Tag: Western Cape

Call for Increased Patrols at Garden Route Dam After Latest Attack

Posted on by Eon Engelbrecht
The FF Plus is urgently calling on the police and George municipal law enforcement services to immediately increase visibility and patrols at the Garden Route Dam.

The dam is a popular recreational area where residents and visitors walk, jog and cycle. The latest incident, in which a 22-year-old woman was approached from behind and grabbed around the neck while walking alone to her vehicle, highlights the serious safety risks in the area.

Several incidents in recent times indicate that the current level of visibility is insufficient. The FF Plus is requesting increased patrols at the dam and along the surrounding routes, and that all incidents continue to be reported so that crime patterns can be identified and addressed.

However, the solution cannot be for people to stay away from the dam out of fear. When residents avoid public spaces, it becomes easier for criminals to take control of them.

Visitors are instead encouraged to act responsibly, move in groups where possible and remain vigilant.

"Tourism is an important pillar of George’s economy and supports numerous businesses and jobs. The town cannot afford for a valuable tourism and recreational area to develop a reputation for being unsafe," the FF Plus said in a statement.

The political party is calling on all stakeholders to work together to make the Garden Route Dam safer, so that residents and visitors can enjoy it with greater peace of mind.

Photo by Wessel Van Heerden Photography

Four Suspects Now Linked to Tsengwa Murder

Posted on by Eon Engelbrecht
Three suspects have appeared in the Knysna Magistrate’s Court in connection with the murder of former Knysna mayor Aubrey Tsengwa.

Tsengwa was shot dead in his vehicle last week.

A fourth suspect handed himself over to Plettenberg Bay police on Monday morning.

The suspects face charges of conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder, relating to the three passengers who were travelling with Tsengwa at the time of the shooting. One of the passengers remains in critical condition.

An identification parade involving witnesses is still to be conducted. The case has been postponed until next Monday.

Minister Marais Condemns Killing of Former Knysna Mayor Aubrey Tsengwa

Posted on by Eon Engelbrecht
Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety Anroux Marais has condemned the killing of former Knysna mayor and ANC ward councillor Aubrey Tsengwa.

Tsengwa was shot and killed in Knysna on Wednesday evening, 19 August 2026.

Marais extended her condolences to Tsengwa’s family, friends and colleagues, describing the killing as “brutal” and “senseless”.
“I strongly condemn this brutal, senseless killing,” Marais said.

She welcomed the deployment of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit to investigate the murder.

“Every possible avenue must be followed so that those responsible can be identified, arrested, and brought to justice,” she said.

Marais said the motive for the killing remains under investigation, but warned that Tsengwa’s murder comes during an increasingly sensitive political period ahead of the local government elections.

“We must be vigilant against any form of political violence,” she said.

Marais added that she would closely monitor the progress of the investigation.

Western Cape Government brings Rental Housing Tribunal services closer to Garden Route residents

Posted on by Eon Engelbrecht

The Western Cape Government has expanded access to rental housing support in the Garden Route with the launch of two new Rental Housing Tribunal offices in George and Oudtshoorn.

Western Cape Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers officially launched the offices on Monday, 17 August, bringing the number of local, free and professional rental housing advisory and dispute-resolution services in the Southern Cape to four.

The new offices mean residents no longer need to travel hundreds of kilometres to Cape Town to access administrative justice and assistance with rental-related disputes.

Operating under the Rental Housing Act, the offices will provide tenants and landlords with guidance on their rights and responsibilities, face-to-face advice, early dispute-resolution support and formal referrals to the Western Cape Rental Housing Tribunal.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Simmers said the initiative is aimed at making government services more accessible while promoting a fair, transparent and stable rental market.

“Today is about much more than opening government offices. It is about bringing government closer to the people.”

The expansion comes as rapid economic and population growth in the Garden Route continues to drive demand for well-regulated rental housing. The new offices will help communities better understand their rights and responsibilities, resolve disputes earlier and support safe, lawful and dignified living conditions.

The George and Oudtshoorn offices complement the fully operational Rental Housing Tribunal office in Mossel Bay and the recently launched office in Bitou, further strengthening access to rental housing services across the region.

Minister Simmers stressed that the Tribunal’s role is not to favour either landlords or tenants, but to ensure a balanced rental environment.

“Responsible property owners must feel secure in their investments, while tenants must be treated with dignity and fairness.”

The Western Cape Department of Infrastructure says it will continue working to decentralise advisory and dispute-resolution services across municipalities, bringing government support closer to communities while strengthening housing stability and access to justice for both landlords and tenants.

Oudtshoorn power outage enters fourth day as Eskom revises restoration time

Posted on by Eon Engelbrecht
The power outage affecting parts of Oudtshoorn has entered its fourth day, with Eskom revising its estimated restoration time to approximately 18:00 on Tuesday, 18 August.

Eskom said further complex technical problems were encountered during restoration work, requiring additional repairs before the network can be safely energised.

“The safety of Eskom employees and affected communities remains paramount,” the utility said.

Technical teams remain on site and are working to resolve the issues and restore electricity as soon as it is safe to do so.

Eskom has apologised to affected residents for the prolonged outage and repeated changes to the restoration estimates.

“We sincerely apologise for the continued outage and the inconvenience caused. We understand the frustration caused by the interruption and changing restoration estimates,” Eskom said.

The utility said it will continue providing updates as restoration work progresses.

Customers can contact Eskom via the MyEskom Customer app, Alfred Chatbot or the Eskom Contact Centre on 08600 37566.

Western Cape teenager to appear in court over alleged possession of child sexual abuse material

Posted on by Eon Engelbrecht
A 16-year-old teenager has been arrested in Malmesbury, Western Cape, for allegedly accessing, possessing, facilitating and downloading child sexual abuse material.

The teenager is expected to appear in the Malmesbury Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday following his arrest on Monday in an operation involving the South African Police Service (SAPS) and international law enforcement agencies.

SAPS said several child victims have been identified as part of the investigation.

“A preliminary on-site analysis of the suspect’s electronic devices uncovered explicit images and videos depicting child sexual abuse and animal mutilation,” police said.

The devices will undergo a full forensic examination to establish the extent of the alleged offences. Investigators are also probing possible charges linked to fraud and money laundering.

The investigation was launched after the SAPS National Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations (SECI) Team received intelligence from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the US Embassy and the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

The intelligence reportedly linked the teenager to “764”, a violent international online network associated with child exploitation and the coercion of minors into sexual abuse, animal torture and other criminal activity.

Following an extensive investigation, the National SECI Team traced the suspect to an address in Malmesbury, where he was arrested.

The operation was supported by SAPS Head Office’s Occult Unit, the Paarl Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, the Paarl K9 Unit and the Western Cape Crime Scene Investigation Unit.

Agents from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at the US Embassy also assisted in the operation.

The investigation is continuing, with forensic analysis expected to determine whether further victims or offences can be identified.

SAPS sergeant arrested for alleged corruption at Mitchell’s Plain police station

Posted on by Eon Engelbrecht
A South African Police Service (SAPS) sergeant has been arrested on corruption charges after allegedly accepting cash to smuggle dagga and tobacco into the holding cells at Mitchell’s Plain SAPS in Cape Town.

The arrest took place on Sunday, 16 August 2026, during a sting operation conducted by members of the SAPS Anti-Corruption Unit.

According to police, the sergeant was caught in the act after allegedly accepting cash in exchange for taking the contraband into the cells. The money was found in his possession, while the dagga and tobacco were confiscated.

Western Cape Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Sizakhele Dyantyi has issued a stern warning to police officers involved in corrupt activities, saying SAPS is taking a zero-tolerance approach to bribery and the abuse of police powers.

“The adult male suspect is expected to appear in the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, on a charge of corruption,” SAPS said.

The arrest forms part of ongoing efforts by the Anti-Corruption Unit to tackle corruption within the police service.

N2 Near Knysna Reopens After Crash Claims Two Lives

Posted on by Eon Engelbrecht
Both lanes of the N2 near Knysna in the Western Cape have reopened to traffic following a serious crash that claimed two lives.

The road was closed in both directions after a collision between a truck and an SUV near the Knysna Lagoon.

The two occupants of the SUV were declared dead at the scene, while the truck driver sustained serious injuries.

Authorities are continuing efforts to remove the truck from the lagoon. The Garden Route District Municipality, SANParks and the Knysna Fire Services are also working to contain a diesel spill in the lagoon.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Photos: Supplied

Western Cape Government Strengthens Financial Response to Severe Weather Damage

Posted on by Eon Engelbrecht

The Western Cape Government is strengthening its financial response to the damage caused by a series of severe weather events that hit the province in May 2026, with total losses estimated at R9.979 billion.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde chaired a provincial Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, where Cabinet received an update on the ongoing recovery and repair efforts.

The scale of the damage means the cost of rebuilding and restoring infrastructure is expected to exceed the province’s current financial capacity. Provincial departments will therefore need to reprioritise their budgets to ensure critical recovery work continues.

The Western Cape Department of Local Government has submitted a funding application to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), through the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC), for financial assistance to address the shortfall in funding for essential infrastructure repairs and restoration.

The provincial government has also asked for its funding application to be considered by the relevant National Treasury Committee under national provisions for unforeseeable and unavoidable expenditure.

In the meantime, Cabinet has approved R480 million in financial commitments to various provincial departments from the province’s 2026/27 Unforeseen and Unavoidable Reserve.

Premier Winde said the province could not afford to wait for national disaster relief processes to be finalised before taking action.
“As a province we cannot wait for lengthy disaster relief processes from National Government to be finalised. We must act decisively. We have excellent financial management mechanisms in place and a contingency reserve which we now have to exhaust because our economy and communities cannot be held ransom by damaged infrastructure.”

The R480 million allocation will allow provincial departments to intensify their response and recovery efforts while the Western Cape awaits confirmation of additional funding from the NDMC.

Winde said the province would continue prioritising interventions aimed at restoring essential services and repairing damaged public infrastructure.

“The magnitude of this disaster requires us to work even harder to secure every available rand needed to rebuild damaged infrastructure and support affected communities. The financial impact extends across multiple departments, which adds urgency to our response. We are committed to doing everything possible to ensure that recovery efforts continue without delay.”

Cabinet also committed to ensuring that the recovery funding process is managed transparently and responsibly.

Winde warned that the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, driven in part by a changing climate, means government must place greater emphasis on disaster prevention and risk reduction.

“We cannot only respond after disaster strikes. We must also do more to reduce the risks before these events happen.”

Preventative measures will include accelerating the cutting and maintenance of firebreaks, clearing invasive alien vegetation from waterways and water bodies, upgrading stormwater systems and strengthening the maintenance of critical infrastructure.

The Western Cape Government says these measures are essential to building greater resilience and reducing the impact of future extreme weather events on communities and infrastructure.

Cold, wet and windy conditions expected for the long weekend

Posted on by Eon Engelbrecht
A powerful cold front is expected to sweep across South Africa from Sunday, bringing widespread rain, strong winds, rough seas, freezing temperatures and snowfall to several provinces, according to the South African Weather Service (SAWS).

The weather system is forecast to make landfall over the Western and Northern Cape on Sunday, bringing cold to very cold, wet and windy conditions. Rough sea conditions are also expected along the coastline, while snow is likely over the mountainous areas.

As the system moves eastwards, these conditions, driven by a steep upper-air trough, will spread into the Eastern Cape.

On Monday, 10 August 2026, the upper-air trough is expected to deepen over the central and eastern parts of the country, extending the cold weather further inland. Scattered to widespread rain and showers are forecast across the southern regions, while snowfall is expected over the mountainous areas of the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.

Although there is a slight chance of light snowfall in other high-lying areas, SAWS says confidence remains highest for the mountain ranges in the affected provinces.

Expected Impacts

The severe weather may result in:
-Localised flooding of low-lying areas, roads, bridges and informal settlements due to persistent rainfall.
-Damaging winds capable of bringing down trees, damaging roofs and infrastructure, causing power outages and creating hazardous driving conditions.
-Rough seas and damaging waves along the coastline, posing risks to maritime activities and coastal infrastructure.
-Very cold conditions that could increase the risk of exposure for vulnerable communities and place livestock under stress.
-Snow-covered mountain passes, leading to dangerous travel conditions, possible road closures and transport disruptions.

SAWS has urged the public, motorists, farmers and disaster management authorities to stay updated with the latest forecasts and weather warnings and to take the necessary precautions as the weather system moves across the country.

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