Morning Newspaper Report

The headlines of the leading newspapers on 25 February 2026:

NATIONAL:

# Business Day:

Reports the suspended national deputy police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya testified before the Madlanga Commission that he did inform controversial businessman Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala about the possible cancellation of tenders amounting to 350-million-rand.

# And the Netwerk24 website:

Reports the minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, says nuclear weapons do not guarantee security, they threaten security. He said during an international conference in Switzerland that if South Africa can destroy its weapons, other countries can do so too.

Then the website writes the influential American TV programme 60 Minutes found during a visit to South Africa that farm murders are not genocide, but form part of the country’s extensive crime problem.

And finally, there is news about the power situation in Bloemfontein after a transformer exploded in the Bayswater power station. The northern residents are suffering from power outages.

GAUTENG:

# The Star:

Writes controversial North West businessman Brown Mogotsi has admitted to Parliament’s ad hoc committee that he was arrested in 2010 and charged with murder after a fight in which a man died. He says the case was later dropped due to a lack of evidence.

And secondly, it is reported the Thabamoopo Regional Court in Limpopo has sentenced a 38-year-old man to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of raping his 13-year-old stepdaughter. The man’s identity is being withheld to protect the victim.

# Sowetan:

Reports like Business Day, on Sibiya’s testimony before the Madlanga Commission that he informed Cat Matlala about tenders.

# And The Citizen:

Writes the 2030 Reading Panel report indicates that 15-percent of Grade 3 learners cannot interpret a single word, while 81-percent of Grade 4 learners cannot read meaningfully in context.

WESTERN CAPE:

# Die Burger:

Reports on the massive disruption that followed when a fire broke out at Cape Town International Airport yesterday. A power outage left passengers stranded for hours. The fire broke out on the roof of the airport building, but it is unclear what caused it. The delays will continue today.

And secondly, it reports on the meningitis threat that still exists at a preschool in Tygerberg.

EASTERN CAPE:

# The Herald in Gqeberha:

Reports some ANC leaders in Nelson Mandela Bay want the mayor and ANC chairperson, Babalwa Lobishe, to take special leave while his leasing of a 25-thousand-rand transformer to a private company is investigated.

And the paper writes secondly that Kariega could benefit from a housing violation by the United Arab Emirates.

KWAZULU-NATAL:

# The Witness in Pietermaritzburg:

Firstly, writes like The Citizen about the report that was released on the poor reading skills of South African learners.

And secondly, it reports that there are talks about upgrading the shopping mall in Pietermaritzburg’s city centre.

And finally from NAMIBIA:

# Republikein in Windhoek:

Reports the security company G4S Secure Solutions says that according to its agreement it will only be held liable for four-thousand-200-rand after the Namdia diamond robbery and not the 314-million-rand that is being claimed.

And secondly, the paper writes serious allegations of bullying behaviour against a school in Windhoek are being investigated.