flexible, outcome-driven building blocks designed for today’s evolving portfolio...

The South African National Space Agency space weather centre reports that a G5/Extreme geomagnetic storm hit the country at around 02:00 local time on 20 January 2026.

Cirrus Bridge has been named a 2025 TechBehemoths Award winner in South Africa for Artificial Intelligence services, recognising the company’s excellence in delivering innovative, high-impact AI solutions for businesses.

South Africa’s petrol prices reached as high as R25.68 per litre in 2023. Here’s how much less motorists are paying to fill their tanks in January 2026.

Sub-R300,000 models are one of the most popular segments in South Africa’s car market.

Isuzu has upgraded its local manufacturing efforts alongside its major panel supplier.

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

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

A pilot scheme is rolled out in the north of the Isle of Man by the public health directorate.

The myth of ‘the most depressing day of the year’ won’t die – but does it actually do any harm?