Retired Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Lieutenant Colonel Jakobus Prinsloo has told the Madlanga commission that Major General Lesetja Senona was aware that the South African Police Service (SAPS) facility in Port Shepstone was vulnerable and unsuitable for storing the 541kg cocaine haul seized at the Durban Harbour in 2021. “The DPCI office was particularly vulnerable and was not suitable to store the exhibits, let alone the quantity we were asked to store. General Senona knew this,” Prinsloo told the commission on Thursday. The 541kg of cocaine stolen in Port Shepstone had originally been seized during a police operation at the Durban Harbour. The drugs had a street value of R200 million. Prinsloo told the commission that he believed the theft of the drugs was a targeted operation rather than a random break-in because the people who cut open the safe knew exactly where to do so. He said it was not far-fetched to speculate that the people who opened the safe might even have been present when the drugs were delivered. “They knew exactly which safe the drugs were placed in. From where we entered with the drugs, they would have known which safe they were going into.” Retired Justice Mbuyiseni Madlanga put it to Prinsloo that if he were to draw up a list of suspects who had stolen the drugs, members of the DPCI would be number one on the list. Madlanga said he did not discount the possibility that other people outside the DPCI, and possibly outside the SAPS, could have been informed by DPCI or SAPS members that the cocaine was stored in Port Shepstone. Prinsloo replied that he agreed with Madlanga, saying not all the people who brought the drugs to his office were DPCI members. He said the SAPS Port Shepstone facility, where the drugs were stolen, had no cameras outside the offices, no alarm system monitoring movement and no security guard at the gate. During his testimony on Wednesday, Major General Hendrick Flynn, the component head for serious organised crime in the DPCI, told the commission that it was by design and not coincidence that the drugs were stored in Port Shepstone.

By 5am, in temperatures hovering around 5°C , the queue outside H&M Sandton had begun to form. Wrapped in scarves, puffer jackets and blankets, shoppers waited in the Johannesburg winter darkness for access to the Stella McCartney collaboration before the doors opened. Some had come for specific pieces. Others wanted the experience. By sunrise, phones were out, documenting the growing line that snaked along the entrance as security guards managed the crowd outside one of the most anticipated fashion launches of the season. Twenty years after Stella McCartney’s first collaboration with H&M helped redefine the relationship between luxury fashion and the high street, the British designer’s return arrives in a dramatically different retail climate.  Consumers are more economically constrained, fashion is more digitally driven and sustainability has shifted from niche concern to central marketing language. Yet the appetite for fashion spectacle remains intact. Inside the store, shoppers moved quickly between rails carrying oversized tailoring, striped shirting, structured wool blazers, lace-trimmed dresses and accessories marked by McCartney’s signature chain detailing.  Large mesh totes in translucent red drew immediate attention, alongside chain loafers and oversized shirts finished with recycled glass embellishments. The collection leans heavily into nostalgia while attempting to reposition fast fashion through the language of sustainability. H&M’s campaign material foregrounds recycled polyester, organic cotton, recycled metals and alternative materials throughout the range. The emphasis is not incidental. It reflects the growing pressure on global fashion brands to demonstrate environmental consciousness at a time when the fashion industry faces increasing scrutiny over waste, overproduction and labour practices. McCartney has long occupied a distinct position in luxury fashion as one of the industry’s earliest and most vocal advocates for sustainable design. Her rejection of leather and fur, once considered commercially risky within luxury fashion, has become increasingly aligned with shifting consumer sentiment, particularly among younger shoppers. But the collaboration also exposes one of fashion’s central contradictions. H&M remains one of the world’s largest fast fashion retailers, operating in a business model built on scale and rapid consumption. The result is a collection attempting to merge exclusivity with accessibility, and sustainability with mass retail. The tension was visible throughout the launch. Shoppers moved between price points ranging from R529 T-shirts to structured tailoring and outerwear approaching R4 500. Some gravitated towards wearable investment pieces such as oversized striped shirts and black wool blazers.  Others searched immediately for the more visibly collectible items: red mesh totes, graphic tees and embellished separates that probably dominated social media feeds within hours of the launch. The atmosphere felt less like conventional retail and more like event culture. Fashion launches increasingly operate within the logic of scarcity and digital visibility. Consumers are no longer simply purchasing clothing. They are participating in a cultural moment designed to circulate online. The queue itself became part of the performance. That dynamic reflects broader shifts in global retail. Under economic pressure, consumers are often buying fewer items while placing greater emphasis on statement purchases tied to identity, aspiration and perceived longevity.  Collaborations between luxury designers and mass retailers continue to thrive precisely because they occupy the middle ground between exclusivity and accessibility. In South Africa, the tension is particularly pronounced. Rising living costs and constrained household spending have reshaped discretionary consumption across sectors. Yet aspirational retail remains remarkably resilient, particularly when attached to global cultural brands capable of generating both scarcity and social capital. Fashion has also become increasingly intertwined with digital identity. Certain pieces are purchased as much for how they circulate online as for how frequently they are worn.  The Stella McCartney collaboration appears acutely aware of the reality. Oversized silhouettes, translucent accessories, logo placement and archival references all lend themselves to immediate social media recognition. At Sandton, shoppers photographed rails before trying on garments. Friends FaceTimed each other from inside the store. Some arrived with screenshots of specific items saved to their phones overnight.  The launch unfolded as both retail experience and content production line. Beneath the spectacle, there were signs of a quieter shift in consumer taste. The strongest pieces in the collection were not necessarily the loudest.  Oversized shirting, structured tailoring and understated accessories drew sustained attention from shoppers seeking items with longer-term wearability rather than novelty alone. That may ultimately explain the enduring power of collaborations like this one.  Two decades after Stella McCartney first partnered with H&M, consumers remain drawn not only to designer names but to the promise of transformation attached to them — the idea that fashion can briefly offer access to another world, another identity, another version of oneself. On a freezing Johannesburg morning, hundreds queued before sunrise for precisely that possibility.

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Get the Daily Lotto and Daily Lotto Plus results as soon as they are drawn on The Citizen, so you can rest easy and check your tickets with confidence. Estimated Daily Lotto and Daily Lotto Plus jackpots for Thursday, 7 May 2026: Daily Lotto: R450 000 Daily Lotto Plus: R150 000 Daily Lotto and Daily Lotto Plus results for 7 May 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: 01, 06, 14, 18, 35. Daily Lotto Plus: 01, 08, 23, 27, 29. 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 8:30pm every evening, and tickets can be bought until 8:30pm. Is there a winner every day? Yes. The jackpot prize money is guaranteed to be given away even if no one matches all five numbers. When this happens, the jackpot is split between everyone who matches two or more numbers. Visit www.nationallottery.co.za and go to the How to Play Daily Lotto section to learn more.

In the news today, residents around the Kouga Dam in the Western Cape have been ordered to evacuate as flooding hits the area. Meanwhile, National Coloured Congress (NCC) party leader and MP Fadiel Adams will remain in custody until his bail application resumes next week. Furthermore, one lucky player has bagged over R100 million from last night’s Lotto draw. Weather tomorrow: 8 May 2026 The South African Weather Service (Saws) has warned of disruptive rain, flooding and damaging waves in the Eastern Cape as well as gale winds and snow over the Western parts of the country from Sunday until Tuesday. Full weather forecast here. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way. Western Cape storms: Residents ordered to evacuate as Kouga Dam overflows Flooding has hit areas around the Kouga Dam. Picture: Kouga Municipality Mayor Hattingh Bornman/ Facebook Kouga Municipality Executive Mayor Hattingh Bornman on Thursday issued an urgent call for residents in low-lying areas along the Gamtoos River to evacuate immediately, warning that the Kouga Dam has exceeded full capacity and is overflowing at an alarming rate. “The Kouga Dam is currently at 113% and overflowing extremely fast,” Bornman said. He added that the evacuation request is being made as a precautionary measure. The municipality says its teams are already on the ground to assist anyone who needs help during the evacuation. CONTINUE READING: Western Cape storms: Residents ordered to evacuate as Kouga Dam overflows Fadiel Adams will have to wait for bail National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams. Picture: X / @JustSecuCluster National Coloured Congress (NCC) party leader and MP Fadiel Adams will remain in custody after making his first appearance on charges of fraud and defeating or obstructing the course of justice. The Pinetown Magistrate’s Court ruled on Thursday that he will remain in custody at a secret location until his bail application resumes next week. According to police, Adams was arrested over allegations that he interfered with ongoing investigations into the murder of the late ANC Youth League leader Sindiso Magaqa. Adams was apprehended in Cape Town on Tuesday after police called on him to hand himself over. CONTINUE READING: Fadiel Adams will have to wait for bail Lotto: Check your tickets! R100 million has been won Picture: iStock One lucky player has bagged R100 644 721.10 from last night’s Lotto draw. Ithuba is still waiting for the winner to come forward and claim their millions. If you placed a bet for Wednesday’s draw, check your tickets. In case you missed it, here are the winning numbers: Lotto Plus2: 05, 23, 24, 52, 55, 57. Bonus Ball: 28. Lotto: 06, 08, 23, 40, 42, 44. Bonus ball: 10. Lotto Plus1: 11, 22, 26, 31, 49, 53. Bonus Ball: 20. CONTINUE READING: Lotto: Check your tickets! R100 million has been won MK party and IEC hold talks over vote rigging claims MK party supporters outside the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg, 10 May 2024. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/ The Citizen After a period of tension over the 2024 election results, Jacob Zuma’s MK party and the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) are attempting to resolve their differences, despite analysts believing the former president’s party has no case anyway. The MK party challenged the 2024 results in the Electoral Court, asking for it to declare them null and void. It alleged the results were compromised due to vote rigging, which the IEC denied. It later withdrew the case without giving reasons, but then decided to continue the matter in the Constitutional Court (ConCourt). This week, senior officials from the MK party held a meeting with the IEC’s senior officials, but the talks seemed to have deadlocked on the question of the court challenge, which the party wants to proceed with. CONTINUE READING: MK party and IEC hold talks over vote rigging claims Tyla addresses viral Met Gala clip amid speculation that Rihanna ignored her Pictures: Getty Images South African artist Tyla has addressed a viral video from the Met Gala that sparked online speculation about her interaction with Barbadian singer Rihanna. The clip shows the two artists in close proximity without engaging with each other, leading to claims that Rihanna had ignored Tyla. Tyla has since posted a video explaining what happened. She said she first met Rihanna the previous year but felt their interaction was cut short, which left her feeling awkward. CONTINUE READING: Tyla addresses viral Met Gala clip amid speculation that Rihanna ignored her Yesterday’s News recap READ HERE: In case you missed it: SA rats hantavirus-free | Joburg basically broke – Godongwana | Khawula must apologise or jail

FlySafair is dishing out clapbacks amid backlash to its R12 ticket “birthday sale” this week. The South African airline has come under fire after being accused of “deceiving” the public about the real cost of tickets. FLYSAFAIR RESPONDS TO R12 TICKET BACKLASH On Wednesday, 6 May, FlySafair launched its 12th “Birthday Dash”, offering 50 000 one-way tickets priced at R12 each. Ticket allocation was handled through a virtual waiting room. Unlike previous years, the airline did state that the price would not include taxes and fuel surcharges. This was due to rising global tensions in the Middle East, which have spiked fuel costs. However, FlySafair was adamant that even with the additional costs, which were visible during the checkout process, the tickets were “significantly lower than normal prices”. On social media, South Africans bemoaned the “hidden” cost of the tickets, which far exceeded R12. One influencer revealed that two tickets in his basket had amounted to almost R4 000! Naaaaah @FlySafair why you thrilling us like this pic.twitter.com/dHUB98dHq5— Shiven Moodley (@ShivenMoodley) May 6, 2026 Responding to the backlash, FlySafair posted a TikTok mocking consumers who had not read the terms and conditions of its birthday sale. In the comments section, the flight company continued to clap back at critics. “We never said it was only R12”, the administrators of the page replied to one complaint. To others, FlySafair posted cheeky memes. @flysafair R12 base fare + fuel surcharge + taxes = still worth the dash! ✈️ #FlySafair12thBirthdayDash ♬ original sound – FlySafair THOUSANDS OF TIX UNSOLD Meanwhile, reports have indicated that thousands of FlySafair R12 tickets went unsold during the birthday sale on Wednesday. In previous years, tickets, which included taxes and fuel surcharges, had sold out within hours. MyBroadBand also reported that the airline had leaked private information of its users. This was done via the sale site’s bulletin chat API, which provided details of users participating in the sale, including names, IP addresses, and email addresses. It was later confirmed that the chat board had been removed and that the API data had been cleared.

Like many South Africans, Somizi Mhlongo has shared his disappointment at the casting of British actress Cynthia Erivo as South African songbird, Miriam Makeba. The leading lady is part of a new Hollywood-produced biopic called The Road Home. It also stars South African thespian Thabo Rametsi as musician High Masekela. SOMIZI SPEAKS OUT ON CYNTHIA ERIVO BEING CAST AS MIRIAM MAKEBA In a video posted on his TikTok account, Somizi shared his frustrations and disappointment that a non-South African actress had been cast as Miriam Makeba in an international film production. “Most South Africans are unhappy, including myself, about these Hollywood producers taking our stories and telling our stories. The frustration is valid and warranted. “We have the best actresses and actors in this country…and I’m talking global standards. They don’t give a F about our support”. Somizi went on to explain the dynamic of casting in international film production, noting that big names like Cynthia Erivo would attract audiences. However, he found fault with South Africans who signed off on their stories being told by overseas filmmakers. Cynthia Erivo has been criticised over her casting as Miriam Makeba in an upcoming biopic.Images via X He continued: “We are angry at the wrong people…There is someone who signs everything off. It could be a relative, it could be an estate, a company or someone with the rights. “That person no longer has a say. They can only approve of the script before they sign everything. Those are the people we should be focusing on. How do you sell your souls because of money? “The sooner the government invests in the arts and culture, the more money there is in this economy”. @somg63 ♬ original sound – somizi ‘JUSTICE THAT SHE DESERVES’ Last month, news broke of Hollywood-produced South African musical drama, The Road Home. The R300 million film will explore the true-life events of music and politics during the Apartheid era. It will focus on the late jazz musician Hugh Masekela, who was exiled from South Africa, and went on to form the Graceland band alongside singer Miriam Makeba, who later became his wife. South African thespian Thabo Rametsi will play Masekela, while British actress Cynthia Erivo will play Makeba. Production will begin in Cape Town in June. In a Facebook post, Erivo addressed her upcoming role. She shared: “I have had a Miriam Makeba-shaped space in my heart for aeons now, and the thought of bringing her to life this way is scary, a challenge. She is and was singular. I can only hope that with hard work, I can do her the justice that she so deserves, and I am deeply honoured to be given the opportunity to try. She added, “If you don’t know who she is, you should. A legend, a storyteller, a healer. Mama Africa”

Digital identity experts have welcomed new draft regulations as a good starting point but have flagged areas of concern.

Broadcaster-only election rules leave South Africa exposed to the AI-driven disinformation already shaping votes elsewhere.