KZN dad shoots hijacker; SA economy almost 5% bigger than estimated: Today’s top 7 stories - News24

News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature.

- Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has initiated the process to appoint Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi as the next national head of the Hawks.

- The Hawks national head post is currently vacant, with the appointment process formally set in motion on 29 October 2026.

- No other candidates have been named, and no objections to the recommendation have been reported.

- Sidney Hill, a father from KwaZulu-Natal, shot and killed an alleged hijacker in Pinetown after noticing a vehicle repeatedly closing in on him and his children as he reversed out of their driveway.

- Hill confronted the attacker with his children present in the bakkie, firing in what he describes as an act of protection rather than heroism.

- Hill has since been dubbed South Africa’s John Wick on social media, though he distanced himself from the comparison, saying: “I’m not John Wick, I’m just a dad.”

- The South African Police Service urgently applied to court for an interdict to halt protests, convoys and intimidation by the anti-immigration group March and March in Durban and surrounding areas.

- Crime Intelligence warned that supporters of the group, linked to Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, planned to set fire to the Department of Home Affairs refugee reception centre on Che Guevara Road in Berea, Durban.

- A second intelligence strand warns that foreign nationals are planning to avenge the killing of a Ugandan man who was beaten to death last Thursday.

- Stats SA has rebased the country’s GDP series to 2022 production patterns, revising the economy’s size upward by 4.9% – from R6.7 trillion to R7 trillion at current prices.

- The mining sector led the revision with a 12.5% upward adjustment, followed by finance, real estate and business services at 9.1%; the rebase also included improved measurement of the unobserved economy, including illegal mining.

- The larger GDP denominator mechanically improves South Africa’s debt-to-GDP and other fiscal ratios, though the underlying nominal debt stock remains unchanged.

- Ward 18 in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg, has attracted 63 candidates for a single ward council seat – the highest number of candidates contesting a single ward in South Africa, requiring an unprecedented double-column ballot.

- The real contest lies between the incumbent Patriotic Alliance, which won approximately 64.6% of the ward vote in 2021 and around 62% in a May by-election, and the Democratic Alliance.

- Residents cite drug abuse, gangsterism and high youth unemployment as the ward’s most pressing problems, with many calling for cooperation between parties rather than intensified rivalry.

- New Zealand Rugby has signalled it is open to relaxing its long-standing policy that restricts All Blacks-eligible players from moving to overseas clubs, in a bid to revive Super Rugby Pacific.

- The proposed change would allow New Zealand test players to be released to play for Super Rugby Pacific franchises outside New Zealand, including Australian teams.

- The shift is a policy and negotiation development rather than one tied to a specific player, with South African franchises including the Stormers, Bulls, Sharks, Lions and Cheetahs all part of the broader competition landscape affected by the debate.

- Royal Malewane, an ultra-luxury safari lodge situated in Thornybush in the Lowveld, has attracted a celebrity clientele that includes Elton John and Bono.

- The property’s latest additions include distinctive pink tented suites, and it offers guests intimate wildlife encounters – including lions in close proximity during breakfast.

- The feature explores why guests who can holiday anywhere in the world continue to return to the lodge, highlighting its exclusivity, high-end service and exceptional game experiences.

These summaries were written with the support of Toqan AI.

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