Police rescue 90 kidnapped Ethiopians locked up in ‘inhumane conditions’ in Joburg

South African police have rescued 90 kidnapped Ethiopians who were being held in “inhumane conditions” in a building in Johannesburg, authorities said on Wednesday.

The victims, who were aged between 18 and 35, were found locked up in a building in the city’s Germiston area on Tuesday night, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement.

“The victims were allegedly held captive and forced to pay ransoms ranging from R10,000 to R30,000 to their captors,” the SAPS said.

The victims were taken to a place of safety and are receiving medical attention, the SAPS said.

Three suspects, aged between 30 and 40, were arrested and will appear in court on Thursday on charges of kidnapping, extortion, and human trafficking.

The rescue operation was conducted by the SAPS’s Anti-Kidnapping Task Team, the Gauteng Provincial Organized Crime Unit, and the Germiston Crime Intelligence Unit.

“This operation demonstrates the commitment of the SAPS to combating human trafficking and other forms of organized crime,” the SAPS said.

“We will continue to work tirelessly to bring to justice those who are involved in these heinous crimes and to ensure that the victims receive the necessary support and assistance.”

MEC launches new racism probe at Pretoria High School for Girls after 12 pupils found not guilty

The Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has launched a new racism probe at Pretoria High School for Girls after 12 pupils were found not guilty of racism by the school’s governing body (SGB).

The SGB found that the pupils were not guilty of racism after they were accused of posting racist comments on social media.

However, Lesufi said that he was “not satisfied” with the SGB’s findings and has launched a new probe into the matter.

“I have instructed the department to conduct a full investigation into the matter,” Lesufi said.

“I want to assure the public that we will not tolerate any form of racism in our schools.”

The 12 pupils were accused of posting racist comments on social media after a black pupil was elected as the head girl of the school.

The comments sparked outrage on social media and led to calls for the pupils to be expelled.

However, the SGB found that the pupils were not guilty of racism and said that they had apologized for their comments.

The SGB’s findings have been met with mixed reactions.

Some people have welcomed the SGB’s decision, while others have criticized it.

The new probe is expected to be completed within the next few weeks.

Rwanda shuts down 185 churches – so far

The Rwandan government has shut down 185 churches so far this year for failing to meet the country’s new religious regulations.

The new regulations, which were introduced in 2018, require churches to register with the government and to meet certain standards, such as having a minimum number of members and a qualified pastor.

The government says that the new regulations are necessary to ensure the quality and safety of religious services in the country.

However, some religious leaders have criticized the new regulations, saying that they are too restrictive and that they violate freedom of religion.

The government has defended the new regulations, saying that they are necessary to protect the public from harmful religious practices.

The crackdown on churches in Rwanda has been met with mixed reactions.

Some people have welcomed the government’s efforts to regulate the religious sector, while others have criticized it for being too heavy-handed.

The government has said that it will continue to enforce the new regulations and that it will not tolerate any churches that fail to meet the required standards.

CAPTURE CHRONICLES | Controversial KZN accountant bagged almost R8m from Mhlathuze Water bonanza

A controversial KwaZulu-Natal accountant, who was accused of helping to loot the VBS Mutual Bank, bagged almost R8 million from a R42-million tender awarded by the Mhlathuze Water board.

The accountant, identified as Fazel Moosa, was awarded the tender in 2017 to provide “internal audit services” to the water board.

However, a forensic investigation into the tender found that Moosa did not have the necessary experience or qualifications to provide the services.

The investigation also found that Moosa had inflated his fees and that he had submitted false invoices to the water board.

The Mhlathuze Water board has since canceled the tender and has referred the matter to the police.

Moosa has denied any wrongdoing and has said that he is the victim of a “witch-hunt”.

The VBS Mutual Bank scandal is one of the biggest corruption scandals in South African history.

The bank was looted of more than R2 billion by corrupt politicians and businessmen.

Moosa was one of several accountants who were accused of helping to loot the bank.

The Mhlathuze Water tender scandal is the latest in a series of corruption scandals to hit KwaZulu-Natal.

The province has been plagued by corruption for many years and the ANC has been accused of doing little to stop it.

Death and dysfunction: Murdered corruption investigator kept death threat fears secret from bosses

The corruption investigator who was murdered in Roodepoort last week had kept his fears of being killed a secret from his bosses.

The investigator, identified as Lourens Luyt, was shot dead outside his home on Friday night.

Luyt was investigating a number of high-profile corruption cases, including the VBS Mutual Bank scandal.

According to a report in the Sunday Times, Luyt had received death threats in the past.

However, he had not informed his superiors about the threats.

A source close to the investigation told the Sunday Times that Luyt was “very worried” about his safety.

“He knew that he was investigating some very dangerous people,” the source said.

“He was worried that they would try to kill him.”

Luyt’s murder has sent shockwaves through the South African government.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the murder and has ordered a full investigation.

The police have arrested one suspect in connection with Luyt’s murder.

However, the motive for the murder is still unknown.

Luyt’s murder is the latest in a series of attacks on corruption investigators in South Africa.

In 2018, the head of the Hawks, Berning Ntlemeza, was forced to resign after he was accused of corruption.

And in 2019, the head of the Special Investigating Unit, Andy Mothibi, was fired after he was accused of misconduct.

The attacks on corruption investigators have raised concerns about the safety of those who are trying to fight corruption in South Africa.

President Ramaphosa has said that he is committed to fighting corruption and that he will not be deterred by the attacks on investigators.