A farm bus plunged down an embankment outside Ceres, leaving two dead and scores injured.

Cape town - A farm bus plunged down an embankment outside Ceres on Monday, leaving two dead and scores injured.

The bus was an articulated “horse-and-trailer” truck typically used to transport farm labourers and had been travelling between Ceres and the Cederberg region.

Provincial traffic chief Kenny Afrika said it was understood the truck had collided with another truck, left the road and went careening down the mountainside on the Katbakkies Pass in the Kouebokkeveld.

Provincial Emergency Medical Services’s Wayne Smith said a host of emergency resources had been deployed to the scene, including the SkyMed helicopter.

At publication time, two people had been declared dead, with a further four “critical”.

One of these four had been trapped in the wreckage.

A further seven passengers were classified as “serious”, and seven more only lightly injured.

The road where the bus crash took place runs from Ceres, heads north through Prince Alfred Hamlet, through Op Die Berg and towards Citrusdal through the heart of the Cederberg.

Cape Argus

Western Cape agriculture MEC Gerrit van Rensburg has urged participation in efforts to prevent a recurrence of violence in the agricultural sector.

Cape Town - Western Cape agriculture MEC Gerrit van Rensburg on Monday urged participation in efforts to prevent a recurrence of last year's violence in the agricultural sector.

He invited labour unions to participate by telling the Future for Agriculture and Rural Economy (Fare) panel how they saw the future of agriculture and how they believed the problems should be addressed.

“The Fare process is an important part of the Western Cape province's 12-point plan for addressing the underlying problems which contributed to the violent unrest in 2012,” Van Rensburg said.

The Fare panel consisted of an independent group of experts under the leadership of Judge Antonie Gildenhuys and Venette Klein.

Among other things, the 12-point plan included investigating new housing models, training courses to use high-tech equipment, and investment in sport opportunities for farm workers.

“The Fare aims to understand the root causes of the unrest of 2012, and establish a shared vision for the Western Cape agricultural sector taking it into the future,” Van Rensburg said.

Violent strikes broke out in the Western Cape last year, particularly in the De Doorns area, when farmworkers went on strike for higher wages and better living conditions.

Sapa

"Substance abuse is harming another generation ... worse than what apartheid did to their forefathers."

Cape Town - The Department of Social Development has set aside R87 million this year to tackle drug and alcohol abuse in the Western Cape – double the amount the province has spent on tackling the scourge over the past four years.

Premier Helen Zille revealed the figures on Monday during a joint press conference with Social Development MEC Albert Fritz at the provincial legislature.

Zille said they planned to spend R500m to combat drug and alcohol abuse over five years should they remain in office.

The R87m was intended to provide services to more than 13 515 individuals in need of in-patient facilities and community-based outpatient treatment across the province.

Over the years, the department has increased the number of drug rehabilitation facilities, from eight in 2008, to 25 this year, and has funded 31 NGOs which offer services in early intervention, helping about 4 380 individuals and families.

“Our crisis of substance abuse is harming another generation of young people worse than even what apartheid did to their forefathers,” said Zille

“Apartheid didn’t incapacitate people, but it mobilised them to demand their rights and to claim control of their lives. When you become an addict you become incapacitated, unemployable and a victim of your circumstances rather than an agent of changing your life.”

The spike of gang violence in hot-spot areas on the Cape Flats had once again highlighted the urgent and critical need for interventions to tackle endemic substance abuse in affected communities, said Zille.

“Previously the drugs had not hit the rural areas as much, but I’m afraid they are hitting everywhere. There is not a place where dealers don’t reach and there is not a vulnerable point where they don’t touch our youth and young people,” said Zille.

“It is a horrific situation that constitutes one of our greatest social crises.”

Zille said that heroin abuse was on the rise in the province.

“We can’t deal with this problem unless the police manage to track down the drug dealers, charge them and put them away for as long as it takes. In the meantime we have to deal with the tragic victims of substance abuse, ensure education, prevention, early detection rehabilitation and aftercare,” said Zille.

“No government can do this on its own and no government can substitute for responsible parenting. It has to be a partnership and everyone has to play their part.”

Early intervention and short-term counselling programmes were also being introduced at the department’s offices in Athlone, Gugulethu, Wynberg, Atlantis and Mitchells Plain.

The Western Cape Education Department had also rolled out random drug testing policy to identify high-risk schools.

“It is absolutely essential that we identify at-risk young people while their vulnerability to slip into destructive cycles of social dysfunction can still be contained and when their anti-social behaviour is in its formative stages and can be reversed,” said Zille.

nontando.mposo@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

A tight economy and old-fashioned greed have contributed to an increase in theft by domestics, according to an expert.

Johannesburg - A tight economy, rising food prices and transport costs have contributed to an increase in theft by domestic workers, particularly in Joburg and Durban.

Alan Carey, operations director of Justicia Investigations, said crimes investigated by Justicia covered a wide range, including theft of money or jewellery and staged break-ins to more sophisticated crimes such as passing on information taken from bank statements and financial documents to syndicates.

“Although most theft within homes involves opportunistic, petty theft, criminals do use vulnerable people earning low wages to get information.”

Carey put the increase in what he formally termed “domestic dishonesty” down to a combination of the pressures of a tight economy as well as old-fashioned greed.

He added that homeowners should prevent unpleasant situations by locking away valuables and not leaving money lying around.

According to Statistics South Africa, more than 1 million people work as domestic workers in South Africa.

Cases investigated by Justicia in the first half this year were up by 70 percent on the number of cases handled in the first half of last year.

Most of the investigations were focused on Joburg and Durban.

Labour lawyer Michael Bagraim, said he did not believe there had been an increase in theft by domestic workers in Cape Town over the past three years.

But because of retrenchments, domestic workers are often the only breadwinner, earning up to R3 000 a month, and there had been cases of theft of consumables, he said.

“I work with three domestic worker cases a week and it hasn’t got worse.”

natasha.bezuidenhout@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

Despite warnings from health officials, a low-cost housing project planned near a Hout Bay fish factory looks set to go ahead.

Cape Town - A low-cost housing project planned near a Hout Bay fish factory looks set to go ahead despite health concerns, after mayor Patricia de Lille stopped officials from doing a risk assessment.

The factory, which produces tinned fish and fishmeal for Oceana Brands, is opposite two sites earmarked by the City of Cape Town for community residential units. The 65 low-cost flats will be directly opposite the factory and in line with its boilers,

But city health officials have warned that it is not clear if there are any health hazards associated with the factory emissions, and there could be long-term implications if the development goes ahead.

A land use application for the project was to have been considered by the Good Hope subcouncil, but councillors agreed that given the concerns raised by the city’s health officials, it should be deferred to the mayoral committee for determination.

Councillor Dave Bryant said that if there was a health risk, these emissions could pose a problem for other developments in the area, including the Hout Bay market. “This could be a bigger matter than just this development.”

Paul Heydenrych, project manager for the council’s new settlements, said: “I tried to get an air study done but my authority to do so was cancelled. I was told by the mayor not to continue with the study. So I have proceeded with the land use application. We have to proceed without the study.”

Hydrogen sulphide is one of the poisonous substances released from fish factories. Exposure can cause headaches, irritation of the nasal passages and other problems.

De Lille’s spokesman, Solly Malatsi, said in response: “The mayor’s only intervention was to ensure that a critical housing project in Hangberg was not delayed. People have been living in this area for many years without complaint.”

But correspondence relating to the development shows that the health issue has been raised before. The Hout Bay Civic Association noted in 2012 that “the close proximity to the fishmeal factory and other emissions needs to be engaged to the public and the community”.

Environmental law specialists Smith Ndlovu Summer, acting for Oceana, said in their response to application that because of the close proximity between the factory and the potential residents “the impact on the residents should be considered in the application process”.

They said Oceana wanted to draw attention to the nature of the industry, so that tenants understood the situation in advance “and will not in future raise concerns about atmospheric emissions and odours emanating from the fishmeal processing facility”.

Councillor Marga Haywood said that while she did not want to approve anything that could pose a health risk, she also did not want to delay in an area where people didn’t have homes. It was not for councillors to decide on whether the emissions posed a health risk or were merely a nuisance.

Subcouncil chairman Taki Amira said the matter would now be dealt with by the mayoral committee.

anel.lewis@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

A man aboard a gyrocopter suffered minor injuries when it crashed at the Fisantekraal Airfield near Durbanville.

Cape Town - A man aboard a gyrocopter suffered minor injuries when it crashed at the Fisantekraal Airfield near Durbanville.

It was not clear by late on Monday whether the pilot or passenger in the aircraft had been injured, but according to witnesses one of the two had injured a hand.

It was also not confirmed whether the crash occurred during the landing or the take-off.

City of Cape Town fire and rescue services spokesman Theo Layne said rescuers were called to the scene with reports that a “mini helicopter crash-landed”.

“But I cannot confirm what happened. When our officers arrived, the aircraft was already on the ground.”

He said rescue teams were alerted at 3.06pm.

Layne said there was no fire to extinguish, but he added that paramedics stabilised the two occupants who were taken to hospital.

At the time of going to press, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) spokeswoman Phindile Gwebu could only confirm that “an accident had happened” on Monday.

Police were at the scene while investigators were inspecting the wreckage of the yellow aircraft late on Monday afternoon.

It is believed that the occupants were members of the Aerosport flying club based at the airfield.

Some members arrived at the base to find out what had happened.

Hannie van Wyk, whose husband runs the club, said the incident happened very quickly.

“It was an accident and we’re just grateful nobody was seriously injured,” she said.

Johan Badenhorst, who has an aircraft at the base, said the CAA should inspect the grounds - particularly the landing area, where patches of grass were growing thick.

He said that the grass bushes were a problem because they were dangerous, particularly for gyrocopters.

“It was bound to happen,” he said.

He said that the grass interfered with a safe landing.

“This is a training school and we pay rent here where these grounds are supposed to be maintained. This is life threatening,” he said, pointing to the grass.

natasha.prince@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

Long Street may soon become a pedestrian's paradise if the City of Cape Town approves a proposal to close off a section of the road to traffic.

Cape Town - Bustling Long Street may soon become a pedestrian’s paradise if the City of Cape Town approves a proposal to close off a substantial section of the road to general traffic.

The Good Hope Subcouncil, that includes the CBD, has approved a motion to turn the top half of Long Street from Watson Street to Wale Street into a permanent “fan walk”.

Councillor Dave Bryant, who made the proposal, said service delivery vehicles would still have access during set hours, and emergency vehicles and the MyCiTi buses would still be able to drive along the road.

“It has been looked at a number of times. The central city is changing every day with new businesses opening, improved public transport and more pedestrians.”

In his explanation to the sub-council, Bryant said it was becoming increasingly difficult for law enforcement to take action against vehicles that blocked traffic in Long Street.

The police had complained that their law enforcement activities were being affected by delivery vehicles and stationary cars. “This is combined with a very large number of pedestrians who mingle in and out of the traffic. In the evenings the pedestrians are inebriated which makes the situation even more dangerous.”

Bryant said he was aware of concerns that the street was used by many vehicles, including those doing deliveries, so there would be a dedicated lane for those, as in St George’s Mall.

Bryant said there was “overwhelming” sentiment from law enforcement agencies, community organisations and others to restrict vehicle access in this section of Long Street.

Tasso Evangelinos, chief operating officer of the Central City Improvement District, said: “The effect it will have on making the central city more pedestrian-friendly would be an extremely positive move.”

He said the continued access for MyCiTi buses would further promote public transport. “As far as we know, the idea has been on the cards in one form or another since the 2010 World Cup, when the whole of Cape Town saw the enormous success of road closures that created amazing public spaces through which people moved freely and safely.”

But he added that by closing off the road, the city would be creating a new public space that would need to be properly managed. “The resources therefore must be provided to ensure a clean, safe and secure environment.”

Most of the activity in Long Street, already established as an entertainment destination, was managed indoors and usually between the hours of 11pm and 4am. “… this activity may now well spill out onto the streets, so adequate resources to manage this will be critical in terms of keeping people safe, cleaning the area after each night’s activities and enforcing the laws and by-laws.”

Two years ago the Long Street Residents’ Association did a survey of its members. Although most supported the idea, many were concerned that patrons of nightspots would spill on to the street, treating the area as an “open-air nightclub”.

A Bree Street resident said closing a major arterial road such as Long Street would exacerbate traffic congestion in the city. It was suggested that vehicle access be limited to certain hours.

The proposal will now be referred to the executive directors of transport, economic development, environment and spatial planning and safety and security.

One of the recommendations is that “from the outset” the process of deciding on Long Street’s access will include input and participation from the local community and those who will be affected.

anel.lewis@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

A Cape Town man looking forward to celebrating his 60th birthday in his dream home has been bludgeoned to death.

Cape Town - A Stellenbosch man looking forward to celebrating his 60th birthday in his dream retirement home has been bludgeoned to death with a pick.

Jochen Rädel and his wife, Christiane, moved to the Western Cape from Joburg several years ago after their 18-year-old daughter, Stefanie, was killed in a car crash in 2007.

The Rädels stayed on a farm in Devon Valley, at the foot of the Papagaaiberg, while they built their dream retirement home on a neighbouring farm in the valley.

The house was due to be completed in about a month. On Sunday, Rädel went to the house at around 2pm to inspect progress.

Later, when he could not be reached by phone, his son drove to the property where he found his father had been attacked with a pick and had suffered severe injuries to his head and face.

He was taken to the Stellenbosch Medi-Clinic, where he died on Monday morning.

“He was so excited about his coming birthday party at their new home,” a friend said. “The family is in tremendous shock and pain.”

In early 2011, Stellenbosch farmowners began expressing concern that a gang was terrorising the town, after Alberto Costa, 45, was shot dead by intruders on his wine farm, Cloetesdal.

Philip Kriel, vice-chairman of the Stellenbosch Agricultural Society, said that over the past year farmers had been targeted regularly.

He had been robbed five or six times in the past year, mostly by thieves looking for copper.

This prompted several high-level meetings between the provincial police and local farmers, which led to a series of major police operations.

Last month, a number of farm robberies were reported.

Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said: “Indications suggested that criminals target isolated areas, especially on farms where vehicle access is limited.”

Cape Argus

The Western Cape government looks to be making use of the R6m budget to tackle gang violence in Manenburg.

Cape Town - Police, city law enforcement officers and metro police searched the homes of alleged gangsters for illegal firearms and drugs in Manenberg on Monday.

At least 15 police vehicles conducted stop-and-go searches in gangster hot spots.

Monday’s raids follow the announcement on Sunday that the provincial government had diverted R6 million from education to fund 71 metro police officers who would be based at schools affected by gang violence in Manenberg.

On Monday, Brigadier Andre van Dyk said more police had been deployed to the area and, together with metro police, law enforcement and specialised police teams, there were now 140 officers on patrol in the area.

“We are focusing on the seizing of guns. Gangsters are brilliant in channelling guns and it is not easy for us to find them. We need to spend more time searching the premises based on the information we are receiving,” said Van Dyk.

The additional officers deployed to the area were based at the police’s temporary office on the border of Hard Livings and Americans gangs’ territory.

The raid started at 9am and ended on Monday afternoon.

It went through Sonderend Road, where two policemen were attacked earlier in the month.

A few men were stopped and searched. Residents watched from their balconies.

Resident Lameez Johnson said it was a source of great comfort having police in her area.

“We feel safe now that it’s a gun-free zone. It’s nice to see police.

“Hopefully they won’t be doing this just for the next three days, it must last longer,” she said.

In Thames Avenue, the stop-and-go searches intensified.

Officers grabbed men and teens standing on street corners, shouting for them to “go on the ground” as they searched them.

Officers also entered homes where they believed gangsters lived, in search of illegal firearms and drugs.

Resident Dalene Adams said she was pleased with the raid because it scared away the Hard Livings gangsters who always stood outside her home selling drugs.

“Hard Livings sell drugs in front of our house. Three weeks ago they broke down my door looking for another gangster and by the time the police had arrived they were gone,” she said.

A few houses away, police arrested a 21-year-old for dagga possession.

In Renoster Road - where two teenagers were killed and another injured just over two months ago - police found a handful of bullets in a backyard home.

Police could not confirm if they had arrested any suspects in connection with the find.

They would continue with the raids.

”We have been able to stem the murders and attempted murders for the past four weeks and will continue to patrol and search for as long as necessary,” said Van Dyk.

zodidi.dano@inl.co.za

Cadet News Agency

Cape Argus

While Manenberg teachers and pupils returned to their schools, nearly half the pupils at a Mitchells Plain school were absent.

Cape Town - While Manenberg teachers and pupils returned to their schools on Monday under a strong law enforcement presence, nearly half the pupils at a Mitchells Plain school were absent after shootings in the area.

Bronagh Casey, spokeswoman for Education MEC Donald Grant, said half of the pupils at Alpine Primary in Beacon Valley were either absent or fetched early by their parents following “gang shootings” in the area.

“It is reported that last night (Sunday) and this morning (Monday) there were gang-related shootings in the area.”

The school was not closed.

“Alpine Primary has been given emergency security and we have asked the SAPS to increase police visibility around the school.”

The situation would be closely monitored.

Casey said teaching had resumed in Manenberg on Modnay with between 80 and 95 percent of pupils attending school.

Schools in the area were temporarily closed last week after teachers reported for duty at the education district office, instead of their schools, due to concerns about their safety.

“The City of Cape Town and SAPS have deployed additional law enforcement staff in Manenberg which will be divided between schools during school hours and along the access routes both before and after school, ensuring a safety corridor.”

Thurston Brown, principal of Manenberg High, said most of pupils were back in class on Monday.

“We have three metro cops at the school and the police patrols have been intensified. Teachers are feeling relatively safer. There is an uneasy calm.”

The violence had affected the matric study programme, he said.

“There has been gang violence since the beginning of the term. We could only have one afternoon session (with matrics).”

Brown said despite the setback pupils remained motivated and everything possible, including Saturday classes, would be done to assist matric pupils.

He said the school had set a 70 percent matric pass rate target and was still hopeful that it would be achieved.

Shafiek Abrahams, principal of Phoenix High, said everyone had returned to school and there was a “climate of safety”.

“It is a bit more relaxed.”

ilse.fredericks@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

There has been a spate of arson and bombings in Athlone, Cape Town in recent weeks, with no arrests so far.

Cape Town - There has been a spate of arson and bombings in Athlone in recent weeks, with no arrests so far.

The latest victim, in Belgravia Road, Naushaad Hoosain, says that he has no idea why his business had been targeted. Hoosain’s car dealership, Auto Belgravia, was attacked by arsonists on Sunday night.

Two vehicles, valued at around R60 000 each, were damaged. Hoosain said police forensics investigators had taken the vehicles.

This was the fifth arson or bombing incident in Athlone since July 10.

On the evening of July 24, a car dealership, Velocity Motors in Klipfontein Road, and a private residence in Surrey Estate were bombed. The Hawks are investigating the bombing at Velocity Motors, where a number of vehicles were damaged by shrapnel.

Velocity owner Niyaaz Jainoodian and the homeowner, Al Williams, said on Monday they were “still in the dark” about the investigation.

There were three bombs in July near motorcades being held by People Against Gangsterism And Drugs (Pagad), leading to speculation that the group may again be employing tactics which it was accused of using in the late 1990s.

Pagad’s motorcades, in which members and supporters drive through gang areas at night in a show of solidarity with affected residents, have grown in recent months.

Pagad has denied involvement in any acts of criminality, suggesting that the bombings may be attempts by its enemies to frame the group and to “tarnish Pagad’s image”.

Cassiem Parker, spokesman for Pagad, said there were “stories” going around in Athlone that some businesses had links with gangsters and drug dealers. “A minority element” may take it on themselves to target these businesses. He did not mention any businesses by name, and stressed that he was merely rehashing “uncorroborated rumours”.

A house and car were damaged in Crawford on August 9. This followed a petrol bombing of a house (which residents said appeared to be operating as a drug dealership) in Grassy Park on July 30. One of the home’s occupants was shot and killed by the bombers. No other injuries have been reported in relation to these bombings.

Meanwhile, Pagad’s leader, Abdus Salaam Ebrahim, was arrested for the murder of three Tanzanian men in Athlone last week. Ebrahim, who is in custody at Goodwood Prison, is to appear at the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on Monday. He has denied that he committed the murders.

daneel.knoetze@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

It will no longer be possible to nap on the Company’s Garden benches because they are to be replaced with “creative” seating.

Cape Town - It will no longer be possible to snooze on Cape Town’s Company’s Garden benches because the city plans to remove “problematic” benches used to sleep on and replace them with more “creative” seating.

On Monday the Good Hope Subcouncil agreed on a motion to remove “problematic” benches on Government Avenue and find designers to create pieces of functional art that would encourage sitting rather than sleeping.

Councillor Dave Bryant said Government Avenue was one of the city’s most well known attractions and that there had recently been a strong call from the Company’s Garden steering committee to inject more vibrancy into the area.

He said some of the benches did not have a bar in the middle and therefore encouraged people, mostly vagrants, to lie down and sleep rather than sit.

“Also if you have someone falling asleep on the benches for a long time it means many other people can’t use that public space for a while,” Bryant said.

“By involving designers and artists in a collaborative process, public benches can become more than just furniture.

“By utilising creative inspiration and inventive design it is possible to create pieces of more functional art which can also help to create a safer and more vibrant environment in a public space like the Company’s Garden.”

The city has installed free wi-fi in the garden, allowing 100MB free per user, per day.

zara.nicholson@inl.co.za

Cape Times

An alleged thief killed in a vigilante attack in Khayelitsha was a “trouble-maker”, the Western Cape High Court has heard.

Cape Town - A suspected thief killed in a vigilante attack in Khayelitsha was a “trouble-maker”, the Western Cape High Court has heard.

Nomvelo Matinise, the sister of one of three men allegedly murdered by an angry mob on March 14 last year, was cross-examined on Monday.

Advocate Antoinette O’Neill, for one of the alleged killers Lumnko Babalaza, put it to Matinise that she and her mother admitted in court that her brother, Mabhuti Matinise, was a “trouble-maker”.

Matinise conceded this.

O’Neill questioned her about how the community treated her family because of her brother.

“I take it your were not held in high esteem by the community because you were family of a trouble-maker?” O’Neill asked.

“Yes,” Matinise responded.

“Yes, my brother was a trouble-maker but he was changing.”

Mabhuti Matinise, 20, with two friends, Luxolo Mpontshane, 25, and Sivuyile Rola, 28, were allegedly kidnapped and tortured for nine hours for allegedly stealing a television set from a businessman in the area.

Their hands were allegedly tied with wire and they were beaten with blunt objects. The men were then taken to the Macassar sand dunes and left to die.

A policeman patrolling the area discovered their bodies.

A fourth man, Mphuthumi Nobanda, also suspected of having a hand in the theft of the television set, had also allegedly been beaten for information. He survived the attack.

The men were suspected of breaking into the Harare home of Mziwabantu Madiba Mncwengi, on March 10 last year.

Mncwengi, his brother, Mzimasi Madiba Mncwengi, sister-in-law, Buyelwa Mncwengi, Xolani Makapela, Mawende Siboma and Babalaza are on trial in the high court.

They have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, assault and kidnapping.

The charges were withdrawn against Morris Maxela - who has turned State witness - in exchange for his testimony against the six.

O’Neill put it to Matinise that her client denied that he was involved in the crime.

“That’s not the truth,” she said.

Matinise testified last week that the Mncwengi brothers and Babalaza came to her family home during the early hours of March 13 last year and manhandled her brother.

They had allegedly taken her brother outside and beaten him with sticks and dragged him into a white Quantum minibus.

The trial continues on Tuesday.

jade.otto@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

Long-time Pagad member Zakariyah Albertyn has been nabbed in connection with the murders of three Tanzanian men.

Cape Town - Another leading member of Pagad has been taken into custody in connection with the murders of three Tanzanian men in Athlone last week.

Long-time Pagad member Zakariyah Albertyn was arrested by police at his home in Manenberg on Monday night. He is being held at Bellville police station, Pagad spokesman Cassiem Parker said on Tuesday morning.

Police have yet to formally confirm the arrest. Spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said the Hawks were investigating the case and would have to confirm the arrest.

Albertyn’s lawyer, Tashriq Ahmed, confirmed that Albertyn had been arrested, but said he could not comment until receiving information from the police and the investigating officer. Ahmed said that he had not been formally informed of the charges against Albertyn.

In 2001, Albertyn was convicted of the murders of Yunis and Fazlin Hassen and served seven years in prison.

Self-confessed Pagad hitman Abubakar Janodien, who turned state witness, testified that the couple were killed to dissuade Yunis’s brother from giving evidence in another Pagad-related trial.

Pagad’s national co-ordinator, Abdus Salaam Ebrahim, was arrested last Wednesday morning, hours after three Tanzanian men were shot and killed in Veld Road in Athlone. A South African woman was injured during the attack.

The State has assigned Piet Steyn, the prosecutor in several cases involving Pagad members in the early 2000s, to deal with the matter.

Cape Argus

Police have arrested two members of the “crowbar gang” captured fleeing the scene of a burglary in Cape Town.

Cape Town - Police have arrested two members of the “crowbar gang” who were filmed fleeing the scene of a burglary in Brackenfell last week.

Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said two suspects were arrested at their homes in Gugulethu on Friday and on Monday.

The CCTV footage was apparently crucial in the arrests, and police say they know the identities of three other gang members.

Gangs of thieves who use crowbars or other tools to break open the front doors of homes have been robbing indiscriminately in recent weeks.

Uitzicht Neighbourhood Watch member Henry Kasner said last week that 24 houses were targeted in the greater Bellville area in a single week earlier this month.

“These are professional criminals. They are experts in blending into their surroundings. They do not wear masks, they dress well and they drive fancy getaway cars. They don’t speed and calmly go about their business in the neighbourhood where they are burgling so as not to attract any attention,” he said.

Four men were filmed by CCTV as they ran from a home, one carrying a flat screen television and another a white bag in each hand, in Protea Heights. The incident occurred in daylight.

Kasner said there were usually five members in a gang - a getaway driver and four burglars who targeted different areas of a house once the front door or gate had been breached.

The use of CCTV footage and social media to circulate images had been crucial in a number of arrests of burglars using this method, Kasner said.

“It is a great example of how ordinary citizens and social networks can assist police in bringing criminals to book,” he said.

“Often a photo of an identifiable vehicle is what stands between a criminal being caught and going free.”

daneel.knoetze@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

The defence closed it case in the trial of Thandi Maqubela, accused of killing her husband, acting judge Patrick Maqubela.

Cape Town - The defence closed it case on Tuesday in the Western Cape High Court trial of Thandi Maqubela, accused of killing her husband, acting judge Patrick Maqubela.

Maqubela is charged with murder, forgery, and fraud. On the latter two charges she allegedly forged her deceased husband's signature on his will and fraudulently presented it at the Johannesburg office of the Master of the High Court.

Her co-accused, her business associate Vela Mabena, is charged only with murder.

At Tuesday's proceedings before Judge John Murphy, Marius Broeksma, for Maqubela, presented the testimony of his client's brother Zuko Ndlebe. Ndlebe corroborated Maqubela's earlier testimony that a police official based in Johannesburg tried to extort money from the deceased.

He also corroborated evidence that cars had been seen on two different occasions at the judge's Sandton, Johannesburg, home, and that both cars sped away when Ndlebe approached.

Broeksma told the court that Ndlebe was the final witness to testify for the defence.

Maqubela's body was found in his luxury Bantry Bay apartment on June 6, 2009. The State alleges the judge was suffocated on his bed on June 5, the day before his body was found.

Murphy recently ordered the indictment changed to state that he was murdered by placing a piece of plastic clingwrap over his nose or “by any other means unknown to the State”.

Randall Titus, for Mabena, closed his case on Tuesday without leading Mabena's evidence.

Closing argument is to be presented on October 7.

Sapa

National government, the Western Cape, and the City of Cape Town will join forces to curb gang violence, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said.

Cape Town - National government, the Western Cape, and the City of Cape Town will join forces to curb gang violence in the province, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said on Thursday.

Agreement had been reached on a “multi-disciplinary approach” to deal with gang violence in Manenberg and murder and crime spikes in Nyanga and Worcester, he told reporters in Cape Town.

Premier Helen Zille earlier said there was agreement to work together “as broadly as we can”.

“But, my belief is that until we get the specialised anti-drug and anti-gang units back and until we can bring the army in as a peacekeeping force when specific drug dealers are released from prison and there is a massive spike in gang violence... unless we can protect communities in those situations it will be an extremely difficult situation.”

Several Western Cape schools were forced to shut last week because of fears that more children would be caught in the crossfire between warring drug dealers and gangsters.

Zille has in the past criticised government for refusing to deploy the army to Manenberg, which has been the scene of bloody gang battles.

After speaking to reporters, Zille left for another meeting before Mthethwa and Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille arrived for a media briefing.

Mthethwa said: “There is a meeting of minds particularly at the leadership level that what we are dealing with is something that is deep-seated... socio-economic problems which are affecting all of us.”

He said police officers were out and about in Manenberg and had stabilised the situation.

On deployment of the army, Mthethwa said: “There were misgivings from the provincial government... about the soldiers not being around. We said no, the soldiers cannot be their main issue in dealing with crime.”

Mthethwa said deploying the army would not address the causes of gangsterism and drug abuse.

“We are looking forward (to working with) particularly local government... let's go to these communities, meet the communities, do our bit to work together,” he said.

De Lille said: “There's certainly a meeting of minds at national, provincial, and local government that something drastic has to be done to deal with the scourge of drugs and gangsterism in the City of Cape Town.

“We agree that the approach to deal with gangs and drugs is not just a response of safety and security, but it must be a multi-disciplinary approach including social development, health and other departments within government.”

The City of Cape Town and the police ministry would jointly meet with those affected by the violence.

“I'm very hopeful we'll see us going out together to give that hope to the community... to send out a message that we are working together,” said De Lille.

“Soon, in consultation with the minister's (Mthethwa's) office, we will be moving into those key hotspots in the Western Cape, especially Cape Town.”

Sapa

An accountant jailed for embezzlement was refused leave to appeal against his sentence in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court.

Cape Town - An accountant jailed for embezzlement was refused leave to appeal against his sentence in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Cape Town on Thursday.

Garth le Roux, 39, a married father of two, was jailed last month on 201 counts of fraud, involving R894 689.

Magistrate Sabrina Sonnenberg jailed him for five years on 158 counts of fraud, and an additional three years on a further 43

counts. She ordered that the sentences run concurrently, which meant he would serve the highest of the two sentences.

Le Roux had written a letter from prison, saying the five-year term was too harsh, and asked permission to take it on appeal.

In Thursday's proceedings, the magistrate said she thoroughly considered all the facts at the time of passing sentence. She agreed with prosecutor Derek Vogel that there was no possibility of the sentence being reduced on appeal.

As the financial accountant, Le Roux had been responsible for the safeguarding of Pep Clothing's daily petty cash float of R19,000. He manipulated the system for self-gain. One method used was to falsify wage claims that were paid from petty cash.

In another method, he manipulated subsistence claims lodged by consultants engaged from time to time, by inflating the amount claimed and keeping the excess for himself.

The third and fourth methods involved manipulation of petty cash claims lodged without supporting documents.

During his trial Pep Clothing's financial manager, Arthur Meyer, described Le Roux as a competent accountant, and said company executives had been impressed with how strictly he had dealt with financial matters.

Meyer said he had never suspected any dishonesty from Le Roux. The embezzlement came to light after the payroll manageress expressed concerns about Le Roux.

He said the company wanted Le Roux jailed, but Sonnenberg ruled that the court's decision had to be dispassionate, and not based on the sentiments of others.

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A bookkeeper accused of defrauding a tourist company appeared in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court.

Cape Town - A bookkeeper accused of defrauding a tourist company appeared in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Cape Town on Thursday.

Michelle Louter, 46, of Gordon’s Bay, was not asked to plead when she appeared before magistrate Sabrina Sonnenberg, charged with 123 counts of fraud involving R455 054.

The crimes took place between April 2003 and April 2010.

Prosecutor Denver Combrink alleges she defrauded the company Southern Africa PGA Tours, of Somerset West. According to the charge sheet, her duties included the electronic capture and payment of supplier invoices.

All payments had to be authorised by herself, and the company’s financial manager.

According to the charge sheet, the post of financial manager was often vacant, or the financial manager was absent from office. On such occasions Louter allegedly authorised payments herself, but diverted the money to her own bank account.

She was warned to appear in court again on September 26.

Sapa

The power given to the executive over the Hawks investigative unit is concerning, the Helen Suzman Foundation told the Western Cape High Court.

Cape Town - The power given to the executive over the Hawks investigative unit is concerning, the Helen Suzman Foundation told the Western Cape High Court on Thursday.

David Unterhalter, for the foundation, said their concerns related to appointments within the unit and whether political involvement and oversight resulted in insufficient insulation from interference.

“Who is doing the appointing but, equally, what sort of power is being granted to that person and particularly, the over-breadth and discretion that is allowed...?” he asked.

“The executive may be the subject of investigation.”

He argued that while Parliament had oversight in terms of the legislation, it would be limited to receiving a report on an appointment.

The foundation seeks an order declaring sections of the SA Police Service Amendment Act inconsistent with the Constitution to the extent that they fail to secure adequate independence for the Hawks.

It wants the court to suspend the declaration of constitutional invalidity for 12 months in order for Parliament to remedy the defect in accordance with the court's judgment in the matter.

The amendment act was drafted in reaction to a previous Constitutional Court victory by businessman Hugh Glenister, in which the executive was ordered to change the legislation to provide the Hawks with independence from political interference, among other things.

Glenister brought his suit following the dissolution of the Scorpions, an investigative unit under the National Prosecuting Authority, in 2008. The Scorpions were replaced by the Hawks, which fell under the Saps.

Glenister and the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) approached the Constitutional Court separately in November last year to oppose the amendments, arguing they were still insufficient.

Direct access to the Constitutional Court was denied and the two parties agreed to appear before a full Bench of high court judges at the same time and present their arguments.

Unterhalter said the court had the duty to abide by the Constitutional Court's previous judgment and make sure the amendments were in line with the Constitution.

“This is simply an exercise of constitutional law, taking a constitutional standard and applying it to a piece of legislation,” he said.

“Nothing about the enquiry is fact-determined.”

He was referring to an argument brought by Glenister's lawyer Paul Hoffman earlier on Thursday.

Hoffman said a key question to ask was whether it was responsible to keep the Hawks within the control of police “under the circumstances”.

Judge Judith Cloete asked what circumstances he was referring to.

Hoffman replied it was the “facts” on the extent of corruption in government and state security bodies, as supported by his expert witnesses in affidavits.

“It's the factual circumstances of the executive, the SAPS and the pre-2012 Hawks, the un-turbo-charged Hawks,” he said.

Judge Siraj Desai said it could not be expected for these opinions to be taken as facts.

He criticised Hoffman for attempting to “defame” ANC national executive committee member Tony Yengeni and Hawks head Anwa Dramat by alluding to media allegations and who they were connected to, in his heads of argument handed in before the hearing.

“The purpose of the allusion is to show there have been no steps by the Hawks against Yengeni,” Hoffman countered, in reference to allegations that Yengeni signed a R6 million bribe agreement with a bidder during South Africa's arms deal.

Hoffman said an anti-corruption entity should be impregnable to any external influence or interference.

“Securing (the adequate degree of independence) should be used in such a sense as entrenching or rendering impregnable,” he said.

“The scheme of the 2012 legislation does not achieve a state, a structure or an operational environment in which the Hawks are so 'secured'. This is unconstitutional. They 'fall under' the police hierarchy and are not adequately independent.”

He suggested the legislation should allow for the Hawks to be outside of executive control, and to be given independence in the same manner as the judiciary and the National Prosecuting Authority, for example.

Arguments continue on Friday.

Sapa