Category: Crime & Corruption News

Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) Municipality Deputy Mayor, Gary van Niekerk, has described the demolition of a hijacked building and crime hotspot at 35 Clyde Street, Central, as a major step towards addressing problem buildings.

Once a quaint, historic building, the hijacked building had become a den for crime, where illicit activities thrived in the dilapidated structure.

The door to the murky world was firmly shut when Stu Davidson Plant Hire and Demolition started their work on Friday morning (29 November).

Van Niekerk was alerted to the criminal activities at 35 Clyde Street during a visit to a closed-circuit television (CCTV) control room of a private security company in November last year when he was mayor.

According to Van Niekerk, a memorandum was signed to fast-track the demolition of the eyesore that used to be a historic gem occupied by the Community Chest, a non-profit organisation in the welfare sector.

Van Niekerk said the owner of the building was tracked down and encouraged to apply for a demolition certificate.

“He [owner] did, and we got municipal officials around the table to ensure that the process is fast-tracked to demolish the building. We only lacked a budget to get the job done and this conundrum was solved at the launch of the Mandela Bay Development Agency’s CCTV control room launch earlier this month.

“We discussed this matter with a representative of the Central Special Rating Area (SRA) and an agreement was reached. This resulted in Stu Davidson & Sons agreeing to demolish the building at a reduced cost as part of their corporate social investment portfolio,” Van Niekerk explained.

The Deputy Mayor said the SRA will only have to pay for a third of the cost.

“We are excited that this initiative will bring immediate relief for the residents of that street, as a major crime hotspot has now been removed,” Van Niekerk said.

Residents have commended the initiative, saying they will now be able to move freely at night and not be concerned about thugs robbing and attacking them from the site.

In November 2021, four people were killed and five wounded during a shootout at the site.

Five suspected ATM bombers have been killed and one arrested during a shootout with police in Emalahleni, in Mpumalanga.

The suspects were shot and fatally wounded in a shootout with the Tactical Management Operational Section (TOMS) of the Hawks, the South Africa Police Services (SAPS) Special Task Force (STF), and Falcon Risk Security in the early hours of Monday.

National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, said the team was following up on information received regarding a potential ATM bombing in the Witbank area.

“Information was operationalised leading the team to Schoongezicht in Emalahleni where the group was reported to be converging at an alleged safe house. The multi-disciplinary team were strategically posted to be on the lookout for the white Toyota Hilux received in the intelligence information.

“The identified vehicle was spotted driving out from the area and when the team attempted to stop the vehicle, suspects opened fire, and a shootout ensued. Five suspects were fatally wounded and one injured,” Lebeya said.

Lebeya said a R5 rifle, a hunting rifle with a scope, and three 9mm pistols, as well as explosives, were recovered on the scene.

The bakkie in which the suspects were travelling in, was subject to further investigation.

Lebeya has commended the work of the law enforcement agencies.

“A call is made to potential robbers to withdraw from such activities as this always attracts dire consequences. The team shall always be on alert,” Lebeya said.

KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has commended the arrest of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Speaker of Nongoma Local Municipality on charges of fraud and corruption.

Buthelezi said the arrests send a strong message that corruption will not be tolerated and demonstrate government’s commitment to rooting out corruption and restoring accountability within the municipalities.

The MEC made the remarks during a meeting held this week at the council chamber of the Nongoma Local Municipality, where he met with all councillors and introduced Mpumelelo Bongani Mnguni as the new Acting Municipal Manager.

Mnguni’s appointment follows a recent High Court judgment, which set aside the previous appointments of the Acting Municipal Manager and Acting Chief Financial Officer.

The court judgment highlighted the significant financial strain on the municipality due to frivolous legal battles.

“The municipality faces significant financial challenges, with employee costs exceeding 50% of the budget, an overdraft, and exhausted project grants. The Acting Municipal Manager has been tasked with stabilising the financial situation and ensuring uninterrupted service delivery,” Buthelezi said.

The MEC reassured his commitment to supporting all municipalities in the province and will continue to take decisive action to uphold the law and ensure that municipalities deliver on their mandate.

The City of Tshwane has warned the public of a fraudster that is sending emails to service providers impersonating the City’s Chief Financial Officer about the appointment of a tender.

According to the City, the scammer is sending emails purporting to be the city’s Chief Financial Officer, Gareth Mnisi, and requesting that service providers contact them regarding the appointment of a tender to supply, deliver and off-load printing paper, files and envelopes for a period of three years, as and when required.

“The email is clearly manufactured by a fraudster and should be ignored. The public and potential service providers of the city are warned to not fall for such requests communicated via email or any other platform. The City’s tenders are advertised in various newspapers,” the city said on Thursday.

The City said it will be registering a case docket with the South African Police Service and ask them to escalate the matter to the Hawks.

“The City hopes that the fraudster will be apprehended and prosecuted for committing crime using the name of the metropolitan’s CFO,” the city said.

A 59-year-old license examiner at the Temba driving license testing centre in Hammanskraal has been arrested after allegedly bribing anti-corruption investigators.

The official was under investigation by the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s national traffic anti-corruption unit and the Hawks – following allegations that he was involved in corrupt practices involving the fraudulent issuing of driving licences at the centre.

“It is alleged that the official offered a R50 000 bribe to investigators to sweep the investigation under the carpet. An entrapment order was obtained, and the investigators proposed that the official should meet them at a nearby shopping mall.

“The official allegedly approached the investigators carrying a white bag. He allegedly placed the bag inside the vehicle the investigators were travelling in declaring that it was R50 000 divided into two stacks,” the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said on Friday.

He was immediately arrested and detained at Temba police station.

The man is expected to appear in court on Monday for bail application.

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Mayor Babalwa Lobishe has welcomed the Gqeberha High Court judgment, which mandates the eviction of unlawful occupiers from municipal properties in the Walmer Airport Valley and Temporary Residential Units (TRUs) in Walmer 1948.

The judgment passed on Thursday addresses the pressing issue of unlawful structures on municipal land, and empowers the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to take decisive action against illegal occupiers.

Lobishe said the ruling is a significant victory for the rightful beneficiaries of the project to develop decent human settlements for Walmer residents, and ensure that municipal resources are allocated fairly and lawfully.

“This judgment is a crucial step towards restoring order and fairness in our community. It reaffirms our commitment to upholding the law and protecting the rights of our residents and project beneficiaries,” Lobishe said.

Lobishe said the municipality will act swiftly to implement the court’s decision and ensure that all municipal properties are used for their intended purposes.

The municipality will also work closely with law enforcement agencies to carry out the evictions and remove any unlawful structures.

“This action is necessary to maintain the integrity of municipal land and to provide the rightful beneficiaries with the housing and resources they deserve,” Lobishe said.

Section 5 of the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act 19 of 1998, provides for urgent proceedings for eviction.

The Act also allows for the immediate removal of unlawful occupiers if the court is satisfied that there is a real and imminent danger of substantial injury or damage to any person or property if the unlawful occupier is not evicted; the likely hardship to the owner or any other affected person if the unlawful occupier is not evicted exceeds the likely hardship to the unlawful occupier if they are evicted, and there is no other effective remedy available.

Lobishe reassured that the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality remains dedicated to serving its community and ensuring that all actions are taken in accordance with the law.

The mayor also urged all residents to respect the court’s decision and cooperate with the authorities during this process.

Limpopo Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has welcomed the life imprisonment sentence handed down by the Giyani Regional Court to a 31-year-old man for raping his 10-year-old relative.

The court heard that the victim’s mother left her daughter with her cousin whilst going to a local shop.

“The mother returned from the shop and found her daughter naked. Upon questioning her, she told her that the accused took her (daughter) to his bedroom… forcefully put his private part into her mouth and thereafter raped her.

“The matter was immediately reported to the police and a case of rape was registered and transferred to Giyani Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for further investigations,” the SAPS said on Saturday.

The case docket was allocated to Detective Sergeant Maropeng Mashapa. The accused was traced and successfully arrested.

The accused was sentenced on Thursday for raping his cousin at Phikela village in Giyani on 13 November 2020.

Subsequent to police investigations, the accused was found guilty of all charges against him and sentenced to life imprisonment for rape.

“We commend the investigating officer for tirelessly working on the case and all other role players who participated, for the job well done,” said Lieutenant General Hadebe.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has arrested 15 298 suspects through Operation Shanela.

The arrests were made between Monday, 21 October and Sunday, 27 October. The recorded arrests are 2 479 more than the previous week.

Operation Shanela includes tracking operations, roadblocks, high visibility patrols, stop and searches, as well as tracing of wanted suspects.

All Shanela operations are led by the Provincial Commissioner of each province.

The following arrests were made:

•  3 015 wanted suspects were arrested, representing 1 042 more wanted suspects behind bars than the previous week. These suspects were wanted for various crimes such as murder, attempted murder, rape, business and house robberies.
• 146 suspects were arrested for murder. The majority of these suspects were arrested in the Eastern Cape (37), followed by Gauteng (33) and the Western Cape (30).
• 74 suspects were arrested for attempted murder.
• 213 suspects were arrested for rape. KwaZulu-Natal arrested the majority of these suspects (89 arrests).
• 1 380 suspects were arrested for assault GBH [grievous bodily harm] during this period.
• 197 drug dealers were arrested.
• 1 314 suspects were arrested for being in possession of drugs, with 646 of these suspects being arrested in the Western Cape.
•  123 suspects were arrested for being in the illegal possession of firearms. The majority of these suspects were arrested in the Western Cape (36), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (27) and Eastern Cape (24).
• 492 suspects were arrested for illegally dealing in liquor, with Mpumalanga arresting 124, while KwaZulu-Natal arrested 123 suspects.
• 478 drivers were arrested for drunken driving. The majority of these suspects were arrested in Gauteng (110), followed by the Western Cape (89).

Under recoveries and confiscations, police registered the following successes:

• 132 firearms were confiscated in the past week; 26 handguns were confiscated during police operations in the Western Cape; 23 were confiscated in KwaZulu-Natal, while 19 were confiscated in the Eastern Cape.
•  3 443 rounds of ammunition were confiscated.
•  78 hijacked and stolen vehicles were also recovered, which is 21 more vehicles recovered during

The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities has urged communities to report cases of abuse of women, youth and people with disabilities to their nearest police stations.

The department reiterated the call following the disturbing number of rape cases that are being reported at different police stations across the country.

According to recent crime statistics, between April and June this year, a total of 9 309 rape cases and 6 198 murder cases were registered.

“These statistics call upon society to be on high alert over the growing incidences of rape and murder of young girls and children in South Africa,” department spokesperson, Cassius Selala, said.

At the weekend a 16-year-old girl in Madikana village, in Limpopo and a 19-year-old girl in Hammanskraal, in Tshwane were found murdered.

“Women’s rights are fundamental human rights, which include the right to be free from violence and discrimination. Government has put in place systems, such as the Constitution and legislation, aimed at fighting crime in our country.

“Advocacy for women’s rights and gender mainstreaming are both important strategies for achieving gender equality and social justice through solid partnerships with communities, NGOs and community policing forums, as well as faith-based organisations,” Selala said.

Selala emphasised a need to join hands in defending and protecting the rights of all South Africans, particularly women and children.

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) welcomes the arrest and court appearance of former Transnet Group Capital (TGC) Chief Executive Officer Herbert Msagala.

He appeared before the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court on fraud, corruption, theft and money laundering charges.

Following his first appearance, Msagala was granted R60 000 bail.

The arrest and court appearance follows a thorough investigation by the SIU, which uncovered that Msagala unduly benefited from kickbacks worth over R26 million from IGS Consulting Engineering, which he allegedly used to purchase properties and vehicles.

The SIU’s investigations focused on contracts totalling over R194 million that TGC awarded to IGS Consulting Engineering.

These contracts were related to maintaining and upgrading high-pressure pipeline infrastructure as part of the New Multi-Product Pipeline project, which transports various fuel products from Durban to Gauteng.

Msagala improperly benefited from kickbacks exceeding R26 million from IGS Consulting Engineering. The SIU investigated under the authorisation of Proclamation No. 11 of 2018.

In line with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act (SIU Act), where the SIU finds possible criminal evidence, it must refer the evidence to the National Prosecuting Authority for further action.

In 2020, the SIU made criminal referrals against Msagala and others, which led to him being charged alongside two individuals and IGS Consulting Engineering being charged as an entity. While the individuals are yet to appear in court, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) is actively tracing their whereabouts.

In July 2020, the SIU obtained a preservation order from the Special Tribunal to preserve Msagala’s pension benefits and assets. The assets included 35 luxury vehicles and five properties, which comprised two farms and houses in gated estates, valued at over R18 million.

Msagala attempted to overturn the order but lost his appeal in November of that year. As a result, his properties and pension fund have been forfeited to the State.

The SIU is authorised, under the SIU Act, to initiate a civil action in the High Court or a Special Tribunal in its name to address any wrongdoing identified during its investigation resulting from acts of corruption, fraud or maladministration.

The criminal case has been postponed to 19 November 2024, to allow for further investigations and to trace the outstanding suspects.

The SIU will continue to support the prosecutorial process and ensure that all individuals implicated in corruption are brought to justice by the law.

The prosecution of Msagala is part of implementing the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, which sees law enforcement agencies coming together to eradicate corruption in South Africa and ensure the continued cleaning up of government departments from corruption.