Thursday, 1 October 2026

A court heard a recording in which Bishop Azriangi Maumela allegedly sought to identify and “sit down” with an 18-year-old rape complainant; Shadrach Sibia’s bail hearing was postponed.

Government estimates that repairing and upgrading failing municipal water infrastructure will cost R400 billion, with 107 of 144 municipalities facing critical or recurring supply failures.

An investigation found two companies’ initially small NHI-related contracts ballooned to R246 million and R55 million; the Health Department says the SIU and other bodies may investigate.

Tourism leaders blamed safety concerns, weak marketing and limited direct flights for poor Chinese and Indian arrivals; Chinese visitors were 67% below 2019 levels in early 2026.

Political analyst Ibrahim Fakir argued against heavy regulation of pre-election polls, supporting at most a three-to-five-day publication blackout and greater media responsibility.