Top Stories

Top Stories
READER LETTER | Education needs Chiloane’s total attention
Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi should appoint a fulltime MEC for sports, arts and culture to allow Chiloane to do his job undistracted.

Top Stories
What to expect for interest rate hikes in South Africa
The South African Reserve Bank looks set to keep borrowing costs on hold to assess the inflationary impact of the US-Israeli war on Iran. However, some traders are pricing in hikes later in the year.
Top Stories
LEADERSHIP CHANGE: DA Congress 2026 — can the party articulate a clear message about race?
With the list of people contesting for positions in the DA now public, it is clear that below the position of national leader, the party is set for major changes. It is crucial for the party’s growth that it is able to come out of its upcoming congress with a compelling message for voters, and that its incoming leader grasps the nettle of race.
South Africa
Department sets record straight on “working from home” remarks
Department sets record straight on “working from home” remarks
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources has clarified recent media reports that reference remarks made by the Director of the Fuel Pricing Mechanism, Robert Maake, suggesting that working from home could help employees manage the impact of rising fuel costs.
“The department categorically states that these...

South Africa
SANParks launches investigation after helicopter crash in Cape Town
SANParks investigating helicopter crash during firefighting operations near Hout Bay…
South Africa
New investment signals confidence as SA economy turns a corner
New investment signals confidence as SA economy turns a corner
President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa’s economy is showing clear signs of recovery, pointing to renewed investor confidence and sustained growth as key indicators that the country is “turning a corner”.
Speaking at the opening of Ninety One’s new offices in Cape Town on Thursday, President Ramaphosa said the...
South Africa
Government pays tribute to struggle stalwart Terry Bell
Government pays tribute to struggle stalwart Terry Bell
The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) has expressed deep sadness at the passing of veteran journalist, legendary author and struggle stalwart, Terry Bell, at the age of 84.
Bell played an active and principled role in the struggle against apartheid, using both his voice and his writing to advance justice,...
World
News24 | Israel PM Netanyahu pushing to pass budget in fight for his political survival
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is racing to pass a state budget and stave off early elections he would likely lose, with the war in Iran so far doing little to improve his standing in the polls.

World
UN calls for reparations to remedy the ‘historical wrongs’ of trafficking enslaved Africans
The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans “the gravest crime against humanity” and calling for reparations.
World
News24 | Trump ‘is prepared to unleash hell’ on Iran unless it accepts peace deal
US President Donald Trump is ready to “unleash hell” if Iran does not accept a deal to end the nearly four-week Middle East war, the White House warned, but a defiant Tehran said it did not intend to negotiate.

World
State-of-the-art air defense systems have not been able to stop some Iranian missiles
The U.S. and Israel say they’ve depleted most of Iran’s missile arsenal, but its weapons — including controversial cluster munitions — are challenging even the most advanced air-defense systems.

Africa
South Africa’s police chief to appear in court over controversial health contract
South African authorities declined to disclose the charges he will face when he stands in the dock.

Africa
Shock as dozens of bodies, mostly infants, discovered in Kenya mass grave
Some of the 32 bodies, including 25 children, are believed to have come from local hospitals and mortuaries.

Africa
Salah to leave Liverpool at end of season
The Egypt forward says Liverpool fans “gave me the best time of my life” and “stood by me in the toughest times”.

Africa
Ghana and EU sign landmark defence deal to combat militant Islamist threat
Ghana is the first African country to make such a deal with the EU, the Ghanaian vice-president says.

Business
South Africa’s most valuable bank buys R1.5 billion stake in company from Dubai
FirstRand has increased its stake in Optasia, acquring an additional 6% of shares for R1.5 billion.

Business
R100 million bonus on the cards for new Woolworths CEO
Woolworths has acquired close to 1 million shares for its incoming CEO, Sam Ngumeni, as part of a once-off outperformance share award.

Business
Standard Bank responds to viral fraud and intimidation allegations
South African banking group Standard Bank has responded to allegations of fraud and intimidation, which have gone viral on social media.
Business

Politics
ANC Limpopo member files urgent bid to interdict conference
The ANC Limpopo Elective Conference is scheduled to begin on Friday.

Politics
Suspended DPP Chauke to testify as Nkabinde Enquiry resumes
The Nkabinde Enquiry is probing Gauteng DPP Andrew Chauke’s fitness to hold office.

Politics
Court to rule on bid to interdict ANC’s kuGompo elective conference
Party members took ANC to court over their dissatisfaction over the convening of branch meetings.

Politics
SA, China convene ninth Bi-National Commission in Cape Town
South Africa-China Bi-National Commission was established in 2000

Sport
Ticket prices for Springboks’ July Tests confirmed
The ticket price points for the Springboks’ first three Tests of the year, including a clash against England, have been announced.

Sport
LIVE | Who will join Bafana Bafana in Group A at FIFA World Cup 2026?
The race to complete Group A at FIFA World Cup 2026 intensifies on Thursday night, with two crucial UEFA playoff semi-finals.

Sport
Weekly sports quiz: How many Premier League Golden Boots has Salah won?
How much attention have you paid to what’s happened in the world of sport over the past seven days?
Sport
Coleman sets tone for resurgent Irish before Prague play-off
Before Thursday’s World Cup play-off against the Czech Republic, Seamus Coleman eloquently captures the mood inside the Republic of Ireland camp.
Education
South Africa: Broken Floors, Pit Toilets and No Electricity Risk EC Learners’ Health and Safety
[Health-e] Broken floors, pit toilets and no electricity are exposing learners and teachers to daily health and safety risks at two schools near King William’s Town in the Eastern Cape.
Education
Rwanda: Rwandan Teen Wins African Spelling Bee, Eyes Engineering Career
[New Times] Rwandan student Daniel Adesiyan emerged as the winner of the African Spelling Bee competition, securing the continental title after a tense three-round contest held on March 20 in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Education
Chinese Education Influencer’s Sudden Death Prompts Grief, and Reflection
The influencer, Zhang Xuefeng, was known for no-nonsense, some said cynical, advice about how to win in China’s educational rat race. He died at 41.
Education
Mamdani Now Plans $1.3 Billion in Cuts in Programs That He Favored
Mayor Zohran Mamdani is banking on savings from a delay he is seeking in the state mandate for smaller class sizes. He is also scaling back a commitment to expand a rental assistance program.

Lifestyle
WATCH | ‘My stupidity landed me in the hospital for 21 days,’ says Perez Hilton
Perez Hilton just came out on the other side of a harrowing stint in the hospital and is here to talk about it.

Lifestyle
Rising fuel costs: Government weighs in on ‘work from home’ option
SA Government has responded to reports suggesting working from home will become mandatory in the face of rising fuel costs.
Lifestyle

Lifestyle
Earth Hour: How SA can celebrate and protect the planet
Earth Hour approaches this weekend. Here’s how you can celebrate these eco-friendly 60 minutes in South Africa.

Entertainment
SA’s fuel forecourts evolving into ‘lifestyle’ destinations?
Diversification through licensing, battery and supermarket partnerships seen as a way to counter the tough margins on fuel and slow rollout of electric vehicles.
Entertainment

Entertainment
Watch: Helicopter crash at Table Mountain National Park
The pilot was safely rescued following the helicopter crash.

Entertainment
Fuel shock: DA pushes for 50% levy cut as SA faces record petrol hike
Motorists will have to dig deeper into their pockets for fuel.

Science/Tech
Durban’s finance leaders are done with AI theatre
Durban’s finance leaders have seen enough AI demos – now they want systems that act on real data, says Sage.

Science/Tech
The conflict of interest at the heart of PayShap’s slow adoption
PayShap will only truly work when it reaches critical mass. Three years in, is that it hasn’t done so. Here’s why.

Science/Tech
Africa powers mobile money to $2-trillion milestone
Global mobile money transactions surpassed $2-trillion in 2025, doubling in just four years, with Africa driving the growth.

Science/Tech
The R16-billion tech giant hiding in plain sight
Datatec’s 361% five-year total shareholder return puts it among the best-performing tech stocks on the JSE.
Motoring

Motoring
Warning for petrol stations in South Africa
The Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources has warned petrol stations in South Africa to not withhold fuel.

Motoring
New Citroen Basalt goes on sale in South Africa – Pricing and features
Citroen has finally launched the Basalt crossover coupe in South Africa.

Motoring
Bad news about diesel prices in South Africa
Diesel prices in South Africa have taken a massive hit since the start of the Middle East conflict.
Health
How U.S.A.I.D. Birth Control Meant for Africa Was Ruined
The Trump administration had options for offloading contraceptives once destined for Africa, a newly obtained memo shows. Instead, it has let them collect dust and go bad.
Health
Trump to Delay Nominating New C.D.C. Director
The administration has yet to find a candidate who aligns with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s agenda while avoiding his unpopular stance on vaccines.
Health
Florida Restores Access to Low-Cost H.I.V. Medications After Uproar
A short-term funding bill enacted this week will ensure that more than 12,000 Floridians do not lose access to a program that helps pay for H.I.V. medications.

Health
Why are resident doctors striking and how much are they paid?
Resident doctors in England are striking between 17 and 22 December, the 14th walkout since 2023.