October 2026

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment accepted the final scoping report for the plant at Thyspunt in the Eastern Cape. The decision is not an authorisation to build the plant.

Lobishe said the project offers chances to strengthen energy security, support industrial growth and create jobs in the region. She said Nelson Mandela Bay is ready to anchor the investment. She also said nuclear power can coexist with coastal communities, tourism and a healthy environment when it is properly managed.

She said the department sets rigorous requirements for the project. In her words: "We welcome this scrutiny. Development that ignores the environment and the people who live alongside it is not development we want".Share

The four officials worked at the Pretoria, Soshanguve, Fochville and Roodepoort offices. The two from Pretoria and Soshanguve were dismissed for dishonesty over a fraudulent grant application involving a couple. The two from Fochville and Roodepoort changed a recipient's payment details without consent.

Motshele Mohlamonyane, the acting Sassa Gauteng regional executive manager, said the agency remained committed to accountability and consequence management. In a statement on the outcome, he said: "Dishonesty, the processing of fraudulent grants and the unauthorised alteration of beneficiary details undermine public trust and will not be tolerated".

Sassa spokesperson Lungelo Mkamba said the agency would continue to strengthen internal controls and monitoring mechanisms. He said these help detect, prevent and address fraud and corruption.Share

The service needs about 3,500 units of blood every day to meet patient demand. It said current donations fall short of that need, which raises concern about availability as the festive season approaches.

Monique Schreiner, senior manager for donor relations at the service, said: "The current blood supply is under significant pressure, and we need the public's support to rebuild stocks ahead of the festive season".

She appealed to regular donors, lapsed donors and eligible first-time donors to give blood.Share

Large parts of the inner city have been without power since September. City Power said several incidents involving fires and explosions hit the central substation. Marshalltown is among the areas named.

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena thanked residents for their patience. He also advised residents on how to reconnect appliances. He said: "Customers whose electricity supply has been restored are advised to wait 15 to 30 minutes before switching on or plugging in appliances."Share

Johnston works in the Climate System Analysis Group at the University of Cape Town. He said the City's first restrictions would likely aim to curb demand and prevent waste, not impose severe limits on residents. He said the City could also consider a financial penalty for excessive water use.

Johnston said little rain is expected over the next two weeks. He said "As we get into November, the chances of rainfall are much smaller". He added that the months from November to March could bring very hot conditions.

He said a possible El Niño pattern could affect temperatures but not much summer rainfall. Cape Town residents use roughly 150 litres of water per person a day, he said. He suggested people could manage with 100 litres or 120 litres a day.

The City uses 65% of the water in the supply system, and agriculture uses 30%. The department will run confirmatory modelling.Share

Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said a foreign national was allegedly beaten to death in the Durban CBD on Thursday morning. He said two foreign nationals were also allegedly assaulted by a group of people marching in Berea that morning.

Netshiunda said the men could help investigators with several cases of attacks on foreign nationals in the city. These include an assault in the CBD on Wednesday.Share

The plant reportedly failed to chlorinate water that it supplied to households. This emerged over the past week. The reports did not name who made the claim.

Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya spoke on the suspension. She said: "Beyond holding the officials and people accountable, we need to figure out which systems we need to fix".Share

Hart says she has published more than 370 books since February 2025 with artificial intelligence (AI). She describes her method as AI-generated drafts, then AI edits, then a human proofread. She says a first draft is generally not good, so she runs it through AI for developmental edits and continuity fixes.

Hart says she worked in publishing for 14 years before she began writing with AI about 20 months ago. Her operation has trained several hundred people in her method. She says AI models have improved vastly since last year.

She says different tools suit different tasks. In her view, ChatGPT is good at dialogue but poor at prose, and Claude is good at story structure. She says critics of AI books are wrong and that readers return poor books.

Hart said she chose to go public to start a debate. She also pointed to Thelyson Orelien, a Haitian-Canadian author whose novel was withdrawn from the Goncourt prize shortlist after accusations of AI use. Hart says critics had praised that book and that its sales were strong before the controversy.Share

Mazibuko spoke on Thursday at the colloquium on Investing in Health and Wellness. She said the province recorded about 33 million healthcare service contacts in 2025/26. Another figure she gave was over 20 million patient contacts for the same year.

She said provincial hospitals had close to 5.8 million outpatient visits and 670,807 inpatient admissions. Clinics saw 8,026,972 patients, and outreach programmes reached 8,491,700 patients.

Mazibuko said Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital has a registered capacity of 1,500 beds but uses almost 2,000. She said: "Our bed capacity also is not assisting us." She also said nurses are overworked and exhausted.

She said the province has many unemployed doctors but cannot hire more because of personnel and fiscal limits. She said some community members spend more than R45 to reach a clinic, so some mothers miss child immunisation. Speaker Monique Marks said patients get lost in the system, with no follow-up care.Share

Mashatile visited Ward 7 in Greater Tshwane ahead of the local government elections on 4 November. He said residents will move to Zandfontein Phase 1 and Phase 2. He said they would get formal houses, electricity, water, sanitation and proper roads.

Mashatile said government is prioritising water provision and that municipalities should not face the response alone. He said: "The issue of provision of water is a priority, not only in Tshwane, but throughout the country". He did not say how many households would move.

Mashatile also said the ANC will return to communities after the elections. Mmabatho Mogale, who has lived in a shack in New Jerusalem since 2017, said she registered for government housing years ago and is still waiting.

A government statement on 19 October linked 408 cases of gastrointestinal illness in Bronkhorstspruit and nearby communities to contaminated water.Share

Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said Kyiv wants to finalise an agreement with Poland as soon as possible. He said Russia is deliberately trying to strike Ukraine's borders, which he called a new security environment.

The ministry said Ukraine has already set up joint border control points with Moldova. It wants to expand the idea to other neighbours, including Poland.

Data from the ministry shows Ukrainian agricultural exports reached 2.4 million metric tons in September. That was 46% of the country's monthly export potential.Share

People with knowledge of the talks said demand from Morgan Stanley private wealth clients was weaker than in the past. Some investors were tired after investing heavily in earlier rounds. The bank is leading the process, and the fund Dragoneer floated the deal to those clients.

OpenAI's current valuation is $852 billion, and reports said it raised $122 billion in March 2026. Reports said the round is a bridge to a share listing that could come in the first half of 2027.

Reports said Coatue and funds based in the United Arab Emirates are in talks to lead the round. Reports also said OpenAI told investors on Thursday that it wants signatures by the end of next week. The people said the talks continue and details could change.Share

Rose remains fifth on the waiting list to see the district surgeon. The wait is the reason the case keeps being postponed.

The update was set for Friday 23 October.Share

The Transport Priority Committee will meet to coordinate the response in the affected areas. The Provincial Regulatory Entity will investigate licensed taxi operators who are allegedly linked to the violence.

Sileku said taxi organisations are trying to operate unlawfully on routes served by other regional taxi councils. He said the province will not use mediation to settle the disputes. Instead, it will let the legal process unfold.

Sileku said restoring stability and peace in the taxi industry remains the top priority. He also said: "We are working with the law enforcement agencies to address taxi violence across the Western Cape."Share

Nyaqela, 45, is the DA candidate for Ward 48 in Dobsonville, Soweto. He says a man known to him threatened to kill him at his home if he kept campaigning for the DA. He says the man said people like him must be killed.

Nyaqela says officers at the Dobsonville police station refused to help him and said there was no case. Zille, the DA mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, went with him to the station on Friday to reopen the matter. She said: "When someone makes a death threat, I take it very seriously."

Gauteng police spokesperson Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said Nyaqela was assisted after Zille stepped in. She said: "No person should be turned away when seeking to report a crime at any police station in South Africa."Share

The money would help Rolls-Royce develop and test a demonstrator of its UltraFan 30 engine. Reports put the funding at £100 million to £200 million.

Chief executive Tufan Erginbilgic said the project would create 40,000 British jobs. He said this would happen if the government backed it and the engine gained a position on a narrowbody airframe.

Erginbilgic also said Rolls-Royce held talks with other governments, including Germany and the US, about support for the programme.Share

Ramokgopa said the automotive sector contributed about 2.1% of South Africa's GDP and employed approximately 300,000 people nationally. She said the facility is "the beginning of the journey that will see the township take its rightful place in the automotive space".

Andile Africa, chief executive of the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC), said the hub aims to professionalise the informal automotive sector. He said it will also strengthen existing businesses and offer skills development.

Eugene, a representative of the hub, said it gives experienced mechanics a chance to pass skills to the younger generation. The hub has 17 workshop rentals.

Nomoya Mnisi, the City of Johannesburg MMC for economic development, said the project could connect local businesses with industry partners, training institutions and potential investors.Share

Australia made 295 in their second innings. Travis Head scored 121. Paceman Scott Boland batted as nightwatchman and scored 40 off 166 balls.

Australia captain Pat Cummins said the team must improve and that selection decisions are pending. He said: "Clearly need to be a lot better than that if we want to compete," He also said Australia must win the third test.

Marnus Labuschagne has gone three years without a test century. Opener Nic Maddinson, recently recalled, scored 0, 48, 0 and 8 across the first two tests. Cameron Green is expected back for Cape Town after injury.Share

Mbalula had not arrived by 13:00 for the meeting. A resident who lives with diabetes said: "The party needs our votes, but they treat us like this". Other supporters said they felt disrespected.

Mbalula urged people to vote for the ANC in the local government elections on 4 November. He said the government used available resources to cushion households, which he said showed it managed the economy despite international pressures. He said R10 billion had been invested to help reduce the effects of the cost of living.

Mbalula also spoke about water in eThekwini. He said the municipality had dealt with a water crisis for years and that the situation was now being addressed. He added that the country had made progress in keeping the lights on, a reference to load shedding.Share

DA MP Andrew Bateman said ANC policies such as black economic empowerment and expropriation do not attract investment. He claimed the GNU was forced to go along with them. He also named high corporate taxes and rigid labour laws as policies that affect investment.

Godongwana said the DA prefers to complain on the streets rather than table alternative proposals. He said it must bring its policy proposals to Cabinet. "What we have seen with the DA is to raise policy issues in the streets and not in the cluster meetings, and that is not useful and helpful."

ActionSA MP Alan Beesley claimed the GNU is to blame for operational inefficiencies at Durban harbour, which he said hurt the economy. Treasury said the fiscal discipline of recent years is paying off and that it has laid foundations for faster growth.

Treasury revised its growth forecast for 2026/27 down to 1.2 per cent. The February forecast was 1.6 per cent.Share

The eyewitness asked not to be named. He said he smelt something burning and went out to look. He said the accused was outside the room that was later set alight.

The eyewitness said the victim cried for help. He and a housemate kicked the door down to get the victim out.

The accused appeared in court earlier this week and remains in custody. Stellenbosch University said it will cooperate with the authorities.Share

Ndabandaba founded the Ubunsizwa Nobunsizwa Foundation. He said people who live in the country illegally for years later claim to be refugees, and that this abuses the asylum application system.

Themba Nzimande, the Afrika Mayibuye mayoral candidate for Ekurhuleni, also spoke. He said limited state resources were already exhausted while government moved asylum applications online. He said South Africans feel ignored and are not happy.

Marcher Esther Mphahlele said Home Affairs added to the reasons for the march because it wants to introduce online applications. She also said asylum seekers bypass neighbouring countries to apply in South Africa, which is far from their home countries.

Nzimande said: "We will make noise until they hear us".Share

Chikunga said the programme will travel to every province, district, school, workplace and household. She said the war on gender-based violence and femicide cannot be won by one institution or one individual.

She said funding includes R3.8 billion to employ more than 3 500 social workers. Another R186 million will strengthen forensic and investigative capacity. The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities gets R157.4 million for coordination and oversight.

Thuthuzela Care Centres will grow from 72 to 80 by 2028/29. The President's Four-Point Plan includes a 60-day audit of unresolved sexual offences and violent crimes against women and children.

Chikunga cited a 2024 study by the Human Sciences Research Council. It found one in three women aged 18 and older have faced physical or sexual violence. Physical violence affected 29.3% of women with disabilities and 21.7% of women without.Share

The Department of Water and Sanitation is investigating the gastrointestinal outbreak. Spokesperson Wisane Mavasa said preliminary findings show the spread is currently concentrated within the university and the prison.

Authorities say the early finding is contamination within the water supply at the university and the prison. They do not blame the municipal distribution system.

Mavasa said: "Laboratory test results of all the samples taken are still pending and will be communicated as soon as they become available."Share

Mkhwane is accused of rape and murder. The State alleges he lured a woman he had known for four years to the Hennas River, where he bound and raped her. The woman is 43 years old.

Reports said her four-month-old baby was later found in a shallow grave. The State also alleges the group conspired to kill the woman for the proceeds of funeral policies.

Mkhwane's co-accused are his wives, Tsako Makhubela, 24, and Amanda Mnguni, 32. Mnguni is accused of fraud. Makhubela's lawyer told the court he struggled to communicate with her. He asked for a mental health evaluation before she commits to a bail application.Share

Temba appeared in the Protea magistrate's court on Thursday. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Magaboke Mohlatlole said the alleged rape happened on 6 October. He said the child told her mother the same day.

The matter was reported to police on 10 October. Temba handed himself over to police on 21 October.

Mohlatlole said the state will oppose bail because of the seriousness of the offence and because it involves a minor. The Gauteng department of education placed Temba on precautionary suspension. It also started psychological support for the pupil.Share

Sassa spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said the process began before Matlou took over. Letsatsi said: "The contract was therefore not initiated with Mr Matlou in mind,"

Sassa also rejected suggestions that its media engagements aimed to influence journalists or discourage critical reporting. It said it does not expect favourable coverage in exchange for access to its officials.

Sassa said the Public Protector cleared Matlou of wrongdoing over earlier allegations that the newspaper report referred to. Matlou has been acting CEO since December 2024.Share

Interpol said the operation disrupted almost 11,000 malicious networks. Financial investigations linked the crimes to losses of more than $385 million.

Neal Jetton, Interpol's Director of Cybercrime, said the cooperation between countries was important in disrupting criminal networks and recovering stolen assets. He said cybercriminals increasingly exploit technology to target victims across national borders.Share

Officials told parliament's portfolio committee on health on Friday that the department opened the case on 18 October under the Water Services Act. Anet Muir, chief director for water use compliance and enforcement, said the city did not act on its corrective action plan. She said: "None of these commitments were implemented in the time frames that were provided".

Muir said the city warned residents about turbidity but did not explain the microbiological risk. She said the city also failed to tell the community when it found non-compliance. She said the lack of chlorination was the major cause of the illness cases.

Bronkhorstspruit Hospital attended to 269 patients and admitted 18. The plant kept running for 21 days after chlorine was last used on 23 September.

Billy Sepuru, Tshwane's acting group head of water and sanitation, said the plant had not consistently produced compliant water since October 2025. He said chlorine supply problems and limited capacity played a part. The city has about six weeks of chlorine supply, and R86m is allocated for the plant's upgrade.

Rand Water now manages the treatment works for Tshwane. It said compliant water could return within a week. Its programme to optimise the plant's full capacity will take 14 to 16 weeks.Share

From 4 November, the petrol price will drop by at least R1.50 per litre and diesel by R3 per litre. In December, petrol will be R1 lower and diesel R1.50 lower, until 5 January.

ActionSA MP Alan Beesley said the fuel price will still be high in January. He said a rational response would have been to continue the relief until the budget speech in February.

Thulani Gamede of the MK Party said the fuel levy should be scrapped completely. He said the government would not lose revenue, because R10 billion is already earmarked from the Central Energy Fund. The MK Party called the cut an election ploy. Gamede said: "It starts on 4 November, the day of the local government elections, which is hard to read as coincidence."

Treasury Deputy Director-General Chris Axelson said Treasury preferred to align the relief with the monthly fuel price adjustments by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources.Share