Municipal Elections 2026: ANC Loses Ground as MKP Makes eThekwini Gains and DA Leads Key Metros

Staff Writer — Mon, 09 Nov 2026 08:39:31 +0000

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) has emerged as the biggest party in eThekwini following the conclusion of the 2026 municipal elections, despite internal leadership instability. The party secured 38.29% of the vote, translating into 86 seats in the 223-member council. However, it fell short of the 112 seats required for an outright majority. The Democratic Alliance (DA) finished second with 25.45% and 57 seats, followed by the African National Congress (ANC), which received 16.43% and secured 37 seats. The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) obtained 6.79% and 15 seats, while ActionSA received 2.85%, securing seven seats. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) managed just 1.62% and four seats. The results represent a dramatic change in the political composition of the municipality compared with the 2021 elections. The ANC, which previously held 96 seats, lost 59 and was reduced to 37. The EFF also suffered a substantial decline, losing 20 seats, from

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Trump Suffers Major Midterm Defeat as Democrats Take Control of Congress

Staff Writer — Wed, 04 Nov 2026 08:10:02 +0000

US President Donald Trump has suffered a major political setback after Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in the November 3 midterm elections, dealing a significant blow to the Republican Party and threatening to complicate the remainder of his presidency. The Democratic victories in the House of Representatives and Senate mark a dramatic reversal of political fortunes for Trump, whose Republican Party had controlled both chambers since the beginning of his second term. The results also saw Democrats make significant gains in traditionally Republican territory, including Texas, Kansas and South Carolina, where the party secured Senate victories. Democrats also won several key governor elections. The election results reflect growing dissatisfaction among American voters with the direction of the country, particularly over the rising cost of living, economic pressures and Trump’s handling of foreign policy. The US conflict with Iran and the impact of the administration’s trade tariffs were

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Online Casino Gambling: Is It Legal or Not in South Africa?

Guest Author — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 11:58:36 +0000

Sponsored South Africa has a booming online gambling market, but when it comes to online casino games, the legal position is far less straightforward than the growing number of websites offering them might suggest. The distinction is important because online gambling is not a blanket legal/illegal activity in South Africa. Online betting with a properly licensed South African bookmaker is legal. The controversy centres on interactive gambling, which includes online casino-style games. The National Gambling Board (NGB) currently takes the position that interactive gambling is prohibited under the National Gambling Act (NGA). According to the NGB, Section 11 of the Act states that a person may not engage in or make available an interactive game unless it is authorised under the Act or another national law. The regulator consequently states on its website that interactive gambling is not legal, while online betting with a licensed South African bookmaker is. What

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Spain High-Speed Train Crash Kills 68 After Suspected Safety System Failure

Staff Writer — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 05:03:02 +0000

At least 68 people have been killed and dozens injured after a high-speed train collided with a stationary train near Urda in Spain’s Toledo province on Wednesday, October 28. The crash involved a Renfe high-speed train travelling from Madrid to Seville and an Iryo train that had stopped on the same track. Several carriages derailed, with three reportedly plunging down an embankment. Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente said a failure of the railway’s LZB safety system preceded the collision. However, he identified a subsequent decision by the railway control centre to allow the Renfe train to resume its journey as the immediate cause of the disaster. According to Puente, the system failure occurred at around 8:30 a.m. local time, automatically bringing several trains to a halt. The disruption affected approximately 63 kilometres of track. At 8:36 a.m., the Renfe train was authorised to resume its journey despite a red signal

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Public Outcry as Ramaphosa Deploys 510 Soldiers to KZN

Staff Writer — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 21:00:13 +0000

Public anger over the government’s handling of marches against illegal immigration intensified in Durban on Tuesday as members of the March and March Movement took to the streets amid a heavy police presence. The protest coincided with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that 510 soldiers would be deployed to KwaZulu-Natal. Protesters gathered outside the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre on Che Guevara Road, formerly Moore Road, before marching through heavy rain to Berea Police Station. Police initially blocked their route, but demonstrators continued despite attempts to stop them. Delivery scooters manoeuvred around officers, while movement leader Xolani Zuma confronted police during the standoff. The Presidency announced that 510 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) would be deployed to KwaZulu-Natal under Operation Prosper. The deployment runs from October 9 to November 30 and is expected to cost R34,082,720. The soldiers are expected to assist police in maintaining public order

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IEC Races to Print 27 Million Ballots as Election Day Looms

Staff Writer — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:32:52 +0000

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is working around the clock to print approximately 27 million ballot papers by Friday, October 30, following a Constitutional Court ruling that has complicated preparations for the November 4 local government elections. IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo acknowledged that the ruling, together with the commission’s decision to extend the benefit of the judgment to other political parties in similar circumstances, had significantly increased the logistical demands on the electoral body. The commission had initially planned to complete ballot printing by October 18. However, it now has until the end of this week to complete the additional printing required to accommodate the changes to candidate lists. The printing challenge follows a Constitutional Court ruling in favour of the African National Congress (ANC), which challenged the IEC’s decision to exclude its candidates from the November elections after the party failed to submit its final

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Annie Silinga, Liberation Struggle Icon Who Inspired Generations

Thandisizwe Mgudlwa — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:53:23 +0000

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Annie Silinga remains a hidden stalwart of the Struggle for Freedom in South Africa. A prominent anti-pass laws and anti-apartheid political activist, Mama Silinga famously declared: “I will never carry a pass.” The pass laws were a system of internal passport controls in South Africa and colonial Namibia (then South West Africa) designed to racially segregate the population, restrict the movement of Black, Indian, and Coloured people, and control the supply of cheap migrant labor. Mama Silinga was repeatedly jailed for her steadfast refusal to carry one. She is widely remembered for her role as President of the Cape Town African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL), her leadership in the historic 1956 anti-pass Women’s March to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, and for being the only African woman from the Western Cape indicted in the 1956 Treason Trial. Early Life and Move to Cape Town

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MK Party Fires Secretary-General Sibonelo Nomvalo

Staff Writer — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 06:59:24 +0000

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has relieved Advocate Sibonelo Nomvalo of his duties as secretary-general, citing concerns over councillor selection, internal factionalism and several organisational matters. The decision, effective October 22, 2026, was announced by the Office of the President of the MK Party on Thursday night. In a statement, the party cited concerns relating to dual remuneration, delays in campaign materials, changes within the parliamentary caucus and parliamentary administration that were reportedly not communicated to the President, National Officials and the Presidency Collective. The party also raised concerns about the establishment of high-level deployment committees without the knowledge of the relevant leadership structures. According to the statement, these matters raised concerns about organisational coordination, internal communication, accountability and adherence to established party procedures. The party acknowledged Nomvalo’s contribution to the organisation and wished him well in his future endeavours. He was also requested to cooperate with the relevant structures

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Opera Offers Vodacom Users Up to 3GB of Free Browsing Per Month

Staff Writer — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 13:49:08 +0000

Vodacom subscribers can now browse the internet for free through Opera Mini, following the expansion of Opera’s free-browsing offer in South Africa. Announced on October 20, the offer allows Vodacom subscribers to access up to 100MB of free browsing per day, equivalent to a maximum of 3GB per month. The service was previously available only to MTN subscribers. According to Opera, Vodacom users can access the free data by downloading or updating to the latest version of Opera Mini and browsing while connected to the Vodacom mobile network. Mobile data and Opera Mini’s Data Saver mode must be switched on for the offer to work. The free browsing should activate automatically when users open Opera Mini and start browsing. The offer covers ordinary web browsing within Opera Mini but excludes video streaming, large downloads and other activities that consume substantial amounts of data. Small PDFs, MS Word documents, text files

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Vodacom Subscribers Report Missing Data and Airtime

Staff Writer — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 10:59:36 +0000

Vodacom subscribers reported missing data and airtime balances on Thursday morning, October 22, after waking up to find their bundles had disappeared from their accounts. I was among those affected after a 1GB data bundle and 30 minutes of any-network calling time, purchased for R19 on Wednesday, October 21, and valid for three days, disappeared from my account the following morning. The problem prompted complaints on social media, with subscribers reporting losses ranging from a few gigabytes to hundreds of gigabytes. Several Vodacom customers took to Facebook to ask what had happened to their balances, with some expressing concern about losing data they had purchased or expected to use. “238 GB gone 😭 Kan Vodacom Unani???” wrote Thobela CB, describing the disappearance of a substantial data balance. Another subscriber, Ayya Cycy Deon, wrote: “I woke up my 20GB gone 🤦🏾‍♂️” Others reported losing both data and airtime. “Am I the

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