Jasper Wiese will make his 50th Springbok appearance from the bench against Australia, with Rassie Erasmus saying the No 8 provides valuable experience and impact for a much-changed team.

Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has made 13 changes for Sunday's one-off Test against Australia in Perth, handing the captaincy to André Esterhuizen.

South Africa’s creator economy has entered a new phase with the launch of TikTok One, a platform that connects creators directly with brands and agencies. The move places TikTok alongside rivals such as YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and Meta’s Creator Marketplace, all competing in the fast‑growing space of creator‑brand collaborations. TikTok One TikTok One offers creators paid opportunities ranging from monetising existing videos to responding to brand briefs and participating in creator‑led campaigns. For brands, it provides a streamlined way to identify and collaborate with South African creators on marketing initiatives. Globally, TikTok One has grown rapidly. Between June 2025 and May 2026, the number of creators receiving rewards through the platform rose by 90% year‑on‑year, while established creators saw monthly campaign rewards increase by 40%. Recognition Zethu Mthethwa, TikTok’s Head of Sales for Sub‑Saharan Africa, said the launch is about recognition and opportunity. “South Africa has an incredible creator community, and TikTok One gives them a direct pathway to work with local and global brands. “This is more than a platform update, it’s about ensuring homegrown talent gets the recognition and income it deserves,” she said. Solutions The platform introduces three solutions: Spark Opportunity, which lets creators monetise existing videos as Spark Ads; Creative Challenge, where creators respond to brand briefs; and Creator Led Package, which enables partnerships through approved agencies. Industry analysts note TikTok’s timing is strategic. YouTube has been investing heavily in Shorts monetisation, while Instagram continues to expand Reels with branded content tools. Meta’s Creator Marketplace also offers structured brand partnerships. Competition Analysts add that TikTok One’s arrival in South Africa intensifies competition, giving creators more options while prompting debate about sustainability and fair compensation across platforms. As Millennials and Gen Z become more influenced by trusted creators, TikTok One’s expansion intensifies competition in South Africa’s digital economy-where creativity, commerce, and competition converge.

I have felt afraid these past few weeks in a way that is difficult to explain. Why is it that the first thing we tell women when other women are being killed is that they need to be more careful? Why is our first question not, what are we doing to stop the killing? I have spent years working on women’s rights, human rights and gender-based violence. I know the statistics. I know the laws and the policies. And yet, I have felt afraid because a woman went for a run and did not come home. Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, a 38-year-old mother, went for her usual run in Kempton Park in broad daylight. She never returned and her body was found three days later. Her death is one of nine cases being investigated in Ekurhuleni, where the bodies of nine women have been discovered since July. The fear also makes me angry because once again, we know what is coming. Do not go out alone. Do not run alone. Share your location. Change your route. Travel in groups. Be vigilant. We have heard these messages our whole lives. Practical safety advice has a place, especially when there is an imminent threat. But why does the conversation begin and end with what women must do to avoid being killed? Women are already vigilant. We share our locations, we look behind us, we call when we get home. At some point, vigilance becomes exhaustion. A woman should not have to become an expert in risk assessment simply to live an ordinary life. A woman going for a run is not careless and a woman walking home is not prey. So, I want to move the question to where it belongs: the responsibility of the state. Section 7(2) of South Africa’s 1996 constitution is clear that the state must respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights in the Bill of Rights. What does that obligation look like for the woman leaving home for a run, the girl travelling home from school, the family that reports a woman missing? The scale of the problem is not in doubt. A national prevalence study found that approximately 7.3 million South African women aged 18 and older have experienced physical violence in their lifetime, while more than 2.15 million have experienced sexual violence. Gender-based violence and femicide were declared a national crisis by President Cyril Ramaphosa in November last year and then classified as a national disaster by the National Disaster Management Centre the following day. South Africa also has a National Strategic Plan on Gender Based Violence and Femicide for 2020-30. South Africa does not lack declarations, policies, laws or institutions. The question is whether any of them reaches a woman before her body is found. Last month, the National Council on GBVF was operationalised, and one of its first priorities is to conclude a shareholder compact between the shareholder and the council, to define what success looks like and how it will be measured. The council must be held accountable to the measures it sets for itself before the next body is found, not after. The state’s responsibility cannot begin when a woman’s body is discovered. It begins much earlier with prevention, with understanding patterns of violence, with properly responding, with ensuring that communities are not left without information and with making sure that the institutions actually work. Men have to be part of this too. Changing the conditions that enable violence requires men to reject it. Men and boys cannot be secondary to the prevention of violence against women. They are critical partners in transforming harmful norms and challenging attitudes, power imbalances and social structures that normalise violence.

Once responsible for South Africa’s detectives, Shadrack Sibiya is now in custody on rape, trafficking and child-grooming charges. He was sent to Kgosi Mampuru II prison amid intelligence that he could escape if detained at a police facility. The suspended Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 22 September, a day after members of the Commissions Recommendations Task Team arrested him. Sibiya, 59, faces five counts: rape, trafficking in persons, promoting the sexual grooming of a child and two counts of sexually grooming a child. Bail application set for 29 September The alleged offences took place between 16 May and 3 August 2026 and involve an 18-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl. Prosecutors allege that Sibiya groomed the teenager through electronic communication and raped the adult complainant. The trafficking charge reportedly involves three people. The court granted a seven-day postponement for a formal bail application and remanded him in custody until 29 September. He has not yet pleaded, and the allegations remain untested. WATCH | NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago says Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya faces five charges, including rape and human trafficking. He adds that a minor is at the centre of grooming-related allegations, and the State will oppose bail. pic.twitter.com/IYHSdzrY5F— SABC News (@SABCNews) September 22, 2026 Rise to the top of SAPS Sibiya spent decades in policing before reaching the upper ranks of SAPS. He headed the Hawks in Gauteng and later led the City of Johannesburg’s Group Forensic and Investigation Services. In 2023, he returned to SAPS as Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, placing him in charge of the country’s detective services. His career has previously faced controversy. SAPS dismissed him in 2015 over allegations linked to the unlawful rendition of Zimbabwean nationals. He challenged the decision and secured his reinstatement after the Labour Court found the dismissal unfair. Mkhwanazi allegations and suspension Sibiya came under renewed scrutiny when KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi accused him of interfering in sensitive investigations and helping to disband the Political Killings Task Team. Mkhwanazi also alleged that criminal syndicates had infiltrated parts of South Africa’s law-enforcement system. Sibiya denied wrongdoing and rejected claims that he had improper relationships with suspected criminals. The accusations sparked parliamentary scrutiny and wider investigations into alleged criminal and political interference within SAPS. National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola later suspended him. The sexual offence case deepens the crisis surrounding a man who once led South Africa’s detectives. Questions over Sibiya’s SAPS future SAPS has yet to clarify whether Sibiya remains suspended on full pay or will face a separate disciplinary process. Questions also remain over his security clearance, official access and service privileges. The case places further pressure on an institution already facing concerns about the conduct of senior officers and its ability to investigate violent and sexual crimes. Sibiya returns to court on 29 September for his bail application.

Acclaimed actress Linda Sokhulu and gospel music legend Kholeka Dubula celebrated their 50th birthdays in style, with their beloved fans and industry peers flooding their comment sections with well wishes for the next chapter of their lives. LINDA SOKHULU TURNS 50 The Felix actress shared adorable snaps from her surprise birthday celebration on Instagram. Linda Sokhulu looked youthful as ever in a short summer dress, surrounded by loved ones, with a chocolate cake ready to be devoured. Linda penned a short message to mark her birthday milestone: “I’m blessed to have you in my life. Thank you for a beautiful birthday surprise. 50 is feeling good.” Xolile.Tshabalala.7: Happy birthday to the extraordinary human. Lerato_Mvelase: Happy birthday, Linda. Blessed new season, sthandwa. Asanda Tuoane: Absolutely beautiful! Surrounded by love, exactly how you deserve to be. Happy 50th Birthday, Linda. Tumisho Masha: Happy birthday, Linda. Sending you lots of love and blessings. Sindi_Dlathu: Happy Birthday to you, my angel sister. KHOLEKA MARKS 50TH BIRTHDAY WITH ELEGANT PHOTOSHOOT Kholeka, who has been a trailblazing gospel star since the 1990s, also just unlocked the 5th floor and marked her birthday with an elegant photoshoot by talented photographer Enhle Visuals. The Khilikithi hitmaker wore a modest houndstooth two-piece with black silk peplum detailing, paired with flawless make-up and neatly styled hair. Staying true to her faith, Kholeka honoured the milestone with a Bible scripture: “Who is turning 50 today? Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate His rule with trembling,” she wrote. “Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to Him. You will eat the fruit of your labour, blessings and prosperity will be yours (Psalm 128),” she added. LaConco: Oh, my gorgeous sis. Happy, blessed birthday. Lufi_D: Happiest birthday to you, Sis. Love you lots. Alphi_Sipho: Happy happy birthday, gorgeous mom. Xolly Mnwango: Happy Birthday, beautiful Mamzo. Love you always. Ndu Shezi: Happy birthday, mama, love you so much!

The CEO who rebuilt Cell C from near-collapse has put R20.8-million of his own money in.

South Africa cannot bank the unbanked until it solves identity, Nedbank’s outgoing COO has said.