KwaZulu-Natal police arrested a 36-year-old man in KwaMashu after a woman was found decapitated and her body burned in a house fire on Oct. 30, 2025. Investigators said the victim is believed to be his cousin. Officers traced the suspect after witnesses saw him leaving the property in K Section. A search of an outside room turned up the woman’s head in a bucket. Authorities withheld the victim’s name and age while the motive remains under review.
Forensic teams processed the scene after firefighters put out the blaze. The suspect is in custody and is expected to appear in the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court. Police appealed for tips from residents and are probing whether family disputes played a part. The case has rattled the community and...
A third Pollsmoor Prison inmate died Friday from injuries after a clash on Wednesday at the remand facility in Tokai, Cape Town, the Department of Correctional Services said. Two inmates were killed at the scene, and two correctional officials were hospitalized with stab wounds. The episode renewed concern about safety at one of South Africa’s most crowded prisons, where some sections operate at more than 150 percent capacity and gang tensions often erupt.
Officials said investigators are probing the attack and reviewing security measures to stabilize the site. Police are collecting evidence as unions and rights groups call for action on staffing, training, and overcrowding. The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union said the assault...
National Coloured Congress lawmaker Fadiel Adams said he will file criminal charges against suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Lt. Gen. Shadrack Sibiya if bribery claims presented to the Madlanga Commission are verified. A recording played by a Gauteng counterintelligence detective captured attempted murder accused Vusimuzi Cat Matlala describing monthly cash payments to Sibiya of up to 1 million rand, plus further sums tied to family and housing. Sibiya has denied wrongdoing. The inquiry is examining claims of criminal infiltration, graft, and political interference in the South African Police Service.
Adams spoke outside Cape Town Central Police Station after opening a case against National Police Commissioner Fannie...
City Power warned of deliberate damage to streetlights on major Johannesburg routes ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit on November 22 to 23, 2025. The utility reported poles and fittings knocked down or broken soon after repairs on the M1 between Southgate and Killarney, as well as the M2, Malibongwe Drive, and Joe Slovo Drive. With no cables or parts missing, officials say the pattern points to sabotage rather than theft, threatening road safety and efforts to brighten key corridors for visiting delegates.
The city said repair teams are being dispatched with added patrols and cameras, and it has asked police and metro police to step up investigations and visible enforcement. Residents are urged to report suspicious activity near...
Tanzania faced a third day of internet blackout on Friday after Wednesday’s general elections, as protests and reports of unrest spread in Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, and other cities. President Samia Suluhu Hassan appeared headed for a landslide in a race marked by arrests and bans on opponents. Authorities imposed a curfew and sent in the military. In Zanzibar, the opposition ACT-Wazalendo rejected the declared results and called for a new vote. Foreign reporters were turned away, deepening an information gap.
Witnesses described street clashes, tire fires, and confrontations near polling sites. The army chief labeled protesters criminals and warned of firm action, while rights groups condemned abductions, arrests, and killings tied to...
Deputy President Paul Mashatile said the South African Police Service has adopted a National Anti-Gang Strategy to dismantle criminal networks through stronger intelligence, active policing, community partnerships, and work with other agencies. He told Parliament the effort answers problems flagged by the Madlanga Commission and an Ad Hoc Committee probing alleged infiltration, corruption, and political interference raised by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lt. Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. The government plans to fortify the Crime Intelligence Division with structural changes, new technology, and support from Community Policing Forums as the country faces more than 27,000 murders in the past year.
A multi-agency plan for the Western Cape...
South Africa held R&D spending steady relative to the economy in 2023 to 2024, with universities driving growth and foreign partners adding support. The HSRC’s annual survey for the science department reported nominal GERD of 43.413 billion rand, equal to 28.621 billion rand in 2015 prices, a 1.3% rise year over year, while GDP grew 0.8%. The R&D to GDP ratio stayed at 0.62%. Government remained the largest funder at 21.847 billion rand or 50.3%, followed by business at 12.033 billion rand or 27.7% and foreign sources at 8.106 billion rand or 18.7%.
Higher education posted the strongest spending gains as researcher numbers rose. Business devoted 45.8% of its R&D to financial and business services, 29.9% to manufacturing, and 10.5% to...
KwaZulu-Natal launched Safety Month and an Integrated Festive Season Safety Plan at the Durban beachfront on October 30, 2025, as the province expects more than two million visitors and about 13 billion rand in economic activity. Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli urged residents and tourists to act responsibly to curb road crashes, crime, and gender-based violence. Authorities will place teams at ports of entry, beaches, shopping centers, events, and major roads, with added checks on routes to Lesotho, Mozambique, and Eswatini. The plan seeks to protect lives, property, and jobs in a tourism hub known for beaches, culture, and natural sites.
Officials said 24,515 personnel will be deployed across the province, among them 17,528 police officers...
South Africa’s National Youth Development Agency launched a 2.5 billion rand National Youth Fund to back young entrepreneurs and target job creation, announcing the plan at the Youth Investment Indaba in Johannesburg on Oct. 31, 2025. With youth unemployment above 45 percent, the fund aims to move past small grants and finance larger projects in sectors such as mining, agriculture, and manufacturing. The agency said it will seek capital from local and international partners over the next three years and pair financing with training and mentorship to build skills.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile endorsed the effort and urged cooperation to ease barriers like access to markets and finance. Gauteng Finance and Economic Development MEC...
