<![CDATA[TimesLive]]>https://www.timeslive.co.zaSat, 07 Nov 2026 07:23:42 +0000en1hourly1<![CDATA[Zambia sees steady growth and smaller budget deficit next year]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2026-11-07-zambia-sees-steady-growth-and-smaller-budget-deficit-next-year/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2026-11-07-zambia-sees-steady-growth-and-smaller-budget-deficit-next-year/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 07:00:00 +0000Zambia will aim to keep economic growth around 5% in 2027 while halving the budget deficit, which swelled this year on fuel tax cuts and higher-than-projected spending, its finance minister said on Friday.

The government will aim to reduce the fiscal deficit to not more than 3.0% of GDP from 5.9% this year, finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane said in his budget speech.

This year’s deficit ballooned because of fuel tax cuts to cushion the impact of the Iran war on households and businesses, as well as spending on maize purchases for the country’s food reserves.

Economic growth in 2026 was projected at 5.3% last month.

Zambia emerged from a prolonged debt crisis after becoming Africa’s first Covid-19-era sovereign default in 2020.

In October it secured staff-level backing from the International Monetary Fund for a new $1.5bn (R24.81bn) programme.

Musokotwane said Zambia’s copper output was projected at 930,000 tonnes this year, up from about 890,000 tonnes in 2025, and that there would be a stable and predictable fiscal regime for mining companies.

Zambia aims to more than triple copper output to 3-million tonnes by 2031.

Reuters

]]>NAMUKOLO SIYUMBWA<![CDATA[LIVE UPDATES | Zille says DA leaning towards ActionSA or ANC for Joburg coalitions]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-05-live-updates-zille-says-da-leaning-towards-actionsa-or-anc-for-joburg-coalitions/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-05-live-updates-zille-says-da-leaning-towards-actionsa-or-anc-for-joburg-coalitions/Thu, 05 Nov 2026 20:10:09 +0000November 7 2026, 08:20

November 6 2026, 19:43

Zille favours ActionSA or ANC coalition in Joburg

Democratic Alliance Johannesburg mayoral candidate Helen Zille says her preferred coalition options in the city are ActionSA or the ANC, arguing that a two-party government would be easier to manage than a broad coalition involving several smaller parties.

In an interview with TimesLIVE, Zille said preliminary election results suggested the DA could form a two-party coalition with either ActionSA or the ANC, although she cautioned that the final outcome would depend on the results and negotiations.

“I have been looking at the numbers. Before the final results are in, we could do a coalition with two parties in a two-party coalition with ActionSA or ANC,” she said.

Zille favours ActionSA or ANC coalition in Joburg

November 6 2026, 18:35

I despise the DA, but will work with them, says PA’s McKenzie after defeat

The Patriotic Alliance has signalled that it is willing to work with the Democratic Alliance in coalition governments despite party leader Gayton McKenzie’s repeated criticism of the blue party.

The submission came on Friday after the party lost its founding Eldorado Park Ward 18, in Johannesburg, to the DA.

Just after 5pm on Friday, the PA showed 2% of voter support nationwide and 1% of support in Gauteng.

McKenzie said the PA’s approach to coalitions would be guided by the needs of communities rather than personal animosity. “We don’t like the DA, let me be frank. I actually despise them, but we will work with them because it’s not about me.

I despise the DA, but will work with them, says PA’s McKenzie after defeat

November 6 2026, 18:02

Five things to know: What voters had to say about their voting experience

The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) asked voters, in a survey, for their opinion on how well the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) managed the election.

The results of the Election Satisfaction Survey found high confidence in the voting process, but a gradual decline in trust in the IEC.

South Africans who voted in the 2026 local government elections largely rated the electoral process as free, fair and professionally run.

The survey interviewed 13,198 voters at 300 voting stations across all nine provinces.

Five things to know: What voters had to say about their voting experience

November 6 2026, 17:20

IEC worker describes ‘inhumane’ conditions endured to count your vote

As the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) reports that the 2026 local government election results are being captured and processed significantly faster than in 2021, the election staff working behind closed doors are revealing the human cost of ensuring that every vote is counted.

Luzuko Simani, who served as a deputy presiding officer (DPO) at the Jan van Riebeeck Primary School voting centre in Cape Town, unpacked the gruelling, long hours required during the counting process, conditions he described as “inhumane”.

IEC worker describes ‘inhumane’ conditions endured to count your vote

November 6 2026, 17:00

WATCH | The Political Arena team talks to political leaders about LGE results

November 6 2026, 16:13

November 6 2026, 16:05

UDM shakes up Eastern Cape politics in historic vote as ANC loses majority

For the first time since 1995, the ANC has lost majority power in the second-largest metro in the Eastern Cape, Buffalo City municipality, after the UDM made inroads in a historic local municipality election result.

The local government results from the metro show a threat to the ANC’s long-standing dominance in the province ahead of the 2029 national and provincial elections.

The ANC, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, held its last election campaign rally in the metro at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane, two days before this week’s elections. As the party would have it — the rally was the last it had as the majority party in KuGompo City (formerly East London).

UDM shakes up Eastern Cape politics in historic vote as ANC loses majority

November 6 2026, 15:55

‘Fearmongering is not democracy,’ says FF Plus national chairperson Wouter Wessels

Freedom Front Plus national chairperson Wouter Wessels has criticised the level of fear mongering displayed in this current election campaign, saying it is a practice far removed from democracy.

Instead, he believes voters should be allowed to associate with and campaign for whomever, without being threatened to do so.

“It also comes back to the politics of fear, with some parties saying it is a two-party race and that the vote shouldn’t be divided, so people are confused. Then other parties say if you don’t vote for us, if you vote for someone different then you are going to lose your grant, you will lose your RDP house and all those things are fear mongering and it is not good for democracy.”

Stop the fearmongering, it’s not democracy: FF Plus chair

November 6 2026, 15:45

November 6 2026, 14:56

WATCH | ActionSA wants to end ‘revolving door’ of Tshwane mayors

ActionSA says it will push for Dr Nasiphi Moya to remain executive mayor of Tshwane for another five years as the party prepares for coalition negotiations after the local government elections.

The party’s secretary-general, Michael Beaumont, said ActionSA would negotiate with parties willing to commit to a shared programme of government focused on service delivery, stability and accountability.

Beaumont said the party wanted to end the revolving door of mayors in the capital and would not support candidates with a track record of corruption or failure.

WATCH | ActionSA wants to end ‘revolving door’ of Tshwane mayors

November 6 2026, 14:30

Ex-MP Ndlozi explains why he didn’t vote in local government elections

Former EFF member of parliament Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has revealed that he did not vote in the recent 2026 local government elections, citing his dissatisfaction with the state of black political parties in South Africa.

South Africans headed to the polls this week to cast their ballots in the municipal elections. Out of 29.2-million registered voters across 23,696 voting stations nationwide, about 14.5-million citizens cast their votes.

Ex-MP Ndlozi explains why he didn’t vote in local government elections

November 6 2026, 14:28

WATCH | SACP and Afrika Mayibuye make inroads in municipal elections

The SACP and Afrika Mayibuye Movement (AMM) are emerging as new contenders in the local government elections, recording pockets of support in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.

The two parties have attracted attention with their electoral performance, particularly the SACP, which broke away from its longstanding electoral alliance with the ANC to contest the elections independently.

Speaking to Sowetan on the sidelines of vote counting at the National Results Operation Centre in Midrand on Friday, SACP national spokesperson Mbulelo Mandlana said the party was pleased with its performance.

WATCH | SACP and Afrika Mayibuye make inroads in municipal elections

November 6 2026, 13:14

November 6 2026, 12:45

November 6 2026, 12:33

WATCH | Jacob Zuma says MK Party open to coalition talks

Former president Jacob Zuma says the MK Party is open to coalition talks.

Speaking at the Durban high court on Friday — where he came to support his daughter, former MK Party MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla — Zuma gave his trademark laugh as he answered questions about the party’s performance in Wednesday’s elections.

WATCH | Jacob Zuma says MK Party open to coalition talks

November 6 2026, 11:53

November 6 2026, 12:00

WATCH LIVE | The Political Arena speaks to Helen Zille and what the early results mean

November 6 2026, 11:11

November 6 2026, 09:44

WATCH LIVE | The Political Arena team unpacks trends on the election results

November 6 2026, 09:40

DA gains in five metros — Hill-Lewis says talks must put residents first

DA federal leader Geordin Hill-Lewis has called on political parties to put aside their election differences and prioritise stable local government, as coalition negotiations loom across the country following Wednesday’s municipal elections.

Addressing the media at the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC’s) national results centre in Midrand on Friday, Hill-Lewis said political leaders had a responsibility to rise above the divisions of the election campaign and form governments capable of turning around struggling municipalities.

He said the emerging results suggested that about 150-160 councils, representing roughly two-thirds of the country’s local municipalities, would require coalition governments.

DA gains in five metros — Hill-Lewis says talks must put residents first

November 6 2026, 08:55

WATCH LIVE | DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis briefs media

November 6 2026, 08:50

20 suspects nabbed for election related offences in Limpopo

Limpopo police have arrested 20 suspects for election related offences since the commencement of the 2026 Local Government Elections.

According to police, a total of about 33 cases relating to election-related incidents have been registered across Limpopo.

The offences include contravention of the Electoral Act 73 of 1998, fraud, common assault, malicious damage to property and pointing of a firearm.

20 suspects nabbed for election related offences in Limpopo

November 6 2026, 08:43

Frustration and action shift power in KZN

KwaZulu-Natal has shifted.

In its first local government election, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) has emerged as the province’s leading party in early counting.

The African National Congress (ANC) has fallen to second place in a province it once dominated.

By Thursday, with 30% counted, the IEC put the MK Party on 33%-34%, the ANC on 25%, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) on 22% and the Democratic Alliance (DA) on 10%-12%.

Frustration and action shift power in KZN

November 6 2026, 08:30

Gauteng urban voters break with historical political loyalties as hung councils loom

With Gauteng’s metropolitan municipalities appearing unlikely to produce outright winners, an analyst has described voters in the country’s economic hub as increasingly different from those elsewhere.

With about half of the votes counted and declared by Thursday night, Johannesburg and Tshwane had three parties each polling more than 20% of the vote — a rarity in many municipalities across the country.

Wade Manning, executive director of Defend Our Democracy, said voters in Johannesburg were increasingly prioritising local issues over traditional political loyalties.

Gauteng urban voters break with historical political loyalties as hung councils loom

November 6 2026, 08:15

Ntuli casts doubt on ANC-DA deal for Johannesburg mayoralty, takes swipe at Zille

ANC head of elections Mdumiseni Ntuli has cast doubt on a possible deal between the ANC and the DA that could see Helen Zille elected as Johannesburg mayor, suggesting her campaign rhetoric had left a sour taste among ANC leaders.

In an interview with The Political Arena at the IEC Results Centre on Thursday, Ntuli, who is also the ANC’s chief whip in parliament, said some within the party would be uncomfortable working with the DA following what he described as Zille’s arrogance during the campaign.

“A number of us will be very uncomfortable with the display of arrogance of Helen Zille. I’m talking about Johannesburg. This thing that she is the messiah, she is going to travel all the way from Cape Town to fix Johannesburg.

Ntuli casts doubt on ANC-DA deal for Johannesburg mayoralty, takes swipe at Zille

November 5 2026, 21:54

WATCH | ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba outlines the conditions his party wants met before entering into a coalition with another party.

 

November 5 2026, 21:39

WATCH | ANC’s Nomvula Mokonyane says the results show the party is being renewed and that voters still have confidence in the ANC.

November 5 2026, 20:45

Northern Cape leads election results capture as IEC says more than 60% processed

The Northern Cape is leading the capturing of results in the 2026 local government elections with 87% of results captured as the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) continues its counting, verification and auditing processes countrywide.

IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo said the commission was pleased with the steady progress being made with more than 60% of the results captured by 5pm.

Northern Cape leads election results capture as IEC says more than 60% processed

November 5 2026, 21:00

WATCH | ATM national chairperson Mandisa Mashiya says the party will not consider entering into coalitions with parties it considers corrupt or those whose principles do not align with its own.

November 5 2026, 20:42

DA leads Western Cape as coalitions loom in councils

The DA is maintaining its dominance across much of the Western Cape, but early results from the 2026 local government elections point to a number of closely contested municipal councils where no party has secured an outright majority.

With 50% of the province’s 1,623 voting districts counted, the DA had secured 53.4% of the provincial vote, followed by the ANC on 14%, the PA on 11.1% and the Freedom Front Plus on 5.4%.

DA leads Western Cape as coalitions loom in councils

November 5 2026, 19.01

DA takes majority control of at least four councils in Western Cape, 13 hung still and counting

The DA has secured majority control of at least four out of 24 local municipalities in the Western Cape after the counting and declaration of votes was concluded in at least 17 local councils across the province by 6pm on Thursday.

Western Cape IEC Chief Micheal Hendrickse said that at that time, there were at least 13 hung councils in the province, which means they would have to be governed by coalition arrangements.

DA takes majority control of at least four councils in Western Cape, 13 hung still and counting

View Live Election Results 🗳️

November 5 2026, 17:40

November 5 2026, 17:24

WATCH LIVE| The Political Arena team breaks down the LGE results as they trickle in

November 5 2026, 17:20

November 5 2026, 17:11

DA’s victory projection sparks backlash as rival parties urge patience

The Democratic Alliance’s projection of securing about 59% of the vote in the City of Cape Town has drawn mixed reactions from rival political parties, with some accusing the party of prematurely declaring victory before the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) had completed its counting process.

On Thursday the DA held a mini celebration outside the IEC results centre in Century City, where Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis announced that the party was claiming victory in the metro based on its election projections.

DA’s victory projection sparks backlash as rival parties urge patience

November 5 2026, 17:08

‘We won’t be in bed with corrupt people’: ATM draws hard line on coalition deals

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has set strict boundaries regarding potential coalition governments, stating it will not get into bed with corrupt individuals or parties.

This comes as the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) continues counting and verifying votes after Wednesday’s local government elections. Final results are expected to be announced in the coming days.

With 43.3% of voting districts currently processed, the ATM sits outside the top 10 parties nationally, holding roughly 0.9% of the vote. The ANC and DA continue to lead the national tally.

‘We won’t be in bed with corrupt people’: ATM draws hard line on coalition deals

November 5 2026, 16:52

NOVEMBER 5 2026, 14:55

WATCH | The DA celebrates a major milestone, claiming one million black votes as it overtakes the EFF. Ashor Saraupen weighs in on the party’s growing support, election gains, and coalition prospects.

November 5 2026, 14:46

November 5 2026 14:02

ActionSA eyes coalition roles as early Tshwane results show gains

ActionSA says it is encouraged by early local government election results in Gauteng, as it appears to be on course to strengthen its position in the City of Tshwane and increase its influence ahead of the 2029 national and provincial elections.

By lunchtime on Thursday, the DA led in Tshwane with 30.6% of the vote, while ActionSA was second at 22.8%.

ActionSA national spokesperson Michael Beaumont said the party was gaining momentum in several wards and had made significant inroads in areas previously dominated by the ANC, which is currently sitting at 21.9%.

ActionSA eyes coalition roles as early Tshwane results show gains

November 5 2026, 13:20

WATCH LIVE | The Political Arena team breaks down the early election results

November 5 2026, 13:05

November 5 2026 12:40

November 5 2026, 12:16

November 5 2026, 12:05

November 5 2026 11:47

November 5 2026 11:40

IEC reports faster results processing as Zille happy with DA performance

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says the 2026 local government election results are being processed at a faster pace than during the previous municipal elections, with 18 municipalities having completed the results process by 9am on Thursday.

IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo said the commission had received 23,444 results slips, representing 35.5% of the 66,073 expected results from local municipalities, metros and district councils across the country’s 23,000 voting stations.

“Of these, 22,983 results slips, representing 34.8%, had been captured into the results system, while 16,791, or 25%, had undergone independent auditing.”

IEC reports faster results processing as Zille happy with DA performance

November 5 2026, 10:43

November 5 2026, 10:00

WATCH LIVE | IEC updates media on early vote-counting

November 5 2026, 09:44

WATCH LIVE | The Political Arena team looks at the numbers trickling in

November 5 2026, 09:20

KZN voter turnout tops national average at 48.7 percent

KwaZulu-Natal’s preliminary voter turnout stood at 48.7%, above the national figure of 45.8% on Thursday morning.

Provincial electoral officer Ntombifuthi Masinga said the figures remained provisional, with only 18% of the province’s results captured and 12% audited.

The turnout figures put KZN 2.9 percentage points ahead of the national average, but Masinga said that outstanding results could change the picture.

KZN voter turnout tops national average at 48.7 percent

November 5 2026 09:14

21% of the votes have now been counted. The ANC is currently leading, having received 1.34 million votes, followed by the DA with 1.27 million and the MKP currently has 240,000 votes.

November 5 2026 09:00

10% of votes captured in Gauteng and the DA is leading with 39.26% followed by ANC with 18.55% and ActionSA at 15.17%.

November 5 2026 08:52

A lot of pink spots on the KZN map this morning, with Jacob Zuma’s MKP taking an early lead of 32.6%, followed by ANC with 23.99%. The IFP is closely behind with 21.95%. Only 11% of votes have been captured.

November 5 2026, 08:48

Woman arrested at Mugoboya voting station for disrupting voting

A 25-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly disrupting the voting process at Mugoboya voting station in the Mopani district on Wednesday.

The woman is expected to appear before the Lenyenye magistrate’s court on Friday.

She was arrested following an incident in which she allegedly attempted to take photographs and record a video while casting her vote. The presiding officer informed her that such conduct was prohibited by law and would not be permitted.

Woman arrested at Mugoboya voting station for disrupting voting

November 5 2026 08:42

November 5 2026 08:32

November 5 2026 08:29

November 5 2026, 07:21

Local Municipal Elections 2026 : Leading parties
Local Municipal Elections 2026 : Leading parties

Party % Support Seats Votes
ANC 31.76% 120 862,877
DA 31.23% 81 848,677
MKP 5.13% 4 139,382

Local Municipal Elections 2026 - % Support Comparison
Local Municipal Elections 2026 - % Support Comparison
  • Counting is at 15% complete
  • For all your live results visit the IEC.

November 5 2026, 07:00

Youth unemployment tops concerns as Atteridgeville, Saulsville residents vote

The communities of Atteridgeville and Saulsville cast their votes in the local government elections on Wednesday, hoping their preferred candidates will address unemployment and create more job opportunities for young people.

When TimesLIVE visited several voting stations in the area, residents expressed concern about the high levels of youth unemployment, saying many young people remain without opportunities, with some turning to drugs as a coping mechanism.

Youth unemployment tops concerns as Atteridgeville, Saulsville residents vote

November 5 2026, 05:00

Youth stay away from polls as townships turn quiet while suburbs queue to vote

Thousands of young people appeared to have turned their back on the local government elections in townships such as Nyanga, Langa and Khayelitsha, with some opting to treat election day as a public holiday rather than exercise their right to vote.

While some voting stations in these communities were relatively quiet, with mostly elderly residents turning out, long queues could be seen at several polling stations in the suburbs, highlighting a stark contrast in voter participation across the city.

Youth stay away from polls as townships turn quiet while suburbs queue to vote

November 5 2026, 05:00

SOWETAN | Big day for democracy as millions cast votes

Yesterday, millions of South Africans descended on polling stations to vote for change in the local government elections, much as they did in the first democratic elections in 1994.

Although much of the public debate in the coming days will focus on voter turnout and the outcome, the significance of the voters who showed up at voting stations should not be minimised. Like those who turned up in 1994 to usher in the first democratic government, this year’s local government election is about more than platitudes and numbers.

Given the growing dissatisfaction with the state of municipalities and the delivery of basic services such as water, electricity and sanitation, yesterday’s voting was also about the maturity of our democracy. Voter registration has trended upward, even when turnout in some elections has been inconsistent.

SOWETAN | Big day for democracy as millions cast votes

November 5 2026, 05:00

Young and old come out for change

From first-time voters hoping to secure jobs and safer communities, to pensioners determined to see long-promised basic services delivered, young and old voters went to the polls on Wednesday with one common demand: change.

In Hammanskraal, Midrand, Johannesburg and the Vaal, voters said their ballots represented an opportunity to influence the future of communities struggling with unemployment, crime, poor roads, water shortages and failing municipal services.

For 24-year-old Puseletso Mafuma, voting for the first time in Temba, Hammanskraal, was an emotional milestone that made her feel her voice finally mattered. “I feel relieved that finally, I get to choose which party rules. It feels like I have a say, you know. It feels like my voice is finally getting heard,” she said.

Young and old come out for change

November 5 2026, 04:45

EDITORIAL | Thank you, your vote made a difference

As South Africans flocked to churches, schools and community centres yesterday to make their mark in a quest for improved service delivery and a better life, another election played out on the other side of the world that has the potential to move the needle down at the bottom of Africa.

Despite being in another country thousands of kilometres away, the US midterm elections have had repercussions across the world. The landslide Democrat victory has shifted the balance of power and effectively made President Donald Trump a lame duck for his remaining two years in office.

EDITORIAL | Thank you, your vote made a difference

November 5 2026, 04:45

Change in the air as election fever sweeps eThekwini

ANC exile-era struggle songs replaced protest chants in Durban’s CBD on Wednesday where ironically a flash mob of singing MK Party supporters shimmied down Diakonia Avenue, in almost anticipatory celebration.

Minutes later, not to be outdone or written off, a group of ANC-clad supporters waved the party’s flag, singing and ululating to drum up support along the street where voting stations were set up at the Durban Music Centre and YMCA Park.

There snaking queues of voters waited patiently, determined to put an end to the rot, crime and water crisis in the volatile economic hub, which has courted xenophobic civil unrest in the past two month.

Change in the air as election fever sweeps eThekwini

November 5 2026, 04:30

EXPLAINER | How the IEC’s dispute resolution system works

South Africa’s electoral dispute resolution system gives political parties several avenues to challenge alleged irregularities, report administrative failures and seek action against breaches of election rules. But the processes are not interchangeable and parties must use the correct legal channel and meet the applicable deadlines if they want their complaints to be considered.

As South Africans voted in Wednesday’s local government elections, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) must ensure that complaints are dealt with in accordance with the law.

EXPLAINER | How the IEC’s dispute resolution system works

November 5 2026, 04:30

WATCH | ‘What’s the point of voting?’ ask people who boycotted elections

While millions of South Africans made their way to voting stations to cast their votes on Wednesday, residents of Ga-Chokoe outside Mokopane in Limpopo boycotted the elections over a dispute concerning municipal ward demarcation.

Mahlora Primary School, which was designated as a voting station, was empty for most of the day as residents refused to cast their ballots.

Only the police and IEC officials could be seen inside the school. There weren’t even party agents outside. The roads were empty as residents decided to stay home. This followed a community meeting where it was decided that no-one would vote.

WATCH | ‘What’s the point of voting?’ ask people who boycotted elections

November 5 2026, 04:30

SA voter turnout threatens to redraw political map

More than 40% of South Africa’s registered voters had cast ballots by 5pm in municipal elections on Wednesday, with three hours of voting remaining, as the contest threatens to further weaken the ANC and reshape coalitions governing the country’s biggest cities.

About 12-million people had voted by that point, up from 3.5-million at 10am, according to preliminary figures released by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) in a briefing on Wednesday night. Gauteng recorded the highest number of votes at about 3-million, followed by KwaZulu-Natal at 2.5-million and the Western Cape at 1.5-million.

SA voter turnout threatens to redraw political map

November 4 2026, 21:58

ANC says two members attacked in KZN while on way to vote

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal says two of its members were injured and taken to hospital after an alleged attack in Abaqulusi, while police say the incident was not politically motivated.

The party alleged on Wednesday that IFP supporters assaulted its voters on their way to vote in Siyaphambili voting district in ward 4 of Abaqulusi local municipality.

ANC says two members attacked in KZN while on way to vote

November 4 2026, 20:47

When voting closes: IEC explains next steps and results declaration

With voting in Wednesday’s election drawing to a close, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has outlined the processes that follows, from the counting of ballots at voting stations to the verification and eventual announcement of the results.

IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo said all ballot papers would be counted at the voting stations.

When voting closes: IEC explains next steps and results declaration

November 4 2026, 20:20

SA voter turnout threatens to redraw political map

More than 40% of South Africa’s registered voters had cast ballots by 5pm in municipal elections on Wednesday, with three hours of voting remaining, as the contest threatens to further weaken the ANC and reshape coalitions governing the country’s biggest cities.

About 12-million people had voted by that point, up from 3.5-million at 10am, according to preliminary figures released by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) in a briefing on Wednesday night. Gauteng recorded the highest number of votes at about 3-million, followed by KwaZulu-Natal at 2.5-million and the Western Cape at 1.5-million.

SA voter turnout threatens to redraw political map

November 4 2026, 19:51

WATCH | ‘No water, no vote’: East Rand residents skip polls over three-day outage

Several residents in eSindane, Tsakane, on the East Rand, stayed away from voting stations on Wednesday, saying they had gone three days without water and felt neglected by those seeking their votes.

Residents said the water outage, which began on Monday morning, had left them struggling with basic household needs, including cooking, bathing and doing laundry, while intermittent electricity supply added to their frustrations.

WATCH | ‘No water, no vote’: East Rand residents skip polls over three-day outage

November 4 2026, 19:16

MK supporters celebrate early in eThekwini

ANC exile-era struggle songs replaced protest chants in Durban’s CBD on Wednesday, where a flash mob of singing MK party supporters shimmied down Diakonia Avenue in almost anticipatory celebration.

MK supporters celebrate early in eThekwini

November 4 2026, 19:11

Water crisis takes centre stage in municipal election battle

Political leaders cast their votes countrywide on Wednesday as the battle for control of South Africa’s 257 municipalities intensified, with service delivery failures, particularly persistent water shortages, emerging as a big election battleground.

Water crisis takes centre stage in municipal election battle

November 4 2026, 18:59

WATCH | Old people standing in queues say they didn’t know about special votes

Some elderly voters who were approved for special votes turned up at polling stations in Kathorus (Katlehong, Thokoza, Vosloorus), Ekurhuleni, with election observers reporting confusion over the process and concerns about people trying to use their age to skip queues.

An observer said several senior citizens who were expected to vote on Monday or Tuesday had instead arrived on election day.

WATCH | Old people standing in queues say they didn’t know about special votes

November 4 2026, 18:52

IEC assures voters they will not be turned away if they arrive before 9pm

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has assured voters that they will be allowed to cast their ballots even if voting is extended beyond the official 9pm closing time, provided they arrive at their registered voting stations before the deadline.

This comes as voting enters its final hours in the 2026 local government elections, with preliminary figures showing that 12-million voters had cast their ballots across the country by 5pm on Wednesday.

IEC assures voters they will not be turned away if they arrive before 9pm

November 4 2026, 18:51

November 4 2026, 18:39

November 4 2026, 18:23

‘Vote for dignity,’ urges EFF Joburg mayoral candidate Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng

EFF mayoral candidate for Johannesburg Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng has urged voters to exercise their democratic right despite the despondency.

“Voting is the single most fundamental civic duty and we are only asking for people to do it every four years,” she said before entering her allocated voting station in Parkmore, north of Johannesburg.

‘Vote for dignity,’ urges EFF Joburg mayoral candidate Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng

November 4 2026, 18:21

Tumisho Masha under fire for posting marked ballot paper

Tumisho Masha has found himself in legal hot water.

As celebrities flooded the timeline to share images of their inked thumbs to show their participation in the 2026 local government election on Wednesday, Tumisho took to his social media, not only posting his thumb but also the alleged ballot paper revealing he voted for ActionSA.

Tumisho Masha under fire for posting marked ballot paper

November 4 2026, 18:12

Zuma casts vote, satisfied with voting process

MK Party president Jacob Zuma is confident his party will win the local government elections, saying he believes South Africans have recognised it as a party capable of taking over the country and governing it well.

Zuma was speaking after casting his vote on Wednesday at Ntolwane Primary School in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, where he arrived wearing an MK Party T-shirt bearing his image and sporting his trademark smile.

Zuma casts vote, satisfied with voting process

November 4 2026, 18:10

RECORDED| IEC briefs media on progress of local government elections

November 4 2026, 18:08

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Kingsol Chabalala confident DA will unseat ANC in Emfuleni

The DA’s mayoral candidate in Emfuleni municipality, Kingsol Chabalala, said his vote signals the beginning of the end of what he describes as years of chaos, poor governance and failing service delivery in Emfuleni.

Speaking after casting his vote on Wednesday, Chabalala said residents deserved a municipality that worked for all communities.

Kingsol Chabalala confident DA will unseat ANC in Emfuleni

November 4 2026, 17:23

KwaLanga residents want action on toilets, housing and unemployment

Unemployment, stalled housing projects and poor basic services remain among the concerns residents hope will be addressed by those elected to power.

Young people in KwaLanga in the Western Cape have raised concerns about voter apathy among their peers, saying many are failing to recognise the power of their vote despite living with unemployment and poor service delivery.

KwaLanga residents want action on toilets, housing and unemployment

November 4 2026, 17:17

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No water, no vote: some Bronkhorstspruit residents skip election

A 32-year-old man from Zithobeni, in Bronkhorstspruit, chose to collect water from a borehole at Dan Kutumela Secondary School rather than cast his vote on Wednesday.

Bronkhorstspruit recently made headlines after more than 800 people fell ill following water contamination linked to the lack of chlorine at a water treatment plant.

No water, no vote: some Bronkhorstspruit residents skip election

November 4 2026, 16:57

WATCH | What voters want from their local leaders

Service delivery, reliable infrastructure and accountable local government are among the issues facing South African voters.

Sunday Times journalist Yoliswa Sobuwa joins Business Day TV to discuss voter sentiment, the issues emerging from the ground and what communities want from their municipalities.

WATCH | What voters want from their local leaders

November 4 2026, 16:55

WATCH | What coalition talks could mean for South Africa’s metros

With several of South Africa’s major municipalities facing the prospect of hung councils, the local elections could usher in another round of coalition governments.

Jonathan Moakes, director at the SABI Strategy Group, joins Business Day TV to examine the political dynamics shaping these potential alliances and the challenges parties may face in reaching agreement.

WATCH | What coalition talks could mean for South Africa’s metros

November 4 2026, 16:49

Electoral Court dismisses Bongani Cibi’s bid to contest municipal elections

The Electoral Court has dismissed Bongani Wellington Cibi’s application challenging his exclusion from the local government elections, finding that he missed mandatory deadlines and failed to identify a reviewable decision by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).

In a judgment handed down on Tuesday, judge Lebogang Modiba ruled that Cibi’s inability to contest the elections resulted from the operation of the law rather than unlawful conduct by the commission.

Electoral Court dismisses Bongani Cibi’s bid to contest municipal elections

November 4 2026, 16:48

November 4 2026, 16:34

WATCH | Limpopo voters boycott elections

While millions of South Africans made their way to different voting stations to cast their votes on Wednesday, residents of Ga-Chokoe outside Mokopane in Limpopo boycotted the elections over a dispute concerning municipal ward demarcation.

Mahlora Primary School, which was designated as a voting station, was empty for most of the day as residents refused to cast their ballots.

WATCH | Limpopo voters boycott elections

November 4 2026, 16:30

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‘Councillors must prioritise voters,’ says Mashatile

ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile has called on councillors who are victorious in the election to put voters first.

Speaking on the sidelines of his voting station in Kelvin, Johannesburg, he said the pleas of residents must be heard and acted upon after the election.

‘Councillors must prioritise voters,’ says Mashatile

November 4 2026, 16:25

WATCH | South Africans head to the polls

South Africans are making their voices heard in a pivotal municipal election. Business Day’s Luyolo Mkentane joins Business Day TV with the latest developments, the mood on the ground and the key stories emerging from voting stations.

WATCH | South Africans head to the polls

November 4 2026, 16:24

WATCH | What South Africa’s local elections mean for the political landscape

South Africa’s local elections could have implications well beyond municipal government, with the results set to shape the balance of power between political parties and the prospects for coalition governments.

Political analyst Sipho Seepe joins Business Day TV to unpack the political dynamics and what the results could signal for the country’s future.

WATCH | What South Africa’s local elections mean for the political landscape

November 4 2026, 16:21

WATCH | The big issues shaping South Africa’s municipal elections

From service delivery and unemployment to political accountability and local economic development, South Africans are voting against a backdrop of deep public frustration and rising expectations.

Sowetan’s deputy editor Thabiso Thakali joins Business Day TV to discuss the issues shaping the elections and what voters are demanding from their local leaders.

WATCH | The big issues shaping South Africa’s municipal elections

November 4 2026, 16:17

WATCH | What’s at stake in South Africa’s municipal elections?

South Africa’s municipal elections are a critical test for the country’s political parties.

Political analyst Daniel Silke unpacks the key issues driving the vote, the changing political landscape and what the outcome could mean for local government.

WATCH | What’s at stake in South Africa’s municipal elections?

November 4 2026, 15:55

WATCH LIVE | The Political Arena team is at the IEC results centre

Polling stations open, opinions open wider.

The Political Arena is live as SA heads to the ballot box for the 2026 Local Government Elections.

Expect real-time conversations, sharp analysis and the latest scoops from our political journalists.

November 4 2026, 15:26

Taxi drivers divided as some skip voting to make money on the road

For some taxi drivers, election day was another working day, with earning money to support their families taking priority over standing in queues to vote.

Mandla Madonsela, 41, said he had decided not to vote because he could not afford to spend time in queues when he could be making money on the road.

Taxi drivers divided as some skip voting to make money on the road

November 4 2026, 15:24

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November 4 2026, 14:50

Thumbs up! Langa Mavuso, Lady Du and other celebs cast their votes

From chart-topping singers to media personalities and comedians, Mzansi’s stars hit the polling stations on Wednesday to cast their votes in the 2026 local government elections.

Thumbs up! Langa Mavuso, Lady Du and other celebs cast their votes

November 4 2026, 14:48

Young and elderly voters queue at Wits amid water, electricity challenges

Young voters at a sports hall at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg on Wednesday raised concerns about the irregular supply of water and electricity.

Siam Tanda Mashekila, 25, said she was proud to see young people coming out in numbers to vote, but remained unsure whether political parties would deliver on their promises.

Young and elderly voters queue at Wits amid water, electricity challenges

November 4 2026, 14:46

Songezo Zibi frustrated by voting station distance

Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi has raised concerns about his designated voting station and that of his son being located up to 5km away, despite a voting station situated right outside his home.

Millions of South Africans are heading to the polls on Wednesday for the 2026 local government elections. Voting stations opened at 7am and are set to close at 9pm.

Songezo Zibi frustrated by voting station distance

November 4 2026, 14:40

Universal ballot templates aid braille voters in 2026 election

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has reiterated measures to ensure visually impaired voters can cast their ballots independently and privately during the 2026 local government elections.

IEC deputy chief electoral officer Masego Sheburi said the commission uses universal ballot templates (UBTs) to assist braille-literate voters in marking their ballots.

Universal ballot templates aid braille voters in 2026 election

November 4 2026, 14:26

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IEC investigates theft of unused ballot papers at eThekwini voting station

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has opened a case of theft after unmarked and unused ballot papers were stolen from a voting station in KZN.

Speaking during a media briefing on Wednesday, IEC deputy chief electoral officer Masego Sheburi said the ballots were stolen from the Mnyameni Secondary School in Kwanyuswa, Botha’s Hill, outside Durban, where they were being kept for validation.

The commission said the station had sufficient materials to continue operating, apart from the voters’ roll.

IEC investigates theft of unused ballot papers at eThekwini voting station

November 4 2026, 14:13

Short queues, big demands: Kagiso voters want water, jobs and decent streets

Voters in Kagiso, ward 7, were in and out quickly today as voting started on time at the Mandisa Shiceka School of Specialisation.

For 18-year-old Keorapetse Thobani, it was his first time voting and he was nervous.

“But they helped me,” he said.

Short queues, big demands: Kagiso voters want water, jobs and decent streets

November 4 2026, 14:12

November 4 2026, 14:02

Thokoza voters doubt election will bring change

High crime levels, substance abuse and youth unemployment are among the many concerns weighing on Thokoza residents as they cast their votes.

Speaking to Sowetan, many said they hoped the next local government would deliver meaningful change rather than more promises.

Thokoza voters doubt election will bring change

November 4 2026, 13:54

3.5-million South Africans voted in first three hours, says IEC

More than 3.5-million South Africans had cast their ballots by 10am on Wednesday as voting got under way across the country for the 2026 local government elections.

Voting opened at 7am and is expected to close at 9pm with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) reporting that 98% of the country’s 23,996 voting stations had opened by the regulated time.

3.5-million South Africans voted in first three hours, says IEC

November 4 2026, 13:50

November 4 2026, 13:48

Older voters in Ekurhuleni urge youth to make their mark for SA’s future

Elderly voters making their way to the polls at Etshanini Public Space in ward 112, Ekurhuleni, urged the younger generation to take an active role in shaping the country’s future.

Older voters in Ekurhuleni urge youth to make their mark for SA’s future

November 4 2026, 13:36

Don’t let service delivery issues stop you from voting: Limpopo premier Ramathuba

Limpopo premier Phophi Ramathuba says the government does not have to wait for elections to be over before addressing challenges affecting communities, pointing to interventions in several municipalities across the province.

Speaking to Sowetan after casting her ballot on Wednesday morning at Mokopane Primary School in the Mogalakwena local municipality, Ramathuba acknowledged that residents continued to face challenges, including unemployment, water shortages and poor roads.

Don’t let service delivery issues stop you from voting: Limpopo premier Ramathuba

November 4 2026, 13:35

No water, no voter: taps as dry as early turnout in Orlando East, Soweto

No water. Almost no voters. A double crisis defined the early part of election day in Orlando East as residents went to the polls with dry taps and empty voting stations.

At voting stations in Orlando East on Wednesday morning, the halls were almost empty. For many, the message in the dry water pipes matched the mood at the ballot box.

No water, no voter: taps as dry as early turnout in Orlando East, Soweto

November 4 2026, 13:17

Khayelitsha voters voice dismay over crime and poor service

For a month, Pamela Bheshula, 64, says she has been without water because of a leak in her yard.

She arrived at Sivuyiseni Primary School, a voting station in Mandela Park, Khayelitsha, accompanied by two friends.

Khayelitsha voters voice dismay over crime and poor service

November 4 2026, 13:16

Election day glitches: a cop with political posters, a drunken voter and a collision with a cow

A police officer was removed from a KwaZulu-Natal voting station on Wednesday morning after she arrived in a vehicle branded with posters from a political party, according to police spokesperson Col Robert Netshiunda.

The sergeant was removed from her Mphithini-area voting station post, in Donnybrook, with the possibility of internal disciplinary processes being instituted following her alleged unprofessional conduct.

Election day glitches: a cop with political posters, a drunken voter and a collision with a cow

November 4 2026, 13:01

WATCH LIVE | IEC briefs media on progress of local government elections

November 4 2026, 12:52

‘Voting changes situations’: Ekurhuleni voters seek jobs and better services

Unemployment was a key concern raised by Ekurhuleni residents as they cast their votes in Wednesday’s local government elections.

At Endulwini voting station in Thembisa, residents said they hoped their votes would bring better services, more job opportunities and improvements in their communities.

‘Voting changes situations’: Ekurhuleni voters seek jobs and better services

November 4 2026, 12:51

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‘My voice is finally getting heard’: First-time voters share hopes

Young voters have called for more job opportunities and safer communities, saying casting their ballots gave them a sense of hope and a chance to shape the future of their city.

A relieved 24-year-old Puseletso Mafuma said voting for the first time made her feel that her voice mattered.

‘My voice is finally getting heard’: First-time voters share hopes

November 4 2026, 12:32

November 4 2026, 12:26

Ramaphosa votes in DA stronghold of Hyde Park

President Cyril Ramaphosa voted in Hyde Park on Wednesday, casting his ballot in the Johannesburg suburb where he lives rather than in Soweto, where he grew up and usually voted.

Electoral Commission (IEC) rules require people to vote at the station where they are registered.

Ramaphosa votes in DA stronghold of Hyde Park

November 4 2026, 12:25

IN PICS | Political leaders cast their votes

Leaders from across the political spectrum joined millions of South Africans at polling stations on Wednesday as the country headed to the polls for the local government elections.

IN PICS | Political leaders cast their votes

November 4 2026, 12:23

November 4 2026, 12:11

Zille vows swift action on Joburg water crisis

Helen Zille said should she be elected mayor of Johannesburg, her immediate priority would be addressing the water challenges confronting South Africa’s economic and financial heartland.

Zille vows swift action on Joburg water crisis

November 4 2026, 12:08

November 4 2026, 12:05

Buffalo City mayor joins queue after residents refuse to let her skip voting line

Buffalo City metropolitan municipality mayor Princess Faku was forced to join the queue like other voters after residents at a voting station in Gonubie refused to allow her to skip the line.

Buffalo City mayor joins queue after residents refuse to let her skip voting line

November 4 2026, 12:05

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ANC T-shirt, broken ID keep these Nyanga voters from casting ballots

“I would rather go home and drink because now I am being sent from pillar to post.”

These were the words of Zuko Jada, 42, who was turned away from Mvula Primary School, a voting station in Nyanga, after arriving to cast his ballot wearing an ANC T-shirt.

ANC T-shirt, broken ID keep these Nyanga voters from casting ballots

November 4 2026, 11:53

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WATCH | ‘Fake’ ID disrupts voting at Rabie Ridge

Police had to be called at a Midrand voting station after a squabble broke out when a voter produced an alleged fake ID.

According to an eyewitness, the man walked in and produce the suspected ID. The security was called to ensure the voters are safe at Kanana Primary School in Midrand.

WATCH | ‘Fake’ ID disrupts voting at Rabie Ridge

November 4 2026, 11:21

November 4 2026, 11:14

Emfuleni residents jump over running sewage on way to polling station

Some residents of Emfuleni local municipality in the Vaal had to jump over sewage running down their streets as they made their way to polling stations on Wednesday.

The municipality has been plagued by service delivery challenges such as open sewage, pothole-riddled roads and uncollected rubbish.

Emfuleni residents jump over running sewage on way to polling station

November 4 2026, 11:11

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Pensioners turn out in numbers at Hammanskraal voting stations

Pensioners outnumbered younger voters at several polling stations in Hammanskraal, Tshwane, on Wednesday morning.

Many elderly residents went to voting stations very early to cast their ballots in the hope the next local government administration would address the area’s longstanding service delivery challenges.

Pensioners turn out in numbers at Hammanskraal voting stations

November 4 2026, 10:32

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IN PICS | South Africans head to the polls

Voters headed to the polls on Wednesday to elect municipal councillors across the country in a major test for the governing ANC after losing its national majority in 2024.

Water shortages, electricity failures, crime, unemployment and poor municipal services are central election issues.

The election could reshape local political alliances and influence the country’s political direction ahead of the 2029 national elections.

IN PICS | South Africans head to the polls

November 4 2026, 10:04

IEC outlines election day dos and don’ts

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has reminded political parties and municipal councillors of the legal regulations surrounding campaigning as the country heads to the polls today.

Voting stations opened nationwide at 7am and are scheduled to close at 9pm.

According to the IEC, voting has commenced smoothly across the country, with all stations successfully opening and no major glitches reported.

IEC outlines election day dos and don’ts

November 4 2026, 10:00

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ANC wants clear majority in Joburg, says mayoral candidate Loyiso Masuku

The ANC in Johannesburg has set terms for its coalition negotiations, saying that as much as they want an outright majority, should the council be split, they would want to work with political parties that are obsessed with service delivery.

This is according to ANC regional chair and mayoral candidate Loyiso Masuku, who said that her political party wanted Johannesburg residents to give them a clear majority.

ANC wants clear majority in Joburg, says mayoral candidate Loyiso Masuku

November 4 2026, 09:06

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Votes in local polls expected to further weaken ANC grip

South Africans vote in municipal elections on Wednesday, with anger over corruption, crime and failing public services threatening to deal another blow to the ANC.

The party dropped below 50% support for the first time in the 2021 municipal elections, and could plunge below 40% this time, according to polls.

With no other party large enough to take its place, many cities in South Africa are heading for unsteady coalition governments that have been partly blamed for failing to deliver basic services, including water and electricity.

Votes in local polls expected to further weaken ANC grip

November 4 2026 08:04

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November 4 2026 07:58

Hostel voter calls for action against gun crimes

The Saulsville hostel voting station near Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria, is a few metres away from the hostel block where there was a mass shooting in an illegal tavern late in 2025 in which 12 people were killed.

Long-time resident Pheyi Ngobese pleaded for action against crime in the area.

Hostel voter calls for action against gun crimes

November 4 2026 07:58

Cost of living is top concern for Saulsville voters

As local government elections kick off this morning, at the Motsweding combined school voting station in Saulsville, west of Pretoria, voters had begun lining up at 5am.

Madumetja Mothabele was eager to cast his vote.

“I woke up at 4am and arrived at 5am. I wanted to be here early and I became number one in line. We want service delivery and lights, and our rent is very expensive,” he said.

Cost of living is top concern for Saulsville voters

November 4 2026 07:51

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ELECTION DAY: Sowetan wants to hear from you!

Send us a voice note, videos and images on 071-556-4784.

November 4 2026 7:00

KZN parents urge voters to ‘behave’ at school stations

Vee Gani, head of the Parents Association of KwaZulu-Natal, has urged voters to “behave” peacefully at school voting stations and protect facilities children depend on.

Gani said voters should take disputes to Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) officials respectfully, warning violence could leave schools damaged and disrupt learning during matric exams.

KZN parents urge voters to ‘behave’ at school stations

November 4 2026 6:50

November 4 2026 6:46

‘Your vote, your voice’: South Africans urged to turn out for local government elections

The government has encouraged South Africans to exercise their right to vote in the local government elections on November 4.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) concluded its two-day special voting process on Tuesday, with a total of 1,425,942 special votes cast across Monday and Tuesday ahead of the main election day.

‘Your vote, your voice’: South Africans urged to turn out for local government elections

November 4 2026 6:00

Low turnout, coalition chaos looms as voters lose faith

The battle for control of SA’s municipalities is expected to end in another round of coalition horse-trading, with more hung councils projected and growing numbers of disillusioned voters potentially staying away from the polls.

There is a lot at stake as millions head to cast their ballots on Wednesday, experts say.

Political analyst Tessa Dooms warned that the elections were likely to produce more coalition governments than ever before, with smaller parties and independent candidates potentially holding the balance of power in municipalities across the country.

“In 2021, we ended up with about 70 hung municipalities where coalitions needed to be formed,” she said. “In 2026, it’s estimated that we will have many more hung municipalities that will have coalitions.”

Low turnout, coalition chaos looms as voters lose faith

November 4 2026 5:30

GHALEB CACHALIA | DA’s diversity faces test beyond the candidate bus

The DA has an appealing proposition for South Africa. It is the country’s most diverse political party with a substantial black following, united not by race but by shared values. The rainbow, it seems, has acquired a corporate colour scheme.

There is, of course, nothing wrong with political diversity. Nor is there anything inherently suspicious about a party organising transport to rallies, feeding its activists or training aspiring public representatives. Politics requires organisation and sandwiches do not, in themselves, constitute a constitutional crisis.

But there is a more interesting question than how many black faces a party can assemble for a photograph. That question is: does racial diversity in the ranks translate to diversity of thought, genuine participation in decision-making and an equitable distribution of political power?

GHALEB CACHALIA | DA’s diversity faces test beyond the candidate bus

November 4 2026 5:00

Agoa fallout exposes ANC-DA foreign policy rift

The US’s decision to withdraw South Africa’s Agoa benefits has exposed divisions between the ANC and DA over the country’s foreign policy, with the governing party alleging an attempt to influence voters as the ANC faces mounting electoral pressure.

The ANC, on the one hand, has questioned the timing of Washington’s decision to withdraw South Africa’s preferential trade benefits from January 2027, suggesting it could be an attempt to intimidate voters and pressure the government to abandon its transformation agenda.

Agoa fallout exposes ANC-DA foreign policy rift

November 3 2026 21:11

Tshwane residents hope their vote will bring clean water, electricity and roads

On Tuesday, it had been two weeks since Gritah Ntuli, 62, had seen a water tanker in the Maheights informal settlement in Bronkhorstspruit, Tshwane, where she lives.

Whenever she needed water to bath or do laundry, she would take her family’s clothes to the stream and wash them there, while also collecting bath water for the whole family.

For drinking and cooking water, she has to reach into her pocket and buy it.

Tshwane residents hope their vote will bring clean water, electricity and roads

November 3 2026 20:14

Political intolerance and protests among threats facing Western Cape elections

Political intolerance, intra- and inter-party conflict, criminal activity and protests have been identified as some of the threats facing voting stations in the Western Cape ahead of Wednesday’s local government elections.

Provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Sizakhele Dyantyi said 33 of the province’s 1,633 voting stations had been classified as high-risk, while the remainder were categorised as medium- and low-risk.

Political intolerance and protests among threats facing Western Cape elections

November 3 2026 20:06

IEC warns political parties to stop campaigning at midnight ahead of polling day

Political parties, independent candidates and their supporters have until midnight on Tuesday to campaign ahead of the 2026 local government elections, with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) warning that all campaigning must stop before voters head to the polls on Wednesday.

IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya reminded political parties and candidates that the electoral timetable prohibits campaigning after midnight, including door-to-door canvassing, demonstrations and rallies.

IEC warns political parties to stop campaigning at midnight ahead of polling day

November 3 2026 20:04

IN PICS | Special voting continues for millions in local elections

More than 2.5-million voters were approved to cast special votes ahead of the local government elections, with the two-day voting process taking place on Monday and Tuesday.

The second day of special voting got off to a slow start at some voting centres in Johannesburg, where elderly voters were among those expected to cast their ballots.

IN PICS | Special voting continues for millions in local elections

November 3 2026 19:07

IEC concludes special voting as 1.4-million South Africans cast ballots ahead of election day

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has concluded its two-day special voting process with more than 1.4-million voters having cast their ballots ahead of the 2026 local government elections.

The special voting process, which took place on November 2 and 3, provided an opportunity for approved voters who would otherwise be unable to visit voting stations on election day to cast their ballots in advance.

IEC concludes special voting as 1.4-million South Africans cast ballots ahead of election day

November 3 2026 18:55

IEC assures South Africans of credible elections amid attempts to ‘impugn’ the polls

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has assured South Africans that it has done everything possible within its powers to deliver credible local government elections.

This comes as the electoral body says it has picked up attempts from some quarters to malign the integrity of the elections a day before millions of South Africans head to the polls.

November 3 2026 18:13

Five things you need to know from IEC’s election briefing

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has warned against the spread of unsubstantiated election-fraud claims, saying they are fuelling misinformation on social media.

It also reported incidents of intimidation, disruptions and attempted tampering with election materials.

Five things you need to know from IEC’s election briefing

November 3 2026, 18:07

IEC assures South Africans of credible elections amid attempts to ‘impugn’ the polls

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says it can assure South Africans that it has done everything possible within its powers to deliver credible local government elections.

This comes as the electoral body says it has picked up attempts from some quarters to malign the integrity of the elections a day before millions of South Africans head to the polls.

More than 29-million potential voters will have an opportunity to make their preferred choice among the 136,790 candidates, representing a total of 546 political parties across the country.

November 3 2026, 16:30

“Sibagadile, we are watching them closely,” says MKP’s Bongani Baloyi on IEC

Umkhonto weSizwe’s Johannesburg mayoral candidate Bongani Baloyi has issued a stern warning, saying that his party is closely guarding the local elections.

“Sibagadile (We are watching them closely). Our position is to operate from a level of distrust and that’s why we’ve deployed all sorts of mechanisms to protect interest and to protect our vote.”

Baloyi’s party was among those that questioned the integrity of the electoral commission in the previous election, where MKP claimed to have been robbed of votes and their intended two thirds majority.

‘Sibagadile, we are watching them closely,’ says MKP’s Bongani Baloyi on IEC

November 3 2026, 16:25

KZN election officer fired for using party-branded car to carry ‘sensitive’ election material

A KwaZulu-Natal presiding officer was dismissed on Tuesday for transporting sensitive election material in a party political branded vehicle.

In an update on special votes on Tuesday, Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) provincial electoral officer Ntombfuthi Masinga said the presiding officer from Hammarsdale was seen boarding an e-hailing taxi branded in party colours.

“On investigation, it was established that the e-hailing taxi did belong to the presiding officer concerned and was driven by her son,” she said.

KZN election officer fired for using party-branded car to carry ‘sensitive’ election material

November 3 2026, 16:15

IEC cannot confirm reports of dress-code restrictions at KZN voting station

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says it has no information to report on allegations of a strict dress code being enforced at the Dlamini Tribal Court voting station in eDumbe, northern KwaZulu-Natal, where women were reportedly turned away for wearing trousers.

The allegations emerged during the second day of special voting for the 2026 local government elections after reports by the SABC that women, including an SABC journalist, had been prevented from entering the voting station because they were wearing pants.

IEC cannot confirm reports of dress-code restrictions at KZN voting station

November 3 2026, 16:10

Mokonyane rejects ANC blame for Gauteng water crisis

ANC deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane has rejected attempts to blame the party for the water crisis gripping parts of Gauteng, arguing that the problem lies with an unreliable water supply system and the various entities responsible for its management.

Mokonyane said the crisis should not be placed at the ANC’s doorstep as residents head to the polls in the local government elections, insisting it was a national problem requiring interventions beyond individual municipalities.

Mokonyane rejects ANC blame for Gauteng water crisis

November 3 2026, 16:05

34 election misinformation complaints as candidates, supporters face arrests: IEC

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has warned political parties and their supporters against spreading unsubstantiated claims of election fraud, saying misleading social media posts are threatening the integrity of the local government elections.

Chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo said the commission’s information integrity hub had identified increasing attempts to undermine confidence in the electoral process, particularly through social media platforms.

November 3 2026 16:03

EXPLAINER | What voters can expect at polling stations

As South Africans head to the polls on Wednesday for the 2026 local government elections, voters can expect a series of steps before casting their ballots.

From presenting the correct identification document to ensuring ballot papers are valid, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has outlined a process aimed at making voting easier while safeguarding the integrity and secrecy of the ballot.

IEC assistant manager Mmakgabo Ramatlhodi said voters will first encounter a queue walker who helps manage queues and direct voters at polling stations.

EXPLAINER | What voters can expect at polling stations

November 3 2026, 16:00

November 3 2026 15:25

Why Rustenburg is one of the most hotly contested municipalities

Rustenburg’s economic significance makes it one of the most important municipalities to watch in Wednesday’s local government elections, but attention is focused on major metros, says political analyst Prof André Duvenhage.

Duvenhage, from North-West University, warned that sluggish economic growth, poor service delivery and deteriorating infrastructure continue to undermine municipalities such as Rustenburg in the North West.

“We have major challenges. One of the biggest is the failure to create sustained economic growth and development. Statistics show that over the past decade growth has remained below 1%,” he said.

Why Rustenburg is one of the most hotly contested municipalities

November 3 2026 14:30

WATCH | Shortly after casting her vote in Mogale City, ANC’s Nomvula Mokonyane addressed key issues, including the water crisis in Johannesburg and across the country, as well as the decision by US President Donald Trump’s administration to remove South Africa from AGOA beneficiary status.

November 3 2026, 13:25

Police arrest Limpopo voter for taking photo of marked ballot

A 32-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly photographing his marked ballot paper at a voting station in Limpopo, with police searching for a second suspect accused of the same offence.

Limpopo police spokesperson Brig Hlulani Mashaba said the incidents occurred at Chuchekani Primary School voting station in the Humulani settlement in Lulekani on Monday.

Mashaba said the first incident was reported at about 10am when a 32-year-old voter allegedly photographed his ballot paper after voting. The presiding officer confronted him and informed him that photographing a marked ballot paper was against electoral rules.

Police arrest Limpopo voter for taking photo of marked ballot

November 3 2026, 12:30

‘People must vote or nothing will be done’

For some elderly voters at the Joubert Park Lapeng Child and Family Resource Centre in Johannesburg, voting is more than a right; it is a tradition and an opportunity to help secure a better future for the next generation.

Speaking to TimesLIVE, Sowetan’s sister publication, John Masuku, who lives in Hillbrow, said he was voting because he wanted to see improvements in his community, particularly the condition of the roads.

He said the roads and robots where he stays don’t work, and he finds it hard to cross a busy road. “I’m voting because I need the roads to be fixed. I’m old now, and sometimes I can’t cross the road alone because they are always busy, so I ask my grandchildren to help me cross,” he said.

‘People must vote or nothing will be done’

November 3 2026 12:11

MALAIKA MAHLATSI | Years of Joburg rot is now rubbish on our pavements

On Tuesday morning, one day before millions of South Africans head to the polls to cast their votes in the 2026 local government elections, I walked through the streets of my neighbourhood in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg.

Every street was lined with overflowing bins and half-open refuse bags. Flies and insects have congregated on driveways and entrances to complexes, estates and business premises.

The stench, including from the uncollected waste of numerous restaurants located in the neighbourhood, is paralysing. One day before elections, in the middle of a debilitating heatwave, the northern suburbs of Johannesburg resemble dystopian slums.

MALAIKA MAHLATSI | Years of Joburg rot is now rubbish on our pavements

November 3, 2026, 12:O8

Two arrested in Limpopo for allegedly removing election posters, burning political party T-shirt

Limpopo police have arrested two suspects in two separate cases involving election-related offences, including the alleged unlawful removal of election posters and intimidation.

Two arrested in Limpopo for allegedly removing election posters, burning political party T-shirt

November 3, 2026, 11:40

WATCH LIVE | IEC briefs media on first day of special voting

The Electoral Commission of South Africa is briefing the media on Tuesday about day two of special voting.

WATCH LIVE | IEC briefs media on first day of special voting

November 3 2026, 11:10

November 3 2026, 10:35

WATCH | The morning has been quiet at the Joubert Park, Lapeng child and family resource centre, where elderly voters are expected to cast their special votes, with no long queues.

November 3 2026 08:00

GCINA MTENGWANE | When democracy multiplies parties but not purpose

On Wednesday South Africans will face the most crowded local election ballots in the country’s democratic history.

About 546 political parties are contesting. That is about 60% higher than the 325 parties that took part in 2021. Nearly 137,000 candidates are competing for just over 10,500 council seats. These numbers express a constitutional right to form and join political parties.

They also reflect a citizenry that has grown restless with the established order.

GCINA MTENGWANE | When democracy multiplies parties but not purpose

November 2 2026 16:10

THE POLITICAL ARENA | Voter anger or apathy: Will South Africans turn out to demand change?

With South Africa’s November 4 local government elections just days away, voters face a critical choice: how to hold political parties accountable for failing services, and whether changing their vote can reshape the country’s metros.

In this episode of The Political Arena, Business Day political editor Hajra Omarjee is joined by Sowetan editor Sibongakonke Shoba, TimesLIVE and Sunday Times digital politics editor Lizeka Tandwa, and Sunday Times senior political reporter Kgothatso Madisa to examine voter apathy, shifting political loyalties and the battle for control of local government.

November 2 2026 15:40

IEC has over 700 cases of election-related disinformation

The spread of misinformation and disinformation has emerged as a growing concern ahead of South Africa’s local government elections, The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has received more than 700 complaints about election-related disinformation as voters prepare to go to the polls on Wednesday.

IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo said some complaints involved content circulating on social media platform X, including photographs manipulated using AI. However, he said the incidents had not significantly disrupted the electoral environment.

IEC has over 700 cases of election-related disinformation

November 2 2026 15:19

Ballot boxes stolen as special voting begins in KZN

Ballot boxes and a training module were reported stolen from Amahlongwa Community Hall in Zambeni, the IEC said in its KwaZulu-Natal special voting update on Monday.

The IEC said replacement election material was delivered and the voting station was operational.

Ballot boxes stolen as special voting begins in KZN

November 2 2026 13:10

RECORDED | IEC briefs media on first day of special voting

The Electoral Commission of South Africa is briefing the media on Monday about day one of special voting.

November 1 2026, 18:02

Surprise! You’re an EFF candidate

The EFF has been dealt an embarrassing court blow after the Electoral Court found that the party nominated a man as its ward councillor candidate without his consent.

The court ruled that Sivuyile Jacquin Tshikila was not an EFF candidate in Ward 03 in the Raymond Mhlaba local municipality in the Eastern Cape. It ordered the IEC to ensure voters could not cast their ballots for him during the local government elections on Wednesday.

The judgment comes a few weeks after the ANC won a court fight for the inclusion of its 181 candidates whose names were not submitted by the party to the IEC for elections.

Surprise! You’re an EFF candidate

November 1 2026 17:50

‘The ANC is still mighty’ | Ramaphosa vows party will defy critics at polls

President Cyril Ramaphosa has dismissed suggestions that the ANC is on a downward spiral, telling supporters in Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape that the party is gaining momentum ahead of Wednesday’s local government elections.

Addressing supporters at the party’s final push to win over voters at the Siyanqoba rally at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium on Sunday, Ramaphosa said the ANC would use the November 4 elections to prove its critics wrong.

“We are three days away from a very important election. Many people are saying the ANC is on its downward spiral. What I am seeing here is that the ANC is going higher and higher, and on November 4 we are going to show those that say ANC is going to lose,” he said.

‘The ANC is still mighty’ | Ramaphosa vows party will defy critics at polls

November 1 2026, 17:45

‘We will take them out’ | Ramaphosa threatens to remove underperforming councillors and mayors

President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that ANC councillors and mayors who fail to serve communities or misuse public funds will be removed from their positions, saying the party wants ethical, capable and accountable leaders in local government.

Addressing supporters at the ANC’s final rally ahead of elections at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, Ramaphosa said the party expects its elected representatives to prioritise service delivery, responsible spending, and economic development rather than treating political office as a personal entitlement.

“We want to place emphasis on making sure that we get accountable and capable and ethical people who are going to be elected because we want municipalities that are properly run municipalities that use public money responsibly and municipalities that will also maintain infrastructure and support economic development,” he said.

‘We will take them out’ | Ramaphosa threatens to remove underperforming councillors and mayors

November 1 2026, 17:40

Zuma returns to stage, promises MK Party will ‘take back our country’

MK Party president Jacob Zuma told thousands of supporters who braved extreme heat at Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu on Sunday that the MK Party will soon take over the land and lead many municipalities.

“In a few days we will be taking back our country,” Zuma said.

“In a few days we will be taking over our land. We will be in charge of many municipalities. No matter what other people can say and do, we are ready.”

Zuma, 84, was addressing the MK Party’s final Sithatha Omasipala rally ahead of Wednesday’s local government elections.

Zuma returns to stage, promises MK Party will ‘take back our country’

]]>Thapelo Morebudi<![CDATA[Trump administration ends California balloting lawsuit]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-07-trump-administration-ends-california-balloting-lawsuit/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-07-trump-administration-ends-california-balloting-lawsuit/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 06:30:00 +0000The Trump administration on Friday withdrew its lawsuit that attempted to block California from counting mail-in ballots from more than 20,000 registered voters whom federal officials alleged were probably non-US citizens.

The justice department filed a notice of voluntary dismissal in the case after the midterm elections that saw the Democrats win by comfortable margins in all of California’s statewide contests and most of its congressional races.

On Monday, the day before the election, the Supreme Court rejected a bid to temporarily block California from counting the ballots on the justice department’s list.

The department had argued in previous filings that it needed quick action from federal courts because the contested ballots could not be separated from all other votes once they were accepted. The department again pointed to that reasoning in Friday’s notice of dismissal, writing that “the relief the US sought is no longer available” now that votes have been tallied.

US district judge David Carter had appeared sceptical of the department’s lawsuit, expressing concerns that the request could disenfranchise and confuse legitimate voters, calling it a “monumental change” to election procedures when voting was already under way.

Reuters

]]>Evelyn Hockstein<![CDATA[Kolisi welcomes homecoming of Bok stars, pays tribute to Andrews]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/2026-11-07-kolisi-welcomes-homecoming-of-bok-stars-pays-tribute-to-andrews/https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/2026-11-07-kolisi-welcomes-homecoming-of-bok-stars-pays-tribute-to-andrews/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 06:11:15 +0000South Africa captain Siya Kolisi welcomed the return of several senior Springboks from Japan to domestic clubs and paid an emotional tribute to former Sharks teammate Hyron Andrews before his funeral on Saturday.

Hooker Malcolm Marx, flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit, flyhalf Manie Libbok and loose-forward Kwagga Smith are all returning to South Africa, strengthening the local game in the build-up to the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

“I think it’s good for the Springboks,” said Kolisi before their Nations Championship clash with Italy in Turin on Saturday.

“Just think about the young guys coming through who will have the opportunity to learn from players such as Pieter-Steph, Kwagga and all those guys.

“That’s really huge, and those South African derbies are going to be something else. All the teams are getting stronger and bringing in quality players.

“The URC (United Rugby Championship) is going to be on fire.”

South Africa are on a high after they won a bruising series against New Zealand 3-1 and now have another tough run of games.

They play France and Ireland after Saturday’s match against Italy before completing a run of four successive weekends with the Nations Championship finals.

“We’re good to go. We’re used to doing this,” Kolisi said.

“It’s never hard for us to get up for a game. We’re excited to finish strongly, and we’re playing in a new competition, which is also something to be excited about.”

Kolisi also paid tribute to Andrews, who died at the Lions team hotel last month, aged 31.

Andrews played alongside Kolisi at the Sharks franchise in Durban.

“I think it’s starting to sink in for a lot of us because it feels like we were with him just the other day,” Kolisi said.

It’s never hard for us to get up for a game. We’re excited to finish strongly, and we’re playing in a new competition, which is also something to be excited about

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi

“I played with him, and I know there are guys who were very close to him, so I know how tough it has been for them.

“But when you think about his wife, who is like family to us, we saw her at games all the time. She supported him throughout everything and travelled all around the world to support Hyron. And now there are the two kids as well.

“I can imagine how tough it is for us and his friends, but I can’t imagine what it’s like for her and the kids.

“I really have no words. Hyron was an amazing human being. I don’t think anybody can say anything bad about him.”

Reuters

]]>Phakamisa Lensman<![CDATA[Antonelli fastest in second São Paulo Grand Prix practice ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-07-antonelli-fastest-in-second-sao-paulo-grand-prix-practice/https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-07-antonelli-fastest-in-second-sao-paulo-grand-prix-practice/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 06:07:39 +0000Newly crowned Formula One champion Kimi Antonelli set the pace in second practice for the São Paulo Grand Prix on Friday after McLaren’s Lando Norris was fastest in the opening session at Interlagos.

Mercedes driver Antonelli topped the timesheets with a lap of 1:10.763 seconds under dry but humid conditions, with Norris second, 0.253 slower, and Red Bull’s four-times world champion Max Verstappen third, 0.259 off the pace.

“There’s a bit of work to do, but overall feeling good and excited for tomorrow. I think we have a good chance,” the Italian said, referring to Saturday’s qualifying.

George Russell was fourth fastest for Mercedes despite a looming five-place grid penalty for taking a fresh engine, ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were sixth and seventh.

The 20-year-old Antonelli, who secured the world title with third place in Mexico last weekend, had ended the first session second fastest behind Norris after returning to action for the first time since clinching the championship.

“FP1 was a little bit of a surprise, a pleasant surprise,” said Norris.

“FP2, I think we seemed to struggle a little bit more compared to the Mercedes, just two tenths off on every lap, basically. But relative to some of the others, I think we seem pretty good.”

Mercedes can wrap up the constructors’ title this weekend if they outscore Ferrari by three points.

Leclerc, back in the Ferrari after youngster Dino Beganovic drove in the opening session, reported a brake issue early in FP2, while Hamilton complained that he was struggling with tyre performance as Ferrari sought to close the gap with Mercedes.

Leclerc, who became a father this week, had a near miss with Brazilian Rafael Camara, the Haas rookie who completed his first sessions of the season at his home grand prix after replacing Esteban Ocon.

Camara, making his first outing at Interlagos, finished 16th in FP2. Brazilian fans also had Gabriel Bortoleto to cheer on, with the Audi driver ending the day eighth fastest.

“It was very nice, very special. Getting to FP1 was a bit more emotional. You see the crowd in front of you, everyone cheering. It’s been very nice to be driving here at Interlagos,” Camara said.

Verstappen was third fastest in both sessions.
Verstappen was third fastest in both sessions.

Rain expected this weekend

Several young and reserve drivers featured in the opening session before race regulars returned for FP2.

Freddie Slater’s stoppage in the first practice, caused by a gearbox problem, triggered a red flag and left Audi regular Nico Hulkenberg without any running in the second session. The German was the only driver not to set a lap time.

“The car has just switched off... I’ve lost the gears,” the Briton, who completed only seven laps after also enduring limited running last week in Mexico, told the team over the radio.

Interlagos’ notoriously tricky opening corner continued to catch drivers out throughout the day, with Antonelli, Russell, Liam Lawson, Sergio Perez, Alexander Albon and Lance Stroll among those running wide during the second session.

Earlier, Hamilton described the track as slippery despite dry weather, with rain forecast later in the weekend at a circuit renowned for producing dramatic wet races.

As light drizzle was reported late in second practice, Hamilton’s engineer Carlo Santi said: “Interesting conditions for Sunday.”

Verstappen, who was third fastest in both sessions, also expressed frustration with his car, describing its downshifts as “unacceptable” over the radio in FP1.

Reuters

]]>Amanda Perobelli<![CDATA[Injured Saka will be out for weeks, says Arteta]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/2026-11-07-injured-saka-will-be-out-for-weeks-says-arteta/https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/2026-11-07-injured-saka-will-be-out-for-weeks-says-arteta/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 05:41:20 +0000Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka will be out for a few more weeks after picking up a quadriceps injury during last month’s Champions League draw at Bayern Munich, manager Mikel Arteta has said.

Saka, 25, will miss England’s Nations League matches against Croatia and Spain this month as he continues his recovery.

“We’re talking about weeks. Let’s see, after the international break he’ll start hitting the pitch, but unfortunately he’s going to be out for a while,” said Arteta before Saturday’s league clash with Hull City.

Arteta said he did not want to put too much pressure on Arsenal’s fitness staff.

Arsenal defender Ezri Konsa was feeling better after leaving the field with knee discomfort during Wednesday’s 2-1 Champions League win at Slavia Prague, Arteta added.

Arteta’s side lead the Premier League with 24 points from nine matches and sit third in the Champions League table, two points below Paris St Germain and Real Madrid.

Reuters

]]>Kai Pfaffenbach<![CDATA[WATCH | My indifference to the DA won’t stop me from working with them: Gayton McKenzie]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-07-watch-my-indifference-to-the-da-wont-stop-me-from-working-with-them-gayton-mckenzie/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-07-watch-my-indifference-to-the-da-wont-stop-me-from-working-with-them-gayton-mckenzie/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Story audio is generated using AI

The Patriotic Alliance has signalled that it is willing to work with the Democratic Alliance in coalition governments despite party leader Gayton McKenzie’s repeated criticism of the blue party.

The submission came on Friday after the party lost its founding Eldorado Park Ward 18, in Johannesburg, to the DA.

Just after 5pm on Friday, the PA showed 2% of voter support nationwide and 1% of support in Gauteng.

McKenzie said the PA’s approach to coalitions would be guided by the needs of communities rather than personal animosity. “We don’t like the DA, let me be frank. I actually despise them, but we will work with them because it’s not about me.

“It’s about the leadership of the PA. What the leadership decides on Monday. We will work with anyone.”

The party’s deputy president, Kenny Kunene, echoed McKenzie’s position, saying the party would enter negotiations with any other political party if the electoral outcome required it.

“Politically, as the president has said, we will go into coalition with any political party, including the DA, despite the fact that we don’t like the DA,” Kunene said. “But our party says we respect the mandate of the voter, and the voter is saying work together. So it’s not about what I like or what I don’t like. It’s about the mandate of the voter. So we will work with the DA.”

Kunene was particularly critical of DA Joburg mayoral candidate Helen Zille, accusing her of prioritising wealthy communities over poor and black residents. “But again, despite me disliking her, our party says we must respect the mandate of the voter.”

Addressing the DA’s gains in Eldorado Park, where the party won wards previously held by the PA, McKenzie said the PA accepted the democratic outcome, even though it was disappointed with the result. “People of Eldos have made the choice. I personally feel we should respect the choice.

“If they feel that the DA can serve them better, I want to congratulate the new DA councillors. The people of Eldorado Park have made a choice as democrats, in a democratic country. I have to respect the choice of the people of Eldorado Park.”

He said the PA would continue serving the community despite losing electoral support there. “Do I like it? No. Will I still do all the stuff I’m doing for Eldos? I will still continue to do that because, for me, not everything is politics. I love those people there.”

McKenzie pointed to the PA’s gains elsewhere, including in Soweto and George, where he said the party took wards from the DA. “In George, we took six wards from the Democratic Alliance. In fact, seven.

“We are now at 150 seats. That shows you that it’s double what we got in 2021. You would read every day how the people hate me, how the people don’t want me in the central Karoo, and there you see how the people wanted the Patriotic Alliance, with 49%.”

Sowetan

]]>Werner Hills<![CDATA[PARTING SHOT | A picture is worth a thousand questions]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-07-parting-shot-a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-questions/https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-07-parting-shot-a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-questions/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000Anyone who’s ever been photographed at an unflattering angle knows the camera is perfectly capable of lying. And in the age of AI, filters and digital manipulation, photographic truth has become a slippery concept. Southern Guild’s debut at Paris Photo makes photography’s relationship with truth even more compelling.

The Cape Town-founded gallery, which opened a permanent space in New York earlier this year, is taking four extraordinary women artists to the prestigious international photography fair to be held at the Grand Palais from November 12 to 15 with a VIP event on the 11th.

Lebohang Kganye: 'Night's Unwavering Resolve' (2025).
Lebohang Kganye: 'Night's Unwavering Resolve' (2025).

South Africans Zanele Muholi and Lebohang Kganye join Canadian-Guyanese artist Sandra Brewster and Italian-Togolese photographer Silvia Rosi in a presentation that challenges the notion that a photograph must faithfully reproduce what was apparent in front of the lens.

What unites these artists is their refusal to take photography as a passive act of observation.

The exhibition forms part of Voices, a curated section exploring the theme La Disparition (Disappearance) at Paris Photo. It’s a delicious paradox: photography was invented to preserve moments that would otherwise vanish, yet these artists are deliberately dismantling the photographic image to reveal deeper truths.

Lebohang Kganye; 'Ke tsamaya masiu II' (2013).
Lebohang Kganye; 'Ke tsamaya masiu II' (2013).

Kganye, whose work has earned international acclaim, uses family photographs as a starting point for her own notion of reconstruction. Following her mother’s death, she photographed herself wearing her mother’s clothes, inserting herself into old family portraits — a moving attempt to bridge the distance between generations, making her mother’s absence almost tangible. In other works, she transforms family photographs into life-sized textile portraits, rescuing ancestors from the anonymity of forgotten albums.

Lebohang Kganye: 'Mothuthi Philemon and Alice Nomoya Khanye' (2026).
Lebohang Kganye: 'Mothuthi Philemon and Alice Nomoya Khanye' (2026).

Muholi, another extremely prominent name in South African art, has spent more than two decades documenting and celebrating Black LGBTQIA+ lives. The recipient of the 2026 Hasselblad Award, one of photography’s most prestigious honours, brings two striking self-portraits from the celebrated Somnyama Ngonyama series. Everyday objects become elaborate headpieces, while the artist’s gaze confronts the viewer with questions about race, identity and representation.

Zanele Muholi: 'Khanyilanga III, Koreatown, Los Angeles' (2024). Courtesy of Southern Guild
Zanele Muholi: 'Khanyilanga III, Koreatown, Los Angeles' (2024). Courtesy of Southern Guild
A visitor views 'Khanyilanga III, Koreatown, Los Angeles' — Aluminium Panel (2024). Courtesy of Southern Guild.
A visitor views 'Khanyilanga III, Koreatown, Los Angeles' — Aluminium Panel (2024). Courtesy of Southern Guild.

Brewster takes a different approach. Her haunting black-and-white portraits are deliberately blurred, their surfaces creased, torn and disrupted. Faces become almost unrecognisable, suggesting that identity, particularly within migrant communities, isn’t ever as fixed as a photograph would imply.

Sandra Brewster: 'Blur'.
Sandra Brewster: 'Blur'.

Rosi explores similar territory through carefully staged self-portraits in which she assumes the identities of family members, reconstructing stories inherited across generations and continents.

Silvia Rosi: Studio Portrait (2016).
Silvia Rosi: Studio Portrait (2016).

What unites these artists is their refusal to take photography as a passive act of observation. Their images are manipulated, embroidered, performed and reconstructed. Memory, they suggest, isn’t a filing cabinet of reliable facts but something far more complicated, creative and human. It’s a particularly female approach.

Zanele Muholi: 'Mlingani II, District Six, Cape Town (Lightbox)' (2025). Courtesy Lea Crafford/Southern Guild
Zanele Muholi: 'Mlingani II, District Six, Cape Town (Lightbox)' (2025). Courtesy Lea Crafford/Southern Guild

For Southern Guild, the Paris debut represents another significant step in its international expansion, following its participation for the second consecutive year in Frieze London.

Lebohang Kganye: 'Draped in Shadow' (2025). Courtesy of Lebohang Kganye
Lebohang Kganye: 'Draped in Shadow' (2025). Courtesy of Lebohang Kganye

And for South African photography, it’s another reminder that some of our most compelling artistic voices are out there showing the world to look at it differently, and perhaps see a version of reality through someone else’s eyes.

]]>Silvia Rosi<![CDATA[Push for local languages hopes to shape climate policy debates]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-push-for-local-languages-hopes-to-shape-climate-policy-debates/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-push-for-local-languages-hopes-to-shape-climate-policy-debates/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000

Story audio is generated using AI

Thandile Zonke, a climate and energy campaigner and commissioner at the presidential climate change commission, is pushing to decode climate change terminology into vernacular languages to empower communities and influence policy.

Zonke told Business Times this week decoding climate change is important to the government’s plan to advance economic growth, industrial development, and employment creation.

“I think the challenge is that many people who are engaging around the climate crisis are doing so in what is their second or third language in South Africa. Many of the time, even your fourth language, and yet the majority of our communications around climate is happening in English. The majority of the policy documents that are being released are in English, and there’s no translation provided or even summaries for communities,” she said.

According to Stats SA, English was the fifth most spoken language in South Africa in 2022, accounting for 9% of the population. Zulu was the most widely spoken language at 24.4%, followed by Xhosa at 16.3%, Afrikaans at 10.6% and Sepedi at 10%.

Zonke said new terminology is emerging around climate change as investors increasingly monitor companies’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards.

“You’ll see terminology like carbon bombs and carbon budgets. So how do you articulate that in vernacular, that’s going to actually resonate with communities in that same way?”

Terms may not necessarily find a direct translation, she said, and there is a need to engage with communities about what terminology they are already using in their daily expressions that would denote the urgency and violence associated with these.

Zonke contends that while not everything can be directly translated, it can be easy to miss the nuances and feelings that language can convey; hence a buy-in from the community is important.

Decoding terminology is crucial to ensure no-one is left behind in the energy transition. Using indigenous language to ensure people can participate in policy consultations advances the transition, she said.

“The objective is to try to make climate language legible or climate policy legible to people in the language that they use so they can get into these spaces where they can potentially interact with or make submissions to decision makers,” she said

There has always been a need to make climate change understandable to communities, and particularly in vernacular languages, given the difficulty people, and particularly campaigners, have in expressing themselves in English.

This is because the terms are technical and feel inaccessible, and Zonke’s vision is for communities to reach a point where they understand what the terms are and how they translate into their lives.

“The objective would be to see the terminology that communities create reflected back in decision makers, how they are expressing themselves in policy. I think that would be an indication that we’re moving in a direction where communities are actually able to influence the climate conversation.”

The plan is to host a series of imbizos across the country to get buy-in from communities to not only translate what’s happening in the climate crisis into vernacular but also integrate it into language. This will ensure a collective project where communities can own the language around climate change.

Zonke also plans to rope in language experts to the decoding process and secure the funding that can make a project like this possible.

“The just transition is happening. We don’t really have much of a say about how it happens, but our entry point into this is how just it is,” she said.

It is important that communities are at the table to define that language because they need to be able to communicate their needs and aspirations at the end of the day.

Zonke, as an activist, was one of the campaigners in the Wild Coast case against Shell’s seismic testing in the Wild Coast as part of Greenpeace Africa.

She described the case as precedent-setting because it not only affirmed the rights of communities to have to give prior and informed consent, but also affirmed that spiritual and cultural rights need to be considered in these types of exploration activities.

Business Times

]]>Rawpixel.com/Magnific<![CDATA[Africa’s capital markets fall short of needs]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-africas-capital-markets-fall-short-of-needs/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-africas-capital-markets-fall-short-of-needs/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000Africa’s corporate debt markets are far too small to match the continent’s economic weight and growing financing needs, the OECD said on Friday, with outstanding market-based debt totalling only $211bn (about R3.5-trillion) at the end of 2025.

The shortfall could undermine both economic growth and leaders’ efforts to expand local financing to protect companies and countries on the continent during periods of global market stress, when foreign lenders often pull ​back from markets perceived as risky, the OECD warned.

“Overall, capital markets remain underutilised as a source ​of long‑term finance — particularly when compared to other emerging-market economies — limiting their contribution to ⁠economic growth and resilience,” the OECD said in its Africa Capital Markets Report 2026.

The report’s estimates ​are based on bond and loan transaction records from the London Stock Exchange Group and private credit fund ​data from Preqin, covering all 54 African countries.

The corporate bond market, estimated at $35bn, is 44% smaller in inflation-adjusted terms than its 2015 peak, largely due to reduced activity in South Africa.

Companies across the continent issued no more than 20 bonds ​in 2025, 17 of them by financial firms. Six countries — Egypt, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria and South ​Africa — accounted for 80% of outstanding corporate debt.

Only 17% of corporate debt issued in 2025 was in local currency, limiting ‌borrowers’ ⁠ability to secure long-term financing without exposure to exchange-rate swings.

Economic and institutional hurdles are the main obstacles to developing bond markets in countries without them, the OECD said, adding that policymakers must take “a broad, whole-of-government approach”.

Regulatory quality, rule of law, exchange-rate stability and well-developed pension funds are among the factors most closely linked ​to deeper bond markets, the ​report said.

A more ⁠than 25% drop in aid provided by OECD donor countries to Sub-Saharan Africa underscored the need for deeper domestic capital markets, the OECD said.

African ​equity market capitalisation surged 49% in 2025, more than twice the gain in ​broader emerging ⁠markets. Four countries — South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and Morocco — accounted for 88% of the total.

At a round table on Friday, OECD director for financial and enterprise affairs Carmine Di Noia said Ethio Telecom’s listing on Ethiopia’s new ⁠securities exchange ​in May and the Kenya Pipeline Company’s recent IPO underscored the ​rise in investable assets beyond the traditional hubs.

He also said that three-quarters of large non-financial state-owned African enterprises remain unlisted, representing ​a large potential pool of assets.

The report found that market depth and liquidity remain highly concentrated. South Africa had significantly greater market depth, with a score of 98, compared with 61 for Morocco and Mauritius, and 51 for Nigeria. Scores were much lower in many other markets.

“The market-depth score provides an indication of the size and liquidity of a country’s capital markets relative to the size of its economy, with higher scores indicating greater market depth.”

The report said South Africa continued to show deeper capital market development, pointing to the listing of Optasia on the JSE.

In terms of sustainable finance, the report said South Africa remained the continent’s most advanced sustainable finance market, highlighting its progressive climate finance ecosystem, institutional investor base and regulatory framework. — Reuters

]]>Malwande Ndzimande<![CDATA[The unbearable lightness of being John Malkovich]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-07-the-unbearable-lightness-of-being-john-malkovich/https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-07-the-unbearable-lightness-of-being-john-malkovich/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000As locations go, Easter Island isn’t a bad one if you’re looking to confront your mortality, and, as it turns out, your morality. The scenery is spectacular, the sunsets are magnificent and the locals have been staring silently into the middle distance for centuries. They are, admittedly, made of stone, but in the circumstances that may be an advantage. Particularly if you’ve spent your professional life doing things that aren’t strictly legal, and that you’d rather not discuss.

Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich on Easter Island in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.
Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich on Easter Island in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.

Welcome to Wild Horse Nine, the latest film from the gloriously perverse imagination of Martin McDonagh, a filmmaker who’s made something of a speciality of placing morally compromised men, in unusually dramatic relationships, in exceptionally beautiful locations and watching them unravel.

“Where’s the cheese?” ... Director and filmmaker Martin McDonagh

In a previous McDonagh movie, In Bruges (2008), Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson were two hitmen marooned in a picturesque Belgian city, contemplating guilt, punishment and the architectural merits of medieval Europe. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) gave us grief, vengeance and a particularly combustible Sam Rockwell, while The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) turned a fallout between two friends on an isolated Irish island into a magnificent study of masculine stubbornness and self-destruction.

Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich in 'Wild Horse Nine'. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures.
Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich in 'Wild Horse Nine'. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures.

Now McDonagh has taken his fascination with difficult men, difficult friendships and impossible moral choices to Rapa Nui, better known as Easter Island, that strange speck of volcanic land in the Pacific Ocean, 3,500km west of mainland Chile.

“These two characters have done heinous things. But, exploring that without judgement is the most important thing.” ... Director and filmmaker Martin McDonagh

The year is 1973. Chile’s democratically elected socialist president, Salvador Allende, is living on borrowed time. The United States, deeply uncomfortable with the prospect of a successful socialist government in its geopolitical backyard, has been working to undermine him. On September 11, a military coup will overthrow Allende and usher in Augusto Pinochet’s brutal dictatorship. American involvement in destabilising Chile is well documented, although the film’s particular operatives and their exploits are fictional.

Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas in 'Wild Horse Nine'. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures.
Mariana di Girolamo and Ailín Salas in 'Wild Horse Nine'. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures.

Against this distinctly unpromising political backdrop, two veteran CIA agents, Chris (John Malkovich) and Lee (Sam Rockwell), are dispatched from Santiago to Easter Island by their boss, MJ (Steve Buscemi). Chris is terminally ill, increasingly preoccupied with his past and entertaining some alarming ideas about how his future should unfold. Lee, his longtime partner, is expected to accommodate an extraordinary request. Meanwhile, Chris’s unexpected friendship with two rebellious young women threatens to complicate things further.

Mariana di Girolamo and John Malkovich in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.
Mariana di Girolamo and John Malkovich in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.

It’s a political thriller, a black comedy, a meditation on death and a love story of sorts between two men whose principal shared accomplishment has been taking people out, in the most literal of ways.

At the film’s centre is Malkovich, an actor who’s spent five decades making the peculiar seem perfectly reasonable.

John Malkovich in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.
John Malkovich in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.

At 72, Malkovich remains one of cinema’s most fascinating presences. That unmistakable voice, simultaneously languid and threatening; the measured delivery that suggests he’s already considered every possible outcome of a conversation and found most of them disappointing; the ability to make a raised eyebrow feel like a declaration of war.

John Malkovich armed and dangerous in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán,
John Malkovich armed and dangerous in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán,

In Dangerous Liaisons, he made seduction look like a sophisticated form of cruelty, and it was. In Being John Malkovich, he gamely surrendered his own identity to one of cinema’s most absurd premises in a film about the human yearning to escape oneself, inhabit another person’s skin and gaze into the inner lives of celebrities. In Wild Horse Nine, he plays a man who’s spent a lifetime exercising power over other people’s destinies, only to discover that he has little control over his own.

When I join Malkovich, Rockwell, McDonagh and their fellow cast members for a conversation about the film, it becomes apparent that the relationship between Chris and Lee is less a conventional Hollywood partnership than a long, dysfunctional marriage.

“They’re two people who know each other well,” Malkovich explains. “And are capable of visiting violence on people clinically and dispassionately. They’re two people who love each other but drive each other apesh*t.”

John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.
John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.

The complication, Malkovich continues, is that one man has asked the other to do “about the biggest ask you can ask of a friend”. The tension is not merely whether that request will be honoured, but when, where and what it will cost them both.

The film’s moral terrain is consequently far more complicated than the traditional business of separating heroes from villains. These men have committed appalling acts, as their jobs, without considering themselves appalling people. They are loyal, affectionate, funny and sometimes touching. They are also professional instruments of political violence.

Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich as CIA agents up to no good on Easter Island. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.
Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich as CIA agents up to no good on Easter Island. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.

McDonagh is interested in that contradiction. “These two characters have done heinous things,” he says. “But, exploring that without judgement is the most important thing.”

His objective, he says, was to discover their humanity without pretending that their humanity excuses their actions. It’s an important distinction. Being charming doesn’t absolve a person of being monstrous. History is littered with charming monsters.

Steve Buscemi and Sam Rockwell ride together in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.
Steve Buscemi and Sam Rockwell ride together in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.

For Malkovich, the quality of McDonagh’s writing was what made the project irresistible. “I’m not much for spontaneous improvisation,” he says dryly, adding that, as someone who also writes scripts, he likes to hear his own dialogue performed as written, if only to satisfy his curiosity. He says he’s rewritten enormous portions of other films when they needed it. But he approved of McDonagh’s screenplay. “I read it, I understood it, I knew it was good.”

Director Martin McDonagh works with John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell on the set of 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.
Director Martin McDonagh works with John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell on the set of 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.

Malkovich’s reverence for writers goes back to his theatrical beginnings with Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard and Arthur Miller. He remembers once suggesting to Miller that Death of a Salesman could be improved by removing a particular bedroom scene. Miller disagreed. The scene survived. “Call me arrogant,” he remarks.

Rockwell, who previously worked with McDonagh on Seven Psychopaths and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, is equally effusive about the director. “He’s an anomaly,” he says. “One of the great talents who sees things with the kind of X-ray vision that most of us don’t have.”

Tom Waits in a scene from 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Justin Lubin.
Tom Waits in a scene from 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Justin Lubin.

He places McDonagh alongside playwrights Paddy Chayefsky and Pinter. Asked how he and Malkovich established their extraordinary on-screen chemistry, Rockwell offers a succinct explanation: “It was acting.”

Malkovich, considerably more expansive, describes the endless preparation involved in finding the precise emotional temperature of a scene. Actors might explore a dozen different possibilities in rehearsal, he explains, but filmmaking demands decisions. There simply isn’t time to spend 12 hours discussing a scene over a martini. “A 12-hour martini sounds pretty good,” Rockwell interjects.

John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.
John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.

Malkovich has an intriguing philosophy about the relationship between actor and director. “When you’re in a movie, you’re a figure in someone else’s dream. It’s not your dream.” The actor’s responsibility, he says, is to understand the role he occupies in that dream, rather than attempt to commandeer it. “McDonagh is the perfect guide.”

Parker Posey as Marge in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Justin Lubin.
Parker Posey as Marge in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Justin Lubin.

The dream in question began some 15 years ago, when McDonagh first visited Rapa Nui and recognised its cinematic potential. He experimented with various stories involving two men, initially imagining a father-and-son relationship. Nothing worked until he connected the island to Chile’s political history. Once he began thinking about the CIA’s involvement in undermining Allende’s government, everything fell into place.

It’s a history with uncomfortable contemporary echoes. Declassified American documents reveal the extent of Washington’s covert campaign against Allende, including the Nixon administration’s efforts to encourage his overthrow.

Director Martin McDonagh with Tom Waits on the set of 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Justin Lubin.
Director Martin McDonagh with Tom Waits on the set of 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Justin Lubin.

But McDonagh insists that he didn’t want to deliver a political sermon. “I don’t like films that are didactic or polemical or a lecture,” he says. “But comedy can lure an audience into confronting subjects they might otherwise avoid.”

It’s an effective strategy. People who wouldn’t voluntarily attend a two-hour lecture on American interventionism might happily spend the same time watching Malkovich and Rockwell insult each other against a beautiful Pacific backdrop. Then, without noticing, they find themselves contemplating the moral consequences of imperial power.

John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell share a laugh. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.
John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell share a laugh. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.
Steve Buscemi, Sam Rockwell, and John Malkovich in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.
Steve Buscemi, Sam Rockwell, and John Malkovich in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.

The island itself becomes a character. Its enormous moai statues, created by the Indigenous Rapa Nui people, have watched generations come and go. Against their ancient, impassive presence, the self-importance of two American intelligence agents seems a bit ridiculous.

McDonagh says he sees the location as an extension of Chris’s predicament. “He’s at the end of the world and at the end of his life,” he says, with the moai observing his guilt. The physical isolation also intensifies the relationship between the men. There is nowhere to hide, geographically or emotionally.

Steve Buscemi and Sam Rockwell. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.
Steve Buscemi and Sam Rockwell. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.

For Chilean actress Mariana di Girolamo, who plays one of the rebellious students the hitmen encounter, the island was unlike anywhere she had experienced. “We were in this tropical island full of wild horses. Volcanoes, strong energy,” she recalls. She was particularly moved by the Rapa Nui people’s attachment to their language, culture and land.

John Malkovich and Mariana di Girolamo. Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.
John Malkovich and Mariana di Girolamo. Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.

Filming there was a big undertaking. McDonagh’s production team had to transport everything from mainland Chile, including cameras, equipment and period cars. Some vehicles arrived late, forcing adjustments to the shooting schedule. But the isolation brought unexpected benefits. Cast and crew stayed together, rehearsed in restaurants and bars, and encountered their filming locations on their daily walks.

Malkovich loved it. “I thought it was a perfect place to shoot a movie because it really lent itself to work and concentration.” For an actor whose career has taken him across continents, theatrical traditions and a variety of roles, the opportunity to immerse himself in a character was clearly appealing.

Sam Rockwell as Lee in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.
Sam Rockwell as Lee in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.

There is something particularly affecting about watching Malkovich, an actor whose performances so often suggest intellectual superiority and control, inhabit a man whose memory and body are letting him down. Chris has spent his life believing that history is something powerful men manufacture. Now he must confront the possibility that history will remember him rather differently from how he thinks of himself.

Wild Horse Nine finds its most interesting tension here: between the desire for redemption and the inconvenient fact that redemption can’t simply be ordered like room service.

The younger Chilean characters offer a different perspective on the past. For them, the political upheaval isn’t a collection of classified operations or geopolitical calculations. It’s their future. Di Girolamo hopes the film will encourage audiences to investigate that history, including the fate of Chilean singer and activist Víctor Jara, murdered in the aftermath of the coup.

Sam Rockwell in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.
Sam Rockwell in 'Wild Horse Nine'. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Diego Araya Corvalán.

The contrast between youthful idealism and ageing cynicism is central to McDonagh’s story. His American agents have spent their careers interfering in other people’s futures. Now one of them is running out of his own.

Buscemi, meanwhile, provides another variety of moral discomfort as the agents’ superior, MJ, a man attempting to maintain authority over two subordinates who have little respect for their superior. “I don’t get to play a boss often,” he says, “especially the boss of two guys who really don’t want you to be their boss.”

Ultimately, Wild Horse Nine is concerned with being human: our capacity for affection and cruelty, loyalty and betrayal, regret and self-deception. It asks whether a lifetime of terrible decisions can be redeemed by a final act of decency and whether friendship can survive the burden of knowing precisely who someone is.

John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell. Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.
John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell. Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.

Malkovich’s answer to what makes such complicated characters possible is characteristically simple. “It’s everything,” he says about the veracity of McDonagh’s writing. “You can’t bring something that isn’t there, that isn’t in the cupboard.”

Rockwell adds,“You can’t open and close the cupboard doors, hoping something worthwhile will miraculously appear.”

At which point McDonagh interrupts. “Where’s the cheese?”

“Where’s the cheese?” Malkovich repeats, delighted.

And there, perhaps, is the entire McDonagh philosophy in an absurd comment. Life is cruel, history is bloody, death is inevitable and mankind’s moral cupboard is frequently bare. But thankfully there’s always someone like McDonagh who’s looking for the cheese.

]]>Searchlight Pictures<![CDATA[STAYING IN | Things to stream]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-07-staying-in-things-to-stream/https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-07-staying-in-things-to-stream/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000If you have 1 hour

STICK SEASON 2 — Apple TV+

Owen Wilson returns as Pryce Cahill, the lovable, self-sabotaging, lost-it-all golf pro turned coach, in a second season of this hard-to-dislike, charming sports dramedy that sets its sights on the PGA Tour and the ultimate US Open showdown between mentor and protégé Santi Wheeler (Peter Dager).

If you have 90 minutes

MAKING MARIE ANTOINETTE — Mubi.com

A surprisingly quiet and tender film about the behind-the-scenes bustle and excitement during the making of Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette — directed with love, pride and concern by her mother, Eleanor, who died in 2024 at the age of 87.

If you have 4 hours

AWKWAFINA: THE UNLIKELY COOK — Apple TV+

Comedian and actress Nora Lum, known to the world as Awkwafina, takes a deeply personal culinary journey through her family’s past in this bright, inspiring show about food, cooking and heritage.

If you have 8 hours

UNDER SIEGE — Netflix

The dramatic events of the 1985 storming of Colombia’s Palace of Justice by M-19 guerrillas are brought to life in a twisty, engaging historical thriller series.

If you have 8 hours

THE GREATEST — Prime Video

The much-written-about life and times of Muhammad Ali are vividly dramatised for old and new fans of a man who remains larger than life in this biopic series starring Jaalen Best as the G.O.A.T. boxer and Giovanni Ribisi as trainer Angelo Dundee.

]]>Courtesy of Apple TV+<![CDATA[Q&A with Popina Khumanda on her book ‘The Smallest Ones’, shortlisted for the 2026 Sunday Times Literary Awards (non-fiction)]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-07-qa-with-popina-khumanda-on-her-book-the-smallest-ones-shortlisted-for-the-2026-sunday-times-literary-awards-non-fiction/https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-07-qa-with-popina-khumanda-on-her-book-the-smallest-ones-shortlisted-for-the-2026-sunday-times-literary-awards-non-fiction/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000The Smallest Ones (Penguin Books) is a harrowing and powerful story of the survival of you, Popina, and your sister, YaZiana, who were captured by rebel soldiers in the war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and after five years of being held captive, how you fled to South Africa via an epic journey. It must have been painful to recall those memories. Why did you decide to write this book? And how difficult was it to write it as a small child in the first person?

There were many reasons why I decided to write The Smallest Ones, but I think, at the heart of it, I felt that there were stories that needed to be told and lives that deserved to be remembered.

I often think about something my older sister told me during our journey to South Africa. She said, “In this journey, we all have to make sacrifices.” Those words have stayed with me throughout my life. As I grew older and began to reflect on everything that had happened, I realised that many lives had been sacrificed along the way for me to have the opportunity to be here today and tell this story. I felt a responsibility to remember them, to honour them and to give a voice to those whose stories may otherwise never be heard.

A child born in a war zone should not have to justify their right to dream.

Writing in the first person, particularly from the perspective of the little girl I once was, was one of the most difficult parts of the process. In many ways, I was having to return to a version of myself that I had spent years trying to move beyond. What made it particularly difficult was realising that, as children, we do not always understand the severity of what we are experiencing. When hardship becomes your everyday reality, you learn to normalise it. You adapt. You find ways to survive. It is only when you grow older, with a different understanding of the world, that you begin to recognise just how much you endured.

2026 Sunday Times Literary Awards
2026 Sunday Times Literary Awards

In your preface, you write that you originally called the book “Building Freedom”. Can you elaborate on why?

When I look back at my life, and at the lives of so many others, I often think about where we begin. Some of us begin at zero and from that point, we are confronted with a choice: do we remain defined by the circumstances into which we were born, or do we begin building a life that is meaningful, purposeful and worth remembering?

That is how I came to understand my story, and the stories of so many others whose journeys, unfortunately, were cut short.

But the idea of building freedom also extends beyond my personal experience. I have always been fascinated by African history, particularly the ways in which our past continues to shape our present. The history of this continent is marked by colonialism, exploitation, political upheaval, the struggle for independence and generations of people who have had to rebuild in the aftermath of conflict. Even after political independence, the work of building truly free societies continued.

I began to see freedom not simply as the absence of oppression, but as something that requires deliberate effort. It is built through education, opportunity, self-determination, the preservation of our histories and the courage to imagine a different future.

In many ways, that is what I believe my sister and I were doing. We were building a life beyond the circumstances that had been imposed upon us. We were building freedom, one decision, one sacrifice and one opportunity at a time.

And perhaps the most important thing is that freedom is not always something we get to experience fully ourselves. Sometimes, we build it for the generations who come after us. Some people plant trees under whose shade they will never sit.

That, for me, is what Building Freedom represented. It was never just about escaping a war or reaching another country. It was about reclaiming the right to imagine, construct, and live a life beyond the limitations of our beginnings.

'The Smallest Ones' by Popina Khumanda.
'The Smallest Ones' by Popina Khumanda.

How did you research your book? Did you rely solely on memory, or did you look at archives and interview other people?

I did not rely solely on memory. In fact, one of the things I became increasingly aware of while writing this book was that my personal story did not exist in isolation. It was part of a much larger historical and political context, and I felt a responsibility to understand that context properly.

I spent a considerable amount of time researching the history of the DRC, as well as the broader history of the African continent.

I also spoke to other refugees and listened to their stories. Their experiences helped me understand that, although our circumstances and journeys may have differed, there were shared experiences of displacement, loss, survival and the search for freedom. I also fact-checked aspects of my own background to ensure that the historical context surrounding my memories was as accurate as possible.

But there was one particular photograph I encountered during my research that has stayed with me.

It was a photograph of a little girl walking barefoot, with her two brothers following behind her, carrying their belongings. Their mother was walking ahead of them, carrying a load on her back. In the background was a military truck, with soldiers carrying guns on their shoulders. The little girl was looking down as she walked.

Something about that image struck me deeply. I saw something of myself in that little girl, but I also realised that this story was much bigger than me. It was not simply about my survival, my sister or my journey to South Africa. It was about the thousands of children whose lives are interrupted by conflict, whose childhoods are taken away, and whose stories often go undocumented.

That was the moment I understood that The Smallest Ones was not just a book about my past. It was about giving visibility to children who are so often overlooked in conversations about war, conflict and history.

In your village when you were young, you write that you believed in the river god Nisodin — “mother of fertility, love, beauty and all creatures. We believed that Mama Nisodin had sacrificed herself so that the world could get a second chance to live, love and grow.” How does the mythology of Nisodin fold into your own story?

I think my connection to Mama Nisodin has become much deeper as I have grown older. When I look at her mythology, I see the sacrifice she made and the spiritual journey she undertook, and in many ways, I find myself resonating with that journey.

In order for me to become the person I am today, I have had to witness parts of myself die, other parts awaken, and some parts remain hidden because their time had not yet come. Growth, for me, has never been a straightforward journey. It has involved loss, transformation, sacrifice and the difficult process of discovering who I am beyond the circumstances that shaped my childhood.

I think that is where the mythology of Nisodin becomes particularly significant in my story. Her sacrifice was understood as something that allowed the world another opportunity to live, love and grow. I see a parallel in the sacrifices made across generations, particularly by women and mothers, who often endure extraordinary circumstances so that the next generation might have an opportunity to live differently.

There is also something deeply important to me about preserving this part of our African cultural heritage. Before we understood the world through textbooks, institutions and formal histories, our communities had their own ways of explaining life, nature, spirituality, love and sacrifice. These stories carried meaning, identity and knowledge. They deserve to be remembered and passed on. I think we sometimes underestimate how much of our identity is rooted in the stories we inherit.

There is, however, an interesting tension in my own life between the traditional beliefs I grew up with and the Christian faith I was introduced to later. In many ways, I find myself standing between two spiritual worlds, trying to understand where I belong and how these different belief systems have shaped the person I am. I don’t think that tension is easily resolved. There are parts of my cultural upbringing that remain deeply embedded in my understanding of the world, even as my Christian faith has become an important part of my life.

What impression do you want readers to take away after reading the book?

More than anything, I want readers to walk away with a deeper understanding of our shared humanity and a renewed appreciation of the lives they have been given. We live in a world where war and conflict continue to shape the lives of millions of people, particularly children and women. Across different parts of the world, children are being displaced, families are being separated, mothers are burying their children, and entire communities are being forced to abandon everything they know. While some of us are occupied with planning our futures, pursuing our dreams and navigating the ordinary challenges of life, others are fighting for the most basic human necessities: food, clean water, shelter, safety and simply the opportunity to wake up the following morning.

I don’t want readers to look at children affected by war and see only victims. I want them to see children with imaginations, ambitions, talents and futures that are just as valid as those of children growing up in peaceful and privileged environments. A child born in a war zone should not have to justify their right to dream.

I also hope the book challenges the way we look at refugees and displaced people. Behind every refugee is a history, a family, a home, a set of dreams and often a life that was interrupted by circumstances beyond their control. People should not have to lose their humanity in the eyes of others simply because they have been forced to cross a border in search of safety.

But perhaps, most importantly, I want readers to reflect on what it means to be human to one another. What responsibilities do we have when another person’s life is falling apart? What does our humanity mean if we can witness the suffering of others and remain indifferent?

]]>Supplied<![CDATA[YOUR WEEKLY STARS | 9 November - 15 November ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-07-your-weekly-stars-9-november-15-november/https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-07-your-weekly-stars-9-november-15-november/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000

Story audio is generated using AI

The week begins with a new moon in Scorpio, bringing an opportunity to start afresh. Scorpio favours honesty, emotional housekeeping and confronting the things that have been conveniently ignored. Mercury and Venus are still retrograde at the beginning of the week — but both turn direct on Friday, promising a gradual improvement in communication, relationships and general decision-making. Don’t expect instant miracles. Planetary traffic jams, like those on the M1, take time to clear. Mars and Jupiter in Leo encourage confidence and creativity, while the weekend brings an adventurous mood. It’s a week for reconsidering what matters, letting go of what doesn’t, and resisting the urge to announce every personal revelation on social media.

BIG THEMES

Love & relationships

Old misunderstandings finally unravel as Venus turns direct on Friday. A relationship deserves another chance if something’s genuinely changed.

Work & money

Mercury’s change of direction encourages progress on stalled projects and delayed decisions. Revisit your priorities before making fresh commitments. Not every opportunity deserves an enthusiastic yes.

Energy & wellbeing

Monday’s new moon invites emotional decluttering. Think, rest and establish healthier boundaries. By the weekend, getting out into the world feels more appealing.

The week in one line

Clear the emotional clutter, trust what you’ve learnt and give the future a little breathing room.

Lucky/Unlucky/Don’t even try

Lucky: Fresh perspectives, honest conversations and overdue decisions.

Unlucky: Emotional ultimatums and romanticising the past.

Don’t even try: Calling it a fresh start while repeating precisely the same mistakes.

SCORPIO

(Oct 23 — Nov 21)

A new moon in Scorpio on Monday creates a moment of renewal. You’re ready to abandon an old habit, change direction or acknowledge something you’ve known for months. No need for a dramatic announcement. Quiet decisions are more powerful. Mercury turns direct in your sign on Friday, helping you articulate what’s been difficult to explain. Ambition is running high, but don’t confuse recognition with personal worth. The weekend offers a chance to reconnect with what makes you happy. You’re allowed to enjoy the person you already are.

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov 22 — Dec 21)

The universe is suggesting you do less rather than more. Monday’s new moon falls in the private part of your chart, encouraging reflection and rest. Friday brings a welcome shift as Mercury and Venus turn direct, easing complications involving friendships or plans that have been repeatedly postponed. By the weekend, your adventurous spirit is back in charge. A spontaneous outing could be the tonic.

CAPRICORN

(Dec 22 — Jan 19)

The people around you are becoming increasingly important, particularly those who share your interests and ambitions. Monday’s new moon encourages fresh connections and a reconsideration of an old friendship. Someone you haven’t heard from in ages could reappear with an interesting proposition. Meanwhile, domestic responsibilities compete with your desire to get out and enjoy yourself. Try not to treat leisure as a task requiring results. The weekend favours conversation, good company and a change of perspective. Doing nothing can be remarkably productive.

AQUARIUS

(Jan 20 — Feb 18)

Something is shifting in the way you see your future. Monday’s new moon highlights your ambitions and public life, making this a useful moment to reconsider where you’re heading and why. Mercury turning direct on Friday could revive a delayed opportunity or resolve an awkward professional conversation. Relationships are lively throughout the week, although somebody may expect more attention than you want to provide. Resist the temptation to disappear when feelings become complicated. By Sunday, you’ll be ready for a meaningful exchange. Independence is wonderful, Aquarius, but companionship doesn’t constitute a hostile takeover.

PISCES

(Feb 19 — Mar 20)

There’s a wider world calling, and you’ve been spending too much time attending to the small inconveniences of life. Monday’s new moon encourages you to think about travel and learning. An idea that seemed unrealistic deserves another look. Friday brings movement to plans that have stalled. At home, someone may need reassurance rather than advice. The weekend is perfect for exploring somewhere unfamiliar. A change of scenery can sometimes be achieved without leaving the sofa.

ARIES

(Mar 21 — Apr 19)

You’re not known for your patience, which makes this week’s emphasis on slowing down particularly inconvenient. Monday’s new moon asks you to consider trust and intimacy. A frank conversation is overdue. Fortunately, Friday’s planetary shifts make it easier to resolve lingering complications without turning the discussion into a competitive sport. Your ruler, Mars continues to energise your creative and romantic life, so there’s plenty of excitement available. The weekend favours pleasure over obligation. Not every challenge needs conquering.

TAURUS

(Apr 20 — May 20)

Relationships take centre stage as Monday’s new moon falls in your partnership sector. Whether you’re romantically involved, negotiating a collaboration or simply trying to understand a difficult relative, a fresh approach makes all the difference. Your ruler Venus turns direct on Friday, bringing some welcome relief to everyday arrangements that have become complicated. You may find yourself craving greater comfort at home. Indulge that instinct, but remember that rearranging the furniture won’t resolve an emotional disagreement. The weekend is good for heartfelt conversations. A delicious meal with someone who makes you laugh would be an excellent beginning.

GEMINI

(May 21 — Jun 20)

At last, progress. Mercury, your ruler, turns direct on Friday, helping restore order to a schedule resembling a badly organised airport departure board. Monday’s new moon encourages you to reconsider your routines and the habits that consume your time. You need fewer commitments, more sleep or a better system for remembering where you’ve put your keys. A creative project regains momentum. The weekend promises opportunities to explore. Try listening as enthusiastically as you speak, Gemini.

CANCER

(Jun 21 — Jul 22)

Monday’s new moon brings an emphasis on romance, creativity and things that make life worth celebrating. If you’ve been putting your own happiness at the bottom of the list, reconsider your priorities. A neglected hobby deserves a chance. Friday’s planetary changes help untangle an old romantic misunderstanding, but don’t feel obliged to reopen closed doors. Family life remains busy. By the weekend, you’ll benefit from time to yourself. Caring for everyone is admirable. Remember to include yourself in the arrangements.

LEO

(Jul 23 — Aug 22)

Mars and Jupiter bring energy and enthusiasm to your sign, and you’re in no mood to sit quietly while life happens elsewhere. Nevertheless, Monday’s new moon turns your attention towards home. Something in your private life needs more care. Friday brings clarity to an old conversation or domestic decision. A creative opportunity could reappear, reminding you of a talent you’ve neglected. By the weekend, you’re ready for fun, attention and romance. Enjoy the spotlight, Leo. But make sure the people you love get some of its warmth too.

VIRGO

(Aug 23 — Sep 22)

Your ruler Mercury turns direct on Friday, which should come as a relief if recent conversations have felt like elaborate exercises in misunderstanding. Monday’s new moon encourages a different approach to communication. A family matter or domestic arrangement requires attention as the week progresses, but you don’t need to solve everything personally. By the weekend, an invitation or unexpected encounter offers a welcome change of scene. You don’t always have to be the responsible one. Sometimes, someone else can remember to bring the corkscrew.

LIBRA

(Sep 23 — Oct 22)

Friday brings welcome news as Venus, your ruling planet, turns direct. If you’ve been questioning a relationship, clarity is on its way. Monday’s new moon encourages you to examine what you value. Not everything worth having comes with an impressive price tag. A conversation with a friend could offer an unexpectedly useful perspective. As the weekend approaches, your social confidence returns. Accept an interesting invitation, but leave yourself an escape route.

]]>vchalup<![CDATA[Policy consistency crucial to unleash Africa’s promise]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-policy-consistency-crucial-to-unleash-africas-promise/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-policy-consistency-crucial-to-unleash-africas-promise/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000

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While Africa has the people and resources to become a global economic powerhouse, it needs to prioritise policy consistency and the rule of law if its potential is to be realised, says a top economist.

Standard Bank’s chief economist and head of research, Goolam Ballim, told the One Young World Summit in Cape Town this week that Africa was now relevant to the global economy amid political ructions, geopolitical tensions and trade fragmentation.

“In today’s world of re-shoring, on-shoring, or ally-shoring, or put differently, when nations are looking for paths to establish trade and supply chains on trust and predictability, Africa is slightly more relevant.

“In terms of commodities, Africa has abundant cobalt, platinum, lithium and a variety of other critical and rare earth minerals that are going to be essential for this century’s energy and advanced manufacturing.”

Amid questions over the debt sustainability of the US, the implications of China’s ageing population and the slowdown of development capital in Europe, analysts are assessing Africa’s young population as a key strategic advantage in the long term for growth.

According to the UN’s world population prospects report, nearly 60% of global youths are concentrated in just 10 countries: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Brazil, China, Indonesia, Mexico and the US.

Ballim said Africa needed to put in place the basic building blocks for growing economies and prosperous societies, such as infrastructure for basic services and the rule of law, with policy consistency as the backbone. “In terms of food security, 60% of the world’s still-available arable land is on the continent. In so many respects, Africa has an enormous amount of relevance.

“That relevance can remain theoretical. Theoretical in the sense that, for all of these things, this potential to translate into prosperity and meaning, Africa is devoid of the substructures that are necessary to monetise, to translate this potential into reality. This potential needs electricity. It needs skills. It needs technology. Regulation. The rule of law. Policymaking to make this all into a true transformation.”

Also at the summit, the chair of Anglo American South Africa, Nolitha Fakude, said Africa faced various challenges in its economic development strategy and ambition, but opportunities still abounded.

Fakude said geopolitics needed to be considered. “In some countries, one particular mineral is for economic development, when you say technology and digitisation. Others look at it for decarbonisation purposes because they want to make sure that we transition to a low-carbon economy by using some of these metals that are mined.”

She said as geopolitical tensions intensified around the world, Africa’s role in the global political community would become more pronounced as the region had the resources that feed the defence industry.

Rohitesh Dhawan, president and CEO of the International Council on Mining and Metals, said South Africa had been growing as an economy because the mining sector, supported by banks, legal companies and manufacturers, needed multi-pronged support to create jobs that secured people’s dignity and rights.

“One thing that’s very hard for companies in general, but for my industry to say, is that I really feel we need help. We don’t have the answers in the mining industry for how to build an industry that can protect rights, protect the planet and grow at the pace it’s going to need. We need help. We need your help.”

He said mining companies know the value of every commodity but understand that the most precious thing they have is people.

Business Times

]]><![CDATA[Battle over prostate drug patent goes to Constitutional Court ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-battle-over-prostate-drug-patent-goes-to-constitutional-court/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-battle-over-prostate-drug-patent-goes-to-constitutional-court/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000

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Japanese pharma giant Astellas and the University of California (UC) are going to the Constitutional Court to try to block local pharma group Eurolab and Dis-Chem from manufacturing and distributing Enzutix, a generic of the prostate cancer drug Xtandi.

In January 2023, Eurolab obtained approval from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority for the registration of Enzutix. When this came to the knowledge of the university — whose scientists developed the drug — it joined its commercial partner Astellas in trying to get an undertaking from Eurolab not to proceed for the life of the patent.

Eurolab rejected the request and went to the Commission of Patents, arguing on a legal technicality that UC had not been entitled to apply for a patent for Xtandi in South Africa in the first place. The commission agreed with Eurolab, and UC and Astellas appealed this decision to the Supreme Court of Appeal.

In March the SCA ruled in favour of UC and Astellas (which has a market capitalisation of about $40bn or R666bn) — but declined their application to interdict the sale of Enzutix pending the conclusion of the patent litigation.

The SCA said an interdict would not be appropriate because Enzutrix is a cheaper option than Xtandi, which, like many branded cancer medications, is financially out of reach for the average South African. According to Eurolab, one year’s supply of Xtandi costs nearly R361,000, while Enzutrix comes in at R299,407 — a difference of about R60,000.

In their papers in the Constitutional Court application, due to be heard this month, UC — which is also pursuing a multimillion-rand damages claim against Eurolab for patent infringement — and Astellas said about $1.5bn was spent developing Xtandi and Eurolab should not be allowed to use legal niceties to profit from their invention.

“Simply put, Xtandi is a groundbreaking drug, the development of which has significantly improved the lives of prostate cancer patients globally. It is in the public interest that research of this sort be incentivised through the grant of patents,” UC and Astellas argue.

“It is equally in the public interest that patents are not made vulnerable to attack on highly technical grounds that have nothing to do with the merits of the invention; in respect of which there is no dispute between the interested parties; and which are advanced by firms for the sole purpose of trying to justify having stolen a march on other generics companies (that were waiting for the patent to expire) by distributing a generic of Xtandi while the patent was still in force.”

It is equally in the public interest that patents are not made vulnerable to attack on highly technical grounds that have nothing to do with the merits of the invention

Affidavit by UC and Astellas

Xtandi was developed at UC with grant support from the National Institutes of Health and the US Army.

Eight UC academics, including Michael Jung and Charles Sawyers, are the brains behind Xtandi, which raked in ¥750bn (R93bn) in sales for Astellas in financial 2023. The drug, which Astellas describes as a medication used to treat men with prostate cancer that no longer responds to hormone therapy or surgical treatment, lowers testosterone levels, among other things.

Eurolab, citing the financial blow that a successful damages action by UC would deal it, plans to ask the Constitutional Court to rule that it did not infringe a Xanti patent.

“UC has instituted action for damages against Eurolab for patent infringement,” Eurolab says in an affidavit, which Business Times has seen. “The validity of the patent is determinative of that claim. If the SCA judgment stands, Eurolab faces potential substantial monetary liability based on a patent that the Commissioner [of Patents] and the minority found to have been improperly obtained.

“This is not an academic question. Eurolab’s commercial interests, i.e. their right to sell a generic oncology drug, are directly at stake.”

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men worldwide; prominent South Africans who had it include Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Prostate cancer affects one in 4 black Africans in South Africa and one in eight whites. According to a study published in the Health Journal, the disease accounts for 13% of male deaths in South Africa, with the total cost of treating 11,000 new cases in 2022 estimated at R2.1bn.

UC and Astellas warned that offshore inventors might shy away from South Africa if the country’s patent laws allow Eurolab to emerge victorious in the dispute.

“Most patents filed in South Africa do not originate from research carried out in this country. Merely to give the court some perspective in this regard, in 2025, 11,173 patents were filed in South Africa. Of those 11,173 patents, 8,910 (80%) were filed by foreign corporations.

“A very high percentage of patents owned by foreign corporations enter South Africa as PCT [patent co-operation treaty] national phase filings. The patent-in-suit followed that route.”

Business Times

]]><![CDATA[Gold Fields initiative aims to bridge skills and jobs gap]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-gold-fields-initiative-aims-to-bridge-skills-and-jobs-gap/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-gold-fields-initiative-aims-to-bridge-skills-and-jobs-gap/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000

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With millions of young people searching for work and employers struggling to recruit candidates with the right expertise, mining giant Gold Fields has initiated a programme to bridge the gap between skills development and work.

The initiative, dubbed Siyakha Sonke (we are building together), is a 10-year programme to train young people to be work-ready, not only for the mining industry but throughout the mining value chain.

Launched 10 months ago, it comes as the official unemployment rate has increased by 0.9 percentage points to 33.6% in the second quarter from 32.7% in the first quarter of the year.

Benford Mokoatle, Gold Fields’ executive vice-president for South Africa, told Business Times that Siyakha Sonke aims to get young people ready to take up opportunities in sectors including manufacturing, renewable energy and agro-processing.

It is designed to take account of new skills that will be needed as technology develops and goes beyond mining to provide young people with training and connections to opportunities that will grow the economy.

Mokoatle said one of its focuses was making sure women, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups could play a meaningful role in the economy.

“We are trying to shift the focus from training for the sake of training to creating practical pathways from learning to employment,” he said. “That means bringing together employers, educational institutions and the government so we can build skills that are aligned with demand.”

Gold Fields operates South Deep, the mechanised gold mine near Westonaria, and initially Siyakha Sonke will be trialled in the West Rand. From there it will be scaled up and rolled out to the rest of the country.

In the first phase of the rollout in the next decade, governance structures and finalise priority training programmes will be set up. This will be followed by the launch of training and skills development programmes and partnerships with universities and colleges to ensure their courses are aligned with the skills required today and in the future.

Mokoatle said the plan is to expand the partnerships into key economic sectors.

“Technology and automation are changing the labour demand and are reshaping the required skills. Siyakha Sonke is therefore also aimed at strengthening the pathways between education and the practical experience employers need, while at the same time preparing people for the skills that are required in different industries and sectors.”

South Deep mine in October penned memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Sibanye-Stillwater, AngloGold Ashanti, Mienara, Phahama School of Specialisation and Westcol TVET College to support Siyakha Sonke. Additional partnerships are being explored and developed.

Asked how many jobs would be created, Mokoatle said it was too early to say. “I’d rather talk about the intent than the number of jobs that we want to create. We want to also create new, future jobs. We want this to go beyond the numbers.”

Business Times

]]>Picture: PHILIP MOSTERT<![CDATA[Don’t hold your breath for US shift towards SA]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-dont-hold-your-breath-for-us-shift-towards-sa/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-dont-hold-your-breath-for-us-shift-towards-sa/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000

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The results of the US midterm elections this week, where the Democratic Party flipped the House of Representatives and the Senate, are unlikely to immediately translate into the largest economy softening its hostile approach to South Africa, analysts say.

The midterm results were a blow to US President Donald Trump and his Republican Party and are expected to frustrate remaining items in Trump’s second-term agenda.

Dawie Roodt, economist at Efficient Group, told Business Times that Trump’s power will be frustrated but not sterilised. “I don’t think it’s going to affect South Africa for some time; maybe eventually.”

The midterm results presented historic milestones, including the election of the first Democratic senator from Texas since 1988, James Talarico, the first Muslim senator Abdul Al-Sayed, and the first black female governor Keisha Lance-Bottoms.

While the results represent a setback for the Republicans, Trump still has more than two years in power. His second administration has presented domestic and international shocks, including the US-Iran war, trade tariffs, rising living costs and accelerated deportations of migrants.

Roodt said the Democrats will be confronted with a laundry list of urgent priorities on the domestic front and global challenges before mending fences with South Africa can be considered a priority. “They’ve got too many domestic issues to deal with. I don’t think South Africa is likely to be on the agenda for now. And in any event, remember, Trump still has a veto. So for now, no changes can be expected.”

The Trump administration’s decision to exclude South Africa from Agoa was a culmination of hostile positions it has taken against the country, including tough unilateral tariffs. Last year, the Republicans introduced the US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act, proposing sanctions for ANC leaders.

Roodt acknowledged that the Democrats were likely to have more cordial dealings with South Africa and the ANC. “The Democrats in the US are probably going to be a little bit [friendlier] to the ANC government in South Africa. So from that point of view, it could be slightly good news for South Africa. But like I’ve said, I think there’s still a lot that can happen.

“For the next two years, Trump is still going to be president. And always remember that he’s still got a veto on all sorts of decisions. For now, don’t expect much.”

Azar Jammine, director and chief economist at Economatrix, told Business Times that the markets were responding positively to the midterm elections as the results were being associated with a possible end to the US-Iran war, falling oil prices and cooling inflation and interest rates.

There was a high likelihood that the US would elect a Democrat as president in the 2028 elections, he said, which was positive for South Africa in the long term. “Theoretically, it can only help South Africa that Trump’s power has been somewhat diminished, but he still holds some executive power.

He said it was unlikely that issues such as Trump’s termination of aid funding “will be foremost in the minds of members of Congress at the moment. As time goes by, attention will shift to restoring aid to South Africa and the region in the fight against Aids. But Trump will still have veto power”.

Redge Nkosi, founder and executive director at Firstsource Money, said the Democratic victory would benefit South Africa in a mid- to long-term basis, but an immediate change was not likely, especially with Trump’s veto power taken into consideration.

“Firstly, the American regime is essentially controlled by Trump with his executive orders. It seems to me that those will not come to an end. In fact, it will likely get worse.”

Business Times

]]>Umit Bektas<![CDATA[WHAT’S ON | Going Out]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-07-whats-on-going-out/https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-07-whats-on-going-out/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000

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INTO THE WOODS

WHERE: Theatre on the Bay, Link St, Camps Bay, Cape Town

WHEN: November 10-14

Following the award-winning success of Spring Awakening, The Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy, through special arrangement with Music Theatre International, returns to Theatre on the Bay with Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s beloved musical Into the Woods. Directed by acclaimed theatre-maker Sylvaine Strike, with musical direction by Amy Campbell, choreography by Naoline Quinzin, and set and costume design by Marcel Meyer, this enchanting production brings together classic fairy tales including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel in a magical and thought-provoking adventure. Tickets are available from R250 via Webtickets.

'RED' is directed by Chris Vorster and Thys Heydenrych and stars Norman Doubell (as Ken) and Thys Heydenrych (as Mark Rothko).
'RED' is directed by Chris Vorster and Thys Heydenrych and stars Norman Doubell (as Ken) and Thys Heydenrych (as Mark Rothko).

RED

WHERE: Wynand Mouton Theatre, Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, Bloemfontein

WHEN: November 12-13

John Logan’s RED is a compelling exploration of mentorship, artistic identity and the courage to find your own voice. In the studio of celebrated painter Mark Rothko, a young artist enters as an assistant and gradually becomes something more: student, challenger and equal. As ideas about art, legacy and ambition collide, both men are forced to confront what it means to learn from those who came before, and when the time comes to break away. At its heart, RED asks a vital question: how do we honour the past while finding the courage to create something new? Tickets are available from R25 via Webtickets.

Explore seawater not just as something we harvest from the ocean, but as a living ingredient — a way of preserving, seasoning, fermenting and creating flavour.
Explore seawater not just as something we harvest from the ocean, but as a living ingredient — a way of preserving, seasoning, fermenting and creating flavour.

FERMENTING WITH THE SEA

WHERE: Veld and Sea HQ, Plateau Rd, Cape Point

WHEN: November 14

A day immersed in the ocean: harvesting seawater, making salt, exploring fermentation, tasting, cooking and learning how to bring the sea into your pantry. Join Zayaan Khan and Veld & Sea for a hands-on exploration of seawater as the original brine and one of our most ancient pantry ingredients. You’ll explore where salt comes from, why we are all sea creatures, how to responsibly harvest from the ocean, and the many ways seawater can be used in food and drink. The focus of the workshop is fermentation, exploring the relationship between salt, seawater, time and microorganisms, with plenty of tasting and hands-on making along the way. Tickets are available from R950 via Quicket.

Organist Christopher Cockburn at St Thomas' Church.
Organist Christopher Cockburn at St Thomas' Church.

ORGANIST CHRISTOPHER COCKBURN IN CONCERT

WHERE: St Thomas’ Church, 190 Saint Thomaslaan, Musgrave, Durban

WHEN: November 15, 22

Acclaimed organist Dr Christopher Cockburn returns to Durban to play two different organ recitals at St Thomas’ Church, both featuring works of German composer Josef Rheinberger. Each of these two programmes by Dr Cockburn contains one of the Rheinberger sonatas, along with a selection of other music by a variety of composers who are in some way related either to the particular sonata or to Rheinberger himself. They range from the solemn Passacaglia in D minor by the German Baroque composer Dietrich Buxtehude (the same form used in the final movement of Rheinberger’s Sonata 8), through the quirky Scherzino by Horatio Parker (one of Rheinberger’s American students), to the virtuosic Toccata by Seth Bingham (himself a student of Parker). Tickets are available from R100 via Quicket.

]]>Image: Webtickets<![CDATA[SA faces higher US trade costs after Agoa exit ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/2026-11-07-sa-faces-higher-us-trade-costs-after-agoa-exit/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/2026-11-07-sa-faces-higher-us-trade-costs-after-agoa-exit/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000

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Losing access to the US African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) will raise the cost of doing business with the world’s largest economy, despite alternative systems governing trade between the two countries.

US President Donald Trump wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa this week, informing him that South Africa would be excluded from Agoa provisions starting next year.

The country’s exports to the US are now expected to be administered through the remaining trade provisions, namely the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) and the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO’s) most favoured nation (MFN) provisions.

Saul Levin, executive director of Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies, told Business Times that while exclusion from Agoa does not terminate all trade between South Africa and the US, the act gave helpful provisions to exporters in strategic sectors.

“The removal of Agoa benefits is small compared to the earlier Trump tariffs. While the MFN rate, which we are now subject to, is not significantly higher, not being in Agoa does, however, raise the cost of doing business with the US and the cost of some South African goods in the US.”

The quantum of value in South African exports to the US that enjoy Agoa preferences amounts to about $1.6bn (R26.4bn) to $1.7bn. GSP benefits have largely been integrated into, or run alongside, Agoa. Bilateral trade reached $28.8bn in 2025.

SA's exports to the US
SA's exports to the US

Between 74% and 90% of total South African goods exported to the US are administered under MFN rules, making up the balance of South Africa’s roughly $16.5bn in annual US-bound exports.

Levin said it was clear from these and other actions that Trump did not consider South Africa a strategic partner, and it was unlikely that the country would be back in Agoa during his term.

“Since democracy, the US has worked closely with the South African government on many important issues — we don’t always agree, but there has been a strategic co-operation. The removal of South Africa from Agoa further contributes to that declining relationship and undermines the importance of the US working with one of the largest economies in Africa.”

Critical minerals aside, there is also less ambition in the current US administration towards Africa in general, and there are now 19 African countries excluded from Agoa, which undermines the overall usefulness of the measure, Levin said.

“Critical minerals are, however, an important consideration in US trade with South Africa and the region. Trade in these commodities, which is robust and considerable, is, however, largely by private companies and at this stage not impacted by bilateral relations or threats of retaliatory trade action.

The direct economic impact of removal from Agoa is limited, and our removal is not a surprise

Saul Levin, executive director of Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies

“The direct economic impact of removal from Agoa is limited, and our removal is not a surprise. Even prior to Trump, the concern had been that South Africa — as an upper-middle-income country — would graduate out of Agoa; previously, keeping South Africa in Agoa was therefore a strategic move on the part of the US.”

He said there would be some companies and products negatively impacted, and as of last year, the messaging from government and industry associations had been to encourage and assist exporters to diversify and find new markets.

A comprehensive bilateral trade agreement between the US and South Africa would be a good thing, but these agreements, if done properly, take time to negotiate and agree, he said.

In a statement responding to Trump’s announced intention to remove South Africa from Agoa, trade, industry & competition minister Parks Tau, said that while important, Agoa did not constitute the totality of the economic relationship between the two countries.

“In 2025, about 89% of South African exports to the US entered under ordinary WTO most favoured nation terms, while about 10% entered under Agoa, down from 28% in 2024. Agoa exports were valued at about $1.7bn in 2025, down from $4bn in 2024. Agoa exports represented about 1% of South Africa’s total global exports.”

Terry Gale, chair of Exporters Western Cape, said the outcome of the midterm elections in the US, where the Democratic Party won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate from Trump’s Republican Party, has opened a fresh opportunity for South Africa to avert its exclusion from Agoa.

“The stunning Republican defeat in the US midterm elections has changed the political landscape in Washington. For South Africa, it creates an opportunity to mount an urgent diplomatic effort to avert its exclusion from Agoa.”

Gale proposed that a mission to the US should carry a clear presidential mandate and be supported by credible representatives of business, organised labour and the government. “That mission must arrive with practical proposals. Washington has cited trade and investment barriers, corruption and national security and foreign policy concerns. South Africa should seek precise, measurable requirements for continued eligibility, address substantiated concerns within its constitutional framework and demonstrate how preserving the relationship serves American as well as South African interests.”

Business Times

]]>SUPPLIED<![CDATA[LAST WORD | Taking a wander through the end times]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-07-last-word-taking-a-wander-through-the-end-times/https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-07-last-word-taking-a-wander-through-the-end-times/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000

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I walked into the fossil museum in Graaff-Reinet in the Karoo last Thursday morning expecting to find dusty cases of obscure bones clogging up the Victorian building, complete with small, faded, handwritten taxonomical notes which induced a flare-up of sneezing. Instead, I received a remarkably contemporary education in epoch-defining, planet-scale catastrophes. The material was presented in easy-to-digest displays with some old-school taxonomy thrown in for good measure. Every now and again, the collection demonstrated previous display methodologies as a nod to a more innocent past, including crude, hand-painted eyes moulded into the now expertly curated 255-million-year-old fossils.

Behind a glass window, a decidedly real palaeontologist was diligently working in a lab adjacent to the museum as a kind of live demonstration of the painstaking work it takes to reveal the surprising creatures that populated the Karoo in that far distant era — a time called the Permian, even before the dinosaurs. I now know there were five dramatic extinction events, and the collection in Graaff-Reinet, officially renamed Robert Sobukwe Town, has the world’s most significant examples of the therapsids (and the events that occurred 255-million years ago), which also happens to be the biggest catastrophe the planet has endured. Almost 90% of all living things were annihilated by the vicious cataclysmic conditions, extreme volcanic eruptions and toxic emissions that followed. It was a greenhouse effect dialled up to “full Trump”, and the deadly side effect was almost total obliteration of the Earth’s life forms.

I pity the chaps caught up in the chaos of the end times — the sad, tail end of life when oxygen levels are depleted and all things struggle to eke out a living.

I pity the chaps caught up in the chaos of the end times — the sad, tail end of life when oxygen levels are depleted and all things struggle to eke out a living. Some alpha types obviously managed to hold on longer than others but the writing was on the wall for most creatures. The scattered outliers scraped together a life in scorching temperatures, in the decimated landscape of the early Triassic — gradually evolving into reptiles and mammals. Eventually they took over the new, unrecognisable planet. And the story started again.

I wonder, is there an existential dread that catches hold — a conscious understanding that this particular show is over, paradise is lost and your kin and acquaintances done for? Is it preferable to have the end come in one fell strike like Hiroshima? Whoosh and your time’s up. Game over.

The therapsids looked a bit like crocodiles vaguely tending to hippopotami — neither reptiles nor mammals — but they once ruled the world. I feel a kind of vertigo gazing at these huge eye sockets and big, familiar looking teeth. Do all creatures on this Earth, despite the vastly different ecological circumstances and incredible passage of time that separate them, have a propensity to grow eyeballs and teeth?

Are we doomed to live forever through these Sisyphean nightmares, rolling our rocks up hills for all time in empty displays of species continuity until one day the rock falls and squashes our foolish pretensions at survival?

Maybe the youthful therapsids, sensing the impending collapse, demonstrated their discontent on the banks of each local watering hole in their territory. Sensing the end of the runway, the young ones may have railed against the indifferent older generation like our own youth, who appear to be reading the writing on the wall. Things are looking dire for this generation — every university graduate applying hopelessly for months on end to hundreds of faceless AIs for the rapidly diminishing return on entry-level jobs that haven’t been automated by AI anyway. The AI’s have a bias for applications written by AIs which doesn’t surprise me. Like tends to like. Human youth are already practically obsolete, crowded out from the watering hole as they get sucked dry by the incredibly thirsty AI data centres now rapidly accelerating the greenhouse gas apocalypse 6.0 of the Anthropocene.

I don’t want to be around for the dying throes. Who wants to fend off hungry hordes or navigate the last-ditch strongmen fighting for the terminal scraps of our time? I can picture a virtual museum of the future stored in the cloud. The AI’s will file us with the therapsids along with quaint taxonomies and the wry observation that once the planet contained successions of antique creatures ranked low on the evolutionary scale. And they all shared fascinating anatomical features, like eye sockets and teeth.

]]>Graaff-Reinet Tourism/Facebook<![CDATA[Beauty News: Midsummer Dream ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/fashion/2026-11-07-beauty-news-midsummer-dream/https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/fashion/2026-11-07-beauty-news-midsummer-dream/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000Olfactory Buzz: Solar Mists

Solar Mists
Solar Mists

OLFACTORY BUZZ: Solar mists

Channel the spirit of playful whimsy this season as a renewed affinity for hair and body mists makes a comeback. From Sol De Janeiro, Marc Jacobs to Calvin Klein, these are not your high school, cherry-scented body mists but elevated, nuanced olfactory compositions that bottle the feeling of summer. A perfect handbag addition for balmy days, it’s a light misting of ripe pineapple, orange blossom and vanilla notes from Sol De Janeiro’s Cheirosa 74 Intense, inspired by a Brazilian sunset. Try the whipped vanilla cream and blackcurrant fruity-floral profile from Calvin Klein or the juicy pineapple, jasmine sambac and macadamia accord from Marc Jacobs’s Tropical Glow. TRY: Marc Jacobs Daisy Mist Tropical Glow Hair & Body Mist 150ml R495; Calvin Klein Satin Cream Hair & Body Perfume Mist 236ml R495; Sol De Janeiro Cheirosa 74 Intense Perfume Mist 90ml R800

Juicy Fruits

Revlon is giving the girls what they want this summer – the ultimate 2-in-1 product that does some serious heavy lifting when it comes to lip care. Revlon’s Glimmer Lip Treat Balm + Masks do just that, acting as an everyday gloss with a punchy colour pay-off in the day and a nourishing overnight lip mask while you sleep. These peptide-rich tiny helpers are also packed with hydrating shea and jojoba butters and squalane to keep lips moisturised, smooth and replenished. With seven scented formulas from Sugar Cookie, Blackberry Chip to Rum Raisin; pop into your bag for glazed, nourished lips all day. Revlon Glimmer Lip Treat Balm + Mask R190 each

The Revlon Glimmer Lip Treat Balm + Mask in Blackberry Chip
The Revlon Glimmer Lip Treat Balm + Mask in Blackberry Chip
Revlon Glimmer Lip Treat Balm + Masks
Revlon Glimmer Lip Treat Balm + Masks

Splurge On: I Want Choo

The smell of summer decadence comes in the form of Jimmy Choo’s latest olfactory offering – I Want Choo With Love. The fourth addition to the I Want Choo fragrance wardrobe, this floral-fruity ambery scent profile comes clad in a curvaceous, pink metallic dress-like flacon. With notes of raspberry, orange blossom, rose, hibiscus, pink musk and vanilla, the scent is delightfully elegant, sweet and floral with a raspberry tartness in the opening and soft, hibiscus and musky notes that give it a powdery, warm finish. Jimmy Choo I Want Choo With Love EDP 100ml R2,299

Jimmy Choo I Want Choo With Love EDP
Jimmy Choo I Want Choo With Love EDP

Add to Cart: Ultra Serums

Anyone who claims to be serious about their skincare has at least one Avène product in their arsenal. If you’re looking to join the club – look no further than Avène’s Ultra Serums SPF50+. Infused with the power of thermal spring water from the Sainte‑Odile Spring in Avène, France, these serum SPFs are antioxidant-rich with an ultra-lightweight, melting, hybrid serum texture. With three variants that plump with Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide, hydrate with Panthenol and impart glow with Vitamin Cg Complex, all while providing SPF50+ protection – we won’t blame you if you grab all three. Avène Ultra Serums SPF50+ Plump, Hydrate and Glow 30ml R716 each

The Avène Ultra Serums SPF50+ in Plump, Hydrate and Glow
The Avène Ultra Serums SPF50+ in Plump, Hydrate and Glow

Insatiable Flush

If you ever needed an excuse to catch a case of blush blindness, then these NARS liquid blushes are the perfect scapegoat. Creamy, saturated and blendable, feed your insatiable desire for a generous flush with the NARS Insatiable Liquid Blushes featuring 16 punchy shades with a long-wearing, second skin finish that imparts a lit-from-within glow. Come for shade names such as Exhibit A, Girl Happy and Lose Control and stay for the oversized doe-foot applicator that allows for precise placement. Wear one shade for a soft-focus flush or layer two or three shades together for a seamless gradient. NARS Insatiable Liquid Blush R880 each

The NARS Insatiable Liquid Blush collection
The NARS Insatiable Liquid Blush collection
]]>Isabel Infantes<![CDATA[Sappi calls for state protection from cheap imports]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-sappi-calls-for-state-protection-from-cheap-imports/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-sappi-calls-for-state-protection-from-cheap-imports/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000

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Recent tariff measures are an encouraging sign that the government is taking the plight of South African manufacturers more seriously, Steve Binnie, CEO of paper and packaging giant Sappi, says. But he warns that trade protection alone will not be enough to restore competitiveness.

Instead, Sappi wants policymakers to tackle deeper structural problems, including inefficient ports, failing rail infrastructure, rising electricity costs and regulatory delays.

His comments come after the International Trade Administration Commission (Itac) introduced measures aimed at protecting domestic paper producers from a surge in imports.

Presenting Sappi’s annual results, Binnie welcomed the government’s response but said the benefits of tariffs would be limited unless broader industrial reforms followed.

“We have been pleasantly surprised at the speed of the response,” he said.

The latest intervention includes a provisional 21% safeguard duty on imported A3 and A4 office paper, following an application by Mondi South Africa supported by Sappi. The company has also sought protection for newsprint imports, arguing that foreign producers are increasingly targeting the South African market.

Binnie said some overseas manufacturers sell paper in South Africa at lower prices than in their home markets, making it difficult for local producers to compete.

The tariffs will not materially change Sappi’s group earnings but the company believes they send an important signal that the government recognises the challenges facing domestic manufacturers.

“It’s important because it goes to underpinning and supporting the whole value chain, whether that is on copy paper, containerboard or tissue products,” said a Sappi manager during the briefing.

The company is not calling for permanent protection.

“We’re not asking for forever protection, but we need time to respond to these shocks and changes to the system,” Binnie said.

Asked what government could do beyond tariffs, Binnie pointed to logistics: “The first, and probably the most immediate one, is the port.”

The issue is more than theoretical for Sappi. Congestion at the Port of Durban delayed about 38,000 tonnes of dissolving wood pulp shipments during the fourth quarter, pushing sales into the new financial year and weighing on earnings.

“I know there are plans to invest in more equipment at the port, as a lot has become old and inefficient,” Binnie said.

Rail infrastructure is another concern: “The rails are a mess and we have to transport everything by road, adding to our costs.”

The company wants the government to speed up approvals in the forestry sector and create a more predictable operating environment for long-term investment.

Energy is another key challenge. Although Sappi generates about 65% of its own power, it relies on Eskom for about a third of its electricity.

“We need to reduce that because Eskom costs have just continued to rise,” Binnie said.

Sappi’s South African operations face mixed conditions. Demand for containerboard used in packaging remained robust during the quarter, supported largely by agricultural exports, particularly citrus. However, volumes were affected by low inventories and production disruptions at the company’s Ngodwana mill.

Binnie said the longer-term outlook for packaging is positive despite pressure on local consumers.

“The big opportunity for us is in export markets,” he said.

South African citrus exports, one of the key drivers of packaging demand, have been growing 6%-8% annually and are expected to continue expanding in the next few years.

Most of that growth is linked to exports to Asia, China and Europe rather than the US. As a result, uncertainty around the US’s African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) is unlikely to have a significant impact on Sappi.

“I think it’s about 5% that is exposed to the US market,” Binnie said. “There could be a small impact but it’s not that material in the bigger picture for us.”

Demand for dissolving wood pulp, one of Sappi’s most important export products, remains strong, supported by global textile markets. Pulp prices improved by $22 a tonne during the quarter to about $920.

Yet profitability in South Africa is under pressure from factors largely outside the company’s control. The stronger rand has reduced export competitiveness, while elevated oil prices and geopolitical tensions continue to increase fuel, chemical and logistics costs.

“It’s difficult for South African manufacturers who export their products,” Binnie said. “When the rand strengthens the way it has, it effectively increases your cost base relative to your global competitors.”

Business Times

]]>Supplied<![CDATA[Price cuts on the cards as TFG adapts to tough times ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-price-cuts-on-the-cards-as-tfg-adapts-to-tough-times/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-price-cuts-on-the-cards-as-tfg-adapts-to-tough-times/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000

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TFG is reviewing its menswear prices to attract cash-strapped shoppers while accelerating store closures and expanding its Bash online platform as it prepares for another difficult trading period amid mounting pressure on household finances.

The owner of Foschini, Markham, Jet, Sportscene and Totalsports is lowering entry-level prices after spotting signs that consumers are trading down to cheaper clothing, particularly in menswear, where it holds a leading market position.

CEO Anthony Thunström said the group was not banking on an imminent recovery in consumer spending and would instead focus on cutting costs, improving store profitability and growing online sales.

“We are seeing evidence of buying down in the segment, and as a result, we will be sharpening our opening price points and pricing architecture,” Thunström said at the group’s interim results presentation.

Menswear turnover fell 1.5% in the six months to September, while gross profit dropped 4%. The division was also hit by shipping delays and congestion at Durban port because of its heavier reliance on imported merchandise.

The pricing review underscores growing pressure on clothing retailers as rising fuel costs and weak consumer confidence force households to become more selective about spending. “To be honest, we don’t know when the cycle will bottom out and turn,” said Thunström.

TFG’s outlook has been further clouded by a weak start to the second half. African sales declined 0.7% in October after a volatile first six months. Thunström said trading in the first week was in line with expectations, with momentum expected to build towards Black Friday.

However, delayed shipments through Durban port remain a concern. TFG expects the backlog to clear only around February, potentially affecting stock availability during the festive season.

While cancelling some late orders to avoid excess inventory, the retailer is also rebuilding stock buffers to protect availability during peak trading periods.

Alongside tighter inventory management, TFG is shrinking its physical store footprint.

The group closed 120 stores in the first half and plans to shut another 60-80 before year-end, taking total closures to between 180 and 200 stores.

We’re using the combined capabilities of both channels to acquire customers, increase engagement ... and improve the productivity of the retail infrastructure that we already own

CEO Anthony Thunström

Almost half of those already closed were in distressed central business districts, where consumer traffic has shifted towards malls and convenience retail formats. The closures released R190m in working capital, and TFG estimates about 20% of sales from closed outlets will migrate to nearby stores or Bash.

More than 95% of employees affected by the closures were moved elsewhere in the business.

The group removed R257m in costs during the first half and targets a further R222m in the second half. The programme is expected to generate annualised cost savings of about R854m and an annualised profit benefit of roughly R540m.

A key beneficiary of this strategy is Bash, which is becoming one of TFG’s most important growth engines. Online sales surged 53.3% to R2.2bn in the first half, bucking weakness in traditional retail.

The growth comes as buy now, pay later (BNPL) gains traction among shoppers, particularly online. CFO Ralph Buddle said demand for TFG Money remains strong at about 4-million applications a year, but applications fell 10% in the first half, partly as more consumers turned to BNPL options.

The number of accounts on TFG’s books declined 1.9%, while credit sales fell 2.4%, representing 25.8% of TFG Africa sales. Buddle said BNPL was absorbing some of that activity and helping drive online sales, particularly among younger consumers who use the product as a budgeting tool. Thunström said the payment option has proved especially popular on Bash.

TFG attracted 449,000 first-time online customers during the period, with more than 40% placing their first digital orders through Bash Store while visiting a physical outlet. The platform now operates across more than 3,200 stores.

“We’re not building an e-commerce business to sit alongside a traditional store network,” Thunström said. “We’re using the combined capabilities of both channels to acquire customers, increase engagement ... and improve the productivity of the retail infrastructure that we already own.”

Despite weak consumer demand, TFG Africa grew turnover 3.8% to R19.7bn, supported by market-share gains and stronger sportswear sales.

Internationally, however, conditions remain challenging.

Operating profit fell 26.5% in the UK and 28.3% in Australia as weak consumer confidence and promotional trading weighed on performance. The UK business is also recovering from an October cyberattack that disrupted online trading, while TFG is restructuring underperforming brands in both markets.

Thunström said acquisitions were off the table for now, with surplus cash likely to be directed towards further debt reduction or enhanced shareholder returns through dividends and share buybacks.

Business Times

]]>Supplied <![CDATA[EU brings tide of help for local ports ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-eu-brings-tide-of-help-for-local-ports/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-eu-brings-tide-of-help-for-local-ports/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000

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Ambassadors from EU members and the head of the union’s investment bank will meet Transnet executives this month to discuss the possibility of a range of agreements aimed at improving port efficiency and enabling the logistics SOE to participate in the nascent regional blue economy, says the EU ambassador to South Africa, Kristian Schmidt.

Schmidt told Business Times that the president of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Nadia Calviño, would be in South Africa to sign the accord with Transnet.

“So there will be significant loans and agreements signed that speak to this logistical dimension. So the EU is certainly interested in working with South Africa on port management. Specific ports in Europe can come in and give capacity-building [assistance] on port management.”

Schmidt was speaking on the sidelines of this week’s BlueInvest Africa Summit in Cape Town, where delegates sought to explore investment opportunities and funding for start-ups in the blue economy.

The EU, which is re-evaluating trade relations with Africa in the face of growing trade protectionism and fragmentation globally, estimates that the blue economy represents €900bn (R16.6-trillion) in annual turnover for it, a figure that could double in the coming years. The AU puts turnover for the continent from the maritime economy at close to $300bn (R5-trillion).

Schmidt said he would lead a delegation of EU ambassadors to Durban in the coming weeks to discuss the crime risks that come with increased maritime traffic.

“Ports are opportunities, but they’re also challenges. So whether you talk of smuggling, drug trafficking, globally, European ports as well, we have huge challenges here. So port management is a big issue. And we have experience that we are willing to share. And we have already agreed with your government that we should share cooperation on maritime security.

“Because that increased traffic is going to bring risks: the Mexican cartels and other things that will follow. More than that, Durban is not just the port of South Africa; it is the port of Southern Africa.”

The director-general of the EU Commission for maritime affairs & fisheries, Charlina Vitcheva, told Business Times that Transnet had made great strides in addressing logistics bottlenecks at its ports and the EU could partner with the entity to accelerate the process.

Vitcheva said she was encouraged by remarks by the deputy minister of trade, industry & competition, John Steenhuisen, at the BlueInvest conference about developing smaller ports to create a network of ports that can serve different purposes in the region.

Ports are opportunities, but they’re also challenges. So whether you talk of smuggling, drug trafficking, globally, European ports as well, we have huge challenges here

Kristian Schmidt

“We are there to help you and not only for increasing the capacity. What is even more important is that there are new technologies, new logistics modalities that will become the standard very quickly. And the ones that will be able to operate under this new standard will be the front runners.”

Transnet told Business Times that it has been approached by the EIB regarding a possible visit, the details of which are still being finalised.

“At this stage, there are no agreements between Transnet and the EIB scheduled for signature. Transnet and the EIB have an established partnership, including a €350m loan facility and €16m grant support announced earlier this year.

“Any announcements regarding future cooperation initiatives or engagements will be communicated through the appropriate channels once confirmed.”

Steenhuisen said much had yet to be done to improve port efficiency, but the Durban Pier 2 public-private pilot project was “very exciting”.

“I would say that we have a huge opportunity now with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, but also a long-term security opportunity to be able to provide that. But I don’t believe that our ports have put their best foot forward.

“I think we’re still suffering incredibly with constraints, and the harnessing effects they’ve had on our economic growth. The stone fruit industry lost almost R1bn in the last season just from port inefficiency.

“The blue economy is a fundamental opportunity for South Africa and Africa generally, both from an economic growth and jobs potential, but to be able to drill down into these opportunities, it’s going to require partnerships. The EU is a very important partner with us, but it’s also about attracting investment that we need to unlock that opportunity.”

Prof Zane Simpson, a director at the Stellenbosch logistics consultancy Gain Group, said in a recent report that South Africa had reason to be concerned about the cost of moving goods through its economy as its geography and economic structure made freight transport expensive even under favourable conditions.

“There is the expense South Africa has learned to live with: the additional cost of a logistics system that fails to perform as it should, so thoroughly absorbed into the ordinary business of moving goods that it is easy to lose sight of how much the economy is paying for it.”

Business Times

]]>Supplied<![CDATA[Redefine bets on office recovery, industrial demand ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-redefine-bets-on-office-recovery-industrial-demand/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-redefine-bets-on-office-recovery-industrial-demand/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000

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Redefine Properties expects South Africa’s office market recovery to gather momentum over the next two years, while demand for industrial space and opportunities to repurpose ageing commercial properties are set to drive the next phase of growth.

The JSE-listed real estate investment trust (Reit) says the 2026 financial year marked a turning point, with its South African portfolio showing its strongest operating metrics in five years and management increasingly confident the office sector has moved beyond its post-pandemic slump.

“Earnings growth momentum is there, our balance sheet is materially stronger, and operating fundamentals are improving across the board,” said CEO Andrew König.

The optimism follows years of pressure on the office sector as hybrid working, weak economic growth and excess supply pushed vacancies higher and forced landlords to offer rental discounts to retain tenants.

Signs of recovery are now becoming more evident. Redefine reduced office vacancies to 9.5% from 13% a year earlier, outperforming the national average vacancy rate of 11.8%.

COO Leon Kok believes the improvement reflects both stronger demand and the quality of the portfolio. “All of our operating metrics are the best they have been since 2022, across occupancy, renewal reversions, retention rates and renewal success rates. The outcomes show that we have turned the corner and things are looking up.”

The recovery is particularly visible in Sandton, where Redefine’s office vacancies have fallen to about 4.5%, suggesting demand is returning to Johannesburg’s premier business district. However, management acknowledges that older and less competitive buildings continue to face challenges.

For Redefine, the immediate target is to reduce office vacancies further to about 7%, though rental growth is only expected to improve meaningfully from 2028 as excess space is gradually absorbed.

National office vacancies have declined from a peak of about 17% in mid-2022 to 11.8% in the third quarter of 2026, according to the South African Property Owners Association.

Independent property analyst Keillen Ndlovu said several structural factors are supporting the recovery. “Yes, it looks like the office sector has bottomed out,” he said.

The absence of major new office developments, the conversion of obsolete buildings into residential accommodation and greater certainty around hybrid working arrangements are helping rebalance the market, he added. “After several years of negative rental reversions, we’re probably seeing the last phase of major negative rental reversions.”

The decline in overall office vacancies has also been helped by older B and C grade buildings being taken off the market and converted to residential, Ndlovu said.

Markets like Cape Town and Durban were also boosted by increased demand for call centres (BPOs), and some of this is starting to spill over to Johannesburg.

Ndlovu said Redefine had positioned itself well by disposing of weaker office buildings before the Covid pandemic and continuing to improve the quality of its portfolio.

The company’s investment in greener and more energy-efficient properties has also helped to attract tenants increasingly concerned about operating costs.

While offices are recovering, industrial property remains Redefine’s strongest-performing segment and is likely to attract a growing share of capital allocation. The group’s industrial portfolio vacancy rate stands at just 2.8%, with positive rental reversions reflecting strong tenant demand and limited supply of modern logistics and warehousing facilities.

“Industrial continues to be the cornerstone of the South African portfolio’s performance, and it will continue to be the area we look to expand from a capital allocation point of view,” said Kok.

The growth of e-commerce, logistics networks and distribution infrastructure continues to support demand for industrial property, he said.

Beyond South Africa, Poland is expected to remain an important contributor to Redefine’s growth, particularly in retail and industrial properties. The country now contributes almost 29% of the group’s distributable income, strengthening its exposure to an economy expected to outperform much of Europe.

Ndlovu said Poland remained attractive because of its stronger economic growth, low unemployment and relatively liquid property market.

König said the war in Ukraine has had little impact on the Polish economy, other than bringing more skilled people into economic activity through consumer spending. “It is a handbrake on institutional investment activity, but from an operating point of view it hasn’t impacted us at all,” he said.

“The EPP portfolio is basically fully let, the property fundamentals are very positive, and we are probably more affected by the fuel price than by the situation in Ukraine.”

Business Times

]]>,Suppli<![CDATA[Just Share presses Sasol on climate transition plan]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-just-share-presses-sasol-on-climate-transition-plan/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-07-just-share-presses-sasol-on-climate-transition-plan/Sat, 07 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000

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Shareholder activist organisation Just Share is stepping up pressure for petrochemicals giant Sasol to take its transition “seriously” ahead of its annual general meeting on Friday, November 13.

In its report, Driving a credible and just transition at Sasol, released last week, Just Share has raised questions about the pace and credibility of the company’s plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

However, Sasol has maintained its commitment to climate change, saying it is leading a “deliberately pragmatic and value-led” approach.

Just Share’s report argued that Sasol has ambitious targets without yet demonstrating that it has a sufficiently detailed, funded, deliverable plan to achieve them. It highlighted Sasol’s 2021 plan of a 30% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 using a 2017 baseline. However, the report noted that by 2025 Sasol switched its direction towards saving cash, minimising capital expenditure, and ramping-up coal to liquids (CTL) production rates.

“Delivering the targets now requires accelerated emission abatement within the next four years. The company must achieve this at a time when Sasol appears to be placing less reliance on measures previously identified as important to its pathway, including boiler turndown and a shift from coal to gas,” says the report.

The report also argues that Sasol does not provide sufficient process-level detail, annual milestones or quantified contributions from individual abatement measures to demonstrate how this reduction will be achieved.

“The shift from the original 2021 emission reduction roadmap towards a lower-capital-intensity strategy, greater reliance on renewable energy and market mechanisms, and continued high utilisation of coal-based assets raises a fundamental question for investors: Is Sasol committed to structural decarbonisation of the underlying business?”

In its response to Business Times, Sasol insisted it stood firm on its 2030 commitments, saying it is making “measurable” progress, pointing to a net 15% reduction in group scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by the end of the 2026 financial year against the 2017 baseline.

The group also said locally it acquired 1.37GW in renewable energy, with 510MW already operational, while also eyeing having 2GW of renewable energy operational by 2030. “Our focus remains on delivering our 2030 target of reducing Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 30%, while ensuring that the actions we take are practical, sustainable and support the long-term competitiveness of the business,” it said.

Sasol said it understands the concern about the pace of the energy transition, but it believed progress should ultimately be assessed against measurable delivery rather than ambition alone.

“Our approach is deliberately pragmatic and value-led. We have to balance the need to reduce emissions with energy security, affordability, the competitiveness of our operations and South Africa’s broader socio-economic circumstances. This is particularly important given Sasol’s role in South Africa’s energy and industrial value chains,” the group said.

It said it was bolstering the financial and operational foundation of the business while progressing its transition. It pointed to the 2026 financial year in which Secunda achieved its highest annual production in five years, with adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (ebitda) increasing by 17% to R61bn and net debt, excluding leases, declining to $3.3bn.

Sasol is a significant employer, supporting 500,000 jobs throughout the value chain and is one of South Africa’s largest taxpayers. It supplies some 30% of South Africa’s liquid fuel requirements, however, it is a massive polluter and is one of the biggest greenhouse gas emitters after Eskom.

Speaking during a panel discussion on the report, director of climate change engagement at Just Share Robyn Hugo said last week that a credible transition at Sasol matters.

This is because of Sasol’s footprint as the country’s largest private greenhouse gas emitter, while its operations are a major source of toxic air pollution, meaning that its decisions affect climate change, public health, industrial development, communities, and public finances. “We say that Sasol’s economic importance is a reason to take its transition more seriously. It’s not a reason to excuse any of the risks associated with its current business model,” said Hugo.

“In fact, the greater the consequences of a poorly managed transition, the more important it is to address those risks early. So its large economic footprint is actually a measure of the systemic value that’s at risk if the transition is delayed.”

She noted that a company can make a substantial economic contribution while also imposing costs that don’t appear anywhere on its income statement.

Sasol said that, as part of its commitment, it continues bringing renewable energy online and making progress on sustainable fuels and other lower-carbon opportunities.

“Our transition is not premised on pursuing projects at any cost. Capital is allocated selectively, with consideration given to project value, readiness and the enabling policy and market environment. This approach is intended to ensure that we reduce emissions while preserving the resilience and long-term sustainability of the business,” it said.

A report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) released in September estimated that Sasol costs 1,000 deaths per year through pollution linked to Sasol’s Secunda Operations, which accounts for 83.7% of Scope 1 and 2 emissions, followed by Sasolburg at 8.4%.

CREA also said industrial emissions from Secunda were responsible for a rotten egg smell for residents and, at times, travel as far as Johannesburg and Pretoria — 150km away — due to the transboundary nature of air pollution.

Business Times

]]>Siphiwe Sibeko<![CDATA[Sara-Jayne Makwala King on dodgy hotels, wild nights and travelling with kids]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/travel/2026-11-08-sara-jayne-makwala-king-on-dodgy-hotels-wild-nights-and-travelling-with-kids/https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/travel/2026-11-08-sara-jayne-makwala-king-on-dodgy-hotels-wild-nights-and-travelling-with-kids/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 22:00:00 +0000

Story audio is generated using AI

I was born in Johannesburg but grew up in Surrey, England. For our holidays, we would often go to the British coast (places like Folkestone, Camber Sands, the Isle of Wight) and freeze our asses off for a week during the blink-and-you-miss-it British summer, or we’d take the ferry to France to explore and eat our bodyweight in moules marinières.

The thing I remember most about my childhood holidays is how the strictly enforced “at home” rule of not being allowed to play with my older and much cooler brother Adam didn’t seem to apply when we were on holiday. Either I was less irritating or he was more tolerant of his little sister when we were away. Happy memories.

My first trip abroad was to Portugal. We (Mum, Dad and Adam) went with my mum’s parents, my Granny and Grandpa, whom I adored. Every morning my granny and I would walk along the beach just after the fishermen had come in with their morning catch. We would count the dead fish along the shoreline, those that had “slipped through the net”, as it were. Not so much the “ones that got away”, but the “ones who nearly made it”.

New York’s Times Square, where Sara-Jayne Makwala King once stayed in a decidedly dodgy hotel.
New York’s Times Square, where Sara-Jayne Makwala King once stayed in a decidedly dodgy hotel.

A funny travel memory: When I was 18, I travelled to upstate New York to work as a camp counsellor for the summer. Afterwards, a few of us girls went backpacking. In New York City, we ended up staying in a hotel just off Times Square. It almost felt like an abandoned building, save for a few dorm-style rooms. My fellow travellers and I used to barricade the door with a bunk bed at night. It was dodgy! Our fellow guests were several very friendly, very scantily clad women who seemed to sleep a lot in the day, since they were always in their rooms. The good thing about the hotel was it was really easy to find at night thanks to all the red lights it had in the windows.

A bizarre thing that’s happened on my holidays: my best friend Ben and I were staying with his parents at their condo in Sarasota, Florida. We were in our late teens. We went clubbing one night and were having a great time, dancing and enjoying the vibe, until, at midnight on the dot, all the main lights in the club were turned off, the DJ started playing some aggressive house and everyone started stripping – literally tearing off all their clothes. For two teens from Surrey, it was all a bit much, so with our clothes still very much on, we left and got a cab back to the condo.

A memorable restaurant I ate in overseas was the Skyview Lounge at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, where I lived for a while in my 20s. It was my birthday and my mum had come out from the UK to celebrate and suggested we go, since we’d never been. At the time, it was such an iconic hotel and boasted about being the only seven-star hotel in the world. What was it like? Like much of Dubai, garish and overrated. Funnily enough, my favourite place to eat when I lived there was a South African restaurant called The Meat Co. Best ribs I’ve ever eaten.

Dubai’s iconic Burj Al Arab, where Sara-Jayne Makwala King celebrated a birthday.
Dubai’s iconic Burj Al Arab, where Sara-Jayne Makwala King celebrated a birthday.
The Skyview Lounge at Dubai’s Burj Al Arab.
The Skyview Lounge at Dubai’s Burj Al Arab.

I can’t single out one favourite international city, but a place I really enjoyed and would love to go back to is Singapore. I visited when I was living in Joburg and the contrast was extraordinary. Don’t get me wrong, I love Johannesburg, but having the freedom to travel and walk around as a woman alone, even late at night was so freeing. It reminded me of living in Dubai – only, nicer. Also, the food is incredible. Getting around on public transport is super easy and inexpensive.

My three must-sees/dos in Singapore:

  1. Cocktails (mocktails in my case) at Marina Bay Sands.
  2. Put your takkies on, buy an MRT (rail) ticket and explore the city on foot and by train. It’s cheap, clean and reliable.
  3. Night Safari, a nocturnal wildlife park next to Singapore Zoo, within Mandai Wildlife Reserve.

The best place in the world for a night out is Bangkok. I visited Thailand several times when I was younger. It was a halfway meeting point for me and an Australian girlfriend. I remember feeling intimidated by the city on my first visit. I grew up on a farm in England, so was not always a lover of big cities – the noise, the pace, the pollution. But every time I returned to Bangkok, I loved it more and more. And nights in Bangkok are something else. Wandering down Khao San Road, eating street food and buying knock-off Gucci sunglasses at 11pm cannot be beat.

Neon lights, street food and late-night shopping on Bangkok’s Khao San Road, Sara-Jayne Makwala King’s favourite place for a night out.
Neon lights, street food and late-night shopping on Bangkok’s Khao San Road, Sara-Jayne Makwala King’s favourite place for a night out.

When travelling, I am a sucker for a well-appointed gym in a hotel. At the beginning of 2025, I started a health journey, which has seen me lose 45kg and become a bit of a gym fanatic. I’m sure I’ve become a bit of a bore about it, but training has been an absolute game changer for my physical and mental health.

My perfect holiday involves something for me and for my two small, unemployed besties who live with me (I am a mom of two small children, aged 3 and 6). These days, while my adventurous spirit remains, the raging wanderlust is forced to take something of a back seat and I’m leaning more towards resort holidays. Last year, the three of us went on our first overseas family holiday to Club Med La Plantation d’Albion in Mauritius and it was absolutely perfect. The smallies had a blast in the kids’ club; I was able to work out in the gym and relax by the (adults only – hurrah!) zen pool in the morning, and we’d meet up for lunch and hit the beach or family pool in the afternoon.

Sara-Jayne Makwala King enjoying some downtime at Club Med La Plantation d’Albion in Mauritius, 2025.
Sara-Jayne Makwala King enjoying some downtime at Club Med La Plantation d’Albion in Mauritius, 2025.
Sara-Jayne Makwala King with her children at the pool at Club Med La Plantation d’Albion in Mauritius.
Sara-Jayne Makwala King with her children at the pool at Club Med La Plantation d’Albion in Mauritius.

One tourist attraction that surprised me was the Mona Lisa. A lot smaller than I thought she’d be.

Something surprising I do when I travel is go to a meeting. I celebrated 19 years clean and sober in August and a large part of my recovery has been thanks to anonymous 12-step fellowship groups. Luckily, there are hundreds of thousands of them all over the world, which is a godsend for recovering addicts like me who love to travel. In my 19 years of sobriety, I have been to meetings in the UK, the US, the UAE, Thailand, Colombia and Jamaica. I’ve even done meetings on a cruise ship and in an airport library. Recovery doesn’t stop just because you’re not at home.

Sara-Jayne Makwala King with San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge in the background, 2018.
Sara-Jayne Makwala King with San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge in the background, 2018.

My favourite hotel in South Africa is the InterContinental Table Bay at the V&A in Cape Town. I stayed there last month following the recent renovation, and it’s really an icon in the Mother City. The attention to detail is remarkable. I had the best lamb chops I’ve ever tasted at Flint & Fennel and enjoyed the best hotel buffet breakfast I’ve ever had. I even ordered something called “Tiramisu French Toast”. I mean, have you ever!? The spa was next level, and my room overlooking Table Mountain really made me feel like a tourist in my own city.

The Botanist’s Table, the lobby lounge and bar at the InterContinental Table Bay Cape Town, with Table Mountain in the background.
The Botanist’s Table, the lobby lounge and bar at the InterContinental Table Bay Cape Town, with Table Mountain in the background.

The last place I went to was Caledon in the Western Cape. I took the kids for a few days in the school holidays. I found a wonderful little gem there called the Caledon Grace Guesthouse. It’s beautiful and peaceful and about 90 minutes from Cape Town. I’m in talks with them to host some writing retreats there next year, which is really exciting, so watch this space.

The elegant, garden-facing veranda at Caledon Grace Guesthouse.
The elegant, garden-facing veranda at Caledon Grace Guesthouse.
Caledon Grace Guesthouse, a peaceful country retreat in the Overberg.
Caledon Grace Guesthouse, a peaceful country retreat in the Overberg.

Bucket-list? I was watching the movie City Slickers recently and thought that, one day, I’d love to take my kids to a ranch somewhere like Montana or Colorado. I grew up with horses and to me there’s nothing like being on horseback, in the great outdoors.

A ranch holiday on horseback in Montana or Colorado is on Sara-Jayne Makwala King’s bucket list.
A ranch holiday on horseback in Montana or Colorado is on Sara-Jayne Makwala King’s bucket list.

• Sara-Jayne Makwala King is a bestselling author and host of the Weekend Breakfast show and podcast on CapeTalk.

]]>Supplied<![CDATA[Bail bid postponed for ‘illegal’ Gupta, accused of murdering police officer]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-11-06-bail-bid-postponed-for-illegal-gupta-accused-of-murdering-police-officer/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-11-06-bail-bid-postponed-for-illegal-gupta-accused-of-murdering-police-officer/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 18:46:26 +0000

Story audio is generated using AI

The bail application of Akilesh Gupta, who is facing charges of murder, contravention of the Immigration Act, driving without a valid driver’s licence and malicious damage to property, has been postponed until December 8 for the continuation of his application.

He appeared in the Lichtenburg district court on Friday.

“The charges arise from an incident allegedly committed on 20 October 2026, during which Gupta was captured on video footage allegedly driving over an on-duty police officer. The officer sustained injuries and subsequently succumbed to them,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lindiwe Mabasa said.

It is further alleged that Gupta is an Indian national who does not possess valid documentation authorising him to remain in SA.

He allegedly entered the country in 2024 on a visitor’s visa, which has since expired.

TimesLIVE

]]>123RF/albund<![CDATA[Rise Mzansi’s Lukhona Mnguni eyes Joburg mayoral chains ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/on-the-campaign-trail/2026-11-06-rise-mzansis-lukhona-mnguni-eyes-joburg-mayoral-chains/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/on-the-campaign-trail/2026-11-06-rise-mzansis-lukhona-mnguni-eyes-joburg-mayoral-chains/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 18:02:47 +0000Rise Mzansi has set its sights on the City of Johannesburg, putting forward former political analyst Lukhona Mnguni as their mayoral candidate.

The party, which made its electoral debut in the 2024 national and provincial elections, says it believes it stands a fighting chance in the economic capital because of their electoral showing in the city.

Mnguni dismissed the criticism that Rise Mzansi is a “small party” and said they won’t be distracted from their mission.

“In Joburg, Rise Mzansi was the seventh largest party in 2024 at 1.5%. If we got that percentage of votes today on both ballots in the local government election, we would have five seats out of 270 seats. In parliament we’ve got two seats out of 400.

“You do the math, our percentage weight in Joburg is far stronger. We are not just a small party; we are serious about giving people a preposition about building into the future. I would rather build. For context, the Democratic Alliance was once a 1.7% party in 1994, but they quickly forget and want to scare voters from considering proper alternatives like Rise Mzansi.”

He appealed to middle-class voters during a campaign interaction in Bryanston, saying their disengagement is the cause of the decline in governance.

The testimonies before the Madlanga commission tell us that especially in the police departments of cities, there are a lot of people who are not fit for purpose

Lukhona Mnguni, Rise Mzansi's Joburg mayoral candidate

“People like us have disengaged from politics for a very long time, much to the disservice of our country. We all know that something needs to change, but at the very same time we tend to bash those who are trying to do something about it. For some strange reason I don’t know who we think must effect the change. We’ve got to start somewhere.”

The Rise Mzansi mayoral hopeful said his first stop would be to root out corruption and the culture embedded in the city, if elected.

“We want to vote amasela out. The word, translated to thieves, represents an ecosystem of wrongdoing. It exists in the administration, the political leadership of the city, as well as those who call themselves businesspeople simply because they possess a CIPC registration number but are actually criminals masquerading as service providers.”

Mnguni said their starting point will be to get rid of that, starting at the top.

“We need to start with the executives, senior managers. In the Gauteng government a number of people have failed and they must go. Next will be skills audits because the testimonies before the c commission tell us that especially in the police departments of cities, there are a lot of people who are not fit for purpose.”

He vowed to fix procurement and make the process as transparent as possible.

“We bid evaluation and adjudication committees must be recorded. When a successful bidder is announced, those recordings must be published. You don’t want another Madlanga situation where a witness will claim to not remember how they interacted in a meeting and the minutes of the meeting are vague. We must hear the voice of the person, what they are saying and how they are justifying the choice that they have made.”

You have been stunted not to imagine and think about a more just, equitable and fair Johannesburg that caters for all its residents

Lukhona Mnguni

Mnguni said this move will crowd the accountability space and people will have a lot of information to work with, rather than having to go through PAIA applications.

Due to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s intervention in the City of Johannesburg through the presidential working group, Mnguni said the use of the presidency’s resources will come in handy.

“Fortunately, because the president has invited himself in the City of Joburg, there is one institution in his office called the state security agency. We need an intelligence-led process to clamp down on hijacked buildings.”

He referred to Rise Mzansi’s manifesto, which includes an infrastructure development fund, instilling meaningful public participation and addressing spatial inequality.

Mnguni said Rise Mzansi is a party of social democrats who are deeply embedded in social justice and urged voters in this election to consider the bigger picture.

“Elections are beyond the pothole. You have been made to believe that our greatest problem is water that doesn’t flow from our taps, potholes that damage your tyres and electricity that isn’t always reliable. You have been stunted not to imagine and think about a more just, equitable and fair Johannesburg that caters for all its residents.”

TimesLIVE

]]><![CDATA[Zille favours ActionSA or ANC coalition in Joburg]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-zille-favours-actionsa-or-anc-coalition-in-joburg/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-zille-favours-actionsa-or-anc-coalition-in-joburg/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 18:14:17 +0000

Story audio is generated using AI

Democratic Alliance Johannesburg mayoral candidate Helen Zille says her preferred coalition options in the city are ActionSA or the ANC, arguing that a two-party government would be easier to manage than a broad coalition involving several smaller parties.

In an interview with TimesLIVE, Zille said preliminary election results suggested the DA could form a two-party coalition with either ActionSA or the ANC, although she cautioned that the final outcome would depend on the results and negotiations.

“I have been looking at the numbers. Before the final results are in, we could do a coalition with two parties in a two-party coalition with ActionSA or ANC,” she said.

Zille said she favoured coalitions that were “as big as necessary but as small as possible”, arguing that governing with fewer partners would reduce the complications associated with managing competing political interests.

“When you put together a coalition, it is as big as necessary but as small as possible, because there is [a difference between] managing two parties in a coalition and seven parties in a coalition. I’ve been in a seven-party coalition. It wasn’t easy, but we managed to get through it,” she said.

She warned that smaller parties in coalition governments often prioritised positions for their associates and access to tenders over improving service delivery and governance.

“The trouble is when you have all sorts of smaller parties, they’re normally in it for how many jobs they can get for their mates in key positions, how many tenders they get to determine and whether or not government improves, they don’t mind,” Zille said.

She argued that the DA had a greater electoral incentive to improve governance because its performance in government directly affected its prospects at the ballot box.

However, Zille said she did not want to pre-empt the DA’s national coalition negotiators, who would ultimately determine which arrangement offered the party the best deal.

“I don’t want to start tying our national negotiators. They will see what best deal they can get and I don’t want to second-guess them. They will ask my advice in the end,” she said.

If asked for her recommendation, she would favour a two-party arrangement over a coalition involving as many as 10 parties, unless smaller parties collectively offered another viable route to a governing majority.

Zille said having multiple coalition options placed the DA in a stronger negotiating position, contrasting this with the party’s position during negotiations for the national government of national unity.

“The most important thing to do in coalition negotiations is to have options. That gives you your power. Our weakness when negotiating the GNU was that we had only one option to do a deal with the ANC,” she said.

She said the DA had entered the GNU to prevent an ANC-led coalition with the EFF and MK party.

Zille also expressed uncertainty about whether ActionSA and the ANC could secure a governing majority together, even with the support of smaller parties.

On concerns that a DA-led administration could withdraw social grants, Zille dismissed the suggestion as “lunatic, hard and cruel”, insisting that social assistance remained essential in a country grappling with high unemployment.

“I was the mayor of Cape Town and premier of the Western Cape and no one lost their social grants. Why would I take away social grants in Joburg,” she asked.

Zille said the DA wanted to create the conditions for more people to enter employment by attracting investment and stimulating economic growth, rather than removing support from those who depended on it.

“Social grants are essential in our country with so many people unemployed. It is crazy to think we would take away social grants,” she said.

She argued that the country’s long-term objective should be to move more people from dependence on social assistance into employment and a growing middle class.

“We would rather have 29-million registered taxpayers than 29-million people on social grants. That would make a completely different country. We would make a massive transition to a middle-class, prosperous society and that is our goal,” she said.

TimesLIVE

]]>Refilwe Kholomonyane<![CDATA[Norris fastest in first São Paulo Grand Prix practice]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-norris-fastest-in-first-sao-paulo-grand-prix-practice/https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-norris-fastest-in-first-sao-paulo-grand-prix-practice/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 17:44:06 +0000McLaren’s Lando Norris set the pace in first practice for Formula One’s São Paulo Grand Prix on Friday, with newly crowned world champion Kimi Antonelli second fastest in his first track session since sealing the title in Mexico last weekend.

Norris, who dominated at Interlagos last year on his way to the 2025 championship, topped the timesheets with a lap of 1:11.717 seconds. Mercedes’ Antonelli was 0.082 slower, with Red Bull’s four-times world champion Max Verstappen third, 0.236 off the pace.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was fourth fastest, ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, who is due to serve a grid penalty this weekend as the team chase the constructors’ championship.

Mercedes can secure the title at Interlagos if they outscore Ferrari by three points.

“We felt like this was a good place to take it,” Russell said in comments shared by Mercedes on social media, noting that his former teammate Hamilton had recovered strongly from a grid penalty at Interlagos in the past.

Antonelli, who clinched the championship last Sunday with third place in Mexico, headed back on track at a venue where he scored what was then his best Formula One finish with second place last year.

Brazilian Rafael Camara, replacing Esteban Ocon at Haas, took his first outing in a 2026 car ahead of his home race and finished 18th, with a lap of 1:13.696 seconds.

Local fans also had Gabriel Bortoleto to cheer on, marking the first time since 2016 that there were two Brazilian drivers on the grid. The Audi driver ended the session eighth fastest.

A red flag interrupted running early on when Audi stand-in Freddie Slater stopped on track after reporting a gearbox problem.

“The car has just switched off... I’ve lost the gears,” the Briton told the team over the radio. Slater, who endured limited running in Mexico last week, completed only seven laps and finished last.

Ferrari junior Dino Beganovic, driving in place of Charles Leclerc, also suffered a difficult session. The Swede ran off track early before mechanics repaired the floor of his car, leaving him 21st after completing only 11 laps.

Hamilton reported slippery conditions over the radio despite dry weather, with rain forecast later in the weekend at a circuit renowned for producing dramatic wet races.

Several drivers, including Hamilton, Antonelli and Camara, briefly ran wide at Turn One, while Verstappen complained about his car’s downshifts, describing them as “unacceptable” over team radio.

Alpine’s Gabriele Mini impressed with seventh place on the timesheets, ahead of Bortoleto and Argentine teammate Franco Colapinto.

Reuters

]]>Jean Carniel<![CDATA[ActionSA ends ANC dominance in Atteridgeville’s Ward 63]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-actionsa-ends-anc-dominance-in-atteridgevilles-ward-63/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-actionsa-ends-anc-dominance-in-atteridgevilles-ward-63/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 16:13:05 +0000

Story audio is generated using AI

ActionSA has ended the ANC’s dominance in Atteridgeville’s Ward 63, with its councillor candidate, Phuti Johannes Maselela, emerging victorious in the ward ballot with 42.1% of the vote.

The result marks a significant turnaround for ActionSA, which increased its share of the vote by 30.3 percentage points from 11.8% in the 2021 local government elections.

In 2021, the ANC won the ward with 60.1% of the vote, followed by the EFF with 18.7%, while ActionSA received 11.8%.

By 4pm on Friday, in Tshwane, the DA was leading the municipal election race with 31.78% of the vote, followed by ActionSA with 23.23% and the ANC with 21.89%, according to preliminary results, with 78% of votes counted.

The DA had secured 428,388 votes, while ActionSA had received 313,181 votes and the ANC 295,038 votes.

ActionSA’s latest victory in Ward 63 forms part of the party’s gains in Atteridgeville. Maselela said the party had worked hard to secure the victory and was encouraged by the support it had received during its campaign.

“We worked very hard to win this ward. We just lost one voting station, which is our previous councillor’s voting station. I want to thank my team. People from the hostel made sure we won this ward. This is history for Atteridgeville.

“I am very happy, because when we did our door-to-door campaigns and public meetings, talking to our communities, they showed us support, and that is the result we see today,” he said.

Maselela added that the campaign had also allowed the party to identify residents’ concerns, which he pledged to prioritise.

He identified high municipal bills, nepotism and unemployment among the main challenges facing the ward. “We are going to open all opportunities for our residents. We have a big challenge with unemployment in this ward.”

He also promised to prioritise the development of hostels, describing the living conditions there as indecent.

“If you go around the hostel, even prisoners would not stay here. A lot of people are dying in hostels because of illegal connections, but we cannot cut off those connections because we are human beings. You cannot live without electricity. We are going to develop the hostel so that people can live with dignity,” he said.

He said ActionSA would also introduce an amnesty programme to address municipal debt, citing high municipal charges as a concern.

Crime is another challenge he highlighted, saying the party would work with law enforcement agencies to address it.

Maselela also raised concern about drug abuse among young people in Atteridgeville, saying the party intended to work with the party’s mayoral candidate in Ekurhuleni, Xolani Khumalo, who is associated with the television programme Sizok’thola, to tackle the problem.

“Atteridgeville’s youth is falling into the drug trap, but we have a plan. We have Xolani Khumalo and Sizok’thola, and he will assist us with drugs. We don’t want to see our youth on drugs,” he said.

Mmakgoko Veron Phasha, the ANC councillor candidate, retained Ward 71 after the party won with 44.8% of the vote.

In the 2021 local government elections, the ANC received the highest share of ward votes in the City of Tshwane, with 34.4%, but failed to secure an outright majority in the council. The ANC won 75 of the 214 council seats, falling short of the 108 seats needed for a majority.

While the ANC councillor retained Ward 71, he warned of a tight Tshwane election and said the party faced a wake-up call following ActionSA’s gains in several of the region’s wards.

Phasha said his own result showed that residents had recognised the work he and the ANC had committed to during their time in office.

“But,” he added, “it was not an easy election. It was a tight election. You could see that in the numbers. Even parties that were underestimated received significant numbers of votes, and support was spread across Tshwane.”

Phasha said the ANC would prioritise service delivery concerns raised by residents, particularly deteriorating roads and electricity supply.

He said residents had complained about dilapidated roads and recurring electricity interruptions caused by tripping substations, particularly during bad weather.

“We are going to make sure that we prioritise all submissions made to us about service delivery issues. The roads are in a very bad state, and we will make sure that we prioritise that area,” he said.

He added that the party would also push for policies that addressed the needs of people living in townships and informal settlements.

Reflecting on ActionSA’s gains, Phasha said the results should serve as a warning to the ANC.

He said the ANC had retained three wards in Atteridgeville, while also retaining Ward 107 by a narrow margin.

Phasha, however, attributed ActionSA’s performance in some wards to the popularity of Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya, arguing that residents were voting for her rather than the party’s ward candidates.

“I don’t think ActionSA has credible candidates in these wards. They are voting for Nasiphi Moya. If they remove Nasiphi Moya tomorrow, ActionSA won’t get the votes they got. In fact, it was Nasiphi Moya’s votes, not the candidates’ votes,” he said.

TimesLIVE

]]>ALAISTER RUSSELL<![CDATA[Russia using its own version of Starlink for strikes on Ukraine, Kyiv says]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-russia-using-its-own-version-of-starlink-for-strikes-on-ukraine-kyiv-says/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-russia-using-its-own-version-of-starlink-for-strikes-on-ukraine-kyiv-says/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 15:47:54 +0000Russia is already using its new Rassvet satellite network - billed as a homegrown version of Starlink - for military communications over Ukraine, aiming to make its strike drones more accurate and harder to jam, says Ukrainian military intelligence.

Russia has launched 32 Rassvet satellites into orbit so far this year, in two batches in March and July, according to the main intelligence directorate of Ukraine’s ministry of defence (GUR). The Russian government said last month that Russia had launched more than 30 satellites.

That is a tiny fraction of the more than 10,000 satellites in the Starlink network, run by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, the military version of which - Starshield - operates in Ukraine but not in Russia. Access to SpaceX systems, which Moscow does not have, has greatly helped Kyiv in the war against invading Russian forces.

Moscow plans further Rassvet launches by the end of 2026 to increase the network’s geographic coverage, bringing it gradually closer to a full low-orbit satellite communications system, GUR said in a written statement.

“Russia is using the ‘Rassvet’ satellite system over the territory of Ukraine for military purposes,” GUR spokesperson Andrii Yusov said in the statement.

“The constellation is currently insufficient to provide uninterrupted coverage of Ukrainian territory: communication is available intermittently when the satellites pass over the relevant areas.”

Russia’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Russia’s Scientific and Expert Council warned of the risks posed by Starlink on Friday and urged a quicker deployment of the Rassvet system.

Renewed uncertainty over US support

Starshield has given Kyiv a major advantage in drone operations and battlefield communications.

Russian forces had been using grey-market ​Starlink terminals in Ukraine until Kyiv successfully lobbied SpaceX to disable ​them earlier this year, one of several factors that shifted ⁠battlefield momentum in Ukraine’s favour this year.

However, last month Ukrainian battlefield commanders unexpectedly saw speed limitations imposed on Starshield, hampering the military’s ability to intercept Russian attack ​drones and forcing the cancellation of some strike operations.

No explanation has been given for the temporary restrictions on Starshield, which came amid tensions with President Donald Trump’s administration over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries and have now been lifted.

While Russia’s territorial gains on the frontline have ground to a virtual halt this year, it has doubled down on strikes against Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure and cities, using a new generation of jet-powered drones that are harder to intercept.

In the longer term, this could increase the effectiveness of strike and reconnaissance UAVs and make it more difficult for electronic warfare and electronic intelligence systems to intercept them

Andrii Yusov, GUR spokesman

Ukrainian officials have repeatedly raised concerns about Russia’s attempts to build its own version of SpaceX’s network. President Volodymyr Zelensky last week imposed sanctions on 10 companies involved in developing Rassvet, including Bureau 1440 - the co-ordinator of the state-backed project.

Bureau 1440 has said it plans to create a constellation of more than 900 satellites by 2035.

Surveillance and strike drones

The GUR statement said that Rassvet may provide Russia with two-way data exchange with its unmanned aircraft over Ukraine, allowing surveillance drones to transmit data in real time and pilots to adjust the route of attack drones during flight, reducing dependence on a pre-programmed flight path.

That could allow drones to adjust to changes in target location, or evade air defences.

“In the longer term, this could increase the effectiveness of strike and reconnaissance UAVs and make it more difficult for electronic warfare and electronic intelligence systems to intercept them,” Yusov said.

Mykola Zientsev, a Kyiv-based security expert, said there were some signs that Rassvet was already having an impact on precision strikes by Russian jet-powered drones.

“In practical terms, Russia already possesses at least two high-quality satellite communications windows every day, each lasting more than an hour,” he wrote in a recent report. “That is enough to have operational consequences.”

GUR has published a list of 49 companies from Russia and Belarus that it says are involved in the project.

​​Maj-Gen Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of GUR, said in an interview with Ukrainian media in August that Russia was launching the Rassvet system much faster than originally planned and Ukraine was already discussing ways to counter it.

Ukraine said in August it had carried out a long-range missile attack against the Progress rocket and space centre in Russia’s Samara region, which produces rockets used to launch Rassvet satellites.

Denys Sienik, Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires in Washington, has urged the US to impose its own sanctions on Rassvet companies.

The US Treasury Department had no comment on Ukraine’s push for further sanctions.

Reuters

]]>Stringer<![CDATA[WATCH | The Political Arena team talks to political leaders about LGE results ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-watch-live-the-political-arena-team-talks-to-political-leaders-about-lge-results/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-watch-live-the-political-arena-team-talks-to-political-leaders-about-lge-results/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 15:00:57 +0000

With vote-counting in full swing, Arena Holdings’ senior political reporters are speaking to political leaders about what they think of the numbers they are seeing on the leaderboard.

TimesLIVE

]]>MASI LOSI<![CDATA[IEC worker describes ‘inhumane’ conditions endured to count your vote ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-iec-worker-describes-inhumane-conditions-endured-to-count-your-vote/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-iec-worker-describes-inhumane-conditions-endured-to-count-your-vote/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 15:16:00 +0000

Story audio is generated using AI

As the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) reports that the 2026 local government election results are being captured and processed significantly faster than in 2021, the election staff working behind closed doors are revealing the human cost of ensuring that every vote is counted.

Luzuko Simani, who served as a deputy presiding officer (DPO) at the Jan van Riebeeck Primary School voting centre in Cape Town, unpacked the gruelling, long hours required during the counting process, conditions he described as “inhumane”.

Simani worked at the centre over three days: two special voting days on Monday and Tuesday, followed by the main election day on Wednesday.

Each day, election staff arrived at 6am to perform due diligence, await the arrival of the police, set up ballot papers and voting booths, and prepare the station for opening at 7am. As a DPO, Simani was responsible for ensuring operations ran seamlessly.

Speaking to TimesLIVE, Simani noted that while the voting days themselves proceeded smoothly and strictly by the book, the real ordeal began once the polls closed.

The vote-counting process started 15 to 30 minutes after voting concluded at 9pm. Simani explained that staff members were not overly fatigued during the polling hours, as his station was not too busy. However, the workload escalated dramatically during the vote-counting process.

“The problem is the procedure when it comes to counting the votes,” he said. “What an experience ... it felt like extreme lockdown. Some people had a much worse experience than mine. Mine was manageable only because the presiding officer was my cousin.”

Simani’s five-person team took roughly six straight hours to complete the count, working continuously without structured breaks. “It took about six hours straight to count the votes — no breaks, not even bathroom breaks,” he said.

He said staff could use the restroom only upon request, accompanied by a security escort. However, the IEC had, in his experience, scheduled no dedicated time for rest or meals.

Beyond the lack of breaks and food, Simani highlighted another critical issue: staff safety and transport. Work at their voting station concluded at about 3am, yet no official transport was provided for workers, forcing some to use public transport to go home.

“Someone who has been working from 6am until 3am, or 6am, the following morning, should have meals provided and be allowed proper breaks. At the end of the day, this is employment; we weren’t volunteering, and we signed a contract,” Simani explained.

“We had no transport to go home. One of our colleagues had to take a taxi at 2am or 3am. That goes against basic labour practices. Expecting people to find their way home at 3am is diabolical.”

As for the rumours that some staff members in other voting stations were issued meal allowances, Simani confirmed that his team received neither food nor vouchers.

Regarding compensation, he explained rates varied considerably despite staff carrying out the same responsibilities. Simani noted that while his own compensation was fair, others were severely underpaid. Over three days, he was paid R97 per hour for 39 hours, earning R3,800.

“My rate was decent; I wouldn’t take a job that wasn’t worth my time, and as a DPO, it paid off,” he said. “However, some colleagues worked the exact same hours and were paid as little as R700. As clear as the job responsibilities are, the HR processes desperately need a touch more humanity.”

He described the counting process as mentally and physically exhausting. Workers were required to vocally announce every ballot, verify its validity, record it, and recount all ballots to ensure full accuracy.

“Every vote counts, so we had to keep counting,” he said.

Simani urged the IEC to prioritise worker health and safety in future elections by providing proper meals, scheduled breaks, and safe transportation. He warned that failing to address these systemic issues would deter qualified candidates from taking on electoral roles in the future.

“The IEC needs to do better next time because a lot of people are complaining, and this deserves an internal investigation,” he said. “People can handle long hours, but the conditions must make sense from a human standpoint. At the very least, provide food and structured breaks.”

He added that he expected long hours and prepared himself mentally for that, but wasn’t prepared for the total lack of a roster or schedule for rest.

Reflecting on the experience, Simani said he took the job to gain firsthand insight into SA’s electoral system and not for financial gain.

“I wanted to experience the IEC’s process for carrying out elections, which structurally is quite impressive. The numbers are real, every vote was counted and carefully documented,” he conceded.

Despite appreciating the transparency of the process, he said he would not be returning for future elections.

“After this experience, I’m never doing it again. I’m not saying the entire IEC is flawed, and I’m sure higher-level roles are better managed, but as for the ground-level roles, I’ll pass. I’ve seen what I came to see, and I don’t need to repeat it.”

TimesLIVE has reached out to the IEC for comment. Their response will be added once received.

TimesLIVE

]]>Alaister Russell/The Sunday Times<![CDATA[WATCH | The Political Arena speaks to Helen Zille ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-watch-live-the-political-arena-speaks-to-helen-zille/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-watch-live-the-political-arena-speaks-to-helen-zille/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 10:56:05 +0000

Arena Holdings’ journalists are coming to you live from the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) results centre at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Johannesburg, to unpack the election results as they come in and discuss what they mean for municipalities.

TimesLIVE

]]>Freddy Mavunda<![CDATA[UDM shakes up Eastern Cape politics in historic vote as ANC loses majority]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-udm-shakes-up-eastern-cape-politics-in-historic-vote-as-anc-loses-majority/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-udm-shakes-up-eastern-cape-politics-in-historic-vote-as-anc-loses-majority/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 14:23:36 +0000

Story audio is generated using AI

For the first time since 1995, the ANC has lost majority power in the second-largest metro in the Eastern Cape, Buffalo City municipality, after the UDM made inroads in a historic local municipality election result.

The local government results from the metro show a threat to the ANC’s long-standing dominance in the province ahead of the 2029 national and provincial elections.

The ANC, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, held its last election campaign rally in the metro at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane, two days before this week’s elections. As the party would have it — the rally was the last it had as the majority party in KuGompo City (formerly East London).

With 100% of the votes counted by Friday midday, the ANC stands at 41%, a fall from grace from the 59% vote in the 2021 elections.

When considering the party’s power in the metro in 2006, which was a dominating 81%, the ANC support base has been on a downward trajectory but had always won the majority vote.

The 2026 election have proven to be different, the municipality, for the first time, has joined the list of hung municipalities with no party winning an outright majority.

The ANC’s GNU partner, the UDM, did the most damage to it, going from 3,466 votes in 2021 to garnering 90,121 votes in the 2026 local government elections.

Buffalo City metro election results. Photo: IEC/Screenshot
Buffalo City metro election results. Photo: IEC/Screenshot

The figures reflect a historic election result for the UDM because since 2000, the party, led by Bantu Holomisa, had never attained more than 1% of the vote in the metro.

The trajectory drastically changed in this election, led by MP Nqabayomzi Kwankwa as mayoral candidate, getting 18% of the votes and beating the DA to the tag of a party with the second most votes.

One of the wards taken by the UDM was Scenery Park (ward 5), the township where the tragic Enyobeni Tavern incident in 2022 resulted in the devastating loss of 21 lives.

The UDM obtained 49.17% (4,794) there, with candidate Mbeko Nobatyi winning under the slogan “remove the ANC”. The ANC lagged with 32.56% (3,174).

Residents from the ward expressed discontent with the ANC’s candidate, Monica Goci, returning for another term as a councillor, and opted for Nobatyi, who had more favour with residents seeking change.

The township, situated metres away from the manufacturing zone, Wilsonia, has been experiencing power outages. Electricity troubles reached a boiling point in 2025, in which there were growing tensions over illegal electricity connections between RDP homeowners and informal shack dwellers.

As you enter the township, the roads are riddled with potholes — similar terrain to the drive into the city. Scenery Park, unlike some townships, has a police station and is only a few kilometres from eMpilweni clinic.

This is different from its neighbouring township, Reeston, which has no police station, struggles with water cuts and hardly has any tarred roads. Reeston remains under ANC control after the party obtained 52% of the vote there.

These elections have demonstrated that no political party can say it owns people

UDM leader Bantu Holomisa

Speaking to Business Day, UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said the party benefited from ANC voters’ “protest vote” in the metro and that such discontent will lead to the UDM treading carefully in coalition talks.

“The voters this time around have made it clear that they are fed up with the ANC. I cannot take those people back to the ANC unless there is something we cannot solve; there are other parties,” he said.

He said UDM deputy Kwankwa will lead any coalition talks if the UDM were to enter such arrangements.

Holomisa said selecting a ward candidate endorsed by the community helped the UDM take over former ANC wards.

“Those who wanted to contest elections, we said, ‘let us consult your communities’. And the communities said, ‘this is the person we want’. These elections have demonstrated that no political party can say it owns people.”

Holomisa gave credit to the youth in the party and his deputy, Kwankwa, who led the election campaign, for the results.

“Kwankwa was a choice of the BCM structures. It’s true our [ANC] comrades have messed up BCM. Deploying him there was to say, ‘go and save East London.’ East London is the economic hub of the Eastern Cape,” he said.

KuGompo is home to the Mercedes-Benz South Africa car manufacturer, which has been a focal employment point for the metro’s townships, including Pefferville near the city.

The Eastern Cape is known as an ANC stronghold and since the 1994 democratic elections had been a loyal support base for the party

Political commentator Dumisani Mthethwa, from Walter Sisulu University, said the Buffalo City metro results were a threat to the ANC’s provincial dominance for the 2029 national and provincial elections.

“The national government sets the baseline for the national government elections; whatever we see happening can actually hint how the 2029 election will go. We might see the Eastern Cape being a mixture of political parties,” he said.

“If the BCM, which is the second largest metro, is also gone from them [ANC], it is telling us exactly that the ANC is under threat leading to the national elections. I do not see them continuing to enjoy dominance.”

The Eastern Cape is known as an ANC stronghold and since the 1994 democratic elections had been a loyal support base for the party.

Mthethwa said the UDM in the metro has established itself as an alternative for people who did not want the ANC. “Kwankwa might be more appealing to the younger people; that could have worked for them.”

He said the main cause of the ANC’s fall in the metro was service delivery. “Poor service delivery is the main factor; people started questioning the capabilities of the ANC. That is the biggest issue. The ANC has forgotten to listen to what the people are saying on the ground.”

Earlier this year, KuGompo City witnessed protests on illegal migration, something that has not been a significant factor in the past. Mthethwa said the immigration protests and ANC “silence” on the debate could have had an influence in the local government elections.

Business Day

]]>SUPPLIED<![CDATA[Survey reveals what voters thought of IEC’s management of elections]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-survey-reveals-what-voters-thought-of-iecs-management-of-elections/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-survey-reveals-what-voters-thought-of-iecs-management-of-elections/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 14:33:59 +0000The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) has found that South Africans who voted in the 2026 local government elections (LGE) largely viewed the electoral process as credible, accessible and professionally managed.

The Election Satisfaction Survey (ESS) was conducted on election day for the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC). Fieldworkers interviewed 13,198 voters at 300 voting stations across all nine provinces.

“Based on the research team’s interviews with voters on election day, we can conclude that the voting public was positive about the electoral integrity of the 2026 LGE,” said Dr Benjamin Roberts, research director in the HSRC’s developmental, capable and ethical state division.

“The voting public had a very positive appraisal of the Electoral Commission’s management of the elections and the conduct of officials at voting stations.”

Roberts said the HSRC had therefore concluded that the elections were free and fair.

“These elections were free and fair and the commission performed exceedingly well in the implementation and management of the country’s seventh LGE,” he said.

The findings underscore the importance of sustaining public trust, strengthening perceptions of impartiality, improving electoral inclusivity and addressing information gaps

Dr Benjamin Roberts, HSRC research director

The survey found that 96% of voters were satisfied with the service provided by IEC officials, while 96% said voting procedures were easy to understand. Nearly all voters, 95%, were satisfied with signage and printed instructions at voting stations.

Queuing times also improved compared with the 2024 national and provincial elections (NPE). The survey found that 91% of voters waited no longer than 30 minutes to cast their ballots, while only 4% queued for more than an hour.

“Queuing performance improved substantially relative to the 2024 NPE,” the report stated.

Voters also expressed confidence in ballot secrecy and the counting process. Some 95% were satisfied that their vote remained secret, while 83% were completely or very confident that their votes would be counted accurately.

However, the survey flagged a gradual decline in trust in the IEC. While 81% of voters said they trusted or strongly trusted the commission, this was lower than the 91% recorded in 2016 and 85% in 2024.

Roberts said the findings highlighted the need to sustain public confidence. “The findings underscore the importance of sustaining public trust, strengthening perceptions of impartiality, improving electoral inclusivity and addressing information gaps.”

Despite these concerns, the survey found that 96% of voters who participated said they were likely to vote in future elections.

Sowetan

]]>Koena Mashale<![CDATA[Stop the fearmongering, it’s not democracy: FF Plus chair ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-stop-the-fearmongering-its-not-democracy-ff-plus-chair/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-stop-the-fearmongering-its-not-democracy-ff-plus-chair/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 14:29:40 +0000

Story audio is generated using AI

Freedom Front Plus chair Wouter Wessels has criticised the fearmongering he says was used in the recent election campaign, saying it is anti-democratic.

He says voters should be allowed to associate with, and campaign for, whomever they wish without being intimidated.

“It comes back to the politics of fear, with some parties saying it is a two-party race and that the vote shouldn’t be divided, so people are confused. Then other parties say if you don’t vote for us, you are going to lose your grant, your RDP house. That’s fearmongering, and it’s not good for democracy.”

Wessels criticised the use of resources to discourage voters from exploring different political choices.

“Politics is a difficult game. This campaign was very difficult because there was a lot of money spent by bigger parties in terms of spreading a certain message, instilling fear in the electorate, and I don’t think it’s advancing democracy.

“Every person must have the choice to vote for the party he or she associates with. It shouldn’t be this bombardment ... if you vote for this party, the world is going to end. That’s not democracy.”

Speaking to the Political Arena, Wessels said power lay with the electorate to determine their lived experience.

“If you actively have a choice and vote if you’re not satisfied, governments change, and then we see service delivery. If I am in government and I don’t perform, then I must know that I am going to be voted out. For more than 30 years, service delivery went the wrong way but people stayed in government.”

Wessels believes there is no harm in a lengthy ballot paper, saying voters are entitled to choice. He suggested that voting decisively could change the service-delivery trajectory.

“There are a lot of parties but I think choice is important, especially at local level. You should vote for a representative you agree with.”

The FF Plus leader referred to the recent US midterm elections as an example of a country’s vastly different voting patterns.

“There’s one significant lesson and that is how the US electorate changes their vote midterm when they are not satisfied. South Africans unfortunately either stay away or continue voting for the same party while expecting different results.”

Wessells said the coalitions reality was here to stay but criticised the short time available for properly negotiating working arrangements between parties.

“If you look at the results, there are many municipalities where it’s definitely not a two-horse race. We’re going to end up in coalition governments. I agree that it brings a sense of instability, especially if parties are not mature in their negotiations.

“Unfortunately the constitution dictates that we have only 14 days to form a government. That makes it impossible to adequately negotiate a programme. It shouldn’t be about positions, for instance, where we decide who becomes mayor and who becomes speaker.”

TimesLIVE

]]>RIAAN MARAIS<![CDATA[WATCH | Ignition TV’s Juliet McGuire reviews the 2026 Kia Seltos]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-watch-ignition-tvs-juliet-mcguire-reviews-the-2026-kia-seltos/https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-watch-ignition-tvs-juliet-mcguire-reviews-the-2026-kia-seltos/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 13:58:31 +0000Join Ignition TV presenter Juliet McGuire as she gets behind the wheel of the second-generation Kia Seltos. Based on the South Korean brand’s latest K3 platform, it features revised exterior styling, an improved cabin and a choice of petrol and diesel engines. Prices start at R389,995.

TimesLIVE

]]>Ignition TV<![CDATA[Convicted rapist Russell Brand likely to face more allegations, says top cop]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-convicted-rapist-russell-brand-likely-to-face-more-allegations-says-top-cop/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-convicted-rapist-russell-brand-likely-to-face-more-allegations-says-top-cop/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 13:53:30 +0000Russell Brand, once a high profile British comedian and star of several Hollywood movies, is likely to face further allegations as more victims come forward in the wake of his rape conviction, the country’s top policeman said on Friday.

Brand, the former husband of US pop singer Katy Perry, is facing a lengthy jail term after being convicted in a London court on Thursday of raping a woman and sexually assaulting three more.

Mark Rowley, commissioner of London’s metropolitan police, told the BBC that in previous cases involving famous figures convicted of sex crimes, it was common for new victims to bring allegations to police after a conviction.

“I clearly wouldn’t be surprised if many more came forward,” he said, adding that the conviction gave victims confidence. “It does make a difference because people see it is possible, and you will be believed.”

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham paid tribute to the victims for their courage in exposing Brand.

Asked about a supportive post he addressed to Brand on X in 2014 — a time when Brand was being courted by some politicians on the left for his ability to reach young voters - the prime minister said he had no idea about the “full extent” of the former comedian’s behaviour back then.

“His crimes are horrific. He’s rightly been held to account,” Burnham said.

Brand is one of the most prominent celebrities in Britain convicted of sex offences in recent times, after BBC newsreader Huw Edwards admitted making indecent pictures of children two years ago, and entertainer Rolf Harris was found guilty of assaulting young girls in 2014.

Brand, 51, will be sentenced on Monday. He is under investigation for two other alleged rapes, one involving a then 16-year-old girl, police have said.

Reuters

]]>Corey Rudy<![CDATA[Deadly risk for cancer patients if stem cell donors drop out of programme]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sci-tech/2026-11-06-deadly-risk-for-cancer-patients-if-stem-cell-donors-drop-out-of-programme/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sci-tech/2026-11-06-deadly-risk-for-cancer-patients-if-stem-cell-donors-drop-out-of-programme/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 13:49:26 +0000

Story audio is generated using AI

Blood cancer patients in SA risk longer waits for potentially life-saving stem cell transplants if registered donors become unreachable or withdraw from the process.

While the number of people registered as potential stem cell donors has grown significantly, their availability, when required, remained a challenge.

DKMS Africa, which manages a registry of potential stem cell donors, has more than 210,000 registered donors, up from 19,000 in 2021. However, the organisation says donor drop-off at the point when someone is identified as a potential match is a challenge for registries around the world.

Palesa Mokomele, the head of DKMS Africa community engagement and communication, told TimesLIVE that while they did not have enough data to establish a reliable drop-off trend in SA, international figures revealed the scale of the problem.

At DKMS Germany, 23% of potential donors dropped out when they were contacted to confirm a match. “Every donor who becomes unavailable means a patient’s search has to continue, which is why we put so much emphasis on donors staying reachable and ready.”

Mokomele said donors became unavailable for a variety of reasons, including changing phone numbers or email addresses without updating their details with the registry.

The survey found that 90% of donors knew they needed to keep their details updated, while 10% were unaware of this responsibility

Others, when contacted, chose not to continue, while some could not donate because of health reasons, pregnancy, work or travel commitments.

A survey of more than 3,000 registered South African donors conducted for DKMS Africa by research company GfK found that 98% said they would likely donate if contacted about a match. However, only about 4% said they had previously updated their contact details with the organisation.

The survey found that 90% of donors knew they needed to keep their details updated, while 10% were unaware of this responsibility.

Younger donors, particularly those aged between 18 and 25, were more likely to become unavailable. Mokomele said this was often because they could not be reached or were no longer interested in donating.

She said a lack of information also contributed to uncertainty among some donors. Among those who said they were unsure or would decline, 49% said they did not know enough about the donation process, while 32% were afraid of the pain involved.

The consequences can be serious for patients who need a transplant urgently.

When a potential match is found, the donor is contacted to confirm their willingness to proceed and undergo further testing. If the donor becomes unavailable, the search moves to the next suitable person, if one exists.

Mokomele said patients with less common tissue types could have very few suitable donors, and in some cases none. Doctors may then have to continue searching or consider a less closely matched donor.

Registration is the first step, but maintaining that commitment over time is equally important

Palesa Mokomele, DKMS Africa head of community engagement and communication

She said research had found that patients with fully matched donors had a two-year survival rate of 59%, compared with 38% among those who received mismatched transplants.

For patients with aggressive blood cancers, delays could also affect whether they remained suitable for a transplant.

Mokomele said transplantation was often most successful when the disease was under control. Longer waiting periods could increase the risk of the disease progressing or returning, or the patient’s health deteriorating to the point where a transplant was no longer possible.

The delays also placed pressure on families, some of whom would have to deal with lost income, travel costs and uncertainty about treatment.

Mokomele said more than half of the donors surveyed wanted monthly communication from the organisation, while 36% preferred quarterly updates.

The organisation is working with universities and colleges to educate young people about the responsibility that comes with registering. “Registration is the first step, but maintaining that commitment over time is equally important,” she said.

Mokomele said the aim was to build a diverse registry of informed donors who understood what donation involved and remained contactable when a patient needed them.

TimesLIVE

]]>123RF<![CDATA[WATCH | ActionSA wants to end ‘revolving door’ of Tshwane mayors]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-watch-actionsa-wants-to-end-revolving-door-of-tshwane-mayors/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-watch-actionsa-wants-to-end-revolving-door-of-tshwane-mayors/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 12:54:59 +0000ActionSA says it will push for Dr Nasiphi Moya to remain executive mayor of Tshwane for another five years as the party prepares for coalition negotiations after the local government elections.

The party’s secretary-general, Michael Beaumont, said ActionSA would negotiate with parties willing to commit to a shared programme of government focused on service delivery, stability and accountability.

Beaumont said the party wanted to end the revolving door of mayors in the capital and would not support candidates with a track record of corruption or failure.

“We will be negotiating to ensure that Dr Nasiphi Moya gets five more years,” he said.

He said ActionSA’s coalition priorities included building institutions to investigate corruption, addressing illegal immigration at local government level and improving basic services such as roads, electricity, water and refuse collection.

“If a political party is unwilling to work with us on those priorities, we will show them the door. If they are willing to work with us, we will work with them,” Beaumont said.

He added that the party would work with credible leadership capable of delivering services to all communities.

By lunchtime, ActionSA reported that it had provisionally won 27 wards in Tshwane, including in Atteridgeville, Akasia, Centurion, Mamelodi, Ga-Rankuwa, Soshanguve and Mabopane.

The provisional gains mark a sizable shift from the 2021 local government elections, when the party did not win a single ward in Tshwane.

Moya thanked Tshwane residents and her party for entrusting her with the mayoral position over the past 24 months, saying she did not take the opportunity to serve for granted.

She credited the progress made during her tenure to the partnership between her administration, coalition partners and residents.

“Thank you to the people of Tshwane for trusting this girl with your households as the executive mayor,” she said.

Moya said she had committed to serving all communities and believed the election results reflected how residents felt about her leadership.

Sowetan

]]>Freddy Mavunda<![CDATA[Snapchat disables friend-finder for UK children after regulator push]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sci-tech/2026-11-06-snapchat-disables-friend-finder-for-uk-children-after-regulator-push/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sci-tech/2026-11-06-snapchat-disables-friend-finder-for-uk-children-after-regulator-push/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 13:33:33 +0000British media regulator Ofcom said on Friday that Snapchat had begun disabling its “Find Friends” feature by default for child users in Britain, in what it called an important step to reduce the risk of online grooming.

The friend-discovery feature helps users find and add new contacts.

Ofcom said the change would make it harder for strangers to contact children on the image-sharing social media platform, one it considers among the largest and most popular online services used by children in Britain.

The regulator said in May that Snapchat was used by 32% of children aged eight to 12 in Britain, despite the platform’s minimum age restriction of 13.

Oliver Griffiths, director of Ofcom’s Online Safety Group, said the change was “long overdue” and the regulator would monitor Snapchat’s rollout of the new protection this month.

Snapchat had committed to making such a change in May, and told the regulator more recently that effective age checks for under 18s should be in place by the end of the year.

The platform did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.

There have long been concerns about online grooming on social media.

A 2025 analysis of British police data by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children showed that 40% of recorded offences involving sexual communication with a child where the platform was identified took place on Snapchat.

Ofcom has pressed major tech firms to introduce stronger anti-grooming measures. It has said that online grooming can have “devastating, lifelong consequences” for children.

The regulator also re-issued a warning to other tech companies failing to tackle grooming risks, saying they risked fines of up to 10% of their qualifying global revenue.

Reuters

]]><![CDATA[Millions of displaced Sudanese risk losing shelter as funds run low, UN warns]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2026-11-06-millions-of-displaced-sudanese-risk-losing-shelter-as-funds-run-low-un-warns/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2026-11-06-millions-of-displaced-sudanese-risk-losing-shelter-as-funds-run-low-un-warns/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 13:03:32 +0000Millions of people displaced by Sudan’s civil war risk being left without emergency shelter as funding shortfalls deplete aid stocks, the UN refugee agency UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration said on Friday.

The agencies said an estimated 15.4-million people across Sudan urgently need emergency shelter and basic household items, but funding constraints mean humanitarian agencies can prioritise assistance for only about 10% of those in need.

So far, 936,000 people have received assistance, leaving a large gap between needs and available resources, according to a joint statement.

Sudan remains the world’s largest displacement crisis more than three years after war broke out in 2023, when the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces clashed over issues including how to integrate their forces in a planned transition to civilian rule.

Just this year, IOM was able to distribute more than 40,000 tonnes, but our warehouses are completely empty now

Mohamed Refaat, IOM Sudan chief

Around 8.6-million people remain displaced within the country, while more than 4.6-million have fled across borders. More than 5.2-million people have also returned to their areas of origin, often finding homes, infrastructure and basic services destroyed.

Speaking from Khartoum during a UN briefing in Geneva, IOM Sudan chief Mohamed Refaat said the agency was struggling to maintain operations as resources dwindled.

“Just this year, IOM was able to distribute more than 40,000 tonnes, but our warehouses are completely empty now,” he said.

Refaat said the number of internally displaced people could rise again despite recent returns. He said agencies had already scaled back ambitions because of limited funding.

“We decided to serve only one out of ten. But even within the one out of 10, we could reach only 900,000 people with what we had,” he said.

The agencies called for urgent funding to replenish emergency stocks and prevent further deterioration in conditions for displaced Sudanese.

Reuters

]]>Amr Abdallah Dalsh<![CDATA[WATCH | Activists storm Microsoft site as Europe protests data centres]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sci-tech/2026-11-06-watch-activists-storm-microsoft-site-as-europe-protests-data-centres/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sci-tech/2026-11-06-watch-activists-storm-microsoft-site-as-europe-protests-data-centres/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 13:40:02 +0000Protesters broke into the construction site of a Microsoft data centre in Amsterdam on Friday at the start of two days of rallies that are part of a growing global backlash over the rapid build-out of computing power needed for AI.

Activist groups have announced actions in 16 countries on Friday and Saturday, according to the “Stop Dirty Data Centres” coalition, which is rallying environmental groups and digital rights campaigns behind calls to pause large-scale construction.

In Amsterdam on Friday, more than 100 activists gathered at the construction site of a Microsoft AI data centre, marching arm in arm before breaking into the site, climbing cranes, hanging balloons and dancing while police stood by. Some carried placards with messages reading: “Screw your data centre”.

Site owner Pure Data Centres, which plans to invest more than $1bn (R16.53bn) and is backed by Brookfield-owned Oaktree, said it was committed to engagement with local stakeholders.

“We respectfully ask those on site to leave safely and engage with us in dialogue about the development and any concerns they may have,” it said.

Other planned actions include:

  • a march in Dublin;
  • a protest outside the parliament building in Warsaw; and
  • a demonstration against a different Microsoft data centre in Denmark.

Microsoft said it understood that people had strong feelings about the project and respected their right to express them peacefully but did not condone any unlawful actions.

Stock market rout

Pushback is growing from Spain to India and the US, where technology stocks have driven what became a second day of sharp losses in share prices on Friday over concern that Democratic control of Congress could mean tougher regulation curtails the AI boom.

Campaigners say data centres pressure electricity and water supplies, compete with housing and other businesses for scarce resources and threaten climate goals. They also point to job losses and potential risks to personal and national security from private and big tech concentrating power.

Technology companies say data centres are essential to meeting global demand for AI and cloud computing and provide critical infrastructure for businesses, governments and consumers.

Stop Dirty Data Centres says it is not anti-progress or calling for existing data centres to closed but says major construction should be halted until governments establish clearer rules.

Europe is divided between its ambition to catch up with the US and Asia on AI to boost productivity and to maintain what are generally more stringent controls and public protections.

On Thursday EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said Europe needed more data centres to power AI development, though she added it needed to be done with care.

“AI, of course, is a super important technology and we need to have our own capacity,” Virkkunen said, pointing to investments being made in chip-making capacity, AI startups and a plan to build out gigafactories around the region.

However, she added: “It’s very important for citizens that they can trust that their energy bills are not skyrocketing and there’s not electricity blackouts because of data centres, or they are not destroying the environment with these projects.”

A Google project in Finland faces a criminal probe over land clearances, Italy and Portugal are tightening environmental regulation for datacentres, and Microsoft pulled out of a UK data centre project that was hit by infrastructure delays.

The Netherlands has about 200 data centres either planned, under construction or in operation.

Reuters

]]>Piroschka Van De Wouw<![CDATA[Italy first as Boks eye adding Nations Championship to glittering trophy cabinet]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/rugby/2026-11-06-italy-first-as-boks-eye-adding-nations-championship-to-glittering-trophy-cabinet/https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/rugby/2026-11-06-italy-first-as-boks-eye-adding-nations-championship-to-glittering-trophy-cabinet/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 10:39:33 +0000Springbok fullback Damian Willemse says the squad are keyed up at the possibility of adding the Nations Championship title to their already stacked trophy cabinet as South Africa look to maintain their unbeaten record in Turin against Italy on Saturday.

The Boks have won everything there is to win after their second consecutive Rugby World Cup triumph in 2023.

The team has shown no signs of complacency or slowing down.

This week coach Rassie Erasmus and his men are in Turin to kick off the Northern Series European leg of the inaugural Nations Championship at Estadio Camilo Cano (1.40pm SA time), where victory will keep South Africa top of the Southern Hemisphere standings.

Archrivals the All Blacks, who also have three wins, are breathing down the necks of the Boks, who occupy the top spot on points difference. Both teams have three matches remaining, and only one will make the final.

Fullback Damian Willemse acknowledged the tightness of the permutations. However, the 28-year-old says the Springboks are fully focused on Italy.

“We are playing for the cup in three or four weeks, and I think the most important week is this week. If we lose this week, we’re out of the race to try and be in the final, but that’s not really in our heads now,” he said.

“I know we are [close on points] with New Zealand. If we are in a position to go for a bonus point, we’ll obviously look to do that.

“But the main thing for us is just to perform very well and win the game. What is in our heads is making sure we follow through on the plan and the stuff the coaches have put out for us.”

The Nations Championship being a new tournament and these matches not simply part of another end-of-year European tour adds motivation, Willemse said.

“It’s exciting for us because there is something we’ll be playing towards. There’s a cup on the line. Our approach to any tournament or cup is to take it seriously, and we want to get the right result and make sure we go to the end.”

Willemse said South Africa expect Italy to give them a run for their money in front of their home fans despite having been struck by a few injuries.

“They are a strong side, very well-coached and come up with good plans. We’ve got to stay dialled in and make sure we don’t lose focus on what’s ahead.

“We saw last year when we played them in Turin how dangerous they are. And [while] they’ve got a few injuries, I know there are a couple of guys in the set-up who are key players for them.”

The Boks return to a happy hunting ground in Turin, having registered a sparkling 32-14 victory over Italy the last time they played there, with Willemse earning player of the match.

TimesLIVE

]]>Kim Ludbrook<![CDATA[WATCH | Jacob Zuma says MK Party open to coalition talks]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-watch-jacob-zuma-says-mk-party-open-to-coalition-talks/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-watch-jacob-zuma-says-mk-party-open-to-coalition-talks/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 10:30:40 +0000Former president Jacob Zuma says the MK Party is open to coalition talks.

Speaking at the Durban high court on Friday — where he came to support his daughter, former MK Party MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla — Zuma gave his trademark laugh as he answered questions about the party’s performance in Wednesday’s elections.

He was in a jovial mood as he replied to reporters, “What is your problem?” when asked about interim results which show the MK Party tipped to take eThekwini at about 40%.

“We told you, we were going to take that place [KwaZulu-Natal], and we have taken it,” he said.

Asked whether the MK Party would be open to coalition talks if necessary, Zuma, 84, replied: “We are, we are. We are open.”

“That is what we do because we want to rule the country, and we want the country to be run properly by the citizens who feel that this country needs to be what we all want it to be.”

Zuma, however, wouldn’t disclose his preferred mayoral candidate when questioned about the party’s local government plans.

“I can’t disclose that.”

Zuma told thousands of supporters at Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu on Sunday that the MK Party will soon take over the country and lead many municipalities.

He was addressing the MK Party’s final Sithatha Omasipala rally before Wednesday’s local government elections.

It was his first in-person appearance since he collapsed in Umsinga and was admitted to Netcare St Anne’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg on October 6, where he spent 11 days.

He was in court to support Zuma-Sambudla, whose application for terrorism charges linked to the July 2021 civil unrest under section 174 of the Criminal Procedures Act, to be dropped, was unsuccessful.

The case against Zuma-Sambudla will continue in May.

TimesLIVE

]]>SANDILE NDLOVU<![CDATA[Tanzania opposition leader Tundu Lissu cleared of treason, sentenced for inciting unrest]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2026-11-06-tanzania-opposition-leader-tundu-lissu-cleared-of-treason-sentenced-for-inciting-unrest/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2026-11-06-tanzania-opposition-leader-tundu-lissu-cleared-of-treason-sentenced-for-inciting-unrest/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 13:30:00 +0000Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu was cleared of treason but found guilty of incitement and sentenced to four years in jail on Friday, in a case that rights groups and his supporters say is politically motivated.

Police surrounded the courtroom in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam and crowds gathered nearby as authorities brought Lissu to the hearing in a heavily guarded convoy.

The chairperson of Tanzania’s main opposition party, Chadema, was arrested in April last year and charged with treason in a case that helped fuel the worst political unrest in the country’s history during the October 2025 elections.

The charge related to a speech Lissu gave in which prosecutors said he told supporters that the opposition would “block the election” and “mobilise rebellion”.

He had pleaded not guilty, arguing during the trial that his speech did not violate any law and that the charges were politically motivated. The government has dismissed accusations of a crackdown on dissent and said protesters started the violence.

Footage posted on Chadema’s X account showed Lissu being escorted to the court by guards, some masked. He was seen waving his fist in the air briefly and shouting, “do not fear”, in Swahili.

More footage from Chadema showed Lissu in the dock, sporting dreadlocks and dressed in a black short-sleeved shirt with a blue rosary around his left arm, waving to people inside the packed courtroom and shouting, “we will arrive”, while they responded, “yes” in Swahili.

Lissu planned to appeal against the jail sentence, said his party’s spokesperson, Brenda Rupia.

Lissu’s arrest, along with Chadema’s disqualification from the vote and allegations by rights groups that government critics were abducted, was a key driver of protests that broke out during last year’s elections.

Hundreds died as police opened fire on protesters in multiple cities, undermining the country’s longstanding reputation for stability.

A commission appointed by President Samia Suluhu Hassan said in April that at least 518 people were killed in the violence, which it blamed on protesters. Her government denied allegations by human rights groups that the security services used excessive force. She was declared winner of the election with nearly 98% of the vote.

Earlier this week, the police commander in Dar es Salaam warned that legal action would be taken against anyone planning to break the law when the verdict was issued.

The US ambassador to Tanzania, William Trachman, wrote on X on Thursday that he was closely following the trial and its “broader implications for the rule of law”. The US government said last December it was reviewing its relationship with Tanzania due to violence against civilians and other concerns.

Lissu, 58, survived being shot 16 times in an assassination attempt in 2017. No one has ever been charged in the case. He went into exile and returned briefly in 2020 to stand in the presidential election against the incumbent, John Magufuli, finishing runner-up.

Lissu then returned permanently in 2023 after President Hassan eased political repression that had intensified under Magufuli, who died in office in 2021. But Hassan soon faced growing criticism from human rights activists for cracking down on opponents, accusations she denied.

Reuters

]]>Emmanuel Herman<![CDATA[Shadrack Sibiya accuses Madlanga commission task team of abuse of power in bail appeal]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-11-06-shadrack-sibiya-accuses-madlanga-commission-task-team-of-abuse-of-power-in-bail-appeal/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-11-06-shadrack-sibiya-accuses-madlanga-commission-task-team-of-abuse-of-power-in-bail-appeal/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 13:23:39 +0000

Story audio is generated using AI

Former deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya has accused investigators attached to the Madlanga commission’s referral task team of abusing their powers, conducting unlawful searches, manipulating criminal proceedings and orchestrating what he describes as a prosecutorially driven operation against him.

In an appeal against the refusal of his bail, Sibiya lays out a series of allegations about the conduct of the team responsible for investigating criminal complaints arising from evidence before the Madlanga commission, arguing that its actions were characterised by procedural irregularities, abuse of authority and attempts to undermine his defence.

TimesLIVE has seen Sibiya’s notice of appeal, filed at the Johannesburg high court on November 5, which challenges the Randburg magistrate’s court’s October 20 decision to deny him bail.

But beyond seeking his release, the notice offers a detailed account of what Sibiya believes was an investigation tainted by unlawful conduct, raising questions about the methods used by the referral task team and the circumstances surrounding his arrest and detention.

Sibiya was arrested on September 21 following allegations that he raped an 18-year-old woman at the Sandton nightclub, The Grand, in May after she had allegedly consumed alcohol and lost consciousness. Sibiya has denied rape, maintaining that their sexual encounter was consensual.

He is also accused of sexually grooming a 16-year-old girl through electronic communications between July and August 2026, as well as human trafficking involving three individuals.

The arrest of the appellant was a prosecutorially driven operation during which the respondent acted ultra vires in a manner that does not emanate from the Madlanga commission

Shadrack Sibiya’s notice of appeal

The state opposed his release on bail, arguing that the seriousness of the charges and the risks of witness intimidation, interference with evidence and evading trial warranted his continued detention. The prosecution also relied on allegations that Sibiya had threatened the complainant’s father.

On October 20, Randburg magistrate Hleziphi Mkhasibe refused bail, finding that Sibiya had failed to establish the exceptional circumstances required for release under Schedule 6 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The court was also concerned about the potential risks associated with his release, including possible interference with witnesses and evidence. He has remained in custody since his arrest.

His lawyers argue that the magistrate failed to properly consider allegations of investigative misconduct when determining whether he should remain behind bars.

The defence specifically takes issue with the execution of an arrest warrant, alleging that investigators orchestrated an arrest at premises different from the address specified in the warrant.

The notice states: “The arrest of the appellant was a prosecutorially driven operation during which the respondent acted ultra vires in a manner that does not emanate from the Madlanga commission.”

Sibiya further alleges that investigators obtained an additional search and seizure warrant covering unrelated offences which had no bearing on the charges he was facing.

The defence argues that the search was unlawful and that investigators subsequently relied on allegations arising from the operation to strengthen the case against him.

It also claims that the state repeatedly sought to seize items on the same facts despite a pending high court application concerning the legality of the original search and seizure operation.

The appeal describes the conduct as part of a broader pattern of investigative overreach.

Another serious allegation concerns the handling of evidence and the state’s reliance on claims that Sibiya had interfered with exhibits.

The defence disputes the allegations of tampering and argues that the magistrate accepted the state’s version without adequately examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged interference.

Sibiya’s lawyers also take issue with the postponement of the proceedings, arguing that the state sought a further seven days without providing sufficient reasons or producing investigative results during the period.

They contend that the postponement effectively prolonged his detention without demonstrating meaningful progress in the investigation.

The defence further disputes the reliability of the alleged threat, arguing that it was not contained in the voice recording or its transcript

The appeal further raises concerns about where Sibiya was detained after his arrest, alleging that he was placed in a high-security section of Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre’s C-Max facility in an attempt to break him down.

The allegations extend to the involvement of other law enforcement structures.

Sibiya’s lawyers accuse the referral task team of failing to involve the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) in matters which they argue fell within its investigative jurisdiction.

They contend that the investigating officer, a sergeant Ndlovu, was incorrectly attributed powers that should have been exercised by Ipid members.

The appeal states that the magistrate failed to consider whether the failure to involve Ipid amounted to an offence under the Ipid Act.

It further argues that Ipid has exclusive jurisdiction to investigate rape allegations involving police officers, a point the defence says should have been considered when assessing the investigation.

Another contentious issue is the defence’s allegation that the state relied on evidence that was allegedly backdated.

The notice specifically identifies Exhibit L, which the defence says was presented as an affidavit dated September 18 2026 but was not in the state’s possession on that date.

The appeal states: “Exhibit L, presented as an affidavit dated September 18 2026 by the [state] and deposed to by Mr M, is a recent fabrication and not in possession of the state on September 18 2026.”

The defence argues that the magistrate failed to properly interrogate this discrepancy and its implications for the credibility of the state’s case.

Sibiya also challenges the magistrate’s treatment of allegations that he threatened the complainant’s father, identified in the proceedings as Mr M.

The appeal maintains that the evidence presented by Sibiya’s son, Ofentse Mgwenya, Sgt Matome Rasekgokgoba and Sizakele Dlamini supported his version that Mr M was not the victim of threats but had himself initiated threatening conduct.

The defence further disputes the reliability of the alleged threat, arguing that it was not contained in the voice recording or its transcript.

It accuses the magistrate of relying on evidence that was not properly established during the proceedings and of accepting allegations that the defence says were contradicted by other material before the court.

Sibiya’s lawyers argue that the magistrate failed to properly assess this evidence against the defence’s version.

The defence also accuses the magistrate of descending into the arena during the proceedings by questioning witnesses and introducing considerations which it says ultimately prejudiced Sibiya

The appeal also challenges the manner in which the charges were classified for purposes of the bail application.

The defence argues that the magistrate incorrectly treated the matter as falling under schedule 6 of the Criminal Procedure Act, thereby requiring Sibiya to establish exceptional circumstances justifying his release. It maintains that the state did not establish a sufficient evidentiary basis for that classification, particularly in relation to the human trafficking charge.

The notice argues that the facts relied on by the state did not satisfy the legal definition of human trafficking and that the magistrate failed to properly consider the applicable legal principles.

The defence also accuses the magistrate of descending into the arena during the proceedings by questioning witnesses and introducing considerations which it says ultimately prejudiced Sibiya.

It argues that the magistrate allowed inadmissible evidence and disregarded the provisions of the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-related Information Act.

The appeal further challenges the magistrate’s assessment of the risk that Sibiya would interfere with witnesses, evade trial or undermine the administration of justice if released.

His lawyers argue that the court failed to properly consider:

  • his personal circumstances;
  • his disclosure of his defence; and
  • evidence they say remained uncontested at the conclusion of the bail hearing.

They maintain that the magistrate’s findings were based on an incomplete assessment of the evidence and that the court failed to distinguish between allegations made by investigators and facts established through admissible evidence.

The appeal also raises the question of whether the referral task team’s conduct should itself have formed part of the magistrate’s assessment of the interests of justice.

Sibiya’s lawyers contend that the alleged abuse of power was not peripheral to the bail proceedings but directly relevant to the credibility of the investigation and the fairness of the process.

TimesLIVE

]]>Thapelo Morebudi,Thapelo Morebudi<![CDATA[Warmest October on record, 2026 likely to exceed critical heat measurement]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-warmest-october-on-record-2026-likely-to-exceed-critical-heat-measurement/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-warmest-october-on-record-2026-likely-to-exceed-critical-heat-measurement/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 12:43:53 +0000The world experienced its warmest October on record, and 2026 is all but certain to become the second calendar year after 2024 to exceed 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels, the EU’s Copernicus climate service said on Friday.

“October 2026 was the warmest October on record globally, with an average global surface air temperature 1.75°C above the pre-industrial level,” Copernicus said in a statement.

The October data mark a third straight month above the 1.5°C threshold, Copernicus said, as El Niño conditions intensify in the tropical Pacific and the four-year average from 2023 to 2026 is also expected to break that mark.

Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, countries agreed to try to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, though the target refers to a long-term average, so a single year above the mark does not mean it has been breached.

Scientists say warming beyond 1.5°C sharply increases the risk of severe heatwaves, droughts, floods and other climate impacts.

Copernicus also said that 2026 was most likely to be the second-warmest year on record, with about a 20% chance of tying or exceeding 2024, currently the warmest year on record.

In October, the average sea surface temperature outside the polar regions reached 20.95°C, the highest on record for the month, surpassing the previous October record set in 2023.

In the tropical Pacific, where El Niño conditions continued to intensify, the monthly sea surface temperature anomaly in the Niño 3.4 region — the central-equatorial Pacific zone used to monitor El Niño — reached an all-time high of 3.21°C above average, exceeding the peaks recorded during previous very strong El Niño events.

Reuters

]]>123RF/Wang Tom<![CDATA[Marquez eyes eighth title as MotoGP races under war shadow]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-marquez-eyes-eighth-title-as-motogp-races-under-war-shadow/https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-marquez-eyes-eighth-title-as-motogp-races-under-war-shadow/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 13:08:58 +0000Ducati’s Marc Marquez could clinch a record-equalling eighth MotoGP title in Qatar this weekend, but the reigning champion would rather not be there amid paddock unease over racing so close to a regional conflict.

MotoGP officials told teams in Malaysia on Sunday they had received no information warranting a change to the Qatar Grand Prix, despite riders’ concerns about the war against Iran.

The race at the Lusail International Circuit, originally scheduled for April, was postponed to November 6 to 8 due to the conflict, with seven-time champion Marquez among those seeking further assurances.

“Not the best place to be but, in the end, we have a contract and we are ready to race here in Qatar,” said Marquez, who can equal Giacomo Agostini’s haul of eight world championships in the premier class.

“I tried to arrive as late as possible and I will leave as soon as possible ... You can see that some people are affected a bit more, some people a bit less. But in the end, we must be professional.”

Marquez’s remark contrasted with the stance taken by Aprilia, who have been vocal about wanting to race in Qatar as they look to salvage a campaign that seemed theirs to win months ago.

MotoGP has said independent risk assessments show it is safe to race, while Qatar has given official assurances and guarantees that teams and riders will not be stranded if the conflict escalates.

Aprilia dismiss safety debate

“If the organisers say it’s safe, we have to go. There’s not much to debate. Honestly, I don’t understand all this fuss that’s being made,” Aprilia boss Massimo Rivola told AS. “I want to go. If you don’t want to do this job, you stay home.”

But those assurances did not stop Yamaha from withdrawing after the Japanese manufacturer cited “company-wide travel restrictions”.

Jorge Martin, 44 points behind leader Marc Marquez, is eager to return to the track in Qatar after recovering from a wrist injury that hindered his title hopes. Picture: Reuters/Hasnoor Hussain
Jorge Martin, 44 points behind leader Marc Marquez, is eager to return to the track in Qatar after recovering from a wrist injury that hindered his title hopes. Picture: Reuters/Hasnoor Hussain

MotoGP said the team could face “sporting consequences” for not honouring its contract, a decision for governing body FIM, which did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

“I don’t want to go. Like everybody,” Pramac Racing’s Jack Miller had said in Sepang.

“They can attack us at any angle. Both financially and on the sporting side with our licences and also the team... Do I want to hurt the team? Not at all. But at the same time, I don’t feel like pushing the horse to race.”

Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez said it had been a “strange weekend” since arriving in Qatar. “The tension of there being a war going on and you being right in the thick of it ... for the people working there, it’s not exactly the ideal atmosphere,” he said.

Match point for Marquez

Marquez leads with 399 points — 44 ahead of Aprilia’s Jorge Martin, who led earlier in the season, and 67 clear of Marco Bezzecchi, once a clear favourite after winning four of the first seven races.

“I’m happy to be heading to Qatar. It’s a track I really like,” Bezzecchi said.

Martin, who was declared fit on Friday after withdrawing from Malaysia with a fractured wrist, is eager to return after he saw his title hopes slowly fade.

“I went back to Spain to continue the treatment I need to recover from the injury and to get to Qatar in the best shape possible. Now we’ll see how the body responds,” the 2024 champion said.

Reuters

]]>Hasnoor Hussain<![CDATA[Tesla will end Cybertruck production in Texas next year, says Musk]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-tesla-will-end-cybertruck-production-in-texas-next-year-says-musk/https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-tesla-will-end-cybertruck-production-in-texas-next-year-says-musk/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 08:20:57 +0000Tesla will wind down Cybertruck production at its Texas gigafactory around mid-2027, CEO Elon Musk said on Friday, after years of persistently weak sales for a futuristic model once touted as a rival to legacy pickup trucks that ultimately only sold in just a handful of markets because of its heavy, angular design.

Musk said in an X post the production wind-down would enable the carmaker to accommodate increased output of its newly launched Cybercab model, which the billionaire has made central to Tesla’s robotaxi ambitions.

While it was not immediately clear whether Cybertruck production would be moved to another facility or phased out entirely, the carmaker’s Austin plant is the only known Tesla facility equipped to manufacture the model’s specialised components.

In response to a user on X, Musk called the Cybertruck the “best vehicle Tesla has ever made” and the wind-down the “end of an era”.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment sent outside regular business hours.

The US EV maker only began delivering the Cybertruck to customers in late 2023. According to Kelley Blue Book, the company only sold 20,237 Cybertrucks in the US last year, down 48% from 38,965 in 2024. Before the pickup truck launched, Musk had predicted annual sales of 250,000 units.

“It doesn’t make sense to keep it going when it’s not meeting its targets,” said former Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer. “Every rational car guy would say the same.”

“It will no doubt only be a rounding error on Tesla’s balance sheet, but the statistics speak for themselves.”

Right from its unveiling in 2019, the Cybertruck was a controversial choice for Musk.
Right from its unveiling in 2019, the Cybertruck was a controversial choice for Musk.

‘Cybertruck won’t go, can’t go’

Right from its unveiling in 2019, the Cybertruck was a controversial choice for Musk. Its angular design was mocked by pickup truck purists and safety experts predicted it would be hard to gain approval for sale in key markets like Europe.

The unveiling event itself was marred when Musk tried to prove with a sledgehammer that its windows were shatterproof — only to leave massive cracks in two of them.

During Cybertruck’s official launch in 2023, Musk touted it as a futuristic competitor to pickup trucks from General Motors and Ford, saying “finally, the future will look like the future”.

But the vehicle has struggled to meet those expectations.

Automotive analyst Felipe Munoz said that though the Cybertruck has been called a failure because of its poor sales, electric pickups from Ford and others have also flopped in the US market.

“All of them lost the competition because electric pickups aren’t popular in the US,” Munoz said.

But Cybertruck’s sharp-edged stainless-steel design limited its prospects in markets like Europe where EVs are more popular. Regulatory approval was impossible for Europe because of rules there concerning pedestrian impact.

“Anywhere where you have crash regulation that takes into account pedestrian impact, that Cybertruck won’t go, can’t go,” former Aston Martin CEO Palmer said.

Musk sees the Cybercab as Tesla’s main autonomous model supplying a global network of robotaxis. Picture: Supplied
Musk sees the Cybercab as Tesla’s main autonomous model supplying a global network of robotaxis. Picture: Supplied

Musk’s new bet

The Cybercab, which has butterfly doors and no steering wheel, pedals or mirrors, is one of Musk’s key bets in his push to turn Tesla into an AI and robotics company rather than just a carmaker.

Musk has said he sees it as Tesla’s main autonomous model supplying a global network of robotaxis.

After years of delays to Musk’s self-driving targets, Tesla began offering paid rides in a small fleet of Cybercabs in Austin in September. However, the carmaker still has to answer the US auto safety agency’s questions on whether it has properly self-certified Cybercab to demonstrate compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards.

“Cybertruck was an incredible technology development platform and lives on through Cybercab,” Cybertruck lead engineer Wes Morrill said on X.

Reuters

]]>Carlos Barria<![CDATA[Kenyan cult leader sentenced to 200 years in prison for murder of 190 children]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2026-11-06-kenyan-cult-leader-sentenced-to-200-years-in-prison-for-murder-of-190-children/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2026-11-06-kenyan-cult-leader-sentenced-to-200-years-in-prison-for-murder-of-190-children/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 12:48:06 +0000A Kenyan court sentenced cult leader Paul Mackenzie on Friday to 200 years in prison for the murders of 190 children starved to death on his orders and buried in a forest, among 500 suspected victims of one of the worst ceremonial massacres of modern times.

The sentence was comprised of 100 years for murder by starvation and 100 years by direct homicide, justice Diana Kavedza said, reading out the judgment.

Prosecutors said Mackenzie, who led an apocalyptic Christian church in a forest near eastern Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast, had told his followers to starve themselves to death, along with their children, to reach heaven before the end of the world.

His accomplices threatened and beat victims to ensure they followed his orders. The emaciated bodies were found scattered in shallow graves and dumped in latrines. Some had been buried alive.

Mackenzie, wearing a grey polo shirt and black trousers, smiled as he entered a tent set up outside the court where the hearing was held.

He had denied murder charges, saying he did not force the victims to starve. The court rejected his defence.

Father lost six children

The case shocked Kenya in April 2023 when police began uncovering bodies in Shakahola Forest near the coastal town of Malindi.

Though only the cases of 190 children and one adult victim were covered by the trial, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights says 448 bodies were ultimately found in the forest.

Mackenzie is also accused of ordering the deaths of 52 people found at a separate location in a village 30km away, bringing the suspected total toll to 500. He has pleaded not guilty in that case.

I lost friends too, and my younger brother. It’s justice to the people who we lost over there in Shakahola

Dan Mackenzie, one of Paul’s sons

The scale of the killing is comparable to that of a doomsday cult that killed more than 700 people in Uganda in 2000, and the 1978 Jonestown massacre in Guyana when an American cult leader killed more than 900 people by ordering them to drink poison.

Stephen Mwiti, 48, father of six of Mackenzie’s child victims and husband of one of his convicted accomplices, said his wife had taken the children to Shakahola, where they were starved to death.

Even if the adults had agreed to fast, “what about the children?” Mwiti told Reuters ahead of the sentencing.

“I lost children and I will not be able to get them back no matter what happens to Mackenzie and his accomplices,” Mwiti said. “I expect him to be sentenced to death or be jailed for life so that he never comes out to cause more deaths.”

Dan Mackenzie, one of Paul’s sons, said his father did not spare his own family.

“I didn’t end up in Shakahola, because I didn’t believe anymore about ... going to heaven. So I left the church and started doing my own thing,” he told Reuters. “I lost friends too, and my younger brother. It’s justice to the people who we lost over there in Shakahola.”

An important step, but more accountability needed

Mackenzie had been on the radar of the authorities since 2017 when his premises were searched by the police. In 2019, authorities shut down Mackenzie’s church in Malindi and he relocated to the nearby Shakahola Forest.

The discoveries prompted calls for tighter oversight of religious groups. President William Ruto appointed a task force in May 2023 to review the legal and regulatory framework, and separate government-backed and Senate proposals were published in 2024, though they have yet to be passed into law.

Ojiro Odhiambo, head of rapid response at the Kenya Human Rights Commission, said the conviction was an important step but accountability should go further as local administrators, police, intelligence officers and religious leaders bore responsibility for failing to act on repeated warning signs.

“All these people have failed the people,” he said.

In 2023, Ruto said he took responsibility as president for the government having failed to prevent the deaths.

Reuters

]]>Monicah Mwangi<![CDATA[Defender names global finalists for inaugural Trophy challenge]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-defender-names-global-finalists-for-inaugural-trophy-challenge/https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-defender-names-global-finalists-for-inaugural-trophy-challenge/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 12:41:05 +0000Jaguar Land Rover’s Defender brand has announced the 36 national winners who will compete in the inaugural Defender Trophy Global Final, an international adventure challenge that will take place in Africa later this year.

The finalists were selected through 10 regional events, after an application process that attracted more than 23,000 entries from around the world. They come from a range of backgrounds, including astronauts, filmmakers and firefighters.

The Global Final will cover 3,000km across three countries, with competitors tackling a series of off-road challenges while contributing to five conservation and community projects.

Working alongside conservation partner Tusk, participants will provide practical support to initiatives aimed at making a lasting positive impact in the areas they visit.

The Defender Trophy marks the brand’s return to international adventure challenges, 45 years after the original concept was introduced. It revives the famous Camel Trophy, the annual off-road competition held between 1980 and 2000, which became closely associated with Land Rover vehicles and their off-road capabilities.

The new event draws on that heritage, combining vehicle-based challenges with conservation and community work.

South Africa will be represented by Lance Kime and Isabelle Roux.

The other finalists come from Australia, China, Japan, Taiwan, North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

The full list of finalists is:

  • APAC: Lily Hillary
  • Australia: Glen Wimberley, Louise McNair
  • China: Shi Zeyuan, Wang Xuanyi, Zhu Weiqiang
  • Europe: Mathilde Vougny, Max Ferrer, Marc Offenbacher, Michele Nava, Henri Steyaert, Niels Vaandrager, Tobias Wernik, Pavel Paloncy, Mert Becce, Simon Kessler, Ozbe Steblaj, Patrik Sandell, Dimitrios Kleon Papadimitriou, Bartosz Kolaczkowski, Patrycja Woszczek
  • Japan: Naoki Imamura
  • Middle East and North Africa: Craig Saunders, Julie Millasseau, Khaled Ahmad Al Shaker
  • North America: Nathaniel Biggs, Tirin Cameron, Adrian Kowryha, Andrew Leveille, Sarah Gillis
  • South America: Emiliano Flores, Luis Eduardo Aceituno
  • South Africa: Lance Kime, Isabelle Roux
  • Taiwan: Antony Tsai, Louie Wu

TimesLIVE

]]>JLR<![CDATA[LIVE RESULTS UPDATE | Track the 2026 local government election results here]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-05-live-results-update-track-the-2026-local-government-election-results-here/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-05-live-results-update-track-the-2026-local-government-election-results-here/Thu, 05 Nov 2026 10:36:04 +0000The local government election results are trickling in at the results operation centre at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says the 2026 local government election results are being processed faster than during the previous municipal elections, with 18 municipalities having completed the results process by 9am on Thursday.

Click here to follow the results in real time.

]]>Thapelo Morebudi<![CDATA[Lilly to sell obesity drugs directly on Hims & Hers site]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sci-tech/2026-11-06-lilly-to-sell-obesity-drugs-directly-on-hims-hers-site/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sci-tech/2026-11-06-lilly-to-sell-obesity-drugs-directly-on-hims-hers-site/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 12:35:49 +0000Eli Lilly said on Friday it struck a deal to allow telehealth company Hims & Hers Health to sell obesity drugs Zepbound and Foundayo directly on its platform.

Shares of Hims & Hers rose more than 7% in premarket trading.

The Lilly drugs were previously available to patients on Hims & Hers only if they left the site and went to Lilly’s own cash-pay platform, LillyDirect.

The move puts Lilly on equal footing with Danish rival Novo Nordisk, which has been selling its Wegovy and Ozempic through Hims & Hers since March, after previously suing the telehealth company for offering compounded versions of its medications.

Lilly leads the obesity drug market with its highly effective injectable Zepbound, even as Novo has sold millions more obesity pills in the US. Lilly launched its oral Foundayo in April, around three months after Novo’s Wegovy pill came to market.

“The ease and ability for someone on the Hims & Hers platform today to get Lilly medicine is not fully straightforward,” said Ilya Yuffa, president of Lilly USA.

Last week Lilly raised its full-year revenue forecast by $5bn on booming demand for its injectable weight-loss drugs

He said any friction point for consumers increases the chance of abandonment.

As part of the deal, Yuffa said Hims & Hers has agreed to not sell any compounded versions or knockoffs of Lilly obesity medications.

Self-pay pricing starts at $149 (about R2,443) per month for Lilly’s obesity pill Foundayo and $299 per month for injectable GLP-1 Zepbound, matching the prices available through LillyDirect.

Novo’s drugs on the platform start at $149 per month for the Wegovy pill and $199 per month for the Wegovy injector pen.

Some 40% to 45% of Zepbound sales are through self-pay channels, according to Lilly.

Analysts have said that Hims & Hers may get a boost next ​year from employers dropping coverage of weight-loss drugs to rein in costs.

Last week Lilly raised its full-year revenue forecast by $5bn on booming demand for its injectable weight-loss drugs. The company’s lead in the enormous and expanding obesity drug market has propelled Lilly to a $1.2-trillion market valuation.

Reuters

]]>Brendan McDermid<![CDATA[UK doctor with Ebola returns from DRC to London for treatment]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/2026-11-06-uk-doctor-with-ebola-returns-from-drc-to-london-for-treatment/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/2026-11-06-uk-doctor-with-ebola-returns-from-drc-to-london-for-treatment/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 12:12:26 +0000A British doctor who tested positive for Ebola while working on the epidemic in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) returned to Britain on Thursday, with health authorities saying the risk of the deadly disease spreading to the wider public remains low.

It is the first case involving a British national linked to the current outbreak, although several other people from elsewhere in Europe have been infected. Imported cases are rare, with a handful of confirmed cases recorded in Britain since 1976.

Authorities have said they do not expect the case to have a serious public health impact in Britain and anticipate no disruption to international travel or trade.

The patient, whose identity was not disclosed, is being treated in a high-level isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London, staffed by specialist clinical teams and designed to prevent contact between the patient and the public, the government said.

Renu Bindra, deputy director for All Hazards Public Health Response at the UK Health Security Agency, said the agency and the National Health Service had established infection-prevention and control protocols to limit the risk of onward transmission.

“The risk to the wider public remains low,” Bindra said.

Ebola is a severe viral disease spread through direct contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids. The World Health Organisation says the disease is fatal in about half of cases on average, though mortality rates vary between outbreaks.

The current outbreak in DRC is the second-largest on record, with more than 10,000 confirmed cases and more than 5,000 deaths reported.

Reuters

]]>Gradel Muyisa Mumbere<![CDATA[Bafana coach: why I selected Siyanda Ndlovu for Kenya Afcon games]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2026-11-06-bafana-coach-why-i-selected-siyanda-ndlovu-for-kenya-afcon-games/https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2026-11-06-bafana-coach-why-i-selected-siyanda-ndlovu-for-kenya-afcon-games/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 12:19:50 +0000

Story audio is generated using AI

When he joined Mamelodi Sundowns from Golden Arrows in July, most football fans feared that exciting winger Siyanda Ndlovu might struggle to get game time at the star-studded side.

Fast forward about four months, and 23-year-old “Skhwishi” has earned his first Bafana Bafana call-up for their back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers against Kenya.

Bafana host Benni McCarthy’s “Harambee Stars” at Orlando Stadium on Friday (6pm) before traveling to Nairobi for the second leg on Tuesday, November 17.

Ndlovu was not in the preliminary squad, but his impressive performances have led coach Pitso Mosimane to pick him for the crucial qualifiers where Bafana are looking to extend their lead at the top of Group D.

In his last three matches, Ndlovu helped Sundowns to wins over Golden Arrows, Durban City and Marumo Gallants in all competitions.

I want to check him in the national team because this is not the same level as club level.

Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane

“If you look at his last few games, he came out with two man-of-the-match awards, he is scoring, assisting and he is a deliberate player.

“He is a little bit of a duplicate of Thapelo Maseko, and I like those types of wingers,” said Mosimane.

“Some people like wingers to turn around, but I like them going for one-on-ones and going behind the defence and bringing the ball into the box ... and let’s tap it in. Those are my kind of wingers.

“He is deliberate. But you must score also goals. You can’t just tell us about assists. He is that kind of player, who has intensity.”

Mosimane said while they were introducing Ndlovu into the national team set-up, there was no guarantee that he was going to get an opportunity to play.

“I want to check him in the national team, because this is not the same level as club level. We want to see how he is, how he will fit in, and we need to create a big pool of players.

“We don’t have time and I am not like Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus‚ who says: ‘I am taking the England tour’. I have to follow what Fifa gives me. And at the moment there are friendly games until the Afcon final.

“How am I going to see the players who are doing well? I need to bring them into the camp and train with them. When we bring you in, it doesn’t mean you are going to play.

“We acknowledge that you are doing well. Now we want to see if you can fit into the set-up, we want you to come and learn how we do things here because we do things differently to your club.

“We have our own set-pieces and corner kicks, etc. Can these players adapt. Maybe not easily, but let him come to see how it’s done at the national team.

“This is international level and it is not only about talent, it is about fitting into the group. We are building a culture and we need to keep it in the national team.

“Look at the culture of the Springboks, the coaches play whatever player they want to play. And there is no player who is going to say ‘I am not playing’.

“We are not copying from the Boks, because all the programmes are different all the way from school level. Where is my Craven Week in football? We don’t have those kinds of programmes to build from.”

TimesLIVE

]]>BackpagePix/ Samuel Shivambu<![CDATA[Ex-MP Ndlozi explains why he didn’t vote in local government elections ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-ex-mp-ndlozi-explains-why-he-didnt-vote-in-local-government-elections/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-ex-mp-ndlozi-explains-why-he-didnt-vote-in-local-government-elections/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 12:19:43 +0000Former EFF member of parliament Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has revealed that he did not vote in the recent 2026 local government elections, citing his dissatisfaction with the state of black political parties in South Africa.

South Africans headed to the polls this week to cast their ballots in the municipal elections. Out of 29.2-million registered voters across 23,696 voting stations nationwide, about 14.5-million citizens cast their votes.

Speaking during an interview on SABC1’s Daily Thetha, Ndlozi was asked why his thumb lacked the ink mark indicating he had voted. He responded that he had chosen not to participate.

“I couldn’t,” Ndlozi said. “I’m very unhappy with the conduct of black people in South Africa. I don’t know why we’ve accepted being atomised, because we are not going to achieve anything this way.”

South Africa has 732 political parties registered with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), 546 of which contested these local government elections. Ndlozi expressed concern over the proliferation of black-led parties, arguing that it serves only to divide black voters.

“My difficulty is that there are nearly 600 political parties, whereas white voters effectively have two choices,” he said.

“For us, we are forced to choose among people who have already had their chance yet fail to address unemployment or poverty. I cannot participate in the further division of black people. I am part of the 51% of voters who are unmoved by this continuous atomisation of our people.”

Everyone wants to be a leader; nobody wants to serve. Everybody in the room demands to be served, yet we know that the greatest among us is the one who serves

Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, former EFF MP

He emphasised that democratic rights should unite rather than divide.

“Throughout history, the mission of democracy was not to divide us. You cannot act effectively if you are divided.”

Ndlozi also criticised coalition governments, arguing they have failed to improve citizens’ daily lives.

“South Africa is only getting worse because they cannot work together. They are the product of an inability to cooperate and of pure egocentrism. Everyone wants to be a leader; nobody wants to serve. Everybody in the room demands to be served, yet we know that the greatest among us is the one who serves.”

Ndlozi asserted that political parties are not capable of solving South Africa’s systemic crises, accusing many political parties of turning their organisations into businesses.

“Our problems such as poverty, unemployment, and inequality are not going to be resolved by the political party entrepreneurship displayed [on voting day]. These individuals are businesspeople using politics for personal gain.”

Rather than relying on political parties to drive change, Ndlozi argued that civil society organisations, such as the Batho Pele Convention he recently launched, are better positioned to meet community needs.

“That’s why we started a civil society organisation: to propel the rise of a new black mindset that is community-driven and motivated by the desire to see this country thrive. If that is your desire, you will do everything in your power to work with your neighbour.”

He said his initiative has no future ambitions of contesting elections.

“I have no interest in forming a new political party.”

TimesLive

]]>Instagram/Mbuyiseni Ndlozi<![CDATA[Democrats plan surge of AI regulation bills when they take over Congress]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/2026-11-06-democrats-plan-surge-of-ai-regulation-bills-when-they-take-over-congress/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/2026-11-06-democrats-plan-surge-of-ai-regulation-bills-when-they-take-over-congress/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 11:48:52 +0000Democrats are planning to unleash a flood of new legislation targeting artificial intelligence systems and data centre development when they take control of the US Congress in January 2027, lawmakers, congressional aides and advocates said.

The plans would mark a sharp shift from the Republican-led Congress, where lawmakers largely focused on promoting AI development and declined to pass legislation restricting aspects of the technology at a time when voters turned against the rapid development of data centres and their extensive power needs.

Democrats plan on introducing bills aimed at shielding consumers from rising electricity costs tied to data centres, requiring independent testing of advanced AI systems and clarifying when AI companies can be held liable for harm caused by their products, they said.

Any legislation would face steep odds while President Donald Trump remains in the White House, as he has repeatedly dismissed calls to write mandatory rules for AI technology.

But Democratic lawmakers and outside advocates said control of congressional committees would give the party a platform to advance proposals, compel testimony from industry leaders and build support for action if AI systems cause real-world harm. Representative Greg Casar, a Texas Democrat and chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, already said this week that AI executives should be called to testify under oath.

Federal government restrictions on AI development could hurt the industry’s profits if they slow the release of new models or prompt the companies to change how their AI tools perform to address concerns that their products are harming people.

Technology shares sold off dramatically on Thursday on growing concerns that a new Congress will slow AI development, but also on fears that the massive capital expense on building out AI will not yield sufficient returns.

Multiple bills likely

Senator Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat who is expected to become majority leader, said on Thursday at an event in Washington that protecting consumers from higher energy costs linked to the rapid expansion of data centres would be among his priorities next year.

Representative Lori Trahan of Massachusetts, one of the Democratic Party’s leading voices on AI policy, plans to push legislation requiring independent experts to evaluate leading AI models against safety standards, said Francis Grubar, her deputy chief of staff. Trahan will also pursue legislation clarifying that companies can be held responsible when AI systems act in harmful ways, he said.

Representative Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat from California who is seeking to chair the House Science Committee, said Democrats would focus on developing “responsible regulations for AI while also fostering innovation.”

Abdul El-Sayed, a Michigan Democrat who won a Senate seat on Tuesday, called during his campaign for an independent agency to oversee AI regulation with the power to police tech companies developing the technology.

Public concern about AI is already high. Most US voters think Trump’s administration and Congress are not taking the risks of AI seriously enough and want the government to ​write new regulations for the technology, according to a Reuters poll published in October. A crisis could build enough support to overcome presidential opposition to AI regulation, said Ed Mills, who manages policy research at Raymond James.

“The probability of legislation is much higher than people anticipate,” he said.

Congress can override a presidential veto with the backing of two-thirds of lawmakers in both chambers. Democrats could also try to insert AI regulation into routine bills that must pass Congress each year, Mills said.

Democrats also plan to use their new authority to intensify scrutiny of the industry’s most powerful companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic. Lofgren and other Democratic House committee leaders in October asked OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, Alphabet’s Google and SpaceX to detail their security practices and report instances of their AI tools taking actions that their designers did not intend.

Reuters

]]>Umit Bektas<![CDATA[EU charges TikTok over harmful algorithmic ‘rabbit hole’ effects]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sci-tech/2026-11-06-eu-charges-tiktok-over-harmful-algorithmic-rabbit-hole-effects/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sci-tech/2026-11-06-eu-charges-tiktok-over-harmful-algorithmic-rabbit-hole-effects/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 11:44:49 +0000EU tech regulators charged social media platform TikTok on Friday with breaching the bloc’s online content rules due to the so-called “rabbit hole” effect of its recommender system, which attracts users’ attention to a constant stream of similar videos.

TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, risks a fine next year of up to 6% of its global annual turnover unless it can resolve the issue.

Social media companies are under pressure to modify their algorithms amid growing concerns worldwide that their platforms are contributing ​to a mental health crisis among children, prompting some governments to impose or consider bans for underage users.

The European commission, which acts as the EU tech regulator, said it issued charges known as preliminary findings to TikTok after the company failed to implement proportionate, reasonable and effective mitigation measures to address the risks.

It said endless and repeated exposure to content about sadness, isolation or body image can have a detrimental impact on users’ mental health.

“Every time a user scrolls or likes a video on TikTok, the algorithm serves more of the same, leading users down rabbit holes they cannot easily escape from,” EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said.

“Today’s [Friday] preliminary findings show again that TikTok needs to step up its efforts to protect users’ wellbeing, including those of minors,” she said.

The commission said TikTok needs to change the design of its “For You” feed algorithm and should rely more on users’ explicit preferences, increase the accessibility and usability of user controls and regularly test its algorithm, among other changes.

Broader investigation into TikTok

The charges are under the EU’s Digital Services Act, which requires big online platforms to do more to tackle harmful and illegal content on their platforms.

The latest charges are part of a broader EU investigation into TikTok.

EU regulators charged TikTok in February over what regulators said were the platform’s addictive designs, inadequate efforts to protect children and making it difficult for researchers to request access to public data.

TikTok said at the time that those preliminary findings were “categorically false” and it would take steps to challenge them.

The commission is ⁠separately investigating so-called rabbit hole effects caused by Meta Platforms’ Facebook and Instagram recommendation systems.

Reuters

]]>EUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration<![CDATA[SUPRA MAHUMAPELO | The UN has failed on its promise: the case for meaningful reform]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/opinion/2026-11-06-supra-mahumapelo-the-un-has-failed-on-its-promise-the-case-for-meaningful-reform/https://www.timeslive.co.za/opinion/2026-11-06-supra-mahumapelo-the-un-has-failed-on-its-promise-the-case-for-meaningful-reform/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 12:09:00 +0000Many in the Global South increasingly question whether the UN is fulfilling the purpose for which it was established.

Concerns about the organisation’s effectiveness have grown as conflicts persist, humanitarian crises deepen, and multilateral institutions struggle to respond decisively to complex global challenges. While the UN continues to play an important humanitarian and developmental role, its ability to maintain international peace and security is increasingly being called into question.

The UN was founded in the aftermath of World War 2, partly in response to the shortcomings of the League of Nations. Its founding vision was to promote collective security, international co-operation, accountability and peaceful resolution of disputes. Yet many observers argue that the international system today continues to face challenges remarkably similar to those that confronted the league decades ago.

The organisation increasingly finds itself constrained by geopolitical divisions among major powers

The organisation increasingly finds itself constrained by geopolitical divisions among major powers. As a result, consensus on matters of war, peace and security often proves elusive, raising concerns about the effectiveness of multilateral decision-making at a time when global co-operation is most needed.

For many developing nations, meetings of the General Assembly frequently highlight important global concerns but often fall short of producing decisive action on pressing international crises. Ongoing conflicts, violations of international law, insecurity in vulnerable regions and the marginalisation of smaller states continue to test the credibility of the multilateral system.

A recurrent criticism of the UN concerns the structure of the Security Council, particularly the veto power held by its permanent members. Critics contend that this arrangement often prevents the organisation from acting decisively in situations where urgent intervention or collective action may be required. Calls for Security Council reform have therefore become increasingly prominent, especially from developing countries seeking a more representative and equitable international order.

Questions have also been raised regarding the consistent application of international law. Perceptions of selective accountability have contributed to growing scepticism about the fairness of global governance institutions and their ability to uphold universal principles without favour or prejudice.

South Africa’s decision to approach the International Court of Justice regarding the conflict in Gaza highlighted the extent to which some member states feel compelled to seek accountability through international legal mechanisms when political processes appear unable to resolve disputes. More broadly, prolonged instability in regions such as the Middle East and the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to underscore the limitations of existing international responses to conflict.

The humanitarian consequences of war remain devastating. Civilians, particularly women and children, continue to bear the heaviest burden of armed conflict. In many instances, the international community appears unable to prevent suffering or secure timely and lasting solutions.

The central question is therefore not whether multilateralism remains necessary. Rather, it is whether the UN, in its current form, is adequately equipped to fulfil its mandate in a rapidly changing world

Similar concerns arise in relation to climate change. While the Conference of the Parties process remains an important platform for global engagement, progress is often shaped by competing national interests and differing development priorities. The gap between commitments and implementation continues to generate frustration among those seeking more urgent collective action.

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine further illustrates the difficulties facing the contemporary multilateral system. Despite sustained international engagement, a durable resolution remains elusive, reflecting the broader challenges confronting global governance institutions.

Taken together, these developments raise important questions about the future relevance, legitimacy and effectiveness of the UN. Increasingly, states are turning to smaller multilateral formations, regional alliances and issue-based partnerships to advance their interests and address common challenges.

The central question is therefore not whether multilateralism remains necessary. Rather, it is whether the UN, in its current form, is adequately equipped to fulfil its mandate in a rapidly changing world. If confidence in the institution is to be restored, meaningful reform will be required. Such reform should include renewed consideration of Security Council representation, decision-making processes and mechanisms that strengthen accountability and responsiveness.

Meaningful reform should also include the establishment of a world parliamentary forum to exercise oversight of the UN General Assembly, strengthening transparency and the accountability of heads of state participating in its proceedings. Such a forum should provide a platform for parliamentary scrutiny of commitments made by national leaders and the steps taken to implement them. Its composition, powers and relationship with the General Assembly would need to be clearly defined and agreed upon by member states so that parliamentary oversight strengthens rather than merely duplicates existing multilateral processes.

The UN remains an important symbol of international co-operation. However, unless it adapts to contemporary geopolitical realities and responds more effectively to the concerns of developed and developing nations, its credibility may continue to diminish. The case for reform is therefore not a case against the UN itself, but rather an argument for ensuring that it remains fit for purpose in the 21st century.

  • Supra Mahumapelo is the chairperson of the portfolio committee on international relations and co-operation in the National Assembly.

TimesLIVE

]]> Branday McDermid/Reuters<![CDATA[Racing Bulls F1 principal Permane handed contract extension to 2031]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-racing-bulls-f1-principal-permane-handed-contract-extension-to-2031/https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-racing-bulls-f1-principal-permane-handed-contract-extension-to-2031/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 12:06:42 +0000Racing Bulls principal Alan Permane has signed a contract extension through to the end of 2031, the Red Bull-owned Formula One team said on Friday.

Racing Bulls are heading for the team’s best finish to a season, in fifth place and 39 points clear of sixth-placed Alpine, with four races remaining, including Sunday’s São Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil.

Permane joined as racing director in January 2024 after 34 years at Enstone with the team that is now Renault-owned Alpine. He took the principal position in July 2025 after Laurent Mekies took over from Christian Horner at Red Bull.

The Italy-based team finished sixth overall last year.

Red Bull last month extended Mekies’ contract to the end of 2031.

Racing Bulls have yet to confirm their 2027 driver lineup. British rookie Arvid Lindblad and New Zealander Liam Lawson are the current pairing.

Reuters

]]>Red Bull Content Pool<![CDATA[World food prices dip in October, but stay higher than a year ago]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-world-food-prices-dip-in-october-but-stay-higher-than-a-year-ago/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-world-food-prices-dip-in-october-but-stay-higher-than-a-year-ago/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 11:22:48 +0000World food prices edged lower in October as weaker import demand contributed to monthly declines in cereal, dairy and meat prices, but were still nearly 6% higher than a year earlier, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation said on Friday.

The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in international prices for a basket of food commodities, averaged 133.9 points in October, down from a revised 135.6 in September.

The index was 5.9% higher than a year earlier, but remained 16.4% below its March 2022 peak.

FAO’s cereal price index fell 4.5% from September and was 12.6% lower than a year ago, as wheat and maize quotations declined. Wheat prices eased on weak import demand and improved production prospects, especially in Argentina.

“Expectations of easing constraints on Black Sea export flows added to the downward pressure on prices, although continued disruptions to Black Sea logistics limited the decline,” FAO said in a statement.

Maize prices also eased after reaching a three-year high in September, pressured by the US harvest, expectations of ample supplies in South America and renewed prospects of easing tensions in the Black Sea region.

Vegetable oil prices edged up 0.3%, as higher soybean and sunflower oil prices more than offset a fall in rapeseed oil prices.

Sugar prices rose 6.6%, their fourth straight monthly increase, to the highest level since December 2024, after rainfall disrupted harvesting in Brazil. They were now 28.8% higher than a year ago.

The dairy index fell 1.1%, as lower butter and cheese prices linked to ample supplies and subdued demand outweighed gains in milk powder.

The meat index declined 1.2%, while still slightly above its year-earlier level, as pig, ovine and bovine meat prices fell.

Reuters

]]><![CDATA[Offices of Irish media groups evacuated due to bomb threats, one deemed a hoax]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-offices-of-irish-media-groups-evacuated-due-to-bomb-threats-one-deemed-a-hoax/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-offices-of-irish-media-groups-evacuated-due-to-bomb-threats-one-deemed-a-hoax/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 11:20:45 +0000The offices of Irish media groups, including national broadcaster RTE, were evacuated after bomb threats on Friday that a presenter on one of the affected radio stations, Newstalk, said had been deemed a hoax.

Newstalk resumed programming at 10am GMT after staff were told they could return to the building in central Dublin, presenter Claire Byrne said on air. The Irish Independent newspaper group reported that its offices in the capital had also been evacuated.

A reporter for RTE radio said after news programming went back on air from an outside broadcasting unit that a threat was sent to the broadcaster by email shortly before 9am GMT that a bomb was going to go off within 45 minutes.

The presenter of RTE Radio One’s mid-morning news show said he understood that the email was purported to be from the same people behind hoax bomb threats that disrupted dozens of passenger flights across Europe on Thursday.

“It is worrying, and we take the threat seriously,” Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said in a telephone interview with RTE shortly after the more than one-hour interruption to its programming ended.

“It just illustrates how relatively simple it can be to cause disruption and to undermine the normal operation of society through unconventional activities of this kind, which are designed to cause disruption, designed to cause fear and anxiety. We have to remain calm and very focused on this.”

RTE’s campus in south Dublin remained closed while police checked it building by building, the reporter said.

Reuters

]]>Clodagh Kilcoyne<![CDATA[Libyan court convicts six people for illegal drug production]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-libyan-court-convicts-six-people-for-illegal-drug-production/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-libyan-court-convicts-six-people-for-illegal-drug-production/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 10:29:01 +0000A court in Libya has convicted six people of producing the psychotropic substance captagon for trafficking, the latest move to tackle the illegal spread of the amphetamine-type stimulant.

The North African nation has become a major regional transit hub for synthetic drugs and other narcotics, the UN said in January. Captagon, or fenethylline, is known as the “poor man’s cocaine” and is popular in the Middle East.

The court in Qubbah, a small town in eastern Libya, sentenced the first defendant to 25 years in prison and imposed a fine of 22,000 dinars (R56,683), the Tripoli-based attorney-general office, which works for the whole country, said late on Thursday.

“The remaining defendants were convicted in absentia and sentenced to life imprisonment, with a fine of 70,000 dinars (R180,356) imposed upon each,” the office said on Facebook.

The statement did not reveal the quantity of the drug but included pictures of round, light-coloured pharmaceutical tablets and some others in plastic bags alongside metal pill-pressing dies and measurement tools.

Drug gangs have exploited the tumultuous situation in the country since 2011, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime ⁠said in its January report.

Libya plunged into a prolonged period of internal conflict and division after former ruler Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in a Nato-backed uprising that year.

In October, a military brigade operating under the Libyan National Army of military commander Khalifa Haftar seized more than 1.3-million narcotic pills after a firefight with smugglers in the southeastern town of Kufra that wounded three soldiers, according to the military.

Reuters

]]>Orhan Qereman<![CDATA[Google faces scrutiny over student suicide planning with AI chatbot]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-google-faces-scrutiny-over-student-suicide-planning-with-ai-chatbot/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-google-faces-scrutiny-over-student-suicide-planning-with-ai-chatbot/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 10:40:33 +0000The parents of a girl in the US who used Google’s Gemini AI chatbot on her school-provided Chromebook to make a plan to die by suicide have sued the company, claiming it pushed its AI products on students and failed to warn of their dangers.

The girl, identified as “Emma”, began using Gemini on her Chromebook when she was 13.

Emma discussed different methods of suicide with Gemini and planned a funeral for herself while the bot helped her conceal her feelings from her family, the lawsuit claims.

Parents say they were alerted after school software flagged a document Emma wrote about her funeral plans, according to the lawsuit.

In a race to expand the audience for Gemini, Google wove the AI into all of its products without warning parents or schools, the lawsuit says.

Google knew Gemini 3 Flash, the version Emma used, was unsafe and mishandled mental health issues from users, the lawsuit says.

José Castañeda, a spokesperson for Google, said the company is reviewing the claims.

“We’ve worked extensively with medical professionals and academic experts to build features that help young people find critical support and trusted resources when they need it,” Castañeda said.

The lawsuit, which seeks monetary damages, was filed on Monday in California state court. Google moved it to a federal court on Wednesday.

Google said this week it will turn off Gemini by default for school student accounts, but schools that want students to retain access to Google Search will still have to accept AI features such as AI-generated summaries.

Reuters

]]>Aleksandra Michalska<![CDATA[Bus crashes in eastern France, several casualties, authorities say]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-bus-crashes-in-eastern-france-several-casualties-authorities-say/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-bus-crashes-in-eastern-france-several-casualties-authorities-say/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 10:43:06 +0000A bus crashed on Friday morning in eastern France near Switzerland, resulting in “several victims”, local authorities said.

Education minister Edouard Geffray said the crash involved a bus believed to be transporting school pupils, with the mayor of Lent, the small town where the crash took place, confirming that it was a school bus. The local prefecture said the collision involved an intercity bus.

The Lent mayor, Yves Cristin, said 70 people were affected by the crash, and the town had opened its community hall to provide care and shelter to the crash victims.

BFM TV showed a picture of a blue and white bus tilted in what appeared to be a ditch on the side of the road, while a crowd of people stood outside it.

The broadcaster reported two fatalities, but a spokesperson for the civil protection agency told the broadcaster he could not confirm the deaths. The prefecture also said it could not confirm any deaths.

The transport minister Philippe Tabarot said he was on his way to the scene.

Reuters

]]>123RF<![CDATA[New Audi RS 5 arrives in SA with 470kW plug-in hybrid power]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-new-audi-rs-5-arrives-in-sa-with-470kw-plug-in-hybrid-power/https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-new-audi-rs-5-arrives-in-sa-with-470kw-plug-in-hybrid-power/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 10:39:06 +0000The new Audi RS 5 has arrived in Mzansi, marking the first time the high-performance model has been offered with plug-in hybrid power.

Available in Sedan and Avant body styles, it combines a twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine with an electric motor.

Now available at Audi RS dealerships across the country, here’s a closer look at what Ingolstadt’s latest offering brings to the table

A wider, more aggressive exterior

The new RS 5 has a broader appearance than the standard A5 on which it is based. Its body is 40mm wider on either side at both the front and rear, giving it a more substantial stance.

20-inch Audi Sport five-Y-spoke alloy wheels are fitted as standard equipment.
20-inch Audi Sport five-Y-spoke alloy wheels are fitted as standard equipment.

At the front, a distinctive Singleframe radiator grille is flanked by larger air intakes, while the rear features centrally positioned matte oval exhaust outlets. A vertically positioned red reflector in the rear diffuser provides a reference to the model’s motorsport heritage.

The sedan has a conventional three-box profile, while the avant combines the same styling with an estate body shape.

Standard exterior features include:

  • gloss-black RS detailing;
  • black mirror housings;
  • a RS sport exhaust system; and
  • 20-inch Audi Sport five-Y-spoke alloy wheels finished in platinum grey.

The lighting system comprises darkened Matrix LED headlamp clusters with dynamic light sequencing and RS-specific signatures, as well as LED Pro taillamps with dynamic turn signals.

The RS 5 Avant will delight wagon fans.
The RS 5 Avant will delight wagon fans.

Customers can opt for 21-inch Audi Sport alloy wheels in platinum grey matte, black metallic or neodymium gold matte finishes. Other options include gloss carbon and matte carbon camouflage styling packages. The latter uses individual carbon-fibre fragments embedded in a composite structure, giving each component a unique finish.

Available exterior colours include progressive red, ascari blue, daytona grey, plateau grey and mythos black. Bedford green is reserved for models fitted with the optional Audi Sport package, which also includes more aggressive bumper designs and raises the electronically limited top speed to 285km/h.

Chassis and suspension

One of the RS 5’s key engineering developments is its quattro drivetrain, which incorporates Dynamic Torque Control. The system actively distributes torque between the rear wheels, adjusting how much power each receives according to driving conditions and driver inputs. This is intended to improve traction, stability and agility when cornering.

The drivetrain is paired with an RS-specific sport suspension featuring twin-valve shock absorbers. These allow the suspension to adapt to different driving conditions in real time, balancing body control during more demanding driving with comfort during everyday use.

The RS 5’s plug-in hybrid powertrain produces a combined system output of 470kW and 825Nm.
The RS 5’s plug-in hybrid powertrain produces a combined system output of 470kW and 825Nm.

Audi drive select allows drivers to adjust the vehicle’s characteristics through different driving modes, including Balanced, Dynamic and RS Sport. An additional RS Torque Rear mode is also available. However, Audi specifies that this mode is intended exclusively for closed-course use, as it allows significant power oversteer.

Plug-in hybrid performance

The RS 5’s plug-in hybrid powertrain combines a 2.9l twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine with an electric motor to produce a combined system output of 470kW and 825Nm. Power is delivered to all four wheels through an eight-speed tiptronic automatic transmission and Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system.

Audi claims a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 3.6 seconds, while the top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h. This increases to 285km/h with the optional Audi Sport package.

The hybrid system uses a lithium-ion battery with a usable capacity of 22kWh, providing an electric driving range of between 78km and 84km. It can be charged using an AC supply at up to 11kW, while energy recuperation technology also allows the battery to recharge while driving.

The regenerative braking system recovers energy during deceleration and when the driver lifts off the accelerator. Drivers can adjust the level of regeneration in three stages using the steering-wheel paddles when travelling in electric mode. An automatic recuperation function can also be activated through the MMI infotainment system.

The 2.9l twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine is paired with an electric motor.
The 2.9l twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine is paired with an electric motor.

Two main operating modes are available: EV and Hybrid. The former uses electric power alone, while Hybrid mode manages the petrol engine and electric motor according to driving conditions. Drivers can also use a digital slider to select their preferred battery charge level.

A boost function provides access to maximum system output for up to 10 seconds at the push of a button mounted at the bottom of the left steering-wheel spoke. When activated, the transmission automatically selects the appropriate gear for acceleration, while a countdown in the driver’s display indicates how much boost time remains.

The function can be activated in any drive select mode, including EV mode, when the V6 engine starts to deliver the full system output. The exhaust valves also open to produce a more pronounced engine sound.

Interior and technology

The RS 5’s cabin combines performance-oriented design with a range of comfort and technology features.

Standard equipment includes RS sport seats plus, upholstered in perforated leather with honeycomb detailing, Nappa leather elements and contrasting stitching. Dinamica microfibre surfaces, Anthracite brushed aluminium inlays and illuminated RS accents complete the interior detailing.

The RS sport steering wheel is flattened at the top and bottom and incorporates multifunction controls and shift paddles. The front seats are electrically adjustable and include heating, ventilation and massage functions. Other standard comfort features include three-zone automatic climate control and the ambient lighting package pro.

The digital interface comprises Audi virtual cockpit plus and the MMI experience plus infotainment system. The driver’s display features RS-specific graphics, including engine revs, speed and a shift light. It can also display performance information such as G-forces, tyre temperatures and pressures, lap times and drivetrain data.

The RS sport steering wheel is flattened at the top and bottom and incorporates multifunction controls and shift paddles.
The RS sport steering wheel is flattened at the top and bottom and incorporates multifunction controls and shift paddles.

Audi’s driving experience function allows drivers to record and analyse their performance on a circuit. It monitors inputs such as accelerator and brake pedal use, oversteer and understeer, as well as lateral and longitudinal acceleration.

Lap and sector times can be recorded, saved and compared between sessions. The system can also automatically create track profiles, including for circuits that have not previously been recorded.

An optional dashcam integrated into the rear-view mirror can record driving footage, while a standard head-up display projects key information into the driver’s field of vision. The front passenger also gets a dedicated MMI display.

Audio is handled by a standard Bang & Olufsen 3D Premium sound system. Other standard features include:

  • a digital key;
  • Audi phone box;
  • smartphone interface; and
  • an electrically operated luggage compartment lid.

Driver assistance and safety equipment includes:

  • adaptive cruise control;
  • park assist plus;
  • surround-view cameras; and
  • various active safety systems.
Pricing starts at R2,430,000.
Pricing starts at R2,430,000.

An optional Technology package pro adds:

  • digital OLED rear lights;
  • a 3D and 360° camera system;
  • remote parking assistance; and

A panoramic glass roof with switchable transparency is also available as a no-cost option. It comprises nine individually controlled segments, allowing occupants to adjust the amount of light entering the cabin.

Pricing

The new Audi RS 5 is available in South Africa in sedan and avant body styles, with pricing as follows:

  • Audi RS 5 sedan: R2,430,000;
  • Audi RS 5 avant: R2,470,000.

Both models come standard with a five-year/100,000km Audi Freeway Plan.

TimesLIVE

]]>Audi<![CDATA[China adopts law on Antarctic activities and environmental protection]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-china-adopts-law-on-antarctic-activities-and-environmental-protection/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-china-adopts-law-on-antarctic-activities-and-environmental-protection/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 10:07:02 +0000Beijing has approved a law to improve China’s Antarctic research and strengthen regulation of its exploration activities, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Friday.

Like the US, China has been expanding its presence in Antarctica and the Arctic to explore polar resources.

The law aims to encourage Chinese scientific exploration and “safeguards the security of national activities, assets and other interests in Antarctica”.

It requires Chinese Antarctic activities to protect animals and plants, properly handle and dispose of waste, prevent marine pollution, and avoid or reduce adverse impacts on the Antarctic environment.

Permission for Chinese Antarctic research, tourism, shipping and other activities will be subject to a series of environmental, safety and other conditions.

China has had an atmospheric monitoring station in Antarctica for two years, observing changes and supporting the global response to climate change.

China is a party to the Antarctic Treaty, which designates the continent as a scientific preserve open to research and bans military activity, and to its 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection, which prohibited mining and oil exploration for 50 years.

Reuters

]]>NASA<![CDATA[Patients risk relapse as psychiatric drug shortages hit public clinics]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-11-06-patients-risk-relapse-as-psychiatric-drug-shortages-hit-public-clinics/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-11-06-patients-risk-relapse-as-psychiatric-drug-shortages-hit-public-clinics/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 09:59:25 +0000Patients living with serious mental health conditions are at risk of relapsing as shortages of essential psychiatric medication continue to affect public health facilities across the country, the South African Society of Psychiatrists (Sasop) has warned.

The shortages are affecting medicines used to treat conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder, with psychiatrists reporting problems in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and Eastern Cape.

Dr Mvuyiso Talatala, past president of Sasop, told TimesLIVE that the society had been receiving complaints from psychiatrists about medication shortages since June 2026.

He said the affected medicines include:

  • antipsychotics such as risperidone, olanzapine, aripiprazole, quetiapine, amisulpride and chlorpromazine;
  • antidepressants such as fluoxetine and amitriptyline;
  • lorazepam injections used to calm agitated patients; and
  • orphenadrine, which is used to treat some side effects of antipsychotic medication.

Talatala said the list might not cover all the affected medicines because Sasaop had not formally asked psychiatrists to submit a list of unavailable drugs.

“This list may not be comprehensive, as Sasop has not invited psychiatrists to submit a list of drugs that are not available. We are going by the uninvited complaints that we have received from psychiatrists,” he said.

This is increasing the utilisation of psychiatric hospital beds that are already under pressure from high demand

Dr Mvuyiso Talatala, former president of Sasop

He said while occasional shortages of psychiatric medication had happened over the years, reports suggesting a widespread problem began emerging around June. Sasop said it had not received an official explanation from the department of health about what was causing the shortages.

Talatala said psychiatrists had been given different explanations by health officials, including:

  • facilities failing to order medicines on time;
  • pharmaceutical factories being closed by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Saphra) for non-compliance; and
  • disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz.

“Obviously, none of these explanations is sufficient to account for a shortage of multiple drugs made by many pharmaceutical companies, including South African companies,” he said.

The society warned that patients who could not access their usual medication were at risk of relapsing, which could lead to further complications and hospital admissions. “And this is increasing the utilisation of psychiatric hospital beds that are already under pressure from high demand,” said Talatala.

Sasop said the effect of shortages was devastating for patients, health-care facilities and communities. It warned that relapses could be harmful to patients’ overall health and become more difficult to treat.

Patients needing psychiatric admission could also be left waiting in hospital emergency departments for hours or even days because of a lack of available psychiatric beds.

Sasop said emergency departments were not designed to serve as psychiatric wards and that staff were not necessarily trained to nurse patients with mental illnesses. It warned that this situation could expose patients to human rights abuses while also compromising care for people arriving at emergency departments with other medical emergencies.

Sasop has called on health minister Aaron Motsoaledi to investigate the shortages and find an urgent solution

Talatala said switching patients to alternative medication was not always a straightforward solution. He said some patients had already tried other medicines without success before finding one that worked for them. As a result, returning to previously unsuccessful treatments could put their health at risk.

He also warned that different psychiatric medicines did not have exactly the same effects, even when they were used to treat the same condition. “For instance, while theoretically amisulpride can replace olanzapine, as the two drugs are both antipsychotics, the two drugs have different side effects and some patients will respond to one and not the other.”

Changing medication also requires careful medical supervision, as doctors have to determine the correct dosage and gradually adjust treatment where necessary. Talatala said switching patients too quickly or incorrectly could expose them to side effects or trigger a relapse. He added that changing treatment could mean some patients needed to be referred for specialist care, while the alternative medicines were also running out.

Sasop said some psychiatrists had also reported that hospital management prevented them from issuing private prescriptions to families willing to buy unavailable medicines from private pharmacies. The society said that although alternative treatments could sometimes be considered, the options were limited and were also facing supply problems.

Sasop has called on health minister Aaron Motsoaledi to investigate the shortages and find an urgent solution. The society said it was available to engage with the minister and assist in resolving the situation.

TimesLIVE has reached out to the department of health but has not received a response. The article will be updated once comment has been received.

TimesLIVE

]]>123RF/Alexander Raths<![CDATA[ActionSA claims there are extra ballot papers in Polokwane ward ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-actionsa-claims-there-are-extra-ballot-papers-in-polokwane-ward/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-actionsa-claims-there-are-extra-ballot-papers-in-polokwane-ward/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 09:57:05 +0000ActionSA in Limpopo has queried the election process at the MP Malatjie Primary School voting station in ward 24, Polokwane local municipality.

It alleges extra ballot papers were discovered during the counting after the voting.

The call comes as the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) processes vote tallies nationwide, with more than 60% of national votes already counted and captured.

According to ActionSA, party agents flagged the discrepancy after recording 1,315 votes, whereas the voters’ roll records indicate that only 1,100 ballot papers were issued.

The party’s provincial communications manager Kwena Molekwa said: “We demand that the commission provide a comprehensive explanation regarding the 215 disputed ballots, investigate the circumstances surrounding their discovery, and take appropriate action where electoral irregularities are established.”

The party has lodged a formal complaint with the IEC.

Should the investigation confirm the process was compromised, the party said an election re-run must be held at the affected voting station.

TimesLIVE

]]>Alet Pretorius/Reuters<![CDATA[Singapore Airlines to splash $1.6bn on luxury long-haul cabins as rivals up their game]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-singapore-airlines-to-splash-16bn-on-luxury-long-haul-cabins-as-rivals-up-their-game/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-singapore-airlines-to-splash-16bn-on-luxury-long-haul-cabins-as-rivals-up-their-game/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 08:37:04 +0000Singapore Airlines, long a benchmark for premium travel, is spending more than S$2bn (R25.83bn) to upgrade long-haul seats and provide larger double-bed suites to compete with rivals pouring money into high-end cabins.

The airline on Friday unveiled new cabins in all four travel classes in the biggest and most comprehensive overhaul in its history, with the new seats due from the second half of 2027.

In first class, centre seats convert into what Singapore Airlines calls the largest double bed in commercial aviation. Business class gets sliding privacy doors for the first time on the airline, alongside a fully flat bed.

The launch comes as carriers globally such as Air France, British Airways and United Airlines pour billions into premium travel despite industry-wide delays in production and certification of new seats.

Surging fuel costs have squeezed margins and pushed up fares, deterring some more cost-conscious economy passengers, though premium travel has remained relatively resilient.

“We look closely at how our customers work, dine, relax, and rest while travelling, and what they value most,” Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong said at the launch event.

“Their feedback was clear: greater comfort and privacy, intuitive functionality and spaces they can flexibly adapt to their needs, whether they are working, resting or connecting with loved ones from 30,000 feet.”

The Singapore Airlines programme covers 72 aircraft, a mix of Airbus A350-900s being retrofitted and Boeing 777-9 jets on order that together will comprise most of its long-haul fleet.

The cabins were originally designed for the 777-9, which is expected to become Singapore Airlines’ new long-haul flagship as the A380, which offers smaller double beds, eventually retires.

But the 777-9’s entry into service has slipped for years, which Singapore Airlines chief commercial officer Lee Lik Hsin said had led the carrier to widen the programme to its A350s.

He said the S$2bn-plus investment included a S$1.1bn (R14.19bn) A350 refurbishment plan announced in 2024 and was funded from the airline’s strong cash balance, which stood at S$9.1bn (R117.4bn) by end-June.

Most of the investment goes to premium cabins because business and first-class seats cost far more per unit than economy seats, Lee said, with the carrier setting no spending ceiling and planning to keep investing when appropriate to maintain its market leadership.

“Our competitive advantage doesn’t derive from aircraft cabin products alone,” he said. “It is the hard product, the soft service, and the operational excellence. And it is our people.”

David Flynn, editor-in-chief of industry publication Executive Traveller, said the new first class, with a unique curved cabin design that borrowed space from the aisles to add personal space to each suite, ranked among the world’s best.

“Business class represents a solid and much-needed catch-up to the competition, rather than a mighty leap ahead,” he said. “It’s hard to top Qatar’s business class Qsuite, let alone the next-gen version coming in 2027, but in features and usability, Singapore Airlines looks to have Emirates and arguably Cathay beat here.”

Delays and certification

The unveiling arrives against a backdrop of persistent delays. Boeing first targeted 777-9 deliveries about 2020, but repeated certification setbacks, engine issues, the pandemic and tighter oversight by the US Federal Aviation Administration have pushed that to 2027, with Lufthansa expected to be the launch operator.

Lee said slippage on its A350 refurbishment plan and the 777-9 seating were both driven by certification issues.

“The seats are certified on the 777-9, but the 777-9 aeroplane itself is not certified, and the seats have not yet been certified on the A350,” he said.

The A350 certification delay had pushed back their introduction by about half a year, he added.

As airlines design more premium offerings with bespoke features that regulators need to ensure meet stringent crash-safety standards, seat certification has become a bottleneck across the industry.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg last week told investors that deliveries of its 787 Dreamliners had been affected by seat certification challenges.

Reuters

]]>Edgar Su<![CDATA[War is good business for machinery makers supplying Europe’s defence surge]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-war-is-good-business-for-machinery-makers-supplying-europes-defence-surge/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-war-is-good-business-for-machinery-makers-supplying-europes-defence-surge/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 09:49:50 +0000European military spending is opening a fast-growing market for mechanical and plant engineering firms to supply the defence industry, German machinery association VDMA, which represents 3,500 companies in Germany and Europe, said on Friday.

According to a VDMA spokesperson, machinery companies already active in the security and defence industries expect to at least double their related revenue by 2030, while a further 46% expect moderate growth.

Nearly one in three of those already active in defence sees growth of at least 15% in the sector this year. About 43% expect to at least double security and defence revenue by 2030.

“It is foreseeable that we will gain significant market share,” VDMA deputy executive director Hartmut Rauen said. The association will support companies with matchmaking and market development, he added.

VDMA said 92% of machinery firms active in the sector see scope to expand deliveries within the next 12 months. However, they see regulation, lengthy procurement processes and weak customer contacts as barriers to growth.

Reuters

]]>Fabian Bimmer<![CDATA[TARA ROOS | The ANC has a crutch, the DA has an audition]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/ideas/2026-11-06-tara-roos-the-anc-has-a-crutch-the-da-has-an-audition/https://www.timeslive.co.za/ideas/2026-11-06-tara-roos-the-anc-has-a-crutch-the-da-has-an-audition/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 08:45:36 +0000It is increasingly likely that the DA and ANC will enter into a national local government coalition, governing together in municipalities across the country. Exactly how this will take shape remains to be seen, but what interests me is why this alliance is forming now.

The obvious answer is convenience. Neither party wants to find itself in a 13-party coalition, negotiating with smaller parties making endless demands in exchange for support. They may invite other parties into the arrangement in the name of inclusion, much like the government of national unity (GNU), but make no mistake: the ANC and DA will call the shots. Everyone else will be there largely for show, with little meaningful influence over decisions.

What stands out to me most, though, is the electoral weakness that brought both parties to this point. In the 2024 election the ANC lost more than 3-million votes. The DA, despite being the official opposition and having spent years positioning itself as the alternative, failed to capitalise on that collapse. It did not win over ANC voters in any meaningful way. In fact, it lost more than 100,000 votes of its own.

What unites the ANC and the DA is a common enemy in the MK Party and EFF. It is convenient to frame this emerging alliance as an effort to prevent some supposed doomsday coalition between the two. But there is a more uncomfortable reality: neither party has managed to capture the electorate. Both are increasingly directionless, grasping for ways to remain relevant and retain power. Perhaps this is less about a shared vision for the country and more about political survival.

For the ANC, the DA offers a way to keep markets happy and reassure investors of political stability. There is also an apparent assumption that despite its electoral decline, it will never fall below the DA in national support. The DA is therefore a convenient partner: a party with which it can share power, but also whom it can blame when governance fails.

For the DA, the calculation is different. It is tired of being in opposition. It wants to govern and believes that being in government will demonstrate to voters that it can run the country better than the ANC. The GNU has in effect become the DA’s audition.

The problem is not simply that the DA is working with the ANC. It is that the party risks losing the credibility of its own political message

But the GNU has hardly been the resounding success it was made out to be in 2024. There is no coherent policy position on contentious issues such as BBBEE, land expropriation and National Health Insurance (NHI). Nor has the arrangement produced convincing responses to the country’s deeper challenges, from unemployment and sluggish economic growth to crime.

Two years into this political experiment we still lack a clear sense of where the country is going. This marriage of convenience is not necessarily serving the country.

I suspect it will hurt both parties in the long run. The ANC is using the DA as a crutch rather than confronting the governance failures that have driven voters away. Instead of doing the difficult work of rebuilding its support, it can share responsibility for difficult decisions and use the arrangement as a political get-out-of-jail-free card.

Meanwhile, the DA is becoming increasingly difficult to reconcile with the party it spent 20 years campaigning against. It built its political identity on the argument that the ANC was the problem, that its time in government had brought the country to its knees, and that South Africa needed an alternative. Yet it is now seemingly comfortable governing alongside the very party it spent years telling voters was unfit to govern.

The problem is not simply that the DA is working with the ANC. It is that the party risks losing the credibility of its own political message. It can’t spend years blaming the ANC for the country’s failures and then expect to escape scrutiny when it helps keep the party in power. The DA is not merely sharing government with the ANC; it is taking responsibility for the decisions made under that government.

In trying to protect its place in the government, the DA risks alienating voters who supported it because they wanted an alternative. Those voters may increasingly turn to smaller parties offering a clearer political identity and fewer compromises.

As the vote counting continued on Friday, the real negotiations began, with parties stitching together coalitions across municipalities. It will be a game of political horse-trading as they negotiate their way into power.

The bigger question, though, is what this means for South African politics. If the ANC and the DA have to come together to remain in the government, perhaps it is time we stopped pretending either party has a convincing plan to win over the electorate on its own.

• Roos is Business Day parliamentary reporter.

Business Day

]]>Freddy<![CDATA[WATCH | Terrorism charges to go ahead against Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-watch-terrorism-charges-to-stick-against-duduzile-zuma-sambudla/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-watch-terrorism-charges-to-stick-against-duduzile-zuma-sambudla/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 09:20:25 +0000A Durban high court judge on Friday denied a bid by former MK Party MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla to have terrorism charges related to the July 2021 riots dropped.

Last week, judge Mbuzeni Mathenjwa heard argument from her defence counsel advocate Dali Mpofu, who claimed that the state is targeting her because she is the daughter of former president Jacob Zuma.

Zuma-Sambudla was accused of incitement to commit terrorism and public violence linked to the July unrest in 2021, which resulted in 354 deaths and an estimated R50bn in economic and infrastructure damage.

The charges are related to her infamous “We See You” tweets she posted during the unrest.

On Friday Mathenjwa denied her application to have the charges dropped, and the case will proceed.

During his argument to discharge the case, Mpofu said many people had retweeted Zuma-Sambudla’s posts but were not charged.

He questioned why the state had only charged his client.

Mpofu argued that the tweets made by his client could not be proved to be incitement.

He described the state’s evidence on the “We See You” tweets as “laughable”.

Mpofu challenged the state to prove that someone broke the law because of Zuma-Sambudla’s social media posts.

Without that link, the state did not have a case, he said.

Senior prosecutor Mahendra Naidu said the state presented a strong case against Zuma-Sambudla, especially on count one.

The state had called witnesses who gave strong testimony against Zuma-Sambudla.

The former president, who was ill for several weeks and made a public appearance at the MK Party’s rally at the weekend, was in court to support his daughter.

TimesLIVE

]]>SANDILE NDLOVU<![CDATA[Culpable homicide conviction secured in judge Yvonne Mokgoro’s road crash]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-11-06-culpable-homicide-conviction-secured-in-judge-yvonne-mokgoros-road-crash/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-11-06-culpable-homicide-conviction-secured-in-judge-yvonne-mokgoros-road-crash/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 06:00:46 +0000Motorist David Gaolatlhe Mmelesi has been sentenced for culpable homicide in connection with the death of his partner, retired Constitutional Court justice Yvonne Mokgoro.

The Kimberly regional court sentenced the 68-year-old to five years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years on condition that he is not convicted of the same offence during the suspension period.

The couple were in a collision on April 3 2023 between Warrenton and Kimberley. Mmelesi was driving a vehicle in which Mokgoro was a passenger when the collision occurred. She sustained serious injuries and subsequently died in a Johannesburg hospital in May 2024.

Senior state prosecutor Tebogo Benjamin Namisa presented evidence, including testimony from the truck driver involved in the collision.

The witness testified that the vehicle driven by Mmelesi was stationary on the side of the road without its hazard lights activated.

Mmelesi failed to indicate before executing a U-turn, resulting in the collision that left justice Mokgoro with severe injuries.

During sentencing proceedings, her eldest son, Ithateng Mokgoro, spoke on behalf of the family about their loss.

The family described justice Mokgoro as a vibrant, compassionate and accommodating person who connected with people from all walks of life. They said her passing has left an irreplaceable void in the lives of her children, grandchildren and siblings, as well as in the broader community. Despite having retired from the ConCourt, she remained actively involved in matters of societal interest at the time of her death.

The family further outlined the emotional, medical and financial hardships experienced following the collision, including medical expenses amounting to about R3m and legal costs exceeding R600,000.

“They expressed the view that the accused had shown no genuine remorse for his conduct and appealed to the court to impose a direct custodial sentence.”

In considering an appropriate sentence, however, the court took into account the accused’s personal circumstances, including that he was a first-time offender and had an adult child dependent on him for support.

TimesLIVE

|

]]><![CDATA[The Marabi Club returns for an encore]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-06-the-marabi-club-reopens-at-steyn-city-with-live-jazz-and-a-new-menu/https://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2026-11-06-the-marabi-club-reopens-at-steyn-city-with-live-jazz-and-a-new-menu/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 07:37:24 +0000For eight years, The Marabi Club was one of those Joburg haunts where you could arrive for dinner and find yourself still there hours later, ordering another glass of wine and studiously avoiding looking at your watch.

Tucked away in the basement of Hallmark House in New Doornfontein, the jazz club built a loyal following for its combination of live music, good food and nights that had a habit of running rather longer than planned.

So, when it closed in May 2025, Johannesburg lost a much-loved part of its nightlife. Fortunately, that wasn’t the end of the story.

The Marabi Club is back, having officially reopened in October 2026 in the basement of Steyn City’s City Centre. It’s a change of scenery from its original Maboneng home, but the team behind the club has made a point of preserving much of the character, music and history that made the first venue so special.

The new Marabi Club incorporates familiar pieces from its original home, including old waskoms repurposed as pendant lights. Picture: Supplied
The new Marabi Club incorporates familiar pieces from its original home, including old waskoms repurposed as pendant lights. Picture: Supplied

The name itself has deep roots in Johannesburg’s musical past. Marabi was a style of dance music that emerged from the city’s shebeens in the 1920s and 1930s, built around repeating chord progressions that gave musicians room to improvise, sometimes for hours at a time. It was music made for dancing, and its influence would go on to shape much of South African jazz.

The original club took that idea and ran with it. Dinner might be the reason you booked a table, but there was always a good chance you’d end up on your feet before the evening was over.

Now, with the move to Steyn City, Marabi is closer to many of the regulars who previously made the trip from Johannesburg’s northern suburbs to Maboneng. And although the surroundings are certainly different, the new space has been designed to feel just as welcoming and full of character.

Exposed brickwork, vintage furniture and salvaged architectural details give The Marabi Club its distinctive character. Picture: Supplied
Exposed brickwork, vintage furniture and salvaged architectural details give The Marabi Club its distinctive character. Picture: Supplied

Architect Dean Simon, who also designed the first club, has once again put his love of salvaged materials and objects with a past to good use.

An old shopfront, complete with its door and stained glass, has found a new home in the private dining area. Wood panelling salvaged from Johannesburg’s old shoe-shine stands adds another little piece of the city’s history, while vintage radios line the walls. A few familiar pieces have made the journey from Maboneng, too, including old waskoms given a second life as pendant lights. Exposed brickwork and an eclectic assortment of wooden furniture complete the picture. It’s a little like stumbling upon a secret jazz club in your slightly eccentric relative’s living room.

Photographs and prints of South African jazz greats pay tribute to Johannesburg's musical heritage throughout the club. Picture: Supplied
Photographs and prints of South African jazz greats pay tribute to Johannesburg's musical heritage throughout the club. Picture: Supplied

There’s also a lovely nod to the musicians who helped shape Johannesburg’s jazz tradition. Photographs and prints of South African music greats are scattered throughout the space, including Peter Rezant of the Merry Blackbirds, while a large portrait of pianist Emily Motsieloa keeps watch over the bar.

One noticeable difference is the daylight. Large windows overlook a piazza and water feature, giving the restaurant a more open feel during the day and making a leisurely Sunday lunch, with live jazz included, a tempting prospect.

Come evening, though, the focus shifts back to the music.

A rotating line-up of musicians and vocalists keeps the live music offering fresh. Picture: Supplied
A rotating line-up of musicians and vocalists keeps the live music offering fresh. Picture: Supplied

The resident Marabi Jazz Band, affectionately known as Marabi Radio, performs alongside a rotating cast of musicians and vocalists throughout the week. Rather than publishing a fixed monthly line-up, the club encourages guests to turn up and enjoy whoever happens to be playing.

And there’s no need to rush off once dinner is finished. Some nights, a DJ takes over after midnight, while the cigar lounge offers somewhere to retreat for a quieter conversation when you’ve had your fill of dancing.

And then, of course, there’s the food.

The Marabi Club’s new menu brings together Mediterranean flavours, Japanese techniques and classical French cooking. Picture: Supplied
The Marabi Club’s new menu brings together Mediterranean flavours, Japanese techniques and classical French cooking. Picture: Supplied

The kitchen is now in the hands of chef Patricio Nzinga, previously of Mhondoro Safari Lodge, whose à la carte menu brings together Mediterranean flavours, Japanese techniques and classical French cooking.

There are smaller plates for those who like to order a few things for the table, alongside more substantial mains, with options for meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans. If you’re wondering where to start, Nzinga recommends the sea bass, served on a mussel velouté with a fricassee of leeks, peas and pickled mussels.

And do leave room for dessert. There’s a playfully named Not a Tiramisu, with coffee and liqueur folded through mascarpone, or a lychee pavlova that sounds deliciously appealing on a warm Johannesburg afternoon.

The menu at The Marabi Club offers everything from sharing plates to more substantial main courses. Picture: Supplied
The menu at The Marabi Club offers everything from sharing plates to more substantial main courses. Picture: Supplied

With a new chef in the kitchen and familiar faces behind the instruments, there’s plenty for Marabi’s old regulars to look forward to. And for those who never made it to the original, it’s a chance to find out why people were willing to drive across Johannesburg for dinner in a basement.

The Marabi Club

  • Where: Basement level, City Centre, Steyn City, Riverglen, Midrand
  • Opening hours: Thursday to Saturday, 6pm–2am; Sunday, 12pm–5pm
  • Dress code: Smart casual
  • Bookings: Essential, via marabiclub.com
  • Additional information: Visitors must bring identification for everyone in their vehicle to enter the Steyn City estate.

Wanted

]]>Supplied<![CDATA[UK sending King Charles into political fray as its ‘secret weapon’, aide says]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-uk-sending-king-charles-into-political-fray-as-its-secret-weapon-aide-says/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-uk-sending-king-charles-into-political-fray-as-its-secret-weapon-aide-says/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 09:29:01 +0000King Charles is “a secret weapon” being thrust by the British government into dealing with challenging political situations, a senior royal aide has said following a diplomatically challenging trip by the monarch to the Caribbean.

The trip, which included a meeting of the Commonwealth of Nations, which the king heads, was dominated by the issue of slavery, and specifically whether Britain and the king should apologise for the transatlantic slave trade and offer to pay reparations.

The king did neither in speeches he made, in line with British government policy, but his expression of personal sorrow about the horrors of slavery was broadly welcomed by leaders of the 56-nation Commonwealth as a positive step forward.

‘Statecraft by word and deed’

In unusually frank remarks, the senior aide described the tour as complex and challenging, but said the king “had demonstrated his statecraft both by word and deed”.

“It’s a great secret weapon to send the king,” the aide told reporters on condition of anonymity, adding the monarch was “able to reach the parts that, dare I say, politicians probably couldn’t have reached.”

The monarch is Britain’s symbolic head of state but is constitutionally required to stay out of politics.

The [royal] family serves when it’s wanted and if not, then a new arrangement can be found

A senior aide to the king

In recent times, as Britain’s influence over world affairs has diminished, the government has often turned to the monarch to lead its diplomatic strategies.

Amid tensions with US President Donald Trump, most recently over the Iran war, the government enlisted Charles — who became king in September 2022 on the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth — to help smooth relations. The king hosted Trump on a state visit and then paid a reciprocal state visit to the US.

“We’re just in the fifth year of the reign and I think what we’re seeing is a clear pattern emerging of the government asking the king to head into politically charged situations, challenging situations,” the senior aide said.

Dealing with the tough part of the job was what he relished, the aide said, adding that “refreshing and reinvigorating relationships with nations where there have been some complex political issues at play, that is what he lives and breathes for”.

Difficult year for monarchy

The tour marks a high point in what has been another difficult year for the monarchy with the release of a biography of Charles’ first wife, Princess Diana, written by her brother, which featured criticisms of Charles’ reaction to her death.

Charles’ younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor continues to make negative headlines as he remains under police investigation — Andrew denies any wrongdoing — while the return to Britain of the king’s younger son, Prince Harry, has also brought complications.

We’re just in the fifth year of the reign and I think what we’re seeing is a very clear pattern emerging of the government asking the king to head into quite politically charged situations, quite challenging situations

A senior aide to the king

While Charles remains head of the Commonwealth and is still the head of state of 15 nations, including Canada and Australia, the aide acknowledged that situation could also change, with Barbados the latest nation to ditch the monarchy in 2021.

The aide said it was for nations and the Commonwealth to decide what to do in future.

“The [royal] family serves when it’s wanted and if not, then a new arrangement can be found,” the aide added.

The king, who turns 78 this month, is still recovering from cancer but the aide said concerns about his age and health were best answered by the sight of him waving cowbells as he danced down a street in the Bahamas in 40°C heat and the humour he showed after being caught in a tropical rainstorm.

“This is literally what he was born to do. He’s very good at it, and he enjoys the reaction he gets from people,” the aide said.

Reuters

]]>Thomas Krych<![CDATA[Ntuli casts doubt on ANC-DA deal for Johannesburg mayoralty, takes swipe at Zille ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-ntuli-casts-doubt-on-anc-da-deal-for-johannesburg-mayoralty-takes-swipe-at-zille/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-ntuli-casts-doubt-on-anc-da-deal-for-johannesburg-mayoralty-takes-swipe-at-zille/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 02:30:00 +0000

Story audio is generated using AI

ANC head of elections Mdumiseni Ntuli has cast doubt on a possible deal between the ANC and the DA that could see Helen Zille elected as Johannesburg mayor, suggesting her campaign rhetoric had left a sour taste among ANC leaders.

In an interview with The Political Arena at the IEC Results Centre on Thursday, Ntuli, who is also the ANC’s chief whip in parliament, said some within the party would be uncomfortable working with the DA following what he described as Zille’s arrogance during the campaign.

“A number of us will be very uncomfortable with the display of arrogance of Helen Zille. I’m talking about Johannesburg. This thing that she is the messiah, she is going to travel all the way from Cape Town to fix Johannesburg.

“I would imagine that quite a number of us in the ANC might take issue with that kind of position in the DA. Whether that influences whether we will work with them or work with anyone else, I’m not sure. Time will tell,” he said.

Ntuli suggested the ANC should consider taking up the opposition benches in some municipalities, rather than entering coalitions at all costs.

He pointed to the party’s working relationship with ActionSA in Tshwane, suggesting a similar arrangement could be considered elsewhere, including Johannesburg.

“We work very well with ActionSA in Tshwane. There were no major issues there. I don’t know whether the same kind of outfit will be explored anywhere else outside Tshwane. We will see what happens when discussions are taking place,” he said.

The assessment we are going to have to make is whether these coalitions, including the GNU, have actually provided any advantage to the ANC

Mdumiseni Ntuli, ANC head of elections

The ANC is facing a bruising electoral defeat, with results pointing to the party potentially failing to reclaim any of the country’s eight metropolitan municipalities, as well as losing ground in several strategic municipalities.

ActionSA is poised to strengthen its position in Johannesburg and Tshwane, giving it greater leverage in coalition negotiations.

Ntuli said it would be “dishonest” to suggest the ANC was feeling anything other than unhappy with its electoral performance.

While counting was still under way on Thursday evening, he said the results already pointed to serious cause for concern.

“We are used to a situation where, even with a number of votes counted, the ANC would have been hovering around 50% and above. Given the fact that we are where we are today is a cause for concern for the ANC,” he said.

The ANC leader also acknowledged the difficulties of working with the DA in the national government of unity, though he stopped short of blaming the relationship for the party’s poor electoral showing.

“As a member of parliament, I can tell you that to manage that relationship has been very complex, difficult and dynamic. The extent to which it has impacted the ANC on the ground, I may not be in a position to confirm that.

“There are too many contradictions, and some of them are deliberately created, in my own view. I suppose that is part of their strategy when they entered the GNU, that they are going to create some landmines.”

Ntuli said the ANC would have to assess whether its participation in coalitions, including the GNU, had ultimately benefited the party.

“The assessment we are going to have to make is whether these coalitions, including the GNU, have actually provided any advantage to the ANC.

“It may very well be that it provided national stability, but to what extent has that stability allowed us to make necessary changes, whether in the economy or in other areas of life, in a manner that is going to make the ANC endear itself again to the population of South Africa?”

]]>Freddy Mavunda<![CDATA[Bondi Beach shooting survivor, 90, dies after year in hospital]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-bondi-beach-shooting-survivor-90-dies-after-year-in-hospital/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-bondi-beach-shooting-survivor-90-dies-after-year-in-hospital/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 09:04:40 +0000A 90-year-old woman who was seriously injured during the Bondi Beach shooting has died in hospital nearly a year after the attack, authorities said on Friday.

Eva Geller was among dozens of people wounded when two gunmen opened fire on a crowd at a Jewish holiday celebration at the Sydney beach on December 14 last year.

Geller, a Holocaust survivor, had since been “in and out of hospital” as a result of her injuries, public broadcaster ABC reported. She died in a Sydney hospital overnight.

Police said in a statement they were aware of the death. “Police are now awaiting further advice and are working with the office of the coroner,” New South Wales police said.

A total of 15 people were killed in the mass shooting, Australia’s deadliest in decades. Police say the alleged gunmen, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed Akram, were inspired by Islamic State.

Police shot dead Sajid Akram at the scene, while Naveed Akram, who was also shot but survived, is facing charges including 15 counts of murder and a terror offence.

A government-backed inquiry into antisemitism called in the wake of the attack is also due to hand down its findings on December 18.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was saddened to hear of Geller’s death. “Almost a year on, the devastation of that awful day continues to cause pain for families, and today we recognise that more than ever,” he said.

“We are wrapping our arms around Eva’s family, friends and the Jewish community at this very sad time.”

Geller’s funeral was scheduled to take place next week, ABC reported.

Reuters

]]>Hollie Adams<![CDATA[Frustration and action shift power in KZN ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-frustration-and-action-shift-power-in-kzn/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-frustration-and-action-shift-power-in-kzn/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 02:30:00 +0000KwaZulu-Natal has shifted.

In its first local government election, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) has emerged as the province’s leading party in early counting.

The ANC has fallen to second place in a province it once dominated.

By Thursday, with 30% counted, the IEC put the MK Party on 33%-34%, the ANC on 25%, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) on 22% and the DA on 10%-12%.

No council had been formally declared except Richmond, where the MK Party took 56% and 10 of 17 seats.

The final outcome of who will control eThekwini will only emerge from Friday.

In 2024 the MK Party won KwaZulu-Natal with 45.35%, while in 2021 the ANC still won eThekwini with 42%. Those baselines have moved.

The party formed by former president Jacob Zuma was celebrating on Thursday, with one candidate doing a victory lap with supporters parading a make-shift ANC coffin in Durban.

Prof Zakhele Ndlovu, independent political analyst with the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said what happened on Wednesday was not a surprise, but a reckoning.

“This election proves that the ANC has become unpopular in the province, especially in eThekwini,” he said. “In the township and peri-urban areas, people don’t have water, which is the biggest worry for many people. There are potholes. On rates, water and electricity, they are estimating. There is a lot of crime. And people are blaming the ANC for all these things.”

In the townships around Durban and Pietermaritzburg, that frustration turned into turnout.

Voters who had stayed home in 2021 queued early, many saying they wanted a council that fixed water and roads, not one that explained why it could not. That mood, more than any rally, carried the MK Party through wards it had never contested before.

KwaZulu-Natal IEC electoral officer Ntombifuthi Masinga and national strategic liaison officer Mawethu Mosery at the results operation centre in Durban.
KwaZulu-Natal IEC electoral officer Ntombifuthi Masinga and national strategic liaison officer Mawethu Mosery at the results operation centre in Durban.

While the election outcome is the responsibility of the IEC Results Centre, where every result must be audited before it is published, supporters have been posting ward lists and victory posts on social media long before the IEC has checked them.

The MK Party coordinators claimed 25 of Msunduzi’s 41 wards, a clean sweep in Impendle, 11 of 14 in uMshwathi, and in one unofficial graphic, 65% in eThekwini, all online.

MK Party provincial spokesperson Mkhuseli Mlengane said the party had performed well in eThekwini despite predictions it would struggle there. That claim had not been verified by the IEC.

Even the DA was claiming its own victories. It declared uMngeni won, and it claimed wards 16, 17, 20 and 26 in KwaDukuza, and wards 26, 30, 31, 33 and 34 in eThekwini.

Against that, what the IEC had confirmed was this: in uMngeni, the partial count put the DA on 62.5% with Chris Pappas retaining his hold, and the MK Party had conceded 11 wards there.

“Today we can confidently proclaim that we will lead the municipality with a majority of more than 60% from the 48% we attained five years ago and continue with our plans to deliver for all residents of uMngeni,” the party said.

“In the four, 100% black township wards in the municipality, the DA won every single one of them with a commanding majority. We will continue with our mission to deliver for all residents in townships, rural and suburban areas. uMngeni will continue to be a beacon of hope in KZN.”

ANC KwaZulu-Natal convenor Mike Mabuyakhulu said it was too early to draw conclusions and the party would accept the outcome. The IEC picture was giving him reason for that caution. The ANC lost wards in Msunduzi, KwaDukuza and Newcastle, and in Inkosi Langalibalele it won none of the 24 wards.

In Dundee, Freedom Front Plus MP Philip van Staden told Sunday Times his party had won a proportional representation seat in the Endumeni municipality, its first entry there since 1994.

Don’t focus on the maths; this is a political exercise

Mawethu Mosery, IEC national strategic liaison officer

“It’s the first time that we entered the elections in that municipality since 1994. We got massive support from the local people who came to vote for us. And it’s not only whites who voted for us, many black people did,” Van Staden said.

The party is contesting 25 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal, compared with 10 to 11 previously.

Msunduzi, Pietermaritzburg, is where the ANC’s collapse may be most complete.

IEC uMgungundlovu district manager Khulekani Mdadane said Msunduzi might only be finished counting on Friday evening because of recounts demanded by parties. In Ward 35, Sobantu, historically an ANC stronghold, the MK Party was declared the winner, prompting the ANC to demand a recount.

In uMhlathuze, Richards Bay, the MK Party was leading on 45.1%, followed by the IFP on 34.5% and the ANC on 12.63%. On the later IEC board the MK Party was still ahead on around 40.2%, with only 34 of 145 voting districts in.

Newcastle is a three-way contest. With eight of its 36 wards declared, the MK Party had won five, the DA two and the ANC one. The MK Party won Ward 6 by just one vote over the IFP.

The IEC said outstanding objections in KZN could affect final municipal election results and council seat allocation, which is expected to proceed after the objections process is completed.

Summing up the process at the KZN results operation centre on Thursday IEC national strategic liaison officer Mawethu Mosery said: “Don’t focus on the maths; this is a political exercise.”

He said they had completed an almost two-hour long session with political party representatives to discuss seat allocation.

“We will wait until tomorrow. We have spent time with political parties explaining that process with them and we have a very good understanding,” Mosery said.

He said that municipal council seats are allocated in line with the country’s proportional representation electoral system, which ensures that political parties receive representation according to their share of the vote.

A party’s percentage of support in a municipality determines the number of seats it qualifies for, with both ward seats and proportional representation (PR) seats counting towards its overall entitlement.

“For example, as a party you got 10% voter support yesterday and the special vote days, therefore you qualify for 10% seats. That 10% includes both your PR seats and your ward seats.”

Mosery said the allocation process was difficult to explain without working through the actual figures.

Final results are expected on Sunday and then coalition talks will start before the final declaration.

]]>SANDILE NDLOVU<![CDATA[DA gains in five metros — Hill-Lewis says talks must put residents first]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-da-gains-in-five-metros-hill-lewis-says-talks-must-put-residents-first/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-da-gains-in-five-metros-hill-lewis-says-talks-must-put-residents-first/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 07:34:43 +0000DA federal leader Geordin Hill-Lewis has called on political parties to put aside their election differences and prioritise stable local government, as coalition negotiations loom across the country following Wednesday’s municipal elections.

Addressing the media at the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) national results centre in Midrand on Friday, Hill-Lewis said political leaders had a responsibility to rise above the divisions of the election campaign and form governments capable of turning around struggling municipalities.

He said the emerging results suggested that about 150-160 councils, representing roughly two-thirds of the country’s local municipalities, would require coalition governments.

“The voters will not forgive us if we do not take the opportunity to put together governments that improve service delivery and get municipalities working,” he said.

Hill-Lewis said the DA would approach negotiations with humility and respect for the mandates other political parties had received from voters, adding that the party had already begun informal discussions with several political formations.

The DA is on course to become the largest party in five metropolitan municipalities — Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Nelson Mandela Bay and the City of Cape Town. The party has secured an outright majority in Cape Town, making it the only metro it will govern without coalition partners. Hill-Lewis said the outcome in Mangaung remained too close to call.

The party was also on course to be the only political formation to govern a metropolitan municipality with an outright majority.

Hill-Lewis said the party’s performance represented a significant step towards its ambition of becoming South Africa’s largest political party ahead of the 2029 national elections.

He said the DA expected to gain between 104 and 105 additional ward seats and more than 230 councillors across the country.

The party was also projecting that more than 1-million black voters had supported it in the local government elections, a development Hill-Lewis described as evidence that the DA had become a mainstream political party across communities.

That projection potentially surpasses the EFF’s support among black voters. The figures remain projections pending the final results.

Hill-Lewis said the DA had recorded its strongest support to date in townships in Cape Town and other parts of the country, particularly in municipalities where the party had governed.

He pointed to the party’s performance in uMngeni in KwaZulu-Natal, where it had increased its majority from a margin of just 42 votes in the previous election to what he described as a decisive victory.

He attributed the party’s growing support to its record in government, saying voters were recognising efforts to improve living conditions, even where significant challenges remained.

Turning to coalition negotiations, Hill-Lewis said the DA would seek partners committed to integrity, accountability, sound financial management and merit-based appointments. He said coalition agreements would need to include a commitment to rooting out existing corruption, investing in infrastructure and improving basic services.

These would include ensuring reliable water supplies, fixing roads, restoring street lighting, improving safety and creating an environment conducive to economic growth and job creation.

“Those are not negotiable,” he said, referring to the principles that would guide the party’s negotiations.

Hill-Lewis said the DA would not negotiate through the media, arguing that doing so would undermine the process by exposing the negotiating positions of potential coalition partners.

However, he committed to publishing all coalition agreements once negotiations had been concluded, saying the documents would be comprehensive and available for public scrutiny. He said the party would engage with a wide range of political formations over the coming days, with formal negotiations expected to begin shortly.

The scale of coalition governments emerging from the elections marks a significant shift in South Africa’s local government landscape, with political parties facing the challenge of establishing administrations capable of delivering stability in municipalities where no single party has secured a majority.

Hill-Lewis said the DA was ready to begin the process, adding that the party’s preparations for the 2029 national elections would start immediately.

He said the party believed it had taken an important step towards becoming the largest political formation in the country and was confident it could continue building support across communities.

Business Day

]]>Freddy Mavunda<![CDATA[MK Party leads KZN municipal race in first-time bid]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-mk-party-leads-kzn-municipal-race-in-first-time-bid/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-11-06-mk-party-leads-kzn-municipal-race-in-first-time-bid/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 03:00:00 +0000The MK Party is poised to emerge as one of the biggest winners in the local government elections as it leads in several municipalities across KwaZulu-Natal, including the eThekwini metro.

The elections marked the first time Jacob Zuma’s party contested local government elections since its strong performance in the 2024 national and provincial elections, when it secured 45.3% of the vote in KwaZulu-Natal, ahead of the IFP (18.07%), the ANC (16.99%) and the DA (13.36%).

Still, it was excluded from the provincial government after the IFP, ANC, DA and NFP joined forces to form a coalition administration, including IFP leader Thami Ntuli as premier.

By Thursday afternoon, MK Party was the leading party in Kwaulu-Natal with 33.2% of the vote, followed by the ANC with 24.8% and the IFP with 22.7%. In eThekwini metro, the MK Party led with 39.4%, followed by the ANC (23.5%) and the DA (23.2%).

With 40% of votes counted by 3.30pm on Thursday, the ANC was leading nationally with 32.1%. The DA followed with 27.1% and the MK Party with 7%.

Speaking to Business Day at the IEC’s results operations centre in Midrand on Thursday, MK Party national spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu said, “The MK Party is leading in KwaZulu-Natal; we are very, very happy. We thought we would have taken over … by the end of today. By 5am this morning, the indicators were clear that we have taken KwaZulu-Natal … The results show that we have done very, very well.

“We are contesting elections in the local government sphere for the first time. It has never happened in the history of South Africa that a party that’s contesting elections, local government-wise, for the first time, takes wards, takes PR [proportional representation] councillors, takes municipalities.

“We want to say to the people of South Africa, thank you for entrusting us with this responsibility; all boots will hit the ground [running]. We will work to fulfil the promises we made.

“As soon as we get the mayoral chains, we will prepare for 2029 [national and provincial elections], where we will ultimately take power,” Mahlangu said.

Political analyst Tasneem Essop said it was not surprising that MK Party was performing well in KwaZulu-Natal because polls had suggested that would be the case. She said the 2024 national elections “gave us a good indication” of how strong the MK Party’s regional base was.

“It’s not surprising they are projected to do well in parts of KwaZulu-Natal. What this means is that voters are moving away from the ANC in large parts of [the province], and parties such as the EFF have struggled in KwaZulu-Natal since MK Party came up,” Essop said.

Business Day reported last week that a survey conducted by MarkData on behalf of media group eNCA, MK Party was just shy of capturing the eThekwini metro outright.

My Vote Counts advocacy lead Noxolo Mfocwa said the Zuma factor played a huge part in the municipal elections, as MK Party supporters viewed the former president as a “unifying figure”, just like he was in 2024.

With 43% of votes counted by 4.30pm on Thursday, the MK Party had secured 33.4% of the vote in KwaZulu-Natal. In Mpumalanga, it had garnered 11.6%, compared with 41.5% for the ANC and 15% for the DA.

In Gauteng, the DA was leading with 36.7%, followed by the ANC (20.1%), ActionSA (16.1%), the EFF (6.2%) and MK Party (4.3%).

Asked about whether MK Party was a regional party struggling to make an impact outside KwaZulu-Natal, Mfocwa said, “We are now seeing them starting to perform and making some progress in Gauteng and Mpumalanga, but that [the data] is not enough for us to make a pronouncement on whether they are purely a regional party.”

Business Day

]]>SANDILE NDLOVU<![CDATA[North Korea’s elite hackers are the secret behind Binance’s downfall]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sci-tech/2026-11-06-north-koreas-elite-hackers-are-the-secret-behind-binances-downfall/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sci-tech/2026-11-06-north-koreas-elite-hackers-are-the-secret-behind-binances-downfall/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 09:00:00 +0000North Korea rewards its top hackers, tasked with heists like the Binance crypto hack that netted a cool $6.3bn (about R103.33bn), with perks such as a spacious apartment in the capital of Pyongyang and huge hard currency awards, despite gruelling hours of work.

Leader Kim Jong Un has assembled an army of world-class hackers using such incentives in a programme more than a decade old that picks 200 of the smartest middle school students each year to study computer engineering, defectors and analysts say.

A fraction eventually become hackers in an investment that has paid off dramatically, as the group has evolved from the early days when it ran illegal gambling websites to pulling off the world’s biggest cyberheist last month.

“They are actually one of Kim Jong Un’s secret weapons,” said Kim Heung-kwang, a North Korean defector who trained hackers on behalf of the state before fleeing to South Korea in 2004.

“There is no other country grooming hackers like this, systematically searching for the smartest children, solely to turn them into operatives,” he added. “Whether they want to be a hacker or not does not matter.”

The North’s cyberwarfare operations employ about 8,400 people, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service estimated in 2024

The FBI and Binance have said North Korea was responsible for the Binance hack, but Pyongyang has denied that. Blockchain investigation firms have attributed it to a North Korean group known as “TraderTraitor”.

The denial is part of a pattern in which the North dismisses such blame over the years as fabricated political provocations.

Systemic selection

North Korea set up a cyber unit in 1998 but elevated its status after Kim came to power and declared in 2013 that cyberwarfare was, along with nuclear weapons and missiles, an “all purpose sword” crucial to the country’s strike capability.

Candidate selection begins in middle school as early as 11 or 12 years of age, with authorities picking about 150 to 200 children a year to study computer science, said Kim Heung-kwang, the former trainer, and two defectors who worked in IT.

At 17, the top performers are sent to North Korea’s best universities and undergo further screening before a chosen few finally enter the military’s cyber unit as hackers, they added.

They are trained in areas such as cryptocurrency protocols and reverse-engineering foreign hardware devices in addition to more conventional topics such as advanced mathematics and foreign languages, one of them said.

Those who do not become hackers are trained to turn out software or apps for Western firms via remote jobs.

“While South Korea’s best students may pursue medicine or other prestigious careers, North Korea channels top talent into nuclear and cyber programmes and essentially guarantees their future,” said Lim Jongin, professor emeritus at the school of cybersecurity at Korea University.

Other privileges on tap for the hackers are travelling abroad to allied countries, such as China, where they can more freely access the internet.

Successful exploits can earn as much as 30% of the heist’s profits in US dollars for the hackers’ military unit, and they can even receive a flat in the capital where their parents can also stay, Kim said.

Hackers’ formal designation in the North was “scientist” or “researcher”, said one of the defectors

“There are accounts that successful cyberpersonnel are given apartments in Pyongyang,” Lim said, adding that the flats could range to as much as 132m².

Such performers are also eligible for membership of the ruling party and high-status marriages into elite families, said one of the defectors.

But it is a small group. The North’s cyberwarfare operations employ about 8,400 people, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service estimated in 2024.

North Korean state media do not publicly celebrate such hackers’ achievements, but they regularly highlight students who show talent for programming.

In 2015 North Korea opened the Mirae Scientists Street in the capital, in the construction of which Kim Jong Un had been closely involved, state media said.

Hackers’ formal designation in the North was “scientist” or “researcher”, said one of the defectors.

State advantage

Other hacking groups associated with North Korea include the Lazarus Group, also known as APT38, which the US accused in 2022 of having stolen hundreds of millions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency from the Ronin blockchain network. The FBI has said TraderTraitor is affiliated with Lazarus.

State backing makes the North’s hackers more dangerous and harder to repulse, as they face no consequences for hack after hack, enabling them to perfect their strategies, analysts said.

“In the world of cybercrime, often, if you make a mistake... that is all law enforcement needs to get you,” said Alec Zebrick, senior manager for Asia-Pacific global services at Chainalysis.

But North Korea’s hackers “are doing this for the regime, so they’re going to continue, even after successes,” he added.

“Even after failures, they’ll continue, because it’s very hard for the international community to take action against them.”

Other groups that have engaged with North Korea IT workers who earn funds for the Kim regime by landing remote technology jobs at Western companies describe them as highly organised, polite in their interactions and avid users of AI.

“There clearly was a structure you would see in military. Strict times, cleaning boots, very orderly,” said YouTuber Deeveeaar, who has claimed to have hacked into cameras watching North Korean IT workers at their jobs.

“To say they ‘use a lot of AI’ is an understatement. AI is the very backbone of their operation,” he said, citing the use of paid ChatGPT accounts, Claude Code and Cursor, among many AI tools. They write code with it, alter their resumes and help make new ones. And even forge documents and identities.”

Binance said the hackers used a bogus job interview and software hidden in an advertisement to compromise staffers’ computers before using an internal AI tool to seize control of systems.

In 2025 a sanctions monitoring team drawn from 11 UN members said TraderTraitor had obtained both ChatGPT and DeepSeek accounts.

Tough working conditions

Yet the lifestyle of a hacker or elite technology worker for North Korea is gruelling, particularly when given a mission or sent abroad, say former IT workers and human rights groups.

Living in cramped spaces, often working stretches longer than 10 hours a day, constant surveillance and strict targets are among the downsides, said former IT workers interviewed for a report last year by advocacy group PSCORE.

“There is always pressure to keep earning money,” said the group’s executive director, Nam Bada. “The stress is extreme, and because of the psychological strain people develop health problems they didn’t have before.”

IT workers must meet a monthly target in dollars, or face humiliation and other punishments, he said.

Still, the hackers’ success is likely to embolden the North Korean leader as they get better and grow more ambitious, analysts say.

“We see more and more them leaning towards what we call ‘big game hunting’,” said Zebrick. “So they’re targeting some of these larger organisations, potentially have larger vaults of funds, that they could potentially get. These are harder targets.

“However, as we can see with the Binance case, the payout certainly can make it worth their time.”

Reuters

]]>Claudia Morales<![CDATA[20 suspects nabbed for election-related offences in Limpopo ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/2026-11-06-20-suspects-nabbed-for-election-related-offences-in-limpopo/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/2026-11-06-20-suspects-nabbed-for-election-related-offences-in-limpopo/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 07:08:43 +0000Limpopo police have arrested 20 suspects for election-related offences since the start of the 2026 local government elections.

According to police, about 33 cases of election-related incidents have been registered in Limpopo.

The offences include contravention of the Electoral Act, fraud, common assault, malicious damage to property and pointing a firearm.

SAPS spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba said some of the arrested suspects have already appeared in local magistrate’s courts.

Among the incidents reported were cases where individuals allegedly contravened the Electoral Act by taking photographs of marked ballot papers using their cellphones and subsequently circulating or publishing the images on various social media platforms.

“Such conduct is prohibited in terms of electoral legislation and undermines the secrecy and integrity of the voting process,” Ledwaba said.

Police also responded to other incidents involving alleged unlawful conduct during the election, resulting in the opening of criminal cases and the subsequent arrest of suspects.

Limpopo police commissioner Lt-Gen Jan Scheepers has welcomed the arrests and commended SAPS members, other law enforcement agencies and all stakeholders who worked to ensure a safe and peaceful election.

Scheepers has also applauded the collective efforts, dedication and co-operation demonstrated by all role players, highlighting the importance of partnerships and co-ordinated efforts in safeguarding communities, voters and election officials.

He expressed appreciation to members who remained committed to their duties throughout the election, as well as stakeholders who provided unwavering support, co-operation and prayers towards ensuring that the electoral process proceeded in a safe and secure environment.

Scheepers reiterated that SAPS will not hesitate to take action against anyone who violates the law, irrespective of their position or affiliation, and that all reported cases will be attended to in accordance with the law.

TimesLIVE

]]>Nomvelo Shinga<![CDATA[Pirates coach Ouaddou urges Moremi to stay true to his style as a winger]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2026-11-06-pirates-coach-ouaddou-urges-moremi-to-stay-true-to-his-style-as-a-winger/https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2026-11-06-pirates-coach-ouaddou-urges-moremi-to-stay-true-to-his-style-as-a-winger/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 08:52:03 +0000Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has told Tshepang Moremi to stay true to his style as a speedy winger.

The Bafana Bafana attacker is one of the form players in the league at the moment, where he has been terrorising defenders.

He has made a considerable return for coach Ouaddou with seven goals and one assist after 11 matches in all competitions.

Speaking as Pirates prepared to host Sekhukhune United in the quarterfinal of the Carling Knockout Cup at Orlando Stadium on Saturday, Ouaddou said Moremi’s biggest weapon is speed.

“To be a coach is not only planning about preparing training, doing team talks, and coming up with the game model. But it’s important to analyse the profile and quality of your players and deliver a game model that suits them,” said Ouaddou.

“Speaking about Moremi, there are a lot of people who are watching big teams like Manchester City, FC Barcelona and all the other teams, and everybody wants to have inverting players.”

Ouaddou said Moremi is not the same profile as Relebohile Mofokeng, who used to play as a No 10.

“Sometimes even though I want to have inverting players, the quality is sometimes to be simple and have an out-and-out winger.

“He is not a 10, and I cannot convert him to be a 10. I always tell him that you have a special quality that God gave you, which is speed, and you must use it with efficiency.

“I told him that when he realises his quality, he is going to be efficient. That’s what we did, but I cannot go into details as to how and where we use his speed because I will be giving you the plan.

“But he is using his quality in a wonderful way that is helping his teammates. He can’t be Mofokeng or Appollis; he will stay Moremi.

“He understands where I want to take him and how I want to play him, and it is working for him. The most important thing is when I see Moremi happy at the end of the game with a smile.

“He is able to score, and he is able to feed his teammates and he is not selfish and he is going to go far.”

TimesLIVE

]]>Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix<![CDATA[Shoprite widens lead over grocery rivals as Sixty60 sales surge]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-06-shoprite-widens-lead-over-grocery-rivals-as-sixty60-sales-surge/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/business/2026-11-06-shoprite-widens-lead-over-grocery-rivals-as-sixty60-sales-surge/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 08:42:55 +0000The country’s largest retailer Shoprite says it has continued to grow its South African supermarket business faster than the wider retail market in the four months to October, with Checkers and its on-demand star Sixty60 contributing to higher sales.

In a trading update on Friday, the retailer posted a 7.1% increase in sales from its South African supermarket operations for the four months, compared with growth of 6.4% across the group’s continuing operations.

Shoprite’s South African supermarket operations include Shoprite, Usave, Checkers, Checkers Hyper and LiquorShop.

For the first three months to September, Shoprite’s South African supermarket grew 5.3 percentage points faster than the rest of the retail market at home, according to market researcher NielsenIQ.

The comparison includes retailers such as Pick n Pay and its discount offering Boxer, Spar, Woolworths, Pep, pharma giants Dis-Chem and Clicks, Food Lover’s Market, Makro and online retailers.

According to the statement, the group maintained sales growth across its two main supermarket divisions, despite rising pressure on consumer spending and low selling price inflation.

The group said internal selling price inflation was 0.7% for the four months, compared with 0.6% reported for July, boosted by continued deflation in its Shoprite brand.

Checkers and Checkers Hyper recorded the strongest sales growth.

The business remains well-positioned from a cost management perspective, including in respect of lease liability finance charge growth, while strong cash generation continues to support lower net borrowing costs

Shoprite

Its on-demand digital commerce platform Sixty60, which allows customers to order groceries and other products through a digital platform for delivery, increased sales by 33.4% for the four months.

Its growth comes as retailers continue to develop their online shopping and delivery services alongside their physical stores.

At group level, Shoprite said sales from continuing operations increased by 6.4% compared with the corresponding four months in 2025.

The South African supermarket division grew sales by 7.1%, while the non-South African supermarket business increased sales by 7% in rand terms. In constant currency, sales in the international division grew by 4.3%.

The international supermarket operations trade in seven countries outside home.

The group’s other operating segments recorded a 1.5% decline in sales, partly because of the closure of 51 stores following the previously announced mutual termination of a franchise agreement during the second half of its 2026 financial year.

Even with the decline in sales, Shoprite said trading profit growth in its OK Franchise division was positive following the store closures. The division ended the period with 578 stores after opening a net of five stores.

The group also continued expanding its South African store network, opening 71 stores and closing 10 across its operations during the four months.

Of these, 61 net new stores were added to the South African supermarket division. The openings included 12 Shoprite supermarkets, 11 Usave stores, eight Checkers supermarkets and one Checkers Hyper.

The group also opened 21 LiquorShops and 18 stores in adjacent retail formats, including 10 Uniq Clothing by Checkers stores and seven Petshop Science stores.

Its pharmacy business also grew, with sales across Medirite, Medirite Plus, and pharmaceutical distributor Transpharm up 17.6%.

Medirite and Medirite Plus sales grew 9.7%, while Transpharm rose 21.3%. The pharmacy operations ended the period with 112 in-store dispensaries and 25 standalone Medirite Plus pharmacies.

“The business remains well-positioned from a cost management perspective, including in respect of lease liability finance charge growth, while strong cash generation continues to support lower net borrowing costs,” Shoprite said.

Shoprite plans to release its 2027 interim sales update ahead of its first-half results at the end of February 2027.

Business Day

]]>Freddy Mavunda<![CDATA[China’s Q3 emissions post biggest drop since pandemic as Hormuz crisis curbs fossil fuel use]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sci-tech/2026-11-06-chinas-q3-emissions-post-biggest-drop-since-pandemic-as-hormuz-crisis-curbs-fossil-fuel-use/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sci-tech/2026-11-06-chinas-q3-emissions-post-biggest-drop-since-pandemic-as-hormuz-crisis-curbs-fossil-fuel-use/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 08:41:21 +0000China’s carbon dioxide emissions from energy and industry fell 3.1% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2026, the biggest quarterly drop since the pandemic, as the world’s biggest emitter used less fossil fuel, according to an analysis on Friday by the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

China cut its oil use by 4% during the quarter as the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz curbed energy shipments, said the CREA analysis, which was carried out for UK-based Carbon Brief. The analysis included emissions from fossil fuels and the cement industry.

Transport oil use declined even more sharply during the quarter, dropping by 9% year-on-year, the analysis found, as people relied more on electric cars and taxis to get around.

Coal use fell by 3.3% as wind and solar wastage improved, and power demand fell due to mild weather.

“The sharp decline in China’s CO₂ emissions extends a ‘flat or falling’ trend that began in March 2024 and has now lasted more than two years,” the report said, referring to the rolling 12-month total of China’s emissions, which is used to smooth out seasonal factors.

Growth in the coal-to-chemicals sector also slowed as higher coal prices led to a drop in demand for coal-chemical products after a boom earlier in the year, when low coal prices helped Chinese companies outcompete rivals using petroleum-based feedstocks.

China’s emissions have now fallen by 0.5% in the first three quarters of the year, the analysis found, indicating the trend of falling fossil fuel use and emissions could hold for the full year.

Reuters

]]><![CDATA[MTN Rwanda’s fintech business continues strong momentum ]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2026-11-06-mtn-rwandas-fintech-business-continues-strong-momentum/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2026-11-06-mtn-rwandas-fintech-business-continues-strong-momentum/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 08:36:55 +0000MTN Rwanda has reported a strong third quarter, growing earnings by almost 27% as its fintech business continued its strong momentum.

The group said on Friday that earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (ebitda) for the quarter to end-September was up 26.9% at Rwf42.2bn (about R470m), while profit after tax was up 81% at Rwf13.2bn.

For the nine-months to end-September ebitda is up 29.1% at Rwf112.7bn and profit is 130.3% higher at Rwf30.3bn.

The group said the ebitda margin expanded by 3.1 percentage points to 43.1%, reflecting robust service revenue growth and the benefit of the group’s expense efficiency programme, which offset inflationary cost pressures.

Service revenue grew by 20% year on year to Rwf259.4bn, led by the fintech business. MoMo revenue grew by 29.1%.

CEO Monzer Ali said the company delivered a strong topline performance, supported by sustained growth in its subscriber base.

Mobile subscribers increased by 7.5% year-on-year, reaching a total of 8.7-million. Active data subscribers increased by 15.9% to 2.9-million, supported by higher smartphone adoption and an improved network experience, while active mobile money (MoMo) users grew by 12% to 6.5-million.

“While we expect the regulated tariff to moderate revenue per interoperable transaction over time, we see eKash as a structural enabler for the broader digital-payments ecosystem,” he said.

Monzer Ali, MTN Rwanda CEO

“Our growth was diversified, with data, enterprise and fintech emerging as important contributors to overall performance. Data benefited from growing digital adoption and usage, enterprise maintained positive momentum, while fintech continued to scale through increased adoption of MoMo services and higher transaction volumes,” he said.

All this was achieved as Rwanda’s economy maintained strong momentum in the first half, when the country’s real GDP expanded by 9.7% year-on-year, supported by broad-based growth across all major sectors.

Ali said performance in the nine months benefited from robust economic growth, which supported subscriber and revenue growth and from a moderating franc depreciation that contained dollar denominated costs.

“This was achieved despite elevated inflation and tighter monetary conditions, which constrained household spending and added to cost pressures,” he said.

Her said the National Bank of Rwanda’s eKash system went live on July 14, routing domestic interoperable transfers between bank accounts and electronic-money wallets through a unified instant-payment rail, with customer fees capped at Rwf20 for transactions below Rwf10m.

“While the impact on our Q3 performance has not been material, it remains early in the adoption cycle and we continue to monitor customer behaviour, transaction volumes and pricing dynamics closely.

“While we expect the regulated tariff to moderate revenue per interoperable transaction over time, we see eKash as a structural enabler for the broader digital-payments ecosystem,” he said.

The group will provide a further update on its anticipated impact on both the connectivity and fintech businesses during its annual results.

Looking ahead, the company sees inflation easing, the depreciation of the franc moderating and GDP growth is forecast at 7.8% for the year. It expects to sustain growth in service revenue and profit after tax, supported by cost management.

It reaffirmed its medium-term guidance of ‘mid-teens’ service revenue growth and ebitda margins in the 40–42% range and a capex intensity range of 7–10%.

Business Day

]]><![CDATA[Morocco pauses tomato exports to African markets amid high prices at home]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2026-11-06-morocco-pauses-tomato-exports-to-african-markets-amid-high-prices-at-home/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2026-11-06-morocco-pauses-tomato-exports-to-african-markets-amid-high-prices-at-home/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 08:29:19 +0000Morocco paused tomato exports to African markets on Thursday to ensure steady domestic supply and help lower prices at home, the head of the Moroccan fresh produce exporters federation Fifel and a government source said.

Tomato prices surged on the domestic market due to lower productivity in the country’s main producing region of Souss Massa, as well as higher fertiliser and fuel costs.

Morocco is the second-largest tomato exporter to the EU, but its African market is relatively small.

Exporters serving African markets were informed of the decision, Fifel head Lahoucine Aderdour told Reuters by phone, without providing further details.

The halt is “temporary” and aims to help organise the market, said a government source, who requested anonymity, adding that exports “would resume soon.”

More expensive tomatoes shipped to European markets were exempt from the decision, the source said.

Morocco has in previous years restricted exports of some fresh produce to prioritise domestic consumption.

Government spokesperson Samir Belfquih did not directly answer a question on Thursday about the export halt but said the government gives priority to “food sovereignty”.

Last week finance minister Fouzi Lekjaa said the government would regulate food exports to help bring down prices.

The government has maintained transport subsidies to help keep food prices stable and plans to establish regional distribution companies to reduce intermediaries and lower food costs.

Agricultural exports rose 4.3% year-on-year to 33.1bn dirhams (about R56bn) in the first nine months of this year.

Reuters

]]>Willy Kurniawan<![CDATA[Belgium approves home searches for suspected undocumented migrants]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-belgium-approves-home-searches-for-suspected-undocumented-migrants/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-06-belgium-approves-home-searches-for-suspected-undocumented-migrants/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 08:28:49 +0000Belgium’s parliament early on Friday approved a controversial law allowing police to enter the homes of suspected undocumented migrants who have ignored orders to leave the country.

The measure is part of a broader push by Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s right-leaning coalition to limit migration and increase expulsions of those who have been denied the right to stay in the country.

The legislation has drawn strong opposition from human rights groups and lawyers, who argue that allowing police to enter private homes for immigration enforcement risks undermining constitutional rights and privacy laws.

Around 3,000 people formed a human chain around Brussels’ Palace of Justice on Wednesday evening to protest the bill. More than 50 other demonstrations and gatherings were organised in towns and cities across the country, Belgian media reported.

The law was finally approved by a majority of lawmakers around 5am local time (4am GMT), following a lengthy debate that lasted throughout the night.

Searches will be limited to the homes of people who have been denied asylum in Belgium, have ignored orders to leave and are seen to be a threat to public security.

Home searches must be agreed to by an investigative judge and can only occur between 5am and 9am, with immigration officials present.

Ahead of the vote, Amnesty International urged lawmakers to reject the legislation, which it said could also affect people who help undocumented migrants.

The government has defended the measure as a tool to enforce deportation orders for people who are considered a danger to public order or national security.

Reuters

]]><![CDATA[WATCH | The Political Arena team unpacks trends on the election results]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-watch-live-the-political-arena-team-unpacks-trends-on-the-election-results/https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/elections-2026/2026-11-06-watch-live-the-political-arena-team-unpacks-trends-on-the-election-results/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 07:39:15 +0000

Arena Holdings’ journalists are coming to you live from the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) results centre at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Johannesburg, to unpack the election results as they come in and discuss what they mean for municipalities.

Sowetan

]]>MASI LOSI<![CDATA[JMC Vigus single cab bakkie arrives in South Africa]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-jmc-vigus-single-cab-bakkie-arrives-in-south-africa/https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/2026-11-06-jmc-vigus-single-cab-bakkie-arrives-in-south-africa/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 07:54:00 +0000The new JMC Vigus single cab bakkie is now available in South Africa.

Designed for commercial use, it features a cargo bed measuring 2,310mm in length and 1,595mm in width. The load bed is fitted with a factory spray-in bedliner designed to protect it when carrying abrasive or heavy materials.

According to JMC, the Vigus single cab has a payload capacity of 1,000kg and a braked towing capacity of 2,000kg (750kg unbraked). Power comes from a 2.5l four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine producing 123kW at 3,400rpm and 410Nm of torque between 1,400rpm and 2,400rpm. Drive is sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox.

The bakkie rides on 16-inch steel wheels fitted with 245/70 profile tyres. Its suspension comprises a double-wishbone setup with coil springs at the front and leaf springs at the rear. Ground clearance is 210mm, while the approach and departure angles are 27º and 22º, respectively.

Standard equipment includes manual air conditioning, a radio with two speakers and Bluetooth connectivity, a USB charging port, a 12V power outlet, a multifunction steering wheel, electric windows, fabric seats and a 3.5-inch TFT multi-information display instrument cluster.

Safety features include ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), dual front airbags and rear parking sensors.

The JMC Vigus single cab is available in White, Black, Silver, Grey, Yellow and Green. It is priced at R329,900 and comes with a five-year/100,000km warranty.

]]>JMC<![CDATA[Under-pressure Da Cruz puts on a brave face as Chiefs eye Knockout to take the heat off]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2026-11-06-under-pressure-da-cruz-puts-on-a-brave-face-as-chiefs-eye-knockout-to-take-the-heat-off/https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2026-11-06-under-pressure-da-cruz-puts-on-a-brave-face-as-chiefs-eye-knockout-to-take-the-heat-off/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 02:30:00 +0000Pressure is mounting on Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz after a recent run of mixed results, but on Thursday he put on a brave face ahead of their Carling Knockout Cup quarterfinal against Siwelele FC on Sunday.

Amakhosi recorded just one win from their last seven matches in all competitions and can’t afford to slip up at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.

Chiefs’ only win during that seven-match period came in the Carling Knockout last 32 round against TS Galaxy last week, where striker Wandile Duba scored a hat-trick.

That midweek clash preceded a 2-1 defeat to Orlando Pirates in Saturday’s Betway Premiership clash. Now not only are Chiefs wallowing in fifth place, but Soweto derby defeats are notorious for ramping up strain on under-pressure coaches.

The PSL has moved the match between Chiefs and Siwelele FC to 6pm on Sunday to accommodate the Caf Super Cup match between Mamelodi Sundowns and USM Alger of Algeria at Loftus on Saturday at 3pm.

Da Cruz knows a win over Siwelele will buy him and his technical staff time going into the Fifa International break next week. A good cup run, or even a trophy in the Carling, would really take the heat off the 53-year-old Frenchman.

“Our main target is to qualify for the semifinal stage of the Carling Knockout Cup. We respect Siwelele FC and we have prepared well for this important game,” said Da Cruz, adding Chiefs are not disadvantaged by taking the match from FNB Stadium to Polokwane.

“The game is in Polokwane and we must concentrate on winning it and qualifying for the next round. They have a new coach and they have a different structure and we must focus on how we are going to play our game.”

Siwelele coach Godfrey Mosoetsa said given the stakes, his players need no extra motivation playing the Soweto giants.

“If you look at the eight teams that are left in the competition, you wouldn’t want to play against any of them because they are very competitive. We are looking forward to this one against Chiefs, who have a lot of supporters everywhere. It is a game that our players are looking forward to.

“As a coach you don’t need to do much to motivate the players in a match like this. It would be a big thing if we proceed to the next round.”

Mosoetsa said it would also be huge on a personal note.

“I only had a couple of games with the team and the more games you get, the better you are able to give different players opportunities and seeing them at a different level.

Our main target is to qualify for the semifinal stage of the Carling Knockout Cup. We respect Siwelele FC and we have prepared well for this important game.

Fernando Da Cruz, Kaizer Chiefs coach

Da Cruz was also quizzed on new signing and attacker Elias Mokwana, who did not have a pre-season as he was without a club after the winger’s recent return from a two-year stint in North Africa and Saudi Arabia.

“He is a good and experienced player. He was with Bafana Bafana before and has a lot of quality. We know he is not fully fit, but we have the Fifa break and that will give us enough time to work with him. After the Fifa break, it will be time to integrate him.”

There will be another opportunity to sign more players in December, where he said Chiefs will be looking for experience.

“We don’t want to recruit for the sake of recruiting, we want players who will add value to the squad. We know in some positions, we have a lack of experience. We need experience to support our talented players in training and during the game.”

Da Cruz was also asked to clarify the continued absence of midfielder Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and striker Khanyisa Mayo.

“Mayo is not ready physically at this moment but he is working hard to come back. As for ‘Mshini’ [Ngcobo], he has a lot of competition in his position with Mduduzi Shabalala and Mfundo Vilakazi. He must keep his motivation because we need everyone during the season.”

On Chiefs’ glaring inconsistency, Da Cruz said committing basic errors in matches has not helped them in that regard.

“We have analysed our matches since the start of the season. Sometimes we drew matches because of our mistakes but we deserved to win those games. We deserved to win two to three games in a row at some stage because of our performances, but it was not be.”

]]>Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix<![CDATA[MARK KEOHANE | For Wessels and and Moerat, this is a test within a Test]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/2026-11-06-mark-keohane-for-wessels-and-and-moerat-this-is-a-test-within-a-test/https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/2026-11-06-mark-keohane-for-wessels-and-and-moerat-this-is-a-test-within-a-test/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 02:30:00 +0000The Springboks will beat Italy in Turin in the Nations Championship on Saturday. The intrigue is not in the result but in the individual performances of starting lock Salmaan Moerat and replacement hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels.

For both, this is a test within a Test. It is about opportunity, credibility and making a statement that goes beyond beating Italy.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has picked his strongest available combination, with the core of his match-23 being the players who beat the All Blacks 3-1 in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Series.

Erasmus knows what he will get from his established World Cup winners. What he needs is confirmation that Moerat and Wessels can be trusted to deliver consistently at Test level.

Wessels, 25, has been Erasmus’s hybrid impact project for three years. He can play loosehead prop and hooker, but Erasmus believes his greatest potential is at hooker. That belief has arguably been both Wessels’s blessing and his curse.

A generational schoolboy talent at Grey College, Wessels has spent much of his professional career being celebrated for his versatility without being allowed to settle exclusively in one position.

His numbers tell the story. Seventeen Tests, just three starts and an average of 28 minutes a Test. At the Bulls, he has played 71 matches but started only 27.

He is behind Gerhard Steenekamp at loosehead and Johan Grobbelaar at hooker. It is hardly the ideal environment for a player desperately needing consistent minutes in one position.

Erasmus has invested heavily in Wessels, but investment eventually demands a return. Malcolm Marx is the world’s best hooker and among the game’s most influential players. He cannot be expected to play every meaningful minute between now and the 2027 World Cup.

Erasmus needs another hooker he can start without hesitation, or introduce after 40 minutes rather than 60.

Moerat’s challenge is different, and considerably more personal.

Wessels has the physicality, aggression and natural talent. What he needs is an extended opportunity and, more importantly, a performance that demands another. Turin could be the beginning of that transition.

Moerat’s challenge is different, and considerably more personal.

The 27-year-old has been part of Erasmus’s Springbok environment since 2022, but injuries and repeated concussions have restricted him to 12 Tests in five seasons, six starts and a handful of captaincy appearances.

He has won 10 of those 12 Tests, yet few Springboks divide public opinion quite like Moerat. Erasmus and Stormers coach John Dobson have consistently praised his leadership, physicality, work rate and willingness to do the ugly work that seldom features in highlights packages.

Moerat is an enforcer. He hits rucks, makes tackles and brings a physical presence that coaches value enormously.

He has captained South Africa at under-18 and Junior Springbok level, Western Province, the Stormers and the Springboks.Leadership has never been his weakness. But the social media condemnation of Moerat is often vicious, spiteful and disproportionate to anything he has produced on a rugby field. His selection to start against Italy, having not played a Test this season, predictably brought another avalanche of criticism.

Moerat, who made 73 appearances for the Stormers before joining La Rochelle, has at least returned to regular rugby. He made his French club debut with 40 minutes against the Lions in the Champions Cup last month and has since started successive Top 14 matches, playing 54 minutes and then the full 80.

Erasmus clearly believes Moerat is ready. The challenge is for Moerat to make the public see what Erasmus and Dobson have always seen. He doesn’t need to convince his coach. He needs to impose himself on Italy, dominate the collisions and deliver the kind of performance that makes his selection indisputable.

And if he does, he can deliver the most satisfying two-fingered salute to those keyboard warriors who have made a sport of belittling him.

]]>Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images<![CDATA[Brevis needs to find form if Titans want to progress in Pro20 Cup]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/cricket/2026-11-05-brevis-needs-to-find-form-if-titans-want-to-progress-in-pro20-cup/https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/cricket/2026-11-05-brevis-needs-to-find-form-if-titans-want-to-progress-in-pro20-cup/Thu, 05 Nov 2026 15:35:58 +0000The Momentum Multiply Titans are in danger of an embarrassing collapse that may cost them a shot at winning the first domestic trophy of the 2026-27 season.

After dominating the opening group stage, winning their first six matches, and setting batting records, the Proteas-laden Titans face a must-win Super 8 clash against the HollywoodBets Dolphins at Willowmoore Park in Benoni to keep alive their hopes in the Pro20 Cup.

Donovan Ferreira’s team haven’t won any of their last three matches. They tied against Boland in their last group stage fixture - eventually losing in a double super over in Paarl - and then got ambushed by the South Western Districts in their first Super Eight phase match in Oudtshoorn, followed by a 19-run defeat to their provincial neighbours the DP World Lions at the Wanderers last Sunday.

It has left the Titans fifth on the Super Eights log, outside of the semifinal places with two matches to play. Where they and the Lions, who topped their first round group, may have expected to cruise to the semis, ahead the final week of the tournament, the Titans find themselves in a scrap with five other teams for two spots.

Their bowling has been inconsistent, but at a stage in the competition where the playoffs come into view, the lack of runs from star batter, Dewald Brevis, is concerning.

Brevis made a pair of half-centuries against the South Africa Emerging Squad and Easterns, but against the top tier teams, his returns have been limited. In four matches against Division 1 teams, he’s not reached double figures and in his last three innings, he’s scored 3,5 and 4.

For a batter that is chasing a middle order spot in the Proteas squad for next year’s World Cup it’s a bad time to be experiencing a slump .

Brevis has batted at No 3 throughout the tournament as Titans coach Rivash Gobind seeks to give him as much time at the crease as possible allowing him time to control the innings. But he hasn’t grasped the opportunity yet. Brevis and Gobind will hope that the young tyro is saving his best when it matters most, like he did in last season’s SA20, where - in the last three matches for the Pretoria Capitals - he made two fifties followed by a century in the final.

The Dolphins, who the Titans host on Sunday, are among the group of five chasing those two semifinal spots. The KZN side lost their first Super Eight match to Boland, and their match on Tuesday against Western Province was rained out, leaving them on the brink of elimination.

The Lions appear to have clicked, scoring back-to-back totals of 200 or more in their last two matches, thanks to a century from Neil Timmers against Easterns followed by Conor Esterhuizen’s unbeaten 98 against the Titans.

The Lions can seal their semifinal spot by beating WP at Newlands on Saturday. While other teams have relied on one player for runs - like Lhuan-dre Pretorius for the Titans and Janneman Malan at SWD - the Lions have three players in the competition’s top 10 run-scorers, including Esterhuizen, Zubayr Hamza, who was recently called up to the Proteas Test squad and Rassie van der Dussen, who has made over 250 runs in six innings, but not once passed 50.

TimesLIVE

]]>Nokwanda Zondi/BackpagePix<![CDATA[Five things to know about USM Alger ahead of Sundowns clash]]>https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/2026-11-06-five-things-to-know-about-usm-alger-ahead-of-sundowns-clash/https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/2026-11-06-five-things-to-know-about-usm-alger-ahead-of-sundowns-clash/Fri, 06 Nov 2026 04:55:20 +0000

Story audio is generated using AI

USM Alger arrived in Pretoria ahead of the Caf Super Cup final against Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday at 3pm, looking to avenge the two defeats they suffered against Masandawana in the Champions League six years ago and lift the title.

Sowetan

]]>Djaffar Ladjal/BackpagePix