1. SIBIYA OUT IN DISGRACE. Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya resigned during his disciplinary hearing and received a dishonourable discharge. He faces rape, human trafficking and sexual grooming charges. Crime →

2. CREECY BLOCKS RAF FUEL LEVY HIKE. Transport Minister Barbara Creecy rejected the Road Accident Fund's push to raise the fuel levy to R3/litre, saying consumers are already under too much strain. Economy →

3. MATRIC EXAMS BEGIN. The 2026 National Senior Certificate examinations started today. Papers run until 26 November.

4. #UNITEBEHIND DEMANDS PRASA PROSECUTIONS. The coalition submitted a forensic dossier to the NPA over the R3.5-billion Swifambo locomotive scandal — more than a decade without a single prosecution. Corruption →

5. ZUIKERBOSCH POWER FAILURES HIT GAUTENG WATER. Repeated electrical faults at Rand Water's main treatment plant left Soshanguve and surrounding areas on dry taps over the weekend. Water →

6. ZUMA HOSPITAL STATUS DISPUTED. Bloomberg and eNCA report Zuma discharged; his foundation says he's still hospitalised. The MK Party's manifesto launch remains uncertain. Corruption →

Sources: Daily Maverick · eNCA · Bloomberg · IOL · GroundUp · The Citizen — 13 October 2026Permalink

NSC MATRIC EXAMS BEGIN — CLASS OF 2026 SITS FIRST PAPERS

The 2026 National Senior Certificate examinations began today with Computer Applications Technology (Paper 1 practical) at 09:00 and the first language papers at 14:00. The exams run until 26 November. Umalusi confirmed readiness for the examination cycle after inspecting question paper security and marking centre preparations.

Sources: DBE · Umalusi · Briefly · The Citizen — 13 October 2026Permalink

1. DURBAN UNREST: 15 IN COURT, TWO INSTIGATORS BAILED. Fifteen suspects from Friday's anti-immigrant violence appeared in the Durban Magistrates' Court. Two alleged instigators were released on R1,000 bail each; a third, on parole for kidnapping and robbery, was held. No arrests yet over the 14 torched vehicles. Crime →

2. SPECIAL VOTE DEADLINE TODAY. The IEC's application window for special votes in the 4 November municipal elections closes at 17:00 today. Apply at elections.org.za or SMS your ID to 32249.

3. ZUMA STILL IN HOSPITAL. Former president Jacob Zuma, 84, remains at Netcare St Anne's in Pietermaritzburg, with conflicting accounts of his condition. His hospitalisation puts the MK Party's manifesto launch in doubt. Corruption →

4. AKA MURDER TRIAL CONTINUES. Firearm evidence dominated the second week of the trial of seven men accused of killing rapper AKA and Tebello Motsoane in 2023. The state wants two witnesses to testify via CCTV. Crime →

5. MADLANGA COMMISSION GOES IN CAMERA. Public hearings paused until 9 November; the final report deadline has been extended to 25 January 2027. Corruption →

6. FUEL HIKE NARROWS. The projected November petrol increase has eased to R3.16–R3.35/litre, down from R4+, but still substantial. Effective 4 November — election day. Economy →

Sources: TimesLIVE · IOL · News24 · eNCA · SAnews · IEC · AutoTrader — 12 October 2026Permalink

SPECIAL VOTE APPLICATIONS CLOSE TODAY — 23 DAYS TO POLLING DAY

The Electoral Commission's application window for special votes in the 4 November municipal elections closes at 17:00 today (Monday 12 October). Voters who cannot reach their station on election day can apply online at elections.org.za or by SMSing their ID number to 32249. Approved applicants will vote at their registered station on 2 or 3 November.

Special votes in two categories — home visits for voters physically unable to attend, and early in-person voting — are designed to ensure participation for those who would otherwise be unable to cast a ballot. The IEC has registered approximately 29 million voters, with 620 parties contesting 10,526 council seats.

Sources: IEC · SAnews · ECR — 12 October 2026Permalink

1. GOVERNMENT SEEKS CONCOURT OVERSIGHT OF ASYLUM RULING. Justice Minister Kubayi announced the government will ask the Constitutional Court for a supervisory order on implementation of its July asylum access ruling, as 30 people have been arrested across KZN and Gauteng since Thursday's violent protests. A new digital registration system is due by 10 November. Crime →

2. ELECTION COUNTDOWN. Twenty-four days to the 4 November municipal elections. The High Court panel hearing on conflicting asylum directives (29 October), the Mkhwanazi committee's 30 October report deadline, the Peet Viljoen court date (30 October), and the fuel price adjustment (4 November) all cluster in the final week before polling day.

Sources: IOL · TimesLIVE · Daily Maverick · Business Day — 11 October 2026Permalink

1. SIX KILLED IN TWO KZN SHOOTINGS. A former employee shot dead three people at an Eshowe store during a disciplinary hearing, and an off-duty constable killed three women and himself at a KwaMsane tavern. Crime →

2. MKHWANAZI COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS HAWKS PROBE OF CELE. Parliament's ad hoc committee completed its 790-page draft report on police corruption and political interference after a year of public hearings. Former minister Bheki Cele flagged over alleged R500,000 payment from crime boss. Corruption →

3. NOVEMBER FUEL HIKE PROJECTED AT R4+ PER LITRE. Preliminary CEF data suggests the single largest monthly petrol price increase on record could land on 4 November, after October already pushed prices above R30/l. Economy →

4. ELECTION COUNTDOWN. Twenty-five days to the 4 November municipal elections. The Mkhwanazi committee's 30 October deadline and the 4 November fuel price adjustment both land in the same week as polling day.

Sources: IOL · EWN · TimesLIVE · BusinessTech · Parliament.gov.za — 10 October 2026Permalink

1. HOME AFFAIRS WITHDRAWS ASYLUM DIRECTIVE. After violence in Soweto (24 vehicles torched, shops looted) and Durban (one person shot), the department scrapped its 28 September directive on asylum intake. Police and soldiers deployed to Soweto on Friday. Crime →

2. NAVI PILLAY WINS NOBEL PEACE PRIZE. The South African jurist and former UN human rights chief was awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her work in international criminal justice. She is the fifth South African laureate.

3. MANUFACTURING OUTPUT SLUMPS 4.3%. Stats SA data for August shows the sharpest monthly decline since May 2024, with nine of ten divisions falling. Motor vehicles and parts fell 8.8%. Economy →

4. COURT ORDERS ANC TO REINSTATE LUNGISA. The Gauteng High Court ruled the ANC's removal of Andile Lungisa from its Nelson Mandela Bay candidate list was unlawful. Corruption →

5. MADLANGA COMMISSION PAUSES, REPORT DEADLINE EXTENDED. Public hearings paused until 9 November; the final report is now due 25 January 2027. Corruption →

Sources: Daily Maverick · EWN · CNN · Stats SA · Citizen · TimesLIVE — 9 October 2026Permalink

SOUTH AFRICA'S NAVI PILLAY WINS 2026 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

South African jurist Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and International Criminal Court judge, has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee cited her role in ensuring that war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide are prosecuted under international law.

Pillay headed the Rwanda genocide tribunal and last year presided over a UN commission that accused Israel of genocide in Gaza — a finding Israel rejected. She dedicated the prize to "all of the survivors of international crimes" and those defending international criminal justice. She is the fifth South African to receive the Peace Prize, after Albert Luthuli, Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk.

Sources: CNN · France 24 · Al Jazeera · IOL · Time · Washington Post · UN News — 9 October 2026Permalink

1. DURBAN ASYLUM VIOLENCE ESCALATES. Police fired stun grenades at anti-immigration protesters who threw bottles; hundreds of asylum seekers were told to leave for their safety. A scrapyard was set alight. The US consulate issued a security alert for Durban's CBD. Crime →

2. HAWKS UNCOVER DRUG LAB NETWORK. A Krugersdorp farm raid yielded R100m+ in pill-press equipment. A second lab was found at Hartbeespoort Dam on Tuesday. The Hawks are investigating 11 suspected labs nationally. Crime →

3. CONCOURT ANC HEARING NOW SET FOR 12 OCTOBER. The hearing on the ANC's 181 excluded candidates appears to have been moved from 7 October to Monday 12 October. The IEC says the case has little prospect of success. Economy →

4. GREEN DROP: 47% OF WASTEWATER SYSTEMS IN CRISIS. The March 2026 report found nearly half of SA's 848 municipal sewerage plants are in critical condition, up from 39%. Only 8% perform well. Water →

Sources: EWN · IOL · SABC News · Hawks · TimesLIVE · allAfrica — 8 October 2026Permalink

1. PETROL BREAKS R30 A LITRE. The largest fuel hike in years took effect at midnight — inland 95 unleaded is now R30.25/l. Brent crude passed $101/barrel on US–Iran tensions. Economy →

2. COSATU MARCHES NATIONWIDE. The federation staged protests in all nine provinces on World Day for Decent Work, demanding minimum-wage enforcement, 10,000 more labour inspectors, and an end to mass retrenchments. Economy →

3. VIGILANTES ATTACK ASYLUM SEEKERS AT DURBAN HOME AFFAIRS. Stick-wielding anti-immigration activists linked to March and March harassed about a thousand people queuing after the asylum system reopened for the first time in six years. Only ~20 applications were processed. Crime →

4. CONCOURT HEARS ANC'S 181-CANDIDATE APPEAL. The Constitutional Court was scheduled to hear the ANC's bid to reinstate excluded municipal candidates today. We have not confirmed whether a ruling was delivered. Economy →

5. MADLANGA COMMISSION GOES IN CAMERA. Public hearings paused until 9 November (after the elections). In-camera sessions on confidential evidence begin this week. The final report is due 25 January 2027. Corruption →

6. ESKOM: 504 DAYS WITHOUT LOAD SHEDDING. Diesel spend down 80%, energy availability up 5.5 points. But the utility's own forecasts warn load shedding returns by 2029–2030. Infrastructure →

Sources: DMRE · COSATU · GroundUp · EWN · News24 · SABC News · MDNtv · TimesLIVE · Eskom · allAfrica — 7 October 2026Permalink

TWO ERRORS IN TODAY'S EARLIER ENTRIES

1. The ConCourt has not yet heard the ANC candidate list case. Our entry (2026-10-06-anc-concourt-candidates) stated: "The Constitutional Court heard the ANC's urgent appeal on Sunday 5 October." That was wrong on two counts. First, 5 October 2026 was a Monday, not a Sunday. Second, and more importantly, the Constitutional Court hearing is scheduled for 7 October 2026 — it has not taken place yet. Multiple outlets including Briefly, EWN and the IEC's own confirmation to media place the hearing on 7 October. The earlier entry has been marked superseded.

2. The Madlanga Commission report is due 25 January 2027, not 16 November. Our Madlanga/Sindane/Khan entry stated the commission's final report is due 16 November. That was the original deadline. On 19 September, President Ramaphosa extended it to 25 January 2027 — a fact this site reported in its own backfill entry the same day (2026-09-19-madlanga-deadline-january-2027). The 16 November date should not have been published as current. The earlier entry has been marked superseded.

Sources: Briefly · EWN · IEC (ConCourt date) · The Presidency via The Citizen, SABC News (Madlanga deadline) — 6 October 2026Permalink

1. RECORD FUEL HIKE FROM TOMORROW — PETROL BREAKS R30. The price of 95 unleaded petrol rises by R3.33 per litre from Wednesday 7 October, taking the inland price to R30.25/l — the highest in South African history. Diesel increases by up to R3.24/l. The DMRE cited surging international product prices linked to the Iran conflict. Economy →

2. MADLANGA COMMISSION: SINDANE SUBPOENA BID FAILS, KHAN TESTIMONY POSTPONED AFTER RELATIVE MURDERED. Mpumalanga taxi boss Oupa Bafana Sindane's urgent High Court application to cancel his subpoena was struck off the roll — his second failed attempt. Separately, former Crime Intelligence head Feroz Khan's in-camera testimony was postponed after his uncle Preggy Padayachee was shot dead on the R21 highway on Monday evening. Corruption →

3. MAPISA-NQAKULA: ARREST WARRANT ISSUED AFTER NO-SHOW, TRIAL POSTPONED TO NOVEMBER. A warrant of arrest was issued — and immediately stayed — for former Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula after she failed to appear at her corruption trial on 2 October. The trial is now set for 11–20 November and 30 November–4 December. Corruption →

4. MEYIWA TRIAL POSTPONED TO 15 OCTOBER OVER PHOTOGRAPH DISPUTE. The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial was postponed after prosecutors and defence lawyers clashed over photographic evidence from accused Mthobisi Mncube's cellphone. A cellphone analyst will be recalled on 15 October. Crime →

5. ANC TAKES CANDIDATE LIST FIGHT TO CONCOURT — JUDGMENT AWAITED. The Constitutional Court heard the ANC's urgent appeal on 5 October to reinstate 181 excluded candidates in six municipalities. Judgment had not been delivered at the time of writing. The Electoral Court dismissed the ANC's case on 16 September. Economy →

SUPERSEDED — Item 5 was wrong: the Constitutional Court did not hear the ANC case on 5 October. The hearing is scheduled for 7 October. See correction 2026-10-06-correction-concourt-and-madlanga. A corrected roundup replaces this entry.

Sources: DMRE · TimesLIVE · EWN · Daily Maverick · SABC News · The Citizen · IOL · News24 · Mail & Guardian — 6 October 2026Permalink

1. RECORD FUEL HIKE FROM TOMORROW — PETROL BREAKS R30. The price of 95 unleaded petrol rises by R3.33 per litre from Wednesday 7 October, taking the inland price to R30.25/l — the highest in South African history. Diesel increases by up to R3.24/l. Economy →

2. R2.4 BILLION ON SANDF CHARTER FLIGHTS — MINISTER REFUSES BREAKDOWN. Defence Minister Motshekga disclosed R2.4bn spent on chartered flights over five years while the Air Force fleet remains grounded. The DA says she will not explain a R540,000 discrepancy in her own figures. Corruption →

3. MADLANGA: SINDANE SUBPOENA BID FAILS, KHAN TESTIMONY POSTPONED AFTER RELATIVE SHOT DEAD. Taxi boss Sindane's second attempt to evade testimony was struck off the roll. Khan's in-camera testimony was postponed after his uncle Preggy Padayachee was killed on the R21 on Monday evening. Corruption →

4. MAPISA-NQAKULA: ARREST WARRANT STAYED, TRIAL SET FOR NOVEMBER. A warrant was issued and immediately stayed after a second non-appearance. The corruption trial resumes 11–20 November. Corruption →

5. MEYIWA TRIAL POSTPONED TO 15 OCTOBER. Prosecutors and defence clashed over photographic evidence from a co-accused's cellphone. Crime →

6. ANC CONCOURT HEARING TOMORROW (7 OCTOBER) — NOT 5 OCTOBER AS WE EARLIER STATED. The Constitutional Court is scheduled to hear the ANC's urgent appeal to reinstate 181 excluded candidates on 7 October. Our earlier roundup wrongly placed the hearing on 5 October. Economy →

7. CORRECTION: TWO ERRORS IN TODAY'S EARLIER ENTRIES. The ConCourt hearing date was wrong, and the Madlanga report deadline was given as 16 November when it was extended to 25 January 2027 on 19 September.

Sources: DMRE · DA · EWN · Daily Maverick · SABC News · The Citizen · IOL · News24 · Briefly — 6 October 2026Permalink

This site published nothing between 10 September and 5 October 2026. The gap was not editorial. The automated daily updater stopped working on 9 September and nobody noticed for 27 days.

Two unrelated things broke within an hour of each other. A Windows update replaced the version of PowerShell the scheduled job was pointed at and deleted the old one, so the job could not start. The same day, the unattended login the job uses expired and would not renew. The job's own status file therefore kept reporting the last successful run, and the task scheduler recorded no missed runs — because it did fire each morning, it simply failed to launch. Both faults are now fixed.

The entries dated 10 September to 5 October were written on 6 October from the archive, and each one says so. A date on this site is the date the thing happened. It does not mean this site reported it that day, and in this window it did not.

Some days in that window are thinner than they should be and a few are missing. Where the record could not be established from named sources, nothing was written rather than something plausible.

Sources: This site's own run logs and Windows Task Scheduler records, 9 September – 6 October 2026Permalink

WEEK OF 28 SEPTEMBER – 4 OCTOBER — CATCH-UP

1. RAMAPHOSA ADDRESSED THE NATION ON THE KILLING OF WOMEN, naming 11 victims in Ekurhuleni and setting four deadlines of 60 and 90 days. They fall due in late November and late December. We will check them. Crime →

2. MADLANGA MOVED TO LAY CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST A GENERAL WHO IGNORED ITS SUBPOENA. Feroz Khan did not appear, in person or virtually. The maximum fine is R1,093. Corruption →

3. PUBLIC HEARINGS WERE ADJOURNED UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTIONS. Cat Matlala's testimony was put off to 14 December after he was subpoenaed only five days before he was due to appear. Corruption →

4. AN ARREST WARRANT WAS ISSUED AND STAYED FOR MAPISA-NQAKULA after a second non-appearance. Her trial resumes 11 November. Corruption →

5. 504 DAYS WITHOUT LOAD SHEDDING — and a third fire in a month at City Power's Central Substation. Generation and distribution are diverging. Infrastructure →

6. MALEMA WON LEAVE TO APPEAL HIS FIREARM CONVICTIONS to a full bench. The challenge to his JSC seat was filed but not heard; it is set down for 11 November. Corruption →

7. IDAC PROVISIONALLY WITHDREW THE R191-MILLION BLUE LIGHTS CASE against Khomotso Phahlane and ten others. Corruption →

8. ONE TAP, SIX YEARS, FOUR PROTESTS IN A WEEK. Residents near Mfuleni blocked the N2 and R300 over water and toilets. Inequality →

Added later — this entry was written on 6 October 2026, not on the date above. The daily updater was down and this day was reconstructed from the archive afterwards.

Sources: Reconstructed on 6 October 2026 from the sources cited on each linked entryPermalink

WEEK OF 21–27 SEPTEMBER — CATCH-UP

1. THE DEPUTY NATIONAL POLICE COMMISSIONER WAS ARRESTED ON SEXUAL-OFFENCE CHARGES. Shadrack Sibiya was taken in by the task team formed to act on Madlanga Commission matters. He denies everything and has been remanded in custody. Crime →

2. ALL CHARGES AGAINST THE NATIONAL POLICE COMMISSIONER WERE WITHDRAWN. The NPA found no reasonable prospects of convicting Fannie Masemola over the Medicare24 tender. His suspension stands pending a decision by the President. Crime →

3. THE RESERVE BANK RAISED THE REPO RATE TO 7.25%, unanimously, warning inflation will go above 5% on fuel prices. Prime is now 10.75%. Economy →

4. A TENTH WOMAN'S BODY WAS FOUND IN EKURHULENI. A suspect was tracked to Limpopo within hours. Crime →

5. SAPS ADMITTED ITS CRIME DATA ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN IS STILL WRONG — fifteen months after Parliament first raised it. Crime →

6. 42 CAPE TOWN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WORTH R1.48BN WERE HIT BY EXTORTION. ZERO ARRESTS. The Acting Police Minister's own written reply says so twice. Crime →

7. MUNICIPAL DEBT TO ESKOM HIT R120 BILLION, projected at R358bn by 2031. Only 10 of 71 municipalities in the relief programme complied fully. Infrastructure →

Added later — this entry was written on 6 October 2026, not on the date above. The daily updater was down and this day was reconstructed from the archive afterwards.

Sources: Reconstructed on 6 October 2026 from the sources cited on each linked entryPermalink

WEEK OF 14–20 SEPTEMBER — CATCH-UP

1. THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT STRUCK DOWN THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT ACT — not for its contents, but because Parliament failed to allow proper public participation. The entire Act fell on process. Corruption →

2. RAMAPHOSA PUSHED THE MADLANGA REPORT DEADLINE TO 25 JANUARY 2027. The commission's own evidence deadline of 2 October passed without a sitting, and without any source stating it was formally extended. Corruption →

3. THE ELECTORAL COURT DISMISSED THE ANC'S BID to restore 181 excluded candidates in six municipalities. The IEC certified 136,790 candidates and disqualified 5,096. Economy →

4. JOHANNESBURG RESERVOIRS FELL TO 32–36%, ONE TOWER TO 1%, while Tshwane cut power to a Joburg Water reservoir over a R62m debt. One group of residents had logged 157 days of low or no pressure. Water →

5. MADLANGA OPENED ITS JMPD STRAND, hearing that two metro officers were identified on CCTV in a kidnapping in which R5m was taken. Both stayed silent when questioned. Corruption →

6. THE WATER MINISTER APOLOGISED FOR SWEARING AT A RESIDENT in Kouga. Water →

Added later — this entry was written on 6 October 2026, not on the date above. The daily updater was down and this day was reconstructed from the archive afterwards.

Sources: Reconstructed on 6 October 2026 from the sources cited on each linked entryPermalink

WEEK OF 10–13 SEPTEMBER — CATCH-UP

1. THE CURRENT ACCOUNT BLEW OUT TO A R205.5-BILLION DEFICIT. The widest in seven years, swinging from a R181.6bn surplus the previous quarter, driven by oil import costs. It followed a 0.2% GDP contraction. Economy →

2. MINING OUTPUT FELL 7.5%, nearly double the expected decline, with platinum group metals down 13.5%. Transnet posted its first annual profit in four years at R4.6bn. Economy →

3. THE MKHWANAZI COMMITTEE MISSED ITS DEADLINE on 11 September with no report, and was given until 30 October. Corruption →

4. THREE IFP COUNCILLOR CANDIDATES WERE KILLED IN KZN as the election campaign opened. At least 18 councillors have been assassinated since 2021. Crime →

5. GAUTENG IS LOSING 100 NURSES A MONTH and is short of nearly 16,000, needing R5.7bn to fill posts. Inequality →

Added later — this entry was written on 6 October 2026, not on the date above. The daily updater was down and this day was reconstructed from the archive afterwards.

Sources: Reconstructed on 6 October 2026 from the sources cited on each linked entryPermalink

1. BIKO INQUEST HALTED INDEFINITELY — FAMILY WINS URGENT COURT ORDER. Judge Jannie Eksteen granted the Biko family's urgent application for an indefinite postponement of the reopened inquest in the Gqeberha High Court, overturning inquest judge Isaac Madondo's earlier refusal. The family says hundreds of historical documents still require translation from Afrikaans. No resumption date has been set. Crime →

2. MANDELA MEMORABILIA: CONSTITUTIONAL COURT RESERVES JUDGMENT ON AUCTION BID. The Constitutional Court heard arguments over whether SAHRA can block the sale of 29 Mandela-linked items — including a handmade Robben Island key valued at R21 million — at a New York auction. Acting Justice Tembeka Ngcukaitobi challenged former warder Christo Brand's account. Two lower courts previously ruled against the state. Crime →

3. ANC CANDIDATE BLUNDER: MBALULA SAYS NO ONE TO BLAME AS INTERNAL BACKLASH GROWS. Secretary-general Fikile Mbalula rejected the idea that any individual should be held responsible for the party's failure to submit 181 candidate nominations on time. At least nine NEC members have reportedly blamed Mbalula directly. The Electoral Court case is pending; the IEC's final candidate list is due 16 September. Economy →

4. MKHWANAZI COMMITTEE: TWO DAYS TO DEADLINE. The ad hoc committee investigating Lt Gen Mkhwanazi's allegations of political interference in policing continues deliberating on a draft report running to more than 700 pages. Its mandate expires on 11 September. Corruption →

5. MEYIWA TRIAL: VODACOM EXPERT CONTINUES CELLPHONE EVIDENCE. Vodacom data expert Tsholanang Golele continued testimony at the North Gauteng High Court on the admissibility of cellphone records belonging to the late Mabhungu Ntuli. Crime →

Sources: Daily Maverick · SABC News · EWN · IOL · The Citizen · TimesLIVE · Business Day · News24 — 9 September 2026Permalink

1. GDP CONTRACTS 0.2% IN Q2 — SIX-QUARTER GROWTH STREAK ENDS. Stats SA confirmed that the economy shrank in the April–June period, dragged down by mining (−3.0%), trade (−1.9%) and manufacturing (−1.8%). A surge in imports knocked 1.1 percentage points off GDP on the expenditure side. Finance, transport and government services were the only positive contributors. Economy →

2. ANC FILES ELECTORAL COURT PAPERS OVER CANDIDATE LIST EXCLUSION. The ANC formally approached the Electoral Court to have 181 ward and PR candidates in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State declared validly submitted despite missing the IEC's 28 August deadline. Secretary-general Fikile Mbalula rejected claims the party was seeking preferential treatment. The IEC's final candidate list is due 16 September. Economy →

3. BIKO INQUEST: SIEBERT CROSS-EXAMINATION CONCLUDES IN GQEBERHA. Evidence leader Devandra Govender challenged former security branch captain Daniel Petrus Siebert on contradictions between his 1977, TRC and 2026 testimonies. Govender put it to Siebert that a hosepipe found in the interrogation room was intended to assault Biko, not for any scuffle. Crime →

4. MEYIWA TRIAL RESUMES AFTER INTERPRETER POSTPONEMENT. The murder trial of five men accused of killing Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa resumed at the North Gauteng High Court after last week's adjournment caused by the interpreter falling ill. Crime →

5. MKHWANAZI COMMITTEE: THREE DAYS TO DEADLINE. The ad hoc committee investigating Lt Gen Mkhwanazi's allegations of political interference in policing continues deliberating on its draft report. Its mandate expires on 11 September — its fifth extension. Corruption →

Sources: Stats SA · News24 · TimesLIVE · EWN · Daily Maverick · SABC News · The Citizen · IOL · eNCA — 8 September 2026Permalink

1. MAPISA-NQAKULA DISCHARGE APPLICATION DISMISSED — TRIAL CONTINUES. Judge Mashudu Munzhelele dismissed the former defence minister's Section 174 bid to have the corruption and money laundering case thrown out without presenting a defence. The Pretoria High Court found the State presented sufficient circumstantial evidence for a reasonable court to convict. She must now present her defence. Corruption →

2. ANC FACES EXCLUSION FROM UP TO 181 COUNCIL SEATS AFTER MISSED IEC DEADLINE. The ANC failed to submit all its councillor candidate lists before the 28 August deadline, blaming an IEC system glitch. The IEC rejected the claim and refused any extension. President Ramaphosa is considering an Electoral Court challenge. Affected municipalities are in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State. Economy →

3. SEVERE STORMS CONTINUE — SAWS ORANGE WARNING FOR MONDAY. After Saturday's flooding and road closures, SAWS issued a fresh Orange Level 5 warning for Gauteng on 7 September, with damaging winds, hail and excessive lightning forecast. OR Tambo-bound flights were diverted on Saturday. Infrastructure →

4. STATS SA Q2 GDP RELEASE CONFIRMED FOR TUESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER AT 11h00. The data will show how the economy performed between April and June 2026. National Accounts rebasing and benchmarking results are due separately in October. Economy →

5. PHALA PHALA SECTION 89 REVIEW: JUDGMENT RESERVED. The Western Cape High Court heard final arguments in Ramaphosa's application to set aside the Section 89 panel report. Judge President Mabindla-Boqwana has undertaken to fast-track the ruling. No date has been set. Corruption →

Sources: EWN · TimesLIVE · News24 · The Citizen · IOL · Mail & Guardian · SABC News · Stats SA — 7 September 2026Permalink

1. SAPS COMMEMORATION DAY: RAMAPHOSA HONOURS 12 FALLEN OFFICERS AT UNION BUILDINGS. President Ramaphosa addressed the annual SAPS Commemoration Day, warning that attacking police officers is “attacking the integrity of the State.” Twelve officers killed in the line of duty during 2025/26 were honoured — a significant decline from 27 the previous year. Nine of the twelve were from Gauteng. Crime →

2. SEVERE STORMS BATTER GAUTENG, NORTH WEST AND NORTHERN CAPE. An Orange Level 6 warning for severe thunderstorms brought flooding, road closures and structural damage across multiple provinces. Homes were damaged in Setlagole village near Mahikeng and Sol Plaatje Municipality. Several Johannesburg roads were closed and vehicles submerged. Infrastructure →

3. MAPISA-NQAKULA: DISCHARGE RULING STILL EXPECTED TOMORROW (7 SEPTEMBER). The Gauteng High Court is expected to deliver its Section 174 discharge ruling in Mapisa-Nqakula's R4.55 million corruption and money laundering trial on Sunday 7 September. No indication the date has moved. Corruption →

4. CORRECTION: GDP RELEASE IS TUESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER, NOT MONDAY. Yesterday's entry incorrectly stated the Stats SA Q2 GDP release was due on Monday 8 September. 8 September 2026 is a Tuesday. The release time and date are confirmed: 11h00, Tuesday 8 September. Economy →

5. MEYIWA TRIAL: EXPECTED TO RESUME 9 SEPTEMBER. The trial of five accused in the murder of Senzo Meyiwa is expected to resume on Tuesday 9 September at the North Gauteng High Court. Crime →

SUPERSEDED — Item 3 overtaken: the discharge application was dismissed on 7 September. See 2026-09-07-mapisa-nqakula-discharge-dismissed.

Sources: IOL · SABC News · EWN · TimesLIVE · Daily Maverick · Stats SA — 6 September 2026Permalink

1. MKHWANAZI AD HOC COMMITTEE: FINAL DELIBERATIONS BEFORE 11 SEPTEMBER DEADLINE. The ad hoc committee investigating Mkhwanazi's allegations of political interference in the criminal justice system is deliberating on its draft report, with members divided on whether Senzo Mchunu disbanded the Police Khayelitsha Task Team to shield cartels. The committee's mandate expires on 11 September. Corruption →

2. MEYIWA TRIAL: VODACOM EXPERT TESTIMONY CONTINUES FOR SECOND DAY. Vodacom forensic analyst Tsholanang Golele returned to the stand at the North Gauteng High Court. The court must also recall a previous Vodacom expert to address a discrepancy between Vodacom's evidence and police analyst evidence regarding communications between accused no. 5 and singer Kelly Khumalo. Crime →

3. MAPISA-NQAKULA: DISCHARGE RULING EXPECTED SUNDAY 7 SEPTEMBER. The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria is expected to deliver its ruling on the former defence minister's Section 174 discharge application in her R4.55 million corruption and money laundering trial. Her defence argued the state proved money changed hands but not the quid pro quo. Corruption →

4. MADLANGA COMMISSION: IN RECESS UNTIL 15 SEPTEMBER. The commission went into a two-week break after Day 171. Recent testimony included allegations that police officers worked directly with cartel members and that alleged cartel boss Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala invoked his right against self-incrimination on the R360 million SAPS Medicare24 tender. Evidence closes 2 October; the final report is due 16 November. Corruption →

5. STATS SA: Q2 GDP FIGURES DUE 8 SEPTEMBER. Stats SA will release second-quarter 2026 GDP data at a media briefing in Tshwane on Monday. Economy →

Sources: PMG · SABC News · eNCA · TimesLIVE · IOL · Daily Maverick · Stats SA — 4–5 September 2026Permalink

1. PHALA PHALA: JUDGMENT RESERVED AFTER THREE-DAY HEARING. The Western Cape High Court reserved judgment in President Ramaphosa's bid to set aside the Section 89 panel report. On the final day, advocate Dali Mpofu for the MK Party argued the court lacks jurisdiction and that Ramaphosa is “unsaveable.” No date for judgment has been announced. Corruption →

2. PEET VILJOEN: BID TO STRIKE CASE OFF ROLL DISMISSED. The Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court dismissed Viljoen's application to have his ~400-charge fraud case struck from the roll. The matter was postponed to 30 October. The defence had argued the state was not ready and Viljoen would languish in custody. Crime →

3. MEYIWA TRIAL: VODACOM EXPERT CONTINUES CELLPHONE TESTIMONY. Vodacom forensic analyst Tsholanang Golele continued testifying on whether the late Mabhungu Ntuli's cellphone records contradict accused no. 3 Mthobisi Mncube's alibi. The court is still deciding whether to admit the additional evidence. Crime →

4. ILLEGAL MINING: ZAMA ZAMA OPERATIONS DESTROYING JOBURG INFRASTRUCTURE. A major report highlighted how illegal mining is creating sinkholes and collapsing roads across Johannesburg, with underground blasting damaging electricity and water infrastructure. An estimated 34,000 irregular miners operate in South Africa. Infrastructure →

5. DURBAN: MARCH AND MARCH CLASHES WITH REFUGEE CAMP. At least four refugees were hospitalised after the anti-immigration group March and March raided a camp of mainly Congolese refugees outside the Durban Home Affairs refugee office on Che Guevara Road on Wednesday. The group has said it intends to return. Crime →

Sources: EWN · Daily Maverick · IOL · SABC News · The Citizen · TimesLIVE · GroundUp · AFP — 3–4 September 2026Permalink

1. PHALA PHALA: WESTERN CAPE HIGH COURT HEARING BEGINS. President Ramaphosa's bid to set aside the Section 89 panel report on the Phala Phala matter opened in the Western Cape High Court today. Advocate Wim Trengove argued that reporting the 2020 farm theft to the head of the Presidential Protection Service was reasonable and not done in bad faith. The hearing is expected to continue until Thursday, 4 September. Corruption →

2. STATS SA: VICTIMS OF CRIME SURVEY SHOWS LOW TRUST IN POLICE. The 2025/26 Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey found 1.08 million households were victims of housebreaking, with fewer than half reporting to police. The most common reason: a belief that police would not act. Theft of personal property was the most widespread individual crime at 1.4 million incidents, with only 37% reported. Crime →

3. IEC: OVER 140,000 CANDIDATES ENTER VETTING FOR NOVEMBER ELECTIONS. The Electoral Commission has begun vetting more than 140,000 candidates who submitted nominations by last Friday's deadline. They are contesting approximately 10,500 council seats in the 4 November municipal elections. The final candidate list is expected on 16 September. Home →

4. BIKO INQUEST: FORENSIC EVIDENCE OF REPEATED ASSAULTS. The reopened inquest in the Gqeberha High Court heard testimony on Monday that Steve Biko's injuries point to repeated, brutal assaults over several days — contradicting the apartheid-era police account of a single scuffle. Dr Paul Hersch testified that his late father's recommendation that Biko be examined by a neurosurgeon had been ignored. Crime →

5. RESERVE BANK: NATIONAL PAYMENT SYSTEM BILL TO GO OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. Governor Lesetja Kganyago said the long-awaited NPS Bill, which would replace the 1998 Act and move regulation from an entity-based to an activity-based model, will soon go out for public comment. The reform would let the SARB licence fintech payment activities, not just banks. Economy →

Sources: EWN · Business Day · Daily Maverick · TimesLIVE · TechCentral · Stats SA — 1–2 September 2026Permalink

IEC BEGINS VETTING OVER 140,000 CANDIDATES FOR NOVEMBER MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

The Electoral Commission of South Africa has begun vetting more than 140,000 candidate nominations submitted by the 29 August deadline for the 4 November 2026 local government elections. The candidates are contesting approximately 10,500 council seats nationwide.

IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya said the commission is verifying that candidates completed acceptance-of-nomination forms, that parties and independents paid the required deposits, and that independent candidates submitted the required voter details.

The final vetted candidate list is expected to be published on 16 September, providing the clearest picture yet of the political field ahead of election day. The SABC has separately reported that nominations rose approximately 43% compared with the 2021 elections.

Sources: EWN · SABC News · ECR · Bona — 28 August–2 September 2026Permalink

1. SIU: RAMAPHOSA APPOINTS LEONARD LEKGETHO AS PERMANENT HEAD. President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Leonard Lekgetho as head of the Special Investigating Unit, effective 1 September 2026. Lekgetho has been acting head since February and has served in the SIU for 19 years. The Presidency said the permanent appointment was intended to provide stability to the unit. Corruption →

2. FUEL: PETROL UP R1.34, DIESEL UP R2.94–R3.15 PER LITRE FROM WEDNESDAY. The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources has confirmed steep fuel price increases effective 2 September. Inland 95 ULP rises to R26.92/litre and diesel (50 ppm) to R30.05/litre. The increases are driven by elevated international refined-product prices and a higher government slate levy. Economy →

3. MADLANGA COMMISSION: RECESS FROM 3 TO 11 SEPTEMBER. The commission will take a seven-working-day recess after hearings on Wednesday, resuming on 14 September. The break is to allow two commissioners to honour prior commitments. The evidence-close deadline of 2 October and the 16 November reporting deadline remain unchanged. Corruption →

4. PHALA PHALA: WESTERN CAPE HIGH COURT TO HEAR RAMAPHOSA REVIEW FROM 2 TO 4 SEPTEMBER. The President's bid to set aside the Section 89 independent panel report on the Phala Phala matter is expected to be heard starting tomorrow. The Constitutional Court previously declined to hear appeals while this review was pending. Corruption →

5. SASSA: GOLD CARD DEADLINE PASSED — BLOCKED CARDS NOW IN EFFECT. The 31 August deadline for grant recipients to swap gold cards for Postbank black cards has passed. Beneficiaries who missed the deadline retain their grants but cannot access funds until they collect a replacement card. Inequality →

Sources: The Presidency · SAnews · CarMag · AutoTrader · The Citizen · eNCA · News24 — 31 August–1 September 2026Permalink

1. MEYIWA TRIAL: JUDGE MOKGOATLHENG EXPECTED TO RULE ON LATE CELLPHONE EVIDENCE. The Pretoria High Court is scheduled to deliver its ruling on whether the state may introduce the late Mabhungu Ntuli's cellphone records to challenge accused no. 3 Mthobisi Mncube's alibi. The ruling was postponed from 28 August after the judge attended a family memorial. Crime →

2. TEMBISA HOSPITAL FRAUD: SUSPECT APPEARS AT PALM RIDGE ON R635-MILLION TENDER CHARGES. A 37-year-old man arrested by the Hawks at OR Tambo International Airport on 28 August appeared in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on charges of fraud, corruption, forgery, PFMA violations and money laundering linked to the Tembisa Hospital procurement scandal. The SIU has estimated total losses at the facility at over R2 billion. Corruption →

3. SASSA GOLD CARD DEADLINE: NEARLY 70,000 BENEFICIARIES STILL TO COLLECT REPLACEMENT CARDS. Today is the final day for SASSA grant recipients to replace their old gold cards with Postbank black cards. Postbank has said the deadline will not be extended. Beneficiaries who miss it retain their grants but cannot access funds until they collect a new card. Inequality →

4. PEET VILJOEN: TRIAL ON ~400 CHARGES SET FOR 4 SEPTEMBER. The disbarred Pretoria attorney, in custody since his bail was refused on 17 August, is expected back in court on Thursday for the state to disclose the case docket. He faces fraud, corruption, theft and forgery charges tied to the sale of municipal properties worth R27 million. Crime →

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1. PHALA PHALA: HIGH COURT DISMISSES APPEAL — RAMAPHOSA REVIEW HEARING SET FOR 2–4 SEPTEMBER. The Western Cape High Court dismissed the MK Party and United Africans Transformation's application for leave to appeal the interim interdict halting the Section 89 impeachment inquiry. Ramaphosa's substantive review of the independent panel report will now be heard from 2 to 4 September. Corruption →

2. 41 JOBURG AMBULANCES IDLE FOR SIX YEARS WHILE RESIDENTS WAIT. Forty-one ambulances purchased by the City of Johannesburg in 2019 for roughly R1 million each have never been deployed because the city lacks an EMS operating licence from the Gauteng Department of Health. An application submitted in July 2026 is under review. Infrastructure →

3. BIKO INQUEST: DAILY MAVERICK EDITORIAL WARNS DELAYS RISK "COLLECTIVE AMNESIA." An opinion piece published on 30 August argued that procedural hold-ups in the reopened Steve Biko inquest — including the funding dispute resolved only after ministerial intervention — risk undermining the case before substantive testimony begins. The inquest resumes after the investigating officer's testimony earlier this week. Corruption →

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1. TAXI BOSS SIBANYONI TELLS MADLANGA COMMISSION ASSOCIATIONS USE "BUCKET MONEY" TO PAY HITMEN. Mpumalanga taxi boss Joe "Ferrari" Sibanyoni, represented by former NDPP Shaun Abrahams, told the commission he approached police leadership in 2022 to report cartel operations but distanced himself from direct involvement with hitmen. He faces extortion and money-laundering charges in Delmas. Corruption →

2. IEC CANDIDATE NOMINATIONS CLOSE AT 5 PM — NO EXTENSIONS. The hard deadline for the 4 November municipal elections candidate lists falls today. The online nomination system shuts at 17h00 and no further changes will be accepted. The MK Party held a briefing in Umhlanga this afternoon to announce its metro mayoral candidates. Economy →

3. BIKO INQUEST: INVESTIGATOR TELLS COURT KEY DOCKETS HAVE MISSING PAGES. DPCI Sergeant Fundiswa Dingiswayo, the first witness in the reopened inquest, testified that police files on Steve Biko's 1977 death contain missing records and dockets that "stop in the middle of nowhere." The family is still weighing a recusal application against Judge Madondo. Corruption →

4. MORERO APOLOGISES AFTER TELLING TSHEPISONG RESIDENT "YOU ARE TALKING ST" DURING ELECTRICITY IMBIZO.** Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero lost his temper at a service-delivery meeting about persistent power outages. City Power disclosed that only about 200 of Tshepisong's roughly 12,000 households pay for electricity. The ANC Greater Johannesburg Region formally distanced itself from Morero's conduct. Infrastructure →

5. MEYIWA TRIAL: RULING ON FRESH STATE EVIDENCE POSTPONED TO MONDAY. Judge Mokgoatlheng was unable to deliver a ruling on whether the state can introduce the late Mabhungu Ntuli's cellphone records to challenge accused no. 3 Mthobisi Mncube's alibi. The matter now stands over to 31 August. Crime →

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1. EX-HAWKS HEAD LEBEYA DENIES KNOWING MURDER ACCUSED MOLEFE — APPEARED AT OWN EXPENSE AFTER SAPS REFUSED LEGAL FUNDING. Lt-Gen Godfrey Lebeya told the Madlanga Commission he does not know businessman Katiso "KT" Molefe and denies sending officers to interfere with Molefe's 2024 arrest. He said he was contacted by a Johannesburg figure known as "Malcolm X" and directed two senior managers to verify the claims. Corruption →

2. BIKO INQUEST PRESSES AHEAD — FAMILY WEIGHS RECUSAL APPLICATION AGAINST JUDGE MADONDO. Deputy Judge President Isaac Madondo dismissed the Biko family's postponement application, ruling that the two surviving witnesses' memories may fade with further delay. Nkosinathi Biko said a recusal application is "one of the options" after what the family called worrisome remarks about witness reliability. The first witness was expected to testify Thursday. Corruption →

3. IEC CANDIDATE NOMINATIONS CLOSE TOMORROW AT 5 PM. Political parties and independent candidates contesting the 4 November municipal elections have until 17h00 on Friday 28 August to submit their candidate lists. The system will close and no further submissions or changes will be accepted after the deadline. Economy →

4. DIDIZA SURVIVES NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION 282–101. The EFF's motion against National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza — brought because she did not oppose Ramaphosa's interdict halting the Phala Phala impeachment process — was defeated on Tuesday. The DA voted against the motion despite previously criticising Didiza's handling of the impeachment. Corruption →

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1. RAMAPHOSA PROMISES ARRESTS FOR XENOPHOBIA INSTIGATORS — BUT NOT WHEN. Answering questions in the National Assembly, the president said perpetrators of anti-immigrant violence “will face arrests and charges” once police have gathered sufficient evidence. Malema shot back that known instigators have operated in the presence of police without being detained. Neither man offered a number. Corruption →

2. HOME AFFAIRS HAS BLOWN R341 MILLION ON DEPORTATIONS IT NEVER BUDGETED FOR. The parliamentary portfolio committee on home affairs heard that the department's entire annual deportation allocation — R57 million — was exhausted within weeks of the June crackdown. A further R292 million request has gone to National Treasury. Nearly 73,000 people were repatriated between 7 June and 14 July alone. Economy →

3. BIKO FAMILY WANTS APARTHEID SPY CRAIG WILLIAMSON SUBPOENAED. The family's legal team told the Gqeberha High Court that Williamson admitted during the Cradock Four inquest that Biko had been placed under surveillance. A ruling on the family's postponement application is expected Wednesday. Corruption →

4. CAT MATLALA ENTERS A FOURTH DAY IN THE MADLANGA COMMISSION WITNESS BOX. Evidence leaders shifted to new topics including Matlala's links to taxi industry figures alleged to be part of the Big Five crime cartel. His credibility is under sustained pressure after contradicting his own earlier testimony on R4-million payments. Corruption →

5. INTERPOL OPERATION JACKAL IV: 39 ARRESTED IN JOBURG. South African police raided seven properties and seized $2.67 million in an eight-month international operation targeting romance and investment scam syndicates. A further 257 bank accounts were blocked. Crime →

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1. THE BIKO INQUEST STALLED ON DAY TWO. The family was granted a postponement at the Gqeberha High Court today — one day after the reopened inquest began — because they only secured legal representation on Monday and need time to review 49 years of evidence. No new date set. Corruption →

2. INFLATION FELL TO 4.3% — AND FOOD INFLATION IS THE LOWEST IN 16 YEARS. Stats SA reports July CPI at 4.3%, down from 5.0% in June. Food and non-alcoholic beverages came in at 0.9% annually, the lowest print since June 2010. Transport inflation cooled to 8.9% from 12.7% on lower fuel prices. Read the caveat before celebrating. Economy →

3. MCHUNU REJECTS THE PAWN ALLEGATION AS “OPPORTUNISTIC”. The suspended police minister has responded to Hawks Lt-Col Deena Govender's testimony that Mchunu spoke to him by phone and urged him to implicate Mkhwanazi. Mchunu says the claim is made “without any evidence” and rejects it “with the contempt it deserves.” Untested either way — the commission has made no finding. Corruption →

4. THE ANC IS APOLOGISING ITS WAY INTO THE ELECTION. At its local government manifesto launch, Ramaphosa admitted “there had been weaknesses, there had been failures” and warned that poor-performing ANC mayors and councillors will not be protected. Seventy-one days to 4 November. Corruption →

5. MEYIWA TRIAL: JUDGE TO RULE ON NEW EVIDENCE ON 31 AUGUST. The State wants to introduce cellphone records that it says contradict accused No. 3’s alibi. Crime →

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1. JOHANNESBURG PAID. IN FULL. Eskom received the final payment on Friday 21 August, settling the entire R5,255,421,994.16 overdue debt, and has withdrawn the disconnection process it started on 17 May. This site tracked that threat for three months and got its numbers wrong twice along the way. The outcome: the city paid. Infrastructure →

2. THE BIKO INQUEST RESUMED TODAY — 49 YEARS ON. The reopened inquest into Stephen Bantu Biko’s death in police custody got under way at the Gqeberha High Court this morning. Two former Security Branch officers are still alive and named as persons of interest. It has already hit delays over their legal funding, and Biko’s family has publicly criticised the court. Corruption →

3. ZOLANI TETE MURDERED. The former two-division world champion, 38, was ambushed outside his own gate in Mdantsane on 22 August by two men in balaclavas. A 27-year-old woman in the car was shot multiple times and is in hospital. Four people are now in custody. He held the Guinness world record for the fastest knockout in a title fight — 11 seconds. Crime →

4. WESTBURY: 22 DEAD IN TWO MONTHS. Residents describe living under daily gunfire as the Varados and Fast Guns fight for territory. It is the same pattern as the Cape Flats, in a suburb that rarely makes national coverage. Crime →

5. NEW: SHAMILA BATOHI ADDED TO THE HALL OF SHAME. The NDPP who served 2019–2026 now has a full entry, under a new tier for the people who held the levers of accountability and did not pull them. Six state-capture prosecutions in a year. Her own parting words: “Please forgive me.” Hall of Shame →

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1. RAMAPHOSA HAS SIGNED OFF ON BREAKING UP ESKOM. He approved a fully independent, state-owned Transmission System Operator sitting entirely outside Eskom — and, overruling his own energy minister, ruled the TSO will own the transmission assets, not merely operate them. Eskom’s bid to keep the grid failed. Legally mandated deadline: 31 December 2029. Infrastructure →

2. JOBURG’S R5.12bn IS DUE TOMORROW. The City committed to total payments of R5,117,736,000 by 21 August, and Eskom’s disconnection process is paused only to 22 August. R4.32bn has been paid. Tomorrow is the test. Infrastructure →

3. MAGASHULE BACK IN COURT TODAY — TWELVE YEARS ON. Judge Loubser set today for a progress update in the R255 million Free State asbestos matter, which dates to 2014. Magashule and 17 co-accused, including Edwin Sodi, still have not reached trial. The judge said postponing to January 2027 risked the accused simply forgetting about the case. Corruption →

4. PARLIAMENT’S POLICE-GRAFT REPORT IS 800 PAGES AND ITS FOURTH DRAFT. MPs are split over whether the Mkhwanazi committee may name the people its evidence implicates. Chair Soviet Lekganyane warned that failing to identify wrongdoing would damage Parliament’s credibility; the DA warned against findings built on hearsay. Corruption →

5. AFRIFORUM AND MARCH AND MARCH HAVE FORMED AN ALLIANCE. The Afrikaner lobby and the anti-immigration movement announced a “collaborative working group” on 19 August covering community safety, crime, mother-language education and “illegal migration.” Reaction has been sharply divided. Crime →

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1. PEET VILJOEN DENIED BAIL. Magistrate Nicca Setshogoe ruled today that the disbarred attorney is a flight risk with no fixed address in South Africa. He stays in Kgosi Mampuru facing roughly 400 charges over an alleged R27.6m Johannesburg Property Company fraud. His wife Mel broke down in court. Corruption →

2. THE MEL VILJOEN FILE — SHE HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED, AND THAT IS THE STORY. The Hawks finished their Tammy Taylor Nails investigation and handed three dockets to the NPA in June. More than 77 alleged victims say they paid for franchises that never existed. A US court ordered the couple to pay Tammy Taylor USA about R71 million. SARS served her a final tax demand in the courtroom. Two months on, the NPA has still not decided. Corruption →

3. MADLANGA SLIPS AGAIN — TO 16 NOVEMBER. This site said reports were due 31 August. Wrong: Ramaphosa has extended the commission a third time. Evidence now closes 2 October, reports due 16 November. Corruption →

4. SOUTH AFRICA TAKES THE SADC CHAIR. Ramaphosa took the chairship from Zimbabwe in Durban today, telling the bloc to “turn borders into bridges.” His own number: intra-SADC trade is only about one-fifth of the region's total, across a market of 400 million people. Corruption →

5. MARIKANA, FOURTEEN YEARS ON. The anniversary passed on 16 August. Thirty-four mineworkers shot dead by police in 2012; the families are still waiting for anyone to be held accountable. Crime →

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1. UNEMPLOYMENT ROSE TO 33.6% — AND THIS SITE'S HEADLINE NUMBER WAS OUT OF DATE. Stats SA released Q2 2026 today: official unemployment 33.6%, up 0.9 points from 32.7% in Q1. 345,000 more people unemployed, taking the total to 8.5 million, while employment *fell* by 16,000. Every unemployment figure on this site has been updated. Economy →

2. YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT AT 47.4% — FIVE MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE. Ages 15–34, up 1.5 points in a single quarter. Community and social services shed 57,000 jobs, mining 26,000, agriculture and manufacturing 15,000 each. Trade added 70,000 and construction 39,000. Western Cape lost 48,000 jobs; Mpumalanga gained 41,000. Economy →

3. SOUTH AFRICA TAKES THE SADC CHAIR THIS WEEK. Ramaphosa hosts and chairs the 46th SADC Summit at the Durban ICC on 16–17 August, beginning a one-year tenure as chair of the regional bloc. Theme: industrialisation through infrastructure, agriculture and critical minerals. Corruption →

4. THE WEEK'S DEADLINES. Peet Viljoen's bail judgment lands 17 August; the Magashule asbestos matter returns 20 August; Johannesburg has committed to R5.12bn to Eskom by 21 August with the disconnection process paused to 22 August; and the Madlanga Commission must deliver its reports by 31 August. Infrastructure →

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1. ELEVEN KILLED IN THREE CAPE FLATS SHOOTINGS IN ONE NIGHT. Three men shot dead in Khayelitsha's TR Section; four men and a woman in Langa; two men and a woman in Gugulethu's Barcelona settlement, with two wounded. All within hours on 8–9 August. No arrests. Police have posted a R100,000 reward and will not say the incidents are linked. Crime →

2. THIS SITE WAS WRONG ABOUT THE GREY LIST. South Africa exited the FATF grey list in October 2025 after a successful on-site review. Two places on this site still said “grey-listed since February 2023.” Corrected. Parliament's public hearings on the follow-up AML bill are tomorrow. Corruption →

3. MALEMA TO BE PROSECUTED FOR CRIMEN INJURIA. The NPA has instructed prosecution of the EFF leader over his April 2025 claim that a school principal raped a seven-year-old. The NPA had already declined to prosecute the rape allegation itself, finding no evidence of rape or sexual assault. Crime →

4. JOBURG HAS PAID EARLY — AND THIS SITE HAD THE NUMBERS WRONG. Eskom confirms the City has paid R4.32bn of the R5.26bn overdue, committed to R5.12bn by 21 August, and the PAJA process is extended to 22 August. There was no “R800m by 15 August” instalment. Corrected. Infrastructure →

5. MADLANGA REPORTS DUE 31 AUGUST. The commission investigating collusion between politicians, police, prosecutors and the judiciary must deliver by month-end, on an extension Ramaphosa granted in July. Corruption →

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1. THE VOTERS' ROLL IS CLOSED. THE ELECTION IS 4 NOVEMBER. Minister Hlabisa gazetted the proclamation today; the roll shut at midnight on 7 August. It closed with more than 29 million registered voters after 291,806 first-time registrations over the 1–2 August weekend. Nobody else can register. 620 parties will contest 257 municipalities. Corruption →

2. PEET VILJOEN'S BAIL JUDGMENT LANDS 17 AUGUST. The disbarred attorney facing 400 charges over an alleged R27.6m Johannesburg Property Company fraud has offered R250,000 bail and house arrest. While he fought for release, a SARS official walked into the Pretoria courtroom and served his wife Mel a final tax demand. He says he will sue the NPA for R500 million. Corruption →

3. THE ANC ABSTAINED ON WHO INVESTIGATES ITS OWN LEADER. The Section 89 committee voted 9–7 to name Adv. Thandazani Madonsela evidence leader in the Phala Phala inquiry. Parliament's legal advisers concluded Ramaphosa can be summoned and cannot claim a right to silence — while the committee appeals to the Constitutional Court to lift the interdict halting the inquiry. Corruption →

4. DIESEL IS NOW DEARER THAN PETROL. Wednesday's adjustment cut petrol 52c/l (95 ULP to R25.58/l) but pushed diesel 500ppm up R1.38/l to R26.16 wholesale. The relief went to private motorists; the increase lands on freight, farming and food. Economy →

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1. THE ANC ABSTAINED ON WHO INVESTIGATES ITS OWN LEADER: The Section 89 committee voted 9–7 to name Adv. Thandazani Madonsela evidence leader in the Phala Phala inquiry. The ANC took no position. Parliament's legal advisers also concluded Ramaphosa can be summoned and cannot claim a right to silence — while the committee appeals to the Constitutional Court to lift the interdict halting the inquiry. Corruption →

2. FUEL CHANGES TODAY — DIESEL NOW DEARER THAN PETROL: From today, petrol 93 and 95 drop 52c/l (95 ULP to R25.58/l) while diesel 500ppm rises R1.38/l to R26.16 wholesale and paraffin increases. The relief goes to private motorists; the increase lands on freight, farming and food. Economy →

3. VOTERS' ROLL CLOSES FRIDAY: Minister Hlabisa gazettes 4 November 2026 as the municipal election date on Friday, 7 August. Proclamation closes the roll — registration ends with it. 620 parties, 28.5m voters, 257 municipalities. Corruption →

4. WHISTLEBLOWER OFFERED PROTECTION: IDAC advocate Drushantha Ramsamy called her former boss's testimony “a straight lie” at the Madlanga Commission — and the commission has offered her security. The unit built to prosecute state capture is now itself under inquiry. Corruption →

5. ESKOM — 441 DAYS, WINTER RISK PASSED: No load shedding since 16 May 2025; demand met 100% of the time since April. Daily EAF hit 82.04% on 26 July, best since 2017, with a ~6GW surplus. Infrastructure →

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