South Africa

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.

• 2Cape Town seeks legal nod for traffic ‘AI cameras’ to nab seatbelt, phone offenders
• 1Massive power outage hits large parts of Tshwane
• 1Rand retreats to R16 against resurging dollar
• 1Paul Mashatile’s son surfaces in massive R836m IDT oxygen plants bid
• 1Does the rand’s rally tilt the odds towards an interest rate cut?

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.

• 3South Africa defends naval drills with Iran, Russia as 'essential'
• 2Israel retaliates in kind after South Africa declares its chargé d’affaires persona non grata
• 2ANC NEC kicks off its three-day Lekgotla in Boksburg
• 2Court ruling on ANC, UDA merger sparks mixed reactions
• 2Tight security, filling seats as Ramaphosa prepares for ANC 8 January address

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.

• 5South Africa hosts joint naval exercises with Russia, China and Iran
• 2UPDATE | Cape Town mass shooting death toll rises to 8, police investigate extortion links
• 1Rand retreats; SA extradites first-ever Chinese fugitive: Today’s top 7 stories in 7 minutes
• 1Nightclub on fire on Long Street in Cape Town CBD
• 1South Africa gang violence: Firoz Cachalia says police not able to defeat gangsters

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.

• 3South Africa declares national disaster as floods batter region
• 2Western Cape govt wants two states of disaster declared over wildfires, water shortages
• 1Photo from 2025 Gaza protest in Amsterdam falsely linked to Malema's court appearance in S.Africa
• 1Cape Town firefighters battle blazes in Hout Bay, Llandudno
• 1No ‘white genocide’ in South Africa – opposition figure