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Community organisations assisting illegal miners in Stilfontein have expressed concerns over the slow pace of rescue efforts. Despite Police Minister Senzo Mchunu's pledge to rescue the trapped miners as soon as possible, community members claim they have been left to carry the bulk of the rescue work. According to the Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) and the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA), the miners are […]

  As South Africa observes 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, the Commission for Gender Equality says ensuring women's rights to land ownership is crucial to protecting them against the scourge.  The Commission was in the North West province yesterday, engaging traditional leaders on the challenges faced by women in accessing communal land. The hearings follow complaints laid by some residents, who say land is not being allocated to […]

The state says it will oppose bail, should Longwe Twala attempt to re-secure his release. Twala, who was re-arrested on Tuesday after failing to appear in court in October on theft charges, made a brief appearance in the Randburg Magistrates Court earlier today. He was out on bail after allegedly stealing over R200 000 worth of studio equipment from his father music producer, Chicco Twala. He was released last month […]

  Disgraced former SAA technical chairperson, Yakhe Kwinana, has pleaded poverty, saying she cannot afford bail of R20 000 that the court has granted her.  Kwinana made her first appearance on fraud charges at the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, sitting in Palm Ridge, earlier today. Through her defence lawyer, she told the court that her fortunes had dwindled since the backlash she received from the Zondo Commission.  In 2022, […]

COGTA Minister Velenkosini Thlabisa has defended government’s controversial 21 day window for spaza shops to register.  His remarks come at the back of sentiments from some spaza shop owners,  that 21 days is not enough  and community efforts to block foreign spaza shop operators.  Hlabisa, alongside several other ministers, was in Pretoria on Thursday outlining plans to deal with food borne illnesses.  Since September, nearly 900 cases of food borne […]

Some Thokoza residents have given foreign-owned spaza shops 72 hours to vacate or face a forced community shutdown.  The aggrieved residents marched to their local police station, demanding the closure of foreign-owned spaza shops which they’ve accused of selling expired goods.  As pressure across Gauteng mounts on migrants to close shop, concerns remain over the vacuum that their closure may create in the township economy.  However, young community activist, Siyabonga […]

Yires have weighed in on the ongoing impasse between government and illegal miners in Stilfontein, in the North West, saying poverty is no excuse for criminal activity. They’ve urged government to strike a balance between wanting to prevent crime and protecting human life amid escalating tensions. “Being humane towards people is important. But there are criminals in our streets, and they hide there,” said one Gauteng resident. “I understand they […]

North West Community Safety MEC, Wessels Morweng, says a rescue team will be deployed to retrieve hundreds of illegal miners trapped underground in Stilfontein, with operations potentially starting tomorrow. The illegal miners, who have been underground for months, face serious health risks. The retrieval efforts face significant technical challenges due to the mine’s 2km depth, requiring specialised machinery and lifts to facilitate the operation. “Once we’ve addressed certain technicalities like […]