Day: January 16, 2023

WESTERN CAPE - The proliferation of illegal firearms in the Western Cape remains a priority with various teams embarking on Crime combatting operations during the weekend which yielded positive results.

Yesterday, Sunday, 15 January 2023, members attached to Provincial Extortion Task Team acted on information of a firearm being kept at a premises at Tony Yengeni Street, Cross Roads, Nyanga. Members pounced on the premises where they accosted the 64-year-old owner who cooperated and granted the members access to the premises and to continue with a search. Members confiscated a 9mm Nirinco pistol with 4 rounds of ammunition that the owner fetched from a kitchen cupboard and handed over to the members. This resulted in the arrest of the owner who faces a charge of being in possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

In an unrelated incident on the same day, members deployed under Operation Restore followed up information of occupants of a blue Golf that is visiting mobile stores under suspicious circumstances. Members in search of the car and its occupants, spotted the car driving along Intsikizi Street, Crossroads. Upon seeing the police approaching, the driver sped off. The members gave chase and manage to pull over the vehicle shortly thereafter. They ensued with a search which led to the find of a .45 revolver, loaded with 6 rounds of ammunition.

The occupants could not provide any proof of legality and were arrested on a charge of the illegal; possession of a firearm and ammunition. The members arrested the 3 occupants between the ages 32 and 35 and seized the Golf as well as a small amount of cash.

All above suspects will appear in the Athlone Magistrates’ court, once charged.

Provincial management commended the members for their continued commitment to rid our streets from the scourge of illegal firearms that is killing our citizens.

Source: South African Police Service

The City’s Traffic Service, Metro Police and Law Enforcement Department officers arrested 207 suspects and issued 74 662 fines during weekly enforcement operations. Metro Police officers arrested a suspect in Mitchells Plain for the illegal possession of a 9mm pistol and loaded magazine with 16 live rounds. Another suspect was arrested in Hanover Park for possession of live ammunition. The Public Emergency Communication Centre dealt with 1 557 emergency calls over the weekend.

On Saturday evening, 14 January 2023, officers from the Metro Police Tactical Response Unit(TRU) arrested three suspects for the illegal possession of drugs in Jubilee Street, Mitchells Plain. Officers on crime prevention patrols witnessed an exchange between two suspects that seemed to be illegal. When the officers approached them, one of the suspects ran into a nearby premises. Officers followed the suspect and found two more male suspects with a plastic bag containing drugs. A search of the premises led to mandrax tablets in a laundry basket. The suspects confirmed all the drugs belonged to them.

The officers confiscated 75 tik bankies, 40 grams tik, 20 half mandrax tablets, 10 mandrax tablets and cash to the value of R2 290,00. The three suspects aged 34, 35 and 54 were arrested and detained at Mitchells Plain South African Police Service(SAPS).

On Friday, 13 January 2023, Metro Police officers arrested a suspect for the illegal possession of a firearm in Lentegeur. During the patrol, a suspicious male started running when he saw a marked Metro Police vehicle. Officers pursued and apprehended the suspect. The 21-year-old was searched and a CZ 9mm pistol fully loaded with 16 9mm live rounds of ammunition was found on his person. He was arrested and detained at Lentegeur SAPS.

On the same day, officers from the TRU followed up on information received regarding firearms and ammunition in Hanover Park. Upon their arrival, officers informed the owner and permission to search was granted. Officers recovered 25 7.65mm rounds of ammunition hidden in an electricity box in the kitchen. The male suspect, aged 22, admitted that it belonged to him. He was arrested for the unlawful possession of ammunition and detained at Philippi SAPS.

TRAFFIC SERVICE

Cape Town Traffic officers issued 64 943 fines and arrested 50 suspects of which 31 were for driving under the influence of alcohol and 14 for reckless and negligent driving. Officers also executed 1 417 warrants of arrest and impounded 167 public transport vehicles.

PUBLIC EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION CENTRE(PECC)

The PECC received 1 557 calls over the past weekend, of which 633 were calls for medical assistance. The centre also dealt with 78 incidents of assault, 44 motor vehicle and pedestrian vehicle accidents and 24 cases of domestic violence.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

During the past week, the City’s Law Enforcement Department officers conducted 442 operations which led to 198 arrests – 165 of which were made by officers attached to the Law Enforcement Advancement Programme (LEAP).

‘I am very happy to see the downturn in interpersonal violence, domestic violence cases and motor vehicle accidents recorded by our Public Emergency Communication Centre. We’ve also seen a slight downturn in the number of arrests, most likely as a result of officers having to manage other demands related to load-shedding.

However, there’ve also been some very good successes, which is a combination of visible policing and tips from the public. Our officers continue to do very good work under trying circumstances, and we thank them as well as those members of the public who are contributing to the fight against crime,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.

Residents are reminded to phone 021 480 77 00 from a cell phone and 107 from a landline to report any criminal activity or emergency.

Source: City Of Cape Town

FREE STATE - The police worked with several stakeholders to nab 17 people for drug-related crimes over the past weekend and seized drugs worth thousands of rands.

Five suspects were arrested in quick succession for dealing in drugs by the Mangaung Metro Tactical Response Team on Thursday 12 January 2023. The team received intelligence on drug trafficking and peddling. They visited five places of interest, arrested the five suspects, and seized dagga, crystal meth, and cash.

At one of the places of interest, a suspect was arrested inside the Southern Landfill Site at about 11:00. The team searched the landfill site's temporary erected living structure and discovered sachets of crystal meth, a ball of crystal meth, and dagga. The 27-year-old man, who is also a foreign national, was arrested.

Following information about three identified locations where dagga and drugs are being sold, the Petrus Steyn Station Commander, Detectives, and Phuthaditjhaba Tactical Response Team conducted a special operation at Mamafubedu,Petrus Steyn. They searched three houses where they found dagga and crystal meth drugs from six individuals they apprehended.

On Friday, information was received from Provincial Counter Narcotics about a white Scania truck with a GP registration number travelling on the N1 Highway. The truck was spotted and then pulled over near Ventersburg.Members discovered 2800 bundles of Khat plants packaged in boxes. A 53-year-old truck driver was arrested for possessing R280 000 worth Khat plant drugs.

The same day, members of Welkom Public Order Police Unit deployed in Mangaung Metro arrested five suspects and removed dangerous drugs from the streets. The team received information from community members about drug peddling in Phase 6 in the Bloemspruit area, they immediately acted on the given information. They seized drugs, including Mandrax, Chrystal Meth and CAT.

Cases were opened at the Petrus Steyn, Bloemspruit, Ventersburg and Kopanong police stations. The suspects will appear in court soon.

The Provincial Commissioner of the Police in the Free State, Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane warned drug peddlers that police are on their heels. "I want to thank members who work tirelessly to apprehend drug peddlers who destroy our communities and take drugs from the street," said Lt Genl Motswenyane.

Source: South African Police Service

UIF pays R14,5 million to 3259 former teaching and general assistants after resuming with campaign in KwaZulu-Natal

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), an entity of the Department of Employment and Labour, has paid out R14,5 million to 3 259 former Teaching and General Assistants after resuming with its campaign in KwaZulu-Natal last week.

The payments were disbursed between 9-13 January 2023 when the UIF continued the major campaign at the Zululand District Municipality. The campaign started in November last year under Amajuba District Municipality where the Fund disbursed R7,7 million to 1 746 former Educator Assistants and General Assistants. It proceeded to eThekwini and Pinetown in December 2022 where R28,8 million was paid out to 6 204 beneficiaries. To date, a cumulative R51,5 million has been paid out to 11 209 beneficiaries who were employed in the aforementioned districts.

From 16-20 January 2023, the Fund will continue with processing and paying out of claims in areas around the Zululand District Municipality as follows:

• 16 & 17 January 2023: Bhekuzulu High School in Nongoma;

• 18-19 January 2023: Pongola Akademie; and

• 20 January 2023: Paulpietersburg Primary School.

Clients are urged to bring along a valid Identity or Passport Document, a fully charged smartphone with data, and proof of banking details.

To enhance the employment prospects of former Teaching and General Assistants, the Department of Employment and Labour’s Public Employment Services (PES) branch has been contributing to the campaign by registering the CV’s of the unemployed clients on the Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA) system for possible jobs. ESSA is a system where work seekers can register their CV’s for possible jobs and also search and apply for new job opportunities. Employers are urged to register and advertise vacancies of their organisations on the system for free.

The system can be accessed on the hyperlink https://essa.labour.gov.za/EssaOnline/WebBeans/

The former Teaching and General Assistants were employed as part of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI), which was implemented as part of the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI) across all nine provinces, to reduce youth unemployment in the country.

When their contracts ended, the former employees qualified to claim unemployment insurance benefits from the UIF. Due to the large volume of claims anticipated and to prevent long queues at Labour Centres, the UIF team in KwaZulu-Natal met with the Provincial Department of Education and agreed on a consolidated approach. This included the Department availing venues, while the Fund confirms the compliance of the former workers in terms of their employment history, declarations, and contributions.

The UIF in KwaZulu-Natal will be rolling out the project to other parts of the province and will announce dates and details in due course via its social media platforms and the media.

Source: Government of South Africa

MLUNGISI - The body of 37-year-old man was found in a suitcase dumped at Pahlane Street Newvale on Sunday, 15 January 2023 at about 10:00

Police were summoned to the scene and on arrival they found the body in a suitcase in a stream. Upon investigation, it was revealed that the deceased was reported as missing person on Saturday, 14 January 2023. A case of murder was opened and one suspect was arrested and will appear before Komani Magistrate Court soon.

Source: South African Police Service

The Deputy Minister, Ms. Makhotso Sotyu, will visit Boaramelo Combined School in Jagersfontein in the Free State, as part of the Back-to-School campaign on 18 January 2023.

The Back-to-School campaign is an opportunity for the Deputy Minister to conduct oversight duties to assess the state of school readiness for the 2023 academic year. In addition, Deputy Minister Sotyu will use the campaign to support learners with supplies. This would include eco-desks, school shoes, sanitary packs as well as gardening tools and trees.

The support forms part of government’s Back-to-School campaign which aims to encourage learners and teachers to commit themselves to teaching and learning.

Source: Government of South Africa

WESTERN CAPE - In the early hours of Monday morning, 16 January 2023, members of the Maitland Flying Squad arrested five suspects aged between 22 and 44 after a high speed chase on the N2 Highway. The members tried to stop a vehicle but the driver refused to stop and sped away with police in pursuit. The suspects fired several shots at police but were stopped in Wesbank. The vehicle was searched and two firearms with ammunition were found inside the vehicle. The suspects face charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition and attempted murder. They are due to appear in the Blue Downs Magistrates court on Wednesday.

In an unrelated matter, Provincial Commercial Crime detectives arrested an adult male for fraud after he employed a group of people misrepresenting themselves as Department of Health employees and charging business owners to have their shops sanitized and issued with compliance certificates. The company was however not registered with the Western Cape Health Department. The police detectives confiscated a cellular telephone and documentation as part of the investigation.

Once charged the suspect will appear in the Bellville Magistrates court.

Source: South African Police Service