After a heated exchange, forensic investigator, Paul O'Sullivan walked out of Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee hearing on Thursday.
While still being questioned, he said he had a plane to catch. A heated back-and-forth ensued when O'Sullivan was instructed to apologise to MPs for disparaging remarks he made about them on Crime Watch on eNCA.
READ: 'I've done enough' -O'Sullivan storms out of Ad Hoc Committee
In the interview, O’Sullivan dismissed the need to appear before Parliament and referred to MPs as crooks.
During the committee proceedings, part of the interview was played. O’Sullivan defended his comments. He argued that allegations about his integrity had been made either by members of the committee or by parties representing them as such prompting him to make the remark.
READ: O'Sullivan walks out of Parliament, EFF calls for arrest
“It’s not something that requires an apology. However, in the interest of peace, I withdraw the comment and I apologise most humbly,” he said at the time.
EFF leader Julius Malema accepted the apology but instructed O’Sullivan to retract the statement on eNCA as well.
Outside court, the private investigator lambasted the events that had transpired saying he had done enough.
READ: LIVESTREAM | O'Sullivan, Phahlane back before Parly's SAPS Ad Hoc Committee
Parliament’s legal advisors will send a written request to forensic investigator Paul O'Sullivan, asking him to return to the Ad Hoc Committee.
Committee Chairperson Soviet Lekganyane told MPs they must first demonstrate that reasonable steps were taken to secure O'Sullivan’s return before issuing a subpoena.
READ: 'I am not a spy' - Paul O'Sullivan tells MPs at Ad Hoc Committee
Meanwhile, the EFF says it will open a criminal case of contempt against O'Sullivan, arguing that his refusal to continue testifying violates the Powers and Privileges Act.
In a surprising turn of event, Ekapa Mine announced it is shutting down on Wednesday.
The company also applied for liquidation. This is despite five mineworkers still being trapped in the Kimberly diamond mine.
This now leaves 385 workers without work and they have not been paid in the month of February.
READ: Missing Ekapa miners left behind as company shuts down
In a statement, the company said: “After careful consideration of all operational, financial and safety factors, the boards and shareholders of Ekapa Resources and Ekapa Minerals have concluded that continuing to operate the business as a mining and processing company is no longer viable.
READ: Expert warns standalone diamond mines 'cannot survive' as Ekapa liquidates
“This decision follows a careful assessment which concluded that the company cannot continue to meet its financial obligations given the prolonged global diamond market downturn, exacerbated by the recent tragic incident.
Parliamentary Mineral Resources Committee Chairperson Mikateko Mahlaule says there was no indication that the Ekapa Mine was facing imminent collapse.
READ: No warning signs before Ekapa closure, says Parliamentary chair
Mahlaule said the committee visited the mine in Kimberley in the Northern Cape in October last year and were left with a positive impression.
Experts warn that diamond mining is not as lucrative or stable as many believe.
READ: Ekapa familes need the remains of their loved ones - Expert
Mining analyst Peter Major says standalone diamond mines struggle to survive over the long term due to volatile prices.
While prices can double during boom periods, they can fall by as much as 50 percent during downturns.
The liquidation is expected to deepen economic hardship in Kimberley.
Workers say they were blindsided by the decision, with many expecting to receive their salaries before the sudden closure. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has expressed shock at the move.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana delivered a 'boring budget' on Wednesday. According to an, economist a 'boring' budget is a good thing. It means that no major changes and adjustments are expected to be announced.
Godongwana announced the withdrawal of the R20 billion in tax increases that was provisionally included in the May 2025 Budget.
READ: Godongwana scraps R20bn tax hike : 'I am putting money back into your pockets'
He said the decision comes amid an improvement in the country’s fiscal position.
“I am not taxing you — I am returning money back into your pockets,” Godongwana said jokingly as he tabled the 2026 Budget Speech.
The minister also proposed additional tax measures to ease the financial burden on households and businesses.
These include adjusting personal income tax brackets and rebates fully in line with inflation.
He added that government would assist small businesses by raising the capital gains tax exemption for the sale of a small business for older persons from R1.8 million to R2.7 million.
This will apply to small businesses valued at up to R15 million, instead of the previous R10 million.
The Minister said peace and security spending will rise from R268.2 billion in 2025/26 to R291.2 billion in 2028/29.
This is to support the deployment of the SANDF members alongside police to fight illegal mining, gangsterism and organised crime.
At the same time, R1 billion has been allocated to the police service, and another R1 billion to the SANDF, through the CARA fund for the fight against organised crime.
Eleven men lured to Russia to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war landed back in South Africa on Monday.
They joined four other who returned to the country prior.
Initially government received distress calls from 17 South African men, aged between 20 and 39, seeking for assistance to return home.
READ: Lamola confirms two SA men died after Russian recruitment
Two men remain in Russia, with one of them in a hospital in Moscow. It is unclear whether he sustained his injuries on the frontline.
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola said the two were not in the state to travel as per doctors advise.
READ: SA men recruited to fight in Russia-Ukraine war to return home
The Minister said key to them right now is the fact that the men have been released from the contracts that had kept them in Russia.
Lamola has also confirmed that two South African recruits have died in Russia.
READ: Legal trouble awaits SA men returning from Russia-Ukraine war
The men's arrival has placed them at the centre of a probe to determine how they ended up on the front lines of the Russo-Ukrainian War.
The men are said to have been duped abroad with promises of employment.
READ: 'The law must take it's course' - Lamola on Russian recruits
Legal expert Melusi Xulu said the men may feel relieved to be alive and reunited with their families, but investigations will be intensified.
This is not only to determine how they travelled to Russia, but also whether they were aware they would be involved in military operations or not.
READ: 'They knew nothing'- Family of men recruited in Russian-Ukraine war speaks out
Xulu said if the men can prove that they were duped, as per the Military Assistance Act, it could strengthen their defence and potentially result in no charges being laid against them.
The Act regulates the rendering of foreign military assistance by South African juristic persons, citizens, persons permanently resident within the Republic and foreign citizens rendering such assistance from within the borders of the Republic.
Legal consequences may also extend to those who allegedly arranged the travel and recruitment.
Xulu said those individuals could potentially face charges related to human trafficking, rather than military assistance.
Ziyakhala for suspended Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya. He continued his testimony in the week resumes his testimony at the Madlanga Commission on Monday.
READ: Sibiya denies underworld links, says he has been 'at war with the system'
He says he did nothing wrong and has been at war with the system since KwaZulu-Natal top cop Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's briefing.
He claims that until then, he was doing his job to the best of his ability.
READ: LIVESTREAM | Sibiya continues testimony before Madlanga Commission
Sibiya also denied links to alleged cartel boss, Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala.
He was accused of using alleged middleman Fannie Nkosi to communicate with Matlala. He denied recordings of him taking to Matlala, calling them AI.
READ: Madlanga Commission | Doctors may be subpoenaed if witnesses miss hearings
Meanwhile, a second witness submitted a sick note to the commission indicating that they cannot make it on Wednesday. The sicknote was, according to the Commissioners, not satisfactory and has decided to subpoena doctors submitting said sicknotes.
In addition, Suspended Ekurhuleni Head of HR Linda Gxasheka has also appeared before the Commission.
READ: 'I am being perceived as a cruel person' - Gxasheka at Madlanga Commission
She was questioned over allegations that she colluded with the city’s legal head, Kemi Behari, to shield Julius Mkhwanazi from disciplinary action.
Gxasheka however, said she had no authority to do so.
READ: Sibiya denies knowledge of 'Cat' Matlala's alleged tender controversy
She said there are individuals attempting to portray her as a cruel person within the municipality.
The National Consumer Commission says further investigation is needed to validate findings around sanitary products by the University of the Free State’s Microbiology Department.
The study revealed that certain sanitary products sold in South Africa contain hormone-disrupting chemicals.
READ: Further tests ordered on sanitary products after chemical findings
Researchers tested 16 popular sanitary pad and pantyliner brands and detected substances known to interfere with the body’s endocrine (hormone) system.
Deon Visser, Head of Chemistry at the University of the Free State, said chemicals including phthalates, parabens and bisphenols mimic hormones in the body.
READ: Menstrual product safety under scrutiny as NCC widens investigation
“They look very similar to hormones in the endocrine system and mimic them in the body,” Visser explained.
He added that these substances are not unique to menstrual products and are commonly found in perfumes, plastics and other personal care items.
READ: New study finds harmful chemicals in popular menstrual products
According to Visser, they are used as plasticisers, antibacterials, preservatives and stabilisers.