Picture: The deceased, Odiseng Comfort Setlhabe/Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
The North West police said, they have opened an inquest case after a lifeless body of a man was found behind a local tavern in Extension 6, in Taung on 19 February 2023.
The North West police spokesperson, Col Adele Myburgh said the deceased was identified as Odiseng Comfort Setlhabe. Myburgh further said, no foul play is suspected at this stage.
“We can confirm that a body of a man was found behind a local tavern in Extension 6 in Taung on Sunday at around 8am. The inquest case has been opened and no foul play is suspected at this stage.
“The deceased was wearing dark blue jeans and black shoes. He was identified as Odiseng Setlhabe,” she said.
A 36-YEAR-OLD man has been sentenced to life imprisonment by Schweizer Reneke Regional Court for raping his step-daughter. In December 2017, Motlhaliemang Alfred Motshwane took the victim (12) and her sibling (3) to the kraal just outside the Ipelegeng Township, near Schweizer Reneke without their mother’s consent.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in North West, Henry Mamothame said: “Upon arrival, the younger sibling was asleep and Motshwane took his jersey off and let her sleep on it. He subsequently ordered the victim (12) to undress, but she refused and attempted to escape.
“However, Motshwane caught up with her and moved her to a different location within the kraals and raped her. At the time of the rape, the 3-year-old was awake, and observed her sister’s suffering.”
Mamothame further said, the siblings were let go and upon arrival, the younger sister relayed the story to the grandmother, as her sister was crying hysterically. He added that the victim was also able to corroborate what her sibling transmitted to the grandmother.
“At that point, their mother was out looking for them. upon her return, the grandmother relayed the incident to her, and she confronted Motshwane, who denied ever raping the child.
“When he was asked to accompany them to the hospital for the child to receive a medical check-up, he immediately fled. The matter was reported to the police and Motshwane was arrested two weeks later and the court denied him bail,” he said.
Mamothame added that Motshwane was also sentenced to five years imprisonment for kidnapping. He said the court further declared Motshwane unfit to possess a firearm and his name will be recorded in the register of sexual offenders.
In aggravation of the sentence, the state prosecutor, Mpho Sephapo urged the court not to deviate from the minimum prescribed sentence of life imprisonment. Sephapo argued that, the accused abused the trust the victim had in him as a father figure and his action was not about sex, but about displaying his power over a defenseless child.
In passing sentence, Magistrate Patricia Rangwako agreed with the state and further remarked that the accused showed no remorse for his actions. She further condemned the accused for committing the offense in front of his 3-year-old daughter.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions in North West, Dr Rachel Makhari lauded the police and NPA for a collaboration that resulted in a conviction.
Picture: The missing Palesa and her daughter, Koketso Rooiland found/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
The missing Palesa and her daughter, Koketso Rooiland have been found by the police alive and sound. Palesa (23) and her daughter, Koketso (2) were reported missing on 16 February 2023.
The North West police spokesperson, Capt Aafje Botma said, Palesa, who resides in Lonely Park, near Mahikeng Lonely Park, Mahikeng was found at Lomanyane village, near Mahikeng on Tuesday.
“Please note that the mother and her child were found in Lomanyaneng village yesterday afternoon with the assistance of community members in Danville. The police highly appreciate their assistance.
“They were last seen on Thursday in Danville, near Mahikeng, after they left home on 14 February 2023. Palesa is mentally challenged, of medium built, dark in complexion, with black short hair and a heart-shaped face,” she said.
According to Botma, Palesa was wearing a black dress with floral patterns and grey flip-flop shoes when she went missing.
It is all systems go for the delivery of the State of the Province Address (SOPA) by the North West Premier, Bushy Maape on 24 February 2023. The embattled Maape is expected to deliver his address during the official opening of the North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL).
In the address, Maape will highlight the government’s achievements in the previous financial year and pronounce new government commitments, which are aimed at speeding up service delivery, growing the economy, and creating jobs.
Maape spokesperson, Sello Tatai said: “Members of the media are also invited to a compulsory Pre-SOPA Media Briefing Session on 23 February 2023 in the Legislature Library at 15h00.
“During the session, rules of the chamber will be outlined to all members of the media covering the SOPA and accreditations will be issued. All invited guests must be seated before 9am.”
Tatai further said all vehicles should report to the remote search park at Mmabatho Stadium parking lot before entering the legislature premises. He added, there will be regulated access on some roads around the legislature precinct.
“SOPA will be broadcast live on Office of the Premier, North West Provincial Government, and North West Provincial Legislature social media platforms, as well as on Motsweding FM, YOU FM, community radio stations in the province, and other communication platforms,” concluded Tatai.
Meanwhile, the North West police spokesperson, Brig Sabata Mokgwabone said, the North West Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (PROVJOINTS) made up of various government departments and security forces, led by the South African Police Service (SAPS), is ready to ensure a safe and secure SOPA.
“In order to ensure that the event is incidents free, law enforcement and safety officers will be deployed on all the main roads leading into Mahikeng as well at the identified key points, which include the Mega City, government offices, the North West University (NWU), the Courts and the parliament precinct.
“Normal daily activities will not be affected by security arrangements, but it is equally important for the public, motorists, and pedestrians to take note of the regulated or restricted access into certain roads and thoroughfares around the parliament precinct between 8:30am and 10am on Friday,” Mokgwabone said.
He said, however, police and traffic officers will be on-site to re-direct motorists and pedestrians to other alternative roads. According to Mokgwabone, civil servants in the complex and neighbouring government buildings will still be allowed to access their offices.
“The streets/roads that will be affected are Nelson Mandela Drive and William Dick Street, Nelson Mandela Drive and Aerodrome Crescent, Nelson Mandela Drive, and Sekame Street, Nelson Mandela Drive and Dr Albert Luthuli Drive, Dr Albert Luthuli Drive and Dr James Moroka Drive, Dr James Moroka Drive and Stadium road including Dr James Moroka Drive and Hector Petersen Street
“The PROVJOINTS would like to urge members of the community to cooperate and to respect the rule of law as security forces will not hesitate to act on any criminality,” he said.
Sixteen alleged illegal miners have been arrested by the Hawks Organised Crime team at Quest mine, near Stilfontein.
The Hawks spokesperson in North West, Capt Tlangelani Rikhotso said, the suspects were arrested during a multi-disciplinary operation by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation assisted by the North West Air wing, Explosives unit, Cluster IMTT, Public Order Policing, Tactical Response Team, Crime Prevention Unit, Local Criminal Record Centre and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.
“The team followed up on information regarding the alleged illegal mining activities at Quest mine, which is situated just off Buffeldoorn road. Resultantly, sixteen alleged illegal miners were flushed out from underground leading to their subsequent arrest.
“The elaborate illegal mining activities were allegedly operated through a heavy-duty industrial generator, whilst supplemented by other smaller generators which were strategically located at multiple processing stations for gold bearing material,” Rikhotso said.
She said during the operation, two firearms were seized including the explosive cartridges, detonating cords, capped fuses, four generators, and illegal mining paraphernalia, which consisted of 23 buckets of gold-bearing material, electric mills, heavy-duty electrical equipment, water pumps, and diesel.
Rikhotso further said, in addition, large amounts of food were also seized. She added that the suspects will make their first court appearance before the Stilfontein Magistrate’s Court on 23 February 2023.
Picture: The elderly woman standing next to the garbages in Ditsobotla
By OBAKENG MAJE
The embattled North West Premier, Bushy Maape is expected to deliver the State of the Province Address (SONA) at North West Provincial Legislature on Friday. Maape, who is under pressure from opposition parties who call for his immediate resignation, told the people on national television during the State of the Nation (SONA) debate that, he drives across North West roads without hitting any pothole.
Now, this has rubbed the people of the North West who are living in dire situations the wrong way. Now, some political parties such as Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and Forum for Service Delivery (F4SD) call for his resignation.
However, the COSATU secretary in North West, Kopano Konopi said: “We note the Premier’s input at the SONA debate on 15 February 2023 and believe that his SOPA will come home and address itself to the realities of the North West province.
“We believe that Maape will also provide some progress on the commitments made last year’s SOPA. Workers and the people of the North West province are living under strain as a result of the disaster of load shedding and this is made worse by the state of service delivery in our province, from provincial to local government level,” Konopi said.
He further said they have raised various issues that needed to be addressed such as electricity disasters, unemployment, crime, and corruption.
“We want to understand Maape’s strategic measure to grow the economy of the province in a manner that, will create jobs and improve the livelihood of the people of North West.
“To provide quality service in the manner that, will address the challenges of access to clean drinking water, 24-hour access to fully resourced health service and reliable supply of energy,” said Konopi.
He said Maape should also present plans for the revitalization of the infrastructure of the province in a way that, will address the backlog of the roads in the province as a whole. He said their observation is that all challenges they raised in 2020, have not been addressed, instead, the situation has worsened in the province.
“We note the challenges and hardships brought by the electricity disaster, particularly on the workers and working-class communities of our province.
“We equally note the government’s plan as outlined in the SONA including the roll-out of power panels for businesses and households,” said Konopi.
He said, as much as they support that move, they also expect the provincial government to prioritise schools also to ensure that learning and teaching take place uninterrupted in the province.
Konopi said the energy supply challenges have further exposed the infrastructure inequality gap in the basic education sector and this calls for a dispensation of no-fee and low-income schools to facilitate access to alternative energy supply resources, instead of relying on the norms and standards budgets for this purpose.
The North West police in Cyferskuil request the community’s assistance in locating missing Patrick Maubane (52), who resides at Block B Section, Dipetlelwane village, near Makapanstad.
According to the North West police spokesperson, Capt Aafje Botma, Maubane was last seen on 14 February 2023 at around 9am when he left home. Botma said, however, he never returned back home.
“A search was conducted around the neighborhood and precinct of Dipetlelwane without any success. During Maubane’s disappearance, he was wearing blue trousers and a brown long-sleeved shirt.
“He is light in complexion with a slender, but tall body structure and short, black hair. Furthermore, he is mentally challenged. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts can contact the Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Nicholas Motshabi of Cyferskuil Detectives on 082 569 4455,” she said.
Botma also said anonymous tip-offs can be communicated via MySAPS App or phone Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
A murder case against two accused from Modimong village, near Taung will resume at the North West High Court in Mahikeng on Wednesday. The case was transferred to the North West High Court by Taung Regional Court.
Rebaone Malekanyo (33) and Tumelo Tlonkwe (32) were nabbed for allegedly killing the former Vaaltar FM presenter and a socialite, Tshepang Seelo (32) back in 2021. They were allegedly charged with premeditated murder, assault, kidnapping, and defeating the ends of justice.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in the North West, Henry Mamothame, Seelo was allegedly killed on 31 October 2021, while walking from a local tavern with his girlfriend.
The deceased allegedly saw the duo stealing roof sheets from a certain house and blew the whistle. Then the accused allegedly assaulted, kidnapped, and killed him before dumping his body in a furrow near Khibitswane village near Taung.
Seelo’s girlfriend allegedly ran away and escaped unharmed. The deceased’s lifeless body was found floating on 3 November 2021. It is alleged that his body was also mutilated and his eyes and tongue were missing.
The two accused were arrested on 2 November 2021 after they handed themselves over to the police.
Meanwhile, the South African Police Service (SAPS) in North West allegedly appointed a Provincial Task Team a few months ago to investigate the case from scratch after a ‘shoddy’ done by the previous investigation team.
The Guardian 