ICBA Africa executive director Iddah Asin discusses the beverage industry’s position on low- and no-calorie sweeteners after roundtable discussions in South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana and Nigeria.

In 2025, the Menglian Avocado brand was valued at 1.75 billion yuan. For people in the county, each avocado has become a " golden fruit" that boosts their incomes.

Former Vlakplaas commander Eugene de Kock says he had all the information required to have senior politicians and generals prosecuted, but was not asked to testify. The 77-year-old was on Monday before the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry into possible interference and deliberate delays in the prosecution of apartheid-era crimes. Vlakplaas was the infamous counterinsurgency unit that retrained captured liberation fighters to carry out attacks on liberation movements. De Kock stressed that the generals involved in committing crimes during the 1980s were not prosecuted, suggesting it was done deliberately to shield National Party politicians. “I believe that if the generals had been prosecuted, they would have disclosed the source of their instructions and that they would have implicated political officer bearers,” De Kock told the commission Thallium poisoning of tinned food De Kock was speaking about generals who could have faced prosecution when he shared a memory of dealing with former police commissioner General Johan van der Merwe. De Kock attributed the idea for the distribution of poisoned food to then-Colonel Van der Merwe. He explained that in a meeting with Van der Merwe shortly after Operation Koevoet’s launch in January 1979, the then head of security police for South West Africa elaborated on how he experimented with thallium in prisoners’ food. The thallium would cause paralysis and De Kock alleged that those who died were cremated so as to avoid an autopsy that would show signs of poisoning. De Kock said that when questions were asked, a young sergeant was made a scapegoat and subsequently relocated. “He was the one who always had to take the food to the Article 29 prisoners, but he didn’t know it was poison. “And they transferred him to a one-horse station about 30km from Piet Retief. There he was, alone, out of the way,” said De Kock. The affected prisoners were being held under Article 29 of the Geneva Convention, which covers the treatment of prisoners of war. Elaborating on the wider use of poisoned food, De Kock relayed that a Rhodesian Special Branch officer had told him that they would take samples of their enemies’ faeces for analysis. “I thought they were testing them for lack of the necessary vitamins or where they get their food from. In the mean time it was thallium, because through that they could determine that these people were dead or totally disabled. “Then he told me that they had to double the dose of thallium because the black people that was fighting them had a constitution twice as fast as a European, so they had to double the dose of thallium in the tinned food,” said De Kock. Instructions came ‘from very high’ The former Vlakplaas commander, who was known as ‘Prime Evil’, had earlier explained that while he was not tasked with dealing with politicians, the generals took instructions from above. He named former ministers Louis le Grange and Adriaan Vlok, claiming Le Grange signed off on the 1988 bombing of the ANC’s London offices, and that Vlok had twice come to Vlakplaas to congratulate him on the bombings of Cosatu House in 1987 and Khotso House in 1988. “When I was instructed by Brigadier [Willem] Schoon to bomb Cosatu House, he told me that the instruction to do this was from very high. “I asked him how high, and he said it came directly from President PW Botha,” said De Kock. He stated that when the time came to testify on those matters, the issues were not addressed. “I was willing and able to give evidence as to where the instructions came from that would have exposed the chain of command. I was not called as a witness to do so. “Those who gave the instructions to the generals would have been at risk of exposure. If one wants to know why prosecutions did not take place, an obvious question is who benefitted from the failure? “The answer is that those who benefitted where those who were at the top of the chain of command,” De Kock stated.

South African obstacle course racing world champion Thomas van Tonder has conquered the Bloukrans Bridge in a daring stunt that saw him cross 600 monkey bars suspended beneath the arch, 216 metres above the ground. Van Tonder completed the 280-metre crossing in 47 minutes and 30 seconds, making him the first person to take on the challenge. Thomas van Tonder takes on 600 monkey bars at Bloukrans Bridge The course followed the shape of the bridge, starting with a brutal 45-degree incline before flattening out near the top and dropping down the other side. Every metre had to be covered by hand, with no opportunity to simply stop and rest. Despite months of preparation, the climb was tougher than Van Tonder expected, putting enormous strain on his arms and hands. At times, he hooked his legs over the bars and hung upside down to give his hands a break. Thomas Van Tonder celebrates after crossing the Bloukrans Bridge using monkey bars, 26 October 2026. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen The hardest part was not necessarily the physical challenge. At the top, looking at the long stretch of bars still ahead made it difficult to imagine reaching the finish. “If you look at the finish, it’s so far out of reach and there’s so many bars in between. It seems undoable,” he said. ‘That incline humbled me’ The descent brought its own challenges, as Van Tonder had to control his speed while fighting exhaustion and trying to keep his grip. Thomas van Tonder celebrates after crossing the Bloukrans Bridge using monkey bars, 26 October 2026. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen By the final stretch, the tape protecting his fingers had been torn through. “I came in a bit cocky. I came in a bit confident, and that incline humbled me for sure,” he said. Africa’s highest bridge The stunt took place at the Bloukrans Bridge, which carries the N2 between the Western and Eastern Cape and is a popular destination for bungee jumping. The bridge rises 216 metres above the river, making it Africa’s highest bridge. Thomas Van Tonder crosses the Bloukrans Bridge using monkey bars, 26 October 2026. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen The monkey-bar course and safety system were built by Richard Lievaart and his team from Vertical Safety Systems, using two independent safety points without permanently fixing anything to the bridge. For Van Tonder, the achievement was the culmination of a two-year goal. “I have finished what I started. I set the big, crazy goal, and we actually got it done,” he said.

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a Yellow Level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms in southern Mpumalanga. Heavy downpours and damaging winds could cause flooding, damage to infrastructure and major travel disruptions. The warning takes effect at 14:00 on Monday, 26 October, and remains valid until 23:59 on Tuesday, 27 October. SAWS warns that severe thunderstorms could bring significant impacts to affected communities, although it considers the likelihood of these impacts low. Which areas are affected? The Yellow Level 4 warning covers southern parts of Mpumalanga, including areas around Ermelo and Emakhazeni, as indicated on the SAWS warning map. These areas face a higher impact level than those covered by the Yellow Level 2 warning in other parts of the province. What impacts can residents expect? According to SAWS, heavy downpours and strong, damaging winds could cause flooding and damage to infrastructure, homes, vehicles and other property. The weather service warns of possible injuries and danger to life, particularly in areas vulnerable to flooding. Severe weather could also disrupt major transport routes, with some roads and bridges potentially closing because of flooding. Municipal and essential services, including electricity, healthcare, education and communications, could experience disruptions. Farmers could also face agricultural losses, including damage to livestock and livelihoods. Staying safe during severe thunderstorms Residents should monitor weather warnings and avoid travelling through flooded roads or bridges. Motorists should reduce their speed during heavy rain and avoid unnecessary travel when conditions become dangerous. People living in areas at risk of flooding should remain alert to rising water levels and follow instructions from local emergency services. SAWS advises residents to keep checking official weather updates as conditions change.

Pick n Pay’s results show its turnaround is making progress, but the retailer is still losing money. Its headline loss has narrowed by almost a third. Its biggest rival, meanwhile, keeps growing. So what does it mean for the millions of South Africans who do their weekly shop there? WHAT PICK N PAY’S RESULTS SHOW Pick n Pay released its interim results for the 26 weeks ended 30 August 2026 on Monday, 26 October. The group’s headline loss narrowed by 31.9% to R299 million, down from R439 million a year earlier. Group turnover rose by 2.4% to R60.5 billion, driven largely by its discount chain, Boxer, which grew by 6.3%. But the core Pick n Pay business is still struggling. It recorded a trading loss of R516 million, although that’s an improvement on the R621 million loss a year earlier. The group won’t pay an interim dividend. SIGNS OF PROGRESS There are some positives. Pick n Pay’s company-owned South African supermarkets recorded like-for-like sales growth of 2.4%. The group’s gross margin also improved by 0.7 percentage points, to 18.8%. The group ended the half-year with R10 billion in net cash, boosted by the sale of part of its stake in Boxer in May. On Thursday, 22 October, Pick n Pay also withdrew a restructuring process it announced in May, after reaching an agreement with the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu). The retailer is aiming to break even by 2029, under incoming CEO Spencer Sonn. A MARKET DOMINATED BY ONE GIANT Pick n Pay’s struggles come as its biggest competitor, Shoprite, continues to grow. According to retail research firm Trade Intelligence, Shoprite has extended a seven-year run of market share gains, and its stores are within 5km of 85% of South African households. Shoprite’s market value is now greater than that of Pick n Pay, Boxer, Woolworths and Spar combined. Analysts say Shoprite and Boxer have gained market share from Pick n Pay and Spar, which have faced both market pressure and internal challenges. WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR WALLET For shoppers, healthy competition matters, since it helps keep prices in check. For now, the market remains competitive. Boxer is expanding fast with low prices, while Spar, Woolworths, smaller chains and independent stores all compete for customers. The Competition Commission has also stepped in before. In 2019, its Grocery Retail Market Inquiry found that long-term exclusive lease agreements in shopping centres, which stop competitors from opening nearby, were anti-competitive and harmful to consumers and smaller retailers. Pick n Pay has until 31 December 2026 to phase out its own exclusive leases. If Pick n Pay recovers, shoppers benefit from stronger competition. If it keeps shrinking, more of the market could end up in fewer hands. HOW TO KEEP YOUR GROCERY BILL DOWN Compare prices across stores, since specials differ every week. Try house brands, which are often cheaper than big-name brands. Use loyalty programmes to collect discounts and rewards. Shop with a list, and stick to it. WHERE DO YOU DO MOST OF YOUR GROCERY SHOPPING, AND WHY? Let us know in the comments below…

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