Morning Newspaper Report

The headlines of the leading newspapers on 12 November 2026:

NATIONAL:

# Business Day:

Reports Woolworths shares experienced their worst day since 2020, as growth in the food division has stagnated. Sales at Country Road have also dropped sharply, while the former sister company, David Jones, has been placed under administration. Woolworths executive Sam Ngumeni stated that the group needs to identify where its fashion offering is falling short and improve the quality of its products.

# And from the Netwerk24 website:

Reports on KwaZulu-Natal, where a power struggle is unfolding across 35 hung councils. The paper writes the MK Party is negotiating exclusively with left-leaning parties, while the DA has ruled out any cooperation with either MK or the EFF. ActionSA is currently in talks with MK and the EFF, though no agreements have been signed yet.

Additionally, the website reports the renowned, award-winning American actor Stacy Keach has passed away at the age of 85.

GAUTENG:

# The Star:

Writes the Pietermaritzburg High Court has set aside the 15-year prison sentence handed down to Bongani Archibold Jele for fraud involving more than 709-thousand-rand. The court found the state failed to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he had participated in the fraudulent scheme. Jele had been convicted by the Ixopo Regional Court in November 2022.

# Sowetan:

Reports it emerged at the Madlanga Commission that the former minister of Police, Bheki Cele, demanded a retirement home worth six-million-rand from tenderpreneur Cat Matlala before he would agree to meet with him.

# And The Citizen:

Writes research has revealed that calls to the police’s 10111 emergency number are ignored approximately five thousand times a day.

WESTERN CAPE:

# Die Burger:

Reports a 53-year-old man from Stellenberg has been arrested after allegedly torturing and murdering his 88-year-old father and placing the body in a wheelie bin. The incident took place at their residential unit in Stellenberg Gardens. The Durbanville police are investigating a case of murder.

Secondly, the newspaper also reports on the Madlanga Commission, where it emerged from Matlala’s testimony that he allegedly paid 500-thousand-rand to Bheki Cele.

EASTERN CAPE:

# The Herald in Gqeberha:

Reports a leaked audio recording of a meeting points to deep divisions within the ANC during the local government elections.

Secondly, the paper writes parents are concerned about the safety of their children outside school gates.

KWAZULU-NATAL:

# The Witness in Pietermaritzburg:

Writes Tatjana Smith’s decision to compete for the Netherlands has sent shockwaves through Pietermaritzburg.

Secondly, it is reported athlete Caster Semenya claims she was betrayed by national and international organizations—specifically Athletics South Africa—which, according to her, failed to protect her during her career.

And finally, from NAMIBIA:

# Republikein in Windhoek:

Reports the salaries of nearly 800 Meatco employees could be cut by up to 50-percent due to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. This is intended as an emergency cost-cutting measure.

Furthermore, the paper writes the minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Land Reform, Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi, has stated it is unacceptable that Namibia—a country already facing water scarcity—loses more than 50-percent of its water during the supply process.