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Cape Town News | Friday, 28th of November, 2025
Western Cape Headlines
Today’s Headlines
Provincial news: Crackdown erupts as government targets Cape gangs.
City news: Fear spikes after deadly Lion’s Head paragliding crash.
Crime report: High Court slams “ambush case” and frees banned investigation.
Feel-Good Friday: Global Netflix giant storms back into Cape Town.
WP sports: Racing season ignites as thousands flood Kenilworth.
Local events: Cape Town braces for massive festival surge
Weather: Cloudy start, clearing skies, and restless seas tomorrow.
Today’s CTNews bulletin brings you the latest verified updates from across the Western Cape. In this edition we cover Crackdown erupts as government targets Cape gangs, Fear spikes after deadly Lion’s Head paragliding crash, High Court slams “ambush case” and frees banned investigation, Global Netflix giant storms back into Cape Town, Racing season ignites as thousands flood Kenilworth, Cape Town braces for massive festival surge and the latest weather for Cape Town and surrounding areas.
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Provincial News:
Crackdown erupts as government targets Cape gangs.
Authorities are escalating efforts to curb violent crime in the Western Cape after weeks of relentless gang-related murders left communities unsettled. Deputy President Paul Mashatile told the National Council of Provinces that the national government is weighing the deployment of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, known as Natjoints, to stabilise the situation. He said fragmented policing has undermined investigations and allowed gang leaders to exploit gaps within the justice system.
Natjoints integrates policing, defence and intelligence resources to ensure arrests are backed by investigations strong enough to secure convictions. Without that, Mashatile warned, suspects risk returning to the streets within days. Smile FM reported that dozens of murders have been recorded across the Cape Flats, with nearly four hundred lives lost in a single month across the province, intensifying calls for immediate intervention. Parliament is also moving to examine the root causes of conviction failures, a step that City leaders believe may push long-awaited reform into the national spotlight.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis welcomed the inquiry, calling it a crucial opportunity to raise persistent concerns about weak conviction rates and shortages within national policing structures. He said arrests alone mean little without follow-through, noting that detectives and prosecutors remain under-resourced. The City argues that broader investigative powers for municipal officers would strengthen case dockets and improve prosecution outcomes. Alderman JP Smith highlighted operational challenges uncovered by the Madlanga Commission, from precincts without laptops to detectives relying on personal phones and shortages of basic materials, including statement paper and DNA kits for gender-based violence cases.
Parliament heard that vacancy rates in several precincts range between twenty and forty percent, with more than two hundred detective posts unfilled as of August. Officials believe enhanced Natjoints involvement, combined with structural reform, may finally provide a pathway to stable and effective anti-gang policing across affected Cape communities.
City News:
Fear spikes after deadly Lion’s Head paragliding crash.
Safety concerns are rising within Cape Town’s soaring community after a second fatal paragliding crash involving the same specialised wing type occurred on Lion’s Head. A thirty-six-year-old South African pilot died on Tuesday while flying a Flare Moustache parakite, a high-performance hybrid wing designed for strong coastal winds and known for its aggressive handling. The South African Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association confirmed the pilot was a licensed member and said an official accident report is pending.
Chairperson Louis Stanford told Cape Argus that this is the second fatal crash involving the Flare Moustache since a similar incident in twenty-twenty-three. He said the association had already begun reviewing launch and landing protocols even before the latest crash, and the process will continue alongside the formal investigation. The tragedy prompted a multi-agency rescue effort involving Wilderness Search and Rescue, Western Cape emergency services and SANParks rangers, who worked under challenging conditions on a steep west-facing slope. WSAR spokesperson David Nel said the terrain required more than thirty rescuers and specialised lighting, including drones, to reach the scene as daylight faded. He noted that while such incidents are not frequent, they occur regularly enough to remain a concern.
Data collected over twenty-five years shows forty-three recorded incidents, including eight within the past year alone. Authorities say the cause of Tuesday’s crash remains unclear, and the aviation authority has appealed for witnesses or footage to assist in the investigation. The latest incident has renewed scrutiny over whether high-performance wings require stricter guidelines for recreational use around Cape Town’s mountainous launch sites, particularly on days of strong or unstable winds. The City is expected to engage with aviation bodies once findings are released.
Crime Report:
High Court slams “ambush case” and frees banned investigation.
A gag order preventing Open Secrets from publishing an investigation into the export of South African-made armoured vehicles to a state-owned company in the United Arab Emirates has been lifted by the Western Cape High Court. The order was overturned by Judge Nathan Erasmus, who said he needed to assess whether the case amounted to “litigation by ambush” after Open Secrets was given only two hours’ notice to appear during the earlier urgent hearing on five November.
The armoured-vehicle manufacturer, Integrated Convoy Protection, argued that publication of the investigation posed reputational and financial risks. Their legal representative claimed the company might lose business if the client’s identity became public. The vehicles in question are sold to the United Arab Emirates, a country that has faced allegations of backing armed groups involved in atrocities in Sudan. During proceedings, Erasmus suggested that Acting Judge Gavin Cooper may not have had the full picture when granting the temporary gag order. Counsel for Open Secrets argued that Integrated Convoy Protection withheld crucial details, including redacted contract information, which concealed the nature of the vehicle exports.
Amabhungane , admitted as amicus, argued that the public has the right to know when components for armoured vehicles may end up in conflict zones. After the ruling, Open Secrets director Hennie van Vuuren welcomed the decision, saying the court had protected the public interest and affirmed the importance of investigative journalism in holding powerful actors accountable. He said the organisation will now proceed with publication.
Feel-Good Friday:
Global Netflix giant storms back into Cape Town.
Cape Town is lighting up with excitement as Netflix’s hit series One Piece returns to the Mother City for filming of its third season. GoodThingsGuy confirmed that the full Straw Hat crew is back on set, signalling another major international production anchored in Cape Town’s growing film sector. The show’s global success has been remarkable since its debut in twenty-twenty-three, reaching the top ten worldwide, climbing to number one in more than seventy-five countries and becoming the first English-language Netflix series to top charts in Japan.
Over two years it has drawn nearly one hundred million views. Cape Town’s landscapes and purpose-built sets now form a significant part of One Piece’s world, cementing the city as a preferred location for international shoots. Previous productions filmed here include Mission Impossible Eight, Black Mirror and Raised by Wolves. Season Three features returning cast members Iñaki Godoy as Luffy, Mackenyu as Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero as Usopp and Taz Skylar as Sanji. New cast additions include Cole Escola, Xolo Maridueña and Joe Manganiello.
The series, based on Japan’s highest-selling manga with more than five hundred million copies sold, follows Monkey D. Luffy’s quest to become King of the Pirates. Filming is expected to inject significant economic activity into the province, with local crews, hospitality, logistics and tourism sectors all benefiting. Officials say the production helps keep Cape Town front and centre in the global filming landscape, and fans can expect vibrant behind-the-scenes activity over the coming months.
WP Sports:
Racing season ignites as thousands flood Kenilworth.
Cape Town’s Summer Festival of Racing has kicked off with a vibrant display of culture, fashion and elite sport, as thousands attended the Cape Punters Cup at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse. The event marks the start of a three-month racing season running through February and showcases how racecourses are evolving into cultural hubs that blend thoroughbred racing with food, music, premium hospitality and family-friendly entertainment.
Lavina Naidoo, account manager for Pulse Communications, said the festival captures Cape Town’s creative energy, offering high-end fashion moments, boutique shopping, wine tasting and world-class racing. She highlighted upcoming fixtures, including the Cape Fillies Guineas, the festive fair for the Cape Guineas, the prestigious L’Ormarins King’s Plate, the Cape Town Met and a final seafood-and-jazz celebration headlined by the Lucky Fish Cape Derby.
Race Coast Western Cape chief operating officer Donovan Everitt said the goal is to make racing accessible and exciting for all South Africans by blending heritage with modern experiences. He said this season will be one of the most inclusive yet, drawing new audiences while honouring long-standing traditions. Officials expect significant economic benefits for small businesses, vendors and hospitality providers throughout the season.
Local Events:
Cape Town braces for massive festival surge.
Cape Town is preparing for one of its busiest weekends of the year, with more than fifty events scheduled and as many as one hundred sixty thousand attendees expected across the metro. The City confirmed that Safety and Security teams, together with SAPS, will be deployed at major venues to maintain order and support Cape Town’s growing reputation as a top events destination.
Alderman JP Smith said this surge of gatherings boosts jobs, small businesses and tourism, injecting millions into the local economy. The Mitchells Plain Festival at Westridge Gardens is among the first major highlights, offering music, food, carnival rides and performances by YoungstaCPT, Paxton Fielies, Craig Lucas and others. At CTICC Two, Surf Expo Africa hosts the continent’s first ocean-sports trade show with exhibitions, workshops and brand activations. More than one thousand athletes will compete in the Torpedo SwimRun from Sandy Bay to Clifton. Lower Main Road in Observatory transforms into a pedestrian-only zone for Streetopia, a free event showcasing art, performance and creativity.
Athlone Stadium hosts the eighty-sixth Cape Malay Board competition, while the Heineken World Tour brings motorsport action and a Red Bull Formula One demonstration to Green Point Precinct. Additional community events include the OK Mamre Community Sevens, Western Cape Marching Bands, the Toy Run at Killarney and the Tournament of Dreams in Strandfontein.
Money Markets:
WP Weather Forecast:
Cloudy start, clearing skies, and restless seas tomorrow.
Tomorrow Cape Town starts off with broken cloud and a few light showers moving through during the morning, with the day settling into a mix of sunny spells and scattered cloud. The temperature reaches a warm twenty-four degrees with a real-feel closer to twenty-six in the sheltered parts of the city. The wind comes from the south at around twenty kilometres an hour with gusts building toward forty to fifty kilometres an hour along the exposed coastline.
It will feel fresher later in the afternoon as cloud cover sits around the mid-forty percent mark. The ultraviolet index peaks at eight, which is considered unhealthy, so it is wise to keep sunscreen on hand. Inland towns like Paarl and Stellenbosch begin slightly warmer and stay mostly clear after the early cloud lifts, giving them a steadier day for outdoor plans. Along the Atlantic side the ocean stays lively, with a south-west primary swell of around zero point five metres at about nine seconds and a secondary swell running at twelve to fifteen seconds.
The sea becomes a little fuller toward the late afternoon. Expect a low tide early at around six o’clock in the morning, a high tide near midday, and a falling tide again by early evening. Sunrise is at twenty-eight minutes past five and sunset at nineteen minutes before eight. It should be a comfortable day for the many Cape Town events taking place this weekend, especially as conditions improve into the afternoon.
TODAY’S NEWS SOURCES:
Provincial Politics – Western Cape Government – Public Statement
City News – Business News – Staff Reporter
Crime Report – Cape Argus – Genevieve Serra
Traffic Updates – IOL – Tracy-Lynn Ruiters
WP Sports – Independent Media – Match Report
Local Events – Anything Goes – Event Listing
Weather – South African Weather Service, Windy, Magicseaweed, Tide Forecast – Live Data
MONEY MARKET SOURCES:
Currencies: FNB FX – FirstRand Bank Ltd
Commodities: Goldbroker.com – Gold Broker Ltd
Crypto Market: Binance.com – Binance Holdings Ltd
CTNews will continue to track these stories and bring updates as new information becomes available. For the latest bulletin remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel and visit ctnews.co.za for daily coverage and special features
Chief News Editor: Mark Botes-Lashmar
Written by: CTNews team
Publisher: Cape Town News
Region: Cape Town and Western Cape, South Africa
Contact: editorial@ctnews.co.za
