Impeachment Fight: President Cyril Ramaphosa rushed to court to halt Parliament’s Phala Phala impeachment process, arguing the review of the independent panel report must come first or “substantial harm” will already be done. Cape Town Politics: DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis was confirmed as Cape Town mayoral candidate, pitching stronger policing, jobs, affordable services and housing from Hanover Park. ActionSA Challenge: ActionSA named Dereleen James as its Cape Town mayoral candidate, framing the race around gang violence, crime and service delivery in the Cape Flats. Justice Emergency: A DNA backlog has triggered calls for a national justice emergency, with hundreds of thousands of forensic entries overdue and rape cases withdrawn because evidence can’t be processed in time. Youth Pressure: New labour data shows youth unemployment remains brutal, with only about three in 10 young job-seekers aged 15–24 employed and NEET numbers still high. Crime & Safety: Police arrested a man at Cape Town airport after 150 live venomous scorpions were found hidden in his luggage. Xenophobia Fallout: Malawians keep travelling to South Africa despite attacks, while Nigeria begins repatriations after anti-migrant protests. Local Governance Strain: Johannesburg’s water disruptions drag on as aging infrastructure and maintenance issues leave communities without reliable running water. Economy & Reform: BER says reforms are starting to lift growth, but weak implementation capacity still slows progress. Sports Spotlight: Gerda Steyn won a record-shattering fifth Comrades title; George Kusche also set a new Comrades “Up Run” record.