Morning Newspaper Report

The headlines of the leading newspapers on 19 February 2026:

NATIONAL:

# Business Day:

Reports Glencore’s return paid to shareholders over the past five years exceeds 432-billion-rand. The paper writes that land deals with Gecamines will enable the company to extend the life of its operations into the 2040s.

# And the Netwerk24 website:

Reports the EFF, in its reply to president Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation address, said that he was doing even worse than former president Jacob Zuma. The party referred to youth unemployment which is still more than 50-percent.

Then the website writes that four of the so-called mercenaries who became involved in the Russian war in Ukraine under false pretences have safely returned to South Africa.

And finally there is news about the death of futurologist Clem Sunter at the age of 81.

GAUTENG:

# The Star:

Writes about the testimony of suspended deputy police commissioner lieutenant general Shadrack Sibiya before the Madlanga Commission. Sibiya denied that he kept any police dockets in his office. He says he doesn’t even have a safe in his office.

And secondly, the paper reports the residents of the Gugulethu settlement in Springs on the East Rand say they will not be stopped from prospecting for gold, because it is their only source of income.

# Sowetan:

Reports on the crisis in the Ekurhuleni metro council after the EFF withdrew from the coalition government because two of its mayoral committee members were excluded. Experts believe that this could cause the government in the metro to collapse and suspend further service delivery.

# And The Citizen:

Writes it is estimated that it will cost approximately 1.5-trillion-rand to repair South Africa’s broken infrastructure. According to the DA, it will cost a quarter of this amount if corruption is eradicated.

WESTERN CAPE:

# Die Burger:

Reports AfriForum has sued president Ramaphosa, among others, over the constitutionality of the National Health Insurance Act. The summons includes the targeting of provincial governments’ constitutional powers, the right of patients to exercise free choice and the economic unworkability of NHI.

Secondly, the paper writes a branch of Capitec in KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal had to be temporarily closed after a family decided to take a deceased person to the bank themselves to prove that he was dead.

And finally, there is news about a grandfather from KwaZulu-Natal who won more than 12-million-rand with a twenty-rand Lotto ticket.

EASTERN CAPE:

# The Herald in Gqeberha:

Reports the past week’s intermittent power surges in Walmer, which led to serious damage to appliances, have brought residents to the streets to protest.

And secondly, the paper writes 42-year-old Natasja Slabbert, a payroll clerk at Isuzu, has appeared in court for the alleged theft of 10.5-million-rand.

KWAZULU-NATAL:

# The Witness in Pietermaritzburg:

Writes the City of Pietermaritzburg is suffering from a serious water and power crisis and it will cost about 89.9-billion-rand to maintain the water infrastructure alone over the next decade. The crisis is even affecting the administration of justice in the city.

And secondly, it is reported that everything is ready for the Dusi canoe marathon which will take place from today.

And finally from NAMIBIA:

# Republikein in Windhoek:

Reports as part of the reform of the state medical aid, Psemas, civil servants will be required to use designated state hospitals.

And secondly, the paper writes there are serious questions about the amounts of money spent on education and the value derived from it.