Saturday, 7th of March, 2026
Today’s Headlines
- Fire tragedy in Delft leaves four dead after early morning blaze
- Cape Town clinics treat nearly four thousand STI cases every month
- City employee arrested after allegedly threatening motorist with firearm
- Cape Town waste project turns landfill gas into electricity for thousands of homes
- Western Province name disappears from Currie Cup in major rugby rebrand
- March event season begins with three hundred thousand visitors expected
- Warm and clear Sunday expected across Cape Town and the Cape Winelands
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Fire tragedy in Delft leaves four dead after early morning blaze
A devastating early morning fire in Delft South has left four men dead, marking one of the most tragic residential fire incidents in Cape Town this week. Emergency services responded to two separate blazes across the metro within hours of each other, keeping firefighting crews busy throughout the early morning period.
The first incident was reported shortly after 1am when calls alerted emergency services to vehicles burning at the Nyanga taxi rank along Emms Drive in Nyanga (Nee-yang-ah). Fire and Rescue teams rushed to the scene where several minibus taxis were already engulfed in flames.
Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control by around 2am, but the fire had already destroyed five Toyota Quantum minibus taxis and four Iveco Sprinter vehicles. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in that incident. Authorities say the cause of the fire remains under investigation and police have not yet confirmed whether foul play may have been involved.
Just over an hour later, a second and far more tragic incident unfolded in Delft South when emergency crews were alerted to structures on fire at the corner of Main Road and Sandelhout Street. Firefighters from Belhar (Bel-har), Lansdowne (Lanz-down), Bellville (Bell-vil) and Mitchells Plain responded to the scene in what quickly became a major firefighting operation.
Three structures were severely damaged during the blaze, including a fruit and vegetable stall, a makeshift gym and a gas cylinder outlet. Firefighters also removed approximately twenty four gas cylinders from the area to prevent further explosions as flames spread through the site.
When crews finally gained access to the interior of the damaged gym structure, they discovered the bodies of four adult men who had suffered fatal burn injuries. Police have now opened a formal investigation into the cause of the fire.
Officials say forensic investigators will work alongside fire inspectors to determine exactly how the blaze started and whether any criminal activity may have been involved. Residents in the area have also been urged to come forward with information that may assist investigators.
Community leaders say the tragedy highlights the dangers posed by informal structures and mixed-use buildings where residential and commercial activities often occur in close proximity.
Source; (IOL) – (Robin-Lee Francke)
Cape Town clinics treating nearly four thousand STI cases every month
Cape Town’s reputation as a global tourism destination and digital nomad hub has brought economic benefits to the city, but health officials are warning of a quieter public health challenge unfolding across the metro.
City Health clinics are currently treating nearly four thousand cases of sexually transmitted infections every month, highlighting a sustained rise in infections that has been observed across the city over the past year.
Health authorities estimate that this equates to roughly one hundred and thirty patient visits each day for STI related treatment at clinics throughout Cape Town.
Officials say the increase is being recorded in communities across the metro, although areas with busy nightlife scenes such as Long Street, Sea Point and the V&A Waterfront are often highlighted as environments where exposure risks may be higher due to tourism and social activity.
Public health experts believe that part of the challenge stems from growing reliance on HIV prevention medication such as pre exposure prophylaxis, commonly known as PrEP.
While PrEP has been widely praised for reducing the risk of HIV infection, it does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections including syphilis, gonorrhoea or chlamydia.
Medical professionals warn that this misunderstanding may lead some individuals to believe they are fully protected during sexual activity when in reality they remain vulnerable to other infections.
Many STIs can remain undetected for long periods because symptoms are often mild or absent in the early stages of infection.
If left untreated, infections can lead to serious long term health consequences including infertility, chronic pelvic pain and increased vulnerability to HIV infection.
City health officials are encouraging Cape-tonians to seek testing regularly, practise safe sex and access treatment early if symptoms appear.
Source; (IOL) – (Vuyile Madwantsi)
City employee arrested after allegedly threatening motorist with firearm
A City of Cape Town employee has been arrested following an alarming incident in which a motorist was allegedly threatened with a firearm along Jakes Gerwel Drive near Bonteheuwel (Bon-te-heuw-el).
Metro Police officers responded to the situation shortly after midday on Wednesday when a motorist flagged down patrol officers and reported that a truck driver had pointed a firearm at them during a confrontation on the road.
The motorist directed officers to the vehicle, which was identified as a City owned truck. Officers stopped the driver and requested permission to search the vehicle as part of the investigation.
During the search, officers discovered a firearm with one round in the chamber as well as two magazines containing fifteen rounds of ammunition.
The suspect was immediately arrested and taken to Bishop Lavis Police Station where he was detained pending further legal proceedings.
Authorities confirmed that the individual has been charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition and was scheduled to appear in the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court.
The vehicle involved in the incident was transported to the Metro Police depot in Bonteheuwel where it will remain as part of the investigation.
Local ward councillor Angus McKenzie commended the motorist who reported the incident, emphasising that community cooperation plays an essential role in tackling crime.
Officials say the arrest demonstrates that law enforcement authorities are prepared to act regardless of a suspect’s employment status or position within the city.
Source; (IOL) – (Kim Swartz)
Cape Town turning landfill gas into electricity for thousands of homes
Cape Town is making progress toward a more sustainable waste management system through an innovative project that converts landfill gas into electricity.
The project is taking place at the Coastal Park landfill site near Muizenberg (Mue-zen-berg), where methane gas produced by decomposing waste is being captured and converted into electrical energy.
Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases and is released naturally when organic waste breaks down in landfill environments.
Environmental scientists estimate that methane emissions contribute between twenty and thirty percent of global warming effects, making it a key target in climate mitigation strategies.
To capture the gas, engineers have installed forty nine vertical wells approximately thirty metres deep into the landfill site, along with horizontal gas collection trenches embedded within the waste.
These wells collect methane and channel it through an underground pipe network to a gas processing plant located on site.
Before the gas can be used to generate electricity it must be cleaned and treated to remove moisture and impurities that could damage the engines used in the power generation process.
Once processed, the methane is used to fuel large gas engines that drive electricity generators.
The facility currently produces around 1.3 gigawatt hours of electricity per month, enough to power more than four thousand three hundred homes.
Officials say the project reduces methane emissions while also lowering the City’s reliance on bulk electricity purchases from Eskom.
Source; (Cape {town} Etc / GroundUp) – (Jeffrey Abrahams)
Western Province name disappears from Currie Cup in Stormers rebrand
A major change is coming to professional rugby in the Western Cape as Western Province will no longer compete under its historic name in the Currie Cup.
Stormers Rugby has confirmed that all professional teams will now compete under a unified Stormers brand as part of a broader restructuring of the organisation.
The move means the record thirty four time Currie Cup champions will instead take part in the domestic competition as Stormers Twenty Three.
The decision follows the organisation’s transition to the Stormers Rugby name in recent years as it sought to modernise the professional structure of the franchise.
Under the new system, all professional squads will operate under the Stormers identity, bringing the structure in line with international rugby models where one brand represents multiple teams across different competitions.
The Western Province Rugby Football Union will continue to operate amateur rugby under the traditional Western Province name.
Officials say the amateur structures remain an important development pipeline that feeds talented players into the professional Stormers system.
The newly named Stormers Twenty Three will compete in both the South African Rugby Under Twenty Three Cup and the Currie Cup.
A second development side known as the Stormers Bolts will represent the region in the South African Rugby Under Twenty Cup competition.
Stormers leadership says the move will strengthen the pathway for young players progressing into the senior Stormers squad that competes in international competitions.
Source; (SA Rugby Mag) – (Staff Reporter)
Cape Town’s March event calendar set to attract three hundred thousand visitors
Cape Town is preparing for one of its busiest event months of the year as dozens of sporting competitions, festivals and cultural celebrations take place across the metro.
City officials say at least ninety one events are scheduled for March, with more permit applications still being reviewed.
Organisers estimate that around three hundred thousand visitors will attend events across the city during the month.
The surge in activity is expected to generate significant economic benefits for the tourism sector, hospitality industry and local businesses.
Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith says March traditionally marks one of the busiest periods on the city’s events calendar.
Four major events alone are expected to contribute approximately one point eight billion rand to the local economy.
Among the highlights is the forty eighth edition of the Cape Town Cycle Tour, which will see around thirty thousand cyclists participating across multiple race distances.
Golf fans have also been watching the Standard Bank Ladies Open at Durbanville Golf Club, featuring ninety professional golfers from more than twenty countries.
Later in the month, spectators will gather along Somerset Road and Green Point Main Road for the Cape Town Carnival, where more than one thousand five hundred performers will take part in elaborate floats and street parades.
Officials say the packed calendar once again demonstrates Cape Town’s growing status as a global destination for major sporting and cultural events.
Source; (Cape {town} Etc) – (Lulama Klassen)
Financial Markets:
Warm and clear Sunday expected across Cape Town and the Cape Winelands
Cape Town and much of the Western Cape can expect a warm and settled late summer day on Sunday as clear skies dominate the forecast across the region.
Temperatures in Cape Town are expected to range between 14°C in the early morning and a high of 27°C during the afternoon, with clear conditions forecast from sunrise through to the evening hours. No rainfall is expected across the metro.
Further inland, temperatures will climb even higher as the Cape Winelands experience a warmer day. Paarl is forecast to reach a high of 31°C with a low of 11°C, while Stellenbosch will see temperatures ranging between 10°C and 27°C under clear skies.
Humidity levels are expected to sit at around 65%, contributing to generally comfortable but slightly dry atmospheric conditions throughout the day.
A south easterly wind of around 30 km/h will move across the peninsula, particularly during the afternoon period. This wind pattern is typical for Cape Town during late summer and often strengthens along the Atlantic coastline.
Ocean conditions will feature a swell of approximately 2.3 metres with a south westerly period of around 12 seconds, which could produce moderate surf along exposed beaches.
For those planning coastal activities, the tide schedule begins with high tide at 05:51, followed by low tide at 11:59, and another high tide at 18:07 later in the evening.
The sun will rise at 06:40 and set at 19:13, providing nearly thirteen hours of daylight across the region.
The UV index is forecast to reach 10, which is classified as very high. Residents and visitors spending time outdoors are advised to wear sunscreen, hats and protective clothing during peak sunlight hours.
Source; (SAWS – South African Weather Service)
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TODAY’S NEWS SOURCES:
City News – IOL – Robin-Lee Francke
Provincial Politics – IOL – Vuyile Madwantsi
Crime Report – IOL – Kim Swartz
Community News – Cape {town} Etc / GroundUp – Jeffrey Abrahams
WP Sport – SA Rugby Mag – Staff Reporter
Local Events – Cape {town} Etc – Lulama Klassen
Weather Forecast – SAWS – South African Weather Service
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
