HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY

Mon 16 February 2026:

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

◼️ Social unrest warning for SA: “People are not happy. Service delivery protests in the past year, in terms of large, formal, recorded protests, almost surpassed the high of 2018,” Standard Bank chief economist Goolam Ballim explained. “Certainly, at 229, it was a substantial number of protests, and people are not protesting based on personal ideology or an aversion to a particular party – it is all about utility deliveries.”
https://dailyinvestor.com/south-africa/119488/social-unrest-on-the-rise-in-south-africa/

————-
◼️ Government medical aid increase: The Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) has announced a 9.8% increase in medical aid contributions. This decision has been broadly opposed by trade unions, which argue that GEMS was meant to be an affordable scheme but has become costly over time. The Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) stated that hundreds of thousands of public servants in vital public service roles would face negative impacts due to the increase.
https://www.enca.com/news/gems-contribution-increase-rejected-unions

————-
◼️ Zambia slams border shut with SA: Ramaphosa admitted that the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) crisis was among the worst outbreaks of the disease the country had experienced. “We have classified FMD as a national disaster and will be mobilising all necessary capabilities within the state to deal with this crisis. The president reiterated the plan to vaccinate 14 million cattle over the next 12 months, using 28 million doses of vaccine.
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/zambia-slams-border-shut-outbreak-foot-mouth-disease-south-africa/

————-
◼️ Bullet shrapnel in the head and an amputated leg: His little girl, Yusraa, carries her own burden. Shrapnel remains in her small torso. It cannot be removed. Loud sounds still frighten her. Car rides still unsettle her. She was just 22-months-old when she was shot. His wife, Asma Mahomed, once strong and independent, lives with a missing limb. A single police bullet tore through her lower right leg. Surgeons amputated it to save her life and the life of the unborn child she carried that night.
https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-02-16-bullet-shrapnel-in-the-head-and-an-amputated-leg-durban-familys-desperate-plea-for-justice-over-police-shooting/

————-
◼️ Hijackers are targeting 2 discontinued cars: “These vehicles are widely available in the domestic market and are associated with strong demand for resale or stripping for parts, making them attractive targets for organised criminal groups,” Bartmann said. High sales volumes translate directly into sustained demand for spare parts. Chop shops and illegal resale networks rely on a steady supply of components to meet the needs of motorists looking for affordable replacements.
https://businesstech.co.za/news/motoring/850820/hijackers-still-targeting-these-discontinued-cars-in-south-africa-in-2026/

__________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

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