Stay informed in just a few minutes with News Bite, your fast, reliable update on South Africa’s top stories.
In today’s episode, quality assurer Umalusi has raised concerns about ongoing matric exam irregularities, despite insisting the credibility of the 2025 results remains intact. An independent investigation confirmed that the 2025 matric exam leak was limited to three subjects; English Home Language, Maths and Physical Sciences; affecting 40 learners across seven exam centres in the Pretoria area. Umalusi CEO Mafu Rakometsi says while the breach was contained, recurring irregularities uncovered each year remain a serious concern. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube is expected to announce the country’s top achievers and provinces soon.
Firefighters in the Western Cape are racing to suppress the Mossel Bay and Garden Route wildfires within the next 24 hours. Cooler weather has helped slow the spread, while Local Government MEC Anton Bredell conducted an aerial assessment to evaluate damage and identify potential flare-ups.
In Johannesburg, a man has been arrested in connection with a hijacked Bryanston property that was unlawfully occupied while the owners were away. Up to 50 people were living on the property, which accumulated more than one million rand in unpaid water and electricity bills, highlighting the growing problem of hijacked buildings in the city.
Education pressure is also mounting in the Western Cape, where more than 10-thousand pupils will only be placed in schools after they open next week. Officials say late applications for Grades 1 and 8 are driving the backlog.
In Limpopo, three taxi operators face multiple charges after threatening motorists they believed were transporting hitchhikers; only to discover they were undercover police officers.
Coalition politics are also under the spotlight ahead of the 2026 local government elections. With the number of coalitions growing to 81 since the 2021 polls, experts warn that instability and service-delivery failures continue to overshadow successful governance models.
We’re also keeping an eye on:
• The Ndimande brothers returning to court in March for the AKA and Tibz murder case.
• Rising tensions in the United States after federal agents shot and wounded two people in Portland, following protests over the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.
SPORTS
AFCON has reached the quarter-final stage, with Senegal facing Mali and hosts Morocco taking on Cameroon. In the Premier League, Arsenal were held to a goalless draw by Liverpool, extending the Reds’ winless run in 2026. In the SA20, the Joburg Super Kings’ clash with the Paarl Royals was abandoned due to rain, with more key fixtures lined up this weekend.
That is your News Bite for 9 January 2026. For developments on these stories and more, visit enca.com or watch us on DStv Channel 403.