Free State police are investigating the alleged theft of anti-retroviral medication, after seizing a boot-load of drugs in Bloemfontein.
Image: SAPS
A large quantity of HIV pills were found in the boot of a BMW, covered with a blanket, at the Bloemfontein railway station.

The vehicle was registered in the Eastern Cape.

Two suspects were arrested on Thursday for being in possession of boxes and bags full of antiretroviral tablets, with brands such as Atroiza, Odimune and Tribuss, said Free State police Brigadier Motantsi Makhele. “The total number of bottles containing the ARV tablets is 1,068.”

Makhele said the two suspects are a 33-year-old man alleged to be an employee of the department of health based at a clinic in Lady Grey, in the Eastern Cape, and another man, aged 45.

A case of possession of suspected stolen property was opened.

Lansdowne officers acted on information that a Nissan bakkie and Mazda bakkie were being loaded with cables in Wetton Road.
Image: City of Cape Town
Four suspects were arrested after they were found in possession of 303kg of railway cables in Cape Town, police said on Friday morning.

Police spokesperson Siyabulela Malo said Lansdowne officers acted on information that a Nissan bakkie and Mazda bakkie were being loaded with cables in Wetton Road.

The two vehicles were seized and the suspects aged between 24 and 34 were arrested before they could enter a local scrap metal yard.

Malo said the railway cables had an estimated value of R83,000.

The suspects are expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court soon.

In a separate incident in Durban, a 30-year-old man was arrested for stealing Telkom cables near railway tracks on Orient Drive.

Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said three men were allegedly stealing the cables and loading them into a truck when officers pounced.

Two of the men managed to flee the scene on foot.

The cables were valued at R400,000. Police confiscated the truck, a pickaxe, chainsaw and other tools.

Finance minister Tito Mboweni has joined Instagram.
Image: ESA ALEXANDER/SUNDAY TIMES
Finance minister Tito Mboweni has received a warm welcome on Instagram after creating his account on Thursday. The minister shared a link to his profile to ensure people did not get lost in the sea of fake social media accounts.

It isn’t yet clear what kind of content the minister will share on the platform as he has so far shared two selfies. Last year Mboweni announced his decision to quit Twitter, saying it was an abusive platform.

“After a long thought process, I have decided not to do any original tweets any more.

“I might, just might, retweet (not endorsement). I came to the conclusion that Twitter is no longer about its original purpose, that is to create a networked society. It is now an abusive platform.”

Mboweni had made a name for himself as a lighthearted politician who enjoys sharing his home cooked meals, including bunny chow and his famous canned fish stews.

The decomposed body of transgender activist Nare Mphela was found in her rented room in a village outside Mokopane, police said on Friday morning.

Community members raised the alarm after a strong smell permeated the Parkmore, Sekgakgapheng village.

Police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said the community was also worried that her boyfriend’s car had not been moved in a long time.

Mojapelo said her body was found with multiple stab wounds and was already in a “state of decomposition”.

The SA Human Rights Commission’s Limpopo head, Victor Mavhidula, said Mphela had approached them after she faced discrimination about her gender identity from her school principal.

“At the time of the incident, Nare left school and it was so touching,” Mavhidula told TimesLIVE on Friday morning.

Mavhidula said when they prepared for the court battle, Mphela was always present to add her contribution.

He said it was the first time his office had tackled a gender discrimination case.

In 2017 in a landmark ruling, the Seshego magistrate’s court ordered the Limpopo department of education to pay R60,000 in personal compensation to Mphela.

Mavhidula said the school’s principal was ordered to undergo gender-equality training.

He said this was a big victory for Mphela and LGBTQI+ rights in South Africa.

According to Mavhidula, Mphela had been active in the community and spoke out against gender discrimination.

“Working with Nare was very rewarding, even for my office. It is very big loss because Nare was a strong-willed person who was no pushover.

“Her contribution in the community was always visible.”

Police have taken her boyfriend in for questioning.

“We believe this might be a hate crime. We can’t rule out that possibility. We believe she might have been targeted because of her stand on LGBTI+ rights.”

A memorial service will be held at 3pm on Friday.

A flooded road in Emalahleni after a morning of heavy rains.
Image: Supplied/ SACCW
Heavy rains have battered Emalahleni (Witbank) in Mpumalanga, leaving certain areas flooded on Friday.

The SA Community Crime Watch Group operations co-ordinator, Maureen Scheepers, said they had received several reports about inaccessible roads.

In some incidents, vehicles had been swept away by floodwaters. We received about five calls this morning where vehicles were trapped. When we responded to those calls, we found the motorists had managed to get out of their vehicles so it was just vehicles that need to be towed out,” said Scheepers.

She urged motorists to be cautious.

“Be vigilant when approaching these pools of water. Avoid crossing the gathered water pools. Reduce your speed, switch on your headlights and keep a safe following distance,” Scheepers advised.

“For any water-based emergencies, please contact the NSRI Witbank direct on 060 962 2620,” she said.

In some areas, residents were trapped in their homes as flooded roads prevented them from leaving their properties.