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Staff Writer  ·18 Feb 2026 A tiny minority of taxpayers in South Africa pays a significant share of the country’s income tax, with the numbers even tighter at the top. Personal Income Tax is South Africa’s biggest income source, accounting for almost 40% of revenue collected for the fiscus. South Africa has about 26 million …

As the tourism sector looks ahead to 2026, it is increasingly clear that this is not simply another year of recovery. It is a transition point. Demand is present. Growth signals are visible. South Africa remains a highly desirable destination. At the same time, the environment in which inbound tourism operates has become more interconnected, …

It seems that South Africa is entering a long-overdue period of economic panelbeating, though the current pace of recovery suggests we are in for a painstaking restoration. Data released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Tuesday and Wednesday this week paints a picture of an economy that is finally catching its breath. Headline consumer …

Malcolm Libera  ·18 Feb 2026 Criminals are increasingly targeting e-hailing drivers in South Africa with the aim of stealing the driver’s cellphone, vehicle, and any cash on hand.  E-hailing targets are lured through ordering a lift on the respective apps, and at late hours in the evening and early mornings, making them easy targets.  As …

Minister Siviwe Gwarube’s SONA Reply  Honourable Speaker, Last week’s SONA reminded us that South Africa has entered a new chapter defined by a shared commitment to delivery, stability, and progress. The GNU is demonstrating that it is possible to work across political lines to stabilise the country, grow the economy, and create jobs. It is …

In the early years of South Africa’s democracy, as the country confronted one of the most devastating public health emergencies in its history, the government turned to an unconventional yet powerful solution: mobilising ordinary citizens to save lives. Community Health Workers (CHWs), also known as Lay Counsellors, were introduced under the leadership of former Health …

Suleila Omar (left) and Mitchel Joffe Hunter (right) at the Interfaith Shabbat against Genocide at Claremont Main Road Mosque, October 2024. Photo: Tamara Nechama Thusi Two private Johannesburg schools, Roedean and King David, have sparked controversy. In a nutshell, Roedean students boycotted a tennis match with King David. Roedean’s management, instead of explaining why their …

Toyota unveiled the sixth-generation of the RAV4 for South Africa at its annual State of the Motor Industry (SOMI) event last week, with an expected launch window in the coming months. The launch of this model represents a crucial point for the Japanese automaker, as it looks to compete within South Africa’s hotly contested D-segment, …

Mesdames Speaker and Chairperson of National Council of ProvincesHis Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa and Deputy President, MashatileHonourable members, The 2026 State of the Nation Address went beyond recounting our progress and future intentions, it challenged us to act so we rise together, and that we must use strategies that have made us succeeded in the …

University of Pretoria-led team opens a new frontier using the power of MeerKAT and strong gravitational lensing Astronomers using the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa have discovered the most distant hydroxyl megamaser ever detected. It is located in a violently merging galaxy more than 8 billion light-years away, opening a new radio astronomy frontier. …

South Africa’s unemployment rate dropped to the lowest level in more than five years in the fourth quarter, as the community and social services and construction sectors added workers. The jobless rate declined to 31.4% in the three months through December, from 31.9% in the prior quarter, according to data released by Statistics South Africa …

On 12 February 2026 the Executive Director was invited by the Speaker of the South African National Assembly, the Honourable Angela Thokozile Didiza, to be one of her guests at President Ramaphosa’s SONA address. The Honourable Angela Thokozile Didiza presided over the proceedings. SONA is a joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament and …

On 11 February 2026, the British High Commission hosted a pre-SONA event that attracted over 763 guests, including leaders, diplomats, policymakers, and collaborators. This gathering aimed to foster meaningful dialogue and cooperation, focused on enhancing UK–South Africa relations. The evening featured engaging discussions, strengthened connections, and a shared vision for the year ahead. The Executive …

A new report, Policy to Power: Ten actions to deliver green, accessible and secure electricity, released this week by the South Africa Electricity Traders Association and produced by Krutham, argues that reform is no longer about drafting laws. It is about sequencing, accountability and political will. The report lays out 10 concrete actions that the …

Staff Writer  ·17 Feb 2026 The Department of Social Development has confirmed the extension of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, keeping the monthly payout at R370 until March 2027 until its new successor is finalised. This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) that the grant would …

Toyota’s luxury sub-brand Lexus is gearing up to launch its first fully-electric car in South Africa – the RZ. The RZ is set to release in South Africa in early 2026, and while the carmaker has yet to announce the official release date, our sources at Duoporta Vehicle Information Specialists have managed to uncover the …

South Africa’s status as this region’s industrial anchor and lead global diplomat continues to slip. Wobbling economic development, alongside bruised foreign relations, presages a re-reckoning with a world busy reconfiguring itself. Last year Morocco became Africa’s top auto manufacturer. Stalled by high costs tracing to infrastructure mismanagement, South Africa’s momentum for a supportive industrial ecosystem …

South Africa’s official unemployment rate decreased by 0.5 percentage points from 31.9% in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025 to 31.4% in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025. This is according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the fourth quarter of 2025 conducted by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). The results show an …

The latest fuel price recovery data for mid-February shows that petrol and diesel prices are set to increase in March, with diesel users being hit particularly hard. New data from Central Energy Fund shows that the under-recovery for diesel prices has deepened while petrol prices have also dipped into the negatives. Petrol is now lined …

Staff Writer  ·17 Feb 2026 South Africa’s unemployment rate has dropped by 0.5 percentage points in the final quarter of 2025, to 31.4% from 31.9% in the previous quarter. However, the country has added 2.6 million people to the number of unemployed over the past ten years, with shocking levels of youth unemployment persisting. According …

Luke Fraser  ·17 Feb 2026 The Pantry is expanding rapidly, with the Marble Hospitality Group opening more of the ultra-luxury stores across the country. The third Pantry store opened in Bassonia, south of Johannesburg, adding to the existing permanent stores in Rosebank, Johannesburg, and Hazelwood, Pretoria, which opened in October last year. The new store …

South Africa had 55 registered remittance service providers as of 2024, with the Sarb currently considering expanding legislative definitions. Migrants from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have been sending billions back to their countries of origin. The South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) confirmed over R100 billion had been transferred out of South Africa using …

Today’s partial solar eclipse will be visible from SA. Here’s what you need to know! South Africa (17 February 2026) – A partial solar eclipse will be visible from large parts of the country today. That’s when the moon moves between the earth and the sun, partially covering it and creating an interesting spectacle to …

US President Donald Trump’s pick for ambassador to South Africa, conservative activist and writer Leo Brent Bozell III, has arrived in the country, where he will seek to improve fraught ties between the two states. An embassy official told Reuters on Monday that Bozell had arrived. He is expected to present his credentials to President …