Day: July 28, 2022

DURBAN – On 27 July 2022 at 19:40, Mountain Rise police responded to a business robbery that took place at a tuckshop in Cinderella Park, Eastwood.

Upon arrival at the scene, police discovered that four men arrived in a vehicle at the premises and threated the victim with a firearm. They allegedly stole cash, cigarettes, airtime vouchers and other items before fleing the scene. Armed with information on the suspects, police immediately alerted all units and neighbouring police stations.

Police officers traced the suspect’s vehicle to Unit 2; Imbali where they arrested two suspects aged 27 and 30. One of the suspects was found in unlawful possession of a pistol with 20 rounds of ammunition. Police also recovered some of the stolen property from the suspects. Investigation revealed that the recovered firearm was involved in a case of murder reported on 28 June 2022 where a 40-year-old man was shot and killed while at France in Pietermaritzburg. A case of murder is under investigation at Alexandra Road SAPS.

Both suspects will appear before the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court tomorro, 29 July 2022 on charges of business robbery as well as unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition.

Source: South African Police Service

The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, passes his condolences to the families, friends, colleagues and fellow students of the Ikhala TVET College on the passing of five (5) staff members (three staff members and 2 interns) who were involved in a car crash, that happened yesterday, the 27th July 2022.

Their vehicle was involved in a crash with a truck as they were driving towards the Aliwal North Campus.

The deceased were driving a College vehicle from Ikhala TVET College Central Office to do some work at Aliwal North Campus of the College.

It is reported that all five (5) of them were certified dead on the scene by the medical and emergency personnel.

The names of the deceased are Monwabisi Siwa – Senior Exam Officer, Christina Tingashe-Caba – Secretary to the Deputy Principal Academic Services, Melisizwe Manzi – Intern in the Office of the Principal, Bukelwa Baleka-Intern in Corporate Services, and Yandiswa Cwayi- Intern at Ezibeleni Engineering Campus.

Minister Nzimande said this unfortunate incident happens at a time when the Department of Higher Education and Training is holding an inaugural two-day TVET Colleges Strategic Industry Partnerships Summit which aims to foster dynamic and strategic partnerships between the Department, TVET colleges and the Industry.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased at this difficult moment,” said Minister Nzimande.

Minister Nzimande has directed Higher Health to join the management of the College in providing the necessary psycho-social support and comfort to the family and immediate staff members of the deceased.

May their soul rest in peace.

Source: Government of South Africa

FREE STATE – Bainsvlei police have launched a manhunt for suspects following a business robbery at a chain store at The Walk Shopping Centre in Langehovernpark near Bloemfontein on Wednesday, 27 July 2022.

According to the 33-year-old complainant, who is the store manageress, two males walked into the store pretending to be customers. Suddenly they pulled out firearms and accosted the four cashiers and instructed them to walk back into the complainant’s office.

The suspects robbed the shop of different brands of cellphones as well as an undisclosed amount of money, and fled the scene in a White Renault Clio with registration number HRT 558 FS. Police were called to the scene and a case of business robbery was opened.

Any member of the public who might have information that can lead to the arrest of the suspects is requested to contact Captain Thapelo Motseki 082 466 8405. Alternatively the information can be submitted on MySAPS App or call the SAPS Crime Stop number 08600 10111.

Source: South African Police Service

KWAZULU-NATAL – On 27 July 2022, the Estcourt Regional Court convicted and sentenced Jumbo Silombo (35) to pay a fine of R100 000 fine or four years imprisonment for stealing fuel at Mimosadale area near Estcourt in November 2020.

Silombo and his accomplices were caught by private security company tampering with Transnet pipeline. His accomplices fled the scene and Silombo disconnected the pipe before he drove off with a tanker. A chase ensued and he was spotted at the truck stop were he abandoned the tanker. He fled on foot into the nearby bushes.

Police were alerted and he was arrested. He appeared in the Estcourt Magistrate’s Court and his bail was successfully opposed until he was sentenced. Half of his sentence was suspended for three years.

Source: South African Police Service

The Department of Water and Sanitation says it has noted the concerns raised by the Richmond community over unconventional gas drilling and the possibility of the fracking activities contaminating water resources, particularly groundwater resources in the area.

The concerns were raised during public engagements on Unconventional Gas Regulations held in the Richmond Town Hall, Northern Cape.

The engagement, which aimed to inform the affected communities about the regulations, was held between the department, Richmond community members, and the farmers of the Karoo area. Richmond is in the Karoo area, which is water scarce.

The Department of Water and Sanitation was tasked with the responsibility of formulating regulations that will oversee the hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, which is an activity of drilling underground to extract gas by the gas industries.

The activities were announced in Parliament but were found to have an adverse impact on the environment due to the chemicals used during fracking.

Department spokesperson, Sputnik Ratau, said given that the department’s sole mandate is to protect, manage, control and develop water resources, regulations guiding the activities of fracking were developed.

“The regulations will regulate these activities because they have a possibility of contaminating water resources, particularly groundwater. The department formulated these regulations as mandated by the National Water Act.

“Richmond is a semi-rural area, with farming as its main economic activity. There are several boreholes that were dug by the municipality, as well as by the farmers,” Ratau said.

During the engagements in Richmond, departmental officials tabled the regulations that guide unconventional gas activities and the community members made their valuable inputs regarding the matter.

Community members expressed concern that there won’t be space for the drilling of unconventional gas because of the multiple boreholes that have already been drilled.

A local farmer with a community of about 50 families in Richmond, Jozua Theron, raised concern about the high usage of water during the drilling, warning that fracking needs a lot of water.

“It may use approximately 24 Olympic [size] swimming pools to execute the gas drilling activities, and this in itself will exacerbate the water supply challenges that we already have in this area.

“Not only will fracking bring environmental and socio-economic problems, but it will also add to the water supply challenges to the community of Richmond,” Theron said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it is committed to investigating credible allegations of corruption “without fear or favour”.

This after media reports that the unit is allegedly being used for nefarious political acts following proclamations authorising the SIU to investigate at least 14 state departments and entities.

SIU spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago, said reports that the SIU is being used for political gain is “misleading…and not based on facts”.

“[The] SIU refutes, with the contempt that it deserves, the inference that that it is being used as a political tool by anyone. The SIU work independently without any fear, favour or prejudice. All our investigations are allegation based as we get the allegation from whistle blowers,” he said.

Kganyago explained that proclamations signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa go through a rigorous process before even reaching the President’s desk.

“When the SIU receives the allegations from the whistleblowers, it goes through a vigorous process of assessment done in accordance with the legislation. Once the SIU is convinced that there is merit in the allegation, we then draft a proclamation that is taken through the process leading to the signing of the Proclamation by the President as required by law.

“It is incorrect to link the need and duty to investigate allegations of corruption and administration to politics. As the SIU, we have committed to the public that we will assess and investigate every allegation that is reported to the SIU without fear, favour or prejudice,” Kganyago said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister, Patricia de Lille, has appealed to landlords to help drive down electricity demand in their private offices that the department rents from them.

“I also appealed to the landlords that we want to see a reduction of 50% in electricity and water use within the next year [by] them implementing water and energy efficiency measures in their buildings,” De Lille said.

Addressing the media on the sidelines of the Landlords’ Conference in Bokburg on Thursday, De Lille said the DPWI property portfolio is a big user of electricity and water, and generates a significant amount of waste.

De Lille said the aim of the conference was to forge a greater understanding and links between the department and private landlords to improve respective processes and operations, and work together more seamlessly and productively.

“In line with the President’s announcement on Monday evening for us reduce demand while we work on increasing supply, I appealed to the landlords to help drive down demand in their private offices that we rent from them,” De Lille said.

She said in as much as companies exist to provide services and make a profit, government has a responsibility to delivery services but to do so effectively, while practising sound financial management.

“While we want to support and do business with the private sector, we also have a duty to optimise utilisation of our many buildings we own as the State landlord and custodian of State-owned properties,” De Lille said.

De Lille said the conference was a critical engagement, as there are a number of challenges in the work of letting properties for use by government departments.

“The issues that we are confronted with in this work are complex at times but that does not mean we can’t fix things. We simply must.

“I conveyed to the landlords that as DPWI, we are doing our part and we now turn to the private sector to do their part by putting in measures to reduce water and energy demands in their buildings that we lease from them,” the minister said.

De Lille explained that the DPWI, as the largest landlord and facilities manager in the country, has a responsibility to not only deliver and manage quality infrastructure but to combat climate change and enhance sustainable development through its mandate, including providing buildings for government service delivery.

In the 2021/22 financial year, DPWI spent over R764 million for the year and an average monthly payment of over R63 million on municipal services payments on leases from the private sector.

Source: South African Government News Agency