December 28, 2025 – South Africa Headlines

Story gist: Severe storms left parts of Greater Tzaneen without power. The storms disrupted patient care at health facilities in Amajuba.

Bias summary: Left-leaning Sowetan frames the story with dramatic language like ‘wreaks havoc,’ emphasizing health facility disruptions and patient care in Amajuba. Center outlet News24 neutrally reports power outages in Greater Tzaneen without added emphasis. Right-leaning coverage absent, omitting any conservative framing on infrastructure resilience or government response.

Story gist: Suspects bombed a cash-in-transit van during a robbery in Thokoza, Gauteng, wounding a 13-year-old girl.

Bias summary: Left- and right-leaning outlets provide no coverage, omitting perspectives that might decry crime waves or demand tougher policing. Center outlet frames the incident routinely as a ‘Cash-In-Transit Robbery’ with police ‘on a lookout’, emphasizing ‘Arrive Alive’ safety slogan while omitting the bombing details and 13-year-old girl’s wounding, softening the violence.

Story gist: A motorist was fined for littering in Cape Town’s CBD after a viral video surfaced. The video showed a clash between the motorist and a tour guide.

Bias summary: Left- and right-leaning coverage absent, leaving environmental enforcement and individual responsibility perspectives unrepresented. Center outlet (TimesLIVE) frames incident sensationally with ‘WATCH | Hunt on’ for motorist and ‘tough’ tour guide, emphasizing mutual pursuit and clash over littering rather than just the fine, using quotes and video hook to stress confrontation.

Story gist: Egypt defeated South Africa in an AFCON match. Mohamed Salah stated South Africa dominated but the crowd helped Egypt win, while coach Hossam Hassan praised South Africa’s talented players.

Bias summary: Left- and right-leaning outlets omitted the story, absenting those perspectives. Center outlet Goal.com frames neutrally via direct quotes, emphasizing Salah’s concession of South African dominance, crowd’s role in Egypt’s win, and coach’s praise for opponents, with balanced tone and no omissions or added spin.

Story gist: Limpopo police opened an inquest after discovering a teen girl’s body at her home. The next day, her missing father was found hanged from a tree.

Bias summary: Left-leaning IOL frames the incident neutrally as police opening an inquest with both father and daughter found dead, omitting graphic hanging detail. Center News24 emphasizes sensational elements like ‘hanged from a tree’ and precise timeline. Right-leaning coverage absent, missing potential focus on crime implications or family dynamics.