SURPRISE VISIT EXPOSES ONGOING CRISIS AT OLIEVENHOUTBOSCH SAPS: 30 DETECTIVES, THREE CHAIRS, ONE COMPUTER. FOUR MONTHS LATER, STILL NO PROGRESS. This is what detectives at Olievenhoutbosch Police Station are expected to work with while investigating serious crimes. I made a surprise return visit to the station in Gauteng this morning, four months after my previous oversight visit in June. Almost nothing has changed. Not a single meaningful infrastructure improvement. The station is still operating from completely inadequate premises. Officers are working in cramped conditions, with temporary structures and even a trailer being used as office space. No holding cells. The generator is still out of service, leaving the station vulnerable to power failures, particularly when cables are stolen. The detectives’ working conditions are particularly concerning: * approximately 30 detectives. * Only three chairs and one computer reported in the detective office. * No official telephones. * No Wi-Fi. * members using their personal cellphones to communicate with complainants and follow up on investigations. * Only a hand full operational vehicles for 30 detectives. The one positive operational improvement is that both station trucks are now working again. That is welcome, but there has been no meaningful improvement to the station’s infrastructure. What struck me most, however, was the attitude of the police officers. I have visited many police stations across Gauteng. Despite having more reason than most to be frustrated, the personnel at Olievenhoutbosch show a level of commitment and resilience that stands out. They continue doing their jobs. They continue serving their community. And they deserve far better support from SAPS management. How can we expect detectives to investigate serious crimes effectively when they do not even have the basic equipment to do their work? We cannot keep visiting the same police stations, documenting the same failures and accepting the same excuses while nothing changes. The officers deserve better. The community of Olievenhoutbosch deserves better. IC

This is Lungile Buhlungu. Six women. Six rape convictions. In June 2025, the Western Cape High Court sentenced him to six life terms and a further 50 years for offences including kidnapping, assault, robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm. DNA helped link him to the rapes. The women who testified, and the investigators and prosecutors who built the case, deserve recognition. Convictions of this seriousness must be followed by accurate records and practical, lawful access to verified offender information. Families should not have to piece that information together from years of newspaper reports. #OpenTheRegister IC

THREE YEARS SINCE MEGAN GRIESEL WAS MURDERED. HER FAMILY IS STILL WAITING FOR ANSWERS. Tomorrow, 21 October, marks three years since 20-year-old Megan Griesel was shot and killed in Lydenburg, Mpumalanga. Megan was a young preschool teacher who happened to drive past the scene of an armed robbery. She never made it home. Members of her family recently contacted me, deeply concerned about the lack of progress and clear communication regarding her murder investigation. Several suspects were arrested, and three were granted bail in April 2024. The family says that, despite repeated enquiries, they have still not received a formal written update explaining the status of the investigation, outstanding suspects or when the matter will proceed in court. This morning I wrote to senior SAPS management, requesting a formal status report. I have specifically asked for clarity on the current investigating officer, outstanding investigative steps, the status of those arrested, whether additional suspects are still being pursued, and the next confirmed court date. I am not going to speculate about the investigation or make accusations without evidence. But I do believe that a family who has lost a daughter in such circumstances deserves proper communication and clear answers. An arrest is only the beginning of the criminal justice process. Investigations must be completed properly, outstanding suspects must be pursued where the evidence warrants it, and cases must be brought before court without avoidable delays. Three years later, Megan’s family should not still be fighting to establish what is happening in her murder case. I will continue following up with SAPS and seek clarity on the progress of this matter. Megan deserves justice. Her family deserves answers. IC

CONVICTED. PAROLED. RAPED A CHILD AGAIN. I could find their court records but not their photo’s. These are two court-confirmed examples of repeat sexual offending in South Africa. Isak Delport was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2012 for raping a child. In 2023, while on parole, he raped an 11-year-old girl. He had access to her through his relationship with her grandmother. In September 2026, the Western Cape High Court dismissed his appeal against his life sentence. Then there is Thapelo Johannes Ntoagae. He had previous convictions for attempted rape in 2002 and rape in 2008. While on parole, he raped a four-year-old girl in the Free State in October 2023. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in September 2025. Both men had already been convicted of sexual offences before abusing another child. These cases raise serious questions about parole supervision, risk assessment and the information available to families. A second chance does not mean that previous convictions should be hidden from the people who may be placed at risk. I want a lawful, searchable National Register for Sex Offenders that allows families to establish who has been convicted, what they were convicted of and their current legal status. #OpenTheRegister IC