The North West Executive Council (Exco) has expressed confidence with the zero tolerance traffic law enforcement and crime prevention operation plans that have been put in place to deal with opportunistic crime and lawlessness ahead of the annual 60’s music bash to be held in Mahikeng over the weekend.

Exco in its meeting held on Wednesday welcomed the assurance by MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison, Nono Maloyi that special operations to stamp authority against drunken driving, speeding, reckless driving, drag racing, unroadworthy vehicles, criminality and lawlessness on all major roads leading to, around and from Mahikeng will be stepped up. This is in anticipation increased traffic volumes as revellers make their way to the annual music bash.

Exco recognised the economic spin-off that the bash which attracts fans from across the country and neighbouring countries brings to the local economy of Mahikeng and efforts to improve its image and ordeliness.

To reduce road accidents and fatalities caused by fatigue as motorists drive back home after partying at the festival, Premier Thandi Modise has amplified MEC Maloyi’s appeals to parents not to let their unlicensed children access to their vehicles and advice to motorists who intend attending the music bash to arrange dedicated drivers who will abstain from drinking and driving.

Premier Modise appeals to motorists to share the road responsibly throughout the coming weekend and to desist from putting their own lives and those of other road users at risk through speeding, aggression, driving whilst tired and other irresponsible behaviour.

“One death on our road is a death too many. While drivers need to be courteous towards each other,law enforcement should meet all offences, behaviour and attitude that will be detrimental to the event and safety of other road users and citizens with the full might of the law” she stressed.

ANC provincial secretary in the North West Kabelo Mataboge escaped an assassination attempt in the early hours this morning outside his home in Mahikeng.

Mataboge returned to his house around 4am after an audit was done on the ANC branches that will attend today’s nomination conference in the North West.

Unknown gunmen shot at Mataboge four times, according to his close comrade, David Kham, while Mataboge was opening the gate at his house.

“He managed to run away so they couldn’t kill him,” Kham told City Press.

The gunmen then sped away. No arrests have been made.

Kham told City Press he and Mataboge were told by the police to leave Mahikeng because there were signs that they were being targeted.
“Since last week we’ve noticed that we were being followed and the police told us to leave Mahikeng because these guys were coming for us.”

Provincial chairperson Supra Mahumpelo is hosting a separate nomination conference in Hartebeespoortdam today, a gathering that Kham claims to be illegitimate.

“Their branches did not submit their envelopes to the election commission that is running the election … it’s a whole desperation going on.”

The conference in Hartbeespoort is the NEC-sanctioned conference, reports Carien du Plessis.

Mahumpelo is known to support president Jacob Zuma while Mataboge wants deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe to take over as ANC president at the Mangaung conference.

Recently the Tlokwe municipal council elected a DA mayor despite the ANC majority in the council because of severe infighting between the two camps.

Mahumpelo could not be immediately reached for comment.

– City Press

BY Obakeng Maje

Taung_North West police shot and killed one suspect after a business robbery in Pudumong. According to the police, two suspects entered a supermarket in the area and robbed a Pakistan owner some cash.

“Two suspects entered the supermarket owned by Pakistanian  citizen and robbed him some cash. The police were called and the armed suspects opened fire and the police responded which resulted into one suspect shot dead” Mokgwabone said.

“The other suspect fled the scene and i do not have more information regarding the incident” He said.

Most of cases involving police shoot-out are investigated by IDC crew gave Independent Police Commission spokesperson Moses Dlamini a call.

“I am not aware of the incident and after gathering more information i will let you know” Dlamini said.

Mahikeng-The dismissal of three senior officials from the North West Provincial Administration should sent a strong message that the provincial government is committed to rid itself of maladministration and corruption, North West Executive Council(Exco) resolved in its meeting held in Mahikeng on Wednesday.

Exco welcomed the outcome of disciplinary cases against former Acting Head of Department for the Provincial Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport who was the substantive Chief Director for Roads and the Chief Financial Officer. Both officials were on suspension for irregularities related to the awarding of the Koster-Lichtenburg road construction tender,

In welcoming the announcement by MEC for Public Roads and Transport, Raymond Elisha, Exco expressed concern that the two officials had taken up employment with Mogale City Council and Ditsobotla Local Muncipality while on suspension.

In line with the earlier commitment made by Premier Thandi Modise during the Provincial Roads Summit held this month that her administration will strive to recoup every cent lost through fraud and corruption, Exco resolved that the department should recoup whatever monies which the state might have lost as a result of the action of those involved.

Premier Thandi Modise had warned that her administration is tightening the screw against corruption with a major focus on price collusion within the tendering system and will pursue corruption syndicates relentlessly until those who have been looting state resources are behind bars and their properties repossessed.

Premier Modise had sternly warned that those that thought that they were untouchable and could loot state resources with impunity should know that its game time.

“You have reached this far and no further. We are not going to be scared off or succumb to any pressure to abandon the fight against corruption because road users deserve quality and safer roads. We will not be bought because our integrity is not for sale,” Modise had vowed.

She had emphasised that the province cannot afford to pay three to four times what other provinces are paying for road construction and that communities deserve quality and safer roads and not expensive but inferior roads.

Meanwhile, MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture Tebogo Modise also announced the dismissal of an Assistant Director from her department who was found guilty of defrauding reservation bookings monies from the Rustenburg Cultural Centre.

Further investigations into the matter are being pursued by MEC Modise’s department.

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Kurgersdorp –

The case against Roedolf Viviers, 28, who is accused of beating a Muslim man to death, was postponed to January by the Krugersdorp Regional Court on Thursday.

The matter would be transferred to the Johannesburg High Court and would be heard on January 28, said magistrate Stanley Mkhari.

“I have been instructed to inform you that you will appear on a charge of attempted murder and a charge of murder. You remain in custody,” he told Viviers.

Charges were withdrawn against his co-accused Zayne van Tonder, 33.

Van Tonder, who was charged with assault, was granted bail of R2 000 in August.

“Accused number two (Van Tonde), charges against you have been withdrawn. You may leave,” Mkhari said.

National Prosecuting Authority spokeswoman Phindile Louw said the charges were withdrawn because of a lack of evidence.

Viviers and Van Tonder allegedly made racist remarks to Muhammad Fayaaz Kazi and his friend Anser Mahmood at a fast food outlet in Magaliesburg on August 6.

A fight ensued. Kazi was severely beaten and died in hospital.

Viviers was pointed out by seven witnesses in an identity parade.

He wore a brown shirt and black pants during Wednesday’s proceedings.

Van Tonder wore a black shirt and khaki pants. He sat at the back of the court and listened to the proceedings after the charges against him were withdrawn.

Outside the court, Kazi’s father-in-law, Hasimbhay Motara. said the family was pleased with the decision to move the matter to the high court. – Sapa

Durban –

A street vendor was shot dead in Phoenix, Durban, on Thursday when she was caught in a crossfire between security guards and robbers, said KwaZulu-Natal police.

Lt-Col Vincent Mdunge said four armed men walked into a scrap-metal business on Thursday morning, apparently intending to rob it.

“It is not clear if the four suspects wanted to rob the business of money or if they wanted to rob members of the private security company of their firearms,” he said.

During their ensuing shootout with security guards, a street vendor was hit in the stomach and died, said Mdunge.

He said three of the robbers were arrested. One firearm was found.

Mdunge said it was not clear who shot the woman. – Sapa

A Sea Point man has been sentenced to 18 years in jail for the murder of a 26-year-old woman whose body he hid under a bed.

Siyabonga Gelese, 23, was also sentenced to 10 years in the Cape Town Regional Court for raping a pregnant woman.

The sentences will run concurrently.

Magistrate Lulamile Mdoda said he had shown Gelese “mercy” by taking into account the fact that he has been in custody for almost two years.

The case stemmed from an incident last January when Gelese stabbed Desiree Davids 17 times before shoving her body under his bed. He also tied a plastic bag around her head.

The pair had met the night before and had sex in his flat. Then she told him she was HIV-positive.

Gelese told the court he was “incensed” as he had wanted to use a condom but she refused. In anger, he stabbed her and hid the body under his bed.

Hours later, Gelese went clubbing and returned with friends. One couple had sex on the bed under which Davids’s body lay.

Gelese then raped a pregnant woman while her boyfriend was asleep beside her.

He had pleaded guilty to murder, but denied the rape charge.

At the time of his arrest, Gelese was 22 and had been working as a barman at an Italian restaurant and had been renting the Sea Point flat.

On Wednesday, defence lawyer Aneeqah Booley argued that Gelese was fairly young, a first-time offender and was “provoked” when Davids told him she was HIV positive.

She said Gelese had insisted that they use a condom but Davids refused and later told him that she was HIV-positive.

Gelese said he had lost both his parents to HIV when he was a child.

Gelese said his childhood emotions returned under such provocation, which was why he stabbed Davids several times.

”He is an intelligent man, he made a mistake, that was his instructions to me, he made a mistake,” said Booley.

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