South Africa’s economic heart, on the Highveld
Two Ghanaian nationals have submitted a petition to the International Criminal Court alleging repeated, widespread attacks on African migrants in South Africa between 2015 and 2026 and accusing South African authorities of failing to prevent or prosecute those responsible. The ICC has confirmed receipt; South Africa says the petition does not meet the court's threshold and insists domestic law can respond.
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls has announced that the 52-acre campus near Johannesburg will be handed over to Gauteng’s education department at the end of the 2027 academic year. The school’s expansion will continue through a national scholarship program, supporting academically talented girls across South Africa. Current students will complete their studies with uninterrupted support.
Police crackdowns have led to arrests and seizures in West Africa and at OR Tambo International, with cocaine, cannabis and illicit goods seized and investigated. In Ghana, three suspects face charges after 866 parcels of cocaine were found concealed in gari sacks at a Tema Harbour warehouse.
As South Africa marks the 70th anniversary of the 1956 march for women’s rights, officials say gains in representation have not translated into security or economic equality. The day highlights ongoing gender-based violence and inequality, with data showing rising violence against women and continued gaps between political progress and daily realities.
South Africa will host the SADC summit under the theme of resilient, sustainable and inclusive industrialisation, focusing on infrastructure, agriculture, minerals transformation and regional value chains. Leaders will review regional stability, intra-regional trade, and progress under the African Continental Free Trade Area, with Ramaphosa set to take over as chair.
Police have found a ninth body in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, as investigations intensify into a series of murders of women in the area. Authorities are considering all possibilities, including multiple suspects or separate perpetrators, and have issued a public warning amid rising femicide and violent crime concerns.
Shadrack Sibiya, the suspended deputy national police commissioner, has been charged with rape, trafficking and grooming a minor. He faces additional allegations linked to political killings investigations and a controversial health tender within the Madlanga Commission inquiry. The case sits amid ongoing scrutiny of police corruption and gender-based violence in South Africa.
Two separate mass shootings in South African townships have killed at least 27 people and wounded scores. One attack at a tavern in Wedela, southwest of Johannesburg, has left 17 dead; a second attack in Lwandle, near Cape Town, has left 10 dead. Police have launched investigations and are searching for multiple suspects.
Undocumented migrants in South Africa have faced intensified pressure amid anti-immigrant protests and a looming deadline to leave. Diaspora returnees are arriving home amid job scarcity and limited social support, while authorities say they are screening returnees for needs. Protests and diplomatic tensions continue as elections approach, with communities seeking safety and stability.
Violence erupts in Soweto and Durban after a Constitutional Court ruling removes barriers to asylum applications. Refugee offices are overwhelmed as migrants and locals clash amid protests and looting; authorities pledge to expand processing capacity while stressing that asylum eligibility remains individual and not automatic.
Lt. Gen. Shadrack Sibiya has resigned as a disciplinary hearing begins. SAPS says the departure is a dishonourable discharge because the officer was under investigation. He remains in custody on charges including rape, sexual grooming of a minor and human trafficking, with bail pending as a public inquiry probes police corruption and links to criminals.
Tshwane authorities have continued to battle contaminated, unchlorinated tap water after hundreds of illnesses were linked to the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works. Officials say chlorination has resumed, but safety remains uncertain as cases persist and investigations continue into upstream sewage pollution and governance failures.