Author: Malebogo Putu

In a sweeping crackdown on illicit drug production, South African authorities have dismantled multiple clandestine drug laboratories in Standerton, Mpumalanga, seizing chemicals, equipment, and finished narcotics valued at over R50 million. The operation, detailed by Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu during a press address on April 13, 2025, has led to the arrest of nine suspects, including six Mozambican nationals and three South Africans, highlighting what Mchunu described as a troubling involvement of illegal immigrants in the drug trade. The operation, which began on April 4, 2025, stemmed from a tip-off about suspicious activity in the area, Mchunu revealed. “A…

In a forceful address marking the close of the National Water and Sanitation Indaba on Friday 28 March 2025, South Africa’s Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile issued a stark warning about the multifaceted threats to the nation’s water security, from crumbling infrastructure to criminal exploitation and financial instability at the municipal level. Speaking at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng, Mashatile called for swift and decisive action to safeguard a resource he described as “essential for survival of our communities and households, for businesses to operate, for the economy to grow.” The two-day summit, attended by a cross-section of…

South Africa’s Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile delivered a sobering yet resolute message on Friday, 27 March 2025 as he closed the two-day National Water and Sanitation Indaba at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng. In his capacity as Chairperson of the Water Task Team, Mashatile underscored the critical importance of water security, urging collective action to address persistent challenges in access, infrastructure, and quality that threaten the nation’s development goals. “Water is not just a commodity but a vital resource, one that is essential for survival of our communities and households, for businesses to operate, for the economy…

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa placed local government at the heart of the nation’s water and sanitation crisis during his keynote address at the National Water and Sanitation Indaba in Midrand on Thursday, 27 March 2025 calling for a practical plan to support municipalities in delivering these essential services. Addressing a diverse gathering of ministers, water board representatives, and civil society leaders, Ramaphosa emphasized that structural reforms in the water sector “cannot be effectively implemented without local government being strengthened.” “Water and sanitation are key to development,” Ramaphosa said, linking the provision of these services to the restoration of human…

In a keynote address at the National Water and Sanitation Indaba held at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, on Thursday 27 March 2025, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa underscored the urgent need for a “national turnaround plan on water security” to address the country’s mounting challenges in providing clean water and sanitation to its citizens. Speaking to an audience of government officials, water sector stakeholders, and civil society representatives, Ramaphosa framed water stewardship as not only a strategic priority but a fundamental issue of human dignity, rooted in the nation’s Bill of Rights. “March is Human Rights Month, and a time…

Lesedi Molapisi, a 30-year-old Botswana national, remains ensnared in Bangladesh’s unforgiving judicial system, sentenced to death on May 27, 2024, for smuggling 3.145 kilograms of heroin into Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in January 2022. As of March 21, 2025, her appeal—lodged with the Bangladeshi court—awaits a hearing date, according to Botswana’s High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh, Gilbert Mangole. Speaking to local media on March 19, Mangole noted, “We last checked on Molapisi in December; she was in good health but indicated she was afraid,” confirming she has not been executed amid Bangladesh’s political turbulence following Sheikh Hasina’s ousting in…

A 41-year-old Mozambican national, linked to multiple vehicle theft and hijacking cases, has been arrested in Emanguzi, KwaZulu-Natal. The suspect, described as a serial offender, was previously convicted in five separate cases in Gauteng and Mpumalanga. According to a media statement released by Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk of the South African Police Service (SAPS), the arrest was made on Monday, 17 March 2025, by the Emanguzi Task Team. The team intercepted the suspect while he was driving a stolen truck with two trailers along the R22 road in Thandizwe, Emanguzi. “Upon inspection, the team discovered that the truck had…

A 43-year-old foreign national has been arrested in connection with a major drug bust in Wynberg, Western Cape. The arrest followed a joint operation conducted by the Anti-Economic Crime Task Team and the Provincial Counterfeit and Illicit Policing Team on Wednesday, 19 March 2025. According to a media statement released by Anelisiwe Manyana, spokesperson for the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Western Cape, the operation took place at approximately 05:00 at Grand Central Flats on Wynberg’s Main Road. During the search and seizure, officers discovered 365 Boss mandrax tablets, 130 grams of tik (methamphetamine), 20 grams of cocaine,…

A tragic bus accident near OR Tambo International Airport early Tuesday morning has left 12 people dead and 45 others injured, according to officials from the City of Ekurhuleni. The incident occurred at approximately 6:45 a.m., sending shockwaves through the community and prompting an outpouring of grief from local authorities. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, including OR Tambo, Thembisa, and Edenvale, for treatment. The cause of the accident remains under investigation, with police and other stakeholders combing the scene for evidence. Initial reports have not indicated whether other vehicles were involved. Andile Mngwevu, the Member of the Mayoral…

Six suspects were arrested on Saturday, March 8, 2025, just hours after a brazen cash-in-transit (CIT) robbery in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng. The swift police response led to the recovery of stolen cash, firearms, and vehicles allegedly used in the crime. According to Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, spokesperson for the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Gauteng, the robbery occurred earlier that day when a cash van was loading money at an ATM. “The suspects accosted the security guards at gunpoint, disarming them of a rifle and a pistol before fleeing the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash,” Nevhuhulwi stated. The suspects…