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Man arrested at Cape Town International Airport with 150 venomous scorpions in luggage
via The Citizen1 min read
A 28-year-old man was arrested at Cape Town International Airport on Friday, June 12, 2026, after police discovered 150 live venomous scorpions hidden in his luggage. The Kuilsriver Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit, in coordination with CapeNature, acted on information regarding a passenger allegedly possessing scorpions. The South African Police Service SAPS located the suspect and found the scorpions concealed among clothing items in his bags. The man was charged with possession of a wild animal in contravention of the Nature and Environmental Conservation Ordinance Act. The value of the scorpions is yet to be determined, and CapeNature has taken them to a holding facility for safekeeping. The man is scheduled to appear in the Bellville Magistrate鈥檚 Court on Monday, June 15, 2026. The African Snakebite Institute notes that while all scorpion species are venomous, only about 30 to 50 species have venom potent enough to pose a significant health risk to humans.
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Three months after Sibonelo Nomvalo was appointed secretary-general of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party MK Party, his position is being questioned following reports of an alleged plot to remove him. Sunday World reported that Nomvalo accused Inkosi Phathisizwe Chiliza, the party鈥檚 caucus leader in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, of leading this plot. Nomvalo is reportedly accused of being controlled by a senior politician from a rival party and receiving expensive gifts and security from individuals outside the MK Party. Nomvalo has denied these allegations and has reportedly asked senior MK Party leaders to investigate the claims and take disciplinary action against Chiliza. The MK Party has experienced a high turnover of secretaries-general since its formation in 2023 and has not held an elective conference, leaving top leadership appointments to party founder Jacob Zuma and his associates. Political analyst Andre Duvenhage stated that the instability is due to the party being run by a "cabal of personal interests" centered around Jacob Zuma, lacking proper procedures and organizational structures. Duvenhage also suggested that Zuma benefits from internal divisions as part of a "divide-and-rule" strategy.
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