South Africa

The economy shows mixed signals with corporate expansion and trade gains offset by immediate consumer pain and job losses. MTN's major acquisition of IHS Towers and China's new zero-tariff deal provide growth vectors, but a fuel price hike and Nestlé layoffs hit households. Northam Platinum's profit surge and Vukile's foreign investment indicate sectoral strength.

• 4Fire disrupts international flights at Cape Town airport; passengers evacuated
• 2Shift Supervisor - Production at Gold Fields
• 2China grants South Africa 100% zero-tariff access to its market under new partnership deal
• 1South Africa’s economic growth forecast to reach 2% by 2028
• 1Vukile cements Iberian growth by buying Madrid mall for R6bn

Foreign policy is highly active, with South Africa expelling Israel's top diplomat and engaging directly with Putin over citizens in the Ukraine war. Domestically, coalition governance is strained as the EFF opens a case against O'Sullivan after a Parliament walkout and the ANC faces tension in Ekurhuleni. The DA is in transition as John Steenhuisen withdraws from its leadership race.

• 3EXCLUSIVE: Ekurhuleni’s Xhakaza set to reshuffle mayoral committee amid ANC, EFF tension
• 2UPDATE | EFF opens case against O’Sullivan after Parliament walkout
• 2South Africa's president welcomes return of nationals ‘lured into’ Ukraine war amid recruitment probe
• 2New US ambassador arrives in South Africa
• 2DA leader John Steenhuisen will not seek re-election as head of South Africa's second largest party

Security policy is defined by a major domestic military deployment against gang violence and the fallout from citizens recruited into the Russia-Ukraine war. President Ramaphosa ordered the SANDF onto the streets of major economic hubs, while the government is repatriating nationals and confirming deaths from the foreign conflict. High-profile violent incidents, including a Cape Town school shooting and a mosque killing, underscore persistent crime.

• 2Cyril Ramaphosa orders SANDF to tackle South Africa gang violence in his Sona
• 2South Africa to put soldiers on streets in two biggest economic hubs
• 2South Africa to pull troops from UN mission after almost 30 years
• 1Home from the front line, but SA recruits fear those who duped them to fight for Russia
• 1UPDATE | Two South Africans recruited to Russia war effort have died – Lamola

Society is gripped by a severe and politically charged water crisis, with Cape Town raising drought fears and Johannesburg's Premier facing backlash over water shortages. The government is also managing a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, importing record vaccines and establishing a task team. These resource pressures dominate over other social events.

• 3Trump threatens to sue Trevor Noah over ‘false and defamatory’ Epstein jab at Grammy Awards
• 2Task team to monitor foot and mouth disease outbreak: Ramaphosa
• 1U.S. aims to bring in 4,500 white South Africans per month as refugees
• 1Cape Winelands firefighters battling wildfires in Boland
• 1Cape Town raises drought fears amid 55% dam levels and uncertain rain forecasts