March 18, 2026.

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Lynne Davies.

Making headlines:

MKP reinstates John Hlophe

Eskom offers 6.5% pay raise in fourth talks round

And, African nations to borrow $155bn this year, S&P says

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party has welcomed back, with immediate effect, suspended party member John Hlophe as its first deputy president and leader in Parliament.

Hlophe was suspended in November for replacing parliamentary chief whip Colleen Makhubele with Des van Rooyen.

The party said at the time that the changes were effected “without a collective consultation”, and launched an investigation into Hlophe’s conduct.

The MKP said on Wednesday that it has appointed an independent legal panel to investigate his conduct.

After which, party President Jacob Zuma held a bilateral meeting with Hlophe, during which the allegations were thoroughly discussed.

Eskom has offered labour groups an annual wage increase of as much as 6.5% in a fourth round of negotiations that have dragged on for months.

The State-owned power utility tabled a three-year deal that include a basic salary increase of 6.5% in July, another 6.5% next year and 6% in 2028, according to a copy of the offer that was confirmed by Eskom. There are also additional increases to the housing benefit and funeral cover.

The offer “was indeed tabled during round 4 of salary negotiations with the three recognised trade unions,” an Eskom spokesperson said in a reply to questions.

That still leaves a sizeable gap between Eskom and at least one key union. The latest demand by the National Union of Mineworkers, representing about 15 000 employees at the State-owned utility, was for a 12% increase. The labour group started with 15% in October, ahead of the talks.

African nations are expected to borrow $155-billion in long-term commercial debt this year, S&P Global Ratings said in a report, a 10% increase on the previous year, to refinance maturing debt and navigate growing fiscal obligations at home.

Projected borrowing for 2026 will raise total outstanding sovereign commercial debt to just above $1.2-trillion, the report said, equivalent to about half of the countries' economic output by year-end.

Egypt is projected to be the biggest issuers, along with South Africa and Morocco, the report said.

Fallout from the Iran war could curb African nations' borrowing plans this year and have an impact on the cost of fresh issuance, but the effect could be limited by benign liquidity conditions in global financial markets, compared with previous years.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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