South Africa’s unemployment crisis worsened in the first quarter of 2026 after hundreds of thousands of people lost their jobs, pushing the country’s official unemployment rate to 32.7%. The latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), showed that employment declined sharply during the first three months of the year….
South African exporters are expected to benefit from expanded access to the Chinese market after China introduced a temporary zero-tariff policy covering a number of African countries, including South Africa. The new trade arrangement officially came into effect on May 1, 2026, and will remain valid until April 30, 2028. Under the policy, qualifying South…
Police in KwaZulu-Natal have opened an investigation after a human head was discovered on Umdloti’s north beach on Sunday morning. The shocking discovery was reportedly made shortly after 8am on Mother’s Day by a local fisherman walking along the shoreline. According to Vicky Schnetler, the fisherman immediately alerted security personnel after identifying the remains. Schnetler…
South African homeowners involved in the growing short-term rental market are being urged to strengthen security measures as reports of theft, fraud and suspicious bookings linked to Airbnb-style properties continue to rise. Industry experts say the rapid growth of short-term accommodation platforms has created new opportunities for criminals, with some exploiting weak identity checks, third-party…
As the global artificial intelligence race becomes increasingly dominated by massive computing infrastructure and billions of dollars in investment, South African researchers believe the country can still carve out a meaningful place in the industry — by focusing on smarter and more energy-efficient AI systems. According to Benjamin Rosman, head of the Wits MIND Institute…
A critical South African resupply mission to a remote sub-Antarctic research station has been delayed after fuel supply disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East affected the departure of the country’s polar research vessel. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment confirmed that the SA Agulhas II, South Africa’s icebreaking polar supply ship,…
A sophisticated cybercrime campaign linked to hacker group SilverFox has targeted South African businesses using fake South African Revenue Service (SARS) notifications designed to trick employees into downloading malicious files. Cybersecurity researchers say the attacks formed part of a broader international phishing operation that also targeted organisations in India, Indonesia and Russia between January and…
Five suspected rhino poachers were shot dead during a gun battle with police in Hluhluwe, KwaZulu-Natal, in the latest violent confrontation linked to South Africa’s ongoing wildlife poaching crisis. The incident took place on the evening of 9 May 2026 after police reportedly received intelligence about a group allegedly travelling toward a game reserve along…
South Africa’s trade surplus with the United States narrowed sharply in March after a major increase in American exports to the country, while uncertainty surrounding US tariffs continued to disrupt trade flows. Latest figures from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis showed South Africa recorded a trade surplus of only $51 million in March, down…
South Africa has officially classified the latest wave of destructive weather conditions as a national disaster after widespread flooding, storms and snowfall battered several provinces across the country. The decision was confirmed by the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) following days of relentless rainfall and growing infrastructure damage in multiple regions. Authorities said the extreme…
