NPA Ethics Office Confirms Senior IDAC Advocate Richard Chabalala Received Alleged Gratification from Businessman Howard Mashaba

The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Office for Ethics and Accountability (OEA) has confirmed that a senior advocate attached to the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) in Johannesburg received payments from businessman Howard Mashaba, giving official confirmation to allegations first reported by African Times earlier this year.

In a letter dated 30 July 2026, the Special Director of Public Prosecutions and head of the OEA, Advocate KarenREAD MORE

South Africa’s voters’ roll has surpassed the 29 million mark after nearly 1.8 million people interacted with the Electoral Commission during the final voter registration weekend ahead of the 4 November Local Government Elections.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced on Monday that 1 794 051 citizens either visited one of the country’s 23 699 registration stations or used the online voter registration portal on 1 and 2 August to register, inspect or update theirREAD MORE

The criminal case against alleged political fixer Oupa Brown Mogotsi has been postponed to 20 August after the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court dismissed an application by the defence seeking further particulars from the State, including the identities and residential addresses of witnesses expected to testify.

The court ruled on Monday that the names and addresses of witnesses would remain confidential, citing security concerns raised by the prosecution.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), theREAD MORE

Motorists will get some relief at the pumps this week after the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources announced a 52 cents per litre cut in the price of petrol, while diesel users will face steep increases from Wednesday, 5 August 2026.

The monthly fuel price adjustments, announced by the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources on Monday, come after a decline in international crude oil prices helped lower the cost of petrol. However, rising global diesel pricesREAD MORE

The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) arrested 166 motorists for driving under the influence of alcohol during a week-long road safety operation aimed at reducing crashes and improving compliance with traffic laws across the city.

In a statement issued on Monday, the department said the arrests were made during high-visibility operations, roadblocks and routine patrols conducted between 27 July and 2 August 2026.

JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla said the department remains committed toREAD MORE

The Democratic Alliance’s legal challenge against the Expropriation Act is being heard in the Western Cape High Court, with the party arguing that the legislation is unconstitutional and was not lawfully passed through Parliament.

Speaking outside court on Monday, DA Federal Chairperson Bonginkosi Madikizela said the party believes the Act violates the Constitution and that the parliamentary process leading to its adoption was fundamentally flawed.

Madikizela said the DA was asking the court to declare the ActREAD MORE

The traditional leader of the Nyuswa clan near Hillcrest in the west of Durban has been hit with a default judgment to pay back R100,000 plus interest to a Durban company.

Inkosi Muziwenhlanhla Ngcobo (38) was ordered by the Durban Magistrate’s Court to pay back the money after he defaulted for over two years and breached an undertaking to pay the loan in several instalments.

According to court papers, Inkosi Ngcobo borrowed the money from a companyREAD MORE

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) led Uphongolo local municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal is scrambling to get R610 000 to settle a lawyer’s bill where it was a respondent.

The bizarre bill came from Nompumelelo Hadebe Inc, a Durban-based law firm that represented the municipality when, a few months ago, the mayor, Bongani Thwala and seven other councillors were trying to set aside the reinstatement of Bethuel Khali as the Municipal Manager.

Khali was reinstated after the councilREAD MORE

Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) senior investigator Mantsha Raphesu on Friday corroborated key aspects of prosecutor Drushantha Ramsamy’s testimony before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, telling the commission that a Section 28/13 summons relating to about R50 million was issued despite there being no complaint or allegation of wrongdoing.

During his evidence, Raphesu agreed with Commissioner Sesi Baloyi’s observation that using the summons process under those circumstances amounted toREAD MORE

BEIJING, July 31 (Xinhua) — China’s steady first-half growth in 2026 underscored the resilience of the world’s second-largest economy and the growing role of new growth drivers as it embarked on a new five-year development period, Chinese officials said.

Despite mounting external uncertainties, the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.7 percent year on year to 69.6 trillion yuan (about 10.25 trillion U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2026, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

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