November 2026

The rights group FundaRedes first reported nine deaths. Its coordinator, Juan Francisco Garcia, later said another 10 bodies had been taken to San Fernando. FundaRedes monitors rights violations in Venezuela's border states.

A Venezuelan military source spoke on condition of anonymity. The source said US intelligence supported the attack and that most of those killed were Venezuelan nationals. The source also said the guerrillas had no time to react and that forces would keep combing the area because there are more camps.

Rocio San Miguel, a human rights advocate and military affairs expert, said the attack reflects a change in doctrine within the Venezuelan military. Colombia has accused Venezuela's leftist government of ignoring Colombian rebel groups in border areas for years.Share

The Learjet 60 took off from Austin and was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. The crash site is near Lake Worth Beach. The 600 evacuated residents went to two shelters in the county.

An audio recording from the Miami air traffic control centre, posted on LiveATC, has the cockpit reporting mayday while the jet descended at 10 000 feet per minute. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 said the descent rate passed 32000 feet per minute at one point. The recording puts 35 seconds between the first mayday and the last cockpit transmission.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke at a press conference near the site. He said: "It was like a missile coming down, and a massive explosion, debris going everywhere." County Commissioner Joel Flores described a "massive crater" at the site.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the crash a horrific tragedy. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a statement on the crash.Share

Bredell gave the warning in an interview a week before the polls. He said: "It’s a ransom kind of situation where small parties determine who’s going to govern, especially a single small party with one or two seats. That’s a nightmare." He also said multi-party coalitions at local level do not work.

Bredell said a new council would not be able to fix the problems in Oudtshoorn and Theewaterskloof for at least two and a half to three years.

Research by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (Mistra) found that 80 of 213 municipal councils were hung at some point between the 2021 elections and February 2026. It said 16 of those 80 were in the Western Cape. Those councils produced 175 different governing arrangements.

Dr Lungelwa Kaywood of Stellenbosch University's School of Public Leadership said the province could see more hung councils. She said: "It’s not whether we will have hung councils, it’s how many and where,"Share

Mncube is one of five accused in the trial over the murder of former Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa. State Prosecutor Ronnie Sibanda is questioning him.

The state says cellphone records and shared contacts link Mncube to accused number two, Ntanzi. Mncube rejects this. He says Ntanzi's number does not appear in his call records, which he says supports his version.

Under cross-examination, Mncube said: "I only know accused four and five because I know them." Testimony also named Lungisani Ndwandwe as someone Ntanzi called.

Meyiwa was murdered in October 2014.Share

Nagle has led the commodities group since 2021. Glencore is the company proposing the change to his pay package.Share

Dyantyi spoke on Sunday at the launch of the provincial operations centre of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). She said police are being deployed to specific hotspots. Police assured South Africans of a safe and secure environment in which to vote.

Dyantyi said the operational plan has the approval of NatJoints. She told the launch: "The operational plan has already been approved; hence, I have also mentioned that we did get the thumbs up because we had presented our plan to the NatJoints."Share

Van der Merwe was known as Witness D at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. He was killed in a drive-by shooting outside his Brakpan home. Sotheni is a former South African Police Service Special Task Force member.

The state said three cellphones were found on a catwalk behind Sotheni's cell during a search at the correctional facility. It alleged that one of the phones was linked directly to him. The state also said preliminary investigations suggest he had communicated with someone outside the facility.

The state asked the court for more time to finish its investigation.Share

The UK tax authority is looking at the partnership structure of the consulting firm. Partners in such firms are usually taxed as self-employed owners, not as staff. A change in their status would change the tax and contributions due.

The filings describe the inquiry as part of a push on the taxation of senior staff at professional services firms.Share

In the study, 76 university students tried to memorise photos of models in underwear, then said which photos they had seen. Half received a weak current for ten minutes and half received a placebo. In the stimulated group, recognition of upright women improved and the gap between images of men and women disappeared. The authors say it was a single lab session with students, and they measured only immediate effects, not attitudes or behaviour.Share

Yotova is the interim president of Bulgaria. Gyurov is the pro-western candidate who ran against her.

The vote took place as Moscow's strikes against Ukraine reach Bulgaria's shores.Share

Ntshavheni told voters not to back a councillor who serves only personal interests. She said: "Do not vote for a councillor who serves only personal interests; vote for someone you can hold accountable and engage about community problems and challenges."

The elections take place on Wednesday, 4 November. Approved special votes will be cast on 2 and 3 November 2026.

The Electoral Commission urges voters to check their voting station details before Election Day. Voters can send their ID number by WhatsApp to 0600 88 0000. They can also send an SMS to 32810, which costs R1 per SMS.Share

Senior Middle East diplomats said a threatened escalation of the war between the US and Iran would probably be even more damaging than earlier rounds of the conflict.

Reports said Trump pressed Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu to persist with diplomacy. These reports are not confirmed by either government.Share

Ntuli said he is confident the elections will take place without incident. He said police are deployed and will be ready. He added that the army is deployed to complement the work of police.

Gauteng has 119 high-risk voting stations. In KwaZulu-Natal, eThekwini has 124 of them. uThukela has 16, Amajuba has 13, Zululand has 11 and Ugu has one.

Ntuli said: "At a government level, we have done everything to ensure that we safeguard the days of the elections."Share

The IEC announced its state of readiness at a media briefing in Midrand on Sunday night. Its chief executive, Sy Mamabolo, spoke about the preparations. One report gave 2.6-million as the number of people expected to vote on Monday and Tuesday.

Separately, the Electoral Court ruled that the EFF nominated Sivuyile Jacquin Tshikila as a ward 03 councillor candidate in the Eastern Cape without his knowledge or consent. The case concerned the Raymond Mhlaba local municipality.

President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke at the ANC's final rally at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane. He said ANC councillors and mayors who fail to serve communities or misuse public funds will be removed. He said: "We want to place emphasis on making sure we get accountable and capable and ethical people who are going to be elected"Share

Judge Modiba Shongwe delivered the judgment in Bloemfontein on Friday. He said forcing someone to stand for public office against their wishes could undermine their dignity. In the judgment he said: "The EFF cannot coerce the applicant without his consent to stand for office as ward candidate against his will".

Tshikila is a former EFF member and a local leader in KwaMaqoma, in the Eastern Cape. He said he had already left the party when it submitted his name. He also said he never signed a nomination form or gave permission to use his name, and he believes the documents were submitted fraudulently.

Tshikila said he found out on September 16 that he was standing for a party he no longer belonged to. EFF Eastern Cape regional coordinator Veronica Mente gave a different account. She said the person accepted the nomination but withdrew after the period for changes with the IEC had closed. She also said party records show his membership was active.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) must make sure voters cannot cast ballots for him. IEC deputy head of communications David Mandaha is the commission's spokesperson on the matter.Share

The home visits take place on 2 and 3 November. The commission has deployed 127 000 electoral officials for home visits and for special voting at voting stations. KwaZulu-Natal has the most approved home visits of any province, at 143 714.

Mamabolo spoke at a media briefing on Sunday. He said voters who miss the visit are not shut out of the election. In his words, "voters who miss the home visit by the election officials on 2 and 3 November are not disenfranchised".Share

Esterhuizen faced 49 deliveries for his 98 not out, his highest T20 score. He and Mitchell van Buuren, who finished on 39 not out, added an unbroken 131 runs for the fourth wicket.

The Titans reached 191 for seven in their 20 overs. Opener Rivaldo Moonsamy scored 61 and all-rounder Ethan Bosch made 25. Siya Plaatjie and legspinner Nqaba Peter took two wickets each for the Lions.

The Lions have 19 points from four wins and a no result in five games. The Titans have 10 points from two wins and three losses in five games.Share

Chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo spoke at a press briefing at the national results centre on Sunday. The ballots were reprinted after a Constitutional Court ruling on 15 October. The court ordered the reinstatement of 181 ANC candidates who missed the candidate-list deadline. The relief was extended to 32 other parties, which affected ballots in 107 municipalities.

More than 2.6 million voters are approved to cast special votes over two days. Of these, 678 525 are approved for home visits, and KwaZulu-Natal has the most visits at 143 000. Nearly 2 million voters are approved to vote at voting stations, and Gauteng has the most, at 391 000. The commission deployed 127 000 electoral officials for home visits and special voting.

Mamabolo said weather forecasts show a high possibility of rain in parts of KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga over the next two days. He said voters who miss the home visit are not disenfranchised. They can still vote at their voting station on 4 November.

The commission accredited 117 domestic observer groups. About 15 African electoral commissions take part in its international visitors programme.Share

Ntombfuthi Masinga, the provincial electoral officer of the IEC in KwaZulu-Natal, asked voters to learn the rules at voting stations. Campaigning is banned there. Photographing ballot papers is also banned.

Masinga said taking a picture of the ballot paper after voting is an electoral offence and that offenders will be arrested. She said: "We do not allow you to take a picture of the ballot paper once you have voted at the voting station."

On main voting day, voting stations open at 7 in the morning and close at 9 at night. The IEC said it is ready for the polls.Share

IEC Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo spoke at a media briefing on Sunday night. He said 678 525 approved special votes will be cast at residences, for voters with a physical infirmity or disability. Another 1 976 542 will be cast at registered voting stations.

Gauteng has the most approved special voters, at 480 721. The Eastern Cape has 401 971 and KwaZulu-Natal has 348 971. KwaZulu-Natal has the most approved home visits, at 143 714, and Gauteng has the most station-based special votes, at 391 589.

Special votes will be counted with the Election Day ballots. Mamabolo said: "Voters are reminded that they can only vote where they are registered." Voters can check their special vote status by SMS to 32711, at R1 per message.Share

Trump told the crowd the US may have to give Tehran "the hammer" at some point. He said the only reason he is not finished with Iran is that he wants to be nice and save lives.

He gave the rally speech in Iowa, days before the US midterm elections on November 3. In the speech, he said: "And the only reason why I'm not finished with Iran is I want to be nice."Share

The structure has many layers and houses bacteria that make energy from chemicals, not sunlight. The findings suggest the animal may host these bacteria inside a dedicated part of its cells. The work is peer-reviewed and appears in Nature Communications. Only the opening of the abstract was available, so the sample size and methods are not known.Share

Matlala and his co-accused face charges of orchestrating three alleged failed assassination attempts. The state says the attempts happened between August 2022 and January 2024. It says the targets were Tebogo Thobejane, Joe Sibanyoni and Seunkie Mokubung, who is known as DJ Vettys.

The trial within a trial concerns evidence from the 2024 arrest of alleged hitman Musa Kekana. The court must decide whether that evidence is admissible. Kekana was arrested in 2024 over the murder of Armand Swart.

The state says Kekana tailored his evidence. It says it found several discrepancies between his affidavits in the trial within a trial and his submissions in his 2024 bail application.Share

NATJOINTS Chairperson Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili spoke at a media briefing at the NATJOINTS Coordinating Centre in Tshwane on Sunday. She said defiance of the ban would be a crime. Her words were: "No campaigning or political persuasion is permitted on Voting Day."

Demonstrations are also banned within 100 metres of voting stations. The ban covers voting, counting and the announcement of results.

NATJOINTS said enough law enforcement personnel are deployed in all provinces. It said intelligence assessments and identified threats shaped the security plans. The aim, it said, is to protect life, property and the constitutional rights of all South Africans.

The briefing also covered a Durban High Court interim order on protests in KwaZulu-Natal. Special voting takes place on Monday and Tuesday, and the Electoral Commission of South Africa stated that it is ready.Share

Mamabolo spoke to the media at the National Results Operations Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg. He said the weather forecast shows possible rainfall in parts of KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga. He said North West, Limpopo, Northern Cape and Free State are experiencing hot weather.

Mamabolo said: "The commission encourages voters to check local weather forecasts and to take appropriate precautionary measures to be able to vote without hiccups."Share

The warnings cover parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, the Free State and Gauteng. A Yellow Level 4 Warning covers parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.

A Yellow Level 2 Warning covers the KwaZulu-Natal coast between Port Edward and Mtubatuba. A Yellow Level 1 Warning covers parts of the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng and Mpumalanga.

The IEC said it is ready to run special voting on Monday and Tuesday. Voting Day for the 2026 Local Government Elections is Wednesday, 4 November.Share

The three accused are Imanuwela David, Froliana Joseph and Ndilinasho Joseph. Froliana Joseph is a former domestic worker at the game farm. They face charges of theft, conspiracy to commit theft, money laundering and housebreaking.

Former intelligence boss Arthur Fraser opened a criminal case against Ramaphosa in June 2022. Fraser claims that Ramaphosa did not declare the foreign currency to the Reserve Bank. He also claims that Ramaphosa used improper methods to retrieve the stolen money.Share

Johannesburg Water said excessive draw-off is causing low pressure, intermittent supply and outages in several parts of the city. The proposed rules include no irrigation between 6am and 6pm.

Areas named include Crosby, Brixton, Parktown, Berea, Yeoville, Bryanston, Illovo, Midrand, Soweto and Deep South.

DA ward 101 councillor Ralf Bittkau said the restrictions are not an agreement between parties. He claimed Johannesburg Water loses 49.8% of its water, and said the accepted international maximum is 19%. He also claimed losses were 42.5% last year.

The ANC Greater Joburg region criticised Rand Water's decision to restrict bulk supply. It said the move could deepen hardship for residents. Regional secretary Sasabona Manganye said the timing, before the local government elections, raises serious questions.Share

Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, co-chairperson of Natjoints, briefed the media in Pretoria on Sunday night. Gauteng had the most murders with 7, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 6 and the Western Cape with 3. The Eastern Cape had 2, and the Free State and North West had 1 each.

Police arrested 48 suspects in election-related cases. Of the 139 cases, 69 are under investigation, 8 went to the senior public prosecutor and 25 are in court. The Electoral Act offences were the largest group with 72 cases and 22 arrests.

Mosikili said no marches or protests will be allowed and that they will count as a crime. Reports said Natjoints has identified 331 high-risk voting stations, mostly in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. She said police capacity is adequate to respond to these risks.

Mosikili said campaigning ends at midnight on Tuesday. She said heightened election security will not suspend ordinary policing. SANDF Lieutenant General Siphiwe Lucky Sangweni said the defence force has aircraft to move voting materials and officials if bad weather blocks roads.Share

Of the approved voters, 678,000 will vote at home through visits by IEC officials. KwaZulu-Natal has 143,000 approved home visits, the most of any province. Women make up 74% of home visit voters and men 26%.

IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo urged voters approved for home visits to stay at their registered addresses. He said: "The officials will not return to the same address if they don’t find the voter when they visit for the first time,"

The IEC is finalising distribution of about 28 million reprinted ballot papers. Mamabolo said printing is complete. Voting stations will open from 8am to 5pm on both days, and 29,230,808 voters are registered for the elections.Share