Author: newsnote correspondent
The City of Cape Town has voiced disappointment over a Western Cape High Court ruling handed down late Monday night, which orders the municipality to urgently provide a suitable alternative venue for the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) to host its traditional competitions in January 2026. The urgent application stemmed from the City’s withdrawal of provisional approval for Vygieskraal Stadium in Athlone, initially granted in September 2025 but revoked shortly after due to safety concerns—the venue is rated for low-risk events only, while the minstrel competitions are classified as medium-risk under the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act…
The process to appoint South Africa’s next National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) has hit a major legal roadblock, with a law firm launching an urgent High Court application to block President Cyril Ramaphosa from making the appointment. B Xulu and Partners Inc., headed by prominent attorney Barnabas Xulu, filed the application in the Pretoria High Court seeking an interim interdict to prevent any further steps toward appointing a new NDPP based on the advisory panel’s recommendations submitted earlier this month. The challenge centres on allegations of irregularities in the selection process, particularly regarding one of the shortlisted candidates: Advocate…
An eight-year-old boy and three adults were injured in a gang-related shooting in Parkwood on the Cape Flats after being caught in crossfire between rival gangs. Western Cape police spokesperson Constable Ndakhe Gwala confirmed that two gang members were the intended targets. The child and a 38-year-old woman, however, were innocent bystanders struck during the exchange of gunfire. The boy sustained gunshot wounds to his pelvis and right leg, while the woman was shot in her left leg. All four victims were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. Despite being injured, the two targeted men reportedly refused to lay…
U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago resort for discussions focused on advancing the second phase of the U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire, Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs, and regional security issues. The meeting comes as the ceasefire, implemented in October, faces challenges in transitioning to its more complex second stage, which includes Hamas disarmament, Israeli troop withdrawals, Gaza governance by a technocratic body, and international oversight for reconstruction. Ahead of the talks, Trump reiterated demands for Hamas to disarm and expressed openness to supporting potential Israeli strikes on Iran if it continues advancing its…
Komatipoort, Mpumalanga, December 29, 2025 – Rescue teams have recovered human remains believed to belong to the missing South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldier who was swept away by floodwaters in the Komati River (also known as the Nkomati River) on Christmas Day. The soldiers were part of Operation Corona, a border safeguarding mission, and were attempting to cross a low-lying bridge near the Lebombo Border Post when their military vehicle was overcome by strong currents due to heavy flooding. One soldier’s body was recovered on December 26, while the search continued for the second member. The remains discovered…
South Africa’s Bafana Bafana secured their place in the Round of 16 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a dramatic 3-2 victory over southern African rivals Zimbabwe in a pulsating Group B encounter at the Grand Stade de Marrakech on Monday. Oswin Appollis converted a late penalty to seal the win for Hugo Broos’ side, who finished second in the group behind Egypt and advanced to the knockout stages for the third consecutive tournament. The match was a classic back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading blows in front of a lively crowd. South Africa struck first in the…
Eleven suspects, including ten foreign nationals suspected of illegal mining activities, are scheduled to appear in the Westonaria Magistrate’s Court today following their arrest last week in connection with the possession of unlicensed firearms. The group was apprehended on Wednesday, December 24, during a joint operation by South African Police Service (SAPS) units and Sibanye-Stillwater mine security in the Westonaria area. Among those arrested are nine Lesotho nationals, one Mozambican national, and one South African citizen – a mine employee accused of harbouring undocumented immigrants. Police confirmed that some of the foreign suspects were tenants on the South African’s property.…
The South African Police Service (SAPS) Diving Unit in Mpumalanga is facing mounting challenges in the search for a missing South African National Defence Force (SANDF) member, as heavy rains cause the Nkomazi River to swell and flow faster. The incident occurred on Christmas Day, 25 December 2025, when a military vehicle carrying two SANDF soldiers on border patrol duties under Operation Corona was swept away while crossing a low-water bridge near the Lebombo Border Post with Mozambique. One soldier’s body was recovered on Friday, 26 December. The search for the second entered its fourth day on Sunday, 28 December.…
The National Investigative Task Team (NITT) probing a major leak in the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations is set to submit its preliminary report to Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube this week, with Monday (29 December) widely cited as the handover date. The report will remain confidential initially, while the full investigation concludes by 31 December. The scandal involves 26 candidates from seven Pretoria schools who accessed seven leaked papers across three subjects: English Home Language (Papers 1, 2 and 3), Mathematics (Papers 1 and 2), and Physical Sciences (Papers 1 and 2). The materials, including marking guidelines, were…
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has instructed the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) to launch a full investigation into the collapse of a double-storey building in Doornkop, Soweto, which claimed the lives of three people, including a child. The structure collapsed in the early hours of the morning, with Johannesburg Emergency Management Services confirming that the alarm was raised shortly after 3am. Six people were inside the building at the time. All were rescued and transported to Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, where a child and two women later succumbed to their injuries. The condition of the…