With Advocate Andrea Johnson's testimony behind us, the spotlight now turns to the next key witness in the Madlanga Commission. What revelations await as we delve deeper into the corruption scandal?

This year's festival introduces two exciting new attractions - the inaugural KZN Art Fair and the Just Geekin' Festival - adding fresh dimensions to an already outstanding programme.

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has moved swiftly to calm tensions after immigration raids unsettled worshippers, meeting with the United Ulama Council of South Africa (UUCSA) and announcing a joint Task Team to protect the sanctity of mosques in South Africa. UUCSA is a national umbrella body representing several of South Africa’s major Muslim theological councils. Meeting ANC Member of Parliament in the National Assembly, Imraan Subrathie, was among those who attended and participated in the meeting discussions. The meeting followed a letter from the UUCSA, in which the organisation highlighted specific incidents where Saps immigration enforcement operations had caused considerable anxiety among congregants, Places of worship This created the perception that places of worship, especially mosques, were becoming focal points for immigration-related enforcement activities. Cachalia’s spokesperson, Kamogelo Mogotsi, said that following inputs from all stakeholders, the minister announced that a dedicated Task Team would be established, comprising representatives from UUCSA, the Saps operational environment, and the Ministry of Police. Task team “The Task Team will be mandated to develop practical protocols to guide the execution of law enforcement operations in a manner that ensures the law is enforced effectively while minimising disruption during religious ceremonies and safeguarding the dignity and sanctity of places of worship.” Mogotsi said the Task Team would also provide reports to Cachalia and the leadership of the UUCSA. “Minister Cachalia further indicated that he would engage the Acting National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, who would in turn engage Provincial Commissioners to ensure that the outcomes of this engagement inform operational leadership and contribute to greater consistency in policing practices across the country.” Foreign nationals Foreign nationals have come under attack, and foreign-owned shops have been looted over the last few months, as some South Africans blame immigrants ​for problems such as crime and unemployment. Earlier this week, Nigeria urged South Africa to do more to prevent xenophobic attacks on African migrants, as the two countries met this week to try to cool tensions. Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, led a high‑stakes mission to Abuja this week, opening candid talks aimed at repairing strained relations between the two nations.

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has hailed Cabinet’s approval of a landmark reform that will double the validity of light motor vehicle driving licences from five to ten years, easing the burden on millions of motorists. The change applies to Codes A, A1, B and EB, while heavy commercial and public transport vehicles will remain on the five‑year cycle and Professional Driving Permits (PDP) on two years. Extension Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni announced on Thursday that Cabinet had approved a new renewal cycle for motorcycle and light motor vehicle licences. Creecy said the decision was informed by a Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) study, which recommended aligning South Africa’s system with international best practice. “This reform will ease the burden on motorists, reduce the frequency of renewals, and cut service demand pressures within the licensing system,” she explained. Efficiency Creecy added that the extension would also enhance administrative efficiency and modernise public services. “Cabinet’s approval is a significant step toward improving convenience for millions of drivers while ensuring our licensing framework remains robust and credible,” Creecy noted. The implementation requires amendments to regulation 108 of the Road Traffic Regulations, with draft notices to be submitted to Parliament, the Shareholders Committee, and the State Law Adviser for scrutiny. Warning Until the new law takes effect, motorists must continue renewing expired licences under the current five‑year cycle. The implementation of the extended validity period requires legislative amendments, so motorists will have to continue to renew expired driving licence cards until the new law takes effect. Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa said the reform reflects government’s commitment to streamlining processes and improving service delivery. Codes Code A is applicable for motorcycles up to 125cc, and code A1 is for motorcycles, tricycles or quadricycles above 125cc. Code B is necessary for light motor vehicles below 3 500kg and code EB is for drivers pulling an articulated or rigid trailer. Renewal fees range between R140 and R250 in different regions across the country, with government printing roughly three million driver’s licences annually based on 2022-23 and 2023-24 production figures.

How much is Saturday 1 August Lotto and Lotto Plus worth on 29 July 2026? Well, it breaks down like so. Straight Lotto is worth R5.5 million, Lotto Plus 1 sits at R4 million and for Lotto Plus Max 5 you can tag on another R1 million. All tallied up that put’s the total worth of the Saturday game at R10.5 million. That’s a R1.5-million increase over Wednesday’s last game, which suggests someone did win a portion of Lotto Max 5 on Wednesday … Nevertheless, success for Saturday 1 August Lotto and Lotto Plus comes from knowing how recently one of the three lottos has paid out big. A bit like the old days playing slot machines in the casino, the longer it goes on, the more likely a payout will be. However, looking at the above figures, we can see small amounts suggest regular winners recently. This has been one of the criticisms of new game mechanics – that payouts, while more frequent, rarely allow winnings to climb to big numbers anymore. SATURDAY 1 AUGUST LOTTO AND LOTTO PLUS As such, Saturday 1 August Lotto and Lotto Plus has always been the National Lottery’s kind of bread-and-butter game. Cheaper than PowerBall and PowerBall XTRA, easier to win, but less dramatic when it comes to jackpots. Nevertheless, Sizekhaya’s 1 June 2026 takeover reshaped it even further. The core mechanics require players to choose six numbers from a pool of 1 to 52, which is reduced from 1 to 58 previously. As ever, numbers can be chosen manually or auto generated through the popular Quick Pick. Pricing sits lower than PowerBall’s controversial increase. A standard Lotto board costs R5, with Lotto Plus 1 adding R2.50 and Lotto 5 Max adding a further R2.50 on top. Therefore, playing all three together costs R10 per board. What players are still wrapping their head around is the new MultiPlay (MP1) option. It lets players add a seventh number to their existing six in each of the three games. And it gets proportionally more expensive as you go. The total combination if you add MP1 across all boards is R70 – that’s R35 + R17.50 + R17.50. However, your odds are massively improved if you do go down this rabbit hole. HOW TO HANDLE MULTIPLAY Do you prefer to choose your own numbers old school, or use auto-generated Quick Pick? Image: File If you add MP1 to Saturday 1 August Lotto and Lotto Plus across all three games, your total ticket will cost R70.00. Plus, if you’re using your banking app, be sure to lookout for digital banking fee of roughly R2.95 added to the transaction. So, the question remains, is it worth spending the extra money? Jackpot odds have already improved substantially under the new number matrix. The chances of matching all six numbers now sits at 1 in 20 million. That’s twice as likely as the old 1 in 40 million under ITHUBA. However, dabble with the MP1 and all of a sudden, you’re playing with seven numbers instead of six. This means your odds now become just 1 in 2.9 million, which represents a straight sevenfold improvement. And don’t forget that’s across all three games since they share the board. DRAW TIMES AND CLAIMING POWERBALL WINNINGS Remember, if you’re someone like a SASSA beneficiary playing Saturday 1 August Lotto and Lotto Plus, decide on a budget before buying lotto tickets, and don’t chase a bad week by spending more. The National Responsible Gambling Programme runs a toll-free counselling line on 0800 006 008 for anyone who is struggling. Lotto and Lotto Plus draw every Saturday and Saturday at 21:00. Sizekhaya brought back live televised draws using physical draw machines. Ticket sales cut off half an hour before the draw typically at 20:30. All lottery prizes must be claimed within 365 days of the draw date. Anyone who misses that window forfeits their prize and the money is transferred to the National Lottery Distribution Trust for charitable causes. How and where to claim Saturday 1 August Lotto and Lotto Plus winnings depends on the amount won: Small prizes (up to R4 999) get paid out directly at licensed retailers. Mid-tier prizes (R5 000 to R49 999) can be claimed at selected partner banks. Anything above R50 000 requires an in-person visit to a Sizekhaya regional office, with the original ticket and a valid South African ID. Online and banking-app players have prizes up R249 999 are deposited automatically into their accounts. CONTACT SIZEKHAYA FOR HELP Sizekhaya’s head offices now reside in Sandton. Image: File Anyone unsure where to start can call the Sizekhaya helpline on 0861 026 000. Or you can visit one of the eight regional offices nationally: Head Office/Gauteng at 36 Homestead Road, Edenburg, Sandton KwaZulu-Natal at 10 Rydall Vale Crescent, Umhlanga Ridge Western Cape at 1st Floor, The Barracks, 50 Bree Street, Cape Town Eastern Cape at 153 Cape Road, Newton Park, Port Elizabeth Free State & Northern Cape at 3 Barnes Street, Arboretum, Bloemfontein Limpopo at Gateway Park, Polokwane Mpumalanga at 29@Marloth, Nelspruit And one final note, around R257 million in lottery prizes currently sits unclaimed across South Africa from the previous operator. Therefore, checking old ticket numbers against those drawn (up to one year ago) costs you nothing and might just turn up forgotten money. You can do so by clicking past results HERE.

A young boy who collected and sold scrap materials to financially support his family – as captured in videos filmed by philanthropist BI Phakathi – has received over R2 million in GoFundMe donations. The teen – identified as Wernand – touched the hearts of people around the world with his mission to keep his family fed and off the street. BI PHAKATHI TEEN BOY RECEIVES MILLIONS IN GOFUNDME Earlier this month, philanthropist BI Phakathi – who keeps his identity a secret – posted a video of a teenage boy named Wernand who had skipped school to collect and sell scrap materials. As with all his videos, Phakathi generously gifted money to the child to buy food and warm clothes and to help his family. However, a few days later, he posted a follow-up video in which he found Wernand back in a junkyard, collecting cans and scrap metal to sell.  Phakathi, along with fellow philanthropist Logan Mayberry, founder of the Reward the Kind charity, visited the boy’s home, where he discovered his mother and newborn sister living in squalor. Wernand revealed that he had spent years in an orphanage before being homeless and reuniting with his impoverished mother. Mayberry started a GoFundMe campaign to help the family secure safe and clean housing. The campaign, and BI Phakathi’s videos about Wernand has gone viral, raising over $124 000 (over R2 million) from close to 4 000 donors around the world. Mayberry shared: “He [Wernand] felt responsible for helping provide for his family. At just 14 years old, Wernand has become the man of the house…somehow, he continues to fight every day for his family. I truly believe we have a chance to change the trajectory of this family’s future. “The funds raised will help Wernand and his family with housing, school fees, food, and other general resources. This support will provide them with stability, safety, and hope for a brighter future” BROTHERS AND AN EMPTY PETROL TANK In another viral video posted by BI Phakathi, the content creator is seen coming to the rescue of two brothers whose car had run out of petrol. The siblings were spotted sitting in their car at a petrol station, waiting for a cash deposit from their employer to purchase fuel to go home. After learning that Phakathi would fill up their petrol tank for free, the brothers burst into tears. The brothers also received a wad of cash to purchase groceries and to help fund their trade course. View this post on Instagram A post shared by BI Phakathi (@biphakathi)

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