Kenya experienced its worst mass suicide incident in the southeast of the country, with over a hundred confirmed deaths, including children, at the New Life Prayer Centre and Church. Led by Pastor Paul Mackenzie, the church captivated followers from all over Kenya with his apocalyptic narratives and controversial teachings. Autopsies revealed that most victims had starved to death at his urging to “meet Jesus” in the afterlife, while others, including children, had been strangled or suffocated.
The City of Cape Town is proposing a new Safe Space for homeless individuals in the Green Point area of Cape Town. The new space is an expansion of the City’s existing Safe Space programme, which currently offers 480 shelter beds at two facilities located at Culemborg in the city centre. The proposed 300bed Safe Space, located under the flyover bridge on Ebenezer Road, has been open for public comment until 8 May.