Community Safety & Support

11/10/2026

*TAKE NOTE IF YOU TRAVEL THE N1*


CITY OF CAPE TOWN

11 OCTOBER 2026

MEDIA RELEASE

Image
Temporary road closure: N1 from C*D Lower Church Street pedestrian bridge

Residents and motorists are advised of a partial temporary road closure on the N1 inbound and outbound between Cape Town C*D and the Lower Church Street Pedestrian Bridge in Woodstock. The closure follows a truck hitting the bridge early this morning, dislodging the structure and scattering concrete debris across the highway. Structural engineers are assessing the bridge’s integrity while cleanup crews clear the heavy debris. Read more below:

Photos: https://bit.ly/4dzkgEm

‘This road closure follows a major collision that occurred early this morning. A heavy flatbed articulated truck carrying a large, heavy-duty industrial tank, struck the underside of the Lower Church Street pedestrian footbridge while travelling outbound. The impact dislodged the load from the truck, causing it to tip over into the roadway. This resulted in severe structural concrete spalling, exposed reinforcing steel, and cracking along the underside of the pedestrian bridge deck. This also resulted in concrete debris and shatter fragments spread across multiple outbound traffic lanes,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas.

City Emergency Services, Fire & Rescue, and Law Enforcement were dispatched immediately to secure the scene. Structural engineers and cleanup crews are actively inspecting the bridge's integrity and clearing the heavy debris from the highway.

‘At the moment, we can’t really say when this road will be open. It is pending the outcome of inspection. The City aims to reopen the road as soon as possible, subject to structural safety clearance.’

Motorists exiting and entering the C*D are urged to avoid the N1 stretch near Lower Church Street and make use of alternative routes:

Albert Road/Sir Lowry Road through Woodstock/Salt River to reconnect further downstream.
N2 Outbound (Nelson Mandela Boulevard) as a primary detour out of the city centre.

The City thanks residents and commuters for their patience and cooperation while emergency crews work to safely restore access.


End

Issued by: Media Office, City of Cape Town

Media enquiries: Councillor Rob Quintas, the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Tel: 021 400 7197 or Cell: 082 042 3502, Email: [email protected] (please always copy [email protected])


For news and updates, follow us on:

ImageImageImageImageImage

©️ City of Cape Town

08/09/2026

💥LANDMARK
Dolphin Beach Hotel Robot💥

MVA
Marine Dr & Otto du Plessis Dr
Table View
Services Notified

27/08/2026

💥💥 Update 08h56💥💥

N7 closed (south - into Cape Town)

--------------------------

PLEASE AVOID N7 FROM MELKBOSSTRAND TO CAPE TOWN

💥💥Update 08h43💥💥

Fatal MVA
N7 Southbound at Du Noon
Truck vs Two Taxis
Taxi Overturned
Multiple Fatalities
Multiple Injuries
Services on scene


----------------------------

MVA (07:44)
N7 Southbound after Plattekloof
Right lane closed
Expect delays
Multiple Vehicles Involved

26/08/2026

17/08/2026

Excellent crime stats here, but we still urge residents to continue to report incidents, and to take care of their personal safety

Safe seaside living is possible in one South African coastal suburb where the crime rate is 3.3%.

14/08/2026

MEDIA STATEMENT

NEW EVIDENCE EMERGES IN SARDINE MORTALITY INVESTIGATION

14 August 2026

Following the previous media statements issued by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (the Department) we can confirm that laboratory sequencing has confirmed that pilchard herpesvirus (PHV) genetic material is present in sampled sardines.

Its role in the recent sardine mortality remains under investigation. PHV was detected in both dead sardines and, at lower levels, in some apparently healthy sardine collected from the West Coast. This suggests that the presence of the virus alone may not be sufficient to cause mass mortality.

Scientists are therefore also investigating whether an environmental stressor, such as harmful algae, low oxygen or unusual oceanographic conditions, may have triggered or intensified the event. This remains a hypothesis requiring further evidence.

Tests for toxins in sardines collected off Saldanha Bay, the Cape Canyon and Gansbaai, together with an apparently healthy comparison sample from St Helena Bay, found none of the paralytic toxins associated with a harmful algal bloom in Saldanha Bay. Two other algal toxins, domoic acid and yessotoxin, were detected at low levels, with the highest levels found in the apparently healthy comparison sample. No other toxins included in the screening were detected.

These findings suggest that the toxins tested for were unlikely to have been the primary cause of the sardine deaths. However, they do not entirely rule out harmful algae or environmental conditions as factors that may have placed additional stress on the fish.

The Department has convened an urgent briefing with small pelagic fishing industry stakeholders. A task team comprising the Department, the fishing industry and other relevant stakeholders will be established to urgently formulate a high-level coordinated response plan for PHV-associated sardine mortality in South African waters.

Through a coordinated inter-agency effort, the Department is expanding disease surveillance along the West, South and East coasts, while further disease, pathology and environmental investigations continue. The Department’s routine October/November hydroacoustic biomass survey will be the first opportunity to assess the possible effect on the sardine population.

PHV has not previously been reported in South African sardines. It was associated with two large-scale sardine mortality events in Australasia during the 1990s. However, the virus was subsequently detected in apparently healthy Australian populations without causing continuous mortality.
PHV is a virus associated with sardines, also known as pilchards, and there is no evidence that it infects people or other animals.

The PHV finding alone does not indicate that healthy sardines caught commercially or canned products are unsafe, and does not currently justify a general suspension of fishing or canning. The biotoxin results are also reassuring, although they do not constitute a general clearance of all commercial catches. Monitoring and normal food-safety controls should therefore continue.

Members of the public should not collect or consume dead or dying fish. They should also not feed dead or dying fish to pets.

The Department will provide further information as results become available.

For media enquiries, please contact: Zolile Nqayi on 082 898 6483 / [email protected]
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

09/07/2026

UPDATE 22.15 - all roads reopened.

ACCIDENT 🚨

Following info received

*R27 CLOSED NORTHWARDS FROM M19 INTERSECTION

*ACCESS ROAD EXIT ALSO CLOSED

Please use alternate route

11/05/2026

🚨Accident just over koppie R27 heading towards TV .. ps approach with caution and use alternate route

17/04/2026

🚨 BANK ACCOUNT CRIME EXPLODES IN SOUTH AFRICA: SCAMS, HACKS & “EXPRESS KIDNAPPINGS” ON THE RISE 🚨
South Africans are facing a new wave of digital and real-world crime — and it’s targeting your bank account directly.
According to the South African Banking Risk Information Centre, digital banking fraud has more than doubled in recent years, with criminals becoming more advanced, organised, and aggressive.
And it’s not just online anymore…
HOW CRIMINALS ARE TARGETING YOU
Banks like Capitec have warned of a surge in scams and fraud cases, with criminals using:
Phishing links (fake emails, SMS, and websites)
SIM swap fraud to take control of your number
Malware apps that steal your banking details
Fake ads on Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram promoting deals that don’t exist
If it sounds too good to be true — it probably is.
🚨 NEW THREAT: “EXPRESS KIDNAPPINGS”
Even more alarming is the rise of “express kidnappings” — a growing trend in South Africa:
Victims are abducted during hijackings or robberies
Forced to unlock their phones and banking apps
Then made to transfer money on the spot
According to crime experts and the Institute for Security Studies:
These attacks are becoming more frequent and more dangerous
Some victims are randomly targeted, while others are specifically profiled
Criminals can drain anything from a few thousand rand to millions
Latest stats show:
Nearly 4,800 kidnappings in just 3 months
That’s about 53 kidnappings every single day
Gauteng accounts for more than half of these cases
WARNING SIGNS OF A SCAM
Banks including Standard Bank say you should watch out for:
Offers that are too good to be true
Messages about prizes from competitions you never entered
Urgent requests to confirm personal details
Emails from suspicious or free domains
Requests for upfront payments to “unlock” money or prizes
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO RIGHT NOW
To protect yourself:
NEVER share your PIN, passwords, or OTPs
Avoid clicking on unknown links or ads
Turn on banking app security features
Be cautious of calls claiming to be from your bank
Change your passwords regularly
THE BIGGER PICTURE
This is no longer just fraud — it’s an organised crime wave targeting everyday South Africans.
From online scams to kidnappings, criminals are evolving faster than ever — and anyone with a bank account could be a target.
Have you or someone you know ever been targeted by a banking scam or suspicious message? How did you handle it?
If you’re seeing this for the first time, FOLLOW The Mzansi Plug — we break news before mainstream media does.
🔥 Follow The Mzansi Plug for real-time breaking news across Mzansi and beyond.