Government has cautioned the public against modifying South Africa’s national flag after an altered version incorporating Israel’s Star of David was reportedly displayed by church groups during a demonstration outside Parliament. The warning comes amid sensitivities surrounding the use of national symbols to express political and religious views.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says the first day of special voting concluded smoothly across the country, despite initial delays at some Cape Town voting stations. Approved voters who have not yet cast their ballots have one final opportunity on Tuesday, 3 November, ahead of Election Day.

KwaZulu-Natal TikToker Nkululeko “Max” Makhanya, 38, has been granted R7,000 bail after appearing in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on charges of crimen injuria and inciting violence over a TikTok video allegedly targeting provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

A 41-year-old HIV-positive man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping his 13-year-old daughter in Paternoster, with the court also convicting him of attempted murder after he admitted to knowingly exposing the child to the risk of HIV infection.

Former Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi has been hit with a confiscation order worth more than R1.66 billion following a court ruling linked to corruption and money laundering. The NPA says the order is aimed at stripping him of the financial benefits of crime.

With South Africans heading to the polls on 4 November, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has urged all 29.2 million registered voters to cast their ballots, while warning communities to take precautions against potential extreme heat linked to El Niño.