Day: May 2, 2024

Operation Shanela continues to make an impact across communities with 904 suspects having been apprehended for various transgressions in the North West province.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the suspects arrested across all districts in the province were held for crimes, including murder, attempted murder, assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm, dealing in drugs, malicious damage to property and driving under the influence of alcohol.

A total of 374 suspects were arrested in raiding operations.

Operation Shanela consists of regular stop and searches, roadblocks, vehicle check points, high visibility patrols including foot patrols, the tracing of wanted suspects with a focus of murder and rape suspects, compliance inspections at liquor outlets and second hand good dealers.

In addition, 43 suspected undocumented foreign nationals were taken in for processing by Immigration Officials.

The police also visited and searched 95 premises while 2 622 persons and 1 477 vehicles
were searched.

Seven firearms, 37 ammunition, 11 cellular phones, a variety of drugs and tobacco products were confiscated.

The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena commended all law enforcement agencies and other role players for their continuous efforts in the fight against criminality.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Applications for special votes will close tomorrow, 3 May 2024, says the Electoral Commission (IEC).

Persons who intend to vote by special vote must first apply or cause an application to be submitted on their behalf as follows:

Using the secured online application form found at www.elections.org.za

By sending the identity number of the voter by SMS to 32249 (R1.00 per SMS) for voting station visits only

By submitting an Appendix 1B form at the local office of the IEC for a voting station special vote

By submitting an Appendix 1A form at the local office of the IEC for a home visit special vote

The commission said in a statement on Thursday that it was important for the public to note that there are two categories of special votes affected by the deadline tomorrow.

The first relates to home visits for those registered voters who are infirm or have impaired mobility. These voters may apply to be visited at home or a place of confinement.

The second category of special votes is available to any register
ed voter who wishes to vote early at their voting station.

The commission reiterated that there is no automatic age-based qualification for a special vote.

Special votes are available to all voters, but only upon application by the deadline date of 3 May.

Furthermore, the commission reported that over a million special votes applications have already been approved for these elections.

In terms of the election timetable, both categories of special votes will be conducted on 27 and 28 May, from 9am to 5pm.

Election Day will be held on 29 may 2024.

In the last hours before the applications deadline, the commission has called on registered voters who wish to vote by special vote to ensure that they submit applications as no late applications will be accommodated.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Road Accident Fund (RAF) has called on claimants to submit outstanding documents to finalise their claims and reduce the backlog of 321 000 claims.

Addressing a media briefing on Thursday, RAF Chief Executive Officer Collins Letsoalo said the fund is committed to efficiently settling claims in 120 days.

‘Supporting documents play a crucial role in finalising a claim efficiently and speedily. They inform the Fund about what is being claimed, set out the basis of the claim, allow the Fund to investigate, and facilitate an assessment on the merits of the motor vehicle accident,’ Letsoalo said in Centurion.

The fund has launched the ‘Drive Your Claim Forward’ campaign aimed at encouraging claimants to submit outstanding documents and all the necessary information required to investigate as well as pay claims.

‘Through the campaign, the RAF anticipates processing and finalising more claims, thus significantly reducing the waiting period claimants have to endure. Claimants and their representatives who subm
itted their claims before April 2021 are encouraged to deliver all outstanding documents in order for the fund to finalise their claims,’ he said.

The main reason for delays in the claims process is outstanding documents, such as comprehensive medical assessments for serious injuries.

‘Through the campaign, the RAF seeks to ensure that it is doing everything to minimise delays and assist all claimants. Enquiries about which documents to submit can be made at any of the RAF’s offices or via email,’ he explained.

In July 2022, the RAF introduced a new form to improve service delivery and better manage the claim risk.

‘The form was introduced to make it easier for legal practitioners to lodge claims on behalf of claimants, and more importantly, to assist with settling claims faster. The fund’s open claim backlog would not be on this scale if road accident victims and attorneys representing them submitted all the required information and documents upfront,’ the CEO said.

Claimants can submit their outstandin
g documents via email on [email protected] or drop the documents off at any of the Fund’s regional offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, East London, and Cape Town.

The documents can also be dropped off at the fund’s customer service centres in Bloemfontein, Polokwane, Kimberley, Mahikeng and Durban. More details about these offices is available on the fund’s website.

To determine which documents are outstanding, claimants should visit www.raf.co.za, click on the ‘Drive Your Claim Forward’ banner on the home page and get the information about which documents they need for their specific claim.

They may also contact the RAF’s Contact Centre on 087 820 1 111, via SMS on 44930, or by email on [email protected].

Claimants who request a call back will be contacted by one of the Contact Centre agents.

In the unfortunate event of being involved in a motor vehicle accident, the RAF Contact Centre is reachable on 087 820 1 111, from Monday to Friday, 07:45 to 4pm.

The RAF can also be reached thr
ough its offices countrywide, details of which are available on its website on www.raf.co.za.

Source: South African Government News Agency

WINDHOEK: President Nangolo Mbumba conveyed a message of condolences to President William Ruto of the Republic of Kenya, following the loss of lives caused by mass flooding this week.

The floods in Nairobi, the nation’s capital, and elsewhere in the country, have displaced over 165 000 people and wrecked homes, washed away bridges, and injured dozens of people.

Mbumba in his message shared by the Presidency on Thursday said: ‘I am confident that the people of Kenya will rise from this ordeal, which has not only led to the loss of lives and left several injured, but also caused the destruction of infrastructure.’

The Namibian Head of State said he was confident that the people of Kenya would rise from this ordeal.

Mbumba said Namibia stands in solidarity with Kenya, noting: ‘We are keeping the fraternal people of Kenya in our prayers during this difficult period.’

Source: The Namibia Press Agency