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PRETORIA -  Mamelodi Sundowns clinched a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Kaizer Chiefs at a packed Lucas Moripe Stadium this afternoon, Saturday, 1 March. Sundowns managed to extend its lead in the Betway Premiership after Ribeiro Costa scored the only goal   for the defending champions. Although playing without key player Gaston Sirino , Amakhosi showed heart - maintaining position majority of the game. Nevertheless, Chiefs will look to redeem itself in a few days after their clash as they clash with face Magesi FC. While not as high-profile as the Sundowns match, this is a must-win for the Amakhosi.

SOWETO - Amakhosi coach, Nasreddine Nabi will be delighted to have Edmilson Dove available for today's Betway Premiership blockbuster against Mamelodi Sundowns , with the Mozambique international fully recovered from injury. Nabi has been unable to utilise the experienced defender all season so far, after he ruptured his Achilles tendon during the Club’s pre-season training camp in Turkiye and was forced to return home early to undergo reconstructive surgery. The 31-year-old is relieved that his ordeal is finally over and cannot wait to return to the pitch to serve Amakhosi’s cause in the second half of the season. “It hasn’t been an easy journey but, by the grace of God, I am running again. I want to thank the doctors and express my gratitude to the Club for all the resources that were put at my disposal to help me recover as soon as possible,” he told the club press , adding, “I also deeply appreciate the support from my teammates and the technical staff. It has real...

AUCKLAND PARK - Barely a week after announcing his immediate resignation from Radio 2000 breakfast, radio personality Sbusiso Leope, affectionately known as DJ Sbu , has changed his mind. The radio guru took to social media today to release a brief statement to announce his unexpected decision to extend his stay at Radio 2000. "I am pleased to let you know that I will be staying with Radio 2000 , having concluded an agreement for another 12 months. Keep your ears tuned in to the big breakfast, weekdays 6-9am," he said. The decision has received mixed reactions from the Sbu's fans and the station's listeners alike.   This is a developing story.

PRETORIA – South Africa recorded a preliminary trade balance deficit of R16.4 billion in January 2025, reports the South African Revenue Service (SARS) . This deficit was attributable to exports of R149.0 billion and imports of R165.4 billion, inclusive of trade with Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia (BELN). The year-to-date (01 January to 31 January 2025) preliminary trade balance deficit of R16.4 billion was a deterioration from the R3.7 billion trade balance deficit for the comparable period in 2024. On a year-on-year basis, export flows for January 2025 (R149.0 billion) were 1.2% higher compared to R147.2 billion recorded in January 2024. Import flows were higher by 9.6%, having increased from R150.9 billion in January 2024 to R165.4 billion in the current period. On a month-on-month basis, exports decreased by R10.2 billion (-6.4%) from R159.2 billion to R149.0 billion between December 2024 and January 2025, whilst imports increased by R20.9 billion (14....

SOWETO - Following an enforced break from action due to the postponement of their league match against Royal AM which was scheduled for last Saturday in Pietermaritzburg, Kaizer Chiefs will be back on the field today, Saturday, 1 March, to face Mamelodi Sundowns in a Betway Premiership fixture at a sold Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria. The teams met in the corresponding first round fixture earlier in the season at FNB Stadium and Sundowns won the match 2-1. They also met in the Carling Black Label Knockout. There will be a lot to fight for in this important match with three valuable points on the line. Amakhosi are in 7th position on the log with 25 points after 18 matches. The Brazilians, on the other hand, sit at the top of the standings with 48 points in 18 games. Chiefs will be without Gaston Sirino in this match after he picked up a red card in Amakhosi’s last match, against SuperSport United. The hugely anticipated match will k...

JOHANNESURG - South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is proud to announce the nominees for the METRO FM Music Awards 2025. These nominations feature music singles and albums released between 28 February 2024 and 28 February 2025. This year, the station received an impressive 2,769 entries across 19 categories, a significant increase from last year’s 1,700 entries. Amapiano continues to lead the pack, with genre kings Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, and Scotts Maphuma topping the list with four (4) nominations each. iNkabi Nation’s Sjava follows closely with three (3) nominations, while Hip hop royalty, Kwesta and Cassper Nyovest also secured three (3) nominations each. METRO FM also unveiled the much-awaited theme for this year’s ceremony. This year’s theme is “Crowning Greatness”. “Crowning Greatness”, elevates the achievements of those who shape the South African cultural narrative. It is a celebration of Black Royalty – a night where hits are not only celebrated bu...

PRETORIA - Spaza shop owners and vendors have until the end of the day to register their businesses with their local municipalities. “Spaza shops must be registered to ensure that food safety laws are followed, and dangerous goods are taken off the market, keeping children safe and preventing future outbreaks,” the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) said in an earlier statement. The deadline for registration of businesses is today, Friday, 28 February 2025. Application forms for registration or permits to conduct business can be accessed physically at municipal offices or on the municipality’s website.  The registration of a business takes one day. “Citizens are reminded that registering a spaza shop on behalf of another person is a criminal offense. The Immigration Act of 2002 clearly states that it is a criminal offense to assist an illegal foreigner to conduct any business in the country and to assist an illegal foreigner to obtain a l...

POLOKWANE - A 39-year-old former interpreter arrested in connection with a case of fraud amounting to more than two hundred thousand rands has briefly appeared before the Thabamoopo Magistrate's Court on Thursday, 27 February 2025. Mahlako Charmaine Nchabeleng was remanded in police custody and her case was postponed to next week, Friday 07 March 2025 for bail application and further police investigations. It is reported that during 2019 and 2020 period, the suspect was employed as an interpreter at Thabamoopo Magistrate court in Lebowakgomo location when she scammed unsuspecting victims large amounts of money by promising them employment as casual workers. Mahlako allegedly instructed the victims to deposit a substantial amount of money into her personal account to speed up the process of employment. During the transactions, a total amount of two hundred and fifty thousand rands (R250 000-00) was deposited into her account but the depositors were never employed and the...

PIETERMARITZBURG - Isilo Samabandla, His Majesty King Misuzulu KaZwelithini, officially opened the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature on Thursday, 27 February.  In his speech, His Majesty hailed KwaZulu-Natal Premier Honourable Thamsanqa Ntuli for his tireless efforts in strengthening the traditional leadership in the province. His Majesty conveyed heartfelt condolences to the families of relatives who lost their lives during the recent flood. He also paid tribute to the families of 14 soldiers who perished at the Democratic Republic of Congo. He also decried the rampant crime and gender-based violence and femicide besieging the province. In his response, Premier Ntuli, who will be dellivering his first State of the Province Address (SOPA) today (28 February), thanked His Majesty for his words of wisdom, and promised to address the concerns raised by the King. The Premier also assured the Zulu Monarch that the Provincial Government of Unity will continue to inspire new hope amon...

DURBAN - A 17-year-old girl has been rushed to hospital after attempting to take her own life following a bullying incident earlier today, Thursday, 27 February. The bullying happened at a secondary school in the EThekweni region. Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) received multiple calls for assistance earlier, reporting that a child was found unconscious in her home. Paramedics and Reaction Officers arrived at the home at 16:55 and found the female lying on the ground. While Paramedics stabilised the child, the mother informed Reaction Officers that her daughter was a victim of bullying.  She was repeatedly assaulted by several students over a period of time. One incident was recorded on a phone and had gone viral on social media.  The mother explained that upon her return from work, she called out to the grade 11 student to let her indoors. She eventually had to force the door open to gain entry and found her daughter on the kitchen floor with slit wr...

RANDBURG - The case against Musa Khawula(33) has been postponed by the Randburg Magistrates’ Court to 19 March 2025.  The 33-year-old faces charges of crimen injuria and contempt of court. The charges arise from a series of allegedly defamatory statements that Khawula posted on his social media platform, which has a large following, between 10 and 12 October 2024.  The statements are alleged to have been made to harm the dignity of businessman Zesimdumise Nxumalo (44).  The court's decision to postpone the case was made after the disclosure of the contents of the dockets to the defence, and the matter has been remanded for consultation.

CAPE TOWN - Over 716 900 South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) beneficiaries have transitioned to the Postbank Black Cards from the previous SASSA Gold Cards, Cabinet said on Thursday. Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said card distribution sites have been increased around the country to ensure that beneficiaries are assisted before the 20 March 2025 deadline.  “More than 716 900 beneficiaries have transitioned to the Postbank black cards and card distribution sites have been increased around the country to mitigate the queues so that every beneficiary receives the new card near where they live.  “Postbank has also increased the number of tellers in the card replacement sites from 2 tellers to up to 5 tellers depending on the business of the site,” the Minister said at a post-Cabinet briefing in Cape Town. Cabinet also encouraged beneficiaries to visit their nearest Checkers, Shoprite, Pick ‘n Pay, Usave, or Boxer stores to collect their new P...

EKURHULENI - Democratic Alliance (DA) in the City of Ekurhuleni will vote in favour of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) sponsored Motion of No Confidence (MoNC) brought against EFF Speaker of Council, Cllr. Nthabiseng Tshivhenga. On more than one occasion Cllr. Tshivhenga has proven that she is neither fit nor competent to hold the title, Speaker - DA Ekurhuleni Caucus leader Brandon Pretorius said. "As the custodian of Council, she has allowed violence to ride roughshod over democracy – as highlighted by the recent Ethics Committee finding which found her, and several of her EFF colleagues, guilty of violating the Councillors Code of Conduct when they physically assaulted DA councillors during a council sitting. "She was also found to have been derelict of her duties by refusing to place the crucial election of Finance Chairperson on the Council agenda within the stipulated timeframe, ultimately jeopardising the financial stability of the City. "Recent allega...

JOHANNESURG - Tuesday, 25 February, Eskom was pleased to announce that loadshedding will be suspended from 5:00 AM on Wednesday, 26 February 2025.  This decision followed the successful recovery of generation capacity and significant progress in replenishing emergency reserves. Although overnight replenishment is still needed, these developments will result in a stable power system. "Ongoing planned maintenance stands at 6 660MW, in alignment with our summer period maintenance strategy. This increased level of maintenance is necessary to prepare for winter to further improve reliability and meet license and regulatory requirements.  "Eskom will communicate on Friday, 28 February 2025, or as soon as any significant changes occur," the power utility said. The Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has since apologised for the inconvenience caused by loadshedding. This is a developing story.

PRETORIA - The South African Police Service (SAPS) has successfully concluded its 2024/2025 recruitment and selection process, fulfilling the commitment made in response to His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa's 2022 State of the Nation Address (SONA). This initiative aimed to recruit and train 30 000 police officers over three years to enhance policing capabilities at the grassroots level. The SAPS is pleased to confirm the last batch of 2 186 out of 5 500 trainees for the 2024/2025 intake, are arriving today at various SAPS academies across the country. This batch consists of 899 male and 1 287 female trainees. This marks the successful completion of the three-year presidential initiative, PROJECT 10 000. The SAPS is aware of misinformation circulating on social media, suggesting that a third batch of trainees will be called for training. The SAPS wishes to clarify that this information is false, as the 2024/2025 recruitment and selection process has officially co...

PRETORIA - Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has apologised to the country for the sudden disruption in power supply. Loadshedding has returned in different Stages - causing disruption to households and businesses across the country. "I would like to take this opportunity to express my most sincere apology for the gross inconvenience and disruption inflicted on households, business and industry as a result of loadshedding experienced over the past 3 days. Loadshedding of any intensity should never be normalised in our country," said Ramokgopa. "I also want thank the competent, skilled, patriotic and hard working men and women of ESKOM led by the Group CEO Mr. Dan Marokane for returning the generating units swiftly back into operation," he added. Ramokgopa went on to give his assurance that they are working hard to eliminate loadshedding permanently in our country.  "As we do this we are likely to suffer temporary setbacks as we did recen...

FREE STATE - The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Free State has made a significant breakthrough in a case dating back to 2022, with the arrest of a senior Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) member for the alleged murder of his wife. This arrest follows a thorough investigation and legal review, reinforcing the police’s commitment to justice and accountability. The incident occurred on 20 November 2022, when a firearm was discharged in Hillside View in Bloemfontein during a very strange domestic dispute. It is alleged that the wife, Dineo Matlakeng (50), was fatally wounded under questionable circumstances. Following an extensive preliminary investigation, an inquest docket was submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for decision, who after reviewing the evidence, issued a warrant of arrest for the suspect to be brought before the court for premeditated murder. The suspect, Kleinbooi Mote Matlakeng (55), handed himself over to the p...

PARKTOWN - NSL Executive Committee convened on Monday to consider further representations from the Curator and management of Royal AM Football Club. Having reviewed these representations, the Executive Committee, in concurrence with Royal AM and the Curator, resolved that Royal AM Football Club will take no further part in the Nedbank Cup competition this season, in the interest of time. The Nedbank Cup fixture (number 21) between Milford FC and Sekhukhune United FC has been scheduled for 15h00 on Sunday, 2 March 2025, at Princess Magogo Stadium. The League will confirm ticketing information in due course. Source: PSL

  JOHANNESURG - High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division in Johannesburg, has convicted seven Chinese nationals and their company on numerous charges related to heinous crimes committed at Village Deep in Johannesburg.  The accused faced 158 charges, including offences such as human trafficking, labour law violations and breaches of occupational health and safety regulations. The accused included Shu-Uei Tsao (42), Biao Ma, Hui Chen(50), Quin Li(56), Zhou Jiaquing (46), Junying Dai(58), Zhilian Zhang(51) and Beautiful City(PTY) LTD represented by accused one to seven.  The police received a tip-off about an illegal factory employing foreign nationals, prompting them to conduct a raid. Following the raid, Captain Modibo and Warrant Officer Lulama Kona led an investigation which revealed that between 2017 and 2019, the accused operated Beautiful City (PTY) LTD and employed 91 undocumented Malawian nationals including 16 minors aged between 14 and 16, violati...

JOHANNESURG - National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has taken a decision to provisionally withdraw charges against the former Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Kabelo Gwamanda and Mduduzi Zondo. The two were charged with fraud related to an alleged funeral policy scam where unsuspecting residents from Soweto were allegedly deceived into paying monthly contributions purported to be funeral policies  to iThemba Lama Afrika, a company in which the accused were directors. The decision to provisionally withdraw the charges against the accused is based on the fact that additional complainants came forward, which necessitated further investigations that were not anticipated at the inception of the case. Once these investigations have been finalised, criminal proceedings will be re-instituted. 

EASTERN CAPE - A 41 year-old hearse driver was arrested for attempting to bribe a traffic officer on the N2 road near Makhanda (Grahamstown). The hearse, which was ferrying a body from the direction of Peddie toward the Gqeberha direction, was stopped in a random stop and check operation, according to the Eastern Cape Department of Transport. "The officer then noticed that the bakkie had 3 occupants in the front seat, the driver and 2 passengers when its designed to have one passenger.  "The driver then brazenly offered a bribe to the officer saying she must buy herself a drink, as is the culture with officers," the Dept reported. Consequently, he was immediately placed under arrest for attempting to bribe an officer, and the two passengers, who turned out to be hitch hikers were allowed to proceed with their journey while the owner of the funeral parlour was summoned to come and fetch the hearse.

PRETORIA – A 41-year-old Congolese national appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates' Court today, Monday, 24 February, facing 8 counts of compelled sexual assault and 6 counts of assault with grievous bodily harm. The charges emanate from two case dockets opened against the accused. It is alleged that in April 2022 the accused assaulted the two victims in the matter. On a separate incident in January 2023, it is alleged the accused compelled four male persons to perform sexual acts on themselves.   This was discovered when videos surfaced on social media, which resulted in 6 complainants opening cases against the accused.    In court the matter was postponed to 03 March 2025 for bail information. Investigations are ongoing, more charges might be added. 

HOWICK - A Construction worker had a near-death experience after collapsing on site due to heat exhaustion on 22 February. MIDLANDS EMS STATEMENT   Midlands EMS K9 Rescue Unit, along with a Midlands EMS Advanced Life Support ambulance, was dispatched to the Howick Falls area after receiving reports of a construction worker who had collapsed. Upon arrival, paramedics found the worker in critical condition, requiring urgent medical intervention.  The patient was stabilized on scene before being transported to a specialist hospital for further care. SIGNS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION   With warm conditions expected to persist in parts of the country, here is how you detect signs of heat exhaustion: * Cool, moist skin with goosebumps  * Heavy sweating * Faintness * Weak, rapid pulse * Muscle cramps * Nausea  * Headache 

JOHANNESBURG - South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC/ the Commission) says it will institute Equality Court proceedings against Mr Nhlamulo ‘Nota’ Baloyi for alleged hate speech.  This decision follows utterances made by Mr Baloyi on 17 February 2025, during an episode of The Hustlers Corner SA, published on YouTube, where he made several statements expressing his views on white people. Following the publication of the podcast, the Commission opened its own-accord investigation and received complaints from across the country registered with the Gauteng Provincial Office. The SAHRC found a prima facie case of hate speech.   In its assessment of the matter, the Commission considered the legal framework, which is primarily based on the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, 2000, and existing jurisprudence on hate speech.  The Commission’s prayers will include a public apology, diversity and sensitivity training, community ...

AUCKLAND PARK - Radio personality Sbusiso Leope, affectionately known as DJ Sbu, has announced his sudden departure from Radio 2000. Taking to social media, DJ Sbu released the following statement: To the esteemed listeners of Radio 2000, my loyal followers and the broader South African community, This serves to inform you that after much reflection and consideration, I have made the decision to resign as a morning radio host at Radio 2000, part of the South African Broadcasting Corporation.  This decision comes earlier than the end of my contract, which was set to conclude on March 30, 2025. This choice has not been an easy one, as my time at Radio 2000 has been filled with invaluable experiences, cherished memories, and the joy of connecting with our wonderful audience. I am deeply grateful for the support I have received from my colleagues, management, and, most importantly, our loyal listeners. I am preparing for a brand new breakfast morning show that I am excited ...

SEBOKENG - Eskom in Gauteng has informed residents of Sebokeng that it is attending to a widespread outage that has left the community in the dark. In a statement, the power utility said, technicians are attending to an outage caused by cable theft affecting customers in Sebokeng Zones 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 10. The estimated time of restoration is currently not available.  "We urge community members to report any unauthorised person who operates on our equipment or suspected to be conducting electricity related illegal activities such as theft, vandalism, meter bypassing and illegal connections to the Eskom Crime Line No 0800 11 27 22 or WhatsApp 081 333 3323," Eskom stated. Meanwhile, loadshedding has been reduced to Stage 4 this morning. This after the country grappled with Stage 6 over the weekend. This is a developing story.

Eskom has announced that loadshedding will be reduced to Stage 4 from Monday at 00:30 until further notice.  This follows the successful recovery of all five units at Majuba, two units at Camden, and one unit at Medupi since Saturday, totaling eight out of ten generation units that had tripped this weekend.  Additionally, emergency reserves replenishment is progressing well. The return of these units comes after identifying the root causes of multiple unit trips, which were unconnected and purely technical in nature, related to electrical and control system issues in auxiliary parts of these power stations. Planned maintenance stands at 7 706MW. Eskom will provide an update on Monday afternoon.

PRETORIA - Police Minister Senzo Mchunu says although there has been some reduction in several categories, more still needs to be done to reduce the country’s crime levels. “We are positioning ourselves accordingly in terms of policing whilst we continue our work throughout the whole country,” Mchunu said. The Minister was presenting the Quarterly Crime Statistics, reflecting on crimes that occurred during the third quarter of the current financial year (1 October 2024 – 31 December 2024).  At Friday’s briefing in Pretoria, the Minister said the police had observed an overall decrease in several categories of crime when compared to the same period in the previous year. “We have also registered a 4.5% reduction in stock theft, which is a welcome relief for farmers, communities and the agricultural sector as a whole,” Mchunu said, adding that the positive shift highlights the importance of continued collaboration between law enforcement, local leaders and communities to s...