The former municipal manager at Nama Khoi Local Municipality, Aubrey Baartman (64) was sentenced to three years imprisonment for Contravention of Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) by the Springbok Magistrate’s Court.
The Hawks spokesperson in Northern Cape, Lieutenant Col Tebogo Thebe said, Baartman and three other co-accused, made numerous court appearances after being accused of fraud, which took place in June 2013. Thebe said the other three accused were acquitted on all charges.
“Baartman was accused of awarding a tender to supply paver bricks and kerbs worth R79 966 559-70 without following correct tender procedures.
“The Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation team, successfully investigated the matter and brought the accused before the court of law in June 2021, through warrant to appear in court,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Head of Hawks in Northern Cape, Major General Stephen Mabuela, congratulated the police for successful investigation.
Picture: The community members of Popo Molefe Informal Settlement in a consultative engagement with senior officials from the North West Community Safety and Transport Management/Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
The North West Community Safety and Transport Management has visited the Popo Molefe Informal Settlement, in Boitekong Township, outside Rustenburg to engage with the community ahead of healing and social cohesion campaign.
This comes after nine people were gunned down in the area in December 2023, due to an alleged war turf between Xhosas and Sothos. The North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management spokesperson, Tshegofatso Mothibedi said the pre-community engagement was in a form of door-to-door consultations.
Mothibedi further said this is ahead of the North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari’s community engagement scheduled to take place on 25 January 2024.
“The objective of the engagement is to promote healing and social cohesion following the massacre of nine people in the area last year in December. The massacre took place after allegations of a war-turf between isiXhosa and seSotho speaking people.
“Lehari has pointed out that, while investigations by law enforcement agencies are afoot – a multifaceted approach to quell the simmered tension is urgently needed. As such, Lehari directed that the engagement take place in the area,” he said.
Mothibedi added that, Lehari has called for intensified visible policing to ensure that all criminal activities and social ills bedevilling the area are attended to expeditiously, with vigour, to a-certain that the fight against the scourge of crime is effectively brought forward. He said all the build-up activities, including the Community Crime Engagement are implemented on a District Development Model (DDM), where all sister departments, District and local municipalities are part, including private sectors.
Two men were found guilty for attempted rape and assault GBH by the Galeshewe Regional Court recently. On 17 October 2020 at around 00:05, Sinethemba Sisilana (29) and Mawande Jongile (23) accosted a woman (22) and her brother (35), who were walking home in Phomolong Township, near Kimberley.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Lieutenant Col Sergio Kock said, the accused persons, severely assaulted the brother until he lost consciousness and then attempted to rape his sister, but she managed to escape.
Kock said both suspects were arrested hours later by the police. He said the Galeshewe Regional Court found them guilty on 19 January 2024.
“Sisilana and Jongile, were sentenced to three years for assault with the intent to commit Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH). Only Sisilana was found guilty for attempted rape and sentenced to a further 5 years in prison,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Northern Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, lauded the Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Oageng Moilwa for his meticulous investigation that led to the sentences.
“GBVF remains a priority crime for the police and we will continue to sharpen their responses to crimes committed against the vulnerable in society,” she said.
Picture: The learners at Nthapelang Primary School use toilets as classrooms/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
23 January 2024- Overcrowded classrooms allegedly forced Nthapelang Primary School in Matolong village, near Taung to use toilets as classrooms. The startling revelations were uncovered during an oversight visit by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) councillor, Oratile Segosapelo on Tuesday.
Segosapelo told Taung DailyNews that he embarked on school assessment after receiving a call from unhappy parents and teachers at the school due to inhumane acts, learners were subjected to. He said it was disheartening to see this still happening after 30 years of democracy.
“The situation has a harmful effect on both teachers and learners. Imagine, conducting teaching and learning in the toilets. How do you expect learners to concentrate? We are really doomed under this government and that should be brought to a grinding halt.
“It is uncalled for to see learners using toilets as classrooms. I think overcrowding might be one of the contributing factors because the teachers at the school alleged that it’s been years since they requested the department to provide them with two mobile classrooms,” he said.
Segosapelo urged the North West Department of Education to address this matter and ensure that those who are responsible are dealt with. He further said learners cannot be exposed to danger like that, because the situation will affect them in the long run.
“As EFF, we believe that a classroom should be comfortable and correlate to learning outcomes. It will also be difficult for educators to conduct teaching and learning in crowded classrooms, because learners were squashed into other classrooms after the principal realised that, we brought the media to expose these shenanigans,” said Segosapelo.
Meanwhile, the North West Department of Education spokesperson, Mphata Molokwane said: “The department can confirm that the school is allocated five teachers as per the provisioning model of the department. Moreover, the school has an enrolment of 211 learners from Grade R-7. It should also be noted that the school has seven classrooms. The number of teachers is actually lesser than the number of classrooms.
“Meaning, as a Multi Grade Teaching School (MGTS), some closer Grades such as Grade R and 1, Grade 6 and 7 are combined. This has been happening for years due to a lesser number of teachers.”
Molokwane refuted that there is overcrowding at the school. However, he said the department will investigate if toilets were used as classrooms and whoever responsible for this inhumane act will be held accountable.
Picture: Three suspects arrested for being in possession of sheep carcasses/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
Five suspects have been arrested for alleged theft and being in possession of suspected stolen livestock. The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Timothy Sam said the suspects were arrested by the police in Richmond.
Sam said the police received a tip-off regarding the suspects, who were allegedly busy slaughtering sheep inside a house in Richmond. He said the police operationalised the information and found three suspects inside the house with three sheep carcasses as well as one live sheep.
“The suspects were apprehended and charged for stock theft as well as possession of alleged stolen livestock. The vehicle that was allegedly used during the commission of the crime, was also confiscated.
“In a separate incident in Van Wyksvlei, the police, while conducting their patrol, allegedly approached two unknown men, who were carrying suspicious bags. Upon searching the bags, the police found slaughtered sheep meat that they could not account for. They were apprehended and charged for possession of alleged stolen livestock,” he said.
Sam said the five suspects will appear in their respective magistrate’s Courts soon.
Meanwhile, the Northern Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, appreciated the public for providing information to the police, which is a clear indication of partnership policing. Otola said this indicated that heightened police visibility continues to ensure that perpetrators of crime are brought to book.
A man (48) briefly appeared at the Zeerust Magistrate’s Court on Monday for being in possession of non-ferrous copper cable. Knowledge Nyoni was arrested by the Mahikeng-based Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Team received a tip-off regarding a Quantum minibus taxi at Kopfontein Border, alleged to be transporting copper cables in its trailer.
The Hawks spokesperson in North West, Warrant Officer Amogelang Malwetse said, upon arrival at the scene, the police allegedly searched the taxi and found a copper cable hidden inside a fake compartment of the trailer.
“The driver could not provide the police with relevant documentation on request. He was immediately arrested and copper cable to the value of R79 520 was seized. He appeared before court and the case was postponed to 29 January 2024,” said Malwetse.
More than 876 suspects were arrested for different crimes and 41 firearms confiscated. Operation Shanela commenced on 15 until 21 January 2024 across the North West. The North West police spokesperson, Col Adele Myburgh said amongst others, 37 arrests were made for drug-related offences, 15 for dealing in liquor, 29 for driving under the influence of liquor, 10 for possession of firearms and ammunition.
Myburgh said 177 arrests were for assault common and assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm, 7 for murder, 7 for robbery at business and residential premises, 37 for burglaries, 20 for malicious damage to property and 19 for rape.
Furthermore, she said 64 suspected undocumented persons were handed over to the Department of Home Affairs for further processing.
Myburgh added that, out of 876 arrests, 206 were affected during detective suspect raiding operations.
“Some of the suspects have already appeared before the court, while others are expected to make their respective court appearances this week in various courts around the province.
“The operations also led to recoveries and confiscations of 41 firearms, 515 rounds of ammunition, 26 cellular phones, 4 vehicles, precious metals and a variety of drugs. Moreover, 59 premises were searched, 17 road blocks were held and 15 unlicensed liquor premises were closed down,” she said.
Myburgh said in one of the incidents in Klerksdorp in the early hours of Saturday morning (20 January 2024), Bereng Jacobs Thejane (41) was arrested at Terreblaché Street and handed over to the police by a community member for being in possession of suspected stolen property.
She said Thejane was caught red-handed with about 20m of copper cable in his possession. Myburgh said he appeared before the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on 22 January 2024 and was remanded in custody until 1 February 2024.
Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, reiterated that police working together with other law enforcement agencies will continue to work hard to ensure that criminals are put behind bars.
Picture: Pinagare High School learners during assembly/Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
The North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi said they will beef up security at Pinagare High School in Taung. This comes after the school allegedly experienced a string of burglaries, especially during school recess. Motsumi embarked on an oversight visit to different schools in Taung on Monday, along with the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Department of Basic Education (DBE), Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba.
“This is one of the most successful meetings we ever had as the department, together with the Portfolio Committee on DBE. The aim of the visit was to assess their readiness for the 2024 academic year.
“So far, everything is intact and learners have received their stationery on time. I can also confirm that, even the number of learners present today is so convincing together with the teachers. One must just indicate that there is only one vacancy here in the school,” she said.
Motsumi further said that happened due to a promotional post by one of the teachers. She added that they are going to make sure that they speed up the process of filling it up.
“One of the issues that is dominant in this particular school, is the issue of security. The school management has indicated that there is a serious security breach here.
“When you look at the fence of the school, it is a diamond-shaped fence and we have resolved together with the Portfolio Committee that we will check our budget and see how best we can assist the school,” said Motsumi.
She said the department will provide the school with a clear view fence, which is much stronger. Motsumi said the school management highlighted that the school experiences burglaries because it is secluded.
“They have engaged the municipality to provide them with a high mast light. So, those are the issues that we will be concentrating on. However, we are happy with the school’s general performance during Matric Class of 2023.
“The school has improved in terms of Mathematics compared to the Physical Sciences, where it has dropped. So, when it comes to infrastructure, everything is working including the ablution facilities,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mbinqo-Gigaba said: “So far, we are happy with what we have seen. It was clear that teaching and learning is happening with teachers, as well as learners in the classrooms. A conducive environment for teaching and learning clearly exists at the schools we visited.
“We arrived during a break at one school, learners were being fed through the nutrition programme at the school. Some concerns were raised about the impact on the functioning of the schools. Those concerns included theft during weekends or when schools are closed.”
Mbinqo-Gigaba said they plead with communities to take ownership of their schools and name and shame those perpetrators. She also commended Molelema Primary School for its emphasis on reading, spelling bee and debating.
“Learners that are able to read with meaning are what the country needs. Programmes like these, ensure we reach that goal. I would also like to commend Pinagare High School for its National Senior Certificate results as well as the well-functioning management of the school.
“The committee noted that PH Moeketsi Agriculture School was meant to accommodate much fewer learners than what it currently has. That raises challenges with classrooms, educators and ablution facilities. At some stage, schools must have a cut off number. During a meeting with Motsumi, we raised concerns about quality passes, learner transport and throughout rate and retention of learners between Grade 10 and Grade 12,” said Mbinqo-Gigaba.
Picture: Police confiscated the mining material/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
Ten foreign nationals were arrested for Contravention of the Immigration Act. The police in Northern Cape, embarked on Operation Vala Umgodi, where they net on illicit mining activities.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Timothy Sam said, the police allegedly confiscated numerous illicit mining equipment such as generators, bags with gravel, sieves, shovels, hand hammers, drills and extension cords.
Sam further said the operation commenced on 19 until 21 January 2024. He added that, the operation included stop and searches, the tracking of undocumented immigrants, combating transit crimes and conducting routine vehicle inspections.
“Numerous routine patrols were conducted during, which fines valued at R2 550 were issued for traffic violations.
“The police will continue unabatedly to combat illicit mining activities and request the public to report any criminality to the police. The suspects will appear in the Port Nolloth Magistrate Court soon,” said Sam.
Picture: Six Bosmara cows suspected to be stolen/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
Three men aged between 30 and 50, were allegedly found in possession of six suspected stolen Bosmara cows in Kuruman. It is allegedly that, on 19 January 2024 at around 5pm, the Kuruman Stock Theft and Endangered Species unit (STESU) police, received a tip-off regarding three men who were allegedly in possession of six suspected stolen Bosmara cows.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Lieutenant Col Sergio Kock said, two of the three suspects are employees at a farm, where the livestock was allegedly stolen earlier that morning. He said the police allegedly arrested the suspects at a ranch, outside of Kuruman while they were busy selling the six cows that is valued at approximately R45 000.
“The livestock was positively identified and returned to its rightful owner. The three men will appear in the Kuruman Magistrate’s Court soon on a charge of possession of suspected stolen stock. The investigation continues,” said Kock.
The Guardian 