Category: MIL-OSI

A 41-year-old suspect will appear in the Protea Glen Magistrate’s Court this week after he was arrested by the Hawks’ East Serious Organised Crime Investigation in Tubatse, Limpopo, on charges including fraud, corruption, violation of the Immigration Act and racketeering.

He is the final outstanding suspect linked to Project Humulani, a major undercover operation targeting a multimillion-rand passport fraud, corruption and human smuggling syndicate.

Project Humulani was registered in April 2022 following intelligence gathered in December 2021 regarding a syndicate operating at the borders. 

“A foreign national kingpin colluded with corrupt Home Affairs officials and vulnerable South African citizens to facilitate a process known as photo-swapping. 

“The syndicate used valid identity details of South African citizens but substituted the photographs with those of foreign nationals to issue fraudulent South African passports,” the Hawks said.

The multi-disciplinary investigation, led by the Hawks’ East Rand Serious Organised Crime Investigation, in conjunction with the Department of Home Affairs, the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) and the Director of Public Prosecutions, has yielded significant successes over its duration.

The syndicate kingpin was previously convicted and sentenced to 14 years of direct imprisonment.

Several hundreds of fraudulently issued passports have been successfully blocked and cancelled by authorities.

The Acting Provincial Head for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Brigadier Paulina Sekgobela, has commended and congratulated the investigation team on their excellent work and dedication to the case. – SAnews.gov.za

The Department of Health has confirmed four new mpox cases in South Africa, bringing the cumulative national total from 22 to 26 cases reported since 1 January 2026. 

These 26 laboratory-confirmed cases are distributed as follows: 18 from the Western Cape, three from Gauteng, two from the Eastern Cape, two from the Free State and one from KwaZulu-Natal. 

Of the 18 cases reported from the Western Cape, two were imported cases involving foreign nationals visiting South Africa, while the remaining 16 cases were linked to local transmission.

According to the department, 25 of the 26 cases are male, with ages ranging from 23 to 50 years and a median age of 37 years. Clade and lineage information is currently available for 17 cases, of which 13 are associated with the Clade Ib mpox virus and four with Clade IIb. 

“The department urges members of the public to remain vigilant and to seek healthcare promptly if they develop symptoms such as a rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes or fatigue. Individuals who have been in close contact with a confirmed or suspected mpox case should inform healthcare workers and monitor themselves for symptoms for 21 days,” the department said in a statement. 

“Should symptoms develop, they should avoid close contact with others and seek medical attention.

“Mpox is a preventable and treatable viral infection. The public is reminded to avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with anyone who has an mpox-like rash, and not to share bedding, towels, clothing or other personal items with affected individuals. 

“Healthcare workers are also urged to maintain a high index of suspicion and to adhere to infection prevention and control protocols when managing suspected cases.

“The department will continue to work closely with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, provincial health authorities and other stakeholders to strengthen surveillance, case finding, contact tracing, risk communication and community engagement in order to contain further spread of mpox,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) has met with scholar transport operators at Boekenhoutkloof Traffic College in Tshwane as part of the Learner Transport Education and Awareness Programme (LTEAP).

LTEAP is aimed at strengthening regulatory compliance, promoting responsible operations and improving learner transport services across the province.

“The initiative forms part of the department’s proactive response to concerns surrounding learner transport incidents in Gauteng.

“Through education, enforcement and stakeholder collaboration, the programme seeks to address operational challenges and promote a safe, reliable, compliant and well-regulated learner transport system.

“During the session, operators were sensitised to their legal and operational responsibilities, including operating licence requirements, vehicle roadworthiness and responsible driving practices.

“The department further emphasised the importance of complying with road traffic laws and ensuring that vehicles used to transport learners meet prescribed safety and operational standards,” the department said.

The role of the Gauteng Public Transport Regulatory Information System (GPTRIS) was also highlighted as an important component in strengthening scholar transport regulation and improving access to licensing services.

“Through GPTRIS, scholar transport operators will benefit from improved access to licensing information and more efficient application processes, enabling them to monitor their applications and address compliance requirements,” the department said.

The department emphasised that effective learner transport management requires cooperation among operators, parents, schools, transport associations, law enforcement agencies and government departments.

The session provided operators with an opportunity to raise concerns, seek clarity on regulatory requirements and discuss challenges affecting their operations.

Feedback gathered during the engagement will inform follow-up interventions aimed at improving compliance, strengthening accountability and enhancing coordination among relevant stakeholders.

According to the department, LTEAP will be implemented through a structured roadshow across all five regions of Gauteng, providing consistent education and guidance to scholar transport stakeholders.

“The initiative forms part of Gauteng’s broader road safety strategy and adopts the Safe System Approach, which promotes shared responsibility for preventing road crashes and serious injuries,” the department said.

The department has called on all scholar transport operators to work closely with it and its partners to comply with the applicable legislation and the prescribed standards for transporting learners.

“Ensuring the safety of learners remains a shared responsibility. Through responsible driving, regulatory compliance and sustained cooperation among all stakeholders, Gauteng can continue working towards safer and more reliable learner transport services across the province.” 

The session took place as South Africa marks Transport Month this October. – SAnews.gov.za

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson and the Executive Mayor of Kouga Local Municipality, Hattingh Bornman, have announced an agreement to formally protect approximately 235 hectares of State-owned land at Ongegunde Vryheid, near Cape St Francis, for nature conservation.  

This first-of-its-kind arrangement for the department, which was announced on Friday, breaks a decade-long administrative deadlock, ensuring that the land is actively managed and delivers lasting benefits for the local community. 

The process began in 2015, when Kouga Local Municipality approached the department regarding the use of State-owned land for development and municipal purposes. 

Subsequent environmental assessments established that significant portions of the property were unsuitable for residential development, requiring a solution that balanced conservation priorities with the municipality’s housing needs.

In October 2025, Macpherson directed that a definitive resolution be found. The department subsequently developed a revised approach that separated the conservation land from the portion earmarked for future human settlements, allowing both processes to proceed independently. 

Following legal review and the necessary approvals, Macpherson granted final approval for the revised arrangement on 29 September 2026. 

Under the arrangement, the land will be formally protected as a nature reserve under the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, while the municipality assumes responsibility for its ongoing management at no operational cost to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. 

The land contains environmentally sensitive ecosystems, wetlands and the critically endangered St Francis Strandveld vegetation type, as well as habitats for threatened plant species and diverse wildlife. 

Its coastal dune systems play an important role in beach stability, while its wetlands help regulate water flows and sustain local ecosystems. 

The area also contains significant archaeological heritage that will be protected for future generations. Beyond its conservation value, the arrangement will help preserve the natural assets that underpin nature-based tourism and contribute to the area’s attractiveness as a destination. 

By establishing a clear management framework, the agreement also ensures that an important public asset is protected from environmental degradation and put to productive use in the public interest.

Macpherson said the announcement demonstrated the importance of taking decisive action to unlock the value of State-owned land. 

“This is an example of what can be achieved when government takes the initiative to overcome administrative obstacles and find practical solutions that put public assets to work for the benefit of communities.

“For too long, this land was caught in an administrative impasse. We have now found a way forward that protects our natural heritage, strengthens local conservation efforts and ensures this land serves a clear purpose.

“Government land must not remain idle when it can deliver meaningful public value. Our responsibility is to ensure that these assets are managed effectively, whether that means supporting housing and economic development or protecting environmentally sensitive areas for future generations. At Ongegunde Vryheid, we are doing precisely that,” he said.

Bornman said the agreement is an important step in protecting Kouga’s unique natural heritage, while ensuring that future housing needs can still be addressed. 

“Ongegunde Vryheid is an environmental asset that deserves to be protected and managed responsibly, not left vulnerable to degradation because of administrative delays.

“By working together with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, we are securing 235 hectares for conservation, protecting our wetlands and endangered vegetation, and preserving the natural environment that contributes to our local tourism economy. 

“This partnership also allows us to put the land under active management without adding operational costs to the national department.

“We have a responsibility to protect what makes Kouga special, while planning responsibly for future generations. This agreement demonstrates that conservation and development need not be in conflict when government works collaboratively to find practical, sustainable solutions,” he said.

The department said it looks forward to the positive impact the arrangement will have on conservation, local tourism and the wider community. 

“The separate process relating to the land earmarked for future human settlements will continue through the appropriate channels.” – SAnews.gov.za

The National Counterfeit and Illicit Goods Unit has seized counterfeit goods worth more than R160 million during a multi-disciplinary operation in the Johannesburg CBD this past week.

“The team, with support from the Public Order Policing (POP) Unit in Pretoria, the South African Revenue Services (SARS) Customs Division and brand protectors, executed search-and-seizure warrants on Tuesday at several identified shops located in a retail building.

“This resulted in the seizure of more than 62 000 counterfeit items, including high-end branded clothing, footwear, cosmetics, watches, jewellery and sunglasses.

“The operation forms part of ongoing nationwide efforts to dismantle the illegal trade, manufacturing, and distribution of counterfeit and illicit goods in the country,” the police said.

Community members are reminded:

• Counterfeit goods infringe on the intellectual property rights of legitimate brand owners;
• Counterfeit and illicit goods pose serious health and safety risks to consumers;
• These products are often manufactured and distributed outside regulated systems, with no regard for quality standards, safety, or lawful trade practices, and
• Legitimate manufacturers and retailers lose market share to illegal traders, leading to reduced production and job losses. – SAnews.gov.za

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Professor Blade Nzimande wants the East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ) and its Science and Technology Park to become a driving force for innovation-led industrialisation, supplier development and inclusive economic growth in the Eastern Cape.

During a high-level visit to the ELIDZ, Nzimande said South Africa’s industrial development must be supported by a robust, diversified and resilient National System of Innovation that connects research, skills and technology with production and the everyday development needs of communities.

“Special Economic Zones must be more than providers of land, infrastructure and incentives. They must become dynamic ecosystems where laboratories, incubators, training institutions, investors and manufacturers work together around shared industrial missions,” he said.

The Minister said the success of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) should be measured not only by infrastructure and investment, but also by productivity gains, supplier upgrading, patents, prototypes, new products and services, skills development and competitiveness.

He reiterated his proposal to consolidate the existing regional innovation forum into a dynamic science, technology and innovation forum for Buffalo City.

The proposed forum would coordinate institutions, identify development challenges requiring innovative solutions, connect these challenges with relevant expertise, and support science and technology parks linked to SEZs across the Eastern Cape.

The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, working through entities such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), has supported the ELIDZ through several initiatives.

These include funding the feasibility study that led to the establishment of the ELIDZ Science and Technology Park, which was launched in 2014.

Between 2018 and 2023, the department also provided R2.4 million to the East London Regional Innovation Networking Platform, which reached 120 beneficiaries, including 17 technology-focused small, medium and micro enterprises.

Further support included integrating elements of the regional platform into the TIA–ELIDZ Science and Technology Park partnership and piloting a bio-entrepreneurship programme to help emerging enterprises turn locally available hemp and cannabis biomass into higher-value biomaterials and biochemicals.

Minister Nzimande said the Eastern Cape had significant potential to build a coordinated innovation ecosystem by connecting its universities, public TVET colleges, ports, manufacturing assets, agricultural opportunities, renewable-energy resources, coastal assets and youthful population.

East London’s established automotive industry, in particular, presents opportunities to expand advanced manufacturing and strengthen capabilities in automation, robotics, artificial intelligence and digital production.

The shift towards electric and other new-energy vehicles, sustainable materials and circular manufacturing could also open up opportunities for new products, services and enterprises.

Closer collaboration between the automotive industry, the ELIDZ Science and Technology Park, universities, TVET colleges, science councils and TIA would help local innovators and emerging businesses participate in evolving industrial value chains.

“Innovation-led industrialisation must open opportunities for small enterprises, township and rural innovators, women-owned businesses and young people. The benefits must extend beyond the zone into Buffalo City, Mdantsane, surrounding towns and the wider provincial economy,” the Minister said.

He also called for stronger technology transfer, incubation, supplier development, access to research infrastructure, and incentives that promote innovation and localisation.

“We must use the ELIDZ Science and Technology Park to move ideas into factories, prototypes into products and local solutions into markets,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za