The Department of Employment and Labour in the Free State has temporarily closed its Petrusburg Labour Centre after one of its officials was attacked, reports SABC News. The department has not provided further details on the incident. Spokesperson Tshego Mogapi said staff are traumatised and concerned for their safety, but the centre is expected to reopen as police investigate. In October, the Petrusburg Labour Centre was temporarily closed down following community threats directed at staff. The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a 60% chance of thunderstorms across most of Gauteng, reports EWN. Residents have been urged to avoid being outdoors, as heavy rains are expected to bring excessive lightning. Emergency services are on standby, although no major incidents have been reported so far. SAWS has urged motorists to abandon their vehicles and move to higher ground if caught in flooding. Forecaster Lehlohonolo Thobela said the province will experience partly cloudy conditions with warm to hot temperatures, along with a level 2 warning for severe afternoon thunderstorms. Police have opened a case against the owner of an unlicensed tavern in Saulsville, west of Pretoria, where 12 people were killed, reports EWN. Three gunmen entered the tavern and shot at 25 people. The owner, who was also shot and remains in the hospital, is being charged with operating an illegal drinking establishment. Her living room was converted into a tavern, using cardboard to separate it from the bedroom. The attackers also targeted and killed three children aged three, 12, and 16 before fleeing. The suspects are still at large, but the police say they have identified them. National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola rejected claims that authorities are failing to act against illegal taverns.
South Africa: Heavy Storms, Lightning Expected Across Gauteng - South African News Briefs - December 9, 2025
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