Category: General

POLOKWANE – In a concerted effort to fight the scourge of gender based violence and Femicide in Limpopo province, the Provincial Commander of Media Relations, Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe yesterday, 22 September 2021, visited Maruleng F.M based in Ga-Sekororo village outside Tzaneen in the Mopani District, as part of the maximum community mobilization for the Deputy Minister of Police’s visit.

The Deputy Minister of Police, Mr Cassel Mathale will, on Thursday 23 September 2021 address members of the community on gender based violence and related crimes, during a dialogue session to be held at Moletjie Moshate sports ground outside Seshego is the Capricorn District.

During the interview, Colonel Ngoepe pleaded with members of the community to join forces with the Police in the fight against gender based violence particularly, that the province has recently seen the rise in domestic violence cases.

The focus was also on the following:

*Community-based crime prevention structures being the Neighborhood Watch, Street patrollers, Sector Forums, Community Policing Forum etc. Members of the community were further encouraged to join these structures and to effectively participate in them in order to help fight against gender based violence and crime in general.

Source: South African Police Service

GROBLERSDAL – The police in Groblersdal are investigating a case of missing person following the disappearance of a 36-year-old man, Lazarus Letebele Mogodi of Stadium View in Tafelkop village.

The missing person is working as a nurse at Groblersdal Hospital and was reportedly last seen on Thursday, 09 September 2021, at the local taxi rank.

A police search operation was conducted at places he frequently visited and surrounding areas with no success. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing black shoes, black denim trousers with blue and white floral shirt and brown T-shirt.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of this missing person is requested to contact the investigation officer,

Detective Constable Mac Phokane on 076 122 9648 or Captain Stanley Magaela on 082 729 2235, Crime stop number 08600 10111or nearest Police Station or submit information through the My SAPS App.

Source: South African Police Service

POLOKWANE – The Deputy Minister of Police Mr Cassel Mathale today, visited Limpopo Province to conduct community outreach program on Gender Based Violence and Femicide.

The Deputy Minister was joined by Kgoshi Kgabo Moloto III, the MEC for Transport and Community Safety Mrs Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya, the Executive Mayor of Polokwane Municipality Councilor JM Mpe, the Members of Parliament Mr Knocks Seabi and Mr Chabane, the Speaker of the Provincial Legislature, the Chairperson of the Portfolio on Police, the Chief Director from the Civilian Secretariat on Police Service Mr Ntuli, the Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, Major General Mathonsi from the Division, Visible Policing, Police Management at Provincial, District and Station levels, the CPFs and CSFs as well as stakeholders from different entities and NGOs and community members.

The event, which took the format of an Imbizo, was held at Moletjie Tribal Authority sports ground in the Seshego policing area and scores of people listened attentively as speaker after speaker engaged on pertinent issues related to GBVF.

Community members were given the platform to ask questions and or voice their concerns on policing matters, especially GBVF. During this process, a desk manned by officers from Inspectorate was used to record all complaints.

In his keynote address, the Deputy Minister focused more on partnership policing in the fight against crime, educating the society on how to protect and create a safe environment for women and children and persistently continue to engage with the communities to curb crime.

“As the Government we need to work together to find possible solutions to this scourge of Gender Based Violence and Femicide. We must all respond to the call to fight crime and understand that it is through our collective efforts that the challenges and problems were are faced with in our society, are confronted and resolved. We need to engage more often with our communities as we can learn a lot from each other, listen to them attentively to understand what they are facing so that we come up with suggestions and resolutions towards their challenges. Let us respond speedily when we interact with ourselves and the community at large and refrain from prolonging procedures unnecessarily because that way, we will end up being comfortable explaining why things can’t happen.In conclusion, we must start to change the way we think and do business if we want to create a crime free society.

The event was well attended but compliance with COVID-19 protocols was maintained.

Source: South African Police Service

Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthetwa has congratulated senior national women’s football side, Banyana Banyana, on their victory in the first ever Aisha Buhari football cup.

Six of Africa’s top ranked teams, including women’s football powerhouses Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria, competed in the tournament held in Nigeria.

Following a week of football action comprising at least four matches, Banyana eventually ran out as cup winners after beating Africa’s top ranked team, Nigeria, 4 – 2 in the final.

“Banyana Banyana’s dominance is indeed something that deserves all our praise. The ladies’ national team, under the guidance of Coach Desiree Ellis, has done us proud. This demonstrates that it doesn’t matter where the game is played. If you are well prepared, nothing will deter you from achieving your objective,” Mthethwa said.

Speaking to the SA Football Association’s media team, Ellis called the victory over Nigeria a win for South African women’s football.

“The victory is not just for us here in Nigeria but it is for everyone back home who is involved and has contributed to women’s football – from Sasol to Hollywood Super League.”

Ellis said the players showed composure and control in what is considered one of the biggest match ups in African women’s football.

“Looking back at the game, we were in control most of the time. We played at the tempo that we wanted. We controlled a lot of aspects of the game, though we gave a lot of free kicks away which was dangerous but we handled it very well.

“I think the players showed a lot of confidence and character to take control back. We took control and we managed the game very well.”

The Sport Minister said the upcoming women’s COSAFA Cup – a Southern African regional tournament – would present a good opportunity for the country to show its support for the women’s senior national football team.

“We are looking forward to their upcoming COSAFA challenge and our wish is for the nation to do the right thing, and go and vaccinate in large numbers so that, at least, we can have a significant portion of fans behind Banyana Banyana. Our national team deserves all the support they can get,” he said.

The COSAFA Cup is expected to kick off on September 28 in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Police warn motorists to be extra careful and vigilant after three armed men attacked the family whose car had stopped after they got a puncture at about 21h00 on Friday, 17 September 2021. It is reported that victims were driving on the R80 highway in Akasia when they hit what they suspected to be spikes placed on the road and the tyre went flat.

It is alleged that as the driver was changing a wheel with the wife standing on the side, they were attacked by three armed men who fired shots at them. The husband shot back and one suspect was hit on the upper body while the other two fled on foot. Members of Flying Squad who were part of Operation O Kae Molao conducted in Akasia and Garankuwa responded promptly and a replica firearm was recovered at the scene, next to the shot suspect who was later certified dead by paramedics.

Police have launched a manhunt for the suspects who escaped from the scene and are warning motorists driving on R80 highway to be cautious, especially when driving at night.

The police have stabilised the incidents of car spiking in Gauteng roads that were on the increase, especially on the N4 highway and R566. Crime pattern analysis showed that as soon identified hotspots are mitigated with increased visibility of law enforcement and security partners then criminals either change their modus operandi or move to another location.

If motorists suspect that their tyre punctures are as a result of having driven over spikes, they must immediately alert the police by calling the SAPS emergency number 10111, scanning their immediate environment and by staying vigilant while changing their tyre but they feel unsafe then they must try to drive to the nearest filling station or police station.

In the meantime, fourteen suspects who were arrested in October 2020 for terrorising and robbing the community at R80, Theo Martinspoort R89 and the surroundings remain in custody and are expected to start with trial between September and December 2021.

Source: South African Police Service

Police members confiscated firearms and ammunition and arrested suspects in possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

Manenberg Crime Prevention Unit members were busy with patrols on Saturday, 18 September 2021, to ensure visibility in the area known for sporadic gang violence. The members received information and immediately reacted and drove to Ivy Gcina Street in Tambo Village. Upon arrival at the address the police members searched the address and found an unknown man sleeping on a bed. When they searched under the bed they found a 9mm pistol with ammunition. The 25 year old man was arrested and detained on a charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

Meanwhile Samora Machel police members responded to a complaint of pointing of a firearm at about 20:45 on Saturday, 18 September 2021. The complainant accompanied the police members and upon arrival at Iraq informal settlement they found the suspect, pointed out by the complainant, and searched him. A Lama .45 pistol was found on the suspect and confiscated. The 23-year-old man was arrested and detained on a charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition as he could not provide a valid licence to be in possession of the mentioned firearm.

In an unrelated incident police members stopped a suspicious vehicle in Incora Street in Bardale, Mfuleni, in the early hours of Sunday, 19 September 2021. A Norinco 7.65 pistol with ammunition was recovered inside the vehicle. Three suspects aged 26, 30 and 31 were arrested and detained.

Once charged the suspects are expected to make a court appearance in the Athlone and Blue Downs Magistrate court respectively on Monday, 20 September 2021, on the mentioned charges.

Source: South African Police Service