Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis believes expanding her squad depth and testing new tactical combinations are crucial as South Africa begin building towards future international competitions.

SARS is stepping up debt collection, with tax specialists warning that even relatively small outstanding amounts can trigger enforcement action.

The Durban screening of Saudi Film Nights scheduled for Sunday, 11 October 2026, was cancelled following security concerns linked to political unrest in the city. The cancellation came after the event’s Johannesburg screenings, which took place over two nights on 7 and 8 October. In a statement shared on Instagram, the organisers said the decision followed guidance from the Saudi Embassy regarding the “security situation in Durban.” “Due to the current security situation in Durban, and with the safety of our guests and participants as our highest priority, we regret to inform you that today’s Saudi Film Nights screening has been cancelled. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding,” the statement read. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Joburg Film Festival (@joburg_film_festival) Saudi Film Nights brings Saudi cinema to Joburg The Johannesburg leg of Saudi Film Nights featured screenings of Irtizaz and Night Courier, two short films exploring different experiences and social pressures in Saudi Arabia. The event was hosted by award-winning actress Didintle Khunou. Other South African celebrities in attendance included Zikhona Zodlaka and Anton Jeftha, alongside Saudi actors Rand Al Gosaibi and Mohammed Aldokhei. Al Gosaibi stars in Irtizaz, which centres on a young divorcee attending a funeral. The story explores the pressures surrounding marriage as her mother pushes her into an uncomfortable contest for approval. Meanwhile, Night Courier, starring Aldokhei, follows Fahad, a struggling delivery driver working in Riyadh after dark. His need for money draws him into a dangerous illegal world. Saudi actors Mohammed Aldokhei and Rand Al Gosaibi at the Joburg Theatre. Picture: Supplied Joburg Film Festival manager Taryn Joffe previously highlighted the range of stories represented in the programme. “There is no single way into a country’s cinema, and that is what makes Saudi Film Nights exciting: these films offer very different stories and points of view,” Joffe said.

Nonku Williams is officially off the market, again. The former Real Housewives of Durban (RHOD) star and businesswoman is engaged to Johannesburg-based businessman Lungani Rammaledi. According to Sunday World, he popped the question this past weekend during a date night, when dessert arrived with a “Will you marry me?” message and a ring. Nonku, 46, shared the news on Instagram with photos of the ring and the moment, explaining that she wrote that she thought it was just dinner until dessert arrived with a question and a ring, and that she said yes to her “forever.” Lungani, 43, also posted a loved-up message of his own, and fans and fellow celebrities, including Minnie Dlamini, flooded the comments with congratulations. No wedding date has been announced. How they got here The couple went public in late 2025, around the National Film & TV Awards in Pretoria. By early October 2026, they had marked about a year together, with Lungani posting that they were still standing strong despite the doubters. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nonku Williams (@nonku_williams) They have not been shy online. Their feeds have featured Valentine’s Day posts, cooking videos, travel and family moments with their children. Nonku has called him her “safe haven”, while Lungani has joked publicly about lobola. Addressing the rumours The road to the ring was not entirely smooth. In February 2026, rumours circulated online that Lungani was married, or still entangled with a pregnant ex, when he and Nonku got together. He responded publicly, saying he is not married and was never married to his ex, and that Nonku was not the reason the relationship ended. He suggested Home Affairs records could confirm this. For Nonku, this is the latest chapter in a very public love story that includes a previous marriage with an unnamed man that she has described as abusive, her relationship with the late gospel star Sfiso Ncwane (with whom she shares a daughter) and a 2023 engagement to Dumisani “Rough Diamond” Ndlazi that ended in controversy.

Durban’s beaches have received some disappointing ratings in a new analysis of Google reviews, with several of the city’s coastal spots featuring among South Africa’s lowest-rated beaches. The findings come as eThekwini Municipality’s beaches also miss out on Blue Flag status for the 2026/2027 season, meaning no Durban beaches have received the internationally recognised award. The analysis, conducted by SEO experts at seobacklinks.com, examined over 160 000 Google reviews across 119 South African beaches, ranking those with at least 200 reviews. Durban beaches among the worst-rated Blue Lagoon Beach in Durban received an average rating of 4.21 stars from 1 987 Google reviews, placing it among South Africa’s 10 lowest-rated beaches. Thekwini Beach also made the list, with an average of 4.25 stars from 218 reviews. Further north, Westbrook Beach, near Durban, recorded a rating of 4.26 stars from 898 reviews. Other KwaZulu-Natal beaches in the bottom 10 included Alkantstrand Beach in Richards Bay, which received 3.82 stars, Blythedale Beach near KwaDukuza at 4.10 stars, and St Winifred’s Beach in Kingsburgh at 4.20 stars. The lowest-rated beach in the country was actually Monwabisi Beach in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, with an average of 3.67 stars from 353 reviews. No Blue Flag beaches in Durban The Google ratings follow another disappointing development for the city’s coastline: No beaches within eThekwini Municipality received Blue Flag status for the 2026/2027 season. The Blue Flag programme recognises beaches that meet a range of environmental, safety, water-quality and facilities requirements. Its criteria include regular water-quality testing, public safety measures, environmental management and visitor information. The absence of Blue Flag status does not automatically mean that every Durban beach is unsafe for swimming. However, it means none of the municipality’s beaches has received this particular recognition for the coming season. Western Cape beaches lead the rankings The analysis found that the Western Cape dominated South Africa’s highest-rated beaches, accounting for eight of the national top 10. Dias Beach at Cape Point took first place, with an average rating of 4.87 stars from 333 reviews. Robberg 5 Beach in Plettenberg Bay and Struisbaai Main Beach followed, both with ratings of 4.75 stars. Across the Western Cape’s 66 ranked beaches, the average rating was 4.58 stars, compared with 4.50 stars across all the beaches included in the study. Oliver Weston, founder of seobacklinks.com, said reviewers at highly rated beaches frequently praised clean sand, calm water and space, while complaints about lower-rated beaches often focused on litter, damaged facilities and poor maintenance. With the summer holiday season approaching, the findings offer beachgoers another factor to consider when choosing where to spend their time along South Africa’s coastline. Visitors should check the latest local beach and water-quality advisories before swimming, and use designated swimming areas where lifeguards are on duty.

According to figures calculated, Sundowns have cashed in well over R100 million in 2026. They lifted the CAF Champions League, the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup and the MTN8 last weekend. MAMELODI SUNDOWNS’ 2026 PRIZE MONEY The African championship was the biggest cheque with R99 million, thanks to their 2-1 aggregate win over Moroccan giants AS FAR RABAT. The triumph set up the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup battle against Asian champions Al-Ahli Saudi. Sundowns stunned the star-studded Ahli with a 2-1 victory. The financial reward was R33 million. Last weekend saw Sundowns square up with Betway Premiership nemesis Orlando Pirates in the MTN8. The result was a 2-0 success, which included R10 million.  This took the 2026 winnings to R142 million. MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCCESS THIS SEASON Meanwhile, Ka Bo Yellow face a long season ahead. Coach Miguel Cardoso’s side have added domestic, and international competitions on the horizon. In the local game, they will chase the Betway Premiership title, Carling Knockout and the Nedbank Cup. On the international front, Sundowns have the CAF Champions League to defend. The run kicks off this month against Angola’s Williette SC in the second round preliminary qualifiers home and away. The CAF Super Cup against CAF Confederation Cup champions USM Alger is also looming near. Sundowns could also feature in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, providing another opportunity to test themselves against international opposition. SUNDOWNS LEAD THE BETWAY PREMIERSHIP Sundowns have made a strong start to their Betway Premiership campaign, collecting 20 points from their opening eight matches. They remain unbeaten, with six wins and two draws, while scoring 19 goals. Their impressive start has given them a one-point lead over Orlando Pirates in the standings. Masandwana will be looking to maintain that momentum as they pursue another league title while balancing their commitments in domestic cup competitions and Africa. DO YOU FORSEE MORE TROPHIES ON THE WAY? Share your thoughts by clicking on the red comments block below.

Sars's annual report shows R1.6-billion for Microsoft and R1.2-billion for IBM as it leans more heavily on technology.

Microsoft's president says milk cartons and washing machines face stricter safety rules than artificial intelligence does.