From courtroom victories to deadly crashes, South Africa and the region made headlines across multiple fronts this week. Here’s what caught our attention.

Teen cyclist’s death sparks calls for road safety

Lilitha Lombo (16), a member of Khaltsha Cycles, died after a hit-and-run near Steynsrust Dam in Somerset West on 29 September. The twin, who joined the academy in 2025 with her sister, was training when an e-hailing vehicle struck her. Police opened a culpable homicide investigation, and Khaltsha provided trip records, registration details and video footage. A passenger from the vehicle came forward and gave a statement.

The club closed its academy and shop for the week and set up a verified crowdfunding campaign for funeral costs. “We do not want her to be remembered only because of the circumstances in which we lost her,” the club said. The incident followed two other cyclist deaths days earlier, prompting calls for better road infrastructure and driver awareness.

Political killings hit record high

At least 43 people died in suspected political assassinations between January and September, the highest annual total since tracking began in 2015. Researchers from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime recorded 45 politically linked attacks up to 30 September. Victims included political party officials, ward councillors and traditional leaders. The ANC lost 13 members while the MK Party recorded eight deaths. KwaZulu-Natal saw the most attacks, with Gauteng recording ten incidents ahead of the 4 November local elections.

Court protects gun owners with expired licences

The Pretoria High Court ruled that an expired firearm licence does not erase ownership. The National Hunting and Shooting Association and the South African Arms and Ammunition Dealers Association challenged police guidelines that blocked dealers from receiving firearms linked to expired licences or deceased owners. The court declared the police practices unconstitutional and ordered officials to revise systems within 90 days. The ruling separates ownership from lawful possession, meaning owners still need valid licences to use firearms.

South African pilot helps avert aviation disaster

One of two relief pilots who helped save a Flydubai flight from crashing is believed to be South African. Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv plunged from 34 000 feet to 15 000 feet after a co-pilot allegedly attacked another pilot with a knife. Crew and passengers stormed the cockpit, overpowered and tied up the attacker, and diverted the Boeing 737 MAX to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. The attacker was arrested after landing.

Zimbabwean businessman dies in helicopter crash

Wicknell Chivayo (43), a wealthy Zimbabwean businessman with close ties to the ruling ZANU-PF party, died in a helicopter crash near Marondera on 1 October. The aircraft burst into flames shortly after departing his family home in Gandami. Six people died, including his wife Lucy Muteke, two pilots and other passengers. Chivayo headed Intratrek Zimbabwe and won a controversial R170 million government contract in 2015 to build a 100MW solar plant.

Botched execution leaves inmate on ventilator

A lethal-injection execution in Tennessee went badly on 28 September, leaving Christa Pike (50) critically ill and on a ventilator. Prison staff administered two doses of pentobarbital, but the drug entered surrounding tissue instead of her bloodstream. Pike’s arms were swollen, burned and blistered. She remained conscious longer than expected before being taken to hospital unconscious and intubated. The state ordered a review and halted further executions. Pike was convicted for the 1995 murder of Colleen Slemmer (19).

City unveils plan for Cape Town’s unfinished highways

The City of Cape Town released designs for the Foreshore Precinct Project, which will transform the long-unfinished freeway structures into a new link bridge, tunnel and mixed-use neighbourhood. The plan includes a new inbound link bridge connecting the freeway to Helen Suzman Boulevard, an outbound tunnel routed underground next to Duncan Road, and the demolition of the existing outbound viaduct. About 15 hectares of vacant CBD land will be unlocked for housing, parks and a promenade. Phase one will start in the next council term, with major construction taking the best part of a decade and the full neighbourhood build-out continuing to about 2040.

Baker makes African history

Ricardo Slawers, head baker at La Motte Bakery in Franschhoek, became Africa’s first bread sommelier. He completed the course at Germany’s National Bakers Academy in Weinheim, covering the 22 000-year history of bread, advanced sensory tasting and food pairing. Slawers submitted a thesis on mosbolletjies, the traditional Cape bread, bringing international recognition to the heritage recipe. The academy has graduated over 300 people from 16 countries since 2015.

Adventurer closes in on 28-year walk home

Karl Bushby (57), a British former paratrooper, has walked about 50 000 km over 28 years and now faces his final hurdle: crossing the English Channel. The journey from South America to near Hull, England, started in November 1998 and included crossing the Bering Strait on foot and traversing the Darien Gap. He spent about 30 days crossing the Caspian Sea by swimming and floating while resting on a boat. Officials denied his request to use the Channel Tunnel service corridor, and he sought permission to swim from Calais before winter.

The countdown begins to the Rugby World Cup 2027

In exactly 12 months, rugby’s global showpiece explodes into life across Australia with a record 24 nations, 2.5 million tickets and six weeks of unrelenting drama, and ominous back-to-back champions South Africa are already staking their claim to an unprecedented fifth Webb Ellis Cup. More than 750,000 pre-sale tickets were snapped up by fans from 135 countries, led by Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Japan and France. Chile, the United States and Canada were also big buyers, with over half the allocation sold within the first six hours.

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