Members of the media are invited to submit their details for accreditation for the upcoming Presidential Visit to eThekwini, KwaZulu Natal scheduled for 29 October 2026.

The purpose of the visit is to assess progress made in the provision of adequate shelter to the 2022 flood survivors, partnership towards the delivery of sustainable human settlements and action being taken to repurpose government buildings into affordable housing.

Minister in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, will lead the second-round rollout of the Love Your Street Service Delivery Programme on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, in Thembisa, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng.

The programme will bring together government officials, NGOs and civil society organisations to promote integrated service delivery, raise awareness about Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), and transform neglected public spaces identified as GBVF hotspots into safer, cleaner community environments.

Government joins the media fraternity in commemorating Black Wednesday, also known as National Press Freedom Day.

On 19 October 1977, the apartheid regime banned publications, including The World and Weekend World, and detained journalists, including The World editor Percy Qoboza, in an attempt to silence independent voices exposing the injustices and brutality of apartheid.

The National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in partnership with the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) and the Mpumalanga Provincial Government advise members of the media who have applied for accreditation to cover the 40th Anniversary of the Mbuzini tragedy to collect accreditation cards.

The year 2026 marks 40 years since the tragic plane crash on 19 October 1986, which claimed the lives of Mozambican President Samora Moises Machel and 34 other Mozambican nationals, including members of the aircraft crew and journalists. 

Minister in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, will on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, lead the Love Your Street service delivery programme. The programme will also be attended by Deputy Minister of Correctional Services, Lindiwe Ntshalintshali, Executive Mayor of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan municipality , Cllr Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, government officials, and civil society organisations.

Government extends its well-wishes to the class of 2026 and may the candidates hard work, determination and commitment yield positive results as they commence with the National Senior Certificate tomorrow, 13 October.

A record number of 962 832 candidates registered to sit the October/November examinations. Of these, 815 051 are full-time candidates and 147 781 are part-time candidates.

Closing remarks of the Deputy Minister in The Presidency– Kenny Morolong (MP) delivered at the GCIS Strategic Session, 09 October 2026

Colleagues,

Let me take this opportunity to formally welcome the Director-General to our midst. Director-General, we are honoured to have you join us at this important Strategic Planning Session, and we look forward to your leadership, guidance and contribution as we reflect on the future direction of GCIS and the broader government communication system.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media 
Fellow South Africans  

We would like to welcome you to this urgent briefing which we have convened to clarify the Constitutional Court judgment on asylum applications and its impact not only on operations of the Department of Home Affairs but also the overall management of the irregular migration regime.