Sommaire pour 2025-12-29 de Star

Limpopo police have launched urgent investigations into two brutal and unrelated murder cases in the Maake and Mankweng policing areas after the body of a 62-year-old woman was discovered in the Masehlana River in Madawa Village, while a 29-year-old man was found dead with visible bruises and a stab wound in a separate incident. Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said that on December 26, the body of a 62-year-old woman from Mineview Village was discovered at the Masehlana River in Madawa Village at around 11.35am, after officers received information about a possible murder. “According to reports, police received information about an unknown African female found dead in the river. Upon arrival at the scene, police found community members gathered, and one community member pointed out the body.” Ledwaba said…

Northgate Shopping Centre in northern Johannesburg has confirmed that a small section of its ceiling collapsed following heavy rainfall, but no injuries were reported. The shopping centre said the incident occurred after severe weather affected the area. Videos of the collapse have since circulated widely on social media, raising public concern. According to reports, the collapse happened along the internal walkway between Entrance 2 and the Pick n Pay store, near Value Co, on December 27. Only a limited area was reportedly affected. “No injuries were reported, and all affected areas were immediately secured and cordoned off as a precautionary measure,” the shopping centre said. Northgate Mall remains open and is trading as normal. Initial assessments indicate that severe weather conditions, including heavy rainfall and hail over a short period,…

Heavy downpours and severe thunderstorms are set to lash northern parts of South Africa, with Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga placed on a yellow level 4 warning by the South African Weather Service. The alert, in effect from Sunday, December 28 to Monday, December 29, warns of potentially dangerous weather that could disrupt daily life across the region. The Weather Service warned: “There are indication of significant thunderstorms that may occur resulting in heavy downpours leading flooding of roads, settlements and low-lying areas, resulting in closure of some bridges and roads, excessive lightning, strong damaging winds and large amounts of small hail that are expected over northern parts of Gauteng, vast parts of Mpumalanga and the southern and central parts of Limpopo.” The agency further warned that the impacts of the…

The EFF has slammed Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as an independent nation as nothing but a ploy to destabilise Somalia in order to exert Israeli influence and control in strategic positions in Africa and the Middle-East. The party is the first South African organisation to join the global community in rejecting and condemning Israel following its announcement to recognise the northern region of Somaliland as an independent state. This is after representatives of 21 Arab, Islamic and African countries on Friday expressed their rejection and condemnation of Israel’s decision to recognise Somaliland as an independent state, warning that the move violates international law and threatens regional stability. In a joint statement, the countries condemned the move “in the strongest terms”, saying it violated “the principles of international law and the…

THE City of Cape Town has moved to clarify its role in the 2026 Tweede Nuwe Jaar parade, stressing it is not the organiser and does not decide the parade route. This comes after the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) slammed the proposed rerouting of the parade through Somerset Road into DHL Stadium and the introduction of entry fees (with tickets reportedly costing R100 for adults and R60 for minors), accusing the City and organisers of sidelining historically significant communities and commodifying a cherished cultural event. In a statement released to the media yesterday, the City said the Kaapse Klopse Karnival Association (KKKA) is solely responsible for the parade’s logistics and route, while the municipality’s role is limited to reviewing safety and compliance. “The KKKA approached the City early in 2025…

BAFANA Bafana are ready to navigate familiar territory with a slightly tweaked squad in their bid to reach the AFCON knockout stage at the expense of neighbours Zimbabwe at Stade de Marrakesh tonight (6pm kick-off). Bafana face the Warriors in their final Group B clash, a match in which they must secure a result at all costs to guarantee qualification for the last 16 of the continental showpiece currently under way in Morocco. The South Africans find themselves in this pressured situation after losing their second group-stage match to Egypt on Friday at Stade Adrar, a result that saw them drop to second on the log with three points, three behind log leaders the Pharaohs. While the situation is not ideal for Bafana, who would have liked to have one…

The family of former Gauteng health MEC Brian Hlongwa says he fought very hard to clear his name until his death, according to SABC News. Hlongwa died in hospital on December 23 after a short illness. At the time of his death, he was facing fraud, corruption and money-laundering charges linked to alleged irregularities during his tenure as Gauteng’s MEC for health. SABC News reported that the family said Hlongwa consistently denied wrongdoing and was determined to prove his innocence through the courts. The matter had not been finalised at the time of his passing. Last week, IOL reported that the ANC in Gauteng mourned Hlongwa’s death, describing him as an astute and seasoned political educator who played a significant role in political education within the movement. In a…

Twenty-six motorists were arrested for drunk driving in the North West during the Christmas weekend, while a further 10 were arrested for attempting to bribe law enforcement officers, the provincial Department of Community Safety and Transport Management said. The arrests were made mainly in the Ngaka Modiri Molema and Dr Kenneth Kaunda districts, amid heightened traffic enforcement operations around Christmas Day. The department said fatal crashes in the province dropped by 40% compared to the same period last year. Between December 20 and 26, 2024, the province recorded 24 road fatalities, figures recorded during a period of high traffic volumes in the days leading up to Christmas. Authorities attributed the decline to several intervention measures introduced at the start of December, including increased patrols on identified high-risk routes, particularly from…

South Africa is under sustained pressure to abandon coal. Coal is repeatedly described as dirty, outdated and incompatible with a modern economy, and this framing now dominates official energy transition planning. At the same time, South Africa continues to export millions of tons of coal each year to countries that burn it for electricity and industry, including European states that publicly position themselves as climate leaders. This contradiction sits beneath the growing tension between the Development Bank of Southern Africa’s energy modelling and the analysis advanced by Matshela Koko, former interim group chief executive of Eskom, on South Africa’s approaching electricity capacity cliff. DBSA’s report, South Africa’s Energy Sector Investment Requirements to Achieve Energy Security and Net Zero by 2050, sets out a long-term pathway for the electricity system. It…

The Government Employees’ Medical Scheme (GEMS) has informed angry public servants’ representatives that it cannot unilaterally reverse the 9.8% increase in 2026 member contributions without approval from the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS). However, unions are still unhappy with its offer to decrease the contributions to 9.5% only in February next year. The 9.8% increase has already been approved by the CMS and has been processed, and can only be undone during the course of next month (January) should the council approve. According to GEMS, its board of trustees has resolved that the previous recommendation of the 9.8% increase from January 1, 2026 switch to 9.5% if approved by the CMS is the only implementable option that it can put forward to the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC). GEMS…

An investigation has been launched into a video seen by IOL that shows emergency workers in Nelson Mandela Bay sleeping on duty, raising serious concerns about public safety and the standards of emergency services. Eastern Cape health spokesperson Camagwini Mavovana confirmed the inquiry, stating that the footage depicted workers slumped at their desks, fast asleep. While Mavovana acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, she noted that the video was reportedly over six months old. The health department’s response follows an inquiry from IOL early on Saturday, after which it released a public statement. “The Eastern Cape Department of Health has noted with serious concern the video footage circulating on social media involving Emergency Medical Services (EMS) call-takers at our Nelson Mandela Bay facility,” Mavovana said. She said the department had…

The ANC has warned that one or two parties within the Government of National Unity (GNU) are acting more like opposition than coalition partners. The GNU was formed last year after the ANC failed to secure a parliamentary majority, bringing together the DA, Freedom Front Plus, IFP, United Democratic Movement (UDM) and the Patriotic Alliance (PA). Tensions in the coalition have been most visible with the DA, which has frequently challenged government decisions in court, including disputes over the national budget and the implementation of key transformation policies such as Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) and National Health Insurance (NHI). ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the party was concerned that some coalition partners were acting more like opposition by taking government decisions to court. “One or two parties in the…

NEW Stormers sensation Dylan Maart could, in fact, head back to Griquas early in the new year if the Stormers do not move swiftly in their negotiations with the Kimberley-based union. The winger, who says he is inspired by Springbok flyer Kurt-Lee Arendse, has proved a hit with the Cape franchise, scoring three tries in the four matches he has played. Maart joined Griquas after a breakout season with Boland and played a key role in the team’s Currie Cup title win. Maart’s contract with Griquas runs until the end of December 2026. His loan spell with the Stormers is almost over, with his final match set to be the URC derby against the Bulls on January 3. Griquas coach Pieter Bergh told Rapport that there has been no formal…

In the first episode of Taylor Swift’s new docu-series, the cameras follow her backstage while she’s dressed in one of the sparkly costumes that she wore on her blockbuster Eras Tour. Just minutes before she is about to perform at London’s sold-out Wembley Stadium, the pop superstar stops in an area with a small sofa, where she sits down and cries. Her mother, also in tears, approaches with a tissue. “I know you helped them,” Andrea Swift says. “I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I know you helped them.” The moment was filmed right after Swift met privately with survivors and families of the victims of horrific violence weeks earlier in Southport, England, when a 17-year-old boy stormed a Taylor Swift-themed dance class with a knife and…

ActionSA has written to Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, requesting provincial intervention under Section 139 of the Constitution, expressing concerns about the actions of City of Johannesburg MMC for Public Safety Mgcini Tshwaku in dealing with hijacked buildings. The move comes amid an intensified citywide crackdown on unsafe and hijacked buildings, spearheaded by Tshwaku. As part of the broader enforcement drive, the City of Johannesburg has so far inspected around 331 properties through co-ordinated multi-department operations aimed at restoring safety, order and the rule of law in the inner city. The inspections target hijacked, abandoned, and non-compliant buildings long associated with crime, dangerous living conditions, and widespread illegal electricity connections. ActionSA Johannesburg caucus leader Marcel Coutriers and Sarah Wissler, the party’s whip and former chairperson of the Section 79 Public Safety…

Brent Bozell III, the US ambassador-designate to South Africa, has previously warned that Washington is deeply concerned about what he describes as Pretoria’s drift toward the People's Republic of China and other global rivals. Bozell told the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee in October that, if confirmed, he would make it a priority to challenge South Africa’s geopolitical posture. On December 19, IOL reported that the US Senate had formally confirmed Bozell as the US ambassador-designate to South Africa. This move transitions his controversial “priority list” from the campaign of a nominee to the official mandate of a confirmed envoy. The 53–43 party-line vote on December 18 came at what diplomats describe as the most dangerous crossroads in bilateral relations since 1994. While Bozell now holds the title of ambassador-designate,…

A Gauteng businessman is in a financial nightmare as BMW Financial Services have taken him to court to demand R1.6 million over a luxury vehicle he never collected. The turmoil began in late 2019 when Farhaad Mahomed, riding high on the success of his business, made a significant investment into a brand-new BMW X3M Competition destined to enhance his fleet. The 50-year-old from Lenasia in Johannesburg bought the brand-new car in November 2019 from SMG BMW Century City in Cape Town. To secure the car, he stated that the dealership required him to sign an undated finance contract even though the vehicle was still at the port of Durban. Before the deal was completed, Mahomed said he paid a hefty R200 000 deposit and BMW Financial Services financed the balance…

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) is facing a $110 million (over R1.83 billion) lawsuit over the running aground of a cargo vessel at its Richards Bay harbour more than a decade ago. MV Smart ran aground in August 2013 near the entrance of the harbour, which led to the vessel losing its cargo. The owners and underwriters of the MV Smart want to recover damages from TNPA of about $110m, claiming the loss of the vessel was due to negligence on the Transnet subsidiary’s part. The TNPA also faces two other lawsuits – one by the charterer of the vessel (Minmetals Logistics Zhejiang Co Ltd) and the other by the cargo interests, which is a claim relating to the loss of the cargo of coal it carried at the time.…

The Israeli government has approved the construction of 19 new settlements in the West Bank, a move the South African Communist Party (SACP) described as a blatant violation of international law and a serious setback for peace in the region. “This latest expansionist act by the Israeli regime underscores the political belligerence and territorial ambitions that continue to suppress the prospects of a sovereign Palestinian state,” SACP said a statement on Sunday. The decision comes just months after Israel approved 22 new settlements in May, signalling a sharp increase in settlement activity and raising global concern over the ongoing annexation of Palestinian land. International law considers such settlements illegal, and critics warn that continued expansion could permanently undermine the two-state solution. “The fate of the West Bank is intricately linked…

I AM that young person. The one who just finished matric, or who holds a fresh, crisp diploma or degree, and is still smelling of possibility. The graduation photos are posted. The family celebrations have quieted. The aunties have stopped calling to say they’re proud. And then comes that moment. The quiet one. When reality clears its throat and asks the simple, terrifying question: What next? Every morning starts the same. I wake up, switch on my phone, buy data if I can afford it, and scroll. I type “entry level” words that sound welcoming, almost kind. Then the conditions appear: two years’ experience required. Three years preferred. Valid driver’s licence. Own transport. I close the app. Open another. The same story. Sometimes I apply anyway, hoping someone will see…

MELBOURNE Cricket Ground head curator Matt Page said yesterday he was in a “state of shock” watching the carnage unfold during the two-day fourth Ashes Test, which has left Cricket Australia facing millions of dollars in lost revenue. Page and his team left 10 millimetres of grass on the wicket, providing fast bowlers with excessive seam movement and bounce that made batting treacherous. A combined 36 wickets tumbled in 142 overs, with 20 falling on the opening day, and the game was all over in the evening session of day two as England won by four wickets for their first victory in Australia since January 2011. More than 90,000 fans had been expected for day three, with many more for days four and five. However, with ticket sales having to…