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Eight police officers working at the Golela Border Post in KwaZulu-Natal have been arrested on corruption-related charges, authorities said on Wednesday.

The suspects, aged between 30 and 43, were arrested by officers from the national and province Counter Crime Intelligence Division as well as detectives in KZN.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said that an eight month long investigation revealed that the police officers allegedly solicited bribes to facilitate the movement of illegal vehicles and goods across the border into Swaziland.

“Once enough evidence had been collected, the investigators applied for warrants of arrest which were granted and had to be executed.”

Naicker said a team headed to the Golela border on Tuesday where they arrested four police officers who were on duty at the time.

“Two other officers were off-duty and at the police barracks when they were also arrested. The last two police officers were arrested in Pongola.”

KZN Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Bheki Langa welcomed the arrests.

“Corruption within the ranks of the SAPS will not be tolerated. We have many thousands of fine upstanding police officers who will never accept criminal police officers in the SAPS.”

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula also welcomed the arrests saying it was in line with his call to “get rid of corrupt elements within our ranks”.

“The police badge is an honour to serve not a right to be corrupt,” he said.

Mbalula added that corrupt police officers days “are numbered”.

Source: http://www.news24.com

BY REGINALD KANYANE
​The Democratic Alliance said it is concerned after the North West Department of Education has ignored recommendations aimed at improving access to education for the learners of Seoleseng Middle School in Vaaltyn village in the Greater Taung Municipality. 

The Portfolio Committee on Education recommended to the department that Seoleseng Middle School should be provided with mobile classes to address the acute shortage of classrooms at the school.

DA provincial spokesperson on Education, Dr Tutu Faleni said they found out that more than hundred of learners crammed in one classroom during an oversight visit to the school on Tuesday.

“The DA was informed that the more than 100 learners were actually grade 8 and 9 learners who due to lack of classroom, had to be accommodated in one classroom. 

“Two teachers are compelled by the unacceptable circumstances to deliver lessons to two grades under one roof,” he said.

Faleni further said they also concerned that 138 learners are transported in one bus to the school. He said they were appalled that the lives of the learners are at risk due to the refusal of the department to heed the recommendations of the Portfolio Committee. 

“It was brought to the attention of the DA that more than two hundred learners use two toilets which were unhygienic and in a state of disrepair. 

“The DA is of the view that the bad conditions of teaching and learning at Seoleseng Middle School are a violation of the learners’ constitutional right to education,” he said.

Faleni added: “We will write to the MEC for Education and urge him to implement the recommendations of the Portfolio Committee on Education which were meant to improve the conditions of teaching and learning for learners at Seoleseng Middle School.”

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