HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY

Fri 18 September 2026:

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

◼️ More than 100,000 cellphones smuggled into prisons by guards: Correctional Services Commissioner Thobakgale told the Madlanga Commission on Thursday that not only were cellphones confiscated during the period, but also 158,137 cellphone accessories, 59,788 sharpened objects, drugs valued at 657,801.71 and more than R1 million in cash. Thobakgale said the prison contraband market also reflected the criminal economies surrounding individual facilities. Cannabis, he said, was more prevalent in areas where it was widely produced, while drugs such as methamphetamine, methaqualone, heroin-based compounds and crack cocaine circulated according to local demand.
Read more here:
https://iol.co.za/news/2026-09-18-more-than-100000-cellphones-smuggled-into-prisons-by-guards-madlanga-commission-hears/

————-
◼️ Homeowners secretly paying an extra R300 a month for electricity: South African homeowners could be paying around R300 more for electricity each month without knowing it due to power outages. This is because appliance resets, overnight energy spikes, and incorrectly configured timers quietly add unnecessary kilowatt-hours to household bills. A geyser that normally consumed around 354 watts increased to about 370 watts after the main breaker was switched off and power restored. A tumble dryer produced an even larger spike of 542 watts. At the electricity rates used in the analysis, the geyser consumed roughly R1.47 per hour under normal operation and R1.53 per hour after the reset, while the tumble dryer consumed about R2.24 per hour.
Read more here:
https://businesstech.co.za/news/energy/875361/homeowners-secretly-paying-an-extra-r300-a-month-for-electricity-in-south-africa/

————-
◼️ Mpox outbreak worsens in South Africa: “The Department of Health is urging citizens to remain vigilant of mpox symptoms as the country is experiencing a rapid increase in laboratory-confirmed mpox cases in the past few weeks,” he said. Patients ranged from 23 to 50 years old, with a median age of 36.5, and 18 of the 19 cases involved men. One recent patient had travelled to Spain and returned to South Africa on 14 September after testing there.
Read more here:
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/mpox-outbreak-worsens-in-south-africa-what-you-need-to-know-about-symptoms-and-spread/

————-
◼️ Taps run dry in SA because of a R23.77 billion debt: South Africa’s municipalities face challenges ranging from low revenue collection and poor credit control to governance challenges and weaknesses in financial management. As of 31 July 2026, the debt owed by SA’s municipalities to water boards had grown to R23.77 billion, excluding current accounts. An estimated 48% of Johannesburg’s water supply is lost due to leaks, burst pipes, and illegal connections, while Johannesburg owes billions of rands in debt to Rand Water.
Read more here:
https://dailyinvestor.com/south-africa/154675/taps-run-dry-in-south-africa-because-of-a-r23-77-billion-debt/

————-
◼️ FNB warns of trick criminals use to steal bank cards: Known as card swapping, the tactic involves criminals using sleight of hand and a distraction to steal your bank card and replace it with a lookalike. “One person may distract you while another does the card swapping. They will also ‘shoulder surf’ your PIN, which means that they stand close enough behind or around you to see you key in your PIN,” it said. “You then leave the ATM with someone else’s card. The fraudster will start to use your card immediately to try and get as much out of your account before you realise what happened.”
Read more here:
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/banking/662769-fnb-warns-of-trick-criminals-use-to-steal-bank-cards-in-south-africa.html

__________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

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