Celani Sikhakhane brings you KwaZulu-Natal’s latest news.
UKZN: The newly appointed Astronomer Royal in the United Kingdom, an honorary position advising the British monarch on astronomical subjects, is University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) alumnus Professor Michele Dougherty. She is a professor at Imperial College London, where she has built a career over 35 years that has included leading the magnetometer instruments onboard the Cassini/Huygens mission to Saturn and the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer of the European Space Agency.
In this honorary role, Dougherty plans to focus on outreach, engaging the public on the wonder of astronomy and science, and its potential to provide real returns for the UK economy.
Born in Johannesburg, Dougherty and her sister were raised in Durban, where their late father, Professor Brian Dougherty, worked in the civil engineering departments at both the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westville, serving as Head of Department at the latter.
Pietermaritzburg: Convicted hitmen linked to taxi industry-related murders, Muzi Sibiya (42) and Nduduzo Shezi (36), were each sentenced to life imprisonment plus a combined 80 years in jail by the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court on Friday, 29 August 2025. The duo were found guilty of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
On 4 July 2022, Sibiya and Shezi, together with at least four other suspects, stormed a post office at Tugela Ferry Mall in Msinga and robbed employees of an undisclosed amount of money which was to be paid out to SASSA beneficiaries. The suspects also stole the belongings of two employees, as well as a jacket and a two-way radio from a security guard.
Durban: eThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba launched the Spring Clean-Up Month programme at Glenugie Park in Pinetown, marking the start of a series of activities aimed at promoting a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. This initiative forms part of the broader campaign to encourage active citizen participation in maintaining clean and safe communities.
Speaking during the clean-up campaign launch, Mayor Xaba said the programme is far more than a waste collection initiative. “It is about reclaiming shared spaces, restoring dignity in communities, and rekindling the spirit of collective responsibility that defines us as South Africans,” he said.
Pictured above: The University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban celebrated the appointment of its alumnus Professor Michele Dougherty as the British monarch’s Astronomer Royal.
Image source: UKZN
