Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa says government is considering whether to declare the incidents of foodborne illnesses a National Disaster. The rising cases have been classified as a national disaster. Since September this year, at least 890 incidents have been reported, claiming the lives of 22 people this year alone. The South African government has welcomed the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court. The Hague-based court issued warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. SAHRC has taken former DA MP Renaldo Gouws to the equality court for alleged hate speech. The SAHRC wants Gouws to apologise and pay damages for his use of the K-word. The uMkhonto we Sizwe party is turning 1 next month. MK party spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela reflects on the party’s first year of existence.

Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Lebogang Maile, has reassured entrepreneurs that his office will ensure municipalities fulfill the 21-day requirement for spaza shop registration. According to Maile, foreign nationals who possess a valid work permit will also be permitted to register their spaza shops. Former Police Minister Bheki Cele says the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy is in charge of keeping an eye on closed mines to stop illicit activities, the police are not responsible for this task. Cele says, those who have not yet come out of the Stilfontein mine are not stuck and do not plan to do so. According to him, the police's job is to uphold the law

The nation is divided on whether the human rights of the illegal miners who remain underground at Stilfontein mine in North West have been violated by the government. Bench Marks Foundation General Manager Busi Thabane says this is a humanitarian crisis. The South African Police Services has confirmed that it has stopped the process of providing food and water to illegal miners still underground at a mine shaft in Stilfontein in the North West. SAPS Spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe says no one is trapped underground and SAPS will not be negotiating with criminals KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli has convened an urgent meeting with 54 municipalities to discuss spaza shops. At least 23 people have died countrywide since the start of October after buying food from spaza shops. In KwaZulu-Natal, three siblings from the Ndlovu family from uMzumbe on the South Coast, died from suspected food poisoning after eating a meal bought at a spaza shop. Ntuli says the provincial government is taking a zero tolerance approach to spaza shop owners who are selling counterfeit goods which put communities at risk. And The South African National Civic Organization in KwaZulu-Natal is cutting ties with the ANC in the province.

Communications Minister Solly Malatsi has withdrawn the SABC Bill, stating that after extensive consultations and public input, the current version does not benefit either the SABC or the South African public. The bill was initially introduced by former Minister Mondli Gungubele in 2023 as a replacement for the outdated Broadcasting Act of 1999. Gungubele criticized Malatsi’s decision to withdraw the SABC Bill as “illogical and counterproductive,” expressing concern that the minister may not have read the bill in its entirety. Former DA leader and GNU negotiator Tony Leon says all the ministers from the DA were appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa. He emphasises that no minister should attempt to implement their own party policies instead of those of the GNU. International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola has announced that President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Ebrahim Rasool as the ambassador to the United States. Rasool previously held this position from 2010 to 2015. His appointment comes as the U.S. prepares for a new Republican administration following Donald Trump’s election victory.

Advocate Dali Mpofu is the latest politician to switch from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party. Mpofu believes that the MK Party represents the fastest and most direct path to the total liberation of Africans and emphasises that he is not motivated by a desire for positions. He stated that he attempted several times to arrange a meeting with Julius Malema, but those efforts were unsuccessful. Despite this, Mpofu has no regrets about his decision and insists that he did not join the MK Party for personal gain. ANC First Deputy Secretary-General Nomvula Mokonyane says the Government of National Unity is not reliant on the Democratic Alliance (DA). She reiterated that the GNU agreement is with ten parties and not only with the DA. Regarding spaza shops, Mokonyane insists that all spaza shops nationwide should be closed until they are properly legalized. This call for action comes in response to recent incidents where children lost their lives after consuming contaminated food from local spaza shops.

AfriForum's Kallie Kriel says that if the government doesn't accede to their demands on the BELA Act, they'll be left with no option but to head to the courts. Union Solidarity and Lobby Group AfriForum marched against clauses 4 and 5 of the BELA Act, stating that the act takes away the right of the school governing bodies to make important decisions about admissions and language. Water and Sanitation Minister, Pemmy Majodina has reiterated that the water crisis in Gauteng is self-inflicted. She says municipalities were warned as early as June to take care of the water infrastructure in the province. The world is closely watching as voters choose between Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican contender Donald Trump in one of the most fiercely contested US presidential elections in recent history. This as voting is currently under way in several states of the US. African Nations are among those watching closely as they wonder how the election outcome will impact the continent. SABC News Correspondent Sherwin Bryse-Pease is reporting live from Manhattan

The EFF Students Command Council has expelled one of its members, Kganki Mphahlele, for bringing disrepute to the organisation and its leaders. This decision comes after Mphahlele made critical comments about EFF leader Julius Malema on X. Mphahlele has stated that he will reluctantly accept the expulsion, as he believes this action is more about ideological differences and personal vendettas than anything else. Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Sihle Zikalala says the department plans to accelerate the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to create millions of job opportunities, highlighting its importance in poverty alleviation and skills development. Tensions within the Government of National Unity have escalated in recent weeks, particularly between the ANC and the DA. The primary point of contention concerns whether government decisions can be made unilaterally, as the DA claims the ANC is doing, or if these decisions require consensus. Roelf Meyer, a member of the Government of National Unity under President Nelson Mandela, says any party that chooses to leave the GNU will face consequences

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Njabulo Nzuza says the department will revoke the identity documents of former Miss South Africa contestant, Chidimma Adetshina and that of her mother. This decision comes after they failed to meet the deadline to provide reasons for why the revocation should not occur Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero says a decision regarding Kabelo Gwamanda's dismissal will be made after legal team advice is received on Thursday. Morero says the charges against Gwamanda are serious and require urgent action. National Police Commissioner General Fanie Masemola says it is concerning that 900 000 suspects have been arrested since the inception of Operation Shanela in May last year. And Controversial pastor Paseka "Mboro" Motsoeneng and his co-accused bodyguard are scheduled to return to court on November 11. They are facing charges of kidnapping, possession of an unlicensed firearm, discharging a firearm, assault, and malicious damage to property. However, Mboro claims that the allegations against him are all false.