The SANDF has recovered three vehicles worth R2.2 million, all reported stolen in Gauteng, and intercepted cigarette consignments valued at more than R438,000 during border security operations in Musina, Limpopo, under Operation CORONA.

Johan Ackermann has freshened up his forward pack for the URC match against Ulster in Pretoria on Saturday,

The two people accused of orchestrating the murder of radio personality Warrick “DJ Warras” Stock will remain in custody as the suspects continue to make arrangements for legal representation. Victor Mthethwa Majola, described as the alleged mastermind, and his girlfriend, Hlengiwe Goodness Buthelezi, appeared before the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Thursday, 22 October 2026. The postponement comes amid ongoing difficulties in securing suitable legal representation for the pair, delaying preparations for a pre-trial conference and the setting of a trial date. DJ Warras murder: Legal Aid considers appointing private lawyers The court heard that Majola and Buthelezi had opted to seek assistance from Legal Aid South Africa after previously pursuing private lawyers. The state prosecutor informed Judge William Karam that the accused had completed the necessary documentation. Karam sought clarity on the transfer of the case docket from their previous legal representatives, BDK Attorneys, to Legal Aid. “There were some hiccups, but eventually the docket is now with Legal Aid South Africa, including the memory sticks,” the prosecutor responded. Their lawyer, Yulene Jennifer Britz, confirmed that she had received the docket on Wednesday, 21 October. “I did have a chance to peruse the docket or the files and would, therefore, be able to meaningfully consult both of the accused regarding a possible conflict,” Britz told the court. However, the possibility of a “conflict of interest” complicated the process, prompting discussions about appointing private practitioners through Judicare. Judicare allows Legal Aid South Africa to appoint private legal practitioners to represent eligible clients at a fixed or reduced fee. Britz told the court that Legal Aid South Africa would consider appointing potentially two lawyers to represent the accused, explaining that the institution believed “it’s better if it is outsourced”. A date of 2 November was agreed upon for pre-trial purposes. Judge expresses frustration over repeated postponements Karam made it clear that the outstanding legal representation issues needed to be addressed before the next appearance, expressing concern over the time already lost. “This matter has been delayed long enough, with respect,” the judge remarked. The prosecution echoed the court’s concerns, pointing out that efforts to arrange a pre-trial conference had been underway since July. “The state is ready to set a trial date in the matter, and for four or five months, we have not been doing anything meaningful. “The matter in respect of one of the accused has, in the interim, been finalised, but in respect of these two accused, there’s just delay upon delay.” The case was subsequently postponed until next month, with both Majola and Buthelezi remaining in custody. Buthelezi abandoned her bail application after her arrest on 9 September, while Majola was denied bail earlier this year. DJ Warras shot in Johannesburg CBD Majola and Buthelezi are charged with premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with Stock’s death on 16 December 2025. Stock was reportedly overseeing the installation of security systems at Zambesi Flats, near Johannesburg’s Carlton Centre, when the fatal shooting occurred. The radio DJ was parked outside the building when three people approached his vehicle and opened fire before fleeing the scene. He was laid to rest on 23 December. One of the accused, Armindo Joaquim Pacula, has already been sentenced to 25 years in prison for murder after admitting his role in the killing. The Mozambican national also received an eight-year sentence for unlawful possession of a firearm, six months for unlawful possession of ammunition, and 12 months for contravening the Immigration Act after being found to be illegally in South Africa. Pacula admitted to shooting and killing Stock in exchange for R25 000.

Routine municipal maintenance across Johannesburg has increasingly turned into a high-risk security operation, with frontline technicians needing armed police escorts simply to repair power lines, fix leaking pipes, or clear refuse in volatile neighbourhoods. The severity of the threat facing municipal service providers was laid bare on Monday, 12 October, when a City Power technical team attending to low-voltage outages in Riverlea was hijacked and held up at gunpoint by armed criminals who robbed workers of their personal belongings and equipment. In the wake of the armed robbery, City Power was forced to temporarily withdraw its technicians from the area, delaying essential electricity restorations for residents. Operations only resumed after City Power’s Security Risk Management team partnered with the Langlaagte SA Police Service (Saps) to provide armed escorts for technicians entering the suburb. Confirming the incident, City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said staff safety remains paramount. “Due to safety concerns and the trauma experienced by our staff, operations in the area were temporarily suspended,” Mangena said, noting that technical crews were later able to restore electricity supply in Pongola Street under Saps protection. “To ensure their continued safety, we have engaged Langlaagte Saps and the City Power Risk Officer to arrange security escorts for our teams until the area is declared safe for normal operations.” Mafias This incident is not an isolated event. Across Johannesburg, entities like City Power, Joburg Water, and Pikitup face mounting hostility from organised criminal networks. A recent government tender notice requested bids for “tactical response services, armoured vehicles, escort services and close protection services as-and-when needed by Johannesburg Water for a period of thirty-six months”, underlying the challenges utilities face. According to Willem Els, co-founder of the Security Initiative for Africa (SIA) and consultant for the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), the violence directed at service delivery workers stems from a combination of illegal utility connections, local extortion rings, and broader infrastructure syndicates. Els explained that when municipal teams attempt to cut off illegal electricity connections, “they are now being disrupted by these people.” In other instances, organised groups seek total control over specific neighbourhoods. “You have some criminal gangs that are really into extortion, taking control of the area,” Els said, explaining that these groups often demand payment before allowing municipal work to proceed. Els noted that this criminal economy also extends to the water sector, where the “water mafia” manipulates pipeline access to force municipalities to rely on private water tankers. Syndicates also frequently target construction and maintenance contracts, demanding a “30% cut” in exchange for protection. Els explained that syndicates keep attacking until contractors and service providers agree to pay an “extortion fee… for protection”. When asked why frontline technicians have become soft targets, Els pointed to a systemic breakdown in criminal justice deterrence, noting that fewer than 12% of recorded crimes lead to conviction. “They lost their fear of retribution, because they know the ability of the government is not there to successfully arrest, investigate, and prosecute them,” Els said. National failure hampering local growth The need for police escorts to deliver basic services highlights a deeper structural problem: the national security apparatus’s failure to maintain a safe operating environment for local government. Political analyst Daniel Silke explained that local municipalities are bearing the direct financial and operational costs of broader law enforcement failures. “The failure of the broader security apparatus and the failure of the state to secure the safety of municipal workers is a deep cost to municipalities,” Silke said. “It adds to the long list of national or state failures that impact on local service delivery.” Silke emphasised that local government issues cannot be separated from broader state security performance. “You can’t just discuss local government efficiencies without also making sure that the same efficiencies are pressured at a national level,” he noted. What political parties are saying With local government elections approaching, the issue of policing and service delivery security has become a key political battleground, exposing fundamental differences in party philosophy. “The DA’s philosophy has always been to decentralise, take away power from the central government and devolve it down to local level,” Silke said, pointing to Cape Town where the party champions localised policing powers. In contrast, Silke noted that parties like the ANC, EFF, and MK Party historically prefer “national or greater state control, or state intervention rather than giving power down to sort of local authorities.” However, he added that the ANC is slowly realising that giving local authorities more power over key issues like security could ultimately be beneficial. Finding sustainable solutions While police escorts provide temporary protection for technicians, experts agree that armed security is not a sustainable long-term solution to service delivery disruption. Els emphasised that tackling violence against municipal crews requires a holistic, community-centred approach rather than relying solely on police. “These criminals are within the community, they live amongst them, and they operate there,” Els noted. “It is a matter of uniting the different communities and then standing up against the evil within themselves.” City Power continues to urge community members to help protect vital infrastructure by reporting suspicious activity to its Security Risk Management Department or local police stations.

Every year, thousands of South Africans flock to their favourite small coastal towns for much-needed family time. They want to relax and enjoy the slower pace. But crime is rocking many of these peaceful escapes. Rising crime could ruin these seaside escapes There isn’t a part of South Africa’s 2 800 kilometres of coast where rising crime hasn’t penetrated. Small towns along the West Coast, South Coast, Wild Coast, Sunshine Coast, and Overberg have all recorded a rise in crime. The data reflects a worrying trend based on first-quarter statistics from the South African Police Service (SAPS). The West Coast In the first quarter, crime is up 8.2% in Saldanha and 15% in Langebaan. While Saldanha still reports more crime than Langebaan, Langebaan has been increasing over time, while in Saldanha it’s trending downward. Drug-related crimes in both towns feature in the top 5 most recorded crimes in the police precincts. The Overberg Of the 15 police precincts on the Overberg, 10 have reported worse crime statistics in the first quarter of this year than in the first quarter of last year. The worst-offending coastal town is Kleinmond. In the first quarter of this year, crime is up 22.1%. In Hermanus, crime is stabilising after it peaked last year. Hermanus and Kleinmond share similar issues. In both towns, drug-related crime is the most recorded, followed by commercial crime, theft, and residential burglary. The South Coast Along the South Coast, Port Shepstone and Port Edward are the only police precincts reporting a rise in crime in the first quarter. Port Shepstone reported a 10.1% increase in crime. In Port Edward, crime is up 6.3%. However, both towns are down from their peaks. In Margate, however, crime is trending downward in the first quarter. But crime overall has been rising in the town. The Sunshine Coast On the Sunshine Coast, Jeffrey’s Bay has had the worst first quarter for crime. Crime in the area rose 64.1% in the first quarter. Crime in St Francis Bay is up 13.7%, and in Port Alfred it’s up 10%. Kenton-on-Sea saw the lowest increase at only 3.3%. The Wild Coast Last year in Port St Johns, crime declined slightly from its 2024 peak. Crime is up 21.3% in the first quarter of this year. If this continues, crime in the town could break its 2024 records.

Janine Lochrenberg was wearing a shark-repellent device when she was killed in a shark attack in KuGompo. The 65-year-old was a passionate open-water swimmer. She and her fellow swimmers wore magnetic shark repellents on their feet. But it wasn’t enough to save her, and scientists say the research raises serious questions about these devices. On Tuesday, 20 October, Lochrenberg was killed by a shark while swimming with a group at Orient Beach in KuGompo City, formerly East London. WHAT HAPPENED AT ORIENT BEACH Lochrenberg, a retired nuclear radiographer and musician, was swimming with a group shortly after 08:00 when she signalled that she was in trouble. Fellow swimmer Mike Loewe was in the water with Lochrenberg when the attack happened. “We were all in the water, swimming. We were wearing [magnetic shark repellents] on our feet. She had one on,” Loewe told SABC News. WATCH | SABC News' Sidima Mfeku speaks to rescuer Mike Louw, who recounts the fatal shark attack on a 65-year-old swimmer and attempts to save her at Orient Beach in KuGompo City, Eastern Cape. pic.twitter.com/i5o9nvFvl7— SABC News (@SABCNews) October 20, 2026 A witness told SABC that she had suffered two severe bites, one on her thigh and one on her upper arm. She was declared dead at the scene. Police have opened an inquest, and the species of shark involved isn’t yet known. The Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality has closed Orient Beach and nearby Eastern Beach until further notice. According to municipal records cited by the Associated Press, it’s the city’s first fatal shark attack since 1997. DO SHARK-REPELLENT BRACELETS WORK? According to the research, probably not. In 2018, scientists at Flinders University in Australia tested five popular personal shark deterrents in waters with one of Australia’s largest groups of great white sharks. They tested two magnetic devices, including a bracelet, two electric devices, and a surfboard wax designed to repel sharks by smell. Each device was attached to a surfboard, with bait dangled below to mimic a surfer’s foot. The team carried out 50 trials for each product. The study found that only one electric device had a significant effect. The magnetic bracelet didn’t. WHAT ABOUT ELECTRIC DETERRENTS? The electric device that worked creates a strong electrical field, designed to overwhelm the sensors sharks use to detect the weak electrical signals given off by their prey. “We found that this electric deterrent reduced the risk of a shark bite by around 60%,” shark ecologist Charlie Huveneers, of Flinders University, told Cosmos magazine. A later study found that personal electric deterrents reduced bites from great white, tiger and bull sharks, the three species responsible for most severe shark bites around the world. But neither product it tested eliminated the risk entirely. Not all electric devices work equally well, either. Researchers at the University of Western Australia found that electric deterrents compacted into an anklet were ineffective. A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY Scientists warn that ineffective deterrents could put people at greater risk. Huveneers has said some people wearing ineffective deterrents visit high-risk surf spots they would normally avoid, such as breaks near seal colonies, and even return to the water after a shark has been spotted. “There is currently no silver bullet that will completely stop the risk of shark bites,” he said. HOW COMMON ARE SHARK ATTACKS IN SOUTH AFRICA? Shark attacks are rare. The Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File recorded 29 unprovoked shark bites in South Africa between 2012 and 2021, an average of about three a year.  Six were fatal. HOW TO STAY SAFER IN THE WATER No device can guarantee your safety, but shark safety organisations recommend: Swimming at beaches with lifeguards, and staying within the safe swimming areas. Obeying beach closures and shark warnings. Avoiding the water at dawn and dusk, in murky water, and near river mouths. Not swimming alone. Staying away from areas where people are fishing, or where there’s bait in the water. WOULD YOU WEAR A SHARK DETERRENT WHEN YOU SWIM OR SURF? Let us know in the comments below…

South Africa's big financial firms call artificial intelligence a growth driver, yet benefits are rarely tracked properly.

Growth came mainly from low-margin Microsoft and Sage distribution, and flat costs did the rest.