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Staff Writer  ·25 Feb 2026 While the 2026 Budget provides some inflationary relief for taxpayers, drivers will once again bear the brunt of revenue collection efforts as the government hikes fuel levies. In his Budget Speech delivered on Wednesday (25 February), Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that the total increase in fuel levies will be …

The National Consumer Commission has launched an inquiry in the wake of a study by the University of the Free State on potentially harmful chemicals in sanitary pads and liners. The endocrine-disrupting chemicals are linked to health complications such as hormonal imbalance, infertility, endometriosis, and cancer. Millions of South African women and girls use these …

Parliament, Wednesday, 25 February 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has expressed serious concern over severe understaffing at Department of Home Affairs (DHA) offices in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, warning that the situation is directly undermining service delivery. The committee met with provincial leadership from both provinces to receive an update on operations and service …

Obesity medicines are needed in SA’s public sector. Can our government provide them? Some people who don’t medically need GLP-1s are using them, while others who could benefit from these potentially life-saving medicines go without. (Photo: Shutterstock) News & Features 25th February 2026 | Catherine Tomlinson In South Africa, access to weight loss medicines like …

 ·25 Feb 2026 South Africa will propose binding guidelines later this year to keep public finances on a sustainable path by introducing a principle-based fiscal anchor rather than numerical rules. “The anchor will require each new administration to table a medium-term budget plan to maintain fiscal sustainability,” the National Treasury said in its 2026 Budget …

While the nation’s GDP growth is slow compared to some of its neighbors, it’s been a positive period for South Africa. In the last six months, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration exited the Financial Action Task Force’s greylist and saw its credit rating upgraded for the first time in 16 years. The momentum is evident. It’s, …

  Dr Nosipho Mavuso at her Nelson Mandela University graduation celebrations in December 2025 Dr Nosipho Mavuso conducted this research first-hand at Walter Sisulu University in Buffalo City, where she lectures in IT. Her focus group surveys on 180 undergraduate IT students revealed that generic online career tools failed them because they ignored South African …

In spite of Presidential assurances and some ad hoc allocations, South Africa’s defence budget will shrink by R2 billion next year. This is according to the 2026 Estimates of National Expenditure (ENEs) published by National Treasury on Wednesday alongside Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s Budget Speech. The 2025/26 defence budget (Vote 23) stands at R59 billion, …

Honourable Speaker, Thoko Didiza Deputy Speaker, Annelie Lotriet His Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa Honourable Deputy President Paul Mashatile Cabinet Colleagues The Budget Council The Budget Forum Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, Lesetja Kganyago Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service, Edward Kieswetter Chairperson of the Financial and Fiscal Commission, Patience Mbava Honourable Members …

Staff Writer  ·25 Feb 2026 The Department of Home Affairs has invited South Africa’s tourism and events sector to apply for participation in the new MEETS visa scheme. The MEETS visa—short for the Meetings, Events, Exhibitions and Tourism Scheme—was announced in 2025 as one of two new visa types being launched in the country to …

The new US ambassador to South Africa, Leo Brent Bozell III, was upbeat about better relations with South Africa in his first public remarks since arriving in the country. He was markedly more positive than he had been during his confirmation hearings before the US Senate in October, when he focused heavily on President Donald …

Award-winning R&B singer-songwriter, Ella Mai, will be making her way to SA in April for two shows. The first will be for Konka Kulture Weekend at the Sun City Superbowl on Saturday, 25 April 2026, and the second will be at GrandWest in Cape Town on Sunday, 26 April. With an epic career trajectory since she began releasing music in 2014, Ella Mai has collaborated with notable artists like Babyface, Usher, H.E.R, Nicki …

Parliament, Tuesday, 24 February 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture today received an update from the Department of Agriculture on the vaccination of cattle against foot and mouth disease (FMD), following an outbreak across the country. The committee heard that the department is currently distributing a million vaccine doses to outbreak areas in the …

Caitlyn Hilliard-Lomas  ·24 Feb 2026 President Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced new salaries and allowances for traditional leaders and members of traditional houses in South Africa, including kings and queens. According to a notice in the Government Gazette, traditional leaders and members of traditional houses received a 4.1% increase in remuneration for the 2025/26 financial year, …

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) was warned that there is a serious risk that South Africa’s new driving laws have been compromised by corruption. The Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) recently closed a tender for a “turnkey” contractor to implement and operate the core services of the incoming Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offence …

By Nosihle Shelembe  South Africa’s strategic partnership with the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank) has unlocked a US$8 billion commitment to drive industrial growth, create jobs, and strengthen the economy by adding more value to South Africa’s natural resources. The commitment paves the way for expanding local manufacturing and mineral processing, investing in critical infrastructure such …

Motorsport South Africa (MSA) is delighted to confirm that rising karting star, Aleksander Praizovic, will represent South Africa in the esteemed FIA Karting Academy Trophy for juniors. This prestigious international championship, sanctioned by the FIA, is a global benchmark for identifying and nurturing the next generation of motorsport talent. The series is renowned for its …

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Feb. 28, 2026 –Walmart is accelerating its commitment to South Africa with the announcement of its third store opening at East Point Shopping Centre in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni. Building on the strong momentum from successful launches in Clearwater and Fourways, where customers have enthusiastically embraced Walmart’s Every Day Low Price philosophy, this new …

Carbon taxes are important ways of changing the behaviour of polluting companies, reducing greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change and using tax revenue to benefit all of society. This according to researchers from the University of Cape Town (UCT). The South African minister of electricity and energy, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, is proposing to suspend the …

President, Thank you for convening the Eleventh Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly to consider the draft resolution on the “Support for lasting peace in Ukraine”. It is regrettable that we are meeting on the 4th anniversary of a war that could have been resolved diplomatically rather than through a protracted conflict. …

On Monday, 23 February, the gold price climbed for the fourth day on a trot to a three-week high of $5,150 an ounce. The rand put in mild gains to break back below 16.0/dlr. And these gains were driven by the usual suspect: US President Donald Trump and his topsy-turvy tariff tiffs. On Friday, 20 …

Luke Fraser  ·24 Feb 2026 Lula has again called on Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to increase the VAT threshold for businesses during the 2026 National Budget. The small business funder has asked Godongwana to increase the compulsory VAT registration threshold from R1 million to R3 million to unlock liquidity within the SME sector.    Lula has …

Staff Writer  ·24 Feb 2026 The latest crime statistics published by the South African Police Service (SAPS) show that fewer hijackings occurred between October and December 2025 than in prior years, but incidents remain alarmingly high. Nowhere else is this more evident than in Gauteng, where more hijackings were reported than in every other province …

While it is not uncommon for major car brands to have subsidiaries or smaller sub-brands that make up their portfolios, not all of these excel, but sometimes these sub-brands manage to establish their own identities. This is especially true of the new Chinese brands coming into South Africa, with Chery and GWM introducing various brands …