December 7, 2025 – South Africa Headlines

Story gist: South Africa revoked its 90-day visa exemption for Palestinians following a probe into abuse of the program via charter flights.

Bias summary: Left-leaning IOL frames the story neutrally as pulling the waiver after a ‘charter-flight abuse’ probe, quoting ‘abuse.’ Center News24 emphasizes ‘systematic abuse of exemption’ and calls it a ‘visa perk,’ stressing program misuse. Right-leaning South African Jewish Report portrays it as ‘shutting out Gazans,’ critiquing it as contradicting South Africa’s anti-Israel stance, adding policy hypocrisy absent in others.

Story gist: Marius van der Merwe, a witness to the Madlanga Commission, was murdered by torture and disposal in a river. The killing sparked outrage.

Bias summary: Left-leaning Daily Maverick emphasizes gruesome details like ‘tubed and tossed’ and ‘apartheid-style torture’ for visceral impact. Center News24 frames it as ‘Killing justice,’ stressing threat to commissions and public outrage. Right-leaning coverage absent, omitting potential emphasis on security lapses or state protection failures.

Story gist: Johannesburg’s new ANC regional chair Julius Mkhwanazi denied being a facilitator in the Cat VIP EMPD deal. Bester demanded records from Lamola regarding the matter.

Bias summary: Left-leaning Mail & Guardian frames the Cat VIP EMPD deal as ‘an oversight,’ downplaying controversy and emphasizing minimization. Center eNCA reports neutrally via the story title, highlighting Mkhwanazi’s denial and Bester’s records demand without added tone. Right-leaning coverage absent, omitting potential opposition critiques of ANC involvement.