The media's attack on Francesca Albanese and South Africa ain't just coming from nowhere. It got funders working behind the scenes, and you can bet your last rand on it. Once again, they're showing us the real rules of the game: Dare to be a proper sovereign country? Haibo, that's dangerous. You want to stand up for humanitarian law on the world stage? You'll pay the price, no question. Want to stay neutral? Fine, but if you trade with BRICS, EU or whoever, you'll still cough up the tolls, no mercy. And all this drama's unfolding right before the G20 summit. Let the United States chase our dusts, we're not sitting around waiting for them here in Mzansi! #StandwithFrancesca #HandsOffSA #NoVisasForAmericanDiplomats

In these perilous times, with economic strangulation now official US policy, President Ramaphosa's decision to take advantage of growing tariff-free access with China and India, to protect against deteriorating relations with the US, is laudable.

Mbeki has denied any secret deals with apartheid era generals, telling the Khampepe Commission he only met them when they approached the ANC over amnesty. He blamed the NPA for delays in post TRC prosecutions and dismissed claims that his gov suppressed cases as disingenuous.

1/3 🧵 so the duty-free advantage is eroding whether we stay on the list or not. Panic is not the answer. AGOA matters, but so does South Africa's position as the continent's most industrialised economy and sovereign gateway to African markets the US cannot access elsewhere.

1/2🧵 The reality is, AGOA runs to 2028, and the US President holds annual authority over eligibility, making the threat a recurring lever rather than a single deadline. A 12.5% Section 301 tariff already applies to most South African goods

President Cyril Ramaphosa has attributed the fuel price hikes to global factors, saying government is seriously looking at ways to lighten the load on consumers.

The Concerned Citizens of South Africa (CCSA) has given government 14 days to cut fuel prices by 50 percent or face a three day national shutdown. The group plans protests in major cities on Monday and says it will mobilise truck and taxi associations if demands are not met.

SADC has strengthened regional cybersecurity cooperation after the 7th SADC Cyber Drill in Luanda, Angola, which brought together 282 delegates to test incident response procedures. The bloc plans to establish a permanent regional Computer Security Incident Response Team in 2027.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has lifted the suspension of National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, who resumes full duties next Monday. Masemola was suspended over the irregular R228 million SAPS Medicare tender awarded to a company owned by Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala.

The Constitutional Court has ruled that 181 ANC councillor candidates may contest the 4 November local government elections. The court upheld the ANC's appeal against an Electoral Court ruling that backed the IEC's decision to exclude them in six municipalities.

Ahead of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's mid-term budget review on 21 October, Moody's says South Africa is on track for its first credit rating upgrade since 2009, provided fiscal performance keeps improving. The agency rates South Africa Ba2.