Fake Traditional Healers Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Brutal Taung Ritual Rapes

BY : CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS ONLINE EDITOR KASiBC_AFRiCA 

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TAUNG — The Taung Regional Court in the North West has sentenced two Congolese nationals to life imprisonment after they were found guilty of using a fake traditional healing ritual to rape and sexually assault a vulnerable family.

The two convicted criminals, Musore Djosia (32) and Hasuamni Handre Saluma (36), were slapped with the maximum penalty on Monday for two counts of rape, one count of sexual assault, and violating the Immigration Act.

A Betrayal of Spiritual Trust

The horrifying incident dates back to 3 April 2022 near Seoding Village in Taung. The court heard that the two men had masqueraded as genuine traditional healers to exploit the family's deep spiritual beliefs.

A family member, desperate to find assistance for ongoing traditional and spiritual challenges the household was experiencing, invited the duo to their homestead. Believing the men were operating in good faith, the victims' uncle finalized arrangements, paid the men for their services, and left the residence to watch a soccer match at a local tavern.

Around ten family members actively participated in what they believed was a sacred cleansing ritual. However, once left alone with the defenseless family, Djosia and Saluma turned predatory. Under the guise of performing spiritual duties, they turned on the family, brutally raping and sexually assaulting three female victims aged 22, 36, and 48.

Criminal Past and Illegal Immigration Status Uncovered

Following an intensive police investigation, both suspects were tracked down and arrested. The state successfully opposed bail from the onset, keeping the men behind bars throughout the duration of the trial.

Further checking by home affairs and police intelligence uncovered that both men were undocumented foreign nationals living and operating completely unlawfully inside South Africa. Despite overwhelming physical and testimonial evidence brought against them, both accused stubbornly pleaded not guilty to all charges in the dock.

"The accused deliberately weaponized and exploited the absolute trust placed in them. In doing so, they also deeply undermined the integrity of legitimate traditional healers who serve our communities in good faith," argued State Prosecutor Rebaona Mokgopa during aggravation of sentence.

The Hammer of Justice Falls

The presiding magistrate completely agreed with the state's hardline arguments, ruling that the duo had committed a sickening betrayal against people who looked to them for protection and healing.

The court handed down the following concurrent sentences, ensuring the men will spend the rest of their natural lives behind bars:

• Count 1 & 2 (Rape): Life imprisonment for each accused.

• Count 3 (Sexual Assault): 8 years imprisonment for each accused.

• Immigration Act Violation: R2,000 fine or two years direct imprisonment.

The court further ordered that the names of Musore Djosia and Hasuamni Handre Saluma be permanently blacklisted and entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.

Welcoming the swift ruling, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr. Rachel Makhari, commended the prosecution and investigating teams, reaffirming that the state will continue to vigorously prosecute gender-based violence (GBV) syndicates without mercy.

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Market Relief: JSE Lifts Suspension on City of Joburg After Delayed R100B Debt Listing Clean-Up

BY : CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS ONLINE EDITOR KASiBC_AFRiCA 

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JOHANNESBURG — The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) has officially lifted the suspension on the City of Johannesburg’s multi-billion rand listed debt instruments, bringing a chaotic period of financial regulatory non-compliance to an immediate end.

The positive market correction, confirmed on Monday, 1 June 2026, follows the city's successful tabling of its delayed Annual Report for the 2024/25 financial year, satisfying critical JSE Debt Listing Requirements that had left the metro financially isolated.

What Triggered the Crisis?

The JSE initially blindsided the metropolitan municipality by freezing trade on its listed bonds, effectively blocking the city from tapping into private capital markets to fund massive infrastructure projects.

The suspension was triggered by severe bureaucratic and political gridlocks within the city council, which delayed the submission of audited financial statements. The market block threatened to spark a wider fiscal crisis:

• The Risk: A potential credit rating downgrade to "default" status by major international rating agencies.

• The Debt Pool: Johannesburg manages a massive debt-issuing portfolio, with billions of rands in outstanding bonds relying on investor trust.

• The Damage: The suspension severely dented the city's market credibility, making future borrowing for electricity and water grid upgrades significantly more expensive.

Rebuilding Investor Confidence

The lifting of the suspension serves as an immediate green light for municipal financial planning. Executive Deputy Mayor and MMC for Finance, Cllr Loyiso Masuku, welcomed the bourse's decision, calling it an essential turning point in the city's post-crisis governance recovery.

"The removal of the suspension confirms that the City is meeting its statutory and regulatory obligations," Cllr Masuku stated. "The work does not end here. This milestone must translate into improved service delivery on the ground. Our focus remains on financial sustainability, clean audits, and ensuring every rand delivers value for the residents of Johannesburg."

Stabilizing the Metro's Fragile Coffers

The tabling of the annual report provides a much-needed baseline for local economic development planners. Financial analysts note that the move protects the City of Joburg from facing severe financial penalties or the early call-in of institutional loans from commercial banks.

With the regulatory hurdle cleared, the Mayoral Committee's immediate focus turns to stabilizing the municipality's cash reserves. The focus is specifically on passing the upcoming 2026/2027 adjustments budget and addressing the metro's multi-billion rand maintenance backlog before the country heads to the polls for the Local Government Elections on 4 November 2026.

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'We Are the Forgotten Victims': Unemployed Assembly Demands Radical Policy Shifts at Historic Left Conference

BY : CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS ONLINE EDITOR KASiBC_AFRiCA 

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BOKSBURG — In a historic moment that has sent shockwaves through South Africa’s political landscape, the Unemployed Peoples Assembly delivered a fierce message of solidarity and structural demand at the three-day Conference of the Left held at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg.

The event, which kicked off on Friday, 29 May 2026, marks the first time in South Africa's democratic history that grassroots organizations representing the country’s millions of jobless citizens have been formally granted a direct platform alongside the heavyweights of socialist and Pan-Africanist politics.

A Power-Packed Radical Front

The conference, convened by the South African Communist Party (SACP) under the theme “Building a Left Movement for Working Class & Popular Power,” saw an unprecedented gathering of political rivals sitting at a unified table.

Key leadership structures in attendance included:

• SACP: Led by General Secretary Solly Mapaila.

• Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF): Led by Commander-in-Chief Julius Malema.

• uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP): Represented by high-level national officials.

• Pan-Africanist Formations: The leadership of AZAPO and the PAC.

• Labor & Civil Society: Top delegations from COSATU and SANCO, alongside international socialist dignitaries.

Crucially, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) boycotted the conference, leaving the floor entirely to radical, left-wing forces looking to reshape the country's economic trajectory.

'Speeches Alone Won't Feed Us' — Unemployed Demand Action

Addressing the packed plenary chamber, the spokesperson for the Unemployed Peoples Assembly did not hold back, validating the raw anger of the working class and framing the current economic system as an exclusionary machine.

"The unemployed masses of our country remain the forgotten victims of an economic system that continues to concentrate wealth in the hands of a few while the majority struggle for survival and dignity," the Assembly declared.

The delegation explicitly warned political leaders that ordinary citizens are completely exhausted by empty rhetoric, corporate dominance, and corruption. "History will judge this generation not by speeches alone, but by its ability to build principled unity in action," the statement read, adding that the invitation to the assembly is a long-overdue realization that the National Democratic Revolution cannot be defended while ignoring the jobless.

Blueprint for the Rebuild: What’s Next?

The conference comes at a critical political juncture, following the fallout of the 2024 general elections and growing public frustration over skyrocketing cost-of-living indicators. Rather than dissolving independent political parties into a new organization, the steering committee confirmed that the conference is designing a permanent, standing coordinator framework.

The three core deliverables being hammered out before the conference concludes on Sunday, 31 May 2026, include:

1. The Declaration of the Left: A unified ideological framework identifying South African capitalism as the root cause of systemic poverty.

2. The Council of the Left: A revolutionary coordinating council to drive joint campaigns and cross-party political education.

3. A 12-Month Programme of Action: Concrete, measurable target pillars focusing on youth unemployment, the exploitation of gig/informal workers, land re-distribution, and community-led monitoring of corrupt local municipalities.

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Alan Winde Concludes 4-Day Storm Assessment: 84% Power Restored as Western Cape Faces Radical Climate Toll

BY : CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS ONLINE EDITOR 

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CAPE TOWN — Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has wrapped up an extensive four-day, boots-on-the-ground disaster assessment across the province's hardest-hit regions, describing the scale of the structural destruction left behind by recent severe winter storms as "immense."

Accompanied by key provincial ministers, municipal mayors, and disaster management chiefs, Winde’s delegation cut through heavily damaged zones spanning Malmesbury, Citrusdal, Piketberg, Ceres, and Worcester to map out a multi-million rand infrastructural rebuild strategy.

Power Grid Recovery: 84% Reconnected But Long Wait for Outliers

Restoring the crippled electricity grid remains the provincial government's most critical operational bottleneck. Premier Winde, alongside the national Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy, Samantha Graham-Maré, has been anchoring daily high-level war room briefings with Eskom's regional leadership.

While Eskom successfully re-routed and reconnected 84% of affected communities by Thursday, 28 May 2026, severe technical damage means several rural and farm lines face extended blackout timelines:

Region / Affected Hubs	Estimated Restoration Targets (2026)
Overberg: Hemel-en-Aarde, Riviersonderend, Stanford farms	29 May
Cape Winelands: Hexrivier and Villiersdorp	29 May
Garden Route: Gouna	31 May
West Coast: Algeria, Citrusdal farms, Du Pont	5 June
Cape Winelands: Chavonnes and Badsberg farms	5 June
Garden Route: Herbertsdale / Jakkeslvlei	10 June
Garden Route: Askop, Buffelsnek, Brackenhill, Harkerville	25 June
Cape Winelands: Boskloof and Romansrivier	26 June
Garden Route: Garden of Eden	25 July

"We fully appreciate and understand the frustrations of residents who have had to endure extended periods of power outages," Premier Winde stated. "We know that this is a frustrating and unbearable situation."

Infrastructure War Room: Bridges and Pass Updates

Provincial Infrastructure Minister Tertuis Simmers provided a detailed operational status update on critical socio-economic transport arteries that were washed away or choked by mudslides:

• Vredendal Bridge: Successfully bucked expectations and has officially reopened to single-lane traffic far ahead of schedule.

• Klawer Bridge: Structural engineers are fast-tracking integrity assessments to open up a safe, temporary pedestrian access lane by Friday, 29 May.

• McGregor Bridge: Reconstruction crews are wrapping up extensive rock-fill and asphalt layers, aiming for a full repair date by early June.

• Cango Caves Road: Specialized teams are executing urgent slope-stabilization maneuvers to clear heavy rock debris by 5 June before final safety clearances are signed off.

Financial Fallout and the Reality of Climate Change

The disaster has triggered a profound policy discussion within the provincial cabinet regarding urban planning and funding mobilization.

Anton Bredell, the Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs, and Development Planning, warned that these extreme, destructive storm systems are no longer isolated anomalies. "The growing intensity and frequency of these events are increasingly consistent with the global scientific consensus on climate change and the heightened risks associated with a warming planet," Bredell said, emphasizing that future provincial budgets must mandate climate-resilient construction models.

To foot the massive repair bill, newly appointed Finance Minister Deidré Baartman confirmed that the Western Cape Treasury is actively engaging both local municipalities and national government structures to urgently mobilize emergency contingency funds to bankroll the rebuilding phase.

Stories of Community Resilience

Despite the logistical gridlock, cabinet ministers praised the grassroots solidarity that prevented a higher loss of life. In Op-Die-Berg, healthcare workers stranded by flash floods were given immediate emergency shelter and hot food by staff at Skurweberg Senior Secondary School.

Simultaneously, Education Minister David Maynier confirmed that emergency school catch-up programs are being finalized now that basic teaching and learning have officially resumed across the province's affected education districts.

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MK Party Breaks Silence on Chief Whip’s Arrest: Confirms Internal Origin of R233k Fraud Probe ​

MK Party Breaks Silence on Chief Whip’s Arrest: Confirms Internal Origin of R233k Fraud Probe

BY : CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS ONLINE EDITOR KASiBC_AFRiCA ​

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JOHANNESBURG — The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) has officially reacted to the high-profile arrest of its Chief Whip in the National Assembly, Honorable Mmabatho Mokoena-Zondi, revealing that the explosive fraud case was originally flagged by its own internal leadership.

​Mokoena-Zondi (46) was taken into custody by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team on Thursday morning, 28 May 2026, ahead of her swift appearance in the Cape Magistrate’s Court. She faces heavy charges of fraud and extortion for allegedly running a salary-skimming scheme that siphoned R233,317.99 from newly recruited parliamentary researchers under the false pretext of funding the "President’s legal fees."

​The Internal Paper Trail: Blew the Whistle?

​

In an unexpected twist, the MK Party's national leadership confirmed that the criminal investigation was not initiated by external actors, but rather by the party's own top brass.

​

According to the official statement, the financial anomalies and alleged extortion of staff members were initially exposed and formally reported to law enforcement by the former MK Party Treasurer-General, Menzi Magubane.

​The party further noted that once the warrant of arrest was finalized on Thursday morning, Mokoena-Zondi did not evade law enforcement. 

Instead, she voluntarily presented herself to the relevant police authorities in Cape Town to be processed, fingerprinted, and formally charged.

​

"The MK Party reaffirms the constitutional principle of the presumption of innocence—that no person is guilty until proven so by a court of law," the party's leadership stated.

​Crisis Management: Waiting on Zuma

​Given that the four victims of the alleged 50% to 60% salary extortion are active employees serving directly within the MK Party’s parliamentary support structures, the organization noted that it is handling the matter with extreme urgency to maintain internal stability.

​The political fallout from the arrest has triggered high-level crisis talks within the party:

​

Internal Assessment: The party's national working committees are currently assessing the full legal implications and circumstances surrounding the criminal charges.

​The Presidential Meeting: The MK Party confirmed that its top national officials are scheduled to hold an emergency meeting with Party President, Jacob Zuma.

​Step-Aside Rule: A formal directive regarding whether Mokoena-Zondi will be stripped of her Chief Whip title or asked to "step aside" from her public parliamentary duties will be officially communicated to the public immediately following the conclusion of the meeting with Zuma.

​The MK Party concluded by stating it remains highly committed to ensuring that all parliamentary, legal, and internal organizational processes unfold in a completely fair, transparent, and unhindered manner.

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