Picture: The cable confiscated by the police/Supplied
By REGINALD KANYANE
7 April 2025- A man (46) who was arrested for allegedly being in possession of explosives during Operation Vala Umgodi, was granted a R500 bail by the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court. The accused, Petrus Madika was arrested during a stop and search operation.
The North West police spokesperson, Captain Mpho Manyoba said Madika was charged for contravention of the Explosives Act, which prohibits the possession of explosives.
Manyoba said the explosives are used to commit illegal mining.
“The same team conducted operations at one of the illegal mining hotspots at Shiva Uranium mine and they seized explosives, which were apparently hidden by illegal mining suspects. The seized explosives included four blasting cartridges, one connector fuse cap and 27 metres of detonating cord.
“This discovery is yet another commendable work by the police in eradicating illegal mining. The Vala Umgodi team will continue to make breakthroughs in addressing illegal mining and related crimes,” she said.
Picture: Three suspects arrested for extortion, kidnapping and aggravated robbery/Generic
By OBAKENG MAJE
7 April 2025- Five suspects were arrested for kidnapping. This comes after a man (39), was allegedly kidnapped for ransom.
According to the North West police spokesperson, Captain Mpho Manyoba, the various South African Police Service (SAPS) National and Provincial units were activated following the incident reported in Wolmaransstad on Friday night, 4 April 2025. Manyoba said subsequent negotiations led the team to Welkom and Virginia in the Free State Province, where five suspects were arrested and a kidnapped victim was rescued unharmed.
“During the arrest, the team seized three cell phones, including the victim’s and a replica firearm. The suspects aged between 29 and 45, are due to appear in the Wolmaransstad Magistrate’s Court on 7 April 2025, facing charges of kidnapping, extortion, aggravated robbery and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH),” she said.
Meanwhile, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng, commended the police for their commitment, dedication and bravery in tracking, arresting and safely rescuing a victim of kidnapping linked to extortion. Asaneng said the police worked tirelessly, before arresting the suspects at the hideout in the Free State.
“This arrest should send a strong message to heartless criminals that the police shall pursue them wherever they are and no resources will be spared in making sure that they are removed from society and jailed for their heinous crimes,” he said.
7 April 2025 – The multi-party delegation representing the South African Parliament at the 150th Inter-Parliamentary Union voiced deep concern over the lack of significant progress in ensuring women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace processes. The delegation highlighted the absence of women’s groups as signatories to peace agreements in 2023.
The National Assembly speaker, Thoko Didiza said it emphasised the missed opportunity, given the well-documented sustainability of peace agreements when women are involved. She said while commending countries promoting women’s inclusion in peace-making efforts, the delegation acknowledged the need for more substantial actions to achieve true gender parity in peace processes.
“Specifically, South Africa proposed that parliaments worldwide enact legislation mandating the inclusion of women in peace envoys and potentially involving the establishment of quotas or affirmative action measures.
“In addition, they advocated for implementation of robust monitoring mechanisms to review women’s participation and the impact of their involvement in peacebuilding efforts,” she said.
Didiza further said South Africa pressed for allocation of resources towards training programmes and capacity-building initiatives to equip women with the necessary skills and knowledge for effective participation in peace processes. She added that the delegation asserted that by embracing these measures, parliaments worldwide can ensure women’s active engagement in peace processes, thereby leading to more effective and sustainable agreements and outcomes.
“These efforts seek to amplify women’s impact on fostering a more comprehensive and sustainable peace,” said Didiza.
7 April 2025- The North West University (NWU) has achieved a milestone with its first-ever publication in the journal Nature with Prof Thembinkosi Malevu of the subject group Physics sharing possible solutions to the risks posed by space junk. Co-authored with Prof Richard Ocaya from the University of the Free State, the research focuses on the risks posed by space debris, pieces of old satellites and rockets, falling back to earth. The study highlights incidents where large metal fragments have crashed in places like Kenya and Uganda.
Prof Thembinkosi Malevu said as more satellites are launched into space, the chance of debris falling into populated areas increases, creating risks for people, buildings, land and air traffic. Malevu said the study explains that many space agencies and companies do not have clear plans for removing old satellites from orbit.
“Most of these satellites fall back to Earth, making it difficult to predict where they will land. The research also discusses international agreements that hold countries responsible for damage caused by falling space debris, but these agreements were created before modern satellite technology and do not fully address today’s challenges.
“The researchers warn about a possible chain reaction in space, where pieces of debris collide with working satellites, creating more debris that could make space travel and communication systems unsafe. They point out that many small fragments are too tiny to track, making it difficult to prevent accidents,” he said.
Malevu further said the study calls for better monitoring systems and stronger rules to manage space traffic and prevent dangerous collisions. He added that, to reduce the risks, the study suggests solutions such as better satellite designs that ensure old equipment burns up safely in the atmosphere.
“It also explores possible cleanup methods, including robotic arms, nets and lasers that could remove large pieces of debris from orbit.
“The NWU’s first publication in Nature is an important step in addressing global challenges related to space safety. The study contributes to discussions on policies, environmental impact and the future of space exploration,” said Malevu.
He said the Journal Nature, established in 1869, is a multidisciplinary science journal that has a 90.0 CiteScore, according to Scopus, a SCImago journal rank of 18.509 and a Source Normalised Impact per Paper (SNIP) rating of 10.010. Nature is not to be confused with journals in the Nature Portfolio.
7 April 2025 – The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has successfully held three public hearings on the Marriage Bill in Mpumalanga. The final hearing was held in Witbank, where the main point of contention was the legal age for an individual to get married.
The Chairperson of Portfolio Committee, Mosa Chabane said the Bill received mixed reviews from participants, with the majority in support of the Bill, while others shared various reservations about certain clauses. Chabane said a number of participants argued that while they agreed with the intentions of the Bill to increase the legal age of marriage, they were concerned about the proposed 18 years as too young as they believe an 18-year-old does not have the maturity required to marry and must still finish school and establish themselves in the world.
“Some proposed that the age limit should rather be increased to 21 or 25. There was also a concern that by setting the legal age at 18, it will expose young people to exploitation by foreign nationals intending to get married just to regularise their stay in South Africa.
“Some participants disagreed and argued that the Bill contradicts other laws. They based this argument on the fact that legislation sets the age of sexual consent at 16 years of age. They argued that this incongruency between the two pieces of legislation is problematic and difficult to understand,” he said.
Chabane further said, meanwhile, there were opposing views on the proposal that a man intending to enter into a polygamous marriage must receive written consent from the first wife. He added that those against this provision argued that it is oppressive and said it will destroy a well-established cultural practice.
“Some also contended that the Bill represents the imposition of Western practices and laws on African and traditional practices, which will lead to the dilution and destruction of African culture.
“Some of the participants also argued that the clause is problematic because they believe that many wives will not consent to polygamy,” said Chabane.
He said those in support of the clause argued that it will end the suppression of the rights of women in polygamous marriages. Chabane said, furthermore, it will also ensure that the property rights of women in polygamous marriages are protected for the benefit of both the wife and children.
“Also, some argued that this provision will prevent delays in the winding up of the deceased estate, in the case of the husband passing away. Some participants from the Muslim community argued that the Bill is not responsive to the Women’s Centre Trust vs the President of the Republic of South Africa Constitutional Court ruling, as the Bill does not recognise Muslim marriages in accordance with Islamic law.
“There was also an argument that the Bill does not regulate the consequences of marriages according to Islamic law. Participants emphasised that while they welcomed legal recognition of Muslim marriages, they did not support the Marriage Bill because Muslims have a unique Personal Law system, and they believe that the Bill converts Muslim marriages into civil marriages,” said Chabane.
He said the committee has now concluded public hearings in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga. Chabane said the committee will in due course communicate dates for the next batch of public hearings in the five remaining provinces.
“The committee reiterated its appreciation for all South Africans who have come out in their numbers to make a meaningful contribution to the Bill,” he said.
Setshwantsho: Balatofadiwa mo polao ya motlhankela wa sepodisi
Ka OBAKENG MAJE
7 Moranang 2025- Banna ba ba latofadiwang ka go bolaya motlhankela wa sepodisi, Constable Gaerutwe Eric Tekolo (41), wa kwa seteisheng sa sepodisi sa Bray, ba solofetswe go tlhagelela kwa kgotlhatshekelo ya Ganyesa mo letsatsing la gompieno. Go begwa fa Tekolo a ile a tlhaselwa le go tlhabiwa ka thipa ke banna ba, kwa Phohung Section, kwa Ganyesa.
Go begwa fa seteishene sa Ganyesa, se ile sa amogela mogala o tlhalosang fa Tekolo a rapaletse kwa mmileng ka ditho tsa go tlhabiwa, mme a na le dikgobalo go utlwala. Go begwa fa ba lelapa la gagwe ba ile ba mo tabogisetsa kwa kliniking ya selegae go ya go bona thuso ya potlako.
Go begwa fa sepodisi se ile sa itelekela kwa kliniking, fela ba fitlhela maloba ele maabane, gonne Tekolo one a setse a balelelwa le baswi.
Go ya ka mogoloe moswi, Pesaloma Tekolo, Eric one a mo letsetsa ka ura ya bo supa maitsiboa, mme a mo tlhalosetsa gore o lebile kwa ntlung ya ga ausi wa gagwe. Pesaloma o tlhalositse fa morwarragwe eleng Eric, a ne a mo kopa gore a tle go mo tsaya, mme ba lebe kwa lapeng kwa motseng wa Madinonyane.
Go begwa fa Pesaloma a ne a tla a lebile kwa ntlung ya ausi wa gagwe, one a bona motho a dutse mo mmileng. Go begwa fa a ne a atimela, mme a lemoga gore motho oo ke Eric.
Go begwa fa moswi a ne a gobetse mo mokwatleng, ga mmogo le mo seropeng, fela a sentse a tshela. Go begwa fa moswi a ne a lotlegela mogoloe gore o tlhasetswe ke banna ba le babedi ba sa itsiweng.
Moswi o ile a tlhalosa fa banna bao, ba ile ba mo tseela mogala wa letheka le sepatshe sa madi, mme ba lebotsa phokoje. Go begwa fa moswi a ile a rwalelwa kwa kliniking go bona thuso. Fela moswi o ile a tlhokafala, mme a isiwa kwa mmoshareng wa puso go tswa kwa kliniking.
Kgabagare, mokwaledi wa South African Policing Union mo porofenseng ya Bokone Bophirima, Tlou Mpheroane are ba kgala ka bogale tiragalo e. Mpheroane are go bolawa ga batlhankela wa sepodisi ke ntwa kgatlhanong molao.
“Batlhankela ba sepodisi ke bone ba ba lwantshang bosenyi le go tlisa kagiso mo setshabeng. Jannong, botlhe ba ba kgatlhanong le seo, ebile ba bolaya batlhankela bao, ba nyatsa melao le melawana ya Afrika Borwa.
“Jaaka SAPU, re tla be re bolodutse mogwanto kwa ntle ga kgotlhatshekelo ya Ganyesa fa balatofadiwa mo kgetsing e, ba tla be ba dira kopo ya beile. Re kgatlhanong le gore balatofadiwa ba neelwe beile,” Mpheroane wa tlhalosa.
Mpheroane are ba sentse ba ikuela go puso go ka dira kitsiso ya gore botlhe ba ba bolayang batlhankela ba sepodisi ba lebane le tatofatso ya bomenola puso. Mpheroane are batho botlhe ba ba bolayang batlhankela ba sepodisi, ba koafatsa tshireletso ya setshaba.
4 April 2025- The Re Aga Taung Civic Organisation (RATCO) calls on the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie to intervene regarding Taung Cultural Calabash event. The event that always takes place during a heritage month, September, it is now a shadow of itself.
The Chairperson of Re Aga Taung Civic Organisation (RATCO), Modisaotsile Lebitse said the event was scheduled to take place in March 2025, however, that never happened. Lebitse said they are now dejected as artist representatives.
“Immediately when you mention Taung Cultural Calabash, I feel dejected. The truth of the matter is that, we fighting a losing battle and we not going to win. We tried our level best to ensure that the North West Department of Arts, Sports, Culture and Recreation do things right, but we failed.
“I even wrote a letter to the Minister of Arts, Sports, Culture and Recreation, Gayton McKenzie, requesting for his intervention. However, he has not responded yet. However, I am disappointed because he is the most vigorous Minister thus far,” he said.
Lebitse further said they will again try to communicate with McKenzie’s office and understand why he has not responded yet. He added that, they have also written to Afri-forum for assistance too.
“Afri-forum has also not responded, but we will make follow-ups. The issue of Taung Cultural Calabash event needs a probe. There are many issues in the Greater Taung area that need thorough investigations and we will go down to the wire.
“So, we going back to the drawing board and come up with better strategy on how to approach those issues. Taung Cultural Calabash is a shadow of itself as we speak,” said Lebitse.
One of the artists in North West, Thapelo Mokhutshoane said, in the heart of the North West province lies a growing frustration and a festering wound in the cultural and creative industries. Mokhutsoane alleged that, a staggering R4 million budget – allocated jointly by the North West Department of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation and the National Department of Arts and Culture – earmarked for the historically significant Taung Cultural Calabash Festival, has slipped into obscurity.
“The funds, instead of revitalizing the creative economy and preserving one of the province’s most important cultural heritage events, now sit idle on the brink of reversion to the National Treasury.
“With no event delivered, no clear accountability, and no viable contingency plan presented, the North West arts community is calling out the glaring injustice and failed leadership that threatens not only the province’s artists, but the very cultural memory of Taung itself,” he said.
Mokhutshoane said since its inception, Taung Cultural Calabash has served as a vibrant platform showcasing the diverse tapestry of South Africa’s indigenous arts, heritage, and cultural expressions. He said Taung Cultural Calabash is more than a festival as it is a legacy event, deeply rooted in the story of Taung – a site known internationally for the discovery of the Taung Child fossil, a symbol of human origins and African pride.
“The festival has always functioned as both a cultural cornerstone and an economic driver for local communities, providing artists with visibility, economic participation, and a vital sense of cultural agency.
“Yet in 2024, when the R4 million was set aside to breathe life back into this festival after years of inconsistent support, it became yet another statistic in the ledger of mismanagement and bureaucratic inertia,” said Mokhutshoane.
He said, initially postponed from late 2024 to March 2025, the festival now sits in limbo, having failed to materialize once more. Mokhutshoane said crucially, no substantive or valid reasons have been communicated to the affected stakeholders – the artists, vendors, communities, and cultural workers who have long sustained the festival through their creativity and labour.
“Where is the leadership from the Mmabana Arts, Culture and Sports Foundation, the very institution entrusted to steward this cultural institution?
“Where are the explanations from the provincial and national departments, who released these public funds? Most importantly, where is the strategic intervention from the custodians of the provincial creative sector?” he asked.
Mokhutshoane said if R4m allocation is returned to the National Treasury, the fund will join the ranks of unspent budgets that often indicate either administrative incompetence or systemic neglect. He said this is not merely about an event that failed to take place – it is about the erosion of trust, the systemic marginalization of artists in the province and a pattern of disempowerment that mirrors the broader crisis facing South Africa’s cultural sectors.
Meanwhile, the North West MEC for Arts, Sports, Culture and Recreation, Virginia Tlhapi said: “We are going to re-purpose the Taung Cultural Calabash event and we will have a consultative engagement with artists across the province and see how they benefit.”
3 April 2025- The National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), advocate Shamila Batohi, has requested a report, from the Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Barry Madolo, on the judgement delivered by Judge Irma Schoeman of the Eastern Cape Local Division of the High Court sitting in Gqeberha on 2 April 2025. The judgment relates to a trial that lasted for over eight years from 2017, wherein Nigerian televangelist, Timothy Omotoso and two others, faced several charges of rape, human trafficking and sexual assault.
The Judge raised concerns about the conduct of the prosecution in her finding the trio not guilty of all the charges preferred against them.
Batohi said they will carefully study the judgment when it is made available to the parties. She said in the meantime, she has expressed her serious concerns about adverse findings made by the judge against the prosecution team, relating to the manner in which the prosecution was conducted.
“The NDPP has called for a transcript of the proceedings and will consider it in order to determine whether the criticism of the prosecution team is warranted. Depending on the outcome of this process, the NDPP, together with the DPP in Eastern Cape, will decide on appropriate action.
“The DPP in Eastern Cape has in the meantime indicated that the team will study the judgement and decide on whether to bring an application to appeal the judgement,” said Bathohi.
She said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has demonstrated its commitment to dealing effectively with Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and sexual offences. Batohi said the NPA has a world-class special unit called the Sexual Offences and Community Affairs (SOCA) Unit, which is dedicated to dealing with sexual violence and related cases.
“The NDPP appreciates the public outrage expressed by many in response to the judgment in view of its devastating impact on the victims in this case and the fight against the scourge of GBV in the country.
“The NDPP is proud of the NPA’s track record in providing victim-centred and professional support to victims of gender-based violence, including through the national rollout of Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCCs) that for the past eight years have provided specialised support in almost 280 000 matters (or 34,600 matters per year),” said Batohi.
She said this recent judgement represents a travesty of justice that they cannot accept. Batohi sais the NDPP awaits the report from the DPP in Eastern Cape and will consider the next steps to ensure that this tragic outcome is dealt with swiftly and appropriately, based on the facts and the legal dimensions relevant to the judgement.
Setshwantsho: Banna ba le babedi b aba latofadiwang ka polao
Ka BAKANG MOKOTO
3 Moranang 2025- Kgetsi ya polao kgatlhanong le banna ba le babedi ba kwa motseng wa Matlhako 2, gaufi le Pudimoe, e buseditswe morago go fitlha 10 Moranang 2025.
Balatofadiwa, Phemelo Maine (40) ga mmogo le Okemetse Phatlhanyane (27), ba latofadiwa ka go bolaya Boingotlo Makaota (16). Go begwa fa setopo sa ga Makaota, se bonwe kwa lebitleng le le seng boteng kwa nageng kwa motseng wa Matlhako 2.
Go ya ka moagisani, one a utlwa segajaja sa lekgarebe mo bosigong jwa Labone kwa ntlung ya ga Maine. Go begwa fa moagisani o, gape a tlhalositse fa a ne a bona Maine ga mmogo le ditsala tsa gagwe ba kgorometsa kereibaye e go bontshang fa ene e pegile sengwe mo teng mo mosong wa Labotlhano.
Sebueledi sa sepodisi mo Bokone Bophirima, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone are: “Sepodisi se ile sa tswa letsholo, mme seo se ile sa lebisa kwa go epololweng ga setopo sa ga Makaota.
“Go begwa fa setopo seo, sene se phuthetswe ka kobo, mme moswi one a supiwa ke ba lelapa la gagwe. Dipatlisiso di shupa fa setopo sa ga Makaota, se ne se na le dintho mo tlhogong, mo diropeng ga mmogo le mo maotong.”
Mokgwabone are dipatlisiso di ile tsa bolodiwa kwa lelapeng la ga Maine, mme diaparo tsa moswi di ile tsa fitlhelwa teng. Mokgwabone are, Maine o tshwerwe ka Lamatlhatso morago ga go ineele kwa sepodising.
“Monna o, o ile a isiwa kwa sepodisi ke morwa rragwe, mme one a tshwarwa. Sepodisi se ile sa botsolotsa Phatlhanyane o bonweng a tsamaya le Maine fa a ne a kgorometsa kereibaye, mme le ene o ile a lelelwa ke ditshipi,” Mokgwabone wa tlhalosa.
Mokomishinara wa Sepodisi wa nama o sa tshwere mo Bokone Bophirima, Major General Patrick Asaneng, o kgadile ka bogale tiragalo e. Asaneng are polao eo ya go tlhorontshiwa ga bong e kabo e efogilwe fa baagi ba ne ba le malala-a-laotswe.
Kgabagare, Maine o ile a ipona molato mabapi le ditatofatso tsotlhe kgatlhanong le ene, mme o solofetswe go ka nguna-nguna seo le mmueledi wa puso. Phatlhanyane ene o setse a inkeme fela ka gore a neelwe beile, mme kopo ya gagwe e ka rediwa fa kgetsi e boela kgotlhatshekelo.
3 April 2025– Five accused briefly appeared in the Koster Magistrate’s Court on charges of extortion at the construction site, intimidation, malicious damage to property and kidnapping. The accused, Andrew Matane (42), Blasius Makati (49), Chapel Mahlasela (50), Thabo Frederick (50) and Lazarus Mazaleni (54), were arrested after an investigation conducted subsequent to Provincial Organised Crime receiving an extortion complaint in March 2025, a South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) contractor appointed to reconstruct the road between N4 and Koster.
The North West police spokesperson, Captain Mpho Manyoba said the accused allegedly disrupted the construction and intimidated the contractor, project managers and employees, after their bids for appointment as sub-contractors did not succeed. Manyoba said they allegedly intimidated and forced construction officials to stay in a meeting, despite responding to issues they were called to clarify.
“Additionally, the accused allegedly mobilised members of the community to disrupt and stop the project, leading to the closure of the site. In a positive response to a serious concern of extortion, a multidisciplinary team consisting of the Provincial Organised Crime, Anti-Gang Unit and Rustenburg Public Order Police (POP) arrested five suspects on 1 April 2025, in Koster.
“During the release of the Provincial Third Quarter Crime Statistics, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng, in response to the concerns of the North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi, and the Provincial Executive, sent out a strong message that those who commit acts of extortion and protests that often target contractors and critical infrastructure will be hunted down, arrested and be prosecuted,” she said.
Manyoba further said this arrest is just one of many to follow. She added that the case was postponed to 7 April 2025, for a bail application and all accused remain in custody.
The Guardian 