Here are the stories that had everyone talking this week, from Trump’s hilarious mistake to Tyla showing up in style at Paris Fashion Week. And of course, some South Africans are not happy with the tax increase.

Last week, US President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress. During his speech, he listed several examples of what he called wasteful spending funded by American taxpayers under the previous administration led by former President Joe Biden. About 20 minutes into his speech, Trump brought up issues related to the transgender community.

He claimed that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by billionaire Elon Musk, had identified that the Biden administration spent $8 million on “making mice transgender.” He went on to say, “This is real,”. Trump’s statement left many Americans confused. To clarify the confusion, the White House issued a communique. The official letter labelled CNN as “fake news losers” who “tried” to fact-check what Trump had said; however, “President Trump was right (as usual)”, the communique read. 

The communique outlined how much money Biden’s administration spent on transgender experiments on mice. However, according to CNN, the speech by Trump wasn’t clear: The studies were meant to figure out how these treatments might affect the health of humans who take them, not to make mice transgender. It turns out that the President meant to say “transgenic mice” instead of “mice transgender”. Transgenic mice are mice with modified DNA that researchers use to study how human diseases and organs react to medication.

Of course, this slip-up caused a buzz on X, with users finding it hilarious.

It was all glitz and glamour when South Africa’s Popiano princess, Tyla, landed a spot in the front row at the autumn/ winter Chanel show of Paris Fashion Week —right next to none other than fashion icon, Anna Wintour. With only a select few A-listers, fashionistas, and social media stars making it to the front row, “Anna’s favourite”, according to fans on X, turned heads in a stunning pink ensemble, effortlessly owning her moment in the spotlight. Head-to-toe dressed in designer wear, she served pure elegance in a rosy Tagliatore cropped jacket and matching mini skirt.

Her fans, who love and adore her, could not help but shower her with compliments on X, while some users highlighted that she is trying too hard to be Rihanna.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana made a new proposal in the Budget Speech yesterday to increase the value-added tax (VAT) by 0.5 percentage points this year and the following year, taking VAT to 16 % in 2026. 
Godongwana highlighted that this increase comes after careful consideration and heated debate around VAT and its impact on the country.

And, as expected, many South Africans have taken to X to share their thoughts on the price hikes, saying it feels like the government doesn’t consider ordinary citizens’ financial struggles when making decisions.

Steenhuisen and the DA aren’t happy with this proposal either. Will they be the force blocking these changes? Many people hope so. 

Speaking to the SABC, News Economist Hannah de Nobrega comments, “What would make the VAT regressive would be if they had applied it to all goods and services in South Africa. However they’ve removed any basic goods from the VAT increase so that means that it’s not regressive for the poor doesn’t affect the poor as much”, meaning that while the VAT increase may impact consumers, essential goods are excluded, ensuring that lower-income households are not greatly affected.

lona@explain.co.za |  + posts

Lona is a recent graduate with an Honours degree in Journalism and Media Studies from Wits University. Passionate about storytelling, she is eager to learn, grow, and hone her writing skills.