Tarot card reader Samantha Celeste says 2026 may be tough with political and economic turbulence. Here's what's on the cards for Mzansi.
New Year’s resolutions aside, everyone wants to have a glimpse of what 2026 may have in store for South Africa. The year that almost was, 2025, has been a turbulent, crazy and somewhat unsettling year.
Tarot card reader Samantha Celeste of Heavenly Healing in Benoni said that there’s no way to sugarcoat the year ahead, either. She said that the new year will arrive with all the subtlety of a death metal band at 3am in a retirement village. January, she said, will be a rocky month for the establishment, she said.
Political structures may wobble, economic policies could be overturned or disrupted, and social order might take a few unexpected knocks. “It is unsettling, but it clears away what no longer works,” she said. “Think of it as demolition before reconstruction.”
And if there is demolition to be done, the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry may well be holding the sledgehammer, she said. It’s a potential line in the sand, and South Africans must expect more revelations that may shake the foundations of political and institutional power, forcing more hidden truths into the light, she said.
Exposed corruption and looming legal consequences naturally destabilise the systems that rely on secrecy to function. Celeste added that it will be painful, vastly different to the Zondo commission’s State Capture chronicles, but a necessary and cleansing fire.
February holds the line
After January’s shockwave, February takes a more fortified stance. Citizens, leaders and institutions plant their feet in position. It is a month of holding ground rather than charging ahead.
South Africans demonstrate once again that when circumstances wobble, grit kicks in. The mood may be tense, but the message is clear: no one is pushing this country around.
March’s demand for justice
March, Celeste said, raises the volume on calls for justice. Transparency, fairness, accountability. These become non-negotiables.
And with the Madlanga commission likely to release interim findings or intensify its questioning, the public mood shifts from defensive to corrective. South Africans insist that truth must translate into action. “March is about restoring integrity,” she said.
April sees economic pressure
April exposes the widening fault lines. Unemployment, financial instability and inequality bite harder. But the harshness of the month also brings out something innately South African, the neighbourliness of the country’s people.
Grassroots networks come alive. Communities hold each other up. Hardship becomes a mirror that reflects not just struggle, but solidarity.
In May, South Africa comes up for breath
If the first months feel like navigating a minefield, May offers the first real exhale. Optimism starts to return. New leadership voices, community initiatives, or partnerships from abroad may create a sense of forward motion.
“It brings healing energy,” Celeste said. The horizon doesn’t just look clearer, it also looks reachable.
June’s the month of joy and colour
Winter may settle in, but June is one of the brightest months of the year. Cultural celebrations, festivals, and community gatherings take centre stage.
Support structures thrive. People reconnect, regroup and celebrate the identity that holds the country together. It is a reminder that even in tough years, South Africa dances.
July forges ahead
By July, the country starts moving again. Infrastructure, leadership programmes and policy direction appear to gain traction. Celeste sees July as a month driven by ambition and collective determination. The wheels turning earlier in the year now begin to grip.
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August brings restlessness
August unsettles the spirit again. Political unpredictability, economic strain and social unease unsettle households. “It is a month of sleepless nights,” she said.
Conversations across dining tables and WhatsApp groups tilt toward anxiety. It is the reminder no one wants: progress isn’t linear, and even good momentum can hit turbulence.
September’s strength
September steadies the national pulse. Courage, patience and compassion resurface as guiding energies. People tackle challenges with more restraint and more hope. It is not loud resilience, but quiet determination. South Africans show they can endure, adapt and carry on with grace.
October blossoms new ideas
October is one of the most exciting months in Celeste’s reading for South Africa. Innovation flourishes. Entrepreneurs experiment, artists push boundaries, and tech creators take bold leaps. It is a month of planting long-term seeds. “Fresh energy drives new projects,” she said.
November settles legacy and stability
November looks beyond the present. Heritage, family and generational wealth-building move into focus. South Africans think about what they will leave behind. Gains made during this period feel lasting. Momentum becomes a foundation.
December is a month of clarity, joy and high spirits
Despite the chaos earlier in the year, 2026 ends on a buoyant note. December carries clarity and renewal. Vitality returns. The collective spirit feels lighter, as if the country has survived the worst of the storm and can now step forward with purpose.
“It is a celebration of resilience and the promise of brighter days,” Celeste said.
The bigger picture
Celeste said that 2026 will not be easy. The year is turbulent, occasionally heavy, and shadowed by economic strain and institutional upheaval.
“At times it may feel as though stability is out of reach,” she said. But what defines South Africans, she added, is not the instability but rather the nation’s resilience.
“We rise above adversity. Each challenge calls forth our strength. Also, each hardship awakens our solidarity. Each setback opens a door to renewal.”
In her view, 2026 is not a tale of collapse, but a blueprint for rebuilding the country.
“So hold fast to hope,” Celeste said. “Let it be your anchor in times of upheaval and your spark in moments of doubt. The shadows are temporary. The spirit of our people is permanent.”
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