Olorato's murder case shock; Cat Matlala's R360m tender splurge: Top 7 stories in 7 minutes
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Two men wanted for Olorato Mongale's murder had prior kidnapping, robbery arrests
Two suspects arrested earlier this year for kidnapping and robbery are now wanted for Olorato Mongale's murder after she went on a date.
Police linked the suspects, Bongani Mthimkhulu and Philangenkosi Makhanya, to a syndicate targeting women via similar methods, prompting hundreds of victim reports.
A vehicle tied to Mongale's murder was located, leading to the arrest of one suspect's father, who owns the car.
9 LIVES | A Rolls-Royce, mansions and cosmetic surgery - Cat Matlala's R360m tender splurge
Vusimusi Cat Matlala, a tenderpreneur, lived a lavish lifestyle funded by a R360-million police tender, while his staff and subcontractors went unpaid.
Matlala and his family splurged on luxury cars, mansions, cosmetic surgery, and designer clothing, showcasing their wealth on social media.
The police tender was cancelled amid fraud allegations, leading to a criminal probe and leaving Matlala's subcontractors and employees in financial ruin.
Oh 'Gordy': Elephant seal makes second appearance in Cape Town
A southern elephant seal nicknamed 'Gordy' surprised Cape Town residents by wandering into suburbia, sparking a nine-hour rescue effort.
Gordy later appeared near the Naval Base in Simon's Town, where SPCA and City officials are monitoring him as he rests safely.
Southern elephant seals, known for coming ashore to moult, can grow up to seven metres and weigh five tonnes.
Interest rates cut, Kganyago punts 3% inflation target
The South African Reserve Bank reduced the repo rate to 7.25%, driven by settled inflation and revised economic forecasts.
Lower rates will reduce home loan payments, but economic growth was downgraded to 1.2%, with mining and manufacturing underperforming.
Governor Kganyago aims to lower the inflation target to lock in reduced inflation; consumer inflation currently sits at 2.8%.
SA's metro mess: Big cities regress, but contractors close to councillors, officials score
South Africa's major cities awarded more than R1 billion in tenders to suppliers with close ties to municipal employees or councillors, with Johannesburg leading at R927 million.
Metros are struggling with financial management, incurring R33.29 billion in irregular expenditure since 2021/22 and writing down R118.64 billion in unrecoverable consumer debt.
The Mangaung metro, under national intervention, faces financial distress, spending most of its revenue on employee costs and mismanaging grant funding, leading to service delivery disruptions.
From crushing Klaasen to Brevis blitz: How all of SA's 18 stars fared at this year's IPL
Several Proteas batters, including Heinrich Klaasen and Aiden Markram, performed well in the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
Eighteen South Africans participated in the IPL, with four making their debuts, and most have now left to prepare for the World Test Championship final.
Other notable performances came from Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, and Dewald Brevis, while some players like Kagiso Rabada and Quinton de Kock had less successful seasons.
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Yahoo
13 minutes ago
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Court docs: Wi-Fi jammers used in Seattle athletes' home invasions
The Brief Police believe a suspect, Earl Riley IV, and his accomplices used Wi-Fi jammers to disable web-based security cameras during a series of burglaries targeting the homes of star athletes in Seattle, including Richard Sherman, Blake Snell, and Julio Rodriguez. Security experts confirm that Wi-Fi jammers, which are inexpensive and easily accessible online, are increasingly being used by criminals to block wireless security camera signals, making hard-wired systems a more secure alternative. Earl Riley IV is currently facing multiple charges of residential burglary and robbery, and bail has been set at $1 million in connection with the case. SEATTLE - Police say a suspect and his crew appeared to be using a Wi-Fi jammer to help them break into the homes of Seattle's top star athletes. Back in April, FOX 13 reported on security video that showed the alleged armed robbers running out of the home of Richard Sherman. According to court documents, someone inside the house was held at gunpoint and asked where Sherman was. This is a look at the suspect, Earl Riley IV, 21, wearing a $75,000 watch. Investigators say it belongs to professional baseball player Blake Snell. Snell, Sherman and Julio Rodriguez all had their homes broken into during the crime spree. Security experts say thieves have been using this technology more and more in order to shut down web-based security cameras. The picture below is a stock image provided in court documents, showing what a jammer looks like. Max Anderson, owner of Anderson Assessment, says they've already been documented in use by larger crime rings overseas and are being used more frequently locally as well. "From the security side, we've been tracking this for years now," says Anderson. The burglary at Richard Sherman's home was caught on security cameras, despite what detectives believe was an attempt by thieves to block them, using a device which they call a Wi-Fi jammer. "Most of our Wi-Fi security cameras now would be impacted by that," said Anderson. Investigators say Earl Riley IV and his crew were captured on camera carrying the devices as they burgled the homes of at least three-star athletes in Seattle. Anderson says the devices are made to block Wi-Fi signals, so wireless cameras such as Ring or Google cameras can't record video. "If you are breaking into someone's home even though it's not a huge range, when you get to the front door, all of a sudden the cameras stop working," said Anderson. Court documents state when burglars broke into Dodgers baseball player Blake Snell's home in Edmonds, surveillance footage showed a device that resembled "a cell signal or Wi-Fi jammer in the hand of one of the suspects". During the break-in at Richard Sherman's home in Maple Valley just a few days later, security cameras also captured the suspects in that break-in, holding the Wi-Fi jammer. Court documents state: "Sherman video surveillance also captured the suspects. The photo left shows the suspect holding the Wi-Fi jammer, photo middle shows the suspect just prior to breaking in, and photo far right is a stock photo of a frequency jammer." A stock photo provided for comparison, at right in the photo above, shows how similar the devices look to one another. During a third break-in at Julio Rodriguez's home, police say surveillance video showed, "The suspects once again carried what appeared to be a frequency jammer." "They are not expensive, they are very easily accessible," said Anderson. Anderson says you can buy the jammers online for just a few hundred dollars. He says the only way around them right now is to get a hard-wired security system. "It has to be professionally installed. Usually there is more upkeep. The convenience is using Wi-Fi, but it can also easily be defeated," said Anderson. Anderson says another way to protect yourself is to hire a service to remove all your personal information, including your address, from data broker sites online. "There are about 450 of them currently. The websites contain information like your home address, your phone numbers, your emails, your birthdate, license plate and VIN numbers," he said. He says many professional athletes and celebrities use a service called 360 Privacy, or something similar, to help them remove online data. In general, Anderson also says people should avoid posting information online that indicates the times and dates that they won't be home. As for Riley IV, he's facing several counts of residential burglary and robbery in the first degree in the case involving Robert Sherman and is being held in the King County Jail with bail set at $1 million. He's expected back in court a week from Monday. The Source Information in this story came from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle's Jennifer Dowling. WA Gov. Ferguson activates National Guard in search for Travis Decker Former Army squadmate shares insight into Travis Decker's military past Man shot, killed at his 21st birthday party in Kent, WA Miles Hudson found guilty on 2 counts of reckless driving in Seattle Seattle man charged with string of burglaries at the homes of NFL and MLB stars Rochester dog training facility owner accused of killing employee during video shoot To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
News24
34 minutes ago
- News24
Man falls to his death from hotel's rooftop in Cape Town CBD
A man fell to his death from the 28th floor of the Sky Hotel in Cape Town on Monday afternoon. The incident took place near the hotel's Sky-Hi Ride, a rooftop attraction offering panoramic views of the city. Authorities are investigating the circumstances, including reviewing security footage, as the area remains cordoned off. A tragic incident unfolded in Cape Town on Monday afternoon when a man fell to his death from the rooftop of the Sky Hotel in Lower Long Street. The man reportedly fell from the 28th floor where the Sky-Hi Ride - an aerial attraction designed for city views - is situated. According to a first responder, who was stationed nearby at the time, the incident happened just before 16:00. 'I heard the impact. It was a loud bang which closely mimicked a gunshot,' the responder said. Chelsea Ogilvie/News24 A staff member, who asked not to be named, told News24 the man had purchased a ticket for the Sky-Hi Ride and was given a pass to access the area. Another eyewitness stated: 'In the corner of my eye, I saw a big object. I thought it was a bird until he hit the ground.' Police have cordoned off a section of Lower Long Street, just past the Cape Town International Convention Centre heading into the CBD. Investigators are reviewing security footage in and around the hotel, attempting to piece together the circumstances surrounding the man's death. A comment from the police will be added once received.
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Man found guilty in shooting death of New Jersey councilwoman
A New Jersey jury convicted Rashid Ali Bynum of murder on Monday in the gunning down of a Republican councilwoman earlier this year. The victim, Eunice Dwumfour, was serving as the first Black member of the Sayreville city council. Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Joseph Paone has set Bynum's sentencing date for Aug. 18. He faces 30 years to life in prison. Bynum was a member of Dwumfour's congregation years ago, according to Christian Onuoha, who was Dwumfour's colleague on the borough council and also a member of her church. "She was his pastor around 2018," he told Fox News Digital. "That was the last time any of us remember seeing him." Bynum has a lengthy rap sheet, including allegations of fraud, forgery and theft stretching back to 2013, the records reveal. He faced firearms charges in Virginia in 2015 and again in Maryland in 2019. In the 2015 case, he pleaded guilty to illegally carrying a concealed weapon, a misdemeanor, and received a sentence of three years' probation, court records show. Dwumfour's husband, Peter Akwue, also known as Eze Kings and a pastor in the church but based in Africa, told Fox News Digital last month that he did not know Bynum. The 30-year-old Dwumfour was a former EMT, an IT consultant and active in her local church as well as in nonprofit groups and was on the Sayreville Borough Council's Human Relations Commission, serving at-risk communities. She won an upset election as a new candidate in November 2021 over the incumbent Democrat. Police found her riddled with gunshot wounds in her white Nissan SUV around 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2023. Bynum was originally arrested in late May in his home in Chesapeake City, Virginia. He was then transferred to New Jersey.
