HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY

Mon 19 October 2026:

Here’s what’s happening in South Africa today:👇🏼

◼️ South Africa’s paradox of hunger and food waste: Alarming statistics reveal that nearly three million children regularly go to bed hungry, with a staggering one in three deaths among children under the age of five linked to severe, acute malnutrition. Against this backdrop, approximately 10.3 million tonnes of edible food — 34% of local production — falls victim to waste every year, costing the economy an estimated R61.5 billion (2.1% of GDP). “Every ton of edible food dumped in landfills translates into a significant loss of resources and emissions. It coexists with households that go to bed hungry and those filling up on nutrient-poor, energy-dense foods.
Read more here:
https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-10-17-south-africas-paradox-of-hunger-and-food-waste-millions-go-hungry-while-food-rots/

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◼️ All eyes on Godongwana this week: The Middle East conflict has impacted Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s budget outlook, leading to a more pessimistic medium-term budget policy statement. Rising petrol and diesel prices, along with interest rate hikes from the South African Reserve Bank to combat inflation, are significant challenges that investors will want Godongwana to address on Wednesday.
Read more here:
https://www.businessday.co.za/economy/2026-10-19-godongwana-faces-resilience-test-in-medium-term-budget-update/

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◼️ SA’s crime-fighting crisis laid bare by shocking police failures: According to information revealed by parliament’s portfolio committee on police, Saps recorded a murder detection rate of just 9.5% against a target of 60%, raising concerns about the country’s ability to solve violent crimes. Last week, figures presented to parliament showed that more than 97% of DNA profiles were not completed within the required 30-day period during the last financial year.
Read more here:
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/opinion/south-africas-crime-fighting-crisis-laid-bare-by-shocking-police-failures/

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◼️ R1.5 trillion industry that is keeping South African families poor: South Africans are increasingly taking out risky loans and social grants to spend on online gambling, placing them under growing financial strain as the industry continues to thrive. According to the report, online gambling in South Africa grew 390% between 2021 and 2025, driven by increased accessibility on mobile phones and widespread gambling advertising. “The casino is no longer located in a building you have to drive to,” Du Buisson said. “It is in your pocket. You can wager money anytime, anywhere, with just a few taps on your phone.”
Read more here:
https://dailyinvestor.com/finance/160180/the-r1-5-trillion-industry-that-is-keeping-south-african-families-poor/

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◼️ Hackers can remotely operate electric vehicles: “Think of your car as a computer with wheels, so hackers can potentially target things like your cellular modem, your Bluetooth, your Wi-Fi, because modern cars have Wi-Fi that is connected inside,” he said. “They can target diagnostic ports as well and cloud services as well. Which means they can take over the cloud services from when your phone is connected to the Bluetooth.” Through the same microphone that a driver can make hands-free calls, criminals could listen to their conversation and use the onboard GPS to track their location.
Read more here:
https://mybroadband.co.za/news/security/672306-hackers-can-remotely-operate-electric-vehicles-in-south-africa.html

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