Gauteng detectives secure over 1 200 convictions in three months

Detectives in the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Gauteng have secured 1 208 convictions between 1 July and 30 September 2025, marking a substantial step forward in the province's ongoing fight against crime. 

According to the SAPS, a total of 178 suspects, aged between 20 and 62, were sentenced to imprisonment for various serious crimes.

“The Convictions included house robbery, kidnapping, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, shoplifting, malicious damage to property, assault, house breaking and theft, common robbery, assault GBH, illegal immigrant theft, rape, possession of suspected stolen property and culpable homicide,” the SAPS said in a statement.

The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) units also recorded notable successes, securing 44 life sentences and a combined 637 years of imprisonment against 68 accused for crimes against women and children during the three months period.

The High Court on 8 September 2025, sentenced two accused aged 25 years, for their roles in terrorizing communities in Germiston, Elsburg, Vosloorus and Zonkizizwe. 

“The suspects were sentenced for house robbery, rape, kidnapping, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. The accused were both sentenced to13 life imprisonments for rape, 150 years for robbery and housebreaking (10 counts of 15 years), 18 years for kidnapping (6 counts of 3 years), 5 years for possession of an unlicensed firearm, and 3 years for possession of ammunition," the SAPS said.

Some of the sentences will run concurrently, resulting in an effective 13 life sentences and 165 years imprisonment for each accused.

In a separate case, a 36-year-old man was sentenced to two life terms for two counts of murder, three years for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), and eight years for attempted robbery with aggravating circumstances. 

The sentences will run concurrently, and the offender was declared unfit to possess a firearm. 

He was found guilty on 11 August 2025 by the Pretoria High Court following a case reported at SAPS Lyttelton on 28 January 2025. 

The Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni, has commended the detectives for their dedication and tireless efforts in securing these convictions.
 
"This achievement underscores the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the community in driving crime reduction initiatives forward," Mthombeni said.

Beloved Outeniqua Choo Tjoe Set to Steam Again After Nearly 20 Years

After nearly two decades of negotiations and setbacks, the iconic Outeniqua Choo Tjoe is officially on track to return to the Garden Route.

Classic Rail and Outeniqua Choo Tjoe CEO, Alan McVitty, confirmed that all contracts have been signed and funding secured to rebuild the historic railway line between George and Knysna. The much-loved steam train will once again operate as a major tourist attraction in the region.

McVitty said the project will be completed in two phases - from Knysna to Sedgefield first, followed by Sedgefield to George - with the initial phase expected to take about 12 months.

“A Ceremonial Signature Event will mark this achievement, which has been made possible through collaboration between Classic Rail, local businesses and Transnet Freight,” he said. “Today isn’t an opening; it’s about sharing the good news that everything is finally on track.”

Locomotives are currently being repaired in Gauteng, while the carriages will be refurbished in George. A steam workshop is also planned along the route, and rolling stock will be road-hauled to the Knysna -Sedgefield section for the first phase of service.

McVitty added that the team is beginning by clearing vegetation along the line to assess where structural repairs are needed and to survey bridges as part of the engineering process. “Project and passenger safety is paramount,” he said.

Although it’s too early to start taking bookings, Classic Rail will share regular updates on social media and the official website. McVitty emphasised that community involvement and early support will be key to the project’s success.

“The rebirth of the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe will boost tourism along the Garden Route and create sustainable local jobs,” he said. “Through collaboration with local businesses, everyone stands to benefit.”

Updates will be available at www.outeniquachootjoe.com and on Facebook at @ClassicRail.

Renew vehicle licence discs before holiday rush

With the festive season fast approaching, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has called on motorists to renew their motor vehicle licence discs before finalising their travel arrangements.

“A total of 1 002 771 vehicle licences discs are set to expire at the end of October. A further 1 060 382 will expire in November, while 1 112 393 will expire in December,” the RTMC said on Tuesday.

The RTMC said it will be sending out SMS’s and email reminders to all motorists who are registered on the online renewal platform, reminding them to comply.

To register on this easy to use, convenient and affordable platform, motorists must log on online.natis.gov.za and follow the simple steps to upload their details.

According to RTMC, the platform has proven to be most popular with vehicle owners. 

“About five million vehicle licences have been renewed on this platform since its launch in 2022. An average of 7 908 daily renewals were processed on this platform in the past seven days.

“Clients from major banking institutions such as Capitec, First National Bank and Nedbank have access to the platform through their banking apps,” RTMC said.

The platform now offers motorists a safe service to pay their Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Enforcement Orders. 

This value-added service is intended to improve convenience and to enable users to save time by using a one-stop service for their vehicle licence compliance needs.

A relatively new offering on the platform is the online vehicle registration and change of owners. 
This offering is directed at motor vehicle dealers who deal with bulk transactions and require a fast, secure platform register vehicles.

More than 10 large motor vehicle dealerships have now registered and are conducting transactions on the platform daily.

A total of 120 230 change of ownership transactions were conducted on the platform from April to October 2025 with 78 239 registrations taking place in the same period. 
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