From Candice Swanepoel’s Victoria’s Secret return and Cyan Boujee’s social-media break to Selena Gomez’s comments on vaping and Tom Holland’s new production role, here are the celebrity stories that made headlines this week.

Gender and language experts say Mantashe's response to a question about sexual exploitation was inappropriate.

When the pandemic hit and lockdown dropped on us like a wet blanket, it felt like the end of the world as we know it (apologies to REM). Over the past year and a half, it’s starting to feel like that again with the world at war, fuel prices squeezing the life out of us, and back home, well, you know it. But what happens when the end of the world is nigh, then occurs, and we survive? Well, some of us, anyway. Since the pandemic, Snowpiercer has shown us the future of climate change, and humanity’s endeavour to prevent it, crash and burn. Or, in this case, the hell people create for themselves freezes over. And that’s because rather than cooling the planet a little, scientists manage to turn it into an ice-covered wasteland. The remnants of civilisation, those who could afford the hefty ticket price and their underlings, have taken refuge aboard Snowpiercer, a gigantic train that endlessly circles the globe, powered by an extraordinary engine designed by a mysterious Mr Wilford. The train is supposedly humanity’s last refuge, but surviving the apocalypse created by us didn’t cure people of the human condition. The obsession with wealth, privilege, and who’s got rank and who’s rank and file. Climate change apocalypse The show, with three seasons presently available on Netflix, is based on a French graphic novel that also inspired the 2013 Korean film. A fourth and final season has also been produced. So, on Snowpiercer, keeping with the theme of caste, passengers are divided accordingly. The wealthy enjoy luxury accommodation, fine dining and the comforts of a civilisation gone forever. Further back, conditions deteriorate until you reach the back of the very, very long train. This is where the poorest passengers live in overcrowded, miserable circumstances, surviving on barely enough food and the occasional mercy of those running the train. Foes, friends, survivors. Picture: Supplied Enter Andre Layton, a former homicide detective and one of the butt-end’s reluctant leaders, who becomes involved in investigating a murder aboard Snowpiercer. His investigation takes him through the train’s various social divisions and exposes the machinery of power keeping its passengers in line. Melanie Cavill, the formidable woman overseeing the train’s operations, has plenty of secrets of her own. It’s a stunning series visually, first of all. And then, when it comes to imagination, it’s all there. Snowpiercer is exactly how you may contemplate this train to be. The nooks, crannies, the entire construct and room to manoeuvre the plot within its confines, exceptionally well done. Jennifer Connelly as Cavill and Daveed Diggs as Layton deliver fabulous performances as two characters who are frequently at odds, yet have more in common than either would care to admit. Sean Bean, as the sinister Joseph Wilford, oozes excess and meanness in abundance. The balance of the supporting cast is just as lekker in-character. Watch the trailer But Snowpiercer is more than just a futuristic piece of fantasy. Between the lines, quite obviously so, is the glaring challenge of class and segregation which we face every day. It starts wars, ignites acts of terrorism, and damages lives psychologically and physically. Yet we keep on doing it. Humanity always chases its own tail, doesn’t it? The train is a microcosm of what we call civilisation, complete with its own economy, police state, political manoeuvring, and inequalities. Revolutions threaten the established order, loyalties change, and the question of who deserves to survive hangs over the entire population of the choo-choo like a permanent sword of Damocles. Of course, the tension is exacerbated by leadership challenges, a possible rebirth of the planet and famine, among other threats. And while the plot sometimes becomes a little convoluted, there is enough suspense, intrigue and outright nastiness to keep you watching. Beyond the narrative, Snowpiercer is a fascinating collage of what-ifs and ‘Damnit, people are people no matter what’. Old habits and hatred seem somehow ingrained into our DNA. Snowpiercer is fascinating. It is riveting, and it asks the kind of questions that we should be asking ourselves irrespective of whether the world ended or not. In a sense, it’s a social wake-up call dressed up as a thriller, without being overbearing in its message. Rather, the show tells us that it is what it is; or is it? And does it have to be?

Civil society organisations have lambasted Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s medium-term budget policy statement (MTBPS), accusing him of failing to address the needs of the poor. But economists struck a more positive note. Tax relief windfall and temporary fuel levy cut will burden ordinary taxpayers Civil society bodies said even the tax relief windfall and temporary fuel levy cut will ultimately burden ordinary taxpayers, as government continues to raid public pockets while reducing spending on essential services, worsening the situation for the most vulnerable. United Democratic Front (UDF) national convener Jo Mboweni said the minister had “forgotten the downtrodden,” particularly the 54% of youth unemployed. He criticised the budget for sidelining black and informal businesses and non-profit and non-governmental organisations that support vulnerable groups. Mboweni said the speech was delivered amid widespread retrenchments under Section 189 of the Labour Relations Act, while MPs themselves had just approved salary and perk increases for themselves. The UDF, a struggle-era movement which repositioned itself as a citizen’s mouthpiece during its 40th anniversary, blamed South Africa’s ballooning sovereign debt on reckless borrowing from international lenders such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. It said servicing the debt would mean harsher tax enforcement, especially for black businesses, and lamented the absence of subsidies for township economies. Budget entrenches austerity and market-first policies The organisation also highlighted the neglect of the National Health Insurance, collapsing education centres and the plight of unemployed graduates. Aliya Chikte, of the Alternative Information and Development Centre, said the budget entrenches austerity and market-first policies. “Growth has been cut to 1.2% this year, down from an already paltry 1.6% forecast in February,” said Chikte. “The fuel levy relief will be wiped out by an even larger fuel price hike in November. She added the celebrated primary surplus comes at the expense of collapsing municipalities, overcrowded clinics and shrinking free basic services. She said the new principles-based fiscal anchor Godongwana announced threatens to hard-wire austerity into the state, forcing any new spending to be offset by cuts elsewhere. “The R70.8 billion tax windfall goes straight into the pockets of bankers and lenders, not into public services,” said Chikte. Govt’s books are healing faster than household’s budgets She added promises of relief after debt stabilisation have been broken, with surpluses now projected until 2030. But economists struck a more nuanced tone. Wealth manager at Consult by Momentum Jurgen Eckmann said the government’s books are healing faster than households’ budgets. “Debt has stabilised at 78.4% of gross domestic product and is now falling, and the deficit is a little better than February’s forecast. That’s good news for the long run, but doesn’t put money back in your pocket this month,” he said. Eckmann hailed the fuel levy cut but urged perspective: “It takes R1.50 a litre off petrol from 4 November, about R75 on a 50-litre tank. But forecasts point to another increase in November, so the cut may only soften the blow. “Diesel gets more help, at R3 a litre, but relief ends in January, right when bills pile up.” Warning against relying on temporary tax windfalls He also warned against relying on temporary tax windfalls, advising households to build emergency savings in a slow economy. Nkosinathi Mahlangu, employment and entrepreneurship specialist at Momentum Group Foundation, said stabilising public finances is encouraging, particularly the commitment to infrastructure investment. But he questioned how this would translate into jobs. “With growth revised down to 1.2%, the challenge is turning fiscal progress into meaningful employment opportunities for young South Africans,” he said. From the energy sector, David McDonald, CEO of SolarAfrica, said the MTBPS shows progress on commitments. He highlighted the incorporation of the Credit Guarantee Vehicle, with $553 million (around R9.2 billion) in conditional capital commitments, as a step towards unlocking private investment in infrastructure.

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is moving to recover more than R315 million in social grants allegedly paid to ineligible public servants in KwaZulu-Natal. The agency has joined forces with provincial government departments to recover the money and prevent further irregular payments. SASSA says government employees who unlawfully received social grants must repay the funds. The move forms part of a broader crackdown on fraud and corruption in the social grant system. SASSA TARGETS IRREGULAR GRANT PAYMENTS SASSA KwaZulu-Natal Regional Executive Manager Thamo Mzobe confirmed that public servants in the province owe the agency more than R315 million. Mzobe said SASSA has entered into a partnership with heads of provincial government departments to address the problem. The agreement will allow the agency to work with departments to identify ineligible beneficiaries and recover outstanding amounts. Mzobe said the agency would adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards public servants who continue to receive grants unlawfully while earning government salaries. He stressed that public funds must be protected and recovered from those who were not entitled to receive them. The recovery drive forms part of ongoing efforts to ensure that social assistance reaches qualifying beneficiaries. SOCIAL GRANT REVIEWS CONTINUE In April 2025, SASSA announced a grant review process aimed at identifying potentially fraudulent or irregular payments. The process seeks to determine whether beneficiaries continue to meet the eligibility requirements for their grants. Not all public servants are automatically disqualified from receiving social grants. Eligibility depends on the type of grant and the applicable requirements. However, employees who receive means-tested grants without meeting the financial criteria may be required to repay money received unlawfully. SASSA’s latest announcement puts renewed attention on the controls used to verify beneficiaries’ income and employment status. The agency has not specified how long it expects the recovery of the outstanding R315 million to take.

Last weekend’s 1-0 loss to Zambia’s Red Arrows in the CAF Confederation Cup has put the Kaizer Chiefs hierarchy on edge. Indications suggest Friday night’s second leg could determine Da Cruz’s future. Orlando Pirates host the game at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium at 18:00 this evening. Amakhosi need to win by two goals or more without conceding. KAIZER CHIEFS COACH FERNANDO DA CRUZ UNDER INCREASED PRESSURE  “SoccerBeat understands Fernando Da Cruz’s future at Kaizer Chiefs is hanging in the balance following Saturday’s CAF Confederation Cup defeat to Red Arrows,” the outlet reported. “Amakhosi are also believed to have identified a potential replacement should they decide to make a change.” The Frenchman has been Kaizer Chiefs’ head coach since July. He replaced co-coaches Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze. PERFORMANCE OVER RESULTS  Da Cruz has yet to lose in the Betway Premiership, winning three games and drawing five, but his team’s performances have left a lot to be desired. The Frenchman has also invited a storm of criticism for repeatedly playing with a back five.  Critics have questioned Da Cruz’s attacking decisions, particularly his stubborn reliance on a system without an attacking midfielder or number 10. Fans and former players have also been left puzzled by the decisions to drop experienced strikers Flavio Da Silva and Etiosa Ighodaro in favour of false nines Luke Baartman and Wandile Duba. KAIZER CHIEFS’ NEXT THREE FIXTURES Friday, 23 October 2026 (18:00) – Kaizer Chiefs vs Red Arrows F.C. in the CAF Confederation Cup. Tuesday, 27 October 2026 (19:00) – Kaizer Chiefs vs TS Galaxy F.C. in the Carling Knockout Cup. Saturday, 31 October 2026 (15:30) – Orlando Pirates vs Kaizer Chiefs in the Betway Premiership. COACHING CHANGES Fernando Da Cruz (2026–present) Khalil Ben Youssef & Cédric Kaze (2025–2026) Nasreddine Nabi (2024–2025) Cavin Johnson (2023–2024, interim) Molefi Ntseki (2023) Arthur Zwane (2022–2023) Stuart Baxter (2021–2022. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF KAIZER CHIEFS POSSIBLY MAKING ANOTHER CHANGE? Share your thoughts by clicking on the red comments block below.

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