Picture: North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng during a meeting/Supplied
By STAFF REPORTER
19 February 2026- The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng visited the More Secondary School in Coligny. This comes after 71 learners were involved in a bus accident on Monday.
According to Morweng, 31 of the 71 learners who were involved in a school bus accident are attending here. He furthersaid the accident happened at around 6:45am on Monday morning on a gravel road between Sleepsteen and Gerdau Farms.
“All learners were travelling from Gamaloka village. The injured were treated at the General De La Rey Hospital in Lichtenburg and Coligny clinic.
“It’s concerning that though the bus is reported to have been roadworthy, it suffered a mechanical failure which allegedly led to it overturning,” he added.
Morweng said even more concerning is that it is reported by local officials that their investigation into the accident also reveal that the driver is a foreign national whose status in the country is still being verified. He said substitute bus that transported learners this morning arrived almost two hours late.
“We have to follow the Service Level Agreement and apply corrective measures,” said.
19 February 2026 – The police in Nietverdiend request the community’s assistance in locating Thapelo Petrus Sebuenyane (65) of Shupingstad, near Nietverdiend. Sebuenyane was last seen by a family member on Tuesday afternoon, 2 December 2025 at his home. A search commenced around the area and extensive investigations were conducted, without any positive results.
The North West police spokesperson, Sergeant Kelebogile Morake said it is unclear what he was wearing at the time of his disappearance. Morake said Sebuenyane is dark in complexion with a slender built body, he weights 80kg, is 1.85m tall, with short hair, a short beard and moustache.
“He is on chronic medication for mental illness. The police request anyone who may have information regarding the whereabouts of Sebuenyane to contact the Investigating Officer, Sergeant Kabo Rantao on 079 493 1205.
“Alternatively, you can call your local police station or Crime Stop on 08600 10111. Anonymous tip-offs can also be communicated via the MySAPS App from your smartphone,” she said.
Picture: A dead body covered in a black plastic garbage bag/Generic
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
19 February 2026- The Gauteng High Court has found three farmers, Jaco Wessels Kemp (36), Louise Coetzee (29), and Gert Frederik van der Westhuizen, guilty of the murder of Dumisani Phakathi, who was a farm dweller. On 16 September 2023, the three farmers were having a braai at the chicken farm in Mamokgalieskraal.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in Gauteng, Lumka Mahanjana said at approximately 4pm, they saw Phakathi walking past the farm gate on his way to collect water from a nearby furrow, which community members commonly used as a water source. Mahanjana said the three farmers approached him and assaulted him.
“They then dragged him into a storage facility inside the chicken farm, where the assault continued until he succumbed to his injuries. In the early hours of 17 September 2023, at approximately 2am, Kemp and Coetzee were stopped by police during a stop-and-search operation on the R511 towards Brits while driving a bakkie.
“The vehicle was loaded with black refuse bags. During the search, police noticed human legs protruding from underneath the bags. Upon further inspection, they discovered the bloodied body of the deceased, with his head covered in plastic.
“Kemp and Coetzee were immediately arrested at the scene. Van der Westhuizen handed himself over to the police on 19 September 2023, after investigations linked him to the offence,” she said.
Mahanjana further said in court, all three accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and to shifted blame onto one another. She added, however, the state prosecutor, Advocate Lawrence More, presented compelling evidence through state witnesses, proving the state’s case beyond a reasonable doubt.
“The matter has been postponed to 16 March 2026, for sentencing proceedings. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the conviction and reiterates its commitment to ensuring accountability for violent crimes, particularly those committed against vulnerable members of society,” said Mahanjana.
Picture: Some of the murder accused persons in court/Supplied
By REGINALD KANYANE
19 February 2026- Three additional accused persons, Tumishang Mogau Mabutla (23) and his girlfriend Ofentse Senwamadi (18), both from Atteridgeville, as well as Thabang Kenneth Mothwa (27) from Saulsville, have been added to the murder case of e-hailing driver Isaac Satlat. The matter was before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in Gauteng, Lumka Mahanjana said Mabutla is facing charges of premeditated murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. Mahanjana said Senwamadi is charged with premeditated murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances as an accessory after the fact.
“Mothwa faces a charge of robbery with aggravating circumstances as an accessory after the fact. It is alleged that the three accused, who previously appeared before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on 16 February 2026, Dikeledi Tears Mphela, Goitsione Machidi and McClaren Mushwana, together with the co-accused added today, acted in common purpose to kill the e-hailing driver on 11 February 2026.
“It is further alleged that after disposing of the deceased’s body, the accused took the vehicle of the deceased to Mothwa for him to remove the tracker from the vehicle,” she said.
Mahanjana further said the three newly added accused were arrested 16 February 2026, after police investigations linked them to the offences. She added that, the matter was postponed to 23 February 2026, for the legal representative of accused number six to come on record and for all six accused to appear together in court.
19 February 2026- The accused, Boitumelo Diphatse (46) was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment by the Taung Regional Court for two counts of rape. The court heard that the victim, who was 19 years-old at the time of the offences in 2024, was in a romantic relationship with the accused.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in North West, Sivenathi Gunya said on 24 December 2024, the accused and the victim were sitting outside her home consuming alcohol when he dragged her inside the house and raped her. Gunya said on 26 December 2024, after finding the victim standing on the street with another male, Diphatse forcefully dragged her to his home, where he kept her against her will overnight and raped her multiple times.
“The abuse escalated, driven by jealousy. The accused subsequently set fire to the victim’s parental home and later burned the homestead of her uncle. Diphatse was arrested on 10 January 2025 and remained in custody until the finalisation of the matter.
“During the trial, the accused was legally represented and pleaded guilty to the charges. In mitigation of sentence, through his legal representatives, he expressed remorse, cited his minor children, and submitted that he was capable of rehabilitation,” he said.
The state prosecutor, Kgotso Mosanya argued that the offences were extremely serious and emphasised that domestic violence remains a grave social ill, with victims often being among the most vulnerable members of society. Mosanya submitted that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances to justify a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
The state also presented a Victim Impact Statement (VIS), facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Molebogeng Olifant, in which the complainant detailed the profound emotional and psychological harm she suffered.
In delivering the sentence, Magistrate Buti Zulu concurred with the state’s submissions and imposed two life terms for the rape convictions, along with additional sentences for kidnapping and arson.
“The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the sentence. Diphatse was further sentenced to three years imprisonment for kidnapping and ten years imprisonment for two counts of arson.
“His name will be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders. The sentences will run concurrently,” said Gunya.
Meanwhile, the North West Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Rachel Makhari, commended Mosanya, Olifant and the South African Police Service (SAPS) for their diligent collaboration.
“This sentence sends a resolute message: the NPA will relentlessly pursue perpetrators of gender-based violence, ensuring justice restores dignity for victims,” she said.
The Guardian 