Month: July 2022

GQEBERHA – Vigilance displayed by SAPS Mount Road Crime Prevention Unit members has led to the arrest of an 18-year-old teenager found in possession of suspected stolen property belonging to two clothing retail stores from Greenacres Shopping Centre.

It is alleged that at about 13:00, the members noticed the teenager walking at the corners of 2nd Avenue and Alexander Roads in Newton Park. While observing him, the suspect, upon noticing police presence, made a U-turn and started to retreat. The members stopped him and upon searching his bag, a pair of pliers and a brand new jacket, valued at R900 was found inside. The label was still attached to the jacket. The suspect was also wearing a hat, valued at R70, 00 that he allegedly stole from another clothing store.

He was arrested and detained on a charge of possession of suspected stolen property. He is expected to appear in court soon.

Source: South African Police Service

DURBAN - On 29 July 2022, at 22:00, Paddock and Mehlomnyama police conducted a joint operation at Kwadweshula after obtaining a search warrant from the court.

The wanted suspects were traced to a house at Kwadweshula area where upon arrival the police requested to search the house and permission was granted. A riffle, a revolver and various assorted rounds of ammunition were recovered. The police also recovered takkies, TV sets and a water pump. A preliminary investigation revealed that the property recovered was taken during house robberies perpetrated at Mehlomnyama and Paddock.

A total of four suspects aged between 26 and 35 were arrested for possession of stolen goods and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. They have been linked to a house robbery case at Nyandezulu where a Road Accident Fund beneficiary was robbed of cash, clothing and various pairs of sneakers in May 2022. They have been linked to seven more house robberies that took place in various areas.

The suspects will appear before the Port Shepstone Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 01 August 2022.

Source: South African Police Service

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE —

Pope Francis acknowledged Saturday that he can no longer travel like he used to because of his strained knee ligaments, saying his weeklong Canadian pilgrimage was “a bit of a test” that showed he needs to slow down and one day possibly retire.

Speaking to reporters while traveling home from northern Nunavut, the 85-year-old Francis stressed that he hadn’t thought about resigning but said “the door is open” and there was nothing wrong with a pope stepping down.

“It’s not strange. It’s not a catastrophe. You can change the pope,” he said while sitting in an airplane wheelchair during a 45-minute news conference.

Francis said that while he hadn't considered resigning until now, he realizes he has to at least slow down.

“I think at my age and with these limitations, I have to save (my energy) to be able to serve the church, or on the contrary, think about the possibility of stepping aside,” he said.

Francis was peppered with questions about the future of his pontificate following the first trip in which he used a wheelchair, walker and cane to get around, sharply limiting his program and ability to mingle with crowds.

He strained his right knee ligaments earlier this year, and continuing laser and magnetic therapy forced him to cancel a trip to Africa that was scheduled for the first week of July.

The Canada trip was difficult, and featured several moments when Francis was clearly in pain as he maneuvered getting up and down from chairs.

At the end of his six-day tour, he appeared in good spirits and energetic, despite a long day traveling to the edge of the Arctic on Friday to again apologize to Indigenous peoples for the injustices they suffered in Canada’s church-run residential schools.

Francis ruled out having surgery on his knee, saying it would not necessarily help and noting “there are still traces” from the effects of having undergone more than six hours of anesthesia in July 2021 to remove 33 centimeters of his large intestine.

“I’ll try to continue to do the trips and be close to people because I think it’s a way of servicing, being close. But more than this, I can’t say,” he said Saturday.

In other comments aboard the papal plane, Francis:

• Agreed that the attempt to eliminate Indigenous culture in Canada through a church-run residential school system amounted to a cultural “genocide.” Francis said he didn't use the term during his Canada trip because it didn't come to mind. Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission determined in 2015 that the forced removal of Indigenous children from their homes and placement in church-run residential schools to assimilate them into Christian, Canadian constituted a “cultural genocide.” “It’s true I didn’t use the word because it didn’t come to mind, but I described genocide, no?” Francis said. “I apologized, I asked forgiveness for this work, which was genocide.”

• Suggested he was not opposed to a development of Catholic doctrine on the use of contraception. Church teaching prohibits artificial contraception. Francis noted that a Vatican think tank recently published the acts of a congress where a modification to the church’s absolute “no” was discussed. He stressed that doctrine can develop over time and that it was the job of theologians to pursue such developments, with the pope ultimately deciding. Francis noted that church teaching on atomic weapons was modified during his pontificate to consider not only the use but the mere possession of atomic weapons as immoral and to consider the death penalty immoral in all cases.

• Confirmed he hoped to travel to Kazakhstan in mid-September for an interfaith conference where he might meet with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, who has justified the war in Ukraine. Francis also said he wants to go to Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, though no trip has yet been confirmed. He said he hoped to reschedule the trip to South Sudan he canceled because of his knee problems. He said the Congo leg of that trip would probably have to be put off until next year because of the rainy season.

Source: Voice of America

GENEVA —

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, Friday called for more to be done to protect African refugees and migrants from traffickers on their way from the Sahel and the Horn of Africa toward North Africa and Europe.

UNHCR spokeswoman Shabia Mantoo says traffickers take advantage of African refugees fleeing persecution and violence and of migrants fleeing poverty and climate shocks, subjecting them to appalling abuse.

“Some of them are left to die in the desert. Others suffer repeated sexual and gender-based violence, kidnapped for ransom, torture and many other forms of physical and psychological abuse," said Mantoo. "So, the human trafficking issue is widespread and is incredibly alarming.”

The report issued by the UNHCR and the Mixed Migration Center at the Danish Refugee Council, is based on information from 12 countries, from Burkina Faso and Cameroon to Somalia and Sudan.

Mantoo tells VOA human traffickers and smugglers use technology and online platforms to advertise their services to unsuspecting victims. She says traffickers employ the internet to identify, groom and recruit victims, including children.

She says the UNHCR is urging governments and the private sector to work together to crack down on the use of the Internet by traffickers.

“These same digital technologies can be leveraged to actually counter the issue and counter trafficking by helping empower communities with trustworthy information, to better protect themselves and also be aware of the risks that they might face on these journeys …to ensure that there are protection services available for the people who are taking these precarious and perilous journeys, to prevent and end the human trafficking and smuggling rings," said Mantoo.

The report provides tailored information for refugees and migrants on services available on different routes. The UNHCR is calling for the creation of shelters and safe places, better access to legal services, and specialized services for children and female survivors of trafficking and gender-based violence.

UNHCR officials stress the importance of identifying critical locations to serve as so-called last stops – places where refugees and migrants can get information about the dangers that lie ahead before they embark on journeys across the Sahara.

Source: Voice of America

DURBAN - The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has mobilised all available police resources to hunt down the heartless killers who murdered six people at Marianhill earlier this evening.

It is alleged that at 19:30, a group of unknown men opened fire at people who were at a tuckshop in Marianhill killing six men aged between 30 and 65 years old. One other man who sustained gunshot wounds was transported to hospital for medical attention. Initial investigations revealed that three of the deceased were the tuckshop owner as well as his two sons and one of the deceased’s who was waiting at the tuckshop to see a traditional healer, might have been the actual target of the hit.

“This incident once again demonstrates our concern that firearms are contributing to the high levels of crime in the province and we are advocating for stricter regulations regarding the management of legal firearms as many of them end up being used by criminals. We will do everything within our control to bring these killers to book,” said Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi.

Source: South African Police Service

POTCHEFSTROOM - On Friday, 29 July 2022, Pogiso Sebotha (36) and Dennis Masimango (47), appeared in the Potchefstroom Magistrate’s Court on a charge for possession of explosives. They will remain in custody until their next court appearance on Tuesday, 2 August 2022, for a formal bail application.

The accused’s court appearance stems from their arrest on Tuesday midnight, 26 July 2022, after information was received of a planned ATM Bombing in Promosa, Potchefstroom. According to information, the suspects were driving in two vehicles when spotted at Extension 7 by the police who were on patrol. Upon realising that the police were following them, the suspects sped off leading to a car chase. The police managed to stop the first vehicle with four suspects inside however, two suspects mananged to evade arrest by running into the nearby bushes. The second vehicle was intercepted in Aganang Street, Extension 7, but the suspects fled.

The police confiscated the two vehicles, a silver Honda Accord and a blue Volkswagen Golf, explosives, burglary tools, a battery and a pair of gloves.

Source: South African Police Service

KIMBERLEY - Simultaneous cross-border operations in the Namakwa and ZF Mgcawu Districts nabs multiple suspects for various crimes. The cross-border operation dubbed, ‘Operation Gijima’ resolved to conduct simultaneous operations between SARPCCO regions from 27 until 29 July 2022.

The focus areas of the operation were the Vioolsdrift Port of Entry which borders with Namibia on the N7 which is 120 kilometres from Springbok and the Nakop Port of Entry on the N10 which is 130 kilometres from Upington.

The operation commenced with a briefing session held in Springbok on 26 July 2022 conducted by the Acting Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection, Brigadier Nicky Mills who was also the overall commander who actively participated in the execution of the police actions.

The focus areas of the operation addressed theft of motor vehicles, illicit drug trafficking, illicit trafficking of firearms and ammunition, human trafficking and smuggling, smuggling of minerals, theft of copper cables, wildlife related crimes as well crimes committed during the timeframe of Operation Gijima.

A total of 65 arrests were effected for the period.

Tracing operations for National and daily wanted suspects were also conducted in the two districts which resulted in the apprehension and arrest of two suspects on the National wanted list and 16 on the daily wanted list for various crimes including rape, domestic violence, assault GBH, housebreaking and theft and other crimes.

A total of 10 Arrests were made for possession and dealing in drugs with confiscations of drugs worth

A total cash amount of R510, 000 were seized at various locations in Port Nolloth, Steinkopf, Garies, Rosedale, Paballelo, Keimoes and Kakamas while 19 persons were arrested for other crimes.

Numerous vehicle checkpoints were conducted on national and secondary roads during which vehicles were stopped and persons were searched.

Trucks crossing the border at the two Ports of Entry were also searched.

A total of 18 undocumented persons were apprehended and arrested on a farm in the Augrabies farming area.

The SAPS fixed wing Porter aircraft also conducted air patrols covering the coastal areas and the borderline.

A total of 448 Litres of alcohol to the value of R11 485-00 was seized during compliance inspections at liquor outlets in Upington in conjunction with the Northern Cape Liquor Board.

The Acting Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection, Brigadier Mills commended the members from both the Namakwa and ZF Mgcawu District offices, stations, units and Provincial components who participated in the planning and execution of the police actions for their discipline and professionalism displayed during the operation.

He also stated that the disruptive actions sent a clear message to criminals that the police in the Northern Cape will not tolerate any criminal activities especially those committed at the borders.

Source: South African Police Service