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The Mercury - February 27, 2026

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In this issue

February 27, 2026

eThekwini Municipality's R2.7bn budget prioritises water, sanitation, housing

THERE was a mixed reaction to the eThekwini Municipality R2.7 billion adjustment budget tabled at the eThekwini Council yesterday.

1 mins

Parliament seeks legal advice after O'Sullivan 'snubs' committee proceedings

PARLIAMENT will seek legal advice after forensic fraud examiner Paul O'Sullivan abruptly walked out of the proceedings of the Ad Hoc Committee yesterday.

1 mins

King Misuzulu's plan for greater control over Ingonyama Trust

Monarch advocates for Zulu leadership in land management decisions

2 mins

Chatsworth will become like Mexico if drug dealing is not eliminated

CHATSWORTH was in the news on Wednesday morning, but for the wrong reasons.

1 mins

Intelligence is the second oldest profession, only with fewer morals

SPY allegations tendered at the Madlanga Commission are absolutely preposterous.

2 mins

Foot-and-mouth disease vaccination drive kicks off in KwaZulu-Natal

KWAZULU-NATAL Agriculture MEC Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa has issued a stern warning against the illicit movement of animals amidst the severe outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the province.

2 mins

R700m spent on NSFAS administration could fund 9 000 students - Godongwana

FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana has launched a scathing attack on the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), saying he does not see the value of the institution.

2 mins

Two South Africans recruited for Russian war have died

THE Department of International Relations and Cooperation has revealed that two South Africans lured to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war have died.

2 mins

Durban pensioner says fight is not over

WHILE the R60 billion class action lawsuit against the country’s major banks over alleged unfair home repossessions has been stalled, a Durban pensioner, who said he is among those affected, vowed that the fight is not over for those “seeking justice”.

2 mins

Ballots can’t break the machine: How ANC hardwired itself into state

THE slow-burning crisis in South Africa is not merely electoral decline. It is structural capture.

3 mins

HERE'S TO A HIGH-STAKES SOWETO DERBY

MIDWEEK, one of Independent Newspapers’ esteemed football scribes, Matshelane Mamabolo, perfectly coined this weekend's Soweto Derby the ‘battle of the walking wounded’ - and rightfully so.

1 mins

Muddy waters of UCT antisemitism charge

A critique of the four basic conceptual elements of Zionist ideology

5 mins

Indonesia jails two for drug smuggling

Two British men were given lengthy jail terms yesterday by an Indonesian court after being found guilty of smuggling cocaine into the popular holiday island of Bali.

1 mins

GERMANY’S MERZ VISITS CHINA AI HUB

GERMAN Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in the Chinese tech hub of Hangzhou yesterday with a large group of entrepreneurs, hoping to land new contracts a day after meeting President Xi Jinping and announcing an Airbus deal.

1 mins

HONG KONG SENTENCES FATHER OF WANTED ACTIVIST

AHONG Kong court sentenced the father of a wanted activist to eight months in prison yesterday under a national security law, after he attempted to terminate his daughter's insurance policy and withdraw funds

1 mins

Thai runner-up party seeks criminal case against officials

A THAI political party that came second in this month's vote filed a criminal complaint yesterday against the nation’s election commissioners, accusing them of violating election laws, the party’s deputy said.

1 mins

SA’s Budget 2026: A turning point for the economy, a waiting game for the poor

THIS WEEK, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana stood before Parliament and delivered a budget built on a story of redemption.

4 mins

Desperation fuels deadly crossing

WEEKS after Hamdy Ibrahim left his village in Egypt's Nile Delta hoping to reach Europe, his brother's phone rang with a chilling message from Libya: pay now or the boy would die.

3 mins

The apprentice setting new standards

AT 21, Lathitha Mbambo is building an enviable track record after having serviced about 100 vehicles a month, translating to more than 800 vehicles without a single comeback since starting her apprenticeship in June 2025.

1 mins

How AA NCAP carefully chooses entry-level cars for crash tests

THE Automobile Association of South Africa says its involvement in NCAP crash testing is guided by a single principle, which is making safety information accessible to the most vulnerable buyers.

3 mins

Your chance to win SA's favourite SUV

SHOULD you be selected to represent Independent Media for the Toyota Fortuner Challenge 2026 powered by Quartz Engine Oil and you are tough enough to win the gruelling event, a R746 000 Fortuner becomes yours.

1 mins

Revealed: bold new flagship bakkie

CHINESE auto giant Chery is aiming to make a big impact in the bakkie space.

1 mins

Godongwana defends four-pillar Budget strategy

Finance minister tells the media that the budget is not a panacea for solving all social and economic challenges in one stroke

2 mins

Business backs Budget as fiscal credibility returns, but growth concerns linger

SOUTH Africa's business community has broadly welcomed the 2026 Budget delivered by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, describing it as credible, reform-oriented and supportive of renewed macroeconomic stability, even as economists caution that growth remains too modest to transform the economy.

2 mins

After Tongaat Hulett: Where are the new jobs going to come from?

WHEN Tongaat Hulett announced restructuring that could cost as many as 40,000 jobs, it was not merely a corporate failure.

4 mins

Absa’s Merchant Spend Analytics: December shows mixed consumer spending trends

ABSA'S latest Merchant Spend Analytics data released on Wednesday indicated that there was an uptick in consumer activity in December, with card spending rising by 10% and transaction volumes up 7% compared to November.

2 mins

Cabinet targets organised crime, illicit economy to tackle unemployment

GOVERNMENT has placed the fight against organised crime and the multi-billion-rand illicit economy at the centre of its strategy to reduce unemployment and accelerate economic growth, arguing that criminal syndicates are undermining investment, destroying jobs and draining the fiscus.

3 mins

Department of Health shoots down big tobacco push for differentiated industry regulation

BIG tobacco industry's push for regulatory separation between cigarettes and non-combustion nicotine products was shot down yesterday by the National Department of Health (NDoH) which however agreed to consider new clauses on dealing with illicit trade.

2 mins

MANCOSA at 30: Education as a pathway to access, justice and global relevance

THREE decades after the dawn of democracy, South Africa continues to confront the structural inequalities inherited from apartheid.

2 mins

Developing holistic, innovative and responsible leaders

THE University of the Free State (UFS) Business School is a vibrant school that blends rigorous academic theory with practical and real-world application, often highlighted by its “Be Worth More” philosophy.

2 mins

KAP reports 32% increase in well diversified interim headline earnings

KAP, the diversified industrial group, increased headline earnings per share by a strong 32% to 22,7 cents for the six months to December 31, with good growth momentum for the future, CEO Frans Olivier said Thursday.

2 mins

The tax year end tantrum

WHY is everyone jumping up and down about the end of the tax year? You would swear there won't be another one.Top up your retirement savings.

2 mins

New 60-day dispute rule - a shift in South Africa’s debit order rules

SOUTH Africa's payments industry is initiating a change that will align the various debit order services rules on dispute availability.

3 mins

SARS’ Crypto dragnet: how the tax net Is closing on South Africa's digital wealth

FROM 1 March 2026, one of the predicted fundamental changes in South Africa's tax landscape, according to media releases, will come into effect.

4 mins

Lions brace for Stormers forward onslaught in high-stakes URC derby at Ellis Park

THE Lions are expecting a massive forward onslaught from the wounded Stormers in their United Rugby Championship (URC) derby at Ellis Park.

2 mins

Erasmus’ alignment camp: Why invitations don't equate to Springbok selection

THERE is never a dull moment when Rassie Erasmus reveals a squad of players for an alignment camp, but his policy is constant — you are never too old or too young to play for the Springboks.

3 mins

AmaZulu aim to turn Sundowns positives into points against Stellis

AMAZULU head coach Arthur Zwane insists there is no cause for panic at Usuthu despite Tuesday's narrow defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns, with focus now shifting firmly to a tough Betway Premiership assignment against Stellenbosch FC tonight.

2 mins

Timing is everything offshore

Offshore fishing along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline over the past weekend reminded anglers why timing and judgement matter just as much as tackle and fuel.

3 mins

Broos uses World Cup experience to choose Bafana’s Mexico base

THE anticipation surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup is intensifying, and Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos, has voiced his enthusiasm over the team’s decision to establish its base camp in Pachuca, Mexico.

1 mins

Dercksen, Proteas target Black ODI sweep against Pakistan

THE inform Proteas Women's all-rounder Annerie Dercksen has reiterated the team's ambition to win the Black One Day International (ODI) match against Pakistan Women on Sunday, citing that the fixture carries significant weight.

2 mins

Soweto derby debutants seek ‘month of happiness’ in sold-out clash

ASOWETO derby has a way of cutting through everything — form, excuses, and long-term plans.

2 mins

Rough justice: SA Open delivers early reality check at brutal Stellenbosch Golf Club

THE 115th South African Open at Stellenbosch Golf Club took no prisoners on day one, reminding the field that golf in the Cape Winelands can be as ruthless as it is picturesque — especially when the wind has a say.

2 mins

English giants dominate line-up for Champions League last-16 draw

THE draw for the latter stages of this season's Champions League takes place tomorrow with Newcastle United's midweek victory against Qarabag meaning an unprecedented six English sides will feature in the last 16.

2 mins

Sharks coach JP Pietersen demands clinical edge to sink the Bulls in URC derby

SHARKS coach JP Pietersen says his team’s chief aim against the Bulls today in Pretoria is to eliminate the sloppiness that caused their demise last week against the Lions.

2 mins

Proteas’ power plays keeps SA on track in T20 World Cup ‘mission’

MUCH more of this and South Africans may start to believe that the Proteas can go on to win a first-ever ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

3 mins

Harun Al Rashid goes for top honours

THE Jackpot could be the way to go at Hollywoodbets Greyville tonight.

2 mins

Roland Garros can ace this field

CHAMPIONSHIP leader Justin Snaith can strike first run out of the box when he starts his Champions Season raid with Roland Garros in the March Stakes that heads the card at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.

4 mins

'Major' to earn his star

THE quality of the three-year-old colt division is such an intriguing debate.

3 mins

Read all Stories from The Mercury

The Mercury Description:

Publisher: Independent-Media-Newspapers

Category: Newspaper

Language: English

Frequency: Daily

The Mercury is positioned to appeal to achievers with a high disposable income, and the upwardly mobile. This includes professionals, business people, opinion makers, political leaders, public servants, and academics as well as sports and arts enthusiasts. Its readers recognise that they should be plugged into their city, province and country and indeed the world to inform their decision-making and achieve success. The newspaper’s crisp and credible reporting ensures that readers get a “head start” every morning. KwaZulu-Natal's leading daily newspaper & media partners of The Sharks, published since 1852