21 November 2024- The Johannesburg High Court postponed the corruption case against Trevor Mathenjwa to 7 February 2025 for pre-trial. Mathenjwa is facing corruption charges linked to BOSASA, amounting to approximately R300 000.
The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) spokesperson, Henry Mamothame said this amount was allegedly offered and received as gratification from BOSASA and its subsidiary Sondolo IT, where Mathenjwa is a Director, to the late Dudu Myeni for the upgrade of the security systems to her home.
“He is currently out on R10 000 bail and he is expected to be back in court when the matter resumes in February next year,” said Mamothame.
21 November 2024 – The Portfolio Committee on Police said on Wednesday, it has learnt with dismay that investigations into allegations of mismanagement at the Phillipi Training College have made little progress over the last two months. This comes after the South African Police Service (SAPS) gave the committee a preliminary update and a more comprehensive briefing is planned for next week.
The Chairperson of Committee, Ian Cameron said they conducted an oversight visit to the college in September 2024, following allegations of mismanagement, criminal activity at the training academy, corruption and leadership failures that threatened the academy’s effectiveness and, consequently, the future of policing in South Africa.
“On Wednesday, the committee heard that the complainant who gave details of fraud and corruption was interviewed, and a statement was obtained. The witnesses mentioned by the complainant were also interviewed and 19 affidavits were obtained.
“The committee also heard that the report on the internal audit is expected to be finalised soon. However, committee members expressed grave concern about the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation’s (the Hawks) slow progress in acting on allegations of blatant corruption,” he said.
Cameron further said they maintained that the update did not reveal anything new or different from what the committee had been told in September. He added that the committee also noted that the SAPS did nothing about disciplinary actions, and none of the officers who stole ammunition or commanders who covered it up were charged.
“The committee was also concerned about witnesses’ anonymity, as there are reports that witnesses were called over loudspeakers for everyone to hear. The committee wanted to know what the SAPS was doing to protect the witnesses and noted that the process followed set them up as targets instead of protecting them.
“It is either a lack of interest or there is a deliberate pushback because there has been no action whatsoever. Commanders seemingly still have access to bank accounts, and the whistle-blower, who is a good, dedicated, career police officer, has now been suspended,” said Cameron.
He said it is estimated that over R100 million has been stolen over the last six years. According to Cameron, the Hawks also did not do 205 applications in court to access bank accounts.
“Something that does not need to take longer than 24 hours. If this is how we’re going to deal with the good people in the police who speak out against corruption, then we’re not protecting whistle-blowers, and this just simply cannot be. So, someone speaks out against corruption, and it takes six years for the police and the Hawks to do something about it.
“But, we will not stop cleaning up. The committee was encouraged to hear that the Minister of Police would now intervene. It will receive further feedback next Wednesday,” he said.
Picture: A leopard skin seized by the police/Supplied
By REGINALD KANYANE
21 November 2024- A man (37) who is facing charges of possession of endangered species in terms of the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004, set to appear at Tshidilamolo Magistrate’s Court today.
On 15 November 2024, the members of Mahikeng based Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit received a tip-off about the accused, John Mosikare, who was allegedly hunting illegally.
The Hawks spokesperson in North West, Warrant Officer Amogelang Malwetse said, the information was operationalised. Malwetse said in collaboration with members of Mahikeng Tactical Response Team, the suspect’s house at Moshawane village, near Tshidilamolomo was searched.
“During the search, four animal paws and a leopard carcass were found. The suspect did not have a permit to possess any animal species. He was subsequently apprehended.
“Mosikare appeared before court and was released on R300 bail. The matter was postponed to 21 February 2025, for further investigation,” she said.
Meanwhile, the North West acting Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Brigadier Silas Munzhedzi and the Director of Public Prosecutions in North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, lauded the investigation and prosecution team. They have cautioned the public against engaging in illegal hunting of wildlife as it poses a threat to endangered species.
Picture: A resident getting water from the tap/Generic
By BAKANG MOKOTO
21 November 2024- Magalies Water said it advises bulk customers within its area of operation of envisaged water demand management as a result as below average rainfall, over some parts of the interior and central regions of the country including the North West province, which forms the core of Magalies Water’s operations (Section 29 & Section 30).
The water utility said further to the above, the persisting climatic conditions have worsened the deterioration of raw water quality in the various supply schemes, which are compounded by incidents of pollution.
The Magalies Water spokesperson, David Magae said these have a direct impact in Magalies Water’s ability to produce requisite water volumes for potable use. Magae said South African Weather Services (SAWS) predicted that temperatures would be mostly above-normal across the country as a result of the El Nino effect.
“In our context, that may translate into a higher-than-normal water consumption pattern resulting in increased water demand and a lower supply capacity due to the aforementioned climatic conditions resulting in limited raw water availability for abstraction, treatment and distribution to bulk customers.
“In particular, the flow into the water treatment plants has been reduced to cater for the treatability index and plant performance matrix as guided by SANS 241:2015. This has adversely compromised the efficacy of the systems with reference to the design specifications and their capabilities,” he said.
Magae further said the systems are strained and are struggling to cope with the alarming loads of contaminants that are entering the systems due to upstream catchment activities (pollution) and climatic factors. He added that this has resulted in the water treatment plants producing reduced quantities of drinking water due to reduction in the abstracted volumes.
“This is done by and large, to ensure that the integrity of Magalies Water with respect to the provisions of SANS 241:2015 specifications is not compromised and is consistently compliant.
“As a countermeasure, the highly competent team of scientists and process engineers are working towards optimization of the systems and developing the most pragmatic approaches to circumvent the incoming loads of pollution while producing bulk water supply quotas that conform to the design capacities,” said Magae.
He said they urge customers to use the water sparingly during this period, and further apologizes for the inconvenience that this development has caused.
Picture: The North West Department of Education Facebook page
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
21 November 2024- The North West Department of Education wishes to inform the public that its official Facebook page has been temporarily closed due to unauthorized interference by automated bots. This unfortunate incident has rendered the page inaccessible, and the department said it deeply regret any inconvenience caused to their stakeholders.
The North West Department of Education spokesperson, Mphata Molokwane said they are currently working tirelessly with Facebook’s technical support team to resolve the issue and restore access to the page as soon as possible.
“We remain committed to ensuring that our communication channels are secure and functional to keep the public informed about important educational
developments in the province.
“In the interim, we encourage members of the public to access updates and announcements through our other platforms such as website: https://desd.nwpg.gov.za/?page_id=412
Molokwane further said they assure all stakeholders that this matter is receiving their utmost attention. He added that updates on the status of the Facebook page will be shared promptly as soon as they have new information.
Picture: North West MEC for Finance, Kenetswe Mosenogi
By REGINALD KANYANE
21 November 2024- North West MEC for Finance, Kenetswe Mosenogi will exercise legislative imperative and table the annual provincial adjustment budget for the 2024/25 financial year as stipulated by Section 31 (1) of the Public Finance Management Act 1 of 1999.
Mosenogi said the tabling of the Adjustment Budget, follows the recent tabling of the Medium Term Budget and Policy Statement (MTBPS) by Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana. She further said Section 31 (2) of PFMA stipulates that an adjustment budget of a province may only provide for the appropriation of funds that have become available to the province, unforeseeable and unavoidable expenditure recommended by the provincial Executive Council of the province within a framework determined by the Minister.
“This includes any expenditure in terms of Section 25. Money to be appropriated for expenditure already announced during my tabling of the annual budget. The shifting of funds between and within votes or to follow transfer of functions in terms of Section 42.
“The utilisation of savings under a main division within a vote for the defrayment of excess expenditure under another main division within the same vote in terms of Section 43 and the rollover of unspent funds from the preceding financial year,” said Moenogi.
She added that the adjustment budget aims to address budget pressures in key service delivery departments by redirecting funds to areas, where they are mostly needed. Mosenogi said the adjustment budget will be tabled at the North West Provincial Legislature on Tuesday at 9am.
Members of the media are invited and encouraged to attend. Media practitioners are reminded to carry their Identity Documents as they are pre-requisite to gain access to legislature chambers.
21 November 2024 -The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) said it will meet with stakeholders at Dinokana Tribal Authority Hall in Zeerust, to discuss the growing scourge of sexual violence against young girls in the North West province. The commission said there are growing concerns about many cases of sexual violence that are not reported to the police and are resolved by traditional leaders, who often impose fines on the perpetrators in the form of money or a cow.
The Commission for Gender Equality spokesperson, Javu Baloyi said as a result, the CGE in the North West saw the need to capacitate traditional leaders in the Ramotshere-Moiloa Local Municipality with strategies for dealing with sexual violence cases, especially statutory rape.
Baloyi said the involvement of traditional leaders in awareness campaigns against sexual violence can help break the silence and stigma.
“The support of traditional leadership can help propel anti-violence initiatives, increasing community trust and participation, and supporting initiatives that promote safe spaces for young girls,” he said.
Meanwhile, the police in North West said it is perturbed by the rising cases of both assault with intent to inflict Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) and common. The police said the release of the first quarter crime statistics, similarly confirmed the challenges the province experiences regarding these cases.
The North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said with the looming second and third phases of the safer festive season, which are made distinctive among others, by abuse of alcohol, more cases are likely to be reported.
Mokgwabone further said analysis has shown that most of the victims are youth, due to apparent abuse of liquor, which is one of the contributing factors.
“It has also been established that Gender Based Violence & Femicide (GBVF), including domestic violence-related incidents, occur behind closed doors and most of the victims are women.
“In some instances, the crimes are regrettably committed by people who know each other, relatives and friends. The police in the province effect more than 150 assaults related arrests weekly and secure convictions,” he said.
Mokgwabone said while these actions are supposed to serve as a deterrence, assaults are still problematic in all the districts. He said community leaders, parents, law abiding citizens and members of Community Police Forum (CPF) and related structures, are urged to work together with the police in the fight against crime.
“Parents are requested to discourage their children from participating in post examinations gatherings and inappropriately arranged celebratory activities or events characterised by unruly behaviour and abuse of alcohol known as Go tlhatswa Dipene or Pens Down.
“Equally important, event organisers are urged to act responsibly during the safer festive season and beyond by strictly complying with the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act, 2010, Liquor Act, 1989 and other pertinent legislations,” said Mokgwabone.
He said that police in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies and other relevant role players will not hesitate to take drastic actions against those who perpetrate crime including assaults.
Picture: North West MEC for Social Development, Sussana Dantjie/Supplied
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
21 November 2024- As the country prepares to mark the annual observance of 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, North West MEC for Social Development, Sussana Dantjie, has urged men who abuse women to seek professional help in order to deal with their anger and other social problems.
Dantjie’s appeal comes in the wake of the recent incident in which a man (33), allegedly killed his parents and sister with a knobkerrie in Shaleng village, near Taung on Friday evening. It is alleged that the family members were inside their shack, sitting around a coffee table when the suspect entered and struck his father, mother and a sister over the heads with a knobkierrie and fled the scene.
The suspect was later arrested and remanded in custody by the Kgomotso Periodical Court until 25 November 2024.
“This day coincides with the National Launch of 16 days of Activism campaign at Rustenburg Civic Centre under the theme: “30 Years of Advancing Collective Action to End Violence Against Women and Children”, which emphasises addressing among others the root causes of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), promoting positive masculinity and promoting gender equity.
“It is shocking and baffling to learn that a man had the guts to kill his own family members. This is painful and pathetic. It is time our society moved away from the notion that men do not cry and rather encourage them to express their emotions freely and talk about their feelings,” she said.
Dantjie said bottling up problems is not doing any good to anyone. She said men should use the services of the social workers at her departmental service points, including the psychologists.
“Our department has created a necessary space in men-led organisations, where men and boys are allowed to talk about what they are suffering from, without being judged.
“Our department has also introduced a safe space for men called the lounge in community care centres to allow men and boys a platform to voice out their problems. We have dispatched social workers to compile the home circumstance report and provide psycho-social support to the bereaved family,” said Dantjie.
She said other stakeholders, including SASSA, are working with the department of social development to ensure their dignified send-off. Dantjie will pay her homage to the Kale family today at 12pm.
21 November 2024- A man (39) was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Springbok Regional Court for rape. On 11 December 2010, the accused, Mervin Morne Cloete, raped a woman (30), who was in a company of her friends.
The victim and her friends, visited another friend in Okiep, outside Springbok. They consumed alcohol in what can be described as a small party.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in Northern Cape, Mojalefa Senokoatsane said, the complainant usually sleeps in one of the rooms at her friends’ place, when she is drunk or when she comes from the pub. Senokoatsane said on the said night, some of the friends of the complainant, decided to go to the pub in town, but the complainant and the rest of her friends remained behind because they were heavily intoxicated.
“The remaining friends went to sleep, leaving the complainant in the room, where games were usually played. The complainant was in a drunken stupor on the bed in the room, fully clothed.
“At around 11pm, the victim was awoken by one of her friends. The complainant immediately felt that something was off. She realised that her pants and underwear were cut between her legs, and she felt wet in her private parts,” he said.
Senokoatsane further said, the complainant informed her friend that she suspected that she had been violated since her pants and underwear were cut between the legs, and she smelled like someone who just had intercourse.
He added that she also indicated that she had two kids and therefore knew how someone smelled who just had intercourse.
“She also realised that her cell phone which was in her upper body was also missing. The police were called, coming the next morning and the matter was reported. During preliminary investigations, all her male friends who were part of the gathering on 11 December 2010, were regarded as suspects.
“All of them were questioned and their buckle samples were taken for DNA elimination. All of them were eliminated, thus there was no suspect. The state was unable to proceed due to the lack of a suspect,” said Senokoatsane.
He said on 21 May 2021, eleven years later the accused, Cloete, was arrested on an unrelated charge of Contravening the Conditions of a Protection Order. Senokoatsane said his buckle sample was taken and sent to the laboratory to be placed on the database.
“The Investigating Officer in that matter was informed by the laboratory that a comparative search on the National Forensic DNA Database indicates that the accused arrested on the 21 May 2021 matter, is a person of interest in the rape matter that occurred on 11 December 2010.
“A comparison was done, and in a Section 212 statement dated 14 June 2022, it was concluded that the DNA of the accused taken in the 2021 matter, matches the DNA(semen) that was obtained from the tights and the underwear the complainant in the rape matter wore on 11 December 2010,” he said.
Senokoatsane said the regional court prosecutor in the matter, Basil Kock, after consultation with the victim, gave the instruction that the accused be charged with rape and made his first appearance on 24 April 2023.
He said when the trial was to commence, the accused tried to delay the trial, by submitting that Kock had a personal vendetta against him and should therefore recuse himself from the matter.
“The court explained to the accused after submissions by the learned prosecutor that there was no basis for the prosecutor to recuse himself. The trial eventually commenced on 4 September 2023.
“During the trial, the accused again delayed the matter for a considerable period when he fired his legal aid attorney. A Judicare practitioner had to be appointed, which resulted in further delays in finalising the matter,” said Senokoatsane.
“When the trial commenced, the accused testified by an admission that he had sexual intercourse with the complainant on the said date and place. He further admitted the contents of the 212 statements, which indicate that his semen (DNA) was found on the clothing of the complainant.
“However, the accused claimed that the sexual intercourse was with the consent of the complainant. The accused claimed that he went to look for the complainant, at the residence where the rape took place when he did not find her at the local pub,” he said.
Senokoatsane said he further testified that he found the complainant in the room, where she was sleeping, and he woke her up. He said he indicated that after chatting for a while, they slept together.
“All the above was denied by the complainant who insisted that she was in a drunken stupor and knew nothing about any sexual intercourse. This was confirmed by the state witnesses who testified that the complainant was heavily intoxicated and in a drunken stupor when they left her in the room.
“The accused after being cornered on numerous occasions by the prosecutor informed the court that he did not wish to answer any further questions concerning the rape,” said Senokoatsane.
He said during pre-sentencing, Kock highlighted the seriousness and prevalence of the offence in the court’s jurisdiction. Senokoatsane said Kock also highlighted the psychological effect rape has on victims such as the complainant.
The Guardian 