South Africa recorded declines in murder, carjackings, business and residential robberies and cash-in-transit robberies during the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, but Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has warned that gang violence, extortion and illegal mining are becoming increasingly entrenched in communities. Cachalia released the crime statistics for April to June 2026 in Pretoria on Friday, describing the decreases in several serious contact crimes as significant progress while stressing that the country cannot afford to become complacent. “We…

South African police have intensified preparations ahead of the planned anti-immigration demonstrations expected to take place across the country on 30 June, with Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia expected to inspect and address a major law enforcement parade at FNB Stadium on Friday afternoon as authorities enter the final phase of operational readiness. The parade follows a week of high-level security engagements involving the South African Police Service (SAPS), intelligence structures, provincial police leadership and representatives of the private security…

South Africa recorded 546 fewer murders between January and March 2026 compared to the same period last year, but Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia warned on Friday that the country’s crime levels remain “unacceptably high” and continue to devastate communities across the nation. Releasing the fourth quarter crime statistics for the 2025/26 financial year in Pretoria on Friday, Cachalia said South Africans were still living under the daily threat of violence despite notable declines in several serious crime categories. “The…

The South African Policing Union (SAPU) has issued a strong warning to Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia, accusing him of pursuing “misguided approaches” to reforming the South African Police Service (SAPS) through what it described as a controversial “reset agenda”. Cachalia this week told Parliament during the SAPS budget vote that restoring discipline and accountability within the police service would form a key part of his “reset agenda” aimed at rebuilding public trust in law enforcement. He also said…

Two senior South African Police Service (SAPS) generals accused of links to an alleged illicit precious metals syndicate have been granted bail by the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court. Crime Intelligence head Feroz Khan and Gauteng Hawks head Ebrahim Kadwa appeared in court on Monday alongside Durban businessman Tariq Downes on charges relating to the contravention of the Precious Metals Act and defeating or obstructing the course of justice. The trio was each granted R20,000 bail after the State indicated it…

The sudden death of South Africa’s Ambassador to France and former Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa, has shaken political and diplomatic circles, while sparking heated debates in both South Africa and Europe. Mthethwa, who passed away this week in Paris, is mourned as a liberation stalwart and long-serving government figure. But the official circumstances around his death remain contested, with French authorities pointing to suicide while his family and supporters in South Africa suspect foul play. The French prosecutor’s office…

The Office of the Minister of Police has moved swiftly to reinforce its leadership structure as the Madlanga Judicial Commission of Inquiry continues to cast a long shadow over the country’s law enforcement institutions. On Friday, Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia announced the secondment of two senior officials into his office: Major General S. Pienaar as Chief of Staff, and Ms S.S. Matlala from the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) as Personal Assistant. The appointments come at a critical moment. The…

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has launched a blistering attack on Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia, accusing him of “dangerous political interference” in investigations into political killings in KwaZulu-Natal. In a statement issued on Saturday, the red berets condemned Cachalia’s comments on the 121 case dockets of political murders and related crimes that were controversially removed from the Political Killings Task Team earlier this year, only to be reinstated by National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola this week. The…

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has penned a scathing legal letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa, demanding clarity over the suspension of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and questioning the legitimacy of Professor Firoz Cachalia’s appointment as Acting Police Minister. The party, acting on behalf of former President Jacob Zuma, also calls on Ramaphosa to resign for what it terms “unconstitutional and irrational” conduct. The letter, dated 4 August 2025 and authored by KMNS Inc. on instruction of Zuma, comes in the…

In a dramatic turn of events within South Africa’s security and governance landscape, Firoz Cachalia was officially sworn in as Acting Minister of Police on Friday following the suspension of Minister Senzo Mchunu, who is now on full pay leave pending the outcome of a damning inquiry into alleged corruption in the South African Police Service (SAPS). Cachalia, a former MP and academic, takes over the crucial portfolio at a time of heightened public concern over violent crime, deep institutional…