Advocate Andrea Johnson faces serious ethics challenges after explosive testimony at the Madlanga Commission prompted formal complaints from Public Interest SA and Brigadier Dineo Mokwele.

'Cat' Matlala and two of his co-accused will be able to see friends and family on Saturdays, after their advocates told the Johannesburg High Court the men were in the dock every weekday and could not get visitors, or even fresh clothes for the week ahead.

Western Cape police have arrested a suspect in connection with the murder of Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor Sinovuyo Dyokwe. The province’s Serious Violent Crime Investigation unit and Special Task Force carried out the arrest on Saturday in Parklands. Dyokwe was shot dead near Dunoon on 20 June after a day of campaigning for that weekend’s voter registration days. The South African Police Service (Saps) state that Dyokwe was followed out of Dunoon that Friday evening by two armed suspects, with the arrested suspect allegedly being the orchestrator of the hit. “She was a dedicated activist and DA candidate in Dunoon who worked tirelessly to serve her community. She will be deeply missed,” the DA stated following the incident. Murder and extortion Saps stated that their investigations had revealed Dyokwe was being extorted of protection money, and was targeted when refusing to comply. “It is further alleged that after she refused to continue making these payments, threats were made against her. “During the operation, police seized the vehicle allegedly used in the commission of the offence, as well as seven cellular phones that will form part of the ongoing investigation. “The arrest follows an intensive investigation during which detectives acted on information received from members of the public regarding the suspect’s whereabouts,” Saps confirmed. The 37-year-old suspect is expected in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday to face charges of murder and extortion. “The investigation remains ongoing, and further arrests are expected as detectives continue to pursue all those involved in this matter,” the Saps stated on Sunday. Free State stabbing In a separate incident, a man in the Free State has been arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of a woman. The 38-year-old foreign national is accused of stabbing the woman at a tavern near Stilte Park, roughly 30km south of Welkom, on Friday. “The suspect was traced on the same day and subsequently arrested at an open field in Meloding. “The motive for the murder is unclear at this stage and will form part of police investigations,” Saps confirmed. The man is expected in the Virginia Magistrate’s Court on Monday to face charges of murder, contravention of the Immigration Act, and possession of a dangerous weapon.

Kaizer Chiefs captain and goalkeeper Brandon Petersen says Amakhosi will be going all out to lift the Toyota Cup for the first time when they take on Zimbabwean champions Scottland FC at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Sunday afternoon (kick off 3pm). Chiefs’ Toyota Cup blues Chiefs were thumped 4-0 by Tanzanian side Young Africans in the inaugural Toyota Cup in 2024, and last year lost on penalties to Ghana’s Asante Kotoko. The game against Scottland gives an expected sell-out crowd the first chance to see Chiefs on home soil under new head coach Fernando Da Cruz. “I think we should start by hitting the ground running and make sure that from the first whistle we go out to win the game,” said Petersen this week. “This is the first step for us, to set the tone for the season. It is important we take it as that – you have one chance to win it, it is a final. We need to show that hunger and determination and show our supporters that we mean business.” Petersen also sees facing continental opposition as good preparation for Chiefs ahead of another Caf Confederation Cup campaign. Amakhosi played in the Confederation Cup last season, and just failed to make it out of the group stages. “It is important for us (the Toyota Cup) because we are playing continental football. These games give you a sense of what it is like playing the Confederation Cup. It doesn’t matter who we play, they want to beat us. For us it is about building our tenacity and courage, to say it doesn’t matter who we face, we want to be dominant and win the game.” Familiar faces Scottland are a relatively new face in Zimbabwean football, founded in 2023 by Scott Sakupwanya. Backed by the funding of the Zimbabwean businessman and Member of Parliament, Scottland won promotion to the Zimbabwean top flight in 2024, and won the Zimbabwean Premier Soccer League a year later. Included in Norman Mapeza’s Scottland side are former Chiefs forwards Knowledge Musona and Khama Billiat. “We are excited,” added Petersen. “I spoke to Knowledge … he wasn’t here in my time but we are looking forward to facing those guys and seeing them back on the field. I know the supporters will be cheering us on.”

If you’re wishing your debt would go away, your wish may come true if the debt is prescribed. Prescription essentially means your debt has expired and you’re under no legal obligation to repay it. Besides, it becomes illegal for a collector to ask you to make payments. How do you know if your debt is prescribed? Most debt prescribes after three years. But that only happens if you meet three conditions: Haven’t acknowledged or made arrangements to repay the debt for that period. Didn’t make any payments toward the outstanding balance. You haven’t received a summons, or there hasn’t been a judgment on the debt. This three-year countdown doesn’t begin when you sign the contract. It starts from the last time you made a payment or acknowledged your debt. Often, debt collectors won’t share that debt is prescribed or is months away from prescribing when they start pursuing you aggressively. Debt collectors typically don’t share this information because they’ve purchased your debt. To get a return on the investment, they need you to resume payments. When you resume payments, no matter how small, you restart the clock. Therefore, it is your responsibility not to get taken in by threats, even if they include blacklisting or judgments. Managing debt collection calls on old debts If you’re unsure if a debt has prescribed, you can ask the caller when the last payment was made on the account. Don’t acknowledge the debt. Instead, ask them to clarify what they are calling about and follow up with: “when was the last payment made?” At this stage, they may become vague and give a month. Ask them to clarify the year. If it’s been more than three years, you should report this debt collector to the Council for Debt Collectors. It is against the law to pursue repayment on a debt that has prescribed. Specifically, it is against Section 126b of the National Credit Act 34 of 2005. If it’s closing in on 3 years, don’t agree to make a payment or acknowledge the debt. Debt that takes longer than 3 years to prescribe Debts arising from credit cards, store cards and store credit, bank fees, cell phone contracts, gym memberships and personal loans prescribe after 3 years, if they meet the conditions mentioned above. However, a home loan, outstanding taxes, municipal rates, and debts where there’s been a judgment, only prescribe after 30 years. What happens to prescribed debt? When a debt prescribes, it will no longer show up on your credit report. You should check your credit report and dispute all debts that you believe have prescribed. Years of unpaid debt will mean your credit score is low. If you want to get better interest rates when you apply for credit, you need to rebuild your credit. That means paying all your current bills on time. You can also rebuild your credit by closing unused credit. Your credit exposure adds to your debt-to-income ratio, even if you’re not using it.

On Friday night, one moment stood out during the Cheetahs’ Currie Cup game against the Sharks XV. During a break in play, Faf de Klerk could be seen speaking on a two-way radio, and coach Frans Steyn later revealed the scrumhalf had been communicating with him as part of an interesting innovation. It will draw comparisons to the style of Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, who is always thinking up different ways of doing things, most famously using lights to communicate from the top of the stadium way back when he was Cheetahs coach. “If Faf has something on his mind and picks up the radio to share it with me, I love it,” the former Bok utility back told Rapport. “I’m not out there on the field with them. We in the coaches’ box see things from a different perspective than the players do on the pitch. “And after Faf and I spoke over the radio, there was a shift in the game. If I’m not mistaken, we scored points shortly afterwards.” Faf de Klerk stars for Cheetahs Besides his leadership role, De Klerk – who caught many by surprise when he signed for the Cheetahs – was named Man of the Match after Friday’s 43-21 Currie Cup win in Bloemfontein, scoring two tries and creating several others. “Faf has only been with us for a few weeks, but his quality is already shining through,” he said. First Division result to note Meanwhile, the Eagles were crowned Currie Cup First Division champions on a frosty Friday evening in George when they delivered a dominant second half performance to beat the Valke 41-21, after they led by 19-14 at the break. The hosts outscored the visitors from the East Rand by six tries to three in an entertaining final staged at Outeniqua Park. The game was evenly balanced by the halfway mark, with the Eagles leading by only five points. However, the second half belonged entirely to the hosts as they dominated the forward battle, showed impressive defensive resolve, and displayed clinical finishing to round off a number of scoring opportunities. The Eagles’ deserved victory brought smiles and joy to the rugby supporters of the Garden Route after their side had earlier missed out on qualifying for the Premier Division.

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