Safety hints to prevent business robberies

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By BAKANG MOKOTO

26 August 2025- The police in Northern Cape said business robberies pose serious risks to business owners, employees, customers and their assets. The police said the violent nature of such crimes can result in permanent injuries, severe damage, and even fatalities.

The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Molefi Shemane urges business owners to adopt precautionary measures to reduce the risk of business robberies. Shemane said they should verify the identity of all visitors, including those conducting deliveries or repairs.

“Be mindful of what is discussed in the presence of staff and customers. Report suspicious persons or behaviour to the police immediately. When hiring employees, request a valid identity document and keep a copy on record. Conduct thorough reference checks and request police clearance certificates.

“Ensure that contractors also verify the identities and backgrounds of their employees. Install a reliable alarm system and ensure it is regularly maintained. Connect the alarm system to an armed response service. Install static panic buttons in strategic areas such as cash offices and strong rooms,” he said.

Shemane further said business owners should provide portable panic buttons to management staff and ensure they are carried at all times. He added that they should also test panic buttons weekly to ensure functionality.

“Vary store opening and closing times. Use different routes when travelling to and from the store. Avoid opening or closing the store alone. Assign someone with a panic button to monitor the opening and closing process from a safe distance.

“Ensure adequate lighting at all entry and exit points. Keep cash and valuables in a safe or bank. Use a properly reinforced drop safe. Never keep the keys to the drop safe together or on the premises simultaneously,” said Shemane.

He said business owners should remove excess cash from tills throughout the day and deposit it into the drop safe. Shemane said they should avoid doing a full cash-up at the end of the trading day.

“In the event of a robbery at a business, warehouse, factory, or shopping centre, staff and customer behaviour can play a crucial role in reducing the risk of violence and injury. Information regarding criminal activities can be reported to Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or via the MySAPS App.

“The SAPS in the Northern Cape remains committed to creating a safe and secure environment for all communities,” he said.

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DA probes SANTACO bus contract renewal amidst roadworthy concerns

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By AGISANANG SCUFF

26 August 2025- The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape said it is probing the Northern Cape Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison renewed bus contract with the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) amidst alleged irregularities and roadworthiness concerns. The DA said tensions between the Modderrivier Taxi Association and SANTACO, resulted in the suspension of bus services last week.

DA Northern Cape Spokesperson for Transport, Safety and Liaison and Member of provincial Legislature (MPL), Reinette Liebenberg said this left commuters travelling from Ritchie and Modderrivier to Kimberley stranded. Liebenberg said the Modderrivier Taxi Association demanded that the buses believed to have been found unroadworthy, be re-examined. She said three out of four buses failed roadworthy tests due to faulty brakes, during a roadblock operation conducted by traffic officials.

“The Modderrivier Taxi Association has also raised suspicions of contractual irregularities and price fixing between SANTACO and the department. These allegations cannot be left untested, particularly as the department admitted in its 2025/2026 Annual Performance Plan that none of the province’s bus contracts were awarded through a tender process.

“The department also admitted that the persistent lack of tendered contracts has resulted in the operators being inefficient and rendering poor quality services,” said Liebenberg.

She further said the DA has submitted written questions to the department. Liebenberg added that they must provide them with the conditions of the contracts entered into with all subsidised bus operators and supply proof that all buses were compliant and roadworthy when the contracts were awarded.

“The department must also respond to allegations of price fixing and provide copies of the pricing structure and tender documents, to determine if services were fairly and transparently quoted, without bias.

“The department’s assurance that a competitive bidding process will be followed before the expiration of the current two-year contract in 2026, is also not good enough, and must be urgently reprioritized,” said Liebenberg.

She said the DA will not allow the safety of commuters, who are reliant on government subsidized public transport services, to be compromised through corruption and mismanagement.

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SAVC currently rudderless

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Picture: The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Dina Pule

By BAKANG MOKOTO

26 August 2025 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Dina Pule, has noted with concern that the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) is currently rudderless, without a council in place. Pule said she has noted that the SAVC’s term of office came to an end on 31 July 2025, and there is currently a vacuum in the entity as the Chief Executive Officer/Registrar has no council to account to.

She further said the SAVC has written to the President to complain that the Minister has overstepped the mark by not legitimising the results of its electronic elections and that the Minister has requested that the Veterinary Council rerun the elections. Pule added that it is concerning to learn of this turn of events at such an important governance structure as the South African Veterinary Council.

“The committee will invite the Minister to brief it on his decision not to recognise the election results and his reasons for not appointing the successful candidates.

“We look forward to hearing from him about this development, particularly because there is a vacuum in the South African Veterinary Council, which should not have happened in the first place,” she said.

Pule highlighted that the council alleged that the process was started as early as February 2025 and was rerun in April 2025, while the report was sent to the Minister in May 2025. She said the new council should be meeting this month.

“However, this is not happening because of the vacuum and the term of the old council has expired. SAVC is the second Department of Agriculture entity that does not have a permanent council/board as legislated. The National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) also does not have an appointed council, as its term expires in May 2025, and the interim council’s term will expire in December 2025.

“The Minister will be called to explain the action he is taking to ensure the speedy establishment of a new council at the SAVC and to provide an update on the process for appointing a new board at the NAMC,” said Pule.

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Inherent challenge of trust in the police a concern

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By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

26 August 2025 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron said he has noted Statistics South Africa’s release of the Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey 2024/25, which highlights the worrying and inherent trust deficit between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the broader community.

Cameron said it is worrying that it is estimated that only about 43% (43,4%) of households that experienced house-breaking in the 2024/25 financial year reported some or all incidents to the police and that about 51% (51,3%) of households that experienced home robbery reported some or all incidents to the police.

He further said this is a worrying low number of reported incidents to the police and points to an inherent trust deficit. Cameron added that, while these challenges are evident in the high police-to-population ratio and the perennial lack of tools of trade, such as vehicles, the SAPS should use the statistics to enhance their efforts and adopt a data-driven approach to policing.

“The most common crime consistently experienced by South Africans is housebreaking/burglary/robbery. The South African Police Service must do more to enhance visible policing, especially in hotspot areas, to ensure a feeling of safety, especially in their homes.

“The increase in sexual offences is also a point of concern. It is worrying that Stats SA reported that about 132 000 individuals experienced sexual offences over the past five years, an increase of 13.8%,” he said.

Cameron said in its recent visit to KwaZulu-Natal at the South African Police Service (SAPS) Forensic Science Laboratory division, the committee highlighted concerns around processing DNA samples to ensure effective prosecution of GBV cases. He said the increase in cases highlights for the SAPS the need to urgently resolve the matter to ensure that perpetrators are brought to book.

“The only deterrence against GBV is effective prosecution. It is also worrying that the proportion of adults aged 16 and older who felt safe walking alone in their neighbourhoods during the day declined from 85% in 2020/21 to 80,4% in 2023/24, before edging up slightly to 81% in 2024/25, pointing to declining perceptions of safety.

“The visible policing is important, especially at night, where only 36,1% adults feel safe in the 2024/25 financial year. While we acknowledge SAPS’s shortcomings in resolving the current crime challenge, he has also called for a broader societal reflection on how, as a society, we can contribute to efforts to fight crime,” said Cameron.

He said it is important that they adopt a whole-of-society approach to fight crime, either by sharing information with police or establishing functional community policing forums to enhance collaboration in the fight against crime. Cameron said the police cannot do it alone.

“The committee intends to interact with Statistics South Africa and SAPS on the general crime statistics, especially the misalignment between the SAPS’s crime statistics and the perception on the ground, as revealed in the Stats SA survey,” he said.    

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A sigh of relief as Atamelang employees return to work

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Picture: Former employees of Atamelang Bus Company during a meeting at GD Montshioa Airport/Supplied

By REGINALD KANYANE

26 August 2025- Following the North West High Court ruling last week on the Atamelang case, which set aside an interdict on the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management, the management has finally appointed an operator replacement who is expected to operate on the same routes as previous operator.

In a meeting with employees of the previous operator providing a commuter service in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District, the department confirmed that the operator replacement will absorb all the employees from the four depots based in Mahikeng, Zeerust, Lichtenburg and Delareyville.

About 265 employees attended a meeting at the GD Montshioa Aiport outside Mmabatho. They are expected to meet the new operator replacement following a meeting with the department.

The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng spokesperson, Charles Matlou said the new operator replacement is expected to resume operation immediately after finalising the administrative processes, which includes signing of new contracts, assessing, training and testing of drivers.

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Kgetsi ya polao kgatlhanong le banna ba le bane ba kwa Manthe e buseditswe morago

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Setshwantsho: Mobeteledi, Bakang Katong ga mmogo le balatofadiwa-nae monkgetsing ya polao, Phenyo Katong le Katlego Mosimege

Ka OBAKENG MAJE

26 Phatwe 2025- Kgetsi ya polao kgatlhanong le banna ba le bane ba kwa motseng wa Manthe, gaufi le Taung, e tlhotse e buseditswe morago ke kgotlhatshekelo ya Taung mo letsatsing la gompieno go fitlha di 10 Sedimonthole 2025. Bakang Katong (32), yo o atlholetsweng dingwaga di le robedi kwa kgolegelong mo kgetsing ya petelelo, ga mmogo le balatofadiwa nae mo kgetsing ya polao, Thabang Lenyai (23), Katlego Mosimege (31) le Phenyo Katong (34), ba ne ba tshwarwa dingwaga di le tharo tse di fetileng morago ga go latofadiwa ka go bolaya Thabiso Mothibedi (35), setlhogo.

Go begwa fa ba ile ba mo teketa le go mo golegelela mo generateng. Seno se tla morago ga gore ba mo latofatse ka go ba utswetsa madi a seatleng a lekang ka R20 000 le motsoko wa R600.

Sebueledi sa sepodisi mo Bokone Bophirima, Lieutenant Colonel Sam Tselanyane, o ile a tlhalosetsa ba lekwalo-dikgang la The Guardian Newspaper gore dipatlisiso di shupa fa tiragalo e, ele ya di 29 Moranang 2022. Tselanyane are go ile ga begwa fa moswi a ile a siela kwa motseng wa Longaneng.

“Fela, go begwa fa balatofadiwa ba ile ba tswa letsholo le go mo latela. Go begwa fa go gorogeng ga bone kwa motseng wa Manthe, ba ile ba mo gokelela mo generateng, mme ba mo teketa go fitlhelela a tlhokafala.

“Go begwa fa balatofadiwa ba ile ba tabogisetsa moswi kwa kliniking ya selegae fa ba bona a neela mowa. Baoki ba ne ba tlhalosa fa go se sepe se ba ka se dirang go boloka moswi, gonne one a setse a balelelwa le badimo,” Tselanyane wa tlhalosa.

Kgabagare, ka di 1 Motsheganong 2022, baagi ba ile ba bolotsa mogwanto kgatlhanong le balatofadiwa, mme ba ile ba fisa matlo a bone a le mararo mo tiragalong e. Gape, baagi ba ile thuba le go senya ntlo-maitiso ya balatofadiwa, mme ba itseela le nnotagi.

Go begwa fa Katong a boleletse lekgotlha ka mokgwa wa tiriso ya lekwalo gore o ipona molato mo ditatofatso tsotlhe kgatlhanong le ene. Lenyai le ene go ne ga begwa fa a ipone molato mo ditatofatsong tsotlhe kgatlhanong le ene, fela one a fetoga mme a kopa lekgotlha fa a batla go fetola mmueledi wa gagwe.

Katong o tlhaloseditse lekgotlha fa Mosimege le mogoloe, Phenyo, ba ne ba sena seabe mo tiragalong e.

Kgabagare, bosekisi le bone bo tlhalositse fa boitekanetse go ka tswelela ka tsheko, mme bo shupa fa bona le kgetsi e kwenneng kgatlhanong le banna ba, ba le bane.

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Monna wa kwa Maphoitsile o tshwerwe mabapi le dikgetsi tse pedi tsa go shupa ka sethunya

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Setshwantsho-papiso- Monna o kgothosa mokgweetsi

Ka OBAKENG MAJE

26 Phatwe 2025- Monna wa kwa motseng wa Maphoitsile, gaufi le Taung, o tshwerwe mo letsatsing la gompieno mabapi le dikgetsi tse pedi tsa go shupa ka sethunya. Go begwa fa monna o, e le kgale a batliwa ke sepodisi.

Sebueledi sa sepodisi mo sedikeng sa Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Warrant Officer Tryphosa van Rooyen, o ganne go neelana ka ditlha tse di feletseng gore ditatofatso kgatlhanong le mmelaelwa ke tsefe le gore o tlile go tlhagelela leng kwa kgotlhatshekelo. Van Rooyen are tshedimosetso eo, e tla ama dipatlisiso tsa sepodisi.

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Mong wa lebenkele o tshwerwe poo kwa Lokaleng

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Ka OBAKENG MAJE

26 Phatwe 2025- Sepodisi sa Taung se batlisisa kgetsi ya kgothoso go tlhometswe. Se, se tla morago ga gore mong wa lebenkele wa dingwaga di le 26, a tshwarwe poo kwa motseng wa Lokaleng, gaufi le Taung.

Sebueledi sa sepodisi mo porofenseng ya Bokone Bophirima, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone are mong wa lebenkele one a kgorogelwa ke banna ba le bararo, mme ba mo tseela madi a seatleng a sa totobadiwang gore ke bokae.

“Go fitlha ga jaana, ga gona ope o tshwerweng. Fela, kgetsi e butswe mme dipatlisiso di tsweletse,” Mokgwabone wa tlhalosa.

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Public Service Committee welcomes leadership changes at Government Pensions Agency

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By AGISANANG SCUFF

26 August 2025 – The Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration today welcomed the leadership changes at the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) announced by National Treasury. This follows allegations of procurement irregularities reportedly amounting to approximately R1.2 billion.

The Minister of Finance announced the decision to place the GPAA Chief Executive Officer on precautionary suspension. At the same time, a forensic investigation is underway to allow investigations into the matter to be carried out without prejudicing any of the current employees at GPAA.

The Chairperson of the Committee, Jan de Villiers said Job Stadi Mngomezulu, Deputy Director-General: Corporate Services at National Treasury has been appointed as Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO). De Villiers said noting the decision, the committee expressed support for the actions and for the National Treasury’s stated commitment to restore stability at the agency, strengthen governance and ensure accountability in managing the pension funds of more than 1.7 million public servants and pensioners.

“We welcome the latest developments and also commended the president’s action in endorsing this intervention. This sends a clear message that maladministration and corruption in state entities will not be tolerated.

“We expect this investigation to lead not only to corrective action but also to set an example of consequence management in practice,” he said.

De Villiers further said pensioners and government employees must have confidence that their savings and benefits are protected by sound governance and free from interference. He added that the committee also urges the newly appointed Acting Chief Executive Officer to act swiftly by instituting disciplinary proceedings against all executives implicated.

“We stress that this matter must not only be investigated internally, but also referred for criminal prosecution where necessary, so that there are consequences for those responsible for endangering billions of rand in state pensions and resources.

“Given allegations of collusion and manipulation of procurement processes by senior management of the GPAA, the Chairperson said the role of private contractors must also be thoroughly investigated,” he said.

De Villiers said such collusion undermines the integrity of public institutions and erodes public trust. He said the committee reaffirmed its commitment to rigorous oversight of the GPAA and other public entities.

“It will monitor the investigation closely to ensure that good governance, transparency, accountability and consequence management prevail across the public service,” said De Villiers.

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A manhunt launched amid foiled Cash In Transit robbery

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Picture: Cash In Transit robbery taking place place/Generic

By BAKANG MOKOTO

26 August 2025 – The police in North West have launched an investigation following attempted Cash In Transit (CIT) robbery that occurred on Monday evening, 25 August 2025, on the N4 road near Majakaneng village, Mooinooi. It is alleged that a silver Mercedes Benz vehicle hit the CIT van which was travelling to Rustenburg.

The North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said although the occupants of the Mercedes Benz fired shots towards the CIT van, the driver drove into the bushes and arrived at a one of the mines in the area, where SSG security officers managed to assist. Mokgwabone said the suspects’ Mercedes Benz was later found burning next to the road.

“No one has been arrested, but investigations into the matter are ongoing to ensure that suspects are tracked,” he said.

Meanwhile, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng, commended the driver of the CIT vehicle and members of SSG security for their bravery, courage and quick-thinking actions that outsmarted and thwarted these heavily armed, brazen robbers who beat a hasty retreat and fled empty-handed with their long tails between legs.

“Wherever and whoever they are, they must know that they will be tracked down and will face the full might of the law. The police are calling upon all law-abiding and patriotic citizens to come forward with information that will lead to their identification and arrest,” he said.

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