Category: General

Five females and two males were arrested last night after they were found in possession of dagga and a shot gun.
East London K9 spotted a suspicious Toyota Hilux bakkie in Buffalo Street East London and they stopped it with the assistance of East London Crime Centre, Crime Prevention and SANDF members. Upon searching the vehicle a shot gun and undisclosed amount of money was found at the back seat and the vehicle was smelling of dagga.
Two male suspects were in the car and informed the police that they came from Lusikisiki to fetch a furniture for someone.
They questioned them about the money and the smelling of dagga and apparently all the information that they gave led the members to Bryaelyn and Duncan Village where they arrested five females from different shacks.
The vehicle that was utilized to commit crime has been booked to camp 13 for further investigation. A variety of drugs were confiscated.
All suspects are between the ages of 29 and 45 years and will appear before East London Magistrates’ court tomorrow, 15 July 2021 for different charges of possession of unlicensed firearm, possession of dagga and dealing in dagga.

Source: South African Police Service

Seventy-two people have as of Tuesday evening died in the ongoing destruction and looting of businesses and violent protests in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
The number of those arrested in the unrest has risen to 1 234.
Tuesday saw more boots on the ground with the deployment of members the South African National Defence Force and the augmentation of law enforcement officers by the recalling of SAPS members from leave and rest days.
This was in an effort to quell the rampant elements of criminality perpetuated by the looting of businesses and destruction of property.
In a statement, the NatJOINTS said while the violence had not spread to other provinces there was a report from Mpumalanga of an incident of looting and destruction of property in the Matsulu policing precinct where one person was arrested.
“There has also been a report of two incidents in the Northern Cape, Galeshewe where one person has been arrested,” the government structure said.
However, law enforcement in Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape had identified areas of threat in an effort to deter possible opportunistic criminality.
“Provincial Commissioners have in the meantime also activated the SAPS social crime prevention strategy and have been engaging with various stakeholders including community based organisations, traditional leaders and the business community in order to amplify current operational plans to best tackle the looting and destruction of property currently prevalent in KZN and GP.
“The total number of people who have lost their lives since the beginning of these protests in KZN on Friday, 9 July 2021 has risen to 72. In KZN there are 27 cases being investigated by the police (murder 14, inquest 13) while the number in GP is 45 (murder 19, inquest 26),” reads the statement.
The NatJOINTS said the greater part of the inquest dockets relate to stampedes that occurred during incidents of looting of shops and malls; while other deaths and injuries were related to ATM explosions and shooting.
The SAPS, Defence and SSA, as co-chairpersons of the NatJOINTS, earlier in the day condemned the attacks on law enforcement officers that claimed the life of Meshack Mahlangu, an Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department officer.
Seven SAPS members are recovering from injuries sustained while responding to violent protests. Three of the officers were in KZN while the other four were injured in Gauteng.
Meanwhile, police from Soweto operationalised information received from the Intelligence Coordinating Committee which led to the arrest of two on-duty Reservist Constables found in possession of property alleged to have been stolen during the incidents of looting of businesses in Soweto.
“It is further alleged that the two suspects were found off-loading suspected stolen property from a state vehicle,” the NatJOINTS said.
In response to reports of armed community members retaliating against protesters, the NatJOINTS emphasised and reminded the public that although persons are entitled to protect their property and lives, the right to life is protected in the Constitution; and can only be infringed in extremely limited circumstances, in order to, inter alia, protect the life or bodily integrity of the defender.
The NatJOINTS commended the collaboration between the police and community through established platforms such as Community Policing Forums and Community in Blue. The public is urged to continue reporting crime on the Crime Stop number 08600 10111.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Following the wave of looting and property destruction in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, President Cyril Ramaphosa is this morning meeting political party leaders in a bid to quell the public violence and unrest.
President Ramaphosa has embarked on a round of consultations with the leadership of different sectors of society to develop a society-wide response to the violence and destruction of property.
The outreach supplements the mobilisation of the South African Police Service (SAPS), the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and other law enforcement agencies.
On Monday, government Ministers engaged with business leadership on the situation in the country and agreed on several areas of cooperation.
On Tuesday, President Ramaphosa chaired the meeting of the National Security Council to assess developments around the country and coordinate government’s security response, including intelligence gathering to the widespread criminality.
In the evening, the President, accompanied by several Ministers, met with religious leaders from the different faith communities.
The leaders expressed support for government’s efforts in bringing stability to a number of areas where incidents of unrest are taking place.
The religious leaders supported the deployment of the SANDF to support the police in stabilising the situation, and also called for a comprehensive response to the societal conditions enabling the events unfolding.
Government leaders are also engaging with informal and small business associations, community leaders, traditional leaders and others, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
During yesterday’s evening meeting, religious leaders urged government to consider allowing communities of faith to gather for worship, while observing COVID-19 health regulations, as part of the national effort to restore calm and provide counselling to communities.
President Ramaphosa welcomed the concern expressed by interfaith leaders with regard to events ufolding in the country and welcomed a proposal for a national day of prayer.
Among the developments yesterday, the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster indicated that all law enforcement and security agencies, including metro and traffic police, are working together to ensure public order policing, patrolling in identified hotspots and protecting key public and private infrastructure targeted by the perpetrators of violence.
These law enforcement agencies have also been tasked to protect COVID-19 vaccine storage sites, schools and clinics where vaccinations are currently being rolled out.
As at 13h00 on Tuesday, 1 230 suspects had been arrested in connection with public violence and looting.
In KwaZulu-Natal, 547 suspects have been arrested, while 683 suspects are in custody in Gauteng.
The Minister of Police, Bheki Cele and Acting Minister of Health, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, separately visited Alexandra in Johannesburg to assess the situation on the ground.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is putting together a team of special prosecutors, which has been instructed to oppose bail for suspects associated with public violence and economic sabotage.
The law enforcement agencies have also been tasked to enforce the Disaster Management Act Regulations, especially ensuring observance of the curfew, which is from 9pm to 4am daily.
Communities are urged to report any criminal incidences to the SAPS hotline on 08600 10111.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Gauteng Premier David Makhura has called on the community and political leaders in the province to join hands with law enforcement agencies to stop the looting and destruction to property in the province.

“We must make sure that this looting stoops,” Makhura said during his visit to the Meadowlands Police Station in Soweto, where a nearby mall- Ndofaya Mall – was looted.

Looting at the mall continued during the Premier’s visit.

Makhura said looting has also happened in schools, where technology equipment has been stolen.

A total of 10 people died during the looting incidences and a total of 279 people were arrested for looting in Gauteng.

Among those who died is a Gauteng Metro Police officer, who was shot by looters in Kathorus. The officer was shot while responding to a call of looting at a mall.

Makhura said the looting has severely affected businesses in Soweto.

“Businesses have been severely affected and the business community here have closed their businesses because they are afraid of the looters,” Makhura said.

Makhura, accompanied by the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko and senior police officials conducted a walkabout at the mall.

The Premier’s visit was to assess the extent of damage caused to property.

Countrywide, over 757 people have over the past five days been arrested for the wanton destruction and looting of businesses and properties in KwaZulu-Natal and in Gauteng.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Defence and Military Veterans Minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, says the President will only declare a State of Emergency when the need arises.

While the Minister strongly condemned the current looting and damage to infrastructure, she did not believe the situation warrants a State of Emergency.

“For now, I don’t think there is an indication that there should be a State of Emergency,” she said on Tuesday.

Mapisa-Nqakula was speaking during a briefing by Ministers in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster amid public violence flare-ups in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

“If the time comes, informed by intelligence gathered and coordinated by the three entities [SAPS, Defence and State Security], the President will be advised and [only] then would he declare a State of Emergency, if the need arises, based on that assessment report.”

The Minister acknowledged that the situation is grave, and the nation is duly panicked.

“… We’re all concerned about what is happening… A… State of Emergency [however means that]… you take all the liberties from the citizens and the military takes over the country. For now, we don’t think we’ve reached that point,” she explained.

As the Commander-in-Chief of the South African Defence Force (SANDF), the President has deployed the army in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in support of the operations of the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Mapisa-Nqakula said the number of soldiers mobilised is far less than those who were deployed during the COVID-19 hard lockdown.

She said an ongoing assessment is taking place behind closed doors to make decisions about the number of soldiers who will be deployed on the ground.

“When we talk numbers, we also have to talk possible expenditure incurred for the deployment of those people… We’re informed by intelligence, and then [we will] decide about what kind of strength we need for deployment, and then we will make an announcement.”

The deployment of soldiers

Major General Siphiwe Lucky Sangweni said the SANDF conducts deployment operations inside the country in support of the SAPS and to assist other State departments.

“SAPS and other law enforcement agencies will conduct their work and when there is a situation that requires or warrants that the military assists and supports as the security cluster, then the call will be made then,” he explained.

According to Sangweni, this involves conducting assessments and then the decision is sanctioned by the President.

“It’s the President that will authorise the deployment of military internal operations.

“It will not be correct that the military is at the forefront in terms of law enforcement and dealing with criminality in the country,” he said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Graaff-Reinet Detectives have arrested a 26-year-old man for the murder of Mrs Karen Marais. The suspect was arrested on Sunday, 11 July 2021.

The suspect is due to appear in Graaff-Reinet Magistrates’ Court today, Monday 12 July 2021.

Source: South African Police Service