19 October 2026 – A man (25) was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Bafokeng Regional Court for assault with intent to cause Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH), read with the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act. This comes after the accused, Aroni Mabunda, stabbed his ex-girlfriend.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in North West, Lindiwe Mabasa said on 10 October 2025, Mabunda stabbed the victim once in the back with a knife after accusing her of cheating. Mabasa said she sustained serious injuries and was hospitalised for two weeks.
“Mabunda pleaded not guilty to the charge. However, the state, represented by prosecutor Zola Mpayipheli, presented compelling witness testimony that proved the case against him and secured his conviction.
“In aggravation of sentence, the state argued that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) remains a serious concern in South Africa and that offences involving violence against women require appropriately severe sentences,” she said.
Mabasa said the state further submitted that the sentence should reflect the seriousness of the offence and send a strong message that violence within domestic relationships will not be tolerated. She said in imposing the sentence, the court remarked that some perpetrators continue to demonstrate disregard for women and the law despite severe sentences imposed by the courts.
“The court emphasised that the message to prospective offenders must be clear: the courts will not hesitate to impose appropriate sentences on those who resort to violence to resolve domestic disputes,” said Mabasa.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in North West, Dr. Rachel Makhari-Sekhaolelo, commended Mpayipheli and Investigating Officer, Sergeant Tshireletso Ramafoko for their diligence and commitment in ensuring that Mabunda was held accountable. Makhari-Sekhaolelo said the NPA welcomes the sentence as another demonstration of the criminal justice system’s commitment to holding perpetrators of gender-based violence accountable.
“The NPA remains resolute in prosecuting GBVF matters without fear, favour or prejudice, and in pursuing justice for victims of these crimes,” she said.
19 October 2026 – The North West prominent businessman, Suliman Carrim (49) briefly appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court today, facing a charge of contravening Section 6(1) of the Commissions Act 8 of 1947, by failing to appear before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. It is alleged that Carrim, who is former ANC regional treasurer in Ngaka Modiri Molema region, failed to appear before the Commission after he was warned to appear on 14 August 2026.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in Gauteng, Lumka Mahanjana said following his alleged failure to appear, a criminal case was registered and investigated by the Commission’s Recommendations Task Team. Mahanjana said Carrim was subsequently arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport on 15 October 2026, shortly before he was due to board an international flight.
“In court, the state opposed Carrim’s release on bail, arguing that he is likely to evade his trial and that the state would not know where to locate him since his addresses were not verified,” she said.
The matter was postponed to 28 October 2026 to allow for the verification of documents submitted to the court by the defence and continuation of the bail application.
Picture: The North West MEC for Social Development, Susanna Dantjie
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
19 October 2026 – The North West MEC for Social Development, Susanna Dantjie will lead the department’s Re Thuse Re Go Thuse service delivery campaign in Tlokweng Village, near Rustenburg on 20 October 2026. Dantjie said the campaign that will bring integrated services to the community will also see the handing over material support to women beneficiaries and recognise 20 Community Nutrition and Development Centre (CNDC) cooks who have completed training.
She further said the Tlokweng outreach also follows up on commitments made by the Minister of Social Development, Dinah Pule during a visit to the area in January 2026. Dantjie added that through the campaign, her department aims to report back to the community, improve access to services and sustain coordinated support beyond the commemorative activities.
“The identified women will receive support material intended to strengthen livelihoods and support their chosen small-business initiatives. Approximately 200 women have been identified across the province for support during the 2026 financial year.
“The handover forms part of the department’s contribution to improving household livelihoods and helping women pursue opportunities suited to their circumstances,” said Dantjie.
She said the programme will also recognise 20 CNDC cooks from across the province, who have completed training facilitated by the Department’s Sustainable Livelihoods Directorate. Dantjie said their certification supports the department’s contribution to community nutrition and food-security efforts.
“The outreach that is expected to reach about 400 participants, will be followed on 21 October, by a round-table discussion in Robega, Chaneng, in Rustenburg. It will bring together service beneficiaries and stakeholders to explore stronger partnerships in the fight against poverty.
“The focus will be on strengthening collaboration between government, community representatives and other stakeholders to turn community-identified needs into practical interventions. Discussions are expected to include household and community profiling, alignment of programmes with available resources, and opportunities for partnerships to improve implementation at community level,” said Dantjie.
She said the two-day programme takes place in the context of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, observed annually on 17 October. Dantjie said this year’s theme: “Ending social and institutional maltreatment: Acting together for just, peaceful and inclusive societies,” calls attention to the barriers people living in poverty can face when seeking support, including stigma, discrimination and exclusion from services.
“Through Re Thuse Re Go Thuse, the department is seeking to strengthen an integrated approach to service delivery and deepen engagement with communities with the aim of ensuring that support responds to needs identified on the ground.
“The event will be held at Tlokweng sport park on 20 October 2026, at 8:30am,” she said.
19 October 2026 – The Republic of South Africa (RSA) president, Cyril Ramaphosa said this week, the second Bana Pele Leadership Summit is taking place in Gauteng. Ramaphosa said Bana Pele means ‘children first’ in Sesotho.
He further said it is a campaign led by the Department of Basic Education to strengthen and transform the delivery of early learning in the country. Ramaphosa added that the Early Childhood Development (ECD) shapes a child’s cognitive, social, emotional and behavioural development.
“Quality early learning introduces the foundations of literacy and numeracy, such as recognising letters and numbers, building vocabulary, counting and solving simple problems. Children who start school with these skills are ready to read, write and work with numbers from their first year.
“Grade R is now compulsory, so these skills are needed by the time a child turns five. Yet more than 1.3 million children aged three to five are not enrolled in any early learning programme. Most of these children live in poorer communities, where paying even a low fee for a child to attend an ECD centre is a challenge,” he said.
Ramaphosa said in contrast, children in better-resourced communities are far more likely to enter the foundation phase able to read for meaning and handle basic numeracy. He said expanding access to early learning is therefore a development priority and a way of addressing historical inequalities.
“Every child, regardless of the circumstances of their birth, deserves the chance to learn and grow. The second Bana Pele Summit brings together government, practitioners, communities, business, funders and civil society.
“It will take stock of progress towards our goal of ensuring that all children between the ages of three and five have access to affordable, equitable and quality early learning programmes by 2030,” said Ramaphosa.
He said over the past two years, they have substantially increased investment in early learning. Ramaphosa said they have increased the subsidy for ECD attendees and committed further resources to expand access.
“Through these efforts, we aim to reach an additional 300,000 children by 2027 and a further 900,000 by 2030. But investment alone is not enough. Public resources must reach the programmes and communities where they are needed most.
“Through the Bana Pele Mass Registration Drive, thousands of previously unregistered early learning programmes have taken their first step towards formal registration. The drive is bringing more providers into the national system, giving us a clearer picture of where programmes are located and helping us identify where further support is needed,” he said.
Ramaphosa said he has often said that they are starting late in building a formalised early childhood development system. Yet starting late should not mean starting slowly, he said.
“The reforms we have embarked upon in early learning are part of a broader effort to renew South Africa’s socio-economic architecture. Early learning touches on education, health, social protection, employment and the economy, and it is in these interconnected areas that its benefits will be felt most widely.
“By investing in our youngest children, we are laying the foundations for stronger schools, healthier communities, more inclusive growth and a more capable workforce for the decades ahead,” said Ramaphosa.
He said early learning is a vital part of the care economy. Ramaphosa said these programmes do more than sustain the livelihoods of the people, mostly women, who run them.
“They also free parents and caregivers in communities where employment opportunities are often scarce to work, study or simply to provide for their families. Strengthening early learning is therefore an investment not only in our children, but also in families, local economies and the people whose work sustains their care.
“Credit must go to the people who care for and teach our children every day. A few years ago, I visited an early learning centre in Bizana in the Eastern Cape, where I met with staff who had kept the centre going even when they could not be paid,” he said.
Ramaphosa said he was deeply moved when they told him that they would not turn away a child simply because their family could not afford to pay an already low fee. He said across South Africa, countless practitioners show this same dedication.
“Many are women who have built small enterprises of their own to care for children in their communities. We are committed to supporting them and to ensuring they get the recognition they deserve. Early childhood development practitioners play a vital role in the future educational outcomes of young learners.
“We can further accelerate access to ECD through the support of the private sector. Many companies already incorporate education in their Environmental, Social and Governance strategies, but much of it is on basic education and not specifically targeting early learning,” said Ramaphosa.
He said corporate support, whether in the form of subsidising fees, upgrading facilities or funding practitioner training, will help them to achieve their early learning goals. Ramaphosa said advancing early learning is a shared national responsibility.
“Our efforts to support our youngest citizens today are a solid investment not only in their future, but in the very growth and progress of our country,” he said.
Picture: Former GTLM employee, Mmoloki Ramosotho Moleboge/Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
19 October 2026 – The Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM) has reportedly dismissed its employee, Mmoloki Ramosotho Moleboge, following allegations that he defrauded the municipality by selling three municipal-owned stands worth hundreds of thousands of rand in Pudimoe Township, near Taung.
Moleboge, who is now the African Congress for Transformation (ACT) ward 5 councillor candidate, is alleged to have generated a fraudulent power of attorney and forged the signatures of Municipal Manager Andrew Makuapane and former Municipal Manager Katlego Gabanakgosi to bypass the required council approval.
The municipality said an investigation was conducted into serious maladministration relating to the transfer of the three vacant stands.
According to the municipality, the investigation assessed actions that allegedly contravened applicable legislation, unlawful conduct by a municipal employee, and potential financial losses suffered by the municipality as a result of the land transfers.
GTLM spokesperson Ricky Oliphant confirmed that the matter had been reported to law enforcement authorities and the Public Protector.
“This case is currently with the Public Protector and the Hawks. The municipality is therefore unable to discuss the merits of the matter,” he said.
However, Hawks spokesperson in North West, Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula, said he was not aware of the allegations.
“I am not aware of these allegations, and I cannot comment if there are no suspects charged,” he said.
Meanwhile, Moleboge has strongly denied the allegations, describing them as a smear campaign and an attempt at political sabotage. He claimed that he had been dismissed by the Greater Taung Local Municipality in 2024 and questioned why the allegations had resurfaced only now.
“I am not aware of these allegations. After you left, I spoke to my legal adviser and the ACT provincial chairperson. My formal response is that I am not aware of these allegations. I believe this is political propaganda being used against me because I am campaigning,” he said.
Moleboge added that he would only respond to questions about his dismissal after the elections, alleging that the matter was being used for political purposes.
“I will explain why I was dismissed by the municipality after the elections because these people are playing political games. I am now with ACT, which is contesting the Local Government Elections (LGE) against the ANC and has a stronghold in Pudimoe. I have a formal response that I can give you now, but I am not at liberty to do so,” he said.
Picture: Kagisano-Molopo Local Municipality/Facebook
By REGINALD KANYANE
19 October 2026 – The Kagisano-Molopo Local Municipality said it wishes to clarify misleading information circulating in the public domain alleging that the municipality acted in Contravention of the Moratorium imposed by the North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Oageng Molapisi on 24 August 2026. The municipality said it wishes to place on record that it did not disregard Molapisi’s directive, but followed the exemption process expressly provided for in the moratorium.
The municipality spokesperson, Mosimanegape Khumalo said the Clause 3.2 of the moratorium makes provision for municipalities to apply for exemptions through written motivation to the MEC, while Clause 4.3 requires written approval from the MEC before an appointment process may commence. Khumalo said in a statement that, in compliance with these provisions, the municipality formally submitted a motivated request to the MEC seeking exemption to proceed with the recruitment of identified senior management positions.
“Following consideration of the municipality’s motivation, the MEC granted written exemption on 3 September 2026, authorising the filling of the senior management positions such as Director for Local Economic Development (LED), Tourism and Agriculture, Director for Good Governance and Public Participation, Director for Infrastructure and Technical Services, including position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
“The Municipality therefore wishes to emphasise that the continuation of the recruitment process in respect of the approved positions was not undertaken in defiance of the moratorium, but pursuant to written authorisation granted by MEC.
“The Municipality finds it regrettable that information is being circulated without acknowledging these material facts, thereby creating an inaccurate impression of deliberate non-compliance. Kagisano-Molopo Local Municipality remains committed to lawful administration, transparency, accountability and strengthening institutional capacity to improve service delivery,” he said.
Khumalo further said the municipality appeals to members of the public to rely on verified information and official documentation rather than misleading assertions.
19 Diphalane 2026 – Motsamisi wa maloba wa lebenkele la Boxer Liquor Store mono Taung, Tebogo Romeo Mahusi (32), o solofetswe go tlhagelela kwa kgotlhatshekelo ya sedika mono Taung. Mahusi yo o mo beileng ya R1000, o ne a tshwarwa mabapi le ditatofatso tsa go betelela modiri wa mosadi wa teng kwa Boxer Liquor Store.
Go begwa fa modiri wa dingwaga di le 20, teng kwa Boxer Liquor Store, a ne a tsweletse ka tiro ya gagwe ya go paka dilo fa motsamaisi a ne a mo biletsa kwa kantorong ya gagwe ka Lamatlhatso motshegare. Go begwa fa go tseneng ga bone kwa kantorong eo, Mahusi o ile a lotlela lebati la kantoro.
Go begwa fa e ne ya re fa modiri o a sentse a maketse gore go diragalang, ke fa Mahusi a mo phamola a mo atla ka pateletso. Go begwa fa Mahusi a ile a mo fekeetsa ka maatla, mme a mo apola borokgwe.
Go begwa fa Mahusi a ile a mo rapamisa mo tafoleng le go mo betelela a mo tlhaga kwa morago.
Kgabagare, go solofetswe go tsenela ditheetso tsa pele ga tsheko mo letsatsing la gompieno.
Picture: SAFA Vice Presidents elected at successful NEC Ordinary Meeting in Sandton/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
19 October 2026 – The South African Football Association’s (SAFA) National Executive Committee (NEC) met at an Ordinary Meeting in Sandton, Johannesburg on Sunday where the Members elected new Vice Presidents, and also addressed various other important issues. This was the first meeting of the new NEC following the successful SAFA Elective Congress held in Midrand on 12 September 2026.
The SAFA NEC elected Anastasia Tsichlas, Linda Zwane and Tankiso Modipa as the Vice Presidents to serve for the next four years.
SAFA president, Dr Danny Jordaan explained the process that guided the election of the three Vice Presidents.
“As far as today’s meeting was concerned, the meeting addressed various issues. First, we had to deal with the question of the Vice Presidents we have here at the front table. Now, you know that in the elections at SAFA, you only elect national list members, they are national executive members and out of those members, you then elect the three Vice Presidents arising out of that pool of administrators.
“We have on my left Linda Zwane, who was a Vice President, served one term and is in his second term as Vice President. We also have Natasha Tsichlas as a Vice President and the new man on the block, Tankiso Modipa sitting next to me,” he said.
He further said the way in which they determined the Vice President is by an open ballot, which was observed by all of the members and as the vote was counted, it was displayed behind us on the screen. So, there’s no question that the election showed the transparency and the commitment of SAFA to deal with these matters in an open and transparent way. Jordaan added that the next step is for the Vice Presidents to come together with the CEO, Lydia Monyepao to put together Vision 2030, which will end in Morocco.
“In the elements of the Vision 2030, it’s about schools’ football, it’s about development, it’s about excellence of our various national teams, it’s about coaching education and making sure that we have and sustain quality coaches in the country, which is an important issue.
“The members also appointed several committees, including technical, finance, schools and competitions among others. Former Bafana Bafana midfielder, Doctor Khumalo has been appointed as vice chairman of the SAFA Technical Committee,” said Jordaan.
The NEC member, Lebogang Riet confirmed to the gathered members in Sandton that he has withdrawn the criminal complaint he laid against SAFA CEO, Lydia Monyepao on the eve of the SAFA elective congress.
“We had this discussion even prior to the NEC, where we admitted that a lot of things were done in the way they were done. But we agree that it was campaigning (before the elective congress last month), we had a campaign period and that is it.
“We have to put SAFA first and that is the most important thing. There’s a new NEC, there is a (newly elected) president and we must support the growth of football,” he said.
Riet said he has withdrawn the complaint that went viral on social media. He said the matter as it was, the agreement is to withdraw the matter.
In another matter, North West’s Jack Ramorei confirmed to the members that he never opened a case at the police station against a fellow NEC member.
The SAFA NEC Meeting was preceded by a two-day workshop that the association hosted in partnership with FIFA at the same venue. It was an induction workshop for the recently elected SAFA NEC and SAFA’ senior Management.
Several sessions were conducted and they included governance, financial governance, leadership, forward development programme, women’s football, among others.
