HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY

Sat 29 August 2026:

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

◼️ Murder cases fall by 5.9% in first quarter: South Africa recorded 343 fewer murders in the first three months of the 2026/27 financial year, with the murder rate declining 5.9%. While murders declined, attempted murder cases rose sharply. Police recorded 6,958 attempted murders during the quarter, up 557, or 8.7%, from 6,401 in the same period last year. Sexual offences declined by just 98 cases, or 0.8%, from 11,630 to 11,532. Rape fell by 32 cases, or 0.3%, from 9,233 to 9,201.
Read more here:
https://www.businessday.co.za/news/2026-08-28-murder-cases-fall-by-59-in-first-quarter/

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◼️ R31 million World Cup trip: The total cost of the trip, which sent 151 participants to the host nations of Mexico and the United States, was reported last month at R31 million. However, McKenzie excused himself from the meeting shortly before questioning began at 18:00, returning at 20:30 after most of the questions had been asked. National Assembly member Leah Potgieter said, “Parliament still does not know what portion of these extraordinary amounts represents official travel and what relates to personal travel.”
*Read more here:*
https://dailyinvestor.com/south-africa/151181/gayton-mckenzie-under-fire-over-r31-million-world-cup-trip/

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◼️ Eskom’s urgent plea: Eskom is urging South Africans to immediately report illegal electricity connections, exposed wires, damaged electrical infrastructure and other hazards as the country marks Electricity Safety Month. Eskom said poorly installed, overloaded or tampered electrical lines were among the major contributors to fires in informal settlements and residential areas.
Read more here:
https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-08-26-eskoms-urgent-plea-report-unsafe-electricity-connections-now/

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◼️ Online gambling billionaire donated R95 million to the DA and ActionSA: Since 2021, Martin Moshal has donated R118 million to four different political parties: the DA, ActionSA, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), and Build One South Africa (BOSA). amaBhungane reported that he is the single largest individual donor and the third-largest overall donor to political parties in South Africa. Moshal has given very few media interviews. However, he previously told the South African Jewish Report that he donates to political parties to have a wider and deeper impact.
Read more here:
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/internet/665016-online-gambling-billionaire-donated-r95-million-to-the-da-and-actionsa.html

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◼️ How white farmers still dominate land ownership in SA in spite of land reform: During apartheid, because of racist laws around land ownership, Black South Africans could only own land in 13% of the country’s territory even when they made up 80% of the population. In 1995, the government set an initial target to redistribute 30% of all white-owned land to Black farmers under a market-based programme, which ensured the white farmers could choose whether to sell their land and did so at or above market value. But only between 12% and 20% of the land has been redistributed so far.
Read more here:
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/white-farmers-south-africa-land-reform

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