The headlines of the leading newspapers on 23 May 2025:
NATIONAL:
# Business Day:
Reports Transnet has received a further 51-billion-rand in government guarantees, which will enable the state-owned railway and port operator to refinance its debt and access cash, as well as to improve and reform its operations.
# Mail & Guardian on Fridays:
Leads with: “CYRIL SURVIVES THE CIRCUS”. The paper writes the president also walked away with promises of further trade talks.
# And the Netwerk24 website:
Firstly, reports about the case against former midwife and nurse, Yolandé Maritz-Fouchee who is facing eleven charges of assault in the High Court in Pretoria. The court heard yesterday that she refused on several occasions to take a mother from Pretoria and her child to the hospital when the birth went wrong.
And secondly, the website writes farmers from Jan Kempdorp and the Vaalharts Scheme is unhappy that the murderers of 60-year-old Attie Jooste in January received only 18 years in prison.
GAUTENG:
# The Star & Pretoria News:
Reports numerous major American news agencies have sharply criticised president Donald Trump’s controversial meeting with president Cyril Ramaphosa, describing it as an organised political trap steeped in misinformation and racially charged rhetoric.
# Sowetan:
Reports urgent text messages to her boyfriend saved a Limpopo woman from rape when she was attacked by a Facebook scammer. The man used the profile of a well-known artist from the province to deceive her.
# And The Citizen:
Writes about the success of the South African delegation to Washington. The paper reports there is optimism, but the lesson learned is that South Africa can no longer hide its problems, and this includes farm murders.
WESTERN CAPE:
# Die Burger:
Reports the South African delegation to the White House has provoked praise and criticism. While Ramaphosa has described it as a success, Freedom Front Plus leader Corné Mulder says it was painful to see South Africa’s problems exposed to the world. He says it is positive, however, that Ramaphosa has reached out to work with the US on the economic front.
And secondly, the paper writes Cape Town’s sewer blockages are attributed, among other things, to wet wipes.
EASTERN CAPE:
# The Herald in Gqeberha:
Reports most of the 13 Afrikaners from Gqeberha who fled to America due to racial persecution come from middle-class neighbourhoods in the city. The paper writes about a woman who packed her bags and put her house on the market for 2.3-million-rand.
And secondly, the paper writes about the good work of the principal of Walmer High School, Lunga Dyani.
KWAZULU-NATAL:
# The Witness in Pietermaritzburg:
Writes the bilateral talks between South Africa and the USA have been described as successful by several sources.
And reports the import of chicken meat from Brazil has been stopped.
And finally from NAMIBIA:
# Republikein in Windhoek:
Reports with the deadline for the disclosure of beneficial owners of registered companies having already expired, more than 130-thousand still do not comply with the legal requirement.
Then the paper writes the High Court ruled in favour of a young man who was suddenly removed from the Namibian National Defence Force’s training programme earlier this month.
And finally there is news about Knit-a-Bit’s second crochet marathon.