It’s Tuesday, 24 March 2026, and this is News Bite, your fast, reliable update on South Africa and the world, with Marcelle Gordon.
Tshwane’s deputy police chief, Revo Spies, has told the Madlanga Commission that possible manipulation may have tainted tenders awarded for the security of critical municipal infrastructure. He says Gubis-85 Solutions received R59 million from the City for services they never rendered.
Commissioner Sandile Khumalo has also questioned why expired contracts are still being considered during tender evaluation. Spies says strict Municipal Finance Management Act rules apply, but administrative delays continue to slow the process.
Meanwhile, AKA’s father, Tony Forbes, wants answers from the Madlanga Commission after footage of his son’s final moments was aired live during last week’s proceedings.
In the Western Cape, the Department of Water and Sanitation says it is concerned, but not panicking, as dam levels in the Garden Route continue to decline. Akkerkloof Dam in Knysna, now at 29 percent, is the biggest worry, with provincial water and sanitation head Ntombizanele Bila-Mupariwa briefing the media on the situation.
Eugene de Kock has offered chilling insight into the inner workings of the apartheid state police at the Cradock Four inquest. The former Vlakplaas commander says no one ever explicitly ordered a murder. Instead, euphemisms were used as anti-apartheid activists were abducted, tortured and killed after a UDF meeting in 1985.
One of those activists was Fort Calata. His son Lukhanyo has spoken of the mixed emotions of hearing De Kock’s evidence and even interacting with him at the inquest as the family continues to confront the weight of what happened.
Iran has dismissed Donald Trump’s claim of successful talks with Tehran as fake news, accusing the US president of making comments designed to play the world’s money markets. Based on those alleged talks, Trump has suspended attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure for five days.
At the same time, reports of back-channel diplomacy are gathering momentum, with Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan all linked to efforts to ease tensions and create a possible route for talks between senior US and Iranian figures.
In New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani says a fatal crash at LaGuardia Airport has deeply shaken the city after an Air Canada plane collided with a fire truck on the runway. Both pilots were killed and dozens of passengers were injured.
Meanwhile, a Colombian military plane carrying 125 soldiers and crew crashed on take-off, killing at least 66 people and injuring dozens more as investigators probe the cause. The crash happened in a border region that has seen heavy military activity in recent weeks as Colombian and Ecuadoran forces target drug-running cartels and militias.
IN OTHER NEWS…
· ActionSA MP Dereleen James has opened a case of intimidation against Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie, with the party arguing the threats follow her scrutiny of alleged links between Patriotic Alliance leaders and Big 5 cartel member Katiso Molefe. McKenzie has denied threatening her.
· Flooding from Monday’s heavy rain caused major disruption across Midrand, with roads submerged in President Park and Vorna Valley and parts of the N1 south before Olifantsfontein also affected.
IN SPORT…
· It will be a winner-takes-all fifth and final T20 between South Africa and New Zealand, with the series level at 2 all ahead of Wednesday morning’s decider in Christchurch. Connor Esterhuizen starred in the last outing for the under-strength Proteas.
· Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos says Panama were the right choice to begin South Africa’s World Cup preparations, with back-to-back friendlies set for Friday and next Tuesday as the national side returns to action after January’s Africa Cup of Nations exit.
That’s your News Bite for 24 March 2026.
For developments on these stories and more, visit enca.com or watch eNCA on DStv