October 2026

Yeshelen Govender, the KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson for Siyafana Sonke, said police still need to do more to curb the violence against foreign nationals. She said: "There have been certain arrests made, however, it’s clear that it’s not the instigators or ringleaders of the violence."

Police took five people in for questioning in connection with the murder of a foreign national and assaults on others this week. The wave of violent anti-immigration protests in Durban has lasted two weeks.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda said police are pursuing other people believed to be involved in violence and other criminality during marches.Share

Thapelo Mokobodi scored in the 17th minute. Evidence Makgopa scored twice, in the 45th and 77th minutes. Youngster Mpho Padime scored in the 46th minute.

Pirates have now gone 32 consecutive Caf Champions League home matches without defeat. In that run they have won 19 and drawn 13. They have won all eight home matches this season across all competitions.

African Stars have made six Caf Champions League appearances. None of them reached the group stage.Share

Treasury plans tougher rules for municipal finances. These include changes to the Municipal Finance Management Act that give Treasury a say in the appointment of municipal financial officers. They also bring stricter penalties for misconduct and earlier action on financial mismanagement.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana withheld the equitable share from 69 municipalities in July. Of these, 38 made payment arrangements with creditors. Municipalities then settled more than R4 billion in bills.

Pieterse said the municipal funding review will give effect to the new white paper on local government. He said Treasury will finalise it by the end of the year. He also said conditional grants have not produced quality spending and will in future be linked to fundable projects.

Other spheres of government owe municipalities R27.6 billion. Treasury will also join wage negotiations to make sure pay increases are affordable.Share

The Sharks led 17-7 at halftime and won with a 15-point margin. The win earned five log points. Ethan Bester, a replacement hooker, scored a try in the 74th minute.

Esterhuizen was seen on the sidelines in a moon boot after an awkward fall early in the match. The writer of the match report thinks he is highly unlikely to be cleared for the Springboks' Nations Championship away leg in Italy.

Julius is a Sharks centre. The same writer said his absence after halftime should be seen as an injury, but the team has not confirmed this.

Ethan Hooker started on the wing and scored a try, and Matt Ramao scored two tries. Zekhethelo Siyaya was named man of the match. Cardiff flanker James Botham scored two tries.Share

The DA-led council started the disciplinary action against Tyhido. It accused him of failing to attend meetings.

Tyhido said he was never formally charged with missing council or council committee meetings. He also said the rules for those meetings do not apply to sub councils. He called the process a political concoction by the DA.

Tyhido said: "I would rather go and dedicate my time to the campaign of the ANC."Share

The lack of chlorination led to contaminated water reaching households. More than 400 people have reported gastrointestinal illnesses, which are believed to be linked to the unchlorinated water.

The City of Tshwane faces criminal charges over the matter. Moya said the city will cooperate with the investigations. She said: "We will fully cooperate and make sure that our participation will correct everything going forward; not only for Bronkhorstspruit but for the entire city."

The South African Human Rights Commission called on the City of Tshwane to update residents. Spokesperson Wisani Baloyi said the continued reports of contaminated water and the health concerns are deeply troubling and need urgent and decisive action.Share

Rees said mosquitoes are moving to higher latitudes and altitudes, and transmission seasons are getting longer in some regions. She pointed to Anopheles stephensi, a malaria mosquito that breeds in water storage containers and is spreading into African cities. She also said Aedes mosquitoes, which carry dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika, are likely to expand. This is an expert warning from a lecture, not a new study with new data.Share

William Ntladi, spokesperson for Ekurhuleni Emergency Management Services (EMS), is the official named in connection with the incident. The number of dead is at least four, so it may rise.Share

In the cycle, more oxygen raised sulfate in the sea. Microbes used the sulfate to break down organic matter and released phosphorus, which fed new growth and more carbon burial. The team used a new technique that separates phosphorus that living things could use from phosphorus locked in minerals. The study is peer-reviewed and appears in Nature Communications. Bekker says the results suggest oxygen swung more than scientists once believed.Share

Madlanga warned that the misuse of public power for personal wealth could destroy honest businesses. He said the courts and anti-corruption bodies must act to stop this.

He explained what he wants these bodies to achieve. In his words: "They must do this to make participation in corruption hazardous, to reduce, if not optimistically remove, profit in corrupt activity, and thus to disincentivise participation in any corrupt activity."Share

Founder Hyunwoo Yuk developed the material in the MIT lab of Professor Xuanhe Zhao. The company says it already has regulatory approval to stop trauma bleeding. Human trials for bleeding control during surgery and tissue repair will start next year. Yuk compares the adhesive to a Post-it note and says it could lower surgery costs. Those are his own claims, and the surgical uses are not yet tested in humans.Share

At the 50mg dose, PSA levels fell by at least 50% in 77% of 31 evaluable patients. PSA levels fell by at least 90% in 48% of patients. Among patients with measurable tumours, 69% had a confirmed complete or partial response.

One patient stopped treatment because of adverse effects. Johnson & Johnson said the drug kills cancer cells selectively by interfering with a protein they need to survive.

A company spokesperson said: "It adds a new mechanism of action to J&J’s prostate cancer portfolio". Johnson & Johnson gained access to the drug through its deal to buy Halda Therapeutics for $3.05bn (R50.6bn) last year.Share

Daniels said the group grew from 10 to 20 volunteers to 100 people over time. His right-hand man is Roger Seekoei, known as Oupa Myburgh. Ursula Daniels, known as Aunty Urshy, helped attract volunteers.

Daniels said no funding comes to the group, especially from big organisations. He said political parties and some government organisations contact the group but give little financial support. He said parties should recognise people who already work on problems in their communities, instead of approaching them only when it helps the parties.

Daniels also said some residents have become used to dumping waste when Pickitup does not collect their household waste. He said: "We're doing it with a passion, because if we were waiting for money, we would have dropped out a long time ago."Share

Reid said SA Fashion Week gives young designers a platform and boosts their exposure. He also pointed to the community of designers at the event.

Mikhail Brown, co-founder of the brand Ntwana, also took part in this fashion week. Brown started designing in 2023 and says he has come far in 3 years. He said Ntwana is reaching the upper echelons of the fashion industry and that this first fashion week will not be the brand's last.

Designer David Tlale won the New Talent Search in 2003.Share

The proposed awards include up to $175 million for Helion, $85 million for Commonwealth Fusion Systems, $73 million for Vertical Semiconductor and $56 million for Sibelco. The money comes through the CHIPS Research and Development Office. The deals remain at the letter-of-intent stage.

Commerce would receive minority, noncontrolling, nonvoting equity stakes in each company as a condition of the awards. Commonwealth Fusion Systems said it will use its money to develop semiconductor technology for robotic maintenance systems at its ARC plant. It also plans to improve radio-frequency power generators that support commercial fusion.

Bill Frauenhofer, Executive Director of Semiconductor Investment and Innovation at the department, said the awards will support breakthroughs in power semiconductor devices and critical materials. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said: "The Trump Administration is accelerating American semiconductor innovation to enhance our domestic energy and power resources."Share

The JMPD said the fuel-payment problems came from administrative issues at the City of Joburg. The municipality has not yet explained what went wrong and had not answered media queries.

Wayne Duvenage of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse said the city's management and administration have collapsed. He also said the mayor and people in political power may not understand how far the collapse has gone.Share

Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli launched the project. He said: "We are constructing pathways to opportunity, to connectivity, and to inclusion."

Huawei Solution Manager Li Yanbang said installing fibre during or before road construction can cut costs. He said it also stops later excavation from damaging roads.

Charles Cheng of Huawei South Africa said fibre pre-provisioning should be considered for municipal building codes and the national housing strategy. The approach aims to cut the cost of installing connectivity later. It could serve as a model for similar housing developments across South Africa.Share

The South African Police Service (SAPS) said stokvel members may become vulnerable to robberies, theft and other opportunistic crimes. This risk grows when cash withdrawals and payout plans become predictable. Police said criminals may use predictable routines and public information to pick victims.

SAPS also asked members to keep their financial arrangements private and to stay alert during the payout period. Police said they will continue crime prevention and high-visibility operations in the province.Share

The three men are Justice Ngobeni, Mohale Chris Ngobeni and Joel Mawasha. The fourth man, Moilakgomo Tebogo Mohale, got 45 years. The hijacking at Majeje Village happened on 10 October 2023. The victim who died was David Refilwe Katjedi.

The court convicted the three men on seven counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and two counts of kidnapping. The court heard the state's case that the accused used the hijacked vehicle to target other victims. The state also said they withdrew money with the victims' bank cards.

State advocate George Makhudu said the accused showed no remorse. He said no substantial and compelling circumstances justified a sentence below the prescribed minimum.

Limpopo director of public prosecutions Ivy Thenga welcomed the sentences. She said they sent a strong message that those who commit violent and organised crimes will be prosecuted vigorously.Share

Cassim cited a track-and-trace study by the Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA). The study covered 319 learners and 30 employers. It found that 58.5% of respondents had secured full-time employment.

Cassim warned that the findings should not be read as a national employment rate. He also said they should not be assumed to represent every CATHSSETA programme.

He said skills development cannot solve unemployment on its own. He said training that is disconnected from economic demand wastes public resources and human potential. Statistics South Africa put unemployment at 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026, and at 47.4% among people aged 15 to 34.

Cassim said: "Public funding must produce measurable results."Share

The mayor wanted the court to halt reporting on him by the publication. The court dismissed the application and ordered him to pay costs on a punitive scale.

The ruling was reported on Friday 23 October in a roundup of the day's top stories. That roundup described the ruling as a significant legal affirmation of press freedom.Share

Cassim spoke on Thursday in Cape Town. He gave the keynote address at a stakeholder engagement session of the Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA) Accounting Authority.

Cassim said community-based training can connect learners to economic opportunities. He named tourism, hospitality, cultural enterprises and small businesses, particularly in rural areas.

He said: "Learners do not all have the same access to transport, technology, infrastructure, or proximity to employers." Cassim also said sector skills planning must be ongoing, based on evidence and regular talks with industry.Share

The bus operator claims the collision could not be avoided. Spokesperson Bronwen Dyk-Beyer said the bus was running as scheduled when the child ran into its path.

Dyk-Beyer also said the driver went to the police station straight after members of the community threatened him. The company's account has not been confirmed by police.Share

Moshabela said the breakdown makes engagement with the governing body increasingly difficult. He said this is not in the best interests of the university.

He told council members that he stays answerable to them. In the letter he wrote: "I remain fully accountable to council,"Share

The accreditation was recognised at the national Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards at Grotto Beach in Hermanus. Mayor Babalwa Lobishe said in a statement that the metro sees its beaches as critical to economic growth. The municipality said the status will strengthen its coastal tourism offering before the summer holidays.

The municipality allocated R5.6 million to beach maintenance and upgrades in the current financial year. It said the ISUZU IRONMAN African Championship at Hobie Beach in April 2026 injected more than R87 million into the local economy. The event also produced 20 787 verified overnight stays.

Kings Beach will host the Lifesaving World Championships from 25 November to 13 December 2026. The municipality expects 2 500 competitors and estimates the event will generate R350 million in economic activity.

The 2025/26 cruise season brought 39 international vessels to the metro. They carried 59 077 passengers and 22 994 crew members. The municipality estimates the season contributed R111 million, up from R96.5 million the season before.Share

Commission spokesperson Wisani Baloyi said the situation appeared to have deteriorated further and remains unresolved. The commission has investigated water-related complaints in Bronkhorstspruit since May. Baloyi called the development disheartening.

The contamination is believed to come from unchlorinated water from the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Plant. The City of Tshwane supplies the water to residents.

Baloyi said the city must act to prevent further harm and any possible loss of life. He said: "The Commission emphasises that the protection of public health and the provision of safe drinking water cannot be deferred."Share

Daniels is the Patriotic Alliance (PA) candidate for mayor of Cape Town as well as for Ward 56. He is the first PA ward councillor in the City of Cape Town. Jansen is the DA candidate for the ward and a DA proportional representation councillor for Kensington.

The DA won 53.91% of the vote in Ward 56 in 2021. The PA took 1,321 votes, or 40.7%, in the 8 February 2023 by-election, where turnout was 20.52%. In 2024, the DA won 5,889 votes in the ward on the national ballot and the PA won 1,023.

Jansen said the DA did not contest the 2023 by-election because it failed to register him with the Electoral Commission of South Africa in time. He said the party has learnt its lesson. He also said the 2024 results show the DA still has supporters in the ward, but it will not become complacent.

Several polls put PA support in the Cape Town metro at around 5%. The polls place the city firmly under DA control.Share

Apple said demand was strong and the response was "nothing short of extraordinary". Pre-orders were capped at two handsets per customer. Customers in New York and Shanghai reportedly began queuing at 04:00 and 06:00 local time.

In South Africa the 256GB model costs R47 999 and the 2TB model costs R76 999. In Hong Kong the 256GB model costs HK$17 499 (R37 000), and one reseller expected a resale profit of HK$4,000.

Reviewers praised the design and hinge. They said the camera has compromises, including no telephoto lens, and that many third-party apps still need rework. Some said the folded phone is less handy for quick daily tasks.

Commentator John Gruber called the Duo a polished prototype rather than a finished product. Market researcher IDC expects Apple to take 44% of foldable market value in 2026 on 31% of units.Share

The department said it will refer the matter to the South African Council for Educators. The principal's name was not given. The allegations against him have not been tested in court.

In a statement, the department said: "Any official found to have violated the trust placed in them will face both the full disciplinary process of the department and the criminal justice system."Share

The accused told the court the girl was the daughter of his co-accused, not his own. He admitted assaulting the children and said he was under the influence of drug abuse at the time. He also said he is now a better person.

He said he looked after the children for about three months while their mother worked. He earned R1,050 a week when he worked as a welder. He admitted assaulting his three-year-old son.

The state argued that life imprisonment is justified because of the seriousness of the crimes, the injuries and the lack of substantial and compelling circumstances. The prosecutor said his apology was not enough and that the child's lack of oxygen was linked to his actions. The state also cited a prescribed minimum sentence of 10 years for child abuse charges.

The defence said he is a first-time offender who pleaded guilty and showed remorse, so a sentence below life could be justified. It asked the court to consider hypoxia in mitigation. The mother's case was separated, and she is expected to apply for bail.Share