HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY

Fri 01 May 2026:

Here’s what’s happening in South Africa today:👇🏼

◼️ Hate on parade: The marches and heightened anti-foreigner sentiment drew a warning from UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Speaking on SA’s Freedom Day on Monday, 27 April, a UN statement said: “…the Secretary‑General is deeply concerned by reports of xenophobic attacks and acts of harassment and intimidation against migrants and foreign nationals in parts of South Africa, including in KwaZulu‑Natal and Eastern Cape… The BBC reported this week that migrants had been warned by the Ghanaian diplomatic mission and Nigerian associations to close their shops. South African businesses with large operations across the continent, like MTN, Standard Bank and many others, risk retaliatory action because the attacks are becoming a global story emerging from South Africa due to their unmitigated violent rhetoric and often violent actions.
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-04-29-hate-on-parade-xenophobic-marches-gather-pace-as-un-warns-south-africa/

————-
◼️ Parliament slams ‘rotten’ R1 billion textbook tender: The transformation of South Africa’s education publishing sector has suffered a massive blow following the controversial awarding of a billion-rand tender to a “shelf company” with no prior publishing experience. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has formally requested Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to initiate an investigation into alleged irregularities in the procurement of textbooks for South Africa’s foundation phase.
https://iol.co.za/news/politics/2026-04-30-parliament-slams-rotten-r1-billion-textbook-tender/

————-
◼️ The suburb in SA that’s refused to have a single liquor store for over 100 years: Over time, this has effectively kept the suburb “dry” when it comes to retail alcohol sales. The main concern is not drinking itself, but the impact of alcohol sold for consumption elsewhere. The latest dispute centres on a new Checkers store being built on the corner of Bowlers Way and Howard Drive. Ward 53 councillor Riad Davids pointed specifically to public drinking as a concern. “The biggest one is drinking within the parking lot where people consume alcohol once they bought it because they can’t take it home or they want to hide it from their parents,” he said. He also raised concerns about how close the proposed outlet would be to schools.
https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/858770/the-suburb-in-south-africa-thats-refused-to-have-a-single-liquor-store-for-over-100-years/

————-
◼️ UAE-based African Rail to raise $170 million for SA rail expansion: The company is one of 11 operators granted access to South Africa’s freight rail network as part of industry reforms. A recent concession deal was signed to expand Durban’s main terminal, addressing inefficiencies that hinder trade. Operations will cover key routes, including corridors to Mozambique and lines connecting Gauteng to Durban port.
https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/markets/uae-based-african-rail-to-raise-dollar170-million-for-south-africa-rail-expansion/x766wj7

————-
◼️ Trouble for WhatsApp and Facebook owner: The move reignited fears that the historic levels of investment that chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg is making to catch up in the artificial intelligence race won’t pay off. The social media giant projected full-year capital expenditures of $125 billion to $145 billion, exceeding analysts’ estimates and marking a roughly 7.4% increase from the company’s previous projections in January.
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/business/644802-trouble-for-whatsapp-and-facebook-owner.html

__________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

WhatsApp CHANNEL
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22