Category: General

The police in Gauteng will be visiting schools across the province as part of the annual beginning of the year roll out of the School Safety Programme that is informed by the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the South African Police Service and the Department of Basic Education.

The SAPS in Gauteng is committed to ensuring schools in the province are a safe environment for pupils to learn. Through the Adopt a Cop project, members at different police stations have “adopted” schools in their policing precinct. These partnerships have been established and are sustained to enable the school management to have a designated police officer as a point of contact to access the services that he school might need from the police station.

The designated police officers are responsible for creating awareness at schools and sensitising learners on the dangers of bullying, substance abuse, dealing in drugs, carrying of dangerous weapons as well as gangsterism among other things.

The police will also focus their efforts on engaging parents on the safety of their children when they are being dropped off and picked up from schools.

Safety tips:

*When dropping kids off at school, ensure that the kids have safely entered the school yard before driving off.

*Teach children to move away from strangers at all times, to never give or tell strangers their name or where they live.

* Do not write the child names or details on their backpacks or where it will be easily accessible to strangers.

* Encourage children to use the buddy system and avoid walking or playing alone outside or in public places.

* Practice basic safety skills with your child and teach them to memorise important information such as emergency contact details.

*If you suspect that your child may be missing, act immediately by reporting at your nearest police station, there is no waiting period to report a missing child.

Source: South African Police Service

WESTERN CAPE – Concerted efforts to safeguard the public during the holiday period as part of ongoing Safer Festive Season operations once again yielded positive results with the confiscation of counterfeit goods, drugs and non-ferrous metals in the Southern Cape.

Weekend crime prevention operations which commenced on Friday, 07 January 2022 involved the deployment of various police units, Public Order Police, Rural Flying Squad and Cluster Crime Combatting Teams, in conjunction with counterparts from Provincial and Local Traffic as well as Law Enforcements from local authorities. The combined efforts included roadblocks and vehicle check points along highways, vehicle and blue light patrols in crime stricken areas, closing of drug and liquor outlets and stop and search operations.

On Friday, 07 January 2022, these forces conducted a roadblock on the N2 highway at the Tsitsikamma Tollgate where they stopped and searched a passenger bus. The thorough search yielded positive results when police confiscated R52 000-00 worth of counterfeit goods. An enquiry docket was opened to investigate the origin and possible destination thereof.

The same day 07 January 2022, Ladismith members were deployed to patrol hotspot areas when they spotted a suspicious looking person at Bell Street, Ladismith. When noticing the police approaching the man fled. The vigilant members pursued the man and apprehended him. A search led to the confiscation of 100 Mandrax tablets which was found in his possession. The 18-year-old suspect was arrested on possession of drugs.

Furthermore, this morning 09 January 2022 at about 04:30 Swellendam police and Western Cape Provincial Traffic conducted a roadblock on the N2 highway where they noticed a suspicious looking vehicle. While approaching the vehicle, it sped off and a vehicle chase ensued. The vehicle, a Volkswagen Polo, stopped at a nearby gravel road where three occupants exited and fled into the bushes. A search of the area ensued when the team later apprehended two men. Upon searching the vehicle the members found 220 kilogram of copper cables in the back.

Both suspects aged, aged 22 and 24 are facing charges of possession of suspected stolen property. Their accomplice is yet to be arrested.

Investigation into the origin of the copper cable as well as involvement in possible similar crime in the area is under investigation.

In the meantime, the closing down of drug outlets continued when Eden Cluster Crime Combatting and Rural Flying Squad conducted focused operations where they arrested six suspects, two for dealing in drugs and four for possession of drugs, in Oudtshoorn, Knysna, Conville and Kwanokuthula . These forces confiscated 39 bankies of Tik, 32 Mandrax tablets and 14 Tik straws during the arrests.

All arrested remains in police custody. They will make their expected court appearances once charged.

The Western Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile, expressed his gratitude towards the vigilance and commitment of the members involved with these busts. Lt Gen Patekile said: “These operational successes forms part of ongoing Safer Festive Season operations which will conclude later this month. Similar operations would continue beyond this period as part of continues efforts to curb these type of crime, especially infrastructural damage and theft to and of non-ferrous metals, which could have devastating impact to and on livelihoods as well as the economy of these remote areas”.

Source: South African Police Service

POTCHEFSTROOM – Police in Mogwase offer a reward of up to R50 000-00 to anyone who may have information that can lead to the arrest and conviction of a perpetrator/s, involved in the disappearance of eight-year-old Tlotso Mogomotsi Moilwe of Mogwase.

Moilwe was last seen at about 15:00 on Christmas Day 25 December 2021, while playing with his friends in Segakwaneng Village near Moruleng outside Rustenburg. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a camouflage short, with a black t-shirt and grey slippers.

Initial police investigations led to the arrest of 28-year-old Bridget Bojosi, who appeared in the Mogwase Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 6 January 2022, on a charge of kidnapping. She was remanded in custody until her next court appearance on Thursday, 13 January 2022.

Anyone with information is requested to contact the Investigating Officer, Sergeant Vincent Mzinyathi, on ?082 416 3197 or call the South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Stop number ?08600 10111. Anonymous tip-offs can also be communicated via My SAPS App.??

The police Search and Rescue teams have, without success, been searching for Tlotso since his disappearance.

Meanwhile, the North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena requested the public to assist in the search for the missing child.

Source: South African Police Service

DESPATCH – Detectives from SAPS Despatch are urgently seeking the community’s assistance in locating a 27-year-old woman who went missing on Monday, 31 August 2020.

Nwabisa Makinana, who resides at Mpenza Street, NU7, Motherwell visited her cousin, who resides in the Main Street, Heuwelkruin, Despatch on 31 August 2020. Makinana was supposed to return to her home in Motherwell on the same day, but never returned home since.

Nwabisa Makinana was clad in a long floral dress and she has long black braided hair.

Anyone with information about her whereabouts is urged to contact the investigating officer, Detective Captain Heidi Boshoff on 0824417900, SAPS Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or contact the nearest police station.

Source: South African Police Service