Joburg political briefs: arrests, court dates and schools left without power

Arrest in Jabulani linked to multiple business robberies

Police in Jabulani arrested a 26-year-old man connected to a robbery at a Boxer store and to other business robberies reported in Dobsonville, Kliptown and Jeppe. Officers recovered an unlicensed revolver and six rounds of live ammunition during an unplanned operation in Jabulani Hostel carried out between May 4 and 7. The suspect faces charges including possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, and investigations into the linked robbery cases are ongoing.

JMPD arrests for drunk driving

The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department reported that 171 motorists were arrested for driving under the influence between May 4 and 10. The arrests followed intensified, multidisciplinary operations including roadblocks and specialised patrols across all regions of Johannesburg. The JMPD warned that enforcement operations will remain heightened and urged residents to act responsibly. The department said:

“Driving under the influence is not a mistake. It is a choice that can have fatal consequences.”

Senior police officials expected in court

News outlets have reported that senior police officials Feroz Khan and Ebrahim Kadwa are expected to appear in court as part of ongoing legal processes. Further details of the charges and proceedings have been reported by national coverage.

Legal ruling flags Compensation Fund reform

Coverage of a Supreme Court decision involving COSATU has been highlighted in national reporting as emphasising the need for reform in South Africa’s Compensation Fund. The reporting framed the ruling as underscoring systemic issues requiring attention within the fund.

Severe weather warnings and service impacts

The South African Weather Service has issued weather alerts, including Orange Level 8 warnings for disruptive rainfall and flooding in parts of the Western Cape, with related impact-based warnings across several provinces. Local reporting warns of heavy rain, possible flooding of roads and bridges, damaging winds and snowfall in mountainous areas, and advises residents to prepare for emergencies.

Three Nigel no-fee schools left without electricity

Separate reporting from GroundUp details that three no-fee-paying schools in Nigel have had their electricity cut off by the City of Ekurhuleni since March for non-payment.

• Alra Park Primary owes R162,600.
• Alra Park Secondary owes R136,200.
• Happiness Primary owes R624,830.

The City of Ekurhuleni confirmed the accounts are in arrears and said electricity will be restored once the bills are paid. City officials said the municipality cannot enter into payment arrangements for the schools because the education department is responsible for paying the bills.

The Gauteng Department of Education told GroundUp that, since April 2025, schools were instructed to use their allocated budget and other funds they raise to pay municipal bills, and that schools receive rental income from cellphone towers that could be used. School governing body members said allocated funds fall far short of their bills: Alra Park Primary’s governing body chair said the school was allocated about R431,000 last year while bills amounted to R840,000. Happiness Primary’s SGB vice-chair said their allocated budget last year could only cover a quarter of their costs.

Commenting on the situation, Equal Education’s spatial justice researcher Kimberley Khumalo said the department has “shifted its legal and financial obligation onto the shoulders of no-fee-paying schools,” adding that these schools are already operating on skeletal budgets.

What this means for communities

Together, these stories underline ongoing pressures on Johannesburg’s services and communities: intensified policing operations and legal scrutiny of senior officials, simultaneous severe weather risks, and education institutions struggling to keep the lights on amid constrained budgets. Municipal, provincial and education departments remain central to resolving the immediate service issues reported.