Eleven murder-accused members of the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU 11) may soon find out whether they can return to work in Manenberg.  

The officers have been out on bail since last Friday, and one of their bail conditions prohibits them from entering Manenberg.  

Their superiors approached the High Court to seek a relaxation of this condition, arguing that the members should be allowed to resume their duties in the area, especially amid widespread gangsterism. 

Western Cape SAPS spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut confirmed the application. 

“SAPS can confirm that it approached the High Court with an application to relax one of the bail conditions imposed on the 11 Anti-Gang Unit members, namely the condition that they may not enter Manenberg for official duties,” said Traut. 

Traut said evidence was presented regarding ongoing police efforts to fight gangsterism, “particularly in areas most affected by the scourge”, in a bid to motivate for their return. 

“The matter was heard by the court, and the decision is currently awaited,”  said Traut

According to Die Burger, judgment on the application has been reserved until Monday.  

Traut did not answer SmileFM News’ query related to whether the accused are working again, but News24 has reported that the officers have returned to work, just not in Manenberg. 

The 11 accused face charges of murder, kidnapping, assault, torture and defeating the ends of justice, in connection with the death of Manenberg resident, Wade Price. He was arrested in December and died after allegedly being suffocated during police interrogation. 

@smile90.4fm Ten members of the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) were granted bail of R2000 each, after they appeared in the Western Cape High Court today (30 January, 2026) to appeal a previous decision to deny them bail. The judgment had been reserved earlier in the day, but following consultations, the bail terms were agreed upon. It relates to the alleged murder of Manenberg resident Wade Price last month, who was allegedly suffocated during a police interrogation. The eleventh accused was previously granted bail. Supporters gathered outside the court in support of their bail bid. Read more on smilefm.co.za #smile904fmnews #AGU11 ♬ original sound – Smile 90.4 FM

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has welcomed the classification of the ongoing drought and looming water supply risks as a national disaster, saying it will help the province act faster to protect water security.

The declaration, issued by the National Disaster Management Centre, covers the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape, where drought conditions are threatening essential services and livelihoods.

It places responsibility on the National Executive to coordinate the response, while all organs of state are expected to strengthen their contingency measures.

Winde says the move allows the province to take preventative action, redirect funding and tighten water restrictions where necessary.

He notes that dam levels in the Western Cape are sitting at around 50%, significantly lower than in recent years, and warns that authorities must prepare for the possibility of several dry seasons ahead.

He highlighted ongoing interventions in water-stressed areas such as Knysna and towns in the Karoo, along with major investments already made in water resilience projects.

These include new reservoirs, desalination plants, additional boreholes and upgrades to water and sewerage infrastructure across municipalities.

Residents, businesses and institutions are being urged to conserve water, while government departments must submit regular progress reports as part of coordinated prevention, mitigation and recovery plans.

A hijacking in Cape Town took a dramatic turn when suspects nearly drove off with an eight-month-old passenger. 

According to police spokesperson Captain F.C. Van Wyk, the complainant was seated inside his black Mercedes-Benz on Sydney Street near the Good Hope Centre on Tuesday night. There were four other occupants in the vehicle with him, which included three adults and a baby.  

At about 19:45, three men armed with firearms approached the vehicle. 

“[They] pointed it at the occupants instructing them to hand over their property and to exit the vehicle,” said Van Wyk.  

The group complied, and all but one passenger stepped out of the car. The baby was still in the vehicle, sitting in a baby car seat. 

The suspects climbed into the car and were preparing to flee when one of the previous occupants confronted them. 

“The father of the baby confronted the suspects and asked them to give his child to him.” 

The suspects removed the infant from the vehicle and placed the child, still secured in the car seat, on the pavement before driving off in an unknown direction. 

Van Wyk said a tracking company was immediately contacted, and the vehicle was located on Albion Close in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain. Metro Police were on the scene less than an hour after the initial incident, at around 20:30. 

“The vehicle was parked and there was one suspect inside the vehicle,” said Van Wyk.  

A 41-year-old man was arrested and is expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court once formally charged.  

A case of carjacking is being investigated by Cape Town Central police. 

Van Wyk further confirmed that no firearms were found in the vehicle and that the vehicle has since been booked in as an exhibit.  

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The University of the Western Cape (UWC) has added more than 5 000 bed spaces to accommodate students who rely on on-campus housing.

The expansion brings the University’s total residence capacity to just over 16 000 beds, marking one of the largest student housing increases at a public University in South Africa in recent years.

UWC Vice-Chancellor Professor Matete Madiba says the expansion comes at a time when the country is facing a national shortage of student accommodation.

 “The 5120 bed increase is unprecedented for UWC. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Residential Services team, who have worked tirelessly with our partners over the last several months.”

Madiba says the expansion will benefit several students at the University, who are struggling to find accommodation.

“We acknowledge that accommodation remains a deeply personal and often stressful matter for students and their families. While not every need can be met immediately, the progress made from 2025 to 2026 demonstrates a clear and measurable effort to grow capacity, reduce pressure and support more students than ever before.”

Meanwhile several students who did not qualify for on-campus residence at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) were left stranded last week.

CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley says the University provided temporary housing for the students, but is conducting a vetting process to check who is eligible for residence, noting that placement will only be done on a case by case basis.

“While we have seen an influx of applicants who expect to be placed at residences, our processes has found that many of these applicants do not meet the minimum academic standards for placement. Other reasons are returning students who have switched courses, pending disciplinary actions or they live within the 60 kilometer radius.”