Category: General

DURBAN – The theft of copper cables in the province is crippling the productivity of crucial services in most companies. It also has a negative impact on all the citizens of this province. Operations are in place to curb the theft and damage of the essential infrastructure.

In the early hours of yesterday at 02:10, the Umkomaas Task Team were busy tracing suspects at Umlazi W Section when they noticed three vehicles. When they got closer, they noticed a cable being dragged behind by the tow truck and they gave chase. Three suspects aged between 29 and 44 were placed under arrest for possession of copper cables, tampering and damaging the essential infrastructure.

Among the suspects that were arrested were two Sergeants stationed at Umlazi SAPS. It was established that the copper cables belonged to Telkom. The estimated street value is R267 486-00. The docket was taken by the Hawks who took over the investigation. The suspects are expected to appear before the Umlazi Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 21 June 2021.

This arrest proves that no one is above the law. All rotten apples who are committing criminal activities and hiding behind the SAPS emblem will be brought to book and dealt with harshly.

Source: South Africa Police Service

FREE STATE – On Thursday, 17 June 2021 at about 16:00, members of Welkom Tactical Response Team received an intelligence led information about three men driving around and acting in a suspicious manner.

The members came across the same vehicle fitting the description in Jason’s way Riebackstad.

The said vehicle was tactically approached and ordered to stop alongside the road next to the Garage. The vehicle was thoroughly searched and a firearm with one magazine loaded with eight live rounds was found inside the vehicle. The occupants failed to provide members with valid Firearm license and all three men were arrested for possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition

All these three suspects who are between 22 and 34 years of age, will make their first appearance in the Welkom Magistrate court soon.

Source: South Africa Police Service

LIMPOPO – The South African Police Service in Waterval have launched a search operation to locate a 14-year-old girl, Vhugala Thanwana from Mokondeni Village, a learner at Tshikhuthula secondary school.

She allegedly went missing on 16 June 2021, after she went to Mashamba sports grounds with friends to attend Youth Day celebrations. She was wearing blue Jeans, black and white shirt and white tekkies.

Police have conducted investigation and search operations at friends, relatives and nearby villages with no success.

Anyone with information that can help find the teenager should contact the investigating officer Sergeant Aubrey Mabobo on 072 033 9003, the Crime Stop number 08600 10111, or nearest Police Station or MySAPSApp.

Police investigation and search operation are still continuing.

Source: South Africa Police Service

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