Production: Minenhle Thusi | Journalist: Natasha Bezuidenhout
Welcome to your NovaNews Newscast! Let’s get straight to the headlines.
Online gambling in South Africa has jumped by 390% between 2021 and 2025, fuelled by mobile phones and a wave of adverts. That is from a Solidarity Research Institute report released on Tuesday. In the 2024/25 financial year, roughly R1,5 trillion was bet, with nearly three-quarters of that online. Report author Theuns du Buisson says the casino is now in your pocket. Solidarity wants tighter rules, warning this surge is making it harder for families to put food on the table.
Switching to the cost of living – petrol and diesel have hit their highest prices in South African history, with petrol topping R30 a litre in Gauteng. The AA wants the Road Accident Fund levy scrapped and a R3-a-litre cut to the fuel levy. And there is no relief in sight, with November set to bring another big hike that would push 95-octane to well over R33 inland. Gauteng also plans to raise licence disc fees sharply, with a new RAF fee on the table on top of that.
And in a story of determination – obstacle course racing world champion Thomas van Tonder will attempt to cross more than 600 monkey bars beneath the arch of Bloukrans Bridge on 26 October, 216 metres above the river. Thomas says he does not know whether he can do it – which is exactly why it is the right challenge.
