HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY

Wed 04 March 2026:

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

◼️ A Litmus Test for BRICS Solidarity and Unity: Two events in 2026 create urgency for reconsidering the founding arrangements of the BRICS bloc in 2009. The first one is the BRICS naval exercises in South Africa’s waters from 9 to 16 January 2026, and the second is the US-Israeli attack on Iran, a BRICS member, on 28 February 2026. The 2026 BRICS naval drills, although planned many months and a sovereign right of South Africa and its fellow BRICS members to hold, generated much spectacle and consternation over Iran’s participation.
https://iol.co.za/opinion/2026-03-04-us-israels-war-on-iran-a-litmus-test-for-brics-solidarity-and-unity/

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◼️ 21 areas you shouldn’t drive through: “But despite these welcome national trends, the levels of crime remain unacceptably high. The crime situation also varies substantially across the country,” said the acting minister. The most commonly targeted vehicle segment is passenger vehicles, notably hatchbacks, sedans and coupés, which accounted for 1,883, or 43% of all incidents. Bakkies and panel vans were next on the list, comprising 1,533, or 35% of all targeted vehicles.
https://topauto.co.za/news/144240/21-areas-you-shouldnt-drive-through-in-gauteng/

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◼️ Supreme Court warning for anyone with money outside SA: A recent judgment highlighted that if taxpayers cannot clearly explain the source of foreign funds, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) will tax them and impose steep penalties. In this case, the court ruled against a taxpayer who failed to properly account for a R1.67 million foreign deposit paid into his account by an entity in the British Virgin Islands.
https://businesstech.co.za/news/finance/850931/supreme-court-warning-for-anyone-with-money-outside-south-africa/

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◼️ FMD outbreak reaches all provinces: South Africa’s foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak has spread to all nine provinces, with 932 outbreaks formally reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), as the government rolls out the cabinet’s targeted national vaccination strategy. Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen told MPs vaccination efforts are now fully operational across provinces following the arrival of additional consignments.
https://www.businessday.co.za/news/2026-03-03-fmd-outbreak-reaches-all-provinces-with-almost-1000-cases-reported/#google_vignette

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◼️ SA’s R30-billion waterfront smart city is in serious trouble: Launched in 2017, the project aimed to transform the city’s coastal skyline by constructing skyscrapers and high-rise developments. The Durban Point Waterfront development has stalled for several reasons. It became trapped in a perfect storm of legal, environmental, and infrastructure challenges. The area has seen a slew of beach closures in recent years due to high levels of E. coli in the water. This is due to sewerage flowing directly into the ocean.
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/business/631710-south-africas-r30-billion-waterfront-smart-city-is-in-serious-trouble.html

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