Four suspects aged between 21 and 25 have been arrested after police allegedly uncovered a drug-manufacturing operation at a family home in Meadowlands, Soweto.

Following the sudden death of former lock Hyron Andrews in France aged 31, the Sharks have paid a moving tribute to a beloved stalwart who gave a decade of service to the Durban club.

Police surveillance turned into arrests on Friday when law enforcement teams raided a house in Soweto, seizing drug-manufacturing equipment, chemicals and a large quantity of Mandrax pills for analysis. Gauteng Organised Crime Investigations’ Tracing and Narcotics teams, working closely with Police Emergency Services Flexi and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s (DPCI) Serious Organised Crime Investigations, made a bust on a suspected drug laboratory in Meadowlands on Friday. Four arrested as police raid mandrax lab in Meadowlands Four arrested as police raid drug lab in Meadowlands, Soweto. Picture: Supplied. Officers arrested four suspects following the discovery of a suspected lab at a family residence. The arrests come after the team received information about suspected illicit drug-related activities at the premises and conducted surveillance on Thursday. “Further information received indicated that the suspects might be in the process of moving suspected drugs. The team subsequently proceeded to the premises, where four suspects were arrested,” Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said. Four arrested as police raid drug lab in Meadowlands, Soweto. Picture: Supplied. The police discovered the drug-manufacturing operation in a room at the back of the house. Muridili said the criminal record and crime scene management team processed the scene. She added that the equipment and chemicals found at the premises will be seized for further investigation and analysis. Large quantity of pills suspected manufactured elsewhere found on scene Four arrested as police raid drug lab in Meadowlands, Soweto. Picture: Supplied. The police also found a large quantity of Mandrax pills suspected to have been manufactured somewhere else on the scene. South African Police Service (Saps) has handed over the case to the DPCI, known as the Hawks, for further investigation. The four suspects, aged between 21 and 25, are expected to appear before court soon to face drug-related charges. Friday’s bust comes a month after the Hawks arrested two foreign nationals following the discovery of a sophisticated mandrax lab in Erasmia, Pretoria, allegedly producing about 800 000 tablets a day. Four arrested as police raid drug lab in Meadowlands, Soweto. Picture: Supplied. Earlier on Friday, the Trilateral Planning Cell (TPC) welcomed Angola and Uganda to join South Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania to strengthen collective law enforcement against drug trafficking and transnational organised crime. Their inclusion aims to boost regional capacity to take on the growing manufacturing, trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs along the Southern Route and disrupt cross-border criminal networks. Trilateral Planning Cell welcomed Angola and Uganda Four arrested as police raid drug lab in Meadowlands, Soweto. Picture: Supplied. This week, the TPC Ministerial TROIKA Meeting brought together ministers, police chiefs and experts to share best practices and coordinate responses, building on successes since 2019, such as discovering clandestine labs, seizing illicit drug consignments and arresting suspects. “The Ministerial TROIKA provides an important platform for participating countries to assess progress, identify operational challenges and agree on priority interventions,” Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia said. “These include combating illicit drug trafficking, kidnapping, vehicle theft, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and financial and environmental crimes, as well as terrorism. We must strengthen the real-time exchange of information to ensure that our responses are proactive, coordinated and effective.” A new cooperation framework was developed to facilitate direct police-to-police engagement, timely exchange of operational intelligence, profiling of trafficking syndicates, and improved detection of drugs at border points.

A Free State man has been ordered to serve 10 years in prison for defrauding unsuspecting victims of their stokvel contributions. The Bloemfontein Regional Court made the ruling on Thursday, 15 October, a week after 31-year-old Lebohang Mokatedi was convicted on multiple counts of fraud, theft and money laundering. Court hands down sentences to Mokatedi and his company The court sentenced Mokatedi to 15 years’ imprisonment, of which five years are wholly suspended for five years, on condition that he is not convicted of the same offence during the period of suspension. His company, Lebohang Society and Financial Credit Service (Pty) Ltd, was sentenced to a R1 million fine. The sentence was also wholly suspended for five years on condition that it is not convicted of a cybercrime-related fraud offence in those five years. Unfulfilled Christmas promise Evidence before the court revealed that Mokatedi had introduced a “Christmas” stokvel sometime in 2024, enticing potential members to join by promising them groceries, alcoholic beverages, household items and relish ingredients at the end of the year. Members were required to contribute monthly amounts ranging from R100 to R500. But when the time came for Mokatedi to fulfil his end of the promise, he was nowhere to be found. “Several people from Bloemfontein and Botshabelo joined the stokvel and honoured their monthly contributions,” South African Police Service (Saps) spokesperson Warrant Officer Fikiswa Matoti said on Friday. “However, when the time came for Mokatedi to deliver the promised goods, he disappeared and failed to honour the arrangements made with the members. ‘Intensive investigation’ led to his arrest A number of the victims subsequently opened cases of fraud and theft against Mokatedi at various police stations in Bloemfontein and Botshabelo. Matoti said the cases were initially investigated by detectives in the two areas before being handed over to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s (Hawks) Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit in Bloemfontein. “An intensive investigation resulted in Mokatedi’s arrest in East London, Eastern Cape.” The Free State Saps Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Solly Lesia, and the provincial head of the Hawks, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, have welcomed the sentencing, Matoti said. “They commended the investigating team comprising the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in Bloemfontein, together with detectives from Bloemspruit and Botshabelo, for conducting a thorough investigation and ensuring that justice is served to the victims of the fraudulent scheme.”

Trevor Noah has shared his views on white South Africans who have taken up refugee status in the US under the resettlement programme. The South African comedian commented on the controversial programme during his guest appearance at The Connecticut Forum’s 35th anniversary this week. To date, almost 17 000 mainly Afrikaner South Africans have resettled in the US after claiming racial “persecution” in South Africa. TREVOR NOAH ON WHITE REFUGEES During his appearance at The Connecticut Forum, Trevor Noah was asked to share his views about the US’s refugee resettlement programme to South African racial minorities, particularly Afrikaner white people. Speaking to US journalist Michele Norris, the Soweto-born comedian commented that the US administration, under President Donald Trump, had prioritised “rescuing” white South Africans, who claimed to face extreme violence and “genocide”. The 42-year-old cheekily responded, “Most white South Africans are having a great time here…Many of these refugees had to sell their businesses, their farms and their mansions so that they could be ‘rescued’. “When I saw those people, what I remember thinking was: I have seen refugees with baggage, never with luggage. It was very Trevor Noah went on to highlight the wage gap and wealth distribution among South Africa’s racial groups. He implied that the US government had a hidden agenda in assisting South Africans. He continued: “What’s interesting to me is how consistently the United States government has first had a concern with the oppressors, but not the oppressed. “Yes, crime is terrible. But you know who is being killed more than white South Africans? Black South Africans. It’s a crime linked to poverty. “The adverse effects that any nation faces will be disproportionately felt by the people who are the poorest and most oppressed”. HOW MANY SOUTH AFRICANS HAVE RESETTLED IN THE US? According to the latest data released by US authorities, over 12 000 South Africans have resettled in the US as refugees in the past fiscal year. The figure is the sum of successful applicants between October 2025 and the end of August 2026 The states receiving the biggest groups of arrivals include Florida, California, Colorado, Illinois and Iowa. In May 2026, US President Trump issued an emergency determination increasing the refugee intake for the fiscal year to 17,500. Applicants are required to pass the relevant screening, security and medical processes and be approved for admission. 

The eThekwini Municipality has given swimmers the go-ahead at 21 beaches and opened 41 public swimming pools across Durban and surrounding areas, according to its latest status update dated 8 October. However, the city has closed two beaches for swimming after water quality tests returned high E. coli readings. The municipality said it updates the list whenever the status of a beach or pool changes, so beachgoers should check the latest information before heading out. Where you can swim in Durban Lifeguarded beaches open for swimming from 6:00 to 18:30 daily include: Central: Wedge, Point, uShaka, Addington, South Beach, North Beach, Bay of Plenty, Battery Beach and Country Club North: Westbrook, Umdloti Main, Bronze Beach and Umhlanga Main South: Toti Main, Ansteys, Brighton, Umgababa, Doonside, Winklespruit, Pipeline and Reunion Most of these beaches recorded excellent water quality in tests conducted between 5 and 8 October. Point, uShaka, Bay of Plenty, Westbrook, Umdloti Main, Toti Main and Pipeline all came in with E. coli counts below 10, well under the excellent threshold of 130. Country Club recorded a count of 345, which still falls within the acceptable range of 130 to 500. Why two beaches remain closed The municipality closed Thekwini Beach and Laguna Beach to swimming after both recorded counts well above the 500 limit indicating poor water quality. The city stressed that visitors can still enjoy other recreational activities at closed beaches, such as walking, picnicking and fishing. Swimming, however, is not allowed until the water quality improves. The municipality also urged beachgoers to keep the coastline clean by using bins for litter. Public swimming pools open across eThekwini The city has opened 41 public pools, operating from 6:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and from 9:00 to 17:00 on Sundays and public holidays. They are: Hambanathi, Belvedere, Buffelsdale, Verulam, Stanmore, Rainham, Ntuzuma E, KwaMashu G, KwaMashu D, Durban North, Umgababa, Pipeline, Tiger Rocks, Umlazi D, Umlazi G, Isiphingo Hills, Anstey’s Beach paddling pool, Brighton Beach paddling pool, Laguna paddling pool, Austerville, Merewent, Tessoriere, Tills Crescent, Lamontville, Alex Bulley, Croftdene, Bayview, Arena Park, Bellair, Westville, Clermont, Marianridge, Nagina, Chesterville, Children’s Amusement Centre, South Beach, Rachel Finlayson, Sutton Park, Rochdale, Illovu and Balkumar Singh.

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