Cape Town – On Wednesday 25 March 2026, a helicopter contracted to Working on Fire crashed on the mountainside above Hout Bay while assisting with firefighting operations in the Table Mountain National Park.
The aircraft was engaged in water-bombing duties as part of efforts to contain an active veld fire burning in the Vlakkenberg area and spreading across slopes above Hout Bay and towards Constantia Valley. The helicopter’s main rotor blade struck the rocky mountainside during a water drop, causing the aircraft to lose control and come down on the steep terrain. Video footage of the incident shows the helicopter flying low over burning vegetation before the impact and subsequent plume of smoke.
Both pilots on board survived the crash. Initial reports from emergency services and Working on Fire confirm that the crew members are safe. Rescue and assessment operations were immediately launched.
The City of Cape Town activated Incident Management Team 5 in response. Specialised rescue technicians were deployed up the mountain to reach the crash site, and law enforcement officers were sent to secure the area. Emergency crews remain on scene.
The fire that prompted the aerial operation broke out on Tuesday 24 March 2026 in the vicinity of Grotto Road, Pipe Track and Ruyteplaats Estate in Hout Bay. It moved up the mountain, cresting the ridge and advancing along the back of Vlakkenberg while threatening areas toward Constantiaberg and Constantia Valley. Ground crews from SANParks Table Mountain National Park, Working on Fire, the Volunteer Wildfire Services and the City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service have been deployed alongside aerial support. The blaze has seen flare-ups despite earlier rain, and firefighting efforts continued into Wednesday evening.
Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith confirmed the incident, stating that while assisting SANParks with the fire, one of the contracted helicopters appeared to have clipped the mountain with its main rotor and crashed. He noted that the pilot had survived and that the City’s response teams had been activated.
Trevor Abrahams, managing director of Working on Fire, said it was still too early to determine the cause of the crash. The South African Police Service and the South African Civil Aviation Authority are expected to conduct a formal investigation.
Authorities have urged the public to avoid all hiking paths and trails in the Constantia and Constantia Nek areas and to refrain from gathering near the scene so that emergency vehicles can move freely. Firefighting operations in the area remain ongoing.
No further details on the extent of any secondary fires caused by the crash or on the precise condition of the pilots beyond their safety have been released at this stage. Updates will be provided as official information becomes available.
[WATCH] Smash-and-grab gone wrong as video shows suspect getting dragged down the highway after failing to execute his plan.
Johannesburg, South Africa – 25 March 2026
Smash-and-grab incidents, in which criminals smash vehicle windows at traffic lights, stop streets or in slow-moving traffic to steal valuables, continue to affect drivers nationwide. According to data from the City of Cape Town’s Metro Police CCTV network, 215 such incidents were recorded between July 2024 and May 2025, predominantly during late afternoons, early evenings and weekends.
National figures for the broader category of theft out of or from motor vehicles stood at 19,032 reported cases between March 2024 and March 2025. While not every incident qualifies as a smash-and-grab, the statistic reflects the scale of opportunistic crimes targeting stationary or slow-moving vehicles.
Innocent drivers bear the direct consequences. Valuables visible from outside the vehicle—such as cellphones, handbags, laptops or cash—are frequently taken within seconds. Vehicle windows are shattered, causing immediate repair costs and temporary loss of mobility. Some incidents result in physical injury or death. In December 2025, a 64-year-old woman visitor to Cape Town was killed during a smash-and-grab attack near Jakes Gerwel Drive, one of the city’s identified hotspots. A teacher was also reported killed at a separate smash-and-grab hotspot in the same period.
Residents living near high-incidence areas, including corridors such as Bonteheuwel to Langa and sections of Jakes Gerwel Drive, have described ongoing fear of stray bullets linked to smash-and-grab violence. One resident in the area reported a bullet striking his home while he and his wife slept.
The City of Cape Town has responded with increased CCTV monitoring and rapid-response deployments. Between 1 September 2024 and 11 January 2026, the city assisted 2,895 motorists on the N2 between Langa and Firgrove, with 1,061 incidents detected via CCTV. Of reported incidents in that corridor, fewer than 1% were crime-related, yet each can result in damage, injury or death. In the five months leading to December 2025, authorities made 25 smash-and-grab-related arrests.
When victims are armed or manage to turn the tables, South African law permits private defence. Under common law and the Criminal Procedure Act, a person may use force to repel an unlawful, imminent attack provided the response is necessary and reasonable in the circumstances. Lethal force is justified only where the victim or another person faces an immediate threat to life or grievous bodily harm—not solely to protect property.
A documented case occurred on 19 August 2025 in Philippi, Cape Town. Democratic Alliance MPs Ian Cameron, Nicholas Gotsell and Lisa-Maré Schickerling were travelling from an oversight visit when three suspects smashed their vehicle windows with bricks in a smash-and-grab attack. Cameron drew his licensed firearm and shot one of the assailants, stating he acted in self-defence to protect himself and his colleagues. Police confirmed the incident, conducted ballistic testing on the firearm, and opened an investigation. One suspect was shot; two others were reportedly involved. Cameron maintained the force used was reasonable given the imminent threat.
In other reported road-related robberies (distinct from but similar in nature to smash-and-grab), armed victims have on occasion fatally shot attackers. An e-hailing driver in Strandfontein shot dead one alleged robber and injured another during an attempted robbery after dropping off clients; police investigated charges of murder, attempted murder, carjacking and attempted robbery against the suspects.
Criminals involved in smash-and-grab attacks face charges of theft, common robbery or robbery with aggravating circumstances depending on the facts, including use of violence or weapons. When a victim lawfully exercises private defence, the perpetrator may suffer injury or death without the victim facing criminal liability, provided the force meets the legal test of necessity and proportionality. Police and prosecutors assess each case individually, often requiring ballistic evidence, witness statements and scene reconstruction.
Smash-and-grab crimes, classified under broader theft-out-of-vehicle and contact-crime categories in SAPS statistics, persist despite quarterly national crime releases showing mixed trends in related offences such as carjacking (down 8.1% nationally in Q3 2025/2026) and robbery with aggravating circumstances (down 11.3%). Motorists in affected areas continue to report heightened vigilance, with many installing security window films or altering routes to avoid known hotspots.
All information in this report is drawn exclusively from official police statements, Metro Police CCTV data, court-related reports and verified news accounts of specific incidents.
Kempton Park Residents Urged to Attend Public Consultation on Renaming Kafferboom Crescent in Birchleigh
KEMPTON PARK – The City of Ekurhuleni has issued a fresh call for residents to take part in a public consultation process to rename Kafferboom Crescent in the Birchleigh suburb.
The meeting is set for Saturday, 28 March 2026, starting at 09:00 at Coen Scholtz Hall in Kempton Park. Residents are invited to propose and discuss a new street name that promotes community unity, social cohesion and shared values while avoiding division.
According to the city’s geographical naming and renaming policy, the process is designed to eliminate offensive, discriminatory or derogatory names and to ensure decisions are fair, equitable and based on broad public participation. The current name has been identified as racially offensive and inappropriate in a democratic South Africa, with officials noting it represents division and exclusion and runs counter to efforts at reconciliation.
The renaming forms part of a wider initiative first publicised by the City of Ekurhuleni in February 2024 to address public facilities carrying names linked to past injustices. At that time Kaffirboom Crescent (as it was then referenced) was listed among roads targeted for change through the Department of Sport, Heritage, Recreation, Arts and Culture. Public meetings on the broader renaming programme were held in February and March 2024 at venues including Coen Scholtz Recreation Centre in Birchleigh.
Ward 15 Councillor Amanda Davison has repeatedly highlighted the issue. She submitted a formal renaming request in 2019, followed by resubmissions, and has described the name as a racial slur that undermines dignity and inclusivity. In October 2025 she demanded urgent council action, pointing out that a public participation process planned for 2024 had been postponed indefinitely while residents continued to live with the contentious address. Davison has proposed Koraalboom (Coral Tree) as a replacement to reflect the street’s botanical roots and South Africa’s post-apartheid identity. She has vowed to continue pressing the matter until it is resolved.
The consultation on 28 March represents the latest step in fulfilling the city’s commitment to the process. Residents who cannot attend but wish to submit comments or obtain further information may contact Senior Manager for Heritage and Museum Services Fhatuwani Rambau on 011 999 6833, 084 454 6912 or at Fhatuwani.rambau@ekurhuleni.gov.za.
City officials have emphasised that the outcome must reflect the views of the community and contribute to a more inclusive environment in Kempton Park and across Ekurhuleni. Residents in Birchleigh and surrounding areas are encouraged to attend the session and have their say on the future name of the crescent.
12 SAPS Officers Detained in IDAC Probe into R360 Million Health Services Tender
Twelve members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) were taken into custody by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) on Tuesday night, 24 March 2026.
The arrests form part of an active corruption investigation focused on the award of a R360 million contract for health and wellness screening services to SAPS personnel. The contract was granted to Medicare24 Tshwane District, a company linked to businessman Vusimuzi Matlala.
Investigators have determined that the procurement process followed irregular procedures and are examining the specific involvement of the arrested police officials in securing the tender.
The twelve officers are due to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court, where they will face charges of corruption, fraud, and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act.
The R360 million tender has been the subject of close examination for several months. Concerns about possible fronting, procurement irregularities, and connections between the contractor and individuals inside law-enforcement structures were first raised during parliamentary oversight meetings and internal SAPS reviews.
The same tender has also featured in proceedings before the Madlanga Commission, which is inquiring into allegations of corruption and interference in the criminal-justice system.
IDAC has confirmed that its investigation remains ongoing and has indicated that further arrests are possible as authorities continue to examine every aspect of the contract award.
- Head-On Collision Between Volkswagen Polo and Heavy Vehicle Near Chintsa
- Helicopter Operated by Working on Fire Crashes on Hout Bay Mountainside During Veld Fire Operations in Table Mountain National Park
- Smash-and-Grab Crimes Remain Prevalent Across South African Roads, Targeting Motorists at Intersections and Stop Streets
- Robberies Continue to Haunt South Africa: Innocent Lives Upended as Motorists Face Daily Peril
- Fire Engulfs Historic Botha Sigcau Building in Mthatha, Eastern Cape
Durban Police Shoot and Kill Four Suspects in Bellair Hideout Operation
DURBAN – Police in KwaZulu-Natal have fatally shot four suspects during an operation at a suspected hideout in the Bellair area of Durban.
The incident occurred on Monday, 23 March 2026, when officers tracked the group, who were wanted in connection with business robberies, house robberies and kidnapping cases.
According to police details, officers spotted the suspects’ vehicle in the area and attempted to stop it. The suspects fled from the vehicle and took refuge inside a house that authorities identified as their hideout spot.
A shootout broke out during the police operation at the property. Four suspects were shot and killed. Two were fatally wounded inside the house, one was shot behind the house, and the fourth was shot in the bushes at the rear of the property.
One additional suspect managed to escape and remains at large.
Police recovered four firearms from the scene.
The operation formed part of ongoing efforts to apprehend the group linked to the series of robberies and kidnappings in the province. No further injuries to police members or members of the public were reported.
