By Obakeng Maje

The high police visibility on the N9 highway en -route to Colesberg led to the arrest of a 31-year old man and charged him for illegal possession of abalone in the early hours of morning at about 00:15am police said. 

“The police were patrolling on the high way when they spotted a suspicious looking white Nissan Hardbody bakkie driving haphazardly on the road” Lieutenant Sergio Kock said. 

Subsequent to that the police tried to pull it off the road, however the driver sped off and the chase ensued between the police and the Nissan bakkie. 

“The police managed to pull it off the road after the chase ensued. Upon investigation 58 refusal plastic bags filled with frozen abalone were found stashed in the back of bakkie” Kock adds. 

The estimated value of the abalone is R10 million.

“The suspect will appear tomorrow before the Noupoort Magistrate Court on charges of illegal possession of abalone” police said.

Premier Modise calls for united action to stop violence against children in Mmakau

North West Premier Thandi Modise has condemned in the strongest terms possible the gruesome murder of an 11-year-old girl from Mmakau village outside Brits and called for united action to uproot crime and violence against children in the area.“We commend police for the speedy arrest of the alleged perpetrator. While we understand and share the anger within the community, we appeal for calm and for the matter to be left up to our competent courts for justice to be done, Violence against children in Mmakau has to be stopped,” said Premier Modise.

The Premier welcomed the support from the Provincial Structure of the Progressive Women’s Movement South Africa which also called on the community to join hands to stop crime violence against children in Mmakau.

This is not the first time a girl has been found dead in the area. Ofentse’s friend Neo Ramoso disappeared in November and when her body was found three days later,the skin had been peeled off her face and some pasts of her body were missing.

According to police, the arrested suspect, a 41-year old neighbour had gained entry to the child’s home through a window and snatched Ofentse Mogale as she was sleeping with her younger sibling,9-year-old Neo early on Saturday.The child’s 40-year-old mother, Nkele Mogale was sleeping with her boyfriend in the other room and were woken up by screams from the girl’s sibling. By the time they got outside, the child was already gone. The matter was reported to the police who summoned the dog unit to assist in the search.

The body of the girl identified as Ofentse Mogale was found later that day in a neighbour’s shack, hidden under a bed. She had been strangled. Police were investigating whether the child was raped.

The suspect who is in police custody is expected to appear in the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate’s Court today, Tuesday to answer to charges of kidnapping and murder.

Cape Town – A Cape Town woman who refused to have sex with her husband for seven years is now suing him for a whopping R1.3 million – because he took a second wife.

In an interview, the husband said that he had been patiently waiting for his wife to fulfil her marital obligation, but claimed she always had an excuse ready for not sleeping with him.

Now the wife, who can’t be named for legal reasons, has left him.

And she wants to sue him for R1.3 million – because he took a second wife.

But the businessman, 30, said his money-grabbing first wife is not entitled to one blue cent – and that he will fight her all the way in the highest courts.

The bitter husband said his first wife, to whom he is still married, has turned their union into a mockery.

“For the first year of our marriage, her excuse was that she was bleeding continuously, she said it was because of the contraceptive she was on,” he said.

“After that her excuse was that she was too tense, or that she simply wasn’t ready, but she kept promising ‘tomorrow night’.

“I told her a man has needs, and what does she tell me? ‘I’m not ready, do what you have to do’.

“Now what do you make of that?”

For more details go to http://www.iol.co.za

Western Cape – Farmers who threaten that the new minimum wage in the sector will lead to job losses will lose their land, Cosatu said on Monday.

The trade union federation was responding to warnings from Agri-SA and Agri Western Cape that the increased minimum wage for farmworkers would lead to “restructuring”, including mechanisation of labour and decreased demand for unskilled labour.

Western Cape Cosatu secretary Tony Ehrenreich said: “The farmers who make these threats must keep on making these threats. The restructuring will happen and part of that restructuring will lead to them losing their land.

“If they can’t use it then they must lose it. They must go somewhere else. But this is a country now that understands that workers are an essential input, that their interests and their best futures must also be taken into account.”

He said the time for “old baasskap attitudes” was over.

By Obakeng Maje

Mmakau-A 41 year-old man is expected to appear briefly at Brits Magistrate Court after he allegedly killed a 11 year-old girl.

Ofentse Mogale,11 was asleep with her siblings when a man who is their neighbour entered the house.

He allegedly gained entry through a window and snatched her.

“It is alleged that a 41 year-old neighbour forcefully gained entry through the window. He allegedly kidnapped Ofentse Mogale” Philani Nkwalase said.

Police were informed and the body of the young girl was found hidden under a bed in a shack.

This gruesome event took place on saturday and the accused will appear before magistrate on murder,kidnapping and possible rape charges today.

A forensic audit should be conducted into the purchase of a Mercedes-Benz for the Tlokwe Municipality’s former mayor, the DA said on Monday.

“The DA will ask the Auditor General to look into this transaction and recommend ways for the exorbitant cost to be recouped so that money can be channelled to delivery projects in Tlokwe instead,” said Democratic Alliance MP Juanita Terblanche.

She said the vehicle, which cost R760,000 had not yet been delivered to the municipality because “luxury customisations” had yet to be installed.

Terblanche said the vehicle was bought for the use of former mayor Maphetle Maphetle.

Maphetle was replaced by the DA’s Annette Combrink in November after warring factions within the ANC filed a motion of confidence in him.

The DA continues to run the Tlokwe Municipality, even though the ANC is pushing for Maphetle’s reinstatement.

In January, the ANC North West said it would not rest until it reclaimed the leadership of the municipality.

Combrink uses her personal car, a Volkswagen Jetta, to fulfil her mayoral duties.

The municipality confirmed it had approved the purchase of the new car.

“There is nothing untoward with the matter as the item was budgeted for under the 2011/2012 [budget], that was passed in a full council session and [to] which [the] DA never raised any whimper of objection or displeasure,” said spokesman William Maphosa.

He said Maphetle had been using a vehicle which had been used by three mayors before him.

ANC Chief Whip Dakota Legoete said it was standard council procedure to continually renew its fleet of vehicles.

“If their mayor wants to drive her Jetta, we welcome that and applaud her, but they must stop making unfounded insinuations.”

Legoete also welcomed the DA’s call for the investigation.

-Sapa

Johannesburg – Gordon Igesund’s position as coach of the national team has not been threatened by Bafana Bafana’s elimination in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations, according to the SA Football Association (Safa).

South Africa were knocked out in a dramatic penalty shootout defeat against Mali in Durban on Saturday night.

“Yes, we did set the objective for the coach of taking the team to the semi-final stage, but you have to aim high,” Safa president Kirsten Nematandani said on Monday.

“More important was the manner in which Bafana performed in the Afcon, improving to a level that exceeded our expectations since Gordon took over as coach six months ago.

“And if this level of performance is maintained, there is no reason why Igesund should not be entrenched as the Bafana coach for the 2018 World Cup.”

Nematandani said Bafana held their own against one of the top sides on the continent as they had played with a great deal of “skill, honour and determination” in their quarter-final clash on Saturday.

He said what Igesund had achieved thus far was worthy of a great deal of praise.

“I believe Igesund remains the best man in the country for the position of Bafana coach,” Nematandani said.

“We can only hope this continues as Gordon assumes the next critical challenge of taking Bafana to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.”

Nematandani said South Africa had already made the ongoing Afcon tournament a resounding success, but joined Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula in calling on the public to support the competition until the final on Sunday, in spite of the host team’s elimination.

“We must demonstrate our stature as true sportsmen, and support the semi-finals and final to the hilt no matter which teams make it to the finale,” he said.

“Ultimately we could be judged by this very factor.” – Sapa

KwaZulu-Natal – Two security officers were wounded in a shoot-out with a large gang using AK-47 and R-5 assault rifles after they drove into an ambush at a North Coast petrol station on Monday morning.

A third man, one of the robbers, was also shot in the firefight.

One officer was expected to undergo surgery on Monday to have his fingers amputated, after he was shot more than six times. Deon Chinnian, 35, is in a critical condition with wounds to his chest, hand and legs. Chinnian’s firearm, bulletproof vest, two-way radio and handcuffs were stolen.

A second security officer, Rubendra Chetty, 30, is also in hospital with serious injuries after he was beaten unconscious with an AK-47.

Officers from security company, Reaction Unit South Africa, were responding to a robbery by 10 to 15 men when they were ambushed by robbers hiding in bushes around a garage in Waterloo.

Innocent Dube, a security guard on duty at the garage, said the gang arrived at around 2am, saying they wanted to refuel. They were travelling in three vehicles – a BMW, a Honda Civic and a Toyota Corolla.

“I was inside the convenience store. Two of the men came inside. Both of them pulled out guns. One of them placed the gun to my back. He told the cashier to unlock the door to the cash office, or he would shoot me,” Dube explained.

He said the robbers forced him at gunpoint to lie on the floor. He managed to press a silent panic button in his pocket, to alert his control room to the robbery.

“The were speaking in Zulu. They said they did not want to hurt us. They just wanted the money. They had a huge angle grinder and (failed) to cut the safe open. ”

He said the robbers took R10 000 in cash and cigarettes from the convenience store, disconnected the CCTV cameras and took one of the recording devices.

“After about eight minutes, one of the robbers shouted that… they needed to get out.”

But when they disconnected the CCTV cameras, the robbers accidentally pulled out the plugs that operated the automated doors, locking themselves in the store.

“They were angry and started panicking. They then opened fire and shot the door down,” Dube said.

Spokesman for the security company, Prem Balram, said within two minutes of the panic button being activated, Chinnian and Chetty responded.

“Unfortunately, both my reaction officers were ambushed. More suspects were hiding in the bushes around the garage. They saw two of the vehicles in the garage and proceeded with caution.

“But the suspects outnumbered them. They came under heavy fire. More than 50 spent cartridges were found at the scene.”

For more details go to http://www.iol.co.za

The ANC and the government will make sure education is declared an essential service, party secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said on Monday.

“The lekgotla agreed that a mechanism to monitor all-round accountability in the (education) sector be devised as a matter of urgency,” Mantashe told reporters in Johannesburg.

“As a number one priority, the ANC and its government will leave no stone unturned in making education an essential service.”

-Sapa

Johannesburg – The Protea Magistrate’s Court has heard how one of the two female relatives accused of sexual assault asked a 17-year-old boy to undress and show them his penis.

The two relatives, who have been dubbed “the two sisters”, are accused of sexually assaulting and raping two mentally challenged boys, both aged 17. Taking the stand on Friday, one of the boy’s guardians testified that she came to know about the incident after the grandmother of her nephew’s friend had arrived at her home on April 15 last year.

“She called me outside to ask me if Bheki* had told me what happened. I said no. She said her grandson told her that Bheki was ordered to take off his trousers and show his private parts to one of the accused,” she said.

The guardian said while talking to the grandmother, Bheki approached the kitchen when she then called him outside to join them. “When I enquired, Bheki took time to answer me but confirmed the incident.”

She said after the boy’s grandmother had left her home, about 20 minutes later, the grandmother called to inform her that she was coming again.

“She told me not to sleep as there was something going on again. When she arrived, she told me that her grandson told her that he was raped by accused two. I asked what do we do now when things are like this? I then called the police.”

Asked by the defence lawyer, Freddie Silamulele if the boy drank alcohol or kept secrets from her, the guardian replied and said “No”.

However, Silamulele brought to her attention that the boy had told the court that he was given wine during his visit at the accused’s home.

Asked if she knew about that, she said she knew but forgot to include it in her statement.

Warrant Officer Arinao Kharibe testified that he made an arrest on April 21. He told the court that he had been at the suspects’ home before, but found no one.

He added that he was surprised one day while on duty, when a woman had arrived at the station looking for him. He said it was the suspects being brought to the station by the accuser’s guardian.

The court also heard that no DNA tests were conducted after the incident. Silamulele told the court that no arrests should have been made because investigations were not done properly.

The trial continues on March 19.

For more details go to http://www.iol.co.za