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In today’s episode, the family of the murdered Madlanga Commission witness Marius van der Merwe has spoken out about the fear he lived with before his assassination. Van der Merwe, whose testimony implicated senior Ekurhuleni Metro Police officials, told relatives he knew he was being followed. He was shot outside his Brakpan home last Friday. National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola visited the family last night, revealing that one of the two vehicles linked to the suspects, a white bakkie, has now been recovered as the investigation intensifies.
The Eastern Cape’s summer initiation season has already turned deadly. Nine initiates have died, and 24 suspects have been arrested. Survivors describe disturbing conditions, including harassment and inedible food, as monitoring teams attempt to make the season safer.
Meanwhile, the ANC’s National General Council enters its second day in Boksburg, with President Cyril Ramaphosa warning that without renewal the party risks collapse. Analyst Sanet Solomon says the ANC is acutely aware of its standing as it looks toward local government elections and its 2027 conference.
The National Consumer Commission is raising an alarm about the growing number of vehicle recalls. Around 90,000 cars have been recalled this year, with brands like Nissan, BMW, Stellantis, Toyota and Ford grappling with faulty airbags, seatbelts and braking systems. Stellantis alone has recalled more than 18,000 Kia vehicles over defective ABS fuses.
We are also keeping an eye on:
• A mass shooting in Saulsville where attackers opened fire on 25 people in a tavern, killing 12. One suspect had been released on parole last year.
• A Gauteng family whose Mauritius holiday collapsed after being scammed by a travel agency, with the owner now facing 20 fraud charges.
SPORTS
Liverpool will face Inter Milan in the Champions League tonight without Mo Salah, who was omitted from the squad after publicly claiming he felt thrown under the bus by the club. Manager Arne Slot denies the breakdown, leaving goalkeeper Alisson Becker to field questions ahead of kickoff. Elsewhere, PSV host Atletico, Barcelona take on Eintracht Frankfurt and Spurs meet Slavia Prague. Safa has confirmed Bafana Bafana will play Ghana next week in their final home fixture before heading to Morocco for AFCON, where they will face Egypt, Angola and Zimbabwe in Group B.
AND FINALLY
Awards season is heating up. Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” leads the Golden Globe nominations with nine, followed closely by “Sentimental Value,” “Sinners” and “Hamnet.” “Wicked: For Good” earned five nods but curiously missed out on Best Musical or Comedy. The Globes take place on 11 January.
That is your News Byte for 9 December 2025. For updates on these stories and more, visit enca.com or watch us on DStv Channel 403.