Illegal Mining Crackdown: SAPS arrested nine Mozambicans in Mashobodo, Mpumalanga, during Operation Vala Umgodi, seizing mining implements and chemicals and involving Home Affairs to verify immigration status. Digital Inclusion & AI: North-West University research is building multilingual AI to detect misinformation in English, isiZulu and Sepedi, using Covid-19 misinformation as a pilot. National IDs Update: Home Affairs says green ID books will be phased out, with production ending March 2027 and a final replacement deadline of 31 March 2028; Smart ID access is being expanded for naturalised citizens and permanent residents. Water & City Services: Cape Town will shut down the Faure Water Treatment Plant from 5–7 October, affecting Woodstock and nearby areas, while residents are urged to cut usage. Skills & Industry Link: Higher Education and Training irregular spending rose sharply, with the Auditor-General citing non-compliance and supply-chain failures across SETAs and related entities. Youth Jobs Push: Treasury’s Jobs Fund argues philanthropy can shift youth employment outcomes, but warns many interventions remain too small to move the needle. Local Business Wasted: A R108m Reiger Park enterprise and skills hub remains idle, leaving residents and youth frustrated at lost opportunities.