Latest news with #R340
The South African
08-07-2025
- Business
- The South African
South Africa's 10 most expensive private schools in 2025
Hilton College is currently the most expensive private school in South Africa. Image: wikimedia commons Private education in South Africa isn't just premium, it's hitting luxury territory. In 2025, top boarding school fees have passed the R420 000 mark. That's shockingly more than most people's annual salary! Here's what you need to know about the most expensive private schools in the country, what they offer, and what kind of income you need to afford them. According to BusinessTech 's data from January 2025, private education costs in the country have reached new heights this year, with at least 10 private schools now charging over R340 000 per year for tuition and boarding. Rank School Location 2024 fees 2025 fees percentage increase 1 Hilton College Hilton, KZN R397 660 R420 729 5.8% 2 MichaelHouse Balgowan, KZN R368 000 R392 000 6.5% 3 St Andrew's College Makhanda, EC R363 879 R387 531 6.5% 4 Roedean School for Girls Johannesburg, GP R360 087 R387 093 7.5% 5 St John's College Johannesburg, GP R352 612 R376 589 6.8% 6 Kearsney College Botha's Hill, KZN R350 130 R374 330 6.9% 7 Bishops College Cape Town, WC R341 430 R364 680 6.8% 8 St Mary's Johannesburg, GP R335 470 R358 665 6.9% 9 St Alban's College Pretoria, GP R328 920 R353 580 7.5% 10 Diocesan School for Girls Makhanda, EC R323 040 R345 630 7.0% Well, these private schools justify their price tags with: World-class facilities, including modern labs, gyms, auditoriums, and Olympic-grade sports fields. Small class sizes: Think personalised attention and academic support. Leadership programs, which are often seen as stepping stones to Ivy League and top SA universities. Matric perks like private matric rooms, top-tier mentorship, and curated university application support. If you were to factor in the costs, to afford Hilton College or Michaelhouse comfortably, you'd need a household income of around R2.6 million to R2.8 million/year. For girls' schools like Roedean or St Mary's, you'd need around R1.4 million to R1.6 million/year. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
28-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Welcome to the high treason club
Journalist Karin Mitchell has authored The High Treason Club, which delves into the Boeremag trial of a fanatical group driven by nationalism, racism, militancy and fear. After a cross-country manhunt, 23 men were arrested and charged with high treason after the police seized explosives, homemade pipe bombs, weapons and ammunition in arms caches all over the country. On the night of 30 October 2002, eight bomb blasts tore through Soweto, leaving one woman dead and damaging vital infrastructure. The bombs were the work of far-right white Afrikaner separatist group the Boeremag, whose stated aim was to overthrow the ruling ANC government, rid the country of black people and reinstate a new Boer-administered republic. This is an edited extract of The High Treason Club published by Penguin Random House at a suggested retail price of R340. Mitchell also covered the Marikana Massacre, the Oscar Pistorius trial and other significant political events. She has been writing full time since 2016. In what became the longest and most expensive trial in the country's history, told in reporter Karin Mitchell's book The High Treason Club, the public learned of a fanatical group driven by nationalism, racism, militancy and fear. Treason It was 19 May 2003, the first day of the Boeremag treason trial. The early days of the trial were held in the Palace of Justice in Pretoria, ironically in the same courtroom where Nelson Mandela was sentenced in the pivotal Rivonia treason trial in 1964. At that time, capital punishment was in effect, and it was almost certain that Mandela and his co-accused would be executed in the Pretoria gallows if they were found guilty of some of the 200-odd charges against them. Almost 40 years later, the Boeremag accused sat squashed against each other in the same dock where Mandela delivered his famous speech in which, fully aware that he could be sentenced to death, he vowed he was prepared to die for the liberation of black people. The court found Mandela guilty on four charges relating to sabotage against the state. He was not sentenced to death, as had been widely expected, but was instead sentenced to life in prison. He spent many of the next 27 years excavating rock in the dusty white quarries on Robben Island, within sight of Cape Town and the South African mainland. Four decades after Rivonia, the trial of the Boeremag became the first high treason case to be heard in democratic South Africa. After some months, the trial was relocated and the remaining twenty-two accused lined the weighty double-rowed dock in a larger courtroom at the North Gauteng High Court, just across the road from the Palace of Justice. It was here that I first encountered the Boeremag eight years later, in May 2011, as a fledgling journalist for Jacaranda FM. Time drags in court, and on days when it felt particularly stagnant, I would observe each of the men. They'd already spent close to ten years in this courtroom, and over time I became aware of some of their habits to overcome the boredom. Some of them read outdoor magazines or a newspaper would get passed along the line until the pages became worn. Others wrote in notebooks or sketched on pieces of paper. I was often the only journalist in court for weeks on end during the period that I covered the trial. Taking advantage of the empty public gallery, I would sit at the end of the front row where it was easier to hear proceedings in the cavernous space. I had been reporting on the trial for over a year when, on 26 July 2012, in an unusually packed courtroom, Mike du Toit became the first of the Boeremag accused to be found guilty of high treason. Since there were more than twenty accused in the trial, the judgment proceedings spanned several days. The following day, his brother, André Tibert du Toit, was also found guilty. On that day, after Judge Eben Jordaan had left the courtroom, I rushed over to the dock to get a comment from either Mike or André. I wanted to capture their reactions to being convicted. As I was making my way towards them, Mike stood up, shook his brother's hand, laughed and said, 'Welcome to the High Treason Club!' His comment stopped me in my tracks, and I knew that I'd just witnessed something momentous. I was incredibly disappointed that I had not been quick enough to record the exchange between the brothers, as it perfectly encapsulated the comradery that had grown between some of these men over the decade that they had been on trial. Although I'd been attending the court proceedings since the previous year, I'd pretty much kept to myself, popping out into the foyer to report for our hourly radio news bulletins, not really interacting with anyone. So, I had to literally force myself to go up to the man regarded as the 'Boeremag kingpin'. 'Excuse me, sir,' I said with polite hesitation. 'Could I please ask you to repeat what you just said to your brother so that I can record the moment?' Mike looked at me and the rest of the photographers gathered in front of the dock and nodded. He turned to his brother, stretched out his hand and smiled from ear to ear as he re-enacted his initial response. The scene felt somewhat contrived at the time, but I managed to take a photo and got the audio that I needed for the upcoming radio bulletin. Addressing him again as 'sir', I thanked Mike for obliging to my request in such a friendly manner. 'My name is Mike. You can call me Mike,' he replied in a slightly pitched voice. A few days after this brief interaction, I greeted Mike when I went to take pictures of the accused men in the dock, which I would then post to my employer's Twitter feed. I always found it uncomfortable standing in front of accused criminals in court to photograph them, and although Judge Eben Jordaan had granted permission for photographs to be taken and it was my responsibility to do so as a journalist, it never ceased to feel intrusive. 'Is that a phone you are taking pictures with?' Mike suddenly asked, looking at the slim white iPhone in my hand. 'Indeed,' I replied, confused by the question. I carefully observed Mike as he tilted his head and stared at the iPhone. 'But where are the phone's buttons?' he asked. Then it dawned on me. Mike had never seen a phone with a touchscreen before. 'When was the last time you saw a cellphone, Mike?' 'I last used a cellphone in 2002. Mine still had buttons,' he quipped. We both chuckled, and I turned the phone around to show him the touchscreen from a distance, fully aware of the watchful eyes of the authorities in court, and I swiped to show him how one simply tapped the glass screen to make a call. 'That is very interesting,' he said as he examined the slim piece of technology from the dock. I took my seat in the public gallery, feeling as if someone had punched me in the gut. It had dawned on me that the nine years in which Mike had been locked up meant that he had entirely lost touch with the outside world and fast-moving technology. Despite this uncomfortable realisation, I couldn't believe my luck that I had just talked to one of the central Boeremag accused. In our brief exchange, I'd expressed my interest in getting a unique perspective of the trial from inside prison, something that had not been done before in this case. When I went back to the Jacaranda FM office after court, I couldn't help wondering what Mike's life was like in prison and what had led to his decision to become part of the Boeremag. In court a few days later, a lawyer handed me a folded piece of paper over the bench. 'Mike asked that I give this to you.' I looked up and saw Mike watching over his shoulder from the dock. He nodded. Before I had a chance to open the letter, the court clerk bellowed, 'All rise in court!' Judge Jordaan emerged from the door behind his bench wearing a bright red robe. He'd presided over the trial since 2003, and in that time his hair and neatly trimmed beard had changed to a crisp white. Judge Jordaan took a seat in his burgundy leather chair and hunched over the notes before him. I felt as if the letter from Mike was burning a hole in my hand, and I couldn't open it soon enough after adhering to the court etiquette of first giving Judge Jordaan my undivided attention until he took his seat. Finally, I nervously unfolded the handwritten letter: Karin You can visit me this weekend. You can decide whether you want to come on Saturday or Sunday, as long as you are inside the prison between 09:00 and 12:00. You will have to fill out a form. My details are: Name: M.T. du Toit Number: ********* Indicate that the visit will be for one hour. Very important: Don't leave anything in your car, such as phones, cameras or other valuable items. Make sure to leave all these items at home, as they will otherwise only get stolen. Regards, Mike
IOL News
23-05-2025
- IOL News
eThekwini District policing board calls for transparency in SAPS firearm and drug destruction
The eThekwini District policing board suggested that community policing structures be witnesses to the destruction of firearms and drugs by the SAPS. Image: SAPS The eThekwini District policing board has suggested that community policing structures be witnesses to the destruction of firearms and drugs by the South African Police Service (SAPS). The SAPS presented the crime statistics for the fourth quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year, covering the period from January 1, 2025, to March 31, 2025. Concerning illegal firearms and ammunition, statistics show that 1,641 firearms were seized along with 24,288 rounds of ammunition. In February 2025, the SAPS stated that it destroyed 16,049 firearms that were collected during operations or voluntarily handed over to the state. Police statistics revealed that 23,306 suspects were arrested for possession of drugs, 3,471 suspects were arrested for dealing in drugs, and R340 million worth of drugs were destroyed. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. 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Next Stay Close ✕ In South Africa, firearms were used in 2,559 murders, with 638 in KwaZulu-Natal, 697 in Gauteng, and 590 recorded in the Western Cape. Police recorded the use of firearms in 3,519 attempted murders, with Gauteng recording 1,039 incidents and KZN 890 incidents. The Inanda SAPS also featured in the top 10 for the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, with 38 being recorded, 16 more than the previous year's quarterly period. Aidan David, the chairperson of the eThekwini District policing board, said he was grateful for the sterling work that is done by the SAPS, but advocated for the Community Policing Forums (CPF) to view the destruction processes of all drugs, firearms, and ammunition. David said there should be transparency in the process to dispel rumours that confiscated firearms and drugs were recirculated in communities. 'I also like to thank the community for their input in combating crime and being the eyes and ears for the SAPS. I would like to encourage the community to join their local CPF structures and become participants in the fight against crime rather than just being complainants,' David said. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu outlined the policing priorities, which include: reducing the murder rate, reducing illegal firearms and tightening controls over legal firearms, dismantling organised crime, including drug trafficking syndicates. Mchunu said a total of 178,757 suspects were arrested in this period under review. 'It has been reported that the prison population has exceeded; this is indicative of the police work that leads to arrests, sentencing, and ultimately, imprisonment. The key to the fight against crime is improving the efficiency of our forensic services. We are increasing the number of our laboratories throughout the country, and we are equipping them with state-of-the-art equipment and technology,' Mchunu said. The National Commissioner for the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola, stated that firearms remain a persistent problem posing a significant challenge to public safety, and that is why police remove no less than 100 illegal firearms from the wrong hands, weekly. Masemola stated that 12,502 handguns, 1,921 rifles, and 1,304 shotguns were recovered. In six years, the SAPS has destroyed 279,592 illegal and unwanted firearms. 'We have registered a number of takedowns and major successes where our main focus was to clamp down on organised syndicates that are involved in the manufacturing and trafficking of drugs through targeted operations,' Masemola said.
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- The Citizen
Man who stole equipment that prevents plane crashes sentenced
The equipment valued at over R1.6 million was stolen from OR Tambo International Airport and never recovered. Emmanuel Mdakane appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court on Friday where the sentence was handed down. Picture: Instagram/Tumi Sole. A 44-year-old man who stole a traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) processor that helps prevent mid-air plane collisions between South African Airways (SAA) aircraft has been sentenced to 10 years in jail. Emmanuel Mdakane appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court on Friday where the sentence was handed down. Theft The TCAS processor, which helps prevent plane collisions valued at over R1.6 million, was stolen by Mdakane in January and February 2018 from the OR Tambo International Airport and was never recovered. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the court found Mdakane guilty of theft on 16 May 2025 based on evidence gathered by Saps Sergeant Mphephu Mabogo's investigations. 'The evidence revealed that the accused sold the TCAS processor to a complainant for R340 000, collected it and only refunded R40 000. The TCAS processor is a component that helps prevent mid-air collisions between aircraft. 'Junior state advocate Siyabonga Futshana further presented compelling evidence that exposed the accused's deceitful actions. The court ultimately rejected the accused's version of events, deeming it not reasonable,' Mjonondwane said. ALSO READ: SA Civil Aviation probes cause of aircraft crash in Mpumalanga Sentence welcomed Mjonondwane said the NPA welcomed the decade-long prison sentence handed down to the accused. 'This outcome underscores the justice system's resolve to tackle serious economic crimes and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable. The conviction and sentence reflect the NPA's unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting public resources. 'We commend the prosecution team and law enforcement partners whose efforts led to this successful prosecution. This case serves as a clear message that financial crimes will not be tolerated and those found guilty will face the full might of the law,' Mjonondwane said. Cyberattack Earlier this month, SAA was the target of a 'significant' cyberattack that disrupted several internal operational systems. The attack temporarily disrupted access to the airline's website, mobile application and several internal operational systems. SAA said interventions minimised disruptions to core flight operations. ALSO READ: SAA hit by 'significant' cyberattack disrupting internal operations
IOL News
23-05-2025
- IOL News
Man sentenced to 10 years for stealing R1. 6 million aviation safety equipment
A 44-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing a critical aviation safety component worth over R1.6 million from South African Airways, raising serious concerns about aviation security and the integrity of public resources A 44-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing a critical aviation safety component valued at more than R1.6 million from South African Airways (SAA) at OR Tambo International Airport. The Kempton Park Magistrates' Court on Thursday handed down the sentence to Emmanuel Mdakane after convicting him of theft on 16 May 2025. The court found that, between January and February 2018, Mdakane stole a Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) processor — a vital part of aircraft safety systems designed to prevent mid-air collisions. The processor was never recovered. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said Mdakane sold the stolen equipment to a complainant for R340,000 but refunded only R40,000 after collecting the money.
