Sharks assistant coach Warren Whiteley is backing the squad’s depth to deliver against Lyon.

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has urged supporters to trust his selection decisions as the Brazilians balance domestic fixtures, the Carling Knockout and a CAF Champions League trip to Angola.

The alleged killing of four ANC Youth League (ANCYL) members in Katlehong has raised questions about a possible political motive, with the organisation’s Ekurhuleni leadership calling for close scrutiny of the incident. Fani John Sibeko made a brief appearance at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 15 October 2026. The case was postponed to next week Thursday, 22 October, for a formal bail application. Sibeko faces four counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, discharging a firearm in a public space and failure to lock a firearm in a safe after he reportedly handed himself over to the South African Police Service (Saps). This follows a shooting that claimed four lives and left several other people injured. The incident took place on Tuesday evening, 13 October, on Sophangisa Street in northern Katlehong. The victims were among a group of ANCYL supporters returning from a memorial service for slain ANC member Jeanette Magugu at Mogobeng Primary School. The Gauteng police’s political killings task team (PKTT) has been tasked to investigate the shooting. Katlehong memorial service shooting suspect in court Speaking to the media outside the court, ANCYL Ekurhuleni regional chairperson Simphiwe Patose stated that party members attended the proceedings to stand alongside the bereaved families and would continue supporting them as the case progresses. He described Sibeko’s court appearance as an emotional moment for the victims’ families as the motive has not been officially established. “I’m sure you would have seen the pain that the families felt immediately when that man was up in the dock. “You can feel the pain because they do not understand, up to now, as to why he had done what he did. “Even myself now, I’m speaking to you, I’m emotional because we were close to these young people who were shot for no reason at all by someone who just decided to become crazy,” the regional chairperson told reporters on Thursday. Patose called on Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi and Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia to ensure that the investigation and prosecution were conducted without irregularities, warning against the possibility of the case docket going missing. The organisation, he stressed, would closely monitor developments “by hook or crook” as the case attracts national attention. Patose further supported state prosecutor William Xaba’s intention to oppose bail. He said the prosecution has a strong case and that the matter warranted its classification as a Schedule 6 matter. Section 60(11)(a) of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) requires an accused charged with a Schedule 6 offence to prove that exceptional circumstances warrant their release on bail. ANCYL alleges possible political assassination The ANCYL leader suggested that the nature of the attack raised suspicions that the victims may have been deliberately targeted. Patose said the organisation would await the outcome of the PKTT’s investigation, while maintaining that the circumstances surrounding the shooting pointed to a possible political motive. “Members of the ANC are marching from a memorial service. They are not disturbing anyone, were not provoking you; then you just take out your gun and kill them. “The way it happened, it was clear that it was assassination. There’s no way you can make a mistake, even if you are trigger-happy. “Maybe others were going to be shot in the leg or whatever, but he aimed for the head.” His concerns also extend to the killing of Magugu, who was fatally shot at her home. Patose questioned whether her death and the Katlehong shooting could be connected. “We are now asking ourselves if these two are linked now because what brought that person to come to where the memorial service was and started killing people there. “So, it means he had a motive. That is our case or speculation to say this is politically motivated. “Whether that came from his party that he comes from or it was himself doing it for whatever reasons, but it is politically connected.” EFF confirms past membership Questions have also emerged about Sibeko’s political affiliations following reports of his past involvement with the EFF and alleged links to the Afrika Mayibuye Movement. Sibeko served as an EFF councillor in the City of Ekurhuleni between 2016 and 2021 before leaving the party in 2022. This is according to EFF Gauteng chairperson Nkululeko Dunga. “The alignment of him towards the EFF is unnecessary,” he informed the media on Thursday. “He’s not a member of the EFF. He has not been an active member of the EFF for a very long time now. “He has been an active member of Mayibuye Afrika,” Dunga added. WatchThe EFF Gauteng Chairperson, Committee @DungaLeko and the EFF Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, to support the families who lost their members over the senseless shooting in Katlehong on Tuesday.Bail hearing has been scheduled for 22nd November 2026. The EFF sends its… pic.twitter.com/X83Rb3Rfze— EFF Gauteng (@EFFGautengProv) October 15, 2026 Afrika Mayibuye reacts However, Afrika Mayibuye Movement, led by former EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu, has distanced itself from Sibeko. In a statement, the party rejected claims that Sibeko is one of its candidates for the 2026 local government elections in Ekurhuleni. The organisation added that its Ekurhuleni leadership would probe whether Sibeko was affiliated with the party. “The leadership of Afrika Mayibuye Movement in Ekurhuleni is investigating the developments to establish what transpired, including whether the individual concerned holds membership of the organisation. “This internal investigation will support cooperation with the police and must not prejudice the criminal investigation,” the party added. MAYIBUYE firmly condemns the reckless handling and discharge of firearms at memorial services, funerals and celebrations. GUNS ARE NOT FOR GAMES.Grief, celebration, political affiliation or any other circumstance cannot justify conduct that endangers human life. The practice of… pic.twitter.com/bME2Xjrn5H— AFRIKA Mayibuye (@mayibuye_afrika) October 14, 2026

The Sharks are “obviously excited” to compete in the Challenge Cup this year, said forwards coach Warren Whiteley, starting with a tough clash against Lyon in France on Saturday (kick-off 2pm). The teams have only met once before, when Lyon whipped a second-string Sharks side 34-21 and knocked them out of the tournament in the last-16 in 2024/25. The Durban outfit, who find themselves in the second-tier tournament again after finishing 10th in the United Rugby Championship last season, have also rested most of their playing Springboks for this clash. ‘It will be a great game’ Still, Whiteley said the Sharks were in a good mental space ahead of the match. “We’re really keen to see a couple of guys get their opportunity, seeing a couple of boys put their hands up,” he said. “We’re obviously excited to be back in the EPCR in Europe. We know Lyon places a lot of importance on the European Professional Club Rugby, having been past winners [in 2022]. So it will be a great game. “They are a physical team with a powerful pack. They place a lot of importance on their set-piece. And they also have some dangerous backs and like to throw the ball around too.” The Sharks also won the tournament in 2024, but have otherwise struggled in European rugby. They didn’t win a single match in Europe last season. Sharks expect fast-paced game under the sun The former Springbok said the game would likely be fast-paced being on a synthetic 4G pitch. “We are excited for that as well.” Whiteley said the Sharks had acclimatised well after their travel, recovering and having a low-impact gym session ahead of their training on Thursday afternoon. He said France was “pretty hot” this autumn. “It seems to be really good weather up until the game. So I don’t think there will be problems with that,” the coach added, referring to the Sharks coming from home matches against Ospreys and Leinster in the Durban heat, and then a first away fixture against the Stormers in a likewise hot Cape Town. The forwards coach will especially want to see a better showing in the scrums after the Sharks were completely outmuscled by the Stormers in that last game.

KwaZulu-Natal police have opened two murder cases and three counts of attempted murder following a shooting in which two African National Congress (ANC) members, a man and a woman, were allegedly killed in Area 24, Umgababa. The incident happened on Thursday afternoon while the victims were reportedly taking part in a door-to-door campaign in the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast. TWO ANC MEMBERS KILLED IN UMGABABA KZN police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said reports indicate that two women and one man affiliated with a political party, accompanied by two bodyguards, were conducting a door-to-door campaign when a white Isuzu bakkie approached them from behind. “The occupants of the bakkie reportedly opened fire on the five using rifles and pistols. Two people, a man and a woman, were declared dead at the scene and one woman reportedly injured her leg when she was fleeing from the assassins. The two bodyguards fled the scene and are yet to be found. “The motive of the killing is unknown but political intolerance cannot be ruled out,” Netshiunda said. ANC convenor in eThekwini Thanduxolo Sabela said their councillors were ambushed and shot at. “The branch coordinator and a volunteer passed away in today’s shooting on ward 98. The ward candidate was rushed to hospital for a check up and she is fine now,” he said. “We don’t believe that when conducting a campaign the would be areas where our campaigners would be met with such hostility and be shot at,” he said. Police are currently on the scene where 2 ANC members were shot and killed with a further 3 more injured in Umgababa, south of Durban. Eyewitnesses have told EWN the group was shot while conducting door to door campaigns in the area. TCG pic.twitter.com/pNkFenluDv— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) October 15, 2026 The shooting comes just a few months after another ANC councillor in Klaarwater, Sibusiso “Khekhe” Khwela was gunned down in broad daylight.

Here is what the weather has in store for KZN, the Free State, and the North West on Friday 16 October 2026. A heatwave with persistently high temperatures is expected in northern KwaZulu-Natal until Sunday. Meanwhile, hot to very hot conditions will cause extreme discomfort in eastern parts of the province. KWAZULU-NATAL Morning fog patches in the north-east, otherwise partly cloudy and hot to very hot with isolated showers and thundershowers in the extreme north-west. It will be warm in places in the south. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate northerly to north-easterly, reaching fresh in the north in the afternoon The UVB sunburn index is going to be extreme. DURBAN Durban is going to be partly cloudy. Light to moderate winds will blow from the north to north-east. Temperatures will range from 21°C to 31°C. The UVB sunburn index is going to be extreme. FREE STATE Fine and hot, becoming partly cloudy with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the extreme east BLOEMFONTEIN Bloemfontein is going to be fine, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. Temperatures will range from a minimum of 12°C to a maximum of 33°C. NORTH WEST North West is going to be fine and hot, becoming partly cloudy with isolated afternoon showers and thundershowers in the extreme east. MAHIKENG Mahikeng is going to be fine, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. Temperatures will range from a minimum of 15°C. to a maximum of 34°C. Weather forecast data provided by the South African Weather Service.

Private wheeling projects have no regulated compensation if the grid operator curtails them because of oversupply.

South Africa will phase out support for semi-knocked-down vehicle assembly, trade minister Parks Tau has said.