Johannesburg – Twenty-four Ethiopian men were taken to Brixton police station after they were found without documentation, the home affairs department said on Friday.

The men were caught in Braamfontein when traffic officers stopped a 16-seater minibus taxi they were travelling in, said spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete.

Three of the 24 were believed to be minors.

“The driver of the vehicle is in custody, as charges are being finalised.”

Tshwete said the department would investigate whether the men were victims of human trafficking.
For more http://www.news24.com

Cape Town – Cabinet offered condolences to the family and friends of the man who died in the earthquake that struck near Orkney in North West, Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe said on Thursday.

Briefing the media in Pretoria following Cabinet’s fortnightly meeting the day before, he wished those who were injured a speedy recovery.

A 31-year-old man was killed in a mining village near Orkney on Tuesday when the 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck the region.

At least 34 miners were injured by the earthquake, and more than 600 houses damaged.

Radebe said affected communities were receiving help.

“Through the National Disaster Management government is attending to the affected communities,” he said.

Sapa

Orkney – Six people were arrested in Orkney, North West on Thursday when they tried to hijack a truck by pretending to be metro police officers, the Johannesburg metro police said.

The group, aged between 25 and 35, was arrested around 5pm, JMPD Chief Supt Wayne Minnaar said.

A JMPD sergeant stationed in Soweto received a private call on his cellphone on Sunday from a man who said he needed the officer to assist him in hijacking a truck. The man said he was given the officer’s number by another JMPD official.

“The sergeant reported the matter immediately to the SA Police Service and the JMPD,” Minnaar said.

The sergeant was told to co-operate so that the suspect could be arrested.

“Today the criminal phoned the sergeant to stop a truck in Orkney. Members of the Hawks were in six cars and managed to arrest six suspects.”

They were found in possession of Ekurhuleni metro police uniforms.

The officer who gave the sergeant’s number to the man would be arrested later in the evening, Minnaar said.

The group faced charges of conspiracy to commit a crime, impersonating metro police officers, attempting to hijack a truck and possession of a tracker jammer.

A court date was not yet set.

Sapa

A 40-year-old Rietspruit woman is suing the North West MEC for Health for close to R2 million after her cervical operations were allegedly bungled.

It all began in 2009. Catherine Mokale was sickly and had a pain in her abdomen.
For more http://www.iol.co.za