By REGINALD KANYANE

A serial rapist, Johannes Nokeri was sentenced to 191 years imprisonment by the North West High Court sitting in Temba for 18 counts of rape, 23 counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, theft of a motor vehicle and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition on 14 January 2022.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson, Henry Mamothame said Nokeri embarked on a series of rapes, robberies and theft in the areas around Hammanskraal and Temba in the North West Province between 2012 and 2017. 

Mamothame said the accused mostly targeted unsuspecting women who would be travelling from taverns at night in the early hours of the morning and rob off their money, cellphone and clothing items before raping some of them.

“One of the victims was five months pregnant when she was repeatedly raped by Nokeri. He was eventually arrested five years later in possession of a stolen vehicle. The owner of the vehicle reported it as stolen to the police and the tracking company a day before Nokeri’s arrest.

“He was also found in possession of six live rounds of ammunition. During court proceedings, it emerged that in some of his offences, he was accompanied by an individual unknown to the state,” he said.

Mamothame further said Nokeri was previously afforded three Legal Aid attorneys and one private attorney sourced by Legal Aid, but he fired them and opted to represent himself throughout the trial.

“In committing these crimes, it was established that he applied the same modus operandi by threatening his victims with violence if they failed to abide by his orders. In some of the rape charges, the state relied on DNA results that linked him to the commissioning of these offences.

“Two of the victims testified in court and alluded to Nokeri’s aggressive behaviour when he raped and robbed them. Nokeri has two previous convictions on two charges of rape and robbery. He was sentenced to ten years imprisonment to which he has now served three years,” said Mamothame.

In aggravation of sentence, State prosecutor advocate Mashudu Muliwa urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence and to further consider the victim impact statements, which depicts the suffering and the eroded dignity of the victims in the hands of Nokeri.

Muliwa also raised concerns about Nokeri’s remorseless behaviour.

North West High Court Judge, Shane Kgoele shared the same sentiments. Kgoele described Nokeri as an individual who has no respect for women and further alluded to the responsibility that the court has in protecting communities against the likes of Nokeri.

“I refer to the conviction as a way of sending a strong message to perpetrators of such crimes,” she said.

Meanwhile, the accused applied for leave to appeal the conviction and sentencing and the court granted him a hearing. However, he later withdrew it and indicated that he will submit a written application after receiving court transcripts.

The acting Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari-Sekhaolelo also welcomed the conviction and lauded Muliwa and Sergeant Moloantoa Rapakgadi for a collaborative effort that resulted in a successful conviction.

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By BAKANG MOKOTO  

Lack of access to menstrual products continues to affect female learners from going to school especially in rural areas.  Now, the Buxton Youth Foundation (BYF) in Taung has taken a stand to donate sanitary pads to the underprivileged.

Buxton Youth Foundation co-ordinator, Lesedi Leeuw (32) said they visited three schools around the area to donate sanitary pads, toiletries and soccer kits.

“As the youth of Buxton, we saw it befitting to donate sanitary pads and toiletries to the less fortunate. This initiative was established by one of our own, the late Siphiwe Letselela and unfortunately he passed away back in 2020.

“He had already created a WhatsApp group which mostly consists of 25 young people. So, we decided to continue with his legacy and bring this to light.  We donated 28 bar soaps, 22 toothpaste, 26 roll-ons, 116 sanitary pads and a chess board at Gabobidiwe High School,” he said.

Leeuw further said they also donated 40 sanitary pads, 23 soaps, 20 roll-ons, 19 toothpastes and a chessboard at Pelotshweu Middle School, while Lekwene Primary School received 30 sanitary pads, 19 bar soaps, 20 toothpastes, 15 roll-ons, and 10 pairs of shoes,” he said. 

According to Leeuw, in total, 186 sanitary pads, 70 bars of soaps, 61 packs of toothpaste, 61 roll-ons and two chessboards were donated.  

He added that the foundation also donated a soccer kit and two balls to local soccer teams. Leeuw said they also have an annual soccer tournament on 26 December as awareness to address socio-economic challenges affecting the youth in their area.

“I would like to urge businesspersons to come on board and assist us with donations such as water, tents and sound for this soccer tournament. I also want to call on other young people in various areas around Taung to form the same initiative.

“We need to spread the spirit of Ubuntu and create a healthy society. Our youth are the leaders of tomorrow, so they need to be nurtured properly.  One of our objectives is to make sanitary pads accessible to all girls and women and deal away with the long-standing source of inequality and stigma,” said Leeuw.

He said some girls do not have access to sanitary pads and resort to using materials like rags, newspapers, or bark to manage their periods.

According to www.globalcitizen.org, In 2014, former South African President, Jacob Zuma established the position of minister of women in the presidency, a post meant to work toward gender equality in all areas of society.

Meanwhile, a Johannesburg-based community activist, Nokuzola Ndwandwe told the website that she is trying to make this goal a reality by pressuring the government to follow through on its commitments, mobilizing grassroots campaigns to empower women, and enlisting the help of other organizations dedicated to gender equality.

“My grassroots organization, Team Free Sanitary Pad, is campaigning to make sanitary pads available to all women in all contexts throughout South Africa. One of our major objectives is to make sure sanitary pads are as accessible as condoms.

“Pads are very expensive due to socio-economic imbalances like the pay gap. Even if women are working, they often can’t afford pads on a month-to-month basis, which affects their dignity, mental health, and hygiene.”

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By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

Many schools in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati region continue to be in dire situations. This was discovered during a visit at Morokweng Primary School and Setswakgosing Secondary School by the North West MEC for the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari during his Back to School campaign on Wednesday.

Morokweng Primary School principal, Errol Dithakgwe said the school has ablution facilities, but even though they are functional, they are far from being aseptic. Dithakgwe further said the 17 year-old main building of the school is dilapidated.  

“We have managed to refurbish some blocks, but the main building remains dilapidated. Against the protestation of the parents, we also chose to close this block as it was deemed unsafe. The parents were anxious that the closure could compromise teaching and learning even though cracks are visible on the walls.

“We now use the building only as a storeroom. The school yard is big and has a garden, which produces some vegetables used as part of the school feeding programme. In one corner is a high tower signal distributor mast that supplies wireless networks to the area,” he said.

Dithakgwe said the owners of the tower pay the school royalties for being in the school yard.

“This has helped us to refurbish a principal office and pay stipend to volunteers who clean the school, but there is more that needs to be done,” he said.

Another principal from Setswakgosing Secondary School, Olaotse Moreke shared the same sentiments. Moreke said even though his school has flushable toilets and buildings are more modern, they too have challenges.

“We have over one 1000 learners and a quarter of them are doing matric. We use a platoon system to ensure all learners come to school daily. Some learners start at 12:00pm and others in the morning.

“Even though the school has cameras, eight months ago, criminals broke in and stole laptops. Criminals forcefully opened all three strong rooms and stole a server as well,” he said.

However, Moreke added that even though the footage was stolen, criminals allegedly forgot a pair of glasses, which might assist police with investigations. He said the school has fewer tablets now and cannot cover all the learners.

“To circumvent this challenge, we have given 217 learners SIM cards to use on their smartphones or personal tablets to access electronic books,” said Moreke.

Meanwhile, Lehari said: “We want to assure you that the solutions to your challenges will be expedited. The purpose of these oversight visits is to monitor and oversee challenges that you are facing, so that we can speed-up solutions.

“Despite all these challenges, I see that teaching and learning is underway on the first day. It is laudable and we admire how both schools strictly adhere to COVID-19 protocols. There are boards outside near the gate ordering everyone who enters to wear a mask.”  

He further said all learners and their educators had their masks on and there was a compliance officer with a register in hand taking records details, scanning and sanitising everyone who enters the school.

The five inland provinces include the Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West received learners from Grade R to Grade 12 on Wednesday, while schools in the other four coastal provinces such as Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape and Western Cape will open only next week.

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By STAFF REPORTER

A family of slain North West University ‘s Digital Marketer at Mafikeng campus and a socialite, Sam Junior Mbatha (24) said they will finally find closure. This comes after the DNA results released on Monday positively linked to Mbatha’s identity.

Mbatha’s body that was burnt beyond recognition was found in a burnt-out Hyundai i20 vehicle at a soccer field in Ikageng Section, Klipgat at around 7am on 17 June 2021.  

North West police spokesperson, Col Adele Myburgh said: “The DNA results came as part of the police investigation, wherein an unidentified male body was found inside a burnt vehicle. Initial investigations led the police to a house in Phutha Section, Klipgat on 21 June 2021.

“The house was searched and in one of the bedrooms, the team found blood stains on the floor, under and on top of a bed as well as on the carpet. Furthermore, an axe suspected to have been used during the commission of this crime, was found on top of the roof of the house.” 

Myburgh said after this gruesome discovery, investigations led to the tracing and arrest of four suspects, Arthur Khoza (19), Thato Masetla (22), Junior Modise (21) and Mahlatsi Nkuna (21). She said all four accused will appear at the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate’s Court on 18 January 2022 facing a murder charge.  

Meanwhile, Mbatha family spokesperson, Kgomotso Sepeng said they welcomed the unwavering support they received throughout the ordeal. Sepeng also applauded the police for the swift arrest of the suspects.

“We would like to appreciate every person who showed us support and circulated posts in regards to Sam, friends, colleagues, organisations including the media houses that took interest in sharing our story.

“We also want to laud the police and forensic experts who helped us during our time of pain. We have finally received the DNA results and they are positively matching Sam’s identity,” she said.

Sepeng added that they communicate details of the memorial services and funeral arrangements in due course.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

The statistics shows that there is a steep increase in car hijackings across South Africa despite the impact of lockdown. According to the police reports, the aggravated robberies such as car hijackings increased by 92.2% compared to Quarter 1 in 2019.

Now, the North West police urge motorists to be cautious at all times. This comes after a few car hijackings were reported in the province recently. Meanwhile, the community members in Molelema village near Taung discovered a grey Polo Vivo sedan abandoned in their area on 30 December 2021.

North West police spokesperson, Col Adele Myburgh said: “Apparently, the vehicle was abandoned for two days and community members became suspicious. They then informed the police on 2 January 2022 and the police were summoned to the scene.

“The police discovered that the vehicle was reported stolen in Klerksdorp in December 2019. The owner of the vehicle, who resides in Pampierstad in the Northern Cape, came and positively identified his vehicle.”  

Myburgh said currently, the vehicle is still under investigations and it will be handed back over to the rightful owner afterwards.  

Meanwhile, one of the social activists in Molelema, Mothibi Makoro, lambasted police at Taung Police Station for ‘dragging’ their feet while attending to a crime scene. He also urged community members to continue to be vigilant and report any transgression taking place in their area.

“I think as community members, we need to be more vigilant and report any criminal activity taking place in our area. This vehicle was abandoned here for three days and funny enough, some community members tried to strip it off.

“However, I want to warn them that if the police can link their fingerprints to the stolen car, they could be easily arrested. So, I urge those community members to refrain from committing a crime,” he said.

Makoro said he wanted to understand when the police at Taung Police Station will know that they have actually taken an oath to serve and protect.

“I am saying this because apparently some police officers arrived at the crime scene on the second day, but left without doing anything. So, I want to give credit to those police officers who attended to the crime scene when they were called even though they came after four hours.

“We urge our police to be diligent enough and respond to crimes with efficiency. My message to other motorists is simple. Please, be cautious at all times and to our community members, let’s continue to use social media platforms for information-sharing. These platforms have proven themselves as good tools for communication,” said Makoro.

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By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

A 41-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested for rape and attempted murder. According to the North West police spokesperson, Lit Colonel Amanda Funani, a man who is currently separated from his wife, allegedly called her and organised an ‘emergency’ meeting between them.

Funani said as per agreement, the estranged husband fetched the wife from her parental home on 29 December 2021 and drove towards a local mall.

“However, the husband changed directions and headed to their house at Lerome village near Mogwase outside Rustenburg. Subsequent to an argument that ensued after the pair’s arrival in Lerome village, the husband allegedly assaulted and strangled the wife with a rope.

“He then poured her with petrol and eventually raped her. Consequent to the rape, the suspect allegedly forced the victim into his car and drove away with her. However, the victim managed to unlock the vehicle and jumped out,” she said.

Funani said the wife was assisted by a ‘Good Samaritan’ who was walking along the road. She said the wife was taken to the police station where charges of attempted murder and rape were laid against the suspect.

Funani said the suspect was arrested on 30 December 2021 and is expected to appear at the Mogwase Magistrate’s Court for attempted murder and rape on 3 January 2022.

Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena condemned the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) incident and congratulated the Mogwase Detectives for arresting the suspect.

Kwena said GBV will not be tolerated and the alleged perpetrators will be dealt with effectively.

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By BAKANG MOKOTOet

North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari urges residents across the province to celebrate responsibly and continue to adhere to the COVID-y and Tprotocols.  

Earlier today, Lehari conducted a festive season  joint law enforcement operation in Moretele before going to Rustenburg N4 road which is one of the longest arterial routes in the country starting in Mozambique going through the length of the country from the east then to Botswana ending in Namibia.

“This makes the road the busiest in the province. These operations will continue until the middle of January 2022. Whilst everyone is out on the roads to visit families and some going on vacation, you are here to ensure a safer festive season for road users.

“That is a sacrifice we appreciate and we are grateful to have loyal officers across our province,” he said.

Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena shared the same sentiments. Kwena said as the people prepare to bid farewell to the year 2021, police urge all residents and visitors in the province to be in their best behaviour.

“We urge our people to behave in a responsible, loving, caring and respectful manner. After what has been another very difficult and traumatic year for all of us due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to remind one another that the storm is not yet over. 

“Even though the month of December is normally the period for festivities, let us remind one another that this time unlike in the past years, we cannot and dare not behave as if all is well and normal,” Kwena said.

He further said therefore, people should avoid all actions that will put their lives and others in danger. Kwena added that it is up to residents to avoid recreational and entertainment events that are likely to expose them, their friends and families to the risk of COVID-19.

“The police and other law enforcement agencies are ready and those who deliberately break the law will meet the full might of the law. Drunk and driving including excessive speeding, drinking in public, unlawful usage and discharging of fireworks and firearms are some of the transgressions the police will not tolerate,” he said.

Kwena also urged people not to swim in flooded rivers and dams especially after the recent torrential rains. He also encouraged people to continue to wear face masks, wash their hands with water and soap or use sanitisers even in their family gatherings.

“We would like to take this moment to thank Civil society, Community Police Forums (CPFs), Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs), Business Against Crime (BAC), Organised Agriculture and all the people of our beautiful province for their support and wonderful working relationship especially during the July 2021 unrest during which we managed to make sure that no properties and lives were lost.

“Let us once again demonstrate our humanity as we pay tribute to our fallen colleagues and our departed loved ones by ensuring that this is a peaceful, enjoyable and memorable festive season,” said Kwena.

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By STAFF REPORTER

A 80-YEAR-OLD man went missing at New Stand Section in Majakaneng village near Brits. North West police spokesperson, Lit Colonel Amanda Funani said Andries Jairos Kgasi was last seen by his brother on 22 December 2021 walking around the yard at his homestead.

“The police in Mooinooi would like to request the community’s assistance in locating Kgasi. It is further alleged that he then left his house and never returned. The family and relatives searched for him in the same section.

“However, Kgasi was nowhere to be seen and the search was conducted around the neighbourhood without any success too. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a black jersey, white T-shirt, black trouser and a pair of black shoes,” Funani said.

She further said Kgasi is light in complexion, tall in height with a slender body and grey hair.

She said anyone with information regarding his whereabouts can contact the Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Aaron Khunou of Mooinooi  Detectives on 060 987 9861 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111 .

Anonymous tip-offs can be communicated via MySAPS App.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

The South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) in the North West has welcomed new adjusted Level 1 Lockdown rules. This follows a meeting between the South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa and the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) recently.

In a statement from the presidency, Ramaphosa said the information gathered through the system used by the Department of Health has reported a 29.7% decrease in the number of new cases detected in the week ending 25 December 2021 (89,781), compared to the number of new cases detected in the previous week (127,753).

“All indicators suggest the country may have passed the peak of the fourth wave at a national level. Cases declined in all provinces except the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, which recorded increases of 14% and 18%, respectively.

“There has been a decline in hospital admissions in all provinces except the Western Cape. While the Omicron variant is highly transmissible, there has been a lower rate of hospitalisation than in previous waves,” he said.

Ramaphosa further said this means that the country has a spare capacity for admission of patients even for routine health services. He added that there is a marginal increase in the number of deaths in all the provinces.

“Based on the trajectory of the pandemic, the levels of vaccination in the country and the available capacity within the health sector, Cabinet has decided to make changes to Adjusted Alert Level 1 with immediate effect.

“The curfew will be lifted, therefore there will be no restrictions on the hours of movement of people. Gatherings are restricted to no more than 1 000 people indoors and no more than 2 000 people outdoors,” said Ramaphosa.

He said where the venue is too small to accommodate these numbers with appropriate social distancing, then no more than 50 per cent of the capacity of the venue may be used. Ramaphosa said all other restrictions remain in place.

“’Alcohol establishments that have licenses to operate beyond 23h00 will revert back to full license conditions. The NCCC will continue to closely monitor the situation and will make further adjustments as necessary, particularly if pressure on health facilities increases.

“The wearing of masks in public places is still mandatory, and failure to wear a mask when required remains a criminal offense. South Africans are urged to continue observing basic health protocols to prevent the transmission of the virus,” he said.

SANCO provincial chairperson, Paul Sebegoe said: “We appeal to communities to celebrate the New Year responsibly and peacefully, while guarding against the spread of COVID-19 fuelled by the Omicron variant.

“Complacency and excitement must not overwhelm us to the point of us dropping our guard as this will undermine the gains and the national effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. All of us must be vigilant and conscious of the threat that the new variant poses to our lives and livelihoods.”

Meanwhile, Democratic Alliance (DA) Shadow Minister of Tourism, Manny de Freitas lifting of the curfew means that the decimated tourism, hospitality, restaurant and entertainment sectors have an opportunity to rebuild themselves.

“Taking into account the various supply chains involved, this translates into hundreds of thousands of jobs that will be saved. This in turn can have only positive spin-offs for our economy.

“This announcement couldn’t have come sooner. New Year’s Eve is one of the most important periods for any of the tourism, restaurant, hospitality and entertainment sectors. In many cases these businesses rely on these high income generating periods to counter other quieter periods in the year,” he said.

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By OBAKENG MAJE

North West MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha said the forensic report indicates that the fire that engulfed the Christiana Hospital was caused by a human error. Sambatha released a fire structural assessment report on the hospital on Tuesday.

The R95 million hospital construction project was gutted down in September 2021 and this affected service delivery.  The fire spread to the new handed over sites where patients were being housed and other sections of the facility.

The department said everything was damaged including all new health equipment.

“We do have the forensic report and without dealing with many things, there are two things that are critical about the report. There is a component of infrastructural engineers that show that the structure has not been damaged.

“The forensic report shows that the fire was caused by a human error. Somebody fiddled with electrical appliances. So, the department will engage with the Temi Construction company which is the contractor to try and fix that human error because the contractor’s workers were on site,” he said.

Sambatha further said the hospital was supposed to be operational by now. He added that it had reached 90% completion when it was engulfed by fire.

“Remember, the hospital was downgraded to the Community Health Centre (CHC). However, it was upgraded to a district hospital after assessment. The only thing I did was to check if there was any demand on the route.  

“When the hospital burned down, the decision was that this must not hinder any service delivery. It was never the fault of the departmental workers to have the hospital burned down. All patients were first being referred to the closest sub-districts hospitals and clinics,” said Sambatha.

Meanwhile, the acting Chief Director for North West Health Department in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District, Dr Kakale Ndinaye Holonga said: “The devastating fire that destroyed the hospital left many local residents wondering if it meant they will now have to struggle to access health services. 

“However, the department and key stakeholders have been quick to respond to the plight of the community and assured them of access to quality hospital services.  What is very important is, we will have a temporary 50 bedded structure.”

Holonga said soon they will get approval to procure and this will ensure that patients access services in Christiana. He added that the hospital will be re-built and will be a 50 bedded hospital.

“A temporary structure will be up and running within three months. We also want to applaud Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for their swift response,” he said.

The then Democratic Alliance councillor in Lekwa-Teemane, Theo Gerber said they were grateful to the hospital and emergency response staff for their efforts to protect lives and to contain the blaze.

“We would also like to acknowledge the efforts of local farmers, the neighbourhood watch, and business owners for lending a helping hand. Unfortunately, the entire medical section has been destroyed by the fire, including all patient files held there, medical equipment, and the operating theatre, but the hospital kitchen, pharmacy, mortuary, and laundry sections remain intact,” he said.

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