Category: Crime & Corruption News

KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has called on police to leave no stone unturned in finding the gunmen involved in the spate of mass shootings, which claimed the lives of 11 people over the weekend.

According to police reports, the latest incident happened on Saturday at 1:30pm in Ndwedwe Mission, north of Durban, where unknown assailants opened fire on a group of men, who were sitting on the veranda of a tuck shop.

The gunmen fled the scene immediately. Four men were declared dead at the scene, while three others were taken to hospital for medical attention. One of the men later died in hospital.

In a separate incident that took place at 10:30pm on Friday, six people were shot dead and one was left injured at an informal settlement in Clermont, when unknown gunmen started shooting randomly. The gunmen fled the scene.

Dube-Ncube has expressed outrage after learning about the heartless mass shootings in the province, and sent her deepest condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives due to the senseless murders.

“We unreservedly condemn in the strongest possible terms the brutal murder of 11 people in Ndwedwe and Clermont at the weekend, and call on the police to scour every nook and cranny of the province, and to strain every nerve in their bodies to find the perpetrators of this horrendous act so that they can be brought to book.

“As we are approaching the festive season, police have been tasked to identify all crime hotspots in the province as part of our comprehensive Festive Season Integrated Safety Plan and deploy additional officers in order to beef-up visibility. We will not allow a situation whereby citizens live in fear,” Dube-Ncube said.

The Premier reiterated that the provincial government has a zero-tolerance stance towards all types of crime, especially murder.

She also called on members of the community to come forward with information that can assist police in the investigation.

“Issues pertaining to safety and security require an integrated approach from all sectors of society. Government, business, civil society, including community policing fora, need to work together to address criminal activities and instability in order to ensure a safe society and thriving economy.

”We will never win the war against crime if community members continue to protect criminals,” Dube-Ncube said.

The Provincial Organised Crime Unit is investigating cases of murder and attempted murder.

Gauteng South African Police Service (SAPS) Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, has commended the investigation that led to the recent arrest of a Department of Employment and Labour employee for corruption and extortion.

This comes after the team of investigators on Friday nabbed a 35-year-old suspect in Germiston on charges of corruption and extortion following an intelligence-driven operation.

Provincial spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo, said a team comprising members from SAPS Gauteng Provincial Head Office Organised Crime Investigations: Anti-Gang Unit, Kidnapping Unit and Tracking Team operationalised information they obtained on criminal activities involving the said employee.

“The employee allegedly regularly demanded “spot fines” from a construction company for alleged non-compliance. The matter was brought to the attention of the police by the complainant where after the investigation immediately commenced.

“The suspect visited the construction site again on Friday to collect money from the complainant then subsequently the team apprehended the suspect. He was found in possession of cash he had demanded from the complainant,” said Masondo.

In another incident, two members of the Tshwane Metropolitan Police Department (TMPD) were on Sunday arrested for allegedly soliciting a bribe from a member of the public for driving above the speed limit in Centurion.

Further investigation is still underway while the suspects are expected to appear before a Magistrates’ court soon.

“Police in Gauteng have a zero tolerance policy against corruption and extortion, especially if the perpetrator is a government employee. Our members will leave no stone unturned in bringing any perpetrator of corruption to book,” said Lt Gen Mawela.

Parliament’s Police Portfolio Committee has requested a comprehensive progress report on internal steps taken to implement the recommendations contained in the Independent Police Investigative Directorate’s report into the murder of Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear.

The request was on Wednesday made to Police Minister, Bheki Cele, National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola and Hawks head Lt-General, Godfrey Lebeya.

In a statement, the committee said it received a detailed report on the process followed in classifying that report.

“The committee was critical of the failure by the South African Police Service (SAPS) leadership to respond to IPID [Independent Police Investigative Directorate], as per Section 30 of the IPID Act. The committee considers disregarding the report’s recommendations as undermining the commitment made to the Kinnear family to find justice for his murder.

“The committee believes the tabling of the progress report next week in its meeting will reassure South Africans and the Kinnear family that work is being done to seek justice, as promised. In that meeting, the committee will receive a comprehensive report on the recommendations and progress in implementing them,” the committee said.

Meanwhile, the committee said it was seriously concerned by IPID’s revelation that due process, in terms of minimum information security standards, was not followed in classifying the IPID report.

“This implies that due process was not followed and renders the classification moot. This might impact on the investigation and prosecutions going forward. The committee has instructed the IPID Executive Director to prevent such lapses in future and to remedy the current defect in adherence to process.”

Regarding the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Amendment Bill (B15-2022), the committee resolved to study the updated submissions, which will be subjected to full consideration in its next meeting.

The committee said it remains committed to concluding the process in reasonable time and inclusive of views from the public consultation process.

Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula has welcomed the judgment handed down by the Supreme Court of Appeal against Siyangena Technologies.

The Appeal Court dismissed with costs an application brought by Siyangena Technologies appealing against the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria ruling, that had set aside and declared the Integrated Security Access Management System’s (ISAMS) contracts awarded to the company for various stations as irregular.

“The Siyangena Technologies case is one that has prolonged its course. This judgement bolsters confidence in our efforts to uproot all forms of corruption and instil a culture of consequences management in our passenger rail system,” Mbalula said on Wednesday.

The Siyangena matter concerns the awarding of a contract to Siyangena Technologies by Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) to supply and maintain an integrated security access management system at various train stations.

The equipment included public address facilities, speed gates and electronic display boards, intended to enhance the safety, access and efficiency of the Public Rail Commuter System, which PRASA is under a statutory duty to provide and maintain.

The deal was then discovered to have been unlawfully and irregularly awarded to Siyangena and that there was misconduct by certain officials of PRASA in the awarding of the contract.

PRASA brought a review application to the Gauteng High Court and was successful in setting aside the contract. Siyangena took this on appeal and the application was dismissed with cost on Tuesday 01 November 2022.

The ruling has the potential to save PRASA billions of rands pending the evaluation and audit of the work done is concluded.

In accordance with the High Court directive, PRASA said it will look into the aspects of appointment of an independent engineer to determine the value of the work done and whether Siyangena was paid for the value of the work.

This will determine whether Siyangena was overpaid and owes PRASA any money or whether PRASA owes Siyangena Technology money for the work done.

“We are hard at work to rebuild our rail infrastructure and modernise the system. A great deal of this will entail tackling corruption and malfeasance that has undermined massive investments towards the modernization programme.

“We are pleased with the court judgement as it brings finality to the matter. This will therefore enable us to proceed with the implementation of critical elements of the modernization programme, which include securing access to stations and the network,” the Minister said.

PRASA said it hopes the judgment brings the matter to finality in order for the agency to complete the disciplinary hearing and criminal proceedings against all individuals implicated in the deal.

The fraud and corruption case related to the controversial R280 million Estina Dairy farm project has been transferred to the Bloemfontein High Court from the Bloemfontein Regional Court on Wednesday.

The accused that appeared in the regional court this morning are:

• Former Mineral Resources Minister, Mosebenzi Zwane.
• Former Free State head of Department for Rural Development (FSDoRD), Peter Thabethe.
• Former Chief Financial Officer, Seipati Dhlamini.
• Former Chief Director District Services, Takisi Masiteng.
• Former Sahara employee, Ugeshni Govender.
• Islandsite former Director, Ronica Ragavan.
• Estina Director, Kamal Vasram, was added to the case, as well as eight companies.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority Investigating Directorate (NPA ID) spokesperson, Sindisiwe Seboka, the accused face charges of contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), fraud, corruption and money laundering emanating from the “alleged looting of the Free State Department of Agriculture through a company called Estina”.

Seboka explained that in 2012, Estina and the Free State Agriculture Department entered into an agreement to establish and implement a dairy farm project for the benefit of emerging and previously disadvantaged farmers in the Vrede area.

“In terms of the agreement, Estina was to provide a capital injection of R228 million. Paras Dairy – a company incorporated in India – was presented as Estina’s partner in the Vrede Dairy Project.

“The agreement further stipulated that the department was to contribute R342 million including VAT over a period of three years. Estina received R280 million from July 2012 to April 2014.

“Investigations also revealed that no proper tender procedures were followed with regards the decision to fund the proposed Vrede Dairy Project. Estina did not adhere to its obligations in terms of the agreement as only the department paid its contribution into bank accounts held by Estina,” Seboka said.

The accused are expected to next appear in the Bloemfontein High Court on 25 January 2023.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Western Cape has seized assets valued at over R18 million owned by suspects linked to a R400 million drugs haul case in June 2021.

This comes as a further eight suspects on Tuesday appeared in the Bellville Magistrates Court on preliminary charges of dealing in drugs.

The eight are David Michael Banister (52), Allister William Jackson (33), Marinus van Niekerk (31), Jacobus Hendrik Slabbert (41), Mario Mark Joseph (44), John Frederieck Roodman (47), Andre Welgemoed (44) and Anthony Trevor Tarrs (42).

Their case was postponed to 8 November 2022, where they will appear in the Pretoria Magistrates Court for formal bail application.

Hawks spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, said: “Their case is part of an ongoing investigation into the proliferarion of drugs in the country. Previously, assets including a bakkie, trailer, three boats with a combined value of more than R18.6 million, together with drugs with an estimated value of R400 million and cash seized on the N1 highway, were finally forfeited to the state by the Gauteng and Western Cape High courts respectively.”

Niel Pieter Van Zyl (40) was also arrested on 2 June 2021 while driving a bakkie pulling a trailer carrying a consignment of drugs, 805 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside the hull of the ski-boat on the N1 highway in Pretoria.

Eight more suspects, including Rafiek Baderoen (45), Rashied Baderoen (49), Michael Norman (39), Tenikaitis Valdas (58), Jaco de Kock (49), Izak Strydom (46) and Hugh Stam (48) were arrested.

Mogale said the suspects were identified as the members of an international drug trafficking syndicate, allegedly involved in the smuggling cocaine between South Africa and Brazil.

“They are expected to be back in court on 6 December 2022. These arrests and seizures which dismantled an international drug cartel stems from an extensive collaborative project driven investigation by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),” she said.

Israeli national, Ahmed Isa, also known as Mickey, along with two Lithuanian nationals, Donates Jukna and Jonas Zulpa are still at large.

Mogale said more arrests and seizures of property used in cocaine smuggling are imminent.

Provincial Commissioner of the Northern Cape, Lt Gen Koliswa Otola, has commended the police and the Onseepkans community for their assistance in apprehending and arresting six alleged armed robbers.

In a statement, she reiterated that partnership policing reaps great successes.

SAPS spokesperson Lt Col Sergio Kock said: “On Monday morning, one armed man entered a shop in Augrabies with a firearm and robbed the cashier of an undisclosed amount of cash and cigarettes. A patrolling police vehicle spotted the robber as he jumped into a Toyota SUV with five other male occupants inside and sped off.

“Police followed and the robbers started shooting at the police vehicle. The suspects then stopped the vehicle and fled on foot into the veld close to the N14 in the direction of Pofadder. Highway Patrol, Springbok and Upington K9 as well as Upington POPS and local police members were activated for assistance.”

Local farmers also assisted SAPS with a drone and a light aircraft, he said.

Kock said all six male suspects were arrested at different locations in the area.

“Three firearms and ammunition were seized during the apprehension of the suspects. No injuries or fatalities were reported.

“The six males between the ages of 22 and 30 were arrested and charged for attempted murder, business robbery and possession of unlicensed firearms. The vehicle was also seized as it was used in the commission of a crime. The suspects will soon appear in court,” he said.

Four of the suspects are foreign nationals while the other two are South Africans.

General Otola warned criminals that their space will be squeezed to zero as there will be boots on the ground to enhance police visibility during this period and beyond.

South African Police Service (SAPS) operations have seen the arrest of over 1 750 suspects across Gauteng over the weekend.

Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said the suspects were arrested in all five districts during the tracing of wanted suspects, roadblocks, raiding of hotspots, and stops and searches.

He said police in Johannesburg District arrested 536 suspects for crimes ranging from murder, attempted murder, carjacking, business robbery, fraud, possession of suspected stolen property, including undocumented persons.

Meanwhile, 430 suspects were nabbed by the police in Tshwane for crimes that include business robbery, possession of an unlicensed firearm, driving under the influence of alcohol and dealing in drugs.

“Similar operations were conducted in Ekurhuleni District, where 397 suspects were arrested for murder, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, possession of suspected stolen goods, armed robbery and undocumented foreign nationals,” said Masondo.

More than 390 suspects were arrested in the West Rand and Sedibeng Districts for crimes ranging from murder, rape, and possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of drugs, assault and intimidation.

All arrested suspects will appear before different Magistrates’ Courts in Gauteng in due course.

Management of SAPS in Gauteng has urged the community to continue to help the police in the fight against crime by reporting criminal activities, by calling Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

The pension benefits of former Limpopo Health Department head of department, Dr Thokozani Mhlongo, have been frozen pending the finalisation of civil proceedings in a matter related to the unlawful procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by the department.

Spokesperson for the Special Investigating Unit Kaizer Kganyago said the corruption busting unit obtained a Special Tribunal order to freeze the benefits following Mhlongo’s resignation from the department in June “in the face of a disciplinary hearing which emanated from SIU investigations in the affairs of the department”.

“The SIU will continue to pursue officials who resign in the face of an investigation or in the face of a disciplinary action by freezing their pension benefits and institute civil litigation to recover financial losses suffered by state institutions.

“The SIU investigations have uncovered irregularities in the appointment of service providers Clinipro Pty Ltd, Pro Secure Pty Ltd, and Ndia Business Trading (Pty) Ltd for the supply and delivery of PPE items which resulted in the department incurring irregular expenditure and/or a fruitless and wasteful expenditure of approximately R182 million,” he said.

Kganyago added that beyond the PPE scandal, Mhlongo alllegedly “exposed the department to wasteful expenditure” when authorising the procurement of 10 000 cellphones; for household COVID-19 screening; at a cost of R10 million.

“The department could only manage to distribute 388 of the 10 000 cellphones between September 2020 and March 2021 and the cellphones were distributed without the required screening application.

“After the physical counting of cellphones in storage by SIU investigators in March 2021, the department distributed 9 588 cellphones to community health workers for COVID-19 vaccination without the required application installed,” Kganyago said.

Nkangala District Municipal Manager, Maggie Skosana, and her driver Gugu Mtsweni, who went missing last week after they were accosted as they entered the council’s premises, were on Thursday found alive in Diepsloot, Gauteng.

Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli, said the two were found after they were allegedly dumped by their assailants.

“It is said that both were reportedly dumped by their assailants in the bushes near the N14 road in Diepsloot. It is said that the driver was tied up with rope but she somehow managed to maneuver to the road, where a taxi driver saw her as she was looking for help. She then related the story to the taxi driver, who then immediately informed the police.

“The police then went with them to the bushes where the Municipal Manager was found. After going to Diepsloot police station, the two victims were taken to hospital and then later reunited with their families in the early hours of this morning, Thursday, 27 October 2022,” Mdhluli said.

The suspects are still at large.

This development comes as a breakthrough to the kidnapping, incident which started a week ago on Thursday, 20 October 2022 in Middleburg.

Mdhluli said according to information received, it is said that the victims were attacked at the municipality premises gate before they could enter.

Reports indicate that the victims were stopped by suspects in a white sedan.

He said both vehicles – that of the victims and the suspects – were seen driving to the same direction following each other.

Soon after the incident was reported, the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, immediately assembled resources then established an investigation team consisting of experts in the field of investigation to ensure that the two victims are brought back safe and alive.

She said the victims’ vehicle was recovered on the same day, abandoned in one of the surrounding mines in Middelburg.

“A wheelchair, as well as other properties of the victims, was also recovered, together with the abandoned vehicle. However, there was no sign of the victims… The team worked around the clock, spending sleepless nights since the news of the kidnapping broke. The collaboration between members of the police in Mpumalanga and members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) in Gauteng assisted in the probe.”

Manamela has expressed her gratitude to all members from both the Gauteng DPCI and Mpumalanga, as well as the taxi driver who acted as a good Samaritan upon seeing the Municipal Manager’s driver calling for help on the road.

The General also thanked everyone who contributed in the investigation, as well as the support received from the entire Police Management and the Office of the Premier in Mpumalanga. The General further appreciated members of the public for their contribution.