A 16-year-old has been arrested and is expected to appear in the Goodwood Magistrates Court for the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. The arrest forms part of ongoing crime prevention initiatives in the Ravensmead area, aimed at curbing crime and removing illegal firearms from communities in the Western
Minister of Education Siviwe Gwarube is facing mounting pressure to clarify the recently introduced guidelines linked to the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act. Several trade unions, including NAPTOSA and SADTU, have voiced opposition to the guidelines, while Parliament’s Select Committee on Education has also called for greater clarity. The
Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has reported a significant decline in formal sector employment, with 74,000 jobs lost between January and March 2025. This brings the total number of people employed in the formal sector to just over 10 million. The data, released in Stats SA’s Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES)
Several refugees, many of them asylum seekers, who have been living in tented camps at two temporary sites — Paint City in Bellville and Wingfield in Maitland, Cape Town — since 2020, say they are not refusing help from authorities but are instead requesting relocation out of South Africa. This
Chairperson of Parliament’s Higher Education Portfolio Committee, Tebogo Letsie, has issued a stern call for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to urgently resolve ongoing payment delays to student accommodation providers, some of which date back to 2023. Speaking during an oversight update by Parliament’s Social Services Cluster, Letsie
Over the past few weekends, videos have surfaced showing violent altercations — some involving school learners — breaking out at public malls, including the V&A Waterfront. These incidents are not only disruptive but also pose a serious threat to bystanders and shoppers, raising growing concerns around safety, discipline, and the
An eight-year-old child has tragically lost their life following a devastating fire that tore through the Zone O Informal Settlement in Kayamandi on Monday. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene after the blaze rapidly spread through several informal structures, causing extensive damage and displacing numerous families. Firefighters battled the
As violent crime and gang activity continue to escalate across South Africa particularly on the Cape Flats, public trust in the country’s crime intelligence system appears to be waning. A recent VOC News poll revealed that most respondents doubt the effectiveness of crime intelligence in combating organized crime. Many expressed
As extortion continues to plague residents across the City of Cape Town, key stakeholders convened for a high-level Anti-Extortion Summit last week. Western Cape Premier Alan Winde confirmed that criminal interference has delayed R400 million worth of public infrastructure projects across the province. “This criminal behaviour is not only costing
VOC became the first Muslim radio station in South Africa when a special events license was granted to the station in Ramadan/January 1995. Subsequent temporary broadcast licenses were granted, permitting the station to broadcast for 24 hours.
