NCC’s Adams owns up to leaked contact details blunder
National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams admitted to a “really stupid mistake” after Parliament suspended him for 20 sitting days and cut his pay for the same period, following a Facebook post that exposed a DA staffer’s personal contact details. Adams pushed back on suggestions the suspension was linked to his role in the Madlanga commission, where his complaint against Crime Intelligence officials triggered investigations later found to have been unlawful.
IDAC prosecutor testifies on alleged plan to purge police top brass
A state prosecutor from the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption told the Madlanga commission about alleged pressure to arrest senior police officials as part of “Project Diversion,” and about a broader “clean-up plan” suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu reportedly wanted for the SAPS with IDAC’s help. The testimony adds to mounting scrutiny of how IDAC’s powers were allegedly used against police leadership.
Eskom’s renewables arm to prioritise solar and battery storage
Eskom Green, the utility’s dedicated renewables unit, is targeting a pipeline weighted toward solar PV backed by battery energy storage as it works to deliver 40GW of renewable capacity by 2040. The unit is being spun out as part of Eskom’s unbundling strategy, aiming for more agile decision-making and access to diverse funding sources than the parent company allows.
Floods and Middle East war force citrus export downgrade
The Citrus Growers’ Association has cut its 2026 export forecast to 205.3-million cartons from a earlier estimate of 209.4-million, citing floods that hit the Western and Eastern Cape alongside continuing disruption to Middle East shipments from the US-Iran conflict. The Middle East normally takes about 20% of South Africa’s citrus exports, and the war has also driven up diesel and shipping costs while congestion builds at the Port of Durban during peak export season.
Iran warns Gulf states of retaliation over any fresh US strikes
Iran has told Gulf states through high-level diplomatic channels that any new US attack on its territory would trigger retaliation against regional energy facilities, refineries, power grids, water systems and oil fields, according to Reuters sources. The warning followed Trump’s 28 July threat to strike Iran’s infrastructure, with Saudi Arabia and Qatar pressing Washington to return to negotiations after Trump said on 2 August he’d agreed to hold off “subject to being able to rapidly make a deal.”
[Sources: The Citizen, Netwerk24, News24, BusinessDay, Reuters]