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US president Donald Trump meets with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Alaska, the first such summit since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) says the deaths of Constables Siphiwe Sibeko and Thapelo Tlomatsane should not be in vain, urging police officers to intensify the fight against crime . The two Anti-Gang Unit members were killed in a hail of bullets when they were ambushed while responding to gunshots in Reiger Park, Ekurhuleni, last Friday. Sibeko will be laid to rest on Saturday, while Tlomatsane’s funeral will be held on Sunday. The funeral service for Constable Sibeko will take place at the Springs Civic Centre in Ekurhuleni. SAPS spokesperson Nonkululeko Phokane, says despite the loss of the two officers, the police service remains proud of their dedication and bravery in serving the people of South Africa. “The South African Police Service will host the funerals in honor of the service for the late Constable Siphiwe Sibeko and Constable Thapelo Kleinbooi Tlometsane, who were ambushed and killed while conducting patrol duties in Reiger Park on Friday, 7 August 2026. The two members paid the ultimate sacrifice in the execution of their constitutional mandate to protect and serve the people of South Africa. The official funerals will honour Constable Tlometsane and recognise his commitment to policing and his ultimate sacrifice in service to the people of South Africa.”
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The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has introduced statutory updates regarding trusts in South Africa. The changes aim to prevent trusts being used for illicit financial flows, tax evasion or money laundering. The move also aligns the country with international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) . The regulation of trusts bill compels trustees to now prepare annual financial statements and keep records for five years after they stop being trustees, to avert money laundering and other criminal activities. Chief Director of Legislative Development at the in Department, Advocate Tsietsi Sebelemetja says the bill is open for public comment until 11 of September. “We get into negative rating by FATF as you would know we are also dealing with the issues that those who are beneficiaries are well known and safe guarded. Let’s take an example of two kinds of trusts established under this law. You can have communal property or those that are given land back, instead of using the rightful legislation that is under land reform, the CPA. They then come to this trust which is not a proper vehicle to do that. Secondly, those that are getting into accidents or maybe legal and medical issues and are awarded some benefits in terms of the damages then the lawyers open trusts under this act but there tends to be some abuse of the funds.”
SAA CEO Matshela Seshibe has been placed on special leave by the national carrier board, a dramatic turn of events given his platform of enforcing consequence management.
PowerBall and PowerBall Xtra Results | 14 August 2026 Ntandoyenkosi… Fri, 08/14/2026 - 20:45 National Lottery National Lottery JOHANNESBURG - Here are the PowerBall and PowerBall Xtra results for Friday, 14 August 2026. Powerball numbers: 14 | 15 | 19 | 39 | 44 | Powerball: 03 Powerball Xtra numbers: 07 | 27 | 28 | 46 | 48 | Powerball: 02
A protest on the streets of Melville on Friday, 14 August, was the latest outcry in response to a water crisis that residents say has become routine.
The Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency has partnered with commercial farmers, ZZ2 and the Makgoba-Mamphoko Trust in Limpopo in a multi-million rand avocado farm project . The project is funded through the Khula Credit Guarantee Scheme within the Department of Small Business Development and a commercial bank. The expansion phase of the avocado farm is meant to benefit more than 600 of the Makgoba community outside Tzaneen. Letlatsa Lehana from Khula Credit Guarantee Scheme said, “The land that we are in right now is actually phase two, we are going to do 90 hectares. We are going to start with 40 hectares and then there is going to be an expansion for the remainder. The reason for this is because it is closer to the river so the pump station is going to be closer by where we are from the dam. The river is running just below there so it is going to be easy in terms of irrigation. That is the expansion project. We are still drafting out the numbers in terms of how that is going to be done but the fact that we already have European markets, that is essentially what we are here for.” ZZ2 director, Bertie Van Zyl says the funding model has been crafted by the private sector and SEFDA, partnering with commercial farmer ZZ2. The overall goal is to help propel the Makgoba community to successfully venture into avocado farming. Van Zyl said, “Sapekoe is one of those areas that is the iconic tea estate, it was transferred in 2022 to Makgoba, we started our first commercial project in 2018, co-founded by ZZ2 and FNB bank through the securities of Khula and it made sense that when we start developing the land of Sapekoe we utilize that entity.”
The Madlanga Commission has heard that former national public prosecutions boss Shamila Batohi wanted an investigation into whether her Gauteng counterpart, Andrew Chauke, was linked to organised crime accused Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala. Chauke was later the focus of an unrelated fitness-for-office inquiry, set up at Batohi’s insistence, which cleared him.
Constitutional Court sets aside Shell offshore exploration Vusi.Bafetane Fri, 08/14/2026 - 20:12 The Shell logo is pictured at a Shell petrol station in Wrotham Heath, south-east England on May 7, 2026. Photo: BEN STANSALL / AFP The Shell logo is pictured at a Shell petrol station in Wrotham Heath, south-east England on May 7, 2026. Photo: BEN STANSALL / AFP JOHANNESBURG - The Constitutional Court on Friday ruled in favour of coastal communities and environmental groups, overturning oil and gas exploration rights that were granted to energy giant Shell more than a decade ago. The landmark ruling ended a years-long battle over Shell's plans to conduct offshore seismic surveys along South Africa's Wild Coast. The Constitutional Court overturned the Appeals Court ruling that gave the British oil heavyweight another chance to renew its permit. It agreed with a lower court's 2022 judgement that the exploration authorisation granted by South Africa's government in 2014 was unlawful. The Apex Court said in a statement that "any other remedy would allow financial investment to outweigh grave Constitutional violations". It added that such an outcome would signal that "the rights of affected parties are subordinate to commercial interests". Shell had planned to map more than 6,000 square kilometres off the Indian Ocean coast, which boasts pristine beaches and rich waters hosting exquisite marine life. The seismic survey is conducted by bouncing sonic waves off the sea floor and using the reflection to build up a 3D image. AFP
Banyana Banyana’s hopes of qualifying for a third-ever Fifa World Cup remain firmly alive after a 2-1 win over Nigeria in the first playoff round. The South Africans have now advanced to an intercontinental playoff phase, which begins in November. Even if they manage to qualify via this route, it is clear that Banyana Banyana need a massive overhaul.
Reiger Park Murders: Family defends accused gangster Vusi.Bafetane Fri, 08/14/2026 - 19:46 BOKSBURG - He stands accused of four murders, and police describe him as a well-known gangster. But the family of 23-year-old Regan Collis said being a gangster does not make him a killer. Collis is accused of killing two SAPS Anti-Gang Unit officers and two young women in Reiger Park. His family has sat down exclusively with eNCA, claiming he is being framed by a rival gang. Nabeelah Shaikh reports in the video above.
South Africa’s athletes are winning on the world stage, but they’re paying for it out of their own pockets. From R120,000 tournament fees to covering official staff costs, we look into why national te…
The Electoral Commission of Zambia said on Friday it had resumed the counting of votes in presidential and parliamentary elections after an earlier suspension triggered by reports of violence against officials and the theft of ballot papers. The commission said the security threat to the electoral process had now been contained. “The suspension of the counting and due announcement of results has been lifted with immediate effect,” commission Chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis told a press conference. Zaloumis did not say if the theft of the ballot papers would affect the final results. President Hakainde Hichilema is seeking a second term in the Southern African copper producer and is widely thought to have the edge over opposition leader and first-time presidential candidate Brian Mundubile. The results are due to be announced on Monday. Earlier, Hichilema had called for patience in a post on social media, while Mundubile claimed he had won, without providing evidence, and called for the results to be released immediately. Zaloumis said the first set of results would be announced later on Friday and urged all candidates to “desist from declaring themselves as the winners of these elections,” adding that it is an offence. PREVIOUS ELECTIONS LARGELY PEACEFUL The electoral commission has not yet announced any official results, although some preliminary counts have been released at constituency level. “Based on information transmitted to us from polling stations and … centres across the country, our tabulation indicates that we have won this election,” Mundubile said in a video posted on his social media platforms. “We therefore view the continued delay in the transparent announcement and verification of presidential results with grave concern.” Hichilema wrote on social media shortly before the suspension of vote-counting was announced that he had received “encouraging results”. “Let us remain peaceful, patient and patriotic as we await the official outcome from those entrusted with managing the vote,” he said. Zambia holds regular multi-party elections which are usually peaceful, although there have been isolated instances of violence in previous polls. Civil society groups and opposition parties had warned of growing repression in the lead-up to the election including restrictions on opposition campaigns, although the government denied this.
NSFAS administrator Prof Hlengani Mathebula’s appointment has been suspended by the Pretoria High Court, which ordered the reinstatement of the board after the court cited “bizarre” conduct from Mathebula’s past at SARS and procedural flaws in Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela’s intervention.
Classes remain halted at the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape as students continue with their protest action over ‘deteriorating conditions’ of on campus residences. Students shut down the Alice campus on Tuesday demanding an action plan from the authorities to address infrastructural defects on student residences. Students say the precinct has had worn out infrastructure for years now, with leaking roofs and unmanageable sanitation that leaves a stench in their residences. SRC member Sinovuyo Ngqwangi says, “Students were really not happy with the answers because they said the same things that they have been preaching to us since the previous year while we have raised the issues of our residences, they even put dates as far as next year so students were not happy with that and that added to their frustrations, currently classes are suspended.”
Alleged killer harasses mother from behind bars Vusi.Bafetane Fri, 08/14/2026 - 18:53 Alleged killer harasses mother from behind bars JOHANNESBURG - Narisha Nuncoo's life was turned upside down when her son, Asheek Singh, was killed last June. But now she's being harassed by her son's alleged killer from behind bars. Nuncoo lives in fear of her phone ringing, as the call may be from Sun City prison. The suspect was granted bail for Singh's murder, but is now behind bars for a separate matter. Correctional Services said it's investigating the matter. The case heads back to court in March, and for Nuncoo, that means at least another seven months of living in fear of her own cellphone. eNCA's Bafedile Moerane reports in the video above.
The Madlanga Commission will lay criminal charges against ANC member and businessman Suliman Carrim after he repeatedly failed to appear and refused an independent medical assessment. The move ends months of wrangling over Carrim’s medical excuses. Evidence leader Adila Hassim says he may be in breach of the Commissions Act.
Following weeks of speculation, Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul has finally accepted the resignation of the MEC for Roads and Public Works, Fufe Makatong. The MEC resigned last month, citing improper interference by Saul in the work of the department. The African National Congress (ANC) rejected her resignation prompting the intervention of the National Executive Committee, who were deployed to the province to mediate the stalemate between the Premier and the party. The former MEC is the provincial treasurer of the party, and her resignation followed that of ANC provincial deputy secretary, Maruping Lekwene who resigned from Saul’s cabinet last year. Saul also reshuffled his cabinet.
Advisors' pay bonanza, suspension, instability: NSFAS told to get its house in order Zandile.Khumalo Fri, 08/14/2026 - 18:41 JOHANNESBURG - For many students who depend on NSFAS, the continued scandals that keep unfolding within the funding scheme causes worry. Not only does it leave them wondering whether they will have funding for tuition, but whether they will have a place to stay and enough money to get through the month. This was clear from South African Union of Students Financial Aid Subcommittee Chairperson Tshepiso Zungu as he reacted to Parliament questioning millions paid to advisors appointed by administrator Hlengani Mathebula, whose appointment has been provisionally set aside. The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria handed down an interim order for the suspension of Mathebula's appointment, pending the finalisation of Part B, which is whether or not the board should have been dissolved in the first place. The order comes a day after Parliament questioned Mathebula and Higher Education Minister, Buti Manamela, over funds being paid to advisors without the Finance Minister’s approval. READ | Higher Education scrambles for answers after NSFAS administrator suspension Zungu said he sees no point in an administrator. “It's very disappointing because the main core of why an administrator is appointed is to deal with the administration side and ensure stability is attained. But what we are witnessing currently is an administrator failing to do his job and appointing more people or lobbying to appoint more people to do the job that he can't do appropriately," Zungu said. Parliament questioned whether the process to pay to the four advisors who were appointed by Mathebula was legally and procedurally flawed. According to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Tebogo Letsie, initially it was reported that they had been paid R2.4 million each per annum, but the accuracy of this figure has now been questioned. More concerning for Letsie was the process by which the advisors had been paid. “You would know that NSFAS is a public entity; it is governed by the Public Finance Management Act, which indicates that in order for you to onboard any company onto the system, there must be a competitive process through the supply chain process, and that was not done. That is why I was saying that was not only irregular, but it is also illegal for them to do so,” he explained. Letsie said a government gazette signed by Manamela indicated that he would appoint the administrator under section 17 of the NSFAS Act. READ | NSFAS board scores major court victory Of that section, Letsie explains that : Section 17A speaks about his appointment as the administrator. Section 17B speaks about the appointment of those who will advise him or assist him in running the affairs, Section 17C speaks about the remuneration and allowances of both him and the advisors Section 17D speaks about the dissolution of the board “Section 17C is extremely important to us because it says that he or his advisors should not or must not be paid until the Minister of Higher Education has received another concurrence, an agreement from the Minister of Finance, and because that was not done, any payment to these advisors becomes irregular…”Letsie said. He said the committee is considering several steps, including demanding that money received irregularly be paid back. It is also considering referring the professionals to their respective professional bodies and potentially opening criminal cases. But behind the legal and parliamentary battle are the growing concerns of students to which Zungu speaks on. He said problems within NSFAS deepened after the announcement to place the fund under administration and have the board dissolved in May 2026. READ | Not the first time| How Nsfas ended up under administration again He said that alone created instability even further. “There's no appeal board now that deals with appeals. Hence, some of these operations are stagnant, while our students on the ground are facing issues day in, day out. Landlords right now are evicting some of these students because they're saying students don't have money to pay . “Some of them are threatening our students with lawyers, and still, NSFAS doesn't seem to be able to solve this issue, particularly the Minister who decided to wake up in the morning on his bed and go and put an administrator, which now has been a burden to the entire sector of higher education, especially to the funding of our students,” he said Zungu demanded stability within the fund for the sake of students. "We had a system that dealt with appeals in time. We had a system that approved students in time. So that system at least was a bit effective than what we have. "So, if we can get that system and try to adjust the failures from the first system that was now developing, I'm sure we can see progress within NSFAS," he said.
Apex ruling overturns order that gave companies another chance to preserve an “unlawfully” granted offshore exploration right.
Rescuers raced against time in Colombia on Friday to free a man found alive beneath a collapsed hotel, a rare sign of hope nearly four days after one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the Andean nation in decades reduced neighbourhoods to rubble and left hundreds dead or missing. The operation in the coffee-region city of Pereira had become the main focus of a disaster response increasingly shifting from the search for survivors to the grim work of clearing debris and accounting for the missing. “Possibly there are (still) people alive, we believe so,” rescuer John Bedoya told Caracol Television from the site, where emergency crews worked through a mound of concrete, brick and twisted metal. “One or two could be alive.” The 7.4-magnitude quake struck shortly after 7:30 am on Monday, with its epicenter in San Jose del Palmar in the Choco department. It toppled apartment blocks and damaged homes, schools and hospitals across western Colombia, from the Pacific port of Buenaventura to the inland cities of Cali and Pereira. Authorities said on Friday morning that 285 people had been killed and nearly 4 000 injured. Nearly 400 others were still missing. The government said tens of thousands of homes were damaged and many destroyed, underlining the scale of a disaster that has left many Colombians sleeping in shelters or outside unsafe buildings. The UN refugee agency warned on Friday the earthquake could trigger fresh displacement in a country already grappling with conflict, migration and other humanitarian pressures. “For internally displaced people and refugees who are already trying to rebuild their lives, this earthquake risks becoming another displacement on top of displacement,” UNHCR spokesperson Eujin Byun told reporters in Geneva. Authorities have recorded scores of aftershocks since Monday, adding to the danger for rescuers combing through unstable debris and for families reluctant to return to damaged homes. The disaster is shaping up as the first major test for President Abelardo De La Espriella, who took office just days before the quake and has faced criticism for his initial handling of the disaster. He is set to make flying visits to five affected cities and towns on Friday, including Pereira, Cali and Quibdo.
In a country weary of inquiries without consequences, acclaim for the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Alleged Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System — the Madlanga Commission — is surprising.
Maskandi musician Scebi Dlamini, popularly known as Inkosi Yamagcokama, has been remembered for using his music to celebrate African culture, the Zulu language and indigenous sounds. Fans, fellow musicians and members of the public gathered at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg for his memorial service. Dlamini died in a vehicle crash on Sunday, together with a crew member. \ He will be laid to rest in uMsinga, KwaZulu-Natal, this Saturday. Legendary musician Linah “Ebony” Ngcobo says his passing is a painful loss for the music industry and his loved ones. “It is a great loss. All that we can say is condolences to the family, to the friends at large who are here, because it is a very painful situation to go through. It is not an easy task. We know that when you see youngsters, you are still looking for great things to come and for this life to be cut short the way it has been cut short, it is very, very painful. We know how it is to lose your own kids, your own grandchildren. We know the pain.” X | @SABCNews | The memorial service for Maskandi musician Scebi Dlamini, popularly known as Inkosi yamagcokama, is currently underway at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg. For more visit https://t.co/N9V5BF4stZ pic.twitter.com/nwqKkyZFGl — SABC News (@SABCNews) August 14, 2026 RELATED VIDEO | YouTube | SABC News | Family mourns passing of Scebi Dlamini after fatal crash:
In Lenasia South a 32‑year‑old mother of three from Mozambique says she sells chicken feet on the street – and sex to men – because she has no schooling, receives no child grants and her husband stopped supporting the family in 2019.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member countries to work together to realise regional integration. Ramaphosa says the SADC region must drive its own industrial revolution and have a formidable regional market. He delivered a public lecture at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville campus, ahead of the 46th SADC Ordinary Summit in Durban. Ramaphosa says the region must remove barriers still impeding trade in the 16-country BLOC. Ramaphosa has also thrown down the gauntlet to the SADC region, saying the BLOC must be at the forefront of redesigning its trade architecture. His Excellency President @CyrilRamaphosa calls for Southern Africa to use its own resources to drive its own industrial revolution, with greater local processing of critical minerals and agricultural products. At the SADC Public Lecture, the President emphasises the need for… pic.twitter.com/LkN1Hljclu — The Presidency (@PresidencyZA) August 14, 2026 He says Southern African economies were made dependent, unequal and vulnerable. “In April 1980, the leaders of nine independent Southern African states gathered in Lusaka to establish the Southern African Development Coordination Conference, the organisation from which SADC later emerged. Their immediate objective was to reduce their economic dependence on apartheid South Africa.” He has also expressed gratitude to SADC for playing a pivotal role in the demise of the apartheid regime. “We cannot forget the freedom we enjoy today was in great measure from the people of SADC and we say thank you.” Ramaphosa didn’t shy away from the recent events sparked by undocumented immigration. He says this requires a coordinated regional response. “We can’t preach integration at summits and practice exclusion in the streets of our countries. I say this as a South African to South Africans first of all. However, this is a broader challenge to which we need to apply ourselves as a community. Southern Africa has born witness to the movement of people over millennium. Our people are the products of migration.” KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli has urged SADC member countries to unite and tackle challenges faced by the region. He says member countries should also have student exchange programmes to drive the idea of unifying the region. “Education is the foundation of this effort. Our schools must teach regional history, not only national history. Our media must report on regional stories not only local stories. Our universities must exchange students across the region so that a young person from Durban study in Harare and a young person from Windhoek studies in Pietermaritzburg. Understanding is a build through conduct.” Meanwhile, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola, who is chairing the SADC Council of Ministers, says the regional plans must benefit the citizens. The message is clear: SADC Vision 2050 should result in action, and with the region becoming highly industrialised, peaceful and prosperous. The University of KwaZulu-Natal has also been lauded for its innovation and agility during the height of COVID-19.
While building a human rights economy in Africa also requires transforming the international financial architecture and global economic governance, true and lasting change must come from within.
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union ( Nehawu) in the Free State has pledged its solidarity to three healthcare worker professionals who were allegedly attacked while on duty three months ago. A patient, Molahlehi Takadimane allegedly attacked two nurses and a cleaner during a night shift in May at the Thabong District hospital in Odendaalsrus. The accused, who is alleged to be a mentally challenged patient, appeared briefly in the Odendaalsrus Magistrate’s Court, before the matter was postponed to 26 August for further investigation. Nehawu National Treasurer Kgomotso Makhupola has urged the Department of Health to take the incident seriously and provide the three affected employees with psycho-social support. “As a union we are doing all we can to ensure that we assist the members with everything. We are saying the department must take accountability. This member has used her own finances to make sure she can go from one place to the another to get medical care. Yet the incident happened during working hours. So, the department must take all costs that the member has incurred during the incident.” RELATED VIDEO | YouTube | Case against patient who sexually assaulted nurse postponed to 26 August |
Kevin Rideout, an American missionary pilot who was kidnapped in Niger's capital Niamey in October last year, has been released and is in U.S. hands, according to the Christian organization Rideout worked for.
The bail application of suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi and five others has been postponed to Tuesday next week at the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court in Ekurhuleni on Gauteng’s East Rand. The case relates to the April 2022 abduction and murder of businessman Emmanuel Mbense. Mbense was allegedly tortured to death in Brakpan before his body was dumped in a dam. A sixth accused, Juan Eksteen a former SAPS flying-squad officer, was added to the case on Thursday. The accused face charges of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and defeating the ends of justice. Eksteen’s attorney, Christo van As told the court that his client will plead not guilty to all the charges. “I vehemently deny the allegations against me and intend to plead not guilty to the charges against me. I was furnished with a copy of the docket to prepare for my disciplinary hearing. I have perused the case docket and submit that the states case is weak. The only evidence that implicates me in this case is the hearsay evidence of the late witness Mr. Van de Merwe. The later evidence is of a contradictory nature and will be challenged at the trial.” Video: Julius Mkhwanazi, four co-accused back in court for formal bail application – 14 August 2026
A Russian man has been convicted by a Moscow court of spying for Poland and sentenced to 23 years in a penal colony, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Friday.
The Electoral Commission (IEC) says they will ensure that persons with disabilities are not marginalized ahead of the November fourth elections . This comes after the IEC hosted a National Briefing with organisations for persons with disabilities on Thursday. The General Manager for Communications at the IEC, Fikile Moya says one of the aims is to address concerns that might arise and for citizens to know that they can apply for a special vote. “One area that arose yesterday was the fact that people living with extreme ailments made the point that many of their members were not aware that they have the option of applying for special votes and many of them had not voted in previous elections because they were not aware. So, a session like we had yesterday would have given an awareness that actually you can actually apply for a special vote and have the Electoral Commission visit you whether you are in hospital or at home to allow you to vote from there.”
Increasingly dragged into a war it did not choose, Saudi Arabia is building regional defensive alliances that it hopes will keep its enemies at bay and help it respond more robustly to attacks by Iran and its network of regional allies.
The board of South African Airways (SAA) has placed Acting Group Chief Executive Officer, Matshela Seshibe, on special leave with immediate effect. Seshibe has been at the helm of the national carrier for just four months, following the departure of former CEO, Professor John Lamola. In a statement released earlier on Friday, SAA confirmed that Seshibe will remain on special leave pending the outcome of an internal process. Before taking up the top post at SAA, Seshibe served as the Chief Executive Officer of the airline’s catering subsidiary, Air Chefs. His initial appointment was marred by controversy surrounding his past executive role at Daybreak Farms , where he faced allegations of governance failures. SAA’s Chief Legal Officer, Koekie Mbeki, has now been appointed as Acting Group Chief Executive Officer to ensure leadership continuity. VIDEO | At the time of his appointment as acting CEO Seshibe expressed intention to deal with rising fuel costs:
Music industry mourns maskandi artist Vusi.Bafetane Fri, 08/14/2026 - 16:00 Maskandi artist Scebi 'Inkosi Yama Gcokama' Dlamini. JOHANNESBURG - Music lovers continue to mourn the passing of celebrated Maskandi artist Scebi 'Inkosi Yama Gcokama' Dlamini. Dlamini died in a car in Richards Bay on Sunday morning. He and his backing singer, Gumu Gupta Langa, both lost their lives while travelling to an event. Fellow artists and the AmaZulu king, MisuZulu kaZwelithini, have donated money and cows to his family, in preparation for the funeral. The musician has over the years been nominated for several awards, winning the Best Maskandi Artist and the way he dominated the stage, also won him several hearts. eNCA’s Zanele Mtshali shares more details in the video above.
‘Written over several years,’ reader Judith Shopley writes at the end of her story about life in a small town, and all the food that salted and peppered her family’s days.
The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has granted interim relief suspending the appointment of Professor Hlengani Mathebula as administrator of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) pending the final determination of a legal challenge brought by seven NSFAS board members. The court has interdicted Mathebula from continuing in the role. The board members approached the High Court challenging Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela’s decision to dissolve the NSFAS board, place the scheme under administration and appoint Mathebula as administrator. The decision by the High Court in Pretoria follows a court application brought by seven NSFAS board members in May, after Minister Manamela dissolved the board, placed the scheme under administration and appointed Professor Hlengani Mathebula as administrator. Manamela said the board’s composition did not comply with the NSFAS Act, among other concerns. The court has also given the board members the go-ahead to continue with the management, governance and administration of NSFAS. They will remain in their positions pending the final determination of their legal challenge. Video: NSFAS | Administrator under fire over adviser payments:
Higher Education scrambles for answers after NSFAS administrator suspension Zandile.Khumalo Fri, 08/14/2026 - 15:53 PRETORIA - The Department of Higher Educations is looking at the available legal remedies and the appropriate steps to be taken after the high court ordered the appointment of NSFAS administrator to be suspended pending full review of the decision. The department's spokesperson, Matshepo Seedat said Minister of Higher Education, Buti Manamela, is giving the judgment urgent consideration and has sought legal advice on its implications. The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Friday granted interim relief, suspending the appointment of newly appointed Professor Hlengani Mathebula It also directed that the former Board members to resume the management, governance and administration of NSFAS in the interim. The ruling has now prompted the Department of Higher Education to consider the next steps. The department will take all necessary steps to ensure the continued effective functioning of NSFAS and, above all, that there is no disruption to student funding and other critical NSFAS functions.” Math was appointed as administrator of NSFAS in May following a long process of engagement, legal assessment, governance intervention, and consideration of alternatives. At the time Manamela said concerns around the constitution of the NSFAS board had already surfaced when Mathebula assumed office.
I finally had a short back and sides haircut again, Dad. But don’t worry, it will grow. And anyway, it’s Mom I want to chat to right now.
By Faith Mazibuko, Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness. We understand the frustration of residents who want a permanent health facility that provides extended services closer to where they live. Their call is legitimate and is aligned with government’s commitment to improve access to healthcare. We commend Mr Mantshontsho and the residents who continue to advocate for improved health services. Active citizens play an important role in drawing government’s attention to community needs and holding public institutions accountable. However, public advocacy is most effective when it is based on accurate information and a clear understanding of the responsibilities of the different government institutions involved. Some of the claims in the opinion piece therefore require clarification. Firstly, planning for the proposed Cosmo City 24-hour Community Health Centre has not been abandoned. Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) has developed a business case for the facility. The document is currently being reviewed by national health planners and other key stakeholders. This confirms that the proposed facility remains part of the Department’s planning process. However, government cannot announce a construction date before the necessary land, infrastructure planning, funding and procurement processes have been completed. Secondly, the current Cosmo City clinic does not operate from a mobile clinic, as stated in the article. It operates from a park home structure with six consulting rooms and continues to provide primary healthcare services to the community. Where patients require additional primary healthcare services, they are referred to OR Tambo Community Health Centre in Diepsloot. Patients requiring urgent hospital care are referred to Dr Yusuf Dadoo Hospital, the nearest district hospital serving the area. The claim that Cosmo City has a population of more than 1.5 million is also not supported by departmental planning data. The population figure used by the Department for Cosmo City is 59 845. In addition, the District Health Information System recorded a primary healthcare headcount of 59 636 during the 2025/26 financial year. These are different measures and should not be confused with each other. Correcting these facts does not mean that the Department is dismissing the concerns of the community. Accurate information allows government and residents to have an honest discussion about what is needed, what progress has been made and what remains outstanding. It is also important to explain the infrastructure planning process and why the proposed facility involves several government institutions. The GDoH Infrastructure Management Directorate is responsible for coordinating the Department’s health infrastructure requirements. This includes assessing infrastructure needs, supporting the development of the business case, identifying suitable land and coordinating the planning of the proposed facility with the relevant provincial and municipal institutions. The Directorate must also ensure that infrastructure proposals are aligned with the Department’s service delivery plans, available resources and government’s budgeting processes. Once all the required approvals have been secured, the Directorate coordinates the project through the relevant planning, procurement and construction stages. In this case, a site has been identified at Erf 9009 on South Africa Drive, next to the Cosmo City Fire Station. The property belongs to the City of Johannesburg. The City must approve the donation of the land through a Council Resolution. The Johannesburg Property Company, which manages the City’s property portfolio, must process the property transaction and sign the Permission to Occupy and Build. The process to secure the site has been underway for several years. In July 2016, a request was submitted to the City of Johannesburg through the Johannesburg Property Company for the donation of the property for the proposed health facility. Gauteng Provincial Treasury approved the acceptance of the land donation in March 2018. In December 2018, the Johannesburg Property Company issued the Permission to Occupy and Build. The document was signed on behalf of the Provincial Government together with the donation acceptance letter. However, the required City Council Resolution and the signature of the Johannesburg Property Company on the Permission to Occupy and Build remain outstanding. Until these municipal processes are concluded, the province cannot legally take occupation of the land and proceed with detailed infrastructure planning and construction. These processes exist to protect public land and public funds. Nevertheless, government must acknowledge that the length of time taken to conclude them is frustrating for residents. Communities experience government as one institution and should not be expected to carry the burden of administrative delays between different institutions and spheres of government. Accordingly, the GDoH Infrastructure Management Directorate continues to engage and follow up with the relevant stakeholders to secure the outstanding municipal approvals and move the project forward. The proposed Cosmo City facility must also be understood within the broader commitment of the Gauteng Provincial Government to improve services at hospitals and clinics. We unveiled seven additional mobile clinics at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital on Tuesday, 11 August 2926. This increased the Department’s mobile clinic fleet from 46 to 53. The latest expansion represents a 15% increase in the Department’s mobile clinic fleet. The additional units will be deployed across the Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Sedibeng health districts. The West Rand already has 15 mobile clinics, which is the largest allocation among the five districts. The mobile clinics will provide health screening and early detection services, HIV and TB prevention and testing, services for women, children and young people, hypertension and diabetes screening, health promotion and patient referrals. The mobile clinics complement fixed health facilities, community health workers and existing outreach programmes. District health teams will identify communities with the greatest gaps in access and develop schedules informing residents when and where the mobile clinics will operate. These interventions do not mean that every challenge in the provincial health system has been resolved. They demonstrate that improving hospital and clinic services, strengthening health infrastructure and expanding access to healthcare remain central priorities of the Gauteng Provincial Government. The demand for a permanent 24-hour Community Health Centre in Cosmo City is therefore not in conflict with government’s priorities. It is aligned with them. Mr Mantshontsho and the residents of Cosmo City want better access to healthcare. The Department wants the same. Government must ensure that the project progresses through the required legal and financial processes and that commitments made to the community are realistic, properly funded and capable of being implemented. We encourage Mr Mantshontsho and the community to continue their constructive activism and engagement with government. The people of Cosmo City deserve clear communication, accountable government and improved access to healthcare. Delivering the proposed facility will require urgency, cooperation and accountability from all the institutions involved. We share the same objective; the task now is to ensure that every responsible institution plays its part in moving the project forward. Sifuna abantu baphile, we want the people of Gauteng to live healthy lives. Through #AsibeHealthyGP campaign and our regular Siyabaphilisa community outreaches, we will continue taking healthcare services directly to underserved communities.
NSFAS board scores major court victory Vusi.Bafetane Fri, 08/14/2026 - 15:32 JOHANNESBURG - The High Court in Pretoria has ordered the reinstatement of seven NSFAS board members. It's also set aside the appointment of Hlengani Mathebula as administrator. The court found that Minister Buti Manamela's decision was irrational. READ: NSFAS faces R15bn student-funding gap The seven members will now continue their duties in the management, governance and administration of the student funder. They approached the court in May, after Manamela dissolved the board. The members argued that Manamela had ulterior motives. But Manamela defended his intervention, saying the board’s composition did not comply with the NSFAS Act.
There are three trigger words right there — Mozambican, super-hot, and peri-peri. We asked for your fiery recipes. You sent them.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) region is calling for increased investment in irrigation to reduce its dependence on rainfall and boost food production. Speaking at a high-level SADC Food Systems Transformation Policy Dialogue in Durban, SADC’s head of agriculture, Duncan Samikwa, said low agricultural productivity remains one of the biggest threats to food security. He said the region is encouraging member states to expand irrigation infrastructure, so farmers can maintain production during dry periods. The call comes as SADC prepares for the possibility of a severe El Niño season, which could bring hotter and drier conditions across the region. “So, the ministers came up with a number of strategies. They are saying we should increase our domestic production in SADC as well as use materials to improve our soil fertility. We believe if we increase the use of fertilisers as well as irrigation we might change the situation. SADC is endowed with a lot of resources yet our investment in irrigation is low and in the next few years we hope to increase irrigation so that we just don’t depend on rain fed agriculture.”
Carrim's medical report must be considered, says lawyer Vusi.Bafetane Fri, 08/14/2026 - 15:22 Suliman Carrim's lawyer, Kameel Prehmid PRETORIA - Suliman Carrim's lawyer, Kameel Prehmid, is fighting to keep his client from being forced to see a doctor chosen by the Madlanga Commission. Instead, he argued that the commission should consider the medical report provided by Carrim's doctor. READ: Madlanga Commission to lay criminal charges against Suliman Carrim The Madlanga Commission will lay criminal charges against Carrim. He was once again a no-show at the hearings. Commission chair Mbuyiseli Madlanga said it's important for witnesses to take the inquiry seriously.
It’s Women’s Month now, not merely Day, and TGIFood readers have chosen their heroes in the world of food. We suggested a handful of women to stimulate debate, but you have cast the net much wider.
Kaizer Chiefs are determined to continue with their good form when they host a tricky Mamelodi Sundowns at the FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Chiefs will want to make it three wins in a row and maintain their number one spot in the Betway Premiership. But Amakhosi players know that they will be coming up against quality opposition, and they are required to bring their A-game to be able to get maximum points this weekend. Chiefs and Sundowns couldn’t be separated in the league last season, with two league encounters ending in a stalemate. In the first round, the two teams played to a goalless draw at the FNB Stadium at the beginning of last season. Then the reverse fixture at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium ended in a 1-all draw. But Amakhosi defender Inacio Miguel believes they have assembled a very good side this season that can go toe-to-toe with any team, including Sundowns. “We have a team that is very connected, very compact, something that was lacking a little bit in the past few seasons. So, I think we are in a good (shape). Obviously, it’s a long road, it’s a long journey, but I’m pretty sure we will achieve something pretty this season.” But Miguel says they will show a lot of respect to Sundowns, who were recently crowned champions of Africa. “First of all, you have to respect Sundowns, you know. I think South Africa have to respect Sundowns because they are the champions of the Champions League. So, we are going to face Sundowns with a lot of respect, but we can’t forget who we are. We also understand that we have the capacity to go over Sundowns. We have to look up to ourselves. We don’t have to focus on what Sundowns is capable of doing. We have to focus on what we can do.” Chiefs got the better of Sundowns in the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup two seasons ago, when they won 2-1. But midfielder Asanele Velebayi says it will not be a walk in the park for the Soweto giants. “First of all, we are playing against African Champions. So, I can imagine how tough it’s going to be, but, obviously, we are going to this game with confidence from winning our last game. So, I would say the confidence is high and the mentality is right because we know what is required,” says Velebayi. By yesterday afternoon more than 30,000 tickets were sold for the highly anticipated clash. Stadium Management South Africa Managing Director Bertie Grobbelaar says they are expecting a capacity crowd at the FNB Stadium on Saturday. “We are just over 32 000 sold, but that is a good number on a Thursday before the event. Traditionally, at the FNB, we see the actual sales happening on a Friday afternoon and on match day itself. So, I’m confident that we will have close to capacity crowd and I hope the weather holds us well.” The match kicks off at 3pm. Four other matches will be played on Saturday, with Sekhukhune United hosting Polokwane City in the Limpopo derby. On Sunday Betway defending champions Orlando Pirates will visit Chippa United, and TS Galaxy will host Golden Arrows.
Banyana keep Brazil 2027 World Cup hopes alive Siya Tsewu Fri, 08/14/2026 - 14:54 JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's Banyana Banyana kept their hopes alive of qualifying for the Women's World Cup Brazil year. After defeating Nigeria 2-1 in their WAFCON play-in match, Banyana will serve as CAF's one of two teams alongside Ghana in the Play-Off's, which will be begin in November and December of this year and be completed in February 2027. Ghana's Black Queens eliminated the Ivory Coast. Both Ghana and South Africa will go through the first round of the playoffs, where they will face one of the following teams: Chinese Taipei, Uzbekistan, Ecuador, Venezuela, or Papua New Guinea. At the end of this first phase, only two teams will qualify for the next round. They will then face four nations from UEFA, Oceania Football C or CONMEBOL, who are exempt from the first round and qualified for the decisive phase. The six teams who have won through to this phase will then be divided into three groups. In each group, a knockout match will determine the victor who will eventually book their spots to Brazil.
For most South Africans, the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has felt like watching a single scandal unfold. For investigative journalist Caryn Dolley, it’s the latest chapter in a story she has spent more than 15 years – and no shortage of personal risk – pursuing.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police have released the first batch of 44 names out of the 46 victims confirmed to have died after a passenger ferry capsized on Lake Kariba on Tuesday afternoon. Of the 44 victims whose names have been released, at least 18 were children under the age of 10 . Authorities have yet to establish the exact number of people who were on board when the ferry capsized. However, initial information indicated that the vessel was carrying about 120 people, but authorities fear the ferry may have been carrying more passengers than initially reported. Seventy-seven people were rescued from the ferry. Police say investigations and recovery operations are still under way, including efforts to recover and identify the remaining bodies. VIDEO | Zimbabwe has declared a state of disaster following the incident:
The laptop, the MP and the emails: Fadiel Adams' IT woes Nokuthula Khanyile Fri, 08/14/2026 - 13:01 NCC Leader Fadiel Adams appears at Pinetown magistrate’s court. Gallo Images/Darren Stewart DURBAN - Laptopgate seems to be in full swing. eNCA has obtained screenshots that could shed new light or not on suspended MP Fadiel Adams’ claims about his ongoing laptop problems. Adams told the Madlanga Commission that his laptop troubles had repeatedly affected his work, and said Parliament could attest to his difficulties. Parliament, however, denied having any knowledge of his I.T. problems. In an interview on Thursday, Adams said he had forwarded evidence of his claims to eNCA. eNCA can now exclusively reveal what the embattled MP sent us. Previous Next Adams provided eight screenshots of conversations with Parliamentary officials. The screenshots include written Parliamentary questions, a request for documents and a transcript of an Ad Hoc Committee meeting. According to Adams, the screenshots are evidence of his communications with Parliamentary officials in which he raised his laptop problems. The evidence could now put the focus back on the dispute between Adams and Parliament — and raise the question of whether his screenshots support his claims.
TOKYO, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Record rainfall left thousands of travellers stranded at Tokyo's Narita airport on Friday morning as flooding in the surrounding area disrupted transport, knocked out power to homes and claimed at least four lives.
The community of Kabe village near Mahikeng in the North West will continue to endure long walks to access healthcare services . This is because the North West Health Department has not yet provided a definitive date on which the long awaited Kabe park-home clinic project will resume. Construction of the clinic was halted due to concerns that the designated land was sandy. The department’s spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane said, “Progress has been delayed, and this is while the department has outstanding quotations from the contractor for specialised work and supplies, some of which requires additional approvals. The project has a budget of approximately R6.3 million with provision made in the current financial year. The department can confirm that there will be resumption of work once the outstanding submissions and approvals have been finalised.” YouTube | SABC News | North West | No essential medical treatment for NW village |
TikTok strangers rally to reunite Cape Town student with mother battling cancer Nokuthula Khanyile Fri, 08/14/2026 - 13:00 PIETERMARITZBURG - What started as a tearful TikTok plea for strangers to visit her mother, who is being treated for cancer at a KwaZulu-Natal hospital, has turned into a remarkable story of kindness. Earlier this week, Londiwe Molefe, originally from Newcastle, posted a tearful video on TikTok asking people to visit her mother at Greys Hospital in Pietermaritzburg. Unable to afford the trip from Cape Town, Molefe said she feared her mother was not doing well and had no one else to check on her. Her plea, which attracted more than 5,000 comments, struck a chord with the app's users. “My mom was admitted at Greys Hospital. I’m currently in Cape Town and there is no one at home who can go check on her,” Molefe said in the video. “I don’t have another option. She is not okay. If anyone is close to Greys or can visit her, please go. Even just five minutes with her would mean the world and make her feel so much better.” Molefe’s followers responded to her plea, with one offering to buy her a plane ticket so she could travel to KwaZulu-Natal and be reunited with her mother. Many others flocked to Greys hospital to visit her mother. On Wednesday, Molefe arrived in Pietermaritzburg and was also able to visit her mother. Another user also offered her a place to stay, while another good samaritan paid for her return ticket back to Cape Town. Reflecting on the outpouring of support, Molefe thanked those who had donated, visited her mother on her behalf and offered emotional support. “When I made the video about my mom being in hospital, I never imagined it would touch so many of you. Thank you for the donations. Thank you for going to see my mom on my behalf. Thank you for calling me, for the messages, for sacrificing your time,” she wrote. “Because of your kindness, I am able to go to KZN to see my mom too. You carried me when I felt so broken. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”
CALI/PEREIRA, Colombia, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Hopes of finding more survivors of the powerful earthquake that rocked Colombia early this week were fading on Thursday as rescue workers narrowed their searches, while families in the worst-hit areas waited for news of missing relatives.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has made significant strides towards regional integration, including the establishment of a free trade area and one-stop border posts aimed at facilitating the movement of electricity, goods, services and people across the region. Reflecting on SADC’s formation in 1980, Ramaphosa describes the regional bloc’s establishment as an act of moral solidarity that helped advance the struggle against colonialism and apartheid while contributing to the development of democracy in Southern Africa. He says regional solidarity remains central to SADC’s mission, but cautions that much work remains to achieve deeper political, social and economic integration across the region. “Never forget that this community – SADC – was founded as an act of moral solidarity. SADC has evolved as an instrument of greater political, social and economic cooperation. The principle of solidarity has remained its driving force.” Ramaphosa says SADC had been at the forefront of progress in Southern Africa since its establishment, including through the creation of a free trade area and the Southern African Power Pool, which facilitates the movement of electricity across member states. He also highlights the introduction of one-stop border posts, which he says had helped reduce waiting times at some of the region’s busiest crossings. “We are going to build and develop more one-stop border crossings to enable the ease of the flow of business, trade, people and services,” he says. LIVESTREAM Health sovereignty Ramaphosa says Southern Africa’s anthem for the future should be one of health sovereignty, with countries in the region taking greater control of their healthcare needs. The President says SADC’s population of more than 430 million people presented a significant opportunity to expand pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing within the region. He says greater investment in local production could reduce the region’s dependence on external suppliers, improve access to medicines and healthcare commodities, create jobs and strengthen Southern Africa’s resilience to future health crises. Ramaphosa argues that a larger regional market would provide manufacturers with greater certainty and encourage investment in pharmaceutical production, vaccines and other medical products.
‘A full-circle moment’: Gabi Motuba reflects on Standard Bank Joy of Jazz journey Nokuthula Khanyile Fri, 08/14/2026 - 12:32 JOHANNESBURG – Standard Bank Young Artist winner Gabi Motuba says performing alongside American jazz vocalist Kurt Elling at the 2026 Standard Bank Joy of Jazz will be a full circle moment. The Mamelodi-raised artist has been named among the top artists who serenade music lovers at this year’s festival set to take place on 25 and 26 September. The lineup features global and South African stars including Floetry, Angélique Kidjo, McCoy Mrubata and Thandiswa Mazwai among others. “It’s incredible. It’s quite surreal experience,” Motuba told eNCA. “I remember going to one of the Joy of Jazz concerts and watching Kurt Elling, and now I’m on that very spot. It’s such a full circle moment for me because that was such a significant experience.” Motuba will perform songs from her recent musical project Sounds from a Black Girl, which is a mix of neo soul and improvision. “This offering is a meditation on affirmations. After coming from a sabbath themed around grief, I’m lucky to have come out on the other side. This is the tone of the album. I want it to arm young girls for a world that is not always accepting.” For Motuba, Jazz is not just music but a way of life. “Jazz has three major principles, which I live by: Improvisation, discipline and innovation. This has been the principle of how I navigate this life, with a little bit of creativity. These are the principles I employ in my music and personal life. For those who will be hearing Motuba for the first time, the musician says she wants her performance to make people leave with a better sense of courage and bravery. READ | ‘This is their time to shine’: Mantwa Chinoamadi on women leading Standard Bank Joy of Jazz “I think my music carries a lot of that. When people leave, they always tell me how inspired they are. These are the kinds of meditations that I love to resonate in my music because it also helps me, it’s our journey together.” Besides rehearsing for the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, Motuba will be performing at the Untitled Basement in Braamfontein on 20 August alongside Kwantu Choir. “It’ll be a beautiful spiritual experience and a little bit of church,” she adds.
AMSTERDAM, Aug 13 (Reuters) - A prolific hacking group known for exploiting software vulnerabilities to attack multiple targets simultaneously claimed it had stolen large volumes of data from nearly 50 companies worldwide, including Philips, Shell, Fiserv and, according to a posting on the group's website.
The Constitutional Court has ruled that Shell’s offshore exploration cannot proceed off South Africa’s Wild Coast. The ruling is a setback for the oil major after years of legal challenges brought by communities and environmental groups . The highest court in the land has overturned a 2024 judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal, which provided a lifeline to oil companies exploring off the country’s coast. BREAKING NEWS: Constitutional Court rules in favour of Wild Coast communities, overturning SCA judgment that had allowed Shell, Impact Africa & Minister Mantashe to proceed with offshore exploration. For more visit https://t.co/N9V5BF4stZ pic.twitter.com/2eGrQia6tF — SABC News (@SABCNews) August 14, 2026
'Shock' gloves for US immigration agents fuel potential abuse fears Estelle.Bronkhorst Fri, 08/14/2026 - 12:00 WASHINGTON - Plans to equip US immigration enforcement agents with gloves capable of delivering debilitating electric shocks have fueled concerns over potential abuses by a force that critics say is already overzealous and under-trained. "As if assaulting people and shooting people in the streets wasn't enough," Representative Maxwell Frost, a Democrat from Florida, said on X. "Now, they're spending $20 million of YOUR taxpayer dollars on painful electric shock gloves for their masked, lawless goons." "ICE must be stopped," Frost said in a reference to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency primarily charged with carrying out President Donald Trump's plan to deport millions of undocumented migrants. ICE has come in for criticism for a series of fatal shootings during enforcement operations, including those of two American citizens in Minnesota in January who were involved in anti-ICE protests. Critics have focused on the forceful tactics used by ICE agents in rounding up migrants and on an alleged lowering of the standards of training for new recruits. The plan to purchase the shock gloves, which was first reported by The Associated Press, calls for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the ICE parent agency, to spend $10 to $20 million on what are described as "distraction and de-escalation" devices. The G.L.O.V.E., or Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter, is made by Compliant Technologies, a company based in Kentucky that bills itself on its website as a supplier of "cutting-edge non-lethal tools to empower and protect those who serve." The G.L.O.V.E. delivers a shock that is not as strong as that of a Taser, another device used by law enforcement to subdue suspects. In response to queries about the gloves, DHS said ICE is "constantly assessing the needs of our officers in the field to ensure they have the tools and equipment necessary to safely arrest and remove criminal illegal aliens from our country." "Every decision is made with careful consideration and appropriately reviewed to ensure that any technology ICE utilises is consistent with all applicable law enforcement policies and standards," DHS said in a statement. - 'Misused' - John Sandweg, who served as the acting ICE director under Democratic president Barack Obama, said in an interview with MS NOW that ICE agents have an "incredibly difficult job" but expressed concerns about the electric gloves. "Deploying this admittedly less-than-lethal technology, in an era when we're really not all that interested in providing training to the officers about how to use that technology, really is alarming," Sandweg said. "It doesn't take a big stretch of the imagination to see this technology being deployed against a mother who's just maybe putting up the mildest resistance because she's being separated from her children," he said. "It's too easy for this to get misused against a population that doesn't pose a threat." Representative Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat from Washington state, expressed similar concerns. "ICE has targeted legal observers, protestors, and just ordinary people on their way to work or to drop their kid off at school," Jayapal said on X. "This won't make anyone safer and in fact just gives ICE another dangerous tool to target citizens and immigrants alike." The American Civil Liberties Union announced last month that it has filed more than 50 claims against the federal government on behalf of people and families allegedly harmed by federal immigration actions in 17 states and in Washington, the nation's capital. ICE arrested more than 51,000 people for immigration violations across the country in July, according to US media reports citing DHS sources, the most in a single month since Trump took office in January of last year. by Chris Lefkow (AFP)
A new online gambling licence applicant is raising questions about how closely South Africa’s gambling regulators scrutinise the people behind these businesses. Bet777 owner Maor Yehudai has links to a crypto trading scheme accused of fraud, making the regulator’s decision to keep his application under investigation particularly troubling.
South Africa’s women’s national football team, Banyana Banyana , players were happy after they beat Nigeria’s Super Falcons 2-1 in a WAFCON play-off match in Casablanca, Morocco, to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup. The former WAFCON champions produced one of their best performances to beat their long-time rivals, Nigeria, and qualify for the intercontinental playoffs for next year’s tournament. Captain Refiloe Jane and goalkeeper Kaylin Swart believe Banyana will qualify for the World Cup if they play in the qualifiers as they did against Nigeria. After a goalless first half, South Africa upped their game in the second half and forward Hilda Magaia set up forward Thembi Kgatlana for their opening goal, with the veteran forward scoring from close range. The South Africans played with more confidence after scoring, and they doubled their lead with Jane profiting from a loose ball on the edge of the penalty area. The Super Eagles pulled one back late in the referee’s optional time, but it was too little too late. Kgatlana says, “We needed this to boost us. I think the more we play World Cup and big tournaments, it boosts us, and it again showed that when we are out, we always pick ourselves and get the result we need.” Banyana players celebrated the victory as it kept alive their dream of qualifying for the World Cup, and they believe they will qualify for the tournament if they can perform the way they did against Nigeria in the inter-continental play-offs. Swart says, “Hopefully we can look back at this game and continue to play the way we did tonight, and hopefully the results go our way because it’s not gonna be easy the road to qualifying for the World Cup.” Jane says, “We didn’t have a great tournament. We needed to give ourselves a fighting chance. It wasn’t gonna be easy playing against Nigeria; credit to the team. What we need to do now is go home and make sure that when we get to the intercontinental playoffs, we are ready.” Ghana and South Africa will be among 10 nations that will fight for the three final spots to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in the intercontinental play-offs. The first phase of the play-offs is scheduled for November and December, while the final phase will be in February.
Trump announces tariffs of up to 100% on imported drones Estelle.Bronkhorst Fri, 08/14/2026 - 12:00 WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump announced on Thursday tariffs of up to 100 percent on imports of unmanned drones and their components to reduce US reliance on imports in an industry dominated by China. The US president justified the decision on national security grounds, according to a White House statement that detailed a 100 percent duty rate on the import of certain unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), as they are formally known. Those with a takeoff weight of more than 25 kilograms and with so-called national security capabilities such as thermal cameras and docking stations will be tariffed at 100 percent. Smaller drones face a 25 percent tariff. The statement said the tariffs will "encourage increased domestic production" of drones and their components and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. Most of the new tariffs are to take effect September 3. "The tariffs are really targeting industrial and commercial drones, and to a lesser degree smaller drones used by hobbyists," Clayton Swope, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told AFP. - Dual use - In December 2025, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) -- which is charged with regulating telecommunications nationally -- argued that domestic production of drones would "reduce the risk of direct UAS attacks and disruptions, unauthorised surveillance, sensitive data exfiltration, and other UAS threats to the homeland." It added that drones "are inherently dual-use: they are both commercial platforms and potentially military or paramilitary sensors and weapons," and foreign production of drones and their components, "could enable persistent surveillance, data exfiltration, and destructive operations over US territory." The war in Ukraine has underscored how commercial and hobbyist drones can be outfitted for frontline attacks. The Chinese company DJI, founded in 2006, has captured more than two-thirds of the global drone market in recent years, according to several studies. It has also been in Washington's crosshairs for several years, with US officials accusing it of supplying products used to surveil ethnic minorities in China, particularly the Uyghurs. Since 2022, DJI has been on a US list of Chinese companies linked to the country's military and therefore subject to restrictions on access to US technology. DJI fought its inclusion on the list in 2024, insisting that it was not owned or controlled by the military. It is "critical that America be able to produce its own unmanned capabilities without parts or even raw materials from China," Joshua Steinman, a supply chain expert formerly on the Trump administration's National Security Council, told AFP. Last week, China announced restrictions on drone exports to the United States and blacklisted six companies in response to trade sanctions imposed by Washington over forced labour and national security concerns. That move came days after the US imposed fresh tariffs on China and 59 countries. In late July 2026, the US government also added humanoid and quadruped robots to a blacklist of products and companies barred from import into the United States, saying they posed critical national security risks. That sector, too, is dominated by Chinese industry. AFP
Icasa has withdrawn the allegation three days after a councillor raised it in parliament, conceding it had done no investigation.
Europe swelters under fresh wave of extreme heat Estelle.Bronkhorst Fri, 08/14/2026 - 12:00 PARIS - Millions of people across Europe -- particularly in France, Italy, Spain and Britain -- baked through a new wave of extreme temperatures Thursday as the continent's latest heatwave picked up. More than 135 million people were forecast to face temperatures above 35C, with Britain recording its fifth-hottest day on record and parts of France soaring past 42C. "The heat has been unbearable here, honestly," said pharmacist Bailey Williamson, voicing concern for hospital patients as Britain sweltered. Europe is the fastest-warming continent and in some places is ill-equipped to deal with hot weather. Scientists blame ever hotter and more frequent heatwaves on human-caused climate change. Repeat heatwaves and drought have fuelled a historically hot summer of wildfires, and contributed to the deaths of thousands of people. Temperatures were to surpass 30C for nearly three out of five European residents (excluding Turkey) -- around 340 million people -- according to an AFP analysis based on German weather service forecasts and 2025 population projections from the Joint Research Centre. The findings are consistent with those of Austrian NGO Klimadashboard. AFP | Nalini LEPETIT-CHELLA, Hervé BOUILLY - Patients suffering in UK - In London, temperatures hit 38.1C at Kew Gardens, making it the fifth-hottest day on record for Britain, according to official weather agency the Met Office. Williamson, 20, who works for the National Health Service (NHS), said the heat was hitting hospital patients hard. "People in beds are really, really sick, and they can't even breathe because of the heat problem -- so it's really bad," he said. Hospitals had recorded an increase in heat stroke cases, and the NHS was struggling to keep up, he added. "It's scary," Williamson said of the heatwaves. "I think it's a real sign about how bad climate change has really got." Tim Wallace, 60, visiting from Australia, was also struck by the heat. "I've never seen it like this, and it's clearly, it is concerning," he said. "We might have summers like this more often, and the grass will burn off more often, and it'll come back. But it's all part of the planet getting hotter." AFP | Hassan AYADI - Europe swelters - In France, temperatures climbed even higher, with weather service Meteo-France recording 42.5C in Chateaumeillant in central France, the country's highest reading on Thursday. Paris hit 38C and much of the country was under a heatwave alert. In Italy, similar temperatures were forecast to affect 29 million people, particularly along the west coast, in the Po Valley, the south and on Italy's islands. Large parts of the Iberian Peninsula also sweltered, with around 25 million people affected in Spain. The country's Aemet weather agency recorded temperatures of 37C in central regions on Thursday. In the UK, temperatures also reached 36C or higher in 40 locations across central and southern England. The country is on track to record its hottest ever summer, the Met Office said this week. The heatwave has fanned wildfires across Europe. In northern Greece, hundreds of tourists were evacuated by boat as a forest fire bore down on two popular resorts, while crews in central England's West Midlands region battled blazes damaging homes amid drought conditions. AFP calculates the figures using a method similar to that of Klimadashboard, cross-referencing population density with the weather forecast model from the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) -- Germany's national meteorological service -- published at 0300 GMT. Residents are counted if the model forecasts temperatures above 30C or 35C at their location at any point during the day. As the model has a resolution of approximately 6.5 km it does not fully capture urban heat-island effects, when cities are significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas, David Jablonski of NGO Klimadashboard told AFP. AFP
KwaZulu-Natal authorities say a suspected kingpin linked to the theft of road safety barriers worth millions of rand has been arrested in Jacobs, in Durban. The arrest follows an intelligence-driven operation targeting a criminal syndicate responsible for stealing the safety barriers across the province’s road network. The provincial Transport Department’s spokesperson, Ndabezinhle Sibiya, says, “After noticing that guard rails worth millions of rands were continually being stolen from our 34 000 km road network, the MEC assigned a team to launch an investigation. ” Sibiya says, “He has reported that a suspect, a suspected kingpin who owns a company and a warehouse, has been arrested. The owner was identified by his runners, who were arrested last week following an intelligence-driven #SiyatanzaLayezen operation. He was nabbed in Jacobs and is currently in police custody.”
Spieth among five sharing Memphis lead as PGA playoffs open Estelle.Bronkhorst Fri, 08/14/2026 - 12:00 MEMPHIS - Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth, trying to end a four-year victory drought, fired a seven-under par 65 to share the lead after Thursday's first round of the PGA Tour St. Jude Championship. Fellow Americans Jake Knapp, Kurt Kitayama, Michael Thorbjornsen and Michael Kim were also at 65 after 18 holes in the FedEx Cup playoff opener at sweltering TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. It marked the most players to share the lead in any playoff event after the first round. Hot at their heels on 66 was a pack including major winners Adam Scott, Gary Woodland and Hideki Matsuyama plus defending playoff champion Tommy Fleetwood. "Heat is the biggest challenge," Scott said. "Just pacing yourself. I don't think you can drink enough. "You sweat a lot out there. The thing that comes with that is the mental errors. But overall, I played a pretty good round." American Daniel Berger was absent due to a back injury, leaving 69 golfers trying to reach the top 50 in points to qualify for next week's second playoff event in St. Louis. Spieth, who reached the playoffs without a top-10 finish in 2026, won the 2015 Masters and US Open and 2017 British Open but has not taken a PGA title since the 2022 Heritage. He reeled off five birdies in seven holes starting with a 12-foot putt at the ninth. He sank a 40-foot putt at the par-three 11th, a 24-footer at the 13th and closed the run on a 17-foot birdie putt at 15. "I just tried to come into this week and be as patient, nonreactive, as possible, dumb it down to try to win," Spieth said. "Just knowing I'm a lot better golfer than I've been in a very long time and continue to believe in that." At 54th in points, he needs a good result to advance in the playoffs but called his round "about as stress-free as it can be." Thorbjornsen battled illness and the heat but had an eagle off an eight-foot putt at 16 and two birdies on the last four holes, closing with a 40-foot chip-in. "It was a little tough dealing with the heat and there's still a sickness, kind of hacking up on every hole, but I was very solid tee to green," he said. Knapp birdied his first three and last three holes. "I like that part of it. Opening with three birdies is always nice," Knapp said. "I hit the ball really well all day." - 'Right on the edge' - Kim birdied three of the first five holes and two of the final four. "Nice to get off to a good start," Kim said. "Hopefully I can keep it going." Kitayama was three-under over the first three holes and also birdied two of the last four. "Really liked how I hit it," Kitayama said. "I gave myself a lot of good looks." World number one Scottie Scheffler shared 17th on 68. "I didn't feel like I hit a ton of fairways. I was in the first cut a lot," Scheffler said. "I did a good job of being patient and not trying to force it too much. "I was right on the edge of having a good day kind of all day." Second-ranked Rory McIlroy, the reigning Masters champion, was 68th, next-to-last, on 74 after bogeys at 16 and 17 and a double bogey at 18, where his tee shot found water. AFP
Ryk van Niekerk – Moneyweb.
Residents of areas in and around Melvill e in Johannesburg have gathered at the corner of Main and Fourth Avenue to protest against ongoing water supply cuts. They are demanding urgent action from the City of Johannesburg and Rand Water. The residents say some communities have gone for months without a reliable water supply, following a similar crisis just six months ago. WATER WOES | Residents in Melville, Johannesburg, are protesting against ongoing water outages, calling for a lasting solution to the supply disruptions. pic.twitter.com/Fpc04291Ra — SABC News (@SABCNews) August 14, 2026 One of the residents, Josh Nil, has called for greater accountability on the part of the relevant authorities. Nil says, “Look, they call it communication, but it’s anything but that. It’s woefully inadequate. We might get a WhatsApp on their official channel with just reservoir levels, but nothing about what’s being done, what’s behind the problems, what they’re doing to resolve them. We struggle to get any clear answers out of representatives, and when we do, it’s the straightforward Public Relations (PR) answer: you use a thousand words to say we have no idea what’s going on. And that’s, I think, exacerbating the anger that we’re seeing on the ground, and also making it incredibly hard for us to believe that anything is going to change.” Video | Joburg residents protest against water supply crisis
Motorists face possible September fuel price hike Estelle.Bronkhorst Fri, 08/14/2026 - 11:30 File: A car filling up at a petrol station. GettyImages/Fahroni File: A car filling up at a petrol station. GettyImages/Fahroni JOHANNESBURG - The mid-month fuel outlook is looking increasingly bleak for motorists. Petrol and diesel prices are pointing higher, raising the risk of another fuel hike in September. Mid-month Central Energy Fund data shows petrol prices are set to rise by between 63 and 74 cents a litre, while diesel could increase by as much as R2.89 a litre. READ: SA’s economy rebounds in July as fuel prices fall The latest under-recoveries come as renewed conflict in the Middle East continues to put pressure on global oil markets and disrupt supply routes. While a stronger rand has helped soften some of the impact, analysts say fuel prices remain heavily dependent on developments in the region. With half the month still to go, the final adjustments may change, but for now, fuel hikes remain the most likely outcome.
Nerina Visser, ETF-strateeg en adviseur by etfSA, en Henry Fouché, fondsbestuurder by Sequoia Investment Solutions, beantwoord die vrae wat luisteraars se sakke raak.
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has heard that North West businessman Suliman Carrim i s refusing to undergo an independent medical assessment. However, Commission Chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga says the inquiry cannot simply accept that refusal, arguing it cannot rely solely on a medical report from Carrim’s personal doctor because of the doctor’s close relationship with him. The inquiry, which is underway at Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria, is investigating criminality, political interference, and corruption within the country’s criminal justice system. Previously, the Commission ruled that Carrim must be evaluated by a truly independent medical specialist nominated by the relevant professional association, rather than by a doctor associated with him, to ensure an unbiased assessment of his fitness to testify. Madlanga also questioned the credibility of the medical evidence, noting that the doctor’s explanations appeared to change after Carrim was seen in Cape Town despite the doctor submitting he could not appear before the Commission. He says, “From where we are sitting, we don’t consider Mr Carrim’s doctor to be an objective expert. He is an expert that’s closely associated with Mr Carrim and who, from where we are sitting, unless we get another opinion, appears to us to be pushing Mr Carrim’s story.” He says, “So very close to, if not analogous to, what courts have referred to as a hired gun in this sense. If a court wants to get an objective view, it will want to get someone who is independent, as opposed to someone who is closely associated with the person concerned, and this is exactly what we have here, a medical specialist who has been treating Mr Carrim for this lengthy period.” LIVE STREAM | Madlanga Commission of Inquiry: -Reporting by Puseletso Mokoena.
Women clear the runway in SA's aviation industry Estelle.Bronkhorst Fri, 08/14/2026 - 11:10 PRETORIA - The flight deck of aviation is slowly shedding its "boys' club" image as more women take to the skies. At the National Aviation Gender Summit in Pretoria, officials revealed a promising liftoff. Women now make up just over 20 percent of the country’s licensed aviation professionals, a solid jump from the 5,000 recorded just two years ago. “Today in the aviation sector, which has been a sector dominated by males, there are over 6,000 registered aviation professionals, which amounts to 20 percent of the sector," said Transport Minister Barbara Creecy. Women now make up more than a quarter of the student pilot population, suggesting the pipeline is growing. The challenge is making sure they finish their training, find jobs and progress through the ranks. "You can never build a pipeline of aviation professionals if you neglect women," said SACAA director Poppy Khoza. "The cockpit as you know, sees no gender. Pilots don’t know any danger. "We create a culture and space for them to thrive.” For aspiring aviators, the cost of entering the industry can be just as daunting as breaking through its traditionally male-dominated culture. Government says it’s investing in that pipeline. Last year, 44 percent of ACSA Aviation Academy bursaries went to young women, while more than 70 percent of the Civil Aviation Authority's current interns are women. The hope is that more of these women launch flying careers and advance into senior aviation roles. eNCA's Naomi Kobbie reports.
Hein Kruger, stigter en besturende direkteur van Kruger Internasionaal, verduidelik hoe hulle hul personeellede help om skuldvry te wees.
The rand was little changed on Friday as easing United States (US) inflation boosted speculation that the Federal Reserve would keep rates on hold, while Middle East tensions supported the dollar. At 08:18 GMT, the rand traded at 16,18 against the dollar, little changed from its previous close of 16,19. Risk sentiment remained fragile after the United States signalled it could maintain its naval blockade of Iran indefinitely and step up economic pressure on Tehran, highlighting the risk of a prolonged Middle East conflict. The South African currency typically gains when risk appetite is strong, but fears that the US-Iran standoff could disrupt oil supplies and hurt global growth may keep investors cautious. The dollar remained range-bound after softer-than-expected US producer prices data reduced expectations for a September Fed rate hike. “The rand is consolidating within a R16.05/R16.25 range with good two-way flows in the market. From a technical perspective, the local currency is looking slightly overbought, and a correction is possible in the short term,” said Andre Cilliers, currency strategist at TreasuryONE. On the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the Top-40 index was down 0.6% in early trade. South Africa’s benchmark 2035 government bond was slightly weaker in early deals, with the yield up 2 basis points to 8.435%.
UPDATE: Fadiel Adams case transferred to regional court Nokuthula Khanyile Fri, 08/14/2026 - 10:15 Fadiel Adams DURBAN - The case against National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams has been transferred to the regional court. Adams made a brief appearance in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Friday, where the State said investigations into the case had been finalised. The matter will return to the regional court on 11 September. Adams faces charges of fraud and defeating the administration of justice. The State alleges that Adams misrepresented himself to gain access to Westville Prison, where he secretly interviewed and recorded inmates linked to the 2017 murder of former ANC Youth League secretary Sindiso Magaqa. Investigators allege that the recordings were later used to implicate senior police officials, including Crime Intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo. Adams was arrested in Cape Town in May and is out on R10,000 bail.
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers the keynote address at a SADC Summit Public Lecture at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, in Durban. Livestream |
Dr Dirk Strydom, hoof van die Nampo-afdeling by Graan SA, gesels oor boere wat na die JSE opruk oor sojaboonpryse.
The University of Mpumalanga has dismissed allegations that it prioritises foreign nationals over South African citizens in its recruitment process. This follows scrutiny during a Parliamentary oversight visit and allegations on social media that the university is prioritising foreign nationals in its hiring processes. The institution says it fully complies with both the Employment Services Act and the Immigration Act in its hiring processes, stating that more than 94 per cent of its staff are South Africans. It has, however, conceded that it is working on reviewing its appointment policy to improve the search from the domestic labour market. The university’s Tlangelani Ubisi says, “What we’re doing, we said, look, we’re going to review our appointment policy so that it becomes a pre-requirement. For instance, especially issues around the extensive search of the domestic labour market before we can be able to say, look, we couldn’t find such a skill in the country. Overall, we’re comfortable from where we sit. We had already even started the process before the visit by the portfolio committee, but we believe that it will strengthen our recruitment processes.”
LIVESTREAM | Ramsamy back in hot seat, Carrim update expected Nokuthula Khanyile Fri, 08/14/2026 - 09:30 Sesi Baloyi and Mbuyiseli Madlanga at Madlanga Commission Of Inquiry GalloImages/Frennie Shivambu PRETORIA - Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) prosecutor Drushanta Ramsamy is expected back on the stand at the Madlanga Commission. On Tuesday, she told the commission that suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu allegedly flouted protocol by sharing a confidential IGI report with IDAC chief investigator Dylan Perumal. Her testimony has raised further questions about Mchunu’s alleged role in IDAC’s targeting of crime intelligence boss Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo and suspended National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola. The commission is also expected to provide an update on controversial businessman Suliman Carrim’s testimony. Carrim has been called to testify several times but has repeatedly cited illness for his absence. The commission will also hear an in-camera application by Witness P, who is expected to testify about alleged police hit squads and gangs in KwaZulu-Natal.
With 82 days to go before millions of South Africans head to the polls, municipal councillors across the country are wrapping up their five-year terms. In this week’s edition of Councillors Corner, our Digital News producer Lebo Tshangela speaks with the African National Congress’s Ward 15 Councillor in the Northern Cape’s Sol Plaatje Municipality, Thapelo Nkukane. Nkukane, whose ward serves areas such as Phomolong and the Solomon Mahlangu area, reflects on his tenure, which has been plagued by the ongoing sewage crisis. He says, “Amongst the challenges that are painful is the issue of sewage; I would not want to apportion that one to my ward alone because I think we are in a crisis now in Sol Plaatjie…It is a serious problem; most of our pump stations are working temporarily, and they shut down.” The conversation is below: Related: Councillors Corner | DA’s Jonker accounts for Joburg’s Ward 88 Related: Councillors Corner | PA’s Daniels accounts for Cape Town’s Ward 56
Nerina Visser, ETF-strateeg en adviseur by etfSA, deel haar mening oor wat vir haar op die mark uitstaan.
The case of the National Coloured Congress Member of Parliament Fadiel Adams has been transferred from Pinetown Magistrate’s Court to the Regional Court on the 11th of September. His charges are in connection with visits to detainees in Durban’s Westville prison when their cases were before court. Both detainees have since been convicted. Adams was arrested in May and was granted bail of R10 000. Earlier, Adams said the extent of irregularities in the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team would become clear when he testifies before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday next week. “Once we open up at Madlanga why we had to go to court for documents that they were supposed to give me on an arrest, the country will begin to understand what’s at play here. It is actually shocking that these people get away with it. Yesterday we heard all about killings that are happening right in KZN, and with police now apparently working with gangs and paid mercenaries for gangs. And all of this will come to play once we go to Madlanga. It is sad that this is the state of the country. It is sad that the country is cheering these people as they go about turning us into a narco state, but yeah, we’ll deal with this as we go along.” Fadiel Adams appears in Pinetown Magistrate’s Court – 14 August 2026
EC family forced to exhume loved one after cemetery floods Estelle.Bronkhorst Fri, 08/14/2026 - 09:20 QONCE - Families in the Eastern Cape are demanding answers from Buffalo City Metro over poor conditions at some cemeteries. Among those buried at the affected sites are some of the country’s anti-apartheid heroes and heroines. The family of the late Elizabeth Biko was forced to exhume her body at the Zone 10 Zulichar Cemetery. She was laid to rest in March this year, but the family later discovered that heavy rains had caused severe flooding at the cemetery. WATCH | East London Cemetery | The dead deprived of their peace The family says flooding is a recurring problem at the site. When they visited Elizabeth's grave, they could no longer locate it, with several graves submerged in water. They were then forced to exhume her remains. The family says the process added to the emotional pain of losing their loved one, while also placing a financial burden on them. The flooding badly damaged the casket, forcing the family to buy a new one for the reburial. They also had to pay the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality R4,500 for the exhumation. READ: Eastern Cape residents 'losing hope' after heavy rains batter province The family says they were fortunate enough to afford the costs, but questions what happens to families who cannot. They also accuse the municipality of failing to warn them about the conditions at the cemetery before Elizabeth was buried. The situation is just one of several problems reported at cemeteries across the Buffalo City Metro, including the theft and vandalism of tombstones. There are also concerns about inadequate security, with some people reportedly erecting informal settlements alongside graves. eNCA's Ronald Masinda reports.
‘I have yet to see the government prosecuting a large-scale company for walking away from a mine,’ says David van Wyk, mining analyst and researcher at the Benchmarks Foundation.
National Coloured Congress leader and Member of Parliament Fadiel Adams has criticised authorities for arresting him before taking what he says should have been a warning statement, while also claiming he has submitted evidence to the Madlanga Commission pointing to broader concerns involving Parliament and the handling of his case. He further alleges that Parliament has not been truthful about whether technicians accessed his laptop, saying emails and other documents support his claims. Despite the allegations, Adams says he will leave the commission to assess the evidence and remains focused on complying with his bail conditions and appearing before court in good faith. WATCH | NCC leader and MP Fadiel Adams says he does not understand why he was arrested instead of being asked to provide a warning statement, adding that Parliament has no reason to intervene in the matter. pic.twitter.com/0jp4nh5Qj6 — SABC News (@SABCNews) August 14, 2026 Adams says, “Let me put it to you like this. Parliament is lying. I’ve got the evidence on my phone. I sent the evidence to ENCA’s editors yesterday. The paper trail is there about our emails to the speaker. Every one of the technicians can be asked, off the record, on the record, if they worked on my laptop. I’m sure every one of them is going to say yes, they have. So, I have no idea why parliament is getting involved in all of this. And Parliament itself said it. They don’t normally get involved. So maybe they must explain to you why they got involved.” He further says, “Remember, the business of parliament is to ensure that parliament’s hands are at all times clean. It’s not. And if we believe the submissions to the Gauteng High Court, apparently a minister has been meddling in his affairs. Now, Parliament has not responded to that. But Parliament can jump up and say , no, no, no, there’s nothing wrong with his laptop. So, for me it’s confusing. It’s clear that this thing is deeper than we thought. It runs high, probably, possibly to the highest office in the land. It looks like it’s going that way”. “But look, I’m not here to do M adlanga’s job. We’ve got three very competent justices sitting on that bench. I’m just going to present evidence to them. But for today, I’m here to smile at the judge, to show the judge that I act in good faith, that I’m not in breach of my bail conditions. And that’s about it. The funny thing is that I have been ordered by the court to inform the people who lied to a magistrate to obtain a warrant for me. I’ve got to report to those people as to my movements daily. That’s what I find weird,” he says. Video | Fadiel Adams expected back in Pinetown court – Ayanda Mhlongo reports
DA to open criminal cases against worst municipal managers Nokuthula Khanyile Fri, 08/14/2026 - 09:00 CAPE TOWN - The Democratic Alliance (DA) will open criminal cases against 10 municipal managers from nine municipalities. The party said the officials it had identified had repeatedly failed in "financial management and accountability". They include six municipal managers from the Free State, two from the Eastern Cape, one from the North West and one from the Western Cape. “These officials have overseen municipalities that have repeatedly received disclaimed audit opinions, failed to implement Auditor-General recommendations and allowed serious financial management failures to persist,” the DA said. “In several cases, municipalities have recorded consecutive years of disclaimer opinions, with some failures continuing for up to a decade.” The party said the chargers would be pursued under Section 173(1) of the Municipal Finance Management Act, which provides for offences relating to gross negligence, material accounting irregularities and the provision of false information to the Auditor-General. “The DA’s plan is clear: appoint competent officials on merit, enforce accountability without exception, and professionalise municipal administration through continuous skills development,” the party said in a statement.
Diabetes is now South Africa’s leading recorded cause of death, with Statistics SA reporting more than 27-thousand deaths linked to the disease in 2023. Doctors say lifestyle factors are driving the crisis. Many cases remain undiagnosed. Durban-based Doctor Preeti Ramlachan says early detection and lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of serious complications. Ramlachan says, “When we look at diabetes as coming up as the latest incidence of a major cause of death and mortality in South Africa, it belongs to the group of silent disease processes. Diabetes, hypertension, all start to grow there quietly without people knowing about it. And herein lies the difficulty with diabetes, hypertension, and other killers which are silent, is that the patient or the person will present late, and that late presentation is where our difficulty lies.” Video | Diabetes now the leading cause of death in SA: Dr Aaron Motsoaledi weighs in
SASSA faces growing demand as grant beneficiaries near 20 million Estelle.Bronkhorst Fri, 08/14/2026 - 09:00 KHAYELITSHA - By the end of the year, nearly 20 million South Africans could rely on SASSA grants. Each month, they queue at chaotic offices to collect their payments. Many complain of confusion and being repeatedly told to return. Now Social Development Minister Dina Pule says she has a plan to curb the chaos, and it includes hiring temporary staff. READ: Is it you? Some SASSA beneficiaries to wait longer for August payout Pule visited Khayelitsha and Bellville SASSA offices to see first-hand what’s causing the delays. After speaking with staff and people in the queues, Pule said she now better understands what must be done to improve service. She says plans are underway to hire contract staff and ease the burden. The minister urges grant applicants to check the date their grant category is due for payment. READ: Clock is ticking, change SASSA gold card or risk payment disruption "I think they believe that if they come early, they are going to be first in the line, and they don't get to be first in line because they come on the wrong day. "Today, for example, was a child grant day, but I got the elderly there," she said. She says kiosks will soon be set up in libraries, allowing first-time applicants to apply there. eNCA’s Ayesha Ismail reports.
Democracy Development Programme (DDP) says women must be included in political activities that lead to the Local Government Elections. The civil society organisation, which works to deepen democracy and promote good governance, held a women’s conference in Durban on Thursday. This comes as South Africans prepare to go to the polls and cast their votes in the Local Government election on November 4. The organisation’s Development Officer Mbalenhle Mkhize says women must be given powers to make meaningful changes. Mkhize says, “We are just here to encourage all women from all political parties because we have invited a multiple political parties to come to the front and speak on how we can transform local government, how do we transform representation of women to ensure that we move in terms of numbers, but in terms of transformation what key decisions can we take as women in that space to ensure that in GBV (Gender-Based Violence) in anything that affects women and the community is dealt with.” RELATED VIDEO | Women’s political representation under scrutiny:
US says lower oil prices now top priority in war Estelle.Bronkhorst Fri, 08/14/2026 - 09:00 WASHINGTON - The top US priority now in the Iran war is no longer its nuclear programme but to bring gasoline prices down for American consumers, the vice president said, with the treasury secretary adding that new economic punishment to wear down Tehran is imminent. The comments by Vice President JD Vance and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent illustrate the powerful leverage Tehran has gained by shutting down the Strait of Hormuz. Preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon -- consistently touted by President Donald Trump as his main reason for the war -- now takes a back seat to getting oil flowing again freely through the strait, Vance said on Fox News. Vance's comments underscored the stark reality that the war now centres on control of the Strait of Hormuz, the critical fuel supply conduit that was open before Trump started the war along with Israel in late February. Iran has all but shut it down in retaliation and thus found a crucial bargaining chip against Trump as he struggles to find a way out of the war and shies away from resuming large-scale attacks. The 80-year-old president's approval rating is plummeting, the war is unpopular among Americans and midterm elections are approaching in November. Republicans fear Trump and the war, which has caused gasoline prices to soar, will cost them their control of Congress. "I know that oil is down today and it's way down from the highs in the early days of the conflict," Vance said on Fox News. "That's goal number one -- keep oil and gas cheap for Americans all over our country." "And then obviously goal number two is ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon," he added. - 'Low-keying it' - The vice president has been among the members of the administration most skeptical of the offensive launched against Iran in late February. These remarks, however, appear to confirm the more cautious approach now favoured by the US president, which involves maintaining strong economic pressure on Iran by blockading its ports and preventing it from selling oil. Heralding more economic punishment, Bessent threatened to subject Iran to economic isolation "like the world has never seen before." He said new measures are expected next week. Only days ago Trump had said an agreement to reopen the strait was imminent. Now his administration seems to be digging in, with diplomacy on hold as he hopes economic suffering will cause Iran to yield. "We are low-keying it," Trump said Sunday. "We are only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money," Trump told the news outlet Axios. The US military reportedly burned through stockpiles of costly high-tech missiles and other weapons in the months since the war started at a cost of billions and is now reportedly running low, limiting Trump's options for resuming attacks on Iran. "Sometimes we're focused on the energy piece of it because we want Americans to be able to afford the price of oil and gas. Sometimes we're obviously focused on the military... on the nuclear program," Vance also said. Trump had said recently he would hold off on attacking Iran again only if an agreement were reached quickly to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Now Iran has set a list of conditions for reopening the passageway that the Trump administration is unlikely to accept: an end to the war on all fronts, the lifting of the US blockade of Iranian ports, the end of sanctions, the release of frozen assets and compensation for wartime damage. Those conditions echo the terms of a so-called memorandum of understanding which was reached in June and collapsed as fighting resumed. It included a provision to create a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran. AFP
The Economic Freedom Fighters ( EFF) Member of Parliament Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi says there are a lot of gaps that women need to fill in the political space. She attended a women’s conference that the civil society organisation Democracy Development Programme hosted in Durban on Thursday. The organisation works to deepen democracy and promote good governance. Its conference comes ahead of the local government elections on November the fourth. Mkhaliphi, who is also an EFF mayoral candidate for the eThekwini Municipality, has this message for women: “We are still saying that participation of women in local government, national level in the legislature is still bad. One of the things is that we still have a background and stereotype called patriarchy; we don’t believe in ourselves. So, as an EFF mayoral candidate of eThekwini, as a woman leader myself who has been in politics for a long time, we encourage women to take up their spaces and go and lead. Local government needs all of us; we know it’s about service delivery, so as women, we must take up our spaces and lead all the way.”
Kennedy Center board votes to restore Trump name: reports Estelle.Bronkhorst Fri, 08/14/2026 - 09:00 WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump has sought to burnish his legacy by getting his name and image placed on everything, from limited-edition passports to a Florida airport. His efforts to put his stamp on the Kennedy Center arts complex in Washington -- blocked earlier this year by a federal judge -- moved ahead once again on Thursday. The venue's board of trustees, which is stacked with Trump allies, reportedly voted to approve a workaround by adding the inscription "Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump" to the building. The New York Times and The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the proceedings, said the inscription would go directly below the main signage. It was not immediately clear how the decision would comply with a federal judge's order in May that Trump's name be removed from the facade, as only Congress can change it. In mid-June, the centre's Executive Director Matt Floca said it had "removed all physical signage on the Kennedy Center building and grounds" containing Trump's name. But a tarp has remained over the facade since that time, sparking questions about the actual changes. On Thursday, the board also voted to close the centre's main building for two years for renovations. Work on the venue's heating and cooling, electrical and fire safety systems is to be completed by summer 2028. A judge had also blocked that plan, but said it could be reconsidered after further review. The Kennedy Center did not immediately reply to AFP's request for comment on the board's proceedings. Since returning to the White House in January 2025, former reality TV star Trump has aggressively imprinted his personal brand on institutions, eschewing political tradition. The Kennedy Center's board initially voted in December to rename the venue as "The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts." The Republican president's name was quickly added to the facade in large letters above that of Kennedy, spurring the cancellation of shows and plunging ticket sales for remaining events. Elsewhere in Washington, the now-defunct US Institute of Peace was also renamed after Trump, and his face has stared down from huge banners hung outside the Justice and Agriculture Departments. His image is featured on a limited edition US passport, and the airport in West Palm Beach, Florida is now named for him. AFP
The N1 north between Beyers Naudé and Malibongwe drives in Randpark Ridge, Johannesburg, has been reopened. It was temporarily closed on Thursday night after one person was killed in a collision between two vehicles. The collision involved a truck and a light motor vehicle. Johannesburg Metro Police say the truck driver died and three passengers from the light motor vehicle were seriously injured. Xolani Fihla says, “Both vehicles were travelling north…. the first vehicle a while Volvo truck. The Volvo truck suffered a tyre blowout…. the Honda Ballad….the truck. Ejecting the driver from the cabin.” BREAKING NEWS: N1 North Bound at Beyers Naude and N1 South Bound at Malibongwe Drive closed due to fatal crash involving hazardous chemical transport vehicle. pic.twitter.com/7jX0JJaOH0 — SABC News (@SABCNews) August 13, 2026
Curtis breaks women's 50m backstroke world record for second time Estelle.Bronkhorst Fri, 08/14/2026 - 09:00 PARIS - Italian teenager Sara Curtis broke the women's 50m backstroke world record for the second time in as many days at the European swimming championships in Paris on Thursday. The 19-year-old clocked 26.56sec on her way to gold in the final, a day after lowering the mark with 26.63 in the semi-final to better Australian Kaylee McKeown's mark from three years ago by 0.23sec. France's Mary-Ambre Moluh took silver in 27.06 and Britain's Lauren Cox bronze, 0.59sec off the pace. Curtis adds the world record to the short-course European record she set in the event in Poland last year. It was also her second medal of the championships after she took bronze in the women's 100m freestyle on Tuesday. "I'm absolutely delighted. It's hard to come to terms with the emotions of yesterday's record," Curtis told Rai. "I struggled to get to sleep last night. I really did try to pick up the pace over the last 15 metres. It's unbelievable. I'm so happy. A dream, a huge goal." With both records coming either side of the total solar eclipse on Wednesday, Curtis joked to Sky Sports that she would get the natural phenomenon "tattooed on me" to honour the moment. "I've already given myself my 20th birthday present. I hope I can treat myself to more, but world records are the best present I could ever have given myself," added the Savigliano native, who will celebrate her birthday next week. Earlier, Olympic champion Kristof Milak set a new European record in the men's 100m butterfly final. Hungary's Milak clocked 49.48sec to snatch gold ahead of world champion Maxime Grousset of France. Grousset had been leading after the first length but was caught in the final 25 metres finishing in 49.70sec. Swiss Noe Ponti took bronze in 49.93. Milak then showcased his class as he anchored Hungary to gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay in a championship record time of 3min 10.03sec. The 26-year-old's 46.29sec leg catapulted Hungary to the top of the podium ahead of neutral athletes from Russia in second and Croatia in third. British 18-year-old Filip Nowacki pipped Netherlands' Caspar Corbeau to the 200m breaststroke title by 0.08sec. The Commonwealth Games champion took gold in a time of 2min 7.70sec, with Corbeau in the silver-medal spot and Austrian Luka Mladenovic rounding off the podium. Barbora Seemanova saw off Marrit Steenbergen to secure 200m free gold in a championship record 1min 54.38sec. It was the Czech swimmer's career third European gold medal in the event. Dutchwoman Steenbergen took silver at 0.27sec, while Britain's Freya Colbert claimed the bronze. AFP
Oil prices inched up on Friday after the United States threatened an indefinite naval blockade of Iran, reviving concerns about the supply of crude after the previous session fell on a weaker outlook for demand and a large build in US stocks. Brent futures rose 1 cent, or 0.1%, to $87.08 a barrel by 0247 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 6 cents to $81.31 a barrel. The benchmarks were on track for weekly rises of about 4% after the prior session’s fall of more than 2%, paring gains following Brent’s six-session rally and a five-session rise for WTI. “Despite the bearish crude stock data, the broader geopolitical backdrop is preventing a sharper price decline,” Susan Bell, senior vice president for oil commodity markets at Rystad Energy, said in a note. On Thursday, the United States warned that it could maintain a naval blockade of Iran indefinitely and ramp up economic pressure on Tehran as ceasefire talks have stalled. “Watch this space for more announcements coming next week because we are going to apply measures like have never been seen in the history of economic isolation of a country,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Newsmax’s “Rob Schmitt Tonight” programme in an interview. The latest US threats come as Iran curbs traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which carried 20% of the world’s oil before the conflict, driving up fuel prices and putting pressure on President Donald Trump to end a war that is unpopular at home. The strait is “under the management and control of the Islamic Republic”; however, the recently appointed head of Iran’s Basij paramilitary unit, Hossein Taeb, has said, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. The prospect of a longer war constraining supply was offset this week by forecasts from OPEC and the International Energy Agency lowering outlooks for demand growth, while data showed the largest weekly gain in U.S. crude stocks for more than 3-1/2-years. KCM chief market analyst Tim Waterer said the two forces were acting as counterweights. Pre-war global oil demand sat at 103 million barrels per day. “The result is a market that remains supported but struggles to break meaningfully higher while these opposing pressures remain in place.” Two vessels from the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company were attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, said UAE state news agency WAM, an incident the United Arab Emirates government condemned as an Iranian attack.
'Dream come true': Owners reunite with pets in quake-hit Colombia Estelle.Bronkhorst Fri, 08/14/2026 - 09:00 CALI - A beaming Vickye Giraldo holds her rescued kitten tight against her chest outside her ruined home in quake-hit Cali, Colombia. The country's third-largest city was pummeled by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake on Monday, along with swaths of Colombia's coffee region and western coast. With at least 273 people dead and thousands more injured, rescuers dig tirelessly through the wreckage, searching for survivors before time runs out. AFP | Raul ARBOLEDA The critical 72-hour window to find people alive came to a close on Thursday, but Giraldo and others are drawing hope from their reunions with furry friends. "It's an indescribable moment," the 56-year-old lawyer told AFP, planting a kiss on her cat Polux's head after rescuers pulled the animal from the detritus of its owner's apartment. Giraldo had lived with two dogs and two cats in a building that now slants dangerously to one side. One dog made it out alive, while the other did not survive and Giraldo's other cat remains missing. "These have been very hard days, thinking we might not be able to rescue them, but in the end it’s a dream come true. It really is," she said, tearing up as she cradled Polux in her arms. AFP | Raul ARBOLEDA Another Cali resident and animal lover, Andrea Paredes, has not given up hope on reuniting with her dog and cats. Her husband "managed to grab one little dog" before fleeing the shaking building, Paredes said. The quake destroyed over 12,000 homes, official data shows, making thousands of families destitute. Applause met rescuers on Thursday after they rescued a dog from another collapsed building. AFP | Raul ARBOLEDA A team of veterinarians rushed to assist the visibly feeble creature, giving him water before carrying him away on a stretcher. "Pets are like children. I insist on that," volunteer Nelson Vidales told AFP. "I know there are a lot of people thinking about humans, but the time must come when pets are looked for too. That's what I'm here for," he said. AFP
The United States (US) has said that it could maintain a naval blockade of Iran indefinitely and would ratchet up economic pressure on Tehran as ceasefire talks have floundered, global oil supply is dropping, and regional tensions are rising. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that the US military can maintain a naval presence in the region to enforce its blockade of Iran, which has inflicted severe economic damage on the country. “Indefinitely, the United States Navy can maintain a blockade like that because we’ll rotate ships in and out, as we have, and we’ll continue to,” Hegseth told reporters during a trip to Panama. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday that the United States planned to inflict more financial damage on Iran. “Watch this space for more announcements coming next week because we are going to apply measures like have never been seen in the history of economic isolation on a country,” he said in an interview on Newsmax’s “Rob Schmitt Tonight” program. With a tentative June deal to end the war in tatters, Iran has sought to exert leverage on Washington in return by controlling the Strait of Hormuz. It has attacked some vessels trying to transit the strategic waterway, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas travelled before the war began in February. Two vessels from the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company were attacked while transiting the strait on Thursday evening, UAE state news agency WAM reported. The United Arab Emirates government condemned it as an Iranian attack. US President Donald Trump is under pressure at home to end a deeply unpopular war, with high fuel prices dragging down his approval ratings and potentially eroding his party’s control of Congress in midterm elections in November. Trump has repeatedly asserted that the US has “total control” over the strait, prompting Iranian denials. Tehran has said it will not allow the waterway to reopen until its conditions are met. These include removing economic sanctions and releasing frozen Iranian assets. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell to eight vessels on Tuesday, compared with a 10-day average of about 12 vessels, and 130 to 140 ships before the war. The US lifted its blockade of Iran’s shipping and ports for a month in mid-June but has since reimposed it, cutting off Tehran’s primary source of hard currency and compounding earlier losses from wartime strikes on its energy infrastructure. Washington previously said it would lift the Iranian blockade once Iran and Oman, which sit on either side of the strait, reach an agreement to restore commercial shipping. SHRINKING OIL SUPPLY Trump has also repeatedly threatened to escalate military strikes and “hit Iran hard,” although he has thus far resisted deploying ground troops or seizing strategic islands and bombing desalination plants. Earlier this week, Trump suggested he would rely on economic means, rather than military action. The US has tightened economic sanctions against Iran and other individuals and entities that it says are helping it procure weapons, but the pressure campaign has failed to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table. Stress is mounting on the global economy. The International Energy Agency on Wednesday forecast that global oil supply would fall by 4.3 million barrels per day, or around 4%, this year. Just a month ago, the agency had forecast a drop of 3.7 million barrels per day. Oil prices settled down more than 2% on Thursday after a week of gains, as investors focused on signs of weaker global demand and a sharp increase in US crude inventories. But reports that Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis had targeted a Saudi Aramco refinery with drones unsettled the market, renewing concerns about a widening regional war. Global economists have forecast a sharp drop in global growth as a result of the war, and potentially a swing into recession in some areas, warning that the impact will grow if the war is not ended soon. Hegseth declined to comment on a question about whether, in retrospect, it was a mistake to declare a ceasefire in April, a move that ended high-tempo bombing of Iran in exchange for peace negotiations that have failed to resolve the conflict. “I’m never going to comment on that. We’re doing exactly what we need to, to ensure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon,” Hegseth said. Related video | Iran, Oman, US ‘close’ to Hormuz deal
NUMSA warns Eskom unbundling could weaken utility Nokuthula Khanyile Fri, 08/14/2026 - 08:00 JOHANNESBURG - The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has warned that Eskom’s planned unbundling could weaken the power utility and create greater opportunities for private-sector involvement. This comes as government moves closer to separating Eskom’s transmission business into a standalone state-owned entity. Numsa says the transmission business is too valuable to be separated from Eskom, estimating that it generated almost R100-billion in revenue and about R27-billion in profit last year. The union says Eskom’s assets should remain under public ownership and has vowed to use legal action and mass mobilisation to oppose any transfer. Numsa also points to Eskom’s recent return to profitability and more than a year without load shedding as evidence that the utility’s current leadership should be supported rather than having its assets restructured. The union’s position comes amid growing debate over the financial implications of Eskom’s unbundling. READ | Ramokgopa defends Eskom unbundling Eskom chair Mteto Nyati recently warned that moving assets too quickly, or in a way that weakened Eskom’s financial position, could rattle investors. The Presidency subsequently criticised Nyati, saying it was unfortunate that his comments created the impression that a process was underway in which Eskom was not integrally involved. Nyati has since shrugged off the rebuke, saying the priority should be cooperation between all parties involved in Eskom’s restructuring. “They've rebuked it, I'm okay with that. The key point here is that the President has created a structure that is helping all of us to be able to work together. And that is what is the most important part for me,” Nyati said. “We have to save our country. We have to make sure that we never go back to the situation that we found ourselves in the past.” Government announced several years ago that Eskom would be restructured into three separate entities covering generation, transmission and distribution. The unbundling of the transmission business is expected to take place soon, with Numsa warning that separating the entity from Eskom could ultimately undermine the utility’s financial position.
National Coloured Congress leader and member of Parliament, Fadiel Adams, is due to appear in the Pinetown Magistrates Court again on Friday. Adams is facing three charges of fraud and two of defeating the ends of justice after he allegedly visited and interviewed two accused in separate cases in prison while the trials were underway. The two court cases stem from investigations by the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team. Adams was arrested in May and later granted a 10-thousand-rand bail, with strict conditions. Related video | NCC MP Fadiel Adams bail application in Pinetown Magistrates Court
AKA and Tibz murder trial set to begin in October Estelle.Bronkhorst Fri, 08/14/2026 - 07:17 DURBAN - More than a year after pre-trial proceedings began, the murder case of rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes and Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane is finally moving towards trial. The seven accused will remain in custody, with the first trial sitting scheduled for October and the matter continuing into 2027. READ: Pre-trial proceedings continue in AKA and Tibz murder case The judge has also warned against further delays, saying she hopes the case can be finalised before the end of 2028. eNCA's Dasen Thathiah reports.
Residents of Reiger Park in the East Rand have called on law enforcement officers to ensure that perpetrators of last Friday’s shooting incident are urgently brought to book. They were speaking at the House of Nations Church, where they attended the memorial service of one of the four people killed in the incident , Roleen Lessing. The other three deceased were two members of the police anti-gang unit and Lessing’s friend Jaydin Magerman. A 23-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident. Community leader Cyril Reeby says, “My question is, what did they do to you to deserve what you gave them? And by you, I don’t mean you as a person; I’m talking to you as Reiger Park. It’s going to stop the day you stand up here. My challenge to you, Reiger Park, is to wake up and take responsibility, own this problem, go to those houses and give them an opportunity to surrender.” VIDEO | Tributes for one of four Reiger Park shooting victims:
Second arrest in Durban sex trafficking case Nokuthula Khanyile Fri, 08/14/2026 - 07:00 DURBAN - A second suspect has been arrested in connection with a human trafficking case in Durban. The arrest of the 48-year-old man comes a day after the main suspect; a controversial businessman appeared before the Durban Magistrate's court. The crime in question was committed in 2022. READ | Human trafficking case against KZN businessman postponed The suspects are accused of luring four Eldorado Park women with a fake job opportunity. The victims were taken to Durban North where they were sexually exploited.
The Maskandi community will gather at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg on Friday to remember popular artist Scebi Dlamini, popularly known as Inkosi Yamagcokama. Dlamini died in a car crash in Richards Bay last Sunday. Dlamini died at the scene after sustaining severe injuries. One of the three other occupants who were taken to hospital also died, while the other two survived. As news of his death spread, fans and fellow musicians mourned the loss of an artist who had made his mark in the Maskandi music scene. And it is through that music that Inkosi Yamagcokama will be remembered- for the songs and performances that earned him a loyal following among Maskandi lovers. His friends, family, fellow musicians and fans will now come together to celebrate his life and legacy at the memorial service starting at 11 am. Video | Family mourns passing of Scebi Dlamini after fatal crash
Fadiel Adams back in court on fraud charges Nokuthula Khanyile Fri, 08/14/2026 - 06:34 Fadiel Adams DURBAN - Fadiel Adams is back in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Friday morning. The National Coloured Congress leader faces charges of fraud and defeating the administration of justice. The State alleges Adams misrepresented himself to gain access to Westville Prison. It's alleged he secretly interviewed and recorded inmates linked to the 2017 murder, of former ANC Youth League Secretary Sindiso Magaqa. READ | 'Expect bombs…big ones' | Fadiel Adams on Madlanga Commission testimony Investigators allege the recordings were later used to implicate senior police officials, including Crime Intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo. Adams was arrested in Cape Town in May and is out on R10, 000 bail. eNCA senior reporter Dasen Thathiah spoke to him in Durban.
The ANC caucus says the Constitutional Court’s dismissal of the leave to appeal application against the interdict granted to President Cyril Ramaphosa is a clear reminder that political pressure cannot trump the Constitution, due process and the independence of the judiciary. The Impeachment Committee and several political parties, including the ATM, MKP, and EFF, appealed the Western Cape High Court ruling directly to the apex court. The high court decision halted the Impeachment Committee’s oral testimony or public hearings, pending a review of the Section 89 Independent Panel report on the Phala Phala matter. The ANC says the ConCourt ruling sends a message that courts will not be rushed to satisfy political timelines. The party says it strengthens the principle that no parliamentary majority, opposition party or political campaign stands above the law. It has called on members of the Impeachment Committee to respect court processes.
Banyana Banyana keep World Cup hopes alive after beating Nigeria Nokuthula Khanyile Fri, 08/14/2026 - 06:30 CASABLANCA - Banyana Banyana have kept their 2027 World Cup hopes alive. South African Women beat Nigeria’s Super Falcons 2-1 in Morocco on Thursday night, to advance to the Inter-Confederation playoffs. However, their consistency will be severely tested from here, as they continue their quest for a place in the finals in Brazil next year.
Why 25 million retail clients and a trusted billing relationship may matter more than owning fibre in the ground.
Classy Tanzid puts Bangladesh in firm charge against Australia Estelle.Bronkhorst Fri, 08/14/2026 - 06:00 DARWIN - Tanzid Hasan batted superbly to lead Bangladesh to 181-2 at lunch on the second day of the first Test in Darwin on Friday, just 17 runs behind Australia's first innings. Tanzid was 74 not out at the first break, with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto alongside him on 28. Playing just his second Test, the 25-year-old Tanzid looked in complete control against the Australian attack. His only blemish came on 62 when he edged Nathan Lyon to first slip, where the usually reliable Steve Smith couldn't hold on to a sharp chance. Bangladesh would have been hoping for a good start to the morning after a superb opening day when they bowled the much-vaunted Australians out for 198. Tanzid and Mominul Haque did just that, starting the day at 96-1 and batting comfortably through the first hour's play. The Australian bowlers were much improved on Thursday's efforts but the Bangladesh pair played patiently, taking singles when on offer and waiting to pounce on the rare bad balls. Tanzid brought up his half-century shortly before the drinks break, reaching his 50 off 102 balls with five boundaries. Mominul looked certain to join Tanzid in reaching the milestone, but on 49 he tried to punch a Josh Hazlewood ball through the off-side, only managing a thick edge to wicketkeeper Alex Carey. The pair had put on 102 runs and took Bangladesh to 138-2, 60 runs behind the Australian first innings. Skipper Najmul joined Tanzid at the crease and looked to be aggressive from the start, racing to his 28 runs off only 40 balls. AFP
Bank robberies fell to just two incidents in 2025 while digital banking claims climbed to R2.4-billion.
Porsche to end production of flagship electric car: report Estelle.Bronkhorst Fri, 08/14/2026 - 06:00 MUNICH - Struggling German sports car maker Porsche plans to end production of the Taycan, its flagship fully electric model, by 2030 after steadily dwindling sales, a report said. The manufacturer announced last year a major rollback of its electric vehicle (EV) plans due to weaker-than-expected demand, adding to challenges that range from falling sales in China to penalising US tariffs. Launched in 2019, the Taycan was supposed to underscore the Stuttgart-based group's embarkment on a major shift away from combustion engines. But sales have been declining, from nearly 41,000 in 2023 to just 16,000 last year, and only 6,000 in the first half of 2026. German business weekly WirtschaftsWoche reported that Porsche's works council, which represents staff interests, had agreed in principle with management to end Taycan production. "The company has decided to phase it out by 2030," the magazine said, citing company sources. Porsche did not respond to an AFP request for comment. The Taycan is one of Porsche's two fully electric models currently on sale, alongside the Macan Electric SUV launched in 2024. The entire German car industry, including the major manufacturers like VW and BMW as well as their suppliers, is in crisis as it battles weak demand in Europe, volatile US trade policy, tepid demand for e-vehicles and fierce competition from Chinese rivals. Porsche's operating profit plunged by more than 90 percent last year and it has announced a series of job cuts. AFP
The oil major won’t be allowed to renew an exploration right off South Africa’s rugged Indian Ocean Wild Coast, the Constitutional Court ruled.
Van Zyl Botha explains how Herotel is bringing Amazon Leo to South Africa ahead of its bigger rival, Starlink.
Who should control SA's medicine supply? Boards could be held liable for rubber stamping excessive paycheques under Companies Act.
The damage is in the accounting rather than at the trading level, but shareholders face a big swing from profit to loss.
Middle East conflict derails group's consumer recovery hopes.
South Africans are increasingly being targeted by AI-generated fraudsters who sound just like bank employees.
Borrowing costs at decade highs threaten the investment and consumption that have sustained economic growth.
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