Newspaper
The Mercury
Godongwana defends R1.5bn-a-day borrowing amid rising debt projections in 2026
South Africa’s debt is projected to rise in nominal terms from R6.12 trillion in 2025/26 to R6.94trln in 2028/29
3 min |
February 26, 2026
The Mercury
Water crisis erodes agricultural export success
WHILE the Western Cape celebrates export milestones, itself alongside the Eastern and Northern Cape have been declared a national disaster area due to drought.
2 min |
February 26, 2026
The Mercury
Mixed reactions from farmers on Godongwana's 2026 Budget
AGRICULTURAL associations have given mixed reactions following the Finance Minister Enoch Gondongwana’s tabling of the National Budget on Wednesday.
2 min |
February 26, 2026
The Mercury
Law enforcement authorities raid alleged Chatsworth drug lab
LAW enforcement agencies, who are taking aim at the illegal narcotics trade in KwaZulu-Natal, raided a residential property in Chatsworth, which is suspected to be a drug lab, early yesterday morning.
2 min |
February 26, 2026
The Mercury
Property groups welcome tax relief measures in South Africa's 2026 Budget
PROPERTY groups have responded positively to the adjustment of personal income tax brackets announced in the National Budget Speech by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana on Wednesday.
2 min |
February 26, 2026
The Mercury
South Africa's National Budget: No personal tax increases and inflation relief
TAXPAYERS will breathe a sigh of relief from this year's National Budget because not only were there no personal tax increases announced, but the government scrapped plans it made last year to raise an additional R20 billion through tax this year.
3 min |
February 26, 2026
The Mercury
COLOMBIA PROBES APPARENT BULLET HOLE IN PLANE
COLOMBIAN authorities are investigating after an apparent bullet hole was found in the wing of an American Airlines flight that landed in Medellin from Miami, US media reported this week.
1 min |
February 26, 2026
The Mercury
Understanding the impact of fear and anxiety on decision-making
YOU may have noticed that when you are fearful and anxious — I am not referring to situational fear and anxiety that subsides the minute an immediate threat disappears — but to fearfulness and anxiety as a way of life, you probably don’t make the best decisions.
1 min |
February 26, 2026
The Mercury
National Treasury moves to direct intervention as 63% of municipalities face financial distress
FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana on Wednesday announced a decisive shift in the government's approach to struggling municipalities, signalling a move from oversight to active structural intervention to address deepening governance, financial and service delivery failures at the local level.
3 min |
February 26, 2026
The Mercury
Judge orders investigation into lawyer's missing Fidelity Fund Certificate
THE hearing date for the R60 billion class action application before the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, remains uncertain because the legal representative for the hundreds of applicants is unable to appear on their behalf.
2 min |
February 26, 2026
The Mercury
Trump tries to reset presidency in State of the Union speech
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump boasted this week of a “turnaround for the ages” in his State of the Union speech, seeking to reverse dismal polls and see off mounting challenges at home and abroad ahead of crucial midterm elections.
2 min |
February 26, 2026
The Mercury
King Harald is weighted to win
A Graduation Plate is the highlight of the Turffontein Inside eight-race meeting today.
4 min |
February 26, 2026
The Mercury
R1 trillion infrastructure spending: A roadmap for South Africa's recovery
THE government intends spending R1 trillion on infrastructure over the medium term to address backlogs in social delivery and other major capital projects that have arisen from weak economic growth, inefficient public investment management and limited state capacity, policy uncertainty, supply-side constraints and waning investor confidence.
3 min |
February 26, 2026
The Mercury
Consumer commission probes sanitary pad brands over harmful chemicals
THE National Consumer Commission (NCC) has launched an investigation into nine major sanitary pad and panty liner suppliers in South Africa following a study with damning findings linking popular menstrual products to harmful endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs).
1 min |
February 26, 2026
The Mercury
Australian police arrest two for murder
AUSTRALIAN detectives arrested two men yesterday over the alleged kidnapping and murder of an elderly grandfather in a suspected case of mistaken identity.
1 min |
February 26, 2026
The Mercury
Wellalage confident Sri Lanka can rescue T20 World Cup campaign
CO-HOSTS Sri Lanka can win both their remaining Super Eight matches to rescue their faltering T20 World Cup campaign, starting with New Zealand, spinner Dunith Wellalage said yesterday.
1 min |
February 25, 2026
The Mercury
KZN Premier warns against hiring undocumented foreigners
Immediate arrests for business owners employing undocumented migrants in the province
3 min |
February 25, 2026
The Mercury
Loosehead depth keeps Boks setting the tone
THE loosehead position is often occupied by the unsung hero in the Springboks pack of forwards. While the plaudits mostly go to the anchor in the tighthead jersey, it's the Boks' No 1 who plays a crucial role in unsettling the opposition's No 3.
2 min |
February 25, 2026
The Mercury
Mogotsi admits CIA claims against KZN top cop Mkhwanazi were unfounded
IN A dramatic turn of events, North West businessman Oupa Brown Mogotsi yesterday acknowledged that his suspicions about KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi being a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agent were unfounded, attributing the lack of tangible evidence to the unreliable nature of his sources.
3 min |
February 25, 2026
The Mercury
Zelenskiy: Putin failed to achieve goals in Ukraine
PRESIDENT Volodymyr Zelenskiy marked the four-year anniversary of the Ukraine war by accusing Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of trying to take over Ukraine, saying he had failed to achieve this and other war goals.
2 min |
February 25, 2026
The Mercury
Aveng terminates Moolmans disposal talks amid Tshipi contract disputes
AVENG'S mining contracting unit Moolmans' disputes on the Tshipi manganese mining project have resulted in talks for the disposal of Moolmans to be terminated.
3 min |
February 25, 2026
The Mercury
Will South Africa's 2026 budget provide.relief for struggling workers?
AS THE crucial National Budget Speech approaches on Wednesday, South African workers are left anxiously wondering: will this year's budget truly address the substantial challenges they face?
2 min |
February 25, 2026
The Mercury
Confident Jafta, Proteas Women eager to close out Pakistan series
PROTEAS Women's wicket-keeper Sinalo Jafta is filled with confidence ahead of the second ODI against Pakistan at Centurion on Wednesday (starts 1pm).
1 min |
February 25, 2026
The Mercury
‘When Smuts Goes’, The banned book that predicted South Africa’s future
IN 1962, as a Grade 9 learner at Sastri College, I had no idea why my father insisted that I pester our school librarian, Mr Singh, to try and trace a book that was either banned or simply unavailable.
1 min |
February 25, 2026
The Mercury
Proteas' Rabada has resilience to catch fire at T20 World Cup
SEVEN months ago Kagiso Rabada was on top of the world, having just played a massive role in the Proteas' victory over Australia in the World Test Championship final at Lord's.
2 min |
February 25, 2026
The Mercury
UK POLICE RELEASE EX-ENVOY PETER MANDELSON ON BAIL
LONDON police released former ambassador Peter Mandelson on bail in this week, in a probe into his ties to disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein, only days after ex-prince Andrew was arrested.
1 min |
February 25, 2026
The Mercury
5 SECRETS TEENS WISH PARENTS KNEW: INSIGHTS FROM A PSYCHOLOGIST WHO GETS IT
IT’S the eternal question: Every adult was once a teenager, so why do teenagers feel so misunderstood?
3 min |
February 25, 2026
The Mercury
Identifying addiction: Key signs and family dynamics
ARE there physical symptoms related to the behaviour or to the absence of the behaviour (cravings, ideation, longing, preoccupation)?
1 min |
February 25, 2026
The Mercury
Mpumalanga man gets R1.6 million in damages for unlawful arrest for rape
THE Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela has ordered the Minister of Police to pay more than R1.6 million in damages to a man who was unlawfully arrested and detained on rape charges that were never pursued.
2 min |
February 25, 2026
The Mercury
The Japanese snowball fight game vying to be an Olympic sport
AT THE foot of an active volcano in northern Japan, shouts ring out, competitors size each other up, and snowballs whistle through the air in a very serious game of “yukigassen” — a sport with Olympic dreams.
2 min |