Atletico Madrid edged 10-man Real Madrid 2-1 in a La Liga derby clash on Sunday to leave Jose Mourinho's side trailing leaders Barcelona by six points.

Manchester City survived a thrilling Sunderland fightback to win 5-3 and move three points clear at the Premier League summit, while Liverpool beat Bournemouth 1-0.

For anyone still needing convincing, the past fortnight provides ample evidence that Fikile Mbalula’s ambitions far outstrip his competence. The ANC secretary-general has been stumbling toward the upcoming municipal elections like a drunkard in a minefield. First, he failed to register scores of ANC candidates by the official deadline. Then the Electoral Court dismissed his “technical glitch” argument for their reinstatement. A default judgment for close on R1 million has just been awarded against the ANC over non-payment of cleaning contracts to Luthuli House. And now, he is locked in a defamation lawsuit against former ally Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. Badly timed lawsuit This is spectacularly ill-timed. It re-acquaints the electorate with the party’s sordid history of money-for-votes practices while inviting intense, unwelcome scrutiny of his own allegedly criminal conduct, as well as that of President Cyril Ramaphosa, the man whose camp he joined after ditching Dlamini-Zuma. The case, in which judgment has been reserved, concerns claims by Dlamini-Zuma that Mbalula had been dishing out money to delegates at the ANC’s 2022 leadership conference to secure votes for himself as secretary-general and for Ramaphosa’s re-election as ANC president. Mbalula flatly denies it. He has demanded a retraction and an apology. Dlamini-Zuma has filed an affidavit from a delegate who claims not only to have seen Mbalula doling out bundles of cash, but also to have been one of the “bought” delegates. That makes it likely the dispute eventually will have to be tested through oral evidence or a full trial. ANC’s history of vote buying And what a can of squirming ANC worms that might open. Nobody at the top of the organisation denies vote-buying in the ANC exists. And the one who revealed the rot most dramatically to the world was Mbalula himself. Four days before the December 2017 conference, Mbalula – then police minister and a fiery supporter of Dlamini-Zuma against Ramaphosa – took to Twitter to announce police had intercepted R2.5 million in notes, allegedly destined to buy delegates’ votes. He declared the “money launderous” (sic) would be “crushed decisively”. Once Ramaphosa had been elected, Mbalula seamlessly switched sides to Ramaphosa, and no more was heard about crushing the vote-buyers. Mantashe’s damaging remarks But it is that renowned blunderer, ANC national chair and Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe who has done the most damage. Asked about allegations concerning the huge sums spent getting Ramaphosa elected, Mantashe was disarmingly frank with eNCA: “I am not sure, I think [Ramaphosa] scaled down this year,” Mantashe said. Mantashe continued that Ramaphosa had “been in trouble” over the previous campaign but that in 2022, the use of money had become “widespread”. A candidate for ANC treasurer-general who worked “in the Office of the President” was “going around buying votes”, he said. Mantashe never publicly named the person, but Bejani Chauke, a Ramaphosa advisor, was among the unsuccessful candidates for ANC treasurer-general. Chauke now serves as Ramaphosa’s special envoy for strategic relations and investment. Dlamini-Zuma’s strongest legal defence is that her allegations are true. Exposed ANC thread With his defamation action, Mbalula is tugging at an exposed and dangerously frayed ANC thread. It is one that stitches together Mbalula’s presidential ambitions, Ramaphosa’s hopes of shaping the presidential succession, and what remains of the ANC’s reputation. Perhaps that is exactly what Dlamini-Zuma intended when she made her explosive claim in the run-up to such an important election.

We bring you a visual snapshot of the day’s news events, featuring the Denel Rooivalk attack helicopter at the Africa Aerospace and Defence 2026 expo in Centurion, actress Charlize Theron at her Africa Outreach Project block party in California, supporters attending the Inkatha Freedom Party’s local government election manifesto launch in KwaMashu, and volunteers taking part in an International Coastal Cleanup Day event on Robben Island. These are some of the compelling images from South Africa and around the world. (For best view, click on image for fullscreen) A Denel Rooivalk attack helicopter is seen at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2026 expo, 19 September 2026, at Air Force Base Waterkloof in Centurion. The expo serves as Africa’s premier aerospace and defense exhibition, showcasing air, land, and sea technologies. Saturday and Sunday featured a public airshow including gripen and hawk jets and the Roovalk helicopter, among others. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen A Lockheed C-130 Hercules fires off flares at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2026 expo, 19 September 2026, at Air Force Base Waterkloof in Centurion. The expo serves as Africa’s premier aerospace and defense exhibition, showcasing air, land, and sea technologies. Saturday and Sunday featured a public airshow including gripen and hawk jets, as well as the Roovalk helicopter, among others. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Participants during a memorial walk in honour of Tsontso Elizabeth Moselakgomo on September 18, 2026 in Soweto, South Africa. This follows the high-profile police investigation into the discovery of nine bodies of women found dead in the Ekurhuleni region (including Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein, and Springs) between July and September. (Photo by Gallo Images/Fani Mahuntsi) Firefighters put out a fire at a school destroyed by a Russian air strike at what had been an evacuation point for civilians in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, 20 September 2026 (Photo by Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images) Harry Kane of FC Bayern München attends the FC Bayern Wiesn at Käfer Wiesn-Schänke on September 20, 2026 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images for Paulaner) The tram of the Turkey team from Istanbul competes during the 12th European Tram Driver Championship in front of Palace of Culture and Science on Marszalkowska street in Warsaw’s downtown, on September 19, 2026. 26 teams – each consisting of a female and a male tram driver, from 25 cities and 24 European countries, plus one guest team from Melbourne, Australia – show off their driving skills in a series of challenging competitions that test their precision, concentration, feel for the vehicle, and control of the tram. (Photo by Wojtek RADWANSKI / AFP) Traditionally clad supporters of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) attend the 2026 local government election manifesto launch at the Princess Magogo Stadium in Kwamashu township outside Durban on September 20, 2026. South Africans will go to the polls on November 4, 2026 to elect local government representatives. (Photo by RAJESH JANTILAL / AFP) Charlize Theron attends the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project 2026 Block Party at Universal Studios Backlot on September 19, 2026 in Universal City, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images) Kendo practitioners wait backstage ahead of a demonstration during Planet A Matsuri 2026 in Dakar, on September 19, 2026, a two-day festival celebrating anime, gaming, K-pop and Japanese culture. (Photo by PATRICK MEINHARDT / AFP) Volunteers from various organisations at the International Coastal Cleanup Day commemoration at Robben Island on September 19, 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa. The campaign aims to remove accumulated marine debris and plastic waste while raising public awareness about ocean pollution and protecting World Heritage sites. (Photo by Gallo Images/Brenton Geach) A participant in the pumpkin regatta begins to paddle in the competition on September 19, 2026 in Ludwigsburg, Germany. The Pumpkin Regatta, organized as part of the annual pumpkin exhibition at Bluehendes Barock Ludwigsburg, is a race in which participants paddle hollowed-out giant pumpkins along a marked course. Giant pumpkins grown in the Stuttgart region are hollowed out and turned into one-person boats. (Photo by Elena Romanova/Getty Images) Members of the “Jet Ski Turkiye” community ride jet skis through the Bosphorus during a summer farewell event, with the Maiden’s Tower in the background, in Istanbul, Turkiye, on September 20, 2026. (Photo by Muhammed Ali YiÄit/Anadolu via Getty Images) Models present creations by South African designer Sibu Msimang during the closing night of the 15th Durban Fashion Fair at the Durban Exhibition Centre in Durban over the weekend. Organised by the eThekwini Municipality under the theme “Where Legacy Lives”, the three-day showcase featured 84 designers, including 20 emerging designers from the DFF Class of 2026 mentorship programme. Picture: Rajesh Jantilal A model walks the runway at the Edeline Lee show during London Fashion Week September 2026 at on September 20, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Shane Anthony Sinclair/Getty Images) 1/14 MORE PICTURES: WGRUV brings international flair to Johannesburg stage

South African investigative journalist Micah Reddy is reportedly missing in Djibouti. He arrived in the country last Thursday and planned to spend a few days in the country. Djibouti is located in East Africa. Reddy reportedly last contacted his colleagues on Saturday, 19 September. Meant to meet local fixer According to reports, he was meant to meet local fixer Kooki Mahmoud at about 13:00 local time on Saturday. Not too long after, Reddy sent colleagues a message saying everything was fine and that Mahmoud was arriving. However, that was the last that they have heard from him. Messages to his phone reportedly stopped going through soon thereafter. Mahmoud is also reportedly missing. “Micah is a very gifted and fearless journalist, who has never been afraid to put himself personally on the line, as he showed in some of the aftermath of the #GuptaLeaks and other more recent stories. That makes his disappearance – and that of his local fixer Kooki Mahmoud – intensely worrying,” said AmaBhungane’s managing parter Sam Sole said, where he worked from 2017 to 2023. Here are five things to know about journalist Micah Reddy: He is an investigative journalist and the Africa coordinator at International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) Reddy holds a Masters degree in African studies from Oxford University He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in history from Wits University He is married to Nicole Beardsworth He has both South African and British nationality

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has called on voters not to support the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party led by former president Jacob Zuma ahead of the 4 November local government elections. Malema was speaking at the EFF’s KwaZulu-Natal manifesto launch at the Dr JL Dube Stadium in Inanda, north of Durban, on Saturday, 19 September. EFF LEADER JULIUS MALEMA QUESTIONS MK PARTY’S STABILITY Malema criticised the MK Party’s leadership changes and internal disputes, arguing that the party would not provide stable local government. “MKP is dead before it was born, they are killing each other, they are destroying each other, they’re expelling each other. If you elect them as a mayor on the 4th [November], on the 5th bazomxosha lo mayor [they would fire the mayor]. So, how are we going to have a municipality where you’re not sure whether the mayor would still be mayor the following day?” he said. The MK Party has undergone several leadership changes ahead of the local government elections. In March, Sibonelo Nomvalo replaced Bongani Mncwango as secretary-general. The party also made changes to its KwaZulu-Natal leadership and electoral structures. In June, the party expelled former MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla and former national spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela, citing conduct it said undermined organisational unity and discipline. Both have challenged their expulsions. In August, the party expelled MPs Pumlani Kubukeli and Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala, again citing conduct it said was detrimental to the organisation and its unity. Litchfield-Tshabalala disputed the basis of her expulsion. The leadership changes continued in August when Zuma announced a restructuring that included the appointment of his son, Duduzane Zuma, as first deputy president, while John Hlophe was removed from the position. LGE 2026 | EFF leader Julius Malema has taken a swipe at the MK Party, accusing it of being disorganised and clueless about what it is doing. Malema was speaking at the EFF’s manifesto launch at JL Dube Stadium in Inanda, north of Durban, today. pic.twitter.com/9N7sw6Fi45— SABC News (@SABCNews) September 19, 2026 IS THE EFF A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE? Malema contrasted the MK Party’s leadership changes with what he described as stability within the EFF. “Only the EFF is clear, Marshall Dlamini was a secretary from the NPA [elective conference in 2024] and is still the secretary till today. How many secretary-generals did MK have? It’s less than three years but it has had more than 15 secretary-generals [sic] that is a sign of disorganisation,” he said. “You cannot vote for disorganisation, you must vote for organisation. The EFF is the only organisation that is organised in the whole of South Africa.” Malema also claimed that the EFF had registered councillors across all wards it was contesting. “We want to organise government the same way we’ve organised the EFF,” he said. “Not even the ANC can match the EFF.” South Africa’s liberation party the African National Congress (ANC) could not register all the candidates in all the municipalities it planned to contest including key municipalities in the Eastern Cape which is the party’s stronghold.

The ransomware group behind the MIP Holdings breach now appears to be extorting insurers directly.

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