In case you missed it: Mbeki weighs on Ramaphosa | Unemployment crisis deepens | Smith switches to Netherlands

News today includes former ANC president Thabo Mbeki says President Cyril Ramaphosa has taken the “correct” position if reports that he has offered to vacate office are true.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s unemployment crisis deepened in the third quarter of 2026, with the number of unemployed people increasing by 97 000 to 8.6 million, despite 101 000 more people finding employment during the same period.

Furthermore, South Africa’s most decorated Olympian, Tatjana Smith, has revealed that she will represent the Netherlands at the 2028 Olympic Games, shortly after returning to the sport from retirement.

Most parts of South Africa can expect fine and warm to hot weather on Wednesday, 11 November, with temperatures reaching very hot levels in some provinces.

Meanwhile, fog patches are forecast for parts of Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape, and partly cloudy conditions are expected along the Western Cape and coastal regions. Full weather forecast here.

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Former ANC president Thabo Mbeki says President Cyril Ramaphosa has taken the “correct” position if reports that he has offered to vacate office are true.

On Monday, Mbeki was a guest on Mbuyiseni Ndlozi’s podcast, African Renaissance Podcast, and discussed a range of topics including US-SA relations and the dismal ANC election results.

The party went from 45.59% in 2021 to 30.76% in 2026, in what ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has described as a “catastrophe”.

CONTINUE READING: Mbeki: ‘If reports are true, Ramaphosa is correct to offer his resignation’

DA’s Johannesburg mayoral candidate, Helen Zille, says she will not apologise to EFF leader Julius Malema for comments made about him in the aftermath of the 2026 local government elections.

In a recent interview, Zille made remarks about Mashaba’s tenure as Joburg mayor under the DA and his relationship with parties such as the EFF.

In a legal letter distributed to the media, Malema’s lawyer, Angelike Charalambous, demanded that Zille retract her comments and issue a public apology.

CONTINUE READING: Zille responds to Malema’s demands for an apology

South Africa’s unemployment crisis deepened in the third quarter of 2026, with the number of unemployed people increasing by 97 000 to 8.6 million, despite 101 000 more people finding employment during the same period.

According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released on Tuesday by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), unemployment in the third quarter was 33.7%, up from 33.6% in the second quarter.

Although the number of unemployed people increased by 97 000 between the second and third quarters of 2026, this does not necessarily mean that exactly 97 000 people who previously had jobs lost them.

CONTINUE READING: Unemployment rises by 97 000 in the third quarter

The department of home affairs (DHA) will open a digital door to asylum seekers this week.

Minister Leon Schreiber confirmed on Tuesday that phase one of a new digital platform will allow asylum seekers and refugees to register their intention to seek protection in South Africa.

Schreiber said that the move to digital satisfied the Constitutional Court’s July ruling on asylum and refugee admissions, while helping to address the department’s capacity challenges.

CONTINUE READING: Here’s when Home Affairs’ asylum seekers’ digital platform will open to assist entry into South Africa

South Africa’s most decorated Olympian, Tatjana Smith, has revealed that she will represent the Netherlands at the 2028 Olympic Games, shortly after returning to the sport from retirement.

Smith made the announcement on social media on Tuesday.

“For the next chapter my dream looks different. I have always been both Dutch and South African – both countries are a part of who I am – but sport requires you to choose one to represent,” said Smith, a former world record holder in the 200m breaststroke.

CONTINUE READING: Tatjana Smith drops bombshell: ‘I’ve decided to swim for the Netherlands’

READ HERE: Ramaphosa on resignation | ‘Hilton Predator’ arrested | ActionSA starts coalition talks with ANC and EFF

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