Morning Newspaper Report

The headlines of the leading newspapers on 27 January 2026:

NATIONAL:

# Business Day:

Reports according to Witness E, before the Madlanga Commission, the suspended Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, repeatedly approached him to lie in his testimony before the commission to portray Mchunu in a better light. According to other testimony before the commission, the minister allegedly interfered with witnesses in a number of cases.

# And the Netwerk24 website:

Reports on the ANC ballot papers from the party’s regional conference that were found in a garden at a house in Pretoria. The regional secretary of the ANC in Johannesburg, Sassabona Manganye, says that as far as they were concerned, the voting process during the conference was free and fair.

Then the website also writes about the testimony of Witness E about Mchunu before the Madlanga Commission. The witness says that Mchunu approached him to obtain information about the police’s political assassination task force in KwaZulu-Natal so that he could portray them in a bad light.

And finally, there is news about the upcoming election. At this stage, it appears that ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba could face Helen Zille of the DA for mayor of Johannesburg.

GAUTENG:

# The Star:

Writes thousands of vehicles seized in Tshwane may be destroyed.

And secondly, there are also reports on the Mchunu testimony before the Madlanga Commission, according to which he coerced witnesses, and the ballot papers from the ANC regional conference that were found in a garden in Tshwane.

# Sowetan:

Also reports on Mchunu. The paper writes if the allegations against the suspended minister are true, he could be charged with defeating the ends of justice.

# And The Citizen:

Writes 725-million-rand of Gauteng’s health budget may be returned to the Treasury as it was not spent. According to experts, the funds had to be used to fill shortages in medication, deal with unpaid invoices, and are the result of vacant doctor and nursing posts.

WESTERN CAPE:

# Die Burger:

Firstly, like Netwerk24, reports about the damning evidence against Senzo Mchunu. The paper writes Witness E has let one bombshell after another explode over the suspended minister’s head.

And secondly, the paper writes the alleged murderer of former detective Anneke van Heerden, the 57-year-old artist Bevan van Druten, will not be referred for psychiatric observation.

EASTERN CAPE:

# The Herald in Gqeberha:

Reports there is little hope that power can be restored to large parts of Gqeberha. But the municipality says it could take up to 14 days and will cost about 10-million-rand.

And secondly, the paper writes the municipality’s overtime bill is still skyrocketing.

KWAZULU-NATAL:

# The Witness in Pietermaritzburg:

Has news about a debate coach who cheated learners, a murderer who was sentenced to five life sentences and the strong growth of the rand in recent days.

And finally from NAMIBIA:

# Republikein in Windhoek:

Reports the Namibian Student Financial Assistance Fund has made more than 400-million-rand available at three training institutions to support deserving students.

And secondly, the paper writes a fishing company says the government is only benefiting a few select companies and individuals under its employment restoration programme.