One Dead, 17 Injured After Head-On Collision on 9th Road in Bredell

Bredell, Ekurhuleni – 18 March 2026

A head-on collision occurred on 9th Road in Bredell between a Toyota Quantum carrying 15 occupants and a Nissan Hardbody double cab with three occupants.

The crash has left one six-week-old baby deceased and 17 other people injured.

Five patients sustained critical injuries, including the drivers of both vehicles. Eleven others are in a serious but stable condition.

All injured individuals were transported by ambulance to various medical facilities across Ekurhuleni for treatment.

The collision took place on Nine Road, before First Avenue. The road was closed to allow emergency services to respond and clear the scene. Motorists were advised to avoid the area and use alternative routes during the closure.

A total of 18 people were accounted for at the scene. No further details on the circumstances leading to the collision have been released.

Six Suspects Arrested After Armed Robbery at Brooklyn Mall in Pretoria

Pretoria – An armed robbery occurred at Brooklyn Mall on Wednesday, 18 March 2026, at approximately 10:00. A security officer was shot and injured during the incident. The officer was airlifted to a nearby medical facility and is in a stable condition.

Shoppers scrambled for safety and took cover inside stores as the mall’s outlets went into immediate lockdown. Shots were fired, causing widespread panic. Initial confusion arose near the Mugg & Bean area, where the sound of the first shot was mistaken for something dropping. No other shoppers or staff were reported injured.

Police, private security companies and emergency services responded swiftly and remained on scene. Multiple law enforcement agencies and security teams were active at the mall, with members of the public urged to avoid the area.

Police spokesperson Captain Johan van Dyk confirmed that six suspects were arrested. One suspect was wounded during a shootout with officers. A rifle and a hijacked vehicle linked to the robbery were recovered.

The investigation is ongoing. No further details on the exact target of the robbery or items taken have been released by police at this stage.

Taxi Boss and Wife Fatally Shot in Suspected Targeted Attack Near Palm Taxi Rank, Delft South

Cape Town – Zwelakhe Lingani, a 50-year-old rank manager for the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Associations (CODETA), and his wife were shot and killed on Monday evening, 16 March 2026.

The double murder occurred at about 20:15 near the Palm taxi rank in Delft South. Police confirm the couple was travelling in a silver Toyota Fortuner when unknown suspects approached the vehicle and opened fire before fleeing the scene.

Both victims sustained multiple gunshot wounds to their bodies and heads. They were declared dead on the scene by medical personnel.

Delft police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg stated: “Delft police responded to a complaint of a shooting on Monday evening, 16 March 2026, at about 20:15, near the Palm taxi rank, Delft South, and upon arrival on the scene, they found a 50-year-old male and an adult female who sustained multiple gunshot wounds to their bodies. Both victims were declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel. According to reports, the victims were driving in a silver Toyota Fortuner when they were approached by unknown suspects who shot them before fleeing the scene. The motive for the attack is believed to be taxi-related.”

Police recovered 85 R5 cartridges and 13 9mm cartridges at the scene.

Delft detectives are investigating two counts of murder. No arrests have been made and no suspects have been identified.

CODETA spokesperson Nceba Enge confirmed that Lingani was a member of the association.

This incident follows a triple murder at the Voorbrug taxi rank on Delft Main Road on 12 March 2026, in which three taxi operators were killed.

Police have urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the MySAPS app anonymously. Investigations continue.

Man in Twenties Shot Dead After Alleged Attack on SAPS Officer in Durban

Durban – A man believed to be in his twenties was shot dead on Botanic Gardens Road in the Berea area after he allegedly attempted to rob a member of the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Emergency medical personnel responded to the shooting incident on the road just after 7:30am this morning. On arrival, they found SAPS members and multiple security personnel already at the scene.

The medical team was shown to the male victim, who had sustained a gunshot wound to the head. Paramedics carried out an immediate assessment and determined that the injuries were fatal. The man was declared deceased on the scene.

Initial information indicates that the deceased had attacked an SAPS official during the alleged robbery attempt, after which the officer retaliated. The scene on Botanic Gardens Road remains active.

All necessary authorities are present at the location and will continue to investigate the circumstances of the incident.

Two Men Arrested in Kempton Park for Impersonating a Doctor and Related Offences

KEMPTON PARK – Officers from the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department Intervention Unit and High-Speed Unit have arrested two male suspects, aged 42 and 51, in the Kempton Park area.

The arrests stemmed from information received about a man who was allegedly posing as a medical doctor. According to the details, the suspect was reported to be performing illegal abortions, issuing fraudulent prescriptions and selling sick notes.

Acting on the tip-off, the officers proceeded to a building situated at the corner of Central Avenue and West Street. There they located the suspect operating from an office.

When the officers introduced themselves and requested proof of professional qualifications, the suspect admitted that he had been falsely presenting himself as both a medical doctor and a herbalist. He confirmed using a medical certificate that did not belong to him.

During the search of the premises, a second man arrived and identified himself as the assistant of the first suspect.

Both men then attempted to bribe the officers in order to avoid arrest. The officers rejected the bribe, seized the money offered, and also confiscated termination tablets, a doctor’s stamp, fraudulent medical certificates, a sick note book and cell phones found at the scene.

The two suspects were placed under arrest and charged with fraud, bribery, contravention of the Health Professions Act and contravention of the Immigration Act.

They are expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court in the coming days.

Former SAPS Special Task Force Member Matipandile Sotheni Appears in Brakpan Magistrates’ Court Accused of Murdering Madlanga Commission Witness D

Matipandile Sotheni, 41, a former member of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Special Task Force, made his first court appearance on Monday, 16 March 2026, at the Brakpan Magistrates’ Court. He faces charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, three counts of attempted murder, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition in connection with the assassination of Marius van der Merwe, who testified anonymously as Witness D at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. The matter was postponed to 25 March 2026 for a formal bail application, with the state intending to oppose bail. Sotheni remains in custody.

Sotheni joined the SAPS in 2005 and became a member of the elite Special Task Force in 2010, serving as a marksman. He resigned from the SAPS in 2019 and subsequently worked in the private sector as a bodyguard. Police have described him as highly trained, noting that the cost to train a Special Task Force member exceeds R1 million. National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe stated that Sotheni’s training made him the person selected for the job, as “they knew that he would execute and eliminate Witness D on the spot because of the training that our special task force members receive.”

Van der Merwe was shot dead in a drive-by shooting outside his home in Brakpan on 5 December 2025, in full view of his family, shortly after 8pm. He had testified at the Madlanga Commission in November 2025, alleging that senior officials in the City of Ekurhuleni were complicit in the murder of Emmanuel Mbense, whose body was found dumped at Duduza Dam in Nigel in April 2022. Sotheni is accused of being the gunman who fired the shots, including those that struck van der Merwe in the head and leg. The charges include attempted murder in relation to van der Merwe’s wife, Leanne, and children, who were present but unharmed. An AK-47 is believed to have been used in the shooting; police are still searching for the weapon.

Sotheni was arrested in Johannesburg on Saturday, 14 March 2026, and was one of three suspects identified by police. The vehicle believed to have been used in the murder — a Suzuki Swift traced to Sotheni’s girlfriend — has been seized. Wiandre Pretorius, identified as the driver in the shooting, died by suicide on 8 February 2026 at a petrol station in Brakpan. A third suspect, believed to be the mastermind, remains at large. Police have interviewed two other people in connection with the case.

During Monday’s brief court appearance, Sotheni, dressed in black, showed no emotion and stared ahead. Heavily armed officers provided security both inside and outside the courtroom. Van der Merwe’s widow was present and visibly emotional. The case has been classified as a Schedule 6 offence, placing the onus on Sotheni to prove exceptional circumstances if bail is to be considered.

Brigadier Mathe described the arrest as an unfortunate development for the SAPS, stating it was regrettable that a former member trained at such high cost had been linked to the murder of a key whistleblower. Investigations continue, with police confirming that Sotheni was the alleged shooter while pursuing remaining leads and the missing firearm. Sotheni has not commented on the charges. His next appearance is scheduled for 25 March 2026 at the same court for the bail hearing.