Investigations are underway following a fatal crash in Woodstock yesterday, in which a man in his 50s was struck by a Golden Arrow bus on Victoria Road.

Police spokesperson FC Van Wyk confirmed that a case of culpable homicide has been opened.

“The circumstances surrounding the accident are under investigation. No arrests have been made. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or report anonymously via the MySAPS app.”

Golden Arrow spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer stated that the incident occurred in the early hours of the morning, involving one of their buses operating the Nyanga–Cape Town route.

“Preliminary reports indicate that a pedestrian walked into the path of the oncoming bus. The driver was unable to avoid the collision, and the pedestrian was tragically declared deceased at the scene. The bus was carrying passengers at the time. We extend our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased.”

When questioned about the status of the bus driver involved in the tragic incident, Dyke Beyer emphasised that all inquiries regarding the driver’s role, potential liability, or any disciplinary actions are now being managed by the police.

Tensions are rising across the United States as protests against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intensify, following a series of aggressive operations and the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by a federal agent.

The Trump administration says its deployment of federal agents into Democratic-led cities is aimed at rounding up undocumented immigrants. However, critics argue the operations are increasingly being used to intimidate political opponents, sparking widespread fear and anger rather than compliance.

Protests erupted nationwide after ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Good in Minneapolis. Since then, video footage has circulated showing federal agents conducting violent raids, dragging people from their workplaces, entering homes without warrants and using chokeholds. Some of those targeted were US citizens.

But Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize pic.twitter.com/Il1xI8zHUQ

— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) January 11, 2026

During a protest outside a home being raided by ICE in Minneapolis, a woman drove onto a blocked street saying she was trying to get to a doctor’s appointment. ICE agents smashed her car windows, cut off her seatbelt, pulled her out, and arrested her
pic.twitter.com/kGfYF0vZKU

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) January 13, 2026

ICE detained a U.S. citizen teacher during student drop-off at a special education school in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. Agents broke her window, pulled her from her car, used tear gas near children, and blamed her after ramming her vehicle.pic.twitter.com/mrDfv21UDn

— WarMonitor (@TheWarMonitor) January 13, 2026

Watch moments ICE agents were confronted by a small crowd at a gas station in Minneapolis after stopping a man pumping gas and demanding for proof of US citizenship.
🎥: @CBCNews pic.twitter.com/fGzkD8bv8z

— Samuel Ozonna (@Samzonal) January 13, 2026

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended the agents’ actions, saying they were “acting heroically to enforce the law.”

President Trump also weighed in, describing Good as “very, very disrespectful to law enforcement” – comments that have drawn sharp criticism from Democrats.

Democratic congressman Jamie Raskin said Trump’s remarks were “legally irrelevant” and warned that police do not have the right to use lethal force based on perceived disrespect.

Political analysts say the administration’s approach has fuelled a deeper sense of opposition. Writing in The Atlantic, commentator David Frum argued that ICE operations have become more about spectacle and fear than law enforcement, describing the agency as “less a law-enforcement body and more a content creator.”

Meanwhile, resistance is growing at community level. In several cities, residents have formed neighbourhood groups to warn of immigration raids, escort children to school and assist families too afraid to leave their homes.

Opposition has also moved into the courts. The state of Illinois has sued the Department of Homeland Security, accusing federal agents of using unlawful and dangerous tactics. Minnesota, along with Minneapolis and St Paul, has launched similar legal action, with state attorney general Keith Ellison describing the operations as “a federal invasion.”

Public opinion appears divided. An Economist/YouGov poll released this week shows 46% of Americans support abolishing ICE, while 43% oppose it. Even conservative voices are speaking out, with podcaster Joe Rogan comparing ICE to the Gestapo.

ICYMI — @joerogan: “You don’t want militarized people in the streets just roaming around snatching people up… many of which turn out to be 🇺🇸 citizens. Are we really gonna be the Gestapo?”

Wait til Joe finds out he helped the guy behind it win the presidency pic.twitter.com/fzIMM3BHxH

— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) January 14, 2026

More than 1.2 million learners in the Western Cape took their seats when the school bells rang out on Wednesday morning.  

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) confirmed that of that tally, more than 73,000 learners started grade R; 102,000 started grade 1; and 97,000 started grade 8. The department noted that these are provisional figures, with more learners expected to enrol, whereafter an official head count will take place later this month.  

Premier Alan Winde joined MEC David Maynier at Tamboerskloof Primary School to mark the first day of school, engaging with learners, parents and educators. 

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SmileFM also visited the school and spoke to Principal Randal Abrahams who shared his excitement about having the learners return and having the Premier and MEC there for the big day.  

“I see their smiling faces, the excitedness around the first day. Also very honoured to have the MEC as well as the Premier here today to honour and to recognise all the hard work that Tamboerskloof Primary has put in the last year, and just basically to come and say thank you to the teachers and the personnel here at Tamboerskloof Primary for everything that we did for our learners. And we are looking forward to 2026 to maintaining that standard, if not better those standards as well,” said Abrahams.  

Speaking to SmileFM, Winde referenced the success of the 2025 academic year in the Western Cape, noting that he is optimistic about the academic year ahead.  

“I’m looking forward to this year. We’ve got to take it again to the next level. And it’s always great to be at day one… What blows me away every year is the confidence in these young learners when they’re walking into school. It bodes very well for our future,” said Winde.

Maynier told SmileFM that he, too, was excited to see the new and returning learners kick off the 2026 school year. 

“It’s been wonderful to see the learners arrive ready and eager to attend school and of course it’s been wonderful also to meet the parents who are here to support their learners,” said Maynier.  

While there is excitement, there continues to be ongoing pressure on the provincial education system to place learners. Maynier noted that to date, 7,540 learners still needed a spot in a school. 

“I understand that this is a frustrating time for some parents, but I really do want to give parents the assurance that we will be working together with districts and schools and of course parents to ensure that every learner has a place at a school here in the Western Cape,” Maynier told SmileFM.  

ALSO READ:  7,500 WC learners still awaiting school placement for 2026 – Smile 90.4FM

As such, Winde and the WCED emphasised that infrastructure expansion remains a key focus.  

The department noted, in a statement, that nine newly built schools have been fully completed for 2026 and will be opened in a phased approach, with the first phase of two additional high schools in Khayelitsha and Kuils River opening. In total, there are an additional 175 new classrooms, with further construction underway. 

“A further 21 classrooms are in construction by School Governing Bodies, using funding provided by the WCED,” read the WCED statement.

Winde said that with a turn in the economy and more money in the budget, he’s hopeful that the WCED will get more funding to build more schools. 

“Because we’ve seen a year without load shedding, because we’ve seen a turn in the economy, that will mean that we’re getting a better share of taxes coming in, which enables us to build again more schools, employ more teachers, create more opportunity,” Winde told SmileFM.  

Both Maynier and Winde wished the teachers and school staff, as well as the learners, well for the year ahead.  

Meanwhile, the WCED continues to urge parents still seeking a place in a school for their child to contact their district office immediately.  

“We will continue to work to place all children seeking a place in our schools. This is a challenging task, as hundreds of new applications are arriving each week. We understand that this will be a frustrating period for some of our parents, but we assure them that we will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to find places for every learner in the Western Cape,” read the department’s statement.