6 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Nearly 30 suspects arrested for Middelburg unrests
The Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison (DCSSL), Vusi Shongwe praised the police for the efforts they made in dealing with violent service delivery protests that erupted in several parts of Steve Tshwete Local Municipality recently.
MEC Shongwe
So far the police have arrested about 28 suspects linked to violence that characterised these demonstrations since Wednesday. The arrested suspects were charged with public violence and contravention of the Disaster Management Act. They are expected to appear in court soon and more arrests are imminent.
Thursday the N4 toll and N11 roads in Middelburg were closed temporarily by the protesters. Several vehicles including a truck, a bus and a minibus were torched. Several roads coming in and of the surrounding townships were barricaded with burning objects and stones. Some shops owned by foreign nationals were also looted.
The residents are reportedly complaining about the recent increases in rates and taxes by the Municipality.
The MEC along with the SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela, visited the area Friday.
They were briefed on the progress the police made in curbing violence. Shongwe applauded the security agencies for urgently bringing the situation under control.
The MEC decried the violent protests and the destruction of private property.
He added that he is satisfied that there was an urgent council sitting that took place today to resolve the impasse between the Municipality and the residents.
“This is one of the best-run municipalities because, for many years, it has produced Clean Audit Reports. Therefore we must do everything to protect it,” says the MEC.
“It is unfortunate what happened here. People have a right to protest but it must be done within the ambit of the law. We should not allow criminality to find its way during the protests,” says Shongwe.
SUSPECT IS DUE TO APPEAR BEFORE COURT FOR BUSINESS ROBBERY, POSSESSION OF FIREARM AND AMMUNITION MEANWHILE A MANHUNT HAS BEEN LAUNCHED FOR TWO OTHER SUSPECTS
NELSPRUIT – A 36-year-old man is due to appear before the Amersfoort Magistrate’s Court on allegations of business robbery, possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Meanwhile, members of the South African Police Service in Amersfoort have launched a manhunt for two remaining suspects, in connection with a business robbery that occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, 18 August 2021 at Amersfoort.
According to information reported, police received information about a business robbery in progress at a certain shop, at Zamokuhle location, they were joined by another police officer who was off duty at the time. This member resides around the area and was also alerted about the incident.
Upon arrival they found three suspects, two were on the roof where they (suspects) allegedly gained entry and the other one was still inside the shop. The two on the roof fled when they spotted the police while the remaining suspect reportedly came out from the shop in possession of a firearm in his hand. A shooting then ensued where the suspect was shot and injured. The members further seized the said firearm and ammunition. The suspect was taken to the hospital and is currently under police guard. The court appearance has been set for 02 September 2021. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is investigating the incident.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela has welcomed the arrest of one suspect as well as the confiscation of the firearm and ammunition. The General further ordered that the outstanding suspects be swiftly brought to book.
Police urge anyone with information that may assist them in arresting the other two suspects who are still at large, to contact Detective Sergeant Siphiwe Ndlovu at 072 638 1465 or call the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111. Alternatively, members of the public can send information via MYSAPSAPP. All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.
Mediclinic Highveld is now operating a COVID-19 vaccination centre, providing access for any eligible member of the public who still needs to be vaccinated.
The vaccination centre is operating on an appointment basis, to ensure that those allocated to our facilities by the EVDS system are prioritised and that there is sufficient stock for these individuals. Limited walk-ins will be accepted where EVDS vaccination appointments have not been met. The vaccination centre will operate Monday-Friday, between 08:00 -17:00 and will be offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
As this pandemic continues to progress throughout South Africa, Mediclinic would strongly emphasise the need for the public to protect their own health and the health of others by being vaccinated against COVID-19. Once you are eligible, register yourself for the vaccination and then go to be vaccinated. Vaccination protects against becoming severely ill from the virus, as well as reducing the risk of death. We ask community members to please assist others who need help with registering.
SUSPECT REMANDED IN CUSTODY FOR AN ATTACK ON POLICE OFFICERS
MPUMALANGA – Hezekiel Knowledge Mngono (27) was remanded in custody by the Tonga Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 17 August 2021 after he was arrested by the members of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation in Mpumalanga and Crime Intelligence for murder and attempted murder of police officers on 15 August 2021.
Two police officers were shot while conducting their duties when they unknowingly drove onto a business burglary incident on Monday, 9 August 2021 at Block C in Tonga near Komatipoort. It is alleged that upon noticing the police vehicle, the suspects opened fire and a shootout ensued. Two police constables aged 38 and 42 sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to the hospital for medical attention. Constable Amos Themba (42) succumbed to his injuries on Sunday.
An intelligence-driven operation was conducted which led to the tracing of the suspect’s whereabouts where he was arrested. The case was postponed to 24 August 2021 for further investigation.
The Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Major General Zodwa Mokoena strongly condemned the attack on members in blue. “An attack on police is an attack on the State. We will leave no stone unturned and we will ensure that the remaining suspects are apprehended so that they will face the full might of the law,” said General Mokoena.
Police are urging anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the remaining suspects to contact the investigating officers, Lieutenant Colonel Erhard Stroh on 082 300 8315 or Warrant Officer Mduduzi Motubatse on 072 195 0185 or call the Crime Stop number at 0860010111. Alternatively, information can be sent via MySAPSapp and all the information will be treated with confidentiality.
Geniet nog ‘n aflewering van “So is die Lewe” uit die pen van Marius Britz.
Dit is surrealisties: Kaapstad was berug vir sy druk verkeer in spitstye. Verkeersverslae oor die radio het gereeld gewaarsku dat opeenhopings pendelaars ure kan vertraag. Maar skielik, nou in Covid se verwoestingstog hier in die Kaap, is jou motor om 17:00 die enigste voertuig by die groot interseksie in Adderleystraat. Geboue om jou staan toe-oog en luister na die niksheid van die laatmiddag, na die leë strate, die afwesige karre, die stilte van blêrende toeters.
Die lughawe lyk soos ‘n verlate Wilde-Weste dorpie waar net die geboue agtergebly het, en die mense almal weg is. Daar waar toue reisigers met tasse moes staan, is nou net gespande toue en onbemande toonbanke. Die oorheersende gevoel is eensaamheid.
Ek lees toe bietjie op oor die gevolge van eensaamheid. Kollektiewe eensaamheid, soos die kantoorwerkers van ‘n bepaalde gebou wat nou vanaf die huis werk, en persoonlike eensaamheid is nou ter sprake. Dit is chronies, en dit skep ‘n wesenlike gesondheidsgevaar, sowel psigies as fisies. Dis mos logies, vanselfsprekend, dat abnormale tye abnormale gevolge in mense se lewens kan hê, dink ek toe by myself.
Maar die navorsingsprojek waaroor verslag gedoen word in die artikel wat ek lees, beskryf chroniese eensaamheid as die afwesigheid van betekenisvolle verhoudings met ander, nou ook aangevuur deur die vrees dat die onsigbare virus jou sal betrek as jy enige kontak met mense het, en jou lewe sal neem soos diè van ‘n klomp mense s’n wat jy geken het.
Dit is eintlik ‘n benoudende gedagte: eensaamheid in die vorm van sosiale en emosionele isolasie wat aanhou en aanhou los sy merke op jou menswees. Dis anders as om nou en dan ‘n bietjie alleen en verstote, selfs verlore te voel.
Skrywers en digters sê dit soos dit is. Soos Joseph Conrad: “Who knows what true loneliness is – not the conventional word, but the naked terror?” En Hendrik Maarsman roep uit: “Ek staan alleen / geen / God of mense wat my bestaan betrek in ‘n besielde verband…” Martinus Nijhoff skryf in die gedig De eenzame: “Die maanlig sing my bloed tot danse wakker. / En as ek dans, dans my skaduwee met my – / Skaduwee, my skaduwee, my enigste maker: / Ons dans – kyk, ek is niks meer as jy..”
Sulke isolasie is pynlik. Dit maak seer. Want as jy jouself nie meer as Dasein beleef, in Heideggeriaanse terme nie, maar as ‘n blote skaduwee, is jou totale eksistensie verwater tot blote skaduwee-wees. Iets sonder substansie. ‘n Skaduwee word nie aangeraak nie, word nie geag nie, word nie gehoor nie, word nie in die oë gekyk nie. ‘n Skaduwee maak geen verskil nie, is vlietend, dra nie gesag nie, word maklik verstoot. Dit is jy alleen in die skimme van die maan se halflig sonder die witvuurlig van menslike teenwoordigheid, skryf Wilhelm Jordaan.
Om van sulke intense angs en isolasie te ontsnap, doen mense soms die vreemdste goed. Soos om met byna besete ywer sosiale kontak te soek: Kyk na my, vat aan my, hoor, luister na my! Soos in vele futiele debatte op facebook. Of soos om in die leë winkelsentrums rond te loop, en met wanhoopsoë te kyk na ander eensames wat hulleself doelloos voortsleep. Kerke, waar mense vroeër kon gaan warmte en medelye soek het, het een van die groot slagoffers geword van Covid. Selgroepe, Bybelstudies en sosiale byeenkomstes bestaan nie meer nie. Selfs eredienste word op verskeie plekke afgestel en vervang deur koue, onpersoonlike tegnologie soos Youtube.
Die ironie is dat sulke sosiale samesyn eensaamheid kan verdiep in die vorm van emosionele isolasie, ‘n bevestiging word van ‘n ingrypende en verlammende eensaamheid. Emosionele isolasie is dikwels die bose hart van eensaamheid; juis omdat jy nie tuis voel met jouself nie. Jy word vir jouself ‘n onbekende. Jy weet nie meer wie jy werklik is nie, en wat jy wel van jouself vermoed, is nie noodwendig korrek nie, omdat ander nie daar is om jouself mee te deel nie, so word dit wat jy van jouself dink, tergelykertyd min en gevaarlik.
Bloot omdat daar niemand is om dit mee te deel, en sodoende jou perspektiewe realisties te hou nie. Dit kan helaas ook gebeur in ‘n huwelik, of na aftrede, of wanneer jy verhuis na ‘n vreemde omgewing.
Eensaamheid gaan nie soseer oor ‘n gemis aan ander nie, maar eerstens oor ‘n gemis van jouself. Soos die Afrika-ubuntu filosofie ons leer: “’n mens is mens deur ander mense.” Ek is geisoleerd van wat ek kan en wil wees sonder mense naby aan my. Ek kan slegs dit wees deur ander mense se betrokkenheid in my lewe; liefdevol, met deernis, begrip, humor, stimulerende gespreksgenoot, ‘n waardetoevoeger tot ander se lewens. As jy vir die soveelste keer alleen na jou gesig in die spieël staar, word daar weereens ‘n deeltjie van jou menswees geamputeer.
“Loneliness is such a waste of time,” sing die Staccatos in Cry to me.
ANIMALS 101 – WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND CRUELTY TO ANIMALS BETTER, YOU CAN HELP US ADDRESS THE PROBLEM MORE EFFECTIVELY.
Animals do not have a voice, so we need to be their voices! When was the last time you heard of anyone tuning themselves in for animal abuse? It just doesn’t happen often, if at all.
Preventing animal cruelty is in all of our best interests. Animal cruelty is not only despicable in its own right, but it is often a gateway crime to violence against adults and children. Studies show that children who witness animal abuse are at a greater risk of becoming animal abusers themselves.
Our hearts are shattered every day when we see this cruelty to animals!
We follow the 5 (6) freedoms of animal welfare:
FREEDOM FROM HUNGER & THIRST
FREEDOM FROM PAIN, INJURY, DISEASE
FREEDOM FROM DISCOMFORT
FREEDOM FROM FEAR & DISTRESS
FREEDOM TO EXPRESS NATURAL BEHAVIOURS
OUR HOPE FOR ALL WILDLIFE, TO BE FREE
We are committed to breaking the cycle and to help us stop animal cruelty, you need to understand the problem or how you might be contributing, recognize the signs, report it and help educate others to prevent it.
If you do not work in animal welfare or know someone who does, you probably know very little about what is really going on. What you might see on Facebook and social media is not even the tip of the iceberg. Our hearts break every day for the hurt that is out there. It can be prevented!
The abuse of pets and animal companions is a daily occurrence.
Many animals suffer multiple forms of abuse, with the most common type of abuse being neglect and abandonment.
Cases of animal abuse include neglect, shooting, stabbing, fighting, beating, mutilation, torture, strangulation, rape, cannibalism, burning and poisoning.
Most animal abuse is never reported.
Dogs and cats are the most common victims, but abuse happens among other animal species, including domestic farm animals, wild animals, small pets, birds etc.
Although there are bad people, ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION is a massive problem, especially with cats and dogs . If there were less animals, with enough “good homes”, less animals can land in the wrong hands for abuse.
WHY is there an OVERPOPULATION CRISIS? Because people don’t sterilize their pets, they support breeders and give or sell them to anyone. When animals end in the wrong hands , they pay the ultimate price. There are animal dealers, who easily fool the untrained individual. Do you want to take that risk with the life of a sentient being?
This needs to be addressed through education, sterilization campaigns and stricter breeding regulations. We will rather see a breed go extinct than let them endure the suffering.
This also goes for breeders and pet shops too!
UNKNOWINGLY YOU CAN BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM.
• Breed – there’s no such thing as responsible breeding when we have a massive overpopulation crisis!
• Support breeders (registered or backyard)
• Support pet shops that sell animals
• Support Aquariums
• Support Zoos
• Support Petting farms
• Support wild animal interaction (e.g. rides)
• Support Circuses with animals
• Support unethical hunting practices
• Do not sterilize your pets
• Do not keep them safe
• Let them roam the streets (including cats)
• Support irresponsible organizations
• Do not report cruelty
• Abandon/abuse/neglect any animal
• Give animals away for free
• Use products tested on animals
• Support “free to good home” ads
• Not planning for your pets when you immigrate
• …..the list goes on!
It is easy to unknowingly contribute to the problem.
Next week we will look at how you can recognize the signs of cruelty!
Malboer Steyn won his first pro Fight on Saturday.
Smit Malboer Steyn turned pro on Saturday night when he fought in the EFC Worldwide Championship.
Steyn had a dream debut when he beat British Boloyoang in the Welterweight division in what was labelled as the fight of the night.
Smit Steyn defeated British Boloyoang via KO/TKO at 3:31 of Round 2.
Steyn had the following to say about his opponent at the post-match interview. “I knew he hit hard but didn’t think that it was that hard,” Steyn said laughingly, “Jis daai ou slaan hard!”
“We had a gameplan, we knew that he was going to gass-out since he was from Durban.” he said, “I saw him putting everything into the punches and knew that he will tire so I had to play punching bag for a bit to wait for him to tire out.”
“I saw during the break, over my coaches shoulder, that he was tired and I knew I had him then.” Steyn continued, “My coach did a lot of planning and I am glad that I listened to him.”
Malboer now has one win in the bag as a professional and as a amature was the 2nd ranked of 21 active South Africa Amateur Middleweights. Also ranked at Welterweight (4th)
We are sure that he will go to great heights in his professional career.
MUNICIPALITY OFFICIAL AND TWO OTHERS APPEARED IN COURT FOR RDP HOUSES FRAUD, CORRUPTION, FORGERY, THEFT AND MONEY LAUNDERING
MPUMALANGA – Vusumuzi Phakane (52) Emalahleni Municipality official, Justice Sambo (46) and Caroline Koloane (29) appeared before the Emalahleni Magistrate Court on Friday 13 August 2021, after they were arrested by members of the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team Mpumalanga on Wednesday 13 August 2021 for Fraud, Corruption, Theft, Forgery and Money Laundering.
It is alleged that during October 2020 the accused Phakane who is employed by Municipality as Community Municipal Coordinator had access to information on RDP houses around Emalahleni and colluded with Sambo to sell those houses. The two approached Kgoalane and used her as the advertiser.
The unsuspecting victims would respond to the advert seen on social media and be directed by the syndicate to the Municipality offices to complete the agreement of sale forms.
They would be further advised to go to the lawyers for the agreement and the victims became convinced that the sale is legitimate. They would be told to make the payment into Sambo’s Nedbank account. The syndicate allegedly shared the money amongst themselves.
RDP housesPICTURE Spotong
Whilst the victim occupies the newly purchased house, other victims would also come and produce documents as proof of purchase for the same house. The victims lost approximately R300 000.00
The matter was reported to the Hawks for investigation. During the investigation, it was established that the lawful owners of the houses are still alive. The suspects were linked to the allegations, traced and arrested.
The three suspects appeared in court, Phakane and Kgoalane were released on R10 000 bail each while Sambo was remanded in custody because he has previous convictions. The case was postponed to 20 August 2021 for Sambo’s formal bail applications
The Provincial Head of the Directorate For Priority Crime Investigation Major General Zodwa Mokoena warned the public about the scammers who are unlawfully selling the Government houses. She further reiterated that there is no way that the government houses can be sold. The public is therefore encouraged to report such types of incidents. Major General Mokoena concluded.
