Author: Malebogo Putu
A 38-year-old man, Elphas Ellias Shabangu, was sentenced to three life terms by the Volksrust Regional Court for the rape of three minors in separate incidents in Piet Retief and Volksrust, according to a joint statement by the National Prosecution Authority and the South African Police Service. The first incident occurred on October 11, 2023, at approximately 6:30 p.m. in Piet Retief. Shabangu approached an 8-year-old girl at her home near the gate, asking her to buy a box of matches from a nearby shop. He gave her 5 rand, telling her she could keep 2 rand. When she returned,…
The North West Province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has confirmed an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, specifically within the JB Marks Local Municipality, raising concerns for the region’s livestock industry. According to departmental spokesperson Emelda Setlhako, the first case was reported by a private veterinarian who observed suspicious signs during a farm visit. “The State Veterinarian collected samples, which were sent to the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (OVI) to test for the disease,” Setlhako said, confirming the presence of FMD. A second incident was detected at an abattoir in Madibeng, where…
South African authorities intensified their fight against illegal mining with targeted operations at two major sites in Limpopo province, resulting in the arrest of four suspects and the seizure of equipment and materials, police announced on Saturday. The Vala Umgodi Task Team, acting on credible intelligence, conducted raids on Friday, June 13, 2025, targeting illegal activities at Sefateng Chrome Mine and Bokone Platinum Mine, according to Lieutenant Colonel Masekela Magoro of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Limpopo. The operations underscore the police’s “unwavering commitment to uphold the rule of law and protect the environment,” Magoro said. At approximately…
South African police in Leslie, Mpumalanga, are investigating the death of a 45-year-old man who allegedly took his own life after being accused of raping his stepdaughter, according to Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Province. The allegations stem from incidents that reportedly began in 2017, when the victim, then 17, was allegedly sexually abused by the man. The victim, now 25, disclosed the abuse to her biological mother in 2024. “Deeply disturbed by the revelations, the mother chose to separate from the suspect but did not report the matter to the police…
PORT ST. JOHN’S, South Africa — South African Police Service (SAPS) Tactical Response Teams (TRT) and Combat units arrested three suspects and confiscated unlicensed firearms, ammunition, and military-grade equipment in a two-day intelligence-driven operation in Port St. John’s, Eastern Cape, from June 12 to 13, 2025, according to Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana. Acting on intelligence linking illegal firearms to taxi violence and cash-in-transit robberies, the TRT Recce Team, supported by OR Tambo and Joe Gqabi Combat Teams, executed search warrants at two homesteads in Tombo A/A and Mthumbane. At the Tombo A/A address, a 46-year-old female suspect presented a firearm license…
A 51-year-old South African man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of his 10-year-old niece in January 2012, the Bloemfontein Regional Court ruled, following a case brought to light by the survivor’s courage to speak out in 2024. The conviction, hailed as a triumph of justice, was the result of the survivor’s bravery, the dedication of a police investigator, and the persistence of a skilled prosecutor, according to Captain Loraine Earle of the South African Police Service in Free State. In August 2024, the now 21-year-old woman revealed the abuse to a social worker during a counseling…
Helen Zille, the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Federal Council chairperson, is mulling a bid for Johannesburg mayor in the 2026 local government elections, a move that could reshape the city’s fractious political landscape. In an interview with Radio 702, Zille expressed “unfinished business” with Johannesburg, where she spent her youth, and described the mayoral role as a chance to address the city’s spiraling crises, including weeks-long water outages in 2025 and rampant crime. She has until June 15 to apply, as the DA’s top picks reportedly declined due to the position’s low pay and high demands. Zille’s tenure as Cape Town…
A series of intelligence-led police operations across Limpopo province resulted in the arrest of four suspects and the seizure of illicit drugs with a combined estimated street value of R80,000, the South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed on Saturday. According to Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, the SAPS Mahwelereng Detectives, in collaboration with the K9 Unit, launched a tactical operation on Friday, June 6, beginning at 06:00. The mission targeted three individuals at separate locations in an effort to disrupt the regional drug trade. In the first phase of the operation, police moved into Mosesetjane Village, where a 21-year-old African male was…
A suspect linked to the fatal shooting of a police officer and a subsequent violent crime spree was shot and killed by police during a confrontation in Ngcobo, Eastern Cape, on Saturday night. The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Eastern Cape confirmed in a media statement issued by Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana that the suspect was fatally wounded at approximately 22:30 on June 7, 2025. The shooting occurred after police confronted the man, who allegedly opened fire on officers. The incident began earlier that evening, around 17:45 in Ngqamakhwe, where the suspect allegedly shot and killed a police officer…
In a major blow to transnational organized crime, South African police have dismantled what they describe as one of the most sophisticated cross-border smuggling operations between South Africa and Malawi. The operation led to the recovery of stolen vehicle parts, disassembled motorcycles, and high-value electronics, all concealed inside a truck headed for Malawi. According to Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, spokesperson for the Limpopo Police, the operation unfolded in the early hours of Thursday, June 5, 2025. At approximately 02:00, the Limpopo Anti-Smuggling Task Team—assisted by Tshimollo Security and Investigation and Shadow Secure Technology—intercepted a Scania truck with superlink trailers near the…