HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY

Fri 13 March 2026:

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

◼️ Mbalula and AfriForum in war of words over US ambassador’s remarks: The situation escalated further when Bozell remarked that he “didn’t care” about South African court rulings regarding the apartheid struggle song “Kill the Boer”, arguing that the chant constitutes hate speech. In a post on social media platform X, Mbalula criticised Bozell’s appointment to South Africa, pointing to the ambassador’s past views on the ANC.
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/anc-mbalula-afriforum-us-ambassadors-remarks/

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◼️ Petrol price nightmare hitting SA next month: South African motorists are in for a world of pain next month, with the latest data from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) pricing an almost R4.00 per litre hike for petrol for April, before fuel levy hikes are included. The CEF’s market snapshot for the end of the second week of March shows that recoveries have continued to deteriorate. From 1 April, the government will add 21 cents per litre in fuel levies, which will push the petrol prices even higher.
https://businesstech.co.za/news/energy/853846/petrol-price-nightmare-hitting-south-africa-next-month/

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◼️ Soldiers deployed in South Africa: The army has established a strong presence in the eastern region of Gauteng. Illegal mining and the related crime issues are significant problems in communities such as Cloverdene in Benoni. To assist the police in combating gang violence and illegal mining, soldiers have been deployed to various communities. This military deployment will last for one year and will cover five of the nine provinces.
https://www.enca.com/news-top-stories-videos/soldiers-deploy-illegal-mining-hotspots

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◼️ Cape Town is named the 6th best city in the world: Just a year ago, the city soared to the top of the 2025 list, earning the title of the Best City in the World. While it has slipped a few positions, Cape Town remains a global favourite, captivating visitors and locals alike. Forget popularity contests; these latest rankings are built on the insights of 24,000 global locals and over 100 experts, creating the ultimate list of cities that excel in food, culture, affordability and happiness.
https://iol.co.za/travel/south-africa/2026-03-13-cape-town-is-named-the-6th-best-city-in-the-world-by-time-out-for-2026/

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◼️ SA named the capital of another major crime: “There are many different types of scams going on out there. Recently, there was one where people were impersonating me giving stock tips,” Ketola said. “In my case, it was just a WhatsApp Group where people took my photo from LinkedIn and created a closed group where they invited people.” He added that the people running these scams typically set message permissions to admin-only, meaning group members cannot send messages in the chat to warn others of the scam.
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/security/631980-south-africa-named-the-capital-of-another-major-crime.html

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