RC 261103Cape TalkStephen Grootes
Tuesday, 3 November 2026
Eve of the local elections, dominated by special-vote turnout, attempts to interfere with electoral material, and the US ending South Africa's AGOA trade preferences, with Transnet's rail arm set for separation.
- 18:30
Equity analyst Kwenna Maloko says the US AGOA exit looks scarier in headlines than in trade data: precious metals and gemstones stay tariff free, while autos and citrus shift to a roughly 3.5% Most Favoured Nations tariff.
- 18:20
A task team is being set up to manage the separation of the Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager, creating one entity to run the railway so independent train operators and Transnet can use the same lines neutrally.
- 19:01
Over 1.4 million special votes were cast before election day: 974,852 at voting stations and more than 451,000 through home visits, out of about 2.6 million registered for special voting.
- 18:31
The Electoral Commission says a PR candidate was arrested in the Eastern Cape for trying to collect voting material under false pretences, and a second suspect is still being sought by police.
- 18:19
A political analyst says the ANC is considering nationalising municipal coalition negotiations, which would bring only a semblance of stability, since regional ANC structures would remain powerful.