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South Africa's government, led by President Ramaphosa and the ANC, is pursuing a confrontational foreign policy against Israel and deepening military ties with BRICS partners, while domestic crises from gang violence to natural disasters strain state capacity and the economy faces currency volatility and energy instability.
January 2026
Week of Jan 26, compared to 12-week average
The economy is marked by significant currency volatility and persistent energy instability. The rand retreated sharply against the dollar, while a massive power outage hit Tshwane and Eskom remained non-committal on funding for industrial smelters. The government announced plans to boost the car industry.
Politics is dominated by a major diplomatic rupture with Israel and internal ANC consolidation efforts. South Africa expelled Israel's top diplomat, triggering reciprocal expulsions, while the ANC NEC held its Lekgotla and a court ruling on a proposed ANC-UDA merger sparked mixed reactions.
Security is characterized by high-profile international military cooperation and severe domestic gang violence. South Africa hosted and concluded joint naval exercises with Russia, China, and Iran, while a mass shooting in Cape Town left eight dead and the government considers army deployment to gang hotspots.
Society is in a state of emergency response to cascading natural disasters. The national government declared a disaster for floods battering the region, while the Western Cape government sought disaster declarations for wildfires and water shortages, and a school bus crash killed at least 13 children.