Stay informed with our essential overview of the key events and discussions set to shape the week in South Africa – covering developments in parliament, government, international affairs, and the economy.

Monday – 5 October 2026

• Constitutional Court to Hear ANC Candidate List Appeal

The Constitutional Court will on Monday hear the African National Congress’s urgent appeal against the Electoral Court’s dismissal of its application to register candidates who were not submitted by the 28 August deadline. The hearing is the party’s final opportunity to secure candidates in municipalities where it would otherwise be absent from the ballot in the 4 November local government elections.

• Special Vote Applications Enter Final Week

Voters who cannot reach their voting stations on 4 November, or who require home visits, have until Monday 12 October to apply for special votes. Applications can be submitted online, by SMS, or at local offices of the Electoral Commission of South Africa.

• S&P Global PMI for September

S&P Global will release its South Africa Purchasing Managers’ Index for September. The August reading of 50.5 was marginally up from 50.3 in July and marked a third consecutive month above the 50-point mark separating expansion from contraction, and the index is expected to remain in positive territory on the back of firming business confidence.

Tuesday – 6 October 2026

• South African Reserve Bank Hosts Monetary Policy Forum

The South African Reserve Bank will host its biannual Monetary Policy Forum on Tuesday and publish the second edition of its 2026 Monetary Policy Review. The review follows the Monetary Policy Committee’s unanimous decision less than two weeks ago to raise the repo rate by 25 basis points to 7.25%, citing inflation risks from elevated global oil prices, even as the economy contracted by 0.2% in the second quarter. Markets will look for the Reserve Bank’s view on how persistent the oil shock is likely to be, why services inflation remains sticky, and what would trigger a further response.

• NCOP Holds Urgent Debate on Gender-Based Violence

The National Council of Provinces will convene an urgent special sitting on Tuesday to debate gender-based violence and femicide as a matter of national importance. The debate follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of a new plan to address what government has described as a national disaster.

• Committees Begin Budget Reviews Ahead of the MTBPS

Portfolio committees are working to finalise their Budgetary Review and Recommendations Reports, drawing on Auditor-General findings, annual financial statements and the work of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, ahead of the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement on 21 October. On Tuesday the Portfolio Committee on Transport will hear from the Auditor-General on the Department of Transport’s 2025/26 annual report and receive presentations from the South African National Roads Agency and the Road Accident Fund, while the Select Committee on Finance will be briefed by National Treasury on the General Laws (Anti-Money-Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing) Amendment Bill.

Wednesday – 7 October 2026

• Fuel Price Increases Take Effect

Steep increases to petrol and diesel prices, expected to be announced by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources on Monday, take effect from midnight on Wednesday. Central Energy Fund estimates point to increases of up to R3.28 per litre for petrol and up to R3.19 per litre for diesel, following September’s adjustment that took 95-octane petrol in Gauteng to R26.92 per litre, while National Treasury has indicated that any further fuel levy relief would need to be fiscally neutral.Another sharp increase will compound pressure on logistics, agriculture and manufacturing margins and feed through to consumer prices in the coming months.

• Mkhwanazi Ad Hoc Committee to Deliberate on Draft Report

Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating the allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi is scheduled to deliberate on its draft preliminary report on Wednesday. The report will set out the committee’s emerging findings on the claims.

Thursday – 8 October 2026

• Stats SA Releases Manufacturing Production Data for August

Statistics South Africa will release manufacturing production and sales figures for August on Thursday. July’s output rose by 1.1% year on year, the first increase in four months, supported by food and beverages as well as petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products, and analysts expect modest growth of around 0.4% in August. Manufacturing accounts for roughly 12% of GDP, and its decline was a key driver of the second-quarter contraction, so a second positive month would strengthen the case for a third-quarter rebound.

• Phala Phala Impeachment Committee Meets

Parliament’s impeachment committee conducting the Section 89 inquiry into the theft of foreign currency from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm will meet on Thursday to table correspondence, consider its draft terms of reference and adopt minutes. The committee was established following a Constitutional Court judgment on how Parliament should process the independent panel’s report.