Communications Minister Solly Malatsi says a revised funding model for the financially troubled SABC is expected to be submitted to Cabinet by the end of the 2026/27 financial year.

November fuel price hikes are looking less severe than initially feared, but motorists could still face another costly increase as petrol and diesel prices threaten to hit fresh record highs.

The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) said on Monday that ambulances parked at Emergency Medical Services (EMS) bases were not necessarily idle or out of service. According to department spokesperson Steve Mabona, a parked vehicle did not necessarily mean it was not being used. Why ambulances may be parked at EMS bases The department said how each ambulance was used depended on service needs. “The deployment and utilisation of ambulances depend on their specific purpose and operational requirements,” Mabona said. He said the fleet was also rotated to keep services running, especially when some vehicles were undergoing maintenance. According to Mabona, some ambulances served clinics, while others responded to emergencies and supported patients at various health facilities. “Accordingly, the number of ambulances seen parked at an EMS base at any given time does not, on its own, indicate that these vehicles are idle or not being utilised,” Mabona said. Different types of ambulances in the EMS fleet Mabona said EMS used several vehicle categories. These included emergency ambulances, intensive care unit (ICU) and high-care ambulances, and Gauteng Scheduled Emergency Transport (GSET) vehicles, which handled scheduled patient transport. “Each category serves a specific purpose, and the deployment of these vehicles depends on the nature of the service required,” Mabona said. To illustrate, the department pointed to one EMS base with 33 vehicles. According to Mabona, these included 22 emergency ambulances, five ICU and high-care ambulances, and six GSET vehicles. “This demonstrates the different categories of vehicles and operational requirements that must be considered when assessing ambulance deployment and utilisation,” Mabona said. EMS recruitment of 541 posts to boost capacity The department said it was working to strengthen EMS staffing by recruiting and selecting candidates for 541 advertised posts. Applications closed in September 2026. “The filling of these posts will support operational capacity and contribute to the effective delivery of emergency medical services,” Mabona said. Mabona added that the department remained committed to managing its ambulance fleet responsibly. “The department will continue working to improve operational capacity and ensure that communities across the province receive emergency medical assistance when they need it,” Mabona said.

Former president Jacob Zuma has abandoned his latest attempt to challenge a court ruling that cleared the way for his corruption trial to proceed, ending another chapter in a legal battle that has delayed the arms deal case for more than two decades. Neither Zuma nor French defence company Thales pursued further appeals against a ruling by Judge Nkosinathi Chili, effectively bringing an end to the latest round of litigation and opening the door for the long-delayed criminal trial to move ahead. No applications According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago, neither Zuma nor Thales has filed an application for leave to appeal “in time or at all since 14 May 2026,” the day of the judgment, News24 reported. “In the result, the trial court’s order that the trial will commence on 1 February 2027 is now final. The State is ready to proceed,” he said this week. Major victory The development represents a major victory for prosecutors, who have repeatedly argued that the matter has been trial-ready for years but has been held up by a succession of legal challenges. In his ruling earlier this year, Judge Chili delivered a scathing assessment of the repeated delays that have characterised the case, finding that the persistent litigation could no longer justify postponing the criminal proceedings. Arguments rejected Chili rejected arguments that outstanding appeals should prevent the trial from proceeding and concluded that the interests of justice demanded that the matter finally be heard. The case centres on allegations arising from South Africa’s controversial multibillion-rand arms procurement deal. Zuma and Thales have pleaded not guilty to charges including corruption, fraud, racketeering and money laundering. ‘Stalingrad’ The latest setback is particularly significant because it follows years of efforts by Zuma’s legal team to challenge various aspects of the prosecution, including repeated attempts to remove lead prosecutor Billy Downer. Courts have consistently dismissed those applications. In court papers previously reported by The Citizen, Downer accused Zuma of employing what has become known as a “Stalingrad strategy” to prevent the case from ever reaching trial. In the affidavit, Downer detailed how Zuma’s alleged Stalingrad Strategy had delayed his trial for years after then-acting NPA head Mokotedi Mpshe’s unlawful 2009 decision to withdraw the corruption case against Zuma and French arms company Thales was invalidated. The charges against the duo were reinstated in 2018. Zuma and Thales then tried, and failed, to seek permanent stays of their prosecution “The delay has in large part been due to Mr Zuma’s alleged ‘Stalingrad strategy’, through which he allegedly seeks to avoid having to face the charges against him,” Downer argued. Legal challenges Downer said the former president had repeatedly launched new legal challenges whenever previous ones failed. “He does this by launching and prosecuting multiple challenges of various kinds. They have all failed. He then pursues them through successive attempts to appeal. When a challenge finally peters out, he initiates a fresh challenge through another round of litigation.” Zuma’s day in court The veteran prosecutor went further, arguing that Zuma’s conduct contradicted his public insistence that he wants his day in court. “The purpose is contrary to his public rhetoric that he wants his day in court – to avoid ever standing trial,” Downer said. Zuma’s decision not to pursue further appeals stands in contrast to the fierce criticism levelled at Judge Chili’s ruling when it was first handed down. Judgement flawed Through the Jacob Zuma Foundation, the former president maintained that the judgment was fundamentally flawed and accused the court of misdirecting itself on both the facts and the law. The foundation’s spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi argued that Zuma’s constitutional rights as an accused person had been undermined and insisted there were strong prospects that a higher court would overturn the ruling. Despite those objections, the appeals ultimately did not materialise, and the ruling remains intact. Removing Downer According to Downer’s submissions, the former president’s latest attempt to remove him from the case was legally defective because such a challenge could only be ventilated after a conviction and sentence, if one were ever secured. “As the High Court’s refusal of Mr Zuma’s attempt to have me removed as a prosecutor was a decision made during a criminal trial, it may be appealed only if and when Mr Zuma is convicted and sentenced,” Downer argued. Zuma’s second failed attempt to force Downer’s removal followed his unsuccessful efforts to privately prosecute Downer and journalist Karen Maughan for allegedly violating the NPA Act by sharing publicly available court papers that contained a sick note from one of the former president’s doctors. Battles With the latest appeal battle abandoned, the focus is expected to shift away from procedural disputes and back to the corruption allegations themselves. More than 20 years after the arms deal saga first entered South Africa’s political consciousness, Jacob Zuma and Thales now appear closer than ever to finally answering those allegations in open court. The 84-year-old Zuma and French arms manufacturer Thales face multiple charges, including fraud, corruption, money laundering, and racketeering, linked to the controversial multibillion-rand arms deal procurement concluded in the late 1990s while he was vice president. The state alleges that Zuma was kept on a corrupt retainer by his former financial advisor, Schabir Shaik, who allegedly used his political clout to further his own business interests.

National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) applications for 2027 are open, and the government has a clear message for students: don’t pay anyone. Not to apply. Not to “help” you apply. Not ever. As the deadline approaches, the government is also warning students to protect their details. Because one shared password could cost you your funding. The warning came from the South African government on X on Wednesday, 14 October. #NSFAS2027 | Your NSFAS application is free. Keep your myNSFAS password and OTP to yourself, and never pay anyone to apply on your behalf. Use only official NSFAS channels when applying for 2027 funding.Applications close on 31 October 2026.Apply at pic.twitter.com/dTlDySxOli— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) October 14, 2026 “Your NSFAS application is free. Keep your myNSFAS password and OTP to yourself, and never pay anyone to apply on your behalf,” it said. HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF WHEN APPLYING FOR NSFAS 2027 NSFAS has shared these safety tips: Never pay anyone to submit an application on your behalf. Never share your myNSFAS password or one-time PIN (OTP) with anyone. Only apply through official channels: the NSFAS website, myNSFAS and the NSFAS app. Report anyone who charges to help with an application to the NSFAS fraud hotline. If someone offers to “fast-track” your application for a fee, walk away. There’s no such thing. HOW TO REPORT AN NSFAS SCAM NSFAS runs a dedicated fraud hotline called Vuvuzela. You can report scams on 0860 247 653, or SMS “Call-back” to 30916. WHEN DO NSFAS 2027 APPLICATIONS CLOSE? Applications opened on 18 September 2026 and close on 31 October 2026. There was some confusion at the start. At the official launch, Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamelas aid applications would close on 18 November 2026. But NSFAS has since confirmed 31 October as the deadline, and says its board has communicated that there will be no extension. WHO QUALIFIES FOR NSFAS 2027? NSFAS funds qualifying students at public universities and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges. Applicants generally need a combined gross household income of R350,000 or less a year. Applicants with disabilities may qualify with a household income of up to R600,000 a year. Gross income means income before tax and other deductions. DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE NSFAS is urging students to apply early, rather than waiting for the deadline. It also says its budget is limited, and the number of applications it receives will determine how funding is allocated. NSFAS spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi told EWN that applicants are assessed on both academic and financial eligibility. He also warned students to make sure they actually submit their applications after uploading their documents. If you don’t, NSFAS won’t receive it. WATCH OUT FOR DOUBLE FUNDING If you receive another bursary, you must tell NSFAS within 10 business days. Receiving double funding can lead to your NSFAS funding being cancelled, and you may have to pay it back. NEED HELP? For general queries, contact NSFAS on its toll-free number, 0800 067 327, or visit www.nsfas.org.za. Scams like this make me angry, because they target young people who are already trying so hard to get ahead. Applying for NSFAS is free. It always has been. My advice? Do it yourself, keep your password to yourself, and apply before 31 October. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ASKED TO PAY FOR HELP WITH AN NSFAS APPLICATION? Let us know in the comments below…

The Sharks suffered an injury scare this past weekend when Eben Etzebeth was forced to leave the field shortly before half-time against the Stormers, visibly in discomfort and unable to run. After the match, coach JP Pietersen revealed that the big lock was in a fair bit of pain, and that it appeared to be a knee injury. The Sharks have now confirmed that Etzebeth will not form part of the 28-man squad that leaves this week for his team’s three overseas matches taking place in France, Wales and Ireland over the next three weekends. In a statement, the Durban club revealed that it was a “lower limb injury” and that they were now “awaiting a further medical examination to determine the extent of the injury”. However, it does appear certain that the veteran lock will be set for another spell on the sidelines, which comes not long after a series of concussion and injury issues forced him out of action for the first half of the year. Eben Etzebeth adds to unfortunate Sharks injury list Besides Etzebeth, other players on the Sharks injury list include Makazole Mapimpi (hamstring injury), Phepsi Buthelezi (shoulder injury), Vusi Moyo (shoulder injury), Fez Mbatha (lower limb injury), Hendre Stassen (tendon injury) and Yaw Penxe (peck injury). Ahead of the team’s tour overseas, the Sharks stated: “With the usual attrition rate associated with a highly competitive tour such as this, there will be reinforcements sent over as the tour goes on, including the Sharks’ Springboks, who are on mandatory rest after a grueling few months of rugby.” Pietersen will select his Challenge Cup team from the 17 forwards and 11 backline players named for Saturday’s Group Three clash with Lyon at the 35 000-seater Stade de Gerland on Saturday. Lyon, the Challenge Cup champions in 2022 currently sitting in eighth place on the Top 14 log after six rounds, host the 2024 champions, the Sharks on Saturday at 14:00. Following this match, the Durban side head to Wales to take on Cardiff in the URC, followed by a trip to Ireland to take on ninth-placed Munster at the end of October to conclude the tour. HOW THE SQUAD LOOKS FORWARDSCameron DawsonDeon SlabbertEduan SwartEmile van HeerdenEsethu MnebeleleEthan BesterHanro JacobsJason JenkinsManu TshitukaMatt RomaoNemo RoelofseNick HattonPhatu GanyaneStephan LewiesTinotenda MavesereVincent KochVincent Tshituka BACKSBradley DavidsGianni LombardIvan van ZylJaco WilliamsJaden HendrikseJordan HendrikseJurenzo JuliusLitelihle BesterMurray KosterSuleiman HartzenbergZekhethelo Siyaya

iOCO will not pay a dividend for as long as Rhys Summerton is at the helm of the company.

Google has released Gemini 4 Argon to developers and businesses after months of delays and upheaval.