Indholdsfortegnelse for 2026-01-20 i Daily Voice

Venues The CTMCA said that it had requested stadium dates on 1, 3 and 5 January, but was told the venues were already booked. According to the association, site visits and photographic evidence later showed that Athlone Stadium standing empty on those days, raising what it described as serious transparency concerns. The association also criticised the City for offering alternative dates in January and February that clash with Ramadan and the holy night of Miraaj on January 16, saying the proposals showed a lack of sensitivity to the religious commitments of the minstrel community. Another key dispute centres on event risk classification. The CTMCA said the City blocked the use of Vygieskraal Stadium by categorising minstrel competitions as medium-risk, despite the venue being regarded as low-risk. The association said this…

Storage “Cars, homes, garages and storage places get broken into. Anyone who confronts them gets threatened. People are scared to say anything because the hostility is real.” Mense also claim underground cables were recently dug up at the back of the properties. Residents say the properties have been problematic for years. In October 2023, Table Talk reported that the body of a homeless man was found at one of the Brooklyn houses, an incident that renewed calls from the community for urgent intervention. MMC for Human Settlements Carl Pophaim confirmed the City is aware of the properties and said they are City-owned homes that were previously leased to tenants who later vacated the units. Pophaim said: “After the units were vacated, the City barricaded the properties, however unlawful occupants broke…

A STREET fight between child gangs in Mitchells Plain at the weekend saw three arrested and the community left in disgust. A video doing the rounds on social media was captured on Saturday in Tafelsig and shows a large group of children throwing stones, while small children and adults stand around cheering, with some even joining in. Between the gevloekery and screaming, the cameraman can be heard saying, “nog heeltyd”, “is net heeltyd”. The fighting stops when someone sounded the alarm that the cops were coming, shouting, “mapooza” [police]. According to a resident, who wants to remain anonymous, the fight is between three rival gangs over drug turf. They all used to belong to the same group called Spoilt Brats, but are now selling drugs for different merts. She told…

EIGHT learners from Milnerton High School are expected to return to the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court today as the case linked to a widely-circulated school assault video continues. National Prosecution Association (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said that the accused face eight counts of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The case stems from a video that circulated in October 2025 showing a group of older learners allegedly assaulting a younger pupil during what was initially described as an initiation ritual. A group of senior learners were shown hitting a Grade 8 learner with belts, a wooden log and hockey sticks. The footage sparked widespread public outrage and reignited debate around school violence and when bullying escalates into criminal conduct. Suspended The learners involved were subsequently suspended and…

Operation In a separate operation, members of Operation Shanela II arrested a 71-year-old man in Makhaza for possession of an unlicensed firearm. At about 8.22pm, police searched a residence and recovered a Ruger .44 revolver with four rounds of ammunition. The suspect will appear in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court on the charge. Meanwhile, Anti-Gang Unit members followed up on information about a firearm concealed at a house in Rugby Street, Beacon Valley. Officers spotted a suspect who ran into the house and gave chase. “A thorough search of the premises was conducted, and members found a .457 revolver firearm with 17 rounds of ammunition hidden under clothes in a wardrobe,” Gwala said. The suspect was arrested and will appear in the Mitchells Plain Magistrate’s Court once charged.…

AT LEAST 13 school children are dead after their private scholar transport crashed into a truck in Vanderbijlpark, south of Johannesburg on Monday morning. The leerders are from different primary and high schools, and were travelling in a Toyota Quantum. Their Quantum collided with a truck on the R533, known as the Golden Highway, while trying to overtake vehicles. Eleven children were declared dead at the scene. Five others sustained critical injuries and were transported to hospital for urgent medical treatment. It was later confirmed that two more died due to the extent of their injuries. The driver was also taken to hospital for treatment. Taxi Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi visited the scene of the accident and told Newzroom Afrika that the taxi carrying the children was overtaking two vehicles.…

BY THE middle of every month, the money is already gone. For pensioners and families caring for loved ones with disabilities, surviving on social grants has become an increasingly difficult task as the cost of living continues to rise. Moutie Abrahams, 64, from Surrey Estate said that his R2 130 pension usually runs out by the 20th of every month, with his biggest bill being his municipal account. The former motor mechanic explained that he uses R100 for data, R1 000 for petrol, R600 for living expenses and R500 for electricity. When times get tough and he is left with little to spare he seeks financial assistance from his children. Abrahams said: “Living on a pension makes me feel very low, because when friends say let’s go here or there…