Cape Times
ZILLE SIGNALS SUPPORT FOR HILL-LEWIS
CAPE Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis's rise to the top of the Democratic Alliance now appears all but inevitable, with political analysts saying his ascent has effectively been sealed following glowing public praise from DA federal council chairperson...
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INFORMANT QUESTIONED OVER KEY WITNESS’S MURDER
POLICE informant Wiandre Pretorius, who died by suicide at an Astron Energy filling station in Brakpan on Gauteng's East Rand, was the first person of interest questioned by the police following the brutal murder of Marius van der Merwe. Van der...
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HILL-LEWIS EYES SECOND TERM AS MAYOR
CAPE Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, who has been touted as a potential candidate to replace DA leader John Steenhuisen, has hinted at running for a second term as mayor. However he was not among newly announced DA mayoral candidates for eight...
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HPCSA opposes Dr Wouter Basson’s bid to permanently halt disciplinary proceedings linked to Project Coast
THE Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is set to oppose Dr Wouter Basson’s latest court bid to stop the disciplinary action taken against him, saying it was in the interest of justice that the man known as the head of a top-secret...
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NPA hails landmark conviction of ex-crime intel officer for fraud, money laundering
FORMER police officer Paul Scheepers has become the first to be convicted for being in possession of a cell phone grabber/locator without ministerial exemption and use of multiple accounts to conceal R5.59 million in proceeds of unlawful...
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St Francis Bay vessel fire sparks pollution fears
THE South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has issued a navigation warning due to the presence of the sunken vessel FV Western Star, which poses a hazard to maritime traffic. The 40-foot vessel owned by Knysna Fishing Company sank yesterday,...
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‘SHUT ISRAELI EMBASSY IN SA’
THE South African government should now shutdown the Israeli embassy after the expulsion of Ariel Seidman, the Chargé d'Affaires of the Israeli Embassy. EFF leader Julius Malema made this call when addressing the first day of the party's 3rd National...
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How refusing R45m ‘Grabber’ funding for ANC ‘cost’ ex-Crime Intelligence official
FORMER Crime Intelligence's Secret Services Account head Tiyani Lincoln Hlungwani's problems intensified when he apparently refused to authorise the R45 million to buy a grabber machine for the Crime Intelligence. Hlungwana told MPs at the Ad Hoc...
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ISRAELI OFFICIALS’ VISIT COULD LAND HOSPITAL CHIEFS IN HOT WATER
REFUSING Israel's donation would have amounted to defying AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, say two Eastern Cape hospitals chief executive officers as the provincial government awaits a report on alleged breach of government protocol. King...
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MATLALA ALSO BANKROLLED TOP COP’S LIFESTYLE, INQUIRY TOLD
SUSPECTED crime kingpin, Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, allegedly shared information with KwaZulu-Natal SAPS Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi about a Sandton house where suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General...
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Scholar transport tragedy opens old ‘Blackheath train-crossing wounds’
POLICE Minister Senzo Mchunu allegedly promised an undercover operative “a free” and “happy life” if he provided false information to the Madlanga Commission of inquiry. The commission is probing allegations that Mchunu, who has since been placed on...
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I feel like I am dreaming, says mother of youngest scholar tragedy victim
SIX-YEAR-OLD Ofentse Jayden Vinger had only attended school three days before his life was cut short during the Vanderbijlpark scholar transport accident that also claimed the lives of 13 other children. In a moving funeral service, where Ofense,...
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South Africa marks another historic step in the battle against HIV/AIDS
THE launch of a first-in-human clinical trial at the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation (DTHF) site at Groote Schuur Hospital has been hailed as a historic step toward contributing to the development of an HIV vaccine in Southern Africa. The first...
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TRUMP BACKTRACKS ON THREATS IN GREENLAND
GREENLAND’S government unveiled a new brochure yesterday offering advice to the population in the event of a “crisis” in the territory, which US President Donald Trump has repeatedly vowed to seize from his country’s ally Denmark. Guidance includes...
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GREENLAND NOT UP FOR NEGOTIATION – EU TELLS WEF
EUROPEAN Commission President Ursula von der Leyen drew a line in the sand in the wake of US President Donald Trump's threat to seize Greenland, saying its sovereignty and territorial integrity were not up for negotiation. Greenland's strategic...
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DEATHS OF LEARNERS SPARK CALLS TO TIGHTEN SCHOLAR TRANSPORT REGULATIONS
ONE of the drivers involved in the Vanderbijlpark deadly crash that claimed the lives of 14 learners had been reprimanded last week for reckless driving behaviour, says Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane. According to preliminary reports, the...
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DECLARE W CAPE GUN VIOLENCE STATE OF EMERGENCY
THE killing of eight people during a shooting linked to extortion in Philippi East has ignited calls for the provincial government to declare gun violence in the Western Cape a state of emergency. Three suspects opened fire at a tavern in the Marikana...
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City defends baboon sanctuary plan amid growing opposition
THE City is forging ahead with the planning and development of a proposed baboon sanctuary on the Cape Peninsula despite opposition from animal welfare organisations. The Animal Survival International (ASI), has raised concerns, saying the process was...
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CLASS OF 2025 SET BAR HIGH
ALL South African education districts achieved over 80% performance in the 2025 NSC examinations. This was disclosed by Basic Education director-general Dr Hubert Mathanzima Mweli when he highlighted the unprecedented achievements from progressed...
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HELP DISPLACED DUNOON RESIDENTS RISE FROM DISASTER
THOUSANDS of Dunoon residents have no idea how they will recover from a devastating fire that left more than 5000 people homeless just days before their children are set to return to school on Wednesday. Described as the largest informal settlement...
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KNYSNA FAST APPROACHING DAY ZERO – GIFT OF GIVERS
GREATER Knysna residents will now pay 100% more on top of their current water bills, as the municipality rolls out harsh new drought tariffs to curb non-essential water use during the severe shortage. “The implementation of Level 4 water restrictions...
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CLEARED TO RETURN, HEATHFIELD HIGH PRINCIPAL ‘JUST WANTS TO TEACH’
ALL Wesley Neumann wants is to return to Heathfield High School as principal, chalk in hand, and continue his passion for education. This is according to his lawyer, Vernon Seymour who said Neumann was looking forward to resuming duty after the Labour...
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SACP eyes ANC’s January 8 bash despite rising tensions
THE SACP intends to participate in the ANC's January 8 celebrations at the weekend despite plans to contest its alliance partner during the local government elections later this year. Scheduled for Saturday, January 10, at the Moruleng Stadium in...
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CITY STILL WANTS TO SPOIL MINSTREL PARTY
THE Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) has dedicated its victory against the City to every citizen who believes that their traditions were not for sale. “The judiciary has sent a clear message. The City of Cape Town is now compelled to...
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China achieves fruitful results in high-quality development during 14th Five-Year Plan period
The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has started its fourth plenary session in Beijing on Oct. 20. The four-day meeting aims at studying the proposals for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for national economic...
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HERO LIFEGUARD SAVES FOUR AT MILLERS POINT BEACH
SAADIQ Parker has credited his training and nine years of lifesaving experience for not hesitating to jump into action and help rescue four people, including two girls aged five and eight, from drowning at Millers Point Beach in Simon’s Town at the...
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TOY GUN OR NOT, DEPUTY MAYOR MUST STILL ANSWER, SAY EXPERTS
UNDER-FIRE Bitou Municipality deputy mayor, Nokuzola Kolwapi ‘still broke the law' when discharging what she now claims to be a toy gun during traditional celebrations welcoming the return of her son from a Xhosa initiation school. This is according...
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ROBBEN ISLAND MUSEUM CEO’S DEPARTURE SHROUDED IN SECRECY
THE Robben Island Museum (RIM) and its now former chief executive Abigail Thulare have remained tightlipped about details of their “mutual separation of employment” following her suspension amid an investigation into management practices. This...
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Proposed salary hikes for high level government officials a 'slap in the face' for struggling South Africans
THE recommendation of a 4.1% salary increase for public office bearers, which would see the President's annual salary rise by about R137 000 to approximately R3.4 million, has come under sharp criticism as ordinary South Africans struggle to make ends...
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US HINTS AT INTENSIFYING HOSTILITIES
THE Donald Trump-led administration has hinted at escalating its hostilities against South Africa, accusing Pretoria of harassing its government employees working with Afrikaners. The State Department said yesterday that passport information of US...
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Slain DJ Warras’ fight against hijacked buildings ‘invited’ threats
SLAIN Warrick "DJ Warras" Stock had apparently been threatened when he intensified his work of recovering hijacked buildings in the Joburg CBD- an issue he also spoke strongly against on various social media platforms in recent months. Stock was shot...
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RAIN MUST FALL IN KNYSNA
AS THOUSANDS of local and international tourists are expected to flock to the Garden Route during this festive season, the Knysna municipality, which recently introduced heightened water restrictions, has warned of increased non-compliance and...
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STILL NO JUSTICE FOR BRAVE WHISTLEBLOWER
IT has been nine months and police are no closer to catching the killers of brave whistleblower and community activist, Pamela Mabini, who was instrumental in the arrest of Nigerian televangelist pastor Timothy Omotoso for alleged sex...
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THE magic of CATS
THE iconic and much-loved musical CATS, inspired by T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, has made its return to the Artscape Opera House, set to wow audiences until early next year. Audiences can look forward to a talented South African...
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ROMAIN BARATS:
Ocean adventure finalist. A diver surrounded by a pod of sperm whales. “We saw 15 whales socialising,” says Barats. “The sea was rough but when you get to see something like that, you quickly forget the conditions”. | ROMAIN BARATS Ocean Photographer...
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WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS NOTHING BUT ‘LIP SERVICE’
“HER husband died a hero, that's all I can tell her.” This is the message Nicolette Kinnear, widow of celebrated policeman and former section commander in the Anti-Gang Unit, Charl Kinnear who was murdered outside his Bishop Lavis home, said she would...
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WHISTLEBLOWER SLAMS DECEPTIVE GOVERNMENT
THE lack of protection of whistleblowers is a symptom of two tragic realities which have been perpetuated and exacerbated under the Ramaphosa government, says scholar and whistleblower Dr Athol Williams. “Disregard for human life” is tragedy one and...
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SLAIN WHISTLE-BLOWER MAY HAVE KNOWN HIS KILLERS
“NONE of us saw this coming. We thought now that he had concluded his evidence before the Commission, he was no longer in direct danger and that the next step would be to testify later in court.” That is how Jacques Vorster, the friend of slain...
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WCED's school admissions policy fails the test
THE Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has been ordered to produce a comprehensive management plan for late, extremely late and transfer applications within six months, after a court found its admissions policy violates the Constitution. In the...
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JUSTICE FOR CAIPHUS NYOKA AFTER 30 YEARS
“JUSTICE delayed is never justice denied” was the belief that maintained the resolve of anti-apartheid activist Caiphus Nyoka's family in their quest for the truth. The 30-year long wait finally came to an end on Tuesday when the Pretoria High Court...
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HOW EXTORTION ACCUSED COPS REMAINED AT WORK
THE City returned two law enforcement officers to duty despite knowing the investigation into their alleged involvement in extortion-related crimes was ‘incomplete'. The officers were arrested again yesterday after allegedly continuing the scheme...
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Surviving severe abuse: A mother’s journey to safety
I CAME to the shelter, through abuse. The perpetrator used to severely hit me when I was pregnant until I decided to run away from him. This is how I eventually ended up at Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children. I lost my first pregnancy...
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Court upholds teacher’s reinstatement victory
WHAT started as an ill-conceived review application has taken the form of litigation-by-attrition, remarked Acting Labour Court judge, Veronique Barthus when turning down the Western Cape Education Department's (WCED) latest attempt to challenge a...
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GERMANY WARNS TRUMP ON SA ‘RIFT’
A DONALD Trump-led administration's rift with South Africa would ultimately not be in Washington's interest, says German Chancellor Friedrich Merz who has urged the US president to reconsider his decision to bar Pretoria from the 2026 G20 summit in...
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BAVUMA’S CAPTAINCY ETCHED IN HISTORY
“I THINK now I'm probably a lot more assured of myself as a person, as a captain, of what I'm trying to do out there.” That is how Proteas captain Temba Bavuma reacted having masterminded South Africa's 2-0 clean sweep of India after their mammoth...
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Martello: dominant alpha male baboon planned for euthanasia given lifeline
THE Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team (CPBMJTT) has given a dominant alpha male baboon a lifeline, saying that plans to put him down were off the table. This comes after conservation advocates raised concerns over the planned euthanasia...
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ANOTHER TWIST IN R64M ‘DODGY’ LAND SALE
BENEFICIARIES of a multi-million project near Table View are now set to be accommodated in a temporary settlement while government departments continue to point fingers at each other. The development of the land bought about seven years ago for...
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VICTORY FOR MULTILATERALISM AT SA’S G20
BRAZILIAN President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva launched a scathing criticism on his US counterpart Donald Trump saying, boycotting the G20 Summit in South Africa at the weekend was his latest attempt to practically advocate for the end of...
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‘PEOPLE WILL LOSE FAITH IN PREMIER WINDE’
WITHHOLDING the Western Cape Police Ombudsman report into alleged infiltration of police by criminal gangs will further erode public trust not only in the police but also in the provincial government. This is according to slain Lieutenant-Colonel...
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Presidency dismisses Solidarity’s latest ‘race campaign’ as insignificant, mindless
THE Presidency has labelled Solidarity a “tiny right-wing minority”, saying the organisation's campaign ahead of the G20 Leader's Summit was “unimportant and mindless”. By yesterday large-scale billboards and banners with “Welcome to the most...
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WINDE NOW PROMISES COP-GANG LINKS REPORT
WHILE pressure continues to mount on Premier Alan Winde to release a report into alleged links between SAPS and gangs, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) confirmed having launched an investigation into the extent of...
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D-DAY FOR WINDE TO RELEASE POLICE-GANG LINKS REPORT
WHILE the DA has largely remained silent on Premier Alan Winde’s continued refusal to release the three-yearold Western Cape Police Ombudsman’s report into alleged links between police and gangs, the party yesterday accused the SAPS top brass of...
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EX-ANC BIGWIG NOW SINGS TO ZILLE’S TUNE
EX- ANC Western Cape secretary Neville Delport has warned that more disgruntled members will follow in his footsteps and join the DA after recently being replaced by a reconfigured leadership. Delport said despite winning an elective conference,...
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‘Probes link top cop to crime syndicates’
POLICE investigations have allegedly linked Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya to criminal syndicates, says SAPS Divisional Commissioner for Crime Intelligence, Lieutenant-General Dumisani...
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‘Hawks ‘interfered’ in the arrest of Molefe’
HAWKS Divisional Commissioner for National Priority Offences Operations General Dumisani Mbotho has disclosed a direct link between the elite unit's former boss, Godfrey Lebeya and suspected criminal underworld boss Katiso ‘KT' Molefe. He also...
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CRIME STATS DELAY ERODES PUBLIC TRUST
THE SAPS' prolonged delays in releasing the country's quarterly crime statistics hinder advocacy efforts, community safety planning, and prevention strategies, say civil organisation movements. Initially expected to be released in August, then...
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SOUTHERN
elephant seal Bakkies comes ashore for its annual molt — a vulnerable time when the animal sheds its entire outer skin and hair. Experts urge the public to keep their distance and avoid any disturbance during this critical rest period.
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TAKE A BOW BUNCH OF HISTORY MAKERS
THE Proteas Women under the leadership of skipper Laura Wolvaardt made history by reaching their first 50 over ICC World Cup final. They will now be aiming to go one better than the two previous times they lost in the finals of the ICC T20 World...
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MATHALE BLINDSIDED BY MCHUNU’S PKTT CLOSURE
POLICE Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale initially thought his boss Senzo Mchunu's letter directing the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) was fake since he had not been informed of it through official channels. Mathale came across it...
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Dismissed teacher braces for another WCED battle
THE Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has spent more than R250 000 from the public purse in legal fees trying to overturn the decision to reinstate former Primrose Park Primary teacher Lee-Ann Snyders and pay her more than R360 000. It will use...
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HOW SA SCHOOLS FAIL BULLIED PUPILS
MILNERTON High School does not have a formal anti-bullying policy in place. This is the finding the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education made following an oversight visit to the school on Friday. The visit follows the assault of a 16-yearold grade...
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BHEKI CELE ADDS TO EMBATTLED SENZO MCHUNU’S WOES
ONLY President Cyril Ramaphosaas the person responsible for the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) which birthed the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), had the power to disband the elite unit. That is according to former police minister Bheki Cele...
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‘I DON’T KNOW IF MY SON WILL BE SAFE’ – MOM OF BULLIED PUPIL SPEAKS
THE mother of the Milnerton High School pupil being assaulted in a viral video doubts if her son will be safe when he returns to school. “The only thing I am expecting now is for justice to be served. I'm still angry, it's still shocking, I'm still...
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Top cop linked to suspects arrested in high profile murder case
SUSPENDED Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, allegedly sought information about the Armand Swart murder case to brief suspects, the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry heard on Tuesday. This was revealed by...
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Detective reveals attempts to derail high profile Armand Swart murder investigation
THE investigators in the Armand Swart murder case have been assigned 10 officers to ensure their safety after the team received threats and intimidation, according to Witness A who testified at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry yesterday. Witness A,...
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WHAT A BIG BLOW
RENOWNED road runner Stephen Mokoka’s quest for his fourth Sanlam Cape Town Marathon title will have to wait a little longer after yesterday’s race was cancelled due to windy weather conditions. The South African running legend was out to extend his...
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NET CLOSES ON ‘COMRADES’, WHILE MCHUNU TAKES HOT SEAT
WHILE suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu faced the grilling of MPs over his alleged interference at SAPS, his ‘comerade' and controversial North West businessman Brown Mogotsi's property was visited by police. “The SAPS confirms that there is...
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D-Day for Senzo Mchunu to clarify alleged political interference at SAPS
THE controversial directive to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) will come under scrutiny when suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu appears before the parliamentary inquiry into allegations of corruption within the criminal justice...
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MAUMELA’S ‘ENCOUNTERS’ HAUNT CYRIL
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa's change of tune about knowing one of the alleged Tembisa Hospital looting syndicates leaders Hangwani Maumela, has ignited calls for him to be investigated. Ramaphosa, answering questions from Members of Parliament at the...
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Deadly Limpopo bus accident ignites renewed calls for heightened safety
THE Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) together with the local law enforcement authorities were yesterday conducting a full scene reconstruction and mechanical investigation of the bus that allegedly veered off the road, killing at least 42...
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Nathi Mthethwa’s gallant activism hailed during moving send-off
IN A MOVING tribute late South African ambassador to France Nathi Mthethwa's widow Philisiwe Buthelezi Mthethwa described their 17 years of marriage as filled with love and unwavering support. “You were my king, my protector, my joy. In your eyes, I...
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Premier, Health MEC under fire for ‘failing’ to act
GAUTENG Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko have been accused of failing to take meaningful action against employees and service providers implicated in the looting of Tembisa Hospital. In its interim report into corruption at...
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MKHWANAZI DROPS ANOTHER MCHUNU BOMBSHELL
KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi believes suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu was only the signatory of the letter that controversially confirmed the dismantling of the political killings task team (PKTT). Mkhwanazi has accused rogue...
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HOW WORKERS ‘HELPED’ LOOT TEMBISA HOSPITAL
TRADE unions representing medical workers and nurses believe low-level workers could have been exploited and manipulated into enabling fraud and corruption syndicates to loot more than R2 billion from Tembisa Hospital. “It must not be that low-level...
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UNDERFUNDING COULD COLLAPSE MADLANGA INQUIRY
THE alleged lack of budget clarity for the Madlanga Commission inquiry could be the government's plan to sabotage the commission's work. That is according to political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu following the commission's former chief evidence leader,...
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