Picture: The former policeman, Sergeant Godfrey Setatwe/Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
10 March 2025- Former policeman, Sergeant Itumeleng Godfrey Setatwe from Choseng village, near Pudimoe Township in Taung, was sentenced to eight years imprisonment by the Vryburg Magistrates’ Court, for fraud and defeating the ends of justice.
In 2018, Setatwe signed an affidavit for one of the accused persons in an armed robbery and murder case that was committed in Pudimoe, that he lost his Identity Document (ID) and personal belongings prior the commission of crime. However, the vigilant Investigating Officer requested postponement to confirm the validity of the affidavit.
The North West police spokesperson, Colonel Adele Myburgh said this came after the Investigating Officer became suspicious of his colleague’s involvement. Myburgh said the Anti-Corruption Unit was as a result informed.
“Subsequently, a handwriting analysis confirmed that the affidavit was written and signed by Setatwe. He was charged for fraud and defeating the ends of justice. Setatwe who was attached to Vryburg Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit (STES), was dismissed from the South African Police Service (SAPS) after internal investigations were concluded,” she said.
Meanwhile, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng, congratulated the Provincial Anti-Corruption for recently achieving an excellent sentence.
8 March 2025- The South African Police Service (SAPS) management in North West said it would like to request possible victims and witnesses to come forward after an alleged incident was observed on social media regarding a gunman, who entered a mosque in Brits and allegedly threatened people on 2 March 2025.
The North West police spokesperson, Colonel Adele Myburgh said anyone who would like to come forward or assist the police with information, can contact the Investigating Officer, Sergeant Hosia Sebatjane of the Brits Detectives on Cell:082 557 0671. Myburgh said the victims or witnesses can also and anonymously report crime by calling the Crime Stop number: 08600 10111 or via the mySAPS App from their smart phones.
“The video was captured and circulated following an incident wherein a man (55), was allegedly assaulted and pointed with an firearm at around 5pm at his house in Central Street, Brits.
“Following the incident, police arrested Azharudin Bhaiyat (36) later the same evening and seized two firearms. Bhaiyat appeared before the Brits Magistrate’s Court on 4 March 2025, and was released on a warning until 31 March 2025,” she said.
Myburgh further said Bhaiyat was ordered to report twice a week at Brits Police Station.
Meanwhile, acting North West Police Commissioner, Provincial Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng, welcomed the arrest and indicated that negligent handling of firearms is a concern and cannot be tolerated taking into considering the last released provincial crime statistics, that showed that firearms were mostly used to commit murders.
Picture: The police search a plant, where dagga and ammunition found/Supplied
By BAKANG MOKOTO
10 March 2025- The husband (38) and his wife (36), will appear before the Potchefstroom Magistrate’s Court on Monday, for unlawful possession of ammunition, as well as cultivating and dealing in dagga. In an effort to curb trafficking of drugs and illegal proliferation of ammunition, the police obtained a search and seizure warrant and were operationalised by the Drug Task Team, accompanied by Potchefstroom Flying Squad.
The North West police spokesperson, Colonel Adele Myburgh said the police proceeded to an identified address at a small holding in Wilgeboom, Potchefstroom. Myburgh said during the search, the police found numerous and different rounds of ammunition and a hydroponic dagga lab, with dagga, dagga plants and dagga cigarettes with a value yet to be determined.
“Investigation into the matter including the processing of the crime scene by a Forensic team is underway,” she said.
The acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng, congratulated the police for the success, which he said will send out a strong message that crime does not pay. Asaneng said the police will continue to work hard to curb drug peddling and rid communities of drugs.
“The public is advised to report crime including through the South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Stop number 08600 10111 or the MySAPS application anonymously. Extortion-related incidents can be reported on the Extortion hotline on 080 091 1011,” he said.
Picture: The stolen vehicles seized by the police/Supplied
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
10 March 2025– Two suspects aged 42 and 18, are expected to appear in the Bafokeng Magistrate’s Court in Tlhabane on Monday, for possession of suspected stolen motor vehicles. The police said in an endeavour to address property related and other serious crimes, they have arrested suspects and confiscated two suspected stolen vehicles, vehicle registration documents and vehicle parts during a multi-disciplinary operation conducted in Tlhabane, outside Rustenburg on 7 March 2025.
The North West police spokesperson, Colonel Adele Myburgh said the Provincial Investigation Unit, Rustenburg Tactical Response Team (TRT), Rustenburg Public Order Police (POP), Rustenburg Flying Squad and Bojanala Crime Intelligence, collaborated to recover two stolen vehicles, a Volkswagen Craft (22-seater) and Hyundai Atos. Myburgh said moreover, various vehicle parts, number plates, vehicle registration documents and tyres were also confiscated.
“The vehicles and parts have an estimated joint value of more than R1.3 million. The preliminary investigations revealed that, the Volkswagen was reported stolen in Makapanstad in November of 2024, whereas the Atos was stolen in Boksburg in June 2024,” she said.
Meanwhile, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng, lauded everyone involved in the operation for their collaborative efforts that led to these successes.
10 March 2025- Eskom said it has suspended load shedding on Sunday. This comes after the recovery of more than 3 000MW of generation capacity and the replenishment of sufficient emergency reserves.
Eskom’s Group Executive Generation, Bheki Nxumalo said coal operations at Kusile Power Station are at optimal levels. Nxumalo said all units that were offline as of Friday, are now back in service.
“Progress on the recovery of Koeberg Unit 2 is well underway. Eskom reassures the public that Koeberg Unit 2 remains safe. Planned maintenance outages are aimed at preparing for winter and meeting regulatory and environmental licensing requirements.
“The team is working diligently to restore 4 091MW back to service by Monday. We maintain that load shedding is largely behind us due to structural improvements in the generation fleet. While baseload capacity remains constrained, our generation recovery plan is addressing this challenge,” he said.
Nxumalo further said the dedicated efforts of our highly skilled staff remain unwavering. He added that Eskom will communicate further when it is necessary.
7 March 2025- A scrap yard in Upington was fined R70 000 by the Upington Regional Court for contravention of the Second-Hand Goods Act. on Wednesday, 05 March 2025. However, half of the fine is suspended for 5 years.
In 2020, an undercover project driven investigation was conducted whereby Telkom copper cables were sold to Van Zyl Scrap Metal (PTY) LTD in Upington. After completion of three transactions, the project was terminated in June 2022, and the accused was brought before court.
The Hawks spokesperson in Northern Cape, Warrant Officer Nomthandazo Mnisi said the accused made several court appearances until pleading guilty and the case was finalized in court. Mnisi said on a separate, but related matter, OL Scrap Metal (PTY) LTD was fined R35 000, on charges of contravention of the Second-Hand Goods Act by the same court.
“During 2020, an undercover project driven investigation was conducted whereby Telkom copper cables were sold to OL Scrap Metal in Upington. The project was finally terminated in June 2022, and the accused was arrested. The accused pleaded guilty on 5 March 2025, and was sentenced,” she said.
7 March 2025- A 41-YEAR-OLD man sentenced to 12 years imprisonment by the Kimberley Regional Court for fraud. Thse accused, Amukelani Nicolus Malungani, was arrested on 13 May 2021, by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team.
The Hawks spokesperson in Northern Cape, Warrant Officer Nomthandazo Mnisi said between 2016 and 2017, Franti General Trading CC operated in Kimberley and failed to submit tax returns for that period. Mnisi said this evasion has resulted in the South African Revenue Service (SARS) suffering a potential loss of R415 339, 84.
“An intensive investigation by the team, Malungani, who was one of the company’s accountants, was found guilty on 2 counts of tax evasion and money laundering. He was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment of which 2 years is suspended for a period of five years,” she said.
7 March 2025- The Northern Cape Department of Education said it is pleased to announce the successful disbursement of R100 million to schools as part of the norms and standard allocations. The department said these funds have been allocated for essential needs, including Learning and Teaching Support Materials, municipal services, special schools, hostel subsidies, Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres and learner transport.
The Northern Cape Department of Education spokesperson, Geoffrey van der Merwe said a total of R22 million has been paid directly to municipalities across the province to assist schools struggling to cover their municipal service costs. Van der Merwe said this intervention was crucial in preventing electricity disconnections at schools, which could have negatively impacted their operations.
“Although there remains a shortfall in the funding provided, we are happy to report that schools are continuing to operate smoothly without any disruptions. The department is in ongoing communication with the Provincial Treasury to ensure the timely disbursement of funds to schools in the new financial year.
“With this matter now resolved, we urge all our stakeholders and partners in education to unite in our efforts to improve learner outcomes and the overall quality of education. Our department officials are working diligently to provide continuous support to schools and learners,” he said.
7 March 2025- The Portfolio Committee on Electricity and Energy was briefed by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) on the reasons for its decision on Eskom’s Multi-Year Price Determination 6 (MYPD6) Revenue Application. Briefing the committee, NERSA outlined the rationale behind its decisions, emphasising the need to balance Eskom’s financial sustainability with the economic pressures facing consumers.
The presentation highlighted that Eskom originally requested a staggering 57% increase in tariffs over three years. However, after thorough evaluations and consultations, NERSA approved a significantly reduced increase of 24.3%.
NERSA said it considered its decision within the broader context of ensuring affordability for consumers while enabling Eskom to address its operational challenges effectively.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Nonkosi Mvana said they have expressed significant concerns about the implications of tariff increases on consumers and the broader economy. Mvana said the members highlighted the historical pattern of tariff hikes and their adverse effects on economic activity, seeking clarification on how NERSA plans to ensure that future increases do not unduly burden vulnerable households and small businesses.
“Additionally, there were worries that the tariff increases might stem from mismanagement at Eskom. Some committee members voiced scepticism about Eskom’s ability to effectively utilise the funds generated from these increases, pointing to past inefficiencies and corruption.
“In response, NERSA explained that the approved increases are contingent upon Eskom meeting specific performance targets and operational efficiency benchmarks. The regulator assured the committee that it would closely monitor Eskom’s financial management and operational practices to ensure that any additional revenue is directed towards improving service delivery and reducing load shedding,” she said.
Mvana further said the energy regulator emphasised its commitment to conducting thorough economic impact assessments prior to approving any tariff adjustments. She added that NERSA noted that the approved increases were based on careful consideration of operational costs, maintenance needs and performance targets for Eskom.
“Additionally, NERSA recognised the necessity for enhanced accountability and oversight, reaffirming its intention to monitor Eskom’s compliance with established performance standards diligently. Another significant question raised by the committee involved the integration of independent power producers (IPPs) into the energy landscape and how this would affect future pricing.
“Members expressed concerns about the potential costs associated with integrating renewable energy sources and whether these costs would be passed on to consumers. NERSA assured the committee that while IPPs will contribute to diversifying the energy mix, careful planning and regulation will be essential to manage costs effectively,” said Mvana.
She said committee members inquired whether NERSA is considering any changes to the existing regulatory framework to better address Eskom’s challenges and those of the energy sector as a whole. Mvana said in response, NERSA said the evolving landscape of the energy market, continuous policy review will be required.
“Furthermore, NERSA stressed that any amendments would only be made after careful consideration of the long-term implications for both Eskom and consumers. The discussion also touched on the issue of the gas/coal problem, particularly with regard to the integration of gas as a transitional fuel in South Africa’s energy mix.
“Committee members raised questions about the implications of relying on gas while also managing coal dependencies. NERSA recognised the complexity of this issue, highlighting the need for a balanced approach to energy generation that considers both environmental sustainability and economic viability,” she said.
Mvana said regarding the negotiated pricing agreements between Eskom and large industrial users, committee members questioned the fairness of these agreements in the context of rising tariffs for ordinary consumers. She said the energy regulator reiterated that such agreements are governed by the electricity pricing policy and said that it will continue to review these contracts to ensure they align with South Africa’s broader economic goals.
Setshwantsho-papiso: Setopo sa motho se bonwe ke mapodisi
Ka OBAKENG MAJE
7 Mopitlwe 2025- Kgetsi ya polao kgatlhanong le monna wa kwa motse-setoropong wa Utlwanang, gaufi le Christina, e buseditswe morago go fitlha di 10 Moranang 2025. Molatofadiwa, George “Bees” Kgalaki (50), one a tlhageletse kwa kgotlhatshekelo ya Christiana ka boripana, mabapi le polao.
Se se tla morago ga go bonwa ga setopo sa ga Elizabeth Makanase Tukula (47) kwa matlakaleng, gaufi le lebala la metshameko la kwa Chrisitiana. Go ya ka sebueledi sa sepodisi mo sedikeng sa Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Warrant Officer Tryphosa van Rooyen, setopo sa ga Tukula, se bonwe ke bana fa bane ba tshameka.
Van Rooyen are lekau la ga Tukula, le ile la tshwarwa, mme le tlhageletse kwa kgotlha-tshekelo.
“Setopo sa ga Tukula se bonwe ka Labobedi beke e e fetileng, fela mokola ene o tshwerwe ka Laboraro. Dipatlisiso di supa fa moswi a kgwageditswe ka terata,” van Rooyen wa tlhalosa.
Kgabagare, Kgakali yo o ileng a bolelela lekgotlha gore ene o tla ipuelela mo kgetsi e, one a fetola mogopolo, mme a kopa mmueledi wa puso. Dipatlisiso di tswelela mo kgetsi.
The Guardian 