The headlines of the leading newspapers on 09 June 2025:
NATIONAL:
# Business Day:
Reports Statistics SA, which provides key statistics on economic growth, employment, and population, in addition to a host of other key data essential for government planning, has about 720 vacant posts and a vacancy rate of 21.8-percent. The state of affairs is being described as a disaster.
# And the Netwerk24 website:
Reports the Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools says that since 2009, only one teacher has been appointed for every 175 additional learners. There are currently about 29-thousand vacancies at public schools in the country.
Then the website writes the disaster management teams in the Free State are on standby for the snowfalls that may occur in the province today and tomorrow.
And finally, it is reported Sanlam attributes the sharp increase in cancer deaths to the lack of preventive examinations and tests during the pandemic.
GAUTENG:
# The Star & Pretoria News:
Writes tensions between the Zambian government and the family and supporters of the late former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu have escalated into a full-blown crisis. President Hakainde Hichilema is accused of deliberately excluding the Lungu family and the Patriotic Front from funeral arrangements. Lungu died at the Mediclinic Medforum Hospital in Pretoria, reportedly due to chest complications. He had been under specialist care for several weeks.
# Sowetan:
Reports on the death of 14-year-old Malcolm Booysens from Brakpan when a 12-year-old allegedly took his parents’ vehicle without their permission and lost control of it shortly afterward. Booysens, who was standing by the side of the road, was killed on impact.
# And The Citizen:
Writes the possibility of the DA’s federal chairperson, Helen Zille, making herself available as the party’s Johannesburg mayoral candidate is not that far-fetched.
WESTERN CAPE:
# Die Burger:
Leads with the victories of Tete Dijana and Gerda Steyn in yesterday’s Comrades marathon. It was Steyn’s fourth victory.
Then there is a report on the first Comrades of the four-time Olympic marathon athlete, Irvette van Zyl.
And finally, the paper writes it could take up to seven months to catch up on the backlog of driver’s licenses.
EASTERN CAPE:
# The Herald in Gqeberha:
Reports as it is owed more than 18-billion-rand, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality wants to write off 88-million-rand from Africorp’s municipal account and 32.5-million-rand from Precision Properties’ account.
And secondly, the paper writes a lawyer who practices on her own has successfully fought off the restraint of trade clause against her by a large firm from Gqeberha in court.
KWAZULU-NATAL:
# The Witness in Pietermaritzburg:
Writes the Msunduzi Municipality is currently addressing the numerous vacancies and is trying to fill them as soon as possible.
And secondly, it is reported that the local air show is well underway.
And finally from NAMIBIA:
# Republikein in Windhoek:
Reports more than 220 schools, most of which are in drought-stricken regions, have not yet received any aid from the Namibian School Feeding Programme this year.
Then the paper writes the Miners’ Union of Namibia says it has not yet received any official notice of retrenchments at the Tsumeb smelter.
And finally, there is news about the winners of Republikein’s popular Bridal Couple of the Year competition.