RC 261105947Anele Mdoda
Thursday, 5 November 2026
Local government ballot counting and a stolen-ballot scare dominated the morning, alongside fresh fallout from the US trade cutoff and Trump's midterm defeat.
- 06:01
The IEC says 12 million South Africans had cast votes by 5pm. Results and seat allocations will be declared within the seven-day window, and the Commission may declare sooner once verification is complete.
- 06:02
Police are investigating after a security stamp and unmarked ballots went missing from a voting station during special voting. New stamp codes were issued, and at least 20 stations in the western region were directly affected.
- 06:03
President Ramaphosa says he hopes trade relations with the United States survive South Africa's expulsion from AGOA, which takes effect in January and ends duty-free access. He wants a bilateral deal instead.
- 08:02
Residents of Bronkhorstspruit say clean water is a daily struggle. They were told to stop using tap water after hundreds fell ill from contamination, and they want jobs and sanitation fixed.