Man caught with R1.2 million after tip-off - EMSAMO NEWS

By Kopano Dibakwane

A male suspect(49) was allegedly caught with cash notes amounting to R1.2 million in Tonga, near Komatipoort, on Sunday 16 March 2025.

The suspect allegedly tried to bribe police officers with R50,000 during his arrest, but his attempts were unsuccessful.

Police spokesperson in Mpumalanga, Lt-Col Jabu Ndubane, said the arrest was part of Operation Vala Umgodi, in which the police received a tip-off about a male person who was in possession of a firearm.

Pic: The suspect who was allegedly caught with large sums of money

The police reportedly searched the suspect’s house and discovered large sums of money(in South Africa notes and coins, including several Mozambican notes) hidden under the bed and inside the wardrobe.

Pic: The cash notes that were confiscated during the arrest

According to Lt-Col Ndubane, an investigation has revealed that the suspect runs a company that is responsible for clearing commercial goods.

“ The suspect is facing several charges, including money laundering, bribing a police officer, Contravention of Protection of Organised Crime, Contravention of the Tax Administration Act, as well as other related charges. The man is expected to appear before the Nkomazi Magistrate’s Court in Tonga soon,” said Lt-Col Ndubane.

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Emergency energy equipment handed over to Mpumalanga Health Department By Lwazi Raul-Shongwe and Kopano Dibakwane Load shedding has meant more than just darkness for nurses at rural clinics in Mpumalanga. It carried the high possibility of vaccines warming in fridges without power, oxygen machines going silent, and babies born by torchlight. Fortunately, that reality took a step toward change with the handover of a critical lifeline in the form of solar power systems, 7 diesel generators, and inventories donated to keep healthcare facilities running when the grid can’t. The energy equipment, officially handed over by Mpumalanga MEC for DPWRT(Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport), Thulasizwe Thomo, was received by Health MEC, Sasekani Manzini, at the Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market, in Mbombela, on Thursday 21 May 2026. According to MEC Thomo, the energy equipment was donated by the People’s Republic of China through the South African Minister of Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. “ These systems will provide a significant boost to alternative energy solutions for healthcare facilities, ensuring that clinics and hospitals are able to continue delivering essential services during power interruptions and emergencies,” said MEC Thomo. When the power goes out, it isn’t just lights that fail. It’s theatre equipment, incubators, lab machines, and electronic patient records. Staff improvise, but improvising costs time, and in healthcare, time is often the difference between recovery and crisis. The handover reflects a broader push to shield critical services from South Africa’s energy challenges. Healthcare has been prioritised because the stakes are literally life and death.

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