Morning Fix: Farmers demand more action as FMD crisis deepens | Mashatile denies meeting with Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala
2026-03-24 - 06:30
Today’s morning fix kicks off with the minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen meeting the acting police minister and AgriSA yesterday. They discussed rural and communal safety issues, including cross-border stock theft and the improvement of the nationwide CCTV network in the fight against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Steenhuisen has welcomed the swift intervention by the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) to expedite the importation of six million Dollvet vaccine doses to combat FMD. “ CONTINUE READING: Farmers demand more action as FMD crisis deepens Mashatile denies meeting with Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala Deputy President Paul Mashatile. Picture: X / @ParliamentofRSA Deputy President Paul Mashatile has denied meeting with controversial businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. This, after Sergeant Fannie Nkosi testifying before the Madlanga Commission on Monday, introduced Mashatile as one of the prominent people Matlala may have had contact with. CONTINUE READING: Mashatile denies meeting with Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala SABC suspends senior journalist Natasha Phiri after revelations at Madlanga Commission The SABC has suspended its senior political journalist, Natasha Phiri. Picture: X/Limpopo Chronicle. The SABC has suspended its senior political journalist, Natasha Phiri, following revelations at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that she allegedly accepted money in exchange for information. On Monday, police sergeant Fannie Nkosi admitted he paid Phiri R500 after she sent him the contact details of entertainment blogger Musa Khawula. Nkosi initially denied paying Phiri. CONTINUE READING: SABC suspends senior journalist Natasha Phiri after revelations at Madlanga Commission Eskom loses SCA court battle over secret coal contracts South Africa is heavily dependent on coal for energy, with Eskom’s coal-fired power stations generating more than 80% of the country’s electricity. Image: iStock Eskom says it’s studying a court judgment that dismissed the utility’s appeal against an earlier high court ruling compelling it to disclose contracts for the purchase and transport of coal and diesel. On Monday, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) found that it is in the public interest to disclose the contracts and rejected Eskom’s argument that they are commercially sensitive. CONTINUE READING: Eskom loses SCA court battle over secret coal contracts Trump claims calm but war tells a different story US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, on March 23, 2026. President Donald Trump said Monday that there are “major points of agreement” in US-Iran talks which he said must result in Tehran giving up its nuclear ambitions and enriched uranium stockpile. Trump said the talks — which Iran denies are taking place — were being conducted with a “top person” but not the country’s supreme leader. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) It is a sign of the strange times we live in – and the strange people dominating the news cycle that, as some wag pointed out, we have to ask the Iranians if Donald Trump was telling the truth yesterday when he said there had been talks with Tehran. The Iranians said no. Do we believe them? No. Do we, however, accept anything that Trump says, given his habit of bending the truth or flip-flopping after the fact? No. CONTINUE READING: Trump claims calm but war tells a different story