In a dramatic turn of events, Chris Brown pleads guilty to a public order offence stemming from a nightclub brawl in London, raising questions about his future as he awaits sentencing.

The ANC in eThekwini downplays the potential threat posed by Zandile Gumede's affiliation with Jacob Zuma's MKP party, as the party prepares for the upcoming local government elections.

MK party leader Jacob Zuma has announced the dissolution of its Presidential Task Team and the creation of a new Strategic Presidential Team (SPT), which will serve as the organisation’s highest decision‑making body. This comes after Zuma last week moved to place the MK party’s finances under his personal control, stripping all officials of their bank account signing authority with immediate effect. MK party finances A letter dated 23 July, circulated to national, provincial, and regional party structures, confirmed that the revocation applies to every official regardless of rank, including the treasurer-general and secretary-general. The development came amid mounting internal tensions over the alleged misappropriation of party funds. In the letter, Zuma, who recently expelled his daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla from the party, stated that he was acting in his capacity as party president and accounting officer, according to the Mail & Guardian. He described the temporary suspension as necessary to restore financial governance, accountability, and orderly administration across all structures. Dissolution On Monday, 28 July 2026, the party confirmed that it made further changes, announcing the dissolution of its Presidential Task Team Party spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu confirmed the restructuring. “The Strategic Presidential Team is constituted as the highest decision‑making and strategic leadership body of the organisation, vested with overarching authority to provide leadership, strategic direction, organisational coordination and oversight.” Consolidation According to Mahlangu, the decision is aimed at consolidating authority and ensuring effective execution of party programmes. “This decision is intended to consolidate strategic authority, eliminate fragmentation in decision‑making and ensure disciplined, unified and effective execution of Party resolutions and programmes,” he said. With immediate effect, all powers and responsibilities previously held by the Presidential Task Team have been transferred to the SPT. “The Strategic Presidential Team shall exercise supreme strategic leadership and decision‑making authority on behalf of the organisation,” Mahlangu explained SPT role Mahlangu explained that the SPT will oversee administration, finances, electoral strategy, and organisational cohesion. It is also mandated to provide long‑term strategic planning, direct and monitor implementation of party policies, and strengthen coordination across all structures. “The Strategic Presidential Team and the National Officials shall work together to ensure strategic coherence, organisational effectiveness, accountability and the successful implementation of the Party’s programmes and electoral strategy,” Mahlangu added. Zuma endorsement Zuma has endorsed the new structure, expressing confidence in its ability to strengthen leadership capacity and deliver on the party’s constitutional mandate. Mahlangu reiterated the call for unity. “We urge all leaders, Members of Parliament, public representatives, members and organisational structures to fully support and implement this decision, and to work collectively in advancing the unity, strength and electoral success of the organisation.” The announcement marks a significant shift in the MK Party’s leadership framework, with the Strategic Presidential Team assuming full authority over governance, administration, and electoral mobilisation.

The eThekwini Municipality has warned residents of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) to brace for severe weather and possible flooding after the South African Weather Service (Saws) issued a Level 4 disruptive rain warning, with heavy downpours and thundershowers. Adverse weather conditions are expected to batter the province from Tuesday through Wednesday. Snowfall is also expected over high-lying areas and other parts of the province, with very cold conditions and disruptive rainfall also forecast. Precautions The municipality has urged residents to take immediate precautions following the Level 4 disruptive rain warning issued by Saws. “Forecasts indicate widespread disruptive rain across KwaZulu-Natal, with the eThekwini region expected to be significantly affected. “Widespread scattered showers and thundershowers are anticipated, which poses a serious risk to life, property, and infrastructure,” it said. Flooding The municipality added that the disruptive rainfall may result in flooding in settlements, roads, bridges, and low-lying areas. “Poor visibility and slippery road surfaces are expected to make driving hazardous. Residents in flood-prone areas, including informal settlements, are urged to take the necessary precautions to ensure safety.” Motorists Motorists have been advised to exercise caution, reduce speed, and maintain safe following distances on wet and slippery roads. “Where possible, residents are encouraged to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. The Municipality’s Disaster Management Directorate and emergency services are on high alert, ready to respond to any incidents.” Residents have also been encouraged to monitor official Municipal communication platforms for the latest information. “The public is reminded not to attempt crossing swollen rivers or streams, particularly where water levels exceed ankle height. In case of an emergency, contact the City’s Disaster Management Centre on 031 361 0000,” the municipality said. EMS Meanwhile, with disruptive rainfall and snowfall expected across KZN, Midlands EMS Rescue Medics, together with the Midlands EMS K9 Search and Rescue Team, have been placed on standby. “Our specialised teams are prepared and ready to respond to medical emergencies, rescue incidents and search and rescue operations should the need arise,” said Midlands EMS spokesperson Roland Robertson. Robertson has urged the public to travel safely, exercise extreme caution on the roads, allow extra travel time and avoid unnecessary travel where possible.

How much is Wednesday Lotto and Lotto Plus worth on 29 July 2026? Well, it breaks down like so. Straight Lotto is worth R4 million, Lotto Plus 1 sits at R3.5 million and for Lotto Plus Max 5 you can tag on another R1.5 million. All tallied up that put’s the total worth of the Wednesday game at R9 million, a R2.5-million increase over Saturday’s game past … Crucial to your success for Wednesday Lotto and Lotto Plus is knowing how recently one of the three lottos has paid out. A bit like the old days playing slot machines in the casino, the longer it goes, the bigger the payout becomes. Looking at the above figures, we can see that almost all have paid a small amount 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. WEDNESDAY LOTTO AND LOTTO PLUS As such, Wednesday 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 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 (MP) 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 Lotto Plus 1 had a small payout this weekend, keeping the winnings for Wednesday muted. Image: File If you add MP1 to Wednesday 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 Wednesday 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 Wednesday and Wednesday 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 Wednesday 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 The new lottery operator took over on 1 June 2026. 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.

While some demand that grants be scrapped, others reacting to the SASSA Children’s Grants amendments say the government is treating the symptom, not the cause. Mapontsho Pearl pushed back against the idea that people have children purely for grant money, pointing out that R580 a month can’t even support a child on its own. She argued the real issues are a lack of jobs paying a liveable monthly salary and the R370 SRD grant, which she believes should be scrapped in favour of employment. She also called for child support laws to be amended so fathers face real consequences, rather than mothers having to chase absent parents for money. ‘You should only have what you can afford’ Heather Ann Beykirch took a different angle, arguing that pensioners have earned their support through a lifetime of work, and warning that unchecked population growth is unsustainable. Her view: people should only have as many children as they can genuinely afford to raise and educate. Despite different starting points, both commenters land on a similar theme: responsibility, whether from absent fathers or from parents themselves, should carry more weight in the debate than the size of the grant itself. Win R2 000 in the South African SASSA grant survey If you receive a SASSA grant and want to share your story, we want to hear from you. Take part in our survey and stand a chance to win R2 000. Your responses help us tell the stories that matter.

Vodacom has cut its dividend payout policy to at least 65% of headline earnings, from at least 75% previously.

Local lenders have gone from building everything in-house to buying the start-ups that outran them.