By Obakeng Maje

Tlokwe-The Democratic Alliance held a meeting today at Ikageng,in Tlokwe municipality to listen to the hopes and concerns of residents and to discuss the DA’s plans for governance.

“Residents are giving the DA the full go ahead for our programme of delivery and stability in Tlokwe municipality” DA Chris Hattingh said.

Democratic Alliance Hattingh said this is because the DA remains the only political force that can bring stability to the municipality given the severe divisions within the ANC.

“The community’s concerns about corruption findings against former ANC Mayor Maphetle Maphetle was addressed at the meeting.

“Residents have the full assurance that the DA will take action on the forensic audit commissioned during our last period in government in Tlokwe” he said.

DA also shared their plans to act immediately to deal with housing being affected by unsafe dolomite rocks beneath the surface threatening to endanger residents in Ikageng location.

“We also plan to continue the project of making communities safer through a 24 hour safety service”. 

“Importantly, we will fill all vacant positions with officials committed to delivery in Tlokwe” DA said.

The court hearing to end the ANC’s illegal occupation of the Tlokwe municipal offices is set down for Tuesday, 23 July.

“Thereafter more details about the DA’s governance plans in Tlokwe will be made available” Hattingh said.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

By Obakeng Maje

PRETORIA– The Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa today commended the police, for their ‘never give up spirit’ in pursuit of a serial rape suspect who has been committing various murder and rape crimes around the Tongaat area, in KwaZulu-Natal.  

The suspect was arrest in the early hours of this morning.

Over the past few months, there have been five murder cases of women that were investigated, who were all lured by a particular suspect through promising to offer them job opportunities. 

“The victims were then raped and murdered around the bushes in the Tongaat area in KwaZulu-Natal” minister spokesperson Zweli Mnisi said.

As the investigation continued, a girl who was an accomplice to the prime suspect was arrested last month, whilst the prime suspect has been on the run ever since.  “Between last night and this morning a team of police investigators, assisted by the Crime Intelligence team narrowed down the search to Port Elizabeth, where suspect was arrested at 3am this morning” Mnisi said.

“As the police leadership we want to commend our police officers who worked tirelessly over the past months. Their never give up spirit led to this arrest” Minister Nathi Mthethwa said. 

Mthethwa said the arrest further testimony of what they have been emphasizing that, through integrated approach of working together as different units within South African Police Service (SAPS), they shall ensure that those who commit crimes are apprehended.  “Through specialized investigations police will be able to move beyond arresting such perpetrators but move towards securing harshest sentences.”

“As government we remain resolute in ensuring that perpetrators of crimes against women, children and the elderly are heavily punished. That is why in 2009, I instructed that we re-establish the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences units, to specifically investigate such crimes” Minister said.  

To date since its re-launching this unit has trained specialized police officers and to deal with crimes such as rape.  

“In addition, we continue to prioritize capacitating of detectives so that we can ensure that we secure harsher convictions in courts,” added the Minister.

The suspect has already been linked to three cases of murder as well as rape. The investigating team has already taken various samples from the victims’ bodies and these have been transmitted to SAPS forensics, for further verification. 

The investigation continues and the suspect is expected to appear at the Verulam Magistrate Court on Tuesday.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Marikana – The ANC will defend the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the party said on Sunday.

“We are not just defending the NUM, we are defending our hard fought gains,” said ANC Bojanala region deputy chairperson Buti Makhongela.

“Rise and defend the NUM. Go into the informal settlements to recruit for NUM and the ANC,” he told workers at a rally in Marikana on Sunday.

The NUM is on a recruitment drive after losing its majority union status to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) at Lonmin’s Marikana operations.

Forty-four people were killed in Marikana last August during strike-related violence at Lonmin. Thirty four of them were shot dead by the police on August 16. Ten people, including two policemen and two security guards, were killed in the preceding week.

Makhongela said an attack on the NUM was an attack on the ANC.

“We cannot be intimidated. We have defeated apartheid. This [Amcu] is a small cockroach that needs a mild spray to solve it,” he said.

The NUM has referred a dispute to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration about the interpretation and implementation of the recognition agreement.

Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) North West secretary Solly Phetoe said the NUM would reclaim its dignity.

“Our rally is part of our listening campaign, as we have been doing in the entire workers’ movement that belongs to the Cosatu affiliates, but it is also our programme to make sure that workers can join the union of their choice without any intimidation or threats from anyone.”

Phetoe said the ANC had to fight corruption or be prepared to hand over power to the enemy.

“We condemned what happened in Tlokwe. The ANC must take action [against the] councillors who helped the [Democratic Alliance] to remove the mayor.”

He said the ANC should also investigate corruption allegation against ousted Tlokwe mayor Maphetle Maphetle.

“We do not want Maphetle. We want an ANC mayor.”

Phetoe said Cosatu would fight for the NUM until its offices at Lonmin were re-opened.

“We have managed to open NUM offices at Anglo American Platinum. We are going to make sure that NUM offices at Lonmin and Impala are opened.”

A man heading to the rally was stabbed and beaten up at Nkaneng on Sunday.

Armed police guarded the paramedics who attended to the man, who was wearing a NUM T-shirt

He had blood on his chin and cheeks from a stab wound in the neck.

Paramedics put an oxygen mask on him and took him to hospital at speed.

Earlier in the day, NUM official Eric Gclitshana told the rally people were being killed for wearing NUM T-shirts.

By Obakeng Maje

Zeerust-North West police are looking for unknown suspect who allegedly robbed the ATM at Zeerust on Friday.

Police said a bank official and a security company were allegedly loading cash into a machine.

“A security personnel was on her way back to the ATM from their security vehicle when allegedly approached by suspect” captain Pelonomi Makau said.

A security woman went to called the safe keys in the car and afterwards she entered the ATM room.

She allegedly found a suspect in the ATM room who pushed her in and locked her up.

“The suspect allegedly ordered the two to habd over the cash and load it in a black plastic bag. He allegedly cut-off the telephone line before fleeing the scene” said Makau.

Police appeals to the community members to assist them to arrest the suspect by calling them on (018) 642 8020 or 082 384 9416, or alternatively Crime Stop number, 08600 10111

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Zeerust-North West police are looking for unknown suspect who allegedly robbed the ATM at Zeerust on Friday.

Police said a bank official and a security company were allegedly loading cash into a machine.

“A security personnel was on her way back to the ATM from their security vehicle when allegedly approached by suspect” captain Pelonomi Makau said.

A security woman went to called the safe keys in the car and afterwards she entered the ATM room.

She allegedly found a suspect in the ATM room who pushed her in and locked her up.

“The suspect allegedly ordered the two to habd over the cash and load it in a black plastic bag. He allegedly cut-off the telephone line before fleeing the scene” said Makau.

Police appeals to the community members to assist them to arrest the suspect by calling them on (018) 642 8020 or 082 384 9416, or alternatively Crime Stop number, 08600 10111

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Gauteng Sport, Arts, Culture and ­Recreation MEC Lebogang Maile allegedly hit a wealthy Free State businessman over the head with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Gold Label whisky.

For more http://www.citypress.co.za

Johannesburg – The man entrusted to run a R900m food-security project on behalf of government, is not paying his bills.

City Press revealed on Sunday that Deebo Mzobe, President Jacob Zuma’s cousin who manages the Masibambisane rural-development initiative NGO that Zuma chairs, has six default judgments against him for the nonpayment of school fees, loans and personal debt.

For more http://www.citypress.co.za

By Obakeng Maje 

Klerksdorp-Four suspects have been arrested for alleged robbery in Klerksdorp.

North West police in conjuction with their Gauteng counterparts allegedly managed to put four suspects behind bars on Friday.

A congolese, three Somalians and a South African were allegedly arrested at Nigel, in the East of Johannesburg after a tip-off.

“A member of community called police after allegedly saw four suspects off-loading goods at a certain house” Pelonomi Makau said.

Police said the goods were allegedly stolen from a courier company in Klerksdorp.

Two suspects allegedly approached two employees of the company and pointed them with a firearm.

Two victims were heading home after work when approached.

They allegedly ordered them into a vehicle and head back to the company where robbery took place.

“The suspects were joined in by their accompliace and allegedly fled the scene with a company car that was found abandoned on Stilfontein road” police said.

Four suspects will appear at Klerksdorp Magistrate Court on robbery charges.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

Johannesburg – A man has been arrested for allegedly running over a Mpumalanga traffic officer, the provincial community safety department said on Saturday.

“The resultant accident happened [on Friday night] when one of the traffic officers, manning a routine operation, attempted to stop a Sedan which failed to stop,” spokesperson Joseph Mabuza said in a statement.

“The driver, who sped off immediately after the incident, was pursued by one of the traffic officers who brought him back to the scene.”

The incident happened on the R23 between Standerton and Val.

The officer was airlifted to Milpark hospital in Johannesburg.

The man was arrested within 1km from the scene.

He was charged with attempted murder, and reckless and negligent driving.

Another traffic officer suffered minor injuries due to the man allegedly resisting arrest.

The man was expected to appear in the Standerton Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

SAPA