Day: April 11, 2022

MPUMALANGA – Warren Macaulay (39) was found guilty and sentenced by the Nelspruit Regional Court on Friday, 8 April 2022 for contravention of Firearm Control Act, illegal possession of firearm and ammunition as well as fraud. The accused pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with an option of a R10 000-00 fine. He was also declared unfit to possess firearm.

The sentence followed the incident which happened in January 2021 where Macaulay was arrested in White River whilst in possession of a LM 5 rifle which belonged to Victor Wilkens. Macaulay wanted to buy the rifle from Victor Wilkens but they did not follow the processes with regard to the Firearm Control Act. On the day of the arrest, Macaulay was on his way to sell the rifle in order to get money to fix a car. The case for illegal possession of firearm was opened.

The case against the lawful owner, Victor Wilkens was also opened where he was charged for contravention of the Firearm Control Act. He was found guilty and sentenced to a R10 000-00 fine in 2021.

Source: South African Police Service

FREE STATE – Residents are sternly warned to be vigilant against fake clothing and liquor after a joint operation was held.

Members of Bultfontein SAPS and Destea personnel held an operation were three bottle stores were visited and fake liquor was found and seized. During the same operation clothing and shoes were also found to be fake.

A large quantity of liquor was seized and destroyed. Residents are advised that when they buy any commodity, they must check it thoroughly to make sure that they are buying a real item. This discovery of fake items will send a clear cut message that residents must not be taken for granted to be sold fake items. The law will always be on their side to fine suspects with heavy fines.

Source: South African Police Service

THABONG – A missing person’s case has been registered after an elderly woman, Maphello Merriam Shai, aged 62, was reported missing by her daughter on Sunday, 10 April 2022.

Maphello Shai was last seen on Friday, 08 April 2022 by her daughter when she reportedly left home at around 10:00 without informing anyone where she was going. They thought she just went visiting around her neighbourhood as she usually does.

At around 23:00 she was still not home as she usually returned home at around 22:00 which raised suspicions. They went to look for her in the neighbourhood where she normally frequented without success.

On Saturday, 09 April 2022, they continued the search and started calling other family members in Thabong but all in vain. Even close relatives in Botshabelo did not know of her whereabouts.

Preliminary investigation reveals that she was seen at a junction near Boitumelo Mall in Thabong on Friday and her friends said she left them at 16:00. Maphello is light in complexion, medium built, 1.6 m in height with short hair and speaks Sesotho. She was last seen wearing a blue traditional skirt, a blue headdress, a red turtleneck top, a black leather jacket and black shoes.

Should anyone have information regarding the whereabouts of Maphello Shai, Detective Constable Sello Matene of Thabong Detective Services can be contacted at cellphone number 071 411 8367 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

Source: South African Police Service

EASTERN CAPE – A 20 year old African male from Alexandra in Johannesburg will appear in Grahamstown Magistrate Court in the Eastern Cape for allegations of fraud after his arrest on 7 April 2022 by Gqeberha based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team.

It is alleged that Whiteside attorneys in Grahamstown received instructions from Remax Properties to attend to a property transfer between the buyer and the seller .The attorneys are alleged to have requested banking details from the buyer via email. The email was reportedly returned with wrong banking details purporting it was from the buyer. The attorneys after receiving the email with the account details allegedly deposited more than R236 000-00 into an account as provided on the email.

The transfers could not be finalised due to the alleged non – payment by attorneys. This led to the lodging of the complaint to Gqeberha Serious Commercial Crime investigation team for probing which culminated in the arrest of the Gauteng Alexandra resident on 7 April 2022. The offence is alleged to have been committed on 30 March 2021. Allegations are that somehow the suspect intercepted the email account of the victim and diverted the funds to another bank account.

The suspect is expected to make his first court appearance in Grahamstown Magistrate court today.

Source: South African Police Service

FREE STATE – The employees of a Home Store were overpowered and robbed cash and cellphones at gun point. Suspects are on the loose and residents are requested to assist in tracing them.

On the 08 April 2022 at about 16:20 the manager and his four female colleagues were busy working when four unknown men entered the business premises. One African male was armed with a handgun and the three others were not armed but had masks covering their faces.

Suspects took undisclosed amount of cash and about three hundred cell phones were robbed from the business premises. The incident was reported to Virginia SAPS and a case of Business Robbery was registered for further investigation.

Should anyone have information leading to the arrests of these armed robbers, Detective Sergeant Morena Machalotsa of Provincial Organized Crime Investigations Unit can be contacted at cellphone number 073 729 1732 or Police Emergency number 08600 10111.

Source: South African Police Service

This submission was prepared for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of South Africa in November 2022. The submission evaluates the implementation of recommendations made to South Africa in its previous UPR, including in relation to gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health, education and business and human rights. It also assesses the national human rights framework with regard to new laws introduced during the period under review, compliance with Special Procedures, and the resourcing of the South African Human Rights Commission.

Source: Amnesty International