HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY

Thu 29 January 2026:

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

◼️ Interpol and Hawks take down scam call centre in SA: Criminals specifically targeted those in possession of substantial savings who were seeking to grow and preserve their funds. The suspects allegedly operated fraud “boiler-room” call centres, utilising call-centre agents to communicate with victims online. “Victims were initially persuaded to make small online investments, which falsely reflected high returns,” the Hawks said.
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/internet/626893-interpol-and-hawks-take-down-scam-call-centre-in-south-africa.html

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◼️ Civil groups condemn school protests over undocumented pupils: MAM leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma is facing public violence charges in connection with these protests. A few days ago, a fight erupted between the organisation’s members and some foreign nationals who are parents of pupils. Education expert Hendrick Makaneta said no individual or organisation has the right to block a child from accessing education.
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/education/civil-groups-condemn-school-protests-over-undocumented-pupils/

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◼️ Eskom’s warning to homeowners with rooftop solar: These warnings stressed that homeowners with rooftop solar could face fines or even disconnection if their systems are not registered. However, OUTA has said that this approach is impractical, irrational and unfair, and is creating widespread confusion among households that have invested heavily in alternative energy solutions.
https://businesstech.co.za/news/energy/849096/important-information-about-eskoms-warning-to-homeowners-with-rooftop-solar/

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◼️ SA film industry takes to the streets: “We’re here today because government has largely ignored the film and television sector,” said Unathi Malunga, an entertainment lawyer and former CEO of the South African Screen Federation. “That has led to a loss of jobs, that has led to business going to other countries, and we are losing out on work as South Africans,” she told Reuters.
https://newsday.co.za/south-africa/16193/south-african-film-industry-takes-to-the-streets/

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◼️ BMW SA CEO’s warning to government: BMW SA CEO Peter van Binsbergen warned that applying maximum tariffs on vehicles from China and India might harm the entire industry. He noted it could raise entry-level car prices and negatively impact local manufacturers that depend on imports.
https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/south-africas-auto-sector-is-not-seeking-steep-import-duty-hikes-bmw-ceo-says-2026-01-28/

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