OR Tambo Airport Customs Seize R37M Narcotics Disguised as Art
South African Revenue Service (SARS) Commissioner Edward Kieswetter lauded the vigilance of customs officers at OR Tambo International Airport after they discovered 23 kilograms of narcotics, disguised as molded artwork and estimated at a street value of R37 million, reports IOL. The drugs, including crystal meth and fentanyl, were found in a shipment headed for New Zealand. Customs officers, during routine inspections, flagged the suspicious items which, upon testing, revealed the presence of narcotics. Sars handed over the seized drugs to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for further investigation.
Crime Soars as Emergency Line 10111 Crumbles
The 10111 emergency call centre in South Africa, established in 2007 with high hopes, has failed to live up to expectations, reports IOL. Despite promises of improvement, it remains understaffed, plagued by technical issues, and often leaves communities feeling abandoned. Complaints arose due to inadequate staffing and infrastructure, leading to dropped calls, delayed responses, and a loss of faith in the system. This failure resulted in communities resorting to alternative, often violent, measures for protection, while affluent areas relied on private security services, exposing the deep-rooted inefficiencies in the police response system. Government promises to upgrade and invest fell short, revealing a stark lack of political will to address the fundamental flaws within the 10111 emergency response system.
Govt Warns of Fake Deputy Minister Account on TikTok
The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) issued a warning regarding a fake TikTok account posing as Deputy Minister Pinky Kekana, deceiving users with promises of trading lessons for a fee exceeding R50,000, reports EWN. DPME clarified that Kekana doesn't possess a TikTok account nor offers any educational programs. They advised social media users against engaging with the fraudulent account to prevent being scammed.
