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African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Fikile Mbalula said on Tuesday the approach of the Democratic Alliance (DA) that the ANC should either bring back former Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink or nothing, is not acceptable to the party's National Working Committee (NWC).

The Tshwane Council is set to elect a new Executive Mayor on Wednesday, after Brink was removed from office when the African National Congress (ANC) and ActionSA joined forces, with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), to vote him out in a motion of no confidence.

Mbalula said the ANC is engaging all political parties that are keen to work with it to set up an "inclusive, viable and effective" coalition government that puts the people of Tshwane first before party political interests.

He explained that the ANC has engaged with the DA in Tshwane, however, there has been no agreement between the parties about what should happen in Tshwane now but is confident that the Council will elect a new Mayor on Wednesday.

"…peddling of misinformation that we have a deal, there is no such. If there is a deal between the DA and all other political parties and the ANC about Tshwane, that will be explained to the public. Because when you get to the coalition, is not an under-table agreement, you need to explain to the people," Mbalula said.

"We are also discussing a programme that must be rolled out by the new government in the form of comprehensive minimum programme," he said.

He said by Wednesday evening, the ANC will be ready to reveal the developments around the new Tshwane Mayor and the executive, in relation to the parties the ANC is engaging.

"…and that includes the Democratic Alliance," he explained.

Mbalula said this evening he is meeting with the parties' structures, highlighting that the ANC does not take decisions for structures.

"…they bring decisions to the floor, and we process them, discing with them. We are not a dictatorship, we are not autocratic, we engage, but artificial and fake heroism that our structures are independent from us when it comes to decision making, they vary away from strategic approach the organisation is taking, are incorrect," he said.

He said the party will never allow such perception to be perpetuated, as they are lies.

He said in its discussions with the structures, the party is also looking at all risks, noting that there are no options in the coalition without risks.

The NWC received a detailed report on Tshwane, which noted the deterioration of service delivery and governance in the city.

"… the NWC fully supports the need to put in place the type of government of local unity that can urgently address the pressing concerns of the people across the City," Mbalula said, stressing the need for the new government to prioritise all Tshwane residents, and not only some sections of the population.

He said the ANC's NWC has also noted the speculations in the media and on social media regarding the correspondence sent to the party's Gauteng chairperson Panyaza Lesufi.

The NWC expressed concerns about Lesufi's public utterances on matters relating to the Government of National Unity and coalitions in local municipalities.

The correspondence deals with internal organisational matters, Mbalula stated and said the NWC condemned "disinformation efforts" that project the ANC in negative light.

"…unfortunately, because people are ill disciplined, they have decided to leak the correspondence to their friends in the social media," he said.

South African food producers and retailers have been slow to pass on the effects of declining cost pressures to cash-strapped consumers, an issue that may warrant further investigation, the nation's antitrust agency said.

Cost pressures are easing because of an end to rolling power outages, the rand's strength against the dollar and declining fuel costs, the Competition Commission said in a report published October 4. Still, essential-food prices "remain high and are increasing at a rate that is unaffordable for low-income households."

The antitrust body began a probe last year into what it described as an unjustified increase in essential-food prices spawned by factors including the coronavirus pandemic and the impact of Russia's war with Ukraine. Annual food inflation eased to 4.1% in August from a peak of 14.4% in March 2023, according to Statistics South Africa data.

More than a third of South Africa's workforce is unemployed, and about ten-million people live off a R350 ($20) monthly government grant.

Faced with a large number of people who have limited disposable income, South African food retailers have to compete vigorously on price and inflation and their price levels have "generally been below official food inflation every year for the last ten years," said Nedbank Group analyst Paul Steegers.

While South Africa's food inflation is officially measured across a static basket, the retailers measure their internal inflation across a changing basket of goods depending on consumer demand. That means retailers are also taking into account so-called downtrading as consumers look to cheaper products, Steegers said. This is seen in consumers more regularly forgoing brands and buying the stores own-label items instead.

Still, the probe found some notable exceptions where prices have risen and then failed to adjust lower as production pressures have eased. A "steep decline" in the cost of producing cooking oil hasn't translated into lower average retail costs and egg prices remain "considerably higher" than they were before an outbreak of avian flu, it said. The price of brown bread has also increased despite lower farmgate prices for wheat.

Hampered by months of rolling blackouts, South African grocers have had to buy diesel for backup generators. Shoprite Holdings, Africa's largest supermarket chain, spent R254-million on the fuel at its South African supermarkets in the six months through June. While that was about half of what it spent on diesel in the second half of last year, the cost of backup power solutions has eroded profit.

Now, as rolling power cuts have eased "some retailers have accumulated the diesel savings and reinvested it into shelf prices - as opposed to returning the savings to shareholders," said Ya'eesh Patel, an analyst with SBG Securities. This is being driven "by an extremely competitive grocery retail market," he said.

Shoprite, Pick n Pay Stores, The Spar Group and Woolworths Holdings have all pointed to their internal inflation being lower than the official inflation rate over multiple reporting periods.

Even so, the study found that the price of a basket of essential food increased more than 50% between September 2020 and May 2024, becoming less affordable for households earning the national minimum wage.

That is, a month of work in October 2020 would have earned a minimum-wage worker R3 654, leaving a shortfall of R263. The same worker would have earned R4 634 rand in May 2024, leaving a shortfall of R697, the commission said. This highlights how many households still face the risk of food insecurity, it said.

Overall, an uptick in the country's economic growth, combined with "robust competition in both the formal and informal markets are likely to sustain consumer friendly shelf prices as retailers vie for a limited, but growing consumer wallet," Patel said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed sadness at the killing of six community patrollers in Qumbu, in the Eastern Cape, saying this should strengthen government's resolve to stop criminals from terrorising communities.

The horrific shooting, on Sunday, also saw four others critically injured.

Ramaphosa said the patrollers were reportedly preparing for duty at their base at Lugongozo Senior Secondary School when attackers struck with an assortment of firearms.

Government said this senseless act of violence was totally unacceptable, vowing that law enforcement agencies would ensure that the perpetrators were brought to book.

Ramaphosa offered his deep condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the survivors a speedy recovery.

"Our thoughts are with the families of these community members who died while playing their part to keep their area safe. Following so soon after an equally tragic shooting at Lusikisiki, this new incident saddens and outrages us," he said.

He explained that criminals terrorised communities in the mistaken belief that they were untouchable.

"They will be brought to justice alongside anyone who harbours such criminals and does not report information to the authorities," Ramaphosa said.

Acting government spokesperson Nomonde Mnukwa said the families of the victims would receive psycho-social support services from government.

Government has called on all sectors of society, including community leaders, civil society and local authorities, to work together in the ongoing fight against crime.

"It is through unity and collaboration that we can create safer communities and prevent future tragedies of this nature. Together, we must stand firm against the scourge of violence and criminality. No one should have to live in fear, and the government will continue to prioritise efforts to ensure the safety and security of all South Africans," said Mnukwa.

The President welcomed the intensive police investigation into the incident, saying the South African Police Service was confident it had produced a positive lead.

ActionSA has welcomed the Independent Electoral Commission's (IEC's) decision to investigate the question of a discrepancy between the declared revenue and the election campaigns of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP).

Last month, ActionSA requested the head of the IEC's Political Party Funding division George Mahlangu to address "significant discrepancies" between the funds reported by the EFF and MKP and the sizable National and Provincial Election campaigns they conducted.

In the first set of disclosures for the 2024/25 financial year, the EFF declared R515 313 of in-kind donations, made by MTN in the form of sim cards, mobile data, minutes and routers, for electioneering.

In March, the MKP declared R380 555 from the South African Policy Education Initiative, a not-for-profit organisation registered with the Department of Social Development.

In its complaint to the IEC against both parties, ActionSA argued that the EFF and MKP seemed to have exceeded their respective disclosed funding, when looking at the scale of their respective election campaigns and urged the IEC to investigate.

"Whilst they indicate no prima facie substance to the complaint, ActionSA welcomes that the IEC has indicated that the question of a discrepancy between the revenue and the campaigns of these parties would be interrogated through the annual financial statements currently under review following the 30 September 2024 deadline," said ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont.

Beaumont said it is crucial for all parties to be held to the same standards to maintain integrity in the electoral process.

He stated that this matter also raised the "toothless nature" of the Party Funding Act that was being interpreted by the IEC to "ignore the obvious fact that the campaigns of these parties are not explicable in relation to their declared revenue."

"Section 12(3) of the Party Funding Act requires that auditors provide a full breakdown of donations received above and below the threshold which, read together with the IEC's response, places the Commission in the position to assess whether the campaigns of these parties could have been lawfully funded based on their revenue," he explained.

He said ActionSA would proactively engage with the IEC on this matter in the months ahead.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) reminded citizens that while the judiciary is not above criticism, this should be done within the ambit of the law, referencing the statement issued by MP Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane following her unsuccessful appeal bid in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).

In the statement, Mkhwebane criticised the judiciary and alleged persecution by key figures among the legal fraternity who are South Africans of Indian descent.

She further said the SCA's decision to strike her appeal to remove the chairperson of the Section 194 Committee that was involved with her impeachment, as well as a Democratic Alliance MP that was on the committee, marked a significant setback, not just for her personally but for all those who believed in her role as a protector of public rights and accountability.

The Commission said it noted the public discourse that followed Mkhwebane's statement, wherein members of the judiciary, academia, civil society organisations and society more broadly raised concerns about the racial undertones of the statement.

"Moreover, the right to freedom of expression enshrined in Section 16 of the Constitution must be exercised with due regard to the rights of others, as well as the internal limitations of that right. In this regard, Section 16 (1) of the Constitution stipulates that everyone has the right to freedom of expression, but it should not extend to advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion and that constitutes incitement to cause harm, as seen on some social media messaging," it explained.

The Commission said it was closely monitoring the matter, having also noted the public reports about the intention of some interest groups to approach the Commission for intervention.

The Commission said it remained committed to ensuring that no individual or institution undermined the rights to equality, dignity, and justice that were enshrined in the Constitution and in particular the responsibility to protect the judiciary as one arm of the State.

The SAHRC cautioned the public against divisive and discriminatory rhetoric.

"…similarly, public representatives are enjoined by the Constitution to act in a manner that is consistent with their oath of office when making public utterances, particularly when making public utterances that have the potential to bring the judiciary into disrepute on issues that may stir further division in our already fractured society," it added.

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday called on Israel to immediately implement the International Court of Justice's (ICJ's) provisional orders issued earlier this year, while he urged all parties to exercise restraint and to respect international law.

In marking one year since the start of an onslaught on Palestine - following attacks on Israel by Hamas - that has so far claimed more than 43 000 lives, Ramaphosa wrote in his weekly letter to the South African nation that government will, later this month, file a memorial, which is South Africa's full substantive case based against Israel, on evidence, at the ICJ.

The memorial contains detailed evidence to prove that Israel is committing genocide in Palestine.

In December, the South African government brought a case before the ICJ regarding Israel's conduct in the Gaza Strip during the Israel-Hamas war, that resulted in a humanitarian crisis and mass killings.

Ramaphosa said the majority of those killed over the past year are Palestinian civilians, largely women and children, in the besieged Gaza Strip.

"It is alarming that more Palestinians are also being killed in the West Bank due to Israeli Defence Force military activities. More than 1 000 Israelis were killed in the attacks of October 7 last year. Over 100 Israelis remain in captivity in Gaza. There are over 6 000 Palestinians who are languishing in Israeli jails," he said.

He noted Israel's most recent attacks on Lebanon, which has resulted in more than 2 000 deaths.

He said the latest escalation is part of a pattern of violence that spans more than half a century, resulting from the occupation of Palestine.

"Until the occupation is ended, and a just and lasting solution is found that will protect the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians, the region will remain a tinderbox of potential conflict and war," he advised.

Ramaphosa pointed out that a protracted regional conflict that leads to the loss of more innocent lives is something the Middle East and the world cannot afford.

He stressed South Africa's consistent call for a resolution to the conflict and for the release of all hostages.

"…we have also called for the release of all the prisoners unlawfully detained in Israel. We cannot but be moved by the plight of all the families who have loved ones in captivity. With negotiations to secure their release having once again stalled and Israel's bombardment of Gaza continuing, the conflict shows no signs of abating," Ramaphosa said.

He pointed out that amid efforts by the international community to secure a ceasefire, the situation has been worsened by strikes by Israel on Lebanon and by Iran on Israel.

Israel has vowed to retaliate against Iran and Iran has threatened to respond accordingly.

Ramaphosa said the escalating situation in the Middle East is of grave concern, saying it threatens to plunge the region into a war in which civilians will inevitably bear the "greatest and the cruellest brunt" of this conflict.

Ramaphosa stated that South Africa remains committed to a peaceful resolution to ending the occupation of Palestine, to upholding the tenets of international law and to advancing social justice.

The South African government has once again called for an immediate ceasefire to allow for humanitarian aid to reach those in need.

"Beyond an immediate end to the onslaught against Gaza, there is an urgent need for action to stave off starvation and disease among the population. Considerable resources need to be directed to Gaza to start rebuilding infrastructure, housing, social services, agricultural production and economic activity," Ramaphosa said.

Eskom has been using diesel-fuelled auxiliary turbines extensively to stave off power cuts in South Africa following delays in restoring some generation capacity.

The utility fired up the units after 2 685 megawatts of capacity failed to return to service on September 23 as planned, Eskom said in a reply to questions. "Additionally, higher-than-expected electricity demand driven by cold weather has contributed to this situation," it said.

While Eskom has been lauded for preventing rolling blackouts for more than six straight months, plant outages have led to "extensive usage" of the so-called open-cycle gas turbines intended to run during peak demand.

The utility used more power from the units in September than it did during the same month last year. Still, diesel costs to run the turbines from April through last month have been reduced to about a third of the R17.1-billion spent during the same period in 2023, Eskom said.

The outlook of no power cuts, known as loadshedding, through the end of March, "remains in force," it said.

While political parties have welcomed the sentencing of former Steinhoff CFO Andries Benjamin La Grange, they have noted apparent leniency with his conviction.

Between November and December 2016, the then CEO Markus Johannes Jooste, who is now deceased, and La Grange defrauded a Steinhoff subsidiary, Steinhoff At Work, the board of directors of Steinhoff Manufacturing and Steinhoff South Africa of over R367-million.

La Grange was sentenced to a ten-year imprisonment on Thursday, by the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, with five years suspend.

He pleaded guilty and has agreed to assist the State in one count of fraud of over R367-million, emanating from the manipulation of financial statements and failure to report fraudulent activities.

La Grange's sentencing follows that of Gerhardus Burger, who was given a five-year suspended sentence and had to pay back the proceeds of insider trading.

The African National Congress (ANC) welcomed the conviction, however, demanded tougher action against corporate corruption.

ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said "corporate criminals" must not expect to evade accountability through lenient sentences that weaken the fight against corruption.

She said corporate corruption, like public sector corruption, must be met with severe consequences.

The ANC reiterated its stance that "corporate greed, enabled by weak regulation" destroyed livelihoods, and said these convictions should be the start to tougher actions against white-collar crime in the country.

Bhengu-Motsiri noted the need for adherence to Financial Action Task Force standards, which she said were crucial in strengthening South Africa's financial integrity.

"This conviction is an improvement on the disappointing five-year suspended sentence that was handed down last week to Gerhardus Burger - another Steinhoff criminal who was charged with insider trading," she said.

The ANC urged the National Prosecuting Authority to intensify efforts in prosecuting those involved in the Steinhoff scandal to ensure justice for the victims, particularly workers and their families.

ActionSA Member of Parliament Alan Beesley agreed with the ANC that La Grange's sentencing was lenient considering the seriousness of his crimes.

However, he said the conviction marked a "slow but steady shift" in South Africa's justice system towards exerting the full extent of the law against those involved in grand corruption, especially at this scale and in the private sector, where he said the funds of South African's and pensioners were "criminally misappropriated and lost in this fraud".

"We also hope that his plea bargain will result in evidence that enables the successful prosecution of others involved in this grand heist," noted Beesley.

ActionSA said, whether in the private or public sector, without strict punitive measures, South Africa would never win the war against "this pervasive cancer that has robbed South Africa and her people of so many opportunities".

Deputy Police Minister Polly Boshielo on Friday stressed government's commitment to ensuring more boots on the ground, the capacitation of police stations and increased visibility at all South African Police Service (Saps) service points across the country, as it welcomed into its ranks 1 812 newly trained police constables.

Boshielo, who was speaking at the Bhisho Saps Training Academy, in the Eastern Cape, explained that the Constables form part of an intake of 4 500 police trainees who began their training in April.

"It is important to note that these new Constables, whom we take pride in, are the first batch of our 2024 Project 10 000 police recruitment drive - an initiative, spurred by a call from His Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa to capacitate the Saps," she said.

The Constables all graduated with an NQF level 6 qualification, as a minimum, and were recruited into the Saps following a rigorous recruitment process, Boshielo said.

The Constables graduated from various academic disciplines including Law, Policing, Forensic Science, Information Technology, Public Management and other fields of study.

"Today, they stood on parade at various Saps academies throughout the country including Bhisho, Mthatha, Bishop Lavis, Mankwe, Moloto and Graaf Reinet," she said.

The Bhisho Saps Academy hosted the largest parade with 779 constables.

Boshielo said the deployment of the new Constables was essential in bolstering Saps' capacity to fight crime, address new crime trends, and tackle surges of old ones.

"As they embark on their workplace exposure duties, particularly during the upcoming Festive Season, the Saps urges our new members to remain vigilant and tactically alert at all times," she said.

The second batch of the 2024 Project 10 000 police recruitment drive is currently undergoing training and will have pass-out parades in December.

Boshielo said government remains committed to ensuring that South Africa achieves the UN's recommendation of one police officer for every 220 people.

The formation of a business-friendly coalition government in South Africa has won the support of the majority of citizens, with the richest most satisfied with its performance, a survey shows.

Even though three-fifths of the 1 204 people surveyed by the Social Research Foundation in September said the alliance, formed at the end of June, was performing well, the results show that support is strongest among White respondents, who are also generally the wealthiest.

The poll also showed there's still substantial backing for the populist policies espoused by its political rivals. Almost a third of respondents said they backed the stance of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party of former President Jacob Zuma.

The so-called Government of National Unity was formed after the African National Congress (ANC) lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since taking power in 1994.

After the May 29 election, the ANC initially considered an alliance with the EFF and MK party, both of which advocate widespread nationalisation, before settling on an alternative broader grouping dominated by itself and the centrist Democratic Alliance (DA) which retained its leader, Cyril Ramaphosa, as the nation's president.

Support for the parties has climbed to 45% for the ANC, which won 40.2% of the vote in the election, and 24% for the DA, which won 21.8%, the SRF said.

"For the GNU to retain the support of especially voters in lower socio-economic strata it will have to lift fixed investment, economic growth and job growth numbers well above where those are currently forecast," Frans Cronje, head of the SRF, a think tank and survey company, said in response to a query. "Fail to lift those numbers and support for the GNU may wane sufficiently to flip the current GNU formation."

The coalition was formed after years of economic stagnation with the nation's poor, who overwhelmingly come from the Black majority, affected the most by a 33.5% unemployment rate and deteriorating government services. The Democratic Alliance, whose leadership is predominantly White, has struggled to combat accusations from rivals that it represents the interests of the affluent.

Of the White survey respondents, 73% said the new coalition is performing well, compared with 57% of Black respondents. The divide was sharper when respondents were asked whether they supported the policies of the populist parties. While no White respondents answered in the affirmative, 36% of Black respondents said they did.

The coalition has also been endorsed by the country's biggest business lobby groups. The survey had a 3% margin of error.