Police launch manhunt for robbery suspect targeting funeral parlours.
NELSPRUIT – The police in Mpumalanga have launched a manhunt for business robbery suspects targeting funeral parlours at Nelspruit and surrounding areas. In all of these parlours, money was taken with the recent robbery taking place on Friday, 03 July 2020, at Kabokweni.
Information revealed that on 30 June 2020, the first funeral parlour was robbed in Nelspruit CBD by two armed suspects. Preliminary investigation suggests that the suspects pounced on an administration clerk who was alone busy with her normal duties. After entering the premises, they demanded money at gunpoint and after taking it, they tied her with cable ties then fled the scene. The victim was eventually freed by security guards who were patrolling the business centre and immediately notified the police.
The second incident also took place in Nelspruit on Wednesday, where again two armed suspects entered the premises and found an administration clerk helping two clients. They threatened her and the clients with firearms then took money belonging to the business as well as from one of the clients.
Before fleeing the scene, the suspects locked the victims at the back of the premises.
The victims managed to free themselves and police were summoned to the scene.
Another funeral parlour was robbed at Kabokweni on Friday 03 July 2020, where employees who were on duty were accosted by two men who entered the business under the false pretence that they desired to sign up for funeral policies. Whilst the administration staff members were busy explaining to the men about various policy options, suddenly these men drew firearms and pointed the employees.
The suspects locked them (employees) in the storeroom, took money then absconded the scene.
The crime threat analysis suggests that these criminals are starting to target funeral parlous judging at the three accounts which all took place within a week and it alarms a serious concern. The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma, has since requested the funeral parlour owners to strengthen their security measures when banking or collecting money from clients. The General has also urged the community to assist police in identifying these unscrupulous criminals.
Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects, is urged to contact Detective Colonel Lisa Sambo on 0824622748, or the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111. A tip-off can also be forwarded to the MYSAPSAPP which can easily be downloaded to any smartphone.
And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
Dankie dat jy vanoggend saam met ons reis en hierdie diens saam ons beleef, ons gebed is dat die Here opnuut ‘n bewustheid van Sy teenwoordigheid by jou sal los.
Ons het ook ‘n Smallville Kinderkerk les vir jou beskikbaar op Smallville se Facebook blad of op Kruik Gemeente se Youtube kanaal.
Maak ‘n finansiële bydrae op 2 verskillende maniere: 1. Gee Aanlyn – Kruik Gemeente, ABSA, Tjek, 632005, Rek nr: 1510140016 2. Gee deur Zapper App – vind ons QR code in die diens aankondigings.
Kontak ons gerus op Kruik Gemeente se Facebook Messenger en Whatsapp lyn (0721336130) of besoek ons webtuiste by: https://www.kruik.co.za/.
ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION PROCESS FOR THE PROPOSED EXPANDING OF TOWNSHIP ESTABLISHMENT AND DEVELOPMENT ON PORTION 7 OF THE FARM DRIEHOEK 572 –IS (A PORTION REMAINDER OF THE FARM DRIEHOEK 572 –IS), WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE GOVAN MBEKI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY AND IN THE TOWN OF SECUNDA , IN LINE WITH THE ISSUED AUTHORISED ENVIRONMENTAL LICENSE –
Notice is hereby given of public meetings as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process for the proposed extended township establishment and development within Secunda as to be known as Extension 74 of which the proposed township establishment will consist of the following:
High & Medium Density Residential Developments –
Institutional Developments –
General Mixed Use Developments –
Low Impact Mixed Use Developments –
Roads Infrastructure Developments –
ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION PROCESS FOR THE PROPOSED EXPANDING OF TOWNSHIP ESTABLISHMENT AND DEVELOPMENT ON PORTION 7 OF THE FARM DRIEHOEK 572
The Public Meetings are scheduled as follow:
VENUE: DE STROOM GUEST LODGE VENUE: DE STROOM GUEST LODGE
2 GERRIT MARRITZ STREET 2 GERRIT MARRITZ STREET
SECUNDA SECUNDA
DATE: 07 July 2020 DATE: 14 July 2019
TIME: 15H30 TIME: 15H30
The purpose of the public meeting sessions is to afford and/or provide all those directly and indirectly affected by the proposed project the opportunity to gain insight and understanding about the project and accordingly provide comments on the Expansion Part of the Basic Assessment and/or Scoping Report –
All interest and/or affected parties ( I&AP’s) and the general public are encouraged to attend the meeting sessions.
The Gift of the Givers foundation visited Bethal area on Wednesday and Thursday. The Muslim community of Bethal joined hands with Afgri Milling as well as Gift of the givers to distribute food to some of the needy people in Bethal and eMzinoni.
Some of the people from the community with their parcels, together with Gift of the Givers and Afgri Milling and SAPS
A thousand food parcels were handed out over the past two days.
Afgri Milling (Philafrica Foods) donated mielie meal while Gift of the Givers supplemented the parcels with tinned food, salt and sugar.
“Philafrica strive to transform the lives of millions of Africans – economically, socially and spiritually through food processing in Africa.” Said Beki Sibanyoni, Ops manager for Afgri Milling, Bethal, “we donate approximately 70 tons a month. This is not just for the lockdown period, but we are going to see if we can continue this going forward.”
On Wednesday most of the food parcels were distributed in the Bethal town area before moving to the refuse dumping area and eventually into some of the homes in eMzinoni. The area around the Mosque is filled with people looking for work to be able to earn an income.
One lucky job seeker was able to secure employment at Afgri Milling when Beki decided to employ one from the group on the street.
Emily Thomas, Project coordinator from Gift of the Givers, said that the problem at the moment is COVID-19. “There is tremendous poverty that accompanies the COVID-19 period. That is the one reason that we as Gift of the Givers were motivated to go to different communities and distribute food parcels.”
“ We were approached by Afgri Milling as they indicated they had mielie meal to donate,” said Emily, “They wanted to distribute the meal into their surrounding areas and asked if we could help with the distribution in Bethal and surrounding areas.”
We felt that as Afgri Milling is donating the bags of meal, so can we add to that extra food,” continued Emily, “so that we can give more than just mielie meal.”
“it is a pleasure to hand out the food,” said Emily, “but it is also heartbreaking.”
Collage of photos of the distribution of parcels
“it is nice to be in partnership with people like Afgri Milling and the Bethal Muslim community and they want to give back to the community,” concluded Emily, “it is a nice feeling when people want to make a difference where they are in their community.”
The Bulletin asked Ahmed Ravat (Imaam at Bethal Town Mosque) about their involvement.
“We witness on a daily basis many skilled personnel coming into town, waiting outside our Mosque gate and on the corners looking for someone to come offer them a job so that they can earn a living for the day and feed their families,” said Ahmed, “Yesterday we reached out and managed to put a smile on these faces when we handed out the food hampers sponsored by Gift of the Givers and Afgri Milling, Bethal.”
Ahmed Ravat (Imaam at Bethal Town Mosque) and his wife Saaleha, Elmarie van Huyssteen from The Bulletin and Beki Sibanyoni from Afgri Milling
Thomas Mogadime, a spokesperson from Bethal Police station also accompanied the team as they distributed the parcels. Thomas quickly gathered the children and gave them some lessons on COVID-19 and hygiene.
Thomas Mogadime talking to the kids
The Bulletin hope to bring you more news of Gift of the Givers as they progress to Ermelo next.
The Gift of the Givers Foundation is the largest disaster response non-governmental organisation of African origin on the African continent. The essence of our presence is to bring hope and restore dignity to the most vulnerable.
Beki (left) and Charles (right) from Afgri Milling with the luck man that were employed by Afgri Milling
On their website they write the following on Hunger Alleviation:
Backing the global fight against hunger, our aim is to contribute tellingly in the quest to save the lives of the starving and malnourished – human or animal.
From serving a warm plate of food to a starving child to providing vital feed for cattle suffering the result of drought, and from distributing vital supplies to families living in war zones to feeding people displaced by natural disasters, we work tirelessly to ensure those in need are freed from hunger.
Apart from such short-term assistance, we continuously search for and deliver effective solutions, designed to give effect to long-term change, developing and implementing small-scale self-help agricultural projects within needy communities, empowering them to improve food security levels.
In addition, we continue making available our protein-based Sibusiso Food Supplement, the world’s first groundnut high-energy and protein supplement, which requires no refrigeration. The product, innovated by ourselves, is ideal as a disaster-relief foodstuff and is provided to people who are – as a result of disaster displacement – rendered sub-clinically malnourished.
Philafrica Foods writes this about Who They Are:
OUR VISION
To transform the lives of millions of Africans – economically, socially and spiritually through food processing in Africa.
OUR MISSION
To unlock the potential of African agriculture through food processing, sourcing directly from smallholder farmers, and actively investing in new markets across the continent.
OUR APPROACH
We believe that the most effective way to transform agriculture on the African continent is to create market pull through large-scale food processing. However, to do this well, we believe it’s critical to support each stage of the value chain and care for all stakeholders involved. This can only be achieved through vertical integration all the way back to the farm gate. It also means working closely with smallholder farmers on crop variety improvement and technical assistance to enhance efficiency on the farm and the quality of produce.
Visitors to Graceland should take note that certain restrictions will apply due to the COVID-19 regulations. These restrictions are enforced in all areas of Graceland.
Graceland’s 4-star hotel opened on July 1st. The hotel will cater to those that are on business as well as leisure accommodation for those that reside within Mpumalanga.
The Golf course opened a short while ago and golfers are allowed to play their favourite sport.
Franz Kafka (1883-1924) was ‘n Duitse skrywer wat ‘n groot invloed in die twintigste-eeuse letterkunde gehad het. Hy was nooit getroud nie, en het geen kinders gehad nie. Op ‘n keer het hy in die Stegliz Stadspark, in Berlyn gestap, toe hy ‘n dogtertjie teëkom wat sit en huil omdat sy haar gunsteling pop verloor het. Kafka het toe saam met haar oral gesoek na die pop, maar dit was tevergeefs.
Hy sê toe vir die dogtertjie om hom die volgende dag weer in die park te kry, sodat hulle verder kon soek. Die volgende dag, nadat hulle weereens tevergeefs gesoek het, het Kafka aan die meisie gesê dat hy ‘n pop-posmeester is, en vir haar briewe sal bring van die pop af. Hy het vir haar toe ‘n “brief” gegee wat hy namens die pop geskryf het: “Moet asseblief nie huil nie. Ek het op ‘n reis om die wêreld gegaan om te sien hoe dit lyk. Ek sal jou alles vertel van my avonture.” Dit het ‘n groot mate van troos vir die kind gebring.
Kafka gesels met die dogtertjie
So het ‘n lang verhaal begin wat sou voortduur tot aan die einde van Kafka se lewe. Wanneer hy en die dogtertjie bymekaar gekom het, het Kafka die denkbeeldige briewe van die pop, wat hyself geskryf het, aan die meisie voorgelees, vol avonture en gesprekke wat vir die dogtertjie baie fassinerend was. Uiteindelik het Kafka ‘n pop gekoop, en vir die meisie gesê dat dit haar pop is wat teruggekeer het Berlyn toe. Sy het gereageer: “Dit lyk glad nie soos my pop nie!” Kafka het toe nog ‘n brief aan die dogtertjie gegee, waarop geskryf staan: “My reise het my verander.” Die dogtertjie was tevrede, en het die pop gedruk en huis toe gevat.
‘n Jaar later is Kafka oorlede. Baie jare na sy dood het die dogtertjie, wat toe ‘n volwasse vrou was, ‘n brief binne-in die pop ontdek. Op die klein briefie, onderteken deur Kafka, was geskryf: “Alles wat jy liefhet sal waarskynlik verlore gaan, maar, aan die einde, sal liefde terugkom op ‘n ander manier.”
Toe ek die eerste keer hierdie gebeure gelees het, het dit my diep geraak. Met die navorsing oor die egtheid van die verhaal, het een person opgemerk dat dit ‘n genesende storie is. Dit is ‘n bloudruk vir mense wat seergekry het. Sosiale media is deesdae ‘n uitstekende voorbeeld van mense wat in die jaar 2020 seergekry het.
Seer op maniere wat ses maande gelede ondenkbaar was, byna distopies. Baie besighede het ondergegaan, mense het hulle werk verloor, daar is die alomteenwoordige gevaar van Covid 19- virusinfeksies wat elke dag nog eskaleer, en uiteindelik twee effekte het: aan die een kant ‘n uiterste traak-my-nie-agtigheid waar mense alle voorskrifte rondom sosiale isolasie ignoreer, en bykans roekeloos leef soos altyd.
Aan die ander kant is daar vele mense wat total vereensaam geraak het, en angsbevange is om selfs die mees noodsaaklike rit na ‘n kruidenierswarewinkel toe aan te pak. Daar is ook ander ontstellende uitwasse van ons onnatuurlike tyd: goter haatspraak en geweld as ooit tevore, en onsekerheid by alle inwoners van ons land. Gebeure in Amerika het ook gelei tot ongekende optredes deur massas opgesweepte mense reg oor die wêreld.
Die onderliggende van al hierdie dinge, meen ek, is dat die eksterne druk van alles wat nou gebeur, uiteindelik die stoompotte van baie mense lewens laat oorkook. Vele is vasgevang in ‘n rouproses, en dis meer as die rou oor ‘n geliefde wat gesterf het. Baie van die negatiewe emosies en gebeure van vandag is waarskynlik die mees ekstreme manifestasie van ‘n rouproses.
Die Duitste eksistensiefilosoof Karl Jaspers het gesê dat mens jou hele lewe beplan soos ‘n skip wat op ‘n vaart gaan, sorgvuldig alles karteer wat jy moet vermy. Maar dan gebeur dinge wat jy nie voorsien het nie, en geen beheer oor het nie. So loop menige lewensskepe op die rotse. Dood, egskeiding, verlies, mislukking. Finansiële rampspoed. Noem maar op.
Jaspers meen dat daar in sulke omstandighede slegs drie opsies oorbly: om te lag, om te huil, of om van voor af te beplan. In die verhaal van Kafka is daar diepgaande rou van ‘n klein dogtertjie oor die verlies van iets baie kosbaars. So het hy die wonderlike stories geskryf oor die reise van die pop, om die seer van die dogtertjie aan te spreek, of, in die woorde van Jaspers, haar te lei om die onverwagte gebeure te aanvaar, en die verlies te heroordink. Daar word geskryf dat Kafka net soveel tyd en moeite in hierdie briewe gesit het, as in in al sy ander groot werke.
Die gevoel van verlies in ons tyd is universeel. Dit kan jou laat met woede, bitterheid en skaamte. Isolasie maak die ervaring van hierdie gevoelens meer intens. Soveel mense is vereensaam, afgesonder van familie en vriende., Veral bejaarde mense beleef dit intens. Die skrywer Elsa Joubert wat so ruk terug oorlede is, juis aan Covid-19, het so maand voor haar dood ‘n roerende brief geskryf in die Burger waarin sy pleit dat daar begrip moet wees vir bejaardes wat nie hulle kinders mag sien nie, en ook nie so gemaklik is met die gebruik van sosiale media nie. Negatiewe ervarings is die erflating van isolasie.
Soos Kafka geskryf het, is liefde wat terugkom al sekerheid wat ons kan hê in onseker tye. Sy aandag aan die meisie, en die moeite wat hy gedoen het om die pop se “reise” te beskryf, was op die oog af nie veel werd nie. Maar vir daardie dogtertjie was dit alles, die baken van lig in die donkerte van verlies. Iemand wat genoeg omgegee het om haar emosies aan te spreek met die wonderlikste stories.
Te midde van alle onsekerheid, kan jy weet: die een ding wat nooit leë hande terugkom nie, is liefde. Planne en drome kan opraak, middelle soos finansies en gesondheid kan opraak, hoop kan versluier word. Maar liefde kom altyd terug. Al is dit huidig vir jou onsigbaar. Gee dit, en neem dit. Vat jou kaart, gaan herbeplan jou roete. Moenie vassteek by lag of huil nie.
All communities serviced by the Charl Cilliers police station are advised that this police station has been temporarily closed due to one of its members at the Community Service Centre who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus yesterday, 29 June 2020.
The Community Service Centre will now be operated at the Multi-Purpose Centre premises which is not far from the police station for the convenience of the community, approximately 600 meters from the station to be precise.
To access the station, the community can call 0824944756 for all emergencies and complaints which will be attended accordingly.
The telephone lines at Charl Cilliers police station Community Service Centre will not be accessible for the duration of the closure.
However, service delivery will not be hampered.
The building will be decontaminated and services will resume normally at the station on Thursday, 02 July 2020.
A 29-year-old man has been remanded in custody today in connection with the rape of two young women aged between 15 and 22.
The victims were allegedly raped by the same suspect in two separate occasions at Vezubuhle near Kwamhlanga on 21 and 26 June 2020 respectively.
The investigation has revealed that the suspect would lure his victims on social media platforms by sending friend requests and once they befriend him, he would constantly chat with them for few days before inviting them to his place.
It surfaced that the suspect asked his first victim to accompany him to an event as a date. When she went to his place, he welcomed her politely and invited her to his room.
As soon as she entered, he allegedly took out a firearm and instructed her to undress, assaulted her then raped her.
This matter was reported to the police who opened a case of rape.
The second victim suffered the same ordeal and police investigated both matters.
Through analysis, police concluded that they were dealing with a serial rapist using social media to prey on his victims.
The police followed leads and pounced on the suspect at his place of residence.
Whilst concentrating on the rape investigation, police also cracked an unresolved case of murder which occurred in May 2020.
On that day, a lifeless body of 28-year-old Nonhlanhla Happy Maseko was discovered dumped under the bridge on the R573 road at Vezubuhle near Kwamhlanga.
At that time when the body was discovered, the suspect was unknown.
However, the investigation has now uncovered that the suspect on the murder of Maseko, is the same suspect who allegedly raped the two victims.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma, has applauded the members for the sterling work done.
“We are very happy with the good work done by the members who did not leave any stone unturned. This arrest shows that SAPS is very serious in dealing with the scourge of Gender-Based-Violence and our systems as government are ready to ensure that justice is served for scores of women who have been victimised by men,” said General Zuma.
General Zuma
The suspect has appeared before the Kwamhlanga Magistrate’s Court on 29 June and his cases were postponed to 13 July 2020, for formal bail application.
The Carolina Magistrate’s Court has on 25 June 2020, sentenced 30-year-old Linda Prince Mabuza to an effective three years imprisonment for contravening a protection order.
The sentence comes at a time where there is a public outcry regarding domestic violence incidents where women suffer tremendously at the hands of abusive men and unfortunately many women have been brutally murdered.
In an effort to remedy the situation, the government has put in place systems to curb this scourge, which a protection order being one of them.
Mabuza was penalised for not adhering to the conditions spelled out in the protection order which was issued against his name by assaulting the mother of his two children and police did not hesitate to lock him up.
The sequence of events depicts how Mabuza on 27 October 2018, when returning his two children to their mother after they visited him, got embroiled in an aggressive argument with the mother of his children that led to the assault.
During trial, the court emphasised that Gender Based Violence is a felony and there has been a demand for justice to deal harshly with those who have long claws, shamefully perpetuating Gender Based Violence.
The court concluded that Mabuza did not respect the court and for his actions, deserved to be punished to deter others.
On the same note, the Provincial Commissioner of the police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma indicated that victims of Domestic Violence, should be equipped with knowledge to understand the existence of the protection order and its functions.
“A protection order can be instituted against blood related members for example, boyfriends/girlfriends, husbands/wives as well as children/parents.
The process of applying for a protection order starts at the police station where the victim will be given forms to complete, however if the victim has been assaulted, he/she can either opt to register a criminal case docket, apply for a protection order or even do both.
The forms which are completed at the police station, are then taken to court where an interim order in three copies will be granted to the plaintiff, one to be filed at the police station, the other will be kept by the victim then the last copy is to be served to the defendant.
The interim order has a date when the plaintiff as well as the defendant should meet at court where both parties will be offered an opportunity to contest against each other on the reasons contemplated by the plaintiff.
Should the court rule in favour of the plaintiff, a final order will be issued again in three copies and the same procedure as in the case of the interim order will unfold.
However, at this stage a warrant of arrest will accompany the final order.
The police have a responsibility to accompany the plaintiff when serving the interim or the final order to the defendant.
The final court order will remain active unless otherwise changed by the plaintiff,” said General Zuma.
He further indicated that the most challenges often encountered by police, is the withdrawal of cases by plaintiffs where in a court order has been issued against the alleged perpetrator.
He said that what the victims should know is that when he/she withdraws a case which has a court order, which means you nullifies the existence of it.
In that way, if you are threatened in any possible way, you will be required to restart the whole process.
He explains further about the benefits of this process that, if the final order has not been instituted, the suspect can still be arrested during the stage of an interim order.
Therefore, the victims should acclimatise themselves with these processes as it is a measure by government to stop Gender Based Violence. Victims of circumstances must not hesitate to report those who are violating their rights to the police.
“There are instances where women are battered by their partners and some are left crippled or died gruesomely. The community must refrain from holding unlawful family courts whereas someone has been severely injured,” said General Zuma.
General Zuma concluded, he indicated that the sentencing of Mabuza is welcomed as it shows that the victim stayed put until the end of the case and we request other victims to do the same.
“I am delighted by the sentencing of this accused and I admire the bravery of the victim, work done by the team of investigators, the Prosecution team as well as the Judiciary. This is a step towards the realisation of a safe environment for children and women in our society. We believe that the sentence will serve as a deterrent to those who violate Protection Orders.
This sentencing has come amidst a flood of Gender Based Violence incidents where women are severely assaulted, some were even killed by their spouses or boyfriends. We urge men to desist from perpetuating violence against women. Let there be tolerance amongst couples and if there are differences, try to seek help. Do not die with a protection order in your house, report the perpetrator to the police,” said General Zuma.
