Morning Newspaper Report

The headlines of the leading newspapers on 20 February 2026:

NATIONAL:

# Business Day:

Reports pharmaceutical manufacturer CIPLA has filed a court application against the award of the government’s HIV/Aids tender. The company claims it was unfairly excluded from the negotiations.

# Mail & Guardian on Fridays:

Writes senior DA officials support Western Cape MEC for Agriculture, Ivan Meyer, to replace John Steenhuisen as minister of Agriculture after the party’s federal congress in April.

# And the Netwerk24 website:

Reports former British prince, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been released by police after 12 hours in custody. He was arrested on charges of sending confidential government information to convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.

Secondly, the website writes the DA wants to investigate the appointment of Parliament’s new chief financial officer, Nceba Mqoqi. He is reportedly a close friend of Parliament’s controversial secretary, Xolile George.

And finally, there is news about 200 people who were stranded at the top station on Table Mountain on Wednesday night after the cable car that was supposed to take them down broke down. They were given blankets and refreshments and were brought down from the mountain at half past one yesterday morning.

GAUTENG:

# Sowetan:

Reports the son of the late president Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Bellarmine, was arrested at his home in Sandton yesterday after a gardener was allegedly shot and wounded.

# And The Citizen:

Writes wrong business decisions that led to Tongaat Hulett losing 12-billion-rand were the beginning of the sugar giant’s downfall. If the company is now to be liquidated, the livelihoods of thousands will be affected.

WESTERN CAPE:

# Die Burger:

Reports on the murder of a Muslim leader and expounder of Islamic teachings, 33-year-old Mustaqeem Wanza, on the first day of the month of Ramadan. He was shot dead outside a mosque in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain.

And secondly, the paper also writes about the tourists who were trapped on Table Mountain.

EASTERN CAPE:

# The Herald in Gqeberha:

Reports the former regional secretary of the ANC in Nelson Mandela Bay, Luyolo Nqakula, is suing the state for 20-million-rand. This follows what he claims are years of false charges that were laid against him.

And secondly, the paper writes about the negative impact of foot-and-mouth disease in the Eastern Cape.

KWAZULU-NATAL:

# The Witness in Pietermaritzburg:

Writes the accused in a Grindr extortion case will appear in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court.

And reports the police have arrested a robbery gang.

And finally from NAMIBIA:

# Republikein in Windhoek:

Reports the Bank of Namibia says that although problems with the repayment of home loans have decreased, there are some households in Windhoek who are still experiencing challenges in repaying home loans with high living costs and other expenses putting pressure on budgets.

And secondly, the paper writes the impact of the strike at Namib Mills is already being felt by the company and further retrenchments are not ruled out. The strike has already lasted 50 days.