Day: August 7, 2022

PARKTOWN – Police in Gauteng remain resolute in preventing, combatting and investigating serious and violent crime. Provincial Commissioner of Police in Gauteng, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has commended the team that arrested a suspect that is linked to a recent tavern shooting incident.

On Friday, 05 August 2022 police arrested a 24-year-old suspect in Katlehong for multiple counts of murder and attempted murder.

A preliminary report suggests the suspect is linked to the incident that took place early last month in Katlehong at Mputlane Inn Tavern, whereby three patrons were shot and killed and three others injured.

Gauteng Murder and Robbery unit operationalised information proceeded to an identified address in Katlehong. Upon their arrival at the said address a search was conducted which led the team to recover a 9mm pistol and ammunition.

The firearm will be subjected to ballistic tests to determine whether it may be linked to any serious crime. Police investigations are underway to determine the motive behind tavern shooting.

The suspect is expected to appear before the Palm Ridge Magistrates’ Court tomorrow, 8 August 2022.

Source: South African Police Service

WESTERN CAPE – A rural safety operation conducted by various police stations to safeguard farming communities yielded positive results with the arrest of 21 suspects on various offences and recovery of stolen items. The operation commenced on Wednesday, 03 August 2022 until Thursday evening, 04 August 2022, with a specific focus on Ladismith, Mossel Bay, Oudtshoorn, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. Focussed operations included but was not limited to, high density patrols, roadblocks, vehicle check points, compliance visits to scrap yards and second-hand goods premises.

In Ladismith the police arrested 15 suspects for contraventions of the Immigration Act after they were unable to produce any form of identification. The suspects aged between 20 and 48 already appeared in the Ladismith Magistrates’ court on Thursday, 04 August 2022. Five of accused are expected to make their second court appearance on 10 August 2022 and the others on 16 August 2022. All arrested were remanded in custody.

In addition to this, tracing of outstanding suspects led to the arrest of four suspects on a farm at Ladismith on a charge of housebreaking and theft each. Police also recovered an airgun that was proven to be stolen at a residence earlier the week. The suspects aged, 17, 25, 34 and 40, appeared in the Ladismith Magistrates’ court on Thursday, 04 August 2022. Three accused were remanded in custody and the juvenile released into the care of his parents.

On Thursday, 04 August 2022 the team conducted operations at various scrap yards in Oudtshoorn where they recovered small quantities of ferrous metal believed to be the property of Transnet. Police arrested a 24-year-old suspect on a charge of possession of suspected stolen property.

Later the same day, Grootbrak police members operationalised information on illicit activities when they conducted a focussed operation at a residence at Green Haven. A search of the premises ensued and members found a Ryobi generator inside. The occupant of the premises was unable to account for his possession and was subsequently arrested. The 29-year-old suspect is facing a charge of possession of suspected stolen property.

These suspects will appear in their respective courts once formally charged.

The strategic deployment of various police units and provincial traffic officers on the N12 and N2 highways also led to the confiscation of R180 000 worth of drugs and the issuing of R18 000 worth of fines for traffic related offences.

Rural safety operations are part of concerted efforts by police and other law enforcement agencies to safeguard farming communities. Similar operations with a special focus on gender based violence will be conducted during Women’s Month.   

Source: South African Police Service

POTCHEFSTROOM – A 46-year-old Sergeant Sello Molefe who is stationed at the Rustenburg Tactical Response Team (TRT) will on Thursday, 11 August 2022, reappear together with his accomplices; Mcebeni Benene (38), Arrao Silva (44) and Bokamoso Moabi (39) in the Mogwase Magistrates’ Court.

Molefe and Benene were remanded in custody after the initial court appearance on Monday, 1 August 2022, for ATM bombing, business robbery, five counts of attempted murder and two of carjacking. The accused were nabbed in the early hours of Sunday morning, 31 July 2022, following crimes allegedly committed at a petrol filling station on the R510 road near Mogwase outside Rustenburg. Reportedly, unknown males arrived at the filling station driving in two vehicles; a silver Volkswagen Polo and a BMW X5. They allegedly pointed customers and staff with firearms and went to an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and exploded it with explosives. However, no money was taken from the ATM as the cash container did not open.  

The suspects then took an undisclosed amount of money from the cash register and hijacked a vehicle and a motor bike on their way out. Police were alerted of the incident and through assistance of a car tracking company, the hijacked vehicle was traced to Sondela informal settlement while Molefe and Benene were arrested in Boitekong and Tlhabane respectively.  During the arrest, the police seized a rifle and boxes of cigarettes allegedly taken during the robbery. Subsequent to further investigations, Arrao Silva (44) and Bokamoso Moabi (39) were arrested at Boitekong and Tlhabane respectively. As result, they appeared in the Mogwase Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 4 August 2022, for ATM bombing, business robbery, five counts of attempted murder and two of carjacking. The duo was also remanded in custody and will reappear together with Molefe and Benene.

The Provincial Commissioner of North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, congratulated Mogwase Detectives and other role players including the tracking company for their collaboration and swift response that led to the arrests. He cautioned that the South African Police Service (SAPS) does not have a place for employees who commit crime and that those involved in criminal activities, will certainly be dealt with harshly.

Source: South African Police Service

PARKTOWN – The Gauteng Provincial Commissioner of Police, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela was joined by the Premier of Gauteng David Makhura and the Gauteng Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko, on Saturday night, 6 August 2022 during Operation O Kae Molao in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg District.

The Eldorado Park community has recently handed over a memorandum of their demands to the Provincial Commissioner where the high levels of crime in the precinct which include proliferation of unlicensed firearms and drugs were raised as some of their concerns. This and the past Saturday’s operations aimed to assist the police station to reduce crime levels and bring stability in the area by bringing in multi-disciplinary forces such as the specialised units in the SAPS that include Crime Intelligence, Provincial Investigation Unit, National Intervention Unit, Tactical Response Team as well as Johannesburg Metro Police, Gauteng Traffic, Community Policing Forum, BACSA’s Eyes and Ears Project partners, Tracker and Fidelity to augment the capacity of the station.

The operation has resulted in the arrest of 99 suspects. Sixty-seven of which were undocumented persons, six for drug related offences while 13 were apprehended for driving drunk among others. Hundreds of litres of alcohol was seized and six liquor outlets were closed for operating without a license. The police also seized a replica firearm.

While the operation was underway in Eldorado Park, the other four districts were also conducting simultaneous operations in their respective precincts. Tshwane was concentrating in Brooklyn and Villieria, Sedibeng operations were conducted in Evaton, West Rand on the other hand was operating in Westonaria and Bekkersdal while Ekurhuleni was working in Ivory Park and Benoni. The four districts together managed to arrest 561 suspects for crimes that include possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition, possession of suspected stolen goods, possession of drugs, assaulting a police officer and driving drunk.

Some of the suspects were released after paying admission of guilt fines on the spot while others will appear before different courts in Gauteng on Monday, 8 August 2022.

Source: South African Police Service