Megan Brink, 43, completed her master’s degree while undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma, saying her children’s support and her faith helped her through the ordeal.

Cogta Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa says 113 of 257 municipalities reported conducting skills audits, but records from the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Northern Cape were unavailable when the parliamentary reply was compiled.

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 Thursday, 29 October 2026: Daily Lotto: R500 000 Daily Lotto results for 29 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: 01, 16, 22, 28, 32. 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.

January 2027 will be another big year for South African legendary Afro-pop duo Mafikizolo. Music lovers can look forward to a vibrant mix of R&B, African sounds and international influences when WAV Festival brings global stars and local favourites together in Cape Town and Pretoria. International headliners Ty Dolla $ign and KWN will lead the celebrations, with South African music icons Mafikizolo among the acts joining the Cape Town edition. The festival returns to Cape Town on Saturday, 2 January 2027, before making its highly anticipated Pretoria debut the following day. For the Mother City edition, Mafikizolo will bring their much loved catalogue of hits to the stage, adding a nostalgic touch to a line-up that celebrates the evolution of African music. The duo will be joined by Lordkez, WizTheMc, Lusanda, Thando Zide and Xowie, offering audiences a diverse musical experience spanning different sounds and generations. The DJ line-up promises to keep the summer energy going, with TXC and Juls confirmed for special sets. DJ Loyd and Sir Vincent will also join the Cape Town festivities. WAV Festival brings its sound to Pretoria On Sunday, 3 January 2027, the festival heads to SunBet Arena for its Pretoria debut. Ty Dolla $ign and KWN will headline the capital city event, joined by Lordkez, Lusanda and Xowie. While the Pretoria line-up differs from Cape Town’s expanded offering, the event promises to deliver WAV’s signature blend of international R&B and homegrown creativity. Beyond the performances, the festival aims to bring music, fashion and culture together, creating an experience that celebrates the connections between global sounds and African talent. For fans planning to attend with friends, there is also a limited-time ticket special to consider. The festival’s four-for-three offer allows groups to buy four tickets while paying for only three, making it easier to share the experience with friends. How to get WAV Festival tickets WAV Festival tickets for the Cape Town leg are available through Howler, while the Pretoria tickets can be bought through Webtickets. Fans interested in attending are encouraged to secure their tickets early and take advantage of the limited-time four-for-three special while it is available.

Not every South African is holding out for a dramatic jump in the SASSA old-age grant. Some say the amount currently on the table is the one most likely to happen. The comments followed The South African’s report on a push for Parliament to support raising the Older Persons Grant to R3 000 a month. ‘More realistic’ On The South African’s Facebook page, Detlef Weber said the proposed figure strikes the right balance. “That increase is more realistic…” he wrote. His comment drew a reply and several reactions, with some users agreeing that a smaller, achievable increase is better than a bigger promise that never arrives. Weber’s view stands apart from many others in the thread, where commenters called for the SASSA old-age grant to rise to R5 000, R6 000, or tomatch the national minimum wage. Every rand counts in the grant Tania Steenkamp shared a similar outlook. “R600 is better than nothing. Would be a great addition,” she wrote. For pensioners who rely on the grant alone, an extra few hundred rand each month can cover a grocery top-up, transport to a clinic or part of a municipal bill. Supporters of a moderate increase argue that government is more likely to approve an amount that fits within existing budget pressures, rather than a figure that would require major cuts elsewhere. Weighing ambition against affordability The debate highlights a tension many grant recipients face. On one side are those who say the grant has never matched the true cost of living. On the other are those who fear pushing for too much could stall any progress at all. Both groups agree on one thing: the current grant is under strain as food and electricity prices continue to rise. What happens next The proposed increase has not been approved. Any change to grant amounts must be announced by the Minister of Finance, usually in the Budget Speech each February, with new amounts taking effect from April. Until then, grant recipients will continue to receive their monthly payments at current rates and should check official SASSA channels for confirmed updates. 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.

The US Embassy’s statement that “not everyone is eligible” for the refugee programme, open to racial minorities like white Afrikaner farmers, has been met with backlash from applicants. This comes amid reports that hundreds of South Africans have been rejected for various reasons. It also follows news that one refugee – Arno Venter – who resettled in Ohio with his family, was arrested on over 11 charges of child porn distribution. US EMBASSY: ‘NOT EVERYONE IS ELIGIBLE FOR REFUGEE PROGRAMME’ In a statement shared on their X account, the US Embassy set the record straight regarding expectations for the refugee programme. It shared: “Not everyone seeking refugee resettlement in the United States is eligible. “U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has informed some USRAP applicants in South Africa that their cases are ineligible for continued processing, meaning their applications will not move forward. “USCIS reviews each application on a case-by-case basis to determine whether applicants meet all requirements under U.S. law. 🇺🇸 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐔𝐒𝐑𝐀𝐏 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝?Not everyone seeking refugee resettlement in the United States is eligible.U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has informed some USRAP applicants in South Africa that their cases are… pic.twitter.com/OQoIe6g2KY— U.S. Mission SA (@USEmbassySA) October 25, 2026 The US Embassy emphasised that all refugees admitted to the United States must meet the necessary eligibility requirements and must pass security and medical screenings. Applicants to the refugee programme must meet the following requirements: Must be a South African national, living in South Africa Belong to a racial minority in South Africa, for example, a white Afrikaner. Must be able to explain a past experience of persecution or a fear of future persecution. Must be at least 18, or be referred with a qualifying parent. WHY ARE APPLICATIONS BEING DENIED? According to authorities, refugee applications have been rejected, and some individuals have had their status revoked by USCIS based on the following reasons… Fraud and misrepresentation  Ineligibility as per requirements Security and terrorism concerns Criminal history The UCIS has stated that it is under no obligation to grant an appeal to a rejected refugee applicant. However, in rare cases, the application may be reviewed if evidence is missing or a factual error is found. This is entirely discretionary. BACKLASH FROM REJECTED APPLICANTS The US Embassy’s statement has been met with scores of comments criticising the refugee programme and its growing rejection of applicants. Here’s what a few had to say on X… @FredAmerikaner: “The high rate of ineligibility decisions will be the death of the programme. Why risk it if it means you will be stuck here forever?” @ShadowEchoX: “Hundreds of us were lied to and dragged along for almost a year, believing that today we would get our tickets. But all we got was  a letter that crushed all hope and belief that we were saved” @art03837827: “All bullsh*t. People who met all the criteria were rejected.”

Datatec CEO Jens Montanana says AI has permanently enlarged demand for computing, networking and cybersecurity.

Icasa wants mobile operators to check their subscribers' fingerprints or faces against home affairs records.