South Africa has no plan to ban under-16s from social media
South Africa has no plan to ban under-16s from social media. South Africa has no current law or formal proposal to bar children under 16 from social media, while government and Parliament debate stronger protections against online harms.
What happened
South Africa is home to 48,200 resident high-net-worth individuals, 131 centi-millionaires and 10 billionaires, according to New World Wealth’s 2026 Africa Wealth Report News OpinionRekindling fear in Ekurhuleni: The deaths of eight women reignite a national crisisFaiez Jacobs|Published 1 minute agoAsk AI 5minAs South Africa grapples with the brutal reality of violence against women, this harrowing tale of loss reveals a crucial need for action. Eight lives taken in circumstances that have reopened one of South Africa's deepest wounds.
Social media is filled with grief, anger, fear, warnings and speculation. Social media can mobilise help, but it can also multiply fear, hatred and misinformation. Faiez Jacobs is a South African politician who served as a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa for the African National Congress from 2019 until 2024The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of IOLAsk AIRelated Topics:changeopinioncrimecrime and courtwomengbvpolicesouth africasafteyjusticeWednesday, September 16, 2026NewsCrime and CourtsSouth AfricaAfricaWorldBRICSEducationEnergyEnvironmentFeel GoodGovernment at WorkOpinionPoliticsOpinionOpinionNewsPoliticsEntertainmentLifestyleTechSportBusinessJobsEconomyPropertyWindow on ChinaHybrid WorkingEntertainmentCelebrity NewsStreamingMoviesMusicBooksWhats OnJoburgDurbanCape TownPretoriaOpinionLifestyleHealthBeautyFashionFoodRelationshipsParentingCompetitionsOpinionTravelLocalInternationalTechSoftware and InternetEsportsOpinionSportSoccerPSLRugbyCricketMMABettingOpinionHorse RacingMotoringReviewsLaunchesIndustry NewsMotorsport
Former Proteas captain Graeme Smith expects Australia to face intense heat over the 2018 Sandpapergate scandal during their upcoming return tour to South Africa.
The wider picture
As South Africa grapples with its historical injustices, the discourse surrounding boycotts and public affiliations demands careful navigation. Only by returning to the roots of Black Consciousness can we honour Biko's legacy and fuel the continued struggle for authentic liberation in South Africa. A study of 59 017 cases in South Africa found that higher exposure to fine-particle pollution was associated with increased risk of invasive pneumococcal disease, with effects varying by age and bacterial strain. Municipalities must conduct immediate safety audits with women — walking the routes women use, inspecting lighting, overgrown spaces, abandoned buildings, transport interchanges, cameras and emergency access.
Safety cannot depend on media attention arriving after a life has been lost. Eight families are left seeking justice as the nation confronts its relationship with patriarchal violence. In Ekurhuleni, women are afraid to walk, run, travel or simply move through public space. Across the country, mothers are calling daughters more often.
What has been reported
Partners are checking whether loved ones arrived safely. We must begin with the women, not the noise around their deaths. We must say the names we know and honour every life, including those whose names remain unknown. Elizabeth "Tsontso" Moselakgomo went out for a run and did not return home. She was a mother, a professional, a church member, a runner, and a human being with dreams, responsibilities and people who loved her. Police are investigating eight deaths across Ekurhuleni.
They have not established that one person committed all these crimes, or that every case is connected. Justice requires urgency, but it also requires facts.
What happens next
Anger tells us that something sacred has been violated. It says that another life cannot be reduced to another statistic. It can awaken conscience and move people to act. If it remains only rage, blame and hatred, it consumes energy without changing the conditions that produced the violence. We should never shame women for feeling afraid. A nation cannot tell half its people to disappear from the streets, stop exercising, change their clothes, shorten their journeys, and organise their lives around the violence of men.
Free to occupy streets, parks, taxis, workplaces, campuses and homes without constantly calculating the likelihood of harm.
The report has been compiled by The Daily Waves using information reported across iol.co.za. Details are presented according to the information available at the time of publication and may change as authorities, organisers or other relevant parties provide updates.