Among the many aspects of Test cricket that make it the unique game that it is, one is that the true value of a side's first-innings total cannot be known until the other team has batted.

Khoi traditional leaders have confronted a family building a hut at the Castle of Good Hope, demanding its removal as a dispute over heritage, customary authority and a proposed cultural space heads to court.

Despite being in trouble in their first innings with three days left to play, batting coach Ashwell Prince believes the Proteas can still pull a win out the bag in the second Test against Australia in Gqeberha. After a slow start to the match, Australia were in control, but there was still a lot of cricket to play after two days of limited action in Gqeberha. At the close of play on Monday, the SA team were on 97/5, with only 43 overs having been bowled over the first two days of the game due to rain delays. Temba Bavuma was on 41 runs not out after facing 108 balls overnight, and Wiaan Mulder was unbeaten on two off 15. “Obviously the weather conditions before the match and during the match with moisture and rain, the pitch maybe starting out a bit softer than usual, there are already divots developing on the surface,” Prince said. “If the sun comes out that might firm up and the ball might move around a little bit faster maybe – we don’t know – so as we say you can only tell what the pitch does when both teams have batted. “I think there’s still a bit of time left in the game, so anything is still possible.” Proteas struggling Resuming their first innings at 20/2 in the final session of the day, the home side were unable to gain any real traction. After waiting patiently for play to get underway after tea, the SA side were placed under early pressure when debutant Marques Ackerman fell in the third over of the day, caught behind for just six runs after facing 38 balls overnight. Soon afterwards, Matthew Breetzke was also caught behind, getting an outside edge to wicketkeeper Alex Carey off a Mitchell Starc delivery after contributing four runs. And the Proteas continued to tumble. Ryan Rickelton, who was given a life when he was dropped by Marnus Labuschagne in the slips on 26, was also caught behind just two overs later after hitting 31 off 51. Seam bowler Scott Boland led Australia’s attack, taking 4/31 as he played a key role in placing the hosts on the back foot.

We bring you a visual snapshot of the day’s news events, featuring a city hall employee cleaning graffiti in Lyon after cost-of-living protests turned violent, Candice Swanepoel taking to the runway at the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Los Angeles, the aftermath of a Russian attack on a shopping mall in Kyiv, and former president Thabo Mbeki testifying before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as part of an investigation into alleged political interference in the prosecution of apartheid-era crimes. These are some of the compelling images from South Africa and around the world. (For best view, click on image for fullscreen) Candice Swanepoel walks the runway for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2026 on October 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Victoria’s Secret/AFP (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) A city hall employee removes a graffiti from the Bartholdi Fountain in Place des Terreaux, in Lyon on October 19, 2026 two days after riots and looting occurred on the sidelines of nationwide cost-of-living demonstrations. (Photo by OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE / AFP) Suliman Carrim appears at Pretoria Magistrates Court to resume his bail application on October 19, 2026 in Pretoria, South Africa. Carrim was arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport. He is facing a charge of contravening the Commission’s Act for repeatedly failing to appear at the Madlanga Commission. (Photo by Gallo Images/Frennie Shivambu) President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Bana Pele Leadership Summit at The Galleria Arena and Conference Centre on October 19, 2026 in Sandton, South Africa. The summit aims to mobilise and strengthen collaboration among government, the private sector, civil society, communities and philanthropic organisations to accelerate progress towards universal access to quality early learning by 2030. (Photo by Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo) Palestinian fisherman Muhammed al-Tum, 61, is viewed repearing fishing nets recovered from the rubble of his home destroyed in Israeli attacks, as he struggles to continue fishing along the coast of Gaza City, Gaza, Palestine on October 19, 2026. As Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip enter their third year, Palestinian fishermen continue to face severe challenges in making a living due to restrictions on access to the sea and a shortage of fishing equipment. (Photo by Saeed M. M. T. Jaras/Anadolu via Getty Images) Former president Thabo Mbeki (right) testifies before the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry, also known as the TRC Cases Inquiry, in Johannesburg, 19 October 2026. The commission is investigating alleged political interference in the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/The Citizen Aftermath of the Russian attack on a shoping mall in Kyiv, Ukraine on October 19, 2026. (Photo by Danylo Antoniuk/Anadolu via Getty Images) A commemoration ceremony is held to mark the 23rd anniversary of the passing of Alija Izetbegovic, the first president of independent Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Kovaci Martyrs’ Cemetery in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on October 19, 2026. (Photo by Denis Zuberi/Anadolu via Getty Images) Runners clear a fence during The Back British Farming Handicap Steeple Chase at Plumpton Racecourse on October 19, 2026 in Plumpton, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images) Kaylia Nemour of Team Algeria competes in the Women’s Uneven Bars Qualification during day three of the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Rotterdam 2026 at Ahoy on October 19, 2026 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images) Students take part in a shaving foam fight on Raisin Monday at St Andrews University on October 19, 2026 in St Andrews, Scotland. Raisin Weekend is a historic and eccentric student tradition at the University of St Andrews in Scotland that takes place every October. Rooted in an informal peer-mentoring system, older students adopt first-year “academic children” and host them for a weekend of social gatherings and scavenger hunts. The celebration culminates on Raisin Monday, when first-years are dressed in bizarre, homemade costumes, handed humorous “receipts” or food bank donations to carry, and gather in St Salvator’s Quad for a massive, town-wide shaving foam fight. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola briefs the media after meeting with senior South African Police Service (SAPS) management at Tshwane Academy on October 19, 2026 in Pretoria, South Africa. This follows the withdrawal of charges linked to a controversial police health services tender worth hundreds of millions of rand. (Photo by Gallo Images/Frennie Shivambu) Geordin Hill-Lewis at the unveiling of a new election billboard in District Six on October 19, 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa. The 2026 South African municipal elections will be held on 4 November 2026 across South Africa, to elect councils for all district, metropolitan and local municipalities in each of the country’s nine provinces. (Photo by Gallo Images/Misha Jordaan) This aerial view shows supporters of Brazil’s right-wing senator and Liberal Party (PL) presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro gathered on Paulista Avenue in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on October 18, 2026, ahead of the presidential election runoff. (Photo by Miguel SCHINCARIOL / AFP) 1/14 MORE PICTURES: Cosplayers, gaming and pop culture take centre stage at Comic Con Africa

2026 local government elections are just two weeks away, along with the additional public holiday given to South Africans. For those who’ve been living under a rock, 2026 local government elections take place on Wednesday 4 November 2026. Better still, the Electoral Commission (IEC) insists everything will go off without a hitch, so you won’t be wasting too much time in queues on your bonus day off. Nevertheless, there are still a few things you can do to make the process as timeous as possible … 2026 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS At a recent event in Midrand, all participating parties committed to the electoral code of conduct. IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya said the commission had worked on its voter management devices after being made ‘painfully aware of the technical challenges in 2024.’ Contrary to the massive delays two years ago, both voter registration weekends ahead of 2026 local government elections went ‘exceptionally well,’ said Moepya. As such, the IEC confirms that: The results system has completed end-to-end testing. Parties verified this with independent experts between 5 and 12 October. Voting station layouts have been improved to speed up queues. More than 60 000 staff have been trained. MIDRAND OPERATIONS CENTRE FAILURE There are a few precautions you can take before voting that could save you time on the day. Image: File Back In 2024, the results leaderboards at the Midrand operations centre failed for about two hours. The IEC insisted the results weren’t affected, but it did lead to a number of parties challenging the validity of the election. Furthermore, the embattled ANC claims technical glitches on its online platform stopped it from submitting its full councillor list recently. This accusation was disproved in the Electoral Court. However, the ANC is escalating the matter to the Constitutional Court. Separately, the IEC has approved 2.6 million special-vote applications have been approved. It also warns of fake voting information and bogus announcements online, so stick to official IEC channels only. HOW TO VOTE IN 2026 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS Before you cast your vote in the 2026 local government election, check your nearest station. In this iteration, you can only vote at the station where you’re registered, even if you’ve moved. SMS your ID number to 32810, or WhatsApp ‘Hi’ to 060 088 0000. If you’re not on the voters’ roll, it’s too late, you can’t vote. On the day, a fortnight from now, bring your valid identify document: A smart ID card, a green barcoded ID book or a valid temporary ID certificate will all be accepted. Note that driver’s licences, passports, student cards and photocopies of IDs will not be. Voting stations are open from 7am to 9pm on 4 November, but may stay open longer if necessary. Approved special voters can do so on 2 and 3 November, 8am to 5pm. At the station. An official will check your ID against the roll, you receive your ballots, and your indelible thumbnail ink mark. Finally, SASSA beneficiaries should note that payment dates were moved to 30 October, 2 November and 3 November, so grants no longer land on voting day for 2026 local government elections. But what do you think? Do you think voting will be glitch free like the IEC promises? Did you have a good experience during the 2024 national elections? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below …

If you’re heading to the coast on Tuesday, check the tide times before planning your activities. Water levels change throughout the day, while wind, waves, swell and the shape of the seabed also affect conditions along the shore and at sea. Damaging winds and waves along the KZN coast The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for damaging winds and waves along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline These conditions could temporarily disrupt beachfront activities and operations at small harbours and ports until Tuesday morning. Beachgoers, anglers and others planning coastal activities should follow the latest weather warnings and check local sea conditions before heading out. When to expect the next spring tide Spring tides are important to watch out for because they bring higher high tides and lower low tides than usual. The next spring tide is expected around the full moon on Monday, 26 October 2026. These changes can affect swimming, surfing and fishing. High tides may cover rocks and reefs, while low tides expose more of the shoreline. Check the tide times and the latest weather and marine warnings before you head to the coast.

Samro now requires members to disclose AI use in songs but sets no minimum human contribution.

The Cape Town start-up has filed US patent applications for technology aimed at AI voice-clone scams.