ANC retains incumbents in three key metros
The ANC appears poised to keep its incumbent mayors, including eThekwini’s Cyril Xaba, in three metropolitan municipalities ahead of the November local government elections, opting for continuity over change. Buffalo City Mayor Princess Faku and Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Babalwa Lobishe also reportedly “impressed” the party, and retained their spots. Final approval is still pending, but the move signals the party wants proven leadership in place before the vote.
State Capture to blame for low growth says Kganyago
Reserve Bank governor Lesetja Kganyago said South Africa’s growth stagnation stems from institutional decay caused by state capture, not from macro-economic policy, noting the economy grew just 1.1% last year and only 0.5% in Q1 2026; leaving living standards below early-2010s levels. He said the same “rot” now plays out in municipalities, warning that a private sector “in survival mode” cannot flourish while institutions are captured for private gain rather than run for public benefit.
Tshwane city manager suspension cause coalition cracks
The ActionSA-EFF-ANC coalition governing Tshwane is fracturing ahead of November’s elections, split over the suspension of city manager Johann Mettler after ActionSA voted against it, while the ANC has separately accused Mayor Nasiphi Moya’s bylaw enforcement drive of being an “anti-black business crusade” against township traders. The EFF says it will appeal Mettler’s court-ordered reinstatement, while ActionSA’s Michael Beaumont said the party isn’t rattled and will keep focusing on the city’s turnaround.
North Korean missile unit deployed to Russia
A North Korean missile unit has begun deploying to western Russia and could be equipped with 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers for strikes on Ukraine, a Ukrainian military intelligence official said, marking a further expansion of Pyongyang-Moscow military cooperation. Analysts say the added ballistic missile threat is especially dangerous given Ukraine’s already stretched air defences, though Reuters could not independently verify the intelligence-based claim.
McKenzie yet to explain R31m World Cup spend
The department of sport, arts and culture under Minister Gayton McKenzie was unable to tell Parliament on Tuesday what the contested R31 million spent during the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament was actually used for. The unexplained expenditure raises fresh accountability questions for a department already under scrutiny.
[Sources: News24, BusinessDay, The Citizen, Reuters, Netwerk24]