HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY

Fri 19 December 2025:

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

◼️ SA reaffirms its sovereignty as US again attacks Pretoria: “These individuals were engaged in work without the necessary work permits. “The government will not negotiate its sovereignty and the implementation of the rule of law,” cautioned Phiri. Dirco spokesperson Chrispin also said that South Africa treated all matters of data security “with the utmost seriousness and operates under stringent legal and diplomatic protocols”.
https://mg.co.za/politics/2025-12-19-sa-reaffirms-its-sovereignty-as-us-again-attacks-pretoria/

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◼️ Collapse of South Africa’s navy: Bringing South Africa’s naval frigates and submarines back into operation could cost the Department of Defence up to R8.5 billion. However, with only 0.7% of the GDP allocated to the defence budget, the Navy is unlikely to receive the necessary funding anytime soon.
https://newsday.co.za/south-africa/13507/it-will-cost-nearly-r3-billion-to-fix-south-africas-ships-and-submarines/

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◼️ Ramaphosa waiting to sign 7 new laws: While the president has put his name on many key laws in 2025, none are quite as controversial as the Expropriation Act, which he signed at the start of the year. Now, as the end of the year approaches, there are at least seven more bills sitting on Ramaphosa’s desk waiting for his signature. These are:
https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/846563/ramaphosa-waiting-to-sign-7-new-laws-for-south-africa/

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◼️ Motorists warned about new fine-paying SMS fraud scheme: Payments made on these fake sites are diverted to criminals, leaving motorists financially exposed and still liable for any legitimate fines. “The safest approach is to stop and independently verify,” says Berman. “Rather than reacting to a message, motorists should check their fine status directly through a secure, verified platform. If the link doesn’t come from our official website or app, it’s not legitimate.”
https://www.citizen.co.za/motoring/motorists-warned-of-new-fine-paying-scam/

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◼️ SANParks implements gate quotas to manage influx of festive season: SANParks advised that to ensure entry, visitors are advised to book online ahead of their visit at www.sanparks.org for which a non-refundable administration fee of R59 for adults and R29 is payable. Wild Card members are not exempt from the pre-booking administration fee.
https://iol.co.za/mercury/2025-12-19-sanparks-implements-gate-quotas-to-manage-influx-of-festive-season-visitors-at-kruger-national-park/

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