Masabata Mkwananzi

Senior Multimedia Journalist at The Star

Gauteng shaken by brutal killings of two learners in separate attacks

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

The Gauteng Department of Education is grieving after two learners were fatally stabbed in separate incidents. A Grade 8 pupil from Forest High and a Grade 12 pupil ...

City Power warns of fraud scheme impersonating CEO in fake tender scam

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

City Power has issued a fraud alert after scammers impersonated CEO Tshifularo Mashava in a fake tender email aimed at businesses and service providers. The utility ...

Police investigate fatal shooting of woman in Johannesburg's CBD

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

A 35-year-old woman, believed to be a lawyer, was fatally shot in Johannesburg’s CBD after allegedly being followed by two unknown suspects. Police investigations ...

Joburg’s R10.3 billion wage agreement sparks fierce political showdown

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

At the centre of the dispute is the Politically Facilitated Agreement (PFA), which SAMWU says is a long-overdue intervention to correct wage disparities, while the ...

Community outcry as R280 million road rehabilitation project in Emfuleni fails to deliver

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

A multimillion-rand road rehabilitation project in Emfuleni is under scrutiny after several of the 40 upgraded roads were left damaged, incomplete, or unusable, ...

DA's treatment of black leadership in the spotlight after Khakhau's exclusion

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

As the DA faces backlash after the disqualification of MP Karabo Khakhau, critics question the party's commitment to inclusivity in leadership. What does this mean ...

Massive R4.6 billion shortfall: Gauteng Health's fight to recover unpaid patient fees

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

The Gauteng Department of Health is tightening payment controls and ramping up debt collection efforts to recover R4.6 billion in unpaid patient fees. While new ...

ICYMI: Emfuleni defends R700 million overtime spending despite failing service delivery

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

As the municipality grapples with the challenge of balancing expenditures and service delivery, the ongoing saga raises pressing questions about governance and accountability ...

Unisa wins High Court ruling against former registrar Professor Steward Mothata

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

In a groundbreaking victory for Unisa, the High Court effectively curbs further attacks from its former registrar, signalling a critical moment in institutional ...

Embattled Emfuleni spends R700 million on employee overtime as service delivery fails

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

The Emfuleni Local Municipality has spent nearly R700 million on employee overtime over six years, including about R200 million during the Covid-19 lockdown, despite ...

771 vacancies leave Gauteng’s most vulnerable without critical support

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

Gauteng’s Department of Social Development has 771 critical positions unfilled, including social workers and psychologists. Just 45 social workers cover 130 police ...

Hawks arrest duo in R800 000 funding fraud scandal

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

A company director (58) and a financial advisor (49) were arrested in Phalaborwa for allegedly defrauding the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDA) ...

Political battle erupts in Tshwane over R777 million water tanker spending

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

A political showdown has erupted in Tshwane over R777 million in water tanker spending, with ActionSA blaming the DA’s past leadership and the DA accusing the current ...

NSFAS denies viral R630,000 student payout video, cites entertainment prank

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

Viral social media claims of a massive NSFAS student payment are false and misleading. The scheme says the image is manipulated, urges the public to trust only official ...

Parents and schools urged to act after pupils seen 'puffing' on a fire extinguisher

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

Parents and schools are being urged to intervene after pupils were seen inhaling fumes from a fire extinguisher, a dangerous stunt raising serious safety concerns. ...

Viral video of schoolchildren inhaling fire extinguisher contents sparks health warnings

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

Johannesburg EMS has issued a warning after a viral video showed schoolchildren “smoking” fire extinguisher contents, cautioning that the act can cause respiratory ...

Army deployed to crime hotspots as shootings continue to terrorise communities

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

Over 2,000 soldiers have been deployed nationwide to support police in tackling violent crime and organised criminal networks, with National Police Commissioner ...

Ekurhuleni education at risk as municipal service cuts loom for 138 schools

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

At least 138 schools in Ekurhuleni face possible water and electricity disconnections after racking up more than R81 million in municipal debt. Gauteng Education ...

Clicks issues immediate recall on kids' snacks amid Listeria fears

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

The National Consumer Commission has recalled MADE 4 TOTS Chicken Corn Puffs sold by Clicks after a batch tested positive for non-pathogenic Listeria contamination. ...

South Africa's food system under scrutiny as hunger claims scores of children daily

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

With nearly 30 children dying every day from malnutrition, the South African Human Rights Commission has launched a national investigative hearing into the country’s ...

Gauteng foot-and-mouth Scare: R63 million falls short, warns DA

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

Gauteng’s livestock sector is reeling as the Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak affects over 261,000 animals, threatening jobs, food security, and the agricultural ...

Police arrest alleged gunman in the murder of Marius van der Merwe or Witness B

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

Police have made a major breakthrough in the murder of Marius van der Merwe (Witness D) with the arrest of a suspect believed to be the gunman. The arrest follows ...

Army on our streets: Who approved the SANDF deployment?

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

The DA has given Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola 24 hours to explain the legal basis and command structure behind the SANDF deployment in Eldorado Park, Westbury, ...

ICYMI: Viral video shows girl forcibly removed from minibus in Roodepoort's disturbing incident

Masabata Mkwananzi|Updated

A Roodepoort scholar transport driver at the centre of a disturbing viral video has broken his silence, claiming he acted responsibly as chaos unfolded when a learner ...

How were City properties secretly transferred to private hands?

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

The City of Johannesburg Property Company has opened 18 criminal cases after discovering that several City-owned properties were fraudulently transferred to private ...