10-minute licence renewal in Gauteng, and Bugatti CEO chases after his stolen car

South African car dealer Combined Motor Holdings (CMH) recorded a group revenue of R8.1 billion in the six months ended 31 August 2026, up from R7.6 billion in the previous period.

The dealer’s board said the period under review was characterised by global conflict, resulting in higher oil prices, an upward revision in the local inflation outlook and pressure on household incomes.

Despite this, the group returned an 18.6% increase in headline earnings and a 6.6% increase in revenue, which the directors commended.

CMH’s motor retail and distribution business, its core function, was the primary engine of the group’s turnover, accounting for 93.4% of total external revenue.

Meanwhile, global Brent crude oil prices dropped slightly below the $110 per barrel mark after Iranian and Qatari officials held talks aimed at pushing for a deal to end the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Reuters reported that chief ⁠market analyst at KCM Trade, Tim Waterer, said the market remained alert to the possibility that rhetoric around Iran could be ratcheted higher and push Brent toward $120 after the midterm elections.

Bloomberg added that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said no decision had been made on fresh strikes and that Trump prefers a diplomatic resolution.

The push for talks tempered concerns about renewed hostilities even as attacks on vessels around the Strait of Hormuz continued.

Over the weekend, the South African rand weakened slightly against the US dollar and other global currencies ahead of Wednesday’s elections.

The dwindling price of gold has also had an effect on the local currency, which is trading at R16.70 against the US dollar.

5 important things

Renewing your driving licence card in ten minutes in Gauteng: I recently renewed my driver’s licence card after work on a Friday, thanks to Gauteng’s Driver Licence Testing Centre (DLTC) hours. These DLTCs boast extended operating hours and cashless systems, which help combat corruption and complete applications and payments in roughly 10 minutes [TopAuto].

South Africans who drive electric cars should prepare for long queues at charging stations: South African electric vehicle (EV) drivers must be prepared to queue for their turn at public EV charging stations during the upcoming summer holiday. Many EV drivers in South Africa can charge at home for most of their commuting needs, so they rarely need to use a public charging station [MyBroadband].

Kimi Antonelli crowned youngest ever F1 champion as Verstappen wins Mexico City Grand Prix: Kimi Antonelli became the youngest ever Formula 1 World Champion as third place in the Mexico City Grand Prix was enough for the Mercedes driver to claim the 2026 crown, with Max Verstappen taking race victory from Lewis Hamilton [F1].

Bugatti CEO Mate Rimac chases down his stolen Chiron in a Porsche 911: Bugatti Rimac CEO Mate Rimac chased down his stolen Chiron in his personal Porsche 911, leading to a wild chase crossing international lines. Rimac chased the stolen car alongside Croatian police [CarMag].

Ford’s new hypercar tears around Monza test track: Five months from now, Ford’s 5.4-litre hybrid V8 will roar alongside other Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) race cars on some of the world’s most famous race tracks. The automaker continues developing its World Endurance Championship (WEC) hypercar, and a new video captures the sound of its potent powertrain [Motor1].