The Western Cape police are investigating the death of two children in Oudtshoorn and Plettenberg Bay in unrelated incidents to ensure that the suspects, the children’s mothers, are put behind bars.
Both face murder charges. Western Cape SAPS provincial spokesperson Sergeant Christopher Spies said the investigation into the death of a boy aged 7 revealed that on August 11 at about 11am, Oudtshoorn police were summoned to a scene in Korhaan Avenue, Bridgeton.
“On arrival, they found the lifeless body of the boy in a bedroom. Paramedics later declared him dead on scene. The police initially opened an inquest docket for further investigation. However, a post-mortem conducted later indicated that the victim died of strangulation. The docket was subsequently changed to murder,” said Spies.
He said further police investigation led to the arrest of the 39-year-old mother of the deceased on August 21. “She made her first court appearance in the Oudtshoorn Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 23 August 2024 on a murder charge. The accused was remanded in custody and the matter postponed to 27 August 2024 for legal representation,” said Spies.
In an unrelated incident, on August 19 at about 11am, Plettenberg Bay police were dispatched to a scene next to the N2 highway opposite Kwanokuthula where the body of an infant, believed to be three days old, was found.
Spies said on arrival, police found the victim (a girl) who was declared dead by medical personnel on scene. “Investigation took police to a nearby hospital where a woman gave birth to the girl earlier this month. The woman was tracked down at Kwanokuthula and arrested on a murder charge,” said Spies.
The suspect, aged 22, was due to make her first court appearance in the Plettenberg Bay Magistrate’s Court on Monday on the mentioned charge.
“Investigation into both matters continues. Western Cape police management lauded the investigators for their diligence in ensuring that these suspects are brought to book,” Spies said.
Meanwhile, the Gauteng weekly disruptive high-density operation conducted simultaneously across the five districts – Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane, Sedibeng and West Rand – has resulted in the arrest of more than 1 000 people for various crimes, including 105 for driving while under the influence of alcohol and 111 illegal immigrants.
Provincial commissioner of the SAPS in Gauteng, Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni, led a multidisciplinary team in Carletonville, West Rand District, to ensure that crime is brought to a minimum in the area.
Operation activities included roadblock and compliance inspections at liquor outlets. Provincial SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo said the operations started with the detectives’ tracing of suspects who have been on the run after committing serious and violent crimes in Gauteng.
“The results of these operations are the arrests of over 1 000 suspects for crimes ranging from murder, house robbery, rape, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, possession of drugs/dagga, theft, assault GBH and assault common, among others,” Masondo said.
All suspects were due to appear in the various magistrate’s courts from Monday.
In Upington, the border police uncovered more drugs after receiving information about possible hidden drugs at premises they had previously searched on Saturday, August 24, during an operation.
On Sunday, the members revisited the scene after obtaining authorisation and searched the premises. Northern Cape SAPS provincial spokesperson Sergeant Omphile Masegela confirmed that police discovered mandrax tablets with an estimated street value of R20 600, cocaine valued at R223 720 and methamphetamine valued at about R132 000 stashed in a concealed compartment in the residence.
Masegela said the suspect was already in custody on the previous charge, and an inquiry has been registered for further investigation. “The police will remain focused and persistent in removing drugs from the streets and will not leave any stone unturned.”
North West provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Sello Kwena said that police working with other law enforcement agencies across the province are committed to ensuring that alleged crime perpetrators are brought to book. Kwena said this after 1 139 suspects were nabbed during Operation Shanela between August19 and 25.
Police said the suspects, who included 198 suspected undocumented persons, were arrested for various crimes ranging from rape, murder, attempted murder, assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm and common, dealing in drugs, illegal dealing in liquor, possession of drugs, burglary at business and residential premises to driving under the influence of alcohol.
North West SAPS provincial spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said of the total arrests, 453 were apprehended as circulated and wanted during detectives suspect raiding operations.
He said as part of the operations, 151 premises, 3 073 persons and 1 001 vehicles were searched. Moreover, the operations led to the confiscation of alcohol, 15 firearms, 450 rounds of ammunition, 11 cellphones, 15 vehicles, a variety of drugs and tobacco products.
In Ekurhuleni, on August 22, from 10am, the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) Bronberg Precinct officers arrested three undocumented men between the ages of 30 and 40 years old in the Putfontein area. The EMPD officers came across the trio while performing their duties in the Putfontein area.
“The two males are foreign nationals from Mozambique, and one is from Zimbabwe. When the officers asked them to produce any form of identification, they failed to take out any form of identity. The officers then arrested these males for Contravention of section 49(1) of the Immigration Act (Act 13 of 2002),” said City of Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.
He said all the suspects were taken to Putfontein police station for further handling.
The Star