November 26, 2025 – South Africa Headlines

Story gist: The government proposed a new 20% tax on online betting.

Bias summary: Only center-leaning News24 covered the story, framing it neutrally in the headline ‘Govt punts new 20% tax on online betting,’ focusing on the policy action without emphasis or omission of details. Left-leaning outlets provided no coverage, leaving progressive perspectives absent. Right-leaning outlets also omitted the story, absenting conservative viewpoints.

Story gist: Lawyers for ‘Cat’ Matlala threatened to seek a court interdict to postpone a parliamentary ad hoc committee hearing where he is scheduled to testify. Witnesses appeared from Kgosi Mampuru prison at the committee.

Bias summary: Left-leaning IOL emphasizes Matlala’s claim of unreadiness and lawyers’ postponement bid, centering his perspective. Center Business Day provides live coverage of witnesses testifying from Kgosi Mampuru prison, focusing neutrally on proceedings. Right-leaning outlets absent, omitting potential emphasis on committee oversight or accountability.

Story gist: South Africa handed over the G20 presidency to the United States in a low-key ceremony. The G20 summit in South Africa adopted a declaration despite a US boycott and opposition.

Bias summary: Left-leaning IOL frames the story as a straightforward, low-key handover ceremony from South Africa to the US, using neutral tone. Center Reuters emphasizes the summit’s success in adopting a declaration despite US boycott and opposition, highlighting resilience. Right-leaning outlets absent, omitting potential focus on US strategic positioning or summit critiques.

Story gist: Collins Letsoalo, former CEO of South Africa’s Road Accident Fund, did not appear before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) despite a summons for an inquiry into the RAF.

Bias summary: Left-leaning IOL frames the event with confrontational tone, using ‘middle finger’ and ‘snubbing’ to emphasize disrespect to parliament. Center outlet eNCA reports neutrally as a factual ‘no-show.’ No right-leaning coverage appears, omitting potential defenses of Letsoalo or critiques of SCOPA’s inquiry process.

Story gist: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stated at the EU-Africa summit that he expects a ‘stronger and stronger’ partnership. The 7th African Union-EU summit occurred 24-25 November 2025.

Bias summary: No left- or right-leaning outlets covered the story, leaving those perspectives absent. Center coverage from the EU Council’s official site presents the joint declaration factually, emphasizing the summit’s partnership commitments without tone, opinion, or omissions noted in partisan framing.