The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has opted not to enrol the high-profile Emmarentia road rage case for prosecution, at least for now, citing the need for further investigation into the deadly shooting that shocked the suburb over the weekend. The incident, which unfolded on Sunday, 19 April 2026, in Emmarentia, left one man dead (Faisal Ul Rehman, 48) and two others injured following what police described as a violent confrontation between two motorists. Initial reports suggested a heated altercation escalated…

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says it remains committed to prosecuting corruption cases involving public officials and ensuring accountability “without fear or favour” as senior Ekurhuleni officials face serious charges before court. Suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi and Ekurhuleni Municipal Manager Kagiso Lerutla made their first appearance before the Boksburg Magistrates’ Court on Monday, facing charges of corruption, fraud, and defeating the ends of justice. The two senior officials were remanded in custody after the…

The former ambassador of South Africa to Japan and former Deputy Director for Counterintelligence at the State Security Agency (SSA), Thulani Dlomo, 54, has been charged with alleged tax evasion. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), on Thursday, 16 April 2026, Dlomo appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on five counts of contravening Section 234(2)(d) of the Tax Administration Act, as well as five counts of fraud by omission. The charges emanate from Dlomo’s alleged failure to submit Personal…

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has strongly condemned threats made against a prosecutor involved in the case of Julius Malema, warning that intimidation of legal officials undermines the rule of law and poses serious safety risks. On Friday, the NPA said it had noted with concern the circulation of content on social media platform X, allegedly linked to the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), which contains what it described as “serious threats” directed at a prosecutor handling a matter before the…

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has welcomed the five-year direct imprisonment sentence handed to EFF leader Julius Malema, describing it as a necessary step in reinforcing accountability for firearm-related offences in South Africa. This comes as the East London Magistrates’ Court granted Malema leave to appeal his sentence, allowing him to take the matter to a higher court while remaining out on warning. The NPA said that although the state had argued for a harsher 15-year prison term, it believes…

A sprawling web of alleged cyber fraud has been dealt a major blow after the National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) moved to freeze nearly R44 million in luxury assets tied to an international call centre syndicate operating from Johannesburg. In a decisive strike against organised crime, the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Johannesburg granted a provisional restraint order in February 2026, paving the way for authorities to clamp down on what investigators describe as a sophisticated…

Nearly a decade after the deaths of their loved ones, families of victims of the Life Esidimeni tragedy say the decision to prosecute those responsible has reopened wounds that never truly healed. This week, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed it will pursue criminal charges, including culpable homicide, against individuals implicated in the deaths of at least 141 mental healthcare patients. The victims died between 2015 and 2016 after being transferred from specialised care facilities to unregistered and ill-equipped NGOs.…

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has called on the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to urgently reinstate criminal charges against former senior police officer Johan Booysen and members of the controversial Cato Manor unit, warning of legal and political consequences should the authority fail to act. In a strongly worded letter addressed to the National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Rodney “Andy” Mothibi, the party demanded a full re-evaluation of the decision to drop the charges in 2019. The MK Party…

A 57-year-old man from Brits has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife, in a case the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says highlights the devastating impact of gender-based violence. The Pretoria High Court handed down the sentence to Peter Johannes Smith for the murder of his wife, Theonette Smith. He was also sentenced to five years’ direct imprisonment for defeating the ends of justice, which will run concurrently with the life sentence. According to the NPA,…

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has declined representations made by Zandile Nthabiseng Nzama, a co-accused in the high-profile attempted murder case involving Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and four others, signalling that the State is ready to proceed to trial. Nzama briefly appeared in the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Johannesburg this week, where her legal team confirmed plans to escalate their representations to the Office of the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) following the rejection by the Director…