Author: Malebogo Putu

Raila Amolo Odinga, the indomitable Kenyan opposition leader who endured decades of political persecution, brokered fragile peace after national turmoil and shaped the country’s democratic evolution through five presidential bids, died on Wednesday in Kochi, India. He was 80. Mr. Odinga, often called “Baba” or “Agwambo” by supporters, suffered a cardiac arrest during a morning walk at an Ayurvedic hospital in Koothattukulam, Ernakulam district, Kerala, where he had been receiving treatment. The news, confirmed by family members and hospital officials, sent shockwaves through Kenya, prompting spontaneous gatherings in Nairobi’s Kibera slum and Kisumu’s streets, his strongholds. President William Ruto declared…

Police in the Western Cape have launched an intensive manhunt following the fatal shooting of three men in their twenties in the Lotus informal settlement in Gugulethu on Tuesday evening. According to a media statement issued by Colonel Andrè Traut of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Western Cape, the attack occurred at approximately 18:30 when “the victims were attacked by unknown gunmen who opened fire before fleeing the scene.” Authorities have not yet determined the motive for the killings. “The motive for the attack is yet to be determined, and detectives from the Provincial Serious and Violent…

Police efforts to track down suspects linked to violent crimes in the Western Cape have led to the arrest of a man wanted for murder in Delft earlier this month, authorities confirmed on Wednesday. According to a media statement issued by Sergeant Wesley Twigg of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Western Cape, the operation was conducted by members of the Anti-Gang Unit and Delft SAPS, who acted on intelligence regarding the suspect’s whereabouts. “Efforts to arrest suspects on the wrong side of the law yielded positive results when police members arrested a suspect wanted for a murder…

The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Limpopo has arrested a tenth suspect believed to be part of a notorious syndicate responsible for a wave of ATM bombings that struck the province between 2023 and 2024. According to Colonel Malesela Ledwaba of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, the arrest was made “during an ongoing intelligence-driven operation conducted by the Provincial Tracking Team aimed at tracing the remaining suspects.” Ledwaba said the 50-year-old male suspect was apprehended “on the night of Monday, 06 October 2025, at around 21:00, at a hideout in Stinkwater, Hammanskraal, in the Gauteng province.” The…

An 18-year-old father has been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of his five-month-old biological son at Jimmy Jones Village near Malamulele, Limpopo, in what police have described as a “heartbreaking act of violence.” According to a statement issued by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Limpopo, the incident occurred on Tuesday morning, October 7, 2025. The suspect was apprehended later that night, at approximately 22:00, following an intensive investigation by local detectives. The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, commended the swift action of law enforcement officers in apprehending the suspect. “I commend…

Five members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), among them a female soldier, are facing charges of corruption alongside two undocumented Zimbabwean nationals, in a case that has cast a fresh spotlight on the persistent challenge of cross-border smuggling and official corruption in South Africa’s northernmost province. The seven suspects, aged between 26 and 42, are scheduled to appear before the Musina Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, September 18, 2025. According to police, they face charges of corruption, possession of illicit cigarettes, unlawful discharge of a firearm, and defeating the ends of justice. Their arrests on Tuesday, September 16,…

South African Police Service (SAPS) units in the Free State province conducted a series of raids targeting drug-related crimes in Bloemfontein and surrounding areas, resulting in multiple arrests and seizures, according to Lt. Col. Thabo Covane. Members of the Public Order Police (POP) Unit, while patrolling the Bloemspruit Police Station precinct, acted on a community tip-off about a drug post in Phase 4. “A search was conducted, during which Mandrax tablets and bankies containing Crystal Meth were found and seized,” Lt. Col. Covane said. A 38-year-old male was arrested, and cash believed to be proceeds from drug sales was confiscated.…

Police have launched an investigation into the fatal shooting of five men whose bodies were discovered at an open-cast mine in Tlhatlaganyane Village, near Sun City, authorities said Monday. Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone, spokesperson for the South African Police Service in North West, confirmed that a multi-disciplinary team is on the scene to gather evidence and determine the circumstances surrounding the killings. “The police will conduct an extensive investigation to ensure that those responsible are identified and arrested,” Mokgwabone said. The area is known for illegal mining activities and has previously drawn attention from South Africa’s National Parliament, with visits from…

The North West Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) is steadily advancing toward achieving a Clean Audit opinion, following four consecutive years of receiving an Unqualified Audit opinion with no material misstatements.In its most recent report, the Auditor-General attributed the department’s consistent audit success to the submission of credible, complete, and materially accurate financial statements. These submissions, according to the report, “fairly presented the financial performance of the Department.”MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Gaoage Oageng Molapisi, lauded the department’s trajectory while acknowledging that further improvements are still needed. “As a department that is supporting…

The Pretoria Magistrates’ Court has sentenced Thabo Xolani Masoka, 32, to life imprisonment for the rape of an 11-year-old girl with Down syndrome, in a ruling that underscores South Africa’s firm stance against gender-based violence. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the verdict, emphasizing its commitment to protecting vulnerable victims. The assault took place on September 18, 2022, in a block of flats where Masoka resided alongside the victim and her mother. According to court details, the incident occurred around 7:45 PM as the victim’s mother was closing her salon, located on the premises. The girl began walking home but…