Masabata Mkwananzi

Senior Multimedia Journalist at The Star

Gauteng police clash with Zama Zamas: 75 AK-47 rounds recovered in Westonaria

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

Gauteng police recovered 75 rounds of AK-47 ammunition during a dangerous confrontation with approximately 100 suspected illegal miners in Westonaria. The incident, ...

Lesufi apology fails to quell outrage over ‘hotel bath’ remark amid Gauteng water crisis

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi faces backlash after revealing he sometimes bathes at hotels during water shortages. While meant to show solidarity, residents struggling ...

Rise Mzansi calls for action-focused SONA amid ongoing national crises

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

Rise Mzansi acknowledges progress under the Government of National Unity but warns that President Ramaphosa must move beyond promises to deliver concrete plans at ...

'It's Undignified': Johannesburg water crisis leaves residents without basic services for weeks

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

Johannesburg officials deny the city has reached " Day Zero" despite residents from multiple suburbs protesting weeks-long water outages. As communities across Gauteng ...

SADAG brings teen suicide prevention directly to Gauteng schools

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

The South African Depression and Anxiety Group is combating teen suicide by bringing its prevention programme directly to Gauteng schools, reaching over 75,300 learners ...

71-year-old man arrested for murder following water access dispute in Mpumalanga

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

A 71-year-old man has been arrested for murder after fatally shooting a 33-year-old man during a dispute over water access in Mpumalanga. The incident, which occurred ...

Over 100 unroadworthy minibuses removed from Gauteng roads in safety crackdown

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

Gauteng transport authorities have removed over 100 minibuses from roads after inspections revealed critical safety failures including faulty brakes and worn tyres. ...

DJ Sbu rejects claims linking him to R100 million Ekurhuleni scandal

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

DJ Sbu has strongly denied allegations made by suspended Ekurhuleni official Adv. Kemi Behari that implicated him in a R100 million Grants-in-Aid funding scandal. ...

JMPD denies involvement in fatal anti-drug operation that killed Nigerian national

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

Johannesburg's Public Safety MMC has refuted reports linking JMPD to a deadly anti-drug operation that resulted in the death of a Nigerian national, while ActionSA's ...

Nigerian drug trafficking suspect shot dead in Ekurhuleni anti-drug operation

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

A routine anti-drug operation in Ekurhuleni escalated into gunfire, leaving a Nigerian suspect shot dead. ActionSA's mayoral candidate Xolani Khumalo, who was on ...

Learner safety in focus as Gauteng cracks down on scholar transport operators

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

Following a tragic accident that claimed 14 children's lives, Gauteng authorities met with scholar transport operators to address safety compliance issues. While ...

Two illegal miners killed in fierce two-hour gun battle with police in Carletonville

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

A police operation targeting illegal miners in possession of unlicensed firearms in Carletonville escalated into a violent two-hour gun battle, resulting in two ...

SAPS probes possible syndicate links following Wiandre Pretorius death

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

Before his murder, 'Witness D' Marius van der Merwe revealed shocking details about Emmanuel Mbense's torture and killing, allegedly at the hands of SAPS officers. ...

Defence Department condemns fake AI images of Minister Motshekga with walking stick

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

The Department of Defence has condemned the circulation of AI-generated images depicting Defence Minister Angie Motshekga with a walking stick, calling the posts ...

BREAKING: Boksburg police informant takes his own life days after surviving hit attempt

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

A 41-year-old police informant who miraculously survived a shooting with at least 16 bullets fired at his vehicle last week has been found dead in Brakpan in an ...

Meet HONOR X9d: South Africa's game-changing AI smartphone with unmatched durability

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

HONOR launches the X9d smartphone in South Africa, featuring unparalleled durability, AI capabilities, and the largest battery in the local market. The 'Unbreakable' ...

Gauteng stirs outrage with controversial redeployment of suspended top officials

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

The Gauteng Provincial Government has defended its decision to redeploy senior officials who were under precautionary suspension, citing labour regulations that ...

Midrand water woes: Fixes made, but residents still thirsty

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

Residents in parts of Johannesburg have endured more than a week without reliable water supply following system failures and reservoir leaks. As officials complete ...

Devastating Meyerton ambush: Six dead, suspects nabbed

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

Police have arrested three suspects following a deadly shooting on the R59 near Meyerton that left six Lesotho nationals dead and 18 others injured. The attackers ...

Rare birth: Limpopo mother delivers conjoined twins who are 'stable and progressing well'

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

A 29-year-old Limpopo woman has given birth to conjoined twins at Mankweng Tertiary Hospital. The twins, joined at the abdomen, are stable in the Neonatal Intensive ...

R200 million and counting: Gauteng's long-delayed Sebokeng DLTC project inches forward

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

After a decade of construction delays and ballooning costs from R63 million to over R200 million, the Sebokeng Smart DLTC project has reached 24% completion. Despite ...

SABC reverses course on Afrikaans programming after two years of controversy

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

After two years of controversial scheduling changes, the SABC has announced the return of Afrikaans news to SABC2 at 18:30 daily from February 9. AfriForum, which ...

Record-breaking year: Home Affairs issues 4 million smart ID cards

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

The Department of Home Affairs has achieved a historic milestone by issuing over 4 million Smart ID cards in 2025 - the highest annual total ever recorded. This ...

From protests to flames: Pikitup trucks set ablaze in Diepsloot amid worker fury

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

Johannesburg's MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services, Jack Sekwaila, has condemned the torching of Pikitup trucks in Diepsloot following protests by casual ...

Chaos in Sporong: Police armoured Nyalas roll in to quell disorder

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, and SAPS National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola visited the area on Wednesday, January ...