October 2026

The agency will pay disability grants on Monday, 2 November. It will pay the child grant on Tuesday, 3 November.

Thursday, 5 November is set aside for beneficiaries whose grants are under review. SASSA said in a statement that it "remains committed to ensuring that eligible beneficiaries receive their grants in an orderly and reliable manner".Share

Harith General Partners is a private equity firm with $3 billion in assets under management. The deal would make up about 15% of its portfolio. Harith Aviation and Safair Holdings, the parent company of FlySafair, are parties to the deal.

FlySafair holds more than 60% of South Africa's airline seating capacity. It operates more than 30 aeroplanes. It began in 2014 with two aircraft.

In 2024 the Domestic Air Services Council said the carrier broke South African ownership rules. It said trusts and companies, not people, own 75% of the airline's voting rights. A complaint from the local rival Lift led to that ruling.Share

Centres were told to contact candidates who had not arrived and advise them of alternative centres. Education MEC Jaco Londt said candidates facing circumstances beyond their control may arrive up to an hour after the exam starts and still be admitted.

Two adult men were wounded in a shooting at the Palm taxi rank in Delft at about 7am. Delft SAPS opened two attempted murder cases and a case of discharging a firearm. Police spokesperson Thembakazi Mpendukana said no arrest had been made and the investigation continues.

The City of Cape Town temporarily closed the Delft public transport interchange. Urban mobility MMC Rob Quintas said the violence had spread to Mfuleni and Gugulethu. He said the dispute between the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association and the Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations is rooted in longstanding disputes over routes and operating rights.

Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said the City is giving full policing support to the SAPS. He said safety camera footage is available to help investigators.Share

The Ministry is meeting provincial premiers and the MECs responsible for community safety. One virtual meeting with them took place on 26 October 2026. It is also meeting representatives of the private security industry through the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA).

The Ministry said these talks will continue before the elections. It wants to assess how ready each province is, identify possible risks and make sure the right operational plans are in place.

The Ministry said it remains committed to supporting efforts so that eligible voters can vote freely and without fear, intimidation or disruption.Share

Umalusi, the council that oversees the matric exams, said the change aims to limit election-related disruption. It named political gatherings and community protests as the main risks. Monday 9 November is also a day with no exams.

Umalusi Chief Executive Officer Mafu Rakometsi said election-related political activities may affect exam operations. The exams started on Tuesday 13 October 2026.

Rakometsi said: "Umalusi urges all stakeholders, including political and community leaders, principals, teachers and parents, to minimise the disruption caused by political activities".Share

The Police Ministry said in a statement that the memorandum will go to a Cabinet sitting at the earliest opportunity. Ministry spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi repeated this. Once Cabinet agrees, the appointment must be reported to parliament.

The post of national head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks, has had no permanent holder since General Godfrey Lebeya retired in May last year. Lieutenant General Siphesihle Nkosi is now the acting national head.

The Police Ministry said: "The appointment of a National Head is important in ensuring strong leadership, strategic direction and operational effectiveness in addressing these crimes".Share

Mining's contribution to the economy rose 12.5% after the rebasing. Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said this was mainly due to better coverage of illegal mining. It said illegal mining has grown as the price of gold has soared.

The unobserved economy now makes up 8.7% of GDP, up from 7.3% before. The contribution of finance, real estate and business services rose 9.1%, the second-largest increase in sector weighting.Share

The IEC says the 2.6 million approved special votes are the highest ever. Election day is on the fourth. Special voting on Monday and Tuesday comes before it.

In the Northern Cape, over 130 000 people applied for special votes. The province had 90 000 special votes in 2021.

IEC representative Alkin Topkin said the special votes process eases the congestion and long queues expected on election day. He also said the online application process was quick and easy.

Journalist Karabo Siyoko applied for a special vote because she will work in another city during the elections. She also said the online process was quick and easy.Share

Statistics South Africa said on Thursday that it moved the base year for its figures from 2015 to 2022. It also added activity that earlier methods did not observe, and it used more complete data and better ways of measuring.

All 10 sectors tracked showed higher output. Mining, finance and trade had the largest increases. Mining had the biggest upward revision in nominal GDP, at 12.5 percent, partly because of better coverage of illegal mining.

Nigeria's nominal GDP last year was 441.5-trillion naira. Johann Els, chief economist at financial services firm PSG, said the revisions would make South Africa's debt numbers look better, in particular its debt-to-GDP ratio.Share

The hike charged R150 a person. Osman said it was meant to create paid opportunities for unemployed men. He described his role in the hike this way: "I'm the registered guide, and I'll bring in people from the Khoi and San to talk about the history of Table Mountain and the culture".

Take Back Our Mountains has run clean-ups, safety patrols and educational hikes since 2018. Osman said the clean-ups need a permit because the group pays a stipend to about 30 community members who do the cleaning.

Osman said the organisation still waits for a memorandum of understanding with SANParks. The two sides first discussed it in 2023.Share

Barnard plans to buy a new phone with the money and save the rest. He said: "I'm not going to live extravagantly." His father, Vernon Sr, went with him to New York.

Daniel's Music Foundation presents the Danny Awards. Each year it selects 10 artists from around the world to perform live in New York.

Barnard became widely known after his blind audition of One Direction's Story of My Life on The Voice SA. The audition has 29 million online views. He had 16 unsuccessful eye operations before he was six.Share

Modise said his career has come full circle and called the honour deeply meaningful. He also spoke about his role in South Africa's transition to democracy in the early 1990s. He said: "To be part of that story was an important era for me".

The Tim Modise Foundation said the recognition suited his career. It said the honour recognised his work during significant periods in South Africa's history and his contribution to the communication and media industry.

Modise also discussed changes in South African media. He said it is sometimes difficult to tell whether a story is true because there is a lot of clutter. He has more than 280,000 followers on X.

He spoke about the work of the Tim Modise Foundation, which seeks to preserve his legacy and support community development. The Mark Fish Foundation is a partner for a sports tournament planned for December.Share

WRIGHT aims to advance women's participation and leadership in research and innovation. Gina said representation alone does not guarantee equal opportunities for advancement and leadership. She said WRIGHT could help ensure that women are supported to build sustainable research careers and take leadership positions.

Gina cited figures from the 2023/24 National Survey of Research and Experimental Development. Women make up 47.7% of South Africa's research workforce and 52% of the academic workforce. They make up 62.6% of university enrolments. She also said South Africa's performance in patenting and commercialisation remains below desired levels.

Gina urged the WRIGHT Steering Committee to build partnerships and share lessons. She said: "Women must be able to take part at every point of that journey". The programme included the university's interim vice-chancellor Rushiella Songca, CAPRISA deputy director Kogieleum Naidoo and patent attorney Omphile Netshiozwi.Share

Duba scored in the 48th, 62nd and 66th minutes. Pule Mmodi set up the first goal, and Mduduzi Shabalala set up the third. TS Galaxy goalkeeper Melusi Mathebula saved a penalty that Shabalala won for Chiefs. TS Galaxy substituted Mlondi Mncwango in the 21st minute because of an injury.

The win ended a run of three successive draws for Chiefs. It came four days after they played Red Arrows of Zambia in the African Confederation Cup. TS Galaxy have now lost four consecutive matches in all competitions.

Chiefs coach Fernando da Cruz said his team lacked intensity in the first half. He said he asked the players at halftime to be calmer inside the box. He also said Chiefs could have scored five or six goals.Share

Western Cape has 374,761 discs due to expire in the two months. KwaZulu-Natal has 327,014. RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane gave the figures in a statement on road safety.

Zwane said traffic volumes are expected to increase significantly during the festive season. He also said rain is expected in parts of the country.

RTMC driving licence testing centres will extend their hours from Sunday to Monday. They will open between 7am and 9pm.

Zwane said: "The road safety agency is making a special plea to all motorists to make road safety a priority this festive season."Share

Many residents in Ward 18 told a reporter they would not vote. They spoke of disillusionment, drug abuse and gangsterism in the area. Resident Ray Herman, aged 28, has never voted. He said: "It is useless to vote. I am not going to vote. There is no point."

The main contest appears to be between the Patriotic Alliance (PA) and the DA, based on past results and campaign visibility. The PA won 64.58% of the ward vote in the 2021 local government elections. The DA won 18.24%. In a May by-election in the ward, the PA won 62% and the DA 22%.

Across the country, 136 790 candidates are contesting 10 526 seats in the 2026 election. In 2021, there were 95 427 certified candidates. Juwairiya Kaldine, the PA councillor for Ward 18, is seeking re-election.Share

The department's Office of Energy Dominance Financing announced the offer on Tuesday 27 October. Energy Secretary Chris Wright made the announcement during a visit to Constellation's Byron Generating Station in Illinois. The eight plants have 15 operating reactors.

Constellation said the commitment could lower its financing costs and help it add nuclear capacity at greater scale. It said recent 20-year agreements with Google and Amazon encouraged it to invest more than $7 billion to add approximately 1,080 megawatts. The company said the added electricity could power over 930,000 homes.

Constellation said uprates are one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to add dependable power without building new generation or transmission. Reports said most of the new capacity is already committed to Google, Amazon and Meta.Share

Council spokesperson Makhosandile Tumana spoke on radio on Wednesday. He said the council cannot promise that further attacks will not happen. The violence involves the rival associations CATA and CODETA.

Tumana said: "We don't want to lie currently. This thing is out of our hands." The presenter, Africa Melane, said law enforcement at taxi ranks has had very limited impact. He said this is because the incidents happen outside the ranks.

A meeting between the taxi industry and government is planned for Thursday. Tumana appealed to members to stay calm so the meeting can take place.Share

Officials found the reptiles at a shop in Observatory and a home in Woodstock during an operation in 2023. Hewett was convicted of unlawful possession and keeping of all 145 animals.

CapeNature said the case shows the environmental risks of illegal wildlife trafficking. Spokesperson Luke Folb said escaped or deliberately released alien reptiles may form invasive populations. He said they can prey on indigenous species and compete for food and habitat.

Folb said the unlawful trade and keeping of reptiles can deplete wild populations. He also said it can bring diseases and parasites to indigenous wildlife.Share

The fall in deal volumes followed a rise in bond yields. A new cycle of central bank rate increases also began. Together, these ended hopes for a recovery in office valuations.Share

Police said the suspects allegedly robbed the driver while armed. In the footage, a woman gets into the vehicle after she requests a ride. Other people then get in and pull the handbrake.

Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi spoke about the court appearance in a statement on the arrests. She said: "All suspects are expected to appear before court soon on charges related to armed robbery and firearm offences".Share

A Greenfield resident and other residents described Ekurhuleni as a crime scene. Dlabathi rejected this and said basic services are being delivered.

Dlabathi said the city moved almost R800 million into repairs and maintenance. He said the city will revive its asphalt plant to fix potholes. He also said the city recovered R840 million of the R2 billion in electricity revenue that was never collected.

He spoke about the dismissal of the deputy police chief and two department heads after the Madlanga Commission. He said consequence management will be "the order of the day".

On jobs, Dlabathi promised faster approvals for investors, land for trading precincts and skills programmes for young people.Share

Separately, the Financial and Fiscal Commission told Parliament that the MTBPS did not pay enough attention to the sustainability of the local government fiscal framework. The commission criticised National Treasury's handling of distressed municipalities.

Fourteen affiliates of the South African Municipal Workers Union were due in the Johannesburg Magistrates Court on charges of inciting public violence. They had blocked the M1 near Braamfontein.Share

Nicholson spoke in a radio interview on CapeTalk/702. She said a purchase that was not planned is not a saving. In her words: "If you're spending R1,000 on something that you would not otherwise have bought, you've not saved R1,000. You've actually spent R1,000."

Nicholson said buying something only because it is on special can end up costing a shopper more. She said Black Friday can still be a good chance to save on essentials, mainly for people who planned and put money aside.

She also warned that December and January can be very expensive months. She told shoppers it is fine to miss a deal, because another promotion will come along.Share

Bloom spoke on the sidelines of a review of the national strategic water framework in Boksburg on Tuesday. He said chlorine was not available for three weeks. He said it took many failures at many levels for that to happen.

Bloom also said the problem extends beyond Bronkhorstspruit. He said the Tshwane CBD has problems linked to a lack of chlorine. The plant manager has been suspended.

The crisis is linked to the City of Tshwane's failure to chlorinate water at the Bronkhorstspruit Treatment Works. Unnamed sources allege a dispute with the chlorine supplier over a price increase. It is also understood that the plant drew water from a river already polluted by sewage, while pumps and sand filters malfunctioned.Share

Lesufi told ANC volunteers that no old Ford Cortina would run Johannesburg. He said the metro would be led by the ANC. ANC members said the remark pointed to Zille, who they said was known for driving the vintage vehicle.

Lesufi urged supporters to stay focused ahead of the local government elections on 4 November. He said the ANC had reached more people than any other party in its door-to-door work. He also said Johannesburg remains the home of the ANC.

He said opposition parties were telling people not to vote for small parties because they would not bring democracy. Lesufi called that a sign of panic. He said the ANC would surprise its enemies and come out victorious.Share

Ngqondwana said the drowning happened in Ngobozana village near Lusikisiki. He also said the municipality was still verifying the details of the death. He said roads were severely affected in various areas.

Access to Mqanduli town was closed on Tuesday, and access to some communities was affected. Flooding also hit some roads. Other areas named in the municipality's response include Port St Johns, Qumbu and Tsolo.

The OR Tambo District Municipality sent disaster management teams to assess the damage and the needs of communities. It said a fuller update would follow. The municipality urged people to avoid crossing flooded rivers and low-lying bridges.Share

Dlabathi said: "We will build a much more financially sustainable City of Ekurhuleni." The debate was held by Radio 702 ahead of the 2026 local government elections.

DA mayoral candidate Tsholofelo Bodlani said her party will uproot corruption and professionalise the local administration. She said: "People and officials who break the law must be held personally liable for wasting money in the City of Ekurhuleni."

EFF mayoral candidate Nthabiseng Tshivhenga said crime is one of the party's biggest concerns in the metro. The debate also touched on claims that R2 billion in electricity revenue has disappeared from the city without explanation.Share

The three co-accused include Matlala's wife, Tsakane Matlala. The court granted them bail of R20 000 each last month. Four accused persons are in the case.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the State needs to go into the financial statements of each accused individually. She said this is the reason for the postponement.

Mahanjana said: "The postponement has no bearing on the strength of the State's case."Share

The City of Tshwane placed Mnisi on precautionary suspension with pay over alleged misconduct. The matter is linked to claims of tender fraud involving former SAPS Sergeant Fannie Nkosi. The Madlanga Commission alleges that Mnisi shared confidential tender information with Nkosi.

Unnamed accusers say Mnisi has wealth he cannot explain, including a fleet of luxury vehicles and multimillion-rand properties. They say the assets do not match his salary, which is over R100,000 a month. Mnisi says he acquired the assets as part of his divorce proceedings.Share