The headlines of the leading newspapers on 18 September 2026:
NATIONAL:
# Business Day:
Reports Orion Minerals has received approval from the Reserve Bank for an agreement with Glencore to provide funding of 4.06-billion-rand for the copper-zinc project in Prieska, Northern Cape. This will advance the project to the contracting phase.
# Mail & Guardian:
Notes that nine bodies have already been found on the East Rand. The paper reports, as fear and anxiety grip the country, it dedicates today’s edition to every woman murdered in South Africa in recent years and calls for an end to the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide.
# Die Papier:
Firstly, reports extensively on the murders of women on the East Rand. The newspaper covers the police investigation and speculation that a serial killer might be responsible. Experts such as doctor Mickey Pistorius and doctor Gérard Labuschagne also offer their views on the killer’s profile. The report is illustrated with graphics.
It then reports on Fikile Mbalula’s prospects of becoming ANC president, which have suffered a setback due to the candidate list fiasco. The candidate with the most support remains billionaire Patrice Motsepe.
And finally, there is news regarding Chris Marnewick’s book, which has reignited the conversation about Oscar Pistorius.
# And the Netwerk24 website:
Reports, following the discovery of a ninth female body on the East Rand, police said they cannot rule out the possibility that a copycat killer is involved in the murders.
Secondly, the newspaper reports that 38-year-old Jessica Ann Will from South Africa has been sentenced to 40 years in prison in Nigeria for smuggling six kilograms of heroin.
GAUTENG:
# The Star:
Reports the family of 28-year-old Gracious Nkomo has identified her as the third woman whose body was found last week alongside the R-21 in Kempton Park. According to police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe, her family identified her at the Germiston mortuary.
# Sowetan:
Reports houses built on more than a thousand illegal residential plots in Boksburg are now the subject of an investigation by the Special Investigating Unit. It appears the houses were built on stolen municipal land.
# And The Citizen:
Reports the Panorama Route in Mpumalanga, which includes the Blyde River Canyon, is threatened by poor management. Infrastructure is crumbling, and there are concerns regarding sewage runoff.
WESTERN CAPE:
# Die Burger:
Also reports on the ninth body found on the East Rand. The paper notes that the community has called on president Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene personally.
Secondly, the paper reports time is running out for green identity documents, and people will need to start applying for smart ID cards.
EASTERN CAPE:
# The Herald in Gqeberha:
Reports parents and teachers at Herbert Hurd Primary School in Gqeberha have clashed over allegations of sexual harassment involving some of the learners. The parents want the learners implicated in the matter to be suspended.
KWAZULU-NATAL:
# The Witness in Pietermaritzburg:
Reports interest in next year’s Comrades Marathon is exceptionally high and entries are pouring in.
And finally, from NAMIBIA:
# Republikein in Windhoek:
Reports the man arrested for the murder of 11-year-old Gephardt Doësep from Rehoboth, Dickson Karomuine, is the boy’s mother’s boyfriend. He allegedly stabbed the boy with a knife and struck him on the head with a rock.
And secondly, the paper reports the more than 220-thousand Namibians living with HIV will continue to receive antiretroviral treatment, even though American funding has been withdrawn.