For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Lumkile Nkomfe.

Making headlines: Steenhuisen ends 'mission' as DA leader; South Africa to raise minimum wage 5%, exceeding expectations; And, US condemns South Africa's expulsion of Israeli diplomat

Steenhuisen ends 'mission' as DA leader

Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen today announced that he will not seek re-election for a third term at the party’s upcoming Federal Congress.

Speaking in his hometown of Durban, he said he was handing over the reins to a "fundamentally healthier party than the one he inherited".

Steenhuisen said "it is mission accomplished” for him.

He will continue to serve as Agriculture Minister in the Government of National Unit.

He views the agriculture ministry as a full-time job, citing the urgent need to address the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

South Africa to raise minimum wage 5%, exceeding expectations

South Africa will increase the national minimum wage for this year by more than the rate of inflation and exceeding the expectations of businesses and analysts.

The hourly minimum will rise 5% to R30.23 from next month, the government said in a notice on Tuesday. That is more than the 4.7% average advance in wages analysts, businesses and labour unions expected for 2026, according to survey released by the Bureau for Economic Research on December 12.

Consumer prices rose an annual 3.6% in December, while the average for 2025 cooled to 3.2%, according to Statistics South Africa.

While the minimum wage was introduced in January 2019 to try and reduce the pay gap in one of the world’s most unequal societies, the latest increment won’t be enough to raise the living standards of a large part of the working population who spend the biggest proportion of their money on food. About the 32% of the people in the labour market are unemployed. When including discouraged job seekers, the rate expands to about 42%.

The economy of Africa’s most industrialised nation hasn’t grown by more than 1% annually for the past decade.

And, US condemns South Africa's expulsion of Israeli diplomat

The United States condemned South Africa's decision to expel Israel's top diplomat, Ariel Seidman, last week, a State Department spokesperson said, calling the step a part of prioritising "grievance politics."

Tommy Pigott, the State Department's deputy spokesperson, said on X expelling a diplomat for calling out the African National Congress party's ties to Hamas and other antisemitic radicals prioritises grievance politics over the good of South Africa and its citizens.

South Africa's embassy in Washington had no immediate comment.

On Friday, South Africa declared the top diplomat at Israel's embassy persona non grata and ordered him out within 72 hours.

It accused him of "unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice," including insulting South Africa's president.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

Don’t forget to follow us on the X platform, at the handle @PolityZA