During a meeting at the White House with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Trump played aerial footage of a long line of cars passing hundreds of white crosses. He claimed the scene represented burial sites for more than 1,000 white farmers, repeating the false narrative of a “white genocide” in South Africa.

In reality, the crosses had been placed in 2020 along a road between Newcastle and Normandien, KwaZulu-Natal, as part of a memorial service for Glen and Vida Rafferty, a farming couple murdered in their home.

Bebsie Cronje, a ward councillor for Newcastle, said the display was never meant as a tally of farm murders. “It was just a total tribute to the Raffertys,” she said. “I feel it’s very sad that something like this is being used politically.” The crosses have since been removed.

South Africa’s police minister, Senzo Mchunu, confirmed the tribute’s origins and said three suspects had been jailed for the Raffertys’ killing. He rejected the idea of a white-targeted genocide, noting that the country recorded just six farm murders in the first three months of 2025—only one involving a white victim—out of a total of 5,727 murders nationwide.

“The history of farm murders has always been distorted,” Mchunu said. “The truth is that African people have been victims in greater numbers.”

Cronje said the tribute was organised by friends of the Raffertys and was not politically motivated. While acknowledging that another white farmer in Newcastle had since been killed, she stressed that farm attacks affect victims of all races—though, she noted, killings of black farmers rarely draw media attention.

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Announcing the firing on social media, Trump claimed—without offering evidence—that the commissioner had manipulated job numbers for political reasons. The move surprised financial markets and raised questions about potential political interference in the nation’s economic reporting.

In her farewell message, the commissioner described her time in office as “the honor of my life” and emphasized the importance of the agency’s work.

The firing came just as global stock markets reacted sharply to Trump’s decision to increase tariffs on a wide range of goods. Major U.S. indexes fell, with the S&P 500 closing down by 1.6%, mirroring earlier drops in European and Asian markets.

The dismissed commissioner had been in public service for over two decades and was widely seen as a respected figure. She was appointed to lead the agency in 2023 and was confirmed with broad support.

The White House justified the decision by pointing to newly revised job data, which revealed that U.S. employers added only 73,000 jobs in July—a figure significantly below expectations. In addition, prior estimates for May and June were lowered by a combined 250,000 jobs. Trump cited these revisions as a key reason for the dismissal, asserting a need for “accurate jobs numbers.”

The Labor Department has since named the agency’s deputy commissioner as acting head while a search for a permanent replacement begins.

Typically, job numbers are adjusted each month as more information becomes available. While this month’s revisions were unusually large, they were in line with broader signals pointing to a cooling labor market. Some experts believe the slowdown could be hitting smaller businesses hardest—especially as they face the brunt of rising tariff-related costs.

Despite growing skepticism around the administration’s trade policies, Trump continues to insist the tariffs will rejuvenate domestic manufacturing and correct global trade imbalances. However, new economic data and reports from businesses paint a more challenging picture.

Markets have been particularly sensitive to these developments. After opening lower on Friday, U.S. stock indexes saw deeper losses throughout the day. The Dow fell 1.2%, the Nasdaq dropped 2.2%, and the S&P lost 1.6%. Major indexes across Europe and Asia also registered sharp declines.

The latest round of tariffs raises the average rate to roughly 17%, up from less than 2.5% at the beginning of the year. Though less severe than earlier proposals, the move has still rattled investors, especially given past market rebounds that may have emboldened the White House to push ahead with further trade measures.

Adding to the tension, Trump renewed his criticism of the Federal Reserve, accusing the central bank’s leadership of being too slow to reduce borrowing costs. Later in the day, a member of the interest rate-setting committee announced plans to resign, giving Trump another chance to influence the Fed’s direction.

Asked about the controversial firing, Trump defended the decision, stating it was necessary to ensure trustworthy leadership in vital roles. “I believe the numbers were phony,” he said. “So you know what I did? I fired her. And it was the right thing to do.”

As the economic and political fallout continues to unfold, concerns persist about the long-term impact of politicizing official data and the broader effects of the administration’s trade policies on both domestic stability and global markets.

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During the proceedings at the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court, the investigating officer gave testimony about the disturbing evidence found at Meek’s home. He recounted seeing bloodstains on the child’s pillow and described how Jayden-Lee’s body was discovered on a stairwell inside the residential complex, bearing injuries to the neck and head, along with visible bruises.

The prosecution is firmly opposing bail, arguing that releasing Meek would not be in the interest of justice.

The magistrate overseeing the case informed Meek that her hearing would resume the following day at 11 a.m., after the court attends to a separate civil matter.

As the case unfolds, it continues to stir public emotion and concern, especially with the sensitive nature of the charges and the tragic loss of a young life.

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The men were taken into custody in Gauteng the day before their appearance. Among them are three individuals believed to be hired hitmen, as well as the alleged mastermind of the killing.

DJ Sumbody, whose real name was Oupa John Sefoka, tragically lost his life in a deadly shooting in Woodmead in November 2022. Two other individuals also died in the same incident.

Authorities say the postponement will give investigators more time to gather evidence ahead of a formal bail application at the next hearing. All four suspects face serious charges, including murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

The case continues to draw public attention as many hope for justice to be served in the killing of the beloved artist.

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Likhona, a former student at Ikusasalethu Secondary School, went missing in May. Her body was discovered mutilated the next day in a case that deeply shook the communities of Braamfischerville and Durban Deep.

Mnisi, who was reportedly last seen with Likhona on the day she vanished, has consistently denied any involvement in her death. He has a criminal record, having previously served time for robbery and attempted murder. He is currently out on parole for those offences.

The State had argued against bail, citing Mnisi’s past and a witness statement alleging he was seen with Likhona shortly before she went missing. However, during his bail hearing, Mnisi’s girlfriend, Pinky Gantso, testified that he was with her in Daveyton on the night Likhona disappeared. This alibi was supported by cellphone data presented in court, which tracked Mnisi’s location to Daveyton and later to Kagiso on the same evening.

In his own words, Mnisi told the court he had travelled to Daveyton on that Saturday and only returned later that night. With the defence highlighting the lack of solid evidence, the court decided to release him on bail.

Although the State opposed bail, it has since accepted the court’s decision. The case is expected to return to court on Friday, July 11, as investigations continue.

This case has left a community in grief, still searching for justice for a young girl whose life was tragically cut short.

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Adv Bell also provisionally withdrew the charges against Suraya Manuel, Muhammed Amod, Randal Mullins, Brenda Mullins, Thuli Imgib, Nomvuyo Mnyaka, Lorna Ndoda, Siphokazi September, Kyle Stanfield, Barbara Johnson, and Pakamisa Nondabula. Police discovered new evidence during their investigation, and it is apposite at this stage to provisionally withdraw the 16 commercial charges against the accused pending the finalisation of the investigation stemming from the newfound evidence. The State will reinstate the charges once the investigation has been finalised.

Stanfield, Johnson, Johannes Abrahams, Denver Booysen, Jose Brandt, Jonathan Cloete, Shakeel Pelston, Imtiyaas Sedick, Warren Lee Dennis, Michael Morris, Chevonne McNabb, Sharazaadt Essop, Brandon Cornelius and Keithan Gardiner will be indicted in the Western Cape Division of the High Court on the gang related offences for the alleged contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998, as well as the predicate offences thereto inter alia, the murders of Wendy Kloppers, Rashied Staggie, William Stevens, Faizel Adams and Ismail Abrahams.

The court case postponed the case against the remaining accused until 14 July 2025 to ensure that the State has provided all further particulars to the defense before the case is transferred to the high court for a pretrial conference on 07 November 2025.

Issued by: 

Eric Ntabazalila

National Prosecuting Authority

Regional Communications Manager – Western Cape

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