South Africa

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has issued an urgent public notice about critically high water levels at several dams across Limpopo. 

The MEC for Education in KwaZulu-Natal, Sipho Hlomuka, has encouraged learners who did not meet the requirements for the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations to take advantage of the department’s Second Chance Programme.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has revealed that the Vaal Dam, one of South Africa’s most critical reservoirs, continues to perform strongly with storage levels remaining above capacity this week.

The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, has welcomed the more than R170 million investment by the African Pioneer Group for the Sandy Point Harbour fishmeal plant located at St Helena Bay in the Western Cape.

The closing date for the submission of public comments on the Draft Revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection has been extended from 31 January 2026 to 15 February 2026.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has deployed two helicopters to evacuate people stranded in Limpopo, due to the severe flooding and rising water levels in the province.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has visited the Limpopo province where heavy rainfall and flooding has left at least 19 people dead and caused destruction to homes, businesses and infrastructure.

The National Treasury has published the draft General Laws Amendment Bill, in terms of the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing framework, for public comment in the Government Gazette.

The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, says the persistent heavy rain that has affected the Kruger National Park underscores the growing challenges posed by climate variability and climate change.

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Velenkosini Hlabisa, has urged communities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga to exercise increased caution and implement all necessary safety measures as persistent heavy rainfall continues to affect various areas.

The South African National Parks (SANParks) has taken a precautionary decision not to allow day visitors into the Kruger National Park due to persistent and heavy rainfall affecting the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to visit Limpopo this afternoon (Thursday) to assess the damage to the flood-stricken area.

The Presidency says the South African government is following the developments in Iran with concern.

The Department of Transport will embark on a process to amend Section 65 of the National Road Traffic Act (NRTA) to scrap the legal alcohol consumption limit in the country.

Preliminary data 2025/26 Festive Season Road Safety Campaign indicates a five percent reduction in both fatalities and crashes during the festive season when compared to the same period last year.