Left-arm spinner Jadeja suffered an elbow injury during the Indian Premier League and missed India's one-off Test win against Afghanistan last month.

US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has offered $5.5 billion to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits claiming that its talcum powder products caused ovarian cancer, the company said Monday

At least six people have been killed in a fiery head‑on collision on the N2 in the Eastern Cape. The accident occurred in Mooiplaas outside KuGompo City on Tuesday, 28 July 2026, where one of the vehicles burst into flames, trapping occupants inside. The accident comes as heavy rain and treacherous road conditions continue to wreak havoc across the Eastern Cape. Bad weather Eastern Cape Transport Department spokesperson Unathi Binqose said that wet and slippery roads, poor visibility, and the possibility of black ice in high-lying areas significantly increase the risk of serious collisions. “One of the vehicles, a sedan, caught fire after the collision, with some occupants reportedly trapped in the inferno. “Details surrounding the crash remain sketchy at this stage, while emergency and rapid response teams are on the scene attending to the incident.” The department appeals to all motorists to reduce speed, increase following distances, switch on headlights and avoid unnecessary travel where conditions are particularly hazardous. *This is a developing story

A man who was seriously injured in a head-on collision on the N4 between Lobatse and Zeerust lost his bid for nearly R2.9 million in compensation after a court found he had given contradictory explanations for why he lost his job, according to a judgment handed down in the North West High Court, Mahikeng. Acting Judge M Wessels dismissed Oaitse Comfort Letsholonyane’s claim for past and future loss of earnings against the Road Accident Fund (RAF). The fund was ordered to cover his future medical costs for a right elbow injury sustained in the crash. Conflicting accounts sink earnings claim According to the judgment, Letsholonyane was driving a Toyota Tazz on 26 June 2022 when a Toyota Hilux driven by Kagiso Oabile Phetew collided head-on with his vehicle. The court heard that liability, general damages of R400 000, and future medical expenses had already been settled, leaving only the loss of earnings claim, quantified at R2 877 965, for determination. At the centre of the dispute was how Letsholonyane lost his job at DEKRA Automotive. Wessels noted that a dismissal letter from the company, dated 12 October 2023, stated: “Based on the evidence put before me, I find you guilty as charged, due to incapacity.” However, the judge pointed out that Letsholonyane’s own industrial psychologist, Thomas Tsikai, had recorded a different version, noting that his client “was subsequently dismissed from employment due to insubordination on the 12th of October 2023.” Wessels drew on the Labour Appeal Court’s description of insubordination in Sylvania Metals (Pty) Ltd v Mello N.O. and Others, which characterised it as “a wilful and serious refusal by an employee to adhere to a lawful and reasonable instruction of the employer, as well as conduct which poses a deliberate and serious challenge to the employer’s authority.” The judge found this concept could not be reconciled with medical incapacity, since the two were “mutually exclusive in this context.” Counsel’s concession and the burden of proof During arguments, plaintiff’s counsel reportedly conceded that insubordination did not directly relate to medical incapacity, though he maintained that Letsholonyane’s competitiveness in the open labour market remained compromised. Wessels was not persuaded, finding that Letsholonyane had failed to explain the discrepancy through his own affidavit or any supporting documents. The judgment stated that Letsholonyane bears the onus of proving, on a balance of probabilities, that the specific loss would not have occurred but for the accident. Because Letsholonyane had “advanced two contradictory and unclarified versions for the termination of his employment, he has failed to discharge the onus of proving a direct causal nexus between the accident and his actual loss of employment,” the judge found. Expert opinion found to lack medical foundation The court also took issue with the industrial psychologist’s assessment of Letsholonyane’s future earning capacity. Tsikai had compiled a list of symptoms reported by his client, including headaches, dizziness, compromised eyesight, forgetfulness and heightened anxiety, which Wessels described as “the uncorroborated symptoms.” According to the judgment, the orthopaedic surgeon who examined Letsholonyane, Dr Peter Kumbirai, had diagnosed only an open fracture of the right olecranon with localised pain and restricted movement, and had not identified any head trauma, cognitive deficits or neurological impairment that could explain the wider list of complaints. Wessels found that “an industrial psychologist who accepts a claimant’s self-reported complaints at face value and converts those unverified reports into assumed medical facts, upon which an earning capacity opinion is then constructed, oversteps the boundaries of the discipline.” Citing the Supreme Court of Appeal’s decision in Bee v RAF, the judge repeated the principle that “an expert witness is required to assist the court and not to usurp the function of the court” and that opinions lacking proper reasoning are inadmissible. On this basis, Wessels declined to attach any weight to Tsikai’s projected post-morbid earning capacity of roughly R36 800 a year. Actuarial certificate called insufficient The plaintiff’s actuarial evidence fared no better. Wessels noted that only a single-page certificate from Dr Robert Koch had been submitted, which “completely omits the basis of an actuarial valuation, failing to disclose the capitalisation rates, the discount rates applied, the contingency deductions utilised, or the specific allocations for past versus future loss.” Plaintiff’s counsel had argued that contingency deductions could account for gaps in the evidence, relying partly on Southern Insurance Association Ltd v Bailey NO. Wessels agreed the case was relevant but said counsel’s reliance on it was incomplete, explaining that the Bailey enquiry “sets out the enquiry in two stages,” with the soundness of underlying assumptions considered first and the court’s discretion over contingencies applied only afterwards. As the judge put it, “contingencies operate at the second stage, once a sound evidentiary foundation has been laid. They cater for the ordinary hazards of life, not for a failure of proof.” Medical undertaking granted, no costs order Despite dismissing the earnings claim, Wessels found the physical injury to the elbow was not in dispute and ordered the fund to provide a statutory undertaking under section 17(4)(a) of the RAF to cover future treatment, including removal of surgical hardware, manipulation under anaesthesia, and various assistive devices recommended by an occupational therapist. On costs, Wessels ruled that neither party would be ordered to pay, reasoning that “it would be unjust to saddle the defendant’s public funds with the costs of that inflated and unproven claim,” given that the loss of earnings claim represented the bulk of the case’s monetary value and had failed entirely.

South Africa is preparing for a major change to its visa system, with the Department of Home Affairs proposing a new processing fee for travellers using the country’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) platform. The DHA has gazetted proposed regulations that would introduce a R500 processing fee for ETA applications. The platform, launched in October 2025, forms part of the department’s digital transformation programme and is designed to make visa applications faster and more efficient. A cheaper option for some international travellers Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the initial ETA rollout was temporarily subsidised because the system did not have an integrated online payment function. As a result, travellers have so far not been charged a visa or dedicated ETA processing fee through the platform. The department is now preparing to introduce online payments and expand the ETA system to tourists from all countries that require a visa to enter South Africa. The proposed system could, however, result in lower overall costs for some visitors. Travellers from visa-required countries who are not exempt from visa fees would pay the existing R425 visa fee, plus the proposed R500 ETA fee. This would bring the total cost to R925, compared with the current R1 975 charged through the outsourced visa application system. The DHA says this would save travellers R1 050 per application. Travellers from visa-required countries who are exempt from visa fees would pay only the R500 ETA fee. Under the current system, they can face an outsourced service provider charge of R1 550. Schreiber said the move would effectively bring the function in-house while reducing costs and improving the efficiency of visa processing. Will visa-free travellers also pay the new ETA fee? Initially, travellers from visa-exempt countries will not be required to use the ETA system. They will, however, be able to voluntarily apply through the platform for a more streamlined travel experience. Those who choose to do so will also pay the R500 processing fee. The DHA expects strong uptake from visa-exempt travellers because of the convenience and security benefits offered by the digital system. The department said the voluntary approach is intended to encourage adoption while preserving existing visa-free travel arrangements. The new costs at a glance Traveller categoryCurrent costNew proposed ETA costNon-visa-exemptR1 975R925Visa-required but visa-fee exemptR1 550R500Visa-exemptR0R500 if ETA is used voluntarily The ETA will become compulsory for travellers from non-visa-exempt countries included on the platform as the system expands. The DHA has also indicated that it could eventually become compulsory for all travellers, although visa-exempt visitors will initially retain the choice to use it. The proposed R500 fee is part of draft regulations that have now been gazetted and remains subject to the applicable regulatory process before implementation. The changes form part of the DHA’s broader push to digitise South Africa’s visa system and make it faster, more efficient and less reliant on outsourced service providers.

It’s good news for anyone who is unemployed ahead of the November 2026 local elections. In case you missed it, President Ramaphosa set voting day for municipal elections on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. But there’s plenty of work that needs to happen before the big day … NOVEMBER 2026 LOCAL ELECTIONS Beyond scoring another public holiday in South Africa, the IEC must fill more than 600 vacancies nationwide ahead of the November 2026 local elections. Better still, it says preference is being given to the unemployed youth. Which is pretty self-explanatory. Not a lot of people with jobs are likely to apply …   If you are not sure if you are registered to vote where you live, you can check your status online HERE. If you want to put your name forward for one of the temporary jobs, click HERE. These posts cover voting officers, presiding officers, queue walkers, logistics staff and admin support. Contracts include training beforehand. WHO QUALIFIES FOR IEC EMPLOYMENT? Untrained, temporary staff were largely bemoaned for long queues and delays during the May 2024 voting day. Image: File First and foremost, applicants must be South African citizens. You must be over the age of 18 and have a valid ID. You need to be able to read and write in English, plus live in and speak the local language of your voting district. No political affiliation that compromises impartiality will be permitted. You, too, must be registered to vote in that area. Some more senior roles require tertiary qualification. To apply for November 2026 local elections work, follow the link listed above. Create a candidate profile on the portal, submit your application, and you’re done. The deadline for applicants is Monday 31 August 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted after that date given the volume of applicants expected. Moreover, the IEC says 90% of its roughly 200 000 voting station staff are non-government officials. FINAL VOTER REGISTRATION PUSH IN AUGUST Separately, the IEC is reminding the public that there is one last in-person voter registration weekend coming up. Diarise this coming weekend, Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 August 2026. The first registration weekend ahead of November 2026 local elections processed nearly three-million transactions, says the IEC. But what do you think? Are unemployed youth the right people to staff November 2026 local elections? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below …

MultiChoice Group's delisting took DStv's subscriber numbers with it, and new owner Canal+ has not put them back.

US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has warned sanctions and Entity List designations are now on the table.