Daily Archives: January 30, 2014

Premier Modise condemns Tigane vigilantism


North West Premier Thandi Modise has condemned the alleged assault, kidnapping and torching of a housebreaking suspect by five men who appeared in the Hartbeesfontein Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

 

“We condemn in the strongest terms possible vigilantism as it leads to lawlessness and revenge attacks by persons who feel aggrieved by the actions of those who conduct Kangaroo courts and give themselves the roles of judges and executioners. This barbarism should be stamped out before innocent lives are lost,” said Premier Modise.

 

“Those who take the law unto themselves instead of reporting crime to authorities in the criminal judiciary system have no place in our society which is governed by the rule of law,” highlighted Modise.

 

According to police Mangaliso Bonde, 29, Zamani Bonde, 26, George Bonde, 32, Thembi Xandibe, 23, and William Sitele, 19 allegedly went to Jan Lephadi’s house in Tigane on Saturday and accused him of breaking into their houses. 

“They allegedly searched Lephadi’s house, but could not find anything and purportedly assaulted and dragged him to his grandmother’s place to recover the items they accused him of stealing. When they could not find anything, two of the men allegedly locked Lephadi in the boot of a car and drove him to a bushy area,” said Captain Pelonomi Makau.

 

They allegedly poured petrol over him and set him alight, Makau said.

 

Lephadi managed to take off his T-shirt and rolled on the ground to extinguish the fire. He sustained burns to his head and back.

 

The five are expected to appear in court on February 4 for bail application, Makau said.-TDN
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A man set alight after theft allegations


By Obakeng Maje
Hartbeesfontein- Police have arrested five accused on allegations of kidnapping and attempted murder of a 22 year-old victim, Jan Lephadi at Tigane Township at about 03:00.

They appeared in Hartbeesfontein Magistrate’s Court on and the case was postponed to 4 February 2014 for bail application.

“It is alleged that the accused Mangaliso Bonde(29), Zamani Bonde (26),George Bonde(32),Thembi Xandibe (23) and William Sitele,(19) went to Lephadi’s house and accused him of breaking into their house. They searched the house, and when they could not get anything, they allegedly  assaulted the victim with fists and a knobkerrie and dragged him out of his home to his grandmother’s place to give them the alleged stolen property” captain Pelonomi Makau said.

When they could not find anything,two of the five suspects locked the victim in the boot of the car and drove with him to the nearest bush in the area where they allegedly poured petrol over him and thereafter set him alight.

“The victim managed to take off his t-shirt, rolled on the ground to extinguish the fire that had consumed him. It is alleged that the victim was badly burnt from his head and back” Makau said.

Police said the suspects drove back to the victim’s house and his sister alerted the police and the Emergency services who transported him to the hospital with serious injuries and a badly swollen face.

Suspects were later arrested.-TDN
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Premier Modise applauds ICT equipment donations by Platinum Stars


North West Premier Thandi Modise has commended the 2013 Champions of the Telkom Knockout Soccer Tournament, Platinum Stars for donating information and communications technology (ICT) equipment to a school in Phokeng as part of the Connected School project.

 

“The resources will make a significant contribution to the quality of teaching and learning at the school and will go a long way in ensuring that learners excel in their studies,” said Premier Modise.

 

The Connected School’ project is an initiative of the Telkom Foundation and affords the Winners of the Telkom Knockout Soccer Tournament the opportunity to donate R200 000 worth of ICT equipment to a school of their choice.

 

Modise said the province welcome any initiative that will help improve the quality of education for learners in the province, which emerged as the most improved in terms of the 2013 matric results.

 

“We hope that our champions will win more challenges for the benefit of more schools in our province as we strive for excellence and the top spot in the country” added Premier Modise.

Platinum Stars, who won the championship, had nominated Keledi Middle School in Phokeng as the school of their choice.

 

The resources, comprising of laptops as well as two years free internet connectivity were officially handed over to the school by the Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Enver Surty and the CEO of the Telkom Foundation.

 

 Dikwena beat Orlando Pirates to emerge the champions in a closely contested encounter in December last year.-TDN
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Premier Modise applauds ICT equipment donations by Platinum Stars


North West Premier Thandi Modise has commended the 2013 Champions of the Telkom Knockout Soccer Tournament, Platinum Stars for donating information and communications technology (ICT) equipment to a school in Phokeng as part of the Connected School project.

 

“The resources will make a significant contribution to the quality of teaching and learning at the school and will go a long way in ensuring that learners excel in their studies,” said Premier Modise.

 

The Connected School’ project is an initiative of the Telkom Foundation and affords the Winners of the Telkom Knockout Soccer Tournament the opportunity to donate R200 000 worth of ICT equipment to a school of their choice.

 

Modise said the province welcome any initiative that will help improve the quality of education for learners in the province, which emerged as the most improved in terms of the 2013 matric results.

 

“We hope that our champions will win more challenges for the benefit of more schools in our province as we strive for excellence and the top spot in the country” added Premier Modise.

Platinum Stars, who won the championship, had nominated Keledi Middle School in Phokeng as the school of their choice.

 

The resources, comprising of laptops as well as two years free internet connectivity were officially handed over to the school by the Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Enver Surty and the CEO of the Telkom Foundation.

 

 Dikwena beat Orlando Pirates to emerge the champions in a closely contested encounter in December last year.-TDN
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Arrested Sanral employee was ‘traced through cellphone’


An SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) employee who was arrested for alleged “terrorist acts” in Centurion was tracked down through a call made from his cellphone, the Hawks said.

“We linked him via his cellphone which was used to make a call,” said police Captain Paul Ramaloko today.

“We are not sure if he was operating the cellphone alone.”

The 28-year-old Soweto man was accused of involvement in two white powder scares and a bomb scare at the Sanral headquarters in the past two weeks.

“We are convinced that we netted the mastermind behind all three incidents,” said Ramaloko.

The bomb scare took place on Sunday. The building was evacuated and a sweep carried out. No bomb was found.

The premises was also evacuated on Tuesday and Friday after a suspicious powder, initially feared to be anthrax, was found.

Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) later reported that the substance was harmless.

The man, who worked in Sanral’s call centre, was expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court tomorrow on charges relating to acts of terrorism.

“The man was arrested at Sanral’s Central Operations Centre in Centurion while on duty. During his arrest, a cellphone, suspected of having been an instrument used to commit the offence, was seized,” Ramaloko said.

ETC today said it could not comment as the case was sub judice.

– Sapa

Amcu strike: One person assaulted in Rustenburg


By Obakeng Maje
Rustenburg-The police have been communicating with all stakeholders involved in the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU)’s ongoing protected strike through the media in order to avoid illegal or criminal activities. The union leadership and members were also called upon to respect and observe the law and refrain from provocative and unlawful acts.

“In order to remove and disperse group of strikers who were sitting in the middle of the road and blocking the free flow of traffic as well as preventing non-striking workers to go to work, the police had to use 4 rubber bullets to disperse a crowd of approximately thirty (30) people” brigadier Thulani Ngubane said.

The incident occurred on Wednesday at approximately 06:00 at Nkaneng, near Khuseleka shaft.  

“There were no reports of injury during the incident. One person was also arrested for possession of dangerous weapons, he had a knife and knobkerrie. He is expected to appear in court soon, and investigation continues” Ngubane said.

The Police are also investigating a case of assault with intent to cause grevious bodily harm that was reported on Tuesday. 

The complainant who is an employee of Impala alleged that he was beaten with a knobkerrie on the head by a male suspect wearing Amcu t-shirt. The incident took place on Saturday at about 08:30.

No suspect has been arrested thus far.-TDN
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Maphoitsile man jailed for 15 years after rape


By Obakeng Maje
Taung-A 32 year-old rapist was sanctioned to 15 years after he was found guilty of raping a Maphoitsile elderly woman.

Boitumelo Bankutlwang,32 was subsequently arrested last year for raping Segomotsi Gaojelwe,78 in Maphoitsile village, near Taung. Taung Regional Court found Bankutlwang guilty.

Bankutlwang accosted at Gaojelwe while fetching firewood in the veld and threatened her with a knife and raped her. Gaojelwe went home and informed her son about the atrocity.

The community of Maphoitsile launched a manhunt and Bankutlwang was arrested while enjoying a beer at a local sheeben.

He has previous cases and the court lashed him with a 15 years imprisonment.-TDN
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Maphoitsile man jailed for 15 years after rape


By Obakeng Maje
Taung-A 32 year-old rapist was sanctioned to 15 years after he was found guilty of raping a Maphoitsile elderly woman.

Boitumelo Bankutlwang,32 was subsequently arrested last year for raping Segomotsi Gaojelwe,78 in Maphoitsile village, near Taung. Taung Regional Court found Bankutlwang guilty.

Bankutlwang accosted at Gaojelwe while fetching firewood in the veld and threatened her with a knife and raped her. Gaojelwe went home and informed her son about the atrocity.

The community of Maphoitsile launched a manhunt and Bankutlwang was arrested while enjoying a beer at a local sheeben.

He has previous cases and the court lashed him with a 15 years imprisonment.-TDN
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Kimberley man arrested for child pornography


By Obakeng Maje
Kimberley- The Galeshewe Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences(FCS) unit are investigating a case of Compelled Sexual Assault, Sexual Grooming and Child Pornography after the arrest of a 37 year-old man in Kimberley.

The man was arrested by a SAPS task team, comprising of FCS units from SAPS Head Office, Kimberley and Galeshewe.

“The task team followed up information of child pornography on the internet. The police seized several other pornographic material involving children and arrested the suspect at his house in Newpark, Kimberley on Tuesday at
approximately 12:35” lieutenant Sergio Kock said.

The police also found one 11 year old boy with the suspect at the time of the arrest.

“It is alleged that the accused lures street children(boys) from shopping complex and grooms them to pose indecently in photo’s and perform sexual acts with each other” Kock said.

The investigations against the suspect stretches back to September 2011 in Vaal Gamagara, where the accused is originates from.

“The accused appeared in the Barkly West Magistrates’ Court and the case was remanded for 7 February 2014 for a formal bail application. The police request that anyone with information regarding this matter to contact Detective Warrant Officer Harriet McKenzie at 083 655 1925” he said.

All information will be treated with the strictest of confidence.

The name of the accused is withheld at this stage, due to the nature of the crime and the sensitivity of the police investigations.

The accused has not yet pleaded.

The investigation continues.-TDN
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