By OBAKENG MAJE

Four suspects who were arrested for theft by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation, briefly appeared at Schweizer Reneke Magistrate Court on Friday. Kopano Katlego Itholeng (23), Vanessa Phokompe (27), Bongane Mcdonald Ndongwane (35), and Ratselane Samuel Kaweng (39) were charged for theft and acquisition, possession, or use of proceeds of unlawful activities in contravention of Section 6 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998.

The Hawks spokesperson in North West, Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula said the accused were arrested on 19 October 2023, following an investigation into their alleged theft of the complainant’s Road Accident Fund (RAF) pay-out.

“It is alleged that, on April 2022, the complainant received a pay-out of over R370 000 from the RAF claim. In May 2022, reports indicate that, an amount of R260 000 was transferred from the complainant’s account into the account of Itholeng.

“Furthermore, an amount of R38 000 was transferred into Ratselane Kaweng’s bank account. Following a sterling investigative work, a warrant of arrest against the four accused was issued and they were subsequently arrested on Wednesday,” said Mathebula.

He further said Itholeng and Phokompe, were released on R5 000 bail, while the matter against Ndongwane and Kaweng was postponed to 27 October 2023 for formal bail application.

Meanwhile, the North West Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Major General Patrick Mbotho, and the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Rachel Makhari, commended the investigation and prosecution team for working tirelessly to ensure that the suspects are brought to book.

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Picture: The construction site of a reservoir project in Potchefstroom 

By REGINALD KANYANE

Operation Bulela Metsi might be what the residents of the North West need to do away with water scarcity. The residents across the province continue to struggle to access clean and drinkable water.

However, the minister of water and sanitation, Senzo Mchunu said his department has rolled up its sleeves as a means to accelerate the provision of water in the province. Mchunu said this will be done through the implementation of Operation Bulela Metsi, which is an initiative geared towards enhancing access to consistent and reliable water supply in the province.

On Friday, the Republic of South Africa (RSA) President, Cyril Ramaphosa accompanied Mchunu and several other ministers, conducted an oversight inspection at a construction site of a reservoir in Ikageng Township, near Potchefstroom.

“This is evident as all hands are on deck in the construction of the Ikageng 25 mega litres ground reservoir. The construction of the reservoir is funded through the Department’s Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) with the municipality as the Water Services Authority, appointed as the implementing agent.

“Work commenced in January this year and is expected to be completed by July 2024, with more than 100 job opportunities for locals in the pipeline. The reservoir and the new bulk distribution (gravity) pipeline will supply water to communities in Ikageng Proper, Ikageng Ext. 1,4,5 9, 12, Potchindustria, Mohadin as well as the Northern portion of Ikageng Ext. 7,” he said.

Mchunu further said the project came about as a result of the decommissioning of the Ikageng West Reservoirs, which rendered the Ikageng Proper and Potchindustria networks without any storage capacity. He added that they have made a commitment to fast-track the implementation of bulk water projects in water-strained communities.

“The department has since put wheels in motion to collaboratively work with the provincial government and its entities with an aim of ensuring water security in the province and across the country.

“Close to 22,000 households and a population of 94 201 will benefit from the successful completion of the reservoir. In addition, the reservoir site is suitable to cater for the future developments at Mooibank to the south of the N12, and the platform will be ready to accept additional ground reservoirs,” said Mchunu.

He said the position of the new reservoir site is also suited to accommodate any future developments, once the urban edge is extended to the North West of the reservoir site as proposed in the recent Spatial Development Framework.

Mnchunu said the Operation Bulela Metsi project is a culmination of the hard work carried out by the technical task team established by the national and provincial government in January this year, to conduct an assessment of the state of water and sanitation services provision in the province and come up with measures to address the challenges and ensure sustainable provision of the services.

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Picture: Foreign tuckshop owners allegedly chased out of townships/Generic

By OBAKENG MAJE

Two children in the West Rand, Gauteng have died after allegedly eating poisonous food from a taxi rank last week. The incident comes days after two four-year-old-children in Soweto died allegedly after eating biscuits from a foreign-owned spaza shop.

Now, this has created a panic across North West as some parents fear for their children’s lives.

The chairperson of North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Economic Development, Environment, Tourism, Agriculture and Rural Development, Bitsa Lenkopane said she has been inundated with calls alleging that, there are children who were also reported dead after consuming poisonous food in the province.

“While no formal and or authenticated information and evidence have been received, the committee has been receiving calls from panicking parents and community members seeking remedies to protect communities from alleged traders who sell them products containing deadly poison.

“The department is urged to join hands and intensify the operation through district development model by thorough involvement with municipalities, and activation of the activists who will create awareness to ensure that communities understand that the state is in charge of such businesses,” she said.

Lenkopane further said the committee is appealing to the communities to remain calm. She added that, they called on the communities to remain vigilant, while further calling on the North West Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism and other relevant stakeholders to investigate these horrifying allegations.

“We are also calling on the department to do the inspections and furnish the committees with a detailed report, which should indicate trader categories and their respective consumable products which are further extended to school learners.

“This must include trader status, whether licensed or not, compliant with the business regulation act or not, which must indicate the compliance with Immigration Act 13 of 2002 regarding foreign-owned business,” said Lenkopane.

She urged the department to regularly communicate with communities through different platforms to ensure that they are accountable and responsible for all the operating businesses across the province, to reduce the amount of panic.

Lenkopane said the committee will rely on the report from the department that should be submitted within seven days and further engage communities on the work done and/or systems in place including communication of the database of all businesses, regulated or not.

“We equally appeal to communities to refrain from causing unnecessary unrest and rather report incidents and provide proof to the nearest police services. They should also provide accurate information to any government officials who might be dealing with the situation,” she said.

Meanwhile, no deaths of children consuming poisonous food in the province have been reported thus far.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

Alleged vigilantes who were arrested by police in Upper Majeakgoro village, near Pampierstad on Monday for allegedly beating a man (26) accused of stock theft to death, are set to appear at Kgomotso Magistrate’s Court today.

According to the Northern Cape police spokesperson, Lieutenant Col Sergio Kock, the police arrested 18 suspects (14 men and 4 women) who were allegedly involved in the mob justice.

Kock said a group of community members allegedly went to the house of a person suspected to be involved in stock theft, beat his family members, and forcefully took him and his friend (20) to Upper Majaekgoro village.

“The community allegedly tied the two up and beat them with a pick handle and chains. The friends of the victims allegedly drove into the crowd of community members with a Toyota Bakkie and one person was also hospitalised, while other community members were left injured.

“Two men who were allegedly abducted and assaulted by the community members were both hospitalised. However, one of the victims (26), later succumbed to his injuries,” he said.

Kock further said 18 persons who were allegedly involved in the mob justice set to appear in court soon on charges of murder, attempted murder, and assault GBH. He added that, the police confirmed that, five of them (4 men and 1 woman) are part of the Community in Blue Patrollers in Pampierstad.

“A driver (50) of a bakkie was also arrested and charged with attempted murder. He will also appear in court soon,” said Kock.

Meanwhile, the Northern Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant Gen Koliswa Otola, condemned the attack and warned that mob justice is a violation of the law. Otola warned that, the community members who are implicated in this act will be arrested and face the full might of the law.

The police are currently monitoring the situation in Pampierstad and the investigations continue.

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Picture: A murder accused, Thabo David Mokoroane/Facebook

By OBAKENG MAJE

A man aged 41 has been arrested for allegedly killing his girlfriend in Ipegeng Township, near Schweizer Reneke. On 15 October 2023, the police were called after a woman, Suzan Serame (41) was found unconscious in the streets with stabbing wounds.  

The North West police spokesperson in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati cluster, Warrant Officer, Tryphosa van Rooyen told Morongwa News that, Serame was rushed to the hospital for medical attention, however, succumbed to her injuries later on.

Van Rooyen said the deceased’s boyfriend, Thabo David Mokoroane was arrested and charged with murder.

“The accused briefly appeared at Schweizer Reneke Magistrate’s Court on 17 October 2023. he case was postponed to 24 October 2023 for formal bail application,” she said.

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Setshwantsho: Batsadi ga mmogo le baithuti kwa kliniking ya selegae

Ka OBAKENG MAJE

Baithuti ba feta 20 kwa sekolong se se potlana sa Mamusa gaufi le Schweizer Reneke, ba ne ba tlhaselwa ke motshitshi wa dinotshi mo letsatsing la Labone. Go kaiwa fa baithuti ba, ba ne ba tshameka kwa sekolong mo mosong fa tiragalo e, ene e direga.

Go ya ka sebueledi sa Lefapha la Thuto mo Bokone Bophirima, Mphata Molokwane, lefelo le baithuti ba tlhasetsweng ke dinotshi kwa go lone, ga se le ba tshamekelang kwa go lone ka gale.

“Barutabana ba ne ba utlwa segajaja sa baithuti ba baneng ba goeletsa le go lopa thuso. Baithuti ba, ba ne ba rwalelwa kwa bookelong go bona thuso ya potlako. Le ba thuso ya potlako, Emergency Medical Services, le bone ba ne ba bidiwa go ka tla go thusa.

“Lekgotlha-tsamaiso la sekolo le ne la laela gore, go bidiwe baitsanape ba ba dirang ka dinotshi le go dintsha kwa sekolong. Seno, ke masetla-pelo, fela ke tiragalo e eneng e sa lebelelwa,” Molokwane wa tlhalosa.

Kgabagare, bangwe ba batsadi ba ikuela go sekolo gore se netefatse fa bana ba bone ba dula ba sireletsegile ka dinako tsotlhe kwa sekolong. Mongwe wa batsadi yo o sa batlang leina la gagwe le itsiwe are: “Ke batla go itse gore dinotshi tse di na le nako e kae di le kwa sekolong ntle le gore batsamaisi ba sekolo ba di bone.

“Re utlwa ka mabare-bare gore, baithuti ba, ba ne ba kgotlha-kgotlhana le dinotshi tse kwa morago ga sekolo, mme tiragalo e, ke ya mo mosong. Seemo se ne se tswile taolong, mme re ile ra tabogela kwa sekolong go ya go iponela ka matlho.”

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Picture: North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari/Supplied

By REGINALD KANYANE

The non-compliant motorists feel the pinch of the law during Thuntsha Lerole’s law enforcement operation in Kanana Township, near Orkney. The law enforcement agencies sealed all entry points of Kanana Township, to stamp authority and ensure total compliance on the road.

North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari said during a joint law enforcement operation between Provincial, Municipal Traffic, South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Department of Home Affairs (Customs) and road users, were engaged in safety awareness.

“Those found not complying with regulations were punished according to prescripts. Following the hard work of dedicated law enforcement officers, 114 vehicles were stopped and checked, and 9 unlicensed drivers were fined.

“Thirteen expired and failure to display licence disc as well as five warrant of arrests were issued. Five foreign nationals mostly from Lesotho, were also arrested for failing to produce documentation,” he said.

Lehari further said, that as part of the operation, road users received road safety education through awareness campaigns. He added that, this was part of the Thuntsha Lerole Accelerated Service Delivery Programme (ASDP) that took place in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality.

“This is ahead of the scheduled Presidential Imbizo in Potchefstroom today. Thuntsha Lerole is currently being rolled out to local municipalities across the province, where various departments and state-owned entities, working together with the local and district municipalities, are responding to service delivery challenges in a coordinated and integrated approach. 

“The ASDP also forms part of the government’s District Development Model (DDM), which is an integration of development plans and programmes by all spheres of government to deliver services to communities,” said Lehari.

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Picture: Illicit cigarettes and tobacco products confiscated/Supplied  

By OBAKENG MAJE

The police confiscated 764 boxes of illicit cigarettes and 53 boxes of hookah flavour on Memorial Road in Kimberley. The illicit cigarettes and tobacco products are approximately to the street value of R10 million.

The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Colonel Cherelle Ehlers said the Northern Cape Organised Investigation Unit together with the National Crime Intelligence Unit and Kimberley K9 Unit, conducted a search at a storage container facility.

“The action was executed after the police received a tip-off regarding the storage of illicit goods at the facility. Additional members from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations, Kimberley Crime Prevention Unit and Crime Intelligence joined the search and seizure operation to secure the scene and safekeeping of the exhibits.

“The members from Bloemfontein Customs are expected in Kimberley on 20 October 2023 to verify the goods. No persons were arrested and the investigation continues,” she.

Meanwhile, the Northern Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, welcomes the swift action of several specialised SAPS units.

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