IOL invites you to participate in an immersive, multimedia experience this Mandela Day, to walk in the shoes of the father of our nation, Nelson Mandela.

It is always a pleasure to be invited to the final exam dinners of Jackie Cameron’s students. They start at her School of Food and Wine as clumsy and almost clueless. Then 18 months later they turn out magnificent meals,

Suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi has been arrested in connection with the R14.9 million Killarney precious stones heist. Mkhwanazi was arrested by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) on Friday, 17 July, along with another suspect believed to be the Madlanga commission’s Witness K. Latest arrests in the precious stones theft investigation The pair is being held at the Germiston Police Station on the East Rand and is expected to appear in court on Monday, 20 July. They form part of five suspects who were sought in connection with the theft of precious stones worth millions from an apartment in Killarney, Johannesburg. Charges against one of the suspects, private security officer Etienne van der Walt, have since been dropped. The two other co-accused in the matter, EMPD officers Adrian MacKenzie and Kersha-Leigh Stols, were granted R5 000 bail each in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on 16 July, and are expected to appear in court again on 25 August. Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Suping said the directorate initially had five warrants of arrest to effect, three of which were effected on 3 and 6 July. They had to “sort out” paperwork for the warrants of arrest effected on Friday. Allegations surrounding the precious stones It is alleged that the accused acted illegally when searching and seizing six boxes of sugilite and manganese stones worth almost R14.9 million. “They raided a house in Killarney, Johannesburg without a warrant and one of them also impersonated himself as a police officer while others went to conduct an investigation in an area which was not their area of jurisdiction,” Suping said on Friday. “But we also had two other suspects whose responsibilities at work do not involve any investigation work and that is the reason why they are facing fraud, because there was theft of those precious stones and they did not even register those exhibits, after they seized them from that house in Killarney, in the occurrence book of the South African Police Service at a police station.” Mkhwanazi and his co-accused face a charge of corruption because of their unlawful conduct in the alleged raid and seizure of precious stones. Witness K’s Madlanga commission testimony During her testimony before the commission, Witness K – a JMPD VIP protection unit inspector – said she became romantically involved with Mkhwanazi in late 2022. According to her evidence, the relationship was marked by financial dependency. Witness K stated that once her savings were exhausted, Mkhwanazi allegedly urged her to “keep my ear to the ground” in search of opportunities to make money. She claimed this led to a coordinated plan to steal precious stones from Peter Prinsloo at his apartment in Killarney on 11 February 2023. She told the commission that after the theft, proceeds amounting to R110 000 were allegedly equally distributed among those allegedly involved, including Mkhwanazi, Stols, McKenzie, and van der Walt. Mkhwanazi arrested three times in three different cases In a video of his arrest on Friday evening, Mkhwanazi appeared warm and in good spirits. [BREAKING] IPID arrests #JuliusMkhwanazi he joins Witness K at the Germiston police station. He's been labeled as the mastermind behind the 2023 heist of precious stones worth R14.9 million.He's expected to appear in court with witness K on Monday.#eNCA pic.twitter.com/cqbW8qHx5z— Silindelo Sebata (@Sli_Masikane) July 17, 2026 This was his third arrest since his initial appearance at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry probing alleged criminality, political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system. Mkhwanazi was first arrested on 18 April as part of an ongoing investigation into corruption within the EMPD. His second arrest on 8 July was related to his alleged involvement in the unlawful installation of blue lights on four vehicles owned by alleged cartel figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. Additional reporting by Jarryd Westerdale and Molefe Seeletsa

Get the Daily Lotto results as soon as they are drawn on The Citizen, so you can rest easy and check your tickets with confidence. Estimated Daily Lotto jackpot for Friday, 17 July 2026: Daily Lotto: R500 000 Daily Lotto results for 17 July 2026: The winning Daily Lotto numbers will appear below after the draw. Usually, within 10 minutes of the draw. You might need to refresh the page to see the updated results. Daily Lotto: 06, 09, 14, 23, 24. For more details and to verify the Daily Lotto results, visit the National Lottery website. How to play Daily Lotto in SA? If you are buying a ticket in-store: Pick up a betslip in any lottery store. Choose five numbers between 1 and 36 or ask for a Quick Pick. Entries cost R3 each. You can play a max of R150, but you are allowed to play multiple boards. Select how many consecutive draws you wish to enter, up to a maximum of 10. Leave blank for a single draw. Take your betslip to the teller to pay for your ticket. Write your details on the back of your ticket in case you need to claim a prize. If you do not sign your ticket and you lose it, anyone can use it to claim the prize. If you are playing online: Set up a lottery account here and make a deposit to pay for tickets. Choose five numbers from 1 to 36 or select ‘Quick Pick’ to generate a random set. Repeat this on as many boards as you want to play. Decide whether to enter a single draw or multiple draws. Confirm and pay for your entry. What time is the Daily Lotto draw? The Daily Lotto draws take place shortly after 9pm every evening, and tickets can be bought until 8:30pm.

On 14 July, South African content creator Mbuyiselo Vilakazi shared his insightful analysis and predictions based on the season four trailer for Mzansi Magic’s Izingane Zes’thembu. MBUYISELO VILAKAZI’S ANALYSIS OF ‘IZINGANE ZES’THEMBU’ SEASON 4 Mzansi Magic announced on social media that season four of the popular reality show Izingane Zes’thembu will air on 20 August 2026.  The announcement was paired with a creative trailer where the younger generation of the Mseleku family showcased their vibrant personalities. 1. SNE MSELEKU: REBIRTH Sne Mseleku, the eldest daughter of Musa Mseleku, emerges from the ocean at the beginning of the trailer. The mother of three looks heavenly in a green dress, while her makeup and hair were also on point! Mbuyiseni interpreted this stint as a rebirth, suggesting viewers might expect to see her “moving away from the past.” Image via Instagram/@mamse_leku 2. MPUMELELO MSELEKU: WEALTH Mpumelelo Mseleku makes a grand entrance in a black tuxedo. His scene unfolds in a kraal surrounded by a herd of cattle. Soon after, his wives, Tirelo Kale and Amahle Biyela, join him. Mbuyiselo reckons this could be a sign of wealth, given his involvement in the family business. The cattle could also symbolise fertility, sparking rumours of a possible pregnancy. He added that the cattle could represent ilobolo (bride price) since season three ended with Mpumelelo proposing to Tirelo. “Is Tirelo’s family accepting lobolo this time?” he asked. Amahle looks elegant in a black dress. Mbuyiselo wondered if this signalled trouble in paradise as she matched her husband. Meanwhile, Tirelo dazzled in a blue evening gown. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mbuyiselo Vilakazi (@mbuyiselovilakazi) 3. LWANDLE MSELEKU: FREEDOM Lwandle Mseleku is cruising nicely in a snazzy convertible, dressed in a fancy navy suit with cool sunglasses and gloves. While this scene could represent a sense of freedom, it remains unknown what he is free from exactly. Mbuyiselo suggested that Lwandle could be gearing up to take over the logistics side of the family business. In season 9 of Uthando Nes’thembu, viewers were introduced to Lwandle’s beautiful girlfriend, Khwezi Mazibuko, who was pregnant. However, fans noticed her absence, raising questions about the DNA situation and the status of her relationship with Lwandle. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MzansiMagic (@mzansimagic) 4. ABONGWE MSELEKU: TAKING OVER Abongwe Mseleku’s entrance is bold. She is dressed in a black suit and a sombrero cordobés (Zorro hat) while riding a horse. Could it be that the film graduate is well on her way to taking over the family business in television production? Mbuyiselo believes “the horse represents power and her dominion.” Abongwe has completed her studies at the prestigious film school, AFDA in Johannesburg. Image via Instagram/@mzansimagic 5. MPILO MSELEKU: INDEPENDENCE As always, Mpilo Mseleku looked stunning in a red dress with a slit, where she wandered alone in the wilderness. According to Mbuyiselo, her story could focus on how she is “forging her own way.” Season nine of Uthando Nes’thembu was particularly hard for Mpilo as her stepmother, MaKhumalo, was painted as the villain. This led to Mpilo catching strays from her father, Musa Mseleku, who seemed unfair towards her. Image via Instagram/@u._enhle NEW CHANGES IN SEASON FOUR  Fans are eagerly awaiting this season, especially with the exciting addition of the four younger siblings, Mawande, Thando, Owami, and Mnini. Image via Instagram/@owami_mseleku.7

Woolworths has laughed off social media commentary after being jokingly labelled the destination of choice for another alleged criminal kingpin. The retailer’s name was once again mentioned during the Madlanga Commission, this time linked to tenderpreneur Suliman Carrim. Last year, fellow businessman, Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala – who is facing charges of fraud, corruption and attempted murder – admitted to using the store’s shopper bags to carry large amounts of cash in. WOOLWORTHS MOCKS MADLANGA COMMISSION CHATTER IN VIDEO In a cheeky TikTok video, Woolworths indirectly responded to its name being mentioned in the Madlanga Commission in recent days. In its post, the retailer hopped on the viral “preparing for my Netflix documentary” meme. As goes the challenge, Woolies pulled up a big chair for the tell-all interview, and surprisingly – a shopper – in the hot seat! The post appeared to be in response to news that tenderpreneur Suliman Carrim had visited one of its stores in the Western Cape, despite being called to testify at the commission into police corruption. @woolworths_sa Hey bestie @dstv_southafrica , what do you say? 🤌🇮🇹 ♬ original sound – Woolworths SA Carrim had produced a sick note stating that he was in hospital and had been placed on medical leave. However, independent eyewitnesses and whistleblowers reported that he had instead gone on a shopping trip and, later, a lunch date. Carrim is a businessman and prominent ANC member whose companies have allegedly received hundreds of millions of rand in provincial government tenders. CRIMINALS SPOTTED AT WOOLWORTHS Like Suliman Carrim, another tenderpreneur – Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala also testified about his fondness of Woolies. Speaking at Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee, the businessman stated last year that he had used Woolworths black shopper bags to carry large amounts of cash.  Vusi – who is also accused of paying bribes for police protection – referred to the shoppers as “money bags”. WATCH | Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala says they always operate with the Woolworths bag, adding, "That’s the money bag." pic.twitter.com/UzR1gVUmP9— SABC News (@SABCNews) November 27, 2025 But it doesn’t end there.  In 2023, convicted fraudster, rapist and murderer Thabo Bester was photographed whilst shopping in Woolworths Sandton during a chance encounter. It was later learned that he had faked his death and escaped from prison a year earlier, and had been hiding as a fugitive with the help of his rumoured romantic partner, Nandipha Magudumana. Whoever took this picture of Thabo Bester and Dr Nandipha at Woolworths, is the hero. However, our hero has to remain anonymous. In fact the hero should hide/erase all that could link them to this mess because there's politicians involved. South Africa's biggest problem. pic.twitter.com/mSeRSBzrON— OOFGUY (@OOFGUY47145601) April 9, 2023 Fast forward to earlier this month, Bellarmine “Chantunga” Mugabe – the lastborn son of the late Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe – was reported as being spotted in a Woolworths store in Midrand. This came as he and a relative were accused of shooting and wounding an employee at their Hyde Park mansion in February. Bellarmine was ultimately charged with contravening the Immigration Act and pointing a toy firearm at someone in a separate incident. After reaching a plea agreement, he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, followed by deportation. You can take Bellarmine Mugabe out of South Africa, but you can't take South African Woolies out of Bellarmine Mugabe🇿🇦Spotted shopping at Sandton Woolworths as if he never left! Another Thabo Bester saga😹😹😹 pic.twitter.com/fQG1mCukwF— Mbals🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸 (@Mqammy_Enhle11) July 12, 2026

Acting CEO Fathima Gany tells TechCentral the Post Office can survive - but only if government honours its funding promise.

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