It’s Wednesday, 18 March 2026, and this is News Bite, your fast, reliable update on South Africa and the world, with Marcelle Gordon.
KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has retracted a claim that Vusimuzi Matlala paid money into former police minister Bheki Cele’s bank account.
He is back before Parliament’s SAPS Ad Hoc Committee, where he says the evidence behind that alleged payment came from documents and investigators and is still to be tested. Mkhwanazi has welcomed the committee’s work, but warned that some MPs appear to be prejudging matters.
At the Madlanga Commission, organised crime unit member Fannie Nkosi says he acted as a go-between to try to stop a taxi war between the Sibanyoni and Mzwazi families, and that Mkhwanazi knew about his role.
In Washington, the director of the United States National Counterterrorism Center has resigned over opposition to the US war in Iran.
Joe Kent says Iran posed no immediate threat when the US launched attacks alongside Israel, and argues Washington was pulled into war by pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. The fallout widens as Donald Trump also ramps up pressure on Cuba, claiming he could “take” the island as it grapples with deepening economic and energy strain.
Back home, South Africa’s inflation rate has eased to 3%, its lowest level since June last year.
Lower transport costs and softer food price increases helped drive the slowdown, with core inflation also easing to 3%. But any breathing room may be brief, with higher fuel prices expected next month because of the Middle East conflict and an 8% Eskom tariff increase for direct customers due in April.
Municipalities have also been given a possible lifeline on electricity tariff applications after Nersa confirmed that metros unable to meet the deadline can apply for an extension, with Ekurhuleni already granted more time.
And in the Eastern Cape, ongoing water outages in Buffalo City Metro have further eroded public trust, with residents in Vergenoeg saying their crisis has lasted more than a year while officials point to El Niño weather patterns.
IN OTHER NEWS
· A bus strike in Nelson Mandela Bay has left commuters stranded and children delayed on their way to school, after unions and Algoa Bus Company clashed over a rule punishing drivers when passengers travel without tickets.
· Trevor Manuel will retire as Old Mutual chair in June, with Roger Jardine set to take over the role.
SPORT
· In African football, Senegal will appeal CAF’s decision to strip them of the 2025 AFCON title, calling the ruling unjust after their walk-off in the chaotic Rabat final was treated as a forfeiture.
· Meanwhile, Mamelodi Sundowns have opened a two-point lead at the top of the Betway Premiership after beating Marumo Gallants 3–1.
· In Europe, Real Madrid ended Manchester City’s Champions League campaign 5–1 on aggregate, Paris Saint-Germain saw off Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, and Bodo Glimt and Arsenal also booked quarter-final places. FIFA has also rejected Iran’s request to have all of its World Cup group matches played in Mexico, citing safety concerns as tensions in the Middle East spill into football.
AND FINALLY…
President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated the Mankweng Hospital team after the successful separation of conjoined twins, marking a breakthrough for Limpopo and for South Africa’s public healthcare system. It is the first time a rural hospital has completed an operation of this scale, while officials also prepare support for the boys’ 29-year-old mother.
That’s your News Bite for 18 March 2026.
For developments on these stories and more, visit enca.com or watch eNCA on DStv Channel 403.