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Daily Maverick

Former Johannesburg mayor Amos Masondo and former ANC policy head Jeff Radebe have been appointed as convenors to lead the revival of the ANC’s provincial structures in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. The provincial executive committees will be replaced with task teams. ANC secretary-general Mbalula briefed the former leaders on the reconfiguration plans after a National Working Committee meeting.

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Daily Maverick

KwaZulu-Natal experiences a rise in hand-foot-and-mouth disease cases at schools and daycares near Durban. The outbreak, with 168 confirmed cases as of 17 February, is deemed “under control” by the National Department of Health. Parents are advised to prevent direct contact with ill individuals and keep symptomatic children at home. Hand-foot-and-mouth disease primarily affects infants and children, notes the NICD.

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Business Day

South Africa is considering turning to Russia or Iran to expand its civilian nuclear power capacity, potentially straining relations with the US. The government aims to add 2,500MW of new capacity to address electricity outages and reduce emissions. The US has raised concerns about SA’s alleged ties with Iran, but Pretoria denies any nuclear cooperation with Iran.

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BBC News

Openly gay imam Muhsin Hendricks was killed in an execution-style shooting in South Africa, sparking fear in the LGBTQ+ community. Reverend Toni Kruger-Ayebazibwe mourned his loss, highlighting his impact on queer Muslims worldwide. Hendricks was shot in Gqeberha while officiating heterosexual interfaith marriages, challenging traditional norms. The motive behind his killing remains unclear.

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BBC News

Trump questions Ukraine’s absence from US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, blames Ukraine for war, suggests they could have made a deal. Russian Foreign Minister meets US Secretary of State for peace negotiations, rejects Nato peacekeeping forces in Ukraine. European Nato states unhappy with Trump’s unilateral approach. Trump responds to BBC, says he is disappointed by Ukraine’s reaction.

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The South African

Author Ashley St.Clair, 26, alleges she shares a child with billionaire Elon Musk, revealing they met through DMs on X (formerly Twitter). St.Clair claimed Musk fathered her baby five months ago, but Musk has not confirmed or denied the claim. St.Clair described Musk as funny and “down to Earth,” saying their interaction started with a meme.

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The South African

WhatsApp users in South Africa are warned to avoid unofficial apps like GBWhatsApp and WhatsApp Plus to protect personal data and prevent bans from Meta. These apps pose risks of data compromise and malware infection, potentially leading to users being banned from the official WhatsApp app. GBWhatsApp, with millions of users, is particularly popular despite the associated dangers. (Words: 58)

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BusinessTech

South Africa’s North-West province has the highest unemployment rate, surpassing the number of employed individuals. Despite a slight decrease in the official unemployment rate to 31.9% in the fourth quarter of 2024, the job market remains stagnant due to various economic challenges. The number of unemployed decreased by 20,000 to 8.0 million, while the labor force grew by 112,000.

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BusinessTech

South Africa’s new National Minimum Wage of R28.79 per hour will be implemented in two weeks. Legal experts warn against shortchanging domestic workers through creative accounting. The minimum salary for a 38-hour week is R1,094 per week or R4,737 per month, and for a 45-hour week, it is R1,295 per week or R5,610 per month. The minimum wage is R115 per day for those working four hours or less.

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