Orkney – North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo on Wednesday visited the Vuyani-Mawethu Secondary School in the township of Khuma, near Orkney in the North West, to assess the damage caused to classrooms by an earthquake.

The province was the most affected by Tuesday’s 5.5 earthquake which was felt in many parts of the country and neighbouring states such as Botswana.

He walked around the school and then addressed pupils who had gathered for assembly.

He was met by loud cheers and ululations.

“We came here to thank you, parents, teachers and God for protecting you when the earthquake hit. We are very happy all of you are alive,” he said to applause.

One person died in an old mining village in Orkney following the quake.

Mahumapelo called on the pupils to continue with their school work.

“Continue to work with the principal because you’re the future of this country. Listen to your parents, continue learning and make sure you make the North West proud,” he said.

Mahumapelo said government would make sure the damaged classrooms were repaired so that schooling could return to normal.

– SAPA

Potchefstroom – Charges of intimidation, assault, and kidnapping have been laid against two people at the North West farm of National Council of Provinces chairperson Thandi Modise, the NSPCA said on Wednesday.

“Charges of intimidation, assault, and kidnapping have been laid against the spokesperson of Thandi Modise and an individual who currently runs the farm, whose identity is not known to the NSPCA,” said National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) executive director Marcelle Meredith.

She said the charges arose from an alleged altercation at the farm on 29 July when NSPCA inspectors went to the premises to check on the condition of cattle.

The inspectors were in possession of a warrant and were escorted by police, Meredith said.

“A man with dreadlocks we found at the farm did not have a problem with us being there. Modise’s spokesperson Neo Moepi emerged and was the one who gave instructions to the man to take possession of the inspectors’ vehicle keys,” Meredith said.

She accused Moepi of kidnapping after he allegedly locked them inside the property and would not let them out.

Police spokesperson Lefa Barda confirmed a docket was opened on 28 July, but said it only contained a charge of intimidation.

“There is nothing in here about assault and kidnapping. There is a faded photo of a dreadlocked man with no name. There is no second person mentioned in the charge sheet,” Barda said.

Meredith said the case was opened in Alberton, east of Johannesburg, and was transferred to Buffelshoek police station in Potchefstroom where the charges of cruelty to animals were laid against Modise on 25 July.

“Those are the three charges we laid. It is really up to the police to decide on the charges.”

Threatening claims denied

Last week, Moepi denied threatening the two NSPCA inspectors with violence, claiming he had saved them from harm at the hands of farmworkers.

Earlier that day, the NSPCA alleged that Moepi and a farm manager threatened to kick the inspectors’ car and set it alight, and grabbed a cellphone and erased recordings.

Last month, police and NSPCA inspectors found starving and dead animals on the farm Modderfontein, near Potchefstroom.

About 85 live pigs had begun cannibalising 58 dead pigs, and were reportedly drinking their own urine.

Sheep, geese, goats, and ducks were also among the more than 100 dead animals. Many had to be put down.

It appeared the animals had been without water and food for a week, possibly two.

There were no farmworkers on the property, no electricity, and the water pumps were broken.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – Limpopo police shot dead a suspected serial rapist in Mankweng, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said on Wednesday.

Frans Kwetepe Thosago, 25, wanted for a string of rape cases and attempted murder in the area, was shot dead on Tuesday.

“A special task team was set to crack those cases and on Tuesday these dedicated police officers were informed about Thosago’s whereabouts,” Mulaudzi said.

“Following the information, the police found the suspect at an abandoned house at Ga-Makanye village in Mankweng. Seeing that he was surrounded by the police, Thosago fired shots at the law enforcers and a shoot-out ensued, leaving the suspect fatally wounded.”

He said Thosago was linked to over 10 cases of rape.

Mulaudzi said the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) had been informed of the shooting and they would investigate the matter further.

– SAPA

Orkney – More aftershocks were expected following the 5.5 magnitude earthquake that hit the country, the Council for Geoscience (CGS) said on Wednesday.

“Aftershocks, ranging in magnitudes one to 2.5 have occurred and are expected to continue in the coming days,” said Michelle Grobbelaar, manager of the council’s seismology unit.

“We will continue to monitor the seismicity in this area and the entire South Africa.”

The earthquake struck after midday on Tuesday in the Stilfontein, Klerksdorp, and Orkney region and was widely felt.

An aftershock hit the township of Khuma, near Orkney, on Tuesday evening hours after the council warned of it.

Grobbelaar said this region had a high concentration of deep gold mines.

In 2005, a 5.3 magnitude earthquake had struck the same region claiming the lives of two miners underground, and resulting in structural damages on the surface.

On Tuesday, one person was killed and at least 34 people were injured, resulting in building evacuations in parts of the country.

People in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, and the Eastern and Northern Cape reported feeling the tremor, as did people in neighbouring Mozambique and Botswana.

– SAPA

By Obakeng Maje
Postmasburg- A sting operation carried out by Postmasburg police yields success after three Nigerian nationals were arrested with drugs, Northern Cape police said.

Lieutenant Sergio Kock said Postmasburg police, assisted by the Kuruman K9 unit followed up on information and raided some houses suspected in drug dealing.
“On Monday at about 09:50am a house in the Postmasburg Central Business District (CBD) was searched. Two suspects a male,39, and a female,27, were arrested after the police found tik on the premises. The confiscated drugs weighed approximately 480g” Kock lamented.

Another breakthrough came about on Tuesday at approximately 08:45 when police arrested a 40 year-old man with tik. Police raided his house in Boichoko township, near Postmasburg and found 20g of tik stashed in his vehicle together with R59 000 cash which was hidden behind the front number plate of the vehicle.
“Police also confiscated the white Opel Corsa, as it was allegedly used in the commission of a crime. The total street value for the confiscated drugs amounts to approximately R165 000” Kock said.

The three suspects are expected to appear in the Postmasburg Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday on a charges of dealing in drugs.

The Postmasburg Cluster Commander, Colonel Dries Witbooi commended the police for their swift response by following up on the information and also thanked the Postmasburg community for their assistance in providing information to police.

“Drugs is a killer substance that cannot be allowed in our communities, therefore we have to stand together to eradicate this from society” Witbooi concludes. -TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

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
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

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
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

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