Cape Town Blames Justice System as Crime Persists
The City of Cape Town has denied allegations that it is unable to curb crime, attributing the issue to the failures of the criminal justice system, reports SABC News. The city has allocated a record-breaking R 6.8 billion to its Safety and Security Directorate for the fiscal year 2026/27. Despite the deployment of the National Defence Force, violence continues on the Cape Flats. Safety and Security MMC JP Smith has said that, "despite the whole of society interventions that the municipality is making and is currently busy ramping up, we have a special task team that is just looking at that intervention."
Two Drug Busts in 24 Hours at OR Tambo
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Police have said that two high-value drug smuggling attempts have been intercepted within 24 hours at OR Tambo International Airport, raising concerns over security at the country’s busiest air hub, reports EWN. In the first incident, a Brazilian national was caught with cocaine valued at about R8.7 million. Later, a Dutch national was arrested after allegedly being found with 60 kilograms of khat concealed in his luggage while preparing to board a flight to London. Police said the back-to-back arrests point to a pattern of diverse drug types and increasingly varied international routes being used through the OR Tambo International Airport. Spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said the incidents reflect ongoing efforts to disrupt trafficking networks operating through key points of entry.
UN Raises Alarm Over KZN Xenophobic Attacks
The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has expressed deep concern over reports of xenophobic attacks in KwaZulu-Natal, reports SABC News. In a Freedom Day message, he said that violence, vigilantism and all forms of incitement to hatred have no place in an inclusive, democratic society governed by the rule of law and respect for human rights. This follows reports of incidents in the province targeting Ghanaian and other African nationals over their immigration status in the country. The government, including the Ministry of Police, has repudiated the attacks as directly opposed to the values on which the country’s democracy was founded.
