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The inquiry is chaired by retired justice Sisi Khampepe. It is examining whether people or institutions improperly interfered with prosecutions of apartheid-era crimes that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission referred. Allegations before the inquiry say Zuma and former president Thabo Mbeki took part in secret meetings with former defence force and police generals between 1998 and 2003. The meetings were allegedly meant to find a way to avoid prosecutions. Mbeki has denied the allegations before the inquiry.

Zuma admitted that the ANC held talks with the apartheid regime before 1994. He said he was part of an ANC delegation that negotiated with the regime in 1990. He denied that those talks included any agreement to suppress prosecutions of apartheid-era atrocities.

Zuma also said he did not direct or authorise the obstruction of any identified TRC-related case. He said he appointed Menzi Simelane as head of the National Prosecuting Authority for reasons unrelated to delaying, stopping or controlling any such investigation or prosecution. The Constitutional Court overturned Simelane's appointment in 2012. The affidavit names Penuell Maduna as part of an advance team that returned to South Africa in March 1990.Share

The JSE All Share index closed at 113,286 points on Thursday, up 3.7%. The Top 40 index rose to 105,226, up 4.0%.

The rand ended at R16.40 to the US dollar, stronger than R16.59 the day before. Gold was at $4,077 an ounce, up 0.1%. Brent crude was at $99.65 a barrel, up 5.3%.Share

Gina Hinojosa won the Texas governor's race, ending a 31-year Republican hold on the office. She is the first Latino elected governor of Texas. Keisha Lance Bottoms won in Georgia and is the first black woman elected governor of a state. Deb Haaland won in New Mexico as the first Native American woman elected governor.

Abdul El-Sayed won an open Senate seat in Michigan and is the first Muslim elected to the Senate. Chris Pappas won a Senate seat in New Hampshire as the first openly gay man elected to the Senate. Reports said the Democrats could reach 56-44 in the Senate if they win the Alaska and Mississippi races.

Pollsters and analysts said the gains came from economic frustration and anger over the Iran war, tariffs and immigration enforcement. Vice-president JD Vance said the war was the reason Republicans lost. President Donald Trump said the war played a role in the losses, but that he stood by his decision.

Trump said he would probably get along with Democrats unless they wanted to be destructive, and that he has the veto. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said the House would no longer act as a subsidiary of the Trump administration. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not continue to lead his caucus next year.Share

Afreximbank said in a statement that the bank shows African governments are determined to secure their own energy future. It said older lenders to the continent's energy sector are leaving fossil fuel finance, even though oil and gas stay vital. The new bank aims to fill that gap while supporting a just energy transition.

Rutendo Hwindingwi of Tribe Africa Advisory said Nigeria won the right to host the headquarters. She said it beat Ghana, Benin, Algeria, South Africa and Cote d'Ivoire. She added that the bank will link to about 700 banks across Africa.

Hwindingwi said $5 billion is still a drop in the ocean against the continent's estimated energy investment needs of $200 billion.Share

A police sergeant in Donnybrook was removed from duty after he allegedly arrived at a voting station in a vehicle with party posters. Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the removal was a precaution while internal disciplinary action was considered. In Umlazi, police arrested a suspect for assault after he allegedly attacked officers who tried to control him.

In Cape Town, voters were turned away over party clothing and damaged IDs. Zuko Jada, 42, was sent away from Mvula Primary School in Nyanga for wearing an ANC T-shirt. ANC member George Mqokolo said two people in ANC shirts were turned away, and argued that the party agents' manual did not ban party clothing.

Voters also faced long waits and moved stations. Daniel Motlhanke said he waited more than two hours at Kanana Primary School in Midrand, where some people arrived at 5am and the station opened at 8am. Nompumelelo Mosibudi waited three hours before she learnt her station had moved 15km.

Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi said longer distances and queues at redirected stations could discourage people from voting. Actor Tumisho Masha faces possible charges after he allegedly posted a photo of his marked ballot.Share

The November master products list allows provinces to buy 1,135 medicines. The October hotlist names 165 products in critical shortage. Stavros Nicolaou, chair of the Pharmaceutical Task Group, said the list of scarce drugs is the longest in living memory.

Andy Gray, a senior lecturer in pharmaceutical sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, blamed a mix of local and global pressures. He cited congestion at the Port of Durban and production delays linked to conflict in the Middle East. He also said some firms stopped supplying provincial health departments because of unpaid bills. Some multinationals stopped making older medicines that no longer earn a profit, he said.

Health department spokesperson Foster Mohale said some local manufacturers with government contracts failed to meet regulatory standards. He said the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority closed certain manufacturing lines, which added to the shortages. He called the disruption unprecedented. The Pharmaceutical Task Group said the shortages point to deep problems in the department's tender system.

Mvuyiso Talatala, past president of the South African Society of Psychiatrists, said changing a patient's medicine can cause severe side effects or a relapse that needs hospital care. He said doctors are ethically obliged to give prescriptions to patients who can pay for private pharmacies. Taswill Welcome runs a Cape Town support group of about 40 people. He said three members recently relapsed and went to hospital.Share

Political analyst Sanusha Naidu said the Patriotic Alliance (PA) is generally in second or third place across the results. She said the party may win council seats even where it does not win wards. She described the trend as an early indication.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said results are coming in faster than in earlier municipal elections. By 9am on Thursday, 18 municipalities had completed the results process. The IEC tallies results at its operation centre at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng.Share

Mosikili gave the figures at a media briefing at the Electoral Commission of SA results centre in Midrand on Thursday. KwaZulu-Natal had the most voting-day cases of any province, with 15 cases and six arrests.

Police also gave figures for special voting between Monday and Tuesday. They registered 65 criminal case dockets and arrested 32 suspects in that period.

Mosikili said the 27 voting-day arrests show that law enforcement agencies responded quickly and worked effectively. She said police did more than stay visible and prevent incidents: they also arrested suspects, investigated and moved cases into the justice system.

She added that the rule of law protects the election, and that police will not tolerate intimidation, violence, misconduct or crime linked to it.Share

Zuma said the party was pleased with its position so far. He said the party would work in coalitions only with parties that share its values and policy outlook. He added that coalition talks were a distant thought for the party.

Zuma dismissed reports of missing ballot boxes and data delays in eThekwini. He said some of that information was unverified and some was mischievous or false flag attacks.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa said data from major metros, including eThekwini, was delayed because of larger ballot papers and more parties contesting.Share

ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont said on Thursday that talks about talks have begun. He said the parties cannot say more yet, because the final numbers are a big part of the equation. DA federal chairperson Solly Msimanga said the DA will not give up its principles or trade executive posts for power.

ANC deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane dismissed reports that the DA had offered to give up Nelson Mandela Bay in return for control of the Gauteng metros. She called the claims gossip.

Political analyst Tessa Dooms said the elections were likely to produce more coalition governments than ever before. She said smaller parties and independent candidates could hold the balance of power.

EFF Tshwane mayoral candidate Omphile Maotwe said low turnout, especially among black voters, partly explains the EFF's performance. She said the party's African wards had not yet come in and the picture would change a lot.Share

Western Cape IEC chief Micheal Hendrickse said on Thursday that 17 councils had finished counting, and four of them returned outright majorities. The Electoral Commission of South Africa has captured and audited 65% of the 4,040 result slips in the province.

In Oudtshoorn the DA won 10 seats, and in Knysna it won 9 seats. Councils where no party has a majority will need coalition arrangements.

The DA said its own analysis and projections showed it was on course to win Cape Town with an outright majority. It made this claim after results were declared at midday.Share

NATJOINTS chairperson Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili briefed the media at the national Joint Operations Centre. She is also the deputy national commissioner for policing. She said police will assess whether more resources are needed after earlier deployments were withdrawn.

The South African National Defence Force is available to support police in identified hotspots. NATJOINTS said it will keep monitoring developments and adjust its security response where necessary.Share

Sheburi spoke at a media briefing at the electoral results centre in Midrand on Thursday. IEC officials said several disruptions had been recorded at counting centres. At least two centres had to move to other venues.

IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya said 65 of 213 municipalities, or 31%, had finished capturing, scanning, auditing and the exception process. More than 60% of votes nationally had been captured. The IEC had scanned 40,202 result slips, and 32,238 had gone through independent audits.

Officials said results stay provisional until objections are settled. A report said the commission is expected to announce the final results on Sunday.Share

Tebello Mosikili, the SAPS Deputy National Commissioner responsible for Policing, spoke at the Result Operations Centre in Midrand. She said the country entered the post-election phase from midnight. She said the security cluster will keep monitoring until the last vote is calculated.

NATJOINTS said security operations will also continue after the announcement of results. It said the aim is to ensure law and order.Share

IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo spoke at a media briefing on vote counting, verification and results. He said contestants and electoral staff can use the tracker to report issues that could harm the election process. He said it resolved the cases efficiently.

The IEC said its Real411 platform registered 34 complaints. They involve misinformation, disinformation, incitement to violence, hate speech and harassment.

The IEC said election-fraud allegations on social media are unsubstantiated. It also said growing concern about misinformation is an attempt to undermine public confidence in the electoral process. It urged parties and candidates to report concerns through official channels.Share

Moepya briefed the media at the National Results Operations Centre in Midrand. He said capturing and verification were progressing steadily. The commission has scanned 40,202 result slips and independently audited 32,238.

Capture rates differed widely by province. The Northern Cape led with 87%, followed by the Western Cape at 69% and the Free State at 64%. The Eastern Cape stood at 60% and Mpumalanga at 52%. KwaZulu-Natal reached 37%, North West and Gauteng 35% each, and Limpopo 23%.

Of 213 municipalities, 65 (31%) had completed capturing, scanning, auditing and the exception process. The commission said the figures stay provisional until objections material to an election are finalised. It also said its Issue Tracker had resolved more than 1,000 cases since special voting began.Share

The 27 October election gave neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot a clear majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Likud won 27 seats, the most of any single party. Netanyahu's wider religious-nationalist coalition won 53 seats, and Eisenkot's anti-Netanyahu coalition won 48. Two Arab-minority parties won 19 seats.

Netanyahu accused Arab-led parties of stealing the vote. He cited an investigation into possible vote tampering to cast doubt on the results. Critics said he and his partners were trying to undermine the outcome, which he denies.

Netanyahu's far-right allies, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, called for the immediate arrest and questioning of Arab party leaders. Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, who heads the Central Election Committee, told Herzog on Wednesday that the situation was a real danger. He said the peaceful transfer of power is a foundation of democracy.Share

The case was heard at Southwark Crown Court in London. Brand was acquitted of two other rapes and an attempted indecent assault.

Brand denied the accusations. He said the incidents were consensual, reinvented or re-imagined. Prosecutors described him as a ruthless, sexual predator.Share

Impeachment proceedings need a two-thirds majority of the lawmakers who take part in the session. In the 80-seat lower house, 35 lawmakers submitted articles of impeachment.

The lawmakers accuse Peña of conflicts of interest, misuse of pension funds and institutional cover-ups linked to the collapse of ueno. A wire report said Peña was a shareholder in the group that controlled ueno until last year.Share

The rand traded at about R16.40 to the dollar by early afternoon, after reaching R16.33 earlier on Thursday. It stood at R16.72 earlier in the week. Brent crude has dropped about 20% this week.

Naspers shares jumped almost 10%, driven by a rally in Tencent. Gold miners also gained: AngloGold rose 11%, while Gold Fields and Harmony each rose 9%. Gold rose 5% in two days to $4 100 an ounce.

Annabel Bishop, chief economist at Investec, said markets now expect a quicker end to the Middle East conflict, with Republicans stalled by gridlock. She said South Africa's place in AGOA may be renewed if supportive parties in the US push strongly for it.

Bishop also said the US may reconsider its aid to South Africa under the Democrats, especially HIV/AIDS funding. She said the new House and Senate leaders are unlikely to give AGOA and aid a high priority. Reports said investors sold AI infrastructure shares, expecting a Democratic crackdown on data centres and AI expansion.Share

ActionSA national chair Michael Beaumont said the party was winning wards because it chose candidates together with communities and community organisations. He said Soweto voters were responding to leader Herman Mashaba's track record and strong candidates. He also said the DA had more money than sense in these elections.

The DA candidate in the ward, Mandla Nyaqela, was an ActionSA candidate before he defected to the DA in February. Mashaba said Nyaqela was underperforming and that he welcomed his departure. Nyaqela said he did not like Mashaba's dictatorship.

In the 2021 local government election, the ANC won 49.5% of the vote in Ward 48 and ActionSA won 21.9%. The EFF took 15.7% and the DA 4.1%. ANC councillor Galebotse Mpotulo won the ward that year, and 59 parties are contesting Dobsonville now.

Beaumont said ActionSA offers proportional representation (PR) list spots to candidates who narrowly lose ward races. He said this motivates ward candidates.Share

Police spokesperson F.C. van Wyk said the Nyanga attack is believed to be taxi-related. The case will go to the Provincial Detectives Taxi Violence Unit. The motive for the Wynberg shooting is not known.

The shootings follow a violent route dispute between the taxi associations CATA and CODETA. The dispute involves the Delft, Langa and Epping route. The Western Cape Mobility Department secured an interim High Court interdict against both associations.

The provincial Mobility Department is checking whether the incidents are taxi-related. SANTACO in the Western Cape said it did not know of the shootings until they were raised with it. It undertook to investigate.Share

DA provincial chairperson Dean Macpherson spoke to journalists at the results operations centre in Durban on Thursday. He warned parties against coalitions with the MK Party. He said any party that works with it would be harmed by its toxicity.

Macpherson said the DA would be the deciding vote in many municipalities in the province. He said the MK Party would fall well short of its 2024 performance in eThekwini and other places. He added that the MK Party and the IFP together would still lack a majority in eThekwini. He said South Africans want stable coalitions and stable government, and that DA phones were on.

The DA also declared victory in uMngeni Local Municipality. A DA statement said the party won 10 out of 13 wards, including five that the ANC held before. The party claimed a majority of more than 60% and more than 24,000 votes, up from about 14,000 in 2021.

In Cape Town, DA figure Geordin Hill-Lewis declared an early victory and claimed 58% of the vote. The MK Party, led by Jacob Zuma, won 45% of the vote in KwaZulu-Natal in the 2024 general elections.Share

Municipal workers had been on strike, which affected refuse collection, water and electricity. Local businesses felt the effects for two weeks before Pikitup services resumed. Backlogs remain in some areas.

The two sides signed an addendum to a Politically Facilitated Agreement (PFA). SAMWU Regional Secretary Nthobani Nkosi called it a historic day. He said the PFA will be a funded vehicle that makes sure workers are paid properly.

The city committed to R10.3 billion in salary increases over the next two years. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana warned against this in April. He said the city is already in financial distress and that an unfunded increase would break the Municipal Finance Management Act.

Eleanor Hugget, a former Ward 73 councillor in Orange Grove, said the situation was unbearable. She said it is not completely resolved yet.Share

The IEC opened the case against the presiding officer at the station. Police are investigating together with security forces. The ballots went missing during the two-day special vote.

Provincial Electoral Officer Kayakazi Magudumana said the storage of the ballots is not the IEC's responsibility, so security forces are investigating. She also said dismissed presiding officers in the province were caught transporting political party agents.

The Electoral Commission said vote counting is progressing well.Share

Ntuli said the ANC had won back a few wards in KwaZulu-Natal, including Ward 1 and possibly Ward 9 or 18. He said the party's support base there had grown. He credited visible service delivery and unity inside the party, and said roads and bridges damaged by storms in 2019 and 2021 were rebuilt.

Ntuli said the party knew from the start that the SACP would draw support from the ANC. He said ANC candidates who lost selection had defected to the SACP.

He said the ANC hopes to keep its majority in the metros it runs, including Buffalo City and Mangaung. He named unemployment, crime and economic stagnation as the main issues in the elections.Share