A decomposed body of a cop found in open veld


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By Obakeng Maje

Carnavon-The body of a police officer, Constable Serame Mpolokeng who murdered his girlfriend Zola Malleta(24) as well as her mother Sara Malleta (54) on the 13th December 2012 has been found in Carnarvon.

“The police sought after Mpolokeng for a period of a month and three days. His body was discovered today Thursday about 11 O’clock” Lieutenant Olebogeng Tawana. 

“His body was discovered by a farmer who was walking in the veld, he became curious after he smelled a bad odour” He said.

A farmer went to the direction where the smell was coming from police said.

He found Mpolokeng’s decomposed body lying in the veld.

“The police reacted to the call, after they were alerted by the man. Upon arrival on the scene, the police found the service pistol, that was used in the commission of the murder lying just next to him and his two cellphones” Olebogeng Tawana said.

His car keys were also found in the pockets of his trouser. 

 

On the 13th December 2012, Mpolokeng stabbed his girlfriend several times with a bottle neck on the body, after an argument at spotsbar in Carnarvon. 

The police were called to the crime scene. 

Upon police’s arrival on the crime scene he ran away, and the victim who was his girlfriend was taken to Carnarvon hospital to receive medical treatment for the stab wounds.

 

Between 05:00 and 05:30 the very same day he went to the hospital, and asked the security guard to show him the ward in which his girlfriend is. After he was shown the ward in which the girlfriend was admitted to, he went in and shot both his girlfriend Zola Malleta(24) as well as her mother Sara Malleta (54). 

“Sara Malleta visited her daughter after she was informed that about the ordeal” police said

Health warnings as fake vodka found


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Durban – Police have bust a Scottburgh vodka bootlegging syndicate, putting an end to an operation distributing the potentially dangerous counterfeit liquor in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

 

A couple and two men from the Eastern Cape were arrested on Wednesday for alleged mass manufacture, bottling and selling of illicit Smirnoff vodka spirits from their home.

 

Police spokesman, Colonel Vincent Mdunge, said members of the Scottburgh SAPS stopped a van at about 3am on Wednesday and found 86 boxes containing 750ml vodka bottles headed for the Eastern Cape.

 

Police constables Steven Mchunu and Lucy Zama were carrying out routine patrols in the Amandawe area when they noticed the van.

 

Mdunge said the officers were told by the two occupants of the vehicle that they were on their way to the Eastern Cape, but had lost their way.

 

Police made the discovery when they inspected the bakkie.

 

“Despite all the bottles of liquor appearing to be new and sealed, none of them was factory sealed,” he said.

 

Police established that the fake booze had been bought in Scottburgh. They escorted the men to the couple’s home in KwaCele where they pointed out the person to whom they had paid more than R30 000 for the liquor.

 

The money and 1 056 bottles of fake vodka were confiscated.

 

“A further two cartons of liquor were found in a wood and iron building on the premises. It was established that water was brought into the premises in 25-litre containers and mixed with concentrated alcohol in 210 litre drums to make a concoction resembling vodka.

 

“The concoction was then placed into 750ml bottles and the bottle cap and ring around the bottle neck were stuck with super glue to make it appear as if the drink was a genuine sealed bottle of Smirnoff Vodka,” said Mdunge.

 

A glue gun used to seal the packed boxes was found on the couple’s premises.

 

Mdunge said all four had been charged with contravening the Counterfeit Goods Act and for trading in liquor without a proper permit.

For more details go to http://www.iol.co.za

The accused are expected to appear at the Scottburgh Magistrate’s Court this week.

 

Mdunge said because the operation seemed well-established and because of the sheer volume of alcohol, police suspected they had been supplying liquor outlets in KwaZulu-Natal and surrounding provinces.

 

Police have not determined where the bottles, caps, boxes and the Smirnoff logo had been acquired.

 

The couple could possibly face further criminal charges.

 

Mdunge warned consumers not to buy or consume fake alcohol because it may not be safe.

 

“There is no way of knowing the alcohol content, the liquor has not passed the tests to meet the standards required by law and there is no way to know if the manufacturing and bottling was carried out in a hygienic and controlled environment. Always check that the cap is factory sealed to the ring fitted around the neck of the bottle and not stuck on,” Mdunge said.

Journalists terrorised at Groenpunt Maximum Prison in FS


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Free State – We can’t show you the pictures, but we can tell you what we saw.

 

The minute we arrived at the Groenpunt Correctional Centre maximum-security entrance in the Free State, prison warders were putting on their shields and bullet-proof vests and rushing to units housing high-risk prisoners.

 

There was some commotion, and members of the parliamentary portfolio committee on correctional services made their exit. They criss-crossed paths with armed warders who hurriedly headed in the other direction, invading the office they had been observing.

 

The portfolio committee left.

 

Then, through the fence, we saw a mob of warders assaulting a man dressed in orange garb – apparently a defenceless prisoner – who squirmed and groaned in pain.

 

We don’t know who he is, or what happened to him afterwards.

 

But we saw them passing the man around in a circle, brutally beating him.

 

As cameras clicked away, capturing the action, the men in brown continued to beat the prisoner.

 

Then they took him away, and came for us. What happened next was an hour-long traumatic experience that left us feeling like terrorists.

 

“What are you doing?” asked an armed warder dressed in brown uniform.

 

His colleagues joined him and they blocked our car.

 

“Please get out of the vehicle,” said one of the warders.

 

There were three photographers, including one from The Star, and a reporter from The Star.

 

With an army of armed warders surrounding us, the photographers were ordered to delete pictures they had taken, capturing the beating we had just witnessed.

 

Our cameras were confiscated, our cellphones too. A camera left with us by an official from the portfolio committee was also seized.

 

We were ordered into Correctional Services cars and taken to an administration block, where we were lined up and body-searched. It was humiliating and terrifying.

 

Shaking in fear, we could see other warders peeping through the door.

 

For about an hour, we stayed in that room, defenceless and without a word on what would happen next.

 

Unbeknown to us, our phones, cameras and memory cards were being surveyed by the prison’s IT people. And when the cameras were returned, all data, including pictures unrelated to the Free State prison facility, had been deleted.

 

During this process, The Star’s journalist was taken to the women’s toilets to be body-searched.

For more details go to http://www.iol.co.za

Top students to be honoured today in NW


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By Obakeng Maje

Schweizer-Reneke-North West-based municipality will honour top achievers in the district today.

The Mamusa municipality that faals under Dr Segomotso Ruth Mompati District will today give away bursaries to top students in Schweizer-Reneke to further their studies mayor Aaron Motswana said.

“We will be honouring our top achievers in our district and up to so far close to 50 students has been identified” Motswana told Sabc.

The initiative is one of its own in Mamusa municipality and the mayor outlines that it will be done annually.

“The initiative is one of its own and we palnning to make it happen every year.Most of students identified are from disadvantageous background” he adds.

“The criteria used to select students was possibly fair as we engaged with social workers and principals of various schools for helping us to identify the kids” Motswana outlines.

The initiative will provide students with registration fees and help them on paying for courses. He said those students who need more attention will be looked at.

“We will help students with their educational needs,but there are students who unfortunately come from poor background and we will see how we help them” Mayor said. 

“We are very grateful for shareholders who came on board and I must say,those students will be provided we will look at what courses they are studying too” said Aaron Motswana.

South Africa is lacking more skills in engineering industry and the government advises more students to take that course.

South Africa was number last in the world compared to other countries when coming to Maths and Science respectfully.

“Students need to choose courses that will help them get jobs afterwards and help our government to improve” he adds.

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Suspects used iron on nurse: Police


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Johannesburg – A nurse was attacked with a hot iron when she and her colleague were robbed in their Daspoort, Pretoria, flat on Wednesday, police said.

 

The 24-year-old walked in on four men armed with knives who had overpowered her flatmate earlier when she opened the door after they knocked, Captain Bonginkosi Amos Msimango said in a statement.

 

After they forced their way into the flat at around 5.30pm, they tied up the first nurse, also aged 24.

 

When her colleague came home from work at the Hercules Clinic later, they tied her up as well and used a hot iron to burn her on her chin and elbow, until she handed over her car keys.

 

The men fled with a laptop and the woman’s Polo Vivo.

 

No arrests had been made. – Sapa

Players decided on bonuses-Igesund


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Johannesburg – South Africa’s footballers have agreed to forego bonus payments at the African Nations Cup finals until the knockout stage of the tournament, coach Gordon Igesund said on Wednesday.

 

“The players themselves decided they will only accept a bonus payment if they get to the quarter-finals and again if they reach the final. There is no money in the first round and nothing for the semi-final,” he said.

 

“I’m thrilled because it shows a commitment to do well,” added Igesund, who has spent the week before Saturday’s kickoff seeking to change a negative sentiment across the host nation over the team’s chances at the championship.

 

Poor results in the warmup matches have left South Africa outside the list of favourites although Saturday’s opening game at the cavernous Soccer City, which holds just over 90 000 people, has been sold out.

 

South Africa play the Cape Verde Islands in the first match of the 16-team, three-week tournament. – Reuters

Persue to Malema ally probe: DA


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Limpopo – A corruption probe into Limpopo roads and transport head Ntau Letebele should continue despite his resignation, the DA said on Wednesday.

“The investigations into the awarding of a R53 million contract to On-Point Engineering must continue, to ensure that individuals who were involved in the awarding of the tender face the full might of the law,” Democratic Alliance spokeswoman Meisie Kennedy said.

“The former MEC for the department Pinkie Kekana must step down with immediate effect as the MEC for economic development, environment and tourism, for the role she played as the executive authority in this matter.”

Limpopo transport spokesman Joshua Kwapa said Letebele handed in a resignation notice dated January 10.

“I confirm that he (Letebele) resigned and that the MEC has accepted his resignation. His last day of work was yesterday (Tuesday), after he requested to be let go early.”

The resignation followed the announcement of an investigation into the department’s awarding a R53 million contract to On-Point Engineering, that allegedly partly benefited former ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema.

Malema’s business partner Lesiba Gwangwa is chief executive of On-Point.

In October, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela found Letebele’s conduct in respect of the awarding of the bid to On-Point “improper, and constituted maladministration”.

Madonsela found the department unlawfully awarded tenders to On-Point Engineering.

She found On-Point and Malema benefited improperly from the contract. – Sapa

Six suspects arrested for cable theft


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By Obakeng Maje

Kimberley-Police are investigating a case of possession of suspected stolen copper wire after eight suspects has been arrested with copper wire in their possession. 

The police officials who arrested the suspects were busy conducting visible police patrols this morning police said.  

“The police officials noticed six males and two females that looked suspicious to them under the bridge in Old De Beers Road, Kimberley” lieutenant Andrea Cloete said. 

“They then pulled-off their vehicle and stopped the eight suspects and searchedthem” Cloete said.  

Police discover bags consisting of copper wire to the value of R2800-00. 

“All eight suspects were arrested on the scene and taken to the Kimberley Police station” Cloete said. 

The suspects will appear Kimberley Magistrate Court tomorrow for bail application. 

The police investigation continues. 

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A suspect fatally injured after stabs cop


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By Obakeng Maje

Kimberley-Northern Cape police arrested two suspects while they were busy patrolling the area.

It is alleged that the police saw two suspects sitting in their car and looked suspicious.

“Police searched two suspects and a knife was found in a car. They arrest two suspects for question and while on their way to the police station,one suspect who was sitting behind driver seat allegedly drew a knife and stabbed a police officer cutting a throat” Lieutenant Donald Mdhuli said.

“The police officer who was driving managed to stop a car and a fight ensued that resuslt in a shoot-out” Mdhluli said.

A suspect who was armed with a knife was allegedly fatal shot and has been taken to hospital for with gun wounds.

“Another suspect was taken to police cell and the police officer was also rushed to hospital while his colleague is been treated for shock” police spokesperson said.

NORTH WEST HEALTH READY FOR ORANGE AFCON 2013


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By Staff Reporter

The North West Department of Health has activated its Orange Africa Cup of Nation 2013 plans to ensure clean bill of health during the biannual tournament scheduled for 19 January to 10 February. The Health Promotion team is already hard at work with blitz activities in hot spots around Rustenburg. Additional 300 000 Choice condoms have been procured for Rustenburg alone as more people are expected for the games. The condoms will be distributed in hotels and hot spots that may experience influx of people as result of the games. Rustenburg is a Host City.

 

A total of ninety Emergency Medical Rescue Service personnel together with five medical doctors and seven nurses will man the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace on match days. Eight ambulances will operate within the stadium with 12 more ambulances strategically placed in all major routes leading to Rustenburg to ensure swift response during emergencies. Two buses and two quantums will be on standby at the stadium incase of stampede or disaster.

 

 The department recently added new 19 additional ambulances to its fleet to aggressively respond to the plight of communities and improve the response time during emergencies. This is in addition to 31 ambulance unveiled in June 2012.The Job Shimankane Tabane Hospital is also ready for any emergencies. 

 

The hospital’s accident and emergency unit with six resuscitation beds was refurbished for 2010 FIFA World Cup. Twelve beds for P2 patients, six beds in short stay ward, five obstetrics and gynaecology beds, five paediatrics and one isolation beds are in place in the emergency unit. Four treatment areas, triage area, counseling, administration and six theatres are also functional.Rustenburg will be home to Group D teams: Togo, Ivory Coast, Algeria and Tunisia.