The headlines of the leading newspapers on 23 July 2025:
NATIONAL:
# Business Day:
Reports the DA has decided to support the Appropriation Bill after president Cyril Ramaphosa sacked the minister of Higher Education and Training, Nobuhle Nkabane. The DA had earlier said it would withdraw its support for the budget allocations of the ministries of Higher Education and Training and Human Settlements.
# And the Netwerk24 website:
Reports the police have used ballistics tests to link a Gauteng murder gang to several high-profile assassinations. The police are currently linking the four men who appeared in court to the murder of an employee at an engineering company, Armand Swart, and the murder of DJ Sumbody.
Then the website writes the DA will not support the MK Party’s motion of no confidence in the president.
And finally, it is reported that the pioneering lead singer of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, has died at the age of 76.
GAUTENG:
# The Star:
Writes Ramaphosa was forced to bow to pressure from the DA to fire Nkabane to secure passage of the Appropriation Bill today. The bill allocates funding to every national department.
# Sowetan:
Reports like Netwerk24 about the police’s breakthrough in its investigation into assassins active in Gauteng. The paper writes how the police proceeded in their investigation.
# And The Citizen:
Writes the MK Party in Parliament, says nothing will come of the judicial investigation into Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s interference in the police.
WESTERN CAPE:
# Die Burger:
Reports like Business Day about the DA’s decision to support the Appropriation Bill and Higher Education and Training budget. The DA’s Willie Aucamp says it seems Ramaphosa is serious about combating corruption.
Secondly, the paper writes that for the second time in the past 16 months, elephants trampled a man to death at the Gondwana Game Reserve outside Mossel Bay. The police are investigating the incident.
And finally, it is reported a young Moroccan man who wanted to swim to Spain with a pair of flippers and an inner tube was rescued from the sea.
EASTERN CAPE:
# Daily Despatch in East London:
Reports those involved in the Music in the Snow festival are demanding their money back after the event failed.
And writes problems have arisen with a land claim worth 243-million-rand.
KWAZULU-NATAL:
# The Witness in Pietermaritzburg:
Writes the fire chief of the Msinga Municipality, Khalesakhe Mchunu, was shot dead on his way home from work on Monday.
And secondly, it is reported that an investigation will be launched into the tender to provide meals at schools.
And finally from NAMIBIA:
# Republikein in Windhoek:
Reports the parents of a two-month-old baby had to remove her body by private transport eight hours after her death, because the ambulance at the state hospital in Keetmanshoop could not do it without the police, who never arrived. An official investigation is now being launched.
Secondly, the paper writes the son of one of the accused in the Namcor-Enercon corruption trial, Austin Elindi, wants to stop the liquidation of Erongo Petroleum and Enercon.
And finally, it is reported that residents and informal traders in the Havana settlement in Windhoek are refusing to vacate land earmarked for development.