Month: January 2023

HLUHLUWE – Additional police officers and resources have been deployed to the Umkhanyakude District in the Northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

The deployments are in place to bolster police efforts to clamp down on vehicle theft syndicates that are terrorising communities in this district.

On Tuesday, the National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola joined by senior officers from national and the province led a delegation of station commanders from police stations in the area to engage the communities in and around Hluhluwe.

During the engagement the community raised concern on the number of vehicles stolen and smuggled across to Mozambique.

Just last week several vehicles including a luxury bus and a truck from Mozambique were torched in the area.

Cases of malicious damage to property have been registered.

During the community engagement, the National Commissioner indicated that while the latest police statistics indicate that the theft of motor vehicle in the area had declined, and the number of reported carjacking cases have stabilised, more resources need to be deployed on a long term basis to reduce such incidents.

“Taking the law into your hands by torching vehicles will only exacerbate the problem. We have a national deployment and interventions that will ensure we heighten and improve police visibility. On a short term goal more than 100 police officers have been deployed to the area since Sunday but on a long term basis we will be establishing a permanent unit here consisting of the vehicle investigation unit and other specialised units”, said Gen Fannie Masemola.

The National Commissioner assured the community that the SAPS is committed and will continue to engage the Mozambican government to ensure that collectively lasting solutions are implemented to clamp down on vehicle theft syndicates. Representatives from the Mozambican embassy also formed part of the community engagement.

Source: South African Police Service

NELSPRUIT – Partnership between the security industry and the police has led to the recovery of a vehicle, silver Mercedes Benz (sedan) this afternoon at around 16:00. Two male suspects aged 30 and 41 were arrested on charges of possession of suspected stolen property.

The vehicle was recovered after security officers from Kasselman Security Company received information on the whereabouts of a vehicle that was stolen at Jeppe, in the Gauteng Province few days back, 27 January 2023. The guards traced the information whilst alerting SAPS members from Standerton. They spotted the vehicle with two occupants and they then pulled it over at a certain filling station in Standerton. The said car had Eastern Cape registration number plates. Eventually the two were arrested and police charged them with possession of suspected stolen property. Preliminary investigation by the police has since revealed that the two were on parole. Police are working in partnership with officials from the Department of Correctional Services and the two might as well find themselves back in the Correctional Centre as it appears that they may have violated their parole conditions.

The two suspects are expected to appear at the Standerton District Court on Wednesday, 01 February 2023 facing the said charges.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has once again applauded the good relationship that exists between law enforcement agencies which often bring about desired results. “We are really making a serious impact, more especially in the recovery of vehicles in the province. In the past few days, have witnessed the arrest of suspects and the recovery of vehicles that were stolen. Thanks to law enforcement agencies for working cooperatively on this one. Together we can do more” said the General.

Source: South African Police Service

WESTERN CAPE – SAPS management in the Western Cape lauds Detective Warrant Officer Jannie Goeieman for his outstanding investigation tact in the murder case of Philip April. April was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Western Cape High court today for the murder of Allison Plaatjies.

In October 2019, the body of Allison was found in her place of residence by friends who were concerned by her sudden disappearance. Her throat was slit with three different knives and her vehicle was missing. During the investigation, her vehicle was recovered from the accused, who was her boyfriend at the time. He pleaded guilty on the charge of murder but denied stealing the vehicle.

He was found guilty on both charges and sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and five years for theft of a motor vehicle, which is attributed to the efforts, emotional turmoil and hours of investigation by the detective attached to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit.

Source: South African Police Service

NELSPRUIT – A man aged 44 was sadly killed after his aircraft crashed to the ground on Monday 30 January 2023 in Nelspruit at about 15:30.

According to the report, the man was flying the aircraft alone on mountainous area next to the Kaapsehoop Road from Steelpoort heading to Nelspruit old Airport when the accident occurred.

After the crash, emergency personnel and other role-players were summoned to the scene. His lifeless and decapitated body was found next to the crashed site and paramedics unfortunately certified him dead.

An inquest case was opened. Preliminary probe has revealed that the man was the owner of the aircraft however details regarding the cause of the crash is still unclear and the South African Civil Aviation Authority will conduct their investigation with regard to the crash. The man has since been identified by his family as Mr Jeff Mkhashane Mabuza.

Source: South African Police Service