Day: July 22, 2022

Police have mobilised the 72-hour activation plan following the killing of Moses Maluleke, the Mayor of the Collins Chabane Local Municipality, in Limpopo.

National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, on Friday directed Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, to mobilise maximum resources to apprehend those responsible for the murder.

South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said the 56-year-old mayor was shot dead on Thursday evening at his home. His 18-year-old son was wounded during the attack.

She said: “According to reports, three unknown suspects entered the Mayor’s home in Saselamani village at 7pm where they demanded money from the deceased mayor and his son. When the pair could not comply with the suspects’ instructions, they were allegedly shot at by the trio.

“The mayor succumbed to his injuries on scene and his son survived. The son was transported to a nearby hospital where he is receiving further medical care.”

A case of murder and attempted murder has been registered.

“Police have since launched a manhunt for the group of suspects,” said Mathe.

She said members of the public who know or may have witnessed what transpired are encouraged to report to the Saselamani Police station or call the Crime Stop Hotline number on 0860010111 to assist police investigations.

Source: South African Government News Agency

South Africa has recorded 372 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths, of which two occurred in the past 48 hours.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), this means the number of laboratory-confirmed cases now stands at 4 001 816 and 101 942 for the death toll.

Gauteng continues to record the highest number of daily infections, of which 142 were logged in the past 24 hours, followed by 84 in the Western Cape, 41 in the Eastern Cape and 37 in KwaZulu-Natal. Meanwhile, the rest of the provinces reported less than 20 cases.

In addition, the hospital admissions have increased by 10 on Thursday to 1 037 patients who are currently receiving hospital treatment for COVID-19.

The information is based on the 25 913 254 tests conducted in both public and private sectors.

According to the Department of Health, the country administered 15 684 vaccine shots, 3 216 given to children between the ages of 12 and 17.

This pushes the total of administered doses to 37 095 461 since the rollout programme, while data shows that there are 18 440 236 adults who are fully jabbed in the country.

Globally, as of 21 July 2022, there have been 564 126 546 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 6 371 354 deaths, reported to the World Health Organisation.

Source: South African Government News Agency

A joint mega blitz inspection at Potchefstroom, North West, has led to the arrest of several undocumented foreign nationals working at local companies.

The weeklong blitz inspections between the Department of Employment and Labour, Home Affairs, Transport and South African Police Services, turned its attention to the road freight industry, where four undocumented foreign nationals were arrested during a roadblock along the busy N12 route on Thursday.

The arrests follow the arrest of seven undocumented foreign nationals, who were arrested on Wednesday at a local company. All are expected to appear in the Potchefstroom Magistrate’s Court.

Employment and Labour Minister, Thulas Nxesi and Deputy Minister Boitumelo Moloi led a team of inspectors in the North West Province on a mega blitz inspection targeting the Road freight and Logistics; Iron and Steel; and Manufacturing sectors around Potchefstroom in the JB Marks Municipality.

During the blitz inspections, which started on Wednesday, a number of workplaces and trucks were inspected, and the department was looking for compliance with Labour Legislation, including Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act, Unemployment Insurance (UI) Act, Compensation Fund (CF) Act, the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) and the National Minimum Wage Act.

Speaking at the roadblock, Nxesi said through the inspections, the department wanted to see the level of compliance with labour laws, ranging from the Basic Conditions of Employment Act to Occupational Health and Safety Act, as well as observance of the National Minimum Wage.

“We have already found that several truck drivers are undocumented – are not paid in terms of the collective agreements and are not registered for the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). We are warning employers to ensure that they abide by the labour laws or face the music,” Nxesi said.

The Minister said the operation was a sequel to the commitment by a number of ministers last month to intensify the programme of action to deal with the employment of undocumented foreign nationals.

Colonel Thabo Mahlangu said his team was able to arrest the undocumented foreign nationals during an intensive two-hour operation.

Department’s Acting Chief Inspector, Phumi Maphaha, expressed his disappointment following the inspection at Chubby Chick on Wednesday, where the company failed to produce the certificate of compliance in terms of the ammonia stored at the plant.

Maphaha said the company had promised to ensure its availability within 24 hours, and his team was happy with the functioning condition of boilers.

Maphaha also expressed concern that firefighting equipment had been stolen, which may pose a major risk should a fire break out at the plant.

“The medical surveillance unit had issued a number of notices which will be followed up,” he said.

The inspections will end on Friday with the spotlight turning to manufacturing sector

Source: South African Government News Agency

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has called for the swift arrest of those responsible for the murder of Collins Chabane Local Municipality Mayor, Councilor Moses Maluleke.

Police on Friday launched a manhunt for three suspects allegedly responsible for the murder. The 56-year-old mayor was shot dead on Thursday evening at his home. His 18-year-old son was wounded during the attack.

According to police reports, three unknown suspects entered the Mayor’s home in Saselamani village at 7pm where they demanded money from the deceased Maluleke and his son. When the pair could not comply with the suspects’ instructions, they were allegedly shot at by the trio.

Dlamini Zuma said the she received the news of the attack with “deep shock”.

She said: “This tragic incident that cut the life of the Mayor short, also left his 18-year-old son wounded and is currently hospitalised.

“As an ardent community activist, Cllr Maluleke served with dedication in various capacities within the societal and political formation structures.”

The Minister said the Mayor’s untimely passing was a huge setback for the local government sector and for the work being undertaken especially following the 2021 Local Government Elections.

“He took an oath to serve and he was committed to changing the lives of communities through an effective and efficient functioning municipality that is able to deliver on its mandate. It is in this context that he has since his appointment worked with all stakeholders to address issues at the top of our communities’ agenda,” she said.

She conveyed condolences and sympathy to Maluleke’s family, his colleagues in local government, the people of the Collins Chabane municipality as well as the entire Limpopo province and the country. She described the death as a “terrible loss of an important servant of our people and a true community builder”.

“I also wish his son a speedy recovery and hope that he finds strength with each new day.

“I further call on communities to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of this horrendous act are apprehended and brought to book to face the full might of the law,” she said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

LIMPOPO – The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola has directed the Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe to mobilise maximum resources to apprehend those responsible for the murder of the Mayor of the Collins Chabane Local Municipality in Limpopo.

56-year-old Moses Maluleke was shot and killed on Thursday evening at his home, and his 18-year-old son wounded.

According to reports, three unknown suspects entered the Mayor’s home in Saselamani village at 19:00 where they demanded money from the deceased mayor and his son. When the pair could not comply with the suspects’ instructions, they were allegedly shot at by the trio.

The mayor succumbed to his injuries on scene and his son survived.

The son was transported to a nearby hospital where he is receiving further medical care.

A case of murder and attempted murder has been registered.

Police have since launched a manhunt for the group of suspects.

Members of the public who know or may have witnessed what transpired are encouraged to report to the Saselamani Police station or call the Crime Stop Hotline number on 0860010111 to assist police investigations.

Source: South African Police Service

The Western Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Thembisile Patekile applauds the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit for their exceptional investigation skills in the murder case of Pasika Kwaza. This morning, Judge Gamble of the Western Cape High court sentenced Namhla Patience Kwaza who is the victim’s wife, and her co-conspirators.

In June 2016, the victim and his wife were watching television in the evening at their residence in Kuyasa, Khayelitsha when three unknown men came in, pointing firearms and demanding their cellular telephones. They took the property and shot the victim twice at close range, fatally wounding him.

The Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit thoroughly probed the matter and discovered that Namhla Patience Kwaza who was married to the deceased hired hitmen with the help of her cousin Thando Chawayi. The motive was to cash in on life insurance policies and pension benefits. They were both arrested along with two of the hitmen Sivuyile Shasha and Loyiso Ludidi who pulled the trigger.

After a trial at the Western Cape High court, Namhla Patience Kwaza was convicted of murder and defeating the ends of justice while her cousin Thando Chawayi who arranged the hitmen was convicted for murder. Sivuyile Shasha and Loyiso Ludidi were convicted for murder, robbery aggravated and possession of illegal firearm and ammunition.

Namhla Kwaza was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for murder and 18 months for defeating the ends of justice.

Thando Chawayi was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder.

Sivuyile Shasha was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years for robbery aggravated, 3 years for possession of an illegal firearm and 18 months for possession of ammunition.

Loyiso Ludidi was sentenced to life imprisonment, 15 years for robbery aggravated, 3 years for possession of an illegal firearm and 18 months for possession of ammunition.

The sentences will run concurrent with the life sentences.

In an unrelated incident, on Wednesday, 20 July 2022, Blue Downs Regional court sentenced Fernell Hess who was identified as a hitman of a criminal gang. The accused was investigated by the Anti-Gang Unit and found guilty of murder and possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition.

He was sentenced to 15 years for murder and 5 years for the possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Source: South African Police Service