Day: January 18, 2023

LIMPOPO – A 37-year-old woman is appearing in the Tzaneen Magistrates’ court this morning following her arrest on the 16 January 2023 by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation members for allegedly committing passport fraud at Tzaneen Home Affairs.

It is alleged that on 21 December 2022 the suspect visited the mobile Home Affairs office in Sekororo outside Tzaneen to apply for her daughter’s passport. It further alleged that her daughter was only in possession of a South African birth certificate and therefore her fingerprints were not available.

After all the processes were followed when applying for a passport, the Home Affairs authorities received information that the suspect colluded with a foreign national to use the particulars of her daughter with a picture of aforementioned foreign national.

The matter was reported to the Hawks and the suspect was subsequently arrested when she went to collect the passport at Home Affairs offices on 16 January 2023.

Source: South African Police Service

As the academic year shifts into gear, the City’s Traffic Service reminds the public at large that scholar transport is more than just a means to get to school, and that operators have to tick numerous procedural boxes. Read more below:

Any person or company that offers a scholar transport service is required, by law, to have an operating permit, a public driving permit (PrDP) and a vehicle that is roadworthy, among others.

These permits are obtained through the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works, and compliance is enforced by the City’s enforcement agencies.

In 2022, Cape Town Traffic officers held 34 scholar transport operations at 52 schools around the metropole – they issued 7 649 fines and impounded 116 vehicles.

Among the challenges faced by enforcement staff are that some operators overload their vehicles, allow unlicensed drivers behind the wheel, transport learners in unroadworthy vehicles and without the necessary operating permits.

‘Sadly, scholar transport is often overlooked, until an incident captures the headlines. And yet, thousands of children are ferried to and from school on a daily basis by service providers – some more law abiding than others. As we start this new academic year, I appeal to the drivers to do right by the many children whose lives they hold in their hands every day. To parents, I encourage you to do your due diligence and check the credentials of your chosen service provider; and even our schools – while not technically their responsibility, I do implore them to say something if they see something,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.

Operators are reminded that, apart from being fined and having their vehicles impounded, they also risk having their operating licenses withdrawn or suspended if caught committing a transgression; they can be arrested for operating a service with fraudulent documentation; and that reckless and/or negligent driving too may result in arrest and the impoundment of their vehicle.

Parents are encouraged to do the following to ensure their children’s safe passage to and from school:

• Check your service provider’s credentials, including permits and driving license

• Ensure that the vehicle is roadworthy

• Know the driver/s and have contact details available

• Scholar Transport Operator they entrust the child / children to are legal and have all the necessary documentation to provide such a service.

• Familiarise yourself with the parents/caregivers of other children using the transport service – start a WhatsApp group in case of an emergency

• Sensitize your child on matters of personal safety and to report any suspicious behaviour, whether from the driver or other children in the vehicle

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

NELSPRUIT – A 43-year-old convict who was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment for business robberies and carjacking and later released on parole. He found himself on the wrong side of the law which landed behind bars this morning, Wednesday 18 January 2023.

The suspect was nabbed after he is alleged to be involved in multiple criminal activities including ATM bombings, carjacking, business robberies to mention but few. The suspect was arrested at his female friend’s residence.

Police conducted a search at his residence whereby a number of suspected stolen properties including six speakers, plasma, amplifier and two mixers were recovered. A firearm with one magazine and four live ammunitions was also recovered. Police cannot rule out possibilities that the suspect might be involved in other criminal activities committed previously.

The suspect is expected to appear at the White River Magistrate’s Court soon.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has welcomed the arrest and hopes the suspect’s parole will be revoked.

Source: South African Police Service

The City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate is calling on everyone who lives, works or plays in Cape Town to be water wise at all times, especially this summer and during prolonged high stages of load-shedding. The City has proactively set a maximum limit for our collective water use to be no more than 850 million litres per day. See how you too can be water wise and help Cape Town stay below the limit. Read more below:

The proactive maximum limit was set to help maintain the supply so we can keep our dams and reservoirs fuller for longer, and navigate the impact of prolonged high stages of load-shedding, which is affecting water supply operation

‘Over summer, the collective water usage has increased significantly. We are currently using 969 million litres of water per day (MLD), which is 119MLD above the required target of 850MLD, and dam levels are dropping about 2,2% a week. We need all hands-on-deck to reduce this current rate of water use, to stay below the limit.

‘The City is providing water saving tips and urging residents to take action. Let’s all do our part by using water wisely, fixing leaks and following permanent water-saving regulations. This will help reduce the impact of water and sanitation disruptions, and avoid restrictions. I specifically want to ask residents to be aware of and reduce their outdoor water use such as watering gardens, refilling or topping up pools and hosing-down hard surfaces, which can contribute the most to their domestic water use at this time of year.

‘Using less water will help deal with operational challenges, notably due to heavy load-shedding and summer weather conditions, which are impacting our water treatment plants and ability to convey water to reservoirs and areas across Cape Town, especially to high-lying areas where the water has to be pumped.

‘While City teams are monitoring the water supply operations and usage very closely and doing all they can to maintain supply, we also need our residents to help us during this time by using less water.

‘Cape Town has been enjoying hot weather over the festive season so residents are reminded of the restrictions related to pools, outdoor water use such as gardening, vehicle cleaning and other aspects, that are in place at all times, to help save water because we are in a water-scarce region,’ said Councillor Siseko Mbandezi, the City’s Acting Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation.

TOP 10 WAYS TO BE WATER WISE THIS SUMMER

INDOORS:

1. Don’t flush in a rush. Only flush when necessary and do not use your toilet as a dustbin. New or replaced toilet cisterns may not exceed six litres for each flush.

2. Take short, stop-start showers or small baths. The maximum flow rate of new and replaced showerheads may not exceed seven litres.

3. Wash more with less, for laundry and dishes. Only wash clothes and dishes (pots, cups etc) when really needed. Wait for a full load before using washing machines and dishwashers. Hand washing and spot-cleaning can use less water.

4. Turn off taps when not using the flow. E.g. Use a cup for shaving and brushing your teeth.

OUTDOORS:

5. Close the hose when washing the car. Hosepipes for washing vehicles must be fitted with a controlling device like a spray nozzle or automatic self-closing device. Stop-start your spray as you need it, and don’t spray more than you need. Alternatively, bucket-wash your car or vehicle.

Water gardens wisely.

6. Stop-start and slow your spray. Use nozzle restrictor or closing device.

7. Beat the heat loss. Only water before 09:00 or after 18:00 to avoid evaporation losses.

8. Water down to the roots directly where possible.

9. Keep summer fun water wise. Supervise careful use of water for children’s play, and cooling in hot summer months. E.g. Use a wet cloth to cool down hot skin, and avoid wasteful spraying of water.

10. Keep the pool full for longer with a cover. Built-in and fold-away pools must be covered to avoid evaporation when not in use. Recycle the backwash, and top up with rainwater or alternative water where possible.

Regulations about water use in the City’s Water By-law are in place at all times and following these will go a long way towards achieving the target of 850MLD collective use.

For more useful water saving guides and information about the permanent water use regulations in place, visit www.capetown.gov.za/savewater

Source: City Of Cape Town

GAUTENG – Essential infrastructure related crime has a detrimental impact on society and it is for this reason that members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) remain resolute to arrest perpetrators of these types of crimes.

On Thursday, 12 January 2023 police in Westrand District arrested a 26-year-old suspect in T Section Informal Settlement in Khutsong on charges that include theft, possession of presumed stolen property and tampering with essential infrastructure.

A preliminary report suggests the Essential Infrastructure Task Task of Westrand District operationalised a community tip-off and proceeded to the identified address.

The team recovered a Transnet feeder cable found in possession of the suspect.

Community members are urged to join the fight against essential infrastructure related crime and encouraged to provide tip-offs to the Essential Infrastructure Task Team or alternstively the nearest police station, SAPS Crime Stop 08600 10111 or leave a tip-off on the MySAPS App.

Source: South African Police Service

The City’s Basket of Services will be deployed to the Kensington Civic Centre, corner of Walrus Street and Factreton Avenue, Kensington (opposite Kensington SAPS station) on 25 January 2023, and will be at Maitland Town Hall in Voortrekker Road, Maitland, on 26 January 2023. Read more below:

Officials from various City departments will be at the venues from 09:00 until 15:00 to assist residents with service and municipal account enquiries.

Departments to be visiting Kensington and Maitland include:

• Human Resources for enquiries about bursaries, internships and apprenticeships

• Social Development to find out how you can get involved.

• Economic Growth

• Health for more information about primary health care services

• Safety and Security for information about traffic and law enforcement services

• EPWP will assist jobseekers and give unemployed youth an opportunity to register on the jobseekers database so that they are eligible for job opportunities that become available in their local communities.

‘The Basket of Services is one of the service delivery systems we use to ensure that we are making services accessible to as many of our residents as possible. We have a team of officials that are well equipped to assist the residents with any enquiries relating to service delivery or municipal accounts. Residents will save time and money that they would spend travelling to municipal offices. I therefore encourage residents to please take advantage of this opportunity and remember to bring their ID and municipal account to help ease the process,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services, Alderman Theresa Uys.

Source: City Of Cape Town

GAUTENG – During a period of four days (11 to 14 January 2023) members of Ekurhuleni Flying Squad collectively arrested eleven suspects and recovered four motor vehicles and two signals jammers during routine crime prevention patrols within Ekurhuleni District.

On Wednesday, 11 January 2023 members responded to truck hijacking in progress within the area of Olifantsfontein. Upon their arrival at the scene, two suspects fled on foot into a veld. Police managed to apprehend one suspect, while the other managed to evade his arrest. A signal jammer was also recovered.

The following day (Thursday), the same Ekurhuleni Flying Squad team apprehended six suspects in Boksburg. According to a preliminary report the members intercepted the suspects’ vehicle after the driver was driving recklessly along Commissioner Street in Boksburg. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of explosive sticks and a detonation cord.

Furthermore, on Saturday, 14 January 2023 Ekurhuleni Flying Squad members followed up on information obtained on a stolen vehicle at Lakeside Mall in Benoni. The members arrested one suspect and recovered the stolen vehicle, signal jammer and false number plates.

Also, three suspects were arrested for possession of drugs in Kempton Park and Brakpan, during separate incidents respectively on Saturday, 14 January 2022. Police subsequently recovered drugs that include Nyaope, Mandrax and Crystal Methamphetamine (Crystal Meth).

Source: South African Police Service