6 April 2026 – After recent mob justice incidents in the area of Freedom Park, near Rustenburg, the police indulged in extensive searches around Phokeng for the suspects. A tip-off was received from Rustenburg Crime Intelligence about a suspect involved in the recent mob justice murder, where two victims were killed after being accused of business burglaries.
The North West police spokesperson, Constable Thuto Bobelo said after critical analysis of the information, an intelligence-driven operation commenced with the District Trio Task Team, the District Tactical Response Team (TRT) and Phokeng Detectives. Bobelo said upon arrival at the informal settlements in Freedom Park, a man (68) was located and immediately arrested for murder.
“The suspect will appear before the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court on 7 April 2026,” he said.
Meanwhile, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General (Dr) Ryno Naidoo, has strongly condemned incidents of mob justice and warned community members against taking the law into their own hands.
6 April 2026 – The North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi will on 8 April 2026, update members of the media on progress made towards modernising the provincial government’s digital infrastructure, following the recent approval of the Provincial Digital Transformation Strategy by the Executive Council.
Mokgosi spokesperson, Sello Tatai said in his State of the Province Address (SOPA) in February 2026, Mokgosi announced that government will be implementing a number of digital transformation initiatives from 1 April 2026, this with a view to improving governance, strengthening service delivery and enhancing operational efficiency across the provincial administration. Tatai said Mokgosi’s update seeks to reinforce the provincial government’s firm commitment to using technology as a key enabler for development and responsive governance.
“Executives from Microsoft and Boxfusion who are partners in implementing the provincial digital transformation agenda, will also be attending the media briefing which will be held at Mmabatho Palms Hotel on Wednesday at 2:30pm.
6 April 2026 – The police in Rustenburg have made a significant breakthrough following the arrest of two suspects aged 46 and 49, linked to a hijacking and kidnapping incident. The police said on Friday morning, 3 April 2026, a truck driver (38) was enroute to deliver diesel worth more than R30 000 to a depot in Rustenburg.
The North West police spokesperson, Constable Thuto Bobelo said upon arrival, the driver alighted from the truck and was approached by an unknown man who appeared to be the person designated to assist him at the depot. Bobelo said the situation quickly escalated when the suspect produced a firearm and ordered the driver back into the truck.
“The victim complied and the armed suspect entered the vehicle with him. At the same time, two additional suspects also boarded the truck and the victim was forced to drive off with all three suspects inside.
“Without the suspects knowing, the victim managed to activate a panic button, which triggered an alert received by members of the Cash-In-Transit (CIT) Task Team. Acting swiftly on the information, the team traced the vehicle to Ramochana village, near Rustenburg,” he said.
Bobelo further said upon arrival, members found the victim still inside the truck with the suspects. He added that one suspect fled the scene, while the remaining two suspects were arrested on the spot.
“The two suspects have been charged with hijacking and kidnapping and are expected to appear before the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday,” said Bobelo.
Meanwhile, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General (Dr) Ryno Naidoo, commended the team for their swift response and professionalism in averting further harm. Naidoo reiterated that individuals involved in such serious crimes will face the full might of the law.
6 April 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs said it welcomed the interception of a cross-border bus by the Free State Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport on 3 April 2026. According to the Portfolio Committee, the bus, which was travelling from Zimbabwe to Cape Town, was found to be carrying 32 undocumented foreign nationals in addition to 43 passengers who had been duly processed at the Beitbridge Port of Entry in accordance with all prescripts and procedures.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, Mosa Chabane said it is alleged that the 32 undocumented passengers were picked up after the bus had crossed into South Africa, specifically in Makhado and Johannesburg. Chabane said the interception highlights the need for stricter enforcement and accountability within the cross-border transport sector.
“We commend the provincial department for its vigilance and decisive action. This interception exposes serious violations that undermine the integrity of our immigration system and border controls.
“We call on the Border Management Authority (BMA) to set an example by suspending the bus operator, Rimbi Travel and Tours, pending investigation on how the 32 undocumented passengers got to be in the bus,” he said.
Chabane reiterated the importance of effecting consequence management to send a strong message to operators who deliberately flout the law, saying that failure to act decisively will only embolden non-compliance and weaken the country’s border management systems. Furthermore, he called on a coordinated and integrated approach among law enforcement agencies, including Immigration Officers, the South African Police Service and metro police departments, to address the presence of undocumented foreign nationals within the country.
“An integrated law enforcement approach is critical to ensure that undocumented individuals within our borders are identified and processed in line with the law. This requires ongoing collaboration and information-sharing between all relevant authorities.
“We indicate that the committee will, in the next parliamentary term, propose a joint meeting with its sister committee responsible for policing matters to explore sustainable and coordinated interventions,” said Chabane.
Picture: Athletics from Curro partaking in South African Schools Athletics Championship/Generic
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
6 April 2026 – The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo said it has engaged Limpopo MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Jerry Maseko over serious concern regarding the uncertainty and apparent mismanagement surrounding the 2026 South African Schools Athletics Championship, which is scheduled to take place from 8–11 April at the Royal Bafokeng stadium in Rustenburg. The DA said conflicting communication from national authorities and organising bodies has left learners, parents, coaches, and provincial departments in a state of confusion.
DA Limpopo spokesperson on Sport, Arts and Culture and Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL), Advocate Franco Marx said while the national Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has purportedly indicated that the event has been postponed due to the unavailability of the venue, other stakeholders have suggested that no final decision has been made. Marx said this lack of coordination is deeply troubling.
“Learners from Limpopo, many of whom have trained tirelessly to compete at this prestigious event, are now faced with uncertainty at the eleventh hour. This comes at the back of last year’s disappointment in Bloemfontein coupled with the failures of the primary school athletic championship event in Cape Town last month, caused by the Limpopo department.
“Equally concerning is the financial impact on the Limpopo Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, which has already incurred significant costs relating to travel, accommodation, and logistical arrangements,” he said.
Marx further said this situation raises serious questions about planning, communication, and accountability at a national level. He added that major events of this nature require proper coordination and confirmed venues well in advance, not last-minute cancellations that place undue strain on provinces and unfairly disadvantage young athletes.
“Maseko has indicated that he is aware of the situation and has further committed to issuing a formal statement on behalf of the department as soon as there is clarity regarding the way forward.
“The DA will continue to monitor this matter closely and will not hesitate to demand accountability should it emerge that poor planning or negligence has resulted in financial losses or prejudice to Limpopo’s learners,” said Marx.
He said they call on Maseko to urgently provide clear, consistent communication and a definitive way forward to affected athletes in Limpopo.
6 Moranang 2026 – Monna wa dingwaga di le 35 o tshwerwe kwa Mooinooi ka Lamatlhatso mabapi le ditatofatso tsa go tshola ditlhobolo tse di seng mo molao ga mmogo le dikolo. Go begwa fa mmelaelwa a golaganngwa le kgothoso go tlhometswe le go thopa ka dikgoka e e diragetseng tseng kwa Mooinooi mo go yone kgwedi e.
Sebueledi sa sepodisi mono Bokone Bophirima, Constable Thuto Bobelo are se, se diragetse morago ga gore lephata la sepodisi la botlhodi kwa Brits, le longwe tsebe. Bobelo are lephata la sepodisi la botlhodi, le ile la batlisisa gore ditlhobolo tseo ga mmogo le dikolo di kwa kae.
“Go ile ga bolodiwa letsholo-patlo ke ba Brits Trio Task Team, Public Order Policing (POP) deployed team, and Mooinooi Visible Policing (VISPOL), go ka samagana le morero o. Sepodisi se ile sa fitlhela ditlhobolo di le nne ga mmogo le dikolo kwa lefelong lengwe kwa Bapong.
“Ditlhobolo tse, di akaretsa tlhobolo ya 9mm e go shupang fa e ne e shutlhilwe nomoro ya botlhokwa (serial number). Tlhobolo e nngwe ke ya 7.65mm e le yone e ne e shutlhilwe nomoro ya botlhokwa. Sepodisi se fitlhetse tlhobolo e nngwe e phatsimang ya modiro wa revolver, tlhobolo ya pallet ga mmogo le dikolo di le nne,” Bobelo wa tlhalosa.
Ba lephata la sepodisi ba Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) ba ile ba tsaya ditlhobolo tseo ga mmogo le dikolo, mme mmelaelwa o solofetswe go tlhagelela ka boripana kwa kgotlhatshekelo ya Brits ka Labobedi.
Kgabagare, mokomishinara wa nama-o-sa-tshwere wa sepodisi mono Bokone Bophirima, Major General (Dr) Ryno Naidoo, o akgotse batlhankela ba sepodisi morago ga matsetseleko a ba a dirileng. Naidoo are botlhodi bo tshameka karolo e botlhokwa mo sepodising go lwantsha bosinyi.
“Re ikuela go sepodisi go tswelela ka ntwa kgatlhanong le twantsho ya ditlhobolo tse di seng mo molaong,” Naidoo wa tlhalosa.
Setshwantsho-papiso: Lepodisi le tshwerwe mabapi le bogodu
Ka OBAKENG MAJE
6 Moranang 2026 – Motlhankela (42) wa sepodisi sa Afrika Borwa kwa seteisheneng sa sepodisi sa Hartswater o tshwerwe mabapi le ditatofatso tsa go utswa dipudi kwa motseng wa Magogong, gaufi le Taung. Go begwa fa Sarasanta o, a direla lephata la matseka teng kwa seteisheneng sa sepodisi sa Hartwater, mme ka tsalo, a tswa kwa motseng wa Mokasa, mono Taung.
Go begwa fa mmelaelwa a tshwerwe ke ba babatlisisi ba kwa Kimberley Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit (STESU) ba go begwang fa e le kgale ba mo tlhomile matlho sebakanyana morago ga go amogela dingongora tse di mo latofatsang ka go nna dinalanyana.
Go ya ka sebueledi sa sepodisi kwa Kapa Bokone, Warrant Officer Molefi Shemane, motlhankela o wa sepodisi, o tshwerwe ka Labone. Shemane are mmelaelwa o, o solofetswe go rotola matlho fa pele ga kgotlhatshekelo ya Hartswater ka Labobedi.
Kgabagare, Mokomishinara wa nama-o-sa-tshwere wa sepodisi kwa Kapa Bokone, Major General (Dr) Thabo Mphuthi, are ke matlhabisa ditlhong go bona bangwe ba batlhankela ba sepodisi ba amega mo bogodung.
“Batlhankela ba sepodisi ba tshwanetse go direla baagi ka boammaruri le botshepegi. Go tlile go bolodiwa dipatlisiso tsa ka mogare kgatlhanong le motlhankela o wa sepodisi,” Mphuthi wa tlhalosa.
Picture: One of the traffic officers during roadblock/Facebook
By STAFF REPORTER
5 April 2026 – As part of ensuring compliance on the road by motorists traveling this Easter, the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management has positioned its law enforcement officers to operate speed camera relay on major roads of the province that are linking to other provinces.
The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng said speed is one of the major causes of road incidents and fatalities. Morweng urged motorists to adhere to the speed limit and cooperate with others.
“Speeding is a huge challenge and goes with human behaviour. So, we plead with our motorists to always remember that speed kills and the road is a space to share. About 49 motorists were fined for driving over the speed limit with two drivers fined heavily for excessive speeding.
“First driver was caught doing 153 km/ph on a 120km zone, while the second one was driving at 120km/ph on a 80km zone. Already 287 summonses have been issued for different violations with 46 vehicles discontinued since the official activation of the Easter Road Safety and Law Enforcement Operations,” he said.
Morweng further said long distance traveling motorists are encouraged to take a rest every after 200km or two hours of driving.
Picture: Minister of Social Development, Nokuzola Tolashe
By REGINALD KANYANE
4 April 2026 – The Democratic Alliance (DA) will lodge a complaint with the Public Protector against the Minister of Social Development, Nokuzola Tolashe for suspected breaches of the Executive Members’ Ethics Act 82 of 1998 and the Executive Ethics Code. This comes after serious allegations that Tolashe failed to follow legal prescripts and defied the President in initiating disciplinary steps against the former Director-General (DG), Peter Netshipale and in the process to appoint a new DG.
The DA spokesperson on Social Development and Member of Parliament (MP), Nazley Sharif said in terms of the Public Service Act, 1994, the President is responsible for the career incidents of Director-Generals, including appointment, suspension and disciplinary proceedings. Sharif said for a Minister to act on behalf of the President, a clear delegation must be granted.
“According to reports, this did not occur. It has been reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa wrote to the Minister noting violations of the Public Service Act in both the disciplinary action taken against the former DG and the advertisement of the post for a new DG.
“Ramaphosa allegedly demanded that the job advertisement be withdrawn. The subsequent withdrawal of the DG advertisement and the appointment of an acting DG point to a clear failure by the Minister to follow due legal process,” she said.
Sharif further said these developments must also be viewed alongside a previous ethics complaint lodged by the DA. She added Tolashe was accused of allegedly issuing a misleading reply to a parliamentary question and submitting a misleading report to the Portfolio Committee on Social Development regarding Netshipale’s appointment.
“We have concluded that Parliament had been misled on two separate occasions. This matter remains before the Ethics Committee.
“Further concerns arise from conflicting explanations provided by the Minister regarding the terms of Netshipale’s contract, as well as reports that the authenticity of a related contract letter is under investigation,” said Sharif.
She said in addition, allegations have surfaced that the Minister failed to declare the donation of two vehicles in 2023 and may have misrepresented the nature of these donations. Sharif said taken together, these issues point to a pattern of conduct that raises serious questions about the Minister’s fitness to hold office.
“The DA will also be writing to the Chairperson of Portfolio Committee to summon the Minister to account for all the alleged scandals. There is too much controversy surrounding the minister and she must explain.
“We must summon the Minister because it is Parliament’s responsibility to hold the executive accountable. South Africans deserve a Department of Social Development that is properly led and focused on serving the people,” she said.
Picture: North West MEC for Finance, Kenetswe Mosenogi, Executive Mayor of City of Matlosana, Fikile Mahlophe, PER, Dr Moatlhodi Dilotsotlhe, North West MEC COGHSTA, Gaoage Oageng Molapisi and Speaker of Matlosana, Stella Mondlana-Ngwenya/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
4 April 2026 – As part of the revised Provincial Mandatory Financial Intervention and Support Strategy, the North West MEC for Finance, Kenetswe Mosenogi and North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Gaoage Molapisi, introduced Dr Moatlhodi Dilotsotlhe as the Provincial Executive Representative (PER) to Matlosana Local Municipality. The deployment of Dilotsotlhe is effected in terms of Section 139(5)(a) and (c) of the Constitution, read together with Sections 146 and 147 of the MFMA.
Molapisi said it follows the determination that the municipality experienced serious financial distress requiring a mandatory Financial Recovery Plan (FRP), which remains a legally binding instrument. He further said the North West Provincial Executive Council has taken this decision for several compelling reasons to restore stability, good governance, and effective service delivery to the City of Matlosana.
“The North West Provincial Government (NWPG) is sending a clear and final message to the City of Matlosana Council that this is not merely a support mechanism. It is a binding framework for corrective action to create a stable, capable, and ethical municipality that delivers services to its people.
“This strengthened intervention is consistent with the constitutional principles of cooperative governance. It allows us to scale up our support and oversight in a manner that is both necessary and proportional to the deepening institutional control collapse we are witnessing,” added Molapisi.
He said to give effect to this strengthened intervention, the approved measures such as Amendment of the Terms of Reference must be implemented with immediate effect. Molapisi said the Terms of Reference will be amended to empower the PER to impose the FRP by fully assuming the functions and powers of the accounting officer.
“COGTA and Provincial Treasury, will immediately augment the intervention team with additional capacity in the critical areas of service delivery, governance, legal and technical and financial support of the PER.
“Quarterly technical “war room” meetings will be convened to rigorously review progress on the implementation of the FRP and other identified priorities,” he said.
Molapisi said he and Mosenogi will urgently engage with the political leadership of the municipality to clearly outline the objectives, expectations and the new terms of engagement between the intervention team and the council. He said they will submit a joint report to the executive council on the progress of this intervention.
Mosenogi said: “The PER is no longer a purely advisory figure, but a strategic oversight and enforcement agent acting on behalf of EXCO to ensure that recovery commitments are honoured and delays are addressed decisively to strengthen oversight, monitoring and enforcement of the Financial Recovery Plan.
“The municipality remains fully responsible for implementing the approved, complying with all financial restrictions and recovery measures, and submitting credible monthly progress reports to my office.”
She said the PER is also not going to work alone, but will be strengthened by terms of administrative capacity and support, jointly by the Provincial Departments of CoGTA and Treasury. Mosenogi said Dilotsotlhe has in excess of eleven years’ experience in senior management, having been in the local government environment as the Technical Lead (CoGHSTA), Provincial Executive Representative, Section 139(1)(c) Administrator, acting Municipal Manager, and Strategy Execution Consultant.
“He has also occupied senior management positions such as CEO, Chief Visionary Officer (Consultant) in the private sector. So, we call upon the municipality, as well as all stakeholders—the municipal administration, labour, business, and the community—to work with the intervention,” she said.
The Guardian 