Morning Newspaper Report

The headlines of the leading newspapers on 17 January 2025:

NATIONAL:

# Business Day:

Reports the Prudential Authority has decided to liquidate the controversial KwaZulu-Natal development agency, Ithala, to protect its more than 250-thousand clients. The Reserve Bank says Ithala’s hopes of registering as a commercial bank have been dashed.

# Mail and Guardian on Fridays:

Gives its readers a roadmap for the year ahead. The paper writes about political developments, the shift in geopolitics, and consumers’ shopping baskets.

# And the Netwerk24 website:

Reports Solidarity and AfriForum have served notices on president Cyril Ramaphosa and the minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube. The organisations argue that the proclamation of the Bela Act is unconstitutional and illegal.

Then the paper writes one of the alleged murderers of 32-year-old lodge manager from Potchefstroom, Ian Boshoff, was apparently wearing his jacket and cap when he was arrested.

And finally, it is reported a mother from Virginia, Junëtt Smith, died 11 days after the birth of her second son after suffering a stroke and epileptic seizure.

GAUTENG:

# The Star & Pretoria News:

Reports as Israel and Hamas agree to a ceasefire, South African officials and experts discuss the way forward following the country’s case against Israel in the International Criminal Court.

And secondly, the paper writes the challenge of teenage pregnancy and statutory rape will be the focus of the parliamentary portfolio committee on Basic Education this year.

# Sowetan:

Reports according to experts, there are approximately 40-thousand learners in Gauteng who have not yet been placed in schools for 2025.

# And The Citizen:

Also writes about AfriForum and Solidarity’s warnings to Ramaphosa and Gwarube.

WESTERN CAPE:

# Die Burger:

Also leads with Solidarity and AfriForum’s action against the Bela Act.

And secondly, it is reported that since 2020, the police have already spent approximately 1.3-billion-rand on the protection of VIPs.

EASTERN CAPE:

# The Herald in Gqeberha:

Reports four months after an oversight visit to healthcare institutions in Nelson Mandela Bay, the Eastern Cape portfolio committee on Health has been criticised for a lack of progress, especially with the Uitenhage Provincial Hospital.

And secondly, the paper writes residents of Colchester are still having to buy water at a high price as nothing has been done to provide drinking water.

KWAZULU-NATAL:

# The Witness in Pietermaritzburg:

Reports the Hawks have arrested the alleged mastermind responsible for the murder of a KwaZulu-Natal policewoman, sergeant Ntombi Mbanjwa. She was shot dead in her uMzimkhulu home in April last year.

And finally from NAMIBIA:

# Republikein in Windhoek:

Reports that Kavango East’s director of Education rejects allegations of corruption in the admissions process at the country’s best state school.

Then the paper writes nine-year-old identical twins are the suspects in the rape of a five-year-old girl.

And finally, there is news about filmmaker Sandra Muramba who wants to tell Namibia’s stories.