The Democratic Alliance will lay a formal complaint against Western Cape police leaders after uncovering 164 criminal convictions linked to SAPS members in the province

In a statement released on Monday, DA NCOP member on security and justice Nicholas Gotsell said the party had uncovered “deeply troubling indications that SAPS Western Cape have allowed members convicted of criminal offences to remain in service for years without properly implementing Regulation 5(3)(dd) of the SAPS Discipline Regulations, 2016”.

“The DA will take immediate steps to investigate these failures that continue to hamper the credibility of the SAPS,” Gotsell said.

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According to the DA, internal SAPS correspondence and documentation point to “an urgent and highly confidential retrospective verification exercise” covering the period from 2016 to 2026. The party said the exercise was triggered only after it intensified parliamentary scrutiny

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At least six people have died while tens of thousands of residents have been affected after two intense cold fronts battered the Western Cape from Sunday to Tuesday.

Provincial authorities confirmed the deaths on Tuesday as severe weather conditions continued battering the province.

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Some of the fatalities were linked to people attempting to cross flooded rivers and waterways, while others were caused by falling trees during strong winds.

The storms damaged more than 10,700 structures in Cape Town, affecting more than 41,600 people across at least 26 informal settlements.

Some of the worst-hit areas include Khayelitsha, Philippi, Overcome Heights, Vygieskraal and Pelican Park.

In Wolseley, more than 60 residents had to be evacuated after rising floodwaters submerged homes and roads.

Emergency services have been responding to widespread incidents involving collapsed structures, uprooted trees, flooded roads and power outages as

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The result followed a high-profile defection by former ANC councillor Jarques Esau, who retained the ward under DA colours.

The DA’s victory follows a strong run by the PA in

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The Western Cape government says Cape Town continues to attract record levels of investment, with billions of rands flowing into property, infrastructure and new industries, while pledging that growth must also reach township economies.

Delivering his 2026 State of the Province Address on Wednesday night, Premier Alan Winde said the province is seeing “massive investment in our cities and towns,” pointing to more than R9 billion invested in Cape Town’s central business district property market last year alone. A further R24 billion mixed-use development is planned for Granger Bay.

“It’s not only investments that are growing, but our exports too,” Winde said. 

“We are the jobs province. People move here for better service delivery and for economic opportunity.”

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According to figures presented in the speech, the value of building plans passed in

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The Drakenstein Municipality in the Western Cape was placed under immediate veterinary quarantine over the weekend after a confirmed case of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the area.

The municipality said the quarantine was imposed after the disease was detected in Vlakkeland, outside Paarl, prompting swift intervention by the State Veterinarian in terms of the Animal Diseases Act.

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“As a result, the municipality remains under strict veterinary control to prevent further spread of the highly contagious livestock disease,” the municipality said in a statement.

It said that all cloven-hoofed animals — cattle, sheep, goats and pigs — are regarded as suspected of infection until cleared by veterinary authorities.

“The movement of cloven-hoofed animals, animal products, feed, equipment or carcasses is strictly prohibited unless authorised through a special permit issued by the State Veterinarian,” the municipality said. “These

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“A stronger South Africa must be safe and secure,” he said.

“The cost of crime is measured in lives lost and futures cut short. It is felt in the fear that permeates our society and in the reluctance of businesses to invest.”

The Western Cape continues to grapple with deadly gang violence, with children caught in the crossfire of turf wars. In Gauteng, Limpopo and

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The South African Weather Service (SAWS) warned on Monday of disruptive summer rainfall with a risk of widespread flooding in parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, while heatwave conditions persist in parts of the Eastern Cape and very hot to extremely hot, uncomfortable conditions are expected in parts of the Western and Northern Cape.

SAWS issued an Orange Level 9 impact-based warning for disruptive rainfall that could bring widespread flooding, mudslides, and damage to property, with danger to life due to fast-flowing streams, for the eastern areas of Mopani district and Collins Chabane Local Municipality in Limpopo, and Bushbuckridge Local Municipality in Mpumalanga, continuing into Tuesday.

An Orange Level 6 warning remains in place for disruptive rainfall over the escarpment of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, while Yellow Level 2 warnings include localised flooding in the eastern parts of both provinces and severe thunderstorms over north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal, with heavy downpours, damaging

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Western Cape authorities have confirmed damage caused by raging veld fires in and around Mossel Bay, following the evacuation of residents from several neighbourhoods over Tuesday night as strong winds hampered containment efforts.

The Mossel Bay Municipality said multiple structures and vehicles had been destroyed after the fire spread into residential areas, particularly in Vakansieplaas and Aalwyndal, with emergency services working through the night to protect lives and limit further losses.

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While the exact number of damaged homes was still being verified, local officials acknowledged that the destruction was significant, with reports indicating that at least 10 homes had been lost.

Residents from Island View, Vakansieplaas and Aalwyndal were evacuated on Tuesday evening as flames encroached on urban areas.

Many homeowners were forced to flee with little notice, assisted by emergency personnel amid thick smoke

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The ANC has held onto two important wards in Gauteng and the Western Cape in the penultimate round of by-elections for 2025, but the results show a marked weakening of the party’s support base.

In both provinces, rival parties made significant gains, signalling a more competitive political environment ahead of the 2026 local government elections.

In Ekurhuleni’s Ward 109 in Etwatwa Winnie Mandela, the ANC secured 37% of the vote, down dramatically from the 69% it achieved in 2021.

The ward, located near the Mpumalanga border and adjacent to major routes including the N12, has long been considered an ANC heartland.

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of a veteran councillor and former mayoral committee member, and the absence of the Democratic Alliance (DA), which contested the ward previously, added further complexity to the race.

ActionSA delivered the most notable performance of the contest, rising from a modest 4% in 2021 to an impressive 25%, securing more than 1,000 votes and finishing a strong second.

The party achieved more than 20 percent in every district, peaking at 30% at the Christian Fellowship Family Church district.

This follows ActionSA’s recent successes in rural North West and in Khutsong. The Etwatwa performance confirms that the party is gaining traction in townships in eastern Gauteng.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) also grew its support, increasing from 16% to 20%, with particularly strong showings of 27% in the Christian Fellowship Family Church district and 25% in the Lekamoso Primary district.

It ultimately beat the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) for third place.

MKP, which had finished second in the 2024 provincial elections in this ward with 18%, dropped to 15% but still managed to win one district, Sazakhela Primary School, where it took 32% of the vote.

This was the only district in the ward not won by the ANC.

The ANC, despite holding the seat by 516 votes, saw steep declines across all six voting districts.

Its best performance was 46% at WJ Mpengesi School, down sharply from 71% in 2021.

Turnout fell significantly from 48 percent in 2021 to just 28 percent, reflecting the political fatigue that has defined many of this year’s by-elections.

In the Western Cape’s Ward 6 in Villiersdorp, Theewaterskloof, the ANC retained the seat with 33% of the vote, down from 49% in the 2021 local government election.

The ward, situated in a fruit-farming region near the Theewaterskloof Dam and connected to nearby towns via the R43 and R45, saw a competitive race influenced heavily by the defection of the ANC’s sitting councillor to the Patriotic Alliance.

She stood as the PA candidate, contributing to a dramatic surge for the party, which climbed from 6% in 2021 to 24% this week.

The DA, which has historically been strong in Theewaterskloof, fell to 20%, significantly below the 31% it registered in 2021 and reinforcing concerns about its declining foothold in rural Western Cape municipalities.

Its performance in the ward, however, aligns closely with its 2024 provincial result.

The EFF increased its vote share from 5% to 9%, continuing a gradual pattern of growth at the ANC’s expense, while the GOOD Party dropped from 7% to 5%.

A crowded ballot also included smaller parties such as People’s Movement for Change, MKP, the African Transformation Movement, and the Khoi Aboriginal Party, along with an independent candidate.

Although the ANC succeeded in holding the ward by 167 votes, the by-election highlighted the consequences of defections and the risks facing councillors who switch parties ahead of the 2026 elections.

Turnout rose to 47% from 40% in 2021, driven by local interest in the highly contested race.

The outcomes in both provinces reveal a shifting political terrain.

The ANC remains competitive but continues to shed support, particularly to ActionSA in Gauteng and to the PA in the Western Cape.

The EFF is strengthening modestly in both regions, while MKP’s position appears fluid rather than stable.

The final round of by-elections will be next week Wednesday.

In KwaZulu-Natal, ward 17 in King Cetshwayo district will be up for grabs between the MKP, ANC and the Inkatha Freedom Party.

In Mpumalanga, ward 14 in Mkhondo, the ANC and MKP are expected to battle it out.

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Cape Town has invited small businesses in the clothing, textile, footwear and leather sector to participate in its ‘Origin8: From Start-up to Scale-up’ programme.

It is designed by the Cape Clothing and Textile Cluster (CTCC) and funded by the city.

“The city is proud to partner with the CCTC on the Origin8 programme. Through this collaboration, we are committed to helping these businesses on their journey to showcase their potential and scaling their business,” said economic committee MMC Alderman James Vos.

The programme is the first of its kind and aims to expose SMEs to major national retailer requirements. It will help them bridge the gaps that exist in their business to better align with industry standards and customer expectations

CCTC chief facilitator Courtney Barnes emphasised the importance of the cluster’s commitment to enhancing the Western Cape’s clothing, textile, footwear and leather industries. 

“As retailers look to diversify their sourcing and onshore products, it is critical that the local value chain has the capacity and capabilities to respond.

“This means we need a strong pipeline of future suppliers. We are launching the CCTC Origin8 programme to fast-track this pipeline development and ensure that small businesses have a compelling value proposition to potential customers,” she said.

The rollout of the programme includes two key events.

On 21 January 2025, there will be a workshop offering SMEs the opportunity to engage directly with major national retailers and gain valuable insights into the critical questions that customers ask when assessing new supplier.

They will also discuss common challenges to unlocking procurement opportunities and be equipped with practical tools to better align their business offerings with customer expectations and more effectively showcase their potential.

The workshop will be followed by a half-day guided factory tour on the next day.

SMEs will have the chance to observe world-class manufacturing and best practices in action. 

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