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 It is understood that 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.

Bakkies Botha and Kwagga Smith have both praised Paul de Villiers as the Springboks’ most exciting new breakdown bandit in years. Paul de Villiers has taken the Springbok environment by storm since making his debut this season, earning glowing tributes from former and current players alike. The 23-year-old Stormers flanker has featured in every Springbok match-day 23 this season – the only recent debutant to achieve that distinction – and his performances have prompted comparisons to some of the game’s great breakdown operators. He started in the exhibition against the Barbarians in Gqeberha, came in as a starter at the 11th hour against England in Johannesburg after Siya Kolisi’s withdrawal due to illness and retained his place in the starting XV against Scotland in Pretoria a week later. And it’s against the Scots where he made the biggest impact of his short Test career, so much so that it drew plaudits from World Cup winning Springboks Bakkies Botha and Kwagga Smith. With Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour – which will see the All Blacks play seven games against the Springboks and the four provincial franchises – looming large, that could well be the stage where De Villiers makes himself indispensable to Rassie Erasmus and the Springbok cause. KWAGGA: “HE’S A PERSON WILLING TO LEARN” Smith, currently sidelined through injury, was asked about the internal competition de Villiers presents, but the experienced loose forward quickly dismissed that framing. “I think I saw him actually when we were at alignment camp, I popped in at the hotel and he was one of the first guys to come and talk to me and ask for advice and stuff like that,” Smith said at the Johannesburg announcement of Castle Double Malt as title sponsor of the Greatest Rivalry tour. “That’s special because it shows that he’s a person that’s willing to learn.” Smith emphasised that attitude matters as much as ability within the Springbok system. “For us [the Springboks], he’s also a player that’s buying in and willing to learn and learning the ways he wants you to play is really special,” he added. “He’s been playing really well and I think he’s got a great future in front of him. Hopefully he just keeps on playing the way he is.” Those are significant words from a player who occupies the same position and has himself been indispensable to Rassie Erasmus’s system for years. BIG BAKKIES PINPOINTS WHAT MAKES DE VILLIERS SO VALUABLE TO THE SPRINGBOKS Former Bok enforcer Botha, never a man to hand out compliments carelessly, was equally effusive in his assessment. “A guy like Paul de Villiers is an amazing player and he showed it in the games he’s played so far,” Botha said at the same Double Malt event earlier this week. “He’s so low on the ground and that makes a big difference at the breakdown.” Botha went beyond the obvious numbers to explain the subtler tactical impact de Villiers creates. According to him, De Villiers is not just winning turnovers. He is buying the Springbok defence the half-second it needs to reset, and that changes entire games “Not only counting the turnovers he makes, it’s just that one or two seconds at the breakdown that makes the ball slow for the opposition, allowing our defensive line to get into position,” he said. “That’s why we’re so successful in our defensive line, it’s that slow ball at breakdowns.” THE BATTLE STATS BACK THE HYPE Against Scotland, de Villiers produced a statistical performance that would befit a seasoned international, let alone a player in just his second Test. He made eight ball carries, beat two defenders, covered 63 metres with ball in hand, completed 16 tackles and claimed one turnover.” The broader picture is even more striking. De Villiers is one of only four players – alongside Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jesse Kriel and Ben-Jason Dixon – to feature in every Springbok match-day side this season, including the Barbarians fixture. The other three have been part of the Bok set-up for extended periods. De Villiers is the only recent debutant to match them. And that’s because it’s been a while since South Africa had a traditional ball fetcher. BOKS FINALLY CALL UPON A TRADITIONAL BRÜSSOW-ESQE BREAKDOWN SPECIALIST What distinguishes de Villiers from a standard loose forward is his situational intelligence at the breakdown. His body position – extraordinarily low to the ground – and his ability to make the right read in tight situations. One exchange during the Scotland Test drew particular attention. Rugby analyst Oom Rugby points out that the referee was unfamiliar with De Villiers and told the player to manage his weight, unaware of how wide and low the flanker legally sets himself at the jackal. It’s an almost perfect technique. During the game against Scotland, one social media observer aptly quipped: “Paul de Villiers went to the Richie McCaw School of Breakdown Entry University.” A week earlier, he stepped into Kolisi’s jersey and helped dismantle England on his Test debut. He is 23 years old, still accumulating Test experience and yet already considered undroppable in some quarters. He seems to learn from his mistakes really quickly. His learning curve is looking impressive after just two games. And with the World Cup on the horizon, Rassie Erasmus has added another weapon to the Springboks’ arsenal a genuine fetcher in the mould of Heinrich Brüssow; a player who, in Botha’s words, is already making an amazing difference.

It’s time for today’s Daily Lotto draw! Could tonight be your lucky night? Good Luck! 🎉 Dreaming of a big win? The Daily Lotto jackpot is up for grabs, and it’s an estimated R500 000. The jackpot prize money is guaranteed to be given away even if no one matches all five numbers. All it takes is a ticket to turn your dreams into reality because, as the saying goes, you’ve got to be in it to win it! 📢 Stay tuned! The winning numbers will be updated below as soon as they’re drawn. FRIDAY’S DAILY LOTTO NUMBERS 06, 09, 14, 23, 24 Draw date: 17 July 2026 Did you miss a draw and wonder if you won? Click here to view past Daily Lotto results and payouts. More recent Lotto draws: The Daily Lotto results for Friday, 17 July 2026 The PowerBall and PowerBall XTRA results for Friday, 17 July 2026 (WATCH) Check the PowerBall results on The South African website How to play the Daily Lotto in South Africa The Daily Lotto gives players the chance to win cash prizes every day by matching five numbers drawn from a pool of 36. Playing in-store If you are buying a ticket at a lottery retailer: Pick up a betslip at any authorised lottery outlet. Choose five numbers between 1 and 36, or select a Quick Pick option for randomly generated numbers. Each entry costs R3. You can spend up to R150 per ticket and play multiple boards. Select the number of consecutive draws you want to enter, up to a maximum of 10 draws. Leave this section blank if you only want to enter a single draw. Take your completed betslip to the teller and pay for your ticket. Sign the back of your ticket and write down your contact details. This helps protect your winnings if the ticket is lost. Unsigned tickets can be claimed by whoever presents them. Playing online To play online: Register for a lottery account and make a deposit to fund your entries. Select five numbers between 1 and 36, or choose Quick Pick for random numbers. Complete as many boards as you wish to play. Choose whether you want to enter one draw or multiple consecutive draws. Confirm your selections and pay for your entry. WHEN DOES THE DRAW TAKE PLACE? The Daily Lotto draws occur every day of the week, Monday to Sunday, around 20:40 (SA time). HOW TO BUY TICKETS Buy your tickets now at your nearest participating retailer, on our website by visiting national lottery.co.za using your computer or mobile site, via the National Lottery Mobile App, or participating banks, namely FNB, ABSA, Nedbank, Standard Bank, Capitec, TymeBank and African Bank otherwise dial 1207529# for USSD. DID YOU KNOW Winners who win R50 000 and above receive free trauma counselling from professional psychologists and financial advice from accredited financial advisors absolutely free. At the same time, winnings are paid tax-free directly into the winner’s accounts. WHEN DO LOTTERY TICKET SALES CLOSE? If you are buying tickets from a lottery outlet, they close at 20:40 on draw days. ELIGIBILITY Players must be 18 years old. SUMMARY OF ALL LOTTERY GAMES Monday: Daily Lotto Tuesday: Daily Lotto + PowerBall and PowerBall XTRA Wednesday: Daily Lotto + Lotto, Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto 5 Max Thursday: Daily Lotto Friday: Daily Lotto + PowerBall and PowerBall XTRA Saturday: Daily Lotto + Lotto, Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto 5 Max Sunday: Daily Lotto For more details and to verify the winning numbers, visit the National Lottery website. You must always confirm the official winning numbers on the National Lottery website. We do our best to post the results as accurately as possible, but the National Lottery is the only source you can use to 100% verify the results.

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

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