Mahikeng- Eight drunken drivers were arrested and two vehicles impounded around Mahikeng over following a special operation by the Jaws intervention unit as part of the Mahikeng Revitalization programme, departmental spokesperson Daddy Sebolecwe said.

The traffic authorities have further arrested 11 Nigerian citizens without proper documentations for being in the country. They were arrested on the Albert Luthuli drive in the early hours of Sunday, driving in a taxi with an expired license disc.

“The Nigerian citizens were handed over to relevant department which will make proper arrangements for deportation to their country. Twelve traffic fines worth approximately R10500 were issued to default motorists for different offences ranging from driving without license, vehicle license discs, number plates and talking with a cellular phone whilst driving” Sebolecwe said.

MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management Gaoage Molapisi said the department would immensely contribute to Premier’s call to revitalize Mahikeng by getting rid of negligent road users and criminals in the city.

“Premier Mahumapelo called for the revitalization of Mahikeng, and our contribution to this program is by ensuring that all motorists are law-abiding drivers and to clear crime on the streets of Mahikeng. We are going to work with pplice and all other relevant stakeholders to conduct joint special operations around Mahikeng and across the province by further engaging communities to fight crime and to bring offenders to book.”

“The city must be clean without crime and negligent road users,” said Molapisi.

MEC Molapisi further reiterated that the department will act harshly to those found on the wrong side of the law.
-TDN
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Orkney – Vuyani-Mawethu Secondary School pupils in the township of Khuma near Orkney in the North West were milling around the schoolyard on Wednesday morning as teachers tried to find a way to deal with damaged classrooms.

At least four classrooms were damaged on Tuesday when an earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale hit the province. The computer lab suffered the most damage with ceiling boards and bricks having fallen to the ground.

Some pupils were inside when the earthquake hit.

The Grade 10 and Grade 12 pupils were told to go home because their classrooms were too badly damaged to continue working on Wednesday.

Damage

Dr Kenneth Kaunda municipality district director Hasimbhay Motara said some schools were severely damaged.

Besides Vuyani-Mawethu Secondary School, Borankanelo Secondary School was also damaged.

He said nobody was hurt.

“We are currently doing an assessment of the computer lab and the computers and then a way forward will be found,” Motara said.

Pupils played soccer while officials conducted their inspections.

The quake was also felt in large parts of the country and neighbouring states, such as Botswana and Mozambique.

The quake left a trail of damage in the North West province with the Matlosana local municipality being the hardest hit.

Houses damaged

About 400 houses were reportedly damaged in the township of Khuma and one person was killed.

Residents were on Wednesday morning still taking stock of the damage to houses.

Mamosa Melato, a woman whose house was destroyed, told Sapa the family slept in the RDP house behind the badly damaged structure, despite the provincial government pledging to assist residents.

“We slept in the RDP house. Officials just came and took samples of soil and bricks, and they said they would return today [Wednesday],” she said.

The premier’s office announced on Tuesday that 26 families from Khuma in Stilfontein, east of Klerksdorp in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda district municipality, whose households were badly damaged by the quake were receiving assistance in the form of temporary accommodation, food, and related basic needs.

Another resident Malehlohonolo Mosai, said her family was not visited by any member of the provincial government except for surveyors accompanied by Sapa.

“The only people who came to the house were those that evaluated the house and told us not to sleep in the house as it was not safe,” she said.

Mosai said they could not cook and had to go to bed hungry as they could not enter their two bedroom house.

“We slept hungry and even today the children went to school without bathing and eating,” said Mosai.

She appealed to government to help rebuild her house as she was unemployed and relied on state grants.

North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo and Matlosana mayor Mike Khauoe visited the area on Wednesday.

– SAPA

By Obakeng Maje
Rustenburg- Police are investigating a case of murder after a 37-year-old Nigerian man was found dead outside a house in the suburb of Rustenburg North on Sunday at about 08:30.

Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said the deceased had a passport in his possession that expired in 2013, which confirmed his nationality.

“It is alleged that police went to the victim’s house searching for drugs at about 4h00 in the morning and allegations are that the man was assaulted by police after the search. The deceased was found lying on the ground with white foam coming out of his mouth with no physical injuries on his body” Ngubane outlines.

Rustenburg Police station received a report on the matter at about 8h00 in the morning when a call came through the community service centre reporting public violence in Rustenburg North.

“Police discovered a man lying dead on the ground on their arrival” he said.

The matter has been referred to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) for further investigation.

At this stage the information is sketchy to confirm if indeed the deceased was assaulted or murdered by police. The outcome of the investigation will confirm or rescind this allegation.

“The police will corporate and allow IPID to do their investigation. As we would like to maintain that at this stage, only the investigation and post-mortem will confirm the cause of death. Unfounded and malicious speculations will not assist in finding the truth” concludes Ngubane.

Police urge anyone with information to report to the IPID for a speedy resolution of this matter.
-TDN
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Johannesburg – A man was taken in for questioning on Wednesday in connection with the Westbury shooting in which a 3-year-old boy was critically wounded, Gauteng police said.

“The 28-year-old man was a complainant in the case and further investigations led us to take him for questioning,” Warrant Officer Gordon Billing said.

Billing could not provide further information on the man.

On Tuesday, Lindray Khakhu, 24, appeared in the Newlands Magistrate’s Court and the matter was postponed to 12 August. He would remain in custody.

Khakhu was arrested for allegedly shooting and wounding 3-year-old Luke Tibbetts.

The case was handed over to the provincial police.

“The provincial police have taken over the case because there are a lot of conflicting stories from residents,” said Billing.

Residents had been providing police with different stories and more information was outstanding.

Boy still in a critical condition

Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said he was not aware that the case was being handled by provincial police, but they were likely to be involved.

“It does not carry much weight whether it’s the province or police station because it’s the same police. The provincial police usually helps if there is a need.”

The boy was critically wounded when he was shot, along with a 26-year-old man on Saturday evening.

The two were travelling in the area in different vehicles when they were hit by stray bullets.

They were taken to nearby hospitals.

The man was shot in his right arm and was treated and discharged.

Billing said the boy was still in a critical condition when he last saw him on Tuesday night.

Police were no longer allowed in the ward where the boy was because there were other patients.

“As far as I know he is still in critical condition. I left my contact [details] and I will be informed if there are any changes.”

The firearm used in the incident had not been recovered.

– SAPA