Suspended Pretoria Chief Magistrate Desmond Nair has pleaded not guilty to corruption charges linked to alleged Bosasa-funded security upgrades at his Gauteng home, valued at about R200,000.

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says Eskom’s 9.01% increase for municipal bulk purchasers does not automatically translate into the same increase for Cape Town households, while the City expands support for vulnerable consumers and explores independent power supplies.

We bring you a visual snapshot of the day’s news events, featuring South African obstacle course racing world champion Thomas van Tonder crossing 600 suspended monkey bars beneath the Bloukrans Bridge arch in a world-first stunt, SAMWU members blocking Johannesburg’s M1 highway during a wage-related protest, supporters celebrating an election victory in Serbia, and lion cubs playing at a zoo in Germany. These are some of the compelling images from South Africa and around the world. (For best view, click on image for fullscreen) Thomas Van Tonder crosses the Bloukrans Bridge using monkey bars, 26 October 2026. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Thomas Van Tonder celebrates after crossing the Bloukrans Bridge using monkey bars, 26 October 2026. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen Supporters of the Students’ List gather at the National assembly building as they celebrate their victory in the Serbian parliamentary elections, in Belgrade in the early hours of October 26, 2026. Voters cast ballots in record numbers on October 25, 2026, with the country recording its highest parliamentary election turnout in more than three decades. Celebrations erupted on the streets of the capital; passing cars honked their horns as crowds began to party at the news that Serbia’s ruling party had lost parliamentary snap elections. (Photo by Milos Milanovic / AFP) South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) members block the M1 highway in Johannesburg, 26 October 2026, demanding payment of Political Facilitated Agreements (PFA) benefits agreed upon in 2016. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/The Citizen A protester is seen at the back of a police vehicle during a demonstration against increased fuel prices in Nairobi, Kenya, on October 26, 2026. (Photo by Lucas Mukasa/Anadolu via Getty Images) Former apartheid police commander Eugene de Kock, known as “Prime Evil”, testifies before the TRC Cases Inquiry in Johannesburg, 26 October 2026, as part of an investigation into alleged political interference in the prosecution of apartheid-era crimes. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/The Citizen Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former president Jacob Zuma, arrives at the Durban High Court for the continuation of her trial linked to the July 2021 unrest, 26 October 2026. The proceedings are scheduled to continue until 6 November. Picture: Rajesh Jantilal People use umbrellas and raincoats to protect themselves from the rain in Izmir, Turkiye, on October 26, 2026. (Photo by Mahmut Serdar Alakus/Anadolu via Getty Images) Roelf Meyer, South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States, listens to a question from the media following his address at the Cape Town Press Club in Cape Town, on October 26, 2026. South Africa’s ambassador to the United States Roelf Meyer said on October 26 negotiations on the country’s inclusion in the United States trade program, African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) remained ongoing. The program provides duty- free access for over 1 800 products for several eligible sub-saharan African countries to the U.S market. (Photo by RODGER BOSCH / AFP) A woman dressed as a Catrina takes part in the Catrinas Parade, ahead of the Day of the Dead in Mexico City on October 25, 2026. (Photo by Carl de Souza / AFP) A full moon rises behind a statue on the top of a column at Piazza Venezia in Rome on October 26, 2026. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP) An aerial view shows a boat sailing past murky waters off the coast of Banda Aceh on October 26, 2026, as monsoon conditions affect the coastal area. (Photo by CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN / AFP) Lion cubs play in their enclosure at the zoo of Dortmund, western Germany, on October 26, 2026. Five-year-old lionesses Zuri and Saba gave birth to five and seven cubs on July 28 and 31 at Dortmund Zoo and are raising all twelve youngsters together, the father is six-year-old Boeti. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / AFP) Security personnel forcibly remove an activist from the Union of French Jewish Students (UEJF) during the launch rally for Marine Le Pen’s presidential campaign as part of the Congress of the Far-right party Rassemblement National (RN) in Orleans, central France on October 25, 2026. (Photo by Alain JOCARD / AFP) A supporter of Brazil’s President and presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wears a mask of right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro inside a cage after the results of the presidential runoff election in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on October 25, 2026. Lula da Silva pulled off a dramatic comeback on October 25, 2026, as he clinched election victory against right-wing senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who trounced him in the first round. (Photo by NELSON ALMEIDA / AFP) Women plant flowers after cleaning some of the debris left behind a pro-government encampment in Pionirski Park (Pioneer’s Park) on October 26, 2026 in Belgrade, Serbia. The encampment, that left the park closed to visitors, had become a symbol of Vucic’s grip on power. Longtime Serbian leader Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat after his right-wing SNS alliance secured only 39.2% of the vote, yielding control of parliament to the opposition Student List movement, which won a 52.7% majority. Triggered by widespread public anger over corruption following a tragic infrastructure failure at a train station in Novi Sad in 2024 that killed 16 people, Vucic’s gamble to resign the presidency and run for Prime Minister failed, marking the end of his 14-year dominance in Serbian politics. (Photo by Andrej Ivanov/Getty Images) 1/16 MORE PICTURES: Cosplayers, gaming and pop culture take centre stage at Comic Con Africa

Get the Daily Lotto results as soon as they are drawn on The Citizen, so you can rest easy and check your tickets with confidence. Estimated Daily Lotto jackpot for Monday, 26 October 2026: Daily Lotto: R500 000 Daily Lotto results for 26 October 2026: The winning Daily Lotto numbers will appear below after the draw. Usually, within 10 minutes of the draw. You might need to refresh the page to see the updated results. Daily Lotto: 03, 14, 19, 27, 28. For more details and to verify the Daily Lotto results, visit the National Lottery website. How to play Daily Lotto in SA? If you are buying a ticket in-store: Pick up a betslip in any lottery store. Choose five numbers between 1 and 36 or ask for a Quick Pick. Entries cost R3 each. You can play a max of R150, but you are allowed to play multiple boards. Select how many consecutive draws you wish to enter, up to a maximum of 10. Leave blank for a single draw. Take your betslip to the teller to pay for your ticket. Write your details on the back of your ticket in case you need to claim a prize. If you do not sign your ticket and you lose it, anyone can use it to claim the prize. If you are playing online: Set up a lottery account here and make a deposit to pay for tickets. Choose five numbers from 1 to 36 or select ‘Quick Pick’ to generate a random set. Repeat this on as many boards as you want to play. Decide whether to enter a single draw or multiple draws. Confirm and pay for your entry. What time is the Daily Lotto draw? The Daily Lotto draws take place shortly after 9pm every evening, and tickets can be bought until 8:30pm.

More residents of Orania are choosing to leave the Afrikaner-only town to take up refugee status in the US. The programme is open to South Africans of minority race groups – predominantly white – who are “victims of racial persecution”. ORANIA RESIDENTS TAKING UP REFUGEE STATUS – HERE’S WHY According to a new report, a small percentage of residents in Orania have been granted refugee status in the US.  Orania Movement leader Joost Strydom predicts this to be around 5% of the 2 900 population he believes have left the Afrikaner-only town to pursue bigger and better opportunities in America Strydom stated that families were interested in applying to the refugee resettlement programme, as the US boasted a “powerful economy” compared to Orania. He added in a Facebook post: “America has a lot to offer. This is the most powerful economy in the world. There are definitely many safe places in the USA, and there are welfare services for Africans who arrive there. Housing, food, and medical care are paid for by the U.S. government for a number of months, and there are other benefits.  He continued: “There are many places out there with better service delivery and obviously without an ANC government. Orania can’t compete with all those economic benefits. Orania is still small and is still very strong under the ANC government’s influence”. Strydom added that many Afrikaner families saw Orania as a “stepping stone” to other opportunities. We are also saddened by each of these individuals who had to seek greener pastures beyond their native land. The reality is that with every person who leaves, fewer and fewer Afrikaners remain in South Africa. CALL TO STAY AND ‘BUILD’ Joost Strydom appealed to those considering leaving from Orania or elsewhere in South Africa on the refugee programme, or of their own accord, to consider staying behind. He shared: “We cannot give you anything; we ask that you come and help build. Come and help build for those who choose to live in South Africa. Come help build for Afrikaners who believe that we belong here on this continent. “Yes, we are sad about everyone leaving…they made a choice. If we want to survive as Africans in Africa, we must choose to build on something where our people can have opportunities again, where our children can go to school and study in Afrikaans, and where we can protect our culture”. Strydom listed attractions such as Orania’s high-quality education, training facilities, and booming tourism sector. He added, “All these things contribute to us being able to build a bigger and stronger economy. We choose to stay here and build a future for our people. What is your choice?”. WHAT RACIAL PERSECUTION DO THEY FACE? Orania is located in the Northern Cape,  with a population of around 3000 individuals. The Afrikaner-only town was built on private property in 1963. It is self-sufficient, with its own businesses, schools, hospitals, and even currency.  So, how do residents qualify to enter the refugee programme? Like other applicants, those from Orania must meet the following criteria… Be South African Be of Afrikaner ethnicity or be a member of a racial minority in South Africa Must be able to articulate an experience of persecution or fear of future persecution.  In line with US President Donald Trump’s claims of “racial discrimination”, South Africans interested in the refugee resettlement programme must prove that they have been “persecuted” in their applications. In the Statement of Interest form, applicants are required to specify if the “persecution” was based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, membership of a social group, or a fear of “future harm”. Other questions included when the prospective “refugee” would like to travel to the US, how many family members they would like to bring, and if interested parties have a valid passport.

It’s time for today’s Daily Lotto draw! Could tonight be your lucky night? The Daily Lotto jackpot is once again up for grabs – and it stands at an estimated R500 000. Remember: The Daily Lotto jackpot prize money is guaranteed to be given away even if no one matches all five numbers. All it takes is a ticket to turn your dreams into reality because, as the saying goes, you’ve got to be in it to win it! The winning numbers will be updated below as soon as they’re drawn. MONDAY’S DAILY LOTTO NUMBERS 3, 14, 19, 27, 28 Draw date: 26 October 2026 Did you miss a draw and wonder if you won? Click here to view every past Daily Lotto result since Sizekhaya took over as National Lottery operators on 1 June 2026. For more details and to verify the winning numbers, visit the National Lottery website. You must always confirm the official winning numbers on the National Lottery website.

Absa says customers who hand banking credentials to an AI agent may be held liable, as local banks keep outside agents out.

Paris Mashile led Icasa's fight to cut mobile termination rates, and admitted when the regulator fell short.