The trial of alleged crime boss Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala and four co-accused has ended the week with questions lingering over how police handled accused one, Musa Kekana. Kekana said police removed him from Edenvale hospital before he had finished his medical treatment and took him to a holding cell at Bramley police station. He also claims a former Bramley station commander put pressure on hospital staff to release him early. All of this is being tested in a trial-within-a-trial, where Kekana is trying to have evidence allegedly obtained during his arrest thrown out of the main trial. The five are facing a combined 25 charges in connection with three incidents between 2022 and 2024. Sergeant Malikutu Raseala, who transported Kekana from the hospital to the police station, denied that a former commander had anything to do with his discharge The court also heard medical evidence about Kekana’s condition. Two doctors who examined him at Edenvale after his arrest said th...

Political parties have been on the campaign trail this weekend, ahead of the November local government elections.  On Saturday, Build One South Africa (BOSA) launched its manifesto.  The party has offered to make public its coalition plans, while aiming to clamp down on political interference in the state.  BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane confirmed the party's almost 800 councillor-candidates have been vetted. "Every single one of our candidates is someone we have vetted, is someone who will be working and living in your community. And when we made out to say, 'let us make a call for professionals,' we have ensured that they are qualified enough to serve you. And between now and the 4th of November, we continue to train them." Meanwhile, the year-old Afrika Mayibuye Movement plans to field more than 4,300 candidates across the country.  Founder Floyd Shivambu was addressing a launch for its Gauteng candidates, where he confirmed plans to contest in the Weste...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that culprits behind attacks on law enforcement officers will face the full might of the law. Ramaphosa was addressing the South African Police Service (SAPS) Commemoration Day at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where 12 officers who died in the line of duty between April last year and March this year are being honoured. The officers were killed under varying circumstances, including while conducting routine operations, responding to a neighbour’s call for help, or chasing suspects. Ramaphosa likened the attacks on police officers to attacks on the integrity of the State. “They are essentially confronting all of us. For this reason, those who murder police officers must know that the full might of the law will be brought to bear upon them. Those who plan these attacks must be found.” Meanwhile, acting Police Minister Feroz Cachalia has confirmed progress in some of the cases. “There were 20 arrests, 11 convictions, 4 life sentences. Fro...

The Madlanga Commission heard expert evidence that South Africa is among the countries with the highest rates of organised crime. The director of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, Mark Shaw, shared the statistic on the stand His testimony came as the commission probes alleged cartel activities, as well as role players who allegedly infiltrated the criminal justice system. "There's much to say about Colombia as it compares to us. Mexico, Paraguay, Ecuador, so four Latin American countries, the Democratic Republic of Congo, then ourselves, then Nigeria, Lebanon, Turkey, Kenya, etc. What this effectively means is that South Africa is in the top 5% of all countries in the world in respect of criminal markets and actors as measured by the index," Shaw said. Shaw is also set to present recommendations for the commission to combat criminal syndicates. He's been referring to how other countries have tackled so-called mafias. “In the cont...

Maquassi Hills RDP houses remain incomplete despite the South African Human Rights Commission's report being concluded in 2024 The commission embarked on an investigative inquiry to find out what transpired into RDP houses that are not completed after funds to build residents their houses were secured  The commission was supposed to have concluded the report into the incomplete RDP houses in March 31, 2024, however, that was delayed by few months  The commission has found out that, the incomplete RDP houses were not built beyond the foundation stage; those whose walls were built up to the halfway point; and those left without roofing The SAHRC North West Provincial Manager Shirley Mlombo said, unfinished housing projects were the focus of the inquiry  "Shoddy workmanship, inferior building materials and unfinished projects were the focus of an inquiry by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) into RDP housing in Maquassi Hills & the ...

Maquassi Hills residents says, alcohol and drug abuse amongst young persons are a cause of crime, murders and Gender-Based Violence, prompting a call for a close monitoring of shebeens and tarvens Residents highlighted these issues during the Anti-Crime and Violence Imbizo that was held in Tswelelang Community Hall. The imbizo was collaborated with North West Provincial Police, Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Police Management, Community Safety Department  The purpose of the engagement was to listen to concerns raised by the Tswelelang community and to address issues relating to crime and service delivery Residents said, the high rise in alcohol abuse amongst young persons has fuelled Gender-Based Violence, rape and murders. These community from various vantage points of Maquassi Hills which included Leeudoringstad, Makwassie and Boskuil said, some of the alcohol establishments within the Maquassi Hills sub-district also sells alcohol to underage people calling f...

An intelligence driven operation resulted in the arrest of two suspects and the recovery of suspected stolen copper cable in Leeudoringstad The operation was conducted following information received by the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Crime Intelligence Unit in early August 2026, regarding a vehicle allegedly transporting suspected stolen copper cable from Makwassie towards Kgakala Location in Leeudoringstad The information was immediately operationalised in collaboration with Leeudoringstad police, Rapid Railway Police Unit (RRPU) and Sinqobile Security Members proceeded towards the identified area and were alerted to two vehicles travelling in close proximity to one another; a white Mahindra SUV and a Fiat Stilo The vehicles were intercepted at the Leeudoringstad four way stop. During the search of the white Mahindra, members recovered four rolls of burned underground signal copper cable, resulting in the arrest of the driver The operation continued at a re...