Here’s your daily news update for Thursday, 31 July 2025: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories.
News today includes four suspects appeared in the Johannesburg Regional Court on Thursday, facing charges of child abuse and attempted murder after a viral video showed a four-year-old boy being encouraged to smoke drugs.
Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) has dismissed former president Jacob Zuma and the MK party’s urgent application to invalidate President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to place Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu on a leave of absence, appoint Wits law professor Firoz Cachalia as acting police minister and establish a commission of inquiry.
Furthermore, the South African Reserve Bank decided to cut the repo rate, as economists expected, although the governor started his speech with a reference to the uncertain global economic conditions. The decision was unanimous to cut the repo rate by 25 basis points.
Weather tomorrow: 1 August 2025
Damaging winds and waves are forecast over parts of the Northern Cape, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, while most inland provinces can expect fine and cool conditions. Isolated showers are likely in parts of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Full weather forecast here.
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Four suspects face attempted murder charges after viral child drug video
Four suspects appeared in the Johannesburg Regional Court on Thursday, facing charges of child abuse and attempted murder after a viral video showed a four-year-old boy being encouraged to smoke drugs.
The state added the attempted murder charge on Thursday, arguing that exposing the child to dangerous substances could have been fatal.
The mother of the child and three other suspects, were arrested following community outcry over the disturbing footage.
CONTINUE READING: Four suspects face attempted murder charges after viral child drug video
Vodacom scores ConCourt win over Please Call Me inventor Nkosana Makate
The Constitutional Court (ConCourt) has ruled in favour of Vodacom, sending the legal battle with Please Call Me inventor Nkosana Makate back to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).
The judgment, delivered on Thursday, relates to Vodacom’s application for leave to appeal against a February 2024 SCA ruling.
The appeal, heard by the ConCourt last November, challenged the SCA’s decision to overturn Vodacom’s offer of R47 million in compensation to Makate, who developed the Please Call Me service that allows network users to send free callback messages.
CONTINUE READING: Vodacom scores ConCourt win over Please Call Me inventor Nkosana Makate
MK party and Zuma suffer blow as ConCourt rules in Ramaphosa’s favour [VIDEO]
The Constitutional Court (ConCourt) has dismissed former president Jacob Zuma and the MK party’s urgent application to invalidate President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to place Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu on a leave of absence, appoint Wits law professor Firoz Cachalia as acting police minister and establish a commission of inquiry.
The court ruling was handed down two hours after it hosted a special ceremonial sitting for retiring Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, whom Ramaphosa appointed to chair a commission to probe explosive allegations by KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) top cop Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanzi of criminal infiltration in the South African justice system.
It has ruled that the application does not engage the court’s jurisdiction and has refused direct access to the MK party and Zuma in its matter against Ramaphosa.
CONTINUE READING: MK party and Zuma suffer blow as ConCourt rules in Ramaphosa’s favour [VIDEO]
Mashatile fined for failing to declare diamond gift from Louis Liebenberg
Deputy President Paul Mashatile has been found guilty by Parliament’s ethics committee for failing to declare a diamond gift received by his wife, Humile Mashatile, from controversial businessman Louis Liebenberg.
Mashatile has also been in the spotlight due to his high-end lifestyle, luxury properties, and associations with corruption-accused individuals such as Edwin Sodi.
According to the deputy president’s office, the diamond was undergoing verification to determine its authenticity and would be declared once the verification process was complete.
CONTINUE READING: Mashatile fined for failing to declare diamond gift from Louis Liebenberg
Reserve Bank cuts repo rate despite US Fed decision
The South African Reserve Bank decided to cut the repo rate, as economists expected, although the governor started his speech with a reference to the uncertain global economic conditions. The decision was unanimous to cut the repo rate by 25 basis points.
Lesetja Kganyago, governor of the South African Reserve Bank (Sarb), also confirmed that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Sarb will now prefer the inflation rate to settle at 3% as it wants to move away from the current inflation target band of 3% to 6%.
The MPC decided to cut the repo rate despite the US Fed not cutting interest rates in the US on Wednesday. The committee usually follows the Fed in deciding to change the repo rate.
CONTINUE READING: Reserve Bank cuts repo rate despite US Fed decision
Here are five more stories of the day:
- ‘I am still resilient’: Please Call Me inventor Nkosana Makate unfazed by Vodacom’s ConCourt victory
- Company found guilty of illicit cigarette trade, fined R600k and ordered to buy desks for schools
- ActionSA reports Macpherson to parliament’s ethics committee for alleged ‘racist’ remarks
- Northern Cape man who killed sister’s baby while high on tik escapes life sentence
- DA and SAOU slam Pretoria Girls High principal’s suspension
Yesterday’s News recap
READ HERE: Mom arrested for ‘smoking’ toddler | R147m police inquiry | half a million whites leave SA
