Drugs Seized in Oudtshoorn and George by Garden Route Police

Posted on November 14, 2025November 14, 2025 by

Mid-week operations in the Garden Route District resulted in the arrest of three suspects for drugs as part of ongoing Safer Festive Season operations in Oudtshoorn and George.

On Wednesday, 12 November 2025 at about 09:30 Oudtshoorn Crime Prevention unit members acted on intelligence when they raided a house at Dahlia Court, Bridgton in Oudtshoorn. The team found 62 bankies tik, 10 grams tik, 13 full mandrax, one half mandrax and 71 grams dagga. Police confiscated the drugs, two scales and an undisclosed amount of cash. A 33 year old woman found at the premises was arrested on a charge of dealing in drugs.

Meanwhile, later the same day, Dysselsdorp Crime Prevention unit members, armed with a search warrant, descended on a premises at Paradise View, Dysselsdorp outside Oudtshoorn. A search of the premises led to the confiscation of 40 Full Mandrax and 15 Bankies consisting of tik.

Furthermore, Conville police members arrested a 53 year old man on charges of dealing in drugs and possession of drugs on Tuesday, 11 November 2025 at Marakeni Street, Lawaaikamp in George. The members operationalised the information and conducted a search of the premises. The search led to an area on the premises where drugs were concealed under the topsoil in plastic bottles. The members confiscated 160 grams of tik, seven bankies of tik and seven mandrax tablets.

The suspects will appear in court once charged.

Substance abuse remain on of the contributors to serious and violent crime and these arrests and confiscations forms part of concerted efforts to close down illicit drug outlets.

Cape Town switches on pioneering gas-to-energy plant, powering over 4 000 households

Posted on November 14, 2025November 14, 2025 by

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says the City’s new gas-to-energy plant will generate enough electricity to power 4 300 households by converting landfill gas to power at the Coastal Park Landfill.

The Mayor powered-up the new electricity generation plant on Wednesday, 12 November together with Mayoral Committee Members for Urban Waste Management, Alderman Grant Twigg, and for Energy, Alderman Xanthea Limberg.

The City has invested R93 million in the Coastal Park Landfill gas-to-energy plant to date, and will invest a further R82m to expand this infrastructure at more landfill sites over the next three years.

These initiatives are set to pay for themselves in time thanks to reduced bulk electricity purchases from Eskom and the sale of carbon credits. A total of R36 m in carbon credits has already been generated by reducing gas emissions at City landfill sites.

‘It was exciting to power-up our landfill gas-to-power plant at Coastal Park Landfill today. We are just getting started with these win-win projects, which produce electricity, reduce emissions, and generate carbon credit revenue to pump back into infrastructure and waste management. In this way, Capetonians are getting plenty of public value from these gas-to-power operations, which we will keep expanding over the coming years at other landfills,’ said Mayor Hill-Lewis.

To convert landfill gas into electricity, the City has dug perforated pipes or 'wells' into landfill sites to extract methane gas. The gas is then channelled as fuel to produce electricity, also reducing methane emissions.

‘At Coastal Park Landfill, the City’s waste-to-energy project will generate 1,3 million kWh a month. Of this, 1,2 million kWh will be fed into the Cape Town grid. This is enough power to supply more than 4 000 households. The remaining power will be used to run operations at the landfill facility, generating further savings and efficiency for ratepayers,’ said Alderman Twigg.

Over 80 unroadworthy vehicles removed in Gauteng wide crackdown

Posted on November 14, 2025November 14, 2025 by

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, through its enforcement unit, the Gauteng Transport Inspectorate (GTI), has taken 84 unroadworthy vehicles off the road during intensified stop-and-search operations conducted between 3 and 9 November 2025.

The high-impact operations form part of the Gauteng Provincial Government’s comprehensive road safety strategy aimed at tackling lawlessness, enhancing compliance with traffic regulations, and safeguarding the lives of road users across the province.

According to the department, the discontinued vehicles were found to be in serious violation of road safety standards, with many failing critical roadworthiness tests due to faulty brakes, worn-out tyres, and defective lighting systems.

The GTI’s swift action prevented these hazardous vehicles from continuing to operate on public roads, reducing the risk of crashes linked to mechanical defects.

In addition to the discontinued vehicles, GTI officers uncovered widespread levels of non-compliance among public transport operators.

Key offences recorded during the week-long blitz included:
•    54 minibuses operating without valid licence discs,
•    40 minibuses discontinued for mechanical and safety defects, and
•    72 drivers operating without valid driving licences.

A total of 1 539 infringement notices were also issued for various traffic and transport-related offences. Of these, 557 were handwritten and 982 were processed electronically using GTI’s e-Force enforcement gadgets, a demonstration of the department’s commitment to leveraging technology in promoting compliance and accountability.

Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, commended the GTI for its consistent and proactive enforcement approach, reaffirming the department’s zero-tolerance stance on non-compliance.

“The discontinuation of unroadworthy vehicles is a necessary step to protect lives on our roads. Public transport operators must understand that non-compliance will not be tolerated. We remain resolute in our mission to create safer roads and restore order within the public transport sector,” Diale-Tlabela said.

The GTI, comprising 96 highly trained officers from the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), continues to roll out targeted enforcement operations across Gauteng to identify and remove unroadworthy vehicles, apprehend illegal operators, and ensure adherence to road safety standards.

Maintenance work underway on R24
Meanwhile, the Department of Roads and Transport has urged motorists to exercise caution along the R24, where milling and resurfacing work is currently underway.

The project is expected to be completed by Sunday, 16 November 2025.

“Motorists are urged to exercise caution, plan for possible delays, and use alternative routes where feasible.”