Aneeqa Du Plessis, Author at Voice of the Cape

SAPS rejects Heritage Occupation allegations, says resident arrested after assaulting officer

By Oyisa George The South African Police Service (SAPS) has responded to allegations made by residents of the Heritage Occupation in Cape Town's city centre, disputing claims that one of the occupation's leaders was unlawfully arrested during a series of police operations earlier this month. The response follows a previous VOC News report in which residents alleged they had been subjected to repeated police raids, intimidation and unlawful arrests at […]

16 July 2026

Local

Experts Urge Sustained Action Despite 1,000 Arrests Under Operation Prosper

By Ragheema Mclean More than 1,000 suspects have been arrested in just three months since the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was deployed to gang hotspots across the Western Cape as part of Operation Prosper. Authorities have described the operation as a success, confirming that 1,054 suspects have been arrested for serious offences, including murder, attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms and drug-related crimes. Western Cape police spokesperson André […]

16 July 2026

Local

Calls Mount for Old Age Grant to Increase to R5,000

By Ragheema Mclean Renewed calls are mounting for South Africa's Old Age Grant to be increased from R2,400 to R5,000 a month, as civil society organisations warn that the current grant is no longer enough to meet the basic needs of millions of elderly South Africans. The issue has gained renewed attention following protest action in Mitchells Plain earlier this week, where pensioners and community members called on the government […]

15 July 2026

Local

Labour Expert Warns of Job Security Risks After De Beers Pauses Venetia Mine

By Odwa Mkentane Following De Beers' announcement that it intends to pause production at its Venetia mine in South Africa for two years, labour law expert Hugo Pienaar says the effects of the current economic climate, coupled with changing mineral demand and evolving business portfolios, are already being felt across South Africa's mining sector. He notes that modified business strategies, asset sales and large-scale retrenchments are already underway. The announcement […]

15 July 2026

Local

Experts Warn Missing Children Cases Go Unreported in Western Cape

By Ragheema Mclean Nearly 100 children were reported missing in the Western Cape over the past six months, raising renewed concerns about child safety across the province. According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), 98 children under the age of 18 were reported missing during the period. Of those cases, 95 children were safely reunited with their families. However, SAPS has confirmed that 16 cases involving children remain classified […]

14 July 2026

Local

Parliament Calls for Probe into Controversial Bokkieweek School Sports Event

By Odwa Mkentane The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Sciences and Creative Industries, Makhi Feni, says the Department of Basic Education must urgently investigate the circumstances surrounding the controversial "Bokkieweek" sporting event held in Limpopo. The call follows allegations that only Afrikaans-medium schools participated, that the apartheid-era anthem was sung, and that teams were grouped according to South Africa's pre-1994 provincial boundaries. Feni said it was concerning that […]

14 July 2026

Local

Godongwana Warns Municipalities Against Reliance on Declining Electricity Revenue

By Ragheema Mclean Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana says many municipalities can no longer rely on electricity sales as a major source of income, warning that the model is becoming unsustainable as electricity consumption declines. Godongwana was speaking following National Treasury’s decision to temporarily suspend funding to 69 municipalities due to concerns around financial mismanagement. He said municipalities need to improve revenue collection and strengthen financial management practices to ensure long-term […]

10 July 2026

Local

NCC Issues Urgent SPAR Yoghurt Recall

By Lee Yandra Paulsen The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has issued an urgent nationwide alert following SPAR's recall of several yoghurt products due to a production fault that could affect product quality. The recall includes SPAR Fat Free Yoghurt, Low Fat Yoghurt, Double Cream Yoghurt, Indulge Double Cream Yoghurt, and SPAR Active Drinking Yoghurt. The affected products have a sell-by date of 9 August 2026 and a use-by date of […]

10 July 2026

Local

Government, Farmers Reach Vaccine Deal

By Lee Yandra Paulsen Minister of Agriculture Willie Aucamp says an out-of-court settlement has brought an end to the legal dispute over the procurement and distribution of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines. Agricultural organisations Sakeliga, Saai, and Free State Agriculture argued that farmers should be allowed to procure vaccines directly instead of waiting for lengthy government processes. Aucamp said the agreement will open the market to fair competition and improve access to […]

10 July 2026

Aneeqa Du Plessis

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