Day: January 12, 2023

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana says international and local challenges continue to pose as obstacles in the growth of the economy.

This as real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by some 1.6% in the third quarter of 2022.

Speaking at the Pre-World Economic Forum (WEF) business breakfast held in Johannesburg on Thursday, the Minister said the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on employment and investment continue to have an impact on growth and warned that the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine could have a devastating impact.

“The theme [for the WEF meeting], Cooperation in a Fragmented World, captures the combination of economic, geo-political and social challenges that are facing the world. Our common challenges here at home are being compounded by all these risks.

“If the Europeans continue to impose more sanctions on Russia and the war does not come to an end, we are all likely to face a recession.

“In the face of all of these challenges, this government has been clear that rebuilding investor confidence and mobilising investment, is among the chief priorities this government must achieve for growing our economy,” he said.

Minister Godongwana said coupled with these international challenges, economic growth is also facing challenges closer to home.

“There’s a tendency in South Africa to debate…macro-economic theory and which theory is right. You can have the best policy on paper but if you can’t provide electricity, it’s useless. If you can’t deal with crime, your policy can’t work…and similarly with the logistics challenges, particularly Transnet,” he said.

Regarding Eskom, the Minister said an announcement is due to be made next month.

“We want to resolve the Eskom issues as soon as possible. Part of that resolution is to make sure that they have a healthy balance sheet so that they should be able to do what they should do best.

“In my humble view they should be prioritising what they do have…in making sure that [of] the 48 000MW at least 32 000MW are working. That is why it is critical for us to clear that balance sheet and we will make an appropriate announcement on the 22nd of February,” he said.

The Minister said some of these challenges have led to National Treasury to project a real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 1.6% until 2025 which is revised downwards from 1.8% in last year’s budget speech.

“Everybody wants investment, no doubt about that. It is critical for growth. Together we can achieve a greater growth provided we can deal with some of the issues raised.

“We have Operation Vulindlela whose main focus is structural reforms. Of particular focus on those structural reforms is networking industries. In addition, it is to deal with red tape. We are engaging these issues. I have referred to the electricity challenge and some work is being done to deal with those issues,” he said.

The Minister urged the business people who will be part of South Africa’s delegation at the WEF to work with government to resolve the challenges facing the country.

“We have got to find a solution together. I’m saying that even as we go to Davos, we must begin to say how we work together on all of these things. All these areas I’ve mentioned, there should be a possibility that we could work together,” Godongwana said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Police Ministry encouraged by escalated police investigations into Fort Hare murders and threats

The Police Ministry has assured the management of Fort Hare University, that police are intensifying their responses to the recent violent and fatal attacks that have taken place in and around the university.

The Ministry has welcomed the heightened policing interventions by the South African Police Service (SAPS) to find those responsible for a series of attacks on University staff, which have claimed two lives.

Following a visit to the province on Wednesday 11 January 2023, led by the Minister of Police General Bheki Cele, Deputy Minister of State Security Zizi Kodwa and the National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola, a multi-disciplinary team has been established to closely investigate the pattern of threats on the lives of the staff members of the institution.

The team which will report directly to the office of the National Commissioner, is expected to commence its investigations into the murder of Mboneni Vesele who was killed over the weekend.

Mr Vesele was a close protector and driver of Fort Hare University Vice Chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu, he was killed while inside the Professors vehicle. The scope of the investigative team will also include other alleged attempted hits on University staff, including the murder of Fort Hare University fleet manager, Petrus Roets, who was fatally shot last year March.

Minister Cele says this high-level intervention is necessary and must produce results.

“It is quite clear that the local police are just not working fast enough in making arrests and this newly established National team through its work, must send a strong message to criminals that this government will not be threatened or shaken and will certainly not back down or co-govern with criminals.”

The multi-disciplinary team will include Detectives, Forensic analysts , Crime Intelligence, members of organised crime and Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI).

“As we start the academic year, we can’t afford to have anyone, be it a student a lecturer and even a groundsman or cleaner of this institution feel uneasy about their safety. This is why the team must work closely with University staff and the intelligence community to crack the cases that will see the culprits go to jail. This, I am sure will guarantee that this respected institution is not turned into a killing field,,” Cele concluded.

The high level team of Security Cluster ministers and the SAPS management on Wednesday 11 January 2023, paid a comfort visit to the bereaved family of the slain protector, Mr Vesele. The delegation also met with the Vice Chancellor of Fort Hare University, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu, who expressed his appreciation for ramped up police response from the National office, to prevent combat and investigate crime within the institution.

Source: Government of South Africa

POLOKWANE – Investigators attached to the Task Team that made a breakthrough last night in which six suspects were arrested and eight firearms recovered have arrested two more suspects and recovered another three firearms, bringing to eight the total number of suspects arrested and 11 firearms recovered. Eight of the recovered firearms were amongst the 11 that were robbed from the game farm, one 1 was amongst the four that were robbed during another farm attack on a Plot and two firearms were allegedly found in possession of the suspects upon their arrest.

The team already succeeded in positively linking the suspects to the incident of a house robbery (farm attack) that took place at a Plot along the Tshipise road on Thursday, 01 December 2022. During this incident, five suspects entered the Plot house and robbed the owner three rifles, one pistol, cash and bank cards.

The latest suspects were arrested today at Matswale settlement on the outskirts of Musina and Tshituni village in Mphephu policing area. The eighth suspect was allegedly found in possession of one of the firearms stolen from the game farm. The hunt for the other suspects is continuing.

The two house robberies were committed in the same Musina policing area during the month of December 2022. The team, operating on intelligence provided, managed to recover a total of 11 firearms during the operation that was conducted from yesterday 11 January 2023 until today. A total of seven firearms are still outstanding, three firearms robbed from the Plot and four from the game farm.

The Police are still searching for the Toyota Land Cruiser that was robbed from the game farm. The motor vehicle is beige in colour with registration numbers DHG 739 L.

The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has urged community members to continue assisting the Police in these investigations by providing valuable information that can lead to the arrest of outstanding suspects and the recovery of the outstanding seven firearms as well as the Toyota Land Cruiser.

Anyone with information may contact Lieutenant Colonel Mukondeleli Mildred Muenda on 079 227 0632, the Crime Stop number 08600 10111, the nearest Police station or may send information via the MySAPS App.

Source: South African Police Service

Doctors Without Borders, known by its French abbreviation MSF, welcomed Cameroon’s release of five members of its staff detained for a year on charges of helping separatists. MSF maintains it helps anyone who needs medical care and says it will only resume work in separatist areas with government security guarantees.

The group this week welcomed the military tribunal’s December 29 acquittal of the five workers – four of them Cameroonians and one Indian.

The military arrested two of the staff in December 2021 in Nguti, a southwestern town on the border with Nigeria, while they were transporting a patient with a gunshot wound to a hospital.

The military said the patient was a separatist and the next month arrested two more MSF staff members, accusing them of collaboration.

The French aid group said they abide by medical ethics of helping all in need but could not continue in the area under the threat of arrest.

In May, MSF suspended operations in Cameroon’s southwest.

Despite the dropped charges, MSF’s Operations Manager for Central Africa Sylvain Groulx said they cannot yet resume the needed aid work.

“We are obviously waiting to try to engage with the government so that we may resume our activity and we hope that they [the government] will be willing to sit down and discuss with us because these are lifesaving activities that we had to stop. It is very difficult for ministry of health ambulances to access certain areas. We were able to negotiate our access with all the actors and we were exceptionally allowed to do that, saving many lives,” said Groulx.

Paul Atanga Nji is Cameroon’s minister of territorial administration. While not specifically mentioning MSF, he told state broadcaster CRTV Tuesday that any aid groups helping rebels would be charged in court.

He said they will not allow aid groups that are believed to be separatist accomplices to operate in Cameroon. Nji said Cameroon’s military is working hard to bring order in the restive western regions. He said government hospitals have proven they have all that it takes to save the lives of people who need assistance.

Hospitals in Cameroon’s conflict areas have struggled to maintain services and staff, who say they have been victims of both military and separatists.

Nineteen-year-old University of Buea student Benedict Luma said MSF saved his uncle’s life in 2020.

“My uncle bled excessively when he was shot in the leg. Everyone was afraid he would die because there was no hospital around. Our neighbors advised us to call Doctors Without Borders on the phone, and in less than an hour, their ambulance came to save my uncle’s life,” he said.

Doctors Without Borders has provided medical aid in Cameroon to victims of Boko Haram Islamist militants along the northern border with Nigeria since 1984.

Until last May it also provided surgical care and malaria and COVID-19 treatment in Cameroon’s restive South-West region.

The aid group says it treated more than 1 million patients in Cameroon in 2020 alone.

Cameroon’s English-speaking separatists are fighting to break away from the French-speaking majority that it says treats them as second-class citizens.

Since the conflict broke out in 2017, the UN says more than 3,500 people have been killed and 750,000 displaced.

Source: Voice of America

CAPE TOWN – With the ongoing gang violence in the Western Cape townships, all law enforcement agencies are on high alert to eradicate the illegal possession and distribution of firearms.

On Wednesday, 11 January 2022 at about 13:30, Ravensmead SAPS Crime Prevention Unit members were busy with stop and search operations in Uitsig Avenue when they arrested a 23-year-old suspect who was found in possession of two 9mm pistols with 11 rounds of ammunition. He is believed to be a member of a specific gang grouping in Uitsig. The suspect will appear at Goodwood Magistrate’s Court on charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition soon.

In an unrelated matter on Tuesday, 10 January 2023 at approximately 19:30, members of Delft SAPS were conducting stop and search patrols in N2 Gateway area. The search proved to be successful as members arrested a 43-year-old suspect after he was found in possession of a pistol with two magazines and 182 (one hundred and eighty two) rounds of ammunition. Once charged the suspect will appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s court on a charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

Furthermore on Tuesday, 10 January 2023 members of Maitland Flying Squad followed up on information received about a break-in at a Motor battery shop in Milnerton, the previous night. A house was searched in the Brooklyn area and six car batteries were confiscated. Five suspects between the ages 28 and 66 were arrested and detained at Milnerton SAPS on a charge of possession of stolen property. Upon further investigation, members found seven more batteries at a pawn shop in Table View. The value of the batteries are estimated at R 21 000-00. The suspects appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s court on Thursday morning on the mentioned charges.

Source: South African Police Service

POLOKWANE- Members of the Limpopo Highway Patrol team have arrested a 38-year-old suspect and seized chrome worth an estimated street value of R500 000-00.The suspect was arrested on Wednesday night, 11 January 2023, while travelling along the R37 road next to Atok in the Apel policing precinct outside Burgersfort.

The members were performing normal patrol duties when they noticed an overloaded tipper truck travelling in the direction of Burgesfort at about 23:00.The truck was stopped the driver was questioned about the load upon which he informed the police that he was transporting chrome that was allegedly gathered by illegal miners at a mine in Atok.

The suspect was immediately arrested and the truck was also confiscated.

The suspect is expected to appear in the Sekhukhune Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 13 January 2023, facing a charge of unlawful possession of precious metals (chrome)

The police investigation continues.

Source: South African Police Service

PRETORIA – A thirty-one-year-old Constable has become the first woman to complete the South African Police Service (SAPS) Special Task Force Selection Training Programme in the history of the organisation.

The member with 11 years’ service is regarded as the only female police officer to have successfully completed the STF training programme without any amendments to the training to suite females. She is also the only female police officer that is currently serving in the Special Task Force (STF) unit as an operational member.

Today, she formed part of a platoon of ten male police officers who were bestowed with their STF parachute wings by the National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola.

The Special Task Force Parachute Wings are awarded to those members who have undergone and completed the Special Task Force Selection Training Programme. The STF Parachute wings are worn on the left chest and signifies that the recipient has been trained to a high level of skill in weapon proficiency, advanced para-military rural tactics, advanced tactical policing for high risk incidents, hostage release tactics in a variety of high risk incidents as well as the ability to deploy operationally by parachute into rural environments.

Also standing on parade were an additional ten (10) STF members who were bestowed with their Operators Badge after undergoing a two-year probation period during which they were already serving as members of the elite unit.

The female police officer from the Western Cape and whose identity cannot be revealed for security reasons says this momentous achievement must be a motivation for other women who continue to break barriers in male dominated environments.

“If you really want something you must do everything to obtain it. I wanted to be part of the best, either the best or nothing. If I can do it, other women can and will be able to do it”, said the only female member attached to the STF.

The Special Task Force is the only paramilitary unit in the SAPS and falls under the Specialised Operations Component which is led by a female commander, Major General Nonhlanhla Zulu. Together with other units and components, they report to the organisation’s first female Deputy National Commissioner, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili.

The National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola says the organisation will continue to empower and recognise women.

“Out of 906 applications to join this elite unit, 589 applicants qualified for provisional selection. Ultimately, only 93 applicants reported for selection of which only 11 successfully completed the STF Basic Training programme. Suffice to say, the 11 successful candidates, together with currently serving 10 STF members, have done the organisation proud. All members on parade have shown dedication and commitment to their profession. The STF selection criteria is very stringent and those who are selected, must prove their mettle throughout their intensive and rigorous training”, said General Masemola.

The Special Task Force Unit was established in 1976. Its mandate includes responding and providing operational support only to high risk incidents which include terrorism and hostage related incidents, rescue missions amongst a host of other high risk matters.

Source: South African Police Service