The 2026/27 season has barely begun and Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe is already on top of La Liga's goalscoring charts ahead of the visit of promoted side Malaga on Sunday.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has released the Nkabinde inquiry report, which found key allegations against the Cato Manor organised crime unit deserved scrutiny.

Political parties and independent candidates have until 5pm today to submit their candidate nominations for the local government elections taking place in November. Despite the looming deadline, disputes over the Eastern Cape ANC candidate list seem to be multiplying. Joe Gqabi candidate list under scrutiny ANC branch members are demanding the party’s PR list process at Joe Gqabi in Aliwal North be stopped and reviewed for possible manipulation. Stopping the process could mean Joe Gqabi and other regions miss today’s deadline set by the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC). The IEC has announced today as the final deadline with no option for any list to be submitted afterwards. A senior ANC party member and Joe Gqabi district municipality councillor has been excluded from the party list, causing an uproar from her branch. The branch has petitioned the ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) and its provincial list committee (PLC) to halt list submissions to the IEC until the matter is rectified. Allegations of list manipulation emerge ANC Eastern Cape secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi and the PLC have been asked to intervene and probe alleged list rigging of the process by the party’s Joe Gqabi regional secretary Vikita Dontsa. Dontsa is accused of manipulating the ANC PR candidates list and excluding archrival Aphiwe Skoti, a senior regional member, allegedly over a personal matter. ANC Boyce Nondala branch member in the Joe Gqabi region Nkosikho Skoti, has petitioned Ngcukayitobi and the party provincial list committee to intervene on behalf of Aphiwe Skoti. Nkosikho Skoti condemned what he called Aphiwe Skoti’s “arbitrary and factional exclusion” from the elections. Nkosikho Skoti said the PEC and PLC must intervene to rectify “this clear breach of organisational rules”. Women’s league welcomes Buffalo City mayoral candidates Meanwhile, the ANC Women’s League in the Dr WB Rubusana region of KuGompo welcomed the release of four mayoral candidates for Buffalo City. They are Simphiwe “Piya” Dzengwa, current mayor Princess Faku, Ncedo Kumbaca and Nocawe Mafu. “This decision demonstrates a commitment to capable ethical and progressive leadership at a time when local government requires decisive intervention, stability and renewal,” the women’s league said. In another development, Luthuli House confirmed that it had received a letter from the lawyers representing aggrieved ANC branch members in Buffalo City, who accused the leadership of violating its rules by interfering with the selection of candidates. A letter from ANC attorneys, however, said the party was presently unable to furnish the members’ attorneys with a substantial response to their grievances.

A high‑stakes police operation in the Eastern Cape ended in a deadly shootout when three armed suspects opened fire on South African Police Service (Saps) members and were killed in the exchange, leaving officers uninjured and unlicensed firearms and ammunition seized at the scene. The incident occurred in Mqanduli on the evening of 26 August 2026 during an intelligence-driven operation by a multi-disciplinary police team. Police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said members of the Commander’s Recce Team, Mthatha Crime Intelligence, Provincial Head Office Crime Intelligence, and the OR Tambo Tactical Response Team acted on follow-up information regarding armed males in the Mqanduli area. Shootout Gantana said the information led the team to a homestead in Khovoti Locality, Lucwecwe Administrative Area in Mqanduli. “Upon arrival, the team knocked on a house at the homestead and announced their presence. Instead of an audible response, shots were fired from inside the dwelling towards the police members. “The Saps members returned fire, wounding all three suspects. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded and certified the three suspects deceased at the scene. No Saps members sustained any injuries,” Gantana said. Identities Gantana added that the deceased are adult males from the Magutywa Location, KuTsolo, aged between 40 and 46. “Their identities are known to the investigating team, but are not being disclosed at this stage of the investigation.” Gantana said three unlicensed firearms, including two pistols with their serial numbers filed off and a shotgun with no serial number, were recovered from the scene. “Ammunition was also seized as exhibits. All exhibits were processed by the Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC).” Ipid Gantana said the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) was summoned to the scene in line with prescribed procedures. An inquest docket, as well as a case of attack on police, has been opened at Mqanduli SAPS for further investigation.

Kaizer Chiefs’ defensive struggles continued against Richards Bay, with poor communication and mistakes at the back once again costing them valuable points. Amakhosi have now shown worrying signs defensively this season, particularly when attempting to play out from the back. While head coach Fernando Da Cruz has been praised for his tactical approach in certain matches, the three-man defence has yet to provide the stability expected of it. Against Mamelodi Sundowns, Da Cruz opted for a cautious approach, fielding eight defensively minded players as Kaizer Chiefs secured a draw against the reigning champions. The result earned the coach plenty of praise for his tactical discipline. However, Amakhosi were more adventurous against Richards Bay, but the switch to a more offensive approach exposed some of the same defensive weaknesses. Inacio Miguel, Thabo Moloisane and Miguel Inacio formed the back three, but the trio looked unsettled throughout the match. The opening goal was particularly costly, with goalkeeper Brandon Petersen failing to control a pass from Moloisane before the Richards Bay striker pounced on the loose ball. Former Kaizer Chiefs winger Junior Khanye believes Amakhosi are making life difficult for themselves by insisting on building from the back despite lacking the personnel to do it effectively. “The defence was terrible, honestly. It’s wet, you’re playing with three slow players at the back and at the same time you’re playing a high line. Obviously you will be exposed,” Khanye told iDiski TV. “Chiefs are not a team that are comfortable building from the back when pressed. It’s not their strength.” Kaizer Chiefs keeper making mistakes Khanye also questioned the decision to play the ball back to Petersen in the build-up to the goal, arguing that Chiefs should have taken a more direct approach. “Also, Moloisane going back to the goalkeeper, I don’t understand. The striker is coming, the keeper should just kick it first time.” The comments highlight a growing concern for Chiefs. Their problem may not simply be the decision to use three defenders, but whether the players in the system are suited to the demands of playing a high defensive line and building possession from deep. With the Betway Premiership season still in its early stages, Da Cruz will need to find a solution quickly. Kaizer Chiefs cannot afford to keep gifting opponents goals through avoidable mistakes, particularly if they want to remain in contention at the top of the table. Who do you blame?

Broos had previously decided that the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be his final assignment with Bafana Bafana. However, the Belgian admitted that leaving became much harder as the tournament approached. LEAVING BAFANA BAFANA Speaking to Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, Broos revealed that he underestimated how difficult the decision would become. “I underestimated it. The closer the end came, the more people asked me not to stop,” Broos said. The veteran coach said several people around the national team would also be affected by his departure. That included his driver, who would lose his job once Broos returned home. Also read: Broos shares strong comments on Mosimane to Bafana Bafana The emotional pressure eventually became strong enough for Broos to consider staying. He even discussed the possibility with his wife before making his final decision. HUGO BROOS CHANGED HIS MIND 10 TIMES Broos revealed that SAFA president Danny Jordaan also gave him an opening to return. “The federation president even said: ‘We understand that you miss your family. Just write down when you want to come.’” That conversation happened shortly before his final match. Broos admitted that he seriously considered returning to South Africa. “So only a week before the match did I consider returning to South Africa,” he said. However, Broos could not bring himself to make the proposal. He felt uncomfortable asking for another opportunity after already announcing his retirement. “But I couldn’t bring myself to suggest that. I was embarrassed to propose it.” The Belgian eventually made peace with his decision. He believes the 2026 FIFA World Cup was the right time to close his chapter with Bafana Bafana. His departure comes after a successful period that included a third-place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations. South Africa also reached the World Cup knockout stage for the first time. Also read: Important Safa letter ends up at Adult World HOW WILL SOUTH AFRICA FARE WITHOUT HIM? Share your thoughts by clicking on the red comments block below.

The clue to what comes next is a small aluminium box Apple announced this week with no keynote at all.

US states sought $1.4-trillion before trial. Meta Platforms settled for $18-billion and its shares went up.