RC 260908SAfmSakina Kamwendo
Tuesday, 8 September 2026
South Africa’s second-quarter GDP contraction, the ANC’s Electoral Court challenge, and testimony in major political cases dominated this news-heavy midday bulletin.
- 12:11
GDP contracted 0.2% in the second quarter after 0.4% growth in the first, with mining down 3%, trade 1.9% and manufacturing 1.8%.
- 12:27
The ANC is challenging the IEC over candidate-list submissions ahead of the 4 November local elections; the dispute affects the party and 45 smaller parties.
- 12:14
Political economist Patrick Bond described the contraction as a per-capita recession, citing structural inequality, deindustrialisation, Chinese imports, consumer debt and weak regulation.
- 12:58
Former minister Mapisa Ngakula denied that “wig” was a code word for bribery, saying she had simply asked a contractor about a wig she liked.
- 12:50
At the TRC cases inquiry, former Justice Minister Penuel Maduna said South Africans negotiated directly to end political violence and rejected claims that Thabo Mbeki coordinated the process.