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Two young boys, aged 4 and 6, died in a shack fire in Roodepoort on Saturday evening while their mother was apparently at a tavern, Gauteng police said. "The mother of the two deceased alleges that on Saturday… at about 23:30, she was drinking with her husband; her sister and her sister's boyfriend at a tavern," said Captain Tinyiko Mathebula in a statement. According to the mother, her sister and her sister’s boyfriend began fighting. She and her husband took the sister away from the tavern. When the couple then returned to their home, next to Main Reef Road in Roodepoort, they found their shack in flames, explained Mathebula.

Joburg emergency services still on high alert as flood waters subside The spell of rain so heavy around Johannesburg that  even graves were disturbed , seems to have abated, to the relief of Johannesburg's emergency and traffic services on Saturday. "The situation has improved a lot," said Metro Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar. Emergency Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said mopping up operations were underway but now the concern shifted to keeping children out of the rivers, to prevent drowing. "They may be tempted to go and play in the rivers," said Mulaudzi, cautioning people to keep an eye on children near the swollen rivers.

Five arrested following land invasion in Gauteng      Five people have been arrested for malicious damage to property after they allegedly tore down a fence as part of an attempted land invasion in Midrand on Saturday. Police spokesperson, Captain Granville Meyer told News24, that there had been two separate incidents of attempted land invasions on Saturday, with more than 1 500 people attempting to set up shelters illegally. Meyer said the first incident, involving over 500 individuals, had taken place at a piece of land that belonged to Wits University in Marlboro, near the Far East Bank Drive and Gautrain bridge intersection. A large group of people, the majority of whom are believed to have come from nearby Alexandra, gathered opposite the KFC on Marlboro Drive, and were seen filling in forms handed out by people wearing Economic Freedom Fighters regalia, to claim parcels of land.

Johannesburg – A taxi owner and his 14-year-old son were shot and killed in a suspected taxi violence related incident in Hillbrow on Friday. The 40-year-old father and his son were sitting in a vehicle on the corner of Tudhope Street and Soper Street in Tanmor Court when they were approached by three men, police spokesperson Sergeant Mduduzi Zondo told News24. "One of the suspects pulled out a gun and shot them multiple times. "We are uncertain at this stage but we suspect that it was related to the ongoing taxi-violence in the area as the father was a taxi owner."

Parts of Johannesburg were flooded on Friday as heavy rains lashed the city for a second day‚ knocking over trees and delaying traffic. The City of Johannesburg said on Thursday night that roads in Fourways, Randburg, Florida, Soweto and other areas had been flooded. Informal settlements, including Diepsloot and the Jackson informal settlement, have also been affected.

Johannesburg - Heavy rains in Johannesburg over the past two days have affected graves and headstones at the newly-launched Olifantsvlei Cemetery, the City of Johannesburg said on Friday. Some graves and headstones have collapsed and memorials placed on graves have been washed away by the subsequent flooding in the area. "In order to preserve the dignity of the dearly-departed residents of our city, Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo will offer soil to families whose [loved one's] graves have been affected by the erosion caused by the rain, and will additionally refill the graves once the rain subsides," said councillor Nonhlanhla Sifumba. Initial reports indicated that burials that took place recently in the new section are the ones that have been severely impacted.

Pretoria – There were shouts of jubilation from a packed public gallery as a 45-year-old man, who allegedly raped his domestic worker and forced her to perform sexual acts with his dogs, was denied bail in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate's Court on Thursday. People in the gallery held up placards as Magistrate David Shikwambane dismissed the accused's bail application. The suspect cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim. Shikwambane said that the accused was unsuccessful in proving that it was in the interest of justice for him to be released on bail. He added that the peace and security of the public would be undermined if he was released. During closing arguments, the accused's lawyer, Ehleketani Maluleke questioned the sincerity of the outcry from those present in court as, he said, they were wearing regalia linked to political parties and were likely just there to canvass votes as the general elections were around the corner. "They know th

Johannesburg - Suspended SARS head Tom Moyane has threatened legal action over his suspension.  In a letter that Moyane wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa on March 19, he said that his suspension was part of an "unlawful process".  The letter, which appears to have been sent before his suspension was communicated to the press late on Monday evening, states that if Ramaphosa were to go ahead and suspend him, he would seek a court interdict.  When contacted for comment by Fin24 on Tuesday morning about the possibility of legal action, Moyane said he could not comment.  He also did not comment when asked whether he thought his suspension was unfair.  In a late-night statement on Monday evening, the Presidency announced that Moyane had been  suspended with "immediate effect" pending the institution of disciplinary proceedings. "President Ramaphosa said [the suspension] was in the public interest to restore the credibility of SARS without delay,&

Johannesburg - Commuters in Ekurhuleni have been left stranded after South African National Taxi Council drivers embarked on protest action, reportedly to demand the resignation of Mayor Mzwandile Masina. The strike action started at the Germiston minibus taxi rank and headed to the council chamber for the handing over of a memorandum, it has been reported. Ekurhuleni Metro Police spokesperson Kobeli Mokheseng said the N3 freeway, between the Linksfield off-ramp and Gillooly interchange, was blocked Drivers are using their minibus taxis in their demonstration. We are not sure where they are headed, but they are moving at a tortoise pace." Mokheseng said part of the R21 was also affected. Mokheseng said the strike, which started at around 09:00, has been relatively peaceful. "They are very co-operative." He said Ekurhuleni Municipality staff would be attending to drivers' grievances.

JOHANNESBURG - Two police officers were wounded in a shootout with suspected armed robbers and car hijackers in Greenside in Johannesburg on Saturday, Gauteng police said. Police received information about a suspicious vehicle in Greenside. They proceeded to the area and upon arrival spotted a white Audi with four occupants, Captain Kay Makhubela said. "They [police] approached the car and before they got out of their car, the suspects started to shoot at them. They [police] got out of their car and retaliated. A shoot-out ensued between police members and the suspects. Two officers were shot, one in the right hip and the other one in the right hand." The suspects drove over the pavement and damaged their car. They then hijacked a red Kia and sped off in two cars, dropping an AK 47, a 9mm pistol, and a black balaclava while fleeing The suspects hijacked another car, a grey Isuzu about 1km away from the scene, and abandoned the damaged Audi. Another 9mm pistol and a

ANC structures stand ready to support former president Jacob Zuma throughout his corruption trial when it resumes following Friday’s decision by prosecuting authorities to reinstate charges against him. while  asserting Zuma’s right to a fair trial and reiterating the party line that Zuma should be presumed innocent until proved guilty by a court of law, all his staunch defenders – the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans’ Association (MKMVA), the ANC Women’s League and the ANC Youth League in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal – said there was no room to abandon their leader. Zuma faces 16 criminal charges of corruption, fraud and racketeering and money laundering. He has said before he was waiting for his day in court but over the years he has been fighting to stay out of the dock. The veterans’ association was already planning to visit Zuma at his Nkandla home to express its unwavering support. “As toughened liberation fighters, with our loyalty forged on the battlefield

Documents show former water minister Nomvula Mokonyane’s hidden hand in the direct appointment of LTE Consulting Engineers to deliver the controversial R2.7bn Giyani water project in Limpopo. City Press can now confirm that although LTE was appointed without a public tender by Lepelle Northern Water, the appointment was made at the insistence of Mokonyane’s then water and sanitation department. This information is contained in two affidavits by the water utility’s chief executive Phineas Legodi and planning manager Carel Schmahl, which were deposed to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) last year. After a City Press investigation into the deal, former president Jacob Zuma issued a proclamation in 2016, giving the SIU the task of investigating how LTE, a small firm of consulting engineers, received multibillion-rand tenders from Lepelle, as well as Gauteng’s department of human settlements, of which Mokonyane was MEC at the time it scored another lucrative contract. About

The first of 14 opportunity centres, which essentially are revamped models based on the traditional business hub, opened its doors to aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners in Marshalltown on 14 March. These centres are the brainchild of the City of Johannesburg’s Economic Development Department and last year’s, and Joburg’s first, entrepreneurship symposiums. Five more centres will open across Joburg before the end of June. These centres, in partnership with companies like Absa, Discovery, Smart Procurement, and Gen Africa, will aim to be a single point of entry for SMMEs. These business owners will get help to register their companies and Sars-related functions. They will have access to funding, markets, economic infrastructure and information to grow their businesses and get assistance with the completion of tender and other application documents.

Johannesburg – National Prosecuting Authority boss Shaun Abrahams is expected to make his much-anticipated announcement on Friday afternoon on whether or not former president Jacob Zuma will be facing criminal charges. The announcement will be made at 15:30 at the NPA offices in Silverton, Pretoria, spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku told News24. The Constitutional Court on Wednesday dismissed an application by the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac), which sought to interdict Abrahams from making his announcement, pending a case on his own position in the NPA. The possible charges Zuma could face for the 2009 "Spy Tapes" saga include fraud, corruption and racketeering.

Gauteng – A 24-year-old Mamelodi East man has been arrested for murder after he allegedly used a spade to hack his father to death. The man was arrested on Thursday, police spokesperson Michael Mbewe said in a statement. "It is alleged the deceased overheard the [man] and his mother arguing inside the house, when he attempted to intervene to calm the situation. "The [man] allegedly became more angered and grabbed a spade and hacked his father to death. The deceased was rushed to a local hospital."

Johannesburg – The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) have announced that they will be marching in Gauteng on Human Rights Day to protest against the proposed new labour laws that come into effect in May. In a statement on Saturday, Numsa national spokesperson, Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, said the union was marching as part of a coalition of workers' organisations that had come together as part of the "Scrap the New Labour Laws" campaign. "The ANC government wants to change the labour law to make it impossible for workers to go on strike." "We call on all workers to defend this constitutional right to strike and join us as we march on March 21, to remind the state that workers' rights are human rights," he said.

More than half of the violent crimes in Gauteng are committed by illegal immigrants. Gauteng Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Deliwe de Lange said on Tuesday that about 60% of the suspects arrested for violent crimes in the province were illegal immigrants. “I am not xenophobic.” De Lange was speaking on the sidelines after presenting the latest provincial crime statistics to the Gauteng Community Safety Committee at the Provincial Legislature in the Johannesburg CBD. Murder increased by 6.7% from 3‚842 from April 2015 to March 2016 to 4‚101 in 2016/17. This was an increase from 28.2 to 29.3 per 100‚000. According to De Lange of these‚ 190 were domestic violence incidents‚ 105 were because of mob justice‚ 82 due to taxi violence and 25 were related to illegal mining. She said one of the challenges in dealing with domestic violence is that the police are reactive to incidents that happen inside homes. Regarding mob justice she said: “I hasten to indicate that [death

The suspects are wanted for an alleged house robbery on Ghwarrie Street where they abandoned their escape vehicle which had a fake number plate

Altogether 175 people were arrested by South African Police Service (SAPS) officers of the Johannesburg central policing cluster stations for various offences during crime combating operations conducted from Friday to Sunday morning, Gauteng police said. “Suspects were arrested around Mondeor, Booysens, Moffatview, Langlaagte, Fairlands, Sophiatown, Brixton, and Johannesburg Central area,” Captain Xoli Mbele said. Among others, seven people were arrested for armed robbery, six for possession of unlicensed firearms, two for possession of a hijacked motor vehicle, one for house robbery, four for attempted murder, one for rape, seven for possession of a stolen motor vehicle, 11 for common robbery, four for domestic violence, five for malicious damage to property, 10 for possession of suspected stolen property, eight for fraud, and 26 for possession of drugs.

RANDBURG – A suspect appears in court over charges of theft of a motorbike after he allegedly did not return following a delivery he had to make.

Highlands North resident Radhika Singh has been left dismayed at the lack of patrolling law enforcement on her street. Singh shared a video with the North Eastern Tribune from the security camera outside of her house showing a brazen criminal calmly making his way to her front wall door. In the video the criminal fiddles with locks on her door before taking off the door handle. She said that her anger does not stem from a stolen door handle, but rather from the fact that a private security guard house sits down the road from her home which the criminal would have to pass to get to her front door. She also said that the lack of police patrolling in the area has left her worried.

At least 13 people were injured, some seriously, when two trucks and seven other vehicles collided on the N1 at the 14th Avenue off-ramp in Constantia Kloof in Johannesburg on Saturday morning.