Acting Police Minister to welcome over 3,000 newly trained constables

Posted on November 20, 2025November 20, 2025 by

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia, together with Deputy Ministers, Dr Polly Boshielo and Mr Cassel Mathale, will on Friday, welcome 3 558 newly trained constables into the ranks of the South African Police Service (SAPS).

SAPS National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, will join Cachalia, who will preside over the largest parade featuring 2 036 graduates at the SAPS Academy in Tshwane, Gauteng.

“This initiative forms part of the organisation’s broader efforts to bolster crime combatting efforts at the grassroots level of policing,” the SAPS said in a statement.

The passing out parades will take place simultaneously on Friday from 9am, with the main event taking place at the SAPS Academy in Tshwane.

Government calls on e-hailing operators to register vehicles for operating licences

Posted on November 20, 2025November 20, 2025 by

The Department of Transport has urged e-hailing operators to convert their charter permits and meter taxi operating licences to e-hailing operating licences.

This comes in the wake of a concern regarding a snail’s pace of e-hailing platform companies and individuals registering their platforms with the National Public Transport Regulator - an entity of the department.

“The department has therefore urged all providers of e-hailing platforms working with e-hailing operators to register their digital platforms with the National Public Transport Regulator (NPTR), as a matter of priority.

“Without a registered app no operator will be able to convert to e-hailing operating licence or apply for a new e-hailing operating licence. This means after 180 days [from 12 September 2025], those who have not converted will automatically become illegal operators,” the department said on Thursday.

The National Land Transport Amendment Act, 2009 (Act No. 5 of 2009), along with Regulations, requires e-hailing platform providers to register their digital applications with the department through the NPTR.

“Providers who are not registered with the NPTR will not appear in the databases maintained by the provincial regulators in the nine provinces. Consequently, this will impact e-hailing operators seeking to apply for an operating license at the provincial level using their digital platforms,” the department said.

According to the department’s e-hailing Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), applications should be submitted using Form 9A, which can be obtained from the department’s website (www.transport.gov.za) under the NPTR link.

Applications can be submitted in person, via email, by post. The application fee is R5 000 for a period of 7 years.

Additional details regarding the registration process for e-hailing app providers and contact details for the NPTR office are as follows: 012 3093752/ 3093237/ 3093024 email: [email protected].

Western Cape outlines readiness for 2025/26 summer fire season

Posted on November 20, 2025November 19, 2025 by

The Western Cape Government says it is prepared for the 2025/26 high-risk summer fire season following extensive planning, investment and collaboration across the province.

The Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC), together with municipalities and various partners, has activated its Summer Readiness Plan. Officials say this year’s preparations build on lessons from previous large-scale incidents, including major fires, floods, COVID-19 and support efforts in KwaZulu-Natal.

Key readiness measures include:

*Firefighting capacity: Since 2016, more than 100 pieces of firefighting equipment have been supplied to municipalities through the Fire Service Capacity Building Grant. Municipalities and the Umbrella Fire Protection Association fully utilised multi-million-rand grants in 2024/25 to bolster ground-level response.
*Aerial and ground resources: Long-term contracts have been secured for fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft to allow early deployment when fires break out. Seasonal firefighting teams have been placed in high-risk areas, supported by local municipalities and Fire Protection Associations. The aerial firefighting programme met its implementation targets.
*Incident management: Incident Management Teams have been reconstituted and trained under the Incident Command System, with key roles such as Operations Section Chief and Resource Unit Leader receiving specialised training over the past year.
*Prevention and public awareness: Twenty-seven municipalities received support for communication and fire-awareness programmes. Hazard-awareness campaigns reached more than 18 000 learners. The PDMC’s decision-support tool and dashboard have also been upgraded to strengthen risk assessment and response planning.
*Specialised capabilities: Municipalities continue to receive assistance for HAZMAT response, and the Fire Safety Officer Development Programme aims to improve fire safety enforcement capabilities.

Dave Bryant, the DA’s Western Cape spokesperson on Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, said the combination of aerial resources, trained crews and improved coordination reflects a proactive approach to the fire season.

He urged residents and visitors to take precautions and comply with regulations regarding open flames to help reduce wildfire risks.

The province will continue oversight visits to disaster-management facilities in the coming weeks and will engage with seasonal firefighting teams as the summer progresses.