Five arrested for damage to property at Loftus Versfeld Stadium
Police arrested five men for public violence and malicious damage to property following a violent protest at Loftus Stadium on Sunday.
The unrest broke out during the half-time of the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier between Bafana Bafana and Malawi.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said about 150 people started protesting at 16:30.
She said when public order police tried to speak to them, protesters turned violent and threw objects at the officers. Police responded and arrested five suspects.
'The men face charges of public violence, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and malicious damage to property.'
The five suspects are expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
Muridili said police must act when protests threaten safety, as per the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act. The act ensures safety at public events like sports matches and concerts.
The April violence at Loftus Stadium is still under investigation.
Violence broke out after a CAF Champions League match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Espérance Sportive de Tunis. The clash followed Sundowns' 1–0 win at Loftus.
Police confirmed that 13 people were injured but refused medical help. Videos on social media showed fans throwing objects, dismantling barricades and fighting, despite security personnel trying to defuse the situation.
Sundowns later released a statement condemning the violence. The club apologised to Espérance and their supporters. They noted their fans may not have started the fight, but admitted it happened at their home ground.
Sundowns said some fans were attacked with flares and pepper spray. They promised to work with the police to prevent future incidents.
#sapsGP Police have arrested five men following a protest at the Loftus stadium in Hatfield, Tshwane district on 11 May 2025. The suspects will be facing charges which include public violence, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and malicious damage to property.… pic.twitter.com/RmuhN0fkjh
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) May 12, 2025
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
New Orlando Pirates squad has 18 Bafana Bafana players
Orlando Pirates signed a staggering 12 new players ahead of the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season. Six of the new arrivals are fresh Bafana Bafana internationals after the June international friendlies, as well as the 2025 COSAFA Cup. The names include Sinoxolo Kwayiba, Tshepang Moremi, Yanela Mbuthuma, and Masindi Nemtajela. Adding the likes of Nkosinathi Sibisi and Relebohile Mofokeng, the new total number of Bafana Bafana internationals at Orlando Pirates shot up to 18. Why Orlando Pirates strikers were missing on Saturday Orlando Pirates' sensational young talent Mbekezeli Mbokazi makes his Bafana Bafana debut against Mozambique at the Peter Mokaba Stadium. Image: IOL Using the opportunity to expand the selection pool before Afcon 2025 in December, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos picked Orlando Pirates players Deano Van Rooyen, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Sinoxolo Kwayiba, Tshepang Moremi and Yanela Mbuthuma for their first caps during the friendly internationals against Mozambique and Tanzania in June. Orlando Pirates coach reads Mofokeng news A few weeks later, Bafana Bafana participated in the COSAFA 2025 tournament. The team included Masindi Nemtajela, Kamogelo Sebelebele, Simphiwe Selepe, and Boitumelo Radiopane. Meanwhile, Bafana's 'A team', which competed in the Afcon and FIFA World Cup qualifiers, featured nine Orlando Pirates footballers. Full list of all Orlando Pirates who played for Bafana Bafana last season: 1. Sipho Chaine 2. Nkosinathi Sibisi 3. Thabiso Sesane 4. Thalente Mbatha 5. Patrick Maswanganyi 6. Relebohile Mofokeng 7. Oswin Appollis 8. Tshegofatso Mabasa 9. Evidence Makgopa 10. Deano Van Rooyen 11. Mbekezeli Mbokazi 12. Sinoxolo Kwayiba 13. Tshepang Moremi 14. Yanela Mbuthuma 15. Masindi Nemtajela 16. Kamogelo Sebelebele 17. Simphiwe Selepe 18. Boitumelo Radiopane. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
WhatsApp is curbing scam networks by banning millions of malicious accounts
Masabata Mkwananzi | Published 1 hour ago WhatsApp has ramped up its global efforts to combat criminal scam networks, removing millions of malicious accounts and launching enhanced in-app safety tools to safeguard users from fraud and deception. The tech giant revealed that over the past six months, it proactively identified and banned more than 6.8 million accounts tied to criminal scam syndicates. These swift actions halted scammers before they could roll out their fraudulent schemes, safeguarding millions of users from potential harm. In 2023, former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela fell victim to a WhatsApp scam. On June 7, she revealed on X (formerly known as Twitter) that both she and a friend lost thousands of rand after a scammer took over the WhatsApp account of a mutual friend to trick them. 'He was pretending to be that friend. It was only when the scammer became so greedy and brazen that my son and I figured out the scam and warned other friends. WhatsApp ID theft or hacking is real,' she tweeted. WhatsApp highlighted that scammers usually work from criminal scam centres running various schemes simultaneously, such as fraudulent cryptocurrency investments and pyramid schemes. They often ask for upfront payments to guarantee returns, which serves as a major warning sign. These scams start on platforms like dating apps or through texts, then shift to social media, messaging apps like WhatsApp, and finally to payment or crypto platforms. 'This multi-platform approach is designed to evade detection by individual services, making comprehensive disruption more challenging.' Kojo Boakye, Meta's Vice President of Public Policy for Africa, the Middle East, and Türkiye, highlighted that combating scams is an ongoing challenge. He stated that they are continuously improving their security measures to stay one step ahead of malicious actors. "This is part of our unwavering commitment to protect our users, not just by banning malicious accounts, but by empowering individuals with the tools and knowledge they need to recognise and avoid these sophisticated threats. We believe that a safer messaging environment is built through a combination of robust technology, proactive detection, and user education," he said. The company also highlighted a recent example of cross-industry teamwork, where WhatsApp, Meta, and OpenAI worked together to dismantle a scam ring based in Cambodia. The group exploited ChatGPT to craft initial messages that guided victims to WhatsApp, before swiftly shifting them to Telegram. There, victims were instructed to like videos on TikTok and were ultimately pressured into depositing funds into cryptocurrency accounts. In light of emerging threats, WhatsApp is introducing new anti-scam tools alongside its efforts to dismantle scam operations. These features are specifically designed to defend users against common scam techniques: Group Messaging: A new safety overview will now appear when a user is added to an unfamiliar group by someone not in their contacts. This overview provides key group information and safety tips, allowing users to exit the group without viewing the chat. Notifications from such groups will be silenced until the user explicitly chooses to engage. Individual Messaging: WhatsApp is testing new approaches to caution users before they engage with unknown contacts. This includes providing additional context about the sender when initiating a chat with someone not in their contacts, enabling users to make informed decisions. Furthermore, WhatsApp encourages users to adopt a 'Pause, Question, Verify' approach when faced with suspicious messages. The strategy includes taking a moment to assess the sender's identity, questioning the legitimacy of the request, and verifying the information through alternate communication channels. Late last year, in 2024, the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) issued a warning to the public about fraudulent WhatsApp messages circulating across the country. The Department of Social Development entity cautioned people to be vigilant against fake messages containing Sassa OTP codes sent through WhatsApp. Sassa clarified that it does not send OTP codes for the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant via WhatsApp, and they urged anyone receiving such messages to be wary, as these are likely scams.
IOL News
4 hours ago
- IOL News
WhatsApp is curbing scam networks by banning millions of malicious accounts
WhatsApp is removing millions of malicious accounts and launching enhanced in-app safety tools to fight fraud and deception. Image: Freepik WhatsApp has ramped up its global efforts to combat criminal scam networks, removing millions of malicious accounts and launching enhanced in-app safety tools to safeguard users from fraud and deception. The tech giant revealed that over the past six months, it proactively identified and banned more than 6.8 million accounts tied to criminal scam syndicates. These swift actions halted scammers before they could roll out their fraudulent schemes, safeguarding millions of users from potential harm. In 2023, former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela fell victim to a WhatsApp scam. On June 7, she revealed on X (formerly known as Twitter) that both she and a friend lost thousands of rand after a scammer took over the WhatsApp account of a mutual friend to trick them. 'He was pretending to be that friend. It was only when the scammer became so greedy and brazen that my son and I figured out the scam and warned other friends. WhatsApp ID theft or hacking is real,' she tweeted. 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 ✕ WhatsApp highlighted that scammers usually work from criminal scam centres running various schemes simultaneously, such as fraudulent cryptocurrency investments and pyramid schemes. They often ask for upfront payments to guarantee returns, which serves as a major warning sign. These scams start on platforms like dating apps or through texts, then shift to social media, messaging apps like WhatsApp, and finally to payment or crypto platforms. 'This multi-platform approach is designed to evade detection by individual services, making comprehensive disruption more challenging.' Kojo Boakye, Meta's Vice President of Public Policy for Africa, the Middle East, and Türkiye, highlighted that combating scams is an ongoing challenge. He stated that they are continuously improving their security measures to stay one step ahead of malicious actors. "This is part of our unwavering commitment to protect our users, not just by banning malicious accounts, but by empowering individuals with the tools and knowledge they need to recognise and avoid these sophisticated threats. We believe that a safer messaging environment is built through a combination of robust technology, proactive detection, and user education," he said. The company also highlighted a recent example of cross-industry teamwork, where WhatsApp, Meta, and OpenAI worked together to dismantle a scam ring based in Cambodia. The group exploited ChatGPT to craft initial messages that guided victims to WhatsApp, before swiftly shifting them to Telegram. There, victims were instructed to like videos on TikTok and were ultimately pressured into depositing funds into cryptocurrency accounts. In light of emerging threats, WhatsApp is introducing new anti-scam tools alongside its efforts to dismantle scam operations. These features are specifically designed to defend users against common scam techniques: Group Messaging: A new safety overview will now appear when a user is added to an unfamiliar group by someone not in their contacts. This overview provides key group information and safety tips, allowing users to exit the group without viewing the chat. Notifications from such groups will be silenced until the user explicitly chooses to engage. Individual Messaging: WhatsApp is testing new approaches to caution users before they engage with unknown contacts. This includes providing additional context about the sender when initiating a chat with someone not in their contacts, enabling users to make informed decisions. Furthermore, WhatsApp encourages users to adopt a 'Pause, Question, Verify' approach when faced with suspicious messages. The strategy includes taking a moment to assess the sender's identity, questioning the legitimacy of the request, and verifying the information through alternate communication channels. Late last year, in 2024, the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) issued a warning to the public about fraudulent WhatsApp messages circulating across the country. The Department of Social Development entity cautioned people to be vigilant against fake messages containing Sassa OTP codes sent through WhatsApp. Sassa clarified that it does not send OTP codes for the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant via WhatsApp, and they urged anyone receiving such messages to be wary, as these are likely scams. The Social Security Agency (SASSA) issued a warning about fraudulent WhatsApp messages. Image: Screenshot. Former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela fell victim to a WhatsApp scam. Image: Screenshot.
