Category: Crime & Corruption News

The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has sent a strong warning to community members about hitchhiking.

This comes after an incident, where a 28-year-old man was robbed of cash and his cellphone in the bushes along R81 road, Xukukwami village at Giyani Policing area.

According to the police report, the incident took place on Tuesday when the victim was allegedly hitchhiking at the traffic lights of Siyandhani along R81 going to Malamulele, when a silver Datsun car with two occupants, including the driver, stopped.

The victim, together with another man was offered a lift, and on the way, the driver told the occupants that he needed to pass by the nearby bushes to buy firewood.

While at the bushes, the driver allegedly stopped the vehicle and everyone, including the other hitchhiker threatened the victim with a knife and firearms, demanding money.

“The three suspects, robbed him off a cell phone and money. They also tried to access funds from his bank account through an App but it was insufficient.

“They pushed him out of the vehicle and drove off at a high speed. The victim immediately notified the police and a manhunt to arrest the suspects was launched,” Lieutenant General Hadebe said.

Hadebe warned people against hitchhiking, and emphasised that it is safer and more reliable to use public transport.

“People can avoid becoming victims in the hands of these ruthlessness and heartless criminals by making use of public Transport. Your precious life is more valuable so, take it seriously,” Hadebe said.

Hadebe said a case of robbery with a firearm has been opened and the investigation is underway.

He urged anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects to contact Detective Warrant Officer Hobyani at 071 1637 272 or crime stop number 08600 10111, or contact the nearest police station or MySAPSApp.

The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has strongly condemned the brutal murder of a five year-old girl, allegedly by her cousin.

On Tuesday afternoon, police and paramedics received information about the body of a child found in the bushes.

Upon arrival at the scene, they found the lifeless body of the little girl with her throat slit, as well as stab wounds on her upper body.

She was certified dead by the medical personnel on the scene and police have opened a murder case.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the girl left home with her male cousin to a nearby tuck shop to buy some snacks.

However, the cousin returned alone without the little girl, saying that she had gone to play with other children in the neighbourhood.

However, the family was concerned that something could have happened to the child and they began searching for her until they made the gruesome discovery of her body in the nearby bushes. They immediately alerted the authorities.

Police in Bushbuckridge arrested the suspect on the same day and charged him with murder.

The suspect is expected to appear in the Bushbuckrigde Magistrates’ Court soon. Investigations are ongoing. It is not yet clear if the girl was raped or not, and that will form part of the probe.

Manamela urged parents and guardians to be vigilant with their children.

“It is disheartening and disappointing to learn that some family members are found to be the ones allegedly perpetrating crimes against children, whereas they have been entrusted to safeguard them,” she said.

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has welcomed a decision of the Supreme Court of Appeal to dismiss two appeals by a company seeking to validate its business rescue procedures.

The company, PFC Properties and its trust, the De Robillard Family Trust, owed SARS at least R148 million and failed to pay the amount and instead went into business rescue and sold its assets for far below market value.

The assets included a R45 million yacht which was sold for R12 million, another yacht valued at R13 million sold for R570 000 and R50 million value house sold for R11.3 million.

The revenue collector’s commissioner, Edward Kieswetter, condemned the use of business rescue processes in an attempt to avoid paying taxes.

“It was unfortunate that some taxpayers abuse the business rescue proceedings, to the detriment of creditors. In most instances, the fiscus is the main victim.

“SARS will continue to act firmly and decisively when business rescue proceedings are abused to the detriment of the fiscus. We will without any equivocation oppose such abusive applications,” Kieswetter said.

SARS explained the reasons why the court dismissed the applications.

“The issue before the SCA was whether the conduct on the part of PFC and the De Robillard Family Trust’s trustees in launching the business rescue application, constituted an abuse of court process. The SCA held that that application should not have been considered by reason of its use in a scheme of abuse. The Court held that the business rescue application was a stratagem.

“Consequently, the business rescue application could not suspend the liquidation application because the former was tainted by abuse. Apart from this, the De Robillard Family Trust’s trustees failed to make out a case that there was any prospect of rescuing PFC. All its assets had been sold-off and it had lost its substratum. The SCA further held that the liquidation order granted by the Pretoria High Court was unassailable. For these reasons, both appeals were dismissed with costs,” SARS said.

The revenue collector vowed to clamp down on any attempts to avoid paying what is due to the taxman.

“SARS will not stand idle when taxpayers abuse the mechanisms of the Companies Act by acting malignantly to deprive SARS what is due and payable to the fiscus. Any elaborate and carefully calibrated plans to withhold taxes will be resisted emphatically.

“SARS will always work in the manner that supports the growth of the economy with concomitant job creation. Where, for whatever reason businesses do not perform optimally and they are unviable, every role player in the process is duty bound to act professionally and without fear, favour or prejudice against any creditors,” the revenue service said.

Eskom has warned members of the public not to fall for job scams purportedly related to vacancies at its power stations, with the latest scam targeting the Medupi Power Station.

According to the power utility, scammers lure unsuspecting victims to interviews in Gauteng and are asked to pay for accommodation and other fees.

“As part of the modus operandi, job seekers are advised to bring money for expenses, such as accommodation and transport, to Lephalale where Medupi Power Station is located. In some instances, the unsuspecting job seekers are required to deposit more money into a bank account for other expenses such as personal protective equipment (PPE) or medical assessment following the interviews, among other reasons.

“Eskom advises job seekers to be aware that vacancies in the organisation are on its recruitment website which can be accessed by visiting www.eskom.co.za and cautions job seekers against using any other links found on the internet. Under no circumstances will Eskom require any payment from applicants during its recruitment process,” the power utility said.

Eskom said that, together with law enforcement, it has instituted an investigation with arrests subsequently made.

“Upon receiving several complaints from members of the public about the recruitment scam at Medupi, Eskom launched a joint operation with the South African Police Service (SAPS), which led to the arrest of three suspects — two females and a male accomplice.

“The suspects were charged at the Douglasdale Police Station on 26 June 2023 and appeared at the Randburg Magistrates’ Court on 28 June 2023. They will appear again at the same court on 16 August 2023,” Eskom said.

Members of the public who may have fallen victim to the scam are encouraged to contact Colonel Naidoo on 082 820 6174 or SAPS on 08600 10111 or SMS the Eskom Crime Line on 32211.

One hundred and sixty-one suspects have been arrested in the Northern Cape under the South African Police Service’s Operation Shanela.

The arrests were executed between last Monday and Sunday, 23 July.

The arrests were made during stop and searches, vehicle checkpoints, cordon and searches, high visibility patrols, compliance inspections at liquor outlets, tracing operations by detectives, visits to businesses and second-hand goods dealers.

Teams across the Northern Cape conducted numerous operations, which included 11 roadblocks and 36 vehicle control Points (VCPs), during  which 1 981 vehicles and 4 365 persons were searched, with fines being issued for contravention of the law.

These actions were also enhanced by 1 206 high visibility blue light and 1 972 foot patrols throughout the Northern Cape.

In total, 3 109 compliance inspections were conducted at second-hand dealers, scrapyards, shebeens, taverns, liquor outlets, firearm dealers, farms and informal businesses.

On Monday, 17 July, the police followed up on information and found a substantial amount of copper cable stashed next to a power station in Peter Mokaba Street in Kagisho in Galeshewe, while another male was also arrested with copper worth R1 000 in the Kimberley CBD.

Colesburg SAPS members confiscated a large amount of diesel concealed in containers in a Toyota bakkie and the vehicle owner could not account for the goods.

Police in Hopetown also confiscated a substantial amount of tik, mandrax and dagga, while another team seized a large amount of dagga in Galeshewe.

SAPS all over the province made routine visits at ATMs, business premises, national key points, post offices and tuckshops.

Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Koliswa Otola, said SAPS members and external stakeholders will continue with the high density crime prevention operations.

A Saldanha Bay businesswoman has appeared in the Vredenburg Magistrates’ Court on fraud charges relating to a R26 million Saldanha Bay Local Municipality security tender.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Eric Ntabazalla, businesswoman Wanda McCarthy allegedly misrepresented her company when bidding for the tender some five years ago.

“The winning company was required to provide 77 security guards to the towns, inclusive of day and night shifts. The security guards were required to be qualified to level-C and possess legitimate PSIRA certificates. The company was also required to provide labour and transportation, with 10 vehicles registered in the service provider’s name at the time of bidding.

“Scrutiny of the company found that the accused had made misrepresentations, stating that her company had a workforce of between 400 to 600 employees and a registered fleet of over 10 vehicles.

“Between February and March 2018, the company’s bank statements reflected payments to 27 employees for February 2018, 90 employees for March 2018 and 90 employees for April 2018, with a total of R357 273.00. This meant that the company had an average of 69 employees between March and April 2018,” Ntabazalla said.

He added that further investigations found that she had also allegedly misrepresented the number of vehicles that the company owned.

The tender was subsequently cancelled two years after it was awarded having already paid some R13.8 million to McCarthy.

“The State alleges that the accused’s actions were both unlawful and intentional to the extent that the unsuccessful service providers were prejudiced, and incurred a substantial amount of money to pursue the appeal which was fraudulently awarded to the company. As a result, other prospective tenderers and the municipality suffered actual loss and prejudiced in the amount of R13.8,” Ntabazalla said.

She was released on R20 000 bail and is expected back in court on 21 August.

Meanwhile, two suspects have appeared in the Rustenburg Magistrates’ Court also on charges related to fraud in a tender for high mast lights awarded by the Rustenburg Local Municipality.

NPA regional spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the two, Obakeng Mokgale and Orebotse Tlale, are former employees of the municipality and were arrested and face four counts of fraud.

The two have since been dismissed from the municipality.

“All procurement processes were duly followed for the tender to be awarded. Investigations reveal that the tender was awarded to a company that was not compliant, owing to the fraudulent documents that were submitted in order to be awarded the tender. The two were notified of the noncompliance but continued to recommend for the tender to be awarded to the said company.

“The company is said to have also submitted fraudulent invoices amounting to more than R1.7 million for a service that was not rendered. The accused continued to sign the procurement documents, pretending to have seen the service that was rendered, for payment to be processed,” he said.

The two were granted R30 000 bail and are expected back in court on 15 August.

Investigations by the Vryheid Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) secured a life imprisonment sentence for a 39-year-old former high school principal found guilty of raping a 15-year-old schoolboy.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS) in KwaZulu-Natal, Mduduzi Ndlovu was sentenced on Tuesday.

The court heard of how Ndlovu manipulated and violated the 15-year-old who trusted and believed in him as his teacher.

Investigations proved that on one afternoon in 2018, the principal requested the boy to assist him in his office and while inside the office, Ndlovu became aggressive and raped the victim.He threated to harm the boy if he told anyone about the incident.

He also gave him money and stationery in exchange for his silence.

“Ndlovu raped the victim on several occasions and he would sometimes fetch him from home and drove with him to his place of residence in Bhekuzulu area where he would rape him. In 2022, a church member noticed a strange behaviour from the boy and questioned him. The teenager broke his silence and a rape case was duly opened,” Colonel Robert Netshiunda said on Wednesday.

The former school principal made several court appearances before he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for rape. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

“His name will also be engraved in the National Register for Sex Offenders,” said Netshiunda.

In a separate matter, Mhloli Ndlovu was also sentenced to life in prison after he was found guilty of raping his 19-year-old niece.

On the night of 23 July 2022, Ndlovu took the victim to Nodwengu area where he raped her. He also drove to Mahlabathini where he continued raping her.

On both occasions he raped the victim inside his vehicle. His life imprisonment sentenced was handed down earlier this month in the Verulam Regional Court.

The Employment and Labour Department is looking into imposing significant fines against unlawful labour practices by employers as the number of violation of basic employee registrations increase.

“One of the things we are going to be harsh on is that some of the employers violate labour laws, and we come back to them and we find they did not correct because we start by corrective measures.

“And they continue to violate labour laws, and then they get a fine in court but the fine is insignificant to them and they continue to violate labour laws,” said Minister Thulas Nxesi.

The Minister was addressing the employers of the Golden Ridge Estate during farm inspections on Wednesday.

The Golden Ridge Estate is a farming estate in Kirkwood in the Eastern Cape and the second biggest gross domestic product (GDP) contributor in the province.

“Now part of the law which we are cooking is that if we are to find you [as an employer in violation of labour laws] and if we have given you warnings to do the corrective measures, and for the third time we find you violating, we are going to deal with your profits and a certain percentage of your profits.

“And we send a very clear message,” he warned.

The Minister further explained the department’s current stand on the Employment Equity Act to the farm owners.

He also touched on the lack of training and mentorship of certain sectors of the population on farms.

“The most sensitive issue, which I must emphasise, is the question of the foreign nationals amid high unemployment in South Africa.

“You can employ them provided they are legal and provided they have papers. But it must be a particular quarter. You have the security sector and the retail sector, but we cannot come up with something which is a one size fits all. It’s going to depend on the various sectors,” he added.

The Minister also embarked on the  ‘Taking Services to the People’ initiative where he visited the Tamboville Community Multi-Purpose Centre in Kariega.

“It’s a very strong programme where we feel that some of the people are not closer to Labour Centres, and then it means we must be able to provide service closer to them. Tons of the services we are bringing are the UIF [Unemployment Insurance Fund] and the Compensation Fund.

“We’re also looking at the Employment Services where we’ll do career counselling for the young people on how to deposit their CVs in a central database which will be available to all the employers, both private and public,” he explained.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has expressed grave concern over the imprisonment of two South African nationals in Equatorial Guinea.

The DIRCO Director-General (DG), Zane Dangor, on Thursday said he was “disturbed” to learn of the sentence handed down to two locals, Peter Shane Huxham and Frederic Johannes Potgieter.

According to media reports, Huxham, originally from Langebaan outside Cape Town and Potgieter from George, were jailed for 12 years and fined more than R100 million.

The two engineers were employed in the offshore oil and gas industry and insist they are innocent.

The department said the pair was arrested on 9 February 2023 at their hotel in Malabo while preparing to board their flight to South Africa the following day.

“They are employed on an oil rig off the coast of Equatorial Guinea and were coming off shift to rest and spend time with their families in South Africa.

“They made their first court appearance only on 26 June 2023, to receive the formal charges against them. They appeared in court again on 30 June 2023, for sentencing. The judgement was passed by a bench of five judges who found them guilty of ‘trafficking and illicit possession of drugs (cocaine)’,” the statement read.

Dangor, according to the department, expressed his dismay that the South African Embassy continues to be denied access to the detainees in violation of international law.

“The government of Equatorial Guinea has failed in its obligation to formally notify DIRCO and grant consular access by the Embassy officials to the two South African nationals.

“He emphasised that such access is expressly required by Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963, to which both states are parties despite numerous official requests in this regard.”

The DG emphasised that the Equatorial Guinea government remains responsible for the welfare and safety of the South African citizens being held in their custody.

“He expressed his willingness to have more direct and constructive cooperation with the relevant authorities regarding this matter.”

Meanwhile, DIRCO said it was ready and willing to advance bilateral relations with Equatorial Guinea.

“However, the continued denial of access to the two South African nationals in distress compromises the long-standing good bilateral relations between the two countries.”

The DG has also expressed support to the families and friends of the detainees.

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) says it has initiated a remedial process where students, who are found to have been funded based on incorrect information, are immediately defunded.

NSFAS said this is done to avoid wrongful and illegal allocation of funds to students, who fall outside the prescription of the entity’s policies.

“The prescriptions of our policies and the law will be implemented firmly and vigorously to avoid a repeat of the more than R5 billion that was allocated incorrectly to students since 2016,” NSFAS said.

The NSFAS decision is in response to the Auditor-General’s findings and a Special Investigation Unit (SIU) investigation, which revealed that more than R5 billion was paid to the students who did not qualify for bursaries.

The SIU draft presentation was presented to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA).

The lead investigator told the committee that 76 institutions, including 40 044 students, did not qualify for bursaries from 2018 to 2021.

However, the scheme has acknowledged that it has received complaints from some students, who were defunded incorrectly, and said “if such cases are true, this is regrettable”.

“A process of verifying these complaints will be immediately initiated and if proven otherwise, remedial action will be taken,” NSFAS said.

During a meeting held with the South African Students Congress (SASCO) leadership this past Sunday, and an engagement with the South African Union of Students (SAUS), NSFAS assured students that its board and management remains committed to a student-centred model, in which the main focus is the creation of an environment for students to engage in academic activities without the inconvenience of lack.

“Where we encounter obstacles related to our systems and capacity, all appropriate efforts will be made to achieve improvements.

“Where needed, engagements will continue to be made with the relevant stakeholders and this will be done with the objective of receiving valuable inputs in improving our service to students and in full observance of our policies and the law,” NSFAS said.

In carrying out these objectives, NSFAS said it will not be influenced by squabbles amongst service providers, or parties that seek to “grandstand” for reasons other than the interests of the students.

“NSFAS will proceed with implementing new policy decisions in a manner that is firm, legal and within the dictates of her policies,” NSFAS said.

Investigation over excessive charges

Meanwhile, NSFAS said an investigation will be conducted following students’ complaints about excessive charges.

Student leadership has also complained about inaccessibility of service providers, lack of clarity on how to access funds, and allegations of funds not reaching their intended beneficiaries.

“Where the allegations are proven true, appropriate action will be taken,” the scheme said.

NSFAS said the service providers will be instructed to increase their physical presence at institutions of higher learning so that they can respond directly to student queries on direct payments.

“There should be an immediate enhancement of explanations on how students can access their funds to avoid delays in the distribution of allowances, and there will be a three-way meeting between student leaders, NSFAS management and the service providers on 11 July to iron out all relevant matters,” NSFAS said.