Category: Crime & Corruption News

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has warned the public not to fall for a scam involving the impersonation of SIU head, Advocate Andy Mothibi, and other members of the unit.

“The scammers are trying to solicit funds from members of the public in the name of Advocate Mothibi and the SIU.

“The SIU has taken steps to investigate and determine who these people are and their motives. We urge the public to be cautious and not fall prey to these scammers,” the unit said.

The unit said it will take legal action against those impersonating its members.

“Adv. Mothibi and the SIU staff members will never ask any member of the public for funds, especially for bribery or to make investigations disappear.

“The SIU will not hesitate to take legal action against anyone impersonating the SIU and its staff members,” the SIU said.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Northern Cape has executed several operations, including numerous compliance inspections at second-hand dealers, scrapyards, recyclers, private security, firearm dealers, formal and informal businesses, farms and mines.

Operation Shanela, the weekly multi-disciplinary, high-density operation, commenced on Monday, 15 April to Sunday, 21 April 2024.

According to the police, the focus was on the reduction of contact and violent crimes in crime hotspots and the operation led to 525 arrests.

“Actions and police activities executed during the disruptive actions included, vehicle check points (VCPs), stop and searches, foot and vehicle patrols, compliance inspections, smuggling of drugs and other commodities,” the SAPS explained.

READ | 297 suspects arrested in N Cape

The police said VCPs and roadblocks were conducted across the province leading to 2 270 vehicles and 4 617 people stopped and searched.

Meanwhile, 382 suspects were arrested for murder, attempted murder, rape robbery, assault, burglary, malicious property damage, dealing and possession of drugs, illicit mining and possession of counterfeit goods.

Others who were detained included those who had suspected stolen stock, undocumented illegal immigrants, possession of precious metals as well as illegal dealing in liquor that resulted in the closure of 10 liquor outlets.

In addition, 143 wanted suspects were traced and arrested by detectives for evading court appearances and contravening court orders.

“The police confiscated large volumes of alcoholic beverages and non-ferrous metal items during inspections.”

Police also seized a large amount of drugs and cash believed to be the proceeds of drug dealing during different raids and operations across the province.

VIEW | Police carry out crime reduction duties in the Northern Cape

The Provincial Commissioner of the Northern Cape, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, indicated that the success of Operation Shanela is due to the support of various communities and the multi-disciplinary approach with several roleplayers.

The Commissioner said the police will continue to combat any unlawful actions and ensure that victims of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) are given special care and attention.

“The SAPS invites the public to rate the police efforts in fighting contact crimes by participating in the ‘rate our service’ online survey to assist the police in improving services,” Otola added.

Police are urging residents to refrain from illegally connecting electricity because of the serious danger it poses and possibly death.

This after three people lost their lives at the weekend in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), a property owner from Greenbushes in Gqeberha found her tenant’s lifeless body clutching on to wires on Saturday at around 2am.

The police believe that the 26-year-old man was attempting to connect electricity to his flatlet when he was electrocuted.

An inquest docket was opened and is being investigated by SAPS Kabega Park.

Meanwhile, later that evening around 9pm, a 24-year-old female in Rabie Village, Wells Estate, allegedly touched an illegal connection while crouching and died.

“An inquest docket was opened and is being investigated by SAPS Swartkops,” the SAPS statement read.

On Sunday, 21 April 2024, an 18-year-old girl allegedly stepped on an illegal connection and was electrocuted to death around 4:30am.

The police said the teenager and her friends were walking through an open space on Auburn Street, Booysens Park, when the incident occurred.

“One of the male friends attempted to help her, but after he was also shocked, he moved away.”

The police are currently probing the matter.

The Department of Higher Education and Training has warned that Trinity International Bible University is not a registered private higher education institution and not authorised to offer any qualifications, including honorary degrees.

In a statement, Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Professor Blade Nzimande, said he has become aware of reports on social media of honorary doctorates that have been awarded to some of the country’s top celebrities by Trinity International Bible University.

Nzimande said the Department of Higher Education and Training has written to Trinity International University before and warned them about continuing to operate illegally and for them to regularise their operations.

He said the department has also asked the Council on Higher Education (CHE) for guidance on how honorary qualifications should be offered, and by who.

“As the department, we have nothing against Trinity International Bible University or the celebrities they have chosen to honour. We are, however, deeply disturbed by the persistent disregard for the department’s regulations by the management of Trinity International Bible University.

“The department is considering more comprehensive and decisive action against Trinity International Bible University and all other individuals or institutions, who continue to undermine the department’s regulations,” Nzimande said.

The Minister said the department is willing to engage with Trinity International Bible University and the celebrities they have honoured to better explain their position.

“Most importantly, as the Department of Higher Education and Training, we have a legal responsibility to protect the integrity of our qualifications and that of our post school education and training system,” Nzimande said.

Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, has welcomed the sentencing of a Home Affairs employee for issuing birth certificates to foreigners for cash.

According to the department, Amos Ngwenyama was sentenced to eight and six years imprisonment on two counts of fraud and corruption at the Giyani Commercial Court in Limpopo, on Friday. The sentences will run concurrently.

Ngwenyama was based at the Home Affairs office in Malamulele.

“Mr Ngwenyama was arrested following a joint investigation by the Home Affairs Counter Corruption Unit and the Hawks in Limpopo in 2023 for issuing birth certificates to undeserving foreign nationals in exchange for money.”

Motsoaledi reiterated his warning to officials involved in fraud and corruption that “their days are numbered”.

“We have no tolerance for any acts of corruption and malfeasance. Public members expect government officials to uphold the highest ethical and moral standards. They are also expected to be honest in serving the public and the state,” Motsoaledi said.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has welcomed the heavy fine imposed on Govan Mbeki Local Municipality for polluting water resources and contravening environmental legislation.

Govan Mbeki Local Municipality in Mpumalanga province was fined R150 million for five counts relating to contravening the National Environmental Waste Management Act and National Water Act.

The Bethal Regional Court in Secunda found the municipality guilty of causing significant pollution to the environment, interfering with waterworks, pollution of water resources, an act that detrimentally affects a water course, and failure to comply with compliance notices.

This comes after a series of intervention measures undertaken by the department against the municipality since 2019, in line with the Constitution and the Intergovernmental Framework.

Water and Sanitation Director-General, Dr Sean Phillips, said in December 2019 and March 2020, the department issued the municipality with directives to make representations addressing the risk assessment, intervention and potential rehabilitation plan, and to implement all the recommendations in respect of the underlying problem in their area of jurisdiction.

However, the municipality failed to respond and adhere to the conditions of the directives issued to them within the stipulated timeframes.

“In November 2020, the municipality compiled an assessment report and intervention plan with an approved budget for the commencement of a rehabilitation project in the area, however, no rehabilitation was implemented,” Phillips said.

Phillips commended the enforcement team, saying the judgement has asserted the department’s role as a regulator of the water and sanitation sector.

“It has been our resolve to take all transgressors of the National Water Act to task and send a strong message that if people and institutions do not comply, we will not hesitate to act, without fear or favour. We want to strengthen our role as a regulator of the sector in line with all the prescripts,” Phillips said.

Lizette Marielle Steyn, 56, has been sentenced to at least 12 years imprisonment after being found guilty of 85 counts of theft.

The former Finance and Administration Manager of AgriCAD was sentenced in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana explained that Steyn was arrested in July last year.

“Steyn was employed by AgriCAD [and her] responsibilities, amongst others, were to load the creditors for payment on the business bank account monthly and do the day-to-day bookkeeping and accounting. As such Steyn had full access to the AgriCAD ABSA bank accounts.

“During her employment, Steyn would change the details of one of the AgriCAD ABSA bank accounts and replace it with her six different personal Capitec accounts.

“From 27 October 2020 until 09 May 2023, 85 different payments of over R16 million for the company were paid into her personal bank accounts. With the funds, Steyn installed solar panels in her house and bought luxury items, a caravan, and a vehicle for her son-in-law. She also paid for her daughter’s wedding, and her family’s weekends away and holidays,” she said.

Mahanjana said Steyn pleaded guilty to charges against her and explained that she “stole the money to pay debts because her husband lost his job”.

The thief then asked the court to consider leniency upon sentencing due to her ill-health and the fact that she is a first time offender.

“However, the prosecutor, advocate Rachelle van der Walt, argued that as much as Steyn was a first-time offender, her offences were committed over three years. Furthermore, Steyn was in a position of trust, her employer trusted her, but she betrayed that trust and was not hesitant to hide her dishonest conduct.

“She opened Capitec accounts in her name which she used to receive the stolen money for luxurious items and extravagant lifestyles. Therefore, Adv van der Walt asked the court to consider long-term imprisonment when imposing the sentence.

While delivering the sentence, Magistrate Ignatius du Preez said Steyn was left with no option but to plead guilty.

“Her change of heart and acknowledgement of her criminal conduct originated from being caught and not from her true inner feelings of regret. Therefore, she had no choice but to concede defeat.

“Steyn committed the offence when she was at an age where it was expected of her to be able to distinguish between right from wrong, but she failed dismally. Furthermore, courts are increasingly faced with the situation where offenders with medical challenges commit serious offences, and such illness cannot be used as a license to commit crime,” du Preez said.

The Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) has secured a R43 million preservation order emanating from a case of fraud and theft opened by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Embassy against that country’s former Defence Attaché to South Africa, Brigadier Ngoy Timothee Makwamba.

The order was handed down in the Pretoria High Court and is to preserve four properties and two bank accounts.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, one of Makwamba’s duties as the defence attaché was to purchase weapons from South Africa’s state-owned defence, security and related technology company, Denel.

“The DRC embassy then made a payment of R49.6 million to the Denel group. However, the Denel Group could not process the order and arranged to pay back the money to the DRC Embassy.

“In December 2022, the DRC government terminated Brigadier Ngoy’s contract, and was no longer mandated to represent the country. Instead, Brigadier Ngoy fraudulently and unlawfully represented himself to Denel as the delegated representative of DRC. He was still a signatory of the Defence account of the DRC and had the authority to instruct them on where to make the refund payment.

“Brigadier Ngoy then provided the Denel Group with bank account details belonging to Johan van Heerden Attorneys where the Denel Group paid the refund of R49.6 million on 13 April 2023,” Mahanjana said.

She explained that the money was then transferred to bank accounts and used to purchase properties in the names of Ngoy’s children.

“Investigations by the Financial Intelligence Centre revealed the flow of funds which led to the identification of two bank accounts. After obtaining the preservation order on 02 April 2024 the Sheriff accompanied by the Curator Bonis as well as representatives of AFU attended to the four properties to serve the preservation.

“The four properties are now placed under the control of Curator Bonis. The next step is to apply for the final forfeiture order. After obtaining the final forfeiture order, the properties will be sold at a public auction and the money returned to the DRC,” Mahanjana said.

Over 900 suspects have been nabbed in the North West province during police operations, which were conducted between Monday, 25 March and Sunday, 31 March 2024.

Under Operation Shanela, 914 suspects were netted through various actions, which included stop and searches, roadblocks, vehicle check points, visiting and inspecting of licensed liquor premises and second-hand goods dealers, as well as the tracing of wanted suspects.

The suspects were, amongst others, arrested for rape, murder, assault GBH [grievous bodily harm], malicious damage to property, burglary in residential and business premises, possession of drugs, theft out of/from motor vehicles, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Of the 914 suspects, 114 were arrested for contact crimes such as murder, attempted murder, rape, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and common assault, while 432 suspects were arrested during the detectives’ suspect raiding operations.

The operations also culminated in the confiscation of a variety of drugs, dangerous weapons, cell phones, precious metals, ammunition, firearms, liquor and four vehicles, while 51 shebeens were shutdown.

The Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Sello Kwena, applauded the members who worked tirelessly during the Easter weekend to ensure the safety of visitors and citizens in the province. 

A police investigation has secured four terms of life imprisonment for 35-year-old Nthutuko Mthethwa for the murder of three Mkhize family members at their home in Umntilombo, Eshowe, in April 2023.

The Mtunzini High Court found him guilty of the murders of three family members.

On the evening of 12 April 2023, the Mkhize family was attacked by two armed suspects who shot at six family members.

Three people were pronounced dead at the scene while the other three were taken to hospital for medical attention.

An investigation led the police to Mthethwa who was arrested the following day. The Investigating Officer successfully opposed the accused’s several bids for bail and he was kept behind bars until his sentencing on Wednesday.

Mthethwa was sentenced to a life term imprisonment for each murder and another life term behind bars for attempted murder, as well as an additional 22 years in prison.

The Provincial Commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, applauded the investigating team for working around the clock to arrest the suspect as well as for presenting a strong case in court, which led to the attainment of a maximum sentence.

“Our mandate is to prevent and combat crime, however, if a crime happens, our reactive capacity should dig deep to bring justice to the families of the victims.

“We applaud the Investigating Officer and all those that he worked with in ensuring that justice was served and bring closure to the family,” said Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi.

Police are still searching for Sicelo Dambayi Sikhakhane, 33, who is believed to be the second suspect on the matter.