The headlines of the leading newspapers on 03 June 2025:
NATIONAL:
# Business Day:
Reports the South African Medical Device Industry Association has expressed concern about the government’s failure to pay its members’ bills on time and warned that small firms are increasingly reluctant to supply the state. By the end of May, the debt obligation stood at 1.4-billion-rand.
# And the Netwerk24 website:
Reports more than 32-thousand vulnerable children in the Western Cape are now living without social services. This is the result of president Donald Trump’s decision to stop aid grants. The paper writes approximately five-thousand-200 of the children have HIV/Aids.
Then the website writes tempers flared yesterday in the High Court in Johannesburg after the verdict against Amber Lee Hughes was reserved. She is charged with the murder of four-year-old Nada-Jane Challita.
And finally, there is a report about 36-year-old Lily van Heerden from Bloemfontein who was bitten in the face by her sister’s dog when she allegedly tried to pet it. She has been admitted to Universitas Hospital.
GAUTENG:
# The Star & Pretoria News:
Writes the mayor of the Sedibeng District Municipality, Lerato Maloka, is unharmed after she and her driver were kidnapped. According to sources, this is in connection with a briefing during which she announced that she had requested the Gauteng provincial government to launch an investigation into corruption within the municipality.
# Sowetan:
Reports the Gauteng Education Department has stopped paying the municipal bills of schools in poor areas where school fees are not charged. Some of the schools’ power will now be cut off.
# And The Citizen:
Writes about a man who urgently needs surgery to remove a cancerous tumour to save his life. However, his chances of survival are slim as there are 36-thousand cancer patients on the waiting list in Gauteng.
WESTERN CAPE:
# Die Burger:
Has the same lead as Netwerk24 about the Western Cape children who are not receiving social services.
Then the paper spoke to an eyewitness who saw a 59-year-old woman killed during a race in Cape Town when an oak tree fell on her.
And finally, it is reported a man who had dozens of venomous vipers in his luggage at a Mumbai airport was arrested.
EASTERN CAPE:
# The Herald in Gqeberha:
Reports emotions ran high yesterday on the first day of the inquest into the death at the hands of the security police of the so-called Cradock Four 40 years ago.
And secondly, the paper writes the Rosedale Clinic was closed yesterday as a result of a community protest against the vacancies at the clinic that are affecting service delivery.
KWAZULU-NATAL:
# The Witness in Pietermaritzburg:
Writes former president Jacob Zuma will appear in court again on Thursday for two matters related to the arms deal corruption trial.
And secondly, it is reported Muslims who set off on the pilgrimage to Mecca are suffering from an extreme heat wave.
And finally from NAMIBIA:
# Republikein in Windhoek:
Reports the ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security has not responded to queries about improving the capacity to process visas at airports. This follows allegations of long waiting times at Hosea Kutako International Airport.