MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

Major Blow to Drug Trafficking

GAUTENG – Thuso Kopo (32), Arora Cumbane (46), Vuyo Mangesi (42) and Totoloko Mogotlane (44) appeared in the Carletonville Magistrate’s Court yesterday after they were found in possession of drugs with an estimated street value of R 115 000-00.

The West Rand Serious Organised Crime Investigation team of the Hawks with the West Rand K9 unit acted swiftly on intelligence regarding the packaging and sale of illegal substances from a local business premises in the Carletonville policing precinct. The team tactically descended upon the “Hair Salon”. Upon entering and searching the premises, they discovered an established drug processing point. The officers seized a substantial cache of narcotics neatly packaged for distribution, alongside cash suspected to be the proceeds of crime. The recovered contraband includes, 636 mini parcels of nyaope, 2017 mandrax tablets, 542 mini parcels of rock cocaine, and R4,244.00 in cash.

The suspects were remanded in custody till their next court appearance on 12 August 2026 for a formal bail application.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in Gauteng will remain relentless in cleaning up business spaces used as fronts to poison our communities and youth.

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The Oriental Plaza: Architecture

Architecturally, the Plaza is a sprawling 17-hectare complex consisting of North and South malls linked by a three-story circular “Grand Bazaar.” But the true magic is in the sensory experience. Walking through the Plaza is an assault of colors and smells: rolls of exotic sari fabrics stacked to the ceiling, the scent of high-quality leather from shoe-repair stalls, and the aroma of toasted spices. It is a place where “bargaining” is an art form—unlike the fixed prices of Sandton, here you engage directly with the owner, often a third-generation merchant whose family was moved from Fietas fifty years ago.

The cultural heart of the Plaza is undoubtedly its food, specifically the legendary World of Samoosas. This small stall has become a local institution, famous for its unique sweet coconut samoosas and its “Nelson Mandela approved” status (the former president was a fan). Near the south entrance, you’ll find a blue heritage plaque marking Red Square. Long before the Plaza was built, this was an open square where the ANC and Communist Party held mass rallies, and where the Defiance Campaign was launched in 1952. The fact that a shopping mall now stands over this revolutionary ground is a poignant reminder of the city’s layered history. The Oriental Plaza didn’t just survive Apartheid; it outlasted the system that tried to use it as a cage, becoming a symbol of the “tenacity and trading ability” that defines the Johannesburg spirit.