/file/attachments/2992/13856711_554329.jpg)
Israel Sent Iron Dome Air Defense Systems to UAE, US Envoy Says
Israel has transferred Iron Dome air‑defense batteries and trained personnel to the United Arab Emirates, according to U.S. envoy Mike Huckabee. The move aims to bolster the UAE’s ability to intercept Iranian missile and drone attacks that have intensified since the war began on Feb 28. The delivery underscores the deepening security ties forged by the 2020 Abraham Accords and follows previous Israeli shipments of air‑defence equipment to the Gulf state.
/file/attachments/orphans/0010337A-F5FA-4CAE-9114-914269721270_702021.jpeg)
NEWSFLASH: Unemployment Rate Rises 1.3 Percentage Points to 32.7%
South Africa’s unemployment rate climbed to 32.7% in Q1 2026, up 1.3 percentage points from the previous quarter. The labour force survey shows employment fell by 345,000 while the unemployed rose by 301,000, pushing the jobless share near its pandemic‑era peak....
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fur-seal-SA-Agulhas.jpeg)
POLAR POLITICS: Iran War Fuel Chaos Hits Sub-Antarctic as Remote Marion Relief Voyage Severely Delayed
South Africa’s annual relief mission to Marion Island has been postponed until mid‑May after a specialised polar diesel shipment, delayed by the US‑Israel war with Iran, finally arrived at a Cape Town refinery on May 1. The DFFE explained that global...
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Oped-Rapid_1.jpg)
IMPEACHMENT CASE: What ConCourt’s Phala Phala Ruling Means for Ramaphosa’s Future
South Africa’s Constitutional Court declared National Assembly rule 129I unconstitutional, overturning the 2022 vote that blocked an impeachment inquiry into President Cyril Ramaphosa. The court ordered the Section 89 panel’s findings on the Phala Phala scandal to be referred to a newly created...
/file/attachments/orphans/ED_608022_289636.jpg)
PHOTO ESSAY: In Pictures: Constitutional Court Delivers Major Ramaphosa Ruling
South Africa’s Constitutional Court ruled on May 8, 2026 that the Section 89 panel report on the Phala Phala farm theft must be referred to an impeachment committee. The decision overturns Parliament’s December 2022 refusal to adopt the report, effectively reopening an impeachment inquiry into...
/file/attachments/2991/13472395_275310.jpg)
China May Try 'Manoeuvring' Over Taiwan Issue at Trump Meeting, Official Says
At the upcoming Trump‑Xi summit, Taiwan will likely be a managed discussion point rather than a venue for solving the cross‑strait dispute. Taiwan’s National Security Bureau warned that Beijing may try diplomatic manoeuvring, but the United States has reiterated that...
/file/attachments/2991/13710278_921506.jpg)
Indonesia's Sumatra Flood Victims File Lawsuit as Reconstruction Work Stalls
Victims of last year’s catastrophic floods in Sumatra filed a lawsuit in Indonesia’s state administrative court, demanding that the central government declare a national disaster for Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra. The petition argues that provincial budgets are insufficient...
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Tori-Phala-Phala-Main-option-1.jpg)
ANALYSIS: D-Day Looms for Ramaphosa as ConCourt Set to Rule on Phala Phala Scandal
On May 8, South Africa’s Constitutional Court will deliver a verdict on the Phala Phala scandal, deciding whether Parliament correctly dismissed a Section 89 panel report that found President Cyril Ramaphosa faced a serious case to answer. The case stems from a 2020...
/file/attachments/orphans/ED_607671_867038.jpg)
NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE: Public Participation Process in ‘Frightfully Expensive’ NHI Scheme Under Scrutiny in ConCourt
The Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF), representing 65 medical‑aid schemes and 4.5 million beneficiaries, has filed a constitutional challenge alleging that Parliament failed to conduct a meaningful public‑participation process for the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill. The case is being heard...
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/13452827.jpg)
Senate Republicans Seek $1 Billion for Secret Service Upgrades, Including Trump's Ballroom
Senate Republicans are pushing a $1 billion funding package for Secret Service upgrades, part of a nearly $72 billion DHS appropriations bill that also finances ICE and CBP through 2029. The proposal earmarks $400 million for a new Secret Service headquarters ballroom, a...
/file/attachments/orphans/WhatsAppImage2026-04-24at131126_458396.jpeg)
RUNNING ON EMPTY: Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Fails to Renew Fuel Contract — Emergency Services Left Vulnerable
Nelson Mandela Bay municipality let its fuel supply contract expire on April 30, leaving municipal vehicles without diesel as severe weather warnings loom. The metro announced depleted fuel stocks on Tuesday night and said it is fast‑tracking a new tender, but...
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/GettyImages-1239465944.jpg)
PAIN AT THE PUMPS: Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Reduces Diesel Price Hike After Significant Miscalculation
South Africa's Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) corrected a miscalculation that had initially set the diesel wholesale increase at R6.19 per litre (≈$0.33) to a lower R5.27 per litre (≈$0.28), bringing the price to R31.17/L (≈$1.64). The petrol...
/file/attachments/orphans/CHERY_204815.jpg)
MOTOR INDUSTRY: Chery Picks up Asian Carmaker Baton From Nissan to Dominate SA Automotive Market
Chinese automaker Chery is set to acquire Nissan's Rosslyn manufacturing complex in South Africa, positioning it to become the market’s second‑largest seller after Toyota. Nissan’s South African sales fell to 875 units, placing the brand 15th, while Chery’s combined portfolio...
/file/attachments/orphans/P17edelnino_389086.jpg)
PARCHED OUTLOOK: Weather Watch: El Niño May Emerge Soon with Dry Winter Seen for Southwest SA
South Africa’s southwestern and southern coastal regions face below‑normal rainfall this autumn and winter, with Western Cape dam levels at just 46 % of capacity. A potential super El Niño could develop as early as May‑July 2026, likely bringing drought to summer‑rainfall...
/file/attachments/orphans/13942738_365687.jpg)
PUMP PAIN: SA Petrol Price to Surge 14% to Almost Record High on Wednesday
South Africa will see petrol prices jump 14% on 6 May, with the pump price rising R3.27 per litre (about $0.17) to R26.52/L (~$1.40). Diesel will increase R6.19/L (~$0.33) to R32.09/L (~$1.69), reflecting a Brent crude surge to $101 a barrel....
/file/attachments/2991/credential_ceremony_ambassador_shimizu_782068_226108.jpg)
THE AMBASSADOR: Japanese Foreign Minister’s Visit to SA Set to Intensify Relations
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will travel to South Africa on May 4, part of a broader Africa tour that includes Zambia, Angola and Kenya. The visit aims to deepen supply‑chain ties for critical minerals and reinforce Japan’s partnership with...
/file/attachments/orphans/ED_602660_100317.jpg)
SANDF ARMS THEFT: Gauteng Army Base Raid: Thieves Snatch Grenade Launcher, Assault Rifles
South African National Defence Force (SANDF) disclosed a burglary at Tak Base in Pretoria’s Lyttelton Military Base on 27 April 2026, where thieves cut a hole in the perimeter fence, forced open a door and stole three R4 rifles and a grenade...
/file/attachments/orphans/iStock-1182969480_387961.jpg)
Great African Seaforest — only Floating Bamboo Kelp Forest on the Planet
The Great African Seaforest stretches over 1,000 km along South Africa’s western coast, forming the world’s only floating bamboo kelp forest. Kelp ecosystems rival tropical rainforests in biodiversity and deliver more than $500 billion in global ecosystem services each year. Yet fewer...
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/bitcoin-alternative.jpg)
CRYPTO CORNER: Truth or Hysteria: Sifting Treasury’s Sweeping New Draft Crypto Regulations
South Africa’s Treasury has released Draft Capital Flow Management Regulations 2026, aiming to modernise the outdated 1961 Exchange Control Rules and target money‑laundering and terrorist financing in the crypto sector. The draft introduces sweeping requirements such as mandatory 30‑day crypto...
Getting Real About Red Tape: Competition Commission’s Review Is a Chance to Boost SA Business
South Africa’s Competition Commission has launched a regulatory review aimed at trimming red tape that hampers small‑business entry and growth. The IMF recently labeled the country’s business environment among the most restrictive in emerging markets, citing lengthy licensing and procurement...
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/Opinionista-Rutledge-MiningTW.jpg)
ConCourt’s SAHRC Ruling a Dangerous Retreat From Meaningful Human Rights Enforcement
South Africa’s Constitutional Court ruled that the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) cannot issue binding directives, stripping the body of enforcement power. The decision leaves the commission able only to investigate and document violations, forcing victims to seek costly...
/file/attachments/2991/13938114_981998.jpg)
Lithuania Should Join US Coalition in Strait of Hormuz, President Says
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda announced he will present a U.S. proposal for Lithuania to join a Hormuz Strait navigation‑restoration coalition to the State Defence Council. The move follows a State Department cable urging allies to help safeguard freedom of navigation...
/file/attachments/2991/11937918_571534.jpg)
Austria Falling Short in Fight Against Money Laundering, Says Global Watchdog
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) released a mutual evaluation highlighting Austria’s mixed progress on anti‑money‑laundering (AML) controls. While risk awareness has improved, the watchdog flagged insufficient resources and limited operational independence at the Austrian Financial Intelligence Unit. Penalties are...
/file/attachments/orphans/jm_coetzee_203938.jpg)
MORAL STANCE: Complicity and Collective Guilt — JM Coetzee Shuns Jerusalem Literary Festival
Nobel laureate J.M. Coetzee turned down an invitation to the 14th International Writers Festival in Jerusalem, citing Israel’s military actions in Gaza as a genocide that implicates the entire society, including its intellectual community. In a letter to festival director...
/file/attachments/orphans/unnamed1_848979.jpg)
THE INTERVIEW : Green Metals Lack the Market Incentives that Make Ethical Consumption Mainstream — Sibanye CEO
Sibanye Stillwater CEO Richard Stewart warns that green metals such as lithium receive no price premium, leaving original equipment manufacturers to choose the cheapest source regardless of carbon intensity. He highlighted the lack of downstream incentives for cleaner production, noting...
/file/attachments/orphans/bmdiscoveryAI_813017.jpg)
SMART SPEND : AI Becomes SA’s Newest Budget Tool as Consumers Rethink Spending Decisions Weekly
South Africans are turning artificial intelligence into a weekly budgeting aide, with 40% of respondents using AI tools to decide what, where and whether to buy. The SpendTrend26 report shows AI helped 42% of users locate cheaper options and prompted...
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/BM-Natale-Labia-Opinionista.jpg)
As the Strait of Hormuz Blockade Continues, a Food Crisis Looms
The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively blockaded, cutting roughly 20 million barrels of oil a day and straining global supply chains. Vitol’s CEO warned that even a rapid reopening would still drain about one billion barrels from the market. The disruption has...
SA’s Withdrawn AI Policy Had a State Capture Design Flaw. The Flaws Remain
South Africa’s draft National AI Policy was withdrawn after a citation scandal, but the article argues the real danger lies in its structural design, which mirrors the three conditions that enabled Zondo‑era State Capture. The policy silently permits single‑vendor AI...
/file/attachments/2991/13574218_208453.jpg)
Ghana Military Convoy Attack Kills Three Civilians, Seven Assailants
A Ghanaian military convoy escorting 140 civilians was ambushed in Binduri, Upper East Region, on April 28, 2026. The attack killed three civilians and injured one, while soldiers killed seven gunmen and recovered a G3 rifle and ammunition. The violence...
/file/attachments/2991/13743601_703487.jpg)
Tunisia President Sacks Energy Minister Ahead of Renewable Energy Projects Vote
President Kais Saied of Tunisia removed Energy Minister Fatma Thabet on April 28, 2026, just before parliament votes on a suite of renewable energy projects. The projects aim to add 600 MW of clean power and involve roughly €500 million ($585 million) in...
/file/attachments/2991/13934886_106886.jpg)
Indonesia Commuter Train Crash Toll Rises to 15 as Rescuers Complete Evacuation
A commuter train halted at Bekasi Timur station was struck by a long‑distance train after a taxi blocked the level crossing, killing 15 women. Rescue teams spent hours cutting through wreckage to extricate victims, completing evacuation on Tuesday. President Prabowo...
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2197322630.jpg)
Taylor Swift Files to Trademark Her Voice, Likeness to Ward Off AI Deepfakes
Taylor Swift has filed trademark applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to protect both her spoken voice and a distinctive onstage image. The filings list her TAS Rights Management as the owner of the audio clips and photograph,...
/file/attachments/orphans/ED_604122_841022.jpg)
Adversarial Advocates: Batohi Withdraws From Nkabinde Inquiry Citing ‘Hostile Environment’
Former National Prosecuting Authority head Shamila Batohi has formally withdrawn from the Nkabinde Commission, which is examining Gauteng DPP Andrew Chauke's fitness for office. Batohi, who initiated the probe, left the inquiry in December after describing the process as hostile...
/file/attachments/orphans/JAVETTMAINIMAGE_124328.jpg)
Creative Thinking: How the Javett Art Centre Is Redefining the Art Classroom
The University of Pretoria’s Javett Art Centre, together with its education faculty, has released the "One and the Many" resource guide, a CAPS‑aligned toolkit that turns the centre’s exhibition into a Living School classroom. Developed over a year by senior...
/file/attachments/2991/GettyImages-2271979621_588929.jpg)
IN PICTURES: Humanoid Half Marathon in Beijing, and More From Around the World
On April 19, Beijing hosted the world’s largest humanoid robot half‑marathon, lining up more than 100 robots from 76 Chinese research institutions alongside 12,000 human runners. The 21‑kilometre race featured a unique “human‑robot co‑running” format, with robots navigating separate lanes....
/file/attachments/orphans/Image-1-Bukhosi-Mdletshe_405154.jpg)
SPOTLIGHT: ‘I’m Serving My People’: The Pastor Running a Rural Clinic that Treats More than Illness
Bukhosi Mdletshe, a pastor and operational manager of Ensingweni Clinic in KwaZulu‑Natal’s King Cetshwayo District, oversees a rural health hub serving roughly 12,000 people spread across a 60‑km area. The clinic combines basic medical services with proactive home‑based care, deploying...
/file/attachments/orphans/RC2BQKAXH7A6_403394.jpg)
AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY: Justice Department Moves to Shield Court Officials From Cameras After Malema’s Post-Sentencing Outburst
South Africa’s Department of Justice and the National Prosecuting Authority are moving to bar live broadcasts that show the faces of judges, magistrates and prosecutors after EFF leader Julius Malema publicly insulted magistrate Twanet Olivier and state advocate Joel Cesar...
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Oped-Bank-ECnamesTW-main.jpg)
ACCOUNTABILITY FAILURE: Déjà Vu in the Bay — NMB Again Faces Funding Cutoff Amid Governance Chaos
Nelson Mandela Bay municipality faces possible suspension of National Treasury grant funding after missing a March deadline for key governance documents, with a final cut‑off set for 30 April. Treasury warns it may invoke section 216(2) to halt transfers because the city...
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/balthazar.jpg)
JSC Rescues SA Judiciary’s Reputation with Mbenenge Ruling, but Stumbles over Identity Politics
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in South Africa reversed a tribunal recommendation, finding Judge President Selby Mbenenge guilty of gross misconduct for sexual harassment, thereby protecting the judiciary’s reputation. The commission also promoted Judges Bashier Vally and Leonie Windell to the Supreme...
/file/attachments/orphans/ED_587095_203943.jpg)
TRADE DYNAMICS: China’s Promise of Duty-Free Access to SA Fruit Is a Decade-Long Gamble
South Africa’s trade ministry signed a framework with China that promises duty‑free entry for South African fruit, but most agricultural products will only benefit after a ten‑year lag. An earlier protocol already opened the Chinese market to five stone‑fruit varieties,...
/file/attachments/2988/2026-02-26_21-10-05_326090.jpg)
BUMPY RIDE: Creecy Calls for Calm – Can the Dragons Snapping at SAA’s Heels Be Tamed?
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy warned Parliament that South African Airways (SAA) has received repeated audit‑disclaimer opinions, signalling severe financial distress. The Auditor‑General flagged the airline as a "going concern" with material uncertainties that could jeopardise its survival within 12 months,...
/file/attachments/orphans/ED_604539_433713.jpg)
TRC CLARITY: Khampepe Commission Hears How Advocate Questioned Conflicting Views on Prosecuting Chikane’s Poisoners
The Khampepe Commission, convened by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate political interference in apartheid‑era prosecutions, heard NPA advocate Mthunzi Mhaga explain his caution over conflicting accounts of Reverend Frank Chikane’s wishes regarding the 1989 poisoning case. Mhaga, a member of the...
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2250577866_483214.jpg)
Germany's Merz Says Industrial AI Needs Less Stringent EU Regulation
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for the European Union to ease regulatory constraints on industrial artificial intelligence, arguing that the current AI Act is too restrictive for manufacturing applications. He pledged to push for exemptions that would allow AI to boost...
/file/attachments/orphans/ED_305186_725729.jpg)
AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY: Matshela Koko Challenges R2.5bn ‘Immunity’ Deal with Kusile Contractor ABB as Corruption Charges Loom
Former Eskom CEO Matshela Koko has filed a High Court challenge to a R2.5 billion (about $135 million) “punitive reparations” agreement that granted Swedish‑Swiss firm ABB immunity from prosecution over a bribery scandal at the Kusile Power Station. ABB had admitted to...
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Daryl-Swanepoel.jpg)
Beyond Binaries — Why NHI Success Depends on Design, Not Ideology
South Africa’s National Health Insurance (NHI) debate has become a binary clash over universal coverage, but the real issue is how to design a sustainable system. The article argues that design, not ideology, determines success, citing China’s layered insurance model...
/file/attachments/orphans/Julio-Ibez-Picture-X_648636.jpg)
HAWKS SWOOP: Mexican Journalists Arrested in SA for Allegedly Flying Drone over Jewish College
Two Mexican journalists, Julio Ibáñez and Danny García, were detained in Johannesburg after flying a drone over a Jewish college, violating South Africa's Civil Aviation Act. The Hawks and Crime Intelligence traced the drone to a Rosebank hotel, seized it,...
/file/attachments/orphans/lindsey_stdbank_271354.jpg)
Hack Job: Standard Bank Is Discovering the Extent of the Cyberattack in the Daily Data Dumps
Standard Bank of South Africa confirmed a cyberattack that exfiltrated roughly 1.2 TB of data, amounting to 154 million rows of customer and employee records. The breach includes full names, addresses, ID numbers, passport details, and credit‑card numbers with expiry dates, though...
/file/attachments/orphans/ED_604490_993431.jpg)
MADLANGA COMMISSION: Tshwane CFO Says Police Sergeant Fannie Nkosi ‘Like a Brother but No Lines Crossed’
City of Tshwane CFO Gareth Mnisi testified before the Madlanga Commission about a R2.9 billion (≈US$157 million) security services tender for the municipal police. Mnisi, suspended for alleged tender rigging, denied wrongdoing while acknowledging a personal friendship with Sergeant Fannie Nkosi, who...
/file/attachments/2990/13901869_684129.jpg)
Lebanese Trickle Home as Ceasefire with Israel Mostly Holds
U.S. President Donald Trump announced a cease‑fire between Lebanon and Israel after more than six weeks of intense fighting that left southern Lebanon in ruins. The conflict displaced roughly 1.2 million people and caused over 2,100 deaths across both sides. Israel...
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/World-Bank.jpg)
Kenya Requests World Bank Funds to Cushion Iran War Shocks
Kenya has formally asked the World Bank for Rapid Response Support to mitigate economic shocks from the Iran‑Israel war, becoming the first large emerging market to do so publicly. The request follows a petroleum VAT cut to 8% for three...