Category: English

KwaZulu-Natal has secured R124.5 billion in investment commitments, exceeding its R95 billion target by R29.5 billion, with the projects expected to create more than 330 000 jobs.

Provincial Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli announced the achievement during his keynote address at the 2026 KwaZulu-Natal Investment Conference, held at the Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban on 15 and 16 October.

The conference brought together national and provincial government leaders, investors, business executives and other stakeholders to explore investment opportunities and strengthen partnerships aimed at growing the provincial economy.

Ntuli said the investment pledges demonstrated confidence in KwaZulu-Natal’s economic potential but stressed that the priority is to translate commitments into projects, economic activity and sustainable employment.

“The challenge is now to ensure that commitments are translated into projects on the ground, economic activity and sustainable employment,” the Premier said.

The latest commitments build on the province’s investment drive launched in 2024, when 17 companies pledged R85.2 billion at the inaugural conference.

According to Ntuli, more than 80% of those projects has since broken ground, creating over 68 000 permanent jobs and 119 000 temporary jobs.

The Provincial Government has also established an Investment Office within the Office of the Premier to reduce red tape, resolve implementation delays and support investors in moving projects from initial commitments to production.

Taking investment beyond Durban

Ntuli acknowledged that economic growth remains concentrated in too few areas, stressing the need for investment to reach towns and rural communities throughout KwaZulu-Natal.

He highlighted the province’s Secondary Cities Programme, a 30-year development programme running from 2026 to 2056 and focusing on Pietermaritzburg, Newcastle, Richards Bay, Ladysmith, Port Shepstone, Kokstad, Eshowe, Vryheid and Pongola.

The Provincial Government will also facilitate District Investment Conferences across KwaZulu-Natal, providing districts with opportunities to showcase projects, available land, infrastructure and investment opportunities directly to investors.

“Investment must no longer travel only along the N3. It must travel down every district road in this province,” said Ntuli.

He acknowledged that the province is operating within an increasingly uncertain global environment in which geopolitical tensions, fuel prices, inflation and slowing economic growth are directly affecting businesses and households.

Despite these challenges, the Premier said the province remains open to investment and committed to working with the private sector to address infrastructure constraints and accelerate project implementation.

The Provincial Government said it will also strengthen coordination with investors to ensure the latest commitments translate into measurable economic growth and employment opportunities for the people of KwaZulu-Natal. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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The National Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Fanie Masemola, has reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening the South African Police Service (SAPS), restoring public confidence and improving frontline policing after returning to office as National Commissioner.  

Masemola said his return presented an opportunity to reinforce the principles of the rule of law, institutional stability, accountability and the national interest, emphasising that the police service’s constitutional mandate must take precedence over individual interests. 

“This day holds great significance, not because an individual has returned to office, but because it presents an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the rule of law, institutional stability, accountability and the national interest,” he said on Monday at the Tshwane Academy.

Masemola made these remarks on his first day at work, where he was expected to meet with all Provincial Commissioners, Deputy National Commissioners and Divisional Commissioners as he resumes his duties as the head of the organisation.

He said he would focus on uniting the organisation, strengthening institutional integrity and advancing its constitutional responsibility to serve and protect the people of South Africa.

“It is in this spirit that I return to the office of the National Commissioner, determined to unite our organisation, strengthen its institutional integrity and advance our constitutional responsibility to serve and protect the people of South Africa,” the National Commissioner said.

Masemola thanked President Cyril Ramaphosa for lifting his precautionary suspension after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) withdrew charges against him, paving the way for his return to office.

He said the experience had reinforced the importance of due process, fairness and respect for the rule of law.

“My experience has reinforced the importance of due process, fairness and respect for the rule of law. Ultimately, the truth must prevail, and institutions must be guided by evidence, integrity and justice,” the National Commissioner said.

He further thanked South Africans who supported him during the period, particularly his family, for their encouragement and unwavering support.

Masemola vowed not to allow past circumstances to distract the organisation from its responsibilities, with his priorities centred on leadership, institutional renewal and improving the SAPS’s capacity to deliver measurable results in the fight against crime.

Strengthening leadership and accountability

The National Commissioner called on senior management and police members to work together, stressing that unity, ethical leadership and collective responsibility were essential to building a stronger police service.

“Generals and members of the SAPS, we cannot build a strong police service on division, mistrust, or competing personal interests. We must build it on professional solidarity, ethical leadership, mutual respect and a shared commitment to our constitutional mandate. Unity does not mean the absence of differences,” Masemola said.

He said differences should be resolved constructively, with the interests of the organisation and the communities it serves placed above personal considerations.

Masemola also acknowledged Lieutenant General Dimpane for serving as Acting National Commissioner during his absence, noting that he would receive a formal handover report outlining key developments, operational priorities, progress made and outstanding matters to ensure continuity of leadership.

Masemola said the SAPS awaits the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry final report and will consider its recommendations on strengthening accountability, addressing systemic weaknesses and advancing reforms within the organisation.

“As an organisation, we must be prepared to carefully consider and implement the relevant recommendations to ensure that we emerge stronger, more transparent and more accountable to the people we serve,” Masemola said.

He said the reforms should contribute to strengthening the institution, restoring public confidence and improving its ability to fulfil its constitutional mandate.

“Our most important measure of success is the experience of the public at the police station, in their neighbourhoods and when they need emergency assistance. 

“We will continue to direct our attention and resources towards frontline policing, where our constitutional mandate becomes tangible to communities,” he said.

Masemola said the organisation would intensify efforts to adequately resource police stations, improve operational readiness and ensure frontline officers have vehicles, equipment, technology and personnel needed to perform their duties effectively.

He said recruitment and human-resource capacity remained essential, adding that the SAPS would soon commence recruiting new police trainees while accelerating the filling of vacant posts in line with approved staffing priorities and available resources.

The National Commissioner emphasised that police deployments should be informed by crime patterns, population demands, operational risks and community needs.

He assured the public of operational readiness for the upcoming Local Government Elections as an immediate priority for the SAPS.

Masemola said engagements with provincial commissioners would assess preparedness, identify crime hotspots and ensure intelligence, personnel and resources align with emerging risks. 

The National Commissioner also expressed concern about attacks and killings involving political party members and candidates, saying he would receive a comprehensive briefing from Crime Intelligence on the incidents, including threat assessments and measures to strengthen prevention and investigations. 

“We will act decisively against political violence, intimidation and unlawful conduct,” he said. 

Masemola stressed that the police service would remain impartial and that all people should be able to participate in democratic processes without fear. 

“The SAPS will remain impartial, no political affiliation places anyone above the law, and every person must be able to participate in democratic processes without fear,” he said.

Masemola called on political parties, their members and supporters to exercise tolerance, respect opposing views and resolve differences peacefully.

As preparations for the elections continue, Masemola said the SAPS would sustain momentum in the National Safer Festive Season operations, with a focus on gender-based violence and femicide, murder, robbery, sexual offences, illegal firearms, drug trafficking and organised crime. – SAnews.gov.za

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for accelerated reforms in early childhood development (ECD), urging government, businesses and communities to work together to ensure every child in South Africa has access to quality early learning by 2030. 

Addressing the Bana Pele Leadership Summit 2026 at the Galleria Arena and Conference Centre in Sandton on Monday, the President said investing in early childhood development is essential to preparing children for a rapidly changing world shaped by artificial intelligence, automation and technological advancement.

“A child cannot be prepared for the future unless that child is given a strong foundation in the present,” President Ramaphosa said.

He emphasised that while technology would transform how future generations lived, learned and worked, it could not replace the human interaction, care and foundational skills children needed to thrive.

“Technology may change the world. But it cannot replace the love, care, encouragement and human interaction that children need to develop,” the President said. 

The two-day summit, led by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) under the theme: “From Blueprint to Movement,” brings together government, business, civil society, communities and philanthropic organisations to strengthen collaboration toward universal access to quality early learning by 2030.

The gathering seeks to translate the Bana Pele Shared Blueprint into a coordinated programme of action, with discussions focusing on implementation progress, outstanding challenges and partnerships to expand access to early childhood development.

Building strong foundations

President Ramaphosa said early learning was no longer simply about providing childcare but about equipping children with the literacy, numeracy, critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed for formal schooling and future employment. 

The transfer of early childhood development from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education in 2022 recognised the distinction between childcare and early education. 

“Sending a child to an early learning centre is not only about making sure they are safe and fed. It is about structured learning in early literacy and numeracy that prepares them for formal schooling,” he said. 

The President said early learning could help address developmental gaps that leave millions of children unable to read for meaning by Grade 4.

He added that children entering the education system in the coming years would need to adapt to technological changes and occupations that did not yet exist.

“We must therefore prepare our children not merely to use the technologies of the future, but to think critically, solve problems, communicate effectively and adapt to change,” the President said.

He said the Bana Pele Shared Blueprint provides a roadmap for universal access to ECD by 2030 by connecting support systems, strengthening data for planning and professionalising the sector through the registration of facilities and programmes and the training of practitioners.

The President acknowledged that South Africa had started late in establishing a formalised early childhood development system but said implementation should not be slow.

“I have often said that we are starting late in building a formalised early childhood development system. Yet starting late is better than never starting at all. As they say, better late than never.

“But it should not mean starting slowly. These reforms we have embarked upon in early learning are part of a broader effort to renew South Africa’s socio-economic architecture,” the President said.

Expanding access

Despite progress in expanding access, around one million children aged three to five are not enrolled in any early learning programme, while the cost of fees remains a barrier for many poor households. 

President Ramaphosa said the government was committed to reducing these barriers through additional funding for the ECD conditional grant and an increase in the subsidy per child per day.

However, he noted that too few eligible facilities were receiving the subsidy, making it necessary to intensify the Bana Pele Mass Registration Drive launched last year.

South Africa now has more than 39 000 registered early learning programmes, catering for over 1.6 million children.

The President said government is also cutting red tape that had prevented facilities from registering.

Revised norms and standards for early learning centres were gazetted earlier this year, while Cabinet had approved the Children’s Amendment Bill for submission to Parliament.

The proposed reforms are intended to simplify the rules governing early learning programmes and ensure registration requirements protect children without unnecessarily excluding centres serving poor communities.

“Our approach must be developmental. Where a centre does not meet the required standards, our first response should be to determine what assistance it needs to become compliant,” he said. 

He said government needs to uphold children’s health and safety while helping facilities improve, rather than allowing administrative complexity to become a barrier to opportunity.

In his 2026 State of the Nation Address, President Ramaphosa outlined commitments to expand the Bana Pele mass registration drive, increase subsidies for eligible children and make Grade R compulsory to strengthen the foundations of learning.

Economic investment

The President said investment in ECD had benefits extending beyond education, contributing to poverty reduction, women’s economic participation, job creation, improved child health and a stronger workforce.

Quality early learning enables children from disadvantaged households to begin formal schooling on a more equal footing with their peers from better-resourced communities.

It also allows parents and caregivers, particularly women, to pursue employment, start businesses, train or study when they know their children are safe and receiving early education. 

“Early childhood development fosters entrepreneurship and creates jobs,” he said, noting that unemployed women and young people, particularly in poor and rural communities, could train as practitioners and establish their own early learning centres.

The President also highlighted the role of early learning centres in supporting children’s health through nutritious meals, keeping vaccinations up to date and connecting families to health and social services.

He called on the private sector to increase its investment in the sector, saying businesses could help build and upgrade centres, train practitioners, subsidise access for children from poor households and provide learning materials, digital resources and connectivity.

“I would like to see early childhood development become a central part of corporate social investment and broader economic development strategies. Not simply because it is the right thing to do.

“But because it is one of the most effective investments we can make in the future prosperity of our country,” the President said. 

He said the private sector’s contribution should be viewed as an investment in future workers and a stronger economy, rather than simply a corporate reporting obligation.

Technology to support practitioners

While emphasising the importance of foundational learning, President Ramaphosa said technology could help expand the reach of early learning programmes when used to support, rather than replace, practitioners.

He cited an early reading application that provides phonics exercises, teaching materials and an online library of more than 4 000 books.

“Technology cannot replace teachers or books. What it can do is multiply what one well-trained practitioner can deliver, reaching many more children at different levels with the same resource,” he said. 

The President also acknowledged donors supporting the Early Childhood Care and Education Outcomes Fund, launched in December last year, saying government’s contribution had been matched by donors.

With support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), curriculum support packs are now available in all of the country’s official languages, while more than 70 non-governmental organisations were assisting early learning centres with documentation and first-aid training.

A collective responsibility 

President Ramaphosa called on municipalities, traditional and faith leaders, businesses, philanthropists and community organisations to strengthen their support for early childhood development.

He urged municipalities to work with the Department of Cooperative Governance and the South African Local Government Association to support early learning centres and adopt a developmental approach to compliance.

He also encouraged community leaders to visit centres, engage with practitioners and identify practical ways to assist them.

The President stressed that achieving universal access by 2030 would require sustained cooperation between government and the communities served by early learning programmes.

He said expanding access to early learning was also a way of giving effect to the constitutional right to basic education by establishing a stronger foundation for every child’s educational journey.

“Let us make sure that no child falls behind before they even reach school. Let us truly put our children first, Bana Pele,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za 

 

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The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport is seeking additional funding from the provincial Treasury to rehabilitate sinkholes affecting the R500 and R563 roads. 

The funding will also cover technical and geotechnical investigations required to determine appropriate rehabilitation measures.

“Preliminary assessments indicated that over 80% of the road surface had caved in along the section of the R500, making it extremely unsafe. This led to the closure of sections of the road as a precautionary measure,” the department said.

The department continues to assess the full extent of the damage before determining appropriate remedial measures.

Additional warning signs have also been erected to alert motorists approaching the affected areas and encourage them to exercise caution.

The department said it is in the final stages of discussions regarding the appointment of a contractor to repair the sinkhole along the R563, with a decision expected in the coming weeks.

“Traffic accommodation remains in place along the designated detour routes at both sites. The department urges motorists to adhere to all road signage, reduce speed when approaching affected areas, and exercise caution when using the designated detour routes.” –SAnews.gov.za

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The Border Management Authority’s new Vehicle Targeting System (VTS) has led to the recovery of 83 vehicles, with a combined value of R46.6 million in the six months, since its launch, strengthening efforts to combat vehicle-related crime and improve compliance at ports of entry.

BMA Commissioner Michael Masiapato — speaking at the unveiling of the VTS on Sunday at the Lebombo Border post — said the system uses technology to identify suspicious vehicles before they reach border officials, enabling Border Guards to focus inspections on vehicles flagged for further checks while facilitating the movement of compliant travelers.

“Our difficulty was one of arithmetic. Hundreds of thousands of vehicles cross our land borders. Inspecting all of them is impossible. Inspecting a few of them at random delays honest travellers while the vehicle that matters drives past, because it looks exactly like the one in front of it.

“So, we changed the question we were asking. Instead of asking a Border Guard to find the wrong vehicle in a queue of the right ones, we now tell the Border Guards which vehicle to look at, before the vehicle reaches them. That system is called the VTS, and this is the system we are here to launch,” Masiapato said.

Masiapato said the system became operational on 1 April 2026, initially at Maseru Bridge, Lebombo and Vioolsdrif. Beitbridge followed in August, with Ficksburg later that month and Caledonspoort at the end of September, bringing the total to six ports of entry.

Masiapato explained that cameras installed above border lanes read vehicle registration plates in both directions, day and night. 

“A central system then checks the registration numbers against records relating to stolen vehicles, confirmed cloned plates, potentially fraudulent ownership records and financed vehicles travelling without the consent of the financing institution,” he said.

Where discrepancies are identified, alerts are sent within seconds to the Border Guard at the boom and the port supervisors.

Border Guards then scan the barcode on the vehicle’s licence disc, photograph the registration plate for independent reading and verify the vehicle identification number stamped on the vehicle. The three identifiers must correspond to establish whether the vehicle’s details are consistent.

“In this case, the machine does the looking and the Border Guard does the judging. That is the right division of labour between the Border Guard and the devise. There is a second thing, and it matters just as much.

“A camera does not get tired. It does not look away. It does not choose which vehicle to notice. It cannot be persuaded, and it has no relatives,” Masiapato said.

The commissioner said the VTS was designed not only to identify suspicious vehicles but also to strengthen accountability in border enforcement.

Alerts are sent simultaneously to Border Guards and port supervisors, and each alert must be closed on the device with a recorded outcome linked to a named official, shift and port of entry.

“Let me be clear about what I am claiming and what I am not. I am not telling you that technology has ended corruption at our borders. 

“I am writing to tell you that we have given the BMA Border Guard better information, and that every decision taken after the alert is now a matter of record. Discretion that leaves a trail is a very different thing from discretion that does not,” Masiapato said.

During the first three months of operation at three ports of entry, the cameras recorded 422,107 vehicle sightings. In the subsequent three months, the system monitored another 170,962 vehicles across five ports.

The 83 recoveries recorded during the six-month period included seven stolen vehicles, eight vehicles with falsified ownership records, eight cloned vehicles, 27 vehicles stopped on the basis of false bank letters and 33 financed vehicles that were recovered, settled or returned to their rightful financing institutions.

Separately, 1 817 vehicles were stopped during 2026 because their drivers could not produce written consent from the bank or finance house that owned the vehicles. The estimated value of these vehicles is approximately R636 million.

Masiapato said the effectiveness of the system should also be measured by whether travellers increasingly comply with the requirements before reaching the border.

“In fact. The real test of this kind of a system is not how many vehicles we stop. It is how much drivers arrive already carrying the right paperwork, because that is an indication of behavior change and improved compliance. Otherwise, the main purpose is to improve the compliance of the law-abiding travelers so that we isolate the criminal elements,” Masiapato said.

In the quarter ending September 2026, 6,256 of 22,436 sightings of financed vehicles already had valid border letters when first recorded, representing 27.9%. This was an increase from 23.7% in the preceding quarter.

At Maseru Bridge, the proportion of financed vehicles arriving with valid letters increased from 13.2% to 30% in one quarter.

At Lebombo, which has the longest period of available data, compliance rose from 23.4% to 37.9% by September. Meanwhile, alerts involving financed vehicles without the required letters declined from 1,697 in July to 793 in September 2026.

“Since the deployment of the system, we observe that fewer people do arrive at the ports of entry without requisite documents pertaining vehicle cross-border movement.

“In fact, we are pleased when the paperwork is being sorted out before the journey rather than being argued at the port of entry as that generate unnecessary queues and undue delays even to the compliant travelers. In fact, enforcement that changes behavior is worth more than enforcement that only catches people, of which, the majority could just be due to lack of knowledge,” he said.

Masiapato urged financial institutions to keep their information current, respond promptly to verification requests and inform customers about the documentation required before travelling internationally with financed vehicles.

Masiapato emphasised that the equipment is loaned to the State and that all records generated by the system remain the property of the BMA.

Masiapato said the BMA would assess the system’s performance beyond the number of vehicles intercepted, with a focus on identifying stolen vehicles, dismantling criminal networks, securing successful prosecutions and ensuring recovered vehicles are returned to their lawful owners. – SAnews.gov.za

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Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has called for urgent corrective action at the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) and the Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Services SETA), following qualified audit opinions for the 2025/26 financial year.

Briefing Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training recently, Manamela said both institutions need to address persistent governance and financial control weaknesses and demonstrate that public funds are translating into skills development, employment opportunities and improved livelihoods.

The two SETAs were placed under administration in August 2025 following governance and operational difficulties, and both remain under administration until 31 January 2027.

“Administration is an intervention. It is not an outcome. Its success lies in whether the institution emerges with stronger governance, credible financial controls, capable leadership, improved service delivery and renewed public confidence,” Manamela said.

The qualified audit opinions received by both institutions indicate that material issues remain unresolved, requiring corrective measures supported by evidence, the Minister said.

The department has required both administrators to develop audit action plans with clear responsibilities and timeframes.

Manamela noted that CETA achieved 58 of its 68 annual performance targets, approximately 85% of its targets.

However, he said its financial position raised concerns, with revenue of about R914 million against expenditure of R1.25 billion, resulting in a deficit of approximately R336 million.

Its cash balance also declined from about R1 billion to R607 million, while significant discretionary grant commitments remain outstanding.

Manamela said the institution cannot continue drawing down its reserves without addressing the structural causes of the financial imbalance.

He also highlighted accumulated irregular expenditure of approximately R956 million and fruitless and wasteful expenditure of R44 million, which he said reflected serious historical control failures.

“Two material irregularities are particularly troubling. In an artisan-development project, approximately R15.75 million was paid without the intended benefits being delivered. For a learner biometric attendance and stipend-payment system, approximately R13.26 million was paid for a system never fully operationalised.

“Together, that is approximately R29 million in reported losses. When public money is spent on training, we must be able to identify what was delivered. Where losses occurred, we must determine responsibility and pursue recovery and consequence management,” Manamela said.

He called for a complete account of investigations, legal steps, responsibility assessments and possible recovery measures.

“I will not pre-empt any proceedings, but the passage of time must not become an excuse for institutional inaction.”

Manamela also raised concerns about the reported prescription of a contractual claim against the supplier involved in the artisan development project, saying the department expects the institution to account for its response and the available recovery options.

Services SETA urged to address delayed bursaries

Services SETA recorded revenue of approximately R2.5 billion, expenditure of R1.9 billion and a surplus of approximately R562 million, partly attributable to delays in programme implementation.

Manamela warned that money remaining unspent cannot be regarded as an achievement, if eligible learners have not been trained, bursaries remain unpaid or employers cannot access support.

He expressed particular concern about delayed bursary payments affecting students at universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges.

“Behind a delayed bursary may be a student unable to register or pay for accommodation.

“The Administrator must give this Committee a clear account of outstanding bursary obligations, reasons for the delays, and the timetable for resolution.”

Manamela said financial controls and learner delivery must reinforce, not undermine each other.

Governance transition must be completed

With the administration period due to end in January 2027, Manamela said the remaining months should be used to stabilise executive structures, appoint Accounting Authorities, strengthen financial controls, resolve audit findings and prepare comprehensive handover reports.

He expressed concern about delays in governance appointments, including difficulties in securing suitable nominations for chairpersons and completing organised labour representation.

The Minister said the department will require a verified exit assessment covering governance readiness, financial sustainability, audit improvements, unresolved legal matters and outstanding commitments before the institutions return to ordinary governance.

He warned against a cycle of governance failure, administration, a new Accounting Authority and then another intervention.

“The real test of administration is whether the improvements survive the Administrator’s departure,” he said.

Comprehensive skills development priorities

Manamela also outlined wider priorities for the post-school education and training sector (PSET), including the stabilisation of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and the development of a credible, sustainable student funding model.

He urged prospective students to apply for NSFAS funding for the 2027 academic year before the deadline on 31 October 2026.

The Minister further stressed the need for the department and the National Skills Fund to address concerns raised by learners in the Denel Training Programme regarding delayed stipends, accommodation, transport, tools, safety, and the completion of their training.

He said the department is considering broader reforms to the SETA landscape, subject to consultation, legal compliance and fiscal assessment.

Manamela called for time-bound plans to resolve outstanding audit findings, transparent reporting on expenditure and financial sustainability, appropriate consequence management, improved delivery of bursaries and workplace learning, and a managed transition to stable governance structures. – SAnews.gov.za

 

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The Skukuza Regional Court has sentenced former Kruger National Park Regional Ranger Rodney Landela and former State Veterinary Service Animal Health Technician Kenneth Mochocho for illegal hunting and the killing of a white rhino in a protected area, as well as for possession of a firearm with the intent to commit a crime. 

In a statement, the South African National Parks (SANParks) welcomed the sentencing delivered on Friday for the incident that took place in July 2016.  

The court sitting at Skukuza Regional Court sentenced the accused to 10 years’ imprisonment on the main count (illegal hunting and killing of a white rhino in a protected area) and four years on a second count (possession of a firearm with intent to commit a crime), with the sentences running concurrently, effectively sending the two to ten years’ imprisonment with no parole option.

The Magistrate also declared the two unfit to possess firearms. 

SANParks further welcomed the involvement of the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa’s (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit, which is seeking declarations of the convicted individuals’ assets.

“The organisation views the matter as particularly serious because both individuals were entrusted with protecting South Africa’s wildlife but instead abused their positions of trust to commit a wildlife crime.

“SANParks commends the court for recognising the gravity of the offence, including the misuse of an official state-issued firearm and the deliberate nature of the crime. The organisation maintains that a fine or non-custodial sentence would not have served the interests of justice, particularly given that the offences were motivated by greed rather than need.”

SANParks added that the sentence sends a strong message that rhino poaching and the betrayal of public trust by conservation officials will not be tolerated and that those who undermine efforts to protect the country’s natural heritage will face serious consequences. –SAnews.gov.za

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As temperatures rise, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has reminded the public to stay hydrated, avoid strenuous outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day, wear light clothing and seek shade where possible.

“A heat wave, with persistently high temperatures, is expected in places over the Mpumalanga Highveld, the southern parts of the Mpumalanga Lowveld, as well as the south-western Bushveld of Limpopo on Monday,” the weather service said.

SAWS said Monday’s forecast indicates cloudy and cool conditions along the country’s east and south coasts.

Elsewhere, conditions will be partly cloudy and warm to hot, with isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms possible over the central and eastern parts of the country.

“A surface high-pressure system is expected to dominate most parts of South Africa this week, with a surface trough over the western interior at times. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms are possible over the central and eastern interior at times. Warm to hot temperatures are expected across most parts of the country,” SAWS said. 

The weather service issued the following warnings for Monday:

• Yellow Level 2 warning: Severe thunderstorms are expected over most of KwaZulu-Natal, except along the south coast and adjacent interior. These may cause localised damage to infrastructure and settlements, as well as localised flooding of susceptible roads and bridges.
• Yellow Level 2 warning: Damaging interior winds are expected over the eastern parts of the Free State and the western and eastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal. These may cause localised damage to settlements, difficult driving conditions and problems for high-sided vehicles on vulnerable routes until Tuesday morning.
• Yellow Level 2 warning: Damaging winds and waves are expected along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline. These may cause short-term, localised disruption to beachfront activities, small harbours and ports until Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, the outlook for Tuesday and Wednesday indicates fine and warm to hot conditions. 

However, partly cloudy and cool weather is expected along South Africa’s east and south coasts and in the adjacent interior, with isolated to scattered showers possible. –SAnews.gov.za

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