HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY

Fri 14 August 2026:

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

◼️ South Africa’s healthcare crisis: South Africa had 1 518 vacant medical posts at the end of March, but the National Department of Health says it does not know how many doctors who completed community service remain unemployed. The disclosure comes as medical organisations continue to raise concerns about qualified doctors struggling to secure employment and staffing pressures in the public healthcare system.
Read more here:
https://iol.co.za/mercury/news/2026-08-14-south-africas-healthcare-crisis-over-1500-medical-positions-remain-unfilled/

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◼️ R8.1 billion from China to fix electricity problems in SA’s largest cities: Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has signed an R8.1 billion ($500 million) loan agreement with South Africa to improve the operational performance of the country’s largest cities. Large cities in South Africa are grappling with long-term systemic issues affecting their electricity distribution, including enormous mounting debts and widespread infrastructure under-maintenance. This has left many South Africans in major cities with an unreliable electricity supply despite constantly increasing prices.
Read more here:
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/energy/661967-r8-1-billion-from-china-to-fix-electricity-problems-in-south-africas-largest-cities.html

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◼️ Mafia robbing South Africa of R17 billion a year: This is done to extort construction companies into buying supplies or hiring people from local mafia groups and business forums, and, in some cases, to make cash payments. “They were increasingly confident that they could arrive on construction sites, intimidate workers, demand money, and shut down economic development without consequence,” he said. “This not only delays a project. It changes the entire investment decision and narrative about South Africa.”
Read more here:
https://dailyinvestor.com/south-africa/148255/mafia-robbing-south-africa-of-r17-billion-a-year/

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◼️ Government paralysis costs film industry jobs, millions in revenue: The incentive was launched in 2004 to support the local film industry and is regarded as essential if the local industry is to compete internationally. But it has collapsed in recent years. The coalition told MPs that 1 850 jobs and an estimated production spend of R822 million were lost this financial year. The coalition is made up of film and TV organisations representing producers, writers, actors, directors, editors, cinematographers, documentary filmmakers, animators, stunt performers, and many others.
Read more here:
https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/south-africa/government-paralysis-costs-film-industry-jobs-millions-in-revenue/

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◼️ How supermarket till vouchers become criminals fast cash tool: A recent article in The Citizen highlighted the case of an elderly KwaZulu-Natal pensioner who lost more than R421 000. This was after criminals allegedly used his stolen bank card to buy Pick n Pay gift vouchers across multiple tills at the same Umhlanga store over two days. Standard Bank said gift vouchers were particularly attractive to criminals because they could be transferred and redeemed rapidly.
Read more here:
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/crime/how-supermarket-till-vouchers-become-criminals-fast-cash-tool/

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