October 2026

The study, led by senior author Professor Molebogeng Rangaka, appears in PLOS Global Public Health. Every participant also gave a sputum sample for molecular testing, which showed how many cases the other tools missed. Only nine of 661 valid results were positive for TB, so the estimates are uncertain. First author Dr Yohhei Hamada said larger studies are needed to confirm the findings.Share

Daniels said the party banned journalists from the Westbury event after complaints that the media was biased against the party and its leader, Gayton McKenzie. She said the ban breaks Article 8 of the Electoral Code and that the party should accept media scrutiny.

CapeTalk presenter John Maytham said bodyguards openly carrying assault rifles shouted at photographers and drove them out of the venue. Daniels said the treatment of journalists amounted to harassment and could set a bad example for other parties.

Daniels said an immediate complaint to the IEC was not necessary. She said that if McKenzie does more, it may be time to take him to the electoral court.Share

The signature brands operating loss was R9m, up from R7m a year earlier. System-wide sales at the portfolio fell 5.1%, and like-for-like sales dropped 0.9%. Famous Brands said it had introduced measures to restore the portfolio to profitability, including management changes and cost reductions.

Group revenue came to R4.3bn. Group operating profit was R375m, and the operating profit margin fell to 8.6% from 9.3%. Headline earnings per share rose 3.2% to 228c.

The leading brands in South Africa grew revenue by 2.5%. Their system-wide sales rose 2.7% and like-for-like sales rose 0.8%. The group opened 36 restaurants in that segment.

Famous Brands declared a payout of 170c a share, up from 162c. The company said operational efficiency and cost discipline would protect earnings quality and support sustainable growth.Share

Tshuma is due at the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court. The South African Police Service arrested him in an operation with Interpol, which followed a red notice.

British authorities suspect Tshuma of killing his wife, Zandile Tshuma, and their two daughters, Natalie and Nala. The allegations relate to deaths in Britain, and the fact that he faces murder allegations there is not yet tested in court.Share

Zille spoke on 702 about her plan for Johannesburg. She said it includes a financial recovery plan, action against corruption and an overhaul of the billing system. She said corruption and the alleged diversion of municipal revenue add to the city's money problems.

On water revenue, Zille said: "We won't ring-fence the whole amount, but it'll be substantially ring-fenced to at least 70% of the money that comes in for water". She said Johannesburg's billing system is a major problem, and some residents struggle with bills they believe are wrong.

Zille said Johannesburg Water began a borehole project but dropped it after about two weeks. She said residents of one community went without water for 15 years. She also said a completed water project cost R2.6 million, while the city proposed R37 million for taps and manifolds alone.

Zille said Cape Town plans to spend R42 billion of its own money on infrastructure over the next three years. She also said coalitions tie a party's hands and can become unstable when smaller parties can bring down a government.Share

The university said it also took extra precautions when it prepares food. Spokesperson Olwetu Gwanya urged anyone with symptoms to seek medical attention immediately.

The university said similar cases are being reported elsewhere in Makhanda. It said this suggests the situation may extend beyond the campus.

Separately, government announced a multi-pronged response team for a surge of gastrointestinal illness at Bronkhorstspruit in Gauteng. There were 408 cases between 7 and 18 October 2026. Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina said contaminated water from the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works is believed to be the source.Share

Police spokesperson Col Amanda van Wyk warned applicants about fraudsters. She said they may demand money in exchange for a job or promise to influence the recruitment process.

Trainees will receive a stipend of R5,000 a month during training. Recruits who hold a qualification at NQF Level 6 or higher will train at a SAPS academy for six months. Other recruits will follow a nine-month programme.Share

DA Energy and Electricity spokesperson Kevin Mileham said the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) made a calculation error last year. He said NERSA tried to apply an adjustment of R54 billion that resulted from the error. Mileham said consumers should not bear the cost of such errors.

The DA said the changes would ease financial pressure on households and businesses. It said reliable electricity is now an essential, yet many households still struggle to get enough of it.

In Mangaung, the DA Free State promised ring-fenced revenue, investment in infrastructure and stronger law enforcement against electricity theft and vandalism. Werner Pretorius, the DA mayoral candidate for Mangaung, said communities are under attack from criminals who steal infrastructure.Share

Mashaba said his age should not matter. He pitched himself as a self-funded, incorruptible mayor who can turn the city around. He also said his mayoral committee is already picked.

Mashaba promised a merit-based public service built on skills audits. He also promised more insourcing in place of tenders and labour brokers.

Mashaba was Johannesburg mayor from 2016 to 2019.Share

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana will table the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) on Wednesday afternoon. Rise Mzansi spokesperson Mabine Seabe said the party will judge it on the relief it brings from high living costs. Seabe asked: "is there any relief from this crushing cost of living crises?"

Rise Mzansi said a windfall above R54 billion would be a temporary measure. It said a windfall above R50 billion would give short-term breathing room but would not fix structural problems. The party also said Treasury must re-think its reliance on rigid fuel levies.

ACDP MP Steve Swart said Parliament must pass the Special Appropriation Bill quickly. He said the bill aims to bring R10 billion in tax relief at the fuel pumps. Swart also said the statement should chart a path to economic recovery, job creation and social stability.

Inkatha Freedom Party Chief Whip Nhlanhla Hadebe said the IFP wants a careful balance between fiscal responsibility and urgent needs. He said more spending to combat gender-based violence and femicide is of particular importance to the party.Share

The girl's aunt said the child asked to go to the toilet during a class and was raped there by her teacher. The aunt said the girl told her family on 9 October and last went to school on 8 October. She said the teacher keeps coming to school.

The family said the school told them the child's claim did not make sense. They said the chairperson of the school governing body told them parents only learnt of the matter on Monday afternoon.

Parent Phumzile Gumede spoke outside the school on Wednesday. She said the teacher was sent home but not suspended or arrested. The Gauteng Department of Education visited the school on Wednesday and had said it would issue a statement.

Brig Lefa Tsotetsi, the Jabulani police station commander, spoke to parents after a case was opened. He said police should communicate only with the complainant, who chooses whether to speak.Share

City Power plans to restore power in stages. The areas include Carlton Centre, Marshalltown and Selby. The utility also lists Wemmer and City and Suburban among the places in its plan.

Work continues on a cable that links Kazerne to Selby Substation. City Power says this cable will restore power to industrial customers in Selby.Share

The Gauteng Education Department said it has sent officials to investigate the alleged rape. The department said the incident involved a teacher and took place on the school premises in Zola, Soweto.

Maile spoke about the report the department expects. He said: "I will be receiving that report tonight, after which we will make a determination."Share

The father faces charges of murder, rape, compelled rape, child abuse and assault. The mother faces charges of failing to report the abuse and related offences.

Prosecutors allege that the abuse caused the death of four-year-old Baby Nikita in August 2025. A three-year-old brother was also abused, according to the charges. The family is from Eldorado Park.Share

Demonstrators say budget decisions announced by the finance minister decide who gets access to essential services and who is left behind. They also say government cost-cutting measures hurt the poor the most. Organisers say budget cuts deepen inequality and put more pressure on vulnerable communities.

Organisers say resistance to austerity is growing around the world, with demonstrations in France and Chile.

Hlalanathi Gagayi, a regional secretary of the South African Municipal Workers' Union (SAMWU), said he hopes the minister will address high fuel prices. At the march he said: "Our members cannot afford to pay the amount for fuel, because the amount for fuel spills over to food and many other issues that affect our members."Share

Transport inflation was 10.8% and added 1.5 percentage points to the headline rate. Housing and utilities inflation was 5.2% and added 1.3 percentage points. Insurance and financial services inflation was 5.4%. Prices rose 0.4% from August to September.

The fuel price index jumped 6.2% between August and September and is up 27.9% on a year ago. Diesel prices are up 46% and petrol prices are up 25% over the year. Statistics SA said: "The rise in fuel prices is currently a key driver of transport inflation."

Passenger transport inflation was 12.3%. Airfares rose 18.6%, long-distance bus fares 14.1% and minibus taxi fares 13.8%. Electricity tariffs rose 7.9% and water tariffs 7.4%.

Goods inflation rose to 4.1% from 3.3%. Services inflation eased to 4.9% from 5.1%. Food inflation rose to 1.2% from 1.1% in August. The Western Cape had the highest provincial rate at 5.5%.Share

A small team is working in secrecy on the chancellor's statement. The visa route would have given wealthy people from overseas a new way to live in the UK.

Commentator Tim Harford has suggested reforms to UK taxes. He said the tax system is "riddled with loopholes that leak revenue, hurt growth and are simply unjust."Share

The two women argued online over gifts from the businessman, including houses. MaWhoo wrote on her Instagram stories that he bought her three homes in cash, under her name.

Cyan Boujee also made claims about the businessman in the exchange. In her statement, she said she was disappointed with how the situation affected her.

She said: "I’ve worked incredibly hard on myself as a person, and I’m disappointed that I allowed one situation to bring out a version of myself I’ve been trying to outgrow"Share

Afripure complained to the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) that Glamour Beauty's packaging broke sections of the Code of Advertising Practice. Law firm ENS represented Afripure. Afripure started using its current hair oil packaging in 2024.

Glamour Beauty said confusion was not likely and that there was no real evidence consumers mistook one product for the other. It said the features in question are commonplace, functional and descriptive conventions. It still revised its packaging voluntarily.

The ARB Directorate said the undertaking "appears to be a genuine attempt to resolve the dispute." It also said the 14 October ruling did not take into account that the new packaging was already in use.Share

The French government accused "ultra-left" agitators of helping turn peaceful protests into rioting and looting. These are claims by the government and are not established.

The regulators have not confirmed that foreign interference took place. They are examining whether it did.Share

Solomons said the city now values properties every three years, which affects the rates people pay. He proposes to extend the cycle from three years to five.

He also wants a 90-day audit of the city's land and assets. He said the city should find savings, including in its vehicle fleet, and redirect the money to safety and transport before it asks ratepayers to pay more.

Solomons said BOSA opposes the proposed N2 wall. He said the city should address the causes of crime and not separate communities. In his words: "We should be building communities and not building a wall".

He said the cost of private security is an unfair burden for residents who already pay municipal rates and taxes. He spoke in a CapeTalk interview.Share

Khalipa said 54 pump stations and 11 sewer treatment plants were destroyed. He said the municipality has fixed 22 pump stations so far. The municipality declared a disaster in June 2022, he said.

Khalipa said the billions being invested will eventually turn around the water and sewage crisis. He also said some contractors appointed through the intervention have capacity issues and do shoddy work. He said the business forum behaves like a political party and does not tell the truth.

Welkom business owner Tjaard van der Walt said the breakdown of services is intentional sabotage of business. He also said: "It is absolutely devastating to see the state that Matjhabeng is in at the moment."

Rethuseng resident Abraham Makunga said he will not vote for the same people who let residents live like this. Martha Job, also from Rethuseng, asked how she will vote when her toilet does not work. The municipality said it is working to repair and replace dilapidated infrastructure.Share

Nusseibeh was the UAE's ambassador to the UN from 2013 to 2024. Diplomats say she is probably the most controversial of the possible contenders. They say she could struggle to distance herself from controversies over UAE interventions abroad.

Those controversies include the UAE's alleged backing of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces. Abu Dhabi denies arming any warring faction.

Analyst Giorgio Cafiero of Gulf State Analytics said an Emirati secretary-general "could raise concerns in Riyadh". Another name in circulation is Feridun Sinirlioğlu, a former Turkish foreign minister who now heads the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).Share

Madubanya is known as "Tsaka RSA". Police arrested him on 9 October 2026 at his home in Rethabile Gardens, Polokwane.

He will apply for bail at the Polokwane magistrate's court in Limpopo.Share

The accused are charged with extorting more than R2 million in protection fees from a businessman involved in a road construction project in Mpumalanga. They also face a money laundering charge. Bail was set at R70,000 per suspect, and police reporting changed from weekly to once a month.

The State said investigations in respect of SARS are still outstanding and that it is still probing the matter. Defence counsel argued that the charge sheet does not mention the revenue service. The defence said SARS involvement should not be part of the case.

The State prosecutor, whose name is withheld over security concerns, responded in court. "It seems as if we are told what to investigate and what not to investigate", the prosecutor said.Share

The FAA issued an amended type certificate and an updated Production Limitation Record. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said: "We will continue to hold Boeing to the highest safety standards as the company begins production of the 737 Max-10."

Boeing said orders for the jet total 1,555 airplanes, more than 30 percent of the 737 Max order book. Another source put orders at just over 1,500 from more than 30 customers. The jet seats up to 230 passengers, Boeing said, and the programme included nearly 1,000 test flights.

The FAA decided that a software glitch, which shuts off an automated navigation system in some cases, did not raise a safety risk. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the approval a "major win for American manufacturing". The Max 7 won approval in August, so the whole Max range is now certified.Share

The department condemned the alleged abuse and degrading treatment of people at the facility. It released its statement on Monday.

It reminded providers that all treatment centres must be registered under the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act, Act No. 70 of 2008. Section 19 of the Act prohibits anyone from establishing or managing a treatment centre unless it is registered.

The department also gave advice to families. It said: "Advertising, personal recommendations or religious affiliation should never replace proper verification".Share

Nyawuza taught at Ithembelihle Technical High School in Gqeberha. On May 15 2025, she punished a group of learners for coming late by hitting their fingertips with a chalkboard duster. She had been a teacher for two years at the time.

Pabst found that the department failed to prove Nyawuza intended to cause serious bodily harm. She said the department's internal investigation was poorly handled, because the investigator did not interview eyewitnesses or the learner's parents. She also said progressive discipline was more appropriate than dismissal.

Pabst said corporal punishment is commonplace at the school. She stressed that the ruling does not make it acceptable, and said "learners have a constitutional right to be protected from abuse".

Nyawuza said she is remorseful and would never again use corporal punishment.Share

The municipality expects the project to create more than 2 500 direct jobs by 2030. A 24-hectare site in the Port of Durban is earmarked for a proposed superyacht precinct.

The municipality says Italy-based Navigo has committed to bring 10 or more superyacht visits to Durban each year from 2028. These visits could generate about R100 million a year in fuel sales. Municipal council approved a three-year partnership with Navigo in July.

City Manager Musa Mbhele said the project goes beyond tourism to include industrial development, skills transfer and economic growth. He said the job targets complement the TNPA ship repair strategy, which is projected to support more than 25 000 employment opportunities across the sector.

Reports say a single superyacht visiting Cape Town spent about R10 million on diesel alone. Londy Ngcobo, a captain and Africa's first female dredge master, represented eThekwini at the African Boating Conference.Share