HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY

Mon 13 April 2026:

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

◼️ Elon Musk alleges bribery plot in SA Starlink licence battle: SpaceX and Tesla boss Elon Musk has alleged that his internet-satellite service, Starlink, was given the opportunity to “bribe” its way to a telecoms licence in the country, by pretending that a black person ran the company’s local entity. Musk, who is South African-born, previously claimed Starlink was barred from operating in South Africa because he is not black, an allegation South African officials dismissed.
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/elom-musk-alleges-bribe-plot-sa-starlink-licence-battle/

————-
◼️ Diesel surge pushes freight firms towards brink of closure: The road freight industry is warning of a real threat of closures as companies grapple with already steep diesel price increases — and more to come — adding to existing operating pressures. The Road Freight Association (RFA) says even after the government cut the general fuel levy — a tax woven into the price of each litre of petrol and diesel sold — the cost of diesel surged by about 32.5% at the start of April. Diesel accounts for 35%-55% of the operating costs for freight operators.
https://www.businessday.co.za/economy/2026-04-13-diesel-surge-pushes-freight-firms-towards-brink-of-closure/#google_vignette

————-
◼️ Criminals targeting bank accounts: According to Capitec, fraudsters use sponsored ads on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to promote fake specials from prominent companies. Capitec recommends avoiding links to special deals that seem too good to be true, as well as any advertisements that prompt social media users to download an app to claim these offers.
https://businesstech.co.za/news/banking/856153/criminals-targeting-bank-accounts-taking-south-africa-by-storm/

————-
◼️ DA will defy GNU policies that ‘block progress’, new leader Hill-Lewis warns: “Our ambition must be to lead the national government,” he said. He outlined a series of policy positions that draw sharp contrasts with elements of the current governing agenda, including opposition to what he described as “crony enrichment schemes” benefiting politically connected elites while millions remain trapped in poverty.
https://iol.co.za/news/politics/2026-04-12-hill-lewis-warns-da-will-defy-gnu-policies-that-block-progress/

————-
◼️ Say goodbye to physical bank cards: At least four of South Africa’s major banks have recorded continued strong growth in the use of digital wallets and virtual cards among their customers at the expense of physical card usage. Digital wallets allow users to link a physical or virtual card to a mobile app or payment platform, such as Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet.
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/banking/639647-south-africans-saying-goodbye-to-bank-cards-5.html

__________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

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