Umhlanga, Durban – 12 April 2026
An armed robbery occurred at Premjees Jewellers inside the Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Umhlanga, Durban, on Sunday afternoon.
According to multiple eyewitness and security reports, five armed male suspects carrying assault rifles entered the jewellery store. They held staff at gunpoint, smashed display cases and windows, and stole an as-yet unconfirmed quantity of jewellery items before fleeing the premises.
As the suspects made their escape, they opened fire on responding armed security officers. One security officer was struck by gunfire and sustained a gunshot wound. The injured officer received immediate medical attention from paramedics at the scene and was transported to a medical facility for treatment.
Shoppers inside the mall took cover inside nearby stores as gunfire echoed through the complex. Reaction Unit SA, police officers and other security personnel responded rapidly to the scene following multiple emergency calls from the public.
The suspects escaped the area. Police have launched an active investigation and are on scene. No other injuries have been confirmed at this stage.
Members of the public have been urged to avoid the Gateway Mall area while emergency services continue their operations.
This is a developing incident. Further updates will be issued as confirmed details become available.
SAPS Constable Under Investigation for Assault at Volksrust Police Station
An investigation is underway after a video circulating on social media showed a South African Police Service (SAPS) constable assaulting a member of the public.
Watch video here
The incident occurred at Volksrust Police Station in Mpumalanga on 2 April 2026. The video was recorded at the station’s Community Service Centre, where the assault took place inside the public service area.
In response to the footage, SAPS has launched both an internal probe and a criminal investigation. The dual investigations will examine the actions of the constable and determine whether any offences were committed.
The matter has been referred for formal processing under SAPS internal disciplinary procedures as well as under criminal law. No further details about the identity of the constable or the member of the public involved have been released at this stage.
The investigations remain active as authorities gather evidence from the video and any available witness statements from the scene at Volksrust Police Station.
Two Suspects Arrested in Alberton Following Street Robberies in General Alberts Park and Mayberry Park Areas
Alberton, Gauteng – South African Police Service officers from Alberton SAPS arrested two suspects on Saturday, 11 April 2026, in connection with two street robberies that occurred earlier that day in the General Alberts Park and Mayberry Park areas.
Private security teams from CPS Security and React 24 responded to the incidents by tracking the suspect vehicle. They located the two individuals at a premises in the vicinity. During the operation, officers recovered a blank gun and seized narcotics identified as Mandrax.
Alberton SAPS members took both suspects into custody. Stolen items, including cellphones taken during the robberies, were later recovered from a local pawn shop.
One victim has already opened a case at Alberton SAPS. Police are appealing to any other individuals who were robbed in the same areas on Saturday to come forward and report the incidents at the station.
The arrests were announced approximately 20 hours after the robberies took place. No further details on the identities or ages of the suspects have been released at this stage, and investigations remain ongoing.
- Robbery reported at tuckshop in Portlands, Mitchells Plain
- Two suspects arrested in connection with Kliprivier ATM bombing
- One suspect was killed and four others were arrested following a police shooting in Athlone, Cape Town, on Monday.
- Suspected Poachers Confronted by Member of the Public at Schoenmakerskop
- Three Suspects Shot Dead Following Armed Robbery at Jewellery Store in Highveld Mall, eMalahleni
Overstrand Municipality Baboon Monitors Use Non-Lethal Deterrents on Pringle Bay Troop During Foraging Operations
Pringle Bay, South Africa – Overstrand Municipality baboon monitors, operating under the municipality’s Adaptive Baboon Management Plan, have been documented discharging non-lethal projectiles at chacma baboons in Pringle Bay while the troop attempts to forage in and around the urban area.
The plan was fully implemented at the end of June 2024 following eco-ranger training. On 9 August 2024, Pringle Bay residents attending a ratepayers association meeting gave the Pringle Bay Ratepayers Association a mandate to engage with local and provincial government on baboon management, aligning with the rollout of this programme.
Municipal eco-rangers, employed through the Expanded Public Works Programme, are authorised to use a suite of non-lethal tools to herd the Pringle Bay troop out of town and toward natural foraging areas in the surrounding Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, including Rooiels Conservancy to the north. Approved methods include paintball markers fired at the rear ends of adult baboons from distances greater than 10 metres, with exclusions for pregnant females and juveniles, gel blasters, bird bangers for noise deterrence, high-pressure water units known as skid units or bakkie sakkies, strobe lights, and predator masks. Tools are rotated to prevent habituation. The municipality states it holds the necessary permits from CapeNature, and these techniques are described as non-injury and non-harmful.
Resident-submitted footage captured in Pringle Bay, including incidents on 29 November 2025 and 3 December 2025, shows monitors firing at baboons during operations. In one sequence, juvenile baboons were targeted, causing the troop to split and seek cover on house rooftops. Other recordings document shots at sleep sites and while baboons foraged.
Since the programme’s full implementation, multiple baboon deaths in Pringle Bay and nearby areas have prompted official investigations by Overstrand Municipality and SAPS. Key cases include:
- 24 August 2024: An adult male baboon identified as REM1, also known as Joey, the troop’s alpha male, was found dead in Pringle Bay. A post-mortem confirmed death from a punctured lung caused by a pellet from an airgun. X-rays revealed eight additional pellets from prior incidents lodged in the body. An enquiry docket was opened with Kleinmond SAPS.
- 1 December 2025: An adult female baboon was discovered deceased in Pringle Bay. The veterinarian’s examination found two recent wounds, one on the tail and one near the anus, internal bleeding with a large blood clot in the peritoneal space, and a total of eight projectiles recovered from the body. An enquiry docket was opened with Kleinmond SAPS on 5 February 2026 after procedural delays.
- 4 February 2026: A young male baboon was found dead in Silversands, Betty’s Bay. Autopsy results identified a penetrating wound to the right chest and caudal lung lobe, causing haemothorax. A projectile was recovered, and an enquiry docket was opened with Kleinmond SAPS.
Overstrand Municipality has repeatedly stated that it is illegal for unauthorised individuals to shoot or harm baboons under the Nature Conservation Ordinance. Discharging airguns or firearms in residential areas violates the Firearms Control Act. The municipality maintains that only its trained monitors may use the authorised non-lethal tools, and it urges residents to report sightings via the Baboon Hotline on 069 151 5962 rather than take independent action. Investigations into the above deaths treat them as potential illegal shootings.
Historical troop counts for the Pringle Bay chacma baboon group show fluctuations linked to human-induced factors. The troop numbered 18 individuals in October 2019, rose to 19 in June 2021, dropped to 14 in June 2022, and averaged around 18 in 2023. Many past injuries and deaths resulted from vehicle collisions, dog attacks, poisoning, and shootings stemming from property incursions, bin raids, and food access in urban zones. Under the current plan, monitors aim to reduce the troop’s time in town, with reports of full-day exclusions achieved on some occasions, though the troop continues to use urban sleep sites most evenings.
The Adaptive Baboon Management Plan operates in partnership with CapeNature and aligns with the broader Strategic Baboon Management Plan from 2019 to 2024. It emphasises resident cooperation through baboon-proofing waste bins, securing homes, removing fruit from trees, and avoiding any feeding of baboons to limit attractants. The municipality has conducted property visits and issued notices where non-compliance is noted.
As of early 2026, baboon patrols in Pringle Bay have occasionally been limited due to operational factors such as local protests, with residents advised to use community WhatsApp groups for real-time sightings in the interim.
This situation continues to generate public interest, with municipal updates stressing that the authorised non-lethal programme is intended to support both baboon welfare through reduced urban conflict and resident safety. All reported deaths remain under SAPS investigation.
