Mass Shootings: Gunmen killed at least 27 people in two separate attacks hours apart—17 dead at a bar west of Johannesburg and 10 dead at an entertainment venue near Cape Town—police say motives are still unclear, with no arrests reported. Fuel Costs: Petrol has surged over decades: a full 80-litre tank now costs about R2,140.80 versus R164.80 in 1996, and further increases are flagged for October. Franchise Finance: The Competition Commission is probing South Africa’s franchising sector, focusing on whether franchise and lender funding requirements block SME and HDP entry and expansion. SOE Performance: A call is growing to replicate Transnet’s profitability turnaround across other state-owned enterprises, arguing SOE recovery is key to economic growth. Tourism Spend Gap: Mpumalanga draws millions of visitors, but tourism businesses say spend is low because attractions are “showrooms” with limited on-site spending. Critical Minerals Push (Namibia): Namibia’s president tells investors to build local processing plants, not just export raw minerals. ProNutro Revival Bid: Biltong & Bangers has offered to buy ProNutro from PepsiCo and recreate the original recipe and production know-how. London Mission Repairs: DIRCO says South Africa is spending R167.5m on London assets, highlighting long-running maintenance neglect of foreign mission buildings.