Help find family of deceased person

Bothasig police are seeking the assistance of the public to locate the family of a deceased person, Julian Saban.

PHOTO - SAPS: Julian Saban

Police said the deceased was involved in a motor vehicle accident on the N7 where he passed away and was not identified on the scene and was taken to the Salt River mortuary.

Anyone who knows the family or who knows the deceased person is kindly requested to contact the investigating officer Sergeant Godwin Oppel on 079 894 0095 or 021 558 3600.

 

Done by: Bush Radio News

Two new state-of-the-art Home Affairs offices opens in Cape Town

Home Affairs Minister, Leon Schreiber, officially opened new state-of-the-art offices in Mitchells Plain and Bellville, respectively.

COURTESY - Department of Home Affairs: Minister Schreiber with Cape Town mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis

Schreiber was in Mitchell’s Plain on Saturday, where he opened a ‘spacious, modern new office that is not only nearly three times bigger than the old one with 250 seats instead of 50’. The office also includes upgraded technology like cameras installed directly at each counter that eliminates the need to queue to take photos.

The Home Affairs office was relocated to 321 Merrydale avenue, Portland, as of November 2024, as it was first situated in Eastridge. The Home Affairs office shares the same space as the Mitchells Plain Labour Centre.

‘’For too long, the people of Mitchells Plain and Home Affairs staff were subjected to poor conditions at a small, dilapidated office. This came to an end today [Saturday]… This new office serves as tangible proof to the people of Mitchells Plain that Home Affairs is delivering dignity for all. The vastly improved facilities and technology will transform their daily interactions with our services. We have brought Home Affairs closer than ever to the people of Mitchells Plain - and in the coming months, our plans to expand access to services through many more bank branches will take us closer still to delivering Home Affairs @ home,’’ said Leon Schreiber, Home Affairs Minister.

Department of Home Affairs

Schreiber also, on Monday, opened a state-of-the art Home Affairs office located in Tygervalley Shopping Centre in Bellville.

Like the Mitchells Plain office, the new Tygervalley office features upgraded technology that integrates a camera at the counter, eliminating the need to queue for photos. Schreiber said this new office will also only accept prior bookings, ensuring that there are no queues.

COURTESY: Department of Home Affairs

“We are guided by our vision to deliver Home Affairs @ home. This means that we are gradually bringing services closer to the people, including through our presence in malls. This process will eventually culminate with Home Affairs services also being offered in many more bank branches, and through online devices.”

“The people of Bellville and surrounds will now experience the meaning of our commitment to deliver dignity for all. Every day, we are making progress, together,’’ he added.

Done by: Mitchum George

Shooting in Gugulethu kills four

Police are investigating a fatal shooting of four men in Gugulethu on Friday evening.

Police were called to the scene in NY 3A, where the bodies of the victims, believed to be in their twenties, were found with multiple gunshot wounds.

The police’s Colonel Andre Traut said the motive for the killing is still unknown at the point.

“Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is urged to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111, or submit a tip-off anonymously via the MySAPS mobile application” said Traut.

 

Done By: Elona Sibunzi

  

Help find missing teenager from Bishop Lavis

Bishop Lavis police needs your help by locating a missing teenage boy

The police’s Wesley Twigg said the 15 year old Liam Mouton, was last seen two weeks ago when he and his brother went to visit a friend in Bishop Lavis and was not seen since.

PHOTO - SAPS: Liam Mouton

‘’At the time of his disappearance he was wearing a black cargo pants, black hooded top and black sneakers.’’

Anyone with any information who can assist with the investigation or who knows the whereabouts of Liam, is kindly requested to contact the investigating officer Constable Aden Carelse on 082 559 4598 or Crime Stop 08600 10111.

Police ministry provided update on 'Justice for Cwecwe'

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu gave an update on Friday on the case of a 7-year-old girl from the Eastern Cape who was reportedly raped at her school in Matatiele.

The South African Police Service in the area has been criticised for their handling of the case, which sparked widespread demonstrations under the banner ‘’Justice for Cwecwe.’’

COURTESY: X - @SAPoliceService

Mchunu said no foreign DNA was found on the child.

“The investigation generally followed the correct processes, but with challenges. This is a case without witnesses, involving a minor, and – as crucial as DNA would be it would be – it would not be complete in that you would not be able to do the necessary comparison.”

At the same time, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola has clarified that the three people whose DNA was taken were not suspects.

“We spoke about three people of interest. This does not necessarily mean that those people are suspects. The first investigating officers did their investigations, and it was identified that there were three people that they could bring closer [ to the investigation]. The DNA of these three has been taken and will be analysed. But they are not suspects.”

Earlier this week, Minister Mchunu confirmed that the school principal had also submitted his DNA following days of public criticism over his initial refusal.

No arrests have been made since the incident occurred in October last year.

The minister described the case as complex, but he assured South Africans that police were working hard to get to the bottom of it.

‘’I must stress that due to the sensitive nature of this case and the legal processes involved, we cannot disclose further details at this stage. What I can promise, on behalf of the Ministry of Police and the SAPS, is that we are committed to upholding the law and ensuring that justice is served. The full extent of the investigation will be pursued, and no effort will be spared in bringing the responsible parties to account. We do welcome the support from various sister departments and we call for a streamlined approach in respect of what is communicated.’’

‘’Moving forward, we are going to focus more attention on the victim in terms of providing the necessary support assessments and rehabilitation. We would want to see a situation where the truth comes out and the perpetrator of this crime is brought to book. We will continue to support the family and the victim through our Employee Health and Wellness unit including any other aspects related to this case. We assure the affected family of our full support and commitment to this case,’’ added Mchunu.

The police minister said the ministry will come down to Matatiele in the coming weeks to update the family on progress.

 

Done By: Mitchum George

Ndithini Tyhido appointed new ANC leader in Cape Town

The African National Congress (ANC) in Cape Town has a new leader. Ndithini Leon Tyhido was on Friday announced to serve as a councillor in the City of Cape Town Council and has been appointed as the new Leader of the Opposition. This after the former opposition leader in Cape Town, Banele Majingo, jumped ship and moved to the Democratic Alliance (DA).

COURTESY: X - @myancwc

The ANC said its Provincial Executive Committee held a special meeting on Thursday evening.

‘’The meeting was called not only to fill a vacancy but to reassert the ANC's historic mission to build a non-racial, just, and equal society…This appointment is not symbolic it is a political realignment that returns the leadership of the caucus to the organised structures of the movement and aligns it with the strategic direction of the Regional Executive Committee,’’ it said in a statement.

‘’This deployment is a call to struggle. A call to resist the neoliberal governance of the DA-led City of Cape Town. A call to defend the poor. A call to rebuild people’s power in our communities. It is a call to end the tale of two cities where leafy suburbs flourish while the Cape Flats is left to fend for itself under conditions of poverty,crime, drugs, and despair,’’ it added.

Tyhido first served the Trevor Vilakazi Branch (Ward 93), and moved to the ANC Regional Executive Committee where he led political education, to his three-term tenure as Chairperson of the Khayelitsha Development Forum (KDF)

‘’He brings not just political clarity, but technocratic competence and strategic understanding of how to confront inequality in practice… With Comrade Ndithini Tyhido at the helm, the ANC is reclaiming its rightful role as the voice of the people, the conscience of the poor, and the force for transformation in this City,’’ concluded Khalid Sayed, ANC Western Cape spokesperson.

 

Done By: Mitchum George

Power Outage affects thousand in Belhar

 An unplanned power outage affected over eight-thousand customers in Belhar on Thursday.

Picture: ESKOM 

According to reports Eskom said technicians have been dispatched to restore power.

Technicians have managed to restore electricity for 80-percent of the customers.

Customers are encouraged to treat all electrical appliances as live during the restoration period.

It is unknown when Eskom will restore electricity to the remaining customers.

Meanwhile, The City of Cape Town will be rolling out new electricity meters to residents.

The meter replacement programme aims to assist residents in managing costs, controlling and monitoring usage and ensuring accurate readings.

The city’s MMC for Energy, Xanthea Limberg, says the programme is compulsory and free.

She encourages residents to cooperate during this transition, as it is part of the city’s big investment drive in energy infrastructure.

“The city energy directors is rolling our transmitters to households over the next few months. This programme is compulsory and free, helping customers in many ways by reducing the risk of incorrect weeding’s. Improving energy usage for residence enabling qualified customers to benefit from the subsidised lifeline tariffs” said Limber

g. 

 

Done By: Elona Sibunzi  

Terrorism case against Mamre man moved to the Bellville Regional Court

The terrorism case against a man who allegedly orchestrated a series of bomb scares in the City of Cape Town has been moved from the Belville Magistrates Court to the Bellville Regional Court.

Ferdinand Fortuin allegedly made false bomb threats at the Bellville taxi rank, transit park building, and department of water and sanitation offices last November.

‘’Fortuin is charged with four counts of contravention of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorism and Related Activities Act 33 of 2004 (POCDATARA) and for contravention of the Explosives Act 26 of 1956. The Deputy Director of Public Prosecution in the Western Cape, Adv Mervyn Menigo, told the court the case was previously postponed for the National Director of Public Prosecutions to authorise Fortuin’s prosecution on the POCDATARA charges. Today the authorization was provided to the court and attached to the charge sheet before the matter was transferred,’’ said Eric Ntabazalila, National Prosecuting Authority Western Cape spokesperson.

The State alleges that the 49-year-old Mamre resident contacted the Bellville Police Station on 11 November 2024 and informed officers that he had placed explosive devices at the Bellville Department of Water and Sanitation offices in Voortrekker Road and Bellville South, the Transnet Park Building and the Bellville Taxi Rank. Ntabazalila said this resulted in the deployment of substantial state resources and the evacuation of thousands of people from the three sites.

‘’At the Water and Sanitation Department offices in Voortrekker Road, Bellville, police assisted by the three bomb disposal technicians, K-9 Dog Unit using explosive detection canines and visible policing unit members evacuated 164 people while 151 people were evacuated at the department’s Bellville South offices. Police assisted by the same units evacuated 250 people from the Transnet Park Building offices and 3 000 people were evacuated from the taxi rank. The taxi rank was closed and roads leading to and out of the taxi rank were closed resulting in huge panic in the area. Although the threats proved to be a hoax, the NPA views the charges in a serious light as they resulted in panic amongst the public and economic disruption at the three sites. The Legislature has criminalised this type of conduct in POCDATARA and in the Criminal Law Amendment Act 105 of 1997 has prescribed a minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment for a first offender. The NPA will not hesitate to prosecute conduct of this nature to the full extent that the law allows.’’

The case has been postponed to 24 April 2025.

 

Done By: Mitchum George

Bellville Library fully operational again

Good news for library patrons attending in Bellville The City of Cape Town announced that the facility has resumed its normal operations after it scaled back services for just under two months, while work got under way to address urgent ventilation issues.

PICTURE: Pixabay

The City warned that work to repair the library’s industrial Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system is ongoing, but the weather has cooled down, which means that the facility is now able to maintain required indoor air quality standards. The HVAC suffered irreparable damage as a result of ongoing acts of vandalism over an extended period of time.

The municipality said contractors have been on site for the past two months, to conduct repairs to address airflow and air quality problems. Over the peak summer period, the library provided limited services, but its full service offering has since resumed.

‘’We want to extend our appreciation to patrons and the public at large for their patience and continued support during this period. Bellville Library is one of our flagship facilities, and the City has to ensure compliance with Health and Safety standards. The contractors will remain on site for a while still, but conditions have improved to the point that we can throw open the doors to the public at large, and resume business as usual,’’ said Francine Higham, Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health.

 ‘’I do want to take this opportunity to encourage the public to help us protect this, and other community facilities. We cannot afford more damage to our HVAC system, so if you see anything  suspicious, please do report it immediately, either to the South African Police Service or the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre on 021 480 7700,’’ she added

Bellville Library is open to the public:

·        09:00 – 18:00 on Monday to Thursday

·        09:00 – 17:00 on Fridays

·        09:00 – 13:00 on Saturdays

 

Done By: Mitchum George

 

More than 13k library items returned to Cape Town libraries during ‘fine free week’

More than 13 000 library items returned to the City of Cape Town libraries during the municipality’s ‘fine free week’. Fine Free Week is an amnesty period where patrons can return overdue items without paying the accrued penalties. According to the City, just over 40 000 items, valued at over R4,6 million, were overdue. 13 178 items returned valued at just over R1,6 million.

Amongst the items that found their way back to the shelves at the Central Library, was French Cinema by Roy Armes, which covers the history of the French film industry, and was originally due for return on 8 March 2001.

SUPPLIED: Central Library Assistant Librarian, Nicole Smith, with the book

In a statement, the City said the person who borrowed the book moved extensively both locally and internationally, and discovered the book while sorting through stored belongings and decided to return it during the library’s fine free week.

‘’The book is no longer listed on the current library system, so there is no record of it, except the date sheet in the book. This is a historic return as its arguably one of the oldest books to find its way back during Fine Free Week. It’s not lost on us that the book itself is historical in nature. While it is still usable, restoration is not an option, but the patron has offered to buy the book, should it not be returning to the library’s shelves,’’ said Francine Higham, Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health.

‘’We are grateful to everyone who took advantage of the amnesty period to return library material - thank you for heeding the call. I want to encourage our patrons to please return anything that is still past the due date. The fines for overdue material are modest compared to the replacement cost, so please do the right thing. Fully stocked libraries benefit everyone,’’ she added.

Higham said a number of wayward Wimpy Kids too found their way home. The series, by author Jeff Kinney, dominates the list of outstanding items each year.

‘’The Library service will host a few more Fine Free Weeks throughout the year, which will hopefully yield some more overdue returns. For now, we shift our focus to the upcoming school holidays. Libraries will offer a range of activities to keep young minds engaged and entertained. Please reach out to your local facility for programme details,’’ said Higham.

 

Done By: Mitchum George

Housing group welcomes Mowbray Golf Course Redevelopment

Housing activist group, Ndifuna Ukwazi, has welcomed the City of Cape Town’s plan to redevelop Mowbray Golf Course with 30% affordable housing but warns that without clear affordability measures, long-term protections, and racial redress, the project risks becoming mere ‘affordable housing tokenism.’

The portions of Mowbray Golf Course will be used among others for affordable housing. The City said the golf course offers access to employment hubs, amenities and residential areas.

‘’For 113 years, Mowbray Golf Course has symbolised exclusion, leased at a nominal rate while serving as a green buffer that reinforced apartheid-era spatial divisions. The City’s proposal for a mixed-use development is a step forward, but the 30% affordable housing allocation remains unclear and inadequate. To truly serve Cape Town’s most vulnerable residents, the project must center equity and redress,’’ said Jonty Cogger, Attorney at Ndifuna Ukwazi.

‘’With over 58% of Cape Town households earning less than R10,000 per month, long-term sustainability measures are essential to prevent displacement and uphold the Constitutional right to housing. Instead of selling the land, the City should explore alternatives like 99-year leases and community land trusts to ensure affordability while maintaining public ownership. Transparency throughout the process is critical to achieving these goals.’’

‘’Housing policies must also include explicit racial redress. Race-neutral approaches fail marginalised communities and risk deepening apartheid-era inequalities. This is a historic opportunity for Cape Town to break with its exclusionary past, but without bold commitments, this could become another missed opportunity,’’ he added

 

Done By: Elona Sibunzi