THE MORNING BRIEF

The Department of Water and Sanitation has launched a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to tackle Emfuleni’s long-running water crisis, marking what government leaders describe as a structural overhaul rather than a temporary bailout.

The Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association (BKCRA) is calling for urgent regulation of Airbnb in the historic Bo-Kaap, warning that unchecked short-term rentals are accelerating gentrification and eroding the neighbourhood’s cultural identity.

South Africa’s citrus industry has received a major boost following the United States’ decision to grant new tariff exemptions that include oranges. The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) says the move restores the country’s competitiveness in a key export market and offers renewed hope for growers ahead of the 2026 season.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a formal investigation into the unexplained arrival of a chartered plane carrying 153 Palestinians from Gaza, who were stranded for more than 10 hours at OR Tambo International Airport after authorities initially denied them entry due to missing departure stamps and incomplete travel documentation.

Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke has issued a R4.6 million Certificate of Debt issued to the municipal manager of the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, marking a significant escalation in enforcing accountability for material irregularities, particularly after repeated failures by the municipality to recover substantial losses from overpayments for water tankering services.

KwaZulu-Natal’s education system is under intense scrutiny after a parliamentary report revealed a deeply troubling spike in serious teacher misconduct, including 30 allegations of statutory rape and several cases involving the sexual assault of young learners.

Johannesburg’s ageing bridge network is edging toward crisis. Nearly a decade after the last full inspection — which already found more than 700 bridges needing rehabilitation, including 68 urgently — none of the city’s 900-plus bridges have been visually assessed again.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is facing one of the most serious crises in its history after US President Donald Trump rejected its apology over an edited Panorama clip and vowed to sue the corporation.

Johannesburg motorists should prepare for temporary road closures and intermittent traffic disruptions this weekend as multiple law enforcement agencies conduct a joint traffic operation ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

World Diabetes Day: Raising awareness for diabetes and aQuellé’s campaign: Together Let’s Beat Diabetes. Encouraging everyone to wear blue.

The Competition Commission has announced a landmark R688 million Media Support Package over five years, agreed upon with Google and YouTube, to revitalise South Africa’s struggling news sector. The package — unveiled alongside the final report of the Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry — aims to support national, community, and vernacular media through funding for content licensing, newsroom innovation, and capacity building.

Artists United, a creative representative body, has pledged to assist the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) in gathering data on musicians who are still owed royalty payments. This move follows a march to SAMRO’s offices in Braamfontein, where artists and several political parties handed over a memorandum demanding greater transparency, accountability, and leadership reform within the organisation.

There are now reports that influential lobbyists are approaching former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe, along with billionaire Patrice Motsepe, to contest the leadership as the race for the ANC presidency in 2027 is rapidly gaining momentum.

Yesterday, a chartered flight carrying Palestinians seeking refugee status in South Africa landed at Johannesburg’s O.R Tambo Airport. Gift of the Givers facilitated the humanitarian effort with other civil society partners and will provide further assistance, legal and medical care.

In just four days, five women were brutally murdered in Cape Town—most killed by gunfire. The alarming surge in gun-related femicides has reignited public outrage and renewed calls for urgent government action to curb gun violence and gender-based violence (GBV). According to Gun Free South Africa (GFSA), firearms are now the leading weapon used to kill women in the country, with the proportion of women shot and killed reaching the highest level ever recorded.

Bangladesh entered a tense nationwide lockdown Thursday as supporters of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her banned Awami League party protested her ongoing trial for crimes against humanity.

Despite having some of the most progressive disability rights laws in the world, South Africa continues to lag in implementing them, leaving many persons with disabilities excluded from education, employment, and basic services. Advocates say that while the legislative framework is strong, the lack of meaningful execution undermines progress toward inclusion and equality.

Explosive testimony before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has shed further light on the extent of corruption, abuse of power, and criminal collusion allegedly plaguing the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD). Former senior city officials and ex-EMPD leaders have implicated suspended acting head Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi in a web of unlawful deals and cover-ups linked to accused tender tycoon Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and a rogue police unit operating within the department.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has announced South Africa’s first adjustment to its official inflation target in 25 years — reducing it from a range of 3%–6% to a fixed target of 3%, with a one percentage point tolerance band.

Vodacom has confirmed that it will not be offering Starlink services in South Africa at this stage, despite signing a deal with the SpaceX-owned satellite network to expand broadband access across Africa.