The headlines of the leading newspapers on 12 June 2025:
NATIONAL:
# Business Day:
Reports a year after the establishment of the government of national unity, the country is still reaping the benefits. The stock exchange is still maintaining a strong momentum despite setbacks. The paper writes the JSE’s all-share index reached a record high of 97-thousand-94 points yesterday, after increasing by 27.73-percent over the past year.
# And the Netwerk24 website:
Reports the MEC for Transport and Human Settlements in KwaZulu-Natal, Siboniso Duma, says the province’s disaster management team and traffic inspectorate showed this week that they do not have to back down. The officers have proven themselves amid disaster conditions and do not have to back down to international rescue teams.
Secondly, the website writes the judicial investigation into the death of anti-apartheid activist and Nobel Prize winner Chief Albert Ntuli in 1967 has been concluded for the time being. He was allegedly hit by a freight train.
And finally, the body of a Soweto teacher, 34-year-old Linda Makhubo, has been found. He has been missing since last Wednesday.
GAUTENG:
# The Star & Pretoria News:
Writes president Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the launch of a National Convention for 15 August. This is the formal start of a comprehensive National Dialogue process aimed at redefining what it means to be South African. The paper reports critics, however, have labelled the initiative as out of touch, elitist, and probably only a symbolic gesture.
# Sowetan:
Reports on the extent of the devastating flood damage in the Eastern Cape where children’s bodies are being recovered from rivers. The paper writes that hundreds of people had to flee their homes and the problems are still increasing.
# And The Citizen:
Writes the Mpumalanga government is renting a private school for 253 hearing-impaired learners at 22-million-rand after the province failed for years to build a new school for 15-million-rand.
WESTERN CAPE:
# Die Burger:
Reports Kelly Smith has allegedly found new love behind bars. He is 28-year-old alleged robber, Sivuyile Heyns, whom she met in custody.
And secondly, the paper writes new regulations that stipulate that light aircraft with engines older than 12 years are no longer airworthy have been sharply criticised. This will have a negative impact on flight schools in particular.
EASTERN CAPE:
# The Herald in Gqeberha:
Reports the National Treasury has labelled the Nelson Mandela Bay budget for 2025/2026 as unsustainable and warned that the break-even approach, coupled with a 1.3-billion-rand operating deficit, will deplete the metro’s reserves and cripple service delivery.
And secondly, the paper writes Hive Hydrogen SA’s renewable energy installation will power the company’s green ammonia project being developed in Coega.
KWAZULU-NATAL:
# The Witness in Pietermaritzburg:
Firstly, writes about the spread of a new variant of Covid-19 in Asian countries.
And reports about Eskom’s debt burden.
And finally from NAMIBIA:
# Republikein in Windhoek:
Reports there are concerns about poorly trained nursing students being inadequately monitored and left on their own in overcrowded hospitals. This means the safety of patients is inevitably compromised.
And secondly, the paper writes the executive director of Health and Social Services, Penda Ithindi, says the Namibian Revenue Agency has seized an entire consignment of unregistered, illegal malaria medication.