Anti-Gang Unit detectives have made a breakthrough in the investigation into a mass murder in Bishop Lavis.
Two men and two women were shot and killed on Friday night.
One of the victims is an 80-year-old.
Police said two gunmen opened fire on the four victims inside a bedroom and fled the scene in a VW Polo.
The Police's Joseph Swartbooi explained, "Sterling tracing operations by detectives attached to the Anti-Gang Unit led to the arrest of two suspects after four victims were gunned down in Bishop Lavis on Friday, the 11th of July 2025. The possibility that the incident is gang-related cannot be ruled out."
*This article was first published by Eye Witness News
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) will on Tuesday present its report on the 2024 general elections to Parliament’s Home Affairs Portfolio Committee.
The report highlights several achievements, including the successful integration of independent candidates into national and provincial elections.
The IEC also lauds the achievement of the largest ever voters’ roll at 27.5 million registered voters, widespread use of its online registration platform, and measures that prevented double voting. However, it acknowledges challenges, including issues with its information systems and voter management devices, long queues, disinformation and misinformation, as well as litigation.
Parly to receive IEC report on 2024 general elections on Tuesday
*This article was first published by SABC News
Dr Zakeera Docrat is the first South African elected to the executive board of the International Association for Forensic and Legal Linguistics.
Forensic and legal linguistics is the study of language and its role in legal systems, and it's a relatively new field in Africa.
But since 2017, the country has emerged as a key contributor, thanks largely to the groundbreaking work of Dr Docrat, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of the Western Cape.
*This article was first published by eNCA News
The Department of Agriculture has confirmed a new outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) on a commercial farm in the Free State.
IOL previously reported that the country has been battling FMD for several months, prompting key trading partners, including Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, and China, to suspend imports of meat and related animal products from the country.
The affected farm is located in the Moqhaka Local Municipality near Kroonstad and has been placed under quarantine as officials work to contain the spread.
In a statement issued to the media on Monday, the department emphasised that the affected properties were placed under quarantine on July 8, 2025, and immediate control measures were implemented.
"The affected property was placed under quarantine on 8 July 2025, and immediate control measures were implemented, including surveillance and vaccination," the department said.
"Traceback activities are ongoing to determine the source of the infection, while farms in the surrounding 10-km radius are undergoing surveillance to determine the possible extent of the spread".
According to the department, as of July 2025, a total of 270 FMD outbreaks have been reported across five provinces in South Africa. Of these, 249 outbreaks remain unresolved, while 21 have undergone resolution.
"Eastern Cape has recorded 40 outbreaks, with 38 still open and two resolved. There have been no new reported cases in the Eastern Cape since September 2024. KwaZulu-Natal has been the most affected province, with 191 reported outbreaks, of which 172 remain active and 19 have been resolved.
"Since May 2025, Gauteng has reported 32 outbreaks, North West has four open outbreaks, while Mpumalanga has reported three outbreaks."
The Department has also issued a correction to a recent Government Gazette notice regarding the Disease Management Area (DMA) in KwaZulu-Natal.
The new notice (Gazette Notice 6396 of 4 July 2025) replaces the previous notice (Gazette Notice 5997 of 17 March 2025) and corrects the omission of several areas that remain under DMA restrictions.
"We sincerely apologise for any confusion caused and request all stakeholders to take note of the following areas that are declared to be part of the KwaZulu-Natal DMA:"
These include the whole of the following local municipalities: Big Five Hlabisa, Mtubatuba, Nongoma, Ulundi, Umhlabuyalingana, Jozini, Pongola, Abaqulusi, Umfolozi, uMhlathuze, Mthonjaneni, Nqutu, Nkandla, uMlalazi, and Mandeni.
Also included are portions of the following municipalities: Emadlangeni (south of R34 from R33), Newcastle (south of R34 and east of N11), Dannhauser (east of N11 and north of R68), Endumeni (north of R68 and east of R33), Msinga (east of R33), UMvoti (east of R33 up to R74 and north of R74), Maphumulo (north-east of R74), Ndwedwe (east of R74), and KwaDukuza (north-east of R74 up to the N2 and west to the N2 up to Mandeni).
*This article was first published by IOL News
The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has thrown its weight behind KwaZulu-Natal’s top cop, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, ahead of an inquiry into corruption at the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The inquiry came as a result of Mkhwanazi’s bombshell media briefing earlier in July, where he alleged there was criminal syndicates within the country’s law enforcement agencies.
On Monday, the MK Party held a march in Johannesburg to show support for Mkhwanazi.
Mkhwanazi has been out of the public eye since his controversial media briefing on 6 July.
The people he implicated, including Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, have rubbished his claims as wild speculation.
MK Party Gauteng spokesperson Abel Tau said Mkhwanazi would not risk his life and career just to speculate.
“If we don’t stand up as citizens of this country now and take the opportunity to put a clear marker between us and those who are against society, it will never come again an opportunity like that.”
Following its two “Hands Off Mkhwanazi” marches in Johannesburg and Durban on Monday, the MK Party is having another one in Cape Town on Tuesday.
The party has another one planned for Friday at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where it promises to bring Gauteng to a standstill.
*EWN First published this article
South Africa's export-dependent industries are bracing for an unprecedented disruption as a 30% tariff on exports to the United States is set to take effect on August 1, 2025. This policy shift is expected to impact the country's vital sectors, especially agriculture, automotive manufacturing, and metals.
Citrus, wine, and macadamia
Among the most severely exposed is South Africa’s citrus industry, which is the second largest in the world. The US currently imports about R1.8 billion worth of South African citrus annually, sustaining approximately 140,000 jobs across the value chain.
A 30% tariff could effectively price South African produce out of the US market, despite strong demand driven by declining local production in Florida.
Wine and macadamia exporters can also expect to experience major setbacks. The US has been a key growth market for South African wines, and tariff-induced price hikes could erase margins. Macadamia exporters, already suffering from a global oversupply, will see competitiveness vanish, especially for smallholder farmers in Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
Auto industry
The Eastern Cape’s automotive sector, already dealing with a 25% tariff since April, will be further hamstrung by the broader 30% import tax. In 2024, the US bought R35 billion in luxury vehicles and components from South Africa, a third of which consisted of auto parts manufactured by smaller suppliers.
Steel and aluminium
Heavy industry isn’t spared either. According to early projections, steel and aluminium exporters could be hit with tariffs as high as 50%. These sectors are crucial not only for direct exports but also as suppliers to automotive, construction, and energy projects.
The effect across supply chains — from mines to fabrication plants to shipping — could result in job losses, factory closures, and significant GDP contraction.
Agriculture
The agricultural sector, which contributes over 10% of South Africa’s export revenue, now finds itself exposed in multiple areas. Beef, wine, and niche exports such as cold-pressed oils and processed fruits are all facing sudden erosion of competitiveness.
A recent analysis by the National Agricultural Marketing Council highlights the broader context: a global rise in protectionism, with the WTO recording record numbers of restrictive trade measures in 2025. South Africa is among the worst-affected, particularly given its high compliance with global trade norms but limited leverage in bilateral negotiations.
Parliament weighs in.
The Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade has urged the government to act urgently. Chairperson Sonja Boshoff described the tariffs as “a direct assault on our rural economy and industrial base,” warning that the impact would stretch far beyond exporters.
“Entire rural economies and towns — especially those dependent on citrus, wine, or macadamia farming — are in jeopardy,” said Boshoff. “We cannot afford to wait for the axe to fall. Intervention is needed now.”
She called on the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) to fast-track support packages for affected industries, including logistics relief, export financing, and rapid market reorientation.
*This article was first published by IOL News
