Zuma’s daughter never really left MK, and three-minute smart IDs coming to South Africa

Today, 18 February, the rand is trading at R16.01 to the dollar, down from R16.09 at the close of business on Tuesday. 

Suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya will appear before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into corruption in the police and criminal justice system.

Sibiya has been at the centre of allegations around the criminal justice system being captured by businessmen and drug cartels, in allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in July 2025. 

In Parliament today, the second day of debates will begin following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Yesterday, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), ActionSA and the African Transformation Movement called for the president to take accountability for the Phala Phala scandal, in which more than $500,000 was found stashed in furniture at the President’s farm.

In the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein, judgment will be handed down to former Free State Premier Ace Magashule’s ex-PA, Moroadi Cholota.

Cholota was implicated in the long-running asbestos fraud and corruption case, but escaped prosecution in 2025 by claiming her extradition from the United States was unlawful. 

The court will decide today if Cholota will be in the dock with all the other suspects when the main asbestos trial resumes in March.

Here are five other big things happening in South Africa today:

Jacob Zuma’s daughter still active in the MKP – News24

Dudzile Zuma-Sambudla resigned as an MP for the uMkhonto weSizwe party (MKP) in late 2025 over her alleged role in trafficking young men to fight in the Russian Military, but it has been discovered that she continues to serve in the party’s parliamentary administration.

Major South African real estate agency embroiled in corruption – Daily Maverick

A court judgment in Mozambique has found that South African high-end real estate giant Pam Golding Properties accepted payments of more than R20 million from former Mozambique President Armando Guebuza’s son, Ndambi.

Russian propaganda campaign targets the DA – Newsday

A widespread Russian disinformation network operating in Africa and Latin America has been uncovered in a collection of leaked documents. An investigation has found that the network was operating in South Africa, leading up to the 2024 elections, to discredit the Democratic Alliance (DA). 

Three-minute smart IDs coming to South Africa – MyBroadband

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said in his response to the SONA that South Africans will soon be able to apply for a smart ID in as little as three minutes, and that the department is working on the first components of a digital ID system.

Political parties divided on SANDF deployment to fight crime – SABC

While the Patriotic Alliance and the United Democratic Movement welcomed the decision to deploy the SANDF to parts of the country, the EFF and Build One South Africa (BOSA) said this will not reduce the rate of murders and is proof that Ramaphosa has failed to combat crime.