Pentecostal Churches Are a Place of Everyday Care, Not Just Bizarre Spectacle: Southern African Study
In most churches, religious life forms around friendships, love, emotional support and social events.
VW
New Transporter Pricing
The all-new Volkswagen Transporter is available for sale. The new Transporter offers more space, more body styles, a higher payload and a greater economy. Anything is possible. The new-generation Transporter range is powered by a 2.0 TDI engine, offered in three power outputs, 81kW, 110kW, and 125kW paired with a 6-speed manual and an 8-speed …
Whip It
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is proud to announce its official title partnership with King of the Whip 2025, one of Southern Africa’s leading action sports events. This year’s edition takes place on Saturday, 29 November 2025 at the iconic Montecasino precinct. King of the Whip is South Africa’s premier Freestyle Motocross event, having grown from humble …
The Next Generation Transporter
Volkswagen is set to introduce the all-new Transporter, scheduled for launch in September 2025, marking a significant step forward in Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles lineup. The new Transporter offers more space, more body styles, a higher payload and a greater economy. Anything is possible. The new-generation Transporter range is powered by a 2.0 TDI engine, offered …
Now in 222KW
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has expanded the Amarok line-up with the addition of a new engine, the 2.3 turbo petrol engine with 222kW. The engine is offered with a 10-speed automatic transmission and it will be based on the PanAmericana derivative. The Amarok PanAmericana 4Motion® is offered with standard features such as 12-inch Active Info Display, …
The Legend Is Back – At Under a Bar
Volkswagen will introduce the updated Golf GTI to the South African market in the last quarter of 2025, marking the arrival of the latest evolution of the world’s most iconic hot hatch. GTI – the next chapter in Mzansi. From kasi streets to coastal highways, no other hot hatch has captured the heart of South …
VW Tayron Pricing
Following its premier at the Volkswagen Indaba early in 2025, the all-new Volkswagen Tayron is available for sale in South Africa. The 7-seater sport utility vehicle is positioned between the Touareg and the Tiguan. The new Volkswagen Tayron is engineered and built in Wolfsburg, Germany. Technology systems that were first developed for the Touareg have …
Emotional King of the Hill at 15th Simola Hillclimb Ends
The 15th edition of the Simola Hillclimb was characterised by difficult emotions matched to brave competition at the highest level during the King of the Hill challenge.
Wild Cars and Superstars Set for Modified Saloon Car King of the Hill Challenge
Volkswagen Motorsport is upping the ante once again by bringing seven-time World Rallycross champion Johan Kristoffersson to compete at 15th Simola Hillclimb in 2023 title-winning all-electric WRX Polo RX1e Five-time Modified Saloon Car winner and current record-holder Franco Scribante will resume ongoing battle of the Nissan R35 GT-Rs with Reghard Roets Formidable line-up of other […]
Mighty Single-Seater King of the Hill Battle on the Cards for 15th Simola Hillclimb
Long-standing rivals Andre Bezuidenhout and Robert Wolk will be going head-to-head in equal machinery this year – both driving Gould GR55B hillclimb racing cars Three exciting new Investchem MSA4 single-seater race cars set to compete this year, along with Formula Ford and Formula VW entries Rui Campos expected to be a strong contender for podium […]
White – Ball Action Awaits SA Rural XI and SA Forces XI
GQEBERHA: SA Rural XI and SA Forces XI are set to face each other in a round of white-ball matches...
Pricing for the All-New Volkswagen Crafter 50 Announced
Following its South African premiere at the Volkswagen Group Africa Indaba early in February 2025, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has announced pricing for the new Volkswagen Crafter 50 range. The new range is available in an Extra-Long Wheelbase (4,490 mm in length), rear-wheel drive and a choice of 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic gearbox. Its maximum …
Rhino poachers handed prison sentences
Rhino poachers handed prison sentences
Police have commended the sentencing of three wildlife poachers, who have been found guilty of a number of serious crimes by the Skukuza Regional Court.
Two South African citizens, Sam Khosa (40) and Solly Bennett Selahle (30), and Mozambican national, Oddis Maluleke (46), were sentenced by the court on Friday, 24 January.
During proceedings, the court heard that on Friday, 15 February 2019, a regional field ranger observed suspicious activity inside the Kruger National Park (KNP) involving the accused individuals.
A field ranger, who passed away before the case was finalised in court, was seen transporting two passengers in his vehicle and meeting with another individual, later identified as Selahle. The regional ranger immediately called for backup.
Two vehicles, a VW Polo and a Hyundai, were intercepted on the road between Skukuza and the Kruger Gate.
Upon searching the Hyundai, one hunting rifle with ammunition, one rhino horn, two knives and some clothing items were discovered.
The four suspects were immediately arrested and charged accordingly. The two vehicles were also confiscated by the police.
During their court appearance, the four were granted bail at the Bushbuckridge District Court. As proceedings of the case continued at the Skukuza Regional Court, the implicated field ranger passed away, leaving behind the other three suspects to face the music.
After a lengthy legal process, Khosa and Maluleke were convicted and sentenced as follows:
- On Count 1: Trespassing in a national park. The two were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.
- On Count 2: Contravention of the Immigration Act of South Africa. The two accused persons were not found guilty.
- On Count 3: Possession of an unlicensed firearm. The two were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.
- On Count 4: Possession of a firearm with the intention to commit crime. The two were sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.
- On Count 5: Possession of a prohibited firearm (serial number obliterated). The two were sentenced to six years’ imprisonment.
- On Count 6: Conspiracy to commit crime. The two were sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.
- On Count 7: Illegal hunting of rhinoceros. The two were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.
- On Count 8: Possession of unlicensed ammunition. The two were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.
- On Count 9: Possession of a dangerous weapon. The two were sentenced to one year imprisonment.
The court ordered that the sentence on Count 3, 4, 8, and 9 run concurrently with Count 5.
The effective sentence for the two accused persons will be 22 years’ behind bars.
On the other hand, Selahle was sentenced to four years’ in imprisonment for conspiracy to commit crime.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General, Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi, commended the collaboration between various stakeholders, which led to the successful conviction of the poachers.
"We are encouraged by the sentences handed down to these poachers. We hope that the sentences will serve as a deterrent to others, who might consider emulating the actions of the accused persons," said the General. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Mon, 01/27/2025 - 09:34
60 views
Mpumalanga shooting claims the lives of eight
Mpumalanga shooting claims the lives of eight
A team of experts has been put together to investigate the killing of eight people at a liquor outlet in Pienaar in Mpumalanga.
This follows Saturday morning’s shooting incident where six people died at the scene and two other victims (a man and woman) succumbed to their injuries later in hospital.
“Three other victims (two males and a female) are still receiving medical treatment after sustaining some injuries during the incident,” the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga said.
The motive for the shooting is still unknown and two VW Polo's were also found at the scene with bullet holes with one of the victims found dead inside one of the vehicles.
“There is a team of experts in the investigation field that has been assembled to investigate this incident. A 72-hour plan has been activated subsequent to the incident. No one has been arrested so far and police are still in pursuit of the perpetrators,” said the police.
Additionally, the SAPS is appealing to anyone with information that may assist in apprehending the suspects to call the Crime Stop number 08600 10111 or send information via MySAPS App.
All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi has strongly condemned the incident.
"We are very much concerned about these shooting incidents that have occurred recently in our province however we are working around the clock to ensure that perpetrators thereof are swiftly brought to book, " said the Major General. -SAnews.gov.za
Neo
Sun, 01/12/2025 - 12:37
74 views
New vehicles to help fight crime in eThekwini
New vehicles to help fight crime in eThekwini
To bolster ongoing efforts to curb crime and ensure increased police visibility, the eThekwini Metro Police in KwaZulu-Natal has procured an additional 146 vehicles to be added to their fleet.
The procurement of new vehicles comes after the city announced plans to roll out the Smart Policing System, which seeks to fast track crime reports.
eThekwini Metro Police spokesperson, Colonel Boysie Zungu, said the fleet includes 50 Volkswagen (VW) Golf GTIs, 29 Ford Rangers, 30 Isuzu bakkies, and 37 VW Polos.
Zungu commended the council for approving the procurement and for sharing the Metro Police’s vision of ensuring a safe city for residents, businesses and visitors.
“Further crime prevention initiatives will be implemented and will be announced in due course as the city prepares to welcome thousands of holidaymakers during the festive season,” Zungu said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Thu, 10/17/2024 - 09:40
151 views
Choosing the Right Brand-Specific Warranty for Your Vehicle
When it comes to brand-specific warranties, drivers of popular makes such as Toyota, BMW, and VW can benefit from plans tailored to their vehicles. These warranties provide coverage for common issues associated with specific models, ensuring that repairs are handled efficiently and effectively. For Toyota owners, a Toyota extended warranty offers coverage beyond the manufacturer’s …
Young Joshua Moore revs up South Africa’s racing circuit
Imagine being under 122cm tall, stepping up from karting into mainstream circuit racing, and becoming one of the youngest drivers in South Africa at the Volkswagen Rookie Cup, all before your 14th birthday. This is exactly what Gqeberha-born karting champion Joshua Moore has achieved, and he’s just getting started… Just exactly when the driving bug …
Operation Shanela nets more than 900 suspects in the Free State
Operation Shanela nets more than 900 suspects in the Free State
Operation Shanela has nabbed 967 suspects in the Free State last week.
Police in the province say 50 suspects were arrested for possession of drugs, with nine being arrested for rape, four for murder and 14 for attempted murder, while 28 were arrested for possession of dangerous weapons.
Twenty-one suspects were arrested for property crimes; 45 were arrested for malicious damage to property and 107 were arrested for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
In Virginia, on 26 June 2024, members of Crime Intelligence provided information on two suspected vehicles seen around petrol garages.
Three suspects were arrested after an illegal firearm was found in the vehicle in which they were driving. The second vehicle, a VW Golf, was traced and found with three occupants, and a firearm was also found and confiscated.
In another incident, a vehicle was traced and stopped. All three males found in the vehicle were also arrested after a 9mm firearm was found and confiscated.
In Rouxville, one foreign national was arrested after his bakkie was stopped at a roadblock and while the police were searching the vehicle, they found boxes of illicit cigarettes worth an estimated R12 million.
In Springfontein, two males, aged 23 and 25, were arrested after they were stopped by highway patrol on the N1 and dagga worth an estimated R1.7 million was found in the back of their bakkie.
In Batho, an illegal foreign national was arrested after he was found with an unlicensed firearm. This is after police received information that the suspect might have been part of a group that robbed a tuckshop.
Detective tracing operations, as part of Operation Shanela, saw more than 215 suspects, who did not have the legal documents to be in South Africa, being taken to Home Affairs for further handling.
Thirty-three people were arrested for driving under the influence, while 253 drivers were fined for contravention of the Traffic Act.
Operations are continuing throughout the province and community members are urged to continue providing information on crimes taking place, and to work with police to identify possible suspects. – SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Tue, 07/02/2024 - 09:37
180 views
Driven to win – Chloe Stuart’s journey from a battery-operated car to the DOE Formula Vee
There appears to be no age barrier when it comes to the love of racing because at 18 months old, well before she could speak, Chloe Stuart was drifting in the battery-operated car her parents bought her. At age 7, she moved onto quad biking and vocalised her dream of wanting to race. Her dad, …
Thembisa Man Drives Away In Brand New VW Golf After Winning The ‘PowerPlay Win A Golf R’ Competition
Thembisa Man Drives Away In Brand New VW Golf After Winning The ‘PowerPlay Win A Golf R’ Competition Thembisa – Vusani Mulaudzi, 32, a Thembisa local, was the ecstatic winner of the custom PowerPlay VW Golf R, valued at R1,200,000. A very delighted Vusani received his prize at a ceremony in Thembisa. “I just …
No lack of investor confidence in SA – Minister Ntshavheni
No lack of investor confidence in SA - Minister Ntshavheni
Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshaveni, has reiterated government’s stance that “there are no investors leaving" the country in droves.
This as some media reports stated earlier this month that Shell is leaving South Africa after operating in the country for over 100 years.
The Minister was speaking on the sidelines of the Presidential District Development Model (DDM) Imbizo held at Kuruman in the Northern Cape on Thursday.
“There are no investors that are leaving the country in droves. You are dealing with commercial transactions which companies look at. One company comes out, another one comes in.
“[There was] a story that VW was leaving South Africa. VW just reinvested R4 billion preparing for a new line of auto-manufacturing vehicles that are coming in 2027 to 2029. So, it’s commercial transactions that happen globally. Every business looks at their own opportunities and says what’s in their own interest and it doesn’t mean it’s a reflection on the investor confidence in the country,” she said.
The Minister said investments “continue to flow into this country” – citing the Boegoebaai green hydrogen project as an example.
“I could churn out the numbers that are invested. The President has mentioned Boegoebaai. There are international investors that have partnered with us on Boegoebaai and there are South African companies themselves.
“What’s important is when your own businesses invest in your own country – that’s most significant than anything else because it shows the international community that we have confidence,” she said.
In the State of the Nation Address (SONA) earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted that green hydrogen and electric vehicle manufacturing are receiving particular attention.
“We are going to set up a Special Economic Zone in the Boegoebaai port to drive investment in green energy. There is a great deal of interest from the private sector to participate in the boom that will be generated from green hydrogen energy projects,” the President said at the time.
Load shedding and logistics
Addressing the challenge of load shedding and the issues in freight rail to businesses, Ntshavheni said government is steadily working on those challenges.
“Three months ago, the media was saying load shedding is making sure that investors leave but we have handled load shedding up to where we are [more than a month without load shedding].
“There are notions that we are burning diesel. We are not burning diesel. Eskom has told us that they are switching off some [generating units]. They are putting some in maintenance early because we’ve got excess power.
“We have been dealing with the logistics issue with Transnet in Durban in particular and they are back on speed in terms of the backlog that they faced. So, there is no lack of investor confidence in our country.
“In terms of the World Bank, we are still rated the largest economy in Africa…and we compete with other countries toe to toe in terms of attracting investments,” Ntshavheni concluded. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Fri, 05/10/2024 - 09:37
603 views
Special 10th edition initiatives for the NELSON MANDELA BAY HALF MARATHON
Excitement is mounting as the countdown begins for the Nelson Mandela Bay Half Marathon which will be held on Saturday, 1 June from Pollock Beach, Summerstrand. Special 10th edition initiatives include bumper prize money, a new Trophy to be awarded to the Club with the Best Celebration Spirit and the first 600 athletes to enter …
An excellent weekend of racing all-round on Knysna’s Simola Hill
Knysna – The Simola Hillclimb fully lived up to its status as one of South African Motorsport’s favourite racing weekends as Volkswagen Motorsport enjoyed a most successful and thoroughly satisfying weekend of racing up Knysna’s Simola Hillclimb. Daniel Rowe and Jonathan Mogotsi delivered a giant-killing SupaPolo 1-2 in the B2 class, while Cobus ‘Prof’ Barnard …