IN CONVERSATION WITH DUMISANI BALENI

South Africa’s courts are once again in the spotlight as suspects accused of stealing precious stones worth R14 million appeared before the bench today. What might sound like the plot of a crime thriller is in fact a real case that has raised serious questions about organised crime, the security…

Established in May 2025, The Box House has quickly become one of Tembisa’s most inspiring township success stories. Founded by two young entrepreneurs, Oscar Nkululeko Shongwe and King Kopano Maime, the restaurant marked its one-year celebration on June 27th, 2026. Located at 268 Bram Masuku Street in Igqagqa Section, Tembisa,…

South Africa’s men are dying in silence. In townships like Soweto and Alexandra, poverty, unemployment, and rigid expectations of masculinity are fuelling a mental health crisis. With men accounting for nearly 80% of suicides, tomorrow we ask: why are men struggling to speak, and what must change to break this…

South Africa’s democratic institutions are once again under scrutiny as the Madlanga Commission hears evidence about the burglary of journalist Marianne Thamm’s home. What initially appeared to be a routine crime has now been linked to possible abuse of state intelligence structures, raising urgent questions about press freedom and accountability…

On 6 July 2025, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi made explosive allegations that elements within South Africa’s criminal justice system had been infiltrated by organised crime. He alleged that political interference, corruption and criminal syndicates had compromised law enforcement institutions and weakened the fight against organised crime. The…