Bloemfontein – Not all internal procedures to convince the national director of public prosecutions (NDPP) to reinstate charges against suspended police crime intelligence head Richard Mdluli were followed, the Supreme Court of Appeal heard on Tuesday.

Advocate Lawrence Hodes for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), submitted any party wanting to re-institute charges against anybody first had to approach the NDPP and not a court directly.

“Any prosecutor in any court can decide to withdraw charges… [on reinstatement] then in my submission there are certain procedures to be followed before a court can be approached.”

A full SCA bench was hearing argument in an urgent appeal by Mdluli, the police and the NPA.

The appeal concerns a ruling in favour of lobby group Freedom Under Law (FUL) to set aside a decision to withdraw criminal and disciplinary charges against Mdluli.

Mdluli, the NPA, and the Specialised Commercial Crime Unit were granted leave to appeal against a ruling by high court Judge John Murphy in September 2013 in favour of FUL.

Murphy had set aside the decision to withdraw charges of money laundering, murder, and disciplinary proceedings, against Mdluli.

Argument was continuing in the SCA.

– SAPA

A man arrested in connection of murder in Vryburg

By Obakeng Maje
Morokweng-North West olice arrested two suspects aged 43 and 35 years respectively on charges of robbery and truck-hijacking.
Two suspects were allegedly arrested on Monday after they pounced on two men who were travelling in a truck from Ventersdorp to Morokweng to deliver grocery at different supermarkets in the area.

Colonel Emelda Setlhako said two men allegedly parked the truck near a supermarket and slept inside in order to off-load the grocery in the next morning.

Victims were allegedly asleep when woken up by the suspects who pointed them with firearms.

“The suspects forced them into a white double cab bakkie with municipality stickers depicted on its doors. They took the victims cell phones and drove with them for approximately 5km. It is further alleged that the victims hands were tied and were forced to lie on the ground” Setlhako said.

The suspects broke the safe from the truck and robbed them undisclosed amount of cash.

Police said one of the suspects is a municipal worker at Ventersdorp Local Municipality while the other one is the driver’s co-worker.

They are expected to appear in Ganyesa Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.-TDN
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North West Premier Thandi Modise flew out on Tuesday for a four-days official mission to Malaysia to participate in the Airport Cities World Conference and Exhibition and address the Elara Global Investors Conference in India.

Airport infrastructure plans to be exhibited at the Airport Cities World Conference that commenced in the Malaysia capital of Kuala Lampur and an engagement with International Airport CEO’s, Architects, engineer firms, airport and infrastructure planners the banking sector and major international investment companies are expected to benefit provincial plans to revitalize the Mafikeng International Airport.

In Kualar Lampur, Premier Modise and her delegation that include the MEC for Public Works, Roads and Transport, Raymond Elisha will also engage with Professor J Kasadra who will be presenting on “the Aerotropolis Master Class ” at the Airport Cities World Conference.

On the sideline of the Elara Global Investors Conference that is to commence on Wednesday 3-4 April 2014 in the capital of India, Mumbai, Premier Modise and MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, Motlalepula Rosha are to hold bilateral meetings with the ICT sector, Solar Energy Sector and Automotive sector. Premier Modise is scheduled to address the conference on Friday.

Premier Modise had during her meeting with the ambassasor of India indentified ICT training and exchange programme for about 50 learners as part of partnership for the establishment of science parks, labs and innovation hub in the province to expand call centres and support the media city initiative.

“We were then fascinated by the Hole in the Wall Experiment in which personal computers connected to high-speed data connection embedded in a concrete wall in the south of New Delhi as we also believe that giving children free rein, so their natural curiosity takes over and they teach themselves. We would want to see such projects in deep rural communities of our province” Modise recapped before her departure.

The outbound mission is a follow through to the meeting held with the ambassador of India and the successful 2nd Annual North West BRICS Expo International Investment and Tourism Conference was hosted by the province last week.

By Obakeng Maje
Rustenburg-The Polokwane Circuit Court of the North Gauteng High Court Pretoria sentenced Thomas Monty Mothwa (49) and his wife Eva Refilwe Mothwa to four life imprisonment for murders and robberies of elderly people around Zeerust and Polokwane in 2007, North West police said.

The third suspect Jan Seshoke Motlhala (49) who later became a state witness was sentenced to five years imprisonment with two years suspended.

“The cases in Zeerust that were investigated by Captain Patrick Murunwa included the 72-year-old Buti Molope of Wilwedagt who was robbed R69 000, 62-year-old Albert Khakhi Motswagae of Debrak village, R75 000 and 77-year-old Abram Mosiane who was murdered and robbed R25 000. All the victims were robbed at Zeerust and their monies were withdrawn the same day or the next day in Pretoria” sergeant Ofentse Mokgadi said.

Mokgadi said the suspects to followed their victims from the banks under the pretext of knowing them and ultimately offer them lifts and later spiked their drinks. Some of the victims woke at the hospital after a day or two not knowing what happened to them but only to remember being offered a drink (Tab or Diet Coke) by one of the suspects. The victims will further realize when they woke up that their identity documents and bank cards were stolen in the process.

“One of the victims Mr Albert Motswagae was thrown out of a moving vehicle but survived and later died as a result of extensive injuries. Mr Abram Mosiane who did not return home that fateful day, his badly decomposed body was found by farm workers at Pienaarsrivier, Kammeldrift, Pretoria four months later” Mokgadi said.

The first suspect to be arrested was Jan Seshoke Motlhala at Attredgeville in September 2007. Then during November 2007, Thomas and Eva Mothwa were arrested around the vicinity of First National Bank (FNB) at Bronkhorstspruit by K9 Unit after Captain Murunwa who was alerted by his informer. At the time of their arrest, the couple was found in possession cooler box with Tab and Diet Coke beverages inside and were taken for forensic investigation. Investigations revealed that those drinks were mixed FLANUTRUZEPUM and that confirmed why the victims went into a deep sleep after being offered a drink.

The couple was found guilty on 54 counts including four murders which they were each sentenced to life imprisonment. Effective sentence for accused number 1 Thomas Monty Mothwa is 57 years imprisonment and his wife; accused number 2 is effective 55 years imprisonment and they are to run concurrently with the four life sentences.

The Rustenburg Cluster Commander General William Mpembe congratulated Captain Patrick Murunwa for a sterling work and thanked the community for helping with information that led to the cracking of the case.-TDN
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North West MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison Nono Maloyi said the Hartbeespoort Registering Authority office has brought a less strains to the overcrowding which Brits Registering office had experience in the past and will save time and petrol for those who have been travelling long distances to access registering and licensing of their vehicles.

MEC Maloyi was speaking during the official opening of the Hartbeespoort Registering Authority office on Friday.

“This office will ensure the effective and efficient renewal of motor vehicle licenses; registration of new vehicles; de-registration of stolen and recovered vehicles or permanently unfit for use; notifications of changes in respect of vehicle particulars and application of traffic register certificate,” outlined Maloyi.

He further charged that, the department will continue ensuring that communities have access to various services where they live; as provicial government we have a constitutional obligation to continue to work closely with local government within the context of co-operative government, it is for this reason that we officially handingover this office to the Madibeng Local Municipality to be effectively used by our people and of course it will further generate revenue for the area and the Province.

Motorists and vehicle owners in the Hartbeespoort have been registering and renewing their disc’s at the Brits registering authority while others have had to travel to the Gauteng Province.-TDN
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Rustenburg-Life will be a lot easier and better as compared to where we come from. These are the words of Ms Lebogang Kwele of Maile Diepkuil village outside Rustenburg after she was officially given a house by the MEC for Human Settlements Public Safety and Liaison in the North West on Friday. The Handing over is part of the departmental programme of handing over about 8000 houses to beneficiaries across the province between February and March.

According to the 38 year old Ms Kwele the house has drastically changed her life and that of her two children. “We used to stay in a shack, which from time to time needed to be repaired. We were from time to time fearing that we may loose our property especially during rainy seasons like this one. We are however happy and grateful that government has came to our rescue and build a beautiful house like this one. This will be a home us for many more years to come,” said the Kwele.

Meanwhile, MEC Maloyi urged all the 570 families who benefited from the housing delivery programme, to take care of the houses and make them their personal homes. “Through this houses Government wants to make sure that your rights as a citizen of this country are protected. We do so also in closing the Human Rights month, which also seeks to restore your dignity. This is one mandate that government has committed to do and will continue to do, in ensuring that you as a South African enjoy all the rights like others, poor or rich,” said MEC Maloyi.

The handing over of 8000 houses which started in February will continue until the end of March. The MEC will among others hand over low cost houses, rental stock, and financially linked individual subsidy programme and Community residential units.-TDN
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Though significant gains in the promotion, development and protection of human rights have been made since the advent of democracy, more still has to be made to ensure that human rights, equality and freedom is permanently entrenched in the lives of ordinary South Africans, Premier Thandi Modise said on Saturday.

Premier Modise urged over a thousand people, traditional leaders, faith leaders and cultural groups that attended the Provincial Human Rights Celebration commemorated at the Mmabatho Stadium in Mahikeng under the theme” 20 Years of Freedom and Democracy; Our Future; Make it work!” not to take their freedom and human rights for granted.

The Premier said that the bill of rights is a cornerstone of our democracy as it enshrines the right of all people in the country and affirms the democratic value of human rights, equality and freedom and enjoin government to respect, protect and fulfill the rights in the bill of rights.

“We commemorate Human Rights Month to reinforce our commitment to the Bill of Rights enshrined in our constitution and celebrate the right to life, to equality before the law, human dignity, freedom and security of the person, freedom from slavery, servitude or forded labour, the right to privacy, freedom of movement, religion, belief and opinion as well as the right of workers, women and children,” Modise emphasised.

She said that South Africans should be proud to be living in a wonderful country that is a much better place to live in now that it was twenty years ago despite challenges in some areas.-TDN
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Mahikeng- Human Rights activist and struggle icon Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati was presented with a platinum coin handcrafted in her image in recognition of her extraordinary lifelong contribution to freedom and human rights in Africa, South Africa and the North West Province.

Mama Ruth Mompati as she is affectionately known received the special award from North West Premier Thandi Modise at the Premier’s Small Business Awards & Gala Dinner held on the last day of the four-day North West Province BRICS Expo and International Trade and Tourism Conference that ended on Saturday.

In presenting the one ounce platinum award manufactured by the SEDA Platinum Incubator together with an oil painting of the stalwart, Premier Modise said that Mama Mompati has been a role model, mother and a mentor to many young women and men who joined the struggle for freedom like herself.

“Like JB Marks and Moses Kotane who were also from our resourceful province, we are forever indebted to you for the invaluable lessons you taught us on selflessness, respect for human rights, reconciliation and on loving our compatriots irrespective of the pain and the suffering we endured under apartheid,” said Modise.

“I am happy and moved by this recognition. Women are hardly recognised for what they do, but if a woman loses one inch of a step the world gets to know about it. If you are a man, u make one kick, they write two books, but for women you made one kick they write one book,” said an emotional Mompati battling to hold back tears of joy.

Mompati who is turning 89 this year expressed an appreciation that the majority of small businesses that received awards for excellence from the Premier are owned by women.

She called on parents to encourage their children to strive to be the best in whatever they do.

“We all have a patriotic duty to put a brick on the wall of the nation that we are building and to stand up to be counted. I will continue to do best that I can till the day I say goodbye to all of you,”she added.-TDN
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By Obakeng Maje
Tlokwe-The Tlokwe mayor was allegedly arrested by Cape Town police for drink and driving on the weekend, Democratic Alliance Chris Hattingh said in a statement.

“Kgotso Khumalo has allegedly been caught driving drunk in Cape Town over the weekend. It is completely inappropriate for the mayor to drive drunk. This incident again confirms that Mr Khumalo is not an appropriate individual to act as Mayor of Tlokwe. We will submit a request to the Speaker’s office in Tlokwe to ask that the mayor be investigated by the Tlokwe council and that the disciplinary steps are taken against the mayor” DA Chris Hattingh said.

DA said there are also concerns here as the mayor must explain what he was doing in Cape Town in the first place.

“And indeed, if he was there to attend to Jazz Festival whether he paid it out of his own pocket as a personal holiday trip. We can only hope that municipal funds were not being used to fund the mayor’s getaway to the Jazz Festival. We must make sure that all municipal funds are spent to deliver services to the people and make life better for Tlokwe residents. In any event, the mayor has shown that he is not the right person to take the municipality forward” outlines Hattingh.

DA said they are look forward to the Speaker’s investigation to get to the bottom of what happened and whether any council funds are involved.-TDN
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By Obakeng Maje and Sapa
Rustenburg-A man who got into bed with a woman and raped her, appeared before Rustenburg Magistrate Court on Monday and remanded in custody until his next appearance on the 08 April 2014 for bail application.

Thabang Maci,26, allegedly raped a woman after he slept with her thinking he was her boyfriend.

The 26-year-old would be back in court for a formal bail application on 8 April, police spokesperson Pelonomi Makau said.

“He allegedly raped a 41-year-old woman in her house on Saturday morning on the farm Bochfontein, near Rustenburg, after forcing a door open and getting into her bed” captain Pelonomi Makau said.

She initially thought he was her boyfriend.

He fled when she realised her mistake.

– SAPA