HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY

Sat 18 April 2026:

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

◼️ Presidential spokesperson responds to fresh Trump SA white genocide claims: Although Trump did not explicitly say that only white farmers were approved through the program, his comments alluded to it when speaking of a white “genocide” in the country. “We stopped third-world migration. We suspended all refugee resettlement except for persecuted South Africans. They’re being persecuted in South Africa.
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/presidential-spokesperson-responds-to-fresh-trump-sa-white-genocide-claims/

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◼️ New mafia in SA: Criminal mafia groups are increasingly targeting schools in the Western Cape, threatening staff and demanding protection fees from the schools and even parents. There has been a spike in reports of schools in Cape Town being targeted by extortion mafias, forcing schools to pay protection money to ensure they don’t fall victim to vandalism and other crimes.
https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/856152/new-mafia-taking-hold-in-the-best-run-province-in-south-africa/

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◼️ New laws taking on land grabs: It comes amid a rise in unlawful land and building occupations across the country, placing a significant financial and administrative burden on both the government and the private sector. The Minister noted that the government has identified inconsistent interpretation of the existing law as a key challenge, often resulting in lengthy court processes and escalating costs. The new bill aims to empower municipalities, state entities, and private property owners to respond more decisively to illegal occupations and evictions in the country.
https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/857429/new-laws-taking-on-land-grabs-and-illegal-occupation-of-private-property-in-south-africa/

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◼️ The new housing crisis: The residential property specialist working across South Africa says that as transport expenses climb, many households are finding that the dream of ownership is becoming harder to reach, pushing more people toward renting instead. It says that fuel is a non-negotiable expense for most working households. “Commuting to work, transporting children to school, and running daily errands all depend on it. When prices rise sharply, monthly transport costs increase almost instantly.
https://iol.co.za/business/property/2026-04-17-the-new-housing-crisis-why-recent-petrol-hikes-are-putting-home-ownership-out-of-reach/

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◼️ Rapidly growing online activity devastating households across SA: “Our cell phones have become portable casinos targeting the most vulnerable, including grant recipients, students, and minors,” it said. It warned that South Africans are not just gambling away money which they cannot afford, but money which they do not have. “Many are using credit to gamble. This is dangerous for South Africans’ financial situations and the economy as a whole,” it said.
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/internet/641081-rapidly-growing-online-activity-devastating-households-across-south-africa.html

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