Cholota appeared before Magistrate Estelle de Lange for the third time this week as her bail application was postponed twice. Cholota has been in custody since she was extradited from the United States last Thursday.

MOROADI CHOLOTA GRANTED BAIL

Cholota is accused of fraud and corruption, among other charges, alongside her former boss Magashule, infamous businessman Edwin Sodi and others, such as:

• Thabane Zulu, former director-general of national Department of Human Settlements
• Nthimotse Mokhesi
• Mahlomola Matlakala
• Sello Radebe
• Adel Kgotso Manyeki
• Nozipho Molikoe
• Albertus Venter
• Margaret-Ann Diedericks, former head of Gauteng’s human settlements department
• Olly Mlamleli, former MEC and Mangaung mayor

On Tuesday, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said Cholota would most likely flee if granted bail, and in support, they contend that:

• She was extradited from US and did not return to South Africa willingly, while her co-accused – Magashule, Sodi and others – have been availing themselves to the court without coercion
•  She has not seen her child, who resides in South Africa, since 2020
•  She has already settled in the US and has not been to South Africa in approximately five years
•  She has a romantic partner who lives in the US

On Thursday, Cholota’s lawyer argued that she is not a flight risk as all her travel documents were left behind in the United States when she was extradited, and that all her co-accused in the matter are out on bail, so she deserves to be released too.

De Lange said she believed there are conditions that can limit Cholota’s movements and does not support the State’s assertion that she is a flight risk.

“The defence proved to the court that it is in the interest of justice for the accused to be granted bail,” she said.

WHAT ARE HER BAIL CONDITIONS?

• She should be present in court at 8:30 whenever the matter is heard.
• She may not travel outside Bloemfontein and she should consult the investigating officer for consent.
• Lastly, Cholota should report to the nearest police station every Monday and Friday between 8:00 and 17:00.

The magistrate further emphasised that should she fail to abide by the conditions, her bail will be forfeited to the State and a warrant of arrest will be issued.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE COURT’S DECISION TO GRANT MOROADI CHOLOTA BAIL?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.

Cholota who landed at OR Tambo International Airport from Newark Liberty International Airport in the United States last Thursday appeared at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Monday, 12 August in relation to the infamous R255 million asbestos scandal in Free State.

MAGASHULE’S FORMER PA MOROADI CHOLOTA APPEARS IN COURT

Initially, she was a witness against Magashule and the other accused before she reportedly failed to honour her commitment to cooperating with law enforcement.

She was then added to the list of suspects in the asbestos audit case, where money was stolen and laundered using the cover of a Free State government tender to identify houses with poisonous asbestos in the roofs.

The student has been sitting in a US jail since April 2024, trying to avoid extradition to South Africa by claiming ill-treatment by interrogators. Recently, the Constitutional Court also dismissed her request to nullify the extradition.

On Monday, Cholota told the court that she can only afford bail of R2500.

Notably, Magashule was not in court to support Cholota, however, his party the African Congress for Transformation (ACT) had issued a statement condemning the alleged abused his PA suffered at the hands of police.

The party said Cholota was allegedly harassed and assaulted by the FBI, Interpol and SAPS in order to coerce her into a signing a statement that falsely incriminates Magashule.

“ACT appreciates and commends Cholota for her bravery. She had a choice of signing a false statement that implicates Magashule and walk free, but she chose not to compromise her values and principles.

“She declined to succumb to the blackmail of the FBI and NPA. Instead, she willingly allowed herself to be paraded as a terrorist by Interpol, SAPS and NPA,” the party said.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT MOROADI CHOLOTA’S ARREST?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.

The woman landed at OR Tambo International Airport from Newark Liberty International Airport in the US on Thursday evening.

ACE MAGASHULE’S FORMER PA TO APPEAR IN COURT

Initially, the suspect was a witness against Magashule and the other accused before she reportedly failed to honour her commitment to cooperating with law enforcement.

She was then added to the list of suspects in the asbestos audit case, where money was stolen and laundered using the cover of a Free State government tender to identify houses with poisonous asbestos in the roofs.

The woman has been sitting in a US jail since April 2024, trying to avoid extradition to South Africa by claiming ill-treatment by interrogators. Recently, the Constitutional Court dismissed her request to nullify the extradition.

The asbestos trial will be held in the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein, sitting in Bloemfontein from 15 April 2025 to 23 June 2025.

WHO ARE THE OTHER CO-ACCUSED?

Magashule’s former PA is accused of fraud and corruption, among other charges, alongside her former boss Magashule, infamous businessman Edwin Sodi and others, such as:

• Thabane Zulu, former director-general of national Department of Human Settlements
• Nthimotse Mokhesi
• Mahlomola Matlakala
• Sello Radebe
• Adel Kgotso Manyeki
• Nozipho Molikoe
• Albertus Venter
• Margaret-Ann Diedericks, former head of Gauteng’s human settlements department
• Olly Mlamleli, former MEC and Mangaung mayor

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE ARREST OF ACE AMAGASHULE’S FORMER PA?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.

Bester and his co-accused returned to court after a previous appearance in June for a pre-trial hearing.

Again, Wednesday’s matter was postponed to 31 July for another attempt at a pre-trial conference after Senohe Motsoara and Tieho Makhotsa’s legal representative, Kagisho Moruri, withdrew from the case. 

THABO BESTER, MAGUDUMAN AND CO-ACCUSED APPEAR IN COURT

Bester, who escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022 and is detained at Kgosi Mampuru II Prison faces a litany of charges. Bester and his alleged girlfriend and celebrity doctor Nandipha Magudumana were deported to South Africa from Arusha, Tanzania in April 2023.

Addressing the court in June, Bester accused the state of depriving him of a fair trial. 

Bester said he has had five legal representatives who have all withdrawn their services because they fear being vilified for associating with him. Additionally, he is only allowed to consult once or twice for a short period of time and their calls were being recorded.  

He went on to blame the “backhand of political watchdogs” for the treatment he has been receiving.

“I came here with 80 cars; I woke up at 2:00. I’ve been having chains on my feet. My feet are ice. I cannot feel my toes at this point. This is not the way I want to proceed, your Honour.

“If it means that this court can accept the petition and the public can sign it, then we can put all this to rest. I am at peace. I know what I’ve done and what I have not done,” Bester said as he pleaded for a death penalty.

DO YOU THINK THABO BESTER WILL HAVE A FAIR TRIAL?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing The South African. You can also send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021. Remember to follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.

Nche and Reinach, who finished their schooling in the Free State capital at HTS Louis Botha and Grey College respectively, will be joined by Lukhanyo Am, Grant Williams and Trevor Nyakane at the mall, from 13:00 until 14:00.

Historic week for Springboks

“This is our fourth stop of the RWC Trophy Blitz and it’s great to take the Webb Ellis Cup to Bloemfontein during an historic week, with the Springboks facing Portugal at a sold-out Free State Stadium on Saturday,” said Mark Alexander, President of SA Rugby.

“The Free State is an important piece in the local rugby landscape, not only because of all the quality players who hail from the province, but they are also the current holders of the Currie Cup.

“We have a big support base here and although it was not possible to visit Bloemfontein on the Trophy Tour last year, we’re excited for Thursday’s opportunity at the mall.

“We saw on the first three stops on the Trophy Blitz, in Gqeberha, George and Kimberley, as well as at the two recent Tests against Ireland in Pretoria and Durban, how passionate South Africans are about the Boks and rugby in general, and for that we are very grateful.

Earlier on Thursday, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Thomas du Toit and Makazole Mapimpi will attend a Get Into Rugby (GIR) Festival with 200 children – aged from six to nine from 10 different schools – at the Mangaung Oval.

Get into Rugby is a nationwide grassroots rugby initiative operated under the auspices of SA Rugby and is a brainchild of World Rugby in its strategy of growing the game globally through encouraging players of all ages to try, play and stay in rugby.

Bester and his co-accused appeared at the Bloemfontein High Court on Wednesday, 5 June, for a pretrial hearing. However, the matter was postponed as Bester’s legal representative withdrew from the case. 

LEGAL ANALYST ‘BACKS’ THABO BESTER

Bester, who escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022 and is detained at Kgosi Mampuru II Prison faces a litany of charges. Bester and his alleged girlfriend and celebrity doctor Nandipha Magudumana were deported to South Africa from Arusha, Tanzania in April 2023.

Addressing the court on Wednesday, Bester accused the state of depriving him of a fair trial. 

Bester said he has had five legal representatives who have all withdrawn their services because they fear being vilified for associating with him. Additionally, he is only allowed to consult once or twice for a short period of time and their calls were being recorded.  

He went on to blame the “backhand of political watchdogs” for the treatment he has been receiving.

“I came here with 80 cars, I woke up at 2:00. I’ve been having chains on my feet. My feet are ice. I cannot feel my toes at this point. This is not the way I want to proceed, your Honour.

“If it means that this court can accept the petition and the public can sign it, then we can put all this to rest. I am at peace. I know what I’ve done and what I have not done,” Bester said as he pleaded for a death penalty.

He further complained about being told what to wear in court. Bester’s choice of branded clothes have been the centre of attention whenever he appears in court. However, the Department of Correctional Services clarified that inmates – including those remanded in custody – are permitted to wear civilian clothing during court appearances. 

In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, legal analyst Abigail Ngubeni said Thabo Bester faces serious charges for his brazen escape, and the offences’ circumstances also touch on security inside prison cells. 

Ngubeni said you would expect prison officials to strike a balance between upholding the law and also providing security to ensure that the offences are not repeated. 

Ngubeni said Correctional Services officials should devise measures to ensure that the rights of detained accused persons are protected at all costs. 

Naval Hill is a prominent hill in Bloemfontein that offers panoramic views of the city. At the top of the hill, you’ll find the Franklin Game Reserve, the only game reserve situated in the middle of a city in South Africa. It’s a great place for a relaxing walk or a picnic while enjoying the natural surroundings.

ALSO READ: Pretty Parys: Five must-do things in this Free State town

Oliewenhuis Art Museum

The Oliewenhuis Art Museum is located in a beautiful Cape Dutch-style mansion surrounded by gardens. It showcases an impressive collection of South African and international artworks. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, making it a great place for art enthusiasts.

The National Museum of Bloemfontein

The National Museum in Bloemfontein is one of the oldest museums in South Africa and covers a range of natural and cultural history topics. Exhibits include fossils, paleontology displays, cultural artifacts, and exhibits related to the Anglo-Boer War.

ALSO READ: Want to take the perfect sunrise or sunset photo on holiday? Here’s how

Bloemfontein Botanical Gardens

Established in 1926, the Botanical Gardens in Bloemfontein cover a large area and feature a diverse collection of plants. The gardens provide a peaceful setting for a leisurely stroll, and visitors can enjoy the various themed gardens, including the succulent garden and the indigenous plant garden.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY SUNDEEKA MUNGROO

The city of roses and the city of Durban will soon have a new connection in the form of flight services from Airlink.

According to Travel News, the reinstated service is part of the airline’s strategy to expand its network of flights from Durban as a third hub, with Bloemfontein joining Johannesburg, Gqeberha, Mbombela, and Harare as directly-served destinations. 

ALSO READ: LIFT named ‘Best New Airline Brand’ by Global Brands Magazine

“Airlink’s direct service between the two cities is in response to increased calls for convenient and efficient connections that boost productivity for travellers on the route, especially from the business and legal sectors. This latest expansion of our comprehensive route network will promote economic activity between the two metropoles and their market catchment areas,” Airlink CEO and MD, Rodger Foster said as per Travel News.  

ALSO READ: Cape Winelands Airport gets a completion date

ALSO READ: Airlink flies SA20 Cricket Championship teams

When do services begin?

The direct flights on the resumed route will begin on 26 February, with morning flights operating Monday to Friday and late afternoon flights taking off every day except Saturdays. Bookings have already opened.

ALSO READ: Emirates offers passengers free tickets to Dubai attractions

Flight schedule:

• Flight 4Z 531 will depart Durban at 07:00 and arrive in Bloemfontein at 08:00, every Monday to Friday.
• Return flight 4Z 532 will then depart Bloemfontein at 08:30 and arrive in Durban at 09:35, Monday to Friday.
• The extra flight on Sunday, flight 4Z 537 will depart Durban at 15:55 and arrive in Bloemfontein at 16:55.
• The Sunday return flight, 4Z 538 will then depart Bloemfontein at 17:40 and arrive in Durban at 18:45.

ALSO READ: MSC Cruises opens up sales for 2024/25 SA cruise season

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY SUNDEEKA MUNGROO

Anglo Boer War Museum

The War Museum, also known as the War Museum of the Boer Republics, in Bloemfontein doesn’t only allow visitors some insight into the Boer War with it’s unique art collection and exhibits, but it also brings the visitor closer to understanding the background against which the war took place. Anyone wanting to learn more about South African history should definitely visit this museum.

ALSO READ: Hoedspruit Airport plans to operate internationally

The National Museum of Bloemfontein

Established in 1877, the National Musuem of Bloemfontein is a natural and cultural history and art museum. You will find all sorts of displays here, including palaentology, archaeology, geology and astronomy exhibits, as well as exhibits on African culture and Bloemfontein history. There’s lots to see and you can spend a whole day just exploring the length and breadth of the museum.

ALSO READ: SANParks urges guests to pre-book Kruger National Park visits

Oliewenhuis Art Museum

Oliewenhuis, a Neo-Dutch style mansion is located in one of the most beautiful gardens in the city of Bloemfontein. It is said to be the only museum of its kind in the Free State and is one of the youngest art museums in the entire country. The museum collects, conserves and exhibits works of art which represent the art heritage of South Africa. Be sure to check out the Sculpture Park and Cement and Mosaic Project in the gardens.

ALSO READ: Five non-touristy sights to check out in Cape Town

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY SUNDEEKA MUNGROO

This was confirmed by State Prosecutor Amanda Bester on Wednesday, 11 October as Bester and ten of his co-accused appeared at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court.

STATE WITHDRAWS CHARGES AGAINST THREE ACCUSED OF ASSISTING THABO BESTER

Nastassja Jansen, Thabang Matthews Mier and Moeketsi April Ramolula are former G4S employees at the Mangaung Correctional Centre, where Bester escaped in May 2022.

Meanwhile, Bester’s lover, Nandipha Magudumana, did not appear in court due to ill health. Magudumana collapsed at the Park Road Police Station, holding cells ahead of the appearance.

As previously reported, Magudumana was arrested in Arusha, Tanzania, with her partner, convicted criminal and rapist Thabo Bester. They were deported to South Africa earlier in April.

She is accused of fraud, defeating the ends of justice, violating a body, aiding and abetting an inmate to escape from lawful custody, corruption and arson.

ALSO READ: Advocates Zandile Mshololo, Dali Mpofu join Thabo Bester’s legal team

According to Newzroom Afrika, Magudumana’s lawyers indicated that she is unwell, and arrangements were made for her to appear virtually.

Speaking to the news channel, the doctor’s lawyer, Mchini Motloung, said she was brought from Parkroad Police Station to the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court holding cells.

Motloung said accused persons fall ill whether they are out on bail or in custody.

“She is not well. She is literally on the floor. I don’t even want to divulge any information that might further humiliate her…She is being treated in the most inhumane manner just because she is Dr Nandipha Magudumana,” her lawyer said.

ALSO READ:  Adv Anton Katz: Who is Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s ‘top’ lawyer?

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This was confirmed by Bester when he appeared at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 11 October.

ZANDILE MSHOLOLO AND DALI MPOFU JOIN BESTER’S LEGAL TEAM

Thabo Bester and his co-accused appeared at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Wednesday, however, his lover and disgraced celebrity doctor Nandipha Magudumana was a no show due to ill-health.

Magudumana was allegedly dragged out of prison and forced into the back of a police van despite her ill-health. She collapsed at the Park road police station holding cells ahead of her court appearance.

The doctor’s legal representative Machining Motloung confirmed that Magudumana collapsed and that she is not feeling well. He added that arrangements were made for his client to appear virtually.

ALSO READ: ‘Unwell’ Nandipha Magudumana collapses ahead of court appearance

During his court appearance Bester confirmed that Advocate Zandile Mshololo who became a household name for representing Senzo Meyiwa murder accused and well-known hitman from KwaZulu-Natal Fisokuhle Ntuli.

Advocate Dali Mpofu on the other hand has represented former President Jacob Zuma, former North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo, the Economic Freedom Fighters and many others.

ALSO READ: Zandile Mafe: Dali Mpofu joins legal team as senior counsel

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Magudumana is expected to appear with her lover Thabo Bester and ten others at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning.

DR NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA COLLAPSES

As previously reported, Magudumana was arrested in Arusha, Tanzania, with her partner, convicted criminal and rapist Thabo Bester. They were deported to South Africa earlier in April.

She is accused of fraud, defeating the ends of justice, violating a body, aiding and abetting an inmate to escape from lawful custody, corruption and arson.

According to Newzroom Afrika, Magudumana’s lawyers indicated that she is unwell and arrangements were made for her to appear virtually.

Speaking to the news channel, the doctor’s lawyer Mchini Motloung said she was brought from Parkroad Police Station to the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court holding cells.

Motloung said accused persons fall ill whether they are out on bail or in custody.

“She is not well, she is literally on the floor. I don’t even want to divulge any information that might further humiliate her…She is being treated in the most inhumane manner just because she is Dr Nandipha Magudumana,” her lawyer said.

ALSO READ:  Adv Anton Katz: Who is Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s ‘top’ lawyer?

ALSO READ: Dr Nandipha Magudumana allegedly forced by Bester to flee SA

DISGRACED DOCTOR DENIED BAIL

In September, Magudumana applied for bail at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court which was denied.

The Magistrate, Estelle de Lange said evidence indicates that Magudumana is a flight risk and that bail conditions will not be enough to make her stand her trial. If she is released, she will have more means to help her lover Bester escape and could facilitate another escape if she wants to.

De Lange said Magudumana did not satisfy the court that her release on bail was in the interest of justice.

“When she left, she knew she wouldn’t come back. The evidence points that she left the country voluntarily. I find she is definitely a flight risk, and there are no bail conditions to limit this risk. She didn’t satisfy the court that she should be released. Therefore, the bail application is refused,” she said.

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THABO BESTER AND NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA APPEAR IN COURT

As previously reported by The South African, Magudumana was arrested in Arusha, Tanzania with her partner convicted criminal and rapist Thabo Bester. They were deported to South Africa earlier in April.

The 12 arrested include Magudumana’s father Zolile Cornelius Sekeleni, Senohe Matsoara, a former G4S employee,Teboho Lipholo, a CCTV camera technician who worked with the cameras at the Mangaung Correctional Centre for a third party, and Motenyane Masukela, a G4S guard at the MCC where Bester escaped in 2022.

The 12 are facing charges of fraud, defeating the ends of justice, violating a body, aiding and abetting an inmate to escape from lawful custody, corruption and arson.

ALSO READ:  Adv Anton Katz: Who is Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s ‘top’ lawyer?

CELEBRITY DOCTOR DENIED BAIL

In September Magudumana applied for bail at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court which was denied as Magistrate Estelle de Lange said evidence indicates that the disgraced celebrity doctor is a flight risk capable of facilitating another escape.

The Magistrate said evidence indicates that Magudumana is a flight risk and that bail conditions will not be enough to make her stand her trial. If she is released, she will have more means to help her lover Bester escape and could facilitate another escape if she wants to.

ALSO READ: Dr Nandipha Magudumana allegedly forced by Bester to flee SA

De Lange said Magudumana did not satisfy the court that her release on bail was in the interest of justice.

“When she left, she knew she wouldn’t come back. The evidence points that she left the country voluntarily. I find she is definitely a flight risk, and there are no bail conditions to limit this risk. She didn’t satisfy the court that she should be released. Therefore, the bail application is refused,” she said.

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ALSO READ: SASSA advertising for JOB VACANCIES

If you’re supposed to receive the Disability Grant, then you should be able to collect yours from Wednesday, 4 October.

Disability Grants are provided to South Africans who can’t earn an income, either permanently or temporarily, due to disability or chronic illness.

ALSO READ: SASSA Twitter/X account remains quiet for years

Here’s what to know about Disability Grants and their collection date for October 2023.

SASSA: Collect Disability Grants on WEDNESDAY

Disability grant recipients should be able to collect their grant on the below date, according to SASSA:

• Disability Grant: Wednesday, 4 October

If you have applied for your grant and it’s not approved yet, then you might have to wait until the next collection date for approval.

If your grant was rejected, then you may have failed the means test. Contact SASSA to reapply, or appeal an unsuccessful grant application. Rejections can sometimes be done by mistake.

Collection dates for other SASSA grants

Other social grants such as the R350 SRD and In-Aid grants wil be paid out on the next day: Thursday, 5 October.

If you get any of the other social grants, except for the Pensioners grant, you may be able to collect your social grant on this date.

ALSO READ: SASSA: When to collect R350 SRD grants

Recipients with banking account details listed will have grants paid into their respective bank accounts. If you have not listed a bank account yet, then you are advised by SASSA to do so for your own convenience and ease.

How to collect your social grant

Social grants can be collected at select retailers, like PnP, Post Offices and Boxer Stores: if you aren’t sure whether you’re dealing with a SASSA-compliant retailer, just call the store and ask.

A social grant can also be collected at Regional Offices.

ALSO READ: SASSA: Grant payment dates for OCTOBER

For ease of collection, SASSA advises recipients to verify their bank account details.

Contact SASSA here

If you didn’t receive your social grant or weren’t able to collect it, contact the National Helpline or the Switchboard at the numbers below:

• Switchboard: +27 12 400 2322
• National: +27 80 060 1011

There’s also an interactive form for online complaints.

READ MORE ARTICLES BY ALEX J COYNE

Magistrate Estelle de Lange revealed this as she delivered her judgement on Magudumana’s bail application on Monday, 11 September.

DR NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA LEFT IS A FLIGHT RISK

As previously reported, Magudumana was arrested in Arusha, Tanzania, with her partner, convicted criminal and rapist Thabo Bester. They were deported to South Africa earlier in April.

She is accused of fraud, defeating the ends of justice, violating a body, aiding and abetting an inmate to escape from lawful custody, corruption and arson.

Delivering the judgement on Monday, 11 September, de Lange said when Magudumana was arrested in Arusha, Tanzania, she was found in possession of two confiscated passports. Notably, the valid passport was not stamped despite Magudumana crossing three borders from South Africa to get to Tanzania.

ALSO READ: Dr Nandipha Magudumana allegedly forced by Bester to flee SA

The Magistrate said evidence indicates that Magudumana is a flight risk and that bail conditions will not be enough to make her stand her trial. If she is released, she will have more means to help her lover Bester escape and could facilitate another escape if she wants to.

De Lange said Magudumana did not satisfy the court that her release on bail was in the interest of justice.

“When she left, she knew she wouldn’t come back. The evidence points that she left the country voluntarily. I find she is definitely a flight risk, and there are no bail conditions to limit this risk. She didn’t satisfy the court that she should be released. Therefore, the bail application is refused,” she said.

ALSO READ:  Adv Anton Katz: Who is Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s ‘top’ lawyer?

As previously reported by The South African, in her affidavit, which was read in court by her legal representative, Magudumana revealed that on 17 March 2023, Thabo Bester instructed her to get into a car, and she complied.

“I was instructed and commanded by accused 5 (Thabo Bester) to get into a vehicle and leave the premises to a destination unknown to me at the time. I refused and wanted an explanation but he forced me into a vehicle. I succumbed to the pressure due to the threats he directed at me,” she said.

Magudumana said she was defenceless, helpless, and had no one to report the incident to.

The Magistrate said that evidence indicates that Magudumana left South Africa voluntarily.

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Magudumana applied for bail and the matter was heard for two days in the same court last week.

NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA DENIED BAIL

As previously reported, Magudumana was arrested in Arusha, Tanzania with her partner convicted criminal and rapist Thabo Bester. They were deported to South Africa earlier in April.

She is accused of fraud, defeating the ends of justice, violating a body, aiding and abetting an inmate to escape from lawful custody, corruption and arson.

Magudumana abandoned her  bail application in May this year and launched a court bid to have her arrest declared unlawful. In July, the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein dismissed Magudumana’s application for leave to appeal an earlier ruling on the legality of her arrest and deportation to South Africa.

ALSO READ:  Adv Anton Katz: Who is Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s ‘top’ lawyer?

Delivering the judgement on Monday, 11 September, Magistrate Estelle de Lange said evidence indicates that Magudumana is a flight risk and that bail conditions will not be enough to make her stand her trial. If she is released she will have more means to help her lover Bester to escape and could facilitate another escape if she wants to.

De Lange said Magudumana did not satisfy the court that her release on bail is in the interest of justice.

“When she left, she knew she wouldn’t come back. The evidence points that she left the country voluntarily. I find she is definitely a flight risk, and there are no bail conditions to limit this risk. She didn’t satisfy the court that she should be released. Therefore the bail application is denied,” she said.

In her bail application, Magudumana claimed that she was force by Bester to flee South Africa and said she was defenceless, helpless and had no one to report the incident to.

ALSO READ: Dr Nandipha Magudumana allegedly forced by Bester to flee SA

The matter was postponed to 11 October for further investigation.

ALSO READ: Nandipha Magudumana’s arrest challenge dismissed

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The man was found guilty of attempted murder by the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court. 

In a video that was widely circulated on social media platforms, two black teens were assaulted by white men for swimming in a “reserved for whites only” pool.

MASELSPOORT RESORT ATTACKER SENTENCED 

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said Jakobus Klaasen, was further handed a sentence of five years, wholly suspended for a period of five years, on condition that he is not found guilty of assault, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm or attempted murder during the period of suspension.

Phaladi said the Magistrate Rasheed Matthews sentenced Klaasen to a further 36 months correctional supervision after he convicted him of assault.

WATCH: Black teens assaulted for swimming in a pool reserved for whites

“Klaasen, together with Stephanus van der Westhuizen (47) and Johan Nel (47), were seen on video footage trying to prevent teenage boys from entering the pool area at Maselspoort Resort. They told the boys that the pool was reserved for white people only. Klaasen was charged with attempted murder after he was seen on the video trying to drown one of the boys,” he said. 

ATTACKER PLEADS GUILTY 

Van der Westhuizen pleaded guilty to a charge of common assault in May, and he was sentenced to a fine of R4 000 or 12 months imprisonment. 

He also apologised to the two boys and their father, who accepted his apology. He also apologised to the South African public.

The case against the third accused, Johan Nel, was postponed to 6 December 2023 for trial.

ALSO READ:  EFF visits Maselspoort Resort following alleged racist attack

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This was revealed at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Tuesday, 29 August by the doctor’s lawyer during her bail application.

NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA FORCED BY BESTER TO LEAVE SOUTH AFRICA

As previously reported, Magudumana was arrested in Arusha, Tanzania with her partner convicted criminal and rapist Thabo Bester. They were deported to South Africa earlier in April.

She is accused of fraud, defeating the ends of justice, violating a body, aiding and abetting an inmate to escape from lawful custody, corruption and arson.

ALSO READ:  Adv Anton Katz: Who is Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s ‘top’ lawyer?

In her affidavit which was read in court by her legal representative, Magudumana revealed that 17 March 2023 she was instructed by Thabo Bester to get into a car and she complied.

“I was instructed and commanded by accused 5 (Thabo Bester) to get into a vehicle and leave the premises to a destination unknown to me at the time. I refused and wanted an explanation but he forced me into a vehicle. I succumbed to the pressure due to the threats he directed at me,” she said.

Magudumana said she was defenceless, helpless and had no one to report the incident to.

“I complied with his instructions and was taken out of the country against my will. At all material times I had no control over the situation because I was scared of the threats made by accused 5,” she added.

ALSO READ: Court dismisses Nandipha Magudumana’s application to have her arrest declared unlawful

CELEBRITY DOCTOR BREAKS DOWN IN THE DOCK

For the first time since her numerous court appearances Magudumana broke down in the dock as her personal circumstances were read out in court.

In her affidavit, she revealed that she has full responsibility for her two girls aged six and 11.

She also revealed that she can only afford to pay R10 000 bail and intends to stay with a friend should she be granted bail.

ALSO READ: Nandipha Magudumana’s arrest challenge dismissed

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LATEST ON DR NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in Free State Phaladi Shuping told The South African that Magudumana will apply for bail on Tuesday, 29 August.

The hearing is set for two days.

As previously reported, Magudumana was arrested in Arusha, Tanzania with her partner convicted criminal and rapist Thabo Bester. They were deported to South Africa earlier in April.

She is accused of fraud, defeating the ends of justice, violating a body, aiding and abetting an inmate to escape from lawful custody, corruption and arson.

Magudumana abandoned her  bail application in May this year and launched a court bid to have her arrest declared unlawful. In July, the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein dismissed Magudumana’s application for leave to appeal an earlier ruling on the legality of her arrest and deportation to South Africa.

ALSO READ:  Adv Anton Katz: Who is Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s ‘top’ lawyer?

DR’S COURT BID TO HAVE ARREST DECLARED UNLAWFUL FAILS

Magudumana wanted to approach the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) to appeal the judgement, however, Presiding Judge Philip Loubser dismissed her application with costs saying he is not convinced that the case a prospect of success and that a different court might come to a different conclusion.

Magudumana alleged South African police in Tanzania abducted her and contended that since her arrest was unlawful, the criminal proceedings against her in the Bester escape case were null and void, and she should be released from the Bizzah Makhate Correctional Centre in Kroonstad where she is held.

ALSO READ: Nandipha Magudumana’s arrest challenge dismissed

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Magudumana was arrested in Arusha, Tanzania with her partner convicted criminal and rapist Thabo Bester. They were deported to South Africa earlier in April.

NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA’S COURT BID FAILS

Magudumana wanted to approach the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) to appeal the judgement, however, Presiding Judge Philip Loubser dismissed her application with costs saying he is not convinced that the case a prospect of success and that a different court might come to a different conclusion.

Magudumana alleged South African police in Tanzania abducted her and contended that since her arrest was unlawful, the criminal proceedings against her in the Bester escape case were null and void, and she should be released from the Bizzah Makhate Correctional Centre in Kroonstad where she is held.

She is accused of fraud, defeating the ends of justice, violating a body, aiding and abetting an inmate to escape from lawful custody, corruption and arson.

ALSO READ: Adv Anton Katz: Who is Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s ‘top’ lawyer?

ALSO READ: ‘Jesus died for sinners’: Mzansi urged to pray for Nandipha Magudumana

Judge Philip Loubser’s dismissed the urgent application with costs—a pricey defeat.

According to the initial judgement, when the appellant was handed over to the Department of Home Affairs officials, she offered no resistance and reportedly told everyone that she wanted to return to South Africa for her children.

Loubser found that Maguduman’s “deportation” from Tanzania was disguised as extradition. However, he ruled against her because she willingly left the country.

ALSO READ: Nandipha Magudumana’s arrest challenge dismissed

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Magudumana was arrested with her partner Thabo Bester in Arusha, Tanzania in April this year and have appeared in court several times. She is among the people arrested for aiding and abetting Bester to escape from prison.

MAGUDUMANA TO APPEAL COURT JUDGEMENT

Magudumana alleged South African police in Tanzania abducted her and contended that since her arrest was unlawful, the criminal proceedings against her in the Bester escape case were null and void, and she should be released from the Bizzah Makhate Correctional Centre in Kroonstad where she is held.

She is accused of fraud, defeating the ends of justice, violating a body, aiding and abetting an inmate to escape from lawful custody, corruption and arson.

ALSO READ: Adv Anton Katz: Who is Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s ‘top’ lawyer?

Judge Philip Loubser’s dismissed the urgent application with costs—a pricey defeat.

According to the judgement, when the appellant was handed over to the Department of Home Affairs officials, she offered no resistance and reportedly told everyone that she wanted to return to South Africa for her children.

Loubser found that Maguduman’s “deportation” from Tanzania was disguised as extradition. However, he ruled against her because she willingly left the country.

ALSO READ: Nandipha Magudumana’s arrest challenge dismissed

ALSO READ: Investigator in Thabo Bester escape case allegedly dies by suicide

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In response to the demand for MORE flights on certain South African routes, Airlink will be upping frequencies. The additional flights will be on the Cape Town to Mbombela route, the Johannesburg to Mbombela route and the Johannesburg to Bloemfontein route, reports Travel News.

ALSO READ: New route: Zambia Airways to launch flights to South Africa

With these new flights, Airlink will now be operating a twice-daily return service between the Mother City and Mbombela – six times a week, while the new flights between Johannesburg and Mbombela will now allow travellers to choose one of up to eight return flights per day.

ALSO READ: Paw-some news: Lift Airlines now offers dog-friendly flights

In the same way, the extra flight between Johannesburg and Bloemfontein will now increase the daily number from three to four flights during the week and from two to three flights a day over weekends.

ALSO READ: New flights to connect Cape Town and Kimberley from CemAir

Rodger Foster, Airlink CEO and Managing Director, says that by increasing Airlink’s schedule on these routes, they were giving customers more convenient choices and connections, which in turn gave them more flexibility when planning their trips.

The additional flights will begin on 7 August 2023 and will be operated by Embraer Regional Jets. 

Mbombela to Vic Falls

In some other recent news from Airlink, the airline revealed that it would soon be launching a new route that will connect Mbombela and Kruger National Park to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

The new route will complement Airlink’s established service between Mbombela’s Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) and Livingstone on the Zambian side of the iconic waterfall.

The flights are scheduled to begin on 28 November later this year.

ALSO READ: Emirates now offers MORE flights from Cape Town

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• ActionSA has assisted Katlego Bereng’s father to lay criminal charges against various state institutions for allegedly contravening the National Health Act.
• Bereng was, according to police, the body burnt in Thabo Bester’s cell on the night that Bester escaped.
• There are a bunch of unexplained inconsistencies in relation to Bereng’s death and the body used in Bester’s escape, but the police and other state authorities are refusing to answer our questions.
• Information provided by the police to ActionSA indicates that Bester’s partner, Nandipha Magudumana, may have collected Bereng’s body twice from the same morgue.

Information apparently given by the police to ActionSA on the Thabo Bester escape suggests that Bester’s partner, Nandipha Magudumana, may have collected the same body – that of Katlego Bereng – from the same morgue twice.

ActionSA Free State chairperson Patricia Kopane confirmed on Tuesday that criminal charges have been laid in relation to the death of Bereng, the man whose burned body is believed to have been found Bester’s prison cell.

ALSO READ: Thabo Bester: Did Dr Nandipha collect same dead body twice?

Bereng’s father

Bereng’s father, Batho Mpholo, was assisted by ActionSA (Mpholo is a member of ActionSA) to lay charges at Park Road Police Station in Bloemfontein against the Free State Department of Health for contravening the National Health Act in the handling of Bereng’s body. Mpholo also plans to take legal action against the Department of Correctional Services and G4S.

Bester escaped from Mangaung Correctional Centre on 3 May 2022. He had faked his death and a body was found in his cell, burned beyond recognition. Almost a year later, Bereng’s family were informed that the body found in the cell was his.

Bereng went missing in March 2022 and a missing person’s case was opened in May 2022, according to the family. The family did not receive any updates on the investigation until two weeks ago when Bereng’s mother was asked for DNA samples. The family has still not been allowed to view the body.

ALSO READ: Dr Nandipha said to give details on missing domestic employees

Mpholo and ActionSA delegates were engaged in meetings with the police in Bloemfontein throughout the day on Tuesday, seeking clarity on how Bereng ended up in Bester’s cell.

Kopane updated GroundUp on Tuesday afternoon about what they were told by the police. She said it seems Bereng was found unconscious and picked up by an ambulance. His blood pressure was low and he died in the ambulance before reaching National Hospital in Bloemfontein.

According to Kopane, Bereng’s body was then taken to the Free State morgue as an unidentified person and the body was claimed by Bester’s partner Magudumana.

SAPS

GroundUp is unable to confirm Kopane’s version of events because the local and national spokespeople for the SA Police Service (SAPS) have declined to comment. No dates have been provided for when Bereng died, when his body was taken to the morgue, or when the body was supposedly collected by Magudumana before being smuggled into Mangaung Correctional Centre.

Mpholo and ActionSA are demanding to see the medical report from the paramedics who drove Bereng to the hospital and Bereng’s death certificate. They are also demanding an investigation into how Bereng’s body was released to Magudumana when she was not his spouse.

ALSO READ: Family believes body Dr Nandipha ‘stole’ could be that of relative

After Bester faked his death in the cell fire, the burned body, thought to be Bester’s at the time, was taken to the Free State mortuary where a post-mortem found that the person was dead before the fire broke out, from a head injury. It is still unclear how Bereng sustained the injury.

Another inconsistency is that Bereng’s family describe him as tall, but according to the postmortem report, the body in the cell was only 145cm, which indicates a very short person. A forensic pathologist has however previously explained to GroundUp that it is possible that the height could have been incorrectly estimated, especially since the body was in the foetal position.

Magudumana

ALSO READ: Dr Nandipha’s father ‘never’ received lobolo from Thabo Bester

Two days after the fire, Magudumana collected the body from the Free State mortuary again and took it to a mortuary in Soweto. It seems bizarre that Magudumana would have been able to collect the same body from the same morgue, twice. (It is possible she collected the body from the hospital morgue the first time round.) SAPS has previously confirmed that Magudumana claimed three different bodies from the Free State mortuary, the third of which was the one found in the cell.

GroundUp attempted to visit the mortuary but security staff turned us away, and the Free State Health Department refused to comment.

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• Police stated on the weekend that the body that was burnt in Thabo Bester’s cell had been identified, and the family informed.
• But the family of Katlego Bereng (who also used the surname Mpholo) has received conflicting information from the police about the circumstances of his death.
• One of several unexplained inconsistencies is the difference between the height of the body in the post-mortem report and Bereng’s height. The body was extremely short, but people who knew Bereng described him as tall.

The family of Katlego Bereng, believed to be the person who was found dead in murderer and rapist Thabo Bester’s prison cell, is looking for answers.

ALSO READ: Thabo Bester Update: Paraffin found in Katlego Bereng’s body

According to his family, Bereng (who also used his father’s surname Mpholo, and who lived in Bloemfontein) went missing in March 2022. They reported it to the police two months later, in May 2022. Almost a year later, the police contacted Bereng’s mother, Monica Matsie, about her son. She was asked to do two DNA tests, after which she was told that her son was dead.

South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Athlenda Mathe confirmed that the family of the body found in the cell has been informed. Mathe said no further comment would be issued. 

Bester

Bester escaped from Mangaung Correctional Centre on 3 May 2022 by faking his death in a prison fire. SAPS confirmed in Parliament that three bodies were collected from the Free State mortuary by Bester’s partner, Nandipha Magudumana, the third of which was the one that was found in Bester’s cell, burned beyond recognition. Police comments over the weekend imply that it was Bereng’s body in the cell.

According to the post-mortem report on the body found in the cell, the person died of a blunt force injury to the head before being smuggled into the cell and burned. But Bereng’s family has received conflicting accounts from police officers about how Bereng died. One police officer told them that Bereng collapsed in Bloemfontein city centre and was taken to Pelonomi hospital, while another said he was injured and died in the hospital.

ALSO READ: Katlego Bereng’s life from childhood till death left Mzansi in tears [watch]

Bereng

Bereng’s family describe him as “tall and slender”, but the body found in the cell was 1.45m, according to the post-mortem. The average adult male height in South Africa is 1.69m. A forensic pathologist has however previously explained to GroundUp that it is possible for a postmortem to get the height of a person wrong, especially since the body was in the foetal position.

It is not clear why the family has not yet been able to view and identify Bereng’s body. They were expecting to be allowed to visit the morgue on Monday but were told that investigations were still taking place. SAPS did not respond to our request for comment and the Free State Health Department, which runs the state morgue, said it could not comment on the Thabo Bester matter.

ALSO READ: Thabo Bester victim: Will Gerrie Nel get justice for Katlego Bereng?

Bereng lived around the block in Mangaung from Senohe Matsoara, the prison warden facing charges of murder and aiding and abetting Bester’s escape. According to a close friend, Bereng knew Matsoara and they both frequented a local tavern, at walking distance from their homes.

Escape

GroundUp visited Matsoara’s house on Monday, where his Volkswagen T-Roc R-line is still parked. TimesLive reported that he is thought to have bought the car, worth about R650,000, using money paid to him to help orchestrate Bester’s escape. The same report indicates that Matsoara’s lifestyle changed considerably in the months before and after Bester’s escape.

Several people in Bloemfontein told GroundUp that they have little confidence in the police to solve missing person cases. One man we spoke to has a cousin who has been missing since August 2021. The case was reported to the police on the day he went missing, but there still has not been any follow-up. According to the missing man’s mother, she was never given a case number.

A grieving family

Bereng grew up in the care of his grandmother, Alice Ralilateng. His parents had divorced when he was very young and his mother remarried. His father, Batho Mpholo, lives in Johannesburg.

After announcing on Twitter that the body found in the cell had been identified as his son, Mpholo has received much media attention. He is very active on Twitter, yet over the past year, he has made no previous mention of his son being missing. Mpholo has said that he implored the family to report Bereng missing after noticing that he hadn’t been regularly posting on Facebook. The last public post on Bereng’s Facebook page is from July 2021. But according to his aunt this was because he lost his phone.

When GroundUp visited Bereng’s household on Sunday, his mother and grandmother were distraught and angry.

Ralilateng says she needs to see the body.

“The DNA is fine for now, but we want closure. We need to know how our son ended up dead and burnt in jail,” she said.

Bereng found in prioson cell

Bereng had never had any conflicts with the law, according to his family, and it came as a great shock to them that his life would end in a prison cell.

They want to hold a funeral for Bereng this coming Sunday but they are unable to plan until the police confirm that they can collect the body.

The family said it took two months before they reported the case to the police because Bereng would often visit relatives for long periods without letting anyone know. But when they realised that Bereng was not coming back, they went to the police.

Ralilateng said that after reporting Bereng missing, they visited all the government morgues and hospitals surrounding Bloemfontein and left their contact details and a picture of Bereng.

Bereng leaves behind two children. One is three years old and the other is five. He studied to be a paramedic and his last job was as a waiter at Spur.

Former girlfriend of Bereng

His former girlfriend, Thandiwe Boleme, who is the mother of his younger son, said that Bereng was a loving father. He was unemployed at the time of his disappearance, but he would always make an effort to support his children, Boleme said.

Bereng’s best childhood friend Katlego Sebotsa told GroundUp that they were both devoted fans of the Bloemfontein Celtic Football Club.

ALSO READ: ‘He’s an opportunist’: Tweeps slam Katlego Bereng’s father

“He used to say there are many challenges in life and we should never ever give up because tough times never last but tough people do last. I feel that I have lost one of my body parts after losing my friend,” said Sebotsa.

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Zolile Sekeleni, Nandipha Madugumana’s father, was granted R10,000 bail in the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court on Monday. But Madugumana, Senohe Matsoara and Teboho Lipholo will remain in custody until 3 and 4 May, when their formal bail applications will be heard.

ALSO READ: Friends or fans? Nandipha blows a kiss to court gallery [watch]

Matsoara is a former G4S security officer at Mangaung Prison and Lipholo is a former employee of Integritron, the company that maintains the surveillance cameras in Mangaung prison. Both were on duty the day of the fire.

Proceedings were briefly delayed because of loadshedding.

ALSO READ: Recaptured Thabo Bester returns to the courtroom

Sekeleni

Prosecutor Sello Matlhoko told the court that the state does not oppose bail against Sekeleni but opposes it against the other three accused. They face several charges, including murder and assisting Thabo Bester to escape.

Sekeleni’s lawyer, Themba Diba, emphasised to the court that they both agreed about Sekeleni’s bail. His case will be heard on 16 May when he will appear with Thabo Bester.

ALSO READ: NPA drops murder charge against Dr Nandipha Magudumana’s father in Thabo Bester case

Madugumana wore a hoodie and an N95 mask to cover her face in the heavily guarded courtroom. The magistrate asked her to remove the mask and show her face so that she could be identified. After her Diba unsuccessfully tried to convince the magistrate otherwise, Madugumana briefly removed her mask before putting it back on.

ALSO READ: Pelagic Sargassum severely impacts Ghana’s fishing communities

Lipholo has had no lawyer until now but will be represented by Legal Aid.

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In an interview on eNCA on Saturday, the spokesperson for the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) Singabakho Nxumalo said that his department did not have the autopsy report on the body found in the prison cell of convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester.

Almost a year ago, on 3 May 2022, DCS announced that Bester had died after a fire broke out in his cell.

But there is compelling evidence that the body found in the cell was not that of Bester and that Bester had escaped from prison.

ALSO READ: More evidence links Thabo Bester and Dr Nandipha Magudumana

Although Nxumalo says his Department does not have the post-mortem (autopsy) report, GroundUp does have it.

It was completed on 4 May 2022, the day after the fire. It is a public document part of a court record.

Here it is (PDF 17MB). (We’ve removed the last two pages because they contain irrelevant identifying information.)

“We stand by our statement of 3 May 2022,” Nxumalo said on Saturday.

This is despite the compelling evidence we published this week suggesting that Bester may have escaped from prison.

Nxumalo said on eNCA that when an unnatural death is reported in a prison, such as in the case of a fire, an autopsy must be conducted and the cause of death must identified. “As we are seated now, Correctional Services doesn’t have the outcome of [the police] investigation, doesn’t have the autopsy report,” Nxumalo said.

ALSO READ: Man resembling Thabo Bester spotted in Sandton

The results of the autopsy were mentioned in a report written by judges Nokuthula Daniso and Ilse Van Rhyn and delivered in December last year. GroundUp published an article about it in January.

We obtained the post-mortem report from papers filed with the Pretoria High Court on 31 May 2022.

The autopsy was completed on 4 May 2022

In the autopsy report, which is attached to the police’s answering affidavit, the forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsy, Dr Jacobus Fouche, writes that the autopsy was completed on 4 May 2022 and that the cause of death was blunt force injury to the head.

GroundUp understands that because of the findings of the autopsy report, the police docket relating to the matter was changed from suicide to murder.

ALSO READ: Mysteries surrounding death of ‘Facebook rapist’ Thabo Bester

The court case was brought by celebrity doctor Nandipha Magudumana.

She approached the Pretoria High Court in May 2022 to have the body returned to her after it was confiscated by police.

She had collected the body on 6 May, claiming to be Bester’s customary law wife.

The same court papers reveal that a woman claiming to be Bester’s mother tried to claim the body, but she was refused after her DNA did not match that of the body.

The post-mortem report also reveals the following:

• The body’s face and hands were particularly badly burned, while the whole body was severely charred
• A strong smell of paraffin suggested that an accelerant was used in the fire
• The height of the body was 1.45m. In a police mugshot, Bester stands taller at over 1.7m.

eNCA presenter Heidi Giokos asked Nxumalo why almost a year later, DCS still doesn’t have the report. In response, Nxumalo said: “I must say that this is not something out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, we do wait some time to get these autopsy reports.”

We have been publishing stories on Thabo Bester since November 2022. We have given DCS and the South African Police Services (SAPS) multiple opportunities to respond to our questions and the evidence we have been uncovering, but more often than not we did not receive a satisfactory response.

This week, after we published our most recent reports, police minister Bheki Cele indicated that the body has not been positively identified as Thabo Bester through DNA testing. “It might be correct that there is somebody out there,” he said. He said he will be discussing the matter with Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola.

SAPS told GroundUp that investigations are ongoing and that it “has reached a very critical stage”.

ALSO READ: Who is Dr Nandi? Meet the woman linked to rapist Thabo Bester

In a statement released on Friday, DCS said there have been “no new developments” in the investigation – ten months after the fire broke out in the cell where Bester was kept.

The department also said that its investigation is ongoing and that it cannot confirm or deny the information in our reports.

CORRECTION ON 2023-03-18 18:07

The date on which Nandipha Magudumana collected the body was 6 May, not 5 May.

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• Minutes before a fire broke out in Thabo Bester’s prison cell at the Mangaung Correctional Centre, CCTV cameras observed people hastily leaving the prison.
• After the fire, a dead body was found in the cell, burned beyond recognition under the mattress. The autopsy report revealed the person was dead before the fire broke out.
• Celebrity doctor Nandipha Magudumana collected the body, claiming to be Bester’s wife, but the body was later confiscated by police.
• A woman who says she is Bester’s biological mother also tried to claim the body, but her DNA did not match the body’s.

GroundUp has uncovered new evidence that reveals suspicious circumstances in the prison fire thought to have killed ‘Facebook rapist’ Thabo Bester.

On 3 May 2022, the Department of Correctional Services announced that Bester was found dead in his cell at the Mangaung Correctional Centre, a maximum security private prison operated by multinational security company G4S.

ALSO READ: Asbestos found in old hospital intended for homeless shelter

A fire had broken out and a dead body was found under a burnt mattress.

Bester became known as the “Facebook rapist” because he used the social media platform to lure women with claims that international modelling scouts were interested in them.

He would then rape them and rob them using a knife. He murdered at least one of his victims. In 2012, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for these crimes.

After the fire, a dead body was found in the cell

GroundUp has learnt that in the early hours of the morning of the fire, people were seen on CCTV cameras hastily exiting the prison.

In January, we revealed that the person whose body was found in the cell was dead before the fire broke out.

According to the post-mortem report, which we have seen, the person was killed by a blunt force injury to the head.

The body’s height at the time of the autopsy was 1.45m. But in a police mugshot, Bester stood taller, at just over 1.7m.

ALSO READ: Home Affairs will open a Cape Town refugee office

(While this is suspicious, a forensic pathologist told GroundUp that it is possible for a pathologist to underestimate the height of a burnt body.)

The post-mortem report also noted a “strong smell of accelerant (paraffin)” from the body’s trachea and bronchi.

The whole body was charred, and the hands and face were particularly badly burned. After the autopsy, the police docket relating to the matter was changed from suicide to murder.

Bester’s “customary law” wife, celebrity doctor Nandipha Magudumana, claimed the body from the mortuary shortly after the fire.

But after the autopsy, the police confiscated the body for further investigations.

A woman who said she is Bester’s biological mother then tried to claim the body, but her DNA did not match the body’s.

Ten months later, investigations by the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), and the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS), are still incomplete.

“Moved around like a pauper”

Three days after the fire, on 6 May 2022, Magudumana collected Bester’s body from the state morgue in Mangaung, claiming to be Bester’s customary law wife.

Magudumana runs a cosmetics surgery company called Optimum Medical Aesthetic Solutions.

She has 124,000 Instagram followers and was named one of the Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans in 2018.

She took the body to a mortuary in Soweto, but it was confiscated by police upon instruction from the investigating officer in Mangaung. Further investigations were then conducted on the body.

Magudumana approached the Pretoria High Court on 19 May, requesting that the body be returned to her.

She also asked the court for a declaratory order entitling her to bury Bester. The court has not yet made a final ruling on the matter.

In her founding affidavit, Magudumana argued that as Bester’s customary law wife, she had the burial rights, and indicated that she wanted an independent autopsy to be conducted to determine the cause of death.

The autopsy report revealed the person was dead before the fire broke out.

She also claimed the police had threatened and intimidated her.

ALSO READ: Phaahla warns Nehawu workers of disciplinary action

She gave a full account of her relationship with Bester and lobola negotiations which resulted in them becoming married under customary law.

But Magudumana’s affidavit did not mention that she had been in a civil marriage with another man since 2013, and is still registered as such on Home Affairs’ database.

Under customary law, marriages are not allowed if one party is already married under civil law.

Magudumana said in her affidavit that her father and assistant had been detained by police when trying to collect the body from the mortuary in Soweto. “It pains me to see my late husband’s body being moved around like a pauper,” she said.

She also claimed that she had met Bester in 2006 while studying at Wits University. They had a good relationship until they lost contact in 2011.

She reached out to Bester in 2017 to “rekindle our relationship” and started visiting him in prison.

“Whenever he had any concerns and/or problems and any issues in prison, I was the only person who would communicate with lawyers to try and resolve those issues,” she said. She also said that she would regularly pay money into his prison account and that Bester proposed to her in February 2020.

Magudumana claimed that Bester’s mother died while he was young and that he was raised by his grandmother. “I do not know any relatives of the deceased that are still alive,” she said.

But in an answering affidavit, the investigating officer at Bloemspruit police station, Tieho Flyman, said that the police are no longer in possession of the body.

Flyman said that after “further investigations” were completed, the body was claimed by Meisie Mabaso, who said she was Bester’s biological mother.

“The investigation insofar as the body is concerned was completed and the Applicant [Magudumana] is free to claim the remains from the said Mabaso Meisie Marya,” said Flyman in the affidavit.

GroundUp spoke to Meisie Mabaso on the phone. She said that she went to pick up the body after hearing it on the radio and wanted to bury him.

But she wasn’t given the body because DNA results comparing her to the body, did not match.

Mabaso told GroundUp that she did not have a strong relationship with her son because he was raised by his grandmother, who has since passed away.

She said that she was unaware of Bester’s supposed marriage to Magudumana.

During his sentencing trial in 2011, Bester said under oath that he was abandoned by his mother at a young age. He also said he dropped out of school in Grade 5, yet Magudumana says she met him at university.

GroundUp has seen a “Request for Removal of a Body” application letter from July 2022 – two months after the affidavits were filed – signed by a senior member of the South African Police Service (SAPS).

The application letter states that the investigation into the death and identity of the body is still ongoing. According to the letter, Magudumana claimed the body on 6 May 2022 and intended to cremate it.

But before she could cremate it, “the mother of deceased viz Mrs Maria Bester [likely the same person as Meisie Mabaso] contacted the Police in Gauteng claiming the same body.”

The letter confirms that DNA tests comparing the body to Mabaso were done and no match was found. According to the letter, the body was still being kept at the mortuary in Soweto as of July 2022.

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Magudumana, via her lawyer Vuyo Manisi, declined to answer GroundUp’s emailed questions. “This matter has not been resolved by the parties involved and it is our client’s request that all questions related to the matter be stayed pending the finalisation of the matter,” Manisi said.

What happened on the night of the fire?

GroundUp understands that police and DCS investigations into the incident are still ongoing. But it is ten months later and progress on the investigations appears to be painfully slow.

In the meantime, we have been piecing together information from various sources to understand what happened on the night of the fire.

A source, whose name is known to GroundUp, told us that before the fire broke out, a prison official placed Bester in a corner cell by himself.

We understand this cell was rarely used because it is difficult for the CCTV cameras to see into it.

We have also gained access to a copy of the logbook from the prison’s control room.

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According to the logbook, an official reported smoke at 3am. Just after 4am, a large amount of smoke was seen coming from Bester’s cell.

On the night of the fire, the CCTV cameras pointing to the exit of the prison were apparently not at the correct angle.

Yet we have learnt that at 2:59am and 50 seconds, seconds before the smoke was first reported, almost at the frame edge of footage captured on a CCTV camera, two people can be seen hastily exiting the prison.

According to the logbook, the local police station in Bloemspruit was called at about 4:25am, but the number didn’t work.

A call was then made to the 10111 call centre which answered at 5am — they were then finally transferred to local police.

According to the logbook, the body in the cell, presumed to be Bester, was declared dead at 5.10am and the police only arrived at 6.45am.

GroundUp understands that several officials have been suspended or dismissed, including the official who placed Bester in the cell and the two control room officers who were on duty the night of the fire.

Questions still remain

The circumstances of the fire and death remain shrouded in mystery. The following questions remain:

1. Has the body been positively identified as Thabo Bester, either through DNA testing or dental records?
2. Has any meaningful progress been made in the investigations by SAPS and DCS?
3. If the body found in the cell was not Bester, who was it and how did the person die?
4. Have the police ruled out the possibility that Bester escaped from prison?
5. Who were the people seen leaving the prison on the night of the fire?

“All possibilities are being explored during the investigation,” JICS spokesperson Emerantia Cupido told GroundUp. JICS — the judicial prison watchdog — relies on information from SAPS and DCS to complete their investigation. SAPS and DCS did not respond to GroundUp’s questions at the time of publication.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY GROUND UP

• A bad tempered, disrespectful law graduate is not fit and proper to be admitted as an attorney, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has ruled.
• Goane Jack Siamisang Montshiwa had insulted judges and attorneys.
• Sending a strong message, the judge noted “his lack of appreciation of the ethos and principles that govern the legal profession and the courts of this country”.

A law graduate who has a “predisposition to bouts of extreme anger and disrespect” is not a fit and proper person to be enrolled as an attorney, the Supreme Court of Appeal has ruled.

Goane Jack Siamisang Montshiwa, who studied his LLB (law degree) through UNISA, approached the court to appeal the refusal to admit him as a legal practitioner by a specially constituted two-judge full bench of the Mahikeng High Court.

ALSO READ: No money for water and toilets at Khoisan occupation

The Mahikeng court judges found that he was not a fit and proper person and had not completed the necessary practical vocational training, among other reasons, for rejecting his application.

Montshiwa’s application for leave to appeal was unsuccessful and so he petitioned the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).

The SCA said the refusal to grant Montshiwa leave to appeal in the high court was “a nullity” because it had only been heard by one judge.

However, SCA Acting Deputy President Nambitha Dambuza (with judges Caroline Nicholls and Mahendra Chetty concurring) said she did not believe that Montshiwa should be sent back to the High Court to make a fresh application for leave to appeal. Instead, the court should exercise its inherent powers under the Constitution to consider the merits of the application to “avoid multiple fruitless court proceedings between the same parties”.

Read the full judgment here

SCA: Disrespectful law graduate is not fit and proper to be admitted as an attorney

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Judge Dumbuza said she was not persuaded that another court would reach a different conclusion about Motshiwa’s fitness to become a legal practitioner.

“The courts in this country and elsewhere have identified certain qualities for a fit and proper person as envisaged in the Legal Practice Act. These include integrity, hard work, dignity, honesty, fairness and respect for legal order,” she said.

She said, while the expression “fit and proper” was not defined in the act, one of its objectives was to enhance and maintain appropriate standards of professional practice.

ALSO READ: Nelson Mandela Bay households have been told to boil tap water

“As a legal practitioner, Mr Montshiwa would be expected to conduct himself with the highest degree of integrity … insulting vulgar and disparaging language by a legal practitioner cannot be tolerated.”

Judge Dambuza said it appeared from the record that Montshiwa’s conduct fell far short of what was expected.

“It is apparent that his appreciation of the processes, procedures and decorum of our courts is woefully deficient,” she said.

In response to opposition to his admission by attorney Jerry Sithole, Montshiwa had claimed it resulted from “bitterness and stupidity” and was an “idiotic move … motivated by stupidity”.

When another attorney, J Nkomo, filed an application to intervene in the admission proceedings in order to place on record certain conduct by Montshiwa in the Maintenance Court, Montshiwa had referred to the application as “idiotic” “barbaric” and what would be expected from a “passionate first year law student”.

Judge Dambuza said Montshiwa had written to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services requesting that he establish a commission of inquiry to investigate “the relationship between Mr Nkomo and the North West High Court Bench”.

ALSO READ: Zambia: Four arrested for “championing homosexuality”

The judge noted “his lack of appreciation of the ethos and principles that govern the legal profession and the courts of this country

The Judge President of the North West division at the time was also not spared from Montshiwa’s tirade, who described her leadership as “a mockery”. He also laid a criminal complaint against her.

He also directed insults at judges who heard his application for admission and accused them of bias and collusion with the Judge President.

In the SCA, he continued with his vitriolic attacks “all of which demonstrates his lack of appreciation of the ethos and principles that govern the legal profession and the courts of this country”, said Judge Dambuza.

She cited in her judgment an article published on GroundUp, in which Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge Rishi Seegobin stated that “the effective functioning of our courts and the proper administration of justice are highly dependent on how legal practitioners go about discharging [their duty to the court]”.

Judge Dambuza said Montshiwa did not dispute the conduct and utterances attributed to him but only maintained that his conduct was not inappropriate.

“That cannot be so … Against this background no other court would find differently from the decision of the High Court,” she said, dismissing the application for leave to appeal, with costs.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY GROUND UP

Members of the Mangaung Metro Tactical Response Team made the arrest in the Bayswater Police Station area on Wednesday, 1 February. 

SUSPECTS FOUND WITH ARVS WORTH R85 000 

South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson in the Free State Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane, said the team received information about men who had boxes of ARVs in their possession at the mall in Kenneth Kaunda Road, Helicon Heights, in Bloemfontein.

Covane said information was received from Crime Intelligence members and the members pounced on the suspects at about 09:15. 

“A silver bakkie with three men was searched in the mall parking area and boxes full of antiretroviral medications were found.

“The boxes were opened and different types of antiretrovirals were confiscated. The value of the medicines recovered is estimated at R85 000.00. A preliminary investigation was conducted, and it appears that the medicines were stolen during a break-in at a clinic in Boshof,” he said.

The suspects are aged 28, 43 and 52.

Covane said a case of presumably stolen property was opened at Bayswater Police Station.

The suspects are expected to appear before the Bloemfontein Magistrate Court soon.

In a separate incident, a driver was arrested after police confiscated 30 bags of drugs (Mandrax tablets) with an estimated street value of R1.5 million during a routine check by members attached to the Western Cape Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Narcotics Section. 

The drugs were found on Friday, 27 January in Beaufort West.

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Man convicted of armed robbery arrested after escaping

Chris Potgieter, 47, who was sentenced for armed robbery in Kimberley, was taken to hospital in Bloemfontein.

He was transported by a private security company for medical treatment.

The convict escaped from hospital on 27 December 2022, around 03:20, and the matter was reported to Mangaung police.

The Koffiefontein Rural Safety Coordinator enlisted the help of her local farmers, and the suspect was apprehended two days later on the Luckhoff and Koffiefontein crossing, whilst hitchhiking.

The off-duty member then alerted one of her colleagues, and the suspect was apprehended again.

ALSO READ: Bottle store owner FATALLY SHOT during armed robbery

The suspect was handed over to Mangaung police and will be returned to Kimberley prison to serve the rest of his sentence.

The circumstances that led to his escape are being investigated.

ALSO READ:

• Manhunt underway as suspect escapes custody at Mpumalanga hospital
• Eastern Cape police launch manhunt after suspects escape police custody
• Possible negligence and aiding being investigated after suspects escape
• 12 suspects previously arrested for rape, kidnapping escape from Komatipoort police station

ALSO READ: Jacob Zuma no-show at media briefing he called to respond to State Capture report

ZUMA CONTENDS MEDICAL PAROLE RULING

The former President was released on medical parole in September, having only served two-months of his 15 month sentence.

Zuma was jailed for contempt of court by the Constitutional Court after failing to appear before the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.

His prison sentence caused an insurrection in the country where unrest broke out in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, leading to looting and deaths.

Zuma was released on medical parole by former correctional head Arthur Fraser. This is despite opposition from the medical parole advisory board which stated that the former president did not suffer from a terminal illness. This is a legal requirement to qualify for medical parole.

ALSO READ: Jacob Zuma’s corruption trial postponed again

The Democratic Alliance, Helen Suzman Foundation and AfriForum brought an application to the High Court opposing the medical parole release. The court ruled in their favour, finding that Zuma’s release on medical parole was unlawful.

But the Gauteng High Court judge granted Zuma leave to appeal the ruling which was made in December last year. The former president applied for the ruling to be reviewed and set aside, which had directed him to return to prison to serve the remaining sentence.

DA LEADERSHIP TO ATTEND THE APPEAL CASE

The DA leadership announced that they will be attending the sitting on Monday at the SCA in Bloemfontein.

DA leader John Steenhuisen will be accompanied by DA Free State Provincial Leader Roy Jankielsohn, and DA Shadow Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Cilliers Brink.

“The DA will attend the SCA hearing to ensure that the rule of law is upheld in this case, and that the former President Jacob Zuma serves his fifteen-month jail sentence for contempt of court in the lead-up to his corruption trial in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on 17 October 2022.”

John Steenhuisen

ALSO READ: Zikalala SLAMS claims that he did not support Jacob Zuma

ARE THESE US SOLDIERS DEPLOYED IN SA FOR PROTECTION?

So is this true?

WATCH VIDEO:

@baesickguy Why is the USA army in South Africa ? ???? #fypシ #BaeSickGuy #trending #tiktoksouthafrica #viral #southafrica #fyp #johannesburg ♬ Oh no, oh no, oh no, no no – Hip Hop

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) spokesperson Brigadier General Andries Mahapa, dismissed all speculation and rumours.

“The South African National Defence Force wishes to condemn in the strongest possible terms an article which appeared on the 6 July 2022 on Twitter stating that the US military personnel who are in South Africa are here to protect certain government officials. This is the most ludicrous statement and is dismissed with the contempt it deserves. That this Twitter message is not worth a response.”

Brigadier General Andries Mahapa,

Mahapa furthermore said it was a well-known exercise between the two militaries.

IT IS A WELL-KNOWN EXERCISE BETWEEN THE TWO MILITARIES

“The SANDF would like to state clearly and unambiguous that the US Army Southern European Task Force is in South Africa to conduct a joint and multinational peace support operation and humanitarian relief exercise with the SANDF under the operational code name Exercise SHARED ACCORD 2022.

“Exercise SHARED ACCORD 2022 (Ex SHARED ACCORD 2022) is the fourth exercise of this nature to be planned and executed in South Africa. Previous exercises took place in 2011, 2013 and 2017. The last exercise was conducted in the Northern Cape at the SA Army Combat Training Centre (CTC) Lohatlha, with the next exercise scheduled for 2020. But due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, all joint exercises were suspended.”

Brigadier General Andries Mahapa,

According to Mahpa the aim of Exercise SHARED ACCORD 2022 is mainly to improve the bilateral military inter-operability.

ALSO READ: Tiger attack and killed worker at the Seaview Predator Park

“The exercise is to improve the bilateral military inter-operability. to conduct maritime force protection against conventional and asymmetric threats at sea, harbours, conduct air support operations to Peace Support Operations (PSO) for landward forces and exercise the provision of medical assistance and humanitarian relief to own forces and the local population.”

Brigadier General Andries Mahapa,

The exercise is scheduled from 05-27 July 2022 in and around Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal.

BACKGROUND ON THIS EXERCISE

Exercise SHARED ACCORD came about as a result of bilateral Defence Force Committee discussions that originated in 2009 and was approved by the Military Command Council (MCC) in 2010.

“The South African National Defence Force would like to reiterate that US Army is in South Africa for a joint exercise, and for not any other agenda as speculated on social platforms.

The SANDF wants to assure all South Africans that the multinational exercise named SHARED ACCORD has nothing to do with protecting any government official in RSA but rather pure joint training.

“The SANDF dismisses this Twitter post as fake news and an attempt to spread misinformation.”

ALSO READ: Hyena attacked and injured an SANDF soldier in Kruger National Park

UNSUSPECTING FATHER WALKED INTO A ROBBERY AND WAS KIDNAPPED

According to the police spokesperson Sergeant Mahlomola Kareli, it all started with a house robbery on Sunday morning.

Kareli said the 41-year-old mother went out for the morning jog in Fichardtpark and was surprised by an unknown armed man in a mask.

ALSO READ: Beloved father brutally gunned down during peak traffic in East London 

“The suspect pushed the woman back into the yard at a gunpoint demanding cash.

“The second suspect also followed suit and they managed to get her back into the house.  The woman and her two children aged 14 and 4 were locked in the bedroom with hands and feet fastened. 

“Moments later the unsuspecting husband aged 46, arrived and was also ambushed by the suspects and pointed with a firearm.  The 46-year-old husband was forced at gunpoint into his vehicle with his hands and feet fastened and a plastic bag over his head.”

Sergeant Mahlomola Kareli

THE MOTHER AND CHILDREN WERE LOCKED IN A BEDROOM

The suspects left with the father’s vehicle leaving the mother and children locked in the bedroom. 

The mother managed to untie herself and go out looking for help.  Police were called to the scene and a lookout was given for a Dark grey Toyota Hilux with FS registration numbers.

“At about 13:30, the vehicle was spotted on the N1 just outside Bloemfontein, parked on the side of the road.  Further information was that there is an African male in the back seat full of blood.  Emergency services were called to the scene and declared the father dead on the scene.”

The Parkroad police are investigating a case of house robbery, kidnapping, and murder.

ALSO READ: Beloved father killed by a shark at Plettenberg Bay identified

DO YOU HAVE INFORMATION THAT COULD ASSIST THE POLICE?

Investigations continue and no one has been arrested yet. Police are pleading with anyone having information to contact Detective Capt. Van Dyk of Parkweg on 082 526 2589 or call crime stop 08600 10111 or go to MySAPS app.

WERE US SOLDIERS DEPLOYED IN SAY FOR PROTECTION?

So is this true?

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) spokesperson Brigadier General Andries Mahapa, dismissed all speculation and rumours.

“The South African National Defence Force wishes to condemn in the strongest possible terms an article which appeared on the 6 July 2022 on Twitter stating that the US military personnel who are in South Africa are here to protect certain government officials. This is the most ludicrous statement and is dismissed with the contempt it deserves. That this Twitter message is not worth a response.”

Brigadier General Andries Mahapa,

Mahapa furthermore said it was a well-known exercise between the two militaries.

IT IS A WELL-KNOWN EXERCISE BETWEEN THE TWO MILITARIES

“The SANDF would like to state clearly and unambiguous that the US Army Southern European Task Force is in South Africa to conduct a joint and multinational peace support operation and humanitarian relief exercise with the SANDF under the operational code name Exercise SHARED ACCORD 2022.

“Exercise SHARED ACCORD 2022 (Ex SHARED ACCORD 2022) is the fourth exercise of this nature to be planned and executed in South Africa. Previous exercises took place in 2011, 2013 and 2017. The last exercise was conducted in the Northern Cape at the SA Army Combat Training Centre (CTC) Lohatlha, with the next exercise scheduled for 2020. But due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, all joint exercises were suspended.”

Brigadier General Andries Mahapa,

According to Mahpa the aim of Exercise SHARED ACCORD 2022 is mainly to improve the bilateral military inter-operability.

ALSO READ: Tiger attack and killed worker at the Seaview Predator Park

“The exercise is to improve the bilateral military inter-operability. to conduct maritime force protection against conventional and asymmetric threats at sea, harbours, conduct air support operations to Peace Support Operations (PSO) for landward forces and exercise the provision of medical assistance and humanitarian relief to own forces and the local population.”

Brigadier General Andries Mahapa,

The exercise is scheduled from 05-27 July 2022 in and around Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal.

BACKGROUND ON THIS EXERCISE

Exercise SHARED ACCORD came about as a result of bilateral Defence Force Committee discussions that originated in 2009 and was approved by the Military Command Council (MCC) in 2010.

“The South African National Defence Force would like to reiterate that US Army is in South Africa for a joint exercise, and for not any other agenda as speculated on social platforms.

The SANDF wants to assure all South Africans that the multinational exercise named SHARED ACCORD has nothing to do with protecting any government official in RSA but rather pure joint training.

“The SANDF dismisses this Twitter post as fake news and an attempt to spread misinformation.”

ALSO READ: Hyena attacked and injured an SANDF soldier in Kruger National Park

THE POLICE MOTORCYCLE WAS PATROLLING OUTSIDE STADIUM IN BLOEMFONTEIN

According to police spokesperson Sergeant Sinah Mpakane, the accident happened around 15:40.

ALSO READ: Nine-year-old boy killed after he fell off the back of a vehicle

“At about 15:40, a police motorcycle was patrolling at the Free State Rugby stadium.

“Then suddenly a boy came running and was hit by a moving police motorcycle.”

Sergeant Sinah Mpakane

Mpakane said he sustained a slight injury and was admitted to the medi-clinic.

THE SPRINGBOKS AND WALES GAMES WERE HAPPENING INSIDE STADIUM

“Police opened state as per case and  a case of reckless and negligence driving while waiting for the particulars of a victim from his parents.”

The child’s identity is not yet known.

Wales made history as they recorded a stunning 13-12 second-Test victory over South Africa in Bloemfontein.

It was Wales’ first win against the Springboks on South African soil, ending 58 years of hurt and arriving at the 12th attempt.

Meanwhile, a one-year-old baby girl was shot and injured after being shot by a stray bullet as she was playing at home whilst a funeral activity was being held at the cemetery in Pienaar outside Nelspruit.

Police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli said the baby was shot at around 12:45 on Saturday.

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ONE-YEAR-OLD BABY GIRL HIT BY STRAY BULLET

“The incident occurred on Saturday, 09 July 2022 around 12h45 pm. According to the information, the family of the girl resides next to the cemetery in Thekwane North and on a sad day, the minor is said to have been playing outside the house.

“Gunshot sounds were reportedly heard coming from the nearby graveyard where there was a burial, and moments later, the child was heard screaming.”

Colonel Donald Mdhluli

THE BABY WAS HIT IN THE LEG AND RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL

Mdhluli said when her mother rushed outside to find out what was happening to her daughter, she noticed that the baby was bleeding on her lower body.

“The baby was then taken to a nearby clinic by a private vehicle and the medical staff confirmed that she had a gunshot wound on her leg; however, the child had to be swiftly transferred to a hospital.

“Police were then alerted about the incident by their counterparts from the hospital, and upon arrival, a case of attempted murder was opened with an immediate launch of a manhunt for the suspect(s).

Colonel Donald Mdhluli

DO YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION?

He furthermore said police at Pienaar have since made a clarion call to members of the public to come forth with information regarding people who fired shots at the said funeral by calling the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111 or sending information via MYSAPSAPP. All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.

THE BABY WAS ONLY TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL THE DAY AFTER HE FELL

According to police spokesperson Captain Stephen Thakeng, the baby boy sustained serious injuries. 

Preliminary investigation revealed that the baby fell from the bed on 20 May 2022 BUT was only taken to the hospital on 21 May 2022.

ALSO READ: Five-year-old fighting for his life in ICU after a FREAK accident at school

“We can confirm that a member of the public reported an alleged murder of a child at a house in Wilson Street Ventersburg who fell from the bed and sustained serious injuries on his head. 

“There is also an allegation of abuse of the child by parents. The child was taken to Bongani hospital for medical attention, and he was transferred to Universitas hospital in Bloemfontein. The child was declared dead on 27 May 2022.” 

THE BABY DIED IN THE HOSPITAL ON FRIDAY

Thakeng said after police learned of the abuse allegations, the Station Commander of Ventersburg, Captain Odendal, instantly registered a case of Inquest. 

“Nobody has been arrested yet, but we are currently obtaining warning statements of the parents as well as the guardian.” 

The post-mortem will be conducted soon, and the investigation continues. 

ALSO READ: HEARTLESS! Toddler found in bag murdered, chopped up and dumped along N1

“We are making an appeal to residents of Ventersburg if they experience any alleged abuse against anyone. The local police must be informed immediately so that the wheels of justice can begin to roll.” 

DO YOU KNOW OF A CHILD BEING ABUSED?

South African Police Service

In a case of domestic violence or sexual assault, the South African Police Service will help you find medical attention, shelter and victim counselling.

The SAPS emergency number is 10111.

ALSO READ: Father, 25, gets life imprisonment for strangling 3-year-old son to death

People Opposed to Woman Abuse (Powa)

Powa provides counselling, over the phone and in person, and provide temporary shelter. They also provide legal help to women who have experienced violence.

Tel: 011 642 4345

E-mail: info@powa.co.za

Childline South Africa

Childline South Africa helps abused children and their families with a free counselling service. The non-profit organisation deals with physical and sexual abuse, substance abuse, behavioural problems and trafficking as well as gives legal advice.

Toll-free helpline: 0800 055 555

Child Welfare South Africa

Child Welfare South Africa focuses on child protection, child care and family development. You can also report neglect and child abuse.

Tel: 074 080 8315

Tears Foundation

TEARS Foundation provides access to crisis intervention, advocacy, counselling, and prevention education services for those impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault and child sexual abuse.

Free SMS helpline: *134*7355#

Tel: 010 590 5920

ALLEGED DRUG DEALER BUSTED IN FREEDOM SQUARE

South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane said the Mangaung TRT visited the house in Freedom Square after receiving a tip-off.

The officers showed up at the house, introduced themselves accused and explained the nature of their visit.

“The search started and three-hundred-and-four (304) full; four (4) halves and one (1) quarter of mandrax tablets as well as three (3) small zipper plastic bags containing Chrystal Meth were found inside the house,” said Covane.

The suspect reportedly also told the police that he was in South Africa illegally. He was arrested and the drugs were seized.

The suspect is expected to face charges of dealing drugs and being in the country illegally in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 29 April.

READ:

• Children discover body ‘burnt beyond recognition’ while riding their bicycles
• Police nab suspects who robbed cigarette delivery vehicle after gun battle
• Strandfontein community threatens ex-Piketberg cop who killed his girlfriend
• Gardener, domestic worker show police their employer’s shallow grave

MIDNIGHT CALL OUT

Police were dispatched on Sunday, 3 April, to handle a domestic violence case. Complaints were made about a fight between a husband and wife in Phahameng Section and at about 00:15 on Sunday, a Namahadi man not just lost the fight but also his life.

WIFE FOUND CLUTCHING DEAD HUSBAND

Fezile Dabi District police spokesperson, Captain Malebo Khosana, said the responding officer arrived to find the wife sitting on a chair holding her husband.

“She was on the ground outside the house. He noticed that the husband was bleeding from the mouth and was bleeding from an open wound on the chest,”

said police spokesperson Khosana.

MURDER MYSTERY TOLD TO POLICE

Paramedics declared the 46-year-old man dead on the scene and what began as a domestic violence complaint is a murder investigation.

Khosana said an interview was conducted with the wife to establish the facts of the fight.

“She admitted to having a fight with her husband outside the house. According to her, a group of people entered the yard to rescue her from her husband. After the people separated them, she saw her husband falling down. She further alleged the unknown group of people ran away,”

said captain Malebo Khosana.

POLICE ARREST AND CHARGE WIFE

Khosana said a clear account of how the man was fatally wounded could not be given and she was arrested later that day on a charge of murder.

The investigation is an ongoing matter and the widow will appear at Frankfort Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 05 April.

READ MORE: Free State MURDER: Woman’s body dumped in dam, boyfriend arrested

The two men were kidnapped after they allegedly stole nine sheep. It’s a plot twist the Ladybrand police were least expecting. Now, they are searching for Diteboho Makgalanyane and Kelebone Majara, not just for the alleged sheep theft, but because police believe they are missing. We really couldn’t make this up.

POLICE ON THE HUNT

Spokesperson warrant officer Mmako Mophiring said the pair were last seen on 26 March.

Police probes revealed they had both not been seen by their families and their whereabouts remained a mystery. Neither friends nor next of kin could assist law enforcement with additional information. No word has been heard since their disappearance leaving both their families and police in the dark.

ALLEGED KIDNAPPERS CAUGHT

Mophiring said witnesses reported that Makgalanyane and Majara were seen in a car driven by the alleged kidnappers before they were declared missing.

Preliminary police investigations led to the arrest of two suspects aged 37 and 48 who were from Manyatseng – just like Makgalanyane. The arrested suspects face charges of kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice.

POLICE NEED HELP

The search was still on although arrests were made and the suspects appeared in court. Detective Captain Lesuwa Mokoena is handling the case and can be contacted on 083 566 9585 to assist with closing the case.

Critical information is still being sought by law enforcement so tip-offs can be made to Crime Stop 08600 10111 and on the MySapsApp.

ALSO READ: Free State woman and officer arrested for FALSELY accusing man of rape

According to the police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane, a manhunt was launched for the unknown number of attackers.

THE COUPLE WERE ATTACKED WHEN THEY ARRIVED HOME

“Mangaung Metro Trio Task Team and members at Navalsig Police Station have launched a manhunt for an unknown number of suspects who robbed an elderly couple at their home in The Bend Avenue, Roodewal – Vaalbank Zuid area outside Bloemfontein.”

He said the couple, a 73-year-old husband and his 58-year-old wife, arrived at their home on Saturday 2 April 2022, at about 20:30 in the rainy evening.

“The husband remained outside to lock the gates, and the wife walked into the house and was ambushed by an unknown African male wearing a blue boiler suit with a mask on the face and white gloves.

“The wife was threatened with a knife and assaulted by the suspect. She could hear the commotion from outside and recognised that her husband was in trouble.”

ONE OF THE ATTACKERS WAS DRESSED IN A BLUE BOILER SUIT WITH A MASK AND GLOVES

He said the suspect was joined by another unknown African male who helped to ransack the house.

“The suspects forced the wife to transfer money from her bank account and stole an undisclosed amount of money and cards from the house, and then fled the scene.

“The victims raised the alarm, and the Neighbourhood Watch members arrived to help,” Covane said.

The wife said one of the suspects suffered an injury on the chest as she was trying to fight back.

The couple was rushed to the hospital by ambulance to receive treatment.

A case of house robbery was opened at Navalsig Police Station in Bloemfontein.

DO YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION?

Any member of the public who might have information regarding the case is requested to contact Sergeant Kendrick Brendon Barnes at 082 466 7255. Alternatively, the information can be submitted on MySAPS App or call the SAPS Crime Stop number 08600 10111.

ALSO READ: Two Bloemfontein brothers nabbed with 8 000 mandrax tablets

TWO BROTHERS GRANTED POLICE PERMISSION TO SEARCH THE HOUSE

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane said members of Bloemfontein Flying Squad and K9 received information from Crime Intelligence about drugs that were delivered at Peter Ewertse Street in Heidedal on Saturday.

Covane said the team arrived at the identified target house at about 09:20 to operationalise the intelligence at hand.

Two men were found inside the house, and the police asked for permission to search the house, which was granted.

“Members searched the bedroom in the presence of the two brothers and two carry bags were found hidden in the house. Eight sealed transparent plastic bags containing 1 000 mandrax tablets were found inside the carry bags.

“The two brothers aged 32 and 38 years were arrested for possession and dealing in drugs. The estimated street value of the drugs is R640 000.00, with one tablet selling at R80.00.”

Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane

THE BROTHERS WERE ARRESTED AND DETAINED IN POLICE CUSTODY

He furthermore said a case docket for possession and dealing in drugs was opened at Heidedal Police Station.

The two brothers are detained in police custody. They will appear in Bloemfontein Magistrate Court on Monday, 28 March 2022.

Acting Provincial Commissioner, Maj Gen Solly Lesia applauded the team for removing such a large number of drugs from our streets.

ALSO READ: Bloemfontein man arrested for killing wife by setting her alight

WHAT IS MANDRAX AND HOW IS IT USED? 

Mandrax is a small tablet varying in colour that is highly addictive. Mandrax slows down the central Nervous System and has a sedative effect. Originally Mandrax pills were firm and white in colour, with Mx written on the side of the tablet. Currently, Mandrax can be freckled, crumbly, and may be grey, yellow, or white.

How is Mandrax used?

Mandrax is commonly smoked. The Mx tablet is crushed, mixed with dagga, and smoked through a pipe or broken bottleneck known as a ‘white pipe’. Mandrax can also be swallowed whole or injected.

Symptoms of Mandrax use:

• Headaches 
• Stomach pain
• Weight loss 
• Red puffy eyes
• Clumsiness (decreased alertness) 
• Decrease in concentration
• Restlessness 
• Increased sleep
• Brown/Yellowish marks on hands 
• Slurred speech
• Poor co-ordination

What are the effects of Mandrax?

• Relaxation – feeling happy (or laughing), calm and carefree
• Confusion
• Aggression – when the high wears off
• Nausea and vomiting
• Falling over and passing out
• Sleep

What are the long-term effects?

• Risk of addiction – tolerance is built up rapidly
• Decreased immune system
• Convulsions
• Mental and physical deterioration
• Breathing becomes slower leading to respiratory failure, comas or death.

WHAT HAPPENED ON FRIDAY EVENING?

According to police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane, members of Navalsig Visible Policing, Bloemfontein Flying Squad, Stock Theft Unit, Security Companies, and Neighborhood Watch enabled the arrests of two suspects who were found in possession of stolen sheep.

“The owner of the livestock was traced to a plot in Tielman Roos Street. The 47-year-old farmer reported that sixty-five (65) sheep were stolen from her plot.”

FARMER REPORTED 65 SHEEP STOLEN FROM HER PLOT

He said the joint search for the suspects ensued and the first one was arrested in the vicinity driving in a Silver Daihatsu sedan.

ALSO READ: 16 arrested for public violence in Bloemfontein

“A White Nissan LDV was found in Olive Hill area loaded with thirty-five sheep tied up and stacked on top of each other.

“The information led the team to Bloemside Phase 10. The owner of the White Nissan LDV was then arrested in possession of six of the stolen sheep; two were found dead.”

THE TWO MEN WERE ARRESTED AND DETAINED

A case of possession of the suspected stolen property was opened at Navalsig Police Station, and the two men aged 40 and 47 years were detained in police custody.

“The recovered livestock was handed back to its lawful owner. The suspects will appear in Bloemfontein Magistrate Court on Monday, 28 March 2022.”

Meanwhile, earlier this week police warned communities against scammers taking advantage of police recruitment processes. 

Citizens, especially the youth, were cautioned that criminals were attempting to capitalise on hopeful job hunters.

“The organization wants to warn the community, especially the youth, that police trainee recruitment and training has begun, but only for now with applicants whose applications were in the final stages before being intercepted by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Brig Motantsi Makhele

ALSO READ: Bloemfontein: Police warn communities against SAPS recruitement scams

Police spokesperson Captain Stephen Thakeng said Detective Warrant Officer Fannie van der Merwe conducted a DNA test during the investigation, which led to the arrest of a 48-year-old Makhabane Eric Mbatha on 11 April 2019.

WHAT HAPPENED IN COURT?

“He was found guilty as charged by Welkom Regional Court.”

Mbatha was sentence is as follows :

• Count 1: burglary four years in jail
• Count 2: Rape 20 years in jail
• Count 3: Rape 10 years in jail.

Thakeng said on 7 January 2018 the grandmother and her granddaughter was asleep when an unknown African male person broke and forced entry inside the house where they were sleeping.

The man overpowered them and raped them both.

“After the rape ordeal, he left the scene, and he was unknown. A case of housebreaking and two counts of rape were registered for further investigation. The case was assigned to Lejweleputswa District FCS.

He said DNA tests were conducted, which led to the arrest of this rapist.

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of Free State, Major Gen Solly Lesia applauded the investigator Detective Warrant Officer Van Der Merwe, for conducting a thorough investigation that led to this sentence.

ALSO READ: Father, 25, gets life imprisonment for strangling 3-year-old son to death

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU HAVE BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED?

Your first instinct might be to wash or change your clothes. Instead, get to a safe place as soon as possible. This could be the nearest hospital, a police precinct or even a home of someone you trust.

• Call the police immediately and go to your local police precinct to report the crime. Ask for a criminal investigation to begin.
• Head to your local hospital for immediate medical care. There they will check for injury and prevent sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy.
• You will be fully examined and samples will be taken. This includes nail clippings, genital and mouth swabs, and possibly undergarments.
• It will be here where they will collect evidence. For the purposes of evidence collection, try to avoid showering, combing your hair, or changing your clothes before going to the hospital.
• A rape kit is used with a serial number on it. The rape kit is provided by the police officer involved in the case. The serial number of the rape kit is linked to your case number.
• The doctor is required to reseal all evidence as well as sealing the box. This is handed from police to doctor, and doctor to police to maintain the chain of evidence.
• The box is then handed over to the police who will assist you in obtaining what is called a J88 form. This form is a legal document that the medical doctor who examined you should complete describing all injuries noted.
• It is important now more than ever to have support, so tell someone you trust who can support and assist you. You can also visit the rape crisis program for crisis intervention or support groups. There are also a number of 24-hour hotlines that you can call at any time for assistance.
• The common assault reporting follows a similar process.
• Seek medical assistance immediately and do not change clothes, wash, or clean wounds. As with sexual assault, the doctor will make notes and diagrams of your injuries, also on a J88 form

South African Police Service

In a case of domestic violence or sexual assault, the South African Police Service will help you find medical attention, shelter and victim counselling.

The SAPS emergency number is 10111

People Opposed to Woman Abuse (Powa)

Powa provides counselling, over the phone and in person, and provide temporary shelter. They also provide legal help to women who have experienced violence.

Tel: 011 642 4345

E-mail: info@powa.co.za

Childline South Africa

Childline South Africa helps abused children and their families with a free counselling service. The non-profit organisation deals with physical and sexual abuse, substance abuse, behavioural problems and trafficking as well as gives legal advice.

Toll-free helpline: 0800 055 555

Child Welfare South Africa

Child Welfare South Africa focuses on child protection, child care and family development. You can also report neglect and child abuse.

Tel: 074 080 8315

Tears Foundation

TEARS Foundation provides access to crisis intervention, advocacy, counselling, and prevention education services for those impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault and child sexual abuse.

Free SMS helpline: *134*7355#

Tel: 010 590 5920

Citizens, especially the youth, were cautioned that criminals were attempting to capitalise on hopeful job hunters.

“The organization wants to warn the community, especially the youth, that police trainee recruitment and training has begun, but only for now with applicants whose applications were in the final stages before being intercepted by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Brig Motantsi Makhele

Training underway for successful candidates

Brig Motantsi Makhele commented that candidates who underwent examinations were now progressing to the next stage of the process.

“The recruitment process had progressed to the point where selected candidates had completed a thorough examination to verify their suitability to serve as men and women in blue.”

Brig Motantsi Makhele

Makhele highlighted a number of fraudulent hoaxes that are doing the rounds, warning once more that job seekers should tread carefully.

“While the service investigates and reconsiders a number of options for ensuring that service delivery and staffing levels are maintained at all service points, members of the public, particularly potential applicants, are advised to be wary of several hoax messages containing job posting advertisements. Members of the public and potential job seekers are reminded to be particularly cautious in order to avoid falling victim to this type of fraud.”

Brig Motantsi Makhele

Police jobs ‘not for sale’

Another scam involved criminals claiming that an SAPS post could be secured through making a payment. Makhele says that anyone seeking clarity on the authenticity of a job advert should turn to official sources.

“It’s also worth noting that jobs with the SAPS aren’t for sale. When in doubt the public is asked to call their nearest police station and service point for clarification and information.”

Brig Motantsi Makhele

Members of the public are also encouraged to check the SAPS website for available vacancies in the careers area.

CUT STUDENTS ARRESTED

On Tuesday five students from the Central University of Technology were apprehended by members of the Public Order Police.

SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane said the students picketed at the university’s main entrance over unresolved issues related to the management of the tertiary institution.

“The protesting students became violent and started throwing stones at the police. A split group ran towards President Brand Street where they removed the pavement and blocked the road with it,” said the police spokesperson.

Five men – aged between 20 and 34 – were arrested. They are expected to appear before the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on charges of public violence and contravention of the Road Traffic Act and contravention of a court order.

CHAOTIC SCENES IN BLOEMFONTEIN

On Wednesday, members of Mangaung Concerned Community blocked De Villers Street with vehicles and grabbed rubbish bins in the area and threw litter outside the Bram Fischer Building, which houses the Mangaung Metro Municipality’s management and administration staff.

“Bloemfontein Public Order Police Unit members arrived at the scene and the operational commander warned the group at about 08:00 to open the street within a given time upon which they refused,” said Covane.

The police used stun grenades to disperse the crowd at approximately 9:00. Nine men and two women protestors were arrested.

A case of public violence, contravention of the Gatherings and Road Traffic Acts was opened at the Parkweg Police Station.

The representative of the Mangaung metro municipality also reported incidents of malicious property damage in the building that houses its offices, said the police.

The vehicles the protestors used to block the road are being impounded.

The arrested suspects are expected to appear before the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 25 March.

READ:

• Father, 25, gets life imprisonment for strangling 3-year-old son to death
• Police seek next of kin of two women found shot to death

25-YEAR-OLD FATHER STRANGLED SON

South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane said the 25-year-old father killed his child on Friday, 15 October 2021.

Stander reportedly fetched his son from his ex-girlfriend’s home for a visit. During the visit, his ex – who is the mother of the child – made it clear that she was not interested in a relationship anymore, said the police.

“Gift left with the child and went to his home in Bloemside Phase 4 near Bloemfontein. He failed to bring the child back until Sunday, 17 October 2021, when the mother got worried and asked family members to accompany her to Gift’s home to fetch the child,” said Covane.

The 20-year-old mother soon discovered that Stander had strangled their child to death and wrapped his body in plastic before hiding him under the bed.

The Bloemspruit SAPS were called to a scene and a murder investigation was launched.

“Warrant Officer Moeketsi Solomon Mokgobo received the docket and even though there were no witnesses, managed to get confession made in court by the accused,” said Covane.

Stander was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment on Tuesday.

• Police seek next of kin of two women found shot to death
• Social media swindler: ‘Mr Allen Grey’ busted for stealing R1.9m from girlfriend
• ‘We are preparing to return to court’: DIRCO, EFF to fight to send R50m to Cuba

Vendor among those arrested during police operation

In a statement issued by the SAPS on Monday it was confirmed that three suspects had been arrested during an operation over the weekend. 

“The team conducted a random stop and search in Heidedal Police Station precinct and arrived at a hawker stall. They asked permission to search from the African male selling fruits and vegetables and he agreed. A 7.65 mm Calibre pistol black was found hidden underneath the stall table with a magazine loaded with four live rounds.”

During the incident, it emerged that one of the suspects present were illegally in South Africa which resulted in additional charges.

“There were two African males sitting at the stall and the police asked for the firearm licence from both of them. The 38 year old owner of the stock on the stall and his 43 year old friend did not have any form of identification documents with them. They then informed the police that they are from the neighbouring country and had no proper documents allowing them to be in the Republic of South Africa. The owner of stock was arrested for possession of unlicensed firearm and being in the Republic of South unlawfully. The 43 year old friend was also arrested as an illegal immigrant.”

Incidents on the rise with another arrest confirmed

Furthermore, Covane confirmed that a separate incident saw a 24-year-old suspect being taken into custody for possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition. 

“The police approached the suspect and asked for permission to search him and the motor vehicle. The suspect had a firearm holstered on his waist and the members requested to see his firearm licence. The suspect alleged that he forgot it at home in Hospitaalpark, Bloemfontein. A call was made to ascertain if the suspect does have a firearm licence but the Flash Liquor And Second Hands Goods (FLASH) office confirmed that the 24 year old suspect has no firearm licence issued in his name.”

POLICE FIND DECOMPOSING BODY

South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Sergeant Mahlomola Kareli said TRT members – working with Crime Intelligence – received a tip-off and headed to Bergman, Mangaung where a 39-year-old suspect was arrested.

“His arrest led to the discovery of a decomposing body buried in a shallow grave inside a shack at the back of an RDP house.

“Forensic experts were summoned to the scene. The body of a 60-year-old woman was discovered under a concrete slab,” said Kareli.

Further investigation led to the arrest of three more suspects, including a 54-year-old woman. The suspects – aged between 30 and 54 – were arrested for murder and are expected to appear before the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court imminently.

The autopsy results are expected to reveal the cause of death and help the investigating team identify the deceased.

READ:

• Man sentenced to life imprisonment for raping ‘mentally disabled’ relative
• Ending load shedding in Cape Town: Mayor meets with 100 IPPs
• RTMC: A license examiner, a vehicle examiner and traffic cop sentenced
• Post office robber arrested, three on the run

WHAT INFORMATION DO WE HAVE?

Little Hlonolofatso Ntherisi, aged 4, from Thabong, was reported missing on 05 March 2022.

According to police spokesperson Captain Stephen Thakeng, she was last seen wearing a black t-shirt black tights with no shoes.

ALSO READ: Upington: Have you seen these MISSING people?

“It is reported by the child’s grandmother that Hlonolofatso came home on 05 March 2022 at about 17:45 to eat with her friends. The children then went out to play after eating.

“Hlonolofatso never returned home, and the grandmother launched a search after realising that she was missing. The search was unsuccessful, and police were notified.”

THE SEARCH OPERATION INTENSIFIED

Thakeng said the police search had intensified, and residents of Thabong and the Airwing formed part.

Houses and bushes were searched and visited to look for the girl.

DO YOU HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE GIRL?

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of this four (4) year old girl child, Detective Warrant Officer Thabiso Twala of Lejweleputswa District FCS can be contacted at cellphone 072 834 7293 or Police Emergency number 08600 10111.

The District Commissioner of Lejweleputswa, Maj Gen Lerato Molale would like to appreciate all efforts made by the Station Commander of Thabong, Brigadier Solomon, and his team of SAPS members, Lejweleputswa District FCS, residents of Thabong, and the Airwing and urged them to continue with the search.

“We will continue to leave no stone unturned until the child is found. We still have hope, and we will never give up now. But residents must come forward with information,” Molale said.

ALSO READ: Police: Have you seen this missing Upington man?

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE A MISSING LOVED ONE:

When a person goes missing, it is of the utmost importance for the SAPS to fulfill our mandate to serve and protect the citizens of South Africa. It is essential to take steps and start the investigation into a missing person’s case immediately. You can assist the SAPS when reporting a missing person by following these steps:

• THERE IS NO WAITING PERIOD TO REPORT A MISSING PERSON!

Report a missing person at your nearest police station immediately.

• Produce a recent photograph of the missing person, if possible.
• Give a complete description of the missing person’s last whereabouts, clothes that they were wearing, as well as any information that can assist the investigating officer.
• Complete and sign a SAPS 55(A) form. This form safeguards the SAPS from hoax reports and indemnifies the SAPS to distribute the photograph and information of the missing person.
• Obtain the investigating officer’s contact details, and send any additional information that might become available.
• If a missing person is found or returns voluntarily, inform the investigating officer immediately. A SAPS 92 form must be completed to inform the Bureau of Missing Persons that the missing person’s report can be removed from the circulation system.

THE WIFE SUFFERED SEVERE BURNS TO HER FACE AND NECK

The 33-year-old woman suffered severe burns on her face and neck and died later in hospital.

According to police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane, the 36-year-old man appeared in Bloemfontein Magistrate Court on Tuesday for the murder of his wife.

“Gabriel Modise is suspected to have doused his wife with a flammable liquid and set her alight on an open area in Tielman Roos Street, Olive Hill.

“The woman is reported to have suffered serious burns on her face and neck and was admitted to hospital on Friday 28 January 2022,” he said.

The woman, unfortunately, died from the injuries and passed away on Thursday, 24 February 2022.

POLICE REACTED SWIFTLY AFTER RECEIVING THE REPORT FROM HOSPITAL

The police received the report from the hospital, and a case of murder was opened at Navalsig Police Station.

Covane said an investigation was launched, and the man was arrested at his home in Olive Hill near Bloemfontein.

The man appeared in court on Tuesday and the case was postponed to Monday 14 March 2022 for formal bail application.

He was remanded into back police custody.

ALSO READ: Farm murderer gets life imprisonment for the brutal murder of Poenkie Bissett

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN WAS A TOP PRIORITY FOR POLICE

Last month, Police Minister Bheki Cele said the 6,859 killings also marked an increase from the previous three months, when 6,163 people were killed.

“Murder remains worryingly stubborn,” Cele said.

The deaths in the last three months of the year included 902 women and 352 children. Taken together, nearly 700 more women and children were killed than in the previous three months.

Rapes, chronically under-reported, were officially counted at 11,315 — up from 9,556 the previous quarter.

Cele insisted that violence against women was a top priority for police, saying more than 90,000 officers had received training on helping victims of sexual violence.

ALSO READ: Sickening! Free State father caught red-handed by wife raping their daughter

ARE YOU A VICTIM OF ABUSE?

If you know or suspect that someone is a victim of domestic violence, you might feel clueless about the best way to help. Don’t let a fear of saying the wrong thing prevent you from reaching out.

Here is where you can seek help:

South African Police Service:

In a case of domestic violence or sexual assault, the South African Police Service will help you find medical attention, shelter and victim counselling.

The SAPS emergency number is 10111

People Opposed to Woman Abuse (Powa):

Powa provides counselling, over the phone and in person, and provide temporary shelter. They also provide legal help to women who have experienced violence.

Tel: 011 642 4345

E-mail: info@powa.co.za

Childline South Africa:

Childline South Africa helps abused children and their families with a free counselling service. The non-profit organisation deals with physical and sexual abuse, substance abuse, behavioural problems and trafficking as well as gives legal advice.

Toll-free helpline: 0800 055 555

Child Welfare South Africa:

Child Welfare South Africa focuses on child protection, child care and family development. You can also report neglect and child abuse.

Tel: 074 080 8315

Tears Foundation:

TEARS Foundation provides access to crisis intervention, advocacy, counselling, and prevention education services for those impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault and child sexual abuse.

Free SMS helpline: 1347355#

Tel: 010 590 5920