Picture: Radio NFM presenter, Robin-Lee and Namakwa District spokesperson, Captain Ivan Magerman/Supplied
By STAFF REPORTER
25 March 2026- The police in Northern Cape said as the Easter weekend approaches, an increase in road traffic is expected and efforts must be intensified to curb contraventions of the Road Traffic Act and related lawlessness. The police said during the ‘Meet and Greet’ session on Radio NFM with Captain Ivan Magerman, hosted by Robin-Lee, provided a meaningful platform to advocate for safer roads across the Namakwa District during the upcoming Easter period.
Magerman said during the engagement, they conveyed an on-air message issued by the Northern Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Otola, who emphasised that road safety remains a priority during the Easter holidays.
Meanwhile, the Namakwa District Police Commissioner, Brigadier Schalk Andrews, highlighted the harsh realities of road fatalities, including the sentencing of an accused to six years imprisonment for culpable homicide.
“This serves as a stark reminder that reckless and negligent behaviour on the roads carries serious legal consequences. The vital role that law enforcement agencies, in collaboration with Community Policing Forum (CPF) structures, will play in ensuring safer roads throughout the Easter period.
“Prepare and plan your journeys responsibly this Easter weekend. Do not drink and drive, obey all traffic laws, and prioritise safety at all times. Let us celebrate Easter, not mourn it. Drive to arrive alive.” He said.
25 March 2026- The Republic of South Africa (RSA) president, Cyril Ramaphosa said last week, surgeons at Mankweng Hospital in Limpopo completed a remarkable operation. Ramaphosa said a team of doctors, nurses and other health workers, successfully separated conjoined twins in a complex operation that demanded extraordinary skill and precision.
He further said they owe the medical teams that performed the operation, that helped deliver the twins and that are now caring for them our deepest admiration and gratitude. Ramaphosa added that this achievement is more than a medical milestone.
“It is proof of what our public health system is capable of. It is a reminder that South Africa possesses world-class medical expertise, not only in the private hospitals in our cities, but also in public facilities serving communities that have historically been neglected and underserved.
“It is also the visible outcome of sustained national investment in cultivating medical excellence. This includes heavily subsidising the country’s medical schools, providing study bursaries for needy medical students, and providing on-the-job training through the Internship and Community Services Programme,” said Ramaphosa.
He said and yet, for every story of excellence like Mankweng, they know there are too many South Africans, who cannot access the quality healthcare they need and deserve. Ramaphosa said the constitution guarantees every person the right of access to healthcare services.
“That right cannot depend on where you were born, how much you earn or where you live. A child in rural Limpopo has the same right to quality healthcare as a child in the suburbs of Johannesburg or Cape Town.
“Closing the gap between the constitutional promise of healthcare and the daily lived reality is precisely what motivates the National Health Insurance (NHI). The NHI is more than a funding mechanism,” he said.
Ramaphosa said it is a commitment, grounded in their constitutional values, that every South African will have access to quality health services without suffering financial hardship. He said it is the instrument through which they will ensure that the skills and dedication on display at Mankweng are available to all our people, regardless of their ability to pay.
“To realise this vision, we need genuine and sustained partnerships between the public and private health sectors, as well as academic institutions, medical professionals, pharmaceutical companies, non-governmental organisations and communities.
“South Africa has a well-equipped and well-funded private healthcare sector, with some of the finest hospitals, specialists and medical technology on the continent. Yet only around 16% of South Africans have access to these facilities,” said Ramaphosa.
He said by contrast, the majority of the population, some 84%, uses public health facilities. Ramaphosa said on average, the amount of money spent each year on a person who uses private health care is around five times what is spent on someone in the public sector.
“These two parts of our healthcare system cannot continue to operate in parallel, as if serving two separate nations. They must work together in service of one nation. There are few people in South Africa who can disagree with this view, and there are a great many role-players who are eager for collaboration.
“They recognise that there is both a great need and much opportunity to build stronger partnerships in health care. We should be doing more to share skills and knowledge across the public-private divide, as happens when private specialists contribute time to public hospitals,” he said.
Ramaphosa said it means investing in the training and retention of healthcare workers so that public facilities do not continue to lose their best people to private employers or to opportunities abroad. He said as they prepare to implement the NHI, they are already making significant investments to strengthen the public health infrastructure.
“We are building and refurbishing clinics and hospitals, expanding our community health worker programme, working to ensure the availability of essential medicines, introducing digital systems and improving the management of facilities.
“At the heart of all of this are the women and men who dedicate their lives to healing others. The surgeons at Mankweng did not separate the conjoined twins for recognition or reward, but because they understood their responsibility as health professionals. We owe it to every healthcare worker to give them the support, tools and working conditions they need to do their vital work,” said Ramaphosa.
He said the great achievement at Mankweng Hospital has shown them what is possible. Ramapahosa said it has also reminded them of what is necessary – a health system that serves every South African with excellence, compassion and dedication.
“Equal access to quality health care must be the standard we set and the constitutional promise that we keep,” he said.
Picture: The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, Tebogo Letsie
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
25 March 2026 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, Tebogo Letsie has resolved to schedule a meeting with the Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDP SETA) during the second term following serious allegations of financial mismanagement. Letsie said it was deeply concerning that the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) found that, for the 2024/25 financial year, the ETDP SETA spent R637 646 000 million without any trace or proof of how the funds were used.
“The committee will also invite the Auditor-General to the meeting to gain a clearer understanding of what led to the missing funds. We cannot allow a situation where over R600 million of the Republic’s money goes missing in this manner without accountability or action against the accounting authority of the entity.
“The Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) are a government intervention aimed at addressing workplace training needs while reducing the cost of training entry-level employees through a state-subsidised and incentivised programme,” he said.
Letsie further said the situation at the ETDP SETA, where large amounts of money appear to be unaccounted for, is particularly concerning in light of recent remarks attributed to President Cyril Ramaphosa that SETAs are not living up to expectations.
25 March 2026- Five men were arrested for alleged illegal mining. All five accused, Nicholus Donald Dibakwane (47), Adilso Makhukane (25), Raphael Makhatshwa (19), Alec Maswana (28), and Mebido Beto Makamo (20), are facing a charge of possession of unwrought precious metals, including gold and platinum, without the necessary authorisation.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in Gauteng, Lumka Mahanjana said Nicholus Donald Dibakwane (47) was granted bail of R25 000 by the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court. Mahanjana said Dibakwane’s four co-accused, Makhukane, Makhatshwa, Maswana and Makamo, who are foreign nationals from Zimbabwe and Mozambique — abandoned their applications for bail.
“Dibakwane faces an additional charge of harbouring illegal immigrants, while his four co-accused are charged with contravening immigration laws by being in the country unlawfully.
“It is alleged that on 26 February 2026, members of the SAPS K9 Unit acted on information regarding an illegal refinery operating at a farm located at Plot 57, Skoolweg, Bultfontein, Hammanskraal,” she said.
Mahanjana further said upon arrival, the suspects fled the scene on foot. She added that the police managed to apprehend the four foreign nationals, while Dibakwane, the owner of the farm, handed himself over to police later that same day.
“In court, the state did not oppose Dibakwane’s release on bail, but requested that strict conditions be imposed. The court granted bail subject to conditions that he must not enter the farm premises, must surrender his passport to the investigating officer, must not dispose of any movable or immovable assets and must inform the investigating officer should he intend to travel outside Gauteng Province.
“The matter has been postponed to 20 May 2026 for further investigation. NPA remains committed to working with law enforcement agencies to combat illegal mining and related offences,” she said.
Picture: Speaker of North West Provincial Legislature, Dr Desbo Mohono, advocate Neo Sphoti and North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi/Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
25 March 2026- The Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature, Dr Desbo Mohono presided over a legislature meeting of the Ad-Hoc Committee on the appointment of the Public Service Commissioner, where Advocate Neo Sephoti was introduced as the new North West Public Service Commissioner. Mohono said this follows rigorous interviewing processes of the Ad-Hoc Committee chaired by the Chief Whip of the Legislature, Motlalepula Rosho, for the position which has been vacant for over four financial years.
“Prof Mandla Makhanya has been acting as the Provincial Commissioner. Sephoti is a former Head of Department at the Department of Human Settlements and the Department of Tourism in the North West and former Corporate Affairs Manager at the South African Breweries for Central Region.
“She also brings 10 years of corporate experience, as a strategic corporate affairs leader specializing in public affairs, stakeholder relations, sustainability and communications with highly regulated industries,” she said.
Mohono further said her educational background is rooted in law having obtained a B.Juris and LLB degrees from the University of Bophuthatswana and received numerous awards and recognition for her academic achievements and leadership roles during her education. She added that the process of appointment of the North West Public Service Commissioner was not concluded by the 6th Legislature and during the 7th Legislature, the Rules Committee resolved that she should establish an Ad Hoc Committee to facilitate recruitment of the North West Public Service Commissioner.
“The establishment of the Ad Hoc Committee was done in accordance with Rule 186,187 and 188 of the Standing Rules of the Legislature and Section 196 of the Constitution. After numerous interview processes, the Ad Hoc Committee recommended the name of Sephoti for the position.
“The Provincial Public Service Commissioner serves as the oversight authority for the public service within a province, operating under the mandate of the Public Service Commission South Africa in terms of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996,” said Mohono.
She said the role is primarily to promote good governance, accountability and high standards of professional ethics across provincial departments. Mohono said in practical terms, the Commissioner monitors and evaluates service delivery, ensuring that government programmes are implemented efficiently, economically and in line with Batho Pele principles.
“They also investigate complaints and grievances from the public and public servants, including cases of maladministration, unfair treatment, or unethical conduct. The legislature and the provincial government were excited that the processes have been completed after numerous appointment processes.
“We are very happy that finally the process has been completed and we have a women Commissioner who will ensure that public service is held accountable and the gender equity targets have been met,” she said.
25 March 2026- Three men, Wanico Zain Brown (22), Ishan Marvin Buys (22) and Cravan Shaun Liberty (24) from Eersterust were sentenced to life imprisonment each by the Pretoria Regional Court for raping a girl (17). The incident occurred on the night of 1 September 2018, in Eersterust.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in Gauteng, Lumka Mahanjana said the victim attended a party, where she met the three men. Mahanjana said they took her to Brown’s residence in the same area, where they all consumed drugs.
“The men then simultaneously raped her by penetrating her mouth, anus, and vagina. The following morning at around 6am, the three men chased the victim out of the house. On her way home, she told a relative of a friend what had happened and immediately reported the matter to the police.
“All three men were arrested at their homes on 6 September 2018. The victim received comprehensive support at the Mamelodi Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC), including medical care, psychological counselling, and legal assistance,” she said.
Mahanjana further said in court, all three accused pleaded not guilty. She added that they claimed the victim had offered to have sexual intercourse with them in exchange for R100, but that they did not proceed.
“However, the state prosecutor, Annalise Stiles presented compelling evidence, including the victim’s testimony, which proved their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
“During sentencing, the accused asked the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment, arguing that they were young first offenders and that the victim had not sustained permanent physical injuries such as stab wounds,” said Mahanjana.
She said Stiles strongly opposed this, emphasising the extreme seriousness and prevalence of the crime. Mahanjana said Stiles pointed out that the men showed no remorse, that the victim, a 17-year-old virgin at the time, had sustained internal vaginal injuries and external bruises and that the three men had taken advantage of her while she was under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
“Stiles also read the Victim Impact Statement (VIS) facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Kgomotso Lodi, in which the victim described the severe emotional and psychological trauma she continues to suffer.
The court declared the three men unfit to possess firearms.
The magistrate Kallie Bosch agreed with the state. Kallie described the crime as heinous and degrading, noting the particularly humiliating way the rape was carried out.
“The victim’s ongoing emotional and psychological harm as detailed in the Victim Impact Statement. So, the court found no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence and sentenced each of the three men to life imprisonment,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mahanjana said the NPA’s Thuthuzela Care Centres continue to provide critical psychosocial support to victims, reflecting our victim-centred approach to gender-based violence cases. She said the NPA calls on all South Africans to unite against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and to create safe environments, where the constitutional rights of children, particularly their right to dignity and safety, are fully protected.
“Perpetrators must face the full might of the law,” concluded Mahanjana.
25 March 2026 – The police said they will continue to intensify efforts to combat violent crime following a serious house robbery incident reported in the Hartbeespoortdam policing area. The police said on 22 March 2026, at approximately 1:20am, the police responded to a complaint of a shooting incident at a residence in Melodie.
The North West police spokesperson, Col Anne Magakoe said upon arrival, the police found emergency medical personnel attending to a man, who had sustained a gunshot wound to the head. Magakoe said the victim was immediately transported to a nearby medical facility for urgent treatment, where he remains hospitalised.
“The preliminary investigations indicate that two unknown suspects gained entry into the house by removing a kitchen window. One of the suspects, reportedly armed with a firearm, confronted the occupants, leading to a physical altercation during which the victim was shot.
“The suspects fled the scene with two cellular phones. No arrests have been made at this stage. The South African Police Service (SAPS) strongly condemns this violent attack and is actively pursuing all leads to bring the perpetrators to justice,” she said.
Meanwhile, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General (Dr) Rayno Naidoo, strongly condemns this senseless act of violence. Naidoo said the police will work tirelessly to track down those responsible and urged anyone with information to come forward.
“Violent criminals have no place in our communities, and we will ensure they are brought to book. The members of the public are urged to contact the Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Brian Chuma on 072 555 8151 with any information.
“Alternatively, information can be shared via the Crime Stop number on 08600 10111 or through the MySAPS App,” he said.
25 March 2026 — A girl from Dryharts village, in Taung, Koketso Tshipa (15), who was reported missing was found unharmed at Rekgaratlhile Informal Settlement in Stella, near Vryburg on 24 March 2026.
Tshipa went missing almost a month ago.
The North West police spokesperson, Captain Majang Skalkie said they appreciate the community’s assistance.
25 December 2026 – The NPA’s IDAC effected an arrest of 12 senior police officers and a director of a company in relation to the irregular awarding of a tender to Medicare 24. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago said all accused are expected to make their first appearance before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on charges of corruption, fraud and the Contravention of the PFMA.
Picture: North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi
By OBAKENG MAJE
25 March 2026- The North West Department of Education said since 2003, staff debt has accumulated largely due to manual processes involved in submitting termination documents from various districts. The department said many of these areas are remote and rural, which has caused delays in submitting critical documentation.
This comes after a backlash that the North West Department of Education has paid ghost employees over R100 million.
The North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi said as a result, some employees continued to receive salary payments after their termination, leading to overpayments.
Motsumi further said salaries are processed in advance around the 15th or 24th of each month, which further contributes to the possibility of overpayments when terminations are not processed in time.
“The department emphasizes that these cases do not involve ghost employees. All affected individuals were legitimately employed by the department. Over the past three years, the department has made significant progress in addressing this issue by tracing affected employees and requiring them to sign Acknowledgement of Debt (AOD) forms to facilitate repayment.
“To date, approximately R24 million has been identified for recovery across 2128 cases. The department has implemented measures to address the root causes of the problem,” she said.
Motsumi added that the department has introduced internal controls, including an electronic system known as Salary Attendance Leave and Termination (SALT). She said this system has significantly reduced salary overpayments linked to delayed terminations.
“It updates Human Resources in real time and sends email notifications when an employee exits, enabling immediate processing on PERSAL. The department has also trained officials on the system to ensure its effective use. Since its implementation, there has been a noticeable reduction in staff debt.
“Furthermore, investigations into root causes and the implementation of consequence management measures are ongoing. To date, 24 disciplinary letters and 64 warning letters have been issued,” said Motsumi.
She said her department remains committed to strengthening internal controls and improving administrative processes.
The Guardian 