
End of South Africa’s middle class as you know it
Rising remuneration among Black South Africans has dramatically changed the racial makeup of the country’s band of middle- and top-income earners over the course of three decades of democratic rule.
SATURDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 2026, 02:19

Rising remuneration among Black South Africans has dramatically changed the racial makeup of the country’s band of middle- and top-income earners over the course of three decades of democratic rule.

Trading financial markets during Ramadan requires careful planning and disciplined thinking.
The case of former Free State premier Ace Magashule’s ex-assistant, Moroadi Cholota, involing the asbestos removal tender saga, can finally resume.

Inconsistencies at the local government level could discourage private investment in South Africa’s electricity sector, threatening reform progress and the critical expansion of the national grid.

The Johannesburg mayoral race is heating up as ActionSA prepares to announce its candidate, with many speculating it will be the party’s leader, Herman Mashaba. He thinks he could easily take on the DA’s candidate, Helen Zille.

These are the key developments happening in South Africa today, 18 February 2026.

SA’s critical minerals strategy is under strain as manganese is exported raw, smelters shed jobs, and beneficiation stalls.

Five South Africans are accused of recruiting for Putin’s army, as reports allege Ethiopia is secretly training fighters for Sudan’s war.

South African motorists are expected to face higher petrol and diesel prices in 2026 as the Finance Minister is likely to hike fuel levies in his upcoming Budget Speech.

A collection of documents has been leaked that reveals a widespread disinformation network controlled by Russia that has been working to discredit the DA.

Prominent South African economist Roelof Botha has slated the plan to do away with the prime rate as a distraction from the real problem.
MTN wants to stop renting its own signal by buying the rest of IHS’s African towers in a hefty cash move. Sibanye-Stillwater’s annual metal tally shows sturdy PGMs, slimmer gold and a reshuffled energy-metals story. ASP Isotopes, via QLE, is heading to Texas to chase a nuclear-fuel future.

Presidents Cyril Ramaphosa and Donald Trump expressed sadness at Jesse Jackson’s death, but their tributes offered vastly different perspectives on the activist’s impact.
Iran and the United States reached an understanding on the main “guiding principles” in talks aimed at resolving their longstanding nuclear dispute, but that does not mean a deal is imminent, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said.
A South African kung fu champion has been given the highest form of recognition in his field by being inducted into the World Action Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
Feb 17 (Reuters) – Shia LaBeouf was arrested just after midnight on Tuesday in New Orleans where police said the 39‑year‑old “Transformers” film star assaulted two men in a fight during Mardi Gras.
GENEVA, Feb 17 (Reuters) – Negotiators from Ukraine and Russia concluded the first of two days of US-mediated peace talks in Geneva on Tuesday, with US President Donald Trump pressing Kyiv to act fast to reach a deal to end the four-year conflict.

In the early years of South Africa’s democracy, as the country confronted one of the most devastating public health emergencies in its history, the government turned to an unconventional yet powerful solution: mobilising ordinary citizens to save lives. Community Health Workers (CHWs), also known as Lay Counsellors, were introduced under the leadership of former Health […]
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition tells Parliament it will secure urgent funding.