South Africa has called on Nigeria to help address concerns over the alleged installation of an unrecognised " Igbo King" in the Eastern Cape and the criminal activities of some Nigerian nationals, as the two countries seek to strengthen bilateral relations.

As the new Betway Premiership season nears, promoted duo Milford FC and Kruger United join Marumo Gallants and Chippa United in looking to establish themselves in South Africa’s top flight.

A 50-year-old man was sentenced to an effective 24 years’ direct imprisonment by the Pinetown Regional Court after being convicted of murdering his partner, whose body was discovered by their young son. This was confirmed by National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) KwaZulu-Natal regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara on Monday. According to Ramkisson-Kara, the man was also convicted of contravening section 49(1)(a) of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002. The murder took place in November 2024 in the Dassenhoek area of Marianhill, where the accused and the deceased had lived together as a couple and shared a child. Child discovered mother’s body The court heard that the couple’s minor child stumbled upon the horrific scene after walking into their room. “The deceased’s body was discovered after the couple’s minor child entered their room and found his mother lying lifeless on the floor while his father was asleep on the bed,” said Ramkisson-Kara. The child ran to alert neighbours and the accused’s brother, who rushed to the scene. Ramkisson-Kara explained what happened next. “Upon arriving at the scene, they woke the accused and attempted to resuscitate the deceased.” Despite their efforts, the woman could not be revived, and paramedics were called to the scene but were unable to save her. Neighbours had tried to intervene earlier Evidence presented in court showed that the deceased had approached a neighbour for help shortly before the murder, telling them that the accused was assaulting her. “When neighbours attempted to intervene, the accused told them to mind their own business,” Ramkisson-Kara said. He then allegedly shut the bedroom door, and nobody was seen going in or out of the room until the child later found his mother’s body. The accused was arrested at the scene shortly afterwards. Case built on circumstantial evidence With no eyewitnesses to the actual killing, the prosecution had to rely on indirect evidence to secure the conviction. Prosecutor Rowen Bevin Souls led the state’s case, drawing on circumstantial evidence together with a confession the accused reportedly made to a private individual at the crime scene. Supporting witnesses also played a role in piecing together the timeline. Ramkisson-Kara noted that “the landlord, where the accused resided, and the landlord’s sister also testified that they had remained outside the room and did not see anyone enter or exit,” corroborating the sequence of events described by other witnesses. Court deviated from life sentence Because the accused and the deceased had been in a domestic relationship, the law prescribed a minimum sentence of life imprisonment for the murder. The court, however, found grounds to hand down a lesser sentence. Ramkisson-Kara explained the reasoning behind this decision, noting the court cited “the fact that the accused was a first offender and that there was no evidence suggesting that he was beyond rehabilitation” as substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the minimum sentence. The man was ultimately sentenced to 22 years’ imprisonment for murder, with an additional two years for the immigration offence. The court ordered the sentences to run consecutively, bringing the total to an effective 24 years’ imprisonment. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. NPA reaffirms fight against gender-based violence The NPA used the case to reiterate its stance on gender-based violence and femicide, describing it as an ongoing priority for the authority. “Curbing the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide remains an organisational priority for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA),” said Ramkisson-Kara. She added that the NPA continued to work closely with other agencies to pursue justice in such cases.

Embattled Crime Intelligence Member Brigadier Dineo Mokwele has expressed disappointment after the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) provisionally withdrew charges against her and several co‑accused. The decision follows an order by NDPP Advocate Andy Mothibi that charges against Crime Intelligence divisional commissioner Lieutenant‑General Dumisani Khumalo, Mokwele, and five other accused be withdrawn before plea in the Brooklyn Police Station corruption case. ‘Disheartened’ In a statement, Mokwele said she was disheartened by the development, noting that she had hoped for the matter to proceed in court. The legal team said it is currently considering the contents of the letter and will be consulting with our client before determining the appropriate next steps. “We note, with considerable disappointment, the NDPP’s assertion that the investigations remain incomplete and that the withdrawal is therefore merely “provisional”. “That contention is difficult to reconcile with what has consistently been common cause between the parties, namely that the investigations were completed,” they said. ‘Preserve position’ The legal team claims that at “face value, the withdrawal “appears to be a belated attempt to preserve a position that has become increasingly difficult to sustain.” “Whether this is an effort to salvage what is otherwise an untenable position on the part of IDAC and the NPA remains to be seen, but the assertion is neither supported by the known facts nor consistent with the history of this matter. “We will refrain from commenting further until we have concluded consultations with our client and determined the appropriate legal response,” the team said. Madlanga Commission Mokwele was arrested alongside Khumalo and five others in June 2025, and faces corruption and fraud charges relating to her employment. The other accused in the case include Crime Intelligence chief financial officer (CFO) Philani Lushaba, head of analysis and coordination Nozipho Precious Madondo, Gauteng Crime Intelligence head Josias Lekalakala, South African Police Service (Saps) personnel security and vetting head Phindile Ncube, and Zwelithini Sydney Gabela from the police’s technical management services. Fadiel Adams The matter stems from a complaint lodged by National Coloured Congress (NCC) leader Fadiel Adams regarding the appointment of Mokwele – a former BMW employee – to the rank of brigadier. Despite the charges, Khumalo has consistently argued that the matter should be treated as a labour-related issue rather than a criminal case. Additional reporting by Molefe Seeletsa

Kaizer Chiefs have signed four brand new players. What will they bring to Amakhosi’s quest to challenge for the Betway Premiership crown? Meet Kaizer Chiefs’ four new signings thus far Khanyisa Mayo has signed permanently from CR Belouizdad for a reported fee close to R9.8 million following a prior loan spell. Adolf Mtasingwa is a 27-year-old defensive midfielder signed from Azam FC for an undisclosed fee, and the first Tanzanian player to join Amakhosi. Mtasingwa brings valuable experience, having spent six seasons in Scandinavia, playing in the Icelandic, Norwegian and Finnish leagues. He returned home in 2024 to help Azam FC finish third in the Tanzanian league last season. He is the vice-captain of his nation. Central defender Thabo Moloisane brings PSL know-how after becoming a mainstay for an impressive Stellenbosch side. Moloisane can also operate at right back when needed. 28-year-old goalkeeper Renaldo Leaner joins from Sekhukhune to bolster Chiefs’ options between the sticks. The 1.87m tall stopper has been capped by Bafana. This quartet of recruits points to an obvious common theme: experience. Lilepo could make a headline exit from Kaizer Chiefs Glody Lilepo is another player who could be heading out the door. The Congolese wide attacker bagged five goals and four assists in 27 league outings last term. Impressively, he operated almost exclusively in a wide attacking role. According to local reports, Stellenbosch winger Langelihle Phili remains near the top of Chiefs’ transfer wish list to replace Lilepo. Phili got seven goals in 27 league outings last term. Could Ashley du Preez sweeten a deal? Betway Premiership action looms large Meanwhile, Betway Premiership newcomers Kruger United will host Kaizer Chiefs on the first day of the 2026-27 season on Saturday, 1 August, kicking off at 20:15. The World Cup is a thing of the past, so we’ll soon be returning to the bread and butter of domestic league football.

How much is Wednesday Lotto and Lotto Plus worth on 29 July 2026? Well, it breaks down like so. Straight Lotto is worth R4 million, Lotto Plus 1 sits at R3.5 million and for Lotto Plus Max 5 you can tag on another R1.5 million. All tallied up that put’s the total worth of the Wednesday game at R9 million, a R2.5-million increase over Saturday’s game past … Crucial to your success for Wednesday Lotto and Lotto Plus is knowing how recently one of the three lottos has paid out. A bit like the old days playing slot machines in the casino, the longer it goes, the bigger the payout becomes. Looking at the above figures, we can see that almost all have paid a small amount recently. This has been one of the criticisms of new game mechanics – that payouts, while more frequent, rarely allow winnings to climb to big numbers anymore. WEDNESDAY LOTTO AND LOTTO PLUS As such, Wednesday Lotto and Lotto Plus has always been the National Lottery’s kind of bread-and-butter game. Cheaper than PowerBall and PowerBall XTRA, easier to win, but less dramatic when it comes to jackpots. Nevertheless, Sizekhaya’s 1 June 2026 takeover reshaped it further. The core mechanics require players to choose six numbers from a pool of 1 to 52, which is reduced from 1 to 58 previously. As ever, numbers can be chosen manually or auto generated through the popular Quick Pick. Pricing sits lower than PowerBall’s controversial increase. A standard Lotto board costs R5, with Lotto Plus 1 adding R2.50 and Lotto 5 Max adding a further R2.50 on top. Therefore, playing all three together costs R10 per board. What players are still wrapping their head around is the new MultiPlay (MP) option. It lets players add a seventh number to their existing six in each of the three games. And it gets proportionally more expensive as you go. The total combination if you add MP1 across all boards is R70 – that’s R35 + R17.50 + R17.50. However, your odds are massively improved if you do go down this rabbit hole. HOW TO HANDLE MULTIPLAY Lotto Plus 1 had a small payout this weekend, keeping the winnings for Wednesday muted. Image: File If you add MP1 to Wednesday Lotto and Lotto Plus across all three games, your total ticket will cost R70.00. Plus, if you’re using your banking app, be sure to lookout for digital banking fee of roughly R2.95 added to the transaction. So, the question remains, is it worth spending the extra money? Jackpot odds have already improved substantially under the new number matrix. The chances of matching all six numbers now sits at 1 in 20 million. That’s twice as likely as the old 1 in 40 million under ITHUBA. However, dabble with the MP1 and all of a sudden, you’re playing with seven numbers instead of six. This means your odds now become just 1 in 2.9 million, which represents a straight sevenfold improvement. And don’t forget that’s across all three games since they share the board. DRAW TIMES AND CLAIMING POWERBALL WINNINGS Remember, if you’re someone like a SASSA beneficiary playing Wednesday Lotto and Lotto Plus, decide on a budget before buying lotto tickets, and don’t chase a bad week by spending more. The National Responsible Gambling Programme runs a toll-free counselling line on 0800 006 008 for anyone who is struggling. Lotto and Lotto Plus draw every Wednesday and Wednesday at 21:00. Sizekhaya brought back live televised draws using physical draw machines. Ticket sales cut off half an hour before the draw typically at 20:30. All lottery prizes must be claimed within 365 days of the draw date. Anyone who misses that window forfeits their prize and the money is transferred to the National Lottery Distribution Trust for charitable causes. How and where to claim Wednesday Lotto and Lotto Plus winnings depends on the amount won: Small prizes (up to R4 999) get paid out directly at licensed retailers. Mid-tier prizes (R5 000 to R49 999) can be claimed at selected partner banks. Anything above R50 000 requires an in-person visit to a Sizekhaya regional office, with the original ticket and a valid South African ID. Online and banking-app players have prizes up R249 999 are deposited automatically into their accounts. CONTACT SIZEKHAYA FOR HELP The new lottery operator took over on 1 June 2026. Image: File Anyone unsure where to start can call the Sizekhaya helpline on 0861 026 000. Or you can visit one of the eight regional offices nationally: Head Office/Gauteng at 36 Homestead Road, Edenburg, Sandton KwaZulu-Natal at 10 Rydall Vale Crescent, Umhlanga Ridge Western Cape at 1st Floor, The Barracks, 50 Bree Street, Cape Town Eastern Cape at 153 Cape Road, Newton Park, Port Elizabeth Free State & Northern Cape at 3 Barnes Street, Arboretum, Bloemfontein Limpopo at Gateway Park, Polokwane Mpumalanga at 29@Marloth, Nelspruit And one final note, around R257 million in lottery prizes currently sits unclaimed across South Africa from the previous operator. Therefore, checking old ticket numbers against those drawn (up to one year ago) costs you nothing and might just turn up forgotten money. You can do so by clicking past results HERE.

US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has warned sanctions and Entity List designations are now on the table.

Apple's incoming CEO has said he is committed to building on the company's momentum in the entertainment business.