Latest news with #Gauteng
The Herald
10 hours ago
- General
- The Herald
Sedibeng mayor facing suspension found unharmed after alleged hijacking and kidnapping
Sedibeng mayor Lerato Maloka and her driver were found unharmed after they were allegedly hijacked and kidnapped from Alberton on the East Rand on Friday. Gauteng police spokesperson Brig Brenda Muridili said the owner of a house Maloka and her driver were leaving from reported the hijacking. 'Preliminary reports suggest the owner of the house reported the matter to an individual who then informed the mayor's husband. The husband went to report the matter at Dawn Park police station.' A broadcast was issued for her vehicle. 'The vehicle was recovered at about midnight in Dawn Park by Katlehong police. A few hours later at about 2am, the mayor and the driver were found unharmed and reunited with their families.' Muridili said statements would be taken from the victims and police were looking for the suspects. The incident comes as Maloka faced a disciplinary investigation into alleged misconduct this week. DA Sedibeng caucus leader Cllr Sibusiso Dyonase said in a statement on Thursday the council had resolved to write to Gauteng MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs Jacob Mamabolo calling for Maloka's immediate suspension. ' Maloka has long been a problematic figure, today's resolution centres around her and other municipal officials' misdeeds in wasting more than R500,000 on a trip to Germany. Prominently, her role in the destruction of the mayoral vehicle featured as part of today's proceedings. Sugar was found in the engine of the car after the council forced her to use the R490,000 vehicle.' Dyonase said Maloka had called for a full investigation into maladministration in her administration while claiming she was the target of a smear campaign. TimesLIVE
The Herald
15 hours ago
- General
- The Herald
'Fraudster' arrested after allegedly confessing to RDP housing scam
A woman who allegedly scammed a number of people by promising to fast-track their applications for government-subsidised housing has been arrested after allegedly walking into the Gauteng department of human settlements office and confessing her crimes. The woman told a senior official at the department's customer support centre earlier this week she had illegally collected more than R100,000 from members of the public, the department said She claimed she could help them 'jump the housing waiting list' and secure Breaking New Ground or RDP houses. The official alerted authorities and the suspect was apprehended in a joint operation by the department and the Ekurhuleni metro police. She is now in police custody and faces charges of fraud. Human settlements MEC Tasneem Motara praised the official who escalated the matter. 'I commend the official who acted responsibly and was not tempted to get involved in corrupt activity herself. We are serious about cracking down on corruption and fraud, especially those who are trying to take advantage of citizens who have a real need to be allocated [housing] as soon as possible.' The department reiterated warnings about housing scams and reminded the public it does not charge for any of its services. It urged residents to remain alert and avoid being duped by individuals who falsely claim to be government officials. 'Please be aware of unscrupulous individuals who pose as officials from the Gauteng department of human settlement — falsely claiming to be MECs or heads of department to deceive and extort money from the public.' TimesLIVE
News24
16 hours ago
- Politics
- News24
Sedibeng mayor and driver found unharmed after alleged hijacking, kidnapping
Sedibeng mayor Lerato Maloka and her driver were found unharmed after they were allegedly hijacked and kidnapped in Alberton, on the East Rand, on Friday, police said. Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said Maloka and her driver were allegedly kidnapped after leaving a house in Alberton. 'Preliminary reports suggest that the owner of the house reported the matter to an individual, who then informed the mayor's husband,' Muridili said. Muridili said police were informed at around 02:00 on Saturday that Maloka and her driver were found unharmed and reunited with their families. This is a developing story.
Mail & Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
‘You have not abandoned me,' Maphisa-Nqakula tells uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association
Former parliamentary speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula on Thursday thanked the uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) for allowing her to speak at a public ANC event for the first time since her arrest last year. (Photo by Darren Stewart/Gallo Images via Getty Images) Former parliamentary speaker By being criminally charged, Mapisa-Nqakula was subjected to the ANC's She is facing 12 counts of corruption and one of money laundering for receiving R2.5 million from December 2016 to July 2019 from a former She was speaking in Gauteng at the memorial lecture of Mapisa-Nqakula said: 'I want to thank you for that because you have not abandoned me, and at least you haven't judged me.' She also expressed her disappointment at some ANC leaders who left the party to join the Mapisa-Nqakula said she was 'very sad' to see that some of her comrades had decided to join the MK party, including one of her commanders in uMkhoto weSizwe, the military wing of the ANC during apartheid. 'I'm concerned; my view is that comrades, not everybody is there because they want to be there,' she said. 'There are generals there; don't give up on the many comrades who have gone to the MK party because they don't belong there; uMkhonto is here in the ANC.' Despite her problems in the ANC, she vowed to remain a member until her death. 'Even in my house, they know, Comrade SG [party secretary general 'Whatever I may be, my coffin must be draped in green, black and gold. I fought for this country, and I fought because I believe in what the ANC stands for.' Mbalula warned ANC members not to focus on those who have left the party and joined the MK party, accusing them of being people who 'don't exist and who stole our thing'. The MK party takes its name from the now-disbanded armed wing of the ANC, which had also accused the MK party of copyright infringement. Last year in March, the ANC failed in a legal bid to stop the MK party from contesting the 24 May elections after it argued that Zuma's party had not met the official registration criteria. This was dismissed by the electoral court but the ANC was granted an appeal. Mbalula said the more the ANC speaks about the MK party, the more they build it. 'Let's talk about what we do; uMkhonto weSizwe is not dead; it's still alive; let it show that it's alive. We must fix what needs to be fixed for war veterans of our uMkhonto weSizwe.' He said those people who had left the ANC to join the MK party would soon regret their decision. 'Let it be clear that we are leading the government, and we are not being led. Let it be clear that we are leading to improve the lives of our war veterans.' The ANC received 16.99% of the votes in KwaZulu-Natal in the 2024 elections, down from 54.22% in the 2019 general elections. Because of Zuma's popularity and support from traditional ANC voters, the MK party scored 45.35% of the vote in KwaZulu-Natal. ANC Veterans League deputy president 'That quantity moved across to form this thing, Zuma's party. Why did we allow this thing to be formed?', stating also that the MK name should not be associated with the likes of Zuma. The veterans league and MKMVA are separate organisations. ANC Women's League president 'Today we have to bear with liars, people who are not thankful, and today we are being insulted and called names because there are people who thought this movement was for them and their children.'
News24
2 days ago
- Climate
- News24
Friday's weather: Damaging waves, strong coastal winds, and scattered showers across SA
Damaging waves leading to difficulty in navigation at sea are expected in parts of the Western Cape until Sunday, according to the South African Weather Service (SAWS). Morning fog is expected along the coast and adjacent interior of the Northern Cape, light rain over the western parts of the Western Cape during the morning and strong coastal winds east of Cape Agulhas. Fresh to strong winds are expected along the coast in the Eastern Cape. Impact-based warning Yellow Level 2 warning: Damaging waves leading to difficulty in navigation at sea are expected between Saldanha Bay and Cape Agulhas to Plettenberg Bay until Sunday. Weather update for today and tomorrow, 29-30 May 2025: Fine and cool to warm across the country but partly cloudy with light rain and showers in the south-west.⚠️Damaging winds and waves. #saws #saweather — SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) May 29, 2025 In the SAWS' colour-coded weather warning system, yellow indicates a moderate risk of impact that requires caution and awareness. SAWS uses the numbers to indicate the likelihood of weather-based impacts occurring. Level 2 is high. The weather in your province Gauteng: Fine and cool conditions are expected, warming up slightly in the extreme north. Pretoria: 8°C — 24°C Johannesburg: 9°C — 22°C Vereeniging: 6°C — 21°C Mpumalanga: Fine and cool to warm throughout the province; however, the Lowveld area will experience hot temperatures. Mbombela: 11°C — 28°C Ermelo: 6°C — 24°C Emalahleni: 8°C — 23°C Standerton: 2°C — 24°C Skukuza: 7°C — 33°C Limpopo: A day of fine weather, cool to warm across most areas, but hot in the Limpopo Valley. Polokwane: 8°C — 24°C Phalaborwa: 12°C — 31°C Tzaneen: 9°C — 28°C Musina: 12°C — 32°C Lephalale: 10°C — 27°C Mokopane: 8°C — 26°C North West: Fine and cool conditions prevail. Klerksdorp: 6°C — 22°C Potchefstroom: 4°C — 22°C Mahikeng: 7°C — 24°C Rustenburg: 7°C — 24°C Vryburg: 7°C — 23°C Free State: Weather will remain fine and cool. Bloemfontein: 3°C — 20°C Welkom: 5°C — 21°C Bethlehem: 1°C — 20°C Northern Cape: Morning fog is expected along the coast and nearby interior, with conditions becoming partly cloudy and cold to cool for the rest of the province. Eastern areas will remain fine. Coastal winds will shift from light easterly to fresh and strong southerly later in the day. Upington: 5°C — 21°C Kimberley: 8°C — 22°C De Aar: 7°C — 19°C Alexander Bay: 12°C — 22°C Springbok: 7°C — 20°C Calvinia: 5°C — 16°C Sutherland: 1°C — 13°C Western Cape: Start the day with partly cloudy and cool to cold conditions, accompanied by light rain in western areas. The south coast might clear up by evening. Coastal winds will be strong east of Cape Agulhas, transitioning to fresh south-westerly winds along the south coast from the afternoon. Cape Town: 13°C — 17°C Vredendal: 11°C — 21°C Riversdale: 13°C — 21°C George: 13°C — 19°C Worcester: 13°C — 18°C Beaufort West: 6°C — 19°C Oudtshoorn: 9°C — 20°C Western half of the Eastern Cape: Morning clouds with isolated showers along western coastal areas, followed by fine and cool to cold weather. Coastal winds will be fresh to strong south-westerly, easing by evening. Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Fine and cool to cold weather dominates. Coastal winds will mirror the pattern in the western half. Gqeberha: 12°C — 19°C Makhanda: 11°C — 19°C Cradock: 8°C — 18°C Graaff-Reinet: 8°C — 19°C East London: 13°C — 21°C Port St Johns: 14°C — 21°C Mthatha: 9°C — 20°C Komani: 7°C — 17°C Qonce: 12°C — 20°C KwaZulu-Natal: Expect fine and cool conditions, warming slightly in the east. Some areas may become partly cloudy during the afternoon. Coastal winds will vary, starting with northerly to north-easterly in the north and strong southerly to south-westerly winds spreading northwards from the late morning. These winds will be moderate in the evening. Durban: 15°C — 23°C Richard's Bay: 15°C — 25°C Pietermaritzburg: 10°C — 21°C Ladysmith: 5°C — 22°C
