• A 16-year-old girl says she fears for her family’s safety after former deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya allegedly threatened her father.

• An 18-year-old rape complainant says she has suffered suicidal thoughts and fears more harm if Shadrack Sibiya leaves prison on bail.

Two young women who have accused former deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya of sexual crimes are begging the court not to release him on bail.

They say they fear for their lives and the safety of their families if he walks free.

The two complainants shared their fears in statements read out at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 14 October 2026.

State prosecutor Velile Makasana read the statements after Magistrate Hleziphi Mkhasibe asked for them to help decide whether Sibiya should get bail.

The youngest complainant is a 16-year-old girl identified as ZM. She is under witness protection.

She told the court that she lives with fear every day because of the case.

The teenager met investigating officer Sergeant Nokukhanya Ndlovu on Tuesday, 13 October, to discuss how she felt about Sibiya possibly getting bail.

“As she was talking to me, my anxiety levels went high, and I became afraid,” she said.

She fears Sibiya because of his senior position in the police and threats he is said to have made against her father.

“I feel my entire family will be exposed to more danger and I would blame myself as I am the one who reported the matter.”

Her father, who worked as Sibiya’s bodyguard and driver, previously claimed that Sibiya threatened to “wipe out” his family after he reported the matter to the police.

Sibiya is accused of sexually grooming the teenager. He denies the accusation.

The second complainant, an 18-year-old identified as MC, told the court that she has struggled with suicidal thoughts since the alleged rape on 16 May 2026.

She fears Sibiya could hurt her again if he gets bail.

“He will therefore find me dead already as I have already suffered enough,” she said in her statement.

She also fears that releasing Sibiya would destroy her trust in the justice system.

The young woman claimed that a friend told her Sibiya’s defence team had approached her to make a statement that would go against her evidence. The friend refused, according to the complainant.

She said fear has taken over her daily life and affected her friends and family.

“My movements and activities are limited, and I wish this can come to an end,” she said.

Sibiya faces charges of rape, sexual grooming, human trafficking and breaking the Firearms Control Act.

Police arrested him at The Grand strip club in Sandton on 21 September 2026.

The state claims he sexually groomed the 16-year-old and exchanged sexually explicit material involving her through WhatsApp between 20 July and 3 August 2026.

He is also accused of giving the 18-year-old alcohol before she lost consciousness and was raped at the Garden Court Hotel in Sandton.

Sibiya claims the young woman agreed to have sex with him.

He resigned from the South African Police Service on 12 October 2026.

The court is considering his bail application.

• A sponsor paid her tuition fees but Tanya Jakeni still needs cash to buy a plane ticket to reach Türkiye.

• The young woman plans to study overseas and return home to bring change to South African politics after her degree.

Tanya Jakeni is hunting for R40,000 to catch a flight to Türkiye and start her university degree.

The 20-year-old from KuMangati village in the Eastern Cape has represented South Africa on stages around the world. She won a debate competition against 70 countries in Finland. She took first place in a public speaking event in the United States and came third in Germany.

Now, she wants to study political science and international relations at Istanbul Gelisim University. The degree takes four years.

A sponsor named Njabulo Mabuza paid her R100,000 tuition fees. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lusufi connected her with the sponsor.

But Tanya still needs R40,000 to cover her flight, rent and food for the first few months. A direct flight costs about R15,000. She expects to pay R5,000 a month for a place to stay and up to R5,000 for groceries and transport.

Tanya started debating in 2022 at Bertharry English Private School. Her late deputy principal pushed her to join. She later helped learners at Eagles View Christian School.

She chose to study in Türkiye to learn about new cultures.

“I chose Turkey not to leave South Africa, but to better serve it,” she said.

She plans to work in diplomacy and then return home to enter South African politics.

Her single mother, Cebisa Jakeni, always put education first.

“Watching her stand at the door of an international university in Türkiye now makes me feel that we raised her right,” Cebisa said.

Many young South Africans struggle to pay for higher education. In May 2026, President Cyril Ramaphosa said students owed public universities R23-billion in 2024.

At Stellenbosch University alone, 1,429 students could not get their degree certificates at the end of 2025 because they owed over R1.1-billion in fees.

Bradley Barcola ended his goal drought with a hat-trick as Liverpool beat LASK 6-3 in the Uefa Champions League on Wednesday.

The £123 million (± R3 billion) summer signing had been criticised after six scoreless appearances, but responded in Austria..

Ronald Araujo headed the Reds ahead from Kostas Tsimikas’ corner in the 22nd minute for his first club goal before Barcola made it 2-0 less than two minutes later before combining with Florian Wirtz to score his second in the 37th.

Jeremie Frimpong headed the fourth after the break. Barcola completed his treble from Frimpong’s pass in the 66th before Lewis Koumas smashed in the sixth.

LASK hit back through Robert Ljubicic and two Florian Flecker goals, but Liverpool made it two wins from two.

Barcola’s former club, PSG, were victors in the night’s most-watched clash against Manchester City.

The Parisians overcame the Citizens by four goals to two at the Etihad with goals from Desiree Doue, Ousmane Dembele, Vitinha and Maghnes Akliouche.

In Wednesday’s other games, Real Madrid came back from behind twice to beat Roma 4-3 while Aston Villa dismantled Fenerbahce 6-0 at Villa Park.

Atletico Madrid beat Manchester United 2-0 on Tuesday to deepen the pressure on Michael Carrick, while Bayern Munich were held to a dramatic 3-3 draw by Viking Stavanger.

Elsewhere, Arsenal beat Lille 3-0, Barcelona came from behind to win 4-1 at Galatasaray and Club Brugge won 4-3 at Inter Milan.

• Navi Pillay, the former United Nations human rights chief from Durban, won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize on 9 October.

• In 2016, her panel on KwaZulu-Natal’s xenophobic attacks found no verified link to King Zwelithini’s speech but warned of recurrence.

Navi Pillay, the Durban-born judge who led a KwaZulu-Natal inquiry into attacks on foreign nationals, has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the award on Friday, 9 October. She will receive it on 10 December.

The committee honoured Pillay, 85, for her efforts to promote peace and international law. She is a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and a former judge of the International Criminal Court.

In April 2015, after attacks on foreign nationals in KwaZulu-Natal, Premier Senzo Mchunu appointed Pillay to chair a seven-member panel. At least seven people died, hundreds were injured and thousands had to leave their homes.

The panel also looked at a speech by the late King Goodwill Zwelithini in Pongola in March 2015. He was reported to have told foreigners to pack their bags.

His office said he was mistranslated and quoted out of context. The King declined to be interviewed, saying the Human Rights Commission was already investigating.

The panel’s report, released in April 2016, found no verified link between the speech and the violence. Pillay said no one came forward to say they heard the King and then attacked foreigners. The panel still condemned inflammatory remarks by the King, then President Jacob Zuma and other leaders, and warned that violence could return.

Earlier this year, anti-immigration protests in several provinces, including KwaZulu-Natal, ended with foreign nationals being taken back to their home countries.

United States President Donald Trump reacted on Friday. At a rally in Syracuse, New York, he called Pillay “a mystery person” and wrote that the United States should have received the prize. When she heard the news, Pillay joked that she “may share this prize with Trump.”

• Mike Shingange won Cosatu’s presidency 973 votes to 836 over Mabutho Cele at its congress in Kempton Park on Wednesday.

• Zingiswa Losi beat Solly Phetoe 996 votes to 809 to become general secretary, the first woman to hold the post.

Mike Shingange is the new president of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu). He won 973 votes at the federation’s national congress in Kempton Park, beating Mabutho Cele, who got 836. Shingange won by 137 votes.

A total of 1,816 eligible delegates took part. There were three spoiled ballots and four abstentions in the presidential vote.

Zingiswa Losi, the outgoing president, was elected general secretary. She beat the incumbent, Solly Phetoe, by 996 votes to 809. She is the first woman to hold the post.

Susan Khumalo is first deputy president. She beat Duncan Luvuno by 915 votes to 882. Mbali Blose was elected second deputy president without opposition.

Gerald Twala is deputy general secretary. No one stood against him. Khomotso Makhupola, from the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), is national treasurer.

Shingange won after his own union, Nehawu, suspended him on the eve of Cosatu’s September congress. He allegedly defied its instruction not to sign a nomination form to run for president.

That dispute contributed to the collapse of the September congress. Some unions, including Nehawu, refused to hand over their delegate lists until the congress dealt with Shingange’s status.

The vote comes as Cosatu is divided over which party to back in the 4 November local government elections, the African National Congress (ANC) or the South African Communist Party (SACP). Shingange is seen as close to the SACP and Nehawu. Losi is viewed as an ally of President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC.

On Monday, ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe walked out of the congress after refusing to address delegates before the SACP.

• Sassa says only 1,815 refugees across the country currently get social grants, despite fake numbers shared widely on social media.

• Police say fake claims about undocumented foreigners getting government money caused the violent protests in Soweto and Durban this month.

Fake claims about social grants are causing violence in South African streets.

Police say rumours about undocumented foreign nationals getting government money caused the violent protests in Soweto and Durban this month.

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has shut down the claims.

Sassa says undocumented foreign nationals do not receive social grants.

Spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi told eNCA that the agency only pays refugees who qualify.

“Only 1,815 refugees receive social grants, not the numbers circulating on social media,” Letsatsi said.

He said these grants are not permanent.

The Sassa verification system removes anyone whose status cannot be verified within six months.

The confusion started after a Constitutional Court ruling on 7 July.

The court ruled that asylum seekers cannot be blocked from applying for asylum just because they do not have certain documents.

They also cannot be turned away for missing the five-day reporting window or for entering the country at an undesignated border.

But the court said each claim must still be checked.

Applying for asylum does not mean a person will get it.

On 7 October, the Department of Home Affairs shut down claims that the ruling gave asylum seekers citizenship or blanket legal status.

Home Affairs has now handed the matter over to the Electoral Commission of South Africa.

Sassa rules for the R370 grant have not changed since 2022.

The grant is for South African citizens, permanent residents, recognised refugees, special permit holders, and asylum seekers with valid section 22 permits.

Sassa CEO Themba Matlou asked people to check official government channels before sharing false information.

• The uMkhonto weSizwe Party has cancelled its 18 October rally in KwaZulu-Natal after complaints that community nominated candidates were left off election lists.

• Former president Jacob Zuma remains in hospital in Pietermaritzburg, with his foundation denying reports that the 84-year-old has returned home.

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has cancelled its biggest rally in KwaZulu-Natal as anger grows over missing names on election candidate lists.

The party has launched an urgent investigation after complaints that candidates chosen by communities were left off the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s final lists for the local government elections.

The party’s Siyathatha rally was meant to take place on 18 October 2026.

But party spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu said the event had been cancelled so leaders could focus on dealing with the complaints and campaigning in local wards.

“The Siyathatha rally scheduled for 18 October 2026 has been cancelled to allow the Party to focus its resources and efforts on community engagement and campaign activities at ward level,” Mahlangu said.

The party plans to investigate the complaints and send its findings to the Presidency.

Party leaders will also meet affected ward candidates directly as the election campaign enters its final weeks.

The cancellation comes as questions continue over the health of MK party leader and former president Jacob Zuma.

The 84-year-old remains in hospital after being admitted last week.

Reports had suggested that Zuma had left hospital and returned to his Nkandla home.

But the Jacob Zuma Foundation denied those reports on Tuesday.

Foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi said Zuma was still receiving medical care at Netcare St Anne’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg.

Manyi dismissed reports that Zuma had been discharged, saying they were “not true”.

The former president’s health has sparked growing concern after sources close to him reportedly described his condition as being at a “very concerning stage”.

However, the MK party has maintained that Zuma is receiving routine medical treatment and remains in good spirits.

The foundation has accused sections of the media of spreading speculation and false information about his health.

It has urged the public to ignore reports that have not been confirmed while Zuma remains under medical supervision.

Manyi also questioned whether political opponents expressing concern about Zuma’s health were being sincere.

He argued that more attention should be given to practical support for former presidents.

The party now faces two pressing issues as the elections approach: dealing with complaints over its candidate lists and questions about the health of its leader.

• Zingiswa Losi is challenging Solly Phetoe for general secretary, while Mike Shingange and Mabutho Cele are fighting for Cosatu’s presidency.

• One union wants Cosatu to abandon the ANC for the Communist Party in the 4 November elections, but others disagree.

Cosatu is facing a double headache as its leaders fight for top positions while members disagree over which political party to support in the coming elections.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions is expected to announce its new leadership on Wednesday after its national congress met again in Kempton Park on Monday.

But the battle for leadership comes as the federation struggles to choose between the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) ahead of the 4 November local government elections.

Outgoing Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi wants to become general secretary. She is challenging current general secretary Solly Phetoe for the position.

First deputy president Mike Shingange and deputy president Mabutho Cele are competing to become president.

Shingange is seen as close to the SACP and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu).

Losi, meanwhile, is viewed as an ally of President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC.

This could leave Cosatu with senior leaders linked to opposite sides of the growing political dispute.

The tensions became clear on Monday when ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe walked out of the congress.

Mantashe refused to address delegates before the SACP, leaving union members angry.

Cosatu’s outgoing second deputy president Duncan Luvuno rejected claims that the meeting had turned into chaos.

“It was not chaos per se. However, it was our members expressing their disappointment at the arrogance shown, not by the ANC, but by the chair of the ANC,” Luvuno said.

He said Cosatu would seek a meeting with the ANC at Luthuli House to discuss Mantashe’s behaviour.

“We are going to make a point of meeting with the ANC to express our disappointment and reject what we see as a ‘Big Brother Syndrome’ that the ANC chairperson perpetually displays,” he said.

Mantashe defended his decision, saying he would not sacrifice principle for convenience.

He insisted that the ANC traditionally delivers its message of support after the SACP.

The walkout comes as Cosatu faces pressure to decide which party it will support in the elections.

Nehawu has proposed that the federation abandon the ANC and throw its weight behind the SACP.

Some unions support the move, but others want Cosatu to keep its relationship with the ANC.

Delegates have discussed a proposal allowing members to support whichever alliance partner best protects workers’ interests.

Some delegates believe the ANC’s economic policies have moved it away from workers. Others believe the SACP remains closer to the needs of working people.

The SACP plans to contest elections independently for the first time.

Cosatu’s congress resumed despite a pending legal challenge after its previous gathering collapsed last month because of leadership disagreements and internal disputes.

The federation must now choose its new leaders while trying to keep its divided members together.

• Police say a former employee shot three people dead at the Boxer store in Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal, on Saturday, 10 October.

• Police are hunting the man, who came for a hearing. Anyone who knows where he is should call 08600 10111.

Three people were shot dead inside the Boxer grocery store in Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal, on Saturday, 10 October. Police are still hunting the man who did it.

Security camera footage shows a man shooting three women in an office multiple times before he walks out. Police say the three were declared dead at the scene.

Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the man is a former Boxer employee who went to the store for a disciplinary hearing. Police have not named him.

Isolezwe reports that Thandiwe Chili, who worked at Boxer for 20 years, was one of those killed. According to the newspaper, the suspect had come in for a disciplinary hearing on Saturday, and when he didn’t like the outcome of the hearing, he allegedly locked the victims in the office, left and came back with a firearm and then shot the three managers.

Reports say he worked in the store’s bakery. The victims were reportedly the bakery, store and administration managers, who were allegedly shot inside the offices.

Boxer says it is supporting the families of the three colleagues who died, as well as colleagues affected. The retailer is working with police on the investigation.

Boxer teams across the country stood together for a moment of remembrance before starting their shifts on Tuesday. The company also thanked communities across South Africa for their messages of support.

“They will not be forgotten,” it said.

Police want anyone who knows where the man is to call 035 473 4211 or 082 557 6033. People can also call Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

• The AmaFaku royal family says price hikes can be devastating for the food basket, blaming apartheid-era underdevelopment in the Eastern Cape.

• Eskom customers pay 8.76% more since April, municipal ones 9.01% since July. Another 8.83% more is approved from April 2027.

Electricity costs about 9% more this year, and a royal family in the Eastern Cape says price hikes are reaching the food basket.

Prince Mbasa Sigcau, spokesperson for the AmaFaku, a faction of the AmaMpondo kingdom’s royal family based around Lusikisiki, said its people are still climbing out of poverty created by colonial and apartheid governments.

Prince Mbasa praised government’s pro-poor policies, such as the indigent policy. Still, “these hikes don’t simply affect drivers or the price of a unit of electricity, but the food basket,” he said.

The family hopes for stronger food production at the most basic level and broader economic inclusion.

The national energy regulator approved 8.76% more for Eskom’s direct customers from 1 April, and 9.01% for municipal customers from 1 July. The 8.76% is up from 5.36% after the regulator found a R54.7-billion error in its own calculations. Another 8.83% for Eskom direct customers is approved from 1 April 2027.

Acting King Daluxolo Sigcau has also called for unity among the AmaMpondo, saying a united community can develop its land and stop people leaving for towns and cities. He wants communities, as owners of ancestral land, to be equity partners in regional projects.

The AmaMpondo kingship has reportedly been in dispute since King Mandlonke died in 1937. The AmaMpondo aseQaukeni, centred on Lusikisiki, have had no undisputed king since King Zanozuko Sigcau died on 31 May 2022.

The AmaFaku family, descended from King Faku, named Daluxolo Sigcau acting king, and Premier Oscar Mabuyane gazetted him in April 2025.

The Marhelane family rejects this and backs Prince Yolisa Sigcau, while the late king’s mother backs his nine-year-old daughter, Princess Nizole.