Top Stories
REFORM IMPERATIVE: Godongwana’s Budget holds hope for credit ratings upgrades, but it’s still a long haul
The ratings agencies may now cautiously follow – though not immediately – with upgrades to SA’s credit profile.
THURSDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2026, 18:19
Top Stories
The ratings agencies may now cautiously follow – though not immediately – with upgrades to SA’s credit profile.
Top Stories
In March 2020, regular casino visitors across South Africa faced an abrupt change. Lockdown restrictions closed every casino in the country. These gamblers, suddenly confined to their homes, turned to their phones and downloaded betting apps like Betway and Hollywoodbets. Four years later, most of them haven’t returned to casinos. The data shows they’re not alone. This is the story of the...
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Top Stories
Karin Mitchell’s The High Treason Club reconstructs South Africa’s Boeremag trial, revealing extremist plots, ideological fervour and the fragility of democracy

South Africa
The court heard that the minor was sexually abused by the man since the age of three.

South Africa
Mangena further told the commission that the officers severely assaulted the victim.

South Africa
Doses of the Biogenesis vaccine from Argentina are being administered.
South Africa
North West declares 2026 year of ‘decisive action to fix local government’
North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi has declared 2026 the “year of decisive action to fix local government and transform the economy”, pledging firm interventions to restore municipal functionality, accelerate infrastructure delivery and drive inclusive growth.
Delivering the State of the Province Address...

World
In what became known as “Greece’s Watergate”, surveillance software called Predator was used to target 87 people.
World
Pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s fraud conviction and prison sentence were overturned by a Hong Kong court on Thursday, in a surprise legal decision that comes soon after Lai was jailed for 20 years on a separate national security charge.

World
Brende acknowledged communications with Epstein but said he was “completely unaware” of his past criminal activity.

World
The remains of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez were found in the singer’s car last year.

Africa
Violence has plagued South Africa’s highly competitive and lucrative taxi industry for decades.

Africa
The internationally acclaimed writer has accused Nigerian hospital Euracare of negligence, which it denies.

Africa
Many people are again leaving the region of Tigray just over three years after the civil war there ended.

Africa
This is the first time that a pope will visit Algeria, whose population is mostly Muslim.

Business
A small agricultural town the Western Cape has been voted as the best to live in South Africa.
Business

Business
The South African Reserve Bank is looking to appoint a new director to its board amid a series of changes for the central bank.
Business

Politics
Suspended Ekurhuleni police chief Jabulani Mapiyeye wanted Mkhwanazi to be redeployed.

Politics
Mashatile says he’s ready to be deployed in any position where he is asked to serve.

Politics
The election process was guided through by the Independent Electoral Commission.

Politics
The ANC claims that oversight visits to health facilities were being blocked by the DA.

Sport
Having been dismissed for three consecutive ducks, Abhishek Sharma returns to form with a half-century off 26 balls in India’s T20 World Cup Super 8s match against Zimbabwe.

Sport
The “clock is ticking” for the Premier League and EFL to end their financial impasse, says the chair of the Independent Football Regulator.

Sport
Betway Premiership giants Kaizer Chiefs are set to battle Orlando Pirates in the Soweto derby minus five players.

Sport
Veteran promoter Frank Warren confirms he is considering legal action against Saudi Arabian-owned Sela and American company TKO.
Education
Claire Shipman, the university’s acting president, said that the federal officials had misrepresented themselves to gain access.

Education
As the dust settles on the government’s landmark changes to children’s special educational needs and disabilities provision, what will their impact really be on young people, their families and schools? John Harris and Kiran Stacey look at what we know so far. And, a growing backlash from graduates over student loan payments, led by the influential consumer champion Martin Lewis, is causing...

Education
Met urges pupils not to get involved and asks platforms to ban accounts promoting ‘fights’ with images of weapons
Pupils as young as 11 are being encouraged to join in school fights in posts on TikTok and Snapchat, prompting police to urge children not to get involved.
The Metropolitan police have asked social media platforms to ban accounts promoting “school wars”, while headteachers have...
Education
[Daily Maverick] With national reading goals slipping out of reach, a new report reveals the stark reality of South Africa’s literacy crisis and how proactive provinces and private donors are teaming up to save a generation of pupils.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle

Lifestyle
Tim Gunn is a respected authority in the fashion industry, characterised by his impeccable suits.

Lifestyle
Rapper 3GAR – the Nigerian illegal immigrant who crashed his McLaren in Sea Point – recently partied up a storm in a Cape Town club…

Entertainment
A technical system upgrade has enabled the official recognition of Khoisan traditional names for the first time in South African history.

Entertainment
Phahlane’s appeal was dismissed by the Labour Appeal Court earlier this month.

Entertainment
Ouaddou confirmed that the duo had recovered from their assortment of injuries.

Entertainment
Critics argue the timing and nature of the land auction are callous, given Cape Town’s housing shortage
Science/Tech
An anonymous reader shares a report: Burger King is launching an AI chatbot that will live in the headsets used by employees. The voice-enabled chatbot, called “Patty,” is part of an overarching BK Assistant platform that will not only assist employees with meal preparation but also evaluate their interactions with customers for “friendliness.” Thibault Roux, Burger King’s chief digital...

Science/Tech
The San Francisco-based AI lab is growing its research team in London. The move puts it in direct competition with Google DeepMind for top research talent in the UK.
Science/Tech
The founders of HateAid, a German human-rights group that helps victims of online attacks, were accused by the Trump administration of being part of a “global censorship-industrial complex.”

Science/Tech
Dover, Delaware – Over the past few years, crypto and fintech have moved from the fringe into the financial mainstream. Along the way, the rules changed. Growth alone stopped being impressive. Attention stopped being enough. Today, survival and scale depend on something far harder to manufacture: credibility. Founders feel this shift before the metrics reflect […]
Motoring

Motoring
South Africa’s car market is witnessing the rise of a new class of vehicle.

Motoring
The latest VW Golf GTI hot hatch is officially on sale in South Africa.

Motoring
South Africa had a train that could travel up to 245km/h, 35 years before President Cyril Ramaphosa announced plans to create a bullet train network.
Health
Subtle signs of mental distress often emerge before severe symptoms.
Health
The Trump administration is proposing Obamacare plans that it says will lower health insurance premiums. But critics warn they would make care unaffordable.

Health
Kicking your smoking habit to the curb is easier said than done. By following these six steps, you can unlock a smoke-free future.
Health
Thirty seals, primarily weaned pups, have died since late last week, scientists said.