IOL
IDAC boss Johnson requests to be released from office
IDAC head Advocate Andrea Johnson has asked to be released from office.
IOL
Reuben Ward claims historic gymnastics gold for Scotland at Commonwealth Games
Scotland's Reuben Ward won a historic all-around gymnastics gold in Glasgow, while Adam Ramsay-Peaty bounced back in the 50m breaststroke heats following 100m disappointment.
The Citizen
48 hours in pictures, 26 July 2026
Thousands of walkers take part in the 702 Jozi My Jozi Walk The Talk as they cross the Nelson Mandela Bridge in Braamfontein, 26 July 2026. The event partnered with homelessness organisations MES and U-Turn to encourage dignified giving through Mi-change blockchain vouchers, which provide homeless people with access to meals, hygiene facilities, clothing and shelter. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen South Africans take part in the 702 Jozi My Jozi Walk the Talk 2026 at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg on 26 July 2026. The event features three routes: the 15km Mandela Bridge route, the 8km Main Street route, and the 5km Victoria Yards route. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/The Citizen Participants pose nude with their bodies painted as US photographer Spencer Tunick takes photographs upon his collective art action “Grand Spectrum” in Santa Ana square, in the Vegueta district of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on July 26, 2026. (Photo by David DELFOUR / AFP) Sherri Steward, the niece of David D. Steward, of the United States, who was killed in the Korean War, touches his name before laying a flower at the Korean War Memorial in Seoul on July 26, 2026. Seventy-four participants from 21 countries, including 13 UN Korean War veterans and bereaved family members are visiting Seoul as part of the Revisit Korea Program for UN Korean War Veterans. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP) Cars drive along the road as smoke rises above residential buildings from a warehouse for a Russian e-commerce giant near Saint Petersburg after being hit by Ukrainian drones early on July 24, 2026 morning, triggering a fire that sent smoke pouring over the historic city, according to local officials. Kyiv has targeted Saint Petersburg as it steps up long-range drone strikes on Russian energy, military and logistics sites in recent weeks. Russia’s defence ministry said its forces shot down some 571 drones overnight over more than a dozen regions and Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014. (Photo by AFP) Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa (left) presents a Motsepe Foundation Impact Circle Certificate of Honour to Zizipho Yekelo as Motsepe Foundation co-founder Precious Moloi-Motsepe looks on at the Houghton Hotel in Johannesburg, 24 July 2026. The ceremony recognised graduates of the Motsepe Foundation’s scholarship programme, many of whom have excelled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and saw them pledge to lead with integrity, uphold the values of ubuntu and give back to society. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/The Citizen A destroyed building is pictured in the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh in southern Lebanon on July 26, 2026. Lebanon’s army had on July 21 began deploying to Zawtar al-Gharbiya as part of a US-sponsored framework agreement signed by Lebanon and Israel last month. Under the deal, the army is to disarm Hezbollah and the Israeli military is to withdraw from “pilot zones” where Lebanese troops will subsequently deploy. (Photo by MAHMOUD ZAYYAT / AFP) A Hindu devotee dressed as goddess Amman takes part in a religious procession to celebrate ‘Aadi’ festival in Chennai on July 26, 2026. (Photo by R. Satish BABU / AFP) Revellers in cowboy attire watch a live country music performance from a distance during International Cowboy Day celebrations at Ngong Racecourse in Nairobi on July 25, 2026. Observed annually on the fourth Saturday of July, International Cowboy Day celebrates the history, culture and enduring legacy of cowboys and cowgirls around the world. While rooted in the traditions of North America, cowboy culture and country music have gained a growing following across parts of Africa in recent years, particularly in Kenya, where Western-style fashion, line dancing, horseback riding and country music events have attracted an expanding community of enthusiasts. (Photo by Luis TATO / AFP) The funeral service for Bafana Bafana player Jayden Adams at Coetzenburg Sports Grounds on July 25, 2026 in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Adams tragically passed away at the age of 25 in Cape Town, shortly after returning from representing South Africa at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Photo by Gallo Images/Brenton Geach) Robots fight during the “Rek Tokyo 2026” humanoid robot fights in Akihabara district of Tokyo on July 25, 2026. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP) An Indonesian performer dressed in a HEAL (Humanity, Earth, and Life)-themed costume takes part in parade during the Jember Fashion Carnival in Jember, East Java island, on July 26, 2026. (Photo by Juni KRISWANTO / AFP) People set up bouquets of flowers on July 26, 2026 in front of landmark Brandenburg Gate prior to a so-called “community mourning” one day after the car ramming attack on people on the outskirts of Berlin’s Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade on late July 25, 2026, killing one person and injuring 16 in the Tiergarten park. German police searched on July 26, 2026 for a suspect believed linked to Islamist circles after a car ploughed into a crowd near Berlin’s Gay Pride celebrations, killing one person and wounding 16 others. The incident shattered what had been a day of celebration for hundreds of thousands attending Christopher Street Day, one of Europe’s largest Pride events, and left revellers fleeing a central Berlin park as sirens echoed through the night. (Photo by RALF HIRSCHBERGER / AFP) A made-up participant attends the Drag Queen March in Berlin on July 24, 2026. Ahead of the Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade, Berlin hosts its first-ever Drag March bringing a tradition known from New York to Berlin. (Photo by RALF HIRSCHBERGER / AFP) This aerial view shows burnt cars following a wildfire in Le Porge, in the Gironde Department, south-western France on July 25, 2026. The fires, which are on an unprecedented scale and have forced the evacuation of around 200,000 “fire refugees” in Gironde and the Landes, were still not under control on July 25, 2026 and continue to keep firefighters and military personnel on high alert, including an A400M aircraft deployed to tackle the blaze for the first time. (Photo by Florian PLAUCHEUR / AFP) General view of crowd inside the stadium during the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) 13th Anniversary Rally and 2026 Manifesto Launch at Thohoyandou Stadium on July 25, 2026 in Thohoyandou, South Africa. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) celebrate the party’s 13th anniversary and launch its 2026 manifesto, with party president Julius Malema addressing supporters during the event. (Photo by Gallo Images/Kabelo Leputu) Moulin Rouge dancers perform the Can-Can along the race route before the 21st stage of the 113th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 88,7 km starting and finishing in Paris, on July 26, 2026. (Photo by Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD / AFP) Residents block traffic in a neighbourhood of San Miguel del Padrón in Havana July 24, 2026, and bang pots and pans, dumping garbages on the street and setting fires to protest against ongoing blackouts and water shortages. (Photo by ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP) Farmers harvest water chestnuts in a pond in Zhangjiayuan community in Taizhou, eastern China’s Jiangsu province, on July 26, 2026. (Photo by CN-STR / AFP) MORE: 24 hours in pictures, 22 July 2026
The Citizen
Weather update: Snowfall and ‘very cold’ weather expected this week
The South African Weather Service (Saws) has issued a yellow level 1 warning for damaging coastal wind and waves between Cape Columbine and Cape Agulhas on Monday. These conditions will make navigation difficult for small vessels/personal watercraft and disrupt beachfront activities. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the weather service expects very cold and wet conditions, with snowfall expected over the high-lying areas of the Eastern Cape, especially over the Drakensberg area and the southern parts of the Free State and the Lesotho border. Farmers are advised to take precautionary measures to mitigate the negative impact of the adverse weather conditions. Monday’s weather forecast Gauteng: Morning frost in places, otherwise fine and cool weather. The expected UVB sunburn index: High. Mpumalanga: Morning frost in places, otherwise fine and cool but warm in the Lowveld. Limpopo: Morning frost in places, otherwise fine and cool to warm. North West: Morning frost in the south, otherwise fine and cool. Free State: Morning frost in places, otherwise fine and cool weather. Coastal provinces Northern Cape: Fine and cool to warm but cold in the south, where it will become partly cloudy. The wind along the coast will be fresh to strong southerly to southeasterly. Western Cape: Fine to partly cloudy and cool to cold, but cloudy over the south coast and adjacent interior with isolated showers and rain from the afternoon, but scattered over the south-eastern parts. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh westerly to southwesterly along the south coast at first, otherwise fresh to strong southerly to south-easterly, reaching near gale along the south-west coast from the afternoon. The expected UVB sunburn index: Low. Western half of the Eastern Cape: Fine at first, becoming cloudy and cool with isolated showers and rain but scattered along the coast and adjacent interior. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-westerly, becoming south-easterly from the afternoon. Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Fine and cool to warm, becoming cloudy with isolated evening showers and rain in places south of the escarpment. The wind along the coast will be moderate south-westerly. KwaZulu-Natal: Fine and cool to warm, becoming partly cloudy to cloudy in the afternoon with isolated showers and rain over the south-eastern parts. The wind along the coast will be moderate north-easterly, but fresh in the north at times, becoming moderate to fresh south-westerly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Very High.
The South African
Chidimma Adetshina: ‘South Africa is the only home I know’
Former Miss UNiverse Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina is challenging a bid by the Department of Home Affairs to detain and deport her, stating that South Africa is the “only home” she has known. The 25-year-old – who was arrested last month over her illegal status – has argued that she should not be treated as a foreign national as she was “born and raised in South Africa”. The 25-year-old was born in Soweto to two immigrants: a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, who is accused of committing identity fraud when registering her birth. At the time of her birth, neither of her parents had permanent residency in the country. Despite representing Nigeria at Miss Universe in 2024, and proclaiming to be a “proud Nigerian”, Chidimma has stated that she has “no meaningful ties” elsewhere. CHIDIMMA ARGUES THAT SOUTH AFRICA IS HER ONLY HOME This week, Chidimma Adetshina made an appearance in the Cape Town Magistrates Court, where she is challenging a bid by the Department of Home Affairs to detain and deport her and her young son, whose father is a Nigerian foreign national. In an affidavit, the mother-of-one stated that she was in the process of regularising her immigration status, including having her prohibited person status uplifted. The 25-year-old stated that South Africa was the only home she and her son had known. She stated: “We were recognised, documented and treated in every way as South Africans, from the registration of our births to, in my case, the issuing of a South African identity document and passport.” Chidimma claimed that she and her son should not be treated as foreign nationals, adding that she had “no ties elsewhere”. She continued: “Now we have been stripped of every status we held in South Africa. We are not only de facto illegal foreigners, but we have also been barred from ever holding a visa or permit under the act again.” In 2024, the Department of Home Affairs informed Chidimma Adetshina that her passport and identity documentation had been declared invalid after finding prima facie evidence that her mother had committed identity fraud when registering her birth. Last month, the beauty queen was arrested after entering South Africa under an illegal immigration status. The department has stated that she has no lawful immigration status and no valid basis to remain in the country. The court has reserved judgment until 19 August. ‘I’M A PROUD NIGERIAN’ Meanwhile, social media users have revisited a video in which Chidimma professes to be a “proud Nigerian”. The video was taken after Chidimma won the Miss Universe Nigeria title, just weeks after she dropped out of the Miss South Africa pageant amid an investigation by the Department of Home Affairs into her immigration status. In the video, she stated: “I do feel like I am Nigerian. And I have always felt Nigerian from the moment I was born. It’s not just because of the opportunity that was presented to me. People who know me will see that I have embodied that spirit of being a pure, proudly Nigerian woman”. In another video, Chidimma thanked Nigerians for welcoming her after South Africans “rejected” her.
The South African
Springboks vs All Blacks in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry: ALL the fixtures
South African rugby fans are counting down to one of the biggest events in the professional era as the Springboks prepare to host New Zealand in an unprecedented eight-match tour across South Africa and the United States. Dubbed “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry”, the 2026 tour will see the All Blacks face South Africa’s four United Rugby Championship franchises before contesting a historic four-Test Freedom Cup series against the Springboks. It marks the first revival of the traditional touring format between the two nations since the launch of the Tri-Nations in 1996. Historic return of traditional tours The tour follows an agreement reached between the South African Rugby Union (SARU) and New Zealand Rugby (NZR) to bring back the classic bilateral tours that defined international rugby for decades before professionalism reshaped the calendar. Instead of meeting only during the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will spend more than a month in South Africa, recreating the touring traditions that produced some of rugby’s greatest contests. The Rugby Championship has consequently shifted to a biennial format from 2027 onwards. Four provinces to test the All Blacks Before facing the Springboks, the All Blacks will tackle South Africa’s strongest provincial sides: Friday, 7 August: Stormers vs New Zealand, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town – 19:00 Tuesday, 11 August: Sharks vs New Zealand, Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban – 19:00 Saturday, 15 August: Bulls vs New Zealand, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria – 19:00 Tuesday, 25 August: Lions vs New Zealand, Ellis Park, Johannesburg – 19:00 The provincial fixtures are expected to provide valuable preparation for both the visitors and South Africa’s leading franchises. Four-Test Freedom Cup series The centrepiece of the tour will be an expanded four-match Test series between rugby’s two most successful nations. The fixtures are: Saturday, 22 August: First Test, Ellis Park, Johannesburg – 17:05 Saturday, 29 August: Second Test, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town – 17:05 Saturday, 5 September: Third Test, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg – 17:05 Saturday, 12 September: Fourth Test, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, United States – TBC The final Test will make history as the first Springbok-All Blacks encounter to be played in the United States. Women’s curtain-raiser Adding another historic element to the tour, the Springbok Women will face the Black Ferns in a curtain-raiser at FNB Stadium on 5 September, giving supporters a showcase of both men’s and women’s international rugby on the same day. Springboks begin preparations South Africa recently named a 43-player squad under head coach Rassie Erasmus ahead of their one-off warm-up clash against Argentina and the New Zealand series. The expanded squad reflects the physical demands of a tour that will stretch over five weeks against rugby’s oldest rivals. New Zealand are expected to name their 44-man squad on Monday, 27 July. A rivalry unlike any other The Springboks and All Blacks have long set the benchmark in world rugby, with their rivalry spanning more than a century. The 2026 tour promises to reignite the tradition of extended international tours, giving supporters multiple opportunities to witness one of sport’s most celebrated rivalries while providing a unique test for both nations ahead of the next Rugby World Cup cycle. Let us know what your Test series prediction is by clicking on the comment banner below …
TechCentral
South Africa’s mobile operators strike spectrum gold
South Africa's mobile operators have won 700MHz of prime spectrum, with Wi-Fi confined to the lower 6GHz band.
TechCentral
MTN, Vodacom take Icasa to court over data expiry rules
The operators want the high court to set aside regulations that will force automatic rollover of unused data bundles.