Three-year-old killed after being hit in the head in Eerste Rivier

 

A three-year-old girl was killed in a shooting incident in Eerste Rivier on Monday evening. It is alleged that three unknown suspects stopped in front of a house in Normandie Street in Heather Park at 20:30 and started shooting randomly. The three-year-old was rushed to hospital. She succumbed to her injuries after being hit in the head.

Police spokesperson, Brigadier Novelwa Potelwa, said that police responded to the incident and started an investigation. Members of the Anti-Gang Unit deployed on the scene followed up on suspicious movement in a nearby house. Information led them to another house in the same street. Upon searching the house they found five firearms including a shot gun. Potelwa added that two teenagers were among the five suspects arrested in the search.

The suspects have been charged with possession of illegal firearms.

In a separate incident, police pounced on a suspected drug dealer in a block of flats in Maitland last night and confiscated a 7.65 pistol whose serial number was filed off. An assortment of drugs comprising crystal meth and heroine were seized. A 35-year-old man was arrested for possession of drugs and a prohibited firearm.

All arrested suspects are expected in court soon.

 

Done By: Mitchum George

Cape Town music director granted R1000 bail

A Cape Town musician appeared in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court on Monday after a 21-year-old laid a charge of rape and sexual assault. The complainant said the sexual assault first happened when he was 14-years-old.

The musician spent the weekend behind bars after he was taken into custody by Kuils River detectives on Friday.

Court proceedings were delayed after an application by two media houses were brought forward to film and photograph the accused. The magistrate granted the application, but said that the man’s identity should not be published until he has pleaded.

The accused’s lawyer read out a statement, written by the accused, saying that he was a director at a music institute that earns R17 000, but can only afford R1 000 bail as he has other expenses to pay such as a bond, a car instalment and school fees.

As part of the 48-year-old man’s bail application, he is not allowed to be in Kuilsriver or make contact with any of the witnesses.

The case was been postponed until 30 October 2020.

 

Done By: Mitchum George

‘Gatvol Capetonian’ shutdown major roads in Cape Town

The ‘’Gatvol’’ Movement is protesting on Monday to highlight the plight of backyard dwellers on the Cape Flats.

This is the second time the movement is holding a ‘’shutdown’’. According to them, no solution was given, with the previous shutdown, to better the lives of the backyarders.

‘’The memorandum we handed over has been blatantly ignored. The Backyarder Summit has only resulted in meetings upon meetings with the Human Rights Commission and City of Cape Town officials which also never amounted to anything.”

Various major roads were affected on Monday morning including the N1, N2, N7 and R300, as protests took place in Delft, Bishop Lavis, Lwandle, Eerste River, Kraaifontein, Steenberg, Bellville, Mitchells Plain, Mamre, and Atlantis.

Executive Mayor of Cape Town Plato said it was ‘’unacceptable and opportunistic to both announce and proceed to close off major routes, vandalise infrastructure and prevent residents from going about their daily business.’’

Plato added that the planned protest is ‘’criminality that must be stopped in its tracks.’’

Western Cape police spokesperson, Brigadier Novela Potelwa, said five people were arrested in Steenberg and on Jakes Gerwel Drive in Bishop Lavis, Cape Town after protesters burnt tyres and barricaded roads, as well as throwing of stones on Monday morning.

Meanwhile, Metrorail Western Cape has suspended its limited train service for Monday. Acting Regional Manager, Raymond Maseko, says this is a safety precaution for commuters. ‘’Based on the possible risk to lives and essential infrastructure, management has decided to suspend the service until the situation normalises.’’

The City of Cape Town’s Solid Waste Management Department has also suspended city-wide refuse collection services and has closed all City drop-offs on Monday, following the protest.

Done By: Mitchum George

Man survives nine days at sea following a suspected heart attack

A 58-year-old man was transferred to hospital after enduring nine days at sea following a suspected heart attack.

The man was aboard a fishing vessel travelling from Tristan Da Cunha, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, when he is believed to have suffered the Acute Myocardial Infarction.

ER24 Spokesperson, Ross Campbell, said paramedics were dispatched to the Cape Town Harbour following the request for a transfer from a private hospital in the area.

''Arriving just before 9 pm, paramedics reported that the patient was in a stable condition and lucky to have survived.''

He was transferred through to High Care for treatment.

Done By: Mitchum George

Malmesbury prison escapees rearrested

The prisoners who escaped from the Malmesbury correctional facility in the Western Cape have all been rearrested, within seventy-six hours.

A manhunt was launched after the sixty-eight awaiting trial prisoners escaped from the prison after overpowering officials during their exercise period on Friday, 24 July 2020.

Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola said on the day of the escapr, the correctional centre had 451 offenders and 20 officials on duty. He said the escapees took the keys and locked three of the officials in a cell. The prisoners opened other cells before escaping through the main entrance, as well as over the roof.

Nine officials sustained minor injuries and bruises, during the incident.

The Justice and Correctional Services Minister has thanked community members who provided critical information, as well as officials who worked around the clock to ‘’restore stability’’.

 

Done By: Mitchum George

Bothasig liquor store burgled, after alcohol ban was reinstated

Cape Town police are probing a case of a burglary at a business premises after a liquor store in Bothasig was burgled in the early hours of Tuesday, 14 July 2020.

In his state of the nation address on Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa reinstated the ban on the sale, dispensing and distribution of alcohol with immediate effect. Ramaphosa says the ban would assist in reducing pressure at trauma units in hospitals across the country.

Police spokesperson, Brigadier Novela Potelwa, said that the liquor store owner was alerted of the incident when the alarm system went off.

‘’Preliminary reports indicate that at 04:35 the owner of a liquor outlet located at Village Centre, in Vryburger Drive, Bothasig, was alerted to the activation of an alarm system by a security company on the premises.  On arrival he discovered that the security gates in front of the store had been forcibly removed and a window next to the door was broken. A substantial quantity of high-end liquor bottles had been stolen.’’

Potelwa added that a case of burglary at a business premises and theft was subsequently opened by Bothasig police.

Anyone with information that can assist with the investigation is urged to contact Crime Stop on 0860010111.

Done By: Mitchum George

OCEAN VIEW SCHOOLS PICKET OVER COVID-19 SAFETY CONCERNS

Ocean View educators, learners, and residents held a peaceful protest on Tuesday to raise awareness about teachers and children in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Standing at the entrance of the suburb, Marine Primary School, Kleinberg Primary School, and Ocean View High School are calling on the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to refrain from sending the other grades to schools. Grade 7 and matriculants returned to school on 1 June 2020 after being at home for about 2 months due to the coronavirus.

These fore mentioned schools say there is an estimate of 30 to 50 students per class and are wanting to half these numbers, as well as having one main teacher with a teacher’s aid.

Out of the close to 1 500 schools in the Western Cape, WCED said less than 0.1% of learners in grade 7 & 12 as well as Schools of Skills year 4 have tested positive for the coronavirus. Staff members at schools who tested positive for COVID-19 account for 1.5%

A resident of Ocean View, Jasmine Mazwi, says teachers are being overworked with the current school COVID-19 protocols in place.

‘’The current state that we are facing, mental health is just as important as health itself. This will burn out many teachers and have students traumatised due to fears of their lives.’’

The message from these schools: ‘’Close schools and save lives!’’

https://soundcloud.com/bush-radio1/ocean-view-schools-picket-over-covid-19-safety-concerns

Done By: Mitchum George

COSAS threatens to close schools

The Congress of SA Students, COSAS, says it will be “shutting down all schools” from Monday.

It said in a statement that they are not giving anyone an option but, ‘’are taking a radical approach’’, and ‘’saving the lives of innocent scholars by hook or crook.”

Cosas said it would mobilise at a school in Cape Town where it believed a Covid-19 case had been reported. It said that that they will move to any other school that is operating. COSAS’ Buntu Joseph is meanwhile calling on the Education Department to go back to the drawing board, also wanting learners to be tested and not screened.

Done By: Mitchum George

South African author, Elsa Joubert, dies at 97

Legendary South African author Elsa Joubert has died.

According to Netwerk24, the 97-year-old writer died on Sunday in Cape Town, due to Covid-19 related causes. Elsa's son, Nico Steytler, confirmed that his mother died in Medi-clinic Cape Town, due to the virus.

Elsa's well-known book, Die Swerfjare van Poppie Nongena, which told the story of the complex relationship between women of different races living under the Apartheid era. The book was translated into thirteen languages and most recently turned into an award-winning film directed by Christian Olwagen and starring Clementine Mosimane.

Litnet reports that Elsa was married to the late journalist and writer, Klaas Steytler. She leaves behind two daughters, Elsabé and Henriëtte, and a son Nico.

On 3 June 2020, the Afrikaans journalist, poet, and writer Jeanne Goosen also died. She was 81 years old. It is believed that Goosen died at her home in Melkbosstrand on Tuesday after slipping into a coma.

Goosen published her first volume of poetry 'n Uil vlieg weg in 1971. It was her award-winning book, Ons is nie almal so nie, which was published in 1990 that made her a household name.

 

Done By: Mitchum George

A Cape Town man arrested following a business robbery

Members of the Maitland Flying Squad were patrolling on their deployment routes along the N2 at around 17:45 the evening on Thursday, 11 June 2020, when they monitored a radio broadcast of a business robbery.

The suspect, a 38-year-old male, was at large in the area and members were requested by a Woodstock SAPS sector complaint vehicle to urgently assist. Police spokesperson, Mihlali Majikela, said that they responded swiftly and focused on the Lower Main Road where the suspect had disappeared into a nearby residential area. Following a vigorous search, members found him hiding in an outside toilet of a private residential property.

He was subsequently arrested and a 9mm Norinco firearm, several rounds of ammunition and a Samsung cellular phone were discovered in his possession.

The suspect faces charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition and possession of presumed stolen property.

He is expected to appear in court on Monday, 15 June 2020.

Done By: Mitchum George

Western Cape’s Community Safety MEC welcomes arrests of suspected LGBTQIA+ murder

The Western Cape’s MEC of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, has welcomed the five arrests made by SAPS of suspects for the murder of 16-year-old Liyabona Mabishi, who was stabbed 13 times in Nkanini in Khayelitsha on Human Rights Day 2020.

At the time of the murder, it was suspected that the attack might be a hate crime related to Mabishi’s sexuality. During the attack, her friend had tried to intervene and was also stabbed. Mabishi died on route to the hospital.

According to Fritz, SAPS revealed that Mabishi was stabbed whilst walking with a group. It is suspected that her group bumped into another group and a quarrel started, resulting in her attack. Fritz added that the murder weapons have been retrieved. MEC Fritz said that he was informed by police that while they currently do not have evidence of a hate-crime, that 5 people have been arrested for her murder and have appeared in the Khayelitsha Court.

The next appearance is on the 6th of July for a bail application. The accused are currently in custody. Fritz said that the State will oppose their bail application.

 Done By: Mitchum George

Two arrested for possession of abalone

Paarl police arrested two suspects for the possession of abalone worth an estimated street value of R4.1 million. Police spokesperson, Captain F.C van Wyk said that at about 12:45 on Tuesday, members of Paarl SAPS spotted a silver grey Land Rover at St. Francis Street in Northern Paarl. Van Wyk added that the vehicle looked suspicious and the members decided to observe it. Upon approaching the vehicle the two occupants fled the scene. An undisclosed amount of abalone was found in the vehicle. The two suspects pursued on foot by SAPS members and was apprehended.

Van Wyk said that further investigation led them to a residence in the Northern Paarl area which was used as a processing factory where several other equipment were found. The two suspects aged 26 and 29 will appear in the Paarl Magistrates court once charged.

Done By: Mitchum George