Electricity & Infrastructure Delays: South Africa has pushed back a private-sector transmission lines tender by six months, with the first phase of the Independent Transmission Projects Programme now targeting proposals in Q2 2027, further slowing grid expansion as the country tries to add renewable capacity. City Power Restoration: Johannesburg’s City Power says CBD power repairs are in the final connection and testing stage, but it still can’t give a full restoration date after a central substation fire left parts of Marshalltown and surrounds without power for six days. Fuel Prices: Petrol is set to jump by more than R3/litre next week, with Gauteng 95 possibly crossing R30/litre, while diesel faces record-high pressure tied to global refinery shortages and the US-Iran situation. New-Car Market: September vehicle sales stayed strong, up 12.7% year-on-year to 61,645 units, but exports fell 18.8%, keeping pressure on manufacturers’ overseas volumes. Agriculture & Machinery: Tractor sales dropped 31% in July to 517 units, signalling farmers are scrutinising every machine’s lifetime value, uptime and maintenance risk. Governance & Corruption: Parliament’s portfolio committee slammed the Department of Women over R52m irregular expenditure, while the Border Management Authority warned corruption must be fought at airports and seaports, not just land borders. Crime & Accountability: IPID reported high GBVF case numbers and alleged police involvement in rape cases, as a former Home Affairs official was convicted on 264 counts in a passport fraud scheme. Mining & Skills: Experts gathered at Wits to map sustainable mining futures, while Absa launched digital-asset custody for institutions, marking a new push into crypto services.