Author: Malebogo Putu
Bloemhof, 24 December 2024 – Six suspects were arrested during a Crime Intelligence-led operation in Bloemhof on Sunday morning, 22 December 2024, for drug possession and dealing.The operation, carried out by the Bloemhof Crime Prevention Unit, Public Order Policing, and the Anti-Gang Unit, involved searches of five identified residences in Bloemhof town, Coverdale Extension 10, and Boitumelong Extension 4.Police seized drugs valued at R66,000 during the operation. The suspects arrested include:1. Stanley Abuchi (40) – Dealing in drugs2. Kedirileng Kgwebane (39) – Dealing in drugs3. Chidi Emeodi (41) – Possession of drugs4. Davidson Okorie (55) – Possession of drugs5. Khayalethu…
Johannesburg, 24 December 2024 – Five suspects were arrested on Monday, 23 December 2024, for unauthorized borehole drilling in the Johannesburg CBD, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) confirmed in a statement.The arrests were made by the JMPD Tactical Response Unit after reports of illegal drilling activity on Nugget Street, near the intersection of Main and Fox Streets. Investigations revealed that unauthorized drilling had also occurred at two additional locations on Durban and Delvers Streets.The suspects, including the operator of a drilling truck, were detained at the Johannesburg Central Police Station. They face charges of tampering with critical infrastructure. The…
Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ms. Nomalungelo Gina, has intensified efforts to address South Africa’s critical shortage of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) skills by engaging with business chambers across the country. This week, she met with the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber in Gqeberha and the Border-Kei Business Chamber in East London to discuss partnerships aimed at bridging education gaps and creating a skilled workforce.These engagements form part of a broader initiative to foster collaboration between government, business, and education institutions. Deputy Minister Gina highlighted the importance of a value chain linking STEM education, skills development,…
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) has given President Cyril Ramaphosa an ultimatum to implement Sections 4 and 5 of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act by 13 December 2024, or face legal and industrial action. If the President does not comply, the Union will take legal action and embark on industrial action. In an urgent letter to the President, SADTU expressed concern that the Act has not been fully enforced, despite it being passed with extensive consultation and in line with constitutional mandates to redress past imbalances in access to quality public education. SADTU argues that there…
The deadline for submissions regarding the controversial Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act is fast approaching, with just three days left for public input. The Act, which was signed by President Ramaphosa on September 13, 2024, and postponed for three months for further consultations, has stirred significant debate across various sectors, particularly regarding its clauses on language and admissions policies. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has been vocal in opposing Clauses 4 and 5 of the BELA Act, arguing that they undermine parental and school governing body control over language policies. The DA believes the government’s power to dictate these policies…
As South Africa marks 30 years since the enactment of the Restitution of Land Rights Act of 1994, Minister Mzwanele Nyhontso delivered a speech on December 2, 2024, underscoring the achievements, challenges, and ongoing struggles in reversing the century-long injustices of land dispossession under colonial and apartheid regimes. The Act was a historic milestone aimed at restoring land to those who had been forcibly removed from it over the course of 342 years of oppressive rule. Reversing the Legacy of Land Dispossession Minister Nyhontso opened his address with a sobering reflection on the historical significance of land dispossession, which he…
The Gauteng Department of Health has stepped in to address the laundry crisis at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto, following public outcry over dirty hospital linen. Nurses recently raised concerns about infection control, with images of soiled linen circulating on social media. In a statement, the department assured the public that measures are being implemented to restore normal operations. “The Gauteng Department of Health would like to reassure the public that several measures continue to be implemented to ensure the provision of clean linen to patients at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital,” the department said. The hospital’s ageing…
Two men, both aged 31, were arrested on Saturday, 7 December 2024, in connection with a stolen Toyota Quantum minibus during a joint patrol by Hoopdal and Cumberland police. Police Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba revealed that officers received information about a white Toyota Quantum stolen in the Lephalale area. Acting on the alert, they conducted a lookout and intercepted the vehicle traveling between the R510 and Sentrum T-Junction. Upon being stopped, one passenger unexpectedly exited the minibus, rolled on the ground clutching his stomach, and pretended to be in severe pain. The driver claimed he was rushing the man to the…
Police have arrested three men, aged 24 to 28, in connection with the alleged murder of a 23-year-old man who was reportedly caught breaking into one of their homes. Police Sergeant Josephine Rani stated that officers responded to a complaint of an assault on Sunday, 8 December 2024, at around 6:00 p.m. When they arrived at the scene, they found the victim lying lifeless in the yard of one of the suspects. Emergency services were called but declared the man dead at the scene. Preliminary investigations suggest that the deceased had broken into the home of one of the suspects.…
A 34-year-old man, Willy Mxolise Mhlongo, was remanded in custody by the Komatipoort Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 9 December 2024, on charges of fraud and contravening both the Customs and Excise Act, Act 91 of 1964, and the Counterfeit Goods Act, Act 37 of 1997. Police Lieutenant Colonel Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi revealed that the arrest followed a coordinated operation involving Nelspruit-based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation officers and Komatipoort SAPS. Information was received at around 2:00 a.m. on Monday about a suspect transporting counterfeit goods from Naas, Nkomazi, to Gauteng. The team intercepted a Toyota Quantum on the N4 tollgate road…