Day: January 26, 2023

EASTERN CAPE – Lukhanyo Cornelius Fesi (44) was arrested by the East London based Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team for charges of tender fraud in the early hours of 25 January 2023.

It is alleged that during 2012, Fesi as the Financial Management Assistant Director at the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform was requested to compile an internal memorandum for purchasing of promotional material in preparation for a presidential visit in Mbizana.

It is further alleged that a supplier was approached by Fesi and asked for quotations on bags and it is further reported that on seeing the bag sample, he stated to the supplier that the bags would be suitable for his church. A quotation was submitted by the supplier and an order was issued by the department not aware that Fesi had already allegedly given the supplier the logo of his church as an inscription on the said bags.

It is further reported that the supplier was later instructed by Fesi to deliver 300 bags worth R27 000 at his home which the supplier reportedly did. The department paid for the bags and R3000 was allegedly paid by the supplier to Fesi as per his demand during the process.

It was later established that the department never received the promotional material as requested although the payment was made to the supplier and a case of fraud was reported to the Hawks in 2016. He made a short appearance in the Zwelitsha Magistrate’s Court on the same day where he was released on R2000-00 bail. The matter was remanded to 27 February 2023 for legal representation and to determine the court of trial as the matter is trial ready.

Source: South African Police Service

The Department of Employment and Labour’s Employment Equity is cordially inviting all concerned stakeholders to a Breakfast Session which is taking place tomorrow (27 January, 2023) in Sandton, Gauteng.

The Department of Employment and Labour Deputy Minister, Ms Boitumelo Moloi, is expected to deliver the keynote address.

The Breakfast Session will also be attended by the Department’s Director General, Mr Thobile Lamati, and the Department’s Deputy Director- General Inspection and Enforcement Service, Ms Aggy Moiloa.

Source: Government of South Africa

Crime prevention operations in the Cape Metropole yielded positive results when police members arrested suspects for the possession of unlicensed firearms.

Police members of the Anti-Gang unit pursued information and tactically approached an address in Helderberg Street in Tafelsig at about 19:00. Upon entering the premises, they ensued with a search and confiscated a revolver with ammunition hidden in a dustbin. They subsequently arrested a 28-year-old man on a charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

Partnership policing between SAPS and a security company in Colorado led to the arrest of a suspect in possession of a firearm. Mitchells Plain police responded to a complaint and upon arrival in Highlands Drive Colorado found the security guards who detained a suspect who was found in possession of firearm. The 32-year-old suspect who faces a charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition was further detained by SAPS members.

In an unrelated intervention, Grassy Park Crime Prevention unit performed stop and searched operation when they noticed a suspicious man standing close to a local shop. They approached the man and searched him, found and confiscating a consignment of methamphetamine and cash. They arrested and detained the 30-year-old man on a charge of dealing in drugs.

Once charged the suspects are expected to make their respected court appearances in the Mitchells Plain and Wynberg Magistrate court’s on the mentioned charges

Source: South African Police Service

The United States Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen and Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana met in Pretoria on Thursday to discuss a range of issues and explore ways to extend the already extensive areas of economic and financial cooperation between the two countries.

Topping the agenda was the state of the global economy, policies to promote regional growth and investment, and the further development of trade and investment ties between the United States and South Africa.

The U.S. ranks among South Africa’s top trading partners, with a diverse flow of goods, services, and know-how between the two states serving as a critical launchpad for the development of both economies.

Secretary Yellen and Minister Godongwana also discussed support by the United States for South Africa’s Just Energy Transition. The U.S. is part of the International Partners Group of developed economies that in 2021 pledged US$8.5 billion, including around US$1 billion from United States Government agencies, to support South Africa’s move to a low-carbon economy and plans to reduce emissions.

Minister Godongwana expressed his gratitude for the United States’ commitment to South Africa’s energy transition, noting that it comes at a critical stage when the country is facing grinding energy shortages. He reiterated his view that developed nations could do more in this regard, especially by ensuring that the financial support includes a much larger grant-funding component.

Africa’s “Special Needs and Circumstances”, said Minister Godongwana, needed to be recognised globally, especially due to the reality of a high number of resource-dependent economies on the continent, in addition to high levels of poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment.

This recognition would be an important step towards unlocking the financial flows to the continent, allowing it to play its role in the global transition to a low-carbon future.

Minister Godongwana also urged Secretary Yellen to support South Africa’s push for the expedited reform of international financing institutions and multilateral development banks to include wider participation of developing countries and middle-income economies that historically have had limited representation on these critical platforms.

Strengthening the development outcomes of these institutions and the finance they provide would also be a critical area of cooperation, said Minister Godongwana.

He expressed his commitment to continuing to advocate for the implementation of the Common Framework for debt treatment.

The global financial crunch triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, and its lingering after effects, has pushed a number of poor and emerging economies into debt distress, Minister Godongwana noted. This, he added, underlined the urgency of these reforms, as well as for the need for greater support for speedy and equitable debt resolution mechanisms.

On the issue of bilateral cooperation in combating money laundering, illicit financial flows and cross-border crimes, Minister Godongwana appraised Secretary Yellen of South Africa’s far-reaching reforms and concrete actions the country has undertaken since receiving an adverse evaluation from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Source: Government of South Africa

NORTHERN CAPE – The Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team assisted by their Bellville counterparts arrested additional suspects on the ongoing case of fraud and money laundering. The operation arrests follows the arrest and charging of the main accused Pius Emokpe (49) in May 2022. The arrests took place on Wednesday, 25 January 2022 in Bellville, Cape Town.

Juany Michaels (24), Lulama Dilimeni (33), and Shafwaan Fakier (47) made an appearance before the Kimberley Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Thursday, 26 January 2023. The accused’s arrests comes after an investigation which revealed that bank accounts registered in their names, were used for money laundering whereby, money from on-line dating scams was deposited in their accounts. The main accused Pius Emokpe worked with the trio to defraud unsuspecting victims. The victims suffered a loss of approximately R4 million.

The case was postponed to Monday, 02 February 2023 for bail application information. Investigation on the matter continues.

Source: South African Police Service

BRICS EWG convene in SA to discuss labour market policy issues

The Department of Employment and Labour is gearing itself to host the first in a series of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) countries’ Employment Working Group (EWG) meetings planned in 2023.

Simultaneously, the BRICS Research Network Forum will also meet as well. The Department of Employment and Labour will coordinate the labour and employment stream during the SA presidency in 2023.

This stream entails arranging the BRICS Employment Working Group meetings, the BRICS Network of Labour Research Institutes meeting and the 9th BRICS Labour and Employment Minister’s Meeting (LEMM) in 2023.

Department of Employment and Labour’s Acting Deputy Director-General of Labour Policy & Industrial Relations (LP&IR) branch, Sipho Ndebele said the at the apex of discussions will be social security issues. Ndebele said the first meeting will be held from 21-24 February 2023 and this will be followed by other meetings in May, June and September.

“This series of EWG and Research Network Forum meetings will culminate with the EWG Labour & Employment Minister’s Meeting in September 2023. We envisage the two forums meetings to discuss priority issues in the technical meetings in preparations for the Labour and Employment Ministerial meeting,” he said.

Ndebele said SA Presidency of BRICS provide it with an opportunity to promote regional and global issues on the back of skyrocketing unemployment and health fallout created by the pandemic.

The Republic of South Africa on 1st January 2023 formally assumed the Presidency of BRICS for a period of one year after succeeding Peoples Republic of China. It will be the third time South Africa takes the reigns of Presidency of BRICS. The country assumes its chairship amidst the global issues such as Covid-19, sharp rise – in food prices, fertilisers, energy, interest rates, currency depreciation, stagflation and unemployment.

South Africa’s theme for its Presidency is: “Ensuring decent work, dignity and respect for all!”

The thematic issues of discussion will focus on:

Building sustainable enterprises, including new forms of employment and increasing productivity

Promoting labour rights and decreasing decent work deficits in the context of the recovery

Universal social protection and ensuring minimum basic income

Promoting decent work by closing skills gaps in the informal economy

The LEMM in 2022 adopted a Ministerial Declaration with firm commitments to promoting Green Jobs for Sustainable Development; skills development and technological innovation to promote economic growth and social progress; promotion of a human-centred approach in line with 2019 ILO Centenary Declaration for the future of work.

In a drive to ensure the support of global initiatives for a human-centred recovery from the Covid-19 crisis South Africa has also invited as part of the Africa Outreach programmes countries such as Botswana, eSwatini, Malawi, Namibia and Zimbabwe. The African Union is also invited. The ILO and the International Social Security Association (ISSA) will provide technical support during the meetings.

BRICS is an economic bloc that includes: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Formed on 16 June 2009, South Africa joined BRICS in December 2010.

Source: Government of South Africa

POLOKWANE – The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has expressed shock and strongly condemns the incident in which a Police Constable is shown on a video clip that has gone viral on social media, having sex with her then 10 year old son.

Soon after becoming aware of the video, the Provincial Commissioner ordered the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit to conduct an immediate probe into the incident with a view of apprehending the policewoman and removing the child to a place of safety.

The case of rape of a minor child with additional charges of creating and distributing child pornorgraphic material and sexual grooming of a child was opened on Friday 20 January 2023 and the suspect was arrested on the same day.

Internal Police processes have already kicked in following her arrest and will run parallel with the criminal investigation that has been taken over by the IPID.

“The actions of this woman are deplorable and deserve harsh condemnation. Even though the suspect allegedly committed this crime when she was still Public Service Act employee of the SAPS, she should have known better that such unbecoming behavior deserved harsh consequences. The South African Police Service does not have the space for such people who tarnish its image.” Said Lieutenant General Hadebe.

The Provincial Commissioner has already ordered that the suspect be subjected to immediate internal processes in terms of the South African Police Service Disciplinary Regulations.

The suspect, aged 40, appeared in Marble magistrate court on Monday 23 January 2023 and was remanded in custody until 30 January 2023.

The child has been removed to a place of Safety where he will be given psychological treatment and assistance.

The identity of the woman cannot be divulged to protect the child.

Source: South African Police Service