Bethal: On Thursday 2020-06-25 at about 14h30, police at Bethal received a complaint regarding a state vehicle involved in an accident on the N17.
The overturned SAPS bakkie
The police reacted swiftly to the complaint and upon arrival on the accident scene, they found the SAPS bakkie overturned with detainees which were transported from Kriel Magistrates court to Bethal Correctional Centre next to Total garage.
According to the information available at police disposal, the driver of the police bakkie lost control of the vehicle while avoiding a head-on collision with another vehicle coming from a different direction.
All role players including Mpumalanga Provincial Traffic, Govan Mbeki Local Traffic, Govan Mbeki Fire and Rescue and Bethal SAPS Detective Unit were summoned to the scene.
During the accident, one detainee sustained serious head injuries and six sustained slight injuries. Two police officers also sustained slight injuries.
The Mpumalanga Emergency Service from Bethal attended the scene and rendered medical assistance to injured detainees and transported them to Bethal hospital.
The police in Mpumalanga are warning the public to avoid falling prey to various social media scams as there is an upsurge of criminality involving social media platforms.
During this period, a number of people experienced difficult economic challenges in their lives and this situation presented a window of opportunity for criminals to look for available measures with a view to scam unsuspecting individuals of their hard earned cash.
Criminals would take any available opportunity and use social media to their advantage to lure victims and swindle their cash.
The police have been warning people to be vigilant about these social media criminals who pose themselves as potential employers or salespersons selling under false pretences on social media.
This comes after victims of social media came forward to report incidents in which charlatans conned them.
Reports suggested that victims would be encouraged to deposit cash into these bogus employers or fake sales representatives accounts.
To mention a few examples, on 23 June 2020, a 60-year-old pensioner narrated on how he was lured into parting with his cash to the tune of about nineteen thousand and two hundred Rand (R19200-00) after following a man that he met on Facebook claiming to be from a certain poultry farm.
The suspect was using social media platforms to advertise a herd of cattle as well as a number of sheep.
The complainant developed a keen interest in purchasing six cows as well as two sheep from the man, unbeknownst to him that he was being lured into a trap.
The scammer falsely advised the victim to transfer an upfront deposit of nineteen thousand and two hundred Rand, whilst the remainder was to be settled on delivery of the stock.
The victim faithfully honoured the agreement and duly transferred the amount agreed upon in two separate transactions, one on 1 June 2020, whilst the second transaction was made on 3 June 2020.
The victim called the suspect to confirm receipt of the deposit, to which the suspect agreed.
The suspect further informed the victim that he was getting the stock ready for delivery on the following business day, which turned out to be false.
Numerous attempts by the victim to locate the suspect did not yield positive results and that is when he realised that he has been scammed.
After exhausting all his endeavours to hold the suspect accountable for his deed, the complainant resorted to opening a case with the police at Elukwatini SAPS.
In a separate incident, another victim responded to a promise of a job offer from a State Owned Entity which was advertised by a bogus representative, was tricked to deposit an amount of four thousand six hundred Rand (R 4600).
Apparently, the 28-year-old victim responded to the bogus job advertisement on the suspect’s Facebook page and paid the requested amount on 5 May 2020.
When the victim tried to get hold of the job advertiser in order to confirm receipt of the money deposited, the man requested the victim to deposit a further three thousand Rand (R3000-00) for administration purposes and that was when it dawned on the complainant.
The complainant tried to call the suspect on the following day, 6 May 2020, but his phone rang unanswered and the complainant decided to open a case of fraud on 23 June 2020, also at Elukwatini.
Police would like to warn members of the community to desist from paying money to dubious people who promise them lucrative favours in a form of employment or business deals because there are no jobs for sale.
Legitimate job opportunities do not require an upfront payment for administration purposes or any other means.
The police take this opportunity to categorically condemn the tendencies of these criminals as it is evil and often rob victims of their last cent.
Lieutenant General Zuma has weighed in the warning and advised the public to be very vigilant of various scams that aim at robbing them of their cash and property.
Lieutenant General Zuma
The General has further urged the community to refrain from making agreements through social media and pledge to make cash transactions into accounts of strangers.
“Criminals are taking an advantage of the vulnerability of our people and often use media platforms to ignite some kind of excitement that would be characterised by empty promises. Being excited about the good things that comes with technology, people should not forget of the agonising outcomes that they might experience when they decide to take risks with their cash. This can end up in sobbing stories for the victims so people should always be vigilant,” said General Zuma.
Wednesday, 24 June 2020: Eskom wishes to appeal to the public to continue reducing electricity consumption during the peak hours tonight as the generation system is currently constrained.
While some generation units were returned to service last night, breakdowns occurred at a further two generation units today.
Eskom’s teams are working hard to return to service the two units that tripped today at Medupi and Matimba power stations, adding to the breakdowns and taking off a unit to deal with emissions requirements at Kendal, Majuba and Lethabo yesterday.
While the system remains constrained, we hope to avoid load shedding, with the help of the people of South Africa.
Police in Mpumalanga appeal for an urgent assistance in locating the family of a 70 year old man known as Letholo Albert Ramafume. There is a matter that the police would like to discuss with the family relating to Ramafume.
According to the information available to the police, the elderly man came to Low’s Creek Esperado Farm in Mpumalanga around 2012 and he became known to Miss Phumzile Milazi as well as Miss Nomanesi Nkosi.
The two women diligently looked after the pensioner.
Ramafume did not reveal much to the two ladies about the exact area where he originates from but only shared that he is from Limpopo province.
The old man further indicated that he also stayed at Sternto Farm at Malelane before moving to Low’s Creek.
Ramafume has been staying in Low’s Creek ever since.
Anyone who can assist in locating his family or anyone who might know the whereabouts of Ramafume’s family can contact the Low’s Creek police on 013-710 0111.
Alternatively, Ms Phumzile Milazi can be contacted at 0715052169 or Ms Nomanesi Nkosi on 0769154917.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma has strongly warned the community to refrain from committing acts of mob justice.
The warning of General Zuma comes in the wake of an incident where a 33-year-old man was brutally killed at Mahushu Trust in Masoyi, apparently by three people accusing him of stealing.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, 23 June 2020 and three suspects have been arrested today in connection with the murder.
This mob justice was reported to the police on the same day whereupon their arrival at the scene, they found the victim severely assaulted.
The police then summoned medical personnel who on arrival, certified the victim dead as a result, the police opened a murder case hence the arrest of a 28-year-old woman as well as two men, both aged 29.
Preliminary investigation has currently revealed that the victim was suspected by the trio to have stolen properties from their house. They then allegedly assaulted him until he died.
Lieutenant General Zuma has condemned this incident and called on members of the public to report criminal activities to the lawful authorities rather than taking the law into their own hands.
Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma
“People who engage in mob justice should know that the law will definitely be after them. There is nobody who is above the law despite whatever grievances one might have, you cannot be law unto yourself. We encourage communities to join structures such as the Community Police Forums (CPF’s) and work together with their local Traditional Leadership with a clear mandate of addressing crime. We hope the arrest of the suspects will send a clear message to those who might engage in acts of mob justice that regardless of who they are, they will be locked up. Acts of mob justice are acts of criminally that’s all,” said General Zuma.
Rand Water is a proud partner of the Department of Basic Education’s national return to school programme and to ensure safe and clean water for those school communities in need.
Rand Water was appointed as the Implementing Agent, after an Implementation Protocol between ourselves and the Departments of Basic Education (DBE) and Water and Sanitation (DWS) was finalised on 13 May 2020.
The Implementation Protocol is per the Intergovernmental Relations Act, 2005 (Act No 13 of 2005).
We have noted with concern the misinformation quoted in media articles as well as on social media platforms exaggerating the supplier costs for water tanks used during the intervention.
It is important to note that all the service providers that were contracted as part of this intervention are accredited vendors registered on the National Treasury’s Central Supplier Database (CSD).
The CSD is a database of organisations, institutions and individuals who can provide goods and services to government.
It is the single source of key supplier information for organs of state since April 2016, and it provides consolidated, accurate, up-to-date, complete and verified supplier information to procuring organs of state.
All the costs for the successful implementation of the intervention fall well within the market price range for the equipment and installation costs utilised for the intervention.
The costs are as follow:
The cost for the supply of a 5000 litre tank ranged between R 4 500.00 and R 5 400.00.
The cost for the supply of a 10 000 litre tank ranged between R 9 000.00 and R 10 800.00.
The Implementation Protocol has a contractual value of R 600 million to be payable by the DBE to Rand Water.
To date the DBE has transferred an amount of R 200 million to Rand Water.
The Implementation Protocol is for Rand Water to supply and install water tanks and to provide water-cutting services to the respective schools during the declared national disaster period.
An important second phase of the intervention is the construction of sustainable water sources for the schools through borehole drilling and pumping, as well as the establishment of reticulation systems to the closest source of water wherever possible.
Gabriëlla Stemmet, ‘n Graad 8 – leerling van Hoërskool Secunda, het bewys dat sy ‘n gebore spreker is en het haar talente beslis nie onder ‘n maatemmer weg gesteek tydens die grendeltyd nie. Sy het aan die Con Spirito Kunstefees deelgeneem.
Gabriëlla Stemmet
Sy presteer soos volg:
Afrikaans Huistaal Redenaars: A+++
Engels Tweede Taal Redenaar A++
Afrikaans Lees A++
English Reading A++
Sy dring deur na die Nasionale Forte rondte in Afrikaans Redenaars en English Reading.
JP Nel het die meeste van sy krieketagtergrond in Gauteng behaal waar hy op skoolvlak klubkrieket gespeel in die Primier A liga gekolf en boul het. Hier is hy dan ook vir die Wes-Rand span gekies.
Op die Puk, tydens sy studentejare het hy in sy vrye tyd koshuiskrieket gespeel het en toe ook vir die NWU Pukke krieket gespeel.
Na Universiteit het hy in Gauteng skool gehou en sportorganisering en Krieketafrigting gedoen het.
Hy het by skole waar in 3 jaar geen krieket aangebied was nie, ‘n nuwe krieketliefde aangewakker en spanne begin.
JP Nel is Hoërskool Oosterland se nuwe krieketafrigter
Visie en missie:
“My visie as afrigter- en krieketorganiseerder is om elke krieketspeler nie net te verbeter op die veld nie maar ook van die veld af.
Respek en dissipline is waardevolle eienskappe wat ek in al my spelers wil inburger.
Oosterland staan as een van die beste krieket-skole in die distrik bekend – ons het goeie kwalitiet afrigters en ‘n krieketakademie waar daar opleiding gegee word.
Daar is ook nabetragting-sessies om elke kind te verbeter en kliniekure waarin persoonlike ontwikkeling kan geskied.
Krieket by Oosterland is nie net ‘n sport nie, maar vorm deel van ‘n positiewe inset totdat elke speler se sy potensiaal kan bereik.”
Laerskool Secunda het sy deure in 1978 vir die eerste keer geopen as die eerste laerskool in Secunda. Dit is ‘n skool waar kinders welkom is én voel: ELKE KIND MAAK SAAK, want elke kind is ‘n wenner!
As ‘n laerskool wat Christelike waardes nastreef glo ons dat ‘n Christelike grondslag van kardinale belang is. Dit dra by tot al die sukses wat hierdie skool reeds bereik het én nog gaan bereik.
Laerskool Secunda is ‘n Afrikaansmedium skool wat met uitnemendheid daarna streef om gelukkige, gebalanseerde kinders, ouers en onderwysers in moderne onderwys daar te stel.
Dit is ‘n skool wat omgee vir die leerders, ouers en personeel, asook die breër gemeenskap, borge en alle belangegroepe.
By Laerskool Secunda leer ons kinders hard, maar hulle speel nét so hard! Akademiese sukses is ons topprioriteit. Sport-, kultuur- en sosialeontwikkeling geniet aandag deur middel van passievolle, gekwalifiseerde personeel.
‘n Wenresep vir enige suksesverhaal is eerstens samewerking tussen onderwysers en ouers. Laerskool Secunda se personeel werk saam met u as ouer om u kind op te bou, te ondersteun en positief te kry teenoor hul skool, klasmaats en die gemeenskap as ‘n geheel.
The Provincial Commissioner of South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma has raised concerns regarding several incidents where young girls were allegedly raped by their fathers.
In an incident that occurred at Kabokweni yesterday morning, a one year and eight month old toddler was allegedly raped by her 35-year-old biological father.
The matter was immediately reported to the police, who swiftly arrested the man.
He is expected to appear at the Kabokweni Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, 24 June 2020, on a charge of rape. At this stage, the matter is still under intense investigation and not much can be divulged.
Meanwhile, a 13-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her 36-year-old stepfather yesterday evening at Schoemansdal.
Reports indicated that the girl complained that she was not feeling well and she was taken to a local clinic whereupon medical examination, it was confirmed that she had been raped.
The matter was reported to the police and a case of rape was opened.
Police started with the investigation where they swiftly arrested the suspect on the same day the matter was reported. He is expected to appear at the Tonga Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, Wednesday 24 June 2020 facing charges of rape.
In another incident, which occurred at Bushbuckridge between March and June 2020, a 13-year-old girl became a victim of statutory rape involving a 35-year-old man she was apparently in a relationship with.
Information revealed that the girl’s mother tried several times to fetch her daughter from the man’s house but she’d always go back.
The matter was reported to the police following the mother’s several attempts to get her daughter back.
A case of Statutory Rape was opened and preliminary investigations have since revealed that the man had been living with the girl at Health Centre Trust near Bushbuckridge since March 2020. The suspect was arrested today, 23 June 2020 and is expected to appear at the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, Wednesday 24 June 2020.
The Provincial Commissioner of South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Zuma has expressed his disappointment, as these men were supposed to play a father-figure role to the young girls but instead took advantage and violated them.
Provincial Commissioner of South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma
“Everyone is encouraged to take a stand against the plight of children; hence we will do everything in our power to make sure that all these suspects face the full might of the law. We urge the investigation team, the Prosecution team as well as the Judiciary to ensure that justice is served in these cases involving the young girls whose future has been crushed by these suspects,” said General Zuma.
