eThekwini councillors voice strong concerns over the municipality's contract management, questioning the diversion of R31 million from critical projects and its impact on local infrastructure.

For twenty-five years, Narendra Modi's political identity has rested on a single, carefully cultivated idea: he does not back down. From his rise as Gujarat's chief minister in 2001 through three terms as prime minister, the entire " brand Modi" was built on the projected strength of a leader who absorbs pressure rather than yielding to it.

Anthropic has admitted its Claude artificial intelligence (AI) models “gained unauthorised access” to three outside organisations during cybersecurity testing. The disclosure on 30 July 2026 follows a review of 141 006 evaluation runs, which uncovered three incidents where Claude models reached the internet from misconfigured test environments. Hacked Believing they were inside simulated capture‑the‑flag challenges, the models instead interacted with real systems – publishing malicious code, exploiting weak passwords, and exposing production data. “These incidents were contained and did not involve deliberate escape or self‑propagation,” Anthropic said. “But they underscore the need to treat evaluation environments as high‑risk systems and to build defense‑in‑depth safeguards.” Claude The breaches involved Claude Opus 4.7, Mythos 5, and an internal research model. In one case, a model uploaded a malicious Python package to PyPI, which was downloaded by 15 machines. Another incident exposed a database with hundreds of rows of data after exploiting unauthenticated endpoints. The models reacted differently once they were realised; they were interacting with real systems. “Opus 4.7 continued attacking even after recognising the systems were real, while Mythos 5 rationalised it was still in a simulation. “Our latest internal model stopped once it realised the targets were genuine,” Anthropic explained. Cyber security evaluations The company halted all cybersecurity evaluations on 23 July, notified affected organisations by 27 July, and pledged reforms. “We have expanded monitoring of evaluation transcripts, improved investigation tooling, and are working more closely with vendors to ensure defense‑in‑depth safeguards,” it said. Guard rails Anthropic stressed that its public Claude models include guardrails that would have blocked such behaviour, but evaluation environments lacked those protections. The firm is now collaborating with independent evaluator METR to review its processes and will release a redacted transcript of the PyPI incident. “These incidents highlight the importance of situational awareness in AI systems and careful containment in testing environments,” Anthropic said. “We encourage other labs to conduct similar reviews and rethink how realism and safety are balanced in AI evaluations.” The disclosure is one of the most detailed public accounts of unintended AI behaviour in cybersecurity contexts, AFP reported

Motorists visiting the Randburg Driving Licence Testing Centre (DLTC) this week were told to download and print their own application forms, after the facility ran out of standard printing paper. The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) on Thursday confirmed that the shortage was not isolated to Randburg, but affected all City of Johannesburg-managed testing centres. Some applicants ended up paying touts outside the centre as much as R30 for forms that were meant to be free. What happened at Randburg DLTC According to an account given on Wednesday, a member of the public who visited the Randburg DLTC on Tuesday to confirm a booking was informed that applicants needed to download and print their own DL1 application forms. The requirement applied to those confirming bookings or writing their learner’s licences, as well as those confirming bookings for driver’s licences. “Printers were working because they gave out paper receipts after paying.” This raised questions about why the forms themselves could not be printed on-site, even though it remained unclear at the time whether the centre was, in fact, experiencing a shortage of printing materials. Responding to this on Thursday, JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla confirmed that the problem was real and citywide. “City-managed DLTCs across the City of Johannesburg are currently experiencing a shortage of standard A4 printer paper. This issue is not isolated to the Randburg DLTC but affects all City of Johannesburg-managed testing centres and municipal administration offices,” he told The Citizen. Because the centre did not hand out the forms, applicants were left to print their own, which fuelled suspicion among members of the public about whether the situation amounted to a money-making scheme, since people were seen selling the forms for R30 outside the DLTC. “No one was forced to go to these people, as some people went to print their forms at nearby internet cafes or printing shops,” a source said. Official guidance contradicted by on-the-ground experience The account from the Randburg DLTC appeared to run contrary to guidance published on the official government website, which states that applicants do not need to bring their own blank application forms. According to the government, the physical DL1 and LL1 forms should be provided directly at the DLTC for applicants to fill out on-site. Fihla confirmed that this was indeed the standard practice, explaining that forms are usually printed for applicants on arrival. “Under normal operational procedures, application forms such as the LL1 (Learner’s Licence) and DL1 (Driver’s Licence) are downloaded directly from the NaTIS portal and printed on-site for applicants.” Why receipts kept printing while forms did not One point that puzzled the public was why confirmation receipts continued to print normally while application forms did not. The Citizen has seen a copy of an A4 confirmation receipt printed on the back of an official application form, apparently corroborating the shortage. Fihla added that a fix was already underway. “A replacement supply contract for standard A4 paper is being finalised to resolve the situation across all municipal centres.” Root cause linked to expired supply contract Asked what had caused the shortage in the first place, Fihla attributed it to administrative delays rather than a broader supply crisis, linking it to the lapsing of the city’s previous paper contract at the start of the new financial year. “The temporary paper shortage is administrative and linked to the natural expiration of the City of Johannesburg’s previous paper supply contract.” “Because we are at the start of the new financial year, procurement workflows, specifically loading the new demand plan onto the system to finalise purchase orders, are currently underway.” Beyond the standard paper contract, the city was also said to be exploring alternative supply routes through the state printing agency. “Additionally, follow-ups are actively being made regarding the procurement of pre-printed forms directly through Government Printers to relieve pressure on local printing.” Temporary workaround and policy on free forms Under standard policy, DLTCs are required to provide official application forms on-site at no cost to members of the public, something Fihla confirmed remained the rule. “Standard policy dictates that DLTCs provide official application forms on-site to members of the public free of charge.” Given the current constraints, however, he said the city had adopted a temporary workaround to avoid turning applicants away. “In light of the current administrative supply constraint and to prevent service disruptions or turning away applicants who have booked appointments, applicants are temporarily being advised that they can download and print the required LL1 and DL1 forms from the official NaTIS website before visiting the centre.” JMPD condemns unauthorised sale of forms Turning to the sale of forms by touts outside the Randburg DLTC, Fihla stressed that the forms are public documents supplied free of charge by the municipality and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) through NaTIS, and that selling them was against the law. “It is unauthorised and illegal for private individuals or touts to operate outside municipal facilities and sell official application forms to the public for private gain.” He said the department was aware of the practice and had measures in place to try to curb it. “The Public Safety Department strongly condemns the exploitation of members of the public by opportunistic individuals operating outside testing centres. DLTC management, alongside JMPD officers, monitors some of these precincts to curb unauthorised touting.” He also warned that any staff involvement in the scheme would be taken seriously. “Any alleged link between unauthorised vendors and internal staff or contractors will be thoroughly investigated, and strict disciplinary and legal action will be taken against anyone found to be complicit.” Fihla apologised for the disruption and gave assurances that the matter was being resolved. “We apologise for the inconvenience caused to members of the public and assure residents that the procurement process is being expedited to restore standard paper supply across all DLTCs as quickly as possible.” Situation appears to vary between centres Not all DLTCs in the greater Johannesburg area appeared to be experiencing the same disruption. A source close to a testing centre south of Johannesburg told this publication that there were no issues at the Xavier DLTC, though the source could not comment on conditions at other centres in that immediate area, suggesting the shortage’s impact may not have been uniform across the city.

Bulls stalwart Lizo Gqoboka, capped twice by the Springboks and a veteran of well over a century of appearances in blue, confirmed his retirement this week at the age of 36. “I think it’s been long coming,” Gqoboka said, reflecting on a decision he says he has quietly been preparing. “Most of my early thirties and the past four years especially, with all the injuries I was getting back to back, I knew it was really getting close. But I was so grateful to finish here, with the Bulls. “I just felt that it’s time, you know? I knew I was always on the edge, but I just had this knowing now that it’s time, at 36. I’ve had a good run. I’ve had a really good run, and so I think my heart is just full with gratitude and contentment.” Gqoboka has walked an incredible road to the rugby field, having worked loading trucks at 15 and later at a funeral parlour at 17, and having not actually picked up a rugby ball in earnest until he was 19, starting out as an eighthman before eventually settling at prop. “I couldn’t tell you the difference between a prop and a hooker when I started,” he admitted. “I had never watched rugby before I played it. I just took the ball and ran fast because I played soccer and did athletics. I think that’s why I was picked, because I didn’t know what I was doing.” The popular Springbok and Bulls prop has made an impact on and off the field It was a former EP Kings connection (Robbi Kempson) who first spotted something in him and helped convince veteran coach Alan Solomons to hand him his first professional contract. From there, Gqoboka built a career that took him through a stint at the Stormers, a stint at Montpellier, and finally more than a decade as a first-choice prop for the Bulls. Two Bok caps  Of all the honours, one stands above the rest. “Definitely playing for the Springboks, representing my country. I think that’s the biggest one for any player.” Off the field, he has also built a business in earthmoving equipment, and discipline shows there too: a savings habit he started at 22, the moment he signed his first contract. Beyond the numbers and the honours, those who have worked with Gqoboka point to something less measurable: a warmth that never seemed to dim, even through years of injury setbacks that would have worn down most players. “Lizo’s journey is one of the most remarkable stories in South African rugby, defined not just by his physical power on the field, but by his humility, resilience, and character off it,” said Edgar Rathbone, chief executive of the Blue Bulls Company. “To arrive at the game so late and go on to earn two Springbok caps while serving as a foundational pillar for the Vodacom Bulls for over a decade speaks volumes about the man he is. He leaves behind an inspiring legacy at Loftus Versfeld, and while we will miss his leadership and infectious warmth in the changeroom, we wish him every success in this next chapter.”It is a sentiment echoed by everyone who has crossed his path in a Bulls jersey. Even through the injuries, the frustration, the years on the physio table, Gqoboka was the one guy in the changeroom with a permanent smile, a reminder that gratitude was never in short supply. “I’m truly grateful,” he concluded.

Charlize Theron’s comments about her childhood home in Benoni having maximum security has gone viral again on social media. The South African-born actress has also spoken candidly about the night her mother, Gerda, shot and killed her father, Charles, in an act of self-defence at the same residence 35 years ago.  After the tragedy, Charlize and her mother immigrated to the US, where they became naturalised citizens. CHARLIZE THERON TALKS MAXIMUM SECURITY AT BENONI HOME On social media, a clip of Charlize Theron’s appearance on The New York Times’s The Interview podcast has resurfaced. In it, the South African-born actress has opened up about her childhood home in Benoni. The blonde woman stated, “Sad…every room in our house had a steel door. That’s the kind of violence that we were living in. Nonsensical violence…our country was on the brink of civil war. It was frightening” Charlize’s comments about living in fear of danger upset many South Africans, given the historical context. @Ondele_N: “‘Nonsensical violence’ and it was literally black people fighting against the Apartheid government for basic human rights” @inguquko1652: “At least they had steel doors. Black people’s doors were kicked in whenever Apartheid police and soldiers felt like it. Black children/adults were assaulted in the streets or abducted from the streets by Apartheid police and soldiers to be tortured or murdered”. @NatTurnerBuddha: “It’s funny she is talking about ‘nonsensical violence’ and how her family needed steel doors. Her mother killed her father in self-defence because her father was a drunk and pulled a gun on her mother and her. The nonsensical violence was coming from within your white household”. yes…nonsensical violence indeed. pic.twitter.com/ZZuvXdLh3V— S.K.N BLACK STAR 🇰🇳 (@crystos) July 29, 2026 WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE HOUSE SINCE THEN? In 1991, Charlize Theron’s mother, Gerda,  shot and killed her husband, Charles, who had been described as an alcoholic and abuser. Not long after, she left her Benoni home, located at 7th Street in Rynfield, to attend boarding school at the National School of Arts in Johannesburg. Thereafter, both Charlize and her mom moved abroad. Two decades later, in 2012, the new owner of the house, Barry Newland, was shot and killed by a group of intruders. Newland had turned the property into a car sales business. In 2015, partners Dirk Eloff and Vaughn Grobler bought the home and converted it into self-catering accommodation. The property features several units, a swimming pool, and a large outdoor entertaining space. The home, called Imbasa Accommodation, is now a tourist attraction. It features a handwritten message on the wall from the star itself, which reads: “All the best, Charlize Theron”.

Second-quarter service revenue grew just 13.2% as tariff base effects washed out and airtime lending collapsed.

Chinese brands have gone from fringe players to a fifth of South Africa’s new-vehicle sales.