Johannesburg – Three men have been injured in a heist at OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, reports said on Thursday.
Gauteng police told the Citizen newspaper that a cash-in-transit vehicle was leaving the cargo area of the airport at about 05:45 on Thursday when a Mercedes-Benz collided with it.
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Kimberley – A Kimberley family was held up at gunpoint in their home when three armed robbers removed the bars from the front gate and gained entry through a living room window.
The incident happened in Cassandra at around 4am on Friday morning.
The owner of the home, a prominent local businessman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that he woke up on Friday morning and found three masked men in his bedroom the barrel of a gun was pointed just inches from his face.
For more http://www.iol.co.za
By Obakeng Maje
Rustenburg- A 33-year-old suspect appeared in Bafokeng Magistrates’ Court in Tlhabane on Thursday on charges of public violence.
This is after several assaults and hostage incidents linked to the current wage increment strike by members of National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (NUMSA) were reported on Friday at Glencore mine in Kroondal.
“It is alleged that non-striking miners were assaulted with knobkerries and sjambok by striking employees who also forced victims to join the strike. According to the information available at this stage, one of the victims is in critical condition at George Mkhari hospital in Ga-rankuwa due to severe head injuries sustained after being struck with a knobkerrie” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.
In one of the incidents, a man and his wife were allegedly forced out their vehicle, assaulted and forced to join the strike whilst in pains. They were only released at the end of the picketing.
The Rustenburg Cluster Commander; Major General William Mpembe condemned the criminal acts effected by the striking employees. “The police cannot be expected not to intervene while the rights of non-striking workers are being violated. While we are doing our best to safeguard lives and properties, we will also bring all violations to the attention of Human Rights Commission to ensure that the interest of justice is served”, said Major General William Mpembe.”
Investigation into the matter continues and more arrests are imminent. The suspect was remanded in custody until Tuesday, 28 October 2014 for formal bail application.
-TDN
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Windsorton, Northern Cape – A 60-year-old woman was brutally attacked with a crowbar on a plot outside Windsorton when three armed robbers invaded her home.
Beulah Nel, who was admitted to the intensive care unit of Kimberley MediClinic shortly after the attack, was on Monday moved to a general ward.
For more http://www.iol.co.za
Kimberley – Axe murder accused John Langeveldt pleaded guilty to two charges of murder in the Northern Cape High Court on Tuesday, following the brutal attack on four family members, two of whom were hacked to death, earlier this year.
The 53-year-old Langeveldt showed no emotion as the court heard how he fatally attacked his sister and his nephew with a metre-long axe and knife at their home in Douglas in March this year before going into hiding, disappearing for more than a month before being arrested in April.
For more http://www.iol.co.za
Kimberley – A 42-year-old Kimberley woman survived a brutal attack when she was struck 17 times with an axe, allegedly by her ex-husband. She received 86 stitches to her head following the incident.
The weapon was later found in the backyard of their home in Colville, still covered with her blood, hair and earrings.
For more http://www.iol.co.za
Johannesburg – Mahikeng’s municipal manager Mokgele Mojaki has been suspended, the North West local government department said on Wednesday.
He had failed to provide reasons why he should not be suspended, the department said in a statement.
“The letter of suspension was issued to Mojaki by the administrator, Khulu Nair, who is to appoint the acting municipal manager soon.”
The district had received audit disclaimers for the past three years and incurred R1.3 billion in unauthorised and wasteful expenditure.
The Auditor General had recorded repeat findings and qualifications for the last three municipal audits, the department said.
“The key repeat finding was ‘material misstatements’ in annual financial statements for the past three municipal audits.
“The AG has also suspended the 2013/14 audit due to absence of finance staff to provide documents,” it said.
On September 3, the North West executive committee decided to disband the district council in terms of section 139(1)(c) of the Constitution and place the Ngaka Modiri Molema district municipality under administration.
This decision was endorsed by the National Council of Provinces and the North West High Court, the department said.
By-elections will be held in the area next month to replace councillors.
Sapa
Mahikeng – A man was sentenced to life imprisonment by the High Court in Mahikeng for murdering his girlfriend and their two children, North West police said on Wednesday.
Samuel Ndlovu, 32, was sentenced on Tuesday for the murder of his girlfriend, their one-year-old daughter, and their unborn baby, Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.
He killed Jenaline van Rooyen, 23, and her one-year-old daughter in Blydeville, Lichtenburg, on January 12.
After killing Van Rooyen, Ndlovu cut open her womb.
“He then removed the foetus and slit its throat with a knife,” said Mokgwabone.
The 32-year-old Zimbabwean was arrested the same day.
In a separate case, the Swartruggens Regional Court on Tuesday sentenced a 19-year-old youth to 18 years’ imprisonment for murder.
Johannes Tsietsi Molebatsi stabbed Bapaletse Lamola, 17, to death during an argument in the Borelelo location in October 2012.
Molebatsi was declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Sapa
Johannesburg – The Electoral Court on Wednesday postponed the case by independent candidates in the 2013 Tlokwe by-elections, the Electoral Commission of SA said.
“The Electoral Court heard the Tlokwe matter briefly today and postponed it for further hearing to 12 January,” spokeswoman Kate Bapela said.
“This was done to give the applicants a final opportunity to join all parties affected by their application.”
The independent candidates were also ordered to sort out some of their papers submitted to the court, which were not in order, she said.
The IEC would not comment further on the matter.
Independent candidates were arguing against the IEC’s finding that only 1040 people voted illegally in the by-elections last year, saying the number was much higher.
In September, City Press reported that the IEC had admitted that 1040 illegal voters made their mark in the Tlokwe municipal by-elections, however, it insisted that the illegal votes did not change the outcome of the elections.
The admission was contained in a rejoinder affidavit filed with the Electoral Court in June and signed by chief electoral officer Mostho Moepya.
The case, which started in December, was reportedly postponed in June and was supposed to be heard in August. But it was again postponed indefinitely after Moepya’s affidavit revealed that some registrations were illegal.
The by-elections were called after nine ANC councillors were fired by the party for refusing to support former Tlokwe mayor Mapetla Mapetla.
Independent candidates in nine of the wards asked the court to set aside the results and institute an independent investigation.
The African National Congress won eight of the nine wards.
Sapa
Johannesburg – A 24-year-old man arrested for impersonating a female police official has appeared in the Potchefstroom Magistrate’s Court, North West police said on Wednesday.
Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said Moses Andile Mkhalipha appeared in court on Monday and his case was postponed to October 27.
“The suspect was arrested on September 13, after calling a senior officer in the North West and demanding to be escorted to a meeting she was to attend and represent the National Commissioner (Riah Phiyega),” he said.
“The suspect was transported with a police vehicle from Klerksdorp to Potchefstroom after claiming to be a major general in the SA Police Service and working at head office in Pretoria.”
The major general the suspect pretended to be is a woman, and the suspect dressed up as a woman.
“She” told the police “she” was going to attend the meeting at Potchefstroom Hospital. However, upon arrival at the hospital, “she” informed police officials that the meeting had been postponed until 2pm.
“She allegedly requested to be taken to Potchefstroom Dam where it was established that there was no record of her bookings,” said Ngubane.
It was discovered that the major general that he claimed to be was in a meeting with the national commissioner and the North West provincial commissioner.
“The suspect was taken by police officers to Potchefstroom police station where she was interviewed and requested to produce her appointment certificate, which she failed to do.”
The impersonator told the police that he was from Mamelodi in Pretoria, and at that stage there was nothing to prove that “she” was a police official.
Further investigation revealed that he was once arrested in the Free State province for impersonation.
At that time he claimed to be the sister of the late freedom fighter Solomon Mahlangu, identifying “herself” as Lerato Mahlangu, the younger sister to Solomon.
He was then invited as a speaker at church gatherings and other forums and at times collected monies in the name of the Mahlangu family, though he had no proof that linked him to the Mahlangu family.
“We are still appealing to any person who may have been robbed or misled by this person, to come forward to report to the police,” Ngubane said.
He said investigations concerning the identity of the person was ongoing.
“It was realised during detention processes that the suspect is actually a male, not a female as claimed. At the time when the suspect was escorted, he was wearing make-up and pretended to be a woman, as his voice also complements the looks.”
Sapa
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