Morning Newspaper Report

The headlines of the leading newspapers on 27 October 2026:

NATIONAL:

# Business Day:

Reports former Vlakplaas commander Eugene de Kock testified before the Khampepe Commission, stating that he had offered to expose police generals and politicians who issued orders for apartheid-era murders. He claims, however, that the National Prosecuting Authority showed no interest in speaking with him.

# And from the Netwerk24 website:

Reports EFF-affiliated students at the University of Johannesburg disrupted examinations and caused damage to buildings during a protest against increased tuition fees for 2027.

Secondly, the website reports Japanese prosecutors have charged a 20-year-old American Marine, Devon Jacob Ballard, with the murder of 39-year-old Anna Jagi, which took place in a hotel earlier this month.

GAUTENG:

# The Star:

Writes the suspended Chief Magistrate of Pretoria, Desmond Nair, has pleaded not guilty to corruption charges linked to alleged security upgrades at his home, valued at approximately 200-thousand-rand. The company formerly known as BOSASA allegedly paid for these upgrades, which included an electric fence, an alarm system, perimeter sensors, and CCTV cameras.

# Sowetan:

Reports Eugene de Kock directly implicated former president FW de Klerk in the deaths of five children and urged the Khampepe Commission to call for the revocation of De Klerk’s Nobel Peace Prize.

# And The Citizen:

Writes the ANC’s financial troubles are catching up with the party. A service provider is threatening to seize the party’s IEC subsidy to settle an outstanding debt of approximately 40-million-rand.

WESTERN CAPE:

# Die Burger:

Reports on the ongoing problems at the Western Province Rugby Union. The union has now been granted just 21 days to settle its debt of 110-million-rand to Dream World.

Secondly, the paper writes the rain that has fallen in the Western Cape over the past few days has had no impact on the province’s dam levels.

EASTERN CAPE:

# The Herald in Gqeberha:

Investigated the public swimming pools in Nelson Mandela Bay and reports that they are in a dire condition. The paper also publishes photographs of the various pools.

KWAZULU-NATAL:

# The Witness in Pietermaritzburg:

Covers Eugene de Kock’s revelations before the Khampepe Commission and reports applicants are beginning to flock in to obtain the new identity card.

And finally, from NAMIBIA:

# Republikein in Windhoek:

Reports the Office of the Labour Commissioner has received six notices of intended retrenchments from six different employers—linked to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease—with nearly 600 workers potentially facing job losses.

Secondly, the paper writes the investigation into the fatal gyrocopter crash on 19 September, in which the legendary rhino conservationist, 53-year-old Jaco Muller, died, is still ongoing. It has, however, been confirmed that he held a valid Namibian pilot’s licence for gyrocopters.