Suspected ISIS SA leader appears in a Joburg court, with Tankiso Makhetha

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The Hawks’ Crimes Against the State unit believe they’ve caught a suspected senior leader in the Islamic State terrorist network operating right out of Johannesburg’s inner city.  Abubakar Ali (39) appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday to apply for bail after he was arrested in Fordsburg on a charge of carrying an unlicensed firearm. The Lead host, Graeme Raubenheimer, crosses to News24’s Tankiso Makhetha in court, who tells us why the case has been postponed to 11 June when other alleged ISIS-linked matters are due to be heard. Later in the show, the government’s new licensed lottery operator promises a jackpot shake-up, but a court case ensues. Finally, a viral Cape Town teen opens a sweets and chips business to pay for his upcoming matric ball. Mail your comments and voice notes to thelead@24.com. Editions drop Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.
Chapters
  • 00:01 Graeme's intro
  • 01:35 Crossing with Tankiso Mahketha
  • 13:54 Trending topic: New lottery operator woes
  • 15:27 And finally: CPT matric pupil business
  • 16:47 Graeme's outro
2 Jun 2025 English South Africa News · Society & Culture

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