HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY

Mon 18 May 2026:

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

◼️ How Correctional Services explained the R726 cooking oil controversy: This comes after Parliament uncovered staggering food price inflation within the DCS, revealing that the state was paying inflated prices on cooking items. It found that the department was paying R3,700 for gravy powder that ordinarily costs under R1,000, while cooking oil was billed at more than R700 despite a market price of just R29. The committee said that under the newly negotiated prices, the department will pay between R26 and R29 for the same quantity.
https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-05-18-how-correctional-services-explained-the-r726-cooking-oil-controversy/

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◼️ Social media blamed for rise in dangerous speeding culture in SA: She said becoming a “social influencer” was a “legitimate career choice”, and popular videos could generate a sizeable income. Even those who do not have formal social media channels frequently post videos of themselves travelling at speeds exceeding 200km/h. A few comments on the videos were disapproved.
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/social-media-blamed-dangerous-speeding-culture-sa/

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◼️ Easy way to avoid standing in queues at Home Affairs: South Africans can use a number of queuing services to avoid standing in lines at Home Affairs offices. However, these companies charge a big premium for saving customers time and effort. Several private companies have seen an opportunity in the inefficiencies at Home Affairs offices, which often lead to people standing in queues for hours to obtain essential documents.
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/business/647524-easy-way-to-avoid-standing-in-queues-at-home-affairs.html

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◼️ South Africans replacing government services: He cited the example of Transnet and the railways’ collapse, which led to a significant increase in road freight, thereby filling the gap. Another example is Eskom’s decline, where South African households and businesses had to endure hours of load-shedding daily. “The quantum of megawatts of solar power installed on rooftops follows exactly the trend line of Eskom’s power plants’ breakdown rate,” Cronje said.
https://dailyinvestor.com/south-africa/133823/south-africans-replacing-government-services/

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◼️ South African city ranked among the top 10 in the world: Each year, Time Out seeks to identify the world’s cultural capitals—places where locals and visitors can easily access and enjoy art collections, theatre, music, and cultural celebrations at affordable prices. In Time Out’s top 20 cities for art and culture, London ranked first, followed by Paris, New York City, and Berlin in fourth place. London is ranked the best city in the world for art and culture in 2026, due to its museums, food, and historic attractions, which place it in the spotlight.
https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/860307/south-african-city-ranked-among-the-top-10-in-the-world/

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