Day: December 7, 2022

PRETORIA— Leaders of South Africa’s governing party have backed President Cyril Ramaphosa as he faces corruption allegations and a possible vote in parliament on impeachment.

He came to power pledging to tackle corruption but has now been caught up in his own crisis.

An independent report said Ramaphosa may have broken the law by allegedly covering up a theft at his farm.

He has denied any wrongdoing and his spokesman said the report was “flawed”.

The report, which was commissioned from a panel of legal experts by the speaker, will be debated in parliament. The African National Congress (ANC) leadership has said it will tell its MPs, who form the majority, to vote against its adoption.

This came after Ramaphosa challenged the report in the country’s Constitutional Court.

Earlier, leader of the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters Julius Malema called for the arrest of the president alleging that he had committed a crime. Ramaphosa has not been charged with anything at this point.

Ramaphosa became president in 2018 after the resignation of Jacob Zuma, whose time in office had been weighed down by many such allegations.

This scandal erupted in June, when a former South African spy boss, Zuma-ally Arthur Fraser, filed a complaint with police accusing the president of hiding a theft of $4m in cash from his Phala Phala game farm in 2020.

Ramaphosa admitted that some money, which had been hidden in a sofa, had been stolen, but said it was $580,000 not $4m.

The president said the $580,000 had come from the sale of buffalo, but the panel, headed by a former chief justice, said it had “substantial doubt” about whether a sale took place.

In his submission to the Constitutional Court, Ramaphosa wants the country’s top judges to rule that the findings of the panel are unlawful and set aside. He is also asking the court to declare that any steps taken by parliament on the back of the release of the report to be declared unlawful and invalid.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, has placed offender Janusz Walus on parole under strict conditions with effect from Wednesday.

This follows the judgment of the Constitutional Court handed down on Monday, 21 November 2022.

Walus was only discharged from hospital today, as he had been receiving treatment after he was involved in a stabbing incident.

He will serve two years under community corrections in line with the parole regime upon which he is released.

“There is no question that offender Walus is a polarising figure in our budding constitutional democracy, and that his release has understandably re-opened wounds among some in society, especially the family of the late struggle icon, Chris Hani.

“Offender Walus’s actions sought to derail the democratic project at its most critical, formative stage, when the choice of either setting the country on a sustainable path of peace, democracy and reconciliation on the one hand, or chaos, civil strife and blood-letting on the other, was constantly one bad decision away.

“His killing of Hani was unqualifiedly among those actions that sought to condemn the country to the latter fate, had it not been for the inspired leadership of our nation’s founders and the resolve of the people of South Africa.

“In previously denying him parole, the decision was not in the spirit of avenging a stalwart of our liberation struggle, but it has always been within the context of giving effect to the interests of justice, from the perspective of what the sentencing court sought to achieve,” the Department of Correctional Services said in a statement.

In its unanimous judgment, the Constitutional Court set aside the judgment and order of the Gauteng Division of the High Court, Pretoria, and placed offender Walus on parole.

“Our courts on previous occasions reminded us that our Constitution is located in a history which involves a transition from a society based on division, injustice and exclusion from the democratic process to one which respects the dignity of all citizens, and includes all in the process of governance.

“As such, the process of interpreting the Constitution must recognise the context in which we find ourselves and the Constitution’s goal of a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights. This spirit of transition and transformation characterises the constitutional enterprise as a whole.

“Our parole system is not a wanton licence for unaccountability and impunity, neither does it nullify the original verdict and sentence imposed by the courts. Parole is an acknowledged part of our correctional system. It has proved to be a vital part of reformative treatment for the paroled person who is treated by moral suasion,” the department said.

Walus has been furnished with his parole conditions in terms of the Correctional Services Act. If he violates the conditions, he will be returned to a correctional centre, the department said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

THABA NCHU – On Monday 05 December 2022 at about 06:00, a passer-by saw a female engulfed with flames in Milner Street in Thaba Nchu. The lady rushed to police station and alerted the police about the incident. The members at the Community Service Centre responded to the complaint and on arrival discovered badly burnt female who managed to inform them that her partner doused her with petrol and then set her alight.

Emergency Services were summoned to the scene and the victim was rushed to local hospital. The victim later passed away while at hospital. The police started with the search for the suspect and he was traced to be in Odendaalsrus.

The 41-year-old male was then arrested for Murder of his 25-year-old partner in Odendaalsrus. The suspect will appear in Selosesha Magistrate Court soon.

Source: South African Police Service

The faith sector can be leveraged for greater impact when fighting the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) in the country, says Nomgqibelo Mdlalose from the Department of Women, Youth and People with Disabilities.

Mdlalose said the country needs to leverage the power that lies in the faith sector in a positive and impactful manner.

She was speaking on Wednesday during a webinar aimed at engaging on the role the faith sector can play in curbing gender-based violence and femicide.

The webinar was hosted by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) in partnership with the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), Inclusive Violence and Crime Prevention Programme (VCP), We Will Speak Out South Africa and Faith Action to End GBV.

The National Strategic Plan on GBVF (NSP-GBVF) highlights the faith sector as a potential key stakeholder and agent of social norm change.

“We have about 80% of people who call themselves people of faith. As faith leaders, we have the opportunity to influence their beliefs and behaviour.

“We need to use the power we have to ensure that we establish shared values founded on the standards of mutual accountability and make sure that we support victims of gender-based violence and femicide and that most importantly, we dismantle patriarchy and strengthen spiritual healing,” she said.

Mdlalose said the sacred scriptures must be used in a liberating manner rather than an oppressive manner.

Giving a report back from the Second Presidential GBVF Summit, Mdlalose said government departments provide monthly reports to President Cyril Ramaphosa to give an idea of where the National Strategic Plan is being implemented and indicate whether the country is moving towards changing the trajectory or not.

She said when the President looked at the reports and that there was an increase in cases of GBVF in the country it raised a concern that they do not seem to be hitting the mark.

“We now more than ever need to send a clear message of our commitment to addressing this scourge and also to say we need to be accountable,” she said.

She added that when it comes to the faith sector they mainly looked at the issue of accountability.

“I think one of the key issues that actually came out was that institutions must be safe spaces of neutral accountability and also that there has to be a way of ensuring that those who perpetuate gender-based violence and femicide are held accountable,” she said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

In a concerted effort to eradicate the proliferation of unlicensed firearms, members attached to the Anti Economical Crime Task Team yesterday morning pounced on a residence situated in Europe informal settlement in Gugulethu during an integrated operation with other Law Enforcement agencies and confiscated an unsilenced 9mm pistol without a serial number.

When members arrived at the dwelling at about 03:30, on Tuesday, 06 December 2022, they found the 35-year-old suspect inside the shack and ensued with a search. They then found the pistol with 13 rounds of ammunition inside the shack and confiscated the find. They subsequently arrested the suspect who was charged with the possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition. He is due to make his court appearance in the Athlone Magistrates’ court today, 07 December 2022.

Meanwhile, members who were strategically deployed along the exit and entrance route to Genadendal following a business robbery at a Spaza shop at about 11:30 on 06 December 2022, managed to arrest three suspects who were positively linked to the robbery.

The suspects approached the shop owner and threatened him with a firearm. Thereafter, they fled the scene in a vehicle with loot valued at approximately R28 000-00. Vigilant members of the community who witnessed the ordeal, took photos of the suspects’ vehicle and alerted police who responded rapidly and traced the vehicle. They pulled over the vehicle with three occupants along the R43 and ensued with a search. The loot was recovered as well as an unlicensed firearm was seized.

The suspects between the aged 28, 33 and 36 are scheduled to appear in the local magistrates’ court on Thursday, 08 December 2022 on charges of business robbery and the illegal possession of a firearm.

Western Cape police management lauded the members for their commitment to bring these suspects to book and thanked the community for their vigilance which ultimately led to the arrest of the suspects.

Source: South African Police Service