Author name: Scott Balson

Behind the postcard-perfect vistas of the N3 highway near Van Reenen lies a community grappling with neglect, broken promises, and a stark lack of opportunity, forcing residents to rely on precarious means for survival. The small town, famed for its breathtaking mountain scenery, is at the heart of a settlement where community members say they […]

Residents of the Matzikama Municipality are being forced to consume discolored, brown water from their taps due to a lack of alternatives, even as the local authority disputes claims it authorized the distribution of non-potable water. Frustrated community members told reporters that the water, which often flows with a disturbing brown hue, is their only

Residents across a wide swath of Johannesburg are being urged to prepare for water outages this weekend, as the bulk water supplier, Rand Water, begins a large-scale, scheduled maintenance operation on its key systems. The maintenance is scheduled to commence on the morning of Friday, 13th December, and will continue for 48 hours, concluding on

Verulam – Rescue operations entered a critical third day on Sunday as specialized teams worked to locate and extract a fifth individual trapped deep within the rubble of a collapsed temple. The search, which resumed at 8 a.m., is focused on a specific area where the victim has been identified. According to Samantha Meyrick of

A multi-disciplinary law enforcement team intercepted a vehicle and arrested four foreign nationals in separate but related incidents early Monday morning, recovering unwrought gold valued at approximately R800,000. The operation began during a routine patrol on the N12 route near the Delmas off-ramp. Officers observed a white Toyota Fortuner displaying no registration plates on either

 The Calvinia Regional Court has sentenced an 18-year-old man to 10 years direct imprisonment for two counts of rape against an 8-year-old girl. The crimes occurred on 31 July 2023 in Loeriesfontein when the perpetrator, then aged 16, entered the victim’s bedroom while she slept and sexually assaulted her. The victim reported the incident to

A 25-year-old woman was arrested by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Springbok on Friday, 12 December 2025, on charges of dealing in drugs. The arrest followed an intelligence-driven operation initiated after police received information at approximately 12:00 regarding an alleged drug delivery scheduled to occur in the parking area of a local shopping

On Friday, 12 December 2025, a police operation arrested eleven men for illegal mining in Mooinooi. The operation involved members from the Tactical Response Team (TRT), Public Order Policing (POP), and Visible Policing (VISPOL). Officers found the suspects digging in the area. Two bakkies containing stones and rocks, suspected to be chrome, were discovered on

The Mpumalanga High Court has sentenced Khutullo Sipho Sekgobela (27) to 28 years in prison for murder and attempted murder. The sentencing was delivered on Thursday, 11 December 2025. The court found that on 07 April 2023, Sekgobela assaulted his female friend outside a tavern in Acornhoek. When Jetro Mashile (40) intervened, Sekgobela stabbed him

 In a case that has spanned over three years, the High Court has handed down a substantial prison sentence to 30-year-old Lizo Thana Ntilana for the murder of a 17-year-old girl from Ntsimbini locality, Majola A/A. The victim was last seen alive in April 2022, travelling to Mhlotsheni locality to visit her boyfriend. After she