Category: Crime & Corruption News

Limpopo MEC for Social Development, Nkakareng Rakgoale, has sent her condolences to the family of the mother and daughter, who were killed along the R37 road outside Polokwane.

According to the police, businesswoman Lizette Deacon, 55, and her 70-year-old mother, Hettie, were reported missing from their home in Welgelegen, next to Cycad, on Thursday.

Deacon is said to have been the owner of Ocean Basket franchises in the city.

“This latest attack on women comes on the very day we were discussing GBV as government during the virtual imbizo on gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF),” Rakgoale said on Friday.

The police have since launched a manhunt for the suspects.

It is alleged that the victims’ neighbour went to visit the Deacons just after 6pm on Thursday, police spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, said.

However, the neighbour was shocked when he found blood traces in the house and the occupants missing.

“The police were called and a search operation was immediately launched,” Mojapelo said.

The bodies were found with several stab wounds, tied inside their motor vehicle, which was abandoned along the R37 road next to Kushcke off-ramp.

Mojapelo said the motive for the killings is still unknown at this stage. But robbery cannot be ruled out, the police said.

“The violent manner in which the pair was attacked tells us that there is more that still needs to be done in protecting the rights of the vulnerable people of our society,” said Rakgoale.

She said her office has dispatched social workers to the family and two restaurants owned by Deacon to provide psychosocial support.

“We are confident that the police will arrest these senseless killers, who have a total disregard for the law,” Rakgoale said.

This week, the Limpopo COVID-19 Command Council urged law enforcement and social workers to play their part in helping to prevent the GBV in the province. This comes after a recent spate of killings of young women, reportedly by their lovers.

Two cases of murder and house robbery have been opened. Anyone with information is requested to contact Colonel Linkie Mathebula on 064 756 8218 or Crime Stop on 086 001 0111.

The Department of Home Affairs has concluded the deportation process for Zivanai Katikiti, a manager for financial control and reporting at Rand West City Municipality in Gauteng.

Katikiti was arrested by Home Affairs immigration officials last week for contravening immigration laws in several respects.

He appeared in court last Friday and remained in custody until the confirmation of his deportation in court on Tuesday.

The department said Katikiti was deported to Zimbabwe through the Beitbridge Port of Entry in the afternoon of Wednesday, 9 September 2020.

“The Department of Home Affairs’ records show that Katikiti entered South Africa in May 2015 and had not applied for a work or residence permit. Katikiti is a prohibited person, who was found in possession of a fraudulent permit and other documents,” the department said in a statement on Thursday.

National Hawks head Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya has welcomed the arrested of three suspects found transporting heroin worth R87.5 million in Hluhluwe in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday.

In a statement, officers from the Richards Bay Serious Organised Investigation, in collaboration with their Mpumalanga Crime Intelligence counterparts, discovered the 342.5kg consignment when they intercepted a truck.

The powder, reads the statement, was inside what they believed to be a purpose built hide-in a truck, which was coming from Mozambique via Swaziland to KwaZulu-Natal.

“The truck was intercepted in Hluhluwe and the team immediately started with the search.  Almost 250 packets of heroin were found hidden in a false partition, which was newly painted.  Members had to cut open the compartment in order to access the drugs,” said the Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal.

The driver and two passengers were immediately placed under arrest. They will appear in court soon.

Welcoming the arrests, Lebeya said arrest and seizure of the drugs, which would have generated a hefty amount of profit for criminals who are involved in the drug supply.

“It is worrisome to imagine how many lives were going to be wasted through addiction and crime triggered by the use of these hard core dependence producing substances,” he said.

Police Minister Bheki Cele has called on police officers to continue to ensure the safety of customers, staff members and property of Clicks stores.

This follows what the Ministry describes as organised acts of vandalism at Clicks stores in some provinces.

The Minister’s comments come after public outrage following the Clicks advertisement, where black hair is portrayed as “dry and damaged”.

In a statement on Wednesday, Cele denounced acts of vandalism and malicious damage to property at various businesses, including a Clicks store that was petrol bombed in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga on Monday.

“Ten people, including an Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Member of Parliament (MP), have been arrested for charges relating to the destruction of property. The MP has been charged with assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest,” the Ministry said.

The Minister said the advert that has sparked public outrage must be condemned from all quarters.

“The genesis of this advert is glaring racism that is shown by this business and we must collectively condemn it at all costs. The demonstration of such blatant disregard and humiliation of African people can’t go unabated.”

However, Cele cautioned against the damaging of property as an act of protest against the advert.

The Police Minister has also noted the investigation of a case of the pointing of a firearm in Port Elizabeth. It is alleged that a 52-year-old woman pointed a firearm at EFF members staging a picket inside a mall in Welmer Park.

“Police should ensure that the rule of law is maintained. They must deal decisively with those who choose to break the law. I’m encouraged that officers are making arrests and urge them to continue to ensure the protection and safety of customers, staff members in the affected areas,” Cele said.

Unabated corruption will continue to hinder South Africa’s development and stifle the country from reaching its full potential, National Treasury Director-General Dondo Mogajane has said.

The DG made the remarks during the virtual launch of the Auditor-General SA Preventative Control Guides on Wednesday.

“It will destroy the ethical and moral foundation of the State and place all of us at risk, specifically our most vulnerable citizens,” Mogajane said.

The guides are anticipated to substantially add to the instructions and reporting measures National Treasury has taken.

The instructions, which include control systems, procurement procedures including prescribing maximum prices, and government-wide reporting including standardised report templates, are also expected to improve the management of public finances.

Together, the instructions and the control guides are targeted, specific and action orientated – all found to be key components of an effective prevention culture, control environment and institutionalised compliance.

The accountability of each management level in the procurement process of a public institution is enshrined in legislation, Mogajane said.

“These guides will support accounting officers and executive authorities to prevent the corrosion of corruption taking hold. They will assist them to exercise their obligation as defined by the PFMA and MFMA to implement and maintain effective, efficient and transparent systems of financial and risk management and internal controls.”

Mogajane urged all sectors of society to join in the battle against corruption.

“There is both a supply and demand side to corruption, and unless efforts are made on both sides, we will not triumph,” he said.

He reiterated that good governance and sound public financial management are universal tenets, and yet despite this, corruption continues to be one of the greatest obstacles to development worldwide.

The launch of the guides comes at a time when the world is gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought with it twin afflictions of widespread illness and gross corruption.

“For both COVID-19 and corruption, prevention is the cure. This is particularly true of corruption where public trust, the effectiveness of public institutions, service delivery to all citizens and sustainable economic growth is at stake.

“Even the most successful law enforcement instruments and agencies can only be effected after the crime has been committed and by then the damaging consequences of corruption have taken place,” said Mogajane.

Prevention, he said, is dependent on a suite of measures being implemented in concert, including and for example regular, educational and appropriate public awareness to encourage public intolerance of corruption and developing public finance management primary tools to identify and address corruption risks to strengthen the integrity of public administration.

Mogajane said the launch of the guides bore testimony to National Treasury and the AGSA’s joint commitment in the fight against corruption and push the good governance and sound public financial management agenda forward.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has refuted claims that there is a building in Pretoria being used for human trafficking.

This is after a series of social media posts depicting a building allegedly being used as a centre for human trafficking.

According to the Police, the building, which is located in Johannes Ramokhoase Street, Pretoria CBD, is in fact a residential building accommodating policemen and women.

In a statement on Tuesday, the police said the social media posts, which suggest that the building is being used for criminal activities, is misleading and untrue.

“People are urged not to post these messages any further; as such messages tend to create panic and uncertainty among citizens. Anybody caught spreading fake news is likely to face charges of defeating or obstructing the course of justice. In instances where resources are being used to respond to such fake news, every effort will be made to recover the costs of such response/s,” said the police.

The police said human trafficking affects many people around the world and the necessary sensitivity should be afforded to those affected by it.

“Human trafficking is indeed a reality and people are affected by this phenomenon globally. The spreading of fake messages on a matter of such a serious nature is not only a crime but also shows a lack of sensitivity to those affected by this crime.

“We continue to appeal to anyone who has any information on the person responsible for the creation and spreading of this message or of any other crime to please contact the SAPS our Crime Stop number 086 00 10111.”

Information may also be communicated via our MySAPSApp, an application which can be downloaded on any iPhone or Android via PlayStore.

All information will be treated with strictest confidence and callers may remain anonymous.

Government has expressed concern at the vandalising and torching of Clicks stores across the country, saying it goes against the spirit of peace and respect for human rights.

In a statement on Monday, government said it noted the public outrage following the Clicks advertisement, where black hair is portrayed as “dry and damaged”.

Government said while it is equally disturbed by the crude racist display by the advertisement in question, acts of lawlessness, including vandalism and burning down Clicks stores, on Monday were of concern.

It said this goes “against the spirit of peace and respect for human rights that have shaped this country since the dawn of democracy”.

Government also spoke out against engaging in lawless behaviour, saying that this kind of behaviour is not the responsible way to resolve conflict.

As the matter is being ventilated, government called on all South Africans to resist the temptation to take the law into their own hands, to remain calm and follow the correct and legal channels to address their concerns.

It called on citizens, who witness any form of intimidation or act of violence, to contact the nearest police station or call the toll free number on 10 111 to report such incidents.

“We remain committed to the values of democracy.  Any form of discrimination or violation of human rights for whatever reason cannot be tolerated, as it undermines the progress made in building a united democratic country,” said Minister in the Presidency, Jackson Mthembu.

Government said the fight against discrimination remains the priority of government and it is for this reason that in March 2019, Cabinet approved the National Action Plan to Combat Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance — a tool that empowers government to act against such injustices.

“Even in the face of resistance by a small minority, we continue with efforts to build a united South Africa that we can all be proud of. In the spirit of social cohesion, let us all cherish and respect one another, regardless of colour, background, gender and religion,” Mthembu said.

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille says the department is taking steps to give effect to the report recommendations by the Auditor General into the Beitbridge border fence project.

The Beitbridge project was initiated by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure in mid-March 2020.

De Lille raised concerns over the project and on 20 April 2020, requested that the Auditor General conduct an independent audit into the project.

On 25 April, De Lille requested her department’s Anti-Corruption Unit, assisted by members from the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), to also probe the project.

At the time, De Lille instructed that project payments be stopped, pending investigation outcomes.

“These investigations revealed that a series of procurement and other irregularities were perpetrated and possible acts of fraud may have occurred.

“The investigation report recommends a number of disciplinary and criminal charges against those involved to be pursued,” De Lille said.

The Minister has thanked members of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), the Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure, as well as the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs for undertaking their oversight inspection at the Beitbridge border fence project this past weekend.

“I thank all members for supporting due process to be followed in implementing the report recommendations, and assure them and the South African public that the initiation of the disciplinary processes are already well underway,” De Lille said.

The department’s Legal Services Unit referred the matter to the Office of the State Attorney to draft the charges, appoint the initiator and appoint the chairperson.

The initiator and the chairperson have since been appointed, allowing the drafting of charges to commence.

These steps are being undertaken in consultation with the investigation team and in accordance with Section 8 of the Public Service Act, 1994, as per the terms of employment of 12 of the 14 implicated officials.

For the Director-General and Ministerial Advisor, separate disciplinary processes are required because these two persons are employed under section 12 and 12A, not section 8, of the Public Service Act 1994.

The Ministry has already initiated a disciplinary process related to the charges recommended against the Ministerial Advisor.

The Director-General is already suspended, related to findings from a PriceWaterHouseCoopers investigation on allegations of irregularities related to State funerals and a Public Service Commission investigation on irregular appointments within the department.

“I appreciate that South Africans are hungry for justice to be done, but I remind the public that all allegations of wrongdoing must be tested and the rights of the implicated be upheld during the disciplinary processes.

“I wish to assure the public that any official found guilty of any wrongdoing will be held appropriately accountable,” De Lille said.

The South African government and its partners will make good on its promise to protect the country’s women and children against gender-based violence, President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed.

To demonstrate this commitment, government recently set the wheels in motion to tighten perceived legislative loopholes.

Apart from the R1.6 billion Emergency Response Action Plan to combat GBV and femicide – announced by the President last week in Parliament – government last week tabled three key bills relating to GBV.

The swift action comes after public calls to action following a series of brutal murders and attacks on women and children over the past year.

Writing in his newsletter on Monday, the President said: “I committed to marshal substantial resources of the State to tackle gender-based violence and femicide. I gave an undertaking that we would review our laws around gender-based violence.

“One of the key demands made by many women’s organisations was that the laws of our country should be tightened on granting bail to suspects and enforcement of long sentences for offenders.

“I concluded that the struggle to end GBV needed a multipronged strategy that should be led by the President and enlisted government to act. Cabinet agreed to allocate resources and commit to a plan of action.”

Over the six months of its implementation, public spending in various government departments was reprioritised to support interventions for care and support for survivors, for awareness and prevention campaigns, to improve laws and policies, to promote the economic empowerment of women, and to strengthen the criminal justice system.

Through the introduction of these bills, President Ramaphosa said, government was honouring the promise made to the protestors last year and to all the women of South Africa.

“The three amendment bills are designed to fill the gaps that allow some perpetrators of these crimes to evade justice, and to give full effect to the rights of our country’s women and children.

“The sad reality is that many survivors of gender-based violence have lost faith in the criminal justice system. Difficulties in obtaining protection orders, lax bail conditions for suspects, police not taking domestic violence complaints seriously and inappropriate sentences have contributed to an environment of cynicism and mistrust.”

It is hoped that once finalised, the bills will help to restore the confidence of women in the law.

The first bill seeks to amend the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act. This creates a new offence of sexual intimidation, extends the ambit of the offence of incest, and extends the reporting duty of persons who suspect a sexual offence has been committed against a child.

Said the President: “It expands the scope of the National Register for Sex Offenders to include the particulars of all sex offenders.

“Until now, it has only applied to sex offenders convicted of sex crimes perpetrated against children or persons with mental disabilities. The time an offender’s particulars must remain on the register has been increased, and those listed on the register will have to disclose this when they submit applications to work with persons who are vulnerable.

“The Bill also makes provision for the names of persons on the National Register for Sex Offenders to be publicly available”.

The Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Bill tightens the granting of bail to perpetrators of gender-based violence and femicide, and expands the offences for which minimum sentences must be imposed.

President Ramaphosa said the amendments impose new obligations on law enforcement officials and on courts, addressing the perception that many perpetrators exploit legal loopholes to avoid imprisonment, and that sentencing is often not proportionate to the crimes.

“When a prosecutor does not oppose bail in cases of gender-based violence, they have to place their reasons on record. Unless a person accused of gender-based violence can provide exceptional circumstances why they should be released on bail, the court must order their detention until the criminal proceedings are concluded,” said the President.

In reaching a decision on a bail application, the courts are compelled to take a number of considerations into account. They include pre-trial reports on the desirability of releasing an accused on bail, threats of violence made against a survivor, and the view of the survivor regarding his or her safety.

On parole, a complainant or a relative of a deceased victim must be able to make representation to the parole board.

Given the unacceptably high levels of intimate partner violence in South Africa, government has tightened the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act.

The bill also extends the definition of domestic violence to include the protection of older persons against abuse by family members.

Complainants will be able to apply for a protection order online. To prevent a scenario where perpetrators can hide past histories of domestic violence, an integrated repository of protection orders will be established.

The proposed amendments also oblige the Departments of Social Development, Basic Education, Higher Education and Health to provide certain services to survivors where needed, and to refer them for sheltering and medical care.

The circumstances under which a prosecutor can refuse to institute a prosecution when offences have been committed under the amended act have been limited.

In perhaps the most groundbreaking proposed amendment to the act, if someone has knowledge, reasonable belief or suspicion that an act of domestic violence has been committed against a child, a person with disability or an older person, and fails to report it to a social worker or police officer, they can be fined and even imprisoned.

Similarly, failure by a member of the SAPS to comply with their obligations under the act will be regarded as misconduct, and must be reported to the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service.

The President said while the law is the one sure protector of all of society, the most vulnerable must be prioritised.

“When diligently and fairly applied, it is the most powerful guarantor of justice,” he said.

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) and the Portfolio Committees on Public Works and Infrastructure and Home Affairs have called for urgent consequence management against wrongdoers implicated in the construction of the Beit Bridge border fence.

The committees made the call after undertaking a joint oversight visit to the Beit Bridge border on Saturday, to assess the construction of the border fence which was procured as part of interventions to fight COVID-19.

Chairpersons for SCOPA, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, Public Works and Infrastructure, Nolitha Ntobongwana, and Acting Chairperson on Home Affairs, Mosa Chabane have confirmed that the new 40km Beit Bridge border fence is not fit for its purpose.

The committee said that the fact that a 37-year-old secondary fence that was decommissioned in 1994, is still in a better physical condition, is a clear demonstration of poor quality of the new five-month old one.

“The most practical and cost effective way would have been to refurbish the decommissioned fence. The committees are of the view that the material used for the construction of the fence was substandard. Also, the construction was not in line with the prescribed specifications of the fence construction project,” the committees said in a statement.

Regarding the 14 officials implicated for acts of misconduct during the procurement and construction of the fence, the committees said it is of the view that due process must be followed, which will hopefully culminate in the application of effective consequence management.

Process to recover losses incurred

The committees have also called for the state, through the Special Investigative Unit, to initiate a process to recover losses incurred during the construction of the fence.

The committees said that the prescriptive nature of the directive that was issued by Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille remains a concern, and they are waiting for an extensive report that will explain the circumstances and the motivation behind the directive for the construction of the fence.

The committees raised concerns over the contravention of the National Environmental Management Act when the fence was constructed. Also, according to the committees, the fact that there was no site clearance for the construction of the fence, is testament to “assortment of transgressions in the construction of the fence project”.

The committees have committed to focus closely on the project to ensure that effective consequence management takes place, and that the state recovers what was lost in the project back into the fiscus.