News you should know tonight: Top 5 stories you may have missed on July 14, 2025
Good evening, IOL News family!
It's Monday, July 14, 2025, and it's time for a wrap of the biggest headlines making waves in South Africa and beyond. Don't forget to join the IOL WhatsApp Channel to stay in tune, informed, and in the know.
'The devil was with us': Fleurhof community reacts to mom charged with Jayden-Lee's murder
Fleurhof community members have expressed shock to learn that the accused in Jayden-Lee Meek's murder is his own mother, saying she has to rot in jail. To read on, click here.
Cape Town Lawyer Gary Trappler convicted for slashing tyres in alleged racially motivated attack on neighbour
The Cape Town Magistrate's Court has found a prominent attorney Gary Trappier guilty of maliciously damaging his neighbour's property. To read on, click here.
New foot and mouth disease outbreak confirmed in Free State
The Department of Agriculture has confirmed a new outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) on a commercial farm in the Free State.To read on, click here.
'Protecting politically connected': Ramaphosa slammed for placing Mchunu on 'paid leave'
Opposition parties have slammed President Cyril Ramaphosa for placing under-fire Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on a special leave rather than firing him following explosive allegations levelled against him. To read on, click here.
Weekend rescues: Western Cape hikers saved from peril
A series of dramatic rescues unfolded across the Western Cape this past weekend as Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) teams raced to save hikers stranded by swollen rivers, injured on popular trails, and lost overnight in the mountains. To read on, click here.
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Eyewitness News
2 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
Is Parliament likely to get to the bottom of the alleged cops corruption scandal?
The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional development has recommended that the National Assembly set up an ad hoc committee to investigate claims of corruption in the police service. Suspended minister Senzo Mchunu has been accused of interfering with criminal investigations in order to protect his associates and criminal overlords. He has been placed on special leave, but police continue to make arrests - especially of some of the names mentioned by his accuser, KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. RELATED: Police Minister Mchunu is under criminal investigation for lying to Parliament - Baxolile 'Bax' Nodada, DA South Africans are left wondering whether the commission of inquiry set up by President Ramaphosa will get to the nub of the allegations, and do so timeously? Zikala says the hope is that Members of Parliament put the interests of the country first...
IOL News
6 hours ago
- IOL News
South Africa Needs Action, Not Another Commission of Inquiry
Opposition parties say President Cyril Ramaphosa could have used the existing crime-fighting state institutions to investigate Senzo Mchunu instead of appointing a commission. Image: IOL Graphics Opposition parties say President Cyril Ramaphosa could have used the existing crime-fighting state institutions to investigate Senzo Mchunu instead of appointing a commission. Image: IOL Graphics South Africa stands at a critical juncture in its democratic journey, yet again faced with the painful realisation that those entrusted with the stewardship of the nation are, in many cases, the very ones who betray it. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The recent decision to establish yet another commission of inquiry into deeply troubling allegations involving senior political figures and criminal syndicates is, frankly, a smokescreen. It is not justice. It is not urgent. It is a distraction. We do not need another commission to tell us what we already know. What we need is political will. What we need is action. Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's testimony was not vague. It was not speculative. It was not an anonymous whisper or third-hand hearsay. It was prima facie evidence — clear, credible, and damning. In any functioning state where law enforcement operates independently and accountability is more than a buzzword, such testimony would have immediately triggered charges or, at the very least, an expedited investigative process. Instead, what we are seeing unfold is an elaborate performance of 'doing something' – the favourite tactic of those in power when the heat gets too close to the source. The establishment of commissions of inquiry has, over the years, become the ANC's go-to strategy for placating public anger. Recall the Zondo Commission: four years, over a billion rand spent, and while it uncovered monumental corruption and state capture, how many implicated high-level figures are now behind bars? Very few. The culture of impunity persists, emboldened by the fact that inquiries often produce reports, rather than justice. In the current scenario, a parliamentary inquiry could and should have sufficed. Parliament is the appropriate forum for holding the executive to account. It has both the constitutional mandate and the power to summon individuals, demand documents, and refer matters for prosecution. By launching a full-scale commission instead, those in power are effectively kicking the can down the road—again. Let us be blunt: the ANC is at war with itself, and South Africans are the collateral damage. What we are witnessing is not governance; it is a gang war masquerading as a political process. The allegations made by Mkhwanazi point to a deep rot in our law enforcement and political structures, one that implicates senior ANC leaders in direct or complicit involvement with organised crime. If we were a country truly governed by the rule of law, these individuals would be investigated, charged, and, if found guilty, imprisoned. But the ANC does not cleanse itself. It protects its own. Worse still, the deployment of commissions is a strategy to neutralise whistleblowers and reformists within the system. It creates the illusion of accountability while buying time for accused individuals to regroup, destroy evidence, or mobilise counter-narratives. And let us not forget: commissions do not suspend the presumption of innocence, nor do they have the power to prosecute. They merely recommend, suggest, and report. The burden of actual justice remains on institutions that, by all accounts, are either captured or too weak to act independently. We must ask ourselves: Who benefits from this delay? Indeed not the South African public, who continue to endure failing infrastructure, rising crime, and economic stagnation. Indeed, not the honest civil servants who risk their lives and careers speaking truth to power. The only beneficiaries of this delay are the criminal-political elite, those who wear the colours of the liberation movement by day and run extortion rackets by night. It is also important to call this what it is: political cowardice. The president and senior leadership of the ANC have had multiple opportunities to take decisive action, to show that no one is above the law. Each time, they have chosen instead to prioritise party unity over national interest. In doing so, they have betrayed the very ideals they claim to uphold. This is no longer a question of evidence. It is a question of courage. The SAPS and Hawks must act on the information presented. The NPA must follow through without fear or favour. Parliament must assert itself and not defer its responsibilities to time-consuming commissions. Civil society and the media must maintain pressure, refusing to be lulled into passivity by yet another promise of reform. The people of South Africa have been more than patient. We have waited through the arms deal, Marikana, Nkandla, state capture, Phala Phala—and now this. How much longer must we wait while our democracy is undermined by those who treat it as a personal fiefdom? We are not dealing with ideological disagreements or political rivalries. We are dealing with thugs—criminals embedded within the movement once tasked with liberating our people. The longer we deny this reality, the deeper the rot becomes. South Africa does not need another commission. South Africa needs a reckoning. *Mayalo is an independent writer. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of IOL and Independent Media
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Murder of Ekurhuleni auditor Mpho Mafole: Suspect arrested, another alleged killer on the run
Jonisayi Maromo | Published 1 day ago Detectives in Gauteng have made a breakthrough in the murder case of Mpho Mafole, the group divisional head for corporate and forensic audits at the City of Ekurhuleni. IOL previously reported that Mafole, 47, was found in a pool of blood after his vehicle was sprayed with bullets on the R23 in Kempton Park on June 30. At the time, sources insisted Mafole's death was a hit, linked to his investigation into a massive R2 billion electricity scandal he was close to uncovering. On Tuesday, Gauteng police spokesperson, Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said a 40-year-old man has been arrested by the provincial serious and violent crime detectives. 'On (Sunday) 20 July 2025, the team arrested a 40-year-old man who is expected to appear before Kempton Park Magistrate's Court on 23 July 2025,' she said. Detectives are also looking for a second suspect, identified as Hlanganani Agripper Mncwango, after a warrant of arrest was issued for him by the court. 'The police urge Mncwango to hand himself over to the nearest police station, or anyone who may have information about his whereabouts to contact the Crime Stop line at 08600 10111, or anonymously give tip-offs on My SAPS App which can be downloaded on any smartphone,' said Nevhuhulwi. Earlier this month, IOL reported that E xecutive Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza described the brutally murdered Mafole as a dedicated public servant, a fearless champion for accountability, and a staunch advocate for ethical governance. Police in Gauteng are investigating the motive behind the murder, but activists and social media users suggest the cold-blooded murder could have been an assassination meant to silence him, linked to his work for the City of Ekurhuleni. [email protected] IOL News
