Middle Eastern warfare is about to slam South African wallets again, with analysts warning of fuel hikes potentially reaching 50 to 80 cents per litre.
Oil markets are rattled by the conflict
Brent crude surged sharply after the US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets began.
Iran retaliated by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly a fifth of global oil.
Rerouted tankers and spiking shipping costs are compounding supply fears.
Traders are pricing in a tighter supply, and that momentum keeps building.
South Africa's direct exposure to the crisis
About 80% of the country's crude imports come from the Middle East.
Rand's strength is providing some cushion, but it cannot offset jumps this large.
Diesel faces the steepest...
Court proceedings are now authorized to boot three former MK Party MPs who have been squatting in taxpayer-funded parliamentary homes for over 19 months.
Who are the three former MPs
France Bongani Mfiki, Garatwe Agnes Mogotsi, and Nomado Grace Mgwebi got seconded to Parliament on 25 June 2024.
MK Party yanked them from its list on 7 August 2024 after an internal blowup.
All three lost party membership and joined a larger group contesting their removal in court.
Formal eviction notices with a 27 February 2026 deadline were completely ignored.
Minister Macpherson greenlights legal action
Dean Macpherson authorized the Department of Public Works to pursue full court proceedings.
A cost order against the former MPs is being sought...
A joint working group between two of South Africa's biggest left-wing forces is now officially in motion ahead of a planned Conference of the Left.
EFF and SACP sit down in Johannesburg
Julius Malema and SACP General Secretary Solly Mapaila led their respective delegations to bilateral talks.
Both sides acknowledged past friction but committed to rebuilding principled relations.
Criticism among comrades got framed as healthy, not destructive.
Neoliberal and right-wing political forces were identified as the shared enemy.
Joint task team and conference structure
A working group with members from both parties will join a wider steering committee.
SACP is driving the Conference of the Left initiative.
Trade unions, NGOs, civil society...
A bail hearing kicks off today for the late Robert Mugabe's youngest son after a shooting at the family's upscale Johannesburg property.
Bellarmine Mugabe's charges
Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, 28, faces attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, and illegal firearm possession.
His co-accused, Tobias Matonhodze, 33, is believed to be a bodyguard or close associate.
Both are Zimbabwean nationals and have been locked up since 23 February.
Alexandra Magistrates' Court is handling the bail application today.
What happened at the Hyde Park home
A 23-year-old worker at the property got shot in the back on 19 February.
He collapsed outside the gate after fleeing an argument inside the house.
Someone reportedly shut the gate behind the...
A R358.75 million fine just landed on a former Steinhoff executive's head for cooking the books during South Africa's worst corporate meltdown.
Who is Stéhan Grobler
Stephanus Johannes "Stéhan" Grobler served as company secretary, treasury head, and in-house legal counsel at Steinhoff.
Grobler held directorships in UK-registered Steinhoff entities from 2001 through 2017.
His role as managing director of Steinhoff Europe AG gave him direct sway over financial reporting.
FSCA nailed him for breaching sections 81(1)(a) and 81(1)(b) of the Financial Markets Act.
What the penalty actually covers
False or misleading financial statements for 2014, 2015, 2016, and half of 2017 triggered the fine.
Material facts were either misstated or...
South Africa's Constitution just hit 30 years, and the justice system's unification is being held up as the crowning achievement.
Anniversary launch at the Apartheid Museum
Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi kicked off Human Rights Month with celebrations at the Apartheid Museum.
Nelson Mandela signed the Constitution into law on 10 December 1996.
Over 1.7 million written submissions shaped the document during its creation.
Justice Albi Sachs was quoted as describing the vision of an authentic national smile.
Judicial integration as the headline win
Eleven separate apartheid-era justice departments got merged into one unified framework.
Superior Courts Act of 2013 restructured the entire court hierarchy.
The Seventeenth Amendment Act of 2012...
Middle Eastern military escalation is threatening to torpedo South Africa's fragile economic recovery through surging oil prices and stalled rate cuts.
Dr. Nzimande's economic warning
University of Johannesburg economist Dr Ntokozo Nzimande flagged fuel, food, and borrowing costs all spiking.
Nzimande says inflation could blow past the target range entirely.
South Africa's Reserve Bank may freeze or reverse its rate-cutting campaign.
Repo rate currently sits at 6.75%, with prime lending at 10.25%.
The Strait of Hormuz is the chokepoint
Around 20% of global oil trade flows through that narrow waterway.
South Africa imports roughly 80% of its crude from the Middle East.
Brent crude already jumped 8 to 13%, landing near 80 to 82 USD a...
A construction site near Tembisa got shut down after inspectors nabbed over 50 undocumented workers and found a fake permit.
Clayville raid on 27 February
Department of Employment and Labour inspectors hit a Clayville construction site with a joint blitz.
Over 50 foreign nationals lacked valid work or residency documents.
Workers panicked, with some fleeing and one injuring himself mid-escape.
A bogus construction permit and safety violations triggered an immediate shutdown.
Deputy Minister Sibiya's warning to bosses
Jomo Sibiya called out rampant non-compliance with labour and immigration laws.
His core message was simple: hire South Africans first.
Untrained, undocumented workers endanger everyone else on-site.
Unemployment sits...
Fuel costs across South Africa are climbing again from 4 March, erasing months of relief that had pushed petrol to four-year lows.
Petrol and diesel hikes from 4 March
Both grades of petrol jump by 20 cents per litre.
Diesel 0.05% sulphur climbs 62 cents per litre.
Ultra-low-sulphur diesel gets whacked with a 65-cent bump.
Filling a 50-litre petrol tank costs an extra R10.
What is driving the price spike
Brent crude surged from around 64 to 69 USD a barrel.
Middle East tensions involving the US, Israel, and Iran spooked supply lines.
Rand strength only cushioned the blow by 17 to 19 cents per litre.
The slate levy sitting at zero kept the damage from getting worse.
Ripple effects on everyday costs
Diesel-dependent freight...
