Ramaphosa at White House; Budget 3.0: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes
News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature.
Baba Jiyane/GCIS
White House showdown: Ramaphosa's 'inadvertent' training
A South African delegation is in Washington, DC, to negotiate trade incentives with the US, aiming to avoid a return to high tariffs.
South Africa will focus on correcting misinformation about the country and presenting a package of incentives, leveraging its mineral resources to attract US investment.
Despite past tensions, South Africa hopes to establish a new mutually beneficial bilateral trade framework with the US, potentially replacing or modifying AGOA.
Elon Musk's 'friend in South Africa' claims: Falsehoods, stereotypes, misinformation
Elon Musk shared unsubstantiated claims about South Africa on X, including allegations of widespread corruption and societal collapse.
The claims, presented as anecdotes from a "friend', include assertions about crime rates, traffic light functionality, economic disparities, and inflated hospital costs.
These claims are largely false, exaggerated, or unverifiable, and contribute to a pattern of misleading and racially charged narratives.
Bodies of Polish couple pulled from the water at the Royal Cape Yacht Club
The bodies of an elderly Polish couple were found in the water at the Royal Cape Yacht Club in Cape Town.
Police divers retrieved the bodies, and an inquest docket has been opened to investigate the circumstances.
Foul play is not suspected at this stage, and a post-mortem will be conducted to confirm the cause of death.
Jason Felix/News24
Budget 3.0 | All eyes on SARS as fuel levy rises, tax brackets unchanged, new zero-rated list withdrawn
The government plans to raise R18 billion in additional revenue, offsetting the loss from not implementing VAT through measures like increasing the fuel levy and withdrawing zero-rated items.
Additional revenue will be generated by not adjusting tax brackets for inflation, increasing excise duties, and potentially through SARS' enhanced debt collection efforts, aiming to recover R20 billion annually.
SARS has been allocated an additional R4 billion to improve debt collection, with plans to hire more debt collectors and intensify efforts to recover a portion of the estimated R800 billion in under-collected taxes.
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Big Easy and The Goose: From SA golfing icons to influential White House delegates
Ernie Els and Retief Goosen will join President Cyril Ramaphosa's delegation to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House.
The meeting will cover topics like BEE laws, discrimination allegations, trade deals, and policies concerning Afrikaner refugees.
Johann Rupert and Elon Musk will also be present, with Musk representing Trump's team.
Gordon Arons/Gallo Images
Van der Linde exit feels a little like the Bulls throwing the baby out with (Bath) water
Bernard van der Linde impressed in a recent game against the Dragons, showcasing his abilities after limited opportunities with the Bulls.
Despite his performance, Van der Linde is moving to Bath next season due to the competition for the scrumhalf position at the Bulls.
Van der Linde seeks more game time and happiness in his career, feeling he hasn't had enough chances to demonstrate his skills at the Bulls.
The most diesel bakkie brand now has an EV double-cab
Isuzu, known for its diesel engines and bakkies, is launching the D-Max Electric Vehicle in select global markets in early 2026.
The D-Max EV features a 66.9kWh battery, dual electric motors producing 140kW/325Nm, and retains a good load capacity of 1 100kg and towing capacity of 3 500kg.
While offering comparable power and improved off-road geometry, the D-Max EV has a real-world driving range of 360km, and there's no confirmation yet on South African availability or local production.
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