October 2026

The calls follow a three-month general fuel levy reprieve earlier this year, which cost the state billions. Rise Mzansi wants a review of fuel levies. It blames global fuel price volatility on limited oil supplies caused by the United States' war on Iran.

Rise Mzansi spokesperson Mabine Seabe said a forecast tax windfall of more than R50bn offers short-term breathing room but will not solve structural problems. He also said: "The Treasury must now rethink its reliance on rooted fuel levies that fund permanent commitments".

Brett Herron of The Good Party also wants a review of the general fuel levy. He said the levy serves no particular purpose other than working as a general tax. He said government can no longer delay a basic income grant, given how many households live below the poverty line.Share

Godongwana lowered the growth forecast from the 1.6% projected in February. He expects growth of 1.6% in 2027 and 2% by 2029. He said growth could exceed 3% a year if government stays the course, but warned that the Middle East conflict and El Niño could weaken it.

The deficit was forecast at 4.5% at the time of the Budget and should fall to 2.5% of GDP by 2030. The primary surplus is 1.7% of GDP this year. Godongwana also released draft fiscal anchor legislation for public comment.

Government identified R38.1 billion in medium-term savings, on top of R12 billion in the 2026 Budget. They include R13 billion from reducing social grant fraud. Extra revenue lets government spend R45.5 billion more than announced in February.

Godongwana announced R810 million to renew the police vehicle fleet next year. He also announced R2.2 billion over the medium term to strengthen the independence of the judiciary. The Adjustments Appropriation Bill proposes R10.6 billion more for 2026/27 expenditure.Share

Mokonyama spoke in an interview with Public Sector Manager magazine. He said the department's financial statements have needed no major corrections for seven or eight years. He said the Auditor-General of South Africa had repeatedly raised concerns about how long the department took to act against officials implicated in wrongdoing or negligence.

Mokonyama also spoke about rail recovery after vandalism during the COVID-19 lockdown. He said 35 of the 40 targeted corridors have been recovered and the trains are moving. He said the transport industry contributes about R290 billion per annum to the economy.

On keeping the standard, Mokonyama said: "We should not treat auditing as an event that only concerns us during the audit cycle."Share

The toxicologist said cocaine, cocaethylene and norcocaine were detected. Reports of the testimony said 0.2mg of cocaine was found in her stomach. He said working out the combined effects of the substances, or whether they could be lethal, fell outside his expertise.

In a quote from his evidence, the toxicologist said: "Cocaethylene happens when cocaine is mixed with alcohol."

Tembe was 22 when she fell from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town in April 2021. The court also heard that her fiancé, rapper Kiernan "AKA" Forbes, had fresh scratch marks and bruises after her death. A doctor who examined him said he looked stressed and agitated.

Police forensic analysts told the inquest that Tembe either was pushed forcefully or jumped. A pathologist said bruises on her neck could have come from pressure by hands, but a love bite was more likely because the marks were superficial.Share

Mncube is accused number three in the trial at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. Prosecutor Ronnie Sibanda put it to him that Warrant Officer Ndlovu had told the court that a picture marked "WA" was shared via WhatsApp. Mncube said the phone was confiscated by Masondo.

Mncube said: "You see the phone that I had, the one that was confiscated by Masondo, it never had WhatsApp, and it does not even take WhatsApp."

Five accused are on trial for the 2014 murder of Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa. Mncube is expected to continue his testimony on Wednesday.Share

The doctor told the Cape Town regional court on Tuesday that the injuries appeared to come from sharp and blunt objects. The doctor estimated that the injuries were six and 12 hours old or less at the time of the examination. The doctor said: "The physical examination was done on the patient after exposing his full body. He had many fresh scratch marks".

Tembe was 22. She fell from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town. Forensic simulations presented on the first day of the inquest did not conclusively show whether she jumped or was pushed. The simulations indicated that an accidental fall did not fit the 5.1m distance between the hotel wall and where her body landed.

AKA's father, Tony Forbes, attended the inquest. He said he was disappointed in the proceedings on Monday. He said: "There are things happening at this inquest where I feel the right facts are not being put on the table".Share

The analyst testified on Monday and Tuesday about airport footage. The footage shows an adult male following rapper Kiernan "AKA" Forbes on the day he was killed. Gcweka relayed the analyst's claim of threats to the court.

Gcweka said in court: "After one of the witnesses testified yesterday, his face was put over the media". He asked that witnesses' faces not be shown.

Forbes and fellow rapper Tebello "Tibz" Motsoane were killed on 10 February 2023. They were shot outside a restaurant on Florida Road in Durban.Share

NSFAS said 653,778 applicants are beneficiaries of the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa). The other 214,848 applicants are not Sassa beneficiaries.

Women sent 616,558 applications, which is 70.98% of the total. Men sent 252,068, or 29.02%.

Of the applications, 800,382 are from students who want funding for university study. Another 68,244 come from prospective TVET college students.

NSFAS said fraudulent social media accounts and people who demand payment are not authorised by the scheme.Share

The determination falls under Section 34 of the Electricity Regulation Act. The capacity covers 1237MW of solar PV, 780MW of natural gas and 183MW of waste-to-energy. Another 200MW goes to innovative energy technologies.

Ramokgopa said the move could free Ekurhuleni from total dependence on Eskom. He said it shows government's commitment to energy security. Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza said the programme will attract about R6.2 billion in infrastructure investment and create jobs.

Xhakaza said communities now pay R3 per unit and could save up to 31%. The City estimates savings of R36 billion over 20 years on bulk electricity. eThekwini has a similar path for 400MW, and Cape Town for 220MW.

SAFTU general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi asked the city to disclose the full cost to residents. SAFTU spokesperson Newton Masuku said independent power producers have not improved energy security. He also said the power agreements, the purchase terms and the risks to the public have not been made public.Share

The 408 cases followed exposure to unchlorinated water from the Bronkhorstspruit water treatment works. Ramaphosa said, "We’re very sorry". Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya said the city did not communicate well enough with residents about the contamination.

Ramaphosa also said coalition governments tie the hands of municipalities and constrain service delivery. The local government elections take place on November 4.

Economists expect the budget statement to offer households limited relief. They say petrol prices rose by almost 50% and diesel prices by 72% since the US-led war against Iran constrained oil supply. The South African Revenue Service is expected to collect an extra R40bn from the mining sector, because of higher precious metal prices.Share

Rand Water said it has warned municipalities about high consumption several times. It said demand in some areas stays persistently high. It said this makes it harder to balance supply across the network and raises the risk of disruptions.

Spokesperson Makenosi Maroo said immediate compliance is essential to avoid the risk of system failure and to protect continuity of supply. She said: "Rand Water is duty bound to protect the bulk supply system and will not hesitate to take appropriate action where necessary."

Rand Water said it may take further steps to protect the network. It called on overconsuming municipalities to cut their use to their allocated volumes.Share

The Hawks said the mandrax tablets have a street value of about R6,000. The marijuana was worth over R5,000. The officer works in the organised crime unit of the Hawks.

Hawks spokesperson Tebogo Thebe said the man fell asleep during the journey. He said the officer then drove straight to Upington Police Station to get proper help with a search.

Thebe said the search found mandrax, dagga and other items. The Hawks arrested the man for alleged drug possession.Share

Lead author Maya Anjur-Dietrich, a postdoctoral researcher at MIT, said every strain the team tested formed biofilms. Attached cells released almost twice as much organic carbon as free-floating cells. The team also found evidence of attached cells from the sunlit surface down to 1,000 metres, which could change estimates of how much carbon reaches the deep sea. The study does not say how much carbon attached cells move.Share

The shooting happened at about 12:30 on Tuesday in Steenberg, Cape Town. Police say the suspects are gang-affiliated. They fled in a red VW Polo.

Police spokesperson Constable Ndakhe Gwala described the chase. He said: "A high-speed chase ensued and the suspects abandoned their motor vehicle in Kirstenhof, then hijacked a white Toyota Run X".

The chase went through Kirstenhof and Lakeside, where the five men were arrested. The City of Cape Town said the firearms recovered were two AK47s and a 9mm pistol.Share

The caller used a private number and phoned airport officials on Wednesday morning. Police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said the aircraft is held under standard security protocols.

Eastern Cape police activated a multi-disciplinary response team, which is on scene. It includes a bomb disposal unit and K9 explosive detection dogs.Share

The author describes the work in an essay on The Conversation and does not name a journal. Only five of the 24 student teachers reflected critically on issues such as inequality, poverty and language policy. Participants said their mentor teachers mostly focused on technical performance, and those with questioning mentors reflected more deeply. The study is small and based on group interviews and journals from 2024.Share

The Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association released the survey on Tuesday. Fundraising for South African investment rose from R4.6 billion in 2024. Commitments from pension and endowment funds reached R4.4 billion, up from R1.6 billion.

Southern African fundraising more than doubled to R22 billion in 2025. South African investors gave 55% of the total, up from 36% in 2024. Global private equity fundraising fell 17% to $659 billion.

Investment value in southern Africa fell 16% to R22.4 billion. The number of transactions fell 18% to 186. Firms made 52 exits, the same as in 2024, and exit proceeds rose 19% to R20.3 billion.

Trade sale exits rose to 27 from 15, with proceeds of R5.8 billion. Managers hold R45.4 billion in undrawn commitments. The survey says this leaves firms with "sufficient capacity to support an increase in future deployment".Share

The team worked with the Tanzania Revenue Authority. In 119 wards, split at random, an official sat in silently on interviews in half of them. The researchers linked survey answers to tax records for roughly 40,000 firms, and trust and payments moved together. They write about their own study in an essay, and it covers Tanzania only. On average, the visits had little effect on whether firms paid.Share

Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) says the train was about 7.6km long. Guinness World Records named a 7.35km BHP Iron Ore train from 2001 as the previous record holder. TFR made the record claim itself.

TFR head Russel Baatjies said the weekend showed the operator's depth and expertise. He said: "the real value lies in the technical knowledge and operational insights gained through this exercise".

The line was shut for annual maintenance from 6 to 16 October. A long-term Ore Line Restoration programme costs R8.9 billion. R3.4 billion is allocated through the Budget Facility for Infrastructure over the next two financial years.

Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager expects to invest R2.2 billion in restorative maintenance in 2026. Transnet ran a 7.2km iron ore train of 660 wagons in 1989.Share

The two ministers also discussed economic partnerships and health as priorities for African integration. Both governments said stronger co-operation could unlock investment and economic growth.

Lamola said Uganda is a significant player in the continent and East Africa's economy. He called it one of the fastest growing economies in East Africa and the continent.

Ayebare said the ETA is a major development, because it used to take forever to get a South African visa. He said a multiple-entry visa valid for six months can now take under one hour to obtain. Uganda said the ETA can improve mobility for business people, tourists and students.

On energy, Ayebare said Uganda is going to start producing crude oil and it needs to be refined on the continent.Share

The South African National Defence Force cordoned off the area first. Police and Department of Home Affairs officials then moved in to carry out the enforcement operation.

Gauteng police issued a statement on the arrests. The South African Police Service said efforts to dismantle illegal mining continue to yield positive results.Share

A Vinted spokesperson said the company took immediate action to identify and remove listings linked to the looting. The spokesperson said Vinted has stepped up monitoring and permanently bans accounts that break its rules. Reports said the listings included items suspected to come from boutiques such as Celine, Hermes and Louis Vuitton.

Digital Minister Anne Le Hénanff said stolen items were being offered on certain platforms. She said listings should be removed without delay and platforms must cooperate with state services. Small business minister Serge Papin made a similar call. The government held a meeting with marketplace operators and ministry representatives on how stolen goods are handled online.

eBay said it had not recorded an increase in suspicious listings. Sephora confirmed that several of its stores were broken into. Luxury resale expert Graham Wetzbarger said anyone who has shopped on a resale platform since the riots could have a stolen bag.

The Chambers of Commerce and Industry estimated that more than 3,000 businesses were damaged or looted. A damage estimate of 1 to 1.2 billion euros covers shop damage, not only stolen goods.Share

Tau said the zone could create 20 000 jobs over ten years. He called it a key driver for expanding mineral processing and job creation in Limpopo. He also said South Africa exports large volumes of raw and semi-processed minerals while importing many finished products made from them.

The zone has secured about 1010 hectares of land through a lease agreement with the Dithamaga Trust. Phase 1 covers about 75 hectares. Perimeter fencing is 95% complete and guardhouse construction is 65% complete. The Limpopo Provincial Government has committed R445 million to bulk infrastructure.

The Development Bank of Southern Africa is providing project preparation and implementation support. Eskom is doing detailed design and technical assessments for electricity infrastructure. Bulk water and water-treatment works are at the concept and viability stage, with detailed design targeted for January 2027.

Tau said South Africa's special economic zones host 234 private companies with a combined investment of more than R47 billion. The programme has created 134 478 jobs, of which 32 904 are permanent. He told mining houses: "You are central to the success of this Zone."Share

Police spokesperson Ndakhe Gwala gave the details of the arrest. The suspect faces charges of possessing an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

Wesbank is near Delft on the Cape Flats in Cape Town.Share

The station is made of park homes. It lies in the Waterberg Municipal District. Boshielo called for stronger efforts against gender-based violence and femicide.

Boshielo said the park home facility is an important improvement for policing services in Villa Nora. She said the value of the investment will depend on the quality of service that residents receive.

She said: "The fight against crime requires a strong partnership between the police and its community,"Share

The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) received a complaint earlier this year about how Barclays recorded derivatives used to finance private credit loans, people familiar with the matter told the newspaper. The complaint alleged a breach of PRA rules. Those rules restrict banks from placing derivatives backed by illiquid collateral in the trading book without enough evidence.

People familiar with Barclays' positions said the bank has built up billions of dollars of exposure to private credit loans through these derivatives. Barclays traders argued that the exposure counts as a traded position. They said a matching swap with another counterparty hedged it.

The Bank of England declined to comment. In an emailed statement, Barclays said it takes seriously its regulatory obligations in markets where it operates. Barclays shares stood at 421.4 pence at 0750 GMT on Monday.Share

Ingram said the total includes unit trusts, life policies and dormant bank accounts, as well as retirement money. The retirement money is owed to 4.3 million people.

The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) offers a free unclaimed benefits search on its website. Ingram said a check takes about ten minutes.

He also said beneficiaries can still claim the benefits of deceased family members.Share

The Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) sets out government's revised economic outlook and adjusted spending estimates. Section 28 of the Public Finance Management Act requires National Treasury to table it. Parliament calls it the mini budget, and says it lets departments apply for adjustments and request extra funds for unforeseeable and unavoidable spending.

Parliament says the statement also lets Parliament and the public engage with budget plans before the national budget in February. The national budget follows about three months after the October tabling.

Before the tabling, opposition parties pushed for stronger municipal accountability. DA finance spokesperson Kingsley Wakelin said municipal failures are an economic and fiscal risk that affects business and job creation. He said debt relief should come with strict conditions and consequences.

The DA said municipalities must do more to recover water and electricity costs so they can pay bulk suppliers. Rise Mzansi said falling household income erodes municipal revenue. ACDP representative Steve Swart said citizens deserve value for the taxes they pay. Godongwana said Treasury plans to clamp down on how municipalities spend their grants.Share

Ramaphosa said government is considering conditions on the equitable share, the funding it transfers to municipalities. He posed the question of whether government should attach conditions to how the money is used.

The concern is that some municipalities do not use public funds for their intended purposes. Ramaphosa also said a number of other issues at national level limit how money meant for local government is spent.Share

The charges relate to 46 undocumented foreign nationals who disappeared from police custody. They were in a 22-seater Mercedes-Benz minibus that was stopped on the N1 near Polokwane on 17 April 2025.

The accused are Sergeants Monyebodi Joyce Matlala, Makwena Emmanuel Manamela, Congress Kwena Mothiba and Benjamin Nare Chokwe, and Montsho Johannes Thole. Their ages are 48, 49, 44, 44 and 50, in the order the accused are listed here.

Limpopo police allege that the officers helped the group avoid lawful immigration enforcement. The investigation also alleges that the officers told a traffic officer that arrangements had been made with the station commander. They said the group would go to Polokwane police station.

The case was postponed for further investigation.Share