28 October 2026 – A 30-year-old man, Tsepo Setloboti, has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for raping his friend’s girlfriend at a house in Boitekong, Rustenburg. The Rustenburg Regional Court handed down the sentence following Setloboti’s conviction for the rape, which occurred on 19 November 2023.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in North West, Lindiwe Mabasa, the victim was at her boyfriend’s home with her boyfriend and Setloboti when the two men left for a tavern, leaving her behind. Mabasa said Setloboti later returned from the tavern and used a key he had taken from where it had been left to gain entry to the house.
“He then raped the victim before leaving and returning to the tavern. Setloboti and the victim’s boyfriend later returned to the house. The following day, the victim reported the rape to her boyfriend, leading to Setloboti’s arrest and subsequent prosecution.
“During sentencing proceedings, prosecutor Katlego Magano presented a victim impact statement compiled by the victim with the assistance of court preparation officer Dorah Lekau,” she said.
Mabasa further said the statement outlined the emotional trauma the victim suffered as a result of the rape and its lasting effects on her well-being.
Welcoming the sentence, North West Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Rachel Makhari, said the punishment demonstrated the criminal justice system’s commitment to protecting victims of sexual violence and holding perpetrators accountable. Makhari said the authority remained committed to prosecuting perpetrators of sexual offences without fear, favour or prejudice.
“The NPA reiterates that rape is a grave violation of a person’s dignity and bodily integrity, with potentially devastating and lasting emotional and psychological consequences.
“The NPA further emphasised its commitment to upholding the rights and dignity of victims of sexual offences while ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice,” she said.
28 October 2026 – The North West controversial businessman, Suliman Carrim was granted a R100 000 bail by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court and subjected to stringent conditions in a case involving his alleged failure to appear before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. The court warned that failure to comply with the bail conditions could result in a warrant of arrest being issued and Carrim being taken into custody.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in Gauteng, Lumka Mahanjana said the court will consider any failure to comply with the bail conditions as a breach. Mahanjana said a warrant of arrest may be issued and an inquiry may be conducted.
“He may also be ordered to remain in custody until the finalisation of this matter. Carrim faces a charge of contravening Section 6(1) of the Commissions Act 8 of 1947 for allegedly failing to appear before the commission after being warned to attend proceedings on 14 August 2026.
Following his alleged failure to appear, a criminal case was registered and investigated by the Commission’s Recommendations Task Team,” she said.
Mahanjana further said Carrim was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on 15 October 2026, shortly before he was due to board an international flight. She added that during the bail proceedings, the state opposed his release, arguing that he was likely to evade trial and posed a flight risk, particularly given the circumstances surrounding his arrest at the airport.
“The matter has been postponed to 8 December 2026 for the disclosure of the docket,” said Mahanjana.
28 October 2026 – A man, Zondwa Sithembiso Dzengwa (34) was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Zwelitsha Regional Court for the murder of Sikhumbuzo Bobe (30). Dzengwa was convicted of killing Bobe on 4 May 2020. Dzengwa is already serving an 18-year prison sentence for the separate murder of his then-girlfriend, Babalwa Ngcakani on 17 December 2023.
According to evidence presented in court, Dzengwa’s house was broken into and several valuable household items were stolen. He conducted his own investigation and concluded that Bobe was responsible for the theft. Dzengwa subsequently searched for Bobe and even posted messages in a Facebook group called Proudly Zwelitsha in his efforts to find him.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in the Eastern Cape, Luxolo Tyali said when he eventually located Bobe, Dzengwa brutally assaulted him, resulting in his death. Tyali said following a painstaking investigation and the gathering of evidence, the police charged Dzengwa with Bobe’s murder in September 2025.
“By then, he had already been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment by the Eastern Cape High Court on 2 June 2025, for the separate murder of Ngcakani. During the trial, the state presented testimony from several witnesses, together with Facebook posts made by Dzengwa.
“Although the case relied largely on circumstantial evidence, the court found that the evidence, considered as a whole, overwhelmingly established that Dzengwa had killed Bobe,” he said.
Tyali further said the court rejected Dzengwa’s denial of the murder, as well as his claim that the deceased’s family had conspired to implicate him falsely. He added that during cross-examination by senior state prosecutor, Brenhan Sam, Dzengwa also contradicted himself, undermining the credibility of his version.
Welcoming the sentence, Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Samkelo Mtwana, said the right to life was sacrosanct and could not be taken away arbitrarily. Mtwana said the society had a legitimate expectation that people who committed serious crimes and took the law into their own hands would face severe consequences, particularly when their actions undermined the rule of law.
“The NPA reiterates that vigilantism is not justice. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected criminal conduct to law-enforcement authorities rather than resorting to violence or taking the law into their own hands.
“The NPA remained committed to vigorously prosecuting perpetrators of violent crime and ensuring that justice was served for victims, their families and affected communities,” he said.
Setshwantsho: Sejanaga sa SASSA se amegile mo kotsing ya tsela/Facebook
Ka OBAKENG MAJE
28 Diphalane 2026 – Sepodisi sa Taung se batlisisa kgetsi ya polao ntle le maikaelelo morago ga go tlhokafala ga mosadimogolo wa dingwaga di le 79. Se, se tla morago ga gore sejanaga sa setlamo sa South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), se se neng se tsamaisa bagodi go ya kwa moletlong o neng o rulagantswe ke SASSA, se amege mo kotsing mo tseleng ya R372 e magareng ga Taung le Reivilo.
Go begwa fa kotsi e, e diragetse gaufi le motse wa Letlhapong mono Taung ka di 22 Diphalane 2026.
Go ya ka sebueledi sa sepodisi mo sedikeng sa Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Warrant Officer Tryphosa van Rooyen, sejanaga seo sa SASSA, se ne se lebile kwa motseng wa Vaaltyn fa kotsi e ne e diragala. Van Rooyen are go begwa fa mokgweetsi wa sejanaga seo, a latlhegetswe ke taolo mme sa menoga.
“Mokgweetsi ga mmogo le bapagami, ba bone dikgobalo mme ba ile ba rwalelwa kwa bookelo jo bo gaufi. Fela ka maswabi, mopagami wa dingwaga di le 79 o ile a latlhegelwa ke botshelo. Dipatlisiso di tsweletse mabapi le go netefatsa se se tlhodileng kotsi e,” van Rooyen wa tlhalosa.
Setshwantsho: Sejanaga sa SASSA se amegile mo kotsing ya tsela/Facebook
Kgabagare, sebueledi sa SASSA mono porofeseng ya Bokone Bophirima, Nthabiseng Mosieleng are bapagami ba le 6 ba ile ba amogelwa kwa bookelong. Mosieleng are bagodi ba, ba ne ba isiwa kwa motseng wa Vaaltyn go ya go tsenela Outreach programme e e neng e rulagantswe ke SASSA.
“Sebakwa sa kotsi ga se itsiwe, mme e tla nna karolo ya dipatlisiso. SASSA e tla dirisana le sepodisi mo dipatlisisong tse di boloditsweng. Jaaka SASSA, re romela molaetsa wa matshidiso go ba malapa a botlhe ba ba amegileng, mme re eleletsa ba ba gobetseng pholo ya ka bonako. Go ba ba latlhegetsweng, ra re a Modimo a ba sedile maikutlo,” ga rialo Mosieleng.
28 October 2026 – The South African U15 Boys National team pulled off a great upset when they defeated log leaders France 3-2 in a pulsating final group stages match in the inaugural FIFA U15 Boys World Cup and Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Monday. The result saw them climb up the Group A table and finish second and they will contest in Tier B against all the second-place finishers in the Tournament phase of the competition.
South Africa gave up a 2-0 lead when the French were awarded two penalties to level matters. When it almost seemed, the clash was destined for a draw, South Africa regained their advantage with a goal just a few minutes before the final whistle.
The South Africans finished on 10 points, one behind group winners Estonia, but level with France, with a better goal difference.
Under 15 coach, Selekedi Mogale said the chances they created, they really worked hard for their goals.
“You could see even our arrogance on the ball. How we kept the ball, rotated it and even our structure. You could see how dominant we were and we had done our homework on them. We felt like it was a good game and it’s been a test of tactical discipline as well as our technical ability and also showing that we can play on the world stage.
“Tuesday is a rest day in the tournament with action returning on Wednesday. In this phase, the tournament stage, South Africa will play in Tier B, against the teams that finished second across all the groups where in the end winners will face the winners, and losing teams lock horns with other losing nations for final positions,” he said.
Meanwhile, each team will play four to five games in this round, and there will be no extra time. A penalty shootout will be used to determine winners in the matches that are level at full time.
28 October 2026 – A man (30) was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Mtubatuba Regional Court for raping his daughter on multiple occasions during 2025. The man pleaded guilty in terms of Section 112.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal, Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the complainant told the court that her father had threatened her not to disclose what he was doing. Ramkisson-Kara said the offences came to light when she confided in her class teacher that her father had raped her on several occasions.
“Her mother and social workers were contacted, and the accused was subsequently arrested. In aggravation of sentence, the state prosecutor Phumlani Thembalethu Khoza handed in medical evidence and a Victim Impact Statement (VIS) compiled by the complainant with the assistance of Court Preparation Officer Sithembile Cebekhulu.
“In her statement, the complainant said she had trusted her father, but he betrayed that trust by hurting her in such an awful way. The accused was sentenced to life imprisonment and declared unfit to possess a firearm. The court also ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders and the Child Protection Register,” she said.
Ramkisson-Kara further said the NPA hopes that sentences of this nature will deter like-minded individuals. She added that the accused had been entrusted with the care and protection of his child, but instead abused that position of trust and exploited her vulnerability.
28 October 2026 – Students yet to apply for funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for the 2027 academic year have until Saturday, 31 October 2026, to submit their applications.
Applications opened on 18 September 2026, with NSFAS recording 868,626 applications on its dashboard as of 19 October.
Of the applications received, 800,382 were from prospective university students, while 68,244 were submitted by applicants intending to study at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges.
The figures show that female applicants accounted for 616,558 (70.98%) of the total, compared with 252,068 (29.02%) male applicants.
The dashboard further indicated that 653,778 applicants were beneficiaries of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), while 214,848 were non-SASSA applicants.
Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has urged prospective students, particularly Grade 12 learners, to apply as soon as possible rather than waiting until the closing date.
“I want to take this opportunity to call on those, especially those who are doing Grade 12, to apply now, and not wait for the 31st of October when the applications close. Don’t pay anyone to apply for NSFAS,” said Manamela.
NSFAS has encouraged applicants to ensure that all information provided is accurate and complete, and that the required supporting documents are submitted.
The scheme has also cautioned prospective beneficiaries against fraudulent social media accounts and unauthorised individuals who demand payment for application assistance or falsely promise guaranteed funding.
Applicants are urged to use only official NSFAS platforms and to submit their applications before the deadline to avoid missing out on financial assistance for the 2027 academic year.
28 October 2026 – Akilesh Gupta appeared before the Lichtenburg Magistrate’s Court on charges of murder, contravention of the Immigration Act, driving without a valid driver’s licence and malicious damage to property. The murder charge follows the upgrading of the initial charge of culpable homicide.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in North West, Lindiwe Mabasa said it is alleged that on 19 October 2026, Gupta was captured on video footage driving over an on-duty police officer. Mabasa said the officer sustained injuries and subsequently died.
“It is further alleged that Gupta is an Indian national who does not possess valid documentation authorising him to remain in South Africa. He allegedly entered the country on a visitor’s visa in 2024, which has since expired. The matter was postponed to 6 November 2026, for the appointment of a Hindi interpreter and a possible bail application. Gupta remains in custody,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, emphasised that the NPA remains focused on working with its criminal justice partners to ensure that the law takes its course. Makhari said the NPA remains committed to vigorously prosecuting violent crime and ensuring that those who commit criminal offences are held accountable in accordance with the law.
Picture: The Municipal Manager of Mogalakwena Local Municipality, Morris Maluleke/Google
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
28 October 2026 – The Municipal Manager of Mogalakwena Local Municipality, Morris Maluleke (43) was denied bail by the Mokopane Magistrate’s Court in a R24 million fraud and corruption case. Maluleke appeared in court on 16 October 2026, for his formal bail application.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi said the application was opposed by the senior state advocates. Malabi said the state argued that Maluleke faces serious charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering.
“It further submitted that he may interfere with witnesses and ongoing investigations and that his release on bail would not be in the interests of justice at this stage. The court upheld the state’s submissions and denied Maluleke bail. He failed to discharge on a balance of probabilities, the onus to show that he should be admitted to bail.
“Maluleke was arrested on 7 October 2026, together with his company, Bona Cord Vulstasie, in connection with allegations of fraud, corruption and money laundering arising from a municipal fleet management contract. The state alleges that Maluleke initially approved a fleet contract valued at approximately R4 million and later authorised payments totalling R24 million, allegedly resulting in substantial financial loss to the municipality,” she said.
Malabi said the state further alleges that in December 2022, Maluleke irregularly awarded a R24 million fleet tender to Fleetmove (Pty) Ltd without following the prescribed Supply Chain Management processes. She added that although payments allegedly began in January 2023, services were only rendered between April and May 2023, after the municipality’s Legal Division threatened to terminate the contract.
“The investigation also uncovered allegations that payments totalling R230 000, which the state believes were kickbacks, were made into an account linked to Maluleke through a company of which he is the sole director. The matter has been postponed to 3 November 2026, for further investigation. Maluleke remains in custody.
“The NPA welcomes the court’s decision and remains committed to ensuring accountability for corruption and the misuse of public funds,” said Malabi.
28 October 2026 – An accused, Vusumzi Ntsondolo (50) was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Mossel Bay Regional Court for murder of his former girlfriend, Nwabisa Baliso (43), and 15 years imprisonment for murder of his friend, Luvuyo Mgwevelana (45) whom he stabbed 16 times. During the trial, Ntsondolo pleaded guilty in terms of section 112(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977. In his plea explanation, Ntsondolo told the court that on the evening of 7 November 2025, he and Mgwevelana were drinking at a local tavern when Baliso arrived and called Mgwevelana outside.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in Western Cape, Eric Ntabazalila said Ntsondolo attempted to follow them, but Baliso stopped him. Ntabazalila said Mgwevelana later returned and told Ntsondolo to leave Baliso alone, claiming that she was now his girlfriend.
“This resulted in an argument between the two men. Ntsondolo subsequently left the tavern and went home. The following morning, 8 November 2025, Mgwevelana arrived at Ntsondolo’s home after earlier sending him a voicenote inviting him to the tavern. An altercation ensued and Ntsondolo grabbed a knife from a table and stabbed Mgwevelana once in the chest, leaving him lying inside the house.
“Still armed with the knife, Ntsondolo then went looking for Baliso. He found her after asking her daughter (16) to call her. When Baliso returned with her daughter, she noticed blood on Ntsondolo’s shirt and asked him about it.
Ntsondolo then repeatedly stabbed Baliso in the presence of her daughter, despite the teenager’s attempts to intervene,” he said.
Ntabazalila further said Ntsondolo fled the scene while being pursued by community members and entered a colleague’s house, where he stabbed himself three times in the chest. He added that after leaving the house, community members caught up with him and assaulted him.
“Ntsondolo subsequently fled towards the local police station, flagged down a police vehicle and was taken to hospital. He was later arrested and charged with the two murders. In aggravation of sentence, state prosecutor, Makhi Cutshe, argued that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances justifying a departure from the prescribed minimum sentence.
“Cutshe argued that Ntsondolo’s conduct was not simply an impulsive act committed in the heat of the moment. After killing Mgwevelana, he did not stop or reconsider his actions. Instead, he armed himself with the knife, pursued Baliso and murdered her,” said Ntabazalila.
He said the prosecution submitted that this sequential course of violence demonstrated a deliberate intention to kill both victims. Ntabazalila said the state further argued that Baliso’s murder was a brutal manifestation of intimate-partner violence, male entitlement and an inability to accept the end of a relationship.
“The prosecution emphasised that former partners are not possessions and that romantic rejection can never justify violence. Particularly aggravating was the fact that Ntsondolo murdered Baliso in the presence of her daughter (16), who attempted to save her mother.
“The state argued that the psychological trauma inflicted on a child who witnessed her mother’s brutal murder significantly increased Ntsondolo’s moral blameworthiness. The court agreed with the prosecution’s submissions and imposed the life sentence,” he said.
Ntabazalila said the court also declared Ntsondolo unfit to possess a firearm and informed the victims’ families of their right to make representations to the Commissioner of Correctional Services should he be considered for parole, day parole or correctional supervision.
Meanwhile, the Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Adrian Mopp, welcomed the sentence and commended the investigating and prosecution teams, as well as all role players who contributed to securing justice for the victims and their families. Mopp said this sentence sends an unequivocal message that women are not the property of their partners or former partners.
“The end of a relationship, jealousy or rejection can never justify violence. The NPA will continue to vigorously prosecute perpetrators of gender-based violence and femicide and advocate for sentences that reflect the seriousness of these crimes,” he said.
