Law enforcement authorities across South Africa are intensifying road safety operations ahead of the Freedom Day and Workers’ Day long weekends, warning that increased traffic volumes and risky behaviour could reverse recent gains in reducing road fatalities. The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) says it will deploy additional officers across Johannesburg, with a particular focus on pedestrian safety as fatalities involving people on foot continue to account for a significant share of deaths on the city’s roads. JMPD spokesperson Xolani…

Ten teenage boys believed to be victims of human trafficking were rescued in a coordinated law enforcement operation in Johannesburg, while a 47-year-old foreign national was arrested and is expected to appear in court this week. According to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks), the rescue on Tuesday followed a joint operation involving Fox Security, the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), SAPS Mondeor and the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit specialising in trafficking in persons. The incident…

The usually bustling Maponya Mall was eerily quiet this morning as hundreds of angry Pimville residents blocked access roads, barricaded taxi ranks, and vowed not to let the centre reopen until management commits to guaranteeing the safety of shoppers and transport operators. The community’s stand comes less than 12 hours after a 35-year-old e-hailing driver, described by relatives as a “dedicated breadwinner and family man,” was gunned down and his vehicle set alight in what police suspect is the latest…

Soweto woke up on Thursday morning to the smell of burnt metal and the echo of gunfire still haunting the night. Outside Maponya Mall, a charred shell of what was once a working man’s livelihood stood as a grim reminder of how far the long-running war between minibus taxi operators and e-hailing drivers has spiralled. On Wednesday night, 13 August 2025, the deadly tensions flared again. Police say an e-hailing driver was waiting at the mall’s entrance when four armed…

The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has strongly denied explosive allegations made by the Democratic Alliance (DA), which claim that its officers are under pressure to issue traffic fines amounting to R7,000 per day. The department has labelled the accusation “misleading” and “damaging to the integrity of law enforcement in the city.” Speaking out after the DA released a statement on Monday alleging politically motivated revenue targets in the JMPD, the department’s spokesperson, Superintendent Xolani Fihla, said such claims were…

The City of Johannesburg is expressing deep concern over an incident in which a Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officer, injured in the line of duty, was reportedly turned away from Netcare Milpark Hospital. In a media statement, the City clarified that it is working closely with the hospital to settle outstanding medical bills and address inaccurate reports. “We are extremely disappointed to learn that an officer, in urgent need of medical attention, was not allowed to receive the care…