• Chief Mandla Mandela of Mvezo has called on Contralesa to engage government on fuel subsidies for rural communities ahead of Wednesday’s record price increase.

• Petrol and diesel prices rise by more than R3 a litre from 7 October, pushing both fuels to all-time highs.

Chief Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela of Mvezo, in the Eastern Cape, has called on the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) to work with government to find solutions for rural communities facing the country’s latest fuel price increase.

He spoke ahead of Wednesday’s price hike, warning that rural communities, many of whom rely on social welfare grants, will carry the heaviest burden.

Chief Mandela told Scrolla.Africa that soaring fuel prices are crippling the incomes of his villagers, which are often not enough to cover basic household needs.

“What is more concerning is that schools are reopening this week, and we might expect an increase in scholar transport and other essentials needed daily. In my village, most communities live on social grants, and they can no longer afford the cost of living caused by the fuel increase.

“This fuel increase is a wake-up call for traditional leaders to push Contralesa to discuss this matter with government, to come up with fuel subsidies that will help rural communities face the rising cost of living,” Chief Mandela said.

He said it is time for Contralesa to engage the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources directly, since people under traditional authority are facing the painful reality of being unable to afford basic necessities because of fuel costs.

He said engaging first with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs could help traditional leaders bring the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources to the table to find solutions.

Mvezo is among the poorest areas in the Eastern Cape, with high unemployment, low household incomes and heavy reliance on social welfare grants.

South African fuel prices will rise sharply from Wednesday, 7 October 2026, with 95 petrol increasing by R3.33 a litre and 93 petrol by R3.12 a litre, according to the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources. Diesel with 0.05% sulphur content will rise by 284.38 cents a litre, and 0.005% sulphur diesel by 324.38 cents a litre. Illuminating paraffin rises by R3.58 a litre, and LPGas by 42 cents a kilogram nationally, or 48 cents in the Western Cape. Both petrol and diesel are expected to reach all-time record highs once the new prices take effect.

Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe said the increase follows a rise in the average Brent crude oil price from $87.89 to $101 a barrel over the review period, driven by continued US/Iran tensions, uncertainty over the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, higher shipping costs and falling global inventories.

• Petrol 95 rises R3.33 a litre to R30.25 in Gauteng, and petrol 93 rises R3.12 to R29.88, from 7 October.

• Diesel goes up by R2.84 or R3.24 a litre depending on the grade, and paraffin by R3.58 wholesale, the department says.

From midnight on Wednesday, 7 October, 95 unleaded petrol will cost R30.25 a litre in Gauteng. It is the first time the price has passed R30.

The Central Energy Fund, on behalf of the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, announced the increases on Monday. Petrol 95 goes up R3.33 a litre, from R26.92. Petrol 93 goes up R3.12, to R29.88. Diesel goes up R2.84 a litre for 0.05% sulphur and R3.24 for 0.005% sulphur. Illuminating paraffin, which many households use for cooking and lighting, goes up R3.58 a litre at wholesale level. Its maximum retail price rises R4.77, to R31.82 a litre.

For a driver filling a 50-litre tank with 95 petrol, that is about R166 more. A full tank will cost around R1,512 instead of R1,346.

The fund says average international prices for petrol, diesel and paraffin rose between 28 August and 1 October. The department said the average price of Brent crude oil rose from $87.89 to $101 a barrel over that period. South Africa buys its fuel at dollar prices.

Part of the rise also goes to a levy that repays a shortfall in the state’s fuel account. The slate levy goes up to 87.66 cents a litre, from 83.28 cents. At the end of August the account was R10.456 billion short.

This follows September’s increase of R1.34 a litre for both grades of petrol and up to R3.15 a litre for diesel.

• Collectors may not call you on Sundays or between 9pm and 6am, and may not threaten, humiliate or mislead you.

• You cannot be jailed for owing money, and collectors need a court order before they can take your property.

Interest rates went up on 23 September, and many people were already behind. Eighty20’s credit stress report found that 41.8% of people with credit were three or more months behind on at least one loan in the second quarter.

If a debt collector is calling you, here are your rights.

Collectors must be registered with the Council for Debt Collectors. Ask for their name and registration number.

They may not call you on a Sunday or between 9pm and 6am, unless you or your spouse asks them to. They may not threaten, humiliate or mislead you. They may not tell your employer, family, friends or neighbours about your debt. They also may not threaten to go to your employer before a court has ruled.

You cannot go to jail for owing money. A collector who says you will be arrested is not telling the truth. Ignoring a court order is different, so always answer court papers.

Collectors cannot just take your things. They need a court order. Before a lender can take you to court over a loan or store account, it must send a section 129 notice and wait at least 10 business days. The notice must suggest you ask a debt counsellor or another body for help.

If you are struggling, you can apply for debt review through a registered debt counsellor. While the review is on, lenders generally cannot take you to court over those debts, unless they end the review.

Keep a record of every call and message. To complain about a collector, put it in an affidavit to the Council for Debt Collectors (CFDC). Send it through cfdc.org.za or to info@cfdc.org.za, or phone 012 804 9808 for help. Complaints about lenders go to the National Credit Regulator on 0860 627 627. If someone threatens you, tell the police.

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• Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources says global events and shipping disruptions are raising the cost of imported petroleum products.

• The department asks people to avoid unnecessary stockpiling because unusually high demand can pressure stations and may cause local shortages.

Panic buying could lead to fuel shortages in some areas, the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources says. It is asking people to buy only what they normally need.

The department says unusually high demand can put pressure on fuel stations and distribution networks. It asks people to avoid unnecessary stockpiling.

Fuel prices are going up. The department says they are influenced by international petroleum product prices and the exchange rate between the rand and the US dollar. Global events and disruptions to shipping routes are making the petroleum products South Africa imports more expensive.

The department says it continues to monitor fuel availability, stocks, imports, refinery operations and logistics, together with industry.

The public should rely on verified information from the department, the Central Energy Fund and the Fuels Industry Association of South Africa.

Questions can be sent to fuel.complaints@dmpr.gov.za. The department’s website is www.dmpr.gov.za.

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• Qualifying households usually get 50 units of free electricity and 6,000 litres of free water each month, and some give more.

• Nothing is automatic. Register as an indigent household at your municipal office with your ID, proof of address and proof of income.

The government sets aside R21 billion a year so poor households can get free electricity. Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said, during a media briefing in September, too many of them never see it, because municipalities move the money to other spending.

He said a new system to pay households directly is being designed with Eskom. Until it is ready, you have to ask for the benefit yourself.

Nothing is automatic. You must register with your municipality as an indigent household. That is the word for a household that cannot afford to pay for basic services.

Qualifying households usually get 50 units of electricity and 6,000 litres of water free every month. That is enough for lights, a kettle, a phone charger and a small TV. Some municipalities give more. Tshwane gives 100 units, George gives 80 and eThekwini gives 65 to homes that use under 150 units a month.

To apply, go to your municipal customer care office and ask for the indigent application form. Take your ID, your meter or account number and proof of where you live. Most municipalities also want proof of income, such as a SASSA grant letter. Some ask for bank statements or a sworn affidavit.

Each municipality sets its own income limit and its own rules, so phone first and ask what to bring. Also ask whether your free units load onto your prepaid meter by themselves or whether you must collect a token each month. Ask when you must renew too, because indigent status does not last forever.

If you use more than your free units, you buy the rest as usual.

• A 10kg bag of onions cost R172.35 in September, up R20.92 in a month and R68.65 in a year.

• The National Agricultural Marketing Council blames heavy rain and late planting, and demand from neighbouring countries, for the shortage.

A 10kg bag of onions now costs R172.35. A year ago it cost R103.70.

That is R68.65 more, and the price is still climbing. In August the same bag cost R151.43, so it jumped R20.92 in one month. The figures come from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group, which checks prices at shops in seven areas every month.

Where you live makes a difference. A bag costs R141.41 in Mthatha and R194.18 in Cape Town. In Mtubatuba and Pietermaritzburg the price is now more than double what it was a year ago.

We reported in April that families were already buying fewer vegetables and less meat so they could still afford onions. Since then the price has kept rising.

Thabile Nkunjana, a senior agricultural economist at the National Agricultural Marketing Council, says heavy rain and late planting have left onions in short supply. South Africa also sells onions to neighbouring countries, which adds to demand. She calls it “a perfect storm”.

An agricultural market update at the start of September said fresh produce markets were selling about 30% fewer onions than a year earlier. Onions from Limpopo and North West were arriving later and in smaller amounts than usual. The update expected more onions to reach markets as harvesting continues, but said the supply was not yet enough to bring prices down.

If you have a choice, red onions generally cost more than brown or white ones, because fewer are grown, the council says.

Over the same year, maize meal got 11% cheaper and rice 10% cheaper.

• Rinku checks a business’s finances, compliance, operations, market presence and risks before recommending support suited to its needs.

• The platform keeps a continuous record of a business’s progress so mentors, programme operators and funders can make better informed decisions.

South African small businesses can spend years moving between support programmes without getting the help they actually need.

A new platform called Rinku wants to change that.

Launched in Johannesburg, Rinku uses artificial intelligence to assess businesses and identify problems holding them back.

It then helps connect entrepreneurs with suitable mentors, development programmes, funding and other opportunities.

Rinku means link or connect.

South Africa has about three million small businesses and many organisations offering support to entrepreneurs.

But the 2026 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor National Expert Survey special report ranked South Africa as the seventh weakest entrepreneurial environment among 56 economies assessed.

The country scored just 3.9 out of 10 for its environment supporting entrepreneurship.

Research cited by Rinku indicates that between 70% and 80% of South African small businesses fail within their first five years.

Rinku Director Gift Lubele said the problem was not only about finding money.

“Too many entrepreneurs move from one programme to another without anyone developing a complete picture of the business journey,” he said.

When entrepreneurs join Rinku, the platform looks at areas including finance, compliance, operations, market presence and risk.

Its artificial intelligence system identifies gaps and recommends practical next steps.

Entrepreneurs can then be matched with support suited to their business sector, stage and needs.

“A struggling business does not necessarily need another generic entrepreneurship programme,” Lubele said.

“It needs the right intervention, delivered at the right time, based on a clear diagnosis of what is holding it back.”

The technology does not make all the decisions.

Programme partners decide what support to provide, investors make funding decisions and entrepreneurs remain responsible for their businesses.

Rinku also creates a continuous record of each business’s journey.

It tracks where the business started, what support it received, its progress and what help it may still need.

This means entrepreneurs who join another programme do not necessarily have to start the assessment process from scratch.

The system can also identify signs that a business is beginning to struggle, allowing support to be considered before its problems become critical.

Rinku was developed with support from YIEDI, an organisation specialising in entrepreneurship and supplier development.

YIEDI Chief Executive Officer Jayshree Naidoo said the platform could help funded programmes have a greater impact on entrepreneurs.

“SMME programmes often measure participation rather than progress over the long term,” Naidoo said.

“Entrepreneurs need support that aligns to their growth objective as well as the gaps they are experiencing.”

Rinku hopes that as more businesses and organisations use the platform, it will provide a clearer picture of the problems entrepreneurs face and which forms of support produce results.

“The bigger goal is to create an ecosystem where information, funding and support is readily available, which means businesses are less likely to fall through the cracks,” Lubele said.

• Matric learners can practise past papers under real exam time limits before using official marking guides to find their weak spots.

• Free online study material can help learners, but access to devices, data and a quiet place to study remains a problem.

Matric final exams are here and learners are under pressure to remember months of work and get the results they need.

But extra help does not always have to mean paying for an expensive tutor.

Teneo Online School Phase Head Tracey Clayton says some of the best study tools are available free.

One of the most useful is also one of the simplest: old exam papers.

The Department of Basic Education has years of past papers and marking guides available online.

But Clayton says learners should not simply read through them.

They should recreate the pressure of a real exam.

Set a timer. Put away the notes. Write the paper. Then use the official marking guide to check every answer.

“If you work through them under proper time pressure and then mark yourself against the memo, really honestly, seeing exactly where the marks went, that’s most of what a good tutor would have you doing anyway,” Clayton said.

Learners can also form small study groups and ask their teachers for help.

But instead of telling a teacher they do not understand mathematics, Clayton suggests identifying the exact question or calculation causing trouble.

Free websites such as Siyavula and Khan Academy can also help.

“The free stuff is genuinely good,” Clayton said.

But learners should not forget an old fashioned study tool: pen and paper.

Writing answers, calculations and diagrams by hand can help learners work through problems without immediately looking at the answer.

A notebook can also be used to keep track of difficult topics that need more attention.

There is, however, a catch with free online education.

Learners still need a cellphone or computer, data and somewhere suitable to study.

“For a lot of families here, that’s not a given,” Clayton said.

Learners who have internet access at school, libraries or other places can download material to use later.

Friends can also share downloaded resources and past papers.

Clayton said technology has made educational support more widely available, but inequalities remain.

“So it narrows the gap. It doesn’t close it,” she said.

“Access to the device, the data, the quiet corner is just as important as the content.”

• Shops in Crossroads, Cape Town, have been closed for more than a week after owners received threats demanding R2,500 a week.

• Residents say they now have to pay R20 for a return trip to the mall, since the shops that once served their community are shut.

Residents of Crossroads township in Cape Town have had to walk or take a taxi to the mall for over a week, after shops in their area closed following threats against the owners.

Aphiwe Ntwanambi, a 35-year-old resident, said she heard the shops closed after owners received letters warning them to shut down.

“The warning was that anyone who doesn’t follow this rule will be killed. We are struggling, but at the same time we cannot blame them for closing, because we all know that the extortionists are not afraid to kill,” she said.

For Ntwanambi, the closures have hit her directly.

“Some of us are not working; we depend on piece jobs, and the money we get from those piece jobs is for food. Now that the foreign nationals’ shops are closed, we are forced to spend R20 on a return trip to the mall,” she said.

She said these shops had made daily life more affordable.

“Shops at the mall don’t sell a combo of sugar, coffee, and powdered milk for less than R10. In foreign nationals’ shops, we get this combo. As someone who is not working, I feel the closure.”

Not everyone in the community sees it the same way. Simphiwe Nteleke, 45, said the closures could open up opportunities for South African traders.

“We have been saying foreign nationals must go so that we can occupy their shops. I don’t understand why people are complaining when the shops are closed, because it is a chance for a South African to open a shop, or they are lying when they say foreign nationals must go. I see no problem with the closure,” he said.

A community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of being targeted, said the shops closed because extortionists are allegedly demanding R2,500 a week from owners.

“I heard that the extortionists allegedly want to be paid R2,500 a week, and if shop owners don’t have the money, they must close. We cannot get involved in this because it is dangerous and it’s way out of our league, and we can’t risk our lives if we try to intervene,” the leader said.

• Written comments on Eskom’s proposed 2027/28 tariffs close at 4pm today, Friday, 2 October.

• Higher fixed charges mean some households will pay far more than the average 8.83% increase, no matter how little power they use.

Some households supplied directly by Eskom could pay around R670 a month before using a single unit of electricity, under tariffs proposed for next year.

Here’s why you’re being asked to weigh in at all. Before Eskom can charge you a new electricity price, the law requires it to get approval from an independent body called the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, or Nersa.

Nersa’s job is to check whether proposed prices are fair, and before it approves anything, it’s required to let the public, that’s you, comment on the plan. That’s what’s happening right now. Today, Friday 2 October, is the deadline, 4pm, for the public to send written comments on this specific proposal.

Back in February, Nersa already approved the total amount of extra money Eskom is allowed to collect for 2027/28, an average increase of 8.83%. What’s being decided now isn’t whether Eskom gets more money, that’s already settled, it’s how Eskom splits that increase between different types of customers and different parts of your bill. That might sound like a technical detail, but it can make a big difference to what you personally end up paying.

Here’s the part that matters most: it’s not just about how much electricity costs overall. It’s about how much you have to pay every month no matter how little electricity you actually use.

For customers on Eskom’s Homepower and Homeflex plans, specific tariffs for homes supplied directly by Eskom rather than through a municipality, part of the plan includes a higher fixed daily charge. This is a cost you pay simply for being connected to the grid, on top of what you pay for the actual electricity you use. This would be the third year running that Eskom has gradually shifted more of your bill into this fixed charge instead of the per-unit price.

According to calculations by MyBroadband, a Homepower 4 customer’s fixed charges would rise from R17.86 a day to R22.03, an increase of about 23%. Add that up over a month, and it comes to roughly R670, before you’ve even switched on a light. To be clear, that’s the total fixed charge under the new tariff, not an extra R670 added on top of what you already pay.

Eskom says the higher fixed charges are meant to better reflect its actual costs, and it’s lowering the per-unit electricity rate slightly to balance things out, so the overall average increase stays at 8.83%. But here’s the catch: using less electricity doesn’t lower your fixed charge. Even if you don’t use any power at all in a month, you still have to pay it. That matters especially for households who already try to save electricity by using less, since this change limits how much they can actually save on their bill.

This doesn’t affect every electricity user in the country. Homepower and Homeflex only apply to households buying electricity directly from Eskom. If you buy your electricity through your municipality instead, which is the case for many South Africans, these specific charges don’t automatically apply to you, though municipalities often set their own, separate tariff increases around the same time of year.

If approved, these tariffs would take effect from 1 April 2027. Nersa says it specifically wants input on affordability and how these changes affect different types of customers, which is exactly why today’s comment period exists.

How to have your say: Email written comments to ertsa@nersa.org.za before 4pm today. A virtual public hearing is also scheduled for 8 October, if you want to attend or present your views in person, you need to register by 4:30pm today at publichearings@nersa.org.za.