26 August 2025- The Provincial Management of the Northern Cape inclusive of the Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Corporate Services, Major General (Dr) Mphuthi, the Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Policing, Major General Johnny Besnaar and the Provincial Head for Pro- Active Policing, Brigadier Irene Kopeledi with their entourage led the election of the interim Provincial Community Police Board on 26 August 2025, in Upington.
The five District Chairpersons, Secretaries, and Public Relation Officials formed were part of the meeting, which aimed at restructuring the Provincial Policing Board.
Pastor James Malgas opened the program with devotion and prayer, and the purpose of the meeting was outlined by the Provincial Head of Policing, Brigadier Kopeledi.
The keynote speaker, Major General Besnaar, addressed the meeting on previous challenges and the expectation for the new structure to rebuild the relationship between the SAPS and CPF.
He further cited that the relationship must be maintained for the benefit of the community to ensure that the mandate of the SAPS and the CPF is fulfilled.
Treasurer- Ms Dorothy Langfred (Pixley Ka Seme District)
PRO-Mr Hilton Appollis (JTG District)
The interim board was congratulated by the provincial management, and Major General(Dr) Mphuthi took the opportunity to welcome the structure on behalf of the Provincial Commissioner.
The structure will serve until the next Annual General meeting.
26 August 2025- The Democratic Alliance (DA) said StatsSA’s survey shows a worsening crime crisis, with sexual offences nearly tripling since 2020/21. The DA said SAPS failure, corruption and weak intelligence leave communities unsafe and mistrustful.
DA Spokesperson on Police and Member of Parliament (MP), Lisa Schickerling calls for urgent SAPS reform, devolution of powers, and stronger community policing. Schickerling said today’s report by Statistics South Africa, the “Victims of Crime” survey, shows that South Africans are under increasing siege from violent crime.
“The DA condemns SAPS’ ongoing failure to provide effective policing. Concerning increases can be seen in serious crimes such as sexual offences, where instances have spiked from 25,000 cases in 2020/21 to a shocking 73,000 cases in 2024/25.
“The report by StatsSA demonstrates a national crime crisis, including that only 36.1% of South Africans feel safe walking alone at night in their own communities. An estimated 983 000 households were victims of housebreaking in the past year,” she said.
Schickerling further said nearly 846 000 people fell victim to theft of personal property. She added that the communities remain under siege due to violent crimes such as murder, assault, robbery, rape and sexual offences, with many cases going unreported due to deep mistrust of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
“The recent shootings on the Cape Flats are a stark reminder of the urgent need for reform within SAPS. They highlight not only the scale of violence but also the glaring lack of crime intelligence capacity within the national police service.
“Without a functional intelligence unit that can anticipate, prevent, and disrupt criminal activity, communities remain exposed, and SAPS is left reacting to crises instead of preventing them. Crime prevention strategies remain reactive instead of proactive, leaving communities exposed to repeat victimisation,” said Schickerling.
She said this survey done by StatsSA has delivered a picture of the lived experiences of the victims/survivors of crime, whereas South Africa receives data-centric reports from the SAPS on a quarterly basis that reflect the documented cases or criminal complaints opened at SAPS stations. Schickerling said the StatsSA survey may paint a more accurate picture of the real impact of crime, because it does not go through the filter of the SAPS self-reporting.
“A significant reporting issue in the quarterly crime statistics released by the SAPS themselves, is that they fail to report on crimes specifically targeting women and children. In effect the SAPS crime stats ignore GBV.
“SAPS remains under-resourced, undertrained and compromised by cadre deployment and corruption. The bold reform which the South African Police Service needs includes devolving policing powers to capable provincial and local governments who understand their communities’ needs,” said Schickerling.
She said this is becoming increasingly essential, and the DA recognises the fight that the province of the Western Cape and the City of Cape Town are mounting to see devolution of policing. Schickerling said for SAPS to improve, it is high time that there is effective and hands-on management of Policing at the national level to deliver professionalisation of SAPS by ending cadre deployment and appointing skilled officers based on merit.
“Modernisation of policing through the use of technology, data-driven crime prevention and increased visible policing. Strengthening of Community Policing Forums (CPFs) to rebuild public trust and cooperation with law enforcement.
“South Africans deserve the freedom to walk safely in their streets, raise their children without fear and live their lives without the constant threat of crime. Only a capable state with professional, community-focused policing can restore safety and rebuild trust,” said Schickerling.
26 August 2025- The Northern Cape Department of Sport, Arts and Culture said it will launch renowned writer Sabata Mpho Mokae’s powerful Setswana novel, Lefatshe ke la Badimo. The department said the launch will take place at Sol Plaatje University, Auditorium 2, Humanities and Heritage Studies Building, Central Campus at 4:15pm.
The Northern Cape MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture, Octavious Mangaliso Matika is expected to deliver a keynote address. Matika said this book launch forms part of the International Language Conference hosted by SPU from 27–29 August 2025 under the theme: “Intellectualisation of African Languages in the Digital Age.”
“Join us in celebrating a cultural milestone and honouring a remarkable contribution to Setswana literature,” he said.
26 August 2025- The Kimberley SAPS hosted a Women’s Month closing church service under the theme: “Empowered by Faith, United in Purpose.” The event was held on 25 August 2025 at the Kimberley Police Station Gymnasium, and attended by representatives from various government departments, including Provincial Traffic, Sol Plaatje Municipal Traffic, and the Department of Home Affairs.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Dikeledi Gopane said the programme was honoured with the presence of Frances Baard District Commissioner, Major General Charlotte Makgari, and Kimberley Station Commander, Brigadier Nicholas Mtongana.
Gopane said the Programme Director, Warrant Officer Kelebogile Khabeni from Employee Health and Wellness, encouraged women to remain prayerful and to speak out against Gender-Based Violence (GBVF) and Femicide, reminding them to always make use of available support services.
“The opening prayer was delivered by Sergeant Vuyelwa Rammokho, followed by Colonel Keamogetse Makobo, who welcomed guests and outlined the purpose of the day. She emphasized the importance of women taking action and honouring the contributions of others by standing firm against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).
“Chaplain Nozingaze Geco delivered a message of support, citing Isaiah 43:17-19, and reminded women not to be held back by the past but to move forward together in unity. Pastor Ramasedi expanded on the theme: “Empowered by Faith, United in Purpose,” reminding women of the divine strength within them and encouraging them to remain steadfast in prayer,” she said.
Gopane further said Chaplain Volgraaft shared adevotion from 2 Corinthians 4:8, highlighting the message of “Crushing Produces Capacity,” and how challenges strengthen one’s ability to become an influencer.
She added that in her address, Major General Makgari encouraged women to always recognize their worth, reminding them that “a strong woman stands up for herself, but a stronger woman stands up for others.
“She urged unity among women as a source of strength. The event concluded with the vote of thanks delivered by Kimberley Head of Detectives, Colonel Nadia Kika,” said Gopane.
26 August 2025- The police in Northern Cape said business robberies pose serious risks to business owners, employees, customers and their assets. The police said the violent nature of such crimes can result in permanent injuries, severe damage, and even fatalities.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Molefi Shemane urges business owners to adopt precautionary measures to reduce the risk of business robberies. Shemane said they should verify the identity of all visitors, including those conducting deliveries or repairs.
“Be mindful of what is discussed in the presence of staff and customers. Report suspicious persons or behaviour to the police immediately. When hiring employees, request a valid identity document and keep a copy on record. Conduct thorough reference checks and request police clearance certificates.
“Ensure that contractors also verify the identities and backgrounds of their employees. Install a reliable alarm system and ensure it is regularly maintained. Connect the alarm system to an armed response service. Install static panic buttons in strategic areas such as cash offices and strong rooms,” he said.
Shemane further said business owners should provide portable panic buttons to management staff and ensure they are carried at all times. He added that they should also test panic buttons weekly to ensure functionality.
“Vary store opening and closing times. Use different routes when travelling to and from the store. Avoid opening or closing the store alone. Assign someone with a panic button to monitor the opening and closing process from a safe distance.
“Ensure adequate lighting at all entry and exit points. Keep cash and valuables in a safe or bank. Use a properly reinforced drop safe. Never keep the keys to the drop safe together or on the premises simultaneously,” said Shemane.
He said business owners should remove excess cash from tills throughout the day and deposit it into the drop safe. Shemane said they should avoid doing a full cash-up at the end of the trading day.
“In the event of a robbery at a business, warehouse, factory, or shopping centre, staff and customer behaviour can play a crucial role in reducing the risk of violence and injury. Information regarding criminal activities can be reported to Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or via the MySAPS App.
“The SAPS in the Northern Cape remains committed to creating a safe and secure environment for all communities,” he said.
26 August 2025- The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape said it is probing the Northern Cape Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison renewed bus contract with the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) amidst alleged irregularities and roadworthiness concerns. The DA said tensions between the Modderrivier Taxi Association and SANTACO, resulted in the suspension of bus services last week.
DA Northern Cape Spokesperson for Transport, Safety and Liaison and Member of provincial Legislature (MPL), Reinette Liebenberg said this left commuters travelling from Ritchie and Modderrivier to Kimberley stranded. Liebenberg said the Modderrivier Taxi Association demanded that the buses believed to have been found unroadworthy, be re-examined. She said three out of four buses failed roadworthy tests due to faulty brakes, during a roadblock operation conducted by traffic officials.
“The Modderrivier Taxi Association has also raised suspicions of contractual irregularities and price fixing between SANTACO and the department. These allegations cannot be left untested, particularly as the department admitted in its 2025/2026 Annual Performance Plan that none of the province’s bus contracts were awarded through a tender process.
“The department also admitted that the persistent lack of tendered contracts has resulted in the operators being inefficient and rendering poor quality services,” said Liebenberg.
She further said the DA has submitted written questions to the department. Liebenberg added that they must provide them with the conditions of the contracts entered into with all subsidised bus operators and supply proof that all buses were compliant and roadworthy when the contracts were awarded.
“The department must also respond to allegations of price fixing and provide copies of the pricing structure and tender documents, to determine if services were fairly and transparently quoted, without bias.
“The department’s assurance that a competitive bidding process will be followed before the expiration of the current two-year contract in 2026, is also not good enough, and must be urgently reprioritized,” said Liebenberg.
She said the DA will not allow the safety of commuters, who are reliant on government subsidized public transport services, to be compromised through corruption and mismanagement.
Picture: The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Dina Pule
By BAKANG MOKOTO
26 August 2025 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Dina Pule, has noted with concern that the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) is currently rudderless, without a council in place. Pule said she has noted that the SAVC’s term of office came to an end on 31 July 2025, and there is currently a vacuum in the entity as the Chief Executive Officer/Registrar has no council to account to.
She further said the SAVC has written to the President to complain that the Minister has overstepped the mark by not legitimising the results of its electronic elections and that the Minister has requested that the Veterinary Council rerun the elections. Pule added that it is concerning to learn of this turn of events at such an important governance structure as the South African Veterinary Council.
“The committee will invite the Minister to brief it on his decision not to recognise the election results and his reasons for not appointing the successful candidates.
“We look forward to hearing from him about this development, particularly because there is a vacuum in the South African Veterinary Council, which should not have happened in the first place,” she said.
Pule highlighted that the council alleged that the process was started as early as February 2025 and was rerun in April 2025, while the report was sent to the Minister in May 2025. She said the new council should be meeting this month.
“However, this is not happening because of the vacuum and the term of the old council has expired. SAVC is the second Department of Agriculture entity that does not have a permanent council/board as legislated. The National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) also does not have an appointed council, as its term expires in May 2025, and the interim council’s term will expire in December 2025.
“The Minister will be called to explain the action he is taking to ensure the speedy establishment of a new council at the SAVC and to provide an update on the process for appointing a new board at the NAMC,” said Pule.
26 August 2025 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron said he has noted Statistics South Africa’s release of the Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey 2024/25, which highlights the worrying and inherent trust deficit between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the broader community.
Cameron said it is worrying that it is estimated that only about 43% (43,4%) of households that experienced house-breaking in the 2024/25 financial year reported some or all incidents to the police and that about 51% (51,3%) of households that experienced home robbery reported some or all incidents to the police.
He further said this is a worrying low number of reported incidents to the police and points to an inherent trust deficit. Cameron added that, while these challenges are evident in the high police-to-population ratio and the perennial lack of tools of trade, such as vehicles, the SAPS should use the statistics to enhance their efforts and adopt a data-driven approach to policing.
“The most common crime consistently experienced by South Africans is housebreaking/burglary/robbery. The South African Police Service must do more to enhance visible policing, especially in hotspot areas, to ensure a feeling of safety, especially in their homes.
“The increase in sexual offences is also a point of concern. It is worrying that Stats SA reported that about 132 000 individuals experienced sexual offences over the past five years, an increase of 13.8%,” he said.
Cameron said in its recent visit to KwaZulu-Natal at the South African Police Service (SAPS) Forensic Science Laboratory division, the committee highlighted concerns around processing DNA samples to ensure effective prosecution of GBV cases. He said the increase in cases highlights for the SAPS the need to urgently resolve the matter to ensure that perpetrators are brought to book.
“The only deterrence against GBV is effective prosecution. It is also worrying that the proportion of adults aged 16 and older who felt safe walking alone in their neighbourhoods during the day declined from 85% in 2020/21 to 80,4% in 2023/24, before edging up slightly to 81% in 2024/25, pointing to declining perceptions of safety.
“The visible policing is important, especially at night, where only 36,1% adults feel safe in the 2024/25 financial year. While we acknowledge SAPS’s shortcomings in resolving the current crime challenge, he has also called for a broader societal reflection on how, as a society, we can contribute to efforts to fight crime,” said Cameron.
He said it is important that they adopt a whole-of-society approach to fight crime, either by sharing information with police or establishing functional community policing forums to enhance collaboration in the fight against crime. Cameron said the police cannot do it alone.
“The committee intends to interact with Statistics South Africa and SAPS on the general crime statistics, especially the misalignment between the SAPS’s crime statistics and the perception on the ground, as revealed in the Stats SA survey,” he said.
Picture: Former employees of Atamelang Bus Company during a meeting at GD Montshioa Airport/Supplied
By REGINALD KANYANE
26 August 2025- Following the North West High Court ruling last week on the Atamelang case, which set aside an interdict on the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management, the management has finally appointed an operator replacement who is expected to operate on the same routes as previous operator.
In a meeting with employees of the previous operator providing a commuter service in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District, the department confirmed that the operator replacement will absorb all the employees from the four depots based in Mahikeng, Zeerust, Lichtenburg and Delareyville.
About 265 employees attended a meeting at the GD Montshioa Aiport outside Mmabatho. They are expected to meet the new operator replacement following a meeting with the department.
The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng spokesperson, Charles Matlou said the new operator replacement is expected to resume operation immediately after finalising the administrative processes, which includes signing of new contracts, assessing, training and testing of drivers.
Setshwantsho: Mobeteledi, Bakang Katong ga mmogo le balatofadiwa-nae monkgetsing ya polao, Phenyo Katong le Katlego Mosimege
Ka OBAKENG MAJE
26 Phatwe 2025- Kgetsi ya polao kgatlhanong le banna ba le bane ba kwa motseng wa Manthe, gaufi le Taung, e tlhotse e buseditswe morago ke kgotlhatshekelo ya Taung mo letsatsing la gompieno go fitlha di 10 Sedimonthole 2025. Bakang Katong (32), yo o atlholetsweng dingwaga di le robedi kwa kgolegelong mo kgetsing ya petelelo, ga mmogo le balatofadiwa nae mo kgetsing ya polao, Thabang Lenyai (23), Katlego Mosimege (31) le Phenyo Katong (34), ba ne ba tshwarwa dingwaga di le tharo tse di fetileng morago ga go latofadiwa ka go bolaya Thabiso Mothibedi (35), setlhogo.
Go begwa fa ba ile ba mo teketa le go mo golegelela mo generateng. Seno se tla morago ga gore ba mo latofatse ka go ba utswetsa madi a seatleng a lekang ka R20 000 le motsoko wa R600.
Sebueledi sa sepodisi mo Bokone Bophirima, Lieutenant Colonel Sam Tselanyane, o ile a tlhalosetsa ba lekwalo-dikgang la The Guardian Newspaper gore dipatlisiso di shupa fa tiragalo e, ele ya di 29 Moranang 2022. Tselanyane are go ile ga begwa fa moswi a ile a siela kwa motseng wa Longaneng.
“Fela, go begwa fa balatofadiwa ba ile ba tswa letsholo le go mo latela. Go begwa fa go gorogeng ga bone kwa motseng wa Manthe, ba ile ba mo gokelela mo generateng, mme ba mo teketa go fitlhelela a tlhokafala.
“Go begwa fa balatofadiwa ba ile ba tabogisetsa moswi kwa kliniking ya selegae fa ba bona a neela mowa. Baoki ba ne ba tlhalosa fa go se sepe se ba ka se dirang go boloka moswi, gonne one a setse a balelelwa le badimo,” Tselanyane wa tlhalosa.
Kgabagare, ka di 1 Motsheganong 2022, baagi ba ile ba bolotsa mogwanto kgatlhanong le balatofadiwa, mme ba ile ba fisa matlo a bone a le mararo mo tiragalong e. Gape, baagi ba ile thuba le go senya ntlo-maitiso ya balatofadiwa, mme ba itseela le nnotagi.
Go begwa fa Katong a boleletse lekgotlha ka mokgwa wa tiriso ya lekwalo gore o ipona molato mo ditatofatso tsotlhe kgatlhanong le ene. Lenyai le ene go ne ga begwa fa a ipone molato mo ditatofatsong tsotlhe kgatlhanong le ene, fela one a fetoga mme a kopa lekgotlha fa a batla go fetola mmueledi wa gagwe.
Katong o tlhaloseditse lekgotlha fa Mosimege le mogoloe, Phenyo, ba ne ba sena seabe mo tiragalong e.
Kgabagare, bosekisi le bone bo tlhalositse fa boitekanetse go ka tswelela ka tsheko, mme bo shupa fa bona le kgetsi e kwenneng kgatlhanong le banna ba, ba le bane.
The Guardian 