It’s Tuesday, 17 March 2026, and this is News Bite, your fast, reliable update on South Africa and the world, with Marcelle Gordon.
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola says Shadrack Sibiya, Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and Brown Mogotsi tried to block police investigations in Gauteng.
Chats between the trio allegedly suggest they were trying to gain access to case dockets, including those linked to high-profile investigations such as the murder of engineer Armand Swart. Masemola is appearing before Parliament’s SAPS Ad Hoc Committee, where he is responding to issues that have emerged during the hearings.
Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee is now nearing the end of its work. Political analyst Dr Mpumelelo Mkhabela says its findings will need to be implemented quickly if trust in the criminal justice system is to be restored.
It’s now week three of the US-Israel war on Iran, and the possibility of American ground troops being deployed is drawing growing attention.
More than 2,000 marines have now been sent to the Middle East, even as questions continue over what role they may eventually play. Trump has also called on other countries to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, but that appeal has so far been met with a muted response, with Britain saying it will not be drawn into a wider war.
Iran has ridiculed the White House narrative around the war, while oil remains in sharp focus as Tehran tightens its grip on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The price of oil climbed to 106 dollars a barrel yesterday as concerns grew over the economic impact of the conflict.
Treasury has confirmed that it is considering changes to the two-pot retirement system that could allow South Africans in financial distress to access more of their retirement savings.
At the moment, the savings pot can be accessed, while the retirement pot remains locked until retirement. The proposal is being explored amid mounting pressure on households facing persistent financial strain.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s lawyer insists his client was not aware of Justice Sisi Khampepe’s previous involvement with the TRC Amnesty Committee and the National Prosecuting Authority.
He says the President is concerned that this could create a perception problem around the Khampepe Commission’s work. Former presidents Jacob Zuma and Thabo Mbeki are in court seeking to have Khampepe removed as chairperson, while families of apartheid-era victims continue to oppose the move.
Deputy Water and Sanitation Minister David Mahlobo has raised concerns about a lack of skills and ethics in the water sector.
Speaking at a water imbizo in Johannesburg, Mahlobo said the shortage of skills in critical roles has weakened South Africa’s ability to manage its water systems effectively.
IN OTHER NEWS
· The Human Rights Commission’s investigative inquiry into the food system continues this week. Civil society groups are expected to highlight the structural causes of hunger in South Africa, including corporate power in food chains, land access, food security policy and the constitutional right to food.
SPORT
· Chelsea have been fined 10.75 million pounds and handed a suspended one-year transfer ban for historical breaches of Premier League rules.
· The league found that between 2011 and 2018, secret payments amounting to more than 47 million pounds were made by parties associated with Chelsea to players, unregistered agents and others. The case has also renewed attention on the long-running wait for a verdict in the Manchester City financial charges matter.
· Former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has been cleared to leave Algeria after his arrest over a currency regulation violation at the airport.
That’s your News Bite for 17 March 2026.
For developments on these stories and more, visit enca.com or watch eNCA on DStv Channel 403.