Decriminalising drugs could weaken gangs by ruining their main source of income and power, say some experts.

Cape Town - Decriminalising drugs is a silver bullet that could significantly weaken gangs by ruining their main source of income and power, say some experts.

But authorities are against the controversial idea.

Gareth Newham, the Institute for Security Studies’ head of crime and justice, said so far the fight against drugs and gangsterism had failed.

“We have to change our approach... and stop doing what’s proved to fail,” he said.

Gang violence has flared in a number of areas around the province, especially in Manenberg, where shootings are reported almost daily.

Hard Livings gangster Tashwin van Niekerk, of Manenberg, told the Cape Times the fighting was over turf from which to sell drugs and because tik and cocaine were becoming easier and easier to access.

He agreed that decriminalising drugs would affect gangs as their main source of income would be weakened.

“But then there’ll be no boundaries between the gangs and we’ll fight worse,” Van Niekerk said.

Newham said decriminalising drugs “would remove the single biggest source of income and cash to the gangs”.

He said the issues were not necessarily decriminalising drugs, but removing the drug market from gangsters.

Newham said there was “a growing global market” towards decriminalising drugs.

He said certain drugs, including dagga, which was mainly used socially, could be decriminalised and other harder drugs, including cocaine and tik, could remain illegal.

“Police could play a complementary role and police only those drugs,” Newham said.

He added that decriminalising certain drugs would free up police resources.

“Research shows that nowhere in the world can you fight drugs effectively through policing.”

Newham said that because of the economic climate, drugs were often the only source of income for dealers.

About 95 percent of the time “small-time” dagga dealers were jailed and often left prison as hardened criminals.

Newham acknowledged that the relatives of drug addicts would be among those who would not support the decriminalising of drugs and that it would be “politically not an easy thing to sell”.

“What we have typically are politicians using moral panic,” he said, explaining that politicians often called for more police to be thrown at the “serious social problem” of drug abuse.

Newham said drug abuse was a complex issue linked to lifestyles and social interventions, proven to work, were needed to clamp down on it.

“If those things worked, it would’ve worked by now. All these approaches have failed,” he said.

Criminologist Liza Grobler said she supported the decriminalisation of drugs.

“I know it’s controversial, but to me it makes sense because this is how you’ll destroy the market,” she said.

Grobler said the move could in effect cripple the drug trade.

“You’re going to pull the mat from under the dealers. It’s completely ridiculous that so many lives are destroyed,” she said, referring to the number of people killed in gang violence.

Grobler said the government was not “progressive enough” to decriminalise drugs.

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa’s spokesman Zweli Mnisi did not comment on the minister’s stance on decriminalising drugs and instead provided the Cape Times with details about what police were doing to deal with drug use.

In terms of gangsterism, he said: “The links between gangsterism and the illicit trade in drugs is also becoming a serious concern.”

Community Safety MEC Dan Plato said he was “completely against” decriminalising drugs.

“I see on a day-to-day basis what it does to your youngsters,” he said.

“It would be a very tough nut for me to say: ‘Let’s try it.’ I think we’re not there. It’s still a very, very long way to go.”

Plato said deciding to decriminalise drugs would be “a hell of a lot of work”.

Ashley Potts, director of the Cape Town Drug Counselling Centre, said while the centre supported the decriminalisation of dagga users, it was opposed to legalising drugs.

“Gangs’ existence transcends the sale of drugs. It would be naive to even suggest that changing legislation of this nature would even dent the fabric of the existence of gangs.

“Gangs survive through calculated structures they have developed through generations,” Potts said.

caryn.dolley@inl.co.za

Cape Times

Western Cape Transport MEC Robin Carlisle has described Nyanga taxi rank as "a very bloody scene of this ongoing battle".

Cape Town - Following the worst spate of taxi murders in recent years, transport MEC Robin Carlisle has called for urgent police and security intervention at Nyanga taxi rank.

Carlisle inspected the rank on Monday morning and spoke to commuters and taxi bosses about the violence. There have been 35 murders or attempted murders associated with Cape Town’s taxi industry since June last year. There has apparently not been a single arrest in any of the 35 taxi-related shootings.

Fighting between two factions in the Bellville Taxi Association (Bellta) has spilled over to other areas, and shootings have also occurred at Delft, Nyanga and Bloekombos taxi ranks. The friction is over routes.

In recent months, executive members of the associations’ umbrella body, the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (Cata), have also come under attack. Some Bellta members have accused the Cata executive of taking sides in the internal power struggle.

“Nyanga has become a very bloody scene of this ongoing battle,” Carlisle said, citing indiscriminate shootings and murders of drivers and operators at the rank.

Victor Wiwi, Cata’s long-distance taxi chairman, accompanied Carlisle this morning. Hitmen killed Wiwi’s driver when they attacked his car in Nyanga a little over two months ago. It is believed Wiwi was the intended target of the shooting – he had left the car moments before the hitmen arrived.

Wiwi complained that police had not investigated the murder properly, saying they had not interviewed him or viewed the car in which his driver was killed.

“These (police) inefficiencies do nothing to deter these criminals from committing these crimes and threatening the stability of this vital industry,” Carlisle said. However, he added the key to ending the violence was a commitment on the part of the industry to resolving its internal issues.

Carlisle’s visit to the rank came a little over a week after a meeting between his department, the SA National Taxi Association (Santaco), the city council and representatives from 150 taxi associations. A “non-violence treaty” was signed at the meeting.

But earlier this year, the Cape Argus reported on similar treaties and agreements being signed by members of rival factions in Bellta, apparently with little effect on the violence.

Some of the sanctions the department has enforced include suspension of operating licences for associations whose members are implicated in the violence.

Carlisle also suggests regular police patrols at Nyanga taxi rank and installing CCTV cameras.

The visit highlighted other commuter issues, which Carlisle said he would bring up with the council.

The queue for the Wynberg taxis had hundreds of people in it this morning, indicating that taxi permits for some routes might not be being issued on the basis of proportional needs. They are issued by the City of Cape Town.

Commuter Lindelwa Mapukata said she had to allow for 3.5 hours travelling time every morning to get to her job in Tokai.

Carlisle said the rank was “self-managed” well by most commuters and operators but better municipal services were needed in terms of shelter, sanitation and refuse removal.

daneel.knoetze@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

Political parties in the Western Cape called in their heavyweights to help campaign in the run-up to the seven by-elections.

Cape Town - Political parties in the Western Cape called in their heavyweights to help campaign in the run-up to the seven by-elections being held on Wednesday.

ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa and party secretary general Gwede Mantashe visited municipalities in the past week, while prominent DA party leaders, including Health MEC Theuns Botha and mayor Patricia de Lille, helped with their party’s campaign.

The DA cancelled the provincial government’s cabinet meeting this Wednesday so that its MECs could help.

The ANC and DA will contest one ward in each of the four municipalities in Graafwater, Hermanus, George and Plettenberg Bay.

In Oudtshoorn three wards are up for grabs.

Only Ward 3 in Berg River, on the West Coast, is not contested by smaller parties.

The ANC has to retain all three Oudtshoorn wards to keep control of the municipality, while the DA only has to win one to take it.

The municipality has been unable to convene a council meeting and form a quorum to pass the budget since five of 11 ANC councillors resigned in May.

The DA has refused to attend a council meeting after it failed in an attempt to take control of the municipality.

Both parties said on Sunday they were confident they would win control of Oudtshoorn.

In the 2011 local government elections, the ANC won 42 percent of the vote and the DA 46 percent, but the ANC took control by forming a coalition with two smaller parties.

This year the ANC failed to remove its own mayor, Gordon April, after its own councillors did not return to a sitting.

ANC provincial secretary Songezo Mjongile said the issue of the mayor would be dealt with after the by-elections and they were focused on winning back community trust.

“Our leaders have gone to apologise to the community for putting up councillors that sold their souls to the highest bidder,” he said.

DA provincial leader Ivan Meyer said they were certain of a win. The DA has two former ANC councillors, Hendrik Ruiters and Jurie Harmse, running as candidates.

In Ward 5 in Graafwater, in the Berg River municipality, the ANC’s candidate, Dirk Adams, ran on a DA ticket in 2011. The DA won 53 percent of the vote then and the ANC 35 percent.

Meyer said the DA hoped to retain this ward or they would have to go into a coalition government with Cope.

In Plettenberg Bay, the DA hopes to exit its coalition government with Cope by taking Ward 4 from the ANC.

Two years ago the ANC won the ward with 135 votes from the DA.

There are 26 478 registered voters eligible to vote in one of the seven wards on Wednesday.

cobus.coetzee@inl.co.za

Cape Times

The extensions made by the owner of a Kalk Bay restaurant and pub, the Brass Bell is garnering mixed reactions.

Cape Town - The extensions made by the owner of the popular Kalk Bay restaurant and pub, the Brass Bell, are “elitist”, “beautiful” and “frustrating”.

These were among the diverse views expressed by members of the public during a visit on Sunday.

Fish Hoek resident Liesl Venter said although she thought the extensions were “beautiful and lovely”, they set a precedent for further exploitation. “If you allow one person with money to do that, then anyone can do the same and open up businesses along the beachfront,” she said

Venter, who was sitting outside the controversial enclosure eating ice cream with her family, said she particularly objected to the exclusivity of the area after the extensions were done.

“(The pools) allowed people without money to enjoy their Sunday afternoon in a really nice spot. Now they can’t - now it’s just another elitist spot for people with money,” she said.

Opposite the road at the Ice Cream Café, a manager, Cassie Boshoff, said she couldn’t understand why there were complaints.

“It’s making more money for the community. Children can go play there, visitors can go eat there, and it’s all in the sun. For the council to come and say that they (the Brass Bell) can’t is ridiculous. Anyone who objects to it must be crazy.”

Referring to the controversy over a doorway that offers access to Main Road from the beachfront, Boshoff said that the door was locked only between 2am and 6am, when the area would otherwise be deserted.

But a Muizenberg resident, Caroline Daries, visiting the beach with her sister, said that on Friday the door had been locked from as early as 7pm.

“I am so disgusted - I don’t want to swear - 2am to 6am, that’s a lie. It’s very frustrating, my dear, we cannot use the place.” Daries described the pools as a social spot for many in the community.

“Over the festive season it was very, very busy. Now the children see the buildings and they back off, they don’t want to go there any more,” she said. “It feels like the community is being pushed out.”

Tony Prime, who used to fish near the pools’ edge, said he felt there were negatives and positives.

“It’s beautiful, it’s nice, it’s a nice place to relax and it looks a whole lot better than it used to, but when we come through there we feel like we’re invading their space.”

benjamin.katz@inl.co.za

Cape Times

A movement towards decriminalising drugs has started in earnest, with Uruguay looking into creating a legal dagga market.

Cape Town - A movement towards decriminalising drugs has started in earnest with Uruguay becoming the first country to look into creating a legal dagga market.

A draft law was approved in the lower house, and if adopted, it would see the sale and use of dagga become legal for non-medical use.

An Associated Press article on the matter said: “Legislators in the ruling coalition said putting the government at the centre of a legal marijuana industry is worth trying because the global war on drugs had been a costly and bloody failure, and displacing illegal dealers through licensed pot sales could save money and lives.”

In the US, according to the non-profit organisation ProCon.org it said dagga had been legalised for medical use in 20 states.

On the White House’s website, under the Office of National Drug Control Policy, it said dagga “is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States”.

It said US President Barack Obama’s administration was against legalising “any form of drug”.

The website said in terms of health, dagga use was harmful.

It said legalising it would result in the price of dagga being lowered and therefore an increase its use.

“Legalisation would do little, if anything, to curb drug violence,” the website said.

According to a Netherlands government website, “soft drugs” including dagga, could be sold from coffee shops there “under strict conditions.”

“The idea behind this is that (dagga) users do not need to buy their soft drugs from a dealer operating illegally, which would increase their chances of coming into contact with hard drugs,” it said.

“The Netherlands pursues a policy of toleration. This means that, though possessing and selling soft drugs are misdemeanours, prosecutions are usually not brought.”

Hard drugs, including heroin, ecstasy and cocaine, were illegal in the Netherlands, said the website.

caryn.dolley@inl.co.za

Cape Times

The Brass Bell restaurant in Kalk Bay has been ordered to demolish recent deck extensions and restore the public area.

The owner of the Brass Bell restaurant in Kalk Bay has been ordered to demolish controversial deck extensions and restore the public area to its previous state.

An investigation by the provincial department of environmental affairs and development planning found the owner, Tony White, had contravened the National Environmental Management Act by building two decks.

In terms of the act, White is allowed to apply to the department to keep the illegally built decks in place but the application is not guaranteed.

This comes seven months after Kalk Bay residents lodged a complaint.

Residents were annoyed when White erected two decks near the children’s tidal pool and put a door along a walkway which is used by residents and the public to walk from the harbour to Main Road.

Residents complained that no public participation had taken place. They called the construction work by White “privatisation” and a “takeover” of a public area.

Last week the department issued White with a compliance notice, telling him he had broken the law, and ordered him to immediately cease the unlawful activities and restore the site to its previous state.

After an inspection in June, an environmental inspector confirmed that White had “unlawfully commenced with infilling, excavation and construction activities within 100m of the high water mark without environmental authorisation”.

Related to the Brass Bell case, the unlawful activities include the: “construction of two wooden decks, concrete foundations, a children’s tidal pool and a kitchen structure”.

White applied last week to keep the decks and other illegal work in place. If the application is refused, White will have to break down the illegal structures and return the site to its original state.

If White still fails to comply he can be fined up to R5 million or face a jail sentence of up to 10 years.

White leases the land from the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa). Earlier he told the Cape Times that he had entered into a “perfectly legal lease with Prasa and obtained written permission from them before erecting the decks and kitchen”.

Even though Prasa owns the land, they cannot give White permission to build the decks without obtaining environmental authorisation.

White said the city did not have planning jurisdiction over Prasa property and therefore he had not submitted plans to the city.

Prasa said they allowed White to erect the decks as they deemed the changes “minor works” and were therefore of the opinion that environmental authorisation was not needed.

White said earlier that he had done everything that was legally required and did not consider himself in contravention of the act.

White said he did not realise permission was necessary. “The City Council was quite happy with the decks; they have just asked for certain access which they’ve set out in a letter. I received a letter last week saying approval was necessary. I phoned them. It was said that I could obtain permission after the fact via a prescribed form.”

He said ratepayers had asked the city to get him to guarantee access to the public during the restaurant’s open hours.

“Doors will be open during business hours. People might have thought the area was a public beach but of course it never was. The railway always leased that land. They leased it to the City Council, which made it a public amenity. In 1987 the railway realised the nominal rental that they were giving to the City Council in no way reflected what the Brass Bell was paying,” White said.

Cape Argus

Three men survived a near-drowning at the place where a Springbok bodyboarder was killed by a shark last year.

Cape Town - Three men survived a near-drowning at the place where a Springbok bodyboarder was killed by a shark last year.

David Lilienfeld, 20, died after a great white shark severed his leg at the “Caves” surf spot at Kogel Bay, eastern False Bay, in April last year.

On Saturday, two jet skiers and a passenger came close to being smashed against the rocks beneath the cliffs where Lilienfeld was attacked, after their jet skis rolled in heavy swell.

Marc Thompson and his son Eden, who are both registered small craft skippers, launched their jet skis at Harbour Island shortly before midday, heading out into Gordon’s Bay in warm sunshine and windless seas.

They powered their craft around the point at Steenbras River Mouth, towards Kogel Bay. But, at Caves, Eden Thompson and his passenger were hit by a surprise wave, which capsized their jet ski.

The surf smashed it against the foot of the rocky cliff face, while the two men were pummelled in the surf.

Thompson’s father tried to rescue them. But his craft, too, was knocked by waves, dragging his jet ski towards the shore.

The three kept their heads above water and swam to the shore, where they were dumped on the rocks.

Eden Thompson called his mother Bonita from his cellphone and NSRI crews at Gordons Bay launched two craft and set off by land.

BonitaThompson had already called for help from two friends, who raced to the Caves beach and swam around a rocky point to reach the three stranded men.

“They are battered and bruised, exhausted, but fine,” she said.

The men were forced to leave their craft on the rocks and managed to retrieve them on Sunday, with the NSRI’s help.

Cape Argus

Criminals are not welcome in South Africa, national police commissioner Riah Phiyega said at a memorial for three slain policemen.

Cape Town - Criminals are not welcome in South Africa, national police commissioner Riah Phiyega said on Monday.

“This is not a country for criminals. We shall reclaim this space for our nation,” she said at the memorial service of three police officers in Kuils River.

The officers were killed at the end of last month.

“Those who are not interested in staying in this peaceful, wonderful country of ours can take leave.”

Constable Lungisa Depha, 36, was shot dead on Sunday, July 28

while recording details at the scene of a car crash in Mitchells Plain. Phiyega said he was arresting a suspected drunk driver at the time.

The same day, Sergeant Landile Yengo, 43, was shot in his Khayelitsha home while getting ready to go to work. He died on his way to hospital. The next day, Sergeant Bafundi Mdlalo, 34, was shot dead in his Mitchells Plain home.

Seven police officers were killed in the province last month.

At the start of the church service, Phiyega and family members were led to a table in front with photos of the officers, surrounded by thick white candles and flower arrangements. Their widows, dressed in black, collapsed at the sight of the photos and were escorted, wailing, back to their seats.

One of the late officers' young daughters, dressed in a frilly pink dress, sucked a lollipop and played on the floor, unaware of what was going on. Police colleagues and relatives in the large hall sang a mournful tune as Phiyega lit the candles and gazed into the flames for a moment.

Sapa

The court was given a detailed account of the sting operation which led to the arrest of Hawks captain Esmerald Bailey.

Cape Town - Urgent action is needed to stop police uniforms ending up in the wrong hands, the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Cape Town heard on Monday.

Captain Cathline Japhta, of the police tactical response team, told the court: “When we heard that a police officer was involved in the illegal sale of police uniforms, we needed to act with urgency.

“All we knew was that a police officer was selling police uniforms but we had no idea of who he or she was.”

Japhta was testifying at the resumption of the trial of police captain Esmerald Bailey, 44, on eight charges - one of corruption, another of the illegal possession of ammunition, a third involving the possession or use of drugs, and five of defeating the ends of justice.

Bailey has pleaded not guilty before magistrate Sabrina Sonnenberg.

Questioned by prosecutor Xolile Jonas on Monday, Japhta said her job entailed preventing crime, with the focus on drugs and gangsters.

She added: “We launch undercover operations, in which we telephone people and pretend that we want to buy drugs from them.”

She said an informant told her in December 2011 that there was “someone wanting to sell police uniforms and firearms”.

“Because of the sensitivity of the information - it was alleged the someone was a police officer - I passed on the information to our team’s intelligence officer, and then contacted the colonel in charge of undercover operations,” Japhta said.

“Due to the urgency of the matter, I obtained electronic authority to launch such an operation.”

She said the operation involved a police constable as the buyer, who was given R500 in R100 notes which had been photocopied, with which to purchase a police uniform and ammunition.

The constable was taken to a filling station in Brooklyn, where he was picked up by two men in a white sedan and taken to a block of flats.

She said she followed in an unmarked police vehicle, and she and the constable kept in contact via SMS messages.

One of the men in the white sedan, Waleed Diedericks, went up to the fifth floor of the complex and returned carrying a red travel bag.

Soon afterwards, she received an SMS from the “buyer” that money and a uniform had exchanged hands.

Japhta told the court: “I moved quickly to Diedericks, and identified myself to him. The constable handed the red bag to me and said he had just paid R500 for the contents.”

Although she explained to Diedericks that he had no obligation to say anything, he said he had obtained the uniform from a police captain and insisted on taking them up to Bailey’s apartment.

Diedericks was himself sentenced last year for his part in the transaction, but the sentence was suspended on condition that he testify at Bailey’s trial, which he has already done.

The matter continues on August 14.

Sapa

Swift action by staff in Parliament prevented a fire from causing serious damage to the historic building in Cape Town.

Cape Town - Swift action by staff in Parliament prevented a fire from causing serious damage to the historic building in Cape Town on Friday.

 "A fire broke out in a room between the Old Assembly and National Council of Provinces buildings on Friday," Parliament said in a statement on Monday.

No injuries were reported and only a few clothing materials and "unidentified objects" were damaged.

"Parliament's Protection Services reacted quickly and doused the fire... An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway and more details will be released in due course."

The statement did, however, make reference to smoking in the parliamentary precinct.

"Over the past two weeks, Parliament has erected more "No Smoking" signs at entrances and other strategic points in the precinct.

"This is to comply with the relevant regulations and to ensure that parliamentary buildings are smoke free and to protect non-smokers from health hazards posed by smoking."

Sapa

A four-month-old baby and her seven-year-old brother were raped in Ceres at the weekend, while their parents were asleep.

Cape Town - A four-month-old baby and her seven-year-old brother were raped in Ceres at the weekend, Western Cape police commissioner Arno Lamoer said on Monday.

He said the baby had been sleeping in bed with her parents when a man snatched and raped her in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Her brother was in the house and raped at the same time.

Lamoer said it was believed that the man had been staying in the house, on a farm, at the time.

“The child is currently at the Red Cross Children's Hospital, where she had reconstructive surgery, and she will stay there for a long time,” Lamoer told reporters on the sidelines of a police memorial service in Kuils River.

“As you can see, there is a sick society outside. Some men can't take the responsibility and we need to make sure this person is arrested.”

Sapa

Over 30 murder and attempted murder cases have been opened in a minibus-taxi power struggle in Cape Town, transport MEC Robin Carlisle said.

Cape Town - Over 30 murder and attempted murder cases have been opened in a minibus-taxi power struggle in Cape Town, Western Cape transport MEC Robin Carlisle said on Monday.

No arrests had been made in those cases in the past year, thus threatening the stability of the industry.

“Blood has been spilt mostly as a result of an apparent internal power struggle within mother body organisations. Nyanga taxi rank has become the very bloody scene of this ongoing battle.”

Carlisle visited the taxi rank on Monday morning.

He said he would approach the city of Cape Town to explore the possibility of installing security cameras in the vicinity.

Concerned by the spike in taxi violence, Carlisle instituted a hearing with representatives from the industry, who signed a non-violence treaty.

The hearing, on July 25, was attended by representatives from the SA National Taxi Council, the city of Cape Town, and over 150

taxi associations.

“All were, and are, in agreement that the situation is unacceptable and highly condemnable as it threatens the stability of the industry, as well as the safety of the commuters whom the industry serves.”

Carlisle said for peace to be realised, industry leaders should commit to effectively resolve internal conflicts with the help of his department and police.

Sapa

Nine men who allegedly dumped human waste at Cape Town International Airport have appeared in court.

Caqpe Town - Nine men who allegedly dumped human waste at Cape Town International Airport appeared in the Bellville Magistrate's Court on Monday, the NPA said.

The men, all out on bail, were told to return to court on September 16 for a regional court date, National Prosecuting Authority Western Cape spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said.

They are Loyiso Nkohla, Andile Lili, Yanga Njingwana, Ben Dyani, Jaji Diniso, Bongile Zanazo, Thembela Mabanjwa, Bantubakhe Mqobodiya, and Wandisile Mkapa.

They allegedly dumped 10 buckets of faeces at the airport's departures terminal on June 25. They are charged under the Civil Aviation Act, and face up to 30 years in prison if found guilty.

Nkohla is an ANC councillor and Lili is a former councillor. The men were out on a warning for a similar offence at a Cape Town train station at the time of their arrest. Seven of the men were initially denied bail but were later released following an application in the Western Cape High Court.

They were ordered not to convene or attend a protest without authorisation, to refrain from threatening, intimidating, or interfering with members of the public, and to not damage public property.

Sapa

Two police officers accused of corruption appeared in court on charges related to a possible 419 scam.

Cape Town - Two police officers accused of corruption appeared in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, in Cape Town on Monday.

Siyaza Patrick Siyale, 51, and Wilfred Arno Mentoor, 29, formerly from the Woodstock police station, were not asked to plead to charges of corruption, theft and defeating the ends of justice.

Siyale alone was charged with extortion involving R1800, but was not asked to plead to this count either.

According to the charge sheet, Democratic Republic of Congo investor David Kilato duped the president of the French SA Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Nicodemus Solly Moeng, into involvement in a “lucrative investment”.

Moeng fell for Kilato's claim that he was the only son of an assassinated DRC military general. Kilato wanted to move his investment business to South Africa, but needed a business partner to do this.

Moeng made various payments totalling R300 000. He was then informed that Kilato's money was being couriered to him in three different safes.

According to the charge sheet, Moeng eventually received the safes, but while on his way home with them he was stopped by Siyale and Mentoor.

It then emerged that the safes were filled with black paper cut to the size of bank notes. The two accused Moeng of being involved in a “black dollar scam”.

Prosecutor Denver Combrink alleged that Siyale and Mentoor demanded money in order not to arrest Moeng for the scam, and then searched his house.

They allegedly seized R400 as well as a digital camera and a book titled The Story of Jackie Selebi during the search.

They allegedly failed to enter the items in a police register. This formed the basis of the theft charge.

Siyale is out on R5 000 bail, while Mentoor is out on warning.

Both would appear again on August 19.

Sapa

Police commissioner Riah Phiyega must not blame recent police murders on those who criticise the police service, the DA said.

Johannesburg - National police commissioner Riah Phiyega must not blame the recent spate of police murders on those who criticise the police service, the DA said on Monday

“Instead of finding scapegoats and abdicating her responsibilities as the national police commissioner by wishing her problems away, Phiyega would do well to tackle criminality in South Africa head on,” Democratic Alliance MP Dianne Kohler Barnard said in a statement.

“Police officers are crucial members of our community. (Police Minister Nathi) Mthethwa and Phiyega must account for what steps they will be taking to afford them better protection.”

She said the DA would question the two in Parliament on what they would do to better protect officers.

Phiyega said on Monday that criticising the SA Police Service created animosity between officers and their communities.

“We must ask: are we not creating animosity between police and communities with these utterances, which are unfortunate?” she said at the memorial service of three murdered police officers in Kuils River, Cape Town.

The officers were killed at the end of last month.

She said it was time to “introspect and think deeply” about what was being said about police, so that they were not positioned as the enemy.

Constable Lungisa Depha, 36, was shot dead on Sunday, July 28

while recording details at the scene of a car crash in Mitchells Plain. Phiyega said he was arresting a suspected drunk driver at the time.

The same day, Sergeant Landile Yengo, 43, was shot in his Khayelitsha home while getting ready to go to work. He died on his way to hospital.

The next day, Sergeant Bafundi Mdlalo, 34, was shot dead in his Mitchells Plain home.

Last week, Mthethwa also questioned criticism directed at the police.

“What we are saying is that criticising the police is not a problem if they think there are weaknesses. But if they say nothing positive, they open them (police) up to criminal attack,” he said.

He was referring to the Western Cape community safety department's increasing criticism of police in the province.

Sapa

The family of slain Manenberg school caretaker Graham Jafta say they have lost their pillar of strength.

Cape Town - The family of slain Manenberg school caretaker Graham Jafta say they have lost their pillar of strength.

Jafta, who was the caretaker at Sonderend Primary for 11 years, was shot in the leg after he locked up and switched on the school alarm more than a week ago. He died in hospital last week.

For the past few months Manenberg has been in the grip of gang violence that has claimed several lives.

Abigail Williams, Jafta’s eldest daughter, said the gangsters had claimed “a piece of gold”.

“He was our pillar of strength. Gangsters knew him well and he was like everyone’s dad. We know that he was a good man and that he is in a better place. He always told us as children not to be involved with gangs.”

He was shot in a main artery and his leg had to be amputated.

“It was such a shock for us that he died,” Williams said. “While he was in hospital he told us to stay out of the road and away from gangs. The good memories will comfort us.”

She added it was dangerous to walk anywhere in Manenberg.

“People are being threatened. In all the years of gang shootings in the area I have never been this scared.

“Everyone is feeling powerless.”

On Monday, police vans patrolled the area while a police helicopter circled above.

Samané Manuel, who turned 21 on Monday, said the family had expected their father would make it out of hospital. He will be buried on Saturday.

His son Granville Williams, a former gangster, said no one dared walk in Manenberg’s streets after 7pm.

“I never knew it would affect our lives like this. People are traumatised and the sound of the bullets echoes through you each day.”

Education MEC Donald Grant visited the school on Monday and raised concerns about the high rate of absenteeism.

“Nearly 80 percent of pupils are absent from school,” he said.

“A funeral of an alleged gangster took place this morning, in the same street as the school, therefore many parents decided not to send their children to school.”

He added that teachers and pupils were receiving counselling support from both social workers and psychologists.

“There is also a concern for learner safety when they are not at school.

“Absenteeism is an ongoing concern and we appeal to learners to return to school.”

natasha.bezuidenhout@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

The Western Cape branch of the ANCYL says the people behind the latest poo-dumping incident are not members.

Cape Town - The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) in the Western Cape on Tuesday distanced itself from the latest dumping of human waste at the provincial legislature.

This came after four men dumped human waste on the steps of the legislature on Monday.

ANCYL convener Muhammad Khalid Sayed denied reports that the group were league members.

“No, we have not identified them. And no, we do not recognise them,” he said.

Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Andre Traut said the waste was dumped on the legislature's steps on Monday morning, after which the men fled the scene.

“The circumstances surrounding the matter are being investigated and no-one has been arrested as yet,” said Traut.

Cape Town has been hit by a number of human waste dumping incidents in the past few months by people protesting over sanitation issues in informal settlements.

Many believed the portable flush toilets (PFTs) being rolled out by the city were no better than the bucket system.

The legislature dumping occurred at the same time that nine men appeared in the Bellville Magistrate's Court for allegedly dumping human waste at Cape Town International Airport.

They are Loyiso Nkohla, Andile Lili, Yanga Njingwana, Ben Dyani, Jaji Diniso, Bongile Zanazo, Thembela Mabanjwa, Bantubakhe Mqobodiya, and Wandisile Mkapa.

Nkohla is an ANC councillor and Lili is a former councillor and provincial ANCYL leader.

They allegedly dumped 10 buckets of faeces at the airport's departures terminal on June 25. They are charged under the Civil Aviation Act and face up to 30 years in prison if found guilty.

Lili was previously arrested with over 100 others at a Cape Town train station in June for allegedly plotting to dump human waste in the city.

On June 4, a group of people in Khayelitsha threw human waste at a bus and cars used for transport to a green economy event hosted by Western Cape premier Helen Zille.

A day before that, two men dumped faeces on the steps of the Western Cape legislature in a protest about the PFTs. - Sapa

The body of a man allegedly strangled with a shoelace by his son was found stuffed under a bed in his house.

Cape Town - The body of a Cape Town man allegedly strangled with a shoelace by his own son has been found stuffed under a bed in his house.

The 55-year-old man’s decomposed body was found on Sunday afternoon, four days after his wife reported him missing from their Elsies River home.

The victim’s concerned neighbours became suspicious when they got a terrible smell coming from his house.

Cops believe the man was strangled by his own son who is a known drug addict.

The 26-year-old suspect handed himself over hours after the gruesome discovery.

The suspect, whose identity is known to the Daily Voice, is due in court soon on a murder charge.

Neighbours say they grew suspicious when the man’s wife and daughter told them he vanished.

Mark Peake, 39, says he went to the police station when he suspected foul play: “The last time I saw him, he told my wife he would come around the next day but he didn’t and I thought that was very strange.

“I had an uneasy feeling because he would not just walk away. I suspected he must be dead so I had to go to the police station.”

Police arrived at the house around 3pm after residents threatened to torch the house.

“When the police came, they searched the house and found him under that bed. I didn’t want to go inside because of the smell,” Peake added.

“I watched through one of the windows and when they lifted the bed, I could see him lying on his back with one of his hands under him and the other hand beside him,” Peake said.

Neighbour Jolene Christians, 29, said residents noticed a foul smell coming from the house.

“When you stand close by, we could smell something coming from the house but they always said it was a dead rat,” she said.

Several residents say the victim’s wife even tried to take the blame for the murder.

“After police found the body, the wife shouted that she killed her husband for everyone to hear,” a resident said.

“But we didn’t believe her and neither did the police because we know she was protecting her son.”

Police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut confirmed that a 26-year-old was arrested in connection with his father’s murder.

Daily Voice

Helen Zille says Angie Motshekga “painted herself into a corner” regarding the infrastructure norms and standards for schools.

Cape Town - DA leader Helen Zille says she cannot understand why Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga allowed herself to be “frog-marched” into a commitment to publish infrastructure norms and standards for schools by the middle of this year.

In her SA Today newsletter on Monday, Zille said she presumed that Motshekga and her advisers were worried about being painted as opponents of infrastructure improvement.

“But, in reality, she only succeeded in painting herself into a corner.”

Last month, following an agreement between the Department of Basic Education and advocacy group Equal Education, the Bhisho High Court granted an order compelling Motshekga to publish norms and standards for school infrastructure. Equal Education said the norms and standards would set the basic level of infrastructure every school had to meet in order to function properly.

This would include toilets, running water, electricity, libraries, safe classrooms, sports fields and perimeter security.

Zille, who has been backing Motshekga in the debate around the norms and standards, said that instead of engaging her (Zille’s) arguments, commentators and activists had concluded that her “primary agenda is not education but driving a wedge between the ANC and the trade unions”.

She said Motshekga had sensibly acknowledged that state-of-the-art infrastructure norms and standards were “unachievable, unaffordable and educationally misdirected in our context”.

Zille said the South African Schools Act did not oblige Motshekga to impose norms and standards for infrastructure, but stated that she could do so.

“But once she embarks down this road there is no room for latitude. Then the act prescribes that norms and standards must cover almost everything from classroom size to extra-curricular choices.”

She said draft guidelines by Motshekga sought to address inadequate infrastructure by “enabling innovation and partnership”.

Motshekga’s spokeswoman, Hope Mokgatlhe, said the minister would not comment on the newsletter.

Cape Argus

Suspended Hawks Captain Esmerald Bailey’s lawyer has challenged the validity of the undercover operation which led to her arrest.

Cape Town - The lawyer for suspended Hawks Captain Esmerald Bailey has challenged the validity of the undercover operation which led to her arrest nearly three years ago.

William Booth, for Bailey, told the Bellville Commercial Crimes Court on Monday that he objected to the police trap which had been set up as written authorisation had not been granted.

Prosecutor Xolile Jonas said a State’s witness headed the operation and would testify.

Magistrate Sabrina Sonnenberg made an interim decision allowing the State to call the captain of the tactical response team to testify.

Bailey was arrested during a police operation at the Palm Springs Apartment complex in Brooklyn, where she lived, and is alleged to have organised the sale of police uniforms and ammunition.

The officer testified that an undercover policeman had acted as the “buyer” and handed over R4 500 for various items of police gear.

Midway through the officer’s evidence, the case adjourned so the trial-within-a trial about the validity of the operation could be held.

Booth questioned her about procedure and asked why she had relied on a telephonic instruction rather than getting written authorisation.

“In this case, we only had the information, no name. We needed to get the uniforms off the streets and get the person selling or supplying them.”

Bailey’s former co-accused, Waleed Hendricks, admitted in court he was the “runner” between Bailey and the “buyer”. In April last year, Hendricks received a three-year suspended sentence in the Cape Town Regional Court.

Bailey’s trial continues on August 14.

jade.otto@inl.co.za

Cape Argus