Morning Newspaper Report

The headlines of the leading newspapers on 13 August 2026:

NATIONAL:

# Business Day:

Reports on the damning evidence against the police in KwaZulu-Natal that was given before the Madlanga Commission. The deputy director of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, Len John, testified that the police’s specialised task teams do the dirty work of crime syndicates to take action against opponents. He also says that the police are allegedly involved in the local tow truck war.

# And the Netwerk24 website:

Reports after the South African National Defence Force Union threatened legal action, the Department of Defence and Military Veterans is paying attention to the ongoing power outage at 4 SA Infantry Battalion in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, after 18 days.

And secondly, the website writes two suspects appeared in the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court after it emerged on social media that they were allegedly renting out an 11-year-old girl for a hundred rand. The accused are relatives of the victim.

GAUTENG:

# The Star:

Writes an unidentified police officer, known as Witness P, has applied to give evidence behind closed doors before the Madlanga Commission. The witness says there are concerns about the safety of informants, his own security and the possible exposure of sensitive counterintelligence methods.

# Sowetan:

Also reports on Len John’s testimony before the Madlanga Commission. He testified the specialised police units in the province are deliberately shooting and killing suspected criminals.

# And The Citizen:

Leads with: “KILLER COPS RUN AMOK” and also writes about the testimony before the Madlanga Commission.

WESTERN CAPE:

# Die Burger:

Reports despite serious warnings by the minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Mcpherson, about the unnecessary renting of private buildings for state use, there are departments that seem to still do so. The paper writes about a rented building of seven-million-rand that is currently empty.

And secondly, the paper writes about a five-year-old boy who needs plastic surgery after being seriously burned with boiling water.

EASTERN CAPE:

# The Herald in Gqeberha:

Reports Parliament will reconsider Finance minister Enoch Godongwana’s withholding of funds as a punitive measure for underperforming municipalities. Clearer guidelines need to be spelled out as to when the measures are justified.

KWAZULU-NATAL:

# The Witness in Pietermaritzburg:

Firstly, also writes about the evidence before the Madlanga Commission against the police’s specialist units in the province.

And secondly, it is reported that the local South African Municipal Workers’ Union is threatening to strike again.

And finally from NAMIBIA:

# Republikein in Windhoek:

Reports the office of the ombud has found that the consultations carried out for the proposed Baynes Hydropower Project do not comply with the Environmental Management Act. No official discussions have been held with the affected communities.

And secondly, the paper writes Uranium One and Headspring Investments have confirmed that the uranium core samples from a drilling, which are stored in shipping containers on a farm about 40-kilometres outside Rehoboth, were recently removed.