Suspended head of organised crime at South African Police Service (SAPS), Richard Shibiri, has told the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in Pretoria that his text exchanges with suspected crime boss Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala were purely social. Shibiri is facing scrutiny after previous witnesses alleged he was influenced by crime cartel figures, including claims that he received R80,000 in cash from Matlala. Testifying on his communication practices, Shibiri clarified that he used his personal phone, not his SAPS-issued device. “Unless otherwise…

The inaugural meeting of South Africa’s newly established Parliamentary Presidency Committee on Wednesday ended in a deadlock, as members clashed over the proper procedure to elect a chairperson. The oversight committee, approved in 2025 after years of delays and resistance from the African National Congress (ANC), is intended to provide Parliament with enhanced scrutiny over the Presidency, a move widely seen as part of efforts to strengthen democratic accountability. Three nominations were tabled for the chairperson role. The Democratic Alliance…

During ongoing High Court proceedings in Pretoria, Advocate George Baloyi, representing the State, revealed that Bongani Ntanzi — one of the accused in the murder trial of former Senzo Meyiwa — was linked to more than 1,700 phone calls with his girlfriend while in custody. Baloyi raised the issue during a tense cross-examination, challenging Ntanzi’s earlier claim that his cellphone had been confiscated by police following his arrest in June 2020. According to the State, 1,718 calls were exchanged between…