North West police is concerned about cases reported around Mahikeng and Mmabatho about an alleged syndicate operating in these areas. 

This came forth after victims were allegedly hijacked at the local malls, in town, Automatic Teller Machines (ATM’s) and filling stations, and at all other busy areas. 

They will be allegedly be taken to isolated areas to be robbed or raped.  

“When they arrive at  those isolated areas this syndicate will force victims to give their bank cards and disclose their  Personal Identification Numbers(PIN).They will then drive to the bank and withdraw the victim’s money” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said. 

“It is alleged that these syndicates use different modus operandi. In some instances, they will wait for unsuspecting victims to approach and unlock their cars, then they will force themselves into the car, point the victim with firearm and force him or her to drive to designated area” Mokgwabone said.  

Most of these cases happen during the day said police.  

“An example of cases reported was when a family of three were at Mmabatho Graveyard and three suspects attacked them, pointed them with firearms” police said. 

“They drove with them to an isolated place where they robbed them of their bank cards. The suspects demanded their bank pin codes before driving to the bank to withdraw money” Mokgwabone said. 

Police were alerted and one suspect was arrested, he will appear before Mmabatho Magistrate’s court on charges of armed robbery on 22 April 2013.

In another incident, a 55 year- old man was also robbed at Mega City mall by four suspects after he deposited money at the ATM. The suspects allegedly grabbed him, tied his hands and blindfolded him before driving in his vehicle to an isolated area. “When they arrived at that place they asked for his bank cards and pin codes” Mokgwabone said. Two suspects went to the bank and withdrew his money. 

“After the transaction was completed, they went back to where the victim and other two suspects were waiting” he adds. They handed over his car and escaped with theirs. 

The victim could not identify them as he was blindfolded.

The community of Mmabatho and Mahikeng is advised to be alert at all times and apply the following tips.  

∙Look around when parking or getting into your car at malls or shops to ensure there are no suspicious people around.

∙Lock your car and close windows when in your car.

∙When your car is bumped from behind, if not sure about your safety, drive to the nearest police station.

∙Report any suspicious car following you. 

Police are appealing to anybody who has been a victim of these syndicates to immediately report at the nearest police station.

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President Jacob Zuma arrived unannounced at the Sunnyside police station in Pretoria on Friday morning to inspect the quality of service to the public.

He said afterwards the station was struggling to cope with the number of residents in the area.

“I think it is the busiest police station in Pretoria. I [also] think it is overwhelmed by the population, there is a bloat [sic] of population here,” he told reporters.

“As they [police station officials] reported, it is populated in the main by foreigners as well as students. It is active [for] almost 24 hours [a day] and the crime tends to continue all the time.”

Zuma found officers at the station “very committed and enthusiastic about their task.

“As I was coming out I met the detectives, who are very clear about what they want to do. Even people who had come to report [crime] said this station is very busy.”

Zuma said he met voluntary police officers, roped in by the station to help stem crime in the neighbourhood.

“I think they [the volunteers] need something, some incentive. It is quite fair if they are doing a good job. I will be talking to the [police] commissioner and the minister about some of the issues.”

Earlier, Zuma spoke to station commander Lt-Col Maisha Bopape about crime in the area.

Bopape said: “This place is full of foreigners, and it is also over-populated. Some people rent flats in order to rent them out. You find that there are four or five people staying in one room.”

The large number of students were also contributing to overcrowding in the area. The University of Pretoria and University of SA were in the police station’s vicinity.

“The students do not have enough money for nice places, so they share. During the holidays, a lot of places being rented by the students were broken into,” said Bopape.

He said the station dealt with residents’ firearms applications.

“People who qualify are those without criminal records. We check whether the people are not violent, and they must also pass practical checks on how to operate a gun.”

Zuma joked: “I must apply because I don’t have a crime (record) and I am not violent. I know how to operate a gun.”

A large media contingent followed Zuma into the police station. Some excited members of the public shouted “Msholozi” (Zuma’s clan name) in the station.

Astonished police officers stared at the president and his entourage in the station’s corridors.

-Sapa

By Obakeng Maje

Potchefstroom-North West University provisional suspended the student representative councilor Orapeleng Daniel Matshediso.

The suspension came about after Matshediso was being accused of misconduct.

According to the letter that was sent to Matshediso also in our possession, he has been suspended as a president and as a member of the institutional student representative councilor.

The letter states: Please note that in terms of paragraph 5 of the students disciplinary rules of the North West University you are hereby provisionally suspended as president and member of institutional student representative council of the North West University until such time as the disciplinary hearing regarding the charges of misconduct is finalised.

In turn, Orapeleng Matshediso addressed the media this morning where states his side of the story.

This is what Matshediso had to say during his press conference.

PRESS STATEMENT: MY SUSPENSION AS SRC

“I want to inform the nation and the academic fraternity about my suspension as President of the Student Representative Council of the North-West University” he said.

BACKGROUND

“On the 17 April 2013 the Vice Chancellor of the North-West University, Dr Theuns Eloff suspended and charged the SRC President of NWU. Amongst others he charge me with: (see charge sheet) this charge comes at the time i was supposed to attend an Institutional SRC meeting on the 19th in Gauteng Vaal Campus, which i ensured that the issue of Thabang is part of the agenda” Matshediso said. Orapeleng Matshediso said this is a meeting which he was supposed to be chairing. 

“Suspension comes few days after i have visited Thabang’s mother on the 6th April 2013. She told me that as the family they want answers from the university” he adds. 

As a student leader and a patriotic citizen of the Republic, I am required to exercise allegiance to the Republic and i am further required to act in accordance with the laws of the Republic he said. 

This entails telling the truth and exposing those who want to stifle the truth and putting a veil on an important matter of national interest.

Suspended president said his sin was telling the truth, “the truth and nothing else but the truth”. “My sin is to seek an answer in a bid to ensure that the nation, in particular the family of the late Thabang Makhoang, finds closure on the mysterious death of their son” he adds.

Thabang Makhoang was a student of the North-West University and was allegedly found dead in the student swimming pool in 2012 on the 21th of January. 

To date the nation still wants answers. 

“In finding answers I made a call to the University to fully allow the re-investigation the matter.I made call supporting the Higher Education Transformation Network’s demand for a full investigation into the mysterious death of my fellow brother, colleague and student and fellow South African citizen” Matshediso said. 

“I made this call in respecting of the right to life and the right to know”.

According to university, Matshediso is prohibited to participate or attending any meetings or assemblies as a president or a member of the institutional student representative.

The disciplinary hearing will be heard on the 07th of May whereby Orapeleng Matshediso is accountable of 13 charges.

Our attempt to get Matshediso side of the story was futile as said he was busy addressing media.

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Absa Premiership log leaders, Kaizer Chiefs, will take on Moroka Swallows tomorrow at the Dobsonville Stadium. The Soweto derby comes at a stage in the season where the Amakhosi need all three points on offer to consolidate their lead at the top of the PSL table.

Coach Stuart Baxter has seen his squad depleted due to injury in recent times, most notably in defence, however will be delighted to have Eric ‘Tower’ Mathoho available for the league outing.

Mathoho missed out on the team’s 1-0 win over Bloemfontein Celtic in the Nedbank Cup last weekend, although has since resumed full training with the rest of his teammates. Baxter told the Siya crew that Matoho is training with the squad, being a major boost to the team.

He said apart from Reneilwe ‘Yeye’ Letsholonyane, who is serving the last of his two match suspension, he has a strong squad available for selection.

“You know Morgan Gould is out for the whole season and Yeye is out suspended but Matthew Rusike, Jimmy Tau are both training. The good news is that Tower (Mathoho) has returned to full training which means he is ready for selection.

“We want to have the strongest team on Saturday so that we can collect the full three points, which is so vital in our quest to win the league title,” Baxter concluded.

Chiefs currently lead the log with 52 points after 25 rounds of league action, with Platinum Stars in second place, four points adrift.

Moroka Swallows coach Zeca Marques says that his team is up for Saturday’s Soweto derby against neighbours, Kaizer Chiefs.

Swallows host the log leaders at the Dobsonville Stadium in their Absa Premiership outing tomorrow, and although Chiefs are experiencing a rich vein of form, it will count for very little in the derby.

Marques said that their 2-1 loss to Chippa United on Wednesday has motivated the players and they are looking to bounce back against the Amakhosi. He said that they are aware of the fixture’s importance and adamant on collecting the three points.

“The players are ready and up to the challenge of facing Chiefs. You have seen how Chiefs have performed this season. They have shown the character of a great team but my players know that after losing five games in a row, we were in a bad position and they don’t want to go back there so their focus is on winning against Chiefs now. They are equal to the challenge,” said.

The weekend’s Absa Premiership Soweto derby will be played at the Dobsonville Stadium, with the game scheduled to start at 18:00.

Pretoria – So-called “Modimolle monster” Johan Kotzé has told the North Gauteng High Court he realised he had committed a crime when his ex-wife was assaulted and her son killed.

Judge Bert Bam asked Kotzé on Friday whether he knew he had committed an offence against Ina Bonnette.

“Yes, I believe so,” Kotzé replied.

Bam asked him the same question about Bonnette’s son Conrad. Kotzé said he had realised what he had done when he heard news reports on Conrad’s death while he was on the run.

“Condrad’s thing upset me terribly and I could not believe I shot him dead.”

Kotzé is accused of orchestrating the gang rape of his former wife and murdering his stepson Conrad, 19, in his rented home in Modimolle on 3 January 2012.

Bonnette was still married to Kotzé, but lived in her own flat at the time.

Andries Sithole, Pieta Mohlane, and Frans Mphaka are also accused of kidnapping, assaulting, repeatedly raping, and attempting to murder Bonnette that day.

Adultery

On Thursday, Kotzé told the court Bonnette’s “adultery” was treasonous.

He was responding to a question by prosecutor Retha Meintjes. She asked about his emotions on the night he found out about his then wife’s infidelity. He went to a dance on New Year’s Eve 2011 and saw her lovingly interact with another man.

Kotzé said he had many questions about her fidelity during their marriage and observing what he saw on New Year’s Eve explained much to him.

Earlier Kotzé told the court he could not remember mutilating Bonnette’s breasts and genitals.

Pretoria – President Jacob Zuma arrived unannounced at the Sunnyside police station in Pretoria on Friday morning.
Zuma’s visit was aimed at inspecting service delivery. A media contingent followed Zuma into the police station. Some excited members of the public shouted “Msholozi” in the station.
Astonished police officers stared at the president and his entourage in the station’s corridors.
Zuma spoke to station commander Lieutenant Colonel Maisha Bopape regarding crime in the area.

Johannesburg – Thousands of Mpumalanga commuters were left stranded on Friday because of a strike by bus drivers.

The employees of the provincial bus service Buscor embarked on the action after pay talks deadlocked.

Domestic worker Joyce Mthembu was one of those affected.

“I am very angry and upset. I have three children to feed and now I can’t even get to work. All of my friends are also very sad,” Mthembu to a Sapa correspondent.

Buscor executive chairwoman Nora Fakude-Nkuna described the strike as unfortunate.

“Buscor regrets the current situation and inconvenience that the  strike will cause to passengers and businesses in general,” she said.

“Our employer organisations will continue to engage with the unions… to find a settlement as soon as possible,” Fakude-Nkuna said in a statement.

Drivers were demanding, among other things, a 20 percent wage increase, while employers were only offering 6.5 percent.

The nationwide strike was organised by the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union.

Satawu national spokesman Vincent Masoga said members had good grounds to protest.

“We feel that the strike is justified as, after protracted discussions, they have still not delivered what the workers feel is needed,” he said.

“It is time to make them feel the same pain and frustration the employees feel.”

Talks to resolve the impasse resumed earlier in the day.

Sapa

Johannesburg – Fans of the man once known as Tha DoggFather, now reincarnated as the peace-loving Snoop Lion, are in for an extra treat when the US rapper visits South Africa in May.

Wheras it was first reported that Snoop would only perform in Durban on May 18 as part of the MTV Africa All Stars Tour, the Computicket website reveals that Snoop will also perform in Cape Town and Johannesburg, news that is sure to put a smile on the hip hop star’s many fans around the country.

For more www.iol.co.za

Mahikeng – 

An elderly man who raped a 10-year-old girl has been jailed for 25 years, North West police said on Friday.

Captain Aafje Botma said the 71-year-old man was sentenced in the Mahikeng Regional Court on Wednesday for raping the girl in Mogopa Village in Groot Marico in 2010.

He had asked her to buy bread for him at a shop. On her return he invited her into his house and raped her.

The girl’s teachers suspected something was wrong and informed the police. – Sapa