The Mercury
World Cup crisis as thousands cancel US trip
THE countdown to the 2026 World Cup has taken a troubling turn, with a tidal wave of fans from all corners of the globe allegedly cancelling their attendance amid safety concerns linked to US immigration enforcement under President Donald...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Top KZN pupils’ secrets to matric success
PERSISTENT questions to teachers, long studying hours, and sleepless nights have paid off for high school pupils from KwaZulu-Natal who were named among the top performers in the National Senior Certificate examinations yesterday. At least eight...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SA’s naval drills with Russia, China spark fears of financial fallout
THE joint military exercises planned to take place off the coast of South Africa this weekend could cause the country further financial turmoil by “irritating” its key trading partners. Military experts have warned that while the exercises are...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Teacher unions predict chaos as KZN schools prepare to reopen
TEACHER unions are warning of chaos when schools reopen next week, pointing out that schools are not ready and that not all the Learning and Teaching Support Materials (LTSM) are in place to ensure a smooth start to the 2026 academic year. The unions...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Radical ANC deployment proposal rejected by KZN rank and file
KWAZULU-NATAL ANC members have warned the party against a proposal to look beyond the organisation for people to deploy into government roles, saying the move could trigger tensions at branch level. Some members demanded that, if pushed through, every...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Former SA Ambassador to Venezuela calls US operation a fight for oil
FORMER South African ambassador to Venezuela, Bheki Gila, has dismissed the allegations of “counter-narcotics” and “narco-terrorism” used by US President Donald Trump as the primary justification to launch a major military operation against...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
EThekwini to implement new billing system
HEADACHES caused by incorrect billing could soon be a thing of the past as the eThekwini Municipality is set to go live with a new billing system. The city stated recently that in a strategic move to enhance operational efficiency, embrace...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
China achieves fruitful results in high-quality development during 14th Five-Year Plan period
The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has started its fourth plenary session in Beijing on Oct. 20. The four-day meeting aims at studying the proposals for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for national economic...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
State begins efforts to return SA men stuck in Ukraine conflict
FAMILIES of the South African men stuck in the Ukraine conflict have welcomed the government's efforts aimed at returning their relatives home. At least three families told The Mercury yesterday that they had recently met with government officials who...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Masemola warns of rising gun violence
NATIONAL Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has expressed concern over a rise in gun violence during the festive season, saying police will ramp up operations to curb illegal firearms and combat gender-based violence and femicide...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Severe flooding disrupts tourist festivities
TOURISM operators along KwaZuluNatal’s South Coast say severe flooding has disrupted the peak festive season, as damaged infrastructure, business closures, and safety concerns begin to affect visitor activity across the region. The flooding has also...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Salary hikes for top politicians
PARTIES and experts have slammed the news that the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers has recommended a 4.1% salary increase for public office bearers for the 2025/2026 financial year. The recommendation, published in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Court orders action on sewage spills
THE eThekwini Municipality yesterday announced the temporary closure of four Durban beaches after pollution was detected. This comes after the Pietermaritzburg High Court ordered the eThekwini Municipality to take a series of steps to ensure that the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Batohi walkout tarnishes NPA integrity
LEGAL experts have criticised National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Advocate Shamila Batohi, saying her conduct has tainted her reputation and the integrity of her office in the eyes of the public. They believe the National Prosecutions...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Judge fails in bid to quash theft case
THE Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has turned down a bid by a Free State judge for a permanent stay of prosecution of his theft, alternatively money laundering trial concerning the alleged misappropriation of a Road Accident Fund (RAF) payout, stemming...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Families mourn as Verulam temple construction site collapse claims five lives
A FAMILY of one of the workers who was among five people who died when a building under construction collapsed at River Range Ranch in Redcliffe, Verulam on Friday are demanding answers on what went wrong and accountability from those leading the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
KZN ANC TASK TEAM AXED OVER INFIGHTING
ANC members have detailed the challenges that rendered the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Task Team (PTT) ineffective, leading to its pending disbandment by the ANC national office. They stated that the PTT has a bloated structure to accommodate different...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Exciting plans unveiled for a new, modern amusement park on the Durban beachfront
IN A BOLD move to revitalise the Durban beachfront, eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba has unveiled ambitious plans for a new amusement park at the former Funworld site. The investor for Durban Amusement Park has experience and a proven track record, said...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
500 corrupt firms milking the State despite SIU warning
THE South African government has come under severe criticism after it emerged that nearly 500 companies remain eligible to trade with the state, despite recommendations stemming from investigations by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). Finance...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Soaring black elite deepens South Africa’s post apartheid inequality
DESPITE significant policy interventions since the end of apartheid, South Africa remains one of the most unequal countries in the world, with the legacy of racial discrimination continuing to drive extreme disparities in income and wealth. This is...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
R1BN DRAKENSBERG CABLE CAR PROJECT DELAYED
THE KwaZulu-Natal government needs more than R1 billion to get the Drakensberg cable car project off the ground. There is growing scepticism about the future of the ambitious project, with stakeholders questioning if it will ever get off the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Suspended Mchunu grilled on targeting the PKTT
Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu, who is on special leave, was taken to task over his decision to dissolve the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) with immediate effect through a letter dated December 31, 2024. This was during his testimony at the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
KZN roads worsen due to budget cuts and delays
MUNICIPALITIES and freight sector have warned that many KwaZulu-Natal roads are in poor condition, adding that further delays in maintenance could have a devastating impact on the economy, tourism and public safety. The warning comes after the KZN...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Ithala Bank customers demand interest after year-long money freeze
ITHALA Bank customers have welcomed the announcement that they will soon access their money but are demanding interest on funds that had been locked away for nearly a year. KwaZulu-Natal premier Thami Ntuli announced on Monday that customers will gain...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Major advancements in HIV treatment announced by deputy president
DEPUTY President Paul Mashatile, as well as other national and provincial leaders, celebrated the country's progress in transforming HIV from a death sentence into a condition that can be managed with dignity and hope on World AIDS Day. Mashatile, in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Judicial officers face rising threats to safety
THE threats and intimidation directed at judicial officers are undermining the justice system and putting the lives of magistrates at risk. This is the view of organisations representing judges after three magistrates were threatened by suspects for...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trump excludes SA from G20, cuts aid in power move
PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s announcement that South Africa would not be invited to attend the G20 summit in 2026, as well as stopping payments and subsidies, is set to prove that the US has power and dominates the economy. These are the views of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Explosive claim: Matlala says he paid R500 000 to Bheki Cele
VUSIMUZI “Cat” Matlala's testimony took an explosive turn yesterday when he detailed his alleged cash payments of R500 000 to former Minister Bheki Cele. The Ad Hoc Committee established to investigate the allegations made by the South African Police...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SA men tell of betrayal after being ‘trafficked’ to Ukraine war
AS THE political controversy about the 17 South African men trapped in the Ukraine conflict deepens, more harrowing accounts about their ordeal in Eastern Europe's war have started to emerge. A parent of one of the 17 men told The Mercury that she has...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Storm destruction in KwaZulu-Natal
ONE person has died, two others are missing and several homes and roads have been washed away in New Hanover in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands due to a severe storm on Sunday. KZN Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli yesterday expressed his condolences to the families...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
G20 Summit ends but tension between SA and US far from over
THE US questioning of the legitimacy of the G20 summit held in Johannesburg over the weekend is misplaced, as the bloc is made up of the most influential economies in the world, and they approved the declarations taken at the event. This was said by...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
NPA boss Batohi demands police hand over prosecutors allegedly tied to criminal syndicates
NATIONAL Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), Advocate Shamila Batohi, yesterday said she will write to national police commissioner Fannie Masemola to ask for information regarding the prosecutors who were allegedly participating in ensuring...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla used social media to incite violence - State
THE State yesterday, during the trial of Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) member of Parliament, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, alleged that the July 2021 civil unrest was well coordinated and instigated nationally. The trial was attended by Zuma-Sambudla’s...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Senzo Mchunu case raises questions over ANC renewal
THE ANC finds itself embroiled in renewed debate over the efficacy and sincerity of its “step-aside” rule, following the announcement that suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s offer to step aside from party duties was declined. This decision, amid...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
No amnesty for past traffic infringements as Aarto is rolled out
MOTORISTS should not expect amnesty for past infringements when the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Amendment Act and demerit system are rolled out in 69 municipalities across the country from next month. The Road Traffic...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
EThekwini Metro Police face R80m overtime crisis amid understaffing
STAFF shortages, long hours, and additional duties not budgeted for are wreaking havoc on the eThekwini Metro Police operations, forcing the unit to spend up to R20 million each month on overtime pay. Since the beginning of the financial year in July,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
COUNTERFEIT GOODS THREATEN KZN’S ECONOMY
THE business community in KwaZulu-Natal is on edge over the continuing proliferation of counterfeit goods that undermine job creation, destroy existing jobs and pose serious life and health risks. Key business chambers have expressed concerns about...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
HAWKS INTERFERED IN MOLEFE ARREST
THE Divisional Commissioner for National Priority Offences Operations at the Hawks, Lieutenant General Dumisani Mbotho, has admitted that members of the elite unit interfered with the arrest of suspected criminal underworld boss Katiso ‘KT'...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
KZN Cabinet reshuffle on the cards
KWAZULU-NATAL Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli is expected to make his first cabinet reshuffle as part of his party's concessions to the ANC's demand to save the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU). As part of concessions, Ntuli is said to have agreed to swap...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SWEET SUCCESS: BUSAMED KZN DIABETES CAMPAIGN
Busamed Hospital Group is on a mission to empower communities to live healthy and more fulfilling lives. It was with this mission in mind that the Busamed diabetes project was launched.The project kicked off at Gateway and entailed screening all...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Commission hears claim of Molefe–Mchunu friendship ties
A BODYGUARD/driver of controversial businessman and murder-accused Katiso ‘KT' Molefe told task team members effecting the businessman's arrest that he (Molefe) is friends with now suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. This was revealed by Captain...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Impact of South Africa’s greylist exit on politics and economy
SOUTH Africa's removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) greylist has elicited sharply contrasting reactions within the nation's political sphere. While the ANC hails this as a major achievement, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) has...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Axing of elite police unit fuelled crime spike in KZN
THE former commander of the disbanded Cato Manor Organised Crime Unit has spoken out on its closure more than a decade ago, stating that the move was a “catastrophic mistake” for the province and has crippled the police's ability to fight and contain...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
KZN GPU faces its first real test
The Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), led by the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), is facing its first real test since its formation after the National Freedom Party (NFP) threatened to leave the political arrangement. The NFP has indicated its...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Bheki Cele confirms acquaintance with Vusimuzi Matlala amid inquiry
FORMER police minister Bheki Cele yesterday confirmed knowing “very well” attempted murder–accused tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, but not controversial businessman Brown Mogotsi. Cele said he first met Matlala in Durban after Bongani Mpungose, a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Premier unveils bold plan to revive KZN towns
KWAZULU-NATAL small towns, which have been experiencing infrastructure decay and job losses for several years, are finally going to be revitalised following the launch of “a bold initiative designed to ensure that development and prosperity are shared...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ANC stands firm on BEE amid DA challenge
THE ANC has vehemently rejected the DA proposal to eliminate South Africa's Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policy, reigniting tensions within the Government of National Unity (GNU). This latest clash between the two largest partners in the GNU...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Mbalula warns of corruption crisis facing ANC
ANC SECRETARY-General Fikile Mbalula delivered a searing indictment of his own party, admitting that the ANC's current woes and dwindling public trust are largely a consequence of its own actions, particularly the pervasive corruption...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
IFP’s call to deport illegal migrants gains support
CALLS by the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) for the deportation of unskilled and illegal foreigners have received widespread support, including from organisations that advocate for the interests of foreign nationals in South Africa. Political experts and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
State says R28m spent on Zuma's private legal fees must be paid back
WHILE the presidency and State Attorney seek to recover more than R28 million spent on former President Jacob Zuma's legal fees, counsel for Zuma questioned why he should face the brunt, while the state officials who in the first place unlawfully...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Financial crisis looms over KZN governance
KWAZULU-NATAL government departments are facing increased financial risk, with regressive audit opinions becoming commonplace. The dire warning was made by the Auditor General of South Africa, Tsakane Maluleke, following the audit report for the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Urgent meeting called by GPU partners
THE key partners in the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) have called for an urgent meeting to address their differences amid threats to oust the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Thami Ntuli, through a vote of no confidence. The IFP and the ANC said there...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MPs raise alarm over Sibiya’s testimony
MEMBERS of Parliament, who are part of the Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, have raised concerns about the connection between suspended deputy police...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Questions over Ramaphosa’s link to Maumela
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa's spokesperson said a video showing him outside the posh Sandton home of Hangwani Maumela — a central figure in a massive corruption scandal involving the looting of over R2 billion from Tembisa Hospital — is purely...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SIU conducts raid on Maumela’s luxury residential property in Sandton
THE Special Investigating Unit (SIU) said its raid yesterday and attachment of assets at a luxury property in Sandton belonging to Hangwani Maumela was linked to implementing its recommendations contained in its recently released interim report into...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Mkhwanazi demands probe into McBride, O’Sullivan
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said he will ask Parliament through the intelligence structures to look into the tenure of former Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) head Robert...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Unions demand action at Tembisa hospital
THREE trade unions that represent medical workers and nurses have called for tougher action against the syndicates and Gauteng Department of Health officials fingered in the alleged manipulation and exploitation of lower-level workers in the massive...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Durban port’s struggles laid bare in World Bank report
THE latest World Bank report on the efficiency of container ports worldwide has again painted a troubling picture of the Port of Durban's performance. The fifth edition of the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) for 2024, released recently, ranks...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Access to education for the poor remains tough
A REPORT on the development of children under five has made the damning finding that children from poorer communities are falling behind even before they start formal schooling. The Thrive by Five Index was released last month by the Department of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Call for detained activists to be released
MAYIBUYE and Melisizwe Mandela, grandsons of Nelson Mandela, have issued a statement demanding the immediate release of their cousin, Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela, who was among nearly 500 activists detained by Israeli authorities when they...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Family rejects suicide reports for Mthethwa
THE FAMILY of the South African Ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, who died after falling from the 22nd floor of a Paris hotel on Tuesday, has rejected claims suggesting that he committed suicide. The family said that Mthethwa, 58, had endured...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Mkhwanazi’s claims against metro police boss
DEPUTY chief of police at Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department, Major-General Julius Mkhwanazi, has been fingered in a scandal involving businessman Vusi “Cat” Matlala for registering Matlala's vehicles under the municipality and fitting them with...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Mchunu faces backlash over task team
THE Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, faced criticism on the first day of the Madlanga Judicial Commission of Inquiry for ordering the disbandment of the political killings task team and halting the filling of crime intelligence posts. KwaZulu-Natal...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Ramaphosa’s ANC comments ignite debate
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa's comments regarding ANC-run municipalities were damaging and the platform he used was not appropriate. This is the reaction of ANC councillors and mayors to the ANC leader's utterances that party leaders should learn from...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Gambling takes its toll on KZN's vulnerable
AS GAMBLING tightens its grip on the KwaZulu-Natal's gambling population, there are growing calls for more stringent regulations, especially for online gaming. Gamblers Anonymous in KwaZulu-Natal has urged the government to take lessons from countries...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Ageing farmers threaten KZN’s food security
THE farming industry in KwaZulu-Natal is facing a significant challenge of an ageing population of farmers and a lack of new entrants into the sector. KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli raised these concerns in an interview with The Mercury on Friday....
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Credit act amendments spark student fury
OPPOSITION is mounting against proposed changes to the National Credit Act (NCA) that seek to blacklist students for having outstanding debts, with youth advocacy groups and student organisations warning that the amendments could entrench cycles of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Treasury guarantee casts doubt on Ithala
THE future of Ithala Bank is looking bleaker following the National Treasury's decision to issue a guarantee to the bank to allow for the orderly transfer of the bank's deposits to another financial institution. This information was contained in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
WHO praises SA’s HIV/Aids funding resilience amid cuts
WORLD Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus has commended South Africa for its efforts in finding new ways to fund HIV/Aids programmes following the recent USAID funding cuts. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus delivered his...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
KZN police boss to testify first at inquiry
THE Madlanga Judicial Commission of Inquiry, established to investigate alleged corruption in the criminal justice system, will begin its work on September 17 with Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal SAPS Commissioner, expected to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Concern over ‘dysfunctional’ contract
A KEY government contract, central to the provincial government's management of its fleet of vehicles, has been blamed for the severe shortage of ambulances and police vehicles to service communities. Members of the provincial legislature have...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Rugby, football fans set for blockbuster weekend
South Africa is braced for a blockbuster sporting weekend, with Bafana Bafana hosting Lesotho in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier today, the Springboks chasing a first win in Auckland in 88 years against the All Blacks tomorrow, and the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
City council accused of failing to act on misconduct
THE council of the eThekwini Municipality has been accused of failing to act on allegations of financial misconduct within the City. Integrity Forensic Solutions (IFS) CC, Next Technologies (Pty) Ltd, Fairways Golf Lodge (Pty) Ltd, and several former...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Small businesses in SA under strain
SOUTH Africa recorded 155 business liquidations in July 2025, raising fresh concerns about job security and the fragile state of the economy. The latest statistics on liquidations report from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) shows that closures...
Read Full Story (Page 1)