Day: June 17, 2022

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Man sentenced to 17 years imprisonment for raping granny

NORTHERN CAPE – Fabian Phooko was sentenced to 17 years’ direct imprisonment for rape and house breaking and theft in the Prieska Regional Court, recently.

On 20 September 2020, Alton Stuurman and Stephan Steenkamp helped Phooko break into the house of a 60 year old female in Prieska.

Phooko stole valuable items, assaulted the granny with a hammer and raped her.

They were arrested a few days later and the cases were withdrawn against Stuurman and Steenkamp. Fabian Phooko was sentenced to 17 years and declared unfit to carry a firearm.

The Acting Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection, Brigadier Nicky Mills lauded Sgt Riaan Van Wyk from Prieska Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit for his meticulous investigation that led to the incarceration of the accused. Source: South African Police Service

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Suspect facing fraud charges

WESTERN CAPE – An investigation by the Western Cape Commercial Crimes Unit led to the arrest of a suspect this morning who defrauded her employer, a national retail clothing company. The 47-year-old female who worked in the payroll department was responsible for payments including salaries and also handled petty cash. She made numerous fraudulent  payments into her daughter’s bank account, while she also embezzled petty cash funds and misappropriated a total of R262 111-23 of company funds before she was caught.

The suspect made her court appearance in the Cape Town Magistrate’s court this morning and was granted bail with conditions.

Source: South African Police Service

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SA records 1 936 new COVID-19 cases

South Africa on Thursday recorded 1 936 new COVID-19 cases, taking the country’s tally of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 983 675.

The Department of Health said in the last 24 hours, eight deaths were recorded, bringing the total to 101 584 COVID-19 related deaths.

The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) said 25 369 tests were conducted in the 24 hours.

The cumulative number of recoveries now stand at 3 866 240 with a recovery rate of 97.1%, the department said. There were currently 15 851 active cases.

To date, 25 562 966 tests have been conducted in both public and private sectors.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) reported that the majority of new cases are from Gauteng with 680, followed by the Western Cape with 397 cases.

KwaZulu-Natal recorded 257 new cases, Eastern Cape 157; Limpopo 115; North West 112; Free State 79; Mpumalanga 83; and the Northern Cape 56. 

Source: South African Government News Agency

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Khayelitsha youth commended for fighting crime

The Police Ministry has commended the commitment demonstrated by the community of Khayelitsha, especially its youth, for not allowing themselves to be by-standers but choosing to be active participants in the collective fight against crime.

The Cape Town township has in recent times seen sharp increases in contact crimes such as murder, sexual violence, aggravated robbery and vigilantism cases reported to the South African Police Service (SAPS).

On Youth Day, the Khayelitsha Development Forum (KDF) hosted a Crisis Response Summit attended by the Police Ministry, Civilian Secretariat for the Police and the SAPS management led by the National Commissioner of the SAPS General, Fannie Masemola.

The summit was also attended by MEC of Safety and Police Oversight in the Western Cape Regan Allen, officials from the City of Cape Town, together with representatives of the Community Policing Forum, Neighbourhood Watch and other community policing structures, faith based organisation and members of the Khayelitsha community.

Minister Cele said it was an indictment on everyone when the youth of any community resort to crime in order to survive.

He said: “Unfortunately when you go to Pollsmoor prison or any other correctional service facility in the country, they are full of young people, even more sad is that our cemeteries are full of youths and the dead bodies we pick up at crimes scenes in Khayelitsha are mostly young people, this situation must change”.

Addressing the summit, Cele added that the participation of youth in the economy should remain top of the agenda for government.

“The youth of 1976 didn’t fight for crime to thrive but fought for a better life, so today we are so glad when young people become part of the solution and say not in our name will there be crime, GBV or mistreatment of the most vulnerable in our society.

“It doesn’t end there, youngsters are going even further and coming up with tangible solutions, some are raising their hands to say they are willing and able to work with all spheres of government and stakeholders and avail themselves to be part of a journey towards neutralising crime,” he said.

The Police Ministry has echoed the sentiments of President Cyril Ramaphosa during his address on Youth Day in the Eastern Cape, where he encouraged young people to reject crime and fight against corruption.

The Ministry also urged police officers, especially young members in the service to lead by example, serve their communities with diligence and be exemplary to the youths in the areas they police.

Source: South African Government News Agency

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Cele visits family of slain Gauteng policeman

Police Minister Bheki Cele will on Friday visit the family of Warrant Officer, Mokgadi Joseas Mpepe, who was murdered while on duty on Monday.

In a statement, the Police Ministry said Mpepe, 53, who was a Gauteng flying squad police officer, was shot and killed while patrolling the N12. His partner sustained injuries and was receiving medical care.

Minister Cele and the SAPS management will visit Mpepe’s family to comfort them at his Tembisa home in Ekurhuleni. 

“According to police reports, members from the K-9 unit of the SAPS were patrolling along the N12 highway on Monday evening, when they noticed a state vehicle parked along the highway between Delmas and Daveyton.

“Upon closer inspection, members found the lifeless body of 53-year-old Warrant Officer Mpepe who has been shot in the head lying on the ground. His service pistol and handcuffs were missing,” said Police Ministry spokesperson, Lirandzu Themba.

His partner, 33-year-old Constable Vusi Nhlapho, was found on the scene in an unconscious state.

“The member was airlifted to a nearby Johannesburg hospital for medical care and is recovering there,” she said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

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Minister Zulu to receive donation for disaster relief assistance

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu and the MEC of Social Development, Nonhlanhla Khoza, will on Friday receive a donation from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

This forms part of the ongoing humanitarian and disaster relief efforts in the province following devastating floods.

“The donation is aimed at bolstering ongoing provincial and national disaster relief efforts in the areas of KwaZulu-Natal that were ravaged by recent flooding that resulted in the loss of lives and destruction to property, with the eThekwini metro and the districts of iLembe, Ugu, King Cetshwayo and uMgungundlovu being most affected,” the Department of Social Development said in a statement.

To date, over 400 people have lost their lives, with an estimated 40 000 people displaced, 4 000 homes destroyed, 8 300 homes partially damaged and scores of people still unaccounted for.

These displacements and destruction of property has affected food and nutritional security to the affected populations in the short term by disrupting their livelihoods and sources of income.

In April 2022, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the National State of Disaster to ensure an effective response across all spheres of government and to enable the mobilisation of resources, capabilities and technical expertise in providing relief, recovery and rehabilitation to the affected communities.

The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Social Development focusing on providing disaster relief assistance and sustainable livelihoods initiatives in vulnerable communities.

“The donation will be channeled towards supporting nutrition and food security of affected communities, including the displaced people who are currently accommodated in temporary shelters,” the department said.

The programme will include a visit to Gospel of Jesus Ministry in Insimbini, Cato Manor which serves as a temporary shelter for those displaced by the floods.

Source: South African Government News Agency

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Expansion plans for Durban, Ngqura port terminals commended

The Select Committee on Public Enterprises and Communication has welcomed the expansion plans at Durban’s port terminal and Gqeberha’s Ngqura port.

Briefing the committee on the capacity expansion programme to increase exports/imports at both ports, Transnet National Ports Authority Chief Executive, Pepi Silinga, said it is an organisational priority to develop Durban’s port into a modern deep-water facility.

“Bringing this task to a conclusion requires multi-phased investments, the first being the conclusion of a partnership to drive a turnaround strategy for Durban Container Terminal Pier 2. The partner is expected to support the required investments to modernise the terminal.

“Part of Transnet’s hub port strategy includes further development of the Ngqura port into an efficient, trans-shipment-focused container terminal. The port has modern infrastructure and equipment, and is capable of handling large container vessels,” Silinga said.

Due to operational challenges and lack of competition, Silinga said the Ngqura container terminal is currently not making effective use of its capacity.

Regarding the impact of the floods in KwaZulu-Natal, Silinga told the committee that the resulting damage is huge and repairs amount to billions of rands.

Committee Chairperson, Zolani Mkiva, said the projects Transnet is currently working on are significant and meaningful in job creation and employment opportunities.

“Investing in infrastructure is the creation of more employment opportunities,” Mkiva said.

The committee commended an announcement about future plans for East London, noting that the port has enormous potential and can provide much-needed economic activity, although little work is planned for the immediate future.

Mkiva said for a long time there has been a suggestion that the sector is dominated by particular companies, requiring an indication of how the sector is being opened and made more accessible to the majority of South Africans.

The committee also wanted to understand if the sector is making progress towards transformation, to ensure that the majority of South Africans from historically marginalised communities have access in the sector.

Source: South African Government News Agency