Warships from China, Iran, and soon Russia have docked at South Africa’s primary naval base in Simon’s Town, near Cape Town, as preparations intensify for a multinational naval drill that could further strain Pretoria’s relations with the United States. The week-long exercise, dubbed “Will for Peace 2026” and running from January 9 to 16, is hosted by South Africa and led by China. It involves navies from expanded BRICS+ nations, with a stated focus on enhancing the “safety of shipping…

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has dismissed as fake a circulating social media warning about a tropical cyclone named “Storm Baron,” which was falsely claimed to affect Southern Africa for several days starting 10 January 2026. SAWS has urged the public to disregard such misinformation and to rely solely on official forecasts, while remaining vigilant against unverified sources. However, the service has confirmed that an intense low-pressure system is expected to develop over southern Mozambique in the coming days.…

In a significant development for millions of South African motorists, the Gauteng North High Court has declared unlawful and set aside a nearly R900 million tender awarded to French technology company Idemia for new driving licence card printing machines. The ruling, handed down on 6 January 2026, found the tender process irregular, invalid, and unenforceable. Transport Minister Barbara Creecy and the Department of Transport welcomed the decision, stating it paves the way for a fresh procurement process. The court has…