Another rhino death: Possibly poison

Another rhino death: Possibly poison
2010-09-28 23:08




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Marietie Louw-Carstens, Beeld

Pretoria - A pregnant rhino cow has died under mysterious circumstances on the farm neighbouring that of Dawie Groenewald, the suspected mastermind of an alleged rhino poaching syndicate who was arrested last week.

Lourens Louw, owner of the farm Mafunyani, in the Messina district, confirmed on Tuesday that one of his rhino cows died on Monday.

Beeld has learned that the police are conducting tests on a poisonous substance found near a watering hole on the farm.

Mafunyani borders on the farm Prachtig, which belongs to 42-year-old Groenewald, a well-known figure in wildlife circles.

Groenewald, a former policeman, was released on R1m bail in the Messina magistrate's court last week in connection with his alleged involvement in a syndicate that kills rhinos.

Louw was not able to say on Tuesday what had caused the rhino cow's death. According to him, it doesn't look like the animal was shot.

"At the moment I don't know whether the animal might have been poisoned or shot. I'm waiting for the result of the police investigation."

Young cow


According to him the rhino cow - who was about 4 years old - was pregnant.

"It's possible that she died when she had to give birth. She had a lot of blood on her."

Louw said the animal's horns had not been sawn off. After the animal died, police cut the horn off and are holding it in safekeeping.

"We'll have to wait for the post-mortem to tell us what killed her."

Louw denied rumours that he gave any information regarding Groenewald's alleged involvement in rhino killing to the police or game wardens.

Meanwhile, Sarel van der Walt reports that farmers with rhinos have been warned to be on the look-out for poisoned cabbages which are placed in rhinos' "territorial dung heaps".

Wildlife Ranching South Africa (WRSA) released a statement calling on game farmers to contact the police as soon as possible if they spot any of these poisoned cabbages.

Rhinos have the habit of visiting their dung heaps often, and then eat whatever food has been planted there.

The organisation also warned farmers to be very cautious, since the chances are great that poachers are still in the area.

( Beeld )

Staat kan nie bedrieërs laat wegkom nie

Staat kan nie bedrieërs laat wegkom nie
2010-09-13 22:40
Die mate waartoe die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing met korrupsie deurtrek is, laat ’n mens wonder of die golf van korrupsie nog gekeer kan word.

In ’n berig Saterdag in Beeld is ’n skrikwekkende prent geskilder van die getal staatsamptenare wat welsyntoelaes van die staat steel.

Die spesiale ondersoekeenheid (SOE), ’n onafhanklike agentskap wat korrupsie in die staatsdiens ondersoek, het reeds 96 000 staatsamptenare geïdentifiseer wat welsyntoelaes steel.

’n Verdere 80 000 kan van bedrog aangekla word.

Die ondersoek moet nog uitgebrei word na munisipale amptenare. Die syfer kan dan aansienlik groei. Die omvang laat ’n mens wanhoop.

Hoe kon dit toegelaat word dat die verrotting so versprei het?

Die staatsamptenare het ’n werk en ’n salaris, anders as ’n kwart van die bevolking wat sonder werk sit.

Hulle steel van armes vir wie die toelaes bedoel is en van belastingbetalers uit wie se sakke die toelaes kom.

Tot dusver is 15 000 amptenare aan bedrog skuldig bevind.

Hulle het opgeskorte vonnisse gekry en moet die geld met rente terugbetaal.

Nie ’n enkele een wat skuldig bevind is – onder wie meer as 900 polisielede – is geskors of afgedank nie.

Die boodskap aan die bedrieërs is: Steel maar, jy sal jou werk hou en jy kan die geld soos ’n lening terugbetaal.

Dis geen wonder soveel duisende is betrokke nie.

Die beste raad kom van adv. Willie Hofmeyr, hoof van die SOE, wat sê as korrupsie nie “nou hanteer gaan word nie, gaan dit erger word. Tronkstraf is ’n goeie afskrikmiddel”.

Die ANC is kwansuis ernstig oor korrupsie, maar sy optrede spreek tot die teendeel.

Hy het die Skerpioene ontbind, sy ministers plunder die staatskas met duur motors en verblyf in weelderige hotelle en pres. Jacob Zuma se familie en vriende word kitsmiljoenêrs.

Dit alles skep die klimaat waarin korrupsie kan gedy.

Dié kanker knaag net so weg aan die land se toekoms as sake soos geweldmisdaad en armoede. Dit moet met harde optrede beveg word, nie sagkens nie.

Renoster - "Slagplaas"

Renoster-‘slagplaas’
2010-09-25 21:18

Dr. Karel Toet Foto: Hoffie Hoffmeiste

Herman Scholtz
Die “diere-slagplaas” .

Dís hoe werkers in die omgewing van Prachtig in die Musina-omgewing dié plaas noem wat glo ’n sentrale punt is in die staat se opspraakwekkende saak teen ’n beweerde renosterhoring-sindikaat.

Verskeie beweerde betrokkenes het Dinsdag in die hof in Musina verskyn.

En straks die grootste skok met dié arrestasies deur die Valke was dat twee veeartse glo midde-in die stropery was.

Ondersoekbeamptes was die laaste paar dae op Prachtig doenig, glo om “grafte” van renosters te soek.

As deel van die beskuldigdes se borgtogvoorwaardes mag hulle niks met die 32 renosters doen wat tans daar is, óf in die ondersoekwerk inmeng nie.

Van die renosters is afkomstig van die Nasionale Krugerwildtuin en die polisie is glo op soek na karkasse van diere wat vermoedelik vir hul horings van kant gemaak is.

Kol. Vishnu Naidoo, woordvoerder van die Valke, wou gister nie bevestig of hulle wel na beweerde renoster-massagrafte soek nie.

“Ons is besig om bewysstukke bymekaar te maak en die ondersoek duur voort. Ons verwag om nog minstens vyf mense te arresteer.”

’n Kenner het die afgelope week aan Rapport gesê die wrede werklikheid is dat ’n dooie renoster veel meer werd is as ’n lewende een.

’n Renosterhoring kos tot $20 000 (R140 000) per kilogram in grootmaat en ’n renosterbul se horings weeg maklik 5kg.

Dít terwyl ’n lewende renoster tans in Suid-Afrika vir van R130 000 tot R300 000 verkoop word.

Rapport verneem dat die meeste van die renosters wat ter sprake is glo op dié plaas gestroop is.

’n Ingeligte het gesê mnr. Dawie Groenewald, die eienaar van Prachtig, waar sy safari-onderneming, Out of Africa, se jagtogte gehou is, het in ’n stadium gespog dat hy 80 renosters op sy plaas het.

Van dié renosters se horings was afgesny.

Out of Africa se reuse-advertensiebord by die hek was verwyder toe Rapport die plaas Vrydag besoek het. Plaaswerkers in die omgewing het nie geweet waar die “Out of Africa”- plaas is nie, maar het blitsvinnig aanwysings gegee na die plek wat hulle die “animal butchery” noem.

Me. Wanda Mkutshulwa, woordvoerder van Sanparke, het bevestig dat Groenewald “sowat 20 tot 30” renosters by die Nasionale Krugerwildtuin gekoop het.

Dr. Karel Toet, ’n veearts wat ook gearresteer is, het ook as ’n tussenganger renosters namens Groenewald by die wildtuin gekoop.

Mkutshulwa sê hulle het opgehou om diere aan Groenewald te verskaf nadat hy vroeër vanjaar deur ’n Amerikaanse hof skuldig bevind is aan die uitvoer van ’n luiperdtrofee wat onwettig in Suid-Afrika gejag is.

Groenewald is ’n uiters berugte rolspeler in die jagbedryf. Hy was ­jare gelede ’n polisiebeampte in die voertuigdiefstaleenheid in Po­lo­kwa­ne waar hy weens voertuigdiefstal gearresteer is.

Lt.kol. Ronel Otto, provinsiale polisiewoordvoerder, het dit aan Rapport bevestig. Groenewald se broer is skuldig bevind, maar hy nie.

Julian Rademeyer berig Groenewald is vier jaar gelede weens jagpraktyke uit die Suid-Afrikaanse Professionele Jagtersvereniging geskors en word belet om in Zimbabwe te jag.

Media24 se ondersoekspan het Groenewald vroeër vanjaar gekonfronteer oor bewerings van sy betrokkenheid by renosterstropery.

“Is jy laf?” het hy toe geantwoord. “In my lewe nog nie … As daar sulke bewerings is, hoekom is ek nie daarvan aangekla nie?”

Groenewald se selfoon was gister af en hy kon nie vir kommentaar bereik word nie.

Hy en tien ander staan tereg op aanklagte van aanranding, bedrog, korrupsie, opsetlike saakbeskadiging, dwarsboming van die gereg en die onwettige besit van vuurwapens en ammunisie.

Hulle word ook aangekla van oortredings van die Nasionale Wet op Omgewingsbestuur, die medisynewet en die Wet op die Voorkoming van Georganiseerde misdaad.

Shoot to kill: Cops need all the help they can get

Shoot to kill: Cops need all the help they can get

Approximately five years ago I argued an appeal in the North Gauteng High Court where the conviction and sentence of a police sergeant, who had been convicted of murder and sentenced to 12 years, were overturned and replaced with culpable homicide and a suspended sentence.

In brief — responding to calls from people, whose houses surrounded a small plot, that robbers were breaking into the home on the small holding, the sergeant and another (not a police officer) drove to the scene.

Upon arrival it was completely dark. The pair spotted a figure in the garden. The sergeant called out “police” whereafter the suspect began to run. During the chase he fired two or three warning shots aimed high but due to the uneven nature of the ground one hit the suspect who died.

It was as clear to me when I took over the case — after the conviction — as it was to the judges who presided over the appeal, that the dolus required for murder could never be sustained on the facts on record.

Section 49 (set out in full below) was of no assistance in this case despite the fact that robberies and murders were frequent in that area. South Africa’s crime rate — even now — is staggeringly high and the fact that people had called in to report a robbery in the middle of the night.

Based upon that background alone you would have to believe that there was merit in Section 49 rescuing him from a murder conviction. Add to that the fact that in pitch black darkness, a suspect when confronted with the words “police halt” took off at a sprint and you would think it was a slam dunk.

What many don’t realise is that there is a ton of case law which breaks down what constitutes terms like “reasonable grounds” and when “force is immediately necessary”.

This has ended up with many policemen and women being too terrified to draw their weapons until it is too late.

The death toll among South African Police is again staggering and worthy of being declared a national disaster. Many of our criminals carry weapons and a substantial number use them if confronted and sometimes without any basis at all.

South Africans are united in the call to reduce crime.

President Jacob Zuma and the minister of police, Nathi Mthethwa, have been seeking measures to bolster the police in this “war”.

An amendment has now been drawn in respect of Section 49 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act 51 of 1977) in order to give the police further relief in specifically defined areas. This has been approved by the Cabinet and is now with the state lawyers to check its constitutionality before going before Parliament for hearings.

That it is long overdue is, to my mind, without question.

No doubt there will be instances where it will the subject of abuse debates but in terms of our society the police need to be able to deal effectively with crime.

Human-rights activists are concerned that some police might become cowboys if they keep getting told that it’s “shoot to kill” time. This, however, is not really the problem. There are always going to be gung-ho members of the police or military. The law will never be wide enough to cover their actions and they will face the appropriate sanctions.

What you have got to ensure is that overall the people responsible for law and order have the ability to defend the public in a meaningful way or the amount of people who will be killed or injured by the violent criminals in this country will surpass the exceptions — that in reality the activists are guarding against — by many many thousands.

Sometimes when you are too busy trying to do good you overlook the bigger picture.

In trying to ensure that the police are not too eager to shoot to kill you overlook the fact that criminals in South Africa couldn’t give a continental damn. By guarding against the odd police rebel and making our law enforcement less effective they land up occasioning widespread murder as opposed to the exceptions they are trying to avoid.

Remember too that any legislation is tested by the judiciary, which more often than not reduces the effect if it is too harsh.

While we are yet to be privy to the wording of the amendment one thing is clear, the police need whatever assistance the legislature can give them and far more certainty when required to use deadly force.

49. Use of force in effecting arrest.
(1) For the purposes of this section—
(a) “arrestor” means any person authorised under this Act to arrest or to assist in
arresting a suspect; and
(b) “suspect” means any person in respect of whom an arrestor has or had a reasonable
suspicion that such person is committing or has committed an offence.

(2) If any arrestor attempts to arrest a suspect and the suspect resists the attempt, or flees, or resists the attempt and flees, when it is clear that an attempt to arrest him or her is being made, and the suspect cannot be arrested without the use of force, the arrestor may, in order to effect the arrest, use such force as may be reasonably necessary and proportional in the circumstances to overcome the resistance or to prevent the suspect from fleeing: Provided that the arrestor is justified in terms of this
section in using deadly force that is intended or is likely to cause death or grievous bodily harm to a suspect, only if he or she believes on reasonable grounds—

(a) that the force is immediately necessary for the purposes of protecting the arrestor, any person lawfully assisting the arrestor or any other person from imminent or future death or grievous bodily harm;
(b) that there is a substantial risk that the suspect will cause imminent or future death or grievous bodily harm if the arrest is delayed; or
(c) that the offence for which the arrest is sought is in progress and is of a forcible and serious nature and involves the use of life threatening violence or a strong likelihood that it will cause grievous bodily harm.

( By Michael Trapido ) Mail and Guardian

Gauteng rapid response unit canned

Gauteng rapid response unit canned
2010-09-07 22:44

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André Damons, Beeld
Johannesburg - Not even the pleading of members on Tuesday could save the Gauteng police's rapid response unit from being disbanded.

Lieutenant General Mzwandile Petros, the new provincial chief of police, reportedly disbanded the unit - which was established about two years ago to provide a faster response to violent crimes - because he is simply "a flying squad and dog unit man".

Several members of the rapid response unit were informed on Tuesday at the A W Muller Stadium in Brixton, Johannesburg, that the unit is being disbanded and that they must report to the flying squad from Monday.

This also follows a decision that the police's flying squad, rapid response and dog units will be patrolling only highways from now on, and not suburbs.

Beeld reported on Saturday that this order comes from the police's provincial office and will result in far fewer police officials - only those on office (local police station) level - responding to complaints in suburbs.

A member of the rapid response unit said on Tuesday that they begged and pleaded for the unit not to be disbanded.

"The sad thing is that he (Petros) didn't even look at our successes.

"He simply said he's more of a flying squad man. He didn't give any reasons, and didn't even have the guts to tell us himself," said the member.

According to him, the approximately 70 members of the unit will now have to join their nearest flying squad units.

"We don't mind joining them. We even said they can change the name to the Gauteng flying squad.

"We just didn't want to lose the group and the bond between us. Now we have to work with the people who were our competition.

"We were responsible for the decline in ATM bombings and cash-in-transit heists in the province," said the member.

Gauteng police spokesperson Govindsamy Mariemuthoo could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.

Read more on: saps mzwandile petros

Cele must quit if he lied - DA

Cele must quit if he lied - DA
2010-09-05 18:53

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Johannesburg - National Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele should resign if it is found that he lied to Parliament about who was responsible for renting two buildings for top police staff at high prices, the DA said on Sunday.

"If it is found during the special investigating unit (SIU's) probe that Cele misled the police portfolio committee on Friday, then the Democratic Alliance will have no option but to call for his resignation," DA spokesperson Dianne Kohler Barnard in a statement.

Kohler Barnard was referring to a report by the Sunday Times that alleged Cele had lied to the parliamentary committee about two police rental deals, for buildings in Pretoria and Durban that amounted to over R700m.

Cele said his role had ended with identifying the police's accommodation needs and that he had left the rest up to the department of public works.

He had then attempted to blame three generals who had resigned soon after an investigation was launched to probe approved suspect deals worth billions since 2006.

Fired


Generals Stefanus Terblanche, Matthews Siwundla and Hamilton Hlela were accused of playing a key role in approving the rental deals for new police headquarters.

"Two of the generals (however) claim they were effectively fired and forced out because they refused point blank to sign off on the Roux Shabangu (landlord) deals, as they were for unnecessary and extremely expensive offices," Kohler Barnard said.

She said there were now two versions of what had happened, with Cele saying he had approached the SIU to investigate police property deals, while the department of public works claimed it was responsible for launching investigations.

The rental of a building in Durban, now cancelled by the public works department, would have cost R6m a month.

The building in Pretoria has been rented for about eight months at a cost of R2m a month.

The DA would submit parliamentary questions to Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa on various rental issues on Monday.


- SAPA


Read more on: corruption bheki cele dianne kohler barnard nathi mthethwa

Suspect deals rife but I'm innocent - Cele

Suspect deals rife but I'm innocent - Cele
2010-09-03 22:33

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Cape Town - Police top brass abused a 2006 decision to let the force manage its own properties with carte blanche to award irregular contracts that wasted millions and enriched outsiders, Parliament heard on Friday.

Police commissioner General Bheki Cele told MPs he was asked to rubberstamp suspect deals from the day he took office in July 2009, suggesting that the practice was common and had carried on for years.

He said he declined a spurious request by former deputy commissioner Hamilton Hlele to sign an R11m contract to renovate his office and that of Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, though the police merely rented the properties.

Months later he learnt by accident that the contract had been signed.

Cele said he subsequently came across a contract essentially outsourcing the police's forensics operations to a company belonging to the spouse of a police official and another, worth R47m, to buy water canons the police did not need.

"We discovered a huge document intercepted in London, completely outsourcing the department.

"There would have been no Saps forensics if that thing was not intercepted," he told Parliament's portfolio committee on police.

Action necessary

Cele said the deals were part of a "slash and grab" mentally on the part of senior officers, and hinted at the involvement of two other deputy commissioners who have, like Hlele, left the force.

Police committee chairperson Sindi Chikunga said the revelations left her disgusted and wishing she could see the men jailed.

"We may as well tell them you have to go to report to the nearest police station. I'm talking about the highest order of mismanagement you can think of at the highest level. It is discouraging and it is really disgusting."

Cele also conceded the police's building management programme, which seeks to devolve responsibility for all 1 127 police stations nationwide from public works to police in coming years, was so badly and unethically managed that "if we had gone to court we would be pleading guilty".

He said 18% of this budget went directly to consultants, partly because the department's capacity was limited, and partly because the personnel it did have, including some 38 bricklayers, merely acted in an oversight capacity.

"Theirs is not to lay bricks - it's to get people from outside and oversee."

Huge cracks in system

The police chief said the faulty logic of not leaving construction in the hands of public works became evident to him when it took five months to construct a simple guard post at his official residence, and a police station was built without toilets.

"Then I understood why the police station takes seven years, if the guard house takes five months...

Public works gives you a lot of headache but the process you get with SAPS cracks your head."

Gary Kruser, the acting commissioner for supply chain management in the police since July, said the division had a deservedly poor reputation. It had neither sound financial planning nor a legitimate procurement system and paid scant regard to customer relations.

"How much money we can spend, how much money we can outsource seems to be the guiding principle of this division," Kruser said.

"It seems that the only customer relations we have is with those people who make money out of us."

Dipping hands into honey pot

ANC MP Anneliese van Wyk said the government should revise its decision to allow the police to manage property, because it lacked the capacity to do so, and a plan to clean up the mismanagement of the past four years.

She suggested the request from senior management in March 2006 to devolve responsibility had been motivated by greed.

"It was opening the honey pot and dipping your hands into it," Van Wyk said.

Cele again denied media reports that he too had sidestepped procurement rules and signed a R500m lease for a new police headquarters in Pretoria, saying the department of public service inked the contract now being probed by the Special Investigating Unit.

"The contract has been signed, but there is no Cele (signature). It's not there."




- SAPA


Read more on: corruption sapf bheki cele




Top cop quits amid probe
2010-08-29 15:33




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Johannesburg - The deputy national police commissioner, Lieutenant General Hamilton Hlela, and two of his subordinates have resigned, the office of the national commissioner said on Sunday.

Spokesperson Nonkuleko Mbatha said Hlela resigned in June, for personal reasons.

The Sunday Independent reported that Hlela and two of his subordinates resigned in the middle of a probe involving contracts amounting to R4bn in his department.

Mbatha said the divisional commissioner of supply management unit, Lieutenant General Matthews Siwundla and his subordinate, Major General Stephanus Terblanche resigned in July and August respectively.

"They have reasons which I cannot comment on," Mbatha said.

Hlela was responsible for supply chain management which is at the centre of investigation by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU).

President Jacob Zuma has recently asked the SIU to probe corruption within the SAPS.

The Sunday Independent reported that a preliminary report stated that Hlela had allegedly been aware of corruption in his department since August 2008, but had not acted.

Hlela told the newspaper that he had taken early retirement and would assist investigators if required.

"The investigation must carry... I'm still in South Africa," he told the paper.

Mbatha said national Commissioner, General Bheki Cele, raised the issue of violation of procurement procedures when he met the head of the SIU, Willie Hofmeyr.


- SAPA


Read more on: corruption saps siu willie hofmeyr bheki cele hamilton hlela


Cops in spotlight in corruption probe
2010-08-12 22:41




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Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma has directed the Special Investigating Unit to conduct a probe into corruption in the South African Police Force.

The probe, mainly into procurement, "originates from a referral" by police watchdog, the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD), the presidency said in a statement on Thursday.

The investigation has the "full support" of the National Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele.

The proclamation was gazetted seven days after former national police commissioner Jackie Selebi was sentenced to 15-years in jail for corruption.

It also comes after revelations about a "dodgy" multi-million rand property deal signed by Cele.

The R500m property deal would see police headquarters move to the 18-storey Middestad Sanlam centre in Pretoria, which was owned by billionaire businessman Roux Shabangu, reported the Sunday Times last month.

According to the report the deal was allegedly not treated as a tender, violating Treasury regulations that all government contracts worth over R500 000 go through a bidding process.

The presidency said the SIU would look into the "procurement of and contracting for goods, works or services including leased accommodation, by or on behalf of the Service".

It includes payments that may have been made with "undeclared conflicts of interest" or "conducted or facilitated by the manipulation of the service's supply chain management, procurement or information system management processes" or "in collusion with or through the intervention of the service's personnel".

'Leave no stone unturned'


The probe also extends to "unlawful or irregular conduct by the service's personnel, the service's suppliers and service providers or third parties relating to any one or more of the aforementioned allegations".

The SIU is an independent statutory body that is accountable to Parliament and the president.

The Congress of SA Trade Unions welcomed the investigation, saying it was "in line" with what the union federation has in the past called for.

"We urge the [SIU] to leave no stone unturned to uncover any corruption or misuse of public funds in such areas as the procurement of goods and services, contracts signed, or not signed, by officials or officers with an undeclared conflict of interest and unauthorised, irregular, wasteful or fruitless expenditure in any branch of the SAPS," said spokesperson Patrick Craven in a statement.

Cosatu has taken a tough stance against corruption, even clashing with its alliance partner, the ANC, in its calls for the government to take tougher action against ministers who are linked to corrupt activity.

"Allegations of corruption must be either proved or disproved. Everyone is innocent until proved guilty, but this can only be established when the evidence has been thoroughly investigated," Craven said.


- SAPA


Read more on: corruption icd sapf siu bheki cele jacob zuma


Hawks seize cops' cars, property
2010-08-12 10:19




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Pietermaritzburg - The Hawks seized cars and three properties belonging to four policemen, a clerk and a businessman in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday, the Daily News reported.

Mountain Rise police station's former commissioner Hariram Badul, was arrested in December with Colonel Yunus Khan, Captain Suresh Naraindath, Constable Patrick Nkabini, clerk Edward Isaac, and businessman Sigamoney Pillay, allegedly in connection with the disappearance of government property worth more than R1m.

On Wednesday, the Asset Forfeiture Unit reportedly served Badul with papers restraining his pension and property.

They seized Naraindath’s Toyota Hilux and served him with papers restraining his property, seized a Toyota Corolla at Nkabindi's home and seized two Toyota Hiluxes and a home-built trailer at Pillay’s home.

The unit wanted to take an Opel Corsa from Khan, but it was not at his property.

Badul, who was dismissed from the police on January 29, is also on trial for allegedly changing crime statistics to give the impression that crime had dropped in his area. He is out on bail in that matter.

Khan, Naraindath and Nkabini face police internal disciplinary inquiries.


- SAPA


Read more on: corruption pietermaritzburg sapf hawks



Units were set to probe cop deal
2010-08-07 23:15




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kalahari.netCorrections, Corruptions and Counterfeits
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Johannesburg - The R500m rental deal that would see police headquarters move to another building was apparently going to be probed by two groups, the Sunday Times reported on Saturday.

According to the Sunday newspaper, the Public Protector's office confirmed it was investigating the deal, and the corruption-busting Special Investigations Unit was also probing irregular government leases worth billions of rands.

National police commissioner Bheki Cele was reported to having signed the deal in June, without a public tender process, he has since denied the allegations.

The building was only purchased a week ago by billionaire Roux Shabangu, who is apparently politically connected. The police would be renting the building for R500m over a period of ten years.




- SAPA


Read more on: corruption bheki cele

Polisiehoë skielik verplaas ná Krejcir se stelling

Polisiehoë skielik verplaas ná Krejcir se stelling
2010-09-02 00:07

Genl.maj. Joey Mabasa, omstrede hoof van die Gautengse polisie se misdaadintelligensie-eenheid, is in geheimsinnige omstandighede skielik na die polisie se hoofkantoor in Pretoria oorgeplaas.

Dit het gebeur enkele dae nadat die Tsjeggiese voortvlugtige en miljardêr mnr. Radovan Krejcir aan Rapport erken het Mabasa was “’n man na wie ek in ’n moeilike situasie vir hulp kon gaan”.

Kol. Vish Naidoo, polisiewoordvoerder, het gister bevestig Mabasa is na die misdaadintelligensie-hoofkwartier oorgeplaas. Hy het gesê die redes vir Mabasa se oorplasing is ’n “interne saak” en kan nie bekend gemaak word nie.

Volgens Naidoo weet hy nie wat Mabasa se nuwe pos is nie.

“Dit is nie ’n demosie nie, want hy behou sy rang en gaan na die hoofkwartier.”

Mabasa het gesê hy het geen kommentaar nie.

In ’n onderhoud wat Sondag gepubliseer is, het Krejcir – wat weens verskeie vermeende misdade in die Tsjeggiese Republiek gesoek word – Mabasa as ’n “opregte polisieman” beskryf en bewerings dat hy hom geld betaal het ten sterkste ontken.

Intussen het die hooggeregshof in Johannesburg gister gelas dat ’n nuwe uitleweringsverhoor vir Krejcir moet plaasvind.

Dit het gebeur nadat die nasionale vervolgingsgesag (NVG) aansoek gedoen het om die hersiening van ’n landdroshofuitspraak van 2007 dat hy nie uitgelewer mag word nie.

’n Tsjeggiese hof het Krejcir in sy afwesigheid weens bedrog tot 6½ jaar tronkstraf gevonnis. Dié vonnis is Maandag met ses maande verminder.

Mabasa se verhouding met Krejcir en ander lede van die Johannesburgse misdaadonderwêreld is sedert die moord op mnr. Lolly Jackson in die soeklig.

Krejcir het aan Rapport erken mnr. Ian Small-Smith, sy prokureur, het hom aan Mabasa voorgestel.

“My prokureur het gesê hy ken die hoof van misdaadintelligensie en as jy hulp nodig het ... as jy in ’n moeilike situasie is en jy kan nie vir my wag nie of jy wil direk met die polisie skakel, is dít die persoon wat jy moet kontak.”

Vrae oor Mabasa se verhouding met Krejcir word gestel ná die moord op Jackson, baas van die Teazers-ontkleeklubs, in Mei vanjaar.

Jackson en mnr. George Smith, sy vermeende moordenaar, het albei noue bande met Krejcir gehad.

Smith – alias George Louka, ’n gewoontemisdadiger en polisie-informant – het Mabasa kort ná Jackson se dood gebel en gesê hy het Jackson geskiet. Smith het toe te midde van ’n reuse-polisiesoektog verdwyn.

In Junie het Mail & Guardian berig Krejcir se vrou, me. Katerina Krejcirova, en Mabasa se vrou, Dorcas, het in Oktober verlede jaar mededirekteurs van ’n maatskappy genaamd Radloch- ron geword.

Volgens die registrateur van maatskappye het mev. Mabasa sedertdien bedank.

Mabasa het destyds gesê hy en sy vrou is al 15 jaar geskei.

Drop the charges, and we'll give the car back

Drop the charges, and we'll give the car back


Share 1 September 2010, 06:54
By Angelique Serrao

A bizarre hijacking of a Joburg businessman - allegedly by police - saw him being asked to "drop the charges" in order to get his car back.

But the businessman, whose name is known to The Star, refused, and police are yet to recover his brand-new Golf GTi, saying he may be the latest victim of the notorious Blue Light Gang.

The 33-year-old businessman, who does not want to be identified, said he was driving his silver GTi from Linbro business park towards the Glenhove Road off-ramp at around 12.30pm when he was stopped by four men in a black Ford Focus with flashing blue lights and an antenna on top. His friend was in the passengerseat.

According to the businessman, four men came towards the car carrying what he believes were R-5 rifles. They flashed police badges at them.

"They held the rifles to our heads and told us that the car was stolen and we were suspects. They searched the car and took out our briefcases."

The two men were put in the back seat of the Ford and were told they were being taken to a police station by two of the police officers, while two others got into the Golf. Both cars then left the scene in convoy.

The businessman said they then drove in circles before the driver of the Golf pulled off on a slip road near Louis Botha Avenue and parked in front of a black BMW.

While driving towards Norwood, one of the officers looked through their briefcases while the driver spoke on his cellphone.

"He had about three phones which were ringing, and he spoke to numerous people," the businessman said.

"I heard him say 'superintendent, we have the suspects'. They told us not to stress, that nothing would happen to us. His phone rang again. I heard someone tell him they had the wrong people, and that they must leave us and take the car."

In Norwood, the man said they saw a marked police car with "Norwood" written at the back.

"The two cars signalled each other with their sirens and then the marked car drove in front of us, stopping traffic," he said.

The two men were driven to a quiet road in Sandringham, where they were told to get out and lie face down.

"The one man held the R-5 rifle to my head, and the other held a handgun to my friend's head. We were told not to look up," he said.

The guns were cocked before the suspects drove away.

The pair flagged down a passing motorist, who took them to the Sandringham police station, where they were told that the number plate of the Ford was fake and that "they wouldn't open a case".

The men went home and called 10111, and were told that police would come to their home. They never arrived, and the businessman went to the Norwood police station in the evening to lay charges.

"When the police looked up the registration number, they said the Ford was a state car and was owned by a policeman," the man said.

He added there was a lot of activity at the police station, and one policeman asked him if he would drive to Alexandra to fetch his car.

"Then a policeman behind the desk passed me a cellphone and told me that a senior superintendent wanted to speak to me. I asked him his name and he said it didn't matter. Then he asked me if I would drop the charges if I got my car back," he said.

His GTi was eventually put on a registry for stolen cars at 11.30pm.

Captain Philip Maganedisa, of the Norwood police station, said he had looked at the docket and was sure this was the work of the Blue Light Gang. He said the fact that the Ford had four antennae (which trace trackers of stolen and hijacked cars) might mean it was the police, but it could also be members of the gang.

"We discovered that the vehicle was not a state vehicle, but the number plates may have been stolen," the captain said.

He added that the docket had been taken to the provincial office to see which police cars were in the area at the time.

Meanwhile, the businessman is convinced that police officers were involved in the crime. "What happened is just too strange. Too many things don't add up," he said.




This article was originally published on page 2 of The Star on September 01, 2010