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BEDFORDVIEW - A woman was killed on Friday morning after a large rock was allegedly thrown from the Concord Road Bridge onto the R24 freeway near Bedfordview, east of Johannesburg. The rock smashed through the windscreen of her vehicle on the eastbound carriageway, shortly before the Gillooly’s Interchange, at approximately 07:38. The impact caused fatal head injuries. The driver subsequently lost control of the vehicle, which crashed into the roadside barriers. She was declared dead at the scene. Ekurhuleni Metro Police confirmed that an inquest docket has been opened at Bedfordview SAPS. Authorities are appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident or may have information that could assist the investigation to come forward.

FREE STATE - A 50-year-old suspect, who is the husband of the victim, will appear in Zastron magistrate court soon on a charge of rape. This is after the incident that happened at their home in Refeng-kgotso in Zastron.   The 54-year-old victim alleges that on Friday, 14 August 2026, at 02:00, she was at home busy with her clients as she is a Sangoma. Her husband came to her and demanded to be intimate with her. The victim refused as she was busy working. The suspect grabbed her and forcefully took her to the room. He undressed both of them and violated her without consent. After he finished, he got into bed and went to sleep. During the morning of Friday, 18 August 2026, at 07:00, the victim decided to report the incident. A case of rape was opened and is being investigated by the Smitfield Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offenses Unit.

CAPE TOWN - Parliament has approved the extension of driving license card validity in South Africa, which will increase the time between renewals from 5 to 10 years. Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni confirmed the approval in a post-Cabinet briefing on 30 July. Cabinet approved the extension of the validity period for license codes A, A1, B and EB, Ntshavheni said. However, this will only apply to light motor vehicles. Heavy, commercial and transport vehicles will adhere to the current renewal cycles of between two and five years, and professional licenses will remain on the two-year cycle.

OVERBERG - Following the previous media statements issued by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (the Department) we can confirm that laboratory sequencing has confirmed that pilchard herpesvirus (PHV) genetic material is present in sampled sardines. Its role in the recent sardine mortality remains under investigation. PHV was detected in both dead sardines and, at lower levels, in some apparently healthy sardine collected from the West Coast. This suggests that the presence of the virus alone may not be sufficient to cause mass mortality.    Scientists are therefore also investigating whether an environmental stressor, such as harmful algae, low oxygen or unusual oceanographic conditions, may have triggered or intensified the event. This remains a hypothesis requiring further evidence. Tests for toxins in sardines collected off Saldanha Bay, the Cape Canyon and Gansbaai, together with an apparently healthy comparison sample from St Helena Bay...