
OPINION | The unintended consequences of prioritising matric in SA
Teachers must know their actions impact real lives
SATURDAY, 17 JANUARY 2026, 02:14

Teachers must know their actions impact real lives

Herman Mashaba is one of South Africa’s most recognisable entrepreneurs and politicians and has become a key figure in the 2026 municipal elections. Newsday asked him 5 tough questions.
KAMPALA, Jan 15 (Reuters) – Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is seeking to extend his rule into a fifth decade in an election on Thursday with internet restricted across the country following an often violent campaign.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Jan 14 (Reuters) – Haitian security forces on Wednesday bombed three houses belonging to top gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, local outlet Gazette Haiti reported on Wednesday, after unverified footage showed a large explosion in the capital Port-au-Prince.
CAIRO/WASHINGTON, Jan 14 (Reuters) – The United States said on Wednesday it is launching the second phase of its plan to end the Gaza war, even as key elements of the first phase – including a complete ceasefire between Israel and Hamas – remain unfulfilled.
WASHINGTON/DUBAI/DOHA, Jan 14 (Reuters) – The United States is withdrawing some personnel from bases in the Middle East, a US official said on Wednesday, after a senior Iranian official said Tehran had warned neighbours it would hit American bases if Washington strikes.

Curious about what the skies hold? Discover the latest outlook for all nine provinces across South Africa this Thursday, 15 January 2026.

The previous edition of AFCON held in Cote d’Ivoire produced a record 119 goals but there’s a new record set by Sadio Mane’s strike.
A conversation about a lifetime in the fishing industry and the perspective from the hotseat of a large fishing corporation.
The Judicial Service Commission has found Western Cape Division of the High Court Judge Mushtak Parker guilty of misconduct and has recommended his impeachment.
The Bill will now proceed to the Republican-controlled Senate for consideration and approval before being sent to US President Donald Trump for his approval.
In 2007, the ANC held its 52nd national conference in Polokwane. This is when political interference in the South African Police Service became more prevalent, according to former acting national commissioner Khomotso Phahlane, who was dismissed years ago.
South Africa’s top three clubs are in a do-or-die situation ahead of the fourth and final round of the Champions Cup pool phase.

US president Donald Trump has paused visa applications of 75 different countries, 15 of which have qualified for the FIFA World Cup.
Luxity’s latest State of the Luxury Market in Africa report shows a decisive change in how South Africans buy high-end goods. Bags, jewellery and watches are in. Shoes, wallets and overhyped items are out. The luxury consumer has not disappeared, but has simply become harder to impress.
This evidence for the most complex technology known in hunter-gatherer behaviour is a ‘clear sign of advanced thinking in early humans’, the scientists believe.
Elephants are steadily reducing the number of mature marula trees in the park, while regeneration has all but collapsed due to browsing from other herbivores. By allowing their numbers to remain at current levels we are choosing short-term comfort over long-term ecological integrity.
With a new strategy approved, South Africa aims to enhance the welfare of children and teens by addressing basic needs like nutrition, safety and education. Despite improvements over the past three decades, many still face significant risks. The initiative seeks to bolster community and governmental support, aiming to reverse alarming trends in child health and wellbeing.
Listen as Redi Tlhabi speaks with political scientist and PARI executive director Dr Sithembile Mbete about the United Nations at a moment of deep, deep strain. They talk through why decades of debate on Security Council reform have led nowhere, how the veto entrenches global inequality, and what this paralysis means for Africa and the global South. It is a conversation about privilege, stalled...