South Africa: NGO Demands Fast Sentencing for Child Abuser - South African News Briefs - July 16, 2026

NGO Demands Fast Sentencing for Child Abuser

Non-profit organisation (NGO) Women and Men Against Child Abuse is calling for the swift sentencing of convicted child sex offender Iain Ware, reports EWN. This follows the postponement of his pre-sentencing trial in the Wynberg Magistrates' Court. The 86-year-old, who was convicted in March of indecently assaulting a Grade 5 pupil at Rondebosch Boys' Primary School in 1998. He remains out on bail despite a pending arrest warrant. The organisation welcomed the court's decision to postpone the matter by only six days, saying further delays prolong the victim's trauma and warning that South Africa should not become a haven for paedophiles.

Port St Johns Without Water for Two Months

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Residents of Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape say they have been without clean running water for more than two months, reports SABC News. This has forced households and businesses to buy water or rely on rainwater. Communities in several villages and townships have been affected, with residents describing the financial burden of transporting water from town. One resident said his family survives on harvested rainwater and, when supplies run out, must use scarce income to purchase and transport small containers of water home.

Trio to Apply for Bail in R14.9m Stone Heist

Three suspects accused of robbing R14.9 million worth of precious stones in 2013 are expected to apply for bail in the Johannesburg Magistrates' Court after spending more than a week in custody, reports EWN. Former EMPD officers Adrian Mackenzie and Ettienne van der Walt, along with businesswoman Kersha-Leigh Stols, face charges including robbery with aggravating circumstances and fraud. The State is expected to oppose bail, while suspended EMPD Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi, who was implicated during testimony before the Madlanga Commission, has not been criminally charged but faces additional internal disciplinary charges linked to the alleged robbery.

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