Category: General

POLOKWANE – Two members of the South African National Defence Force aged 27 and 38 together with an undocumented foreign National aged 30 will appear in Musina magistrate court on Monday 21 June 2021 after they were arrested yesterday, 18 June 2021 for allegedly transporting illicit cigarettes in the Army vehicle.

The police at Beitbridge received information about an Army vehicle which was loaded with illicit cigarettes which were to be delivered to an unidentified buyer around Musina. They then reacted by staging a stop and search operation next to the Baobab Truck Park along the N1 road north of Musina.

The Army vehicle fitting the description given approached and the members pulled it over. Two uniformed Soldiers and a civilian wearing the Army jacket disembarked from the vehicle. The vehicle was then searched and 12 boxes of illicit cigarettes to the value of R160 000-00 were found packed in the back of the said vehicle.

The civilian was immediately arrested but the armed soldiers reportedly became confrontational and refused to be arrested. The police then confiscated the said vehicle.

The soldiers were later brought to the police station by their Commander and were then detained. They will be charged with possession of illicit cigarettes, defeating the ends of Justice and resisting arrest. The other suspect will be charged with impersonating SANDF members and contravening the Immigration Act.

The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has commended the members for their swift reaction to the information provided which led to these arrests.

Source: South Africa Police Service

WESTERN CAPE – After a spate of house robberies in the Winelands and surrounding rural areas, members of Paarl SAPS Crime Prevention Unit and the Agter Paarl Farm Watch arrested a suspect that could possibly be linked to house robberies in the rural area. The suspect was arrested in possession of stolen items linked to a house robbery on a farm in the Tulbagh area last night, 17 June 2021.

The Paarl SAPS and Agter Farm Watch members held a vehicle check point (VCP) on the R45 road when they pulled over a silver Chevrolet with five males in the vehicle. On requesting the driver to open the vehicles boot the four male passenger jumped out of the vehicle and fled the scene. The vehicle was subsequently searched and balaclavas, gloves and a baby browning firearm with magazine and four rounds were found in the vehicle amongst numerous electronic items. It was discovered that the electronic items found in the vehicle belonged to a farm owner in the Tulbagh area that was robbed earlier in the evening by five unknown males. The items were positively identified by the owner and the driver of the vehicle, a 32-year-old from, Kuilsrivier was subsequently arrested for the possession of an illegal firearm, ammunition, stolen property and house breaking implements. Investigation into the arrest of the other suspects is continuing.

In an unrelated matter, police visibility in Philippi-East continue to deliver the desired results. A 25-year-man is due to appear in the court once charged for hijacking. The suspect was arrested last night during patrols while driving in the hijacked vehicle. When the vehicle was tested, it was positively linked to hijacking in Samora Machel policing precinct. The suspect is currently in detention.

Two men will also face court today on a charge of possession of stolen motor vehicle after vigilant police members on patrol arrested them on Wednesday, 16 June in Philippi-East. Both aged, 27 and 28 from Marikana informal settlement were arrested after the officers did stop-and-search operations and tested the vehicle for ownership. The motor vehicle was positively linked to a theft case in the Pinelands policing precinct during this month.

Source: South African Police Service

EASTERN CAPE – The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga’s determination to eradicate stock theft in the Eastern Cape played out when she personally confiscated seven (7) suspected stolen sheep and effected an arrest of three (3) male suspects aged between 27 and 35 on Thursday morning, 17 June 2021, at Xaxazana Locality, in Mount Fletcher.

At the time of the incident, Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga was driving to an outreach event organised by Pholile Police Station for the handing over of school uniform to the victims of Gender Based Violence in Mt Fletcher, when she stopped a bus carrying suspected stolen sheep. She started conducting a search for a possible crime and called her forces for reinforcement.

As she continued the search in the Bus, seven sheep were found locked inside the place where passenger luggage are normally kept. The Bus driver was then questioned about papers for transportation of the sheep which he failed to produce. Those who claimed the sheep also could not produce the papers which would have served as proof of purchase.

General Ntshinga then arrested the three suspects including the bus driver after they failed to provide the necessary documents to prove that the sheep were not stolen. The livestock were then taken to the police station whilst further investigation was underway to verify the information provided by the suspects.

After the final investigation, police were satisfied that the sheep were not stolen but stock theft regulations had been contravened, as no papers were produced for conveyance and purchase of the livestock. Subsequently, all three suspects were issued with J 534’s in order to pay fines to the amount of R300-00 each or appear in court should they fail to pay the fine.

The former Chief investigator and a Commander within the Hawks environment Lt Gen Liziwe Ntshinga was convinced that the laws regulating Stock theft were violated, and this was proven by the outcome of the final investigation. She urged stock theft commanders not to be lenient towards stock thieves, but implement the laws and regulations to the letter. The Provincial Commissioner further warned Stock thieves to refrain from their activities as the net around them is being closed gradually.

Source: South African Police Service

EASTERN CAPE – A swift actions by SAPS forces led to the recovery of stolen cellphones and arrest of two male suspects on Thursday, 17 June 2021 in Mthatha.

The two suspects in their (20) twenties were arrested following information of an armed business robbery that occurred on Tuesday, 15th of June in one of the clothing stores in Mthatha Plaza where an undisclosed number of cellphones were taken.

The suspects were then taken in for questioning and the vehicle believed to have been used in the commission of crime was impounded by police.

During the investigation a firearm allegedly used during the incident was recovered in Corana A/A, Ngqeleni.

The suspects are currently in police custody and will appear in Mthatha Magistrates court soon and once they are charged with possession of suspected stolen property, business robbery and possession of unlicensed firearm.

Source: South African Police Service

FREE STATE – Twelve suspects are expected to appear before Harrismith Magistrate court this morning on charges of public violence which include few minors who will be under supervision of their parents.

The police visibility is high in Harrismith, Intabazwe, Makgolokweng Village, Tshiame A and B monitoring unpredictable situation of protests which have spread to other sections of Harrismith where they were called to attend protesters barricading roads and burning tyres in the township and N5. The tyres were removed as there were no protestors nearby.

The group of protestors at Tshiame A section wake up putting stones inside the roads. The police have arrested seven suspects this morning pertaining this incident.

Thus far the situation is still tense in and around Harrismith on the N3.

Source: South African Police Service

POTCHEFSTROOM – Police in Mogwase request the public to assist in locating Mmampoko Juliet Sekole (51) of Masakeng Section, Welgeval Village near Moruleng. Sekole went missing on Tuesday, 25 May 2021.

She was last seen walking alone in the street, wearing a blue apron with yellow dots and bare footed. The missing person is also suffering from depression.

Police request anyone who may have information about Sekole’s whereabouts, to contact Colonel Shimane Kubyadi on ?082 856 1087 or call South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Stop number: ?08600 10111.

Source: South African Police Service