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Zille said voters who stay at home would help the people she blames for the city's problems. She said they would give criminals another five years to loot, and that Johannesburg cannot afford another five years of failure.

She also used a direct appeal to voters at the rally. Zille said: "if you stay at home on election, you won't be punishing Amasela [criminals], you will be rewarding them."

South Africans vote next Wednesday. Special votes are expected on Monday and Tuesday.Share

Ramokgopa spoke on the second day of the forum. He said Africa has the mineral and renewable resources for manufacturing but lacks enough electricity infrastructure. He said about 600-million people on the continent have no access to electricity.

The minister said electricity has historically been treated as an instrument for private accumulation rather than the public good. He said the state has a central role to play in using energy to drive development and industrialisation.

Ramokgopa also said high electricity costs make local mineral processing less competitive. He said growing demand from data centres and artificial intelligence gives South Africa a chance to attract investment.Share

The Department of Home Affairs published the proposals in a Government Gazette on Friday. They would set up a Refugee Reception Office at the Beitbridge Port of Entry. They would also disestablish the Tshwane Refugee Reception Office.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration welcomed the proposals. It said they aim to improve the administration of asylum applications, strengthen identity checks and enhance security screening. It also said they would reduce opportunities for abuse of the asylum system.

The committee said the reporting rules would improve efficiency, keep records accurate, strengthen biometric verification and support case management. It said the proposals do not change the legal rights and protections of asylum seekers under South African law.

Written submissions must reach the department by 30 November 2026. Advocate Moses Malakate, Chief Director of Legal Services at Home Affairs, is the contact for submissions.Share

Malatsi said the DA expects to be the largest party in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane. He said that if the party gets closer to 40 per cent, it will be in the strongest position to form coalitions with fewer parties.

On coalitions, Malatsi said: "There is nothing as unstable as a multi-party coalition. So, the fewer coalition parties, the better".

The DA said the elections are mainly about restoring basic service delivery. It listed reliable water, electricity, refuse removal and safer communities.Share

Motshekga briefed the Joint Defence Committee on Friday. She said protests in places like KwaZulu-Natal make it difficult for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to attend to the elections.

The SANDF has deployed 510 soldiers in KwaZulu-Natal to maintain law and order. Motshekga said this deployment could affect the election plan of the SANDF and divert its priorities.

Committee member Emma Powell also spoke at the briefing. Motshekga said Powell was right on the point about the most urgent matter, which involves Joint Operations.Share

SALGA said millions of voters are expected to go to the polls. It also told voters to monitor warnings from the South African Weather Service, given changing weather conditions.

The Department of Home Affairs is extending front-office hours so eligible voters can get identity documents. Offices will open from 8am to 6pm on 2 and 3 November. On Election Day, 4 November, they will open from 7am to 9pm.

The department said the extended hours let voters collect or apply for identity documents and Temporary Identity Certificates. Registered special voting takes place on 2 and 3 November, from 8am to 5pm.Share

The panel looked into an alleged failure to follow Ramaphosa's instruction not to include the Iranian Navy in the "Will of Peace" naval exercises. Ramaphosa says he is processing the report and considering its recommendations.

DA MP Chris Hattingh said R4 million has already been spent on legal invoices alone. He said ten months have passed since the matter began. The DA says national security should not shield an alleged failure to comply with the President's instruction.

EFF MP Carl Niehaus said the public is entitled to know the findings. He claimed the President allowed himself to be intimidated by Donald Trump, and that this insulted Iran and China and damaged South Africa's standing.

IFP representative Inkosi Nsikayezwe Cebekhulu said only the West is unhappy with Iranian ships at the exercise. He said the West is trying to be accommodated.Share

The rally is called "Tshela Thupa" and takes place on 1 November, three days before the vote. It is the last big event of the party's campaign.

The party says the rally will deliver its "Victory or Death" message. It describes the message as a reference to the urgency for South Africans to change the fortunes of the country.Share

The order bans violence, intimidation, looting, property damage, weapons and face coverings at March and March demonstrations. The police said they needed to preserve police manpower to maintain public safety and secure the elections.

The parties return to court on 18 January to argue a final order. Movement leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma urged supporters to "respect the court's decision but to go out in their numbers to vote".Share

Makoba spoke at a media briefing with Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia and National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola. He said no marches will be allowed on election day.

Recent violent demonstrations in Durban led police to apply for a court order against disruptive demonstrations. Two marches are planned between 2 and 4 November, Makoba said. He said they will take place on Monday and Tuesday, not on Wednesday.

Makoba said: "the law limits such rights of demonstration, particularly on election day". Police and other law enforcement agencies say they are ready to secure the elections.Share

The Pretoria Magistrates' Court granted Carrim bail on Wednesday. The case is linked to his failure to appear before the commission to continue his testimony. He was charged with contempt.

Michaels said the bail condition required the attorneys to take the initiative and arrange Carrim's next appearance. The commission said the attorneys did not do this, so Carrim failed to comply.

Carrim remains in custody on a separate matter in Limpopo. He faces cross-border vehicle smuggling charges at the Musina Magistrates Court, where his bail application was postponed to 9 November.Share

Zille said the DA targets an outright majority of 136 seats on the 270-seat council. She said the towns and cities that work best are under DA governance. She also said Cape Town invests R42 billion in extending infrastructure, with 75% earmarked for poorer communities.

Mashaba said ActionSA would work with any party that accepts its three conditions. He said: "If DA wants to really work with ActionSA, they must remove Helen Zille". He also accused Zille of having worked with ANC leaders to remove him from office in his previous term.

Morero, the incumbent mayor, said the ANC believes it will perform better in the election. He said recent water shortages were partly due to supply problems involving Rand Water, because reservoirs were not full. He also said the Metro Centre building failed health and safety standards and is no longer insured because of structural damage.

Mofokeng said Johannesburg needs a radical change in how it is governed. She said the city should negotiate a grant of up to 15% from National Treasury.Share

Some University of Johannesburg students said they would vote. Others said they would not. One student, who was not named, gave two reasons for staying away: a lack of change, and political parties that deliver services only during election periods.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is the body that manages elections in the country. It says it continues to encourage young South Africans to take part.Share

Ipsos surveyed 2 533 registered voters between 12 September and 13 October. The ANC won 47% in the 2021 local government elections. The poll puts the MK Party at 12%, the EFF at 10%, ActionSA at 4%, the IFP at 4% and the Patriotic Alliance at 2%.

In Cape Town, the poll puts the DA at 51%. In Johannesburg, it has the DA on 30% and the ANC on 27%. In Tshwane, the DA is on 34% and the ANC on 31%.

Ipsos said the ANC has historically gained support in the final stages of election campaigns. It said the MK Party's 4% in Johannesburg reflects fieldwork done during uncertainty over the hospitalisation of MK Party MP Jacob Zuma.

Ipsos analyst Mari Harris said most metros, if not all, are likely to need coalitions. She said coalitions formed after the 2021 elections often proved unstable, with frequent leadership changes and disrupted services.Share

Thulani Mavuso, a Deputy Director-General at the Department of Home Affairs, confirmed the arrangement. He said: "The Department of Home Affairs will be open on the fourth of November."

The department says the longer hours are meant to help voters who still need identity documents before they cast their votes.Share

The Treasury responded to public comments on the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement. Civil society groups had claimed that it is cutting the number of grant beneficiaries to save money. The Treasury dismissed this.

Busi Mothlabedi, a Deputy Director in the Budget Office at the Treasury, said people are not being excluded on purpose. In her words: "We are just making sure that we are granting people that should be getting grants according to the Act."

Civil society groups want the old-age pension raised to R3,000 a month. The Treasury put the cost of the increase for the older persons grant at R30.2 billion. It put the cost of the proposed increase for the child support grant at R42.5 billion.Share

The judge asked whether the state wanted temporary limits ahead of the 4 November municipal elections or a broader, permanent interdict. The order sought would also bar intimidation and damage to property.

The government said it deployed more than 400 police officers in Durban, but that this failed to contain the violence, intimidation and looting. In court, the state said reactive policing no longer worked. It said officers often arrived after property was damaged and people were assaulted.

The state also said police were outnumbered and struggled to remove weapons from protesters. It said more people allegedly joined crowds armed with sticks and other objects. Protesters allegedly planned to set fire to the Home Affairs refugee reception centre on Moore Road in Durban.Share

Ramaphosa said he does not suspect foul play in the water crisis. The ANC is making a final push for votes before the elections, which are on Wednesday next week.

The party will hold its Siyanqoba Rally in KuGompo City in the Eastern Cape on Sunday.Share

Kuhle Zwakala, a political commentator at Stellenbosch University, said residents in townships want basic services. He said: "To be talking about electricity, water and sanitation issues 30 years into democracy is a shame." Oscar van Heerden, a senior research fellow at the Centre for African Diplomacy and Leadership, said there is also an identity factor.

An Ipsos survey in March found that 38 percent of respondents believed their municipality was doing its job well. Nearly half felt that no party represented their views. More than 500 parties are registered with the electoral commission, and the MK party of former president Jacob Zuma is new to local elections.

Turnout is a worry. It was 46 percent of registered voters in the 2021 local elections and 58.6 percent in the 2024 national polls. The ANC fell below 50% in 2021. By February 2026, 74 of the 257 councils were run by coalitions or minority administrations.

Voters hold mixed views. Ntombekhaya Makeleni, a Khayelitsha resident who uses a bucket toilet, said she will vote. Nkanyiso Hadebe, 24, of Chatsworth, said he will not vote because voting changes nothing.Share

Motshekga briefed the Joint Standing Committee on Defence on a letter from President Cyril Ramaphosa that authorised the deployment. She said the situation required quick action after the Constitutional Court judgment on asylum seekers and protests. She said Parliament still had to be informed.

Committee members asked why Parliament received the letter only the week before. Motshekga said she had to act fast once the request came in.

She said: "When we got the request as an emergency, I had to call the Chief of Defence to get joint operations to prepare our people overnight." The Defence Force said a "misinterpretation" of the asylum seeker ruling risked spreading the protests to the rest of the country.Share

Van Wyk confirmed the arrests on Friday. She said the suspects will face charges including defeating the ends of justice and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The case goes back to 26 June 2018. Police said a former major-general allegedly assaulted a brigadier under his command, and the brigadier was injured.

Police also said one suspect, who worked for the National Prosecuting Authority at the time, allegedly interfered with the case. The case was reported at Silverton in Pretoria.

Police did not name Johnson. Reports said she was one of those arrested.Share

Water and Sanitation Director-General Sean Phillips gave the keynote address at the signing. He said the Blue Deal supports national water-sector priorities. Phillips said: "In South Africa, the Blue Deal supports national water-sector priorities, including the National Water Action Plan".

The Dutch side was represented by the Dutch Water Authorities, known in Dutch as the Unie van Waterschappen. Its president is Jeroen Haan. The Steering Committee endorsed the strategic direction for Phase III on 7 October 2026.Share

Cachalia said police have developed operational plans across all provinces. The briefing in KwaZulu-Natal dealt with the election readiness report for the province.

Cachalia said South Africans must have the chance to express their views at the ballot box without intimidation. He also said it is important that the outcome can be called free and fair.Share

Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said the partnership removes barriers to direct access to the platforms. He said it allows instant action against people who spread disinformation. He also said a technically flawless election can still lose public trust if citizens are overwhelmed by disinformation.

Microsoft South Africa joined the partnership. Abongile Vanda, its Director of Government Affairs, said: "Free, fair and credible elections depend on people being able to trust the information they see."

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is developing fact-checking technologies. Its researchers say generative AI has industrialised the creation of fake media. They say this floods networks with synthetic video, voice clones and emotive narratives meant to manipulate voters.Share

Nomvalo is the eighth MK Party secretary-general to be axed in less than three years. He said at least six fabricated intelligence reports were produced to undermine him. He also denied the allegations in the party's removal statement, including a claimed R20 million payment to the Birchwood Hotel that he said did not take place.

Nomvalo said his wife was hospitalised with severe depression because of the campaign. He said he had learnt that Mxolisi Phakathi, Zandile Gumede, Mdelani Mbambo and Sizwe Zuma had drafted letters to remove him. He said the motive behind the lies in the party statement was to humiliate and embarrass him.

The MK Party said in a media statement that it relieved Nomvalo of his duties over concerns about the councillor selection process, internal factionalism, dual remuneration and delays in campaign materials. Nomvalo also said the party had no money in its bank account when he took the job. He said it was on a final warning from the Electoral Commission of South Africa.

Nomvalo said Zuma committed to speed up the appointment of Duduzane Zuma as first deputy president. Of those around Zuma, he said: "I will never be destroyed by drunkards and womanisers who are masquerading as religious leaders."Share

The State alleges that Makwetla failed to declare home security upgrades that Bosasa provided in 2015. It says he should have declared them to Parliament. The State says this broke his ethical duty as a member of Parliament.

Henry Mamothame, spokesperson for the Independent Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), gave the details of the postponement. IDAC is the body prosecuting the case.Share

The Electoral Court ruled on Friday that the law allows single-name proportional representation lists. It also allows parties to add names after the election under Item 17. The court found the practice was not fraudulent, unconstitutional or unlawful. Judge Nobahle Mangcu-Lockwood presided, and Judge Lebogang Modiba and Professor Moses Phooko concurred.

The court heard the matter on 13 October. The DA argued that the four parties used Item 17 as a planned strategy to keep candidates hidden from voters until after the count. Opposing parties said the DA had used the same practice itself, including in the current elections.

The DA says it will argue its constitutional challenge before the Electoral Court. Mangcu-Lockwood wrote that a matter of such weight needs careful handling, not "a rushed jolt". DA federal council chairperson Ashor Sarupen said the ruling exposes a serious gap in electoral law.

GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron said the case was an attempt to brand four opposition parties as fraudsters. ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont called the case stillborn. He said granting the DA's request would have disenfranchised 25% of the electorate from council representation.Share

The report says freight logistics reform is bearing fruit. It links the reform to operational improvements and a return to profitability at Transnet. Transnet announced a R4.6 billion profit for the year ended 31 March 2026 in September, after a net loss of R1.9 billion the year before.

The report says significant momentum was built on restructuring state-owned enterprises. It says key decisions were taken on the vertical separation of Eskom and Transnet. It also says continued reform has strengthened South Africa's resilience to external shocks and renewed confidence in the growth trajectory.

The report says progress remains uneven in some areas. It adds: "These reforms will be the most important drivers of investment in the medium term, laying the basis for higher growth and job creation". The findings are the report's own description and are not independently verified.

Operation Vulindlela is a joint initiative of the National Treasury and the Presidency. It aims to speed up structural reforms.Share