Campus turns into battlefield....

March 31 2011 

The sounds of screaming students and rubber bullets being discharged echoed through the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Westville campus as students clashed with police on Wednesday. 

The chaos resulted in scores of students being injured and in need of treatment - after police fired rubber bullets and threw tear gas at them - and in the disruption of lectures. 

On Thursday, UKZN would finalise an interim interdict preventing the students from striking on any of the university’s five campuses.

The campus resembled a battlefield as police in riot gear maintained a tight grip on rioting students. Protesting students barricaded two of the three entrances to the campus, hurling rocks and glass bottles at the police, and torching fridges. 

Students confined to their residences watched the action unfold through their windows. Vehicles seeking entry to the university were turned back by security personnel.

“We had to go through the bush because police shot at us (while we were walking on the road),” said student Sindisiwe Goqa. 

“There are stones being hurled at police on this side and rubber bullets being shot at students on that side. It’s hectic. It’s a good thing that security is insisting that people leave their cars at the gate because once you get in, you can’t get out,” she said. 

Police Lieutenant-Colonel Vincent Mdunge said eight students were injured by rubber bullets and stones thrown by protesters.

Police arrested and charged 49 students with public violence. Nine police vans were damaged. 

“Students damaged police cars and university property. Public-order police were called in as reinforcements. We were forced to use rubber bullets. We will deploy officers (at the campus) until the situation has normalised,” said Mdunge. 

Financial aid is at the centre of the unrest. Central students’ representative council general secretary Thulisa Ndlela said UKZN had decided to discontinue the “gap loan” scheme, affecting more than 2 000 students who relied on it. 

UKZN spokeswoman Nomonde Mbadi said money from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme was not sufficient to meet the demand and UKZN had supplemented these funds for several years. She said UKZN had committed R18.6 million to augment the financial aid scheme this year, bringing its total funding for student loans to R300m. Included in this were “gap loans” of approximately R125m, which helped students who received partial financial packages from the financial aid scheme. 

“These debts are growing and are now affecting the financial standing of the university, to the extent that the financial aid scheme has been unsuccessful in recovering these loans timeously on behalf of the university,” said Mbadi. 

A Mercury journalist and photographer were shot at by two policemen while making their way into the campus, and were barred by officers from taking pictures. The Mercury also saw about five policemen firing rubber bullets at students standing outside a residence. 

The police also fired on students at the Oval Residence, shooting and injuring scores, with two men being shot and wounded in their genitals. 

At Addington Hospital’s trauma unit last night, injured students lay in beds and several waited in an adjoining room to be treated. Policemen hovered in the corridors, waiting to arrest the students. 

http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/campus-turns-into-battlefield-1.1050125 

Motorists steal cyclist’s bike....

March 31 2011

A cyclist riding along a quiet road in Paarl was knocked down by a vehicle whose occupants fled with his bike. 

Rodney Kitching, 46, said he was riding his bicycle along Brug Street in Vrykyk just before 6am on Wednesday when he noticed a Silver Grey Audi A3 parked outside a house on a new development along the road. 

Kitching was on his way to join his cycling group which rides every morning along Brug Street.

After Kitching tried to look closely at the car while riding past, it drove past him. A few minutes later the car returned. 

“They were really driving fast this time,” Kitching said. 

He said they went straight at him and tried to push him out of the way. Kitching tried to swerve and rode closer to the pavement but the “bike was too close to the car”. 

“They hit me and I landed on the car, bounced over the roof and landed on the ground. I was so shocked that I didn’t even have time to take down the registration number.” 

While Kitching was still on the ground, the vehicle raced down Brug Street and turned around and came at him again. He got up and picked his bike. 

He started running and two young men got out of the car and chased him. He dropped his bike and jumped over a wall and banged on the front door of a house on the road. 

When the owners came out, the two men took Kitching’s bike and fled in their car.

He escaped with only a cut on his left leg. Kitching said that he had lodged a complaint at the Paarl police station. 

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/motorists-steal-cyclist-s-bike-1.1050212 

1 000+ public servants in KZN face action

2011-03-31 

Durban - More than 1 000 public servants in KwaZulu-Natal are facing disciplinary action for fraud, theft, social grant abuse, misuse of state property, insubordination, absenteeism, sexual harassment, assault and being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

These details were presented by Premier Zweli Mkhize in the legislature on Wednesday in response to a parliamentary question by the Inkatha Freedom Party.

The three departments with the highest number of transgressions are health (556), education (443) and transport (96).

Mkhize said investigations into the cases should have been completed within three months, but 331 cases have taken longer because of delays in the investigation process, contestation or cost-cutting measures.

He said steps are being taken to eliminate the delays.

The IFP’s Roman Liptak said it is not good enough that only 88 out of 909 cases have led to officials being suspended and that none are facing civil or criminal action.

A reason for the delays is that some departments do not have enough presiding officers to deal with cases, he said.

Education, for example, has only 10 officers.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/1-000-public-servants-in-KZN-face-action-20110330

Right-wing leader warns of bloodshed....

2011-03-31 

Kimberley - Former AWB leader André Visagie said that due to an increase in farm murders, the "ANC should take what is coming their way".

Visagie, leader of the Geloftevolk republicans, was speaking shortly after appearing at Kimberley Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, on charges of unlawful firearms and ammunition possession.

The right-wing leader also mentioned "revenge attacks".

Visagie was released on bail of R10 000 after being arrested at his home on Tuesday. His home in Heuwelsig was searched by several police units.

According to national police spokesperson Colonel Vushnu Naidoo, police seized 14 suspected stolen cellphones, two laptops, one personal computer, about 650 rounds of ammunition of various calibres, five homemade shotguns, one unlicensed 9mm pistol, one cellphone modified in such a way that it could be used as a remotely activated detonator for an improvised explosive device, several samples of possible explosives, gunpowder and a number of documents.

Revenge attacks

In a statement released on Wednesday by the office of the Geloftevolk republicans, sent by Visagie via email, he said the organisation warned last year if farm murders didn't decrease, his leaders would not dissuade members from taking revenge attacks.

"There were warnings recently by the leader of the Lion brigade (Leeubrigade) that a second Blood River was on its way and is being ignored by government. Therefore the ANC has to take what is coming their way," read the statement.

The Lion brigade is another right-wing organisation, which warned in a video on the newspaper Sondag's website that blood would flow.

Visagie was released on condition that he reported every Monday at the Kimberley police station. He was also not allowed to leave the Kimberley and Jacobsdal districts without permission from the investigating officer.

Magistrate Lunga Mbetane postponed the matter to May 20. The prosecutor was advocate Sean Abrahams of the National Prosecuting Authority. Visagie was represented by advocate Sakkie Nel.

Visagie made news last year when he appeared on e.tv's Africa 360 programme and stormed out during a debate with political commentator Lebohang Pheko.

  
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Right-wing-leader-warns-of-bloodshed-20110331 

Lights out on highway as Eskom not paid: DA

Lights out on highway as Eskom not paid....

Mar 31, 2011

Lights on the M1 highway from northern Johannesburg to Midrand have been out for more than eight months because Gauteng province has not paid Eskom.

Johannesburg DA Councillor Marcelle Ravid says he’s complained about this repeatedly. 

He says he was recently informed by an official at Johannesburg’s Region E that provincial government is to blame as they had not paid for electricity for the provincial section of the M1. 

“It’s highly dangerous driving on this road at night without the lights. I really fear that a bad accident will happen because of this. They were on briefly during the Soccer World Cup, but have been off ever since” said Ravid. 

The DA says its’ Gauteng Transport Spokesman Neil Campbell will be asking questions about this in the Gauteng Legislature. 

“It’s totally unacceptable that a government department fails to pay its debts, especially where the safety of the public is at risk” said Campbell. 

http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article996334.ece/Lights-out-on-highway-as-Eskom-not-paid--DA 

Happy Maserati, my love....

Mar 30, 2011 

Ex-traffic cop gets a R1.8m blingmobile for his 40th

 

 

For his 40th birthday, Shauwn, the wife of former metro policeman Sbu Mpisane, bought him a R1.8-million Maserati GranCabrio to add to his fleet of luxury cars. 

The soft-top convertible in white with a personalised licence plate was driven into the couple's mansion in La Lucia, north of Durban, just before midnight on Saturday. Sbu's birthday party on Saturday night followed the couple's seventh wedding anniversary party that afternoon. 

 

 

But Mpisane already has a Maserati - as well as a Rolls Royce, a Lamborghini and a Ferrari, which are part of the 30 supercars in his collection. 

The Mpisanes first hit the headlines when it was discovered that Shauwn had secured tenders from the eThekwini municipality. 

They spared no expense in celebrating their wedding anniversary, treating 180 guests to pricey champagne, sushi and oysters. 

Sbu, a former Durban Metro Police constable, was investigated by the DA three years ago after it questioned how he could afford to drive to work in a Lamborghini on R15000 a month. 

He resigned from the police and joined his wife's business, Zikhulise Cleaning, Maintenance and Transport, which had scored millions of rands in tenders from the municipality and the KwaZulu-Natal government. 

Two years ago, their company secured a R300-million low-cost housing tender in Umlazi for houses that were later criticised for being badly built. 

The couple, who spent R12-million on their three-storey La Lucia mansion, spent at least R1-million on both parties at the weekend. 

They renewed their vows at the Fairmont Hotel in the luxury Zimbali estate. Matching pearl white Lamborghinis stood outside. Those cars were seized by the SA Revenue Service last year but later returned. 

Guests were flown to Durban and booked into the hotel at the Mpisanes' expense. 

Shauwn had two different hand-crafted Tiffany chairs made to order, imported for the ceremony, which had an Ancient Egyptian theme. The couple is believed to have spent R300000 on flowers. 

Later, the guests changed into white and gold and moved on to the couple's mansion for Sbu's birthday party. 

Champagne, Johnny Walker blue and three different types of Hennesy French Cognac flowed. 

The guests included controversial ZAR Lounge owner Kenny Kunene, Durban millionaire Vivian Reddy, socialite Khanyi Mbau and President Jacob Zuma's nephew and Aurora mine owner, Khulubuse Zuma. 

http://www.timeslive.co.za/entertainment/article995864.ece/Happy-Maserati-my-love 

Police won't comment on Richard Mdluli....

2011-03-31 

Johannesburg - Police spokespeople remained tight-lipped on Thursday amid rumours that crime intelligence boss Lieutenant-General Richard Mdluli has been arrested for murder.

"Police are working. Let's allow the police to work. Any comment I can give you on this may compromise the work of the police," said Major General Nonkululeko Mbatha, spokesperson for national police commissioner General Bheki Cele.

The National Prosecuting Authority also declined to comment.

Several police sources informed the media on Wednesday night that a warrant of arrest had been issued for Mdluli.

The Mail & Guardian reported last week that the Hawks were probing Mdluli and Gauteng crime intelligence boss Joey Mabasa over allegations that they interfered with the Hawks' investigation into Czech fraud accused Radovan Krejcir.

Murder

But newspaper reports on Thursday morning suggested that Mdluli was being investigated for the death of an ex-lover's husband who was shot dead in February 1999.

The slain husband, Oupa Ramogibe, apparently received death threats after marrying Mdluli's ex-lover. He was allegedly told to leave her or he would be killed.

At the time, Mdluli was station commander at Vosloorus police station, east of Johannesburg, reported Beeld.

Beeld said that 14 family members close to the murder case were put into a witness protection programme last week.

Both Beeld and The Star reported that Mdluli was supposed to have handed himself over to police on Tuesday, but failed to do so. An accomplice, however, allegedly did hand himself over.

Tensions

The City Press newspaper reported earlier in March that tensions between Cele and Mdluli was "sky high" after two police "spies" raided the public protector’s office.

Cele was reported to be livid when he found out about the "unannounced visit" to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s Pretoria office.

Police management suspended the two counter-intelligence officers.

"An inside source told City Press that tension between Cele and Mdluli had been simmering for a while, with Mdluli being seen by Cele and his supporters as the last senior official left in the police from the Jackie Selebi era," the newspaper reported.

Mdluli was promoted from deputy head of Gauteng police to head of national crime intelligence on July 1 2009 by acting police chief Tim Williams.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Police-wont-comment-on-Richard-Mdluli-20110331 

‘We are here to rob you’....

March 31 2011

Johannesburg - Two men dressed in police uniforms robbed workers at a Cash Paymaster Services building in the Ibika township in Butterworth on Wednesday, Eastern Cape police said. 

Captain Jackson Manatha said the two men, one dressed in full uniform and the other dressed in a police-issue bulletproof vest, were let on to the premises by the manager because he thought they were officers. 

“Apparently when they came into the building they ordered staff onto the floor and told them they were there to rob them.” 

Manatha said the safe where the money was kept locked automatically and the two men could not gain access. 

“Realising they could not get to the money they told people to hand over their cellphones.”

The robbers collected 20 cellphones, four firearms from security guards and a large amount of ammunition. 

The two men fled in two vans and were accompanied by two other cars. 

Manatha said no arrests were made and police appealed to community members with any information to come forward or contact the Msombomvu police station on 047-492-0180 or Crime Line 08600-10111. 

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/we-are-here-to-rob-you-1.1049858 

More dodgy tenders found....

Mar 30, 2011

The Special Investigating Unit has told parliament it uncovered serious irregularities in the building of 33 police stations, which cost the country R330-million. 

Hot on the heels of the R500-million police headquarters lease deal scandal, the National Assembly's justice committee heard yesterday that the SAPS build programme was plagued by tender irregularities, including possible BEE fronting. 

Outlining his unit's strategic plans for the 2011/12 financial year, unit head Willie Hofmeyr said: "We are looking at the building of 33 police stations where up to R330-million has been spent so far.

"A lot of the stations are being built on three quotes, not on a tender process. You have one quote for desks, another for half the bricks and another quote for the other half of the bricks. It's not a very desirable system," Hofmeyr told shocked MPs. 

He said his preliminary investigation also found that several companies hired to build the police stations got the jobs despite quoting the state exorbitant amounts. 

"We have cases where the lowest quotations are not accepted, where the winning bidder didn't submit a quote, possible cover quoting and BEE fronting," said Hofmeyr. 

Stations under investigation, he said, were the Pienaar and Hazyview stations in Mpumalanga and Brighton Beach and eSikhawini in KwaZulu-Natal. 

He said SAPS officials seemed to have bent rules for personal gain as some appeared to have had interests in many companies that received tenders for building or renovating the 33 stations across the country.

"SAPS officials [seem to be] having interests in the companies to whom work was given. In many cases the payments exceed budgeted costs," said Hofmeyr. 

The unit's revelations follow the report by public protector Thuli Madonsela, who declared the R500-million 10-year lease of the Middestad building in Pretoria to be unlawful. 

Hofmeyr said national police commissioner General Bheki Cele asked his unit to investigate the police build programme after he picked up suspicious transactions in the SAPS capital expansion programme. 

Hofmeyr said they were also investigating a dubious lease agreement for residential accommodation for government employees in Pretoria. The lease agreement, not properly approved, cost the state R217000 a month and the contract value had so far exceeded R7-million. 

A document Hofmeyr presented to MPs showed the contractor for the lease "has been positively linked to a public works official". 

http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article995872.ece/More-dodgy-tenders-found 

 

Sector policing delay unacceptable....

2011-03-30 

Cape Town - It is unacceptable for the police to still talk about the implementation of sector policing nine years after its inception, the chairperson of Parliament's portfolio committee on police said on Wednesday.

After listening to a presentation on visible policing by the SA Police Service, Lydia Chikunga told Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele that it was about time the issue of sector policing was addressed.

"We don't want to talk about the same things over and over again. It was introduced in 2002. [It's] almost nine years that we've been talking about one thing. I can't understand why we must be talking about it year in and year out," said a visibly irritated Chikunga.

Sector policing was designed to foster close co-operation between police and communities to prevent crime. She said from her experiences, in the few areas where the strategy was implemented, there was progress.

"Where there is sector policing, things are better. Where there is no sector policing, there are problems."

Still implementing
In a presentation to the committee on Wednesday, Lieutenant General Sehlahle Masemola said the police were still busy with the implementation of sector policing.

In October last year, Cele told the same committee that sector policing was still stuck in the starting blocks because of a lack of staff and vehicles.

"It has not reached the level of its potential. We have identified the shortcomings of it. One is a lack of equipment, mostly to do with the cars," he said.

The police's head of operational services, Commissioner André Pruis, said the police force simply lacked the staff to properly implement the strategy.

Chikunga said she could not, after all these years, understand why it was taking so long.

"I don't know why it's something so difficult to understand. For me, really, it's quite simple. If it's not possible to be implemented, we should change it and start something else."

Regular commander change

She also questioned why station commanders at police stations changed on a regular basis.

A police station in Atlantis had had five different station commanders over the past four years.

"If you check the impact, it is so negative. Because today you have this one, tomorrow you have another one, the next day, you have another one."

Chikunga said she thought the national office should play a role in monitoring the movement of staff at police stations.

She also questioned why it took months, or sometimes years, for vacant posts to be filled.

Due to time constraints, Cele could not respond to the issues raised.

Chikunga said the committee expected written responses before it met again.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Sector-policing-delay-unacceptable-20110330 

Crime unit to investigate Shaik - DA....

2011-03-30

Johannesburg - The commercial crimes unit at the Johannesburg Central Police Station will investigate convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik's alleged breach of the Companies Act, the DA said on Wednesday.

The Democratic Alliance laid charges against Shaik after reports that he was still listed as a director of a company that was involved in South Africa's arms deal.

"Mr Shaik needs to take responsibility for his apparent failure to comply with the legislation," DA federal chairperson Wilmot James said in a statement.

"If Mr Shaik instructed his auditors to engage with Cipro [Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office] on this matter, as he suggests in this morning's Beeld, then it is his responsibility to follow the matter up, and ensure that his auditors have carried out his request."

Cipro said they had not heard from Shaik's auditors, James said.

Police spokesperson Vish Naidoo said he could not confirm that the commercial crime unit would be investigating. He said only once investigations had started would he be able to do so.

The Sunday Times reported that Shaik was listed as a director of KobiProp, previously a subsidiary of the Nkobi Group, which was fined for corruption during Shaik's fraud and corruption trial, which ended in 2005.

Shaik's lawyer Reeves Parsee told the Sunday Times: "He [Shaik] said he had given his accountants instructions to resign himself from KobiProp. He doesn't know why this hasn't been reflected."

According to the Companies Act someone found guilty of theft, fraud, forgery, uttering a forged document or corruption cannot hold a directorship.

Shaik is the sole "active" director of KobiProp, according to Cipro.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Crime-unit-to-investigate-Shaik-DA-20110330 

Public servants loot R100m....

2010-09-23 

Johannesburg - An anti-corruption commission would help prevent public servant corruption, the Afrikanerbond said on Thursday.

It was reacting to figures revealed by the Public Service Commission, indicating that public servants have looted more than R100m from the state.

"Afrikanerbond wrote to President (Jacob) Zuma...in which the serious concern about the systemic corruption in South Africa was expressed," said Afrikanerbond chief secretary Jan Bosman.

He said the R100m looted from the state between 2008 and 2009, was "only the tip of the iceberg".

"(The) R100m are only the amounts uncovered through investigations, Bosman said.

"The Public Service Commission's own estimate is that corruption in the public service is an outrageous 400% more than the previous financial year.

"The amount mentioned by the Public Service Commission is only with reference to national and provincial departments and excludes municipalities and parastatals."

Last year, it was announced that approximately 28% of all municipal officials have been appointed to posts that do not exist.

He said the anti-corruption commission should be based on international practices of similar commissions which have already been established in Asia and Africa.

"Such an independent anti-corruption commission should have wide investigative and prosecution competencies and anti-corruption courts must also be established."

Copies of the letter to Zuma were also sent to leaders of the opposition parties.

 

 

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Public-servants-loot-R100m-20100923

SIU probes staggering corruption cases....

 2011-03-30

The special investigating unit (SIU) has been inundated with new cases revealing staggering corruption in the police, the public broadcaster, the land reform and housing subsidy systems, state departments and municipalities, MPs heard on Wednesday.

SIU head Willie Hofmeyr told Parliament's portfolio committee on justice: "We have received a flood of new cases. Some of them are very big."

He outlined 16 new proclamations received by the anti-graft unit in the past financial year, the most ever in its 15-year history, before commenting wryly that "few professionals in South Africa are honest".

The SIU was investigating the entire procurement chain in the public works department and had so far found that R35m was paid to entities in which officials had undeclared business interests.

The probe also found that an official had signed a lease for a residential property in Pretoria for R217 000 a month without the relevant approval, Hofmeyr said, stressing that it was "a single house, a big and expensive house but just one house".

The contract value to date exceeded R7m.

Serious criminality

SIU investigators have also found that the police's procurement process for the building or renovating of 33 police stations to the tune of R330m was deeply flawed.

Hofmeyr said at several stations the work was not put out to tender but contracts were instead awarded on what he facetiously called a "three quote" system.

"You have one quote for the desks and another quote for half the bricks, and another quote for the other half of the bricks. It is not, I think, a very desirable system."

The probe was focusing on Pienaar, Hazyview, Brighton Beach and eSikhawini police stations and had also found BEE fronting and instances where SAPS officials had interests in the contracted companies.

The longest-running project on the SIU's plate, its investigation into public housing corruption, has shown that at least half of all projects undertaken by the department of human settlements were "problematic in some way".

Investigators were probing contracts worth R2bn. Contractors were being paid for houses which did not exist at all, were extensively incomplete, seriously defective or fewer than the number agreed upon.

Hofmeyr said the SIU's probe into the cash-strapped SABC had uncovered "serious criminality" with R2.4bn paid out to businesses in which 20 company employees held interests between 2007 and 2010.

The unit opened eight criminal cases against staff members of which five had been finalised and handed to the National Prosecuting Authority.

Hofmeyr said the unit not only uncovered extensive corruption in the Tshwane and Ekurhuleni metros but had been asked by the national government to investigate all 23 municipalities in North West province.

In Tshwane, it found that 65 officials had interests in companies doing business with the metro that had received payments totalling R185m between 2007 and 2010.

Officials colluded with service providers, paid them for work that was not done and tampered with tender specifications.

At Ekurhuleni, "a number of people are in the process of being dismissed" for wrongdoing that included a director signing off on invoices to the value of R12.4m for services that were not delivered.

Endemic abuse

Hofmeyr said it was heartening that government departments were increasingly calling on the SIU to probe endemic abuse and noted that the department of land reform and rural development had asked it to scrutinise the entire land reform process.

He was expecting it to ask that the unit do the same on the land restitution system.

The land reform investigation saw the SIU conduct its biggest ever data swoop, with investigators effectively seizing more than 50 million documents to track fraudulent or irregular awarding of grants and funds.

With the help of the Hawks and the Asset Forfeiture Unit, the SIU has seized farms and assets in KwaZulu-Natal worth R50m and brought fraud and corruption charges against a businessman and three officials from the department.

In another new probe, the department of arts and culture was found to have incurred unauthorised expenditure of R42m related to the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Hofmeyr trod carefully on questions relating to the Public Protector's report on the R500m contract for the police's new headquarters in Pretoria, in which she found that the deal was fatally flawed and fingered national police commissioner Bheki Cele as the organisation's chief accounting officer.

But he conceded that on occasion the SIU had been "crippled" by the lack of co-operation from accounting officers, and like the protector, suggested that Treasury should step in.

"The public protector's solution was that Treasury should look at it and take the necessary steps, which may mean persuading the accounting officer to do it ... they carry a lot of persuasive value."

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/SIU-probes-staggering-corruption-cases-20110330 

Family protected as net closes on top cop....

2011-03-30 

Johannesburg - A warrant of arrest has been issued for one of South Africa's most powerful policemen in connection with a murder that was committed 12 years ago.

General Richard Mdluli, the controversial national head of police crime intelligence and the former deputy Gauteng provincial commissioner, is expected to face a battery of charges when he appears in court.

Charges being considered by prosecutors include murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, assault, intimidation and defeating the course of justice.

Three sources close to the investigation on Wednesday confirmed that the warrant had been issued. The 1999 case was reopened recently, but the original case docket disappeared more than a decade ago.

Media24 Investigations has been told that up to 14 members of the murder victim's family and other witnesses were hurriedly moved into a witness protection programme last week amid fears for their safety.

Sources have hinted at the possiblity that the warrant of arrest for Mdluli is part of a campaign to purge the top echelons of the SAPS of
police loyal to former national commissioner Jackie Selebi.

Selebi was found guilty of corruption in July 2010.  

Brigadier General Nonkululeko Mbatha, spokesperson for national police commissioner General Bheki Cele, on Wednesday confirmed that police were searching for Mdluli. "There is police action in response to the warrant of arrest," she said.

Love triangle

Mdluli - who is apparently on "sick leave" - could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

The revelations come amid a growing corruption scandal implicating senior crime intelligence officers in the illegal wire-tapping of Hawks' investigators probing fraud and murder allegations levelled against alleged Czech "mob boss" Radovan Krejcir.

Krejcir who was arrested on Friday last week after handing himself over to police is expected to apply for bail in the Johannesburg Regional Court next Thursday.

Beeld can reveal that preparations for Mdluli's arrest were set in motion on March 18 following a high-level secret meeting between Hawks investigators and prosecutors including NPA head Advocate Menzi Simelane and the head of the Hawks in Gauteng, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya.

The murder, on 17 February 1999, was allegedly the result of a bitter love triangle involving Mdluli - then the station commander of Vosloorus police station on the East Rand - a young woman known only as Tshidi with whom he had a relationship and the man she married, Oupa Ramogibe.

Ramogibe, who had survived an earlier attempt on his life, was shot to death as he showed police detectives the spot where gunmen had tried to kill him.

According to evidence gathered by the Hawks, Mdluli had a relationship with Tshidi in 1998 and a son was born. Tshidi later met and married Ramogibe.

According to statements taken from Ramogibe's family, repeated threats were made that Ramogibe would be killed if he did not leave Tshidi.

Ramogibe and his wife were forced to flee the township, but Ramogibe was later severely assaulted.

A while later Ramogibe was befriended by a policeman.

One night the man, "Killer" Ximba - who is said to have handed himself over to police on Wednesday night - lent Ramogibe a police vehicle.

Unidentified gunmen opened fire on the vehicle as Ramogibe drove home, but he managed to escape unscathed.

On 17 February 1999, despite his fears that police may have been involved in the attack, Ramogibe accompanied a detective to the scene of the shooting.

There he was shot in the "brain, lung and heart".

Disappeared

In a statement, the detective claimed that he and Ramogibe had been approached by two armed men who held them at gunpoint. One of the men suddenly grabbed the detective’s service pistol and shot Ramogibe three times.

The detective allegedly then fled, leaving Ramogibe's body behind.

But an eyewitness at the scene has now given police investigators a statement that sharply contradicts the detective's version of events.

According to the witness, three policemen were seen fleeing the scene shortly after the gunshots rang out.

The case docket was subsequently referred to a court for an inquest into Ramogibe's death to be held, but then disappeared without trace.

Police also have evidence that shortly before his death, Ramogibe was taken from his home by a number of policemen and severely assaulted.

Scared

Ramogibe's aunt Eunice Ramogibe, told Media24 Investigations this week that at least 14 members of the family were taken away by police on Tuesday last week.

"We are scared as a family because we don’t know what exactly is going on," she said. "I don’t know whether they are safe or where they are, but they were taken with their belongings."

Even photographs of Ramogibe were removed from his mother's home.

She said Tshidi had died of an Aids-related disease after she contracted the HIV virus when she was gang-raped.

Repeated calls to cellphone numbers for Ramogibe's mother Sophia and brother Mohau went to straight to voicemail.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Family-protected-as-top-cop-is-hunted-20110330 

Intelligence boss linked to Krejcir....

2011-03-30

Johannesburg - The head of the police crime intelligence General Richard Mdluli was allegedly being probed for interfering with the Hawks' investigation into Czech fraud accused Radovan Krejcir.

A warrant of arrest was issued for Mdluli. "Yes there is a warrant and the police are acting on it," Colonel Vish Naidoo said. "I can't confirm what it is for."

The Mail & Guardian reported last week that the Hawks were probing Mdluli and Gauteng crime intelligence boss Joey Mabasa over allegations that they interfered with the Hawks' investigation into Czech fraud accused Radovan Krejcir.

The newspaper reported that a source close to the Hawks, an intelligence source and a prosecuting authority official had all confirmed that the investigation centred on Mabasa and Mdluli.

"The probe is understood to focus on allegations that crime intelligence engaged in extensive phone-tapping of Hawks' members and others involved in the Krejcir investigation," the Mail & Guardian wrote.

It is alleged that in at least one case, intercepted conversations found their way to targets of the Hawks' investigation, which includes not only Krejcir but a number of his associates.

Mabasa has previously been accused of holding meetings with Krejcir at Sandton's Michelangelo hotel, something the two men have denied.

Wives set up a company
Mabasa's wife and Krejcir's wife are also reported to have set up a company together.

Mabasa claimed he had been separated from his wife for the past 15 years, despite credit records showing that they had given the same home addresses for the past four years.

Mabasa alleged that, in a telephone call to him, former Krejcir employee George Smith confessed to murdering strip club boss Lolly Jackson.

The City Press newspaper reported earlier in March that tensions between National Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele and Mdluli was "sky high" after two police "spies" raided the public protector’s office.

Cele was reported to be livid when he found out about the "unannounced visit" to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s Pretoria office.

Police management suspended the two counter-intelligence officers.

"An inside source told City Press that tension between Cele and Mdluli had been simmering for a while, with Mdluli being seen by Cele and his supporters as the last senior official left in the police from the Jackie Selebi era," the newspaper reported.

Mdluli was promoted from deputy head of Gauteng police to head of national crime intelligence on July 1 2009 by acting police chief Tim Williams. 

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Intelligence-boss-linked-to-Krejcir-20110330

Hawks probe top cops....

2011-03-25

Johannesburg - Senior members of the police will be probed by the Hawks in relation to the Krejcir case, the Mail & Guardian reported on Friday.

"A source close to the Hawks, an intelligence source and a prosecuting authority official have all confirmed that the investigation centres on former Gauteng crime intelligence boss Joey Mabasa and the head of crime intelligence, General Richard Mdluli," the newspaper said.

Hawks spokesperson, McIntosh Polela, would not comment.

The newspaper said the probe was understood to focus on allegations that crime intelligence engaged in extensive phone tapping of Hawks members and others involved in the Radovan Krejcir investigation.

The issue of who motivated for this surveillance, who approved it and whether the information was passed on to Czech businessman Krejcir is a key focus of the investigation.

The M&G said it was alleged that the reason for the surveillance of the Hawks investigation was that the investigation was being manipulated by private forensic investigator Paul O'Sullivan.

Krejcir handed himself over to the Hawks in Johannesburg during the early hours of Friday morning. 

A raid on Krejcir's home on Tuesday night by the Hawks uncovered a :hit list" with four names on it. Krejcir, 42, was also facing fraud charges relating to a R4.5 million claim he allegedly made to an insurance company, after allegedly managing to obtain medical papers saying he had cancer. 

Krejcir, was also being questioned on the death of underworld boss Cyril Beeka, who was gunned down in a drive by shooting in Cape Town earlier this week.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Hawks-probe-top-cops-report-20110325 

Arrest warrant out for police intelligence boss....

 2011-03-30

Johannesburg - A warrant of arrest has been issued for the head of police crime intelligence General Richard Mdluli, police said on Wednesday.

"Yes there is a warrant and the police are acting on it," Colonel Vish Naidoo said. "I can't confirm what it is for."

The City Press newspaper reported earlier in March that tension between National Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele and Mdluli was "sky high" after two police "spies" raided the public protector’s office.

Cele was reported to be livid when he found out about the "unannounced visit" to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s Pretoria office.

Police management suspended the two counter-intelligence officers who conducted the raid.

"An inside source told City Press that tension between Cele and Mdluli had been simmering for a while, with Mdluli being seen by Cele and his supporters as the last senior official left in the police from the Jackie Selebi era," the newspaper reported.

Eyewitness News reported that the warrant was secured over a 1999 murder and that Mdluli would hand himself over to police.

Mdluli was promoted from deputy head of Gauteng police to head of national crime intelligence on July 1 2009 by the then acting police chief Tim Williams.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Arrest-warrant-out-for-police-intelligence-boss-20110330

Municipal worker arrested for selling jobs....

2011-03-30

Johannesburg - A Mogale City local municipality employee was arrested on Tuesday for "selling" jobs that were advertised by the municipality in Krugersdorp, Gauteng police said.

Colonel Tummi Shai said the 38-year-old woman promised jobs to destitute applicants at the cost of R1 500 each.

An undisclosed amount of money, which was allegedly paid to her by some of the applicants, was found in her possession.

The woman, who was employed as an environmental specialist for almost a decade, was known to have been leading a lavish lifestyle, Shai said.

"[She had] at least two luxurious vehicles, an Audi A4 and an Audi Q7 SUV.

"It is very likely that we will also be engaging the Asset Forfeiture Unit to look into her possessions having been possibly acquired through the proceeds of crime."

The woman was expected to appear in the Krugersdorp Magistrate's Court on Thursday on charges of fraud.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Municipal-worker-arrested-for-selling-jobs-20110330 

Our cops can't be trusted....

Mar 27, 2011 

Too many police linked to too many gangsters and killers...

I am afraid of the police. Some of them seem to be at the centre of some of the most heinous crimes and ominous acts being committed in this country at the moment. 

But our political leaders don't seem at all concerned about what is happening.

Take the raids by the Hawks last week on Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir. He entered South Africa on a false passport in 2007 and has been linked to bribery and murder in his own country and elsewhere, including five recent murders in South Africa.

It appears that he has operated with the help of some senior members of our police service. The Mail & Guardian newspaper reported last week that the H awks are investigating claims that senior members of the police's crime intelligence unit interfered with the Krejcir investigation. Central to the investigation, the newspaper said, are former Gauteng crime intelligence boss Joey Mabasa and the head of crime intelligence, General Richard Mdluli.

"The probe is understood to focus on allegations that crime intelligence engaged in extensive phone-tapping of Hawks members and others involved in the Krejcir investigation. The issue of who motivated for this surveillance, who approved it and whether the information was passed on to Krejcir is a key focus of the investigation," the M&G said. 

This might all seem a bit random, but consider the fact that President Jacob Zuma escaped standing trial for corruption because members of the now-disbanded Scorpions were illegally bugged. 

Recordings of their conversations were released by the acting head of the National Prosecuting Authority, Mokotedi Mpshe, when, in his plagiarised statement, he dropped the charges against the ANC leader and gave him a free pass to the best office in the Union Buildings. 

In the case of the Hawks, too, a known underworld figure, already linked to five murders, is allegedly being fed information by members of police intelligence. It does not help that the wife of the same Mabasa implicated above had set up a company with Krejcir's wife.

Further, the M&G has reported that "Mabasa was also the officer who claimed that he received a telephonic confession from former Krejcir employee George Smith (aka Louka) after Smith had supposedly shot (Teazers boss) Lolly Jackson". 

So let's connect some dots here. 

At the beginning of this month, two crime intelligence officers raided the office of the Public Protector after she had released a scathing report about national police commissioner Bheki Cele's role in the dodgy police headquarters tender deal in Pretoria, in which a friend of Zuma's stands to make a whopping profit.

The two policemen, a Colonel Maluleka and a Captain Nkuta, had visited the Protector's offices and demanded a document referred to in a Sunday Times report. There was no official request and it remains a mystery, a month after this outrageous incident, who ordered the men to violate a Chapter 9 institution. 

So, in just one month, you have two extremely worrying incidents. First, Hawks investigators going after a bad egg are themselves snooped upon and perhaps then threatened, and secondly, the Public Protector is menaced by the faceless manipulator behind two crime intelligence officers. 

Let's take this further. Celebrated writer and Sunday Times columnist Jonny Steinberg wrote on February 13: "Those who rear puppies to be lethal attack dogs ought to ask themselves this: once the dogs are trained to kill, who will control them? Five years from now, will you still be the one who decides whom the dogs do or do not maul? 

"General Bheki Cele has not been asking himself such questions of late, at least not rigorously enough. In 2009, he formed a new police organisation called the Tactical Response Team. It is a large body with units across the country, each staffed by about 100 officers. Their job is to apprehend suspects considered armed and dangerous . 

"I suspect the units have another purpose, one that you will not find in any policy document.

"They are there to send a message: 'Live by the gun, the message goes, and you risk dying by the gun. For, if your activity warrants our attention, we will go after you, and we are loath to take prisoners'.

"I make this claim because it can be inferred from the ways in which team members are already in trouble with the law.

"Eleven officers have been charged with murder after a man in Inanda, in KwaZulu-Natal, was allegedly beaten unconscious in front of his 11-year-old child." 

Let me connect those dots again. 

Claims that investigators are being spied on and information passed to criminals . the Public Protector is 'visited' and her office's further investigation of corruption is essentially chilled.

Finally, ordinary people can be murdered by elite teams - remember the "shoot to kill" injunction? - which sounds ominously like the hit squads that dominate some South American countries. 

This is how the rot sets in. 

http://www.timeslive.co.za/opinion/columnists/article990597.ece/Our-cops-cant-be-trusted 

 

Public paid for CEO's funeral

Mar 30, 2011

THE public forked out R240000 for the funeral of a chief executive officer of a parastatal in 2009.

Louis Selekane, the chief executive of the South African Diamond and Precious Metal Regulator, died in a car accident in May 2009. It emerged only yesterday that the parastatal paid for his funeral.

Chief executives of parastatals earn between R1,5million and R2million a year.

In reply to a parliamentary question yesterday, Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu said: "The board ratified the expenditure."

But the Public Finance Management Act defines this as "unauthorised expenditure".

Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi expressed shock and described it as "pure corruption".

"Is the CEO a president or a government minister? Why was he given a state funeral? That is pure corruption. Parliament must pursue getting back that money or heads must roll, or both.

"CEOs earn such a lot of money. What about 1,7million workers who lost their jobs? What message is being sent to those people? That money must be recovered and action taken against whoever authorised that," Vavi said.

Cope spokesperson Phillip Dexter also expressed shock. "It's shocking if its true," he said.

When asked by DA spokesperson on mineral resources, MP Eric Marais, if criminal or disciplinary steps had been taken against the person responsible for authorising the expenditure, Shabangu replied: "Not applicable".

Her spokesperson Musa Zondi said it was the parastatal board's prerogative to decide whether to spend the money on Selekane's funeral.

"The board, as an accounting authority, ratified the decision as it is their prerogative. The minister exercises oversight and does not micro-manage. So there is no need to take action," Zondi said.

ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu would not comment on the issue, saying matters raised in Parliament should be dealt through parliamentary structures.

http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2011/03/30/public-paid-for-ceo-s-funeral 

Hospital power outage may last 6 weeks

2011-03-29

Rob Ferreira Hospital in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, may be without electricity for another four to six weeks after a transformer room caught fire last week.

A diesel generator is currently being used to supply some power to the hospital, said provincial health and social development spokesperson Mpho Gabashane on Monday.

"We are currently running the hospital with a diesel generator which is a challenge, because the diesel might run out in the middle of the night, causing havoc for the 250 patients who are still in the hospital," said Gabashane.

He said food was now being prepared at the local prison for the remaining patients.

Critically and terminally ill patients or those who need around the clock care have been transferred to the private Nelspruit Medi-Clinic or the Themba State Hospital outside White River.

"The most fortunate part about the whole situation is that no casualties were reported because of this challenge.

"I would like to extend our gratitude to Themba Hospital and the private Nelspruit Medi-Clinic for helping us with critically ill patients, pregnant women and babies who need to be in incubators," he added.

Anyone else who needs medical care has been asked to go to the Barberton or Themba hospitals until electricity is restored at Rob Ferreira.

Bodies in the mortuary have also been transferred to a private mortuary to avoid decomposition.

Meanwhile, technicians and forensic investigators are currently investigating the cause of the explosion.

Chief Whip of the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Mpumalanga legislature, Velly Manzini, commended the department for putting the patients first, but said it was unacceptable for the province's biggest hospital to be without electricity for up to six weeks.

"The DA calls on Premier David Mabuza to intervene and to pull out all stops to ensure that the electricity is restored at Rob Ferreira hospital before any fatalities occur.

"It is really unacceptable that patients must wait six weeks for power to be restored. It really does not make any sense," said Manzini.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Hospital-power-outage-may-last-6-weeks-20110329 

15,000 child rapes in three years

March 30th 2011

MORE than 15000 children under 18 years of age have been victims of rape over the past three years, the Ministry for Women, Children and People with Disabilities said.

Minister Lulu Xingwana said three-year records from Thuthuzela Care centres for rape victims showed that children between the ages of 12 and 17 were most at risk of sexual assault.

"In just three years, 28 Thuthuzela Care centres have been established, with more than 34000 victims visiting for assistance. The group of children between the ages of 12 and 17 years are emerging as the most vulnerable group and represents the majority (about 15000) of people visiting these centres," she said at the opening of Thuthuzela Care centre at Kopanong Hospital in Vereeniging yesterday.

Rape survivors are given antiretroviral drugs to reduce the risk of HIV infection, treated for sexually transmitted infections, counselled and helped to open a criminal case.

The minister said the centres were being established in communities with high incidences of sexual assault to provide a one-stop comprehensive service to rape victims.

"These centres are contributing to an increase in reporting of sexual assault cases as victims know they now have a place to run to for assistance, where they are treated with dignity and respect," she said.

Meanwhile, child rights activists welcomed the "no-nonsense" approach of the police portfolio committee in Parliament which reprimanded senior police for submitting an inadequate annual performance plan. Police were ordered to make their submission again yesterday.

"Police consistently claim that crimes against women and children are a priority. We want to know how they propose to make this a reality, and not just another paper promise," said Lisa Vetten of Shukumisa.

Family violence, child protection and sexual offences units disbanded in 2006 will be operational again from Friday at 176 police stations.

http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2011/03/30/15000-child-rapes-in-three-years