Picture: A policeman jailed for corruption/Generic
By BAKANG MOKOTO
18 September 2025- In a relentless effort to pursue law breakers irrespective of their current circumstances, Springbok Regional Court imposed another six years imprisonment on Kelvin James Brown (46) on Wednesday. Brown, a former South African Police Services employee and held the rank of a Sergeant, pleaded guilty to five counts of corruption committed while he was still in the service.
The Hawks spokesperson in Northern Cape, Lieutenant Colonel Tebogo Thebe said undeniable evidence against Brown included accepting gratification of R3000 from an undercover police agent, and linking the agent with drug dealers where illegal drugs transactions took place. Thebe said he further provided police escort for safe transportation of illegal drugs using state vehicles.
“The convict is currently serving life imprisonment for another matter, the court directed that his six years conviction should run concurrently with the life imprisonment.
“He was declared unfit to possess a firearm,” he said.
Meanwhile, the acting Provincial Head of the Hawks, Brigadier De Witt Botha welcomed the conviction and said: “Corruption in the police will be pursued till the end. Congratulations to both the investigation and prosecuting team for their hard work.”
Picture: Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina
By REGINALD KANYANE
18 September 2025- As part of Heritage Month commemoration, the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, will hand over the World Heritage Irrigation Structure (WHIS) Award to the Orange-Vaal Water Users Association, and the newly refurbished Douglas Water Treatment Works (WTW) to Siyancuma Local Municipality, in the ZF Mgcawu District Municipality, Northern Cape on Thursday.
Majodina spokesperson, Cornelius Monama said the WHIS award is a prestigious designation given to historic irrigation structures by the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), and it recognises the cultural, historical, and technological significance of these structures. Monama said the Douglas Weir, a 134-year-old engineering marvel that pioneered irrigation-led rural development in the Northern Cape was recognised as a World Heritage Irrigation Structure by the ICID.
“It was nominated by the South African National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (SANCID), and the award was accepted on behalf of the committee by ICID Vice-President and SANCID Chair, Prof Sylvester Mpandeli last September at the 9th Asian Regional Conference of ICID in Sydney, Australia.
“Since then, the weir, located at the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers in Douglas and regarded as the world’s oldest, has been included in the ICID Register of World Heritage Structures,” he said.
Monama further said a weir is a barrier across the width of a body of water that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the water level. He added that weirs are used to control the flow of water for rivers and other water resource structures.
“This is the first time that a South African irrigation structure has received the award since the inception of the WHIS recognition category in 2012. The award will be officially handed to the Orange-Vaal Water Users Association responsible for managing the infrastructure.
“Majodina will thereafter hand over a refurbished Douglas Water Treatment Works also located near the confluence of Vaal and Orange River, which serves as raw water abstraction supply points for water purification and supply to the town and surroundings,” said Monama.
He said the existing purification plant was not operating efficiently as it had exceeded its 30-year design life cycle, and it therefore needed an urgent refurbishment. Monama said the R28 million revitalisation project scope entailed the refurbishment of the water purification plant, the general rehabilitation work of the plant and the installation of a 200KVA emergency generator.
“The plant will filter a total capacity of 4 273 cubic metres per day of purified water to the population of 22 180 persons residing in 4 704 households within the area of Douglas.
“Following the handover of the WHIS Award and the WTW, the Minister will have a community engagement with the local residents, and later conduct an oversight visit at Douglas Weir,” he said.
Monama said Majodina will be joined by the Chairperson of Water Research Commission (WRC), Dr Rethabile Melamu as well as the Chief Executive Officer of the Orange-Vaal Water Users Association, Mr Peter Joseph.
18 September 2025- A man (66) was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment by the Mothibistad Regional Court for rape. This comes after the accused raped a mentally challenged woman. The case stems from an incident that occurred on 8 October 2023, at approximately 11am, when the victim was on her way to church in Kagung village, near Mothibistad in Kuruman.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Molefi Shemane said the accused, who is a neighbour of the victim, offered her a lift. Shemane said instead of taking her directly to church, he drove to a dumping site, where he forcefully raped her.
“After the assault, he gave her R30 and instructed her not to tell anyone. When the victim returned home, her mother noticed that she had money and questioned her about it.
“Then the victim disclosed the ordeal to her mother, who immediately reported the matter to the police. A case was registered and the accused was subsequently arrested,” he said.
Shemane further said the accused was declared unfit to possess a firearm and his name will be entered into the National Sexual Offences Register. He added that the South African Police Service Management in the Northern Cape welcomed the judgment.
Meanwhile, the acting John Taolo Gaotswe District Police Commissioner, Brigadier Kenneth Baloyi, praised the Investigating Officer, Detective Sergeant Jamine Melissa Armstrong of the Kuruman Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, for her meticulous investigative work which secured the conviction. Baloyi further commended the outcome as a strong demonstration that justice has been served on behalf of the victim and that dangerous offenders are being removed from society for lengthy periods.
Picture: Embattled Municipal Manager of Naledi Local Municipality, Modisenyane Segapo
By OBAKENG MAJE
18 September 2025- The embattled Naledi Local Municipality said it will not respond to any questions regarding the ‘irregular’ appointment of its Municipal Manager, Modisenyane Segapo, including his ‘questionable’ qualifications until the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) complete its investigations on the matter. The committee allegedly raised a red flag against Segapo’s qualifications during its recent visit to the North West.
This comes after allegations on whether Segapo completed his B. Iuris undergraduate degree or not.
In 2023, the North West High Court sitting in Mahikeng, rendered the appointment of Segapo as the Municipal Manager as invalid and unlawful. The aggrieved employees and councillors at the municipality, Thabo Appolus, Lerato Setlhake, Lebogang Jacobs and Vuyiswa Morakile, launched an application on an urgent basis challenging the appointment of Segapo.
Judge FMM Reid said the report they received from the MEC did not support the appointment of Segapo as Municipal Manager. Reid said the report of the MEC dated 26 April 2023 and titled: “Report on the process of appointing the Municipal Manager at Naledi Local Municipality.”
“The finding of MEC is that the appointment of Segapo as Municipal Manager is not supported because MEC found the procedural and substantive requirements in relation to the appointment of municipal senior managers, submitted as per Regulation 17 (4) not to have been complied with.
“Amongst others, the following issues of non-compliance were highlighted in the MEC’s report. Interviews were conducted 44 days after the screening process, which is 23 days more than the period that is allowed in terms of Regulation 15(1),” he said.
However, the municipality has since challenged the matter at the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) and is believed to have already spent over R20 million on the legal battle.
The Naledi Local Municipality mayor, Clifton Groep said: “We have received your questions regarding the appointment and qualifications of the Municipal Manager, Modisenyane Segapo. However, the matter is still under investigation by the Portfolio Committee as declared on 3 September 2025, by the Chairperson Dr Zweli Mkhize.
“Therefore, there is not much that can be said until the investigation is completed and after all the proof is submitted before the committee. If you are still interested post the completion of the investigation, then you are welcome to send a reminder regarding the matter and all questions will be addressed with all supporting documents.”
Meanwhile, the North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Oageng Molapisi did not want to be drawn into the matter regarding Segapo’s appointment and qualifications. Molapisi said the matter is subjected to court processes and the department will only render a comment once the matter is finalised.
“As part of professionalising the local government sphere, the recruitment of qualified and competent individuals who are fit for purpose is non-negotiable. Municipalities must, for all positions, appoint qualified and competent individuals who will contribute to the proper functioning of municipalities.
“On a regular basis, the department receives reports from municipalities as they pursue concurrence on the appointment of senior managers as per the provisions of section 54A(8) and 56(6) of the Municipal Systems Act, (Act No. 32 of 2000) as amended,” he said.
Molapisi further said if the department picks-up non-compliance through the purview of Regulations on Appointment and Conditions of Appointment of Senior Managers – 2014, it will not support the appointment and this will be communicated to the municipality to correct. He added that the municipality has a chance to engage the department to rectify the matter or MEC can approach the court for declaratory order to nullify the appointment.
“The department is also capacitating councillors and municipal officials on the Local Government: Regulations on appointment and conditions of appointment of senior managers – 2014,” said Molapisi.
18 September 2025- The Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration said it welcomes the development of plans and processes to identify ghost workers in the public sector, but insisted that this must be followed by prosecution where wrongdoing is established. The committee received a briefing from National Treasury and the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) on efforts underway to eliminate ghost workers in the public sector.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Jan de Villiers said the Office of the Auditor-General (AG) also briefed the committee on overpayment of salaries to ghost employees in the Mpumalanga Department of Education. De Villiers further said the National Treasury informed the committee that it has launched a data-driven audit of ghost employees and payment irregularities across national and provincial departments, where salaries account for more than 60% of expenditure.
“Using the PERSAL payroll system as a base, Treasury is cross-checking data with SARS, Home Affairs and other institutions to identify ghost employees, duplicate IDs, multiple salaries and unauthorised allowances.
“Members heard that preliminary anomalies have been flagged, but verification is ongoing. The process will include a two-month window for employees to confirm their status. Salaries of confirmed ghost employees will be frozen, funds recovered and criminal or disciplinary action pursued,” said de Villiers.
He added that the committee noted the cooperation among the DPSA, National Treasury, the Auditor-General, SARS and other stakeholders. De Villiers said, however, it emphasised that cooperation and planning alone are insufficient.
“There is the need for regular engagements to present clear outcomes and progress. We will assess progress not based on strategies but on outcomes. Our future engagements must provide evidence of results, including the number of ghost employees identified and removed, the monies recovered and the number of prosecutions.
“The committee also urged the department and Treasury to work closely with anti-corruption agencies such as the Special Investigating Unit, the Hawks, the National Prosecuting Authority and other relevant agencies to ensure that investigations culminate in prosecutions and successful convictions,” he said.
De Villiers said the committee also emphasised the need to modernise identity systems and expressed its support for efforts by the Department of Home Affairs to develop digital identity systems. He said the committee believes this will go a long way to help address vulnerabilities and strengthen controls.
“Another concern was over the possibility that ghost employees may be receiving pension contributions from the Government Employees Pension Fund. This possibility, while alarming, may provide an opportunity to strengthen detection systems by also auditing the fund’s records and database.
“The committee also noted the AG’s presentation showing that the provincial education department of Mpumalanga disclosed R28.3 million in salary overpayments made to employees after their services were terminated due to death, resignation, retirement or dismissal,” said de Villiers.
He said the members were stern in their rebuke of accounting officers, who preside over such losses without consequence and questioned how such conduct is not deemed criminal. De Villiers said the committee acknowledged the frustration felt by South Africans regarding corruption in the public service.
“I would like to describe this sentiment as “corruption fatigue”, as the public is growing weary of hearing about corruption without seeing any consequences.
“The South African public has the right to see concrete outcomes such as ghost employees removed from the system, perpetrators prosecuted and jailed and public money safeguarded for service delivery,” he said.
16 Lwetse 2025 – Monna wa kwa motseng wa Itireleng, gaufi le Pampierstad, o atlholetswe matshelo a le mabedi kwa kgolegelong mabapi le dipolao tse pedi. Go begwa fa molatofadiwa, Thapelo Modise (23), a ile a bolaya ngwana ga mmogo le mosadimogolo.
Fa kgwedi ya Motsheganong e ne e tlhola matsatsi a le 23 mo ngwageng wa 2023, Modise one a itelekela kwa legaeng la moagisani wa gagwe, mme a tlhasela le go bolaya ngwana wa dingwaga di le tharo, Oratile Loeto ka forotlho e e besang nama. Go begwa fa mmagwe ngwana, mosadimogolo wa gagwe le moagisanyi, ba ile ba leka go tsereganya.
Sebueledi sa sepodisi mono Kapa Bokone, Lieutenant Colonel Sergio Kock are Modise o ile a ba tlhaba, pele ga a ka ba lotlelela mo phaphosing e robalang. Kock are Modise o ile a tlhosetsa phaphosi eo ka molelo, mme a tsena ka lenga la seloko morago ga moo.
“Mongwe wa leloko la lelapa o ile a goroga kwa lelapeng leo moragonyana, mme a fitlha a roba lebati le le neng le golegilwe ka terata. O ile a pholosa mme wa dingwaga di le 71 ga mmogo le lekgarebe la dingwaga di le 21.
“Ka maswabi moagisani, Kgomotso Gladys Kalabatane (74), yo a neng a etetse lelapa leo ka nako eo, o ile a tlhokafala morago ga dikgobalo tsa molelo. Bafalodi botlhe ba ile ba amogelwa kwa bookelong ka dikgobalo tsa go tlhabiwa le go fisiwa,” Kock wa tlhalosa.
Kock are Modise o ile a tshwarwa, mme kopo ya beile ya gagwe ile ya ganediwa go fitlhelela a seka. Kock are kgotlhatshekelo ya sedika ya Taung, e ile ya bona Modise molato, mme ya mo atlholela matshelo a le mabedi kwa kgolegelong mabapi le dipolao tse pedi ga mmogo le dingwaga di le tlhano tsa maiteko a polao.
Kgabagare, mokomoshinara wa sepodisi kwa sedikeng sa Frances Baard, Major General Charlotte Makgari, o ile a akgola mmatlisisi wa kgetsi, Detective Sergeant James Seimelo go tswa kwa seteisheneg sa Pampierstad, mabapi le matsetseleko a a dirileng go batlisisa kgetsi e. Makgari are tshotlakako ya bong ga e tle go letlelewa mo nageng.
“Ba bolai ba ba tshwanang le Modise jaana, ba tla tlosiwa mo setshabeng go netefatsa fa basadi le bana ba sireletsega,” Makgari wa tlhalosa.
Picture: Executive mayor of Nagaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, Khumalo Molefe
By AGISANANG SCUFF
16 September 2025- The Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality said it has officially launched a R106m water reticulation project in Borakalalo village, near Zeerust. The municipality said the project forms part of its mandate to provide basic water and sanitation services to rural communities, while ensuring that all other households have access to adequate water supply.
Speaking at the handover of the contractor, the executive mayor, Khumalo Molefe said this project is a demonstration of their commitment to restoring dignity and improving the quality of life for their communities. Molefe said reliable access to water is not only a basic right, but also a foundation for economic and social development.
“The project will significantly improve access to clean and reliable water supply in Borakalalo, contributing to better living conditions and supporting local development initiatives.
“The municipality has appointed Dikwankwetla 213 (Pty) Ltd as a contractor for this project that will, amongst others, install yard connections to approximately 4000 ERFs of Borakalalo village,” he said.
Picture: The North West MEC for Department of Public Works and Roads (DPWR), Elizabeth Mokua
By BAKANG MOKOTO
16 September 2025- The North West MEC for Department of Public Works and Roads (DPWR), Elizabeth Mokua said she can confirm that it has dismissed its former Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Mokua said she wishes to clarify that the dismissal demonstrates the department’s firm stance on accountability and zero tolerance for financial mismanagement.
She further said the official in question was subjected to a thorough disciplinary process following findings of financial misconduct. Mokua added that the process was conducted in line with the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), applicable labour laws, and internal governance prescripts.
“Officials entrusted with public resources are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. DPWR remains committed to transparency, ethical governance, and prudent management of public funds.
“The department views this matter as a necessary step toward restoring credibility, reinforcing accountability, and ensuring that public funds are used strictly for their intended purpose—improving infrastructure and service delivery for the people of the North West,” she said.
Picture: Burundian national, Jean Pacifique Irakoze
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
16 September 2025- A Burundian national, Jean Pacifique Irakoze (31) was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by the Postmasburg Magistrate’s Court for dealing in drugs. Irakoze’s legal troubles started when a tip-off was received from a reliable source about a person involved in drug peddling in the Postmasburg policing area.
The Hawks spokesperson in Northern Cape, Lieutenant Colonel Tebogo Thebe said the Kathu based Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation team registered an enquiry for investigation. Thebe said in February 2024, the police conducted a legal search and seizure operation at the identified property, where various plastic bags containing suspected crystal methamphetamine (tik) were found and seized.
“The suspect was arrested on the spot. The accused made various court appearances until he was sentenced to undergo 10 years imprisonment without the option of a fine and was further declared unfit to possess a firearm,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Head of the Hawks, Major General Stephen Mabuela, welcomed the conviction and congratulated both the investigation team and prosecuting team for their hard work.
16 September 2025 – A police officer, Aletta Sentry (49), who is a Sergeant and attached to Mothotlung Detectives, was arrested during an undercover operation by the Provincial Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit (ACIU) on 10 September 2025, for corruption. Sentry was granted a R2000 bail after she briefly appeared in the Garankuwa Magistrate’s Court on 11 September 2025.
The North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said the matter was postponed to 24 October 2025. Mokgwabone said it is alleged that Sentry demanded R1500 from a drunken driving case accused, to get rid of the docket.
“The law abiding citizen reported the matter to the ACIU. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of the accused,” he said.
Meanwhile, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng said: “The government and the citizens of South Africa have bestowed their confidence and trust in members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) to always execute their duties and responsibilities with courage, integrity, honesty and ethically.
“The involvement in corruption or the commission of crime by any member of the SAPS is therefore, embarrassing and disappointing as it not only tarnishes the image of the SAPS and the many honest, dedicated and hard-working loyal members, but deepens the society’s trust deficit in the police.”
Asaneng further said this arrest is not meant to save the face, but should be a stern warning to other rogue elements among them that they will be arrested and expelled from the SAPS. He added that corruption cannot be tolerated in the ranks of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The Guardian 