A group of mourners has severely assaulted a Johannesburg Metro Police Department official in Soweto.
The officer was part of a team that went to disperse an “after-tears” gathering in Protea Glen Extension 7 following the burial of a well-known pub owner.
While some of the mourners left – others were defiant.
The officer was injured during a scuffle with the resistant crowd while the law enforcement officers were confiscating the group’s alcohol.
He suffered an unjury to his face.
Two suspects were arrested for the incident. “The main suspect who started the assault fled the scene but left his vehicle, which was impounded,” says JMPD Spokesperson, Xolani Fihla.
Fihla says the duo has been charged with assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm and the contravention of the Disaster Management Act for Adjusted Level 3 Regulations.
They were detained at the Protea Glen Police Station, while their victim is recuperating in hospital.
“The JMPD condemns the assault of any police official and we cannot allow that to happen because the attack on police officers who are legally executing their duties is an attack on the rule of law and the city,” Fihla adds.
Gatherings and the consumption of alcohol in public spaces are banned in South Africa under the adjusted level 3 lockdown that is meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
So far, Gauteng alone has 346 482 COVID-19 cases and 6 606 deaths. – Report by Jozi FM News Editor, Moshe Maswanganyi.
The community of Protea Glen, in Soweto, will this evening hold a candlelight prayer service in honour of a 21-year-old woman who was brutally murdered.
The community is still reeling from shock following the grim discovery.
The murder occurred amid a nationwide 16 Days of Activism Campaign for No Violence Against Women and Children.
According to the police, Phuthi was beaten, raped and strangled to death with her pants.
She was identified by her tattoo of a tiger on her neck, a flower tattoo on her right leg and her name on her hand.
It is suspected that she was killed by people she knew.
Her family is calling for justice.
ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) Secretary in ward 135, Nelisiwe Yende, says the candlelight prayer session in Ramara’s honour will be held at 10217 Mount Cash Street Ext 12, Protea Glen at 6pm.
Ramara will be laid to rest on Sunday.
Police spokesperson, Vincent Mashiteng, says no arrests have yet been made in the matter. – Report by Jozi FM News Editor Moshe Maswanganyi
The case against the two men accused of the murder of a 59-year-old woman in Dobsonville, Soweto, has been postponed to 2021.
The woman’s 21-year-old granddaughter was allegedly raped during the robbery, which occurred in July.
Aaron Mweba and Nkosinathi Gqoba appeared in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court for the crimes on Monday.
Their case has been postponed for further investigations and prosecutors are also waiting for DNA results to be released. They are due to return to court on February 4.
In a separate incident, the naked body of an unknown woman has been discovered at the Protea Glen Extension 31 sports grounds.
Police believe that she was strangled. Spokesperson Vincent Mashiteng is urging anyone with information to contact the police. – Report by Jozi FM’s Moshe Maswanganyi
A 17-year-old woman and her 32-year-old boyfriend will return to the Protea Magistrate Court on Wednesday for the death of the teenager’s daughter.
Baby Nyiko Mthimunye was raped and allegedly assaulted on 15 November in Diepkloof, Soweto.
Her mother had left the two-year old in the care of her boyfriend for about two hours at the time of the incident.
On her return after 8pm, she told the police that found the child sleeping. They boyfriend was not around; only his father was at the house. She said she also went to sleep, not wanting to disturb the child.
The teenager says she woke up in the middle of the night to check on baby Nyiko, only to notice that she had serious injuries to her face. She took the child to the nearby Baragwanath Hospital for treatment and it was found that she had been raped. The doctor called the police.
Baby Nyiko was admitted at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital last week & she was declared deceased on Thursday. Nyiko's grandmother Lindi Mthimunye says her granddaughter had fractured ribs & she was declared brain damaged according to a report issued by the doctor. MM
Baby Nyiko succumbed to her injuries three days later and was laid to rest on Tuesday.
Today they attended the funeral of their late 2year old friend…baby Nyiko…who was brutally raped to death by what should've been her step father!And they sincerly plead..they plead for mercy…God have mercy on them!@EFFSouthAfrica@Effgroundforcespic.twitter.com/uJXjTS2dLx
The mother and the boyfriend are charged with her murder. They first appeared in court last Wednesday and the case was shelved for today.
Police suspect that baby Nyiko may have suffered previous abuse at the hands of her stepfather and the matter was never reported. “This is the basis of the arrest of the teenage mother who in this instance, only reported the incident to the police two days later,” Police Gauteng Spokesperson, Brigadier Mathapelo Peters says.
Welcoming the duo’s arrest, Acting Provincial SAPS Commissioner, Major General Patricia Rampota, urged the investigating team to do a thorough job in order to ensure that justice is served for the two-year old Nyiko.
“The SAPS remains committed to upholding the rights of victims of gender based and domestic violence and femicide, and to prioritise the investigation of all cases where women, children and other vulnerable persons are victims,” she has said.
Let's support Baby Nyiko she was 2 yrs old she was raped, abused &She's no mor she died @ Bara @ high care we need support frm the community 😢😢💔💔 siyacela bahlali base Dk #justiceforbabyNyikopic.twitter.com/g4Azg5GhGu
Police in Naledi, Soweto, arrested 20 people during a raid of liquor outlets on Tuesday.
The joint operation between SAPS and the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) was in preparation for a safer festive season.
Authorities say they want to ensure a safer holiday season for residents.
They visited all liquor outlets in Naledi to check compliance. Some businesses were closed, others fined and their alcohol confiscated.
At least 20 people were arrested for crimes ranging from murder, malicious damage to property, theft, common assault, shoplifting, common robbery and drunk driving.
They will be appearing in court from today. – Report by Jozi FM’s Moshe Maswanganyi
By-elections in Soweto, Johannesburg, got off to a rocky start.
Jozi FM is reporting that community members in Naledi locked the gates of two voting stations, prohibiting voters from entering the area to cast their ballot.
The community is upset about the lack of electricity, which they say has been off for six months now due to a transformer that has exploded.
They say although they reported the matter to authorities, nothing was done to repair it.
The residents have blocked roads with rocks and burning tyres.
An ANC councillor in the City of Johannesburg Matshidiso Mfikwe has slammed the residents for blocking others from voting.
She says the residents are committing crime.
But residents aren’t budging. They say: “We just need a box and we just go to a ballot box and cast our vote. We want to vote but not in a dark area.”
By-elections are taking place in 95 wards across 55 municipalities in all the country’s nine provinces on Wednesday.
Of the 95, 14 are in Gauteng across six municipalities.
The by-elections are being contested by 40 political parties, with a total of 444 candidates certified as contestants. It includes 19 independent candidates.
The polls were supposed to be held between March and September but the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) postponed them due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The elderly and people with disabilities cast their ballots yesterday.
She has been moved to the district office in what the Gauteng Health Department says is a precautionary measure.
“The CEO is allegedly implicated in a case of misconduct. The issues surrounding the case must still be verified and a determination will be made accordingly.”
Makabedi Makhetha will be acting in Mabyana’s position.
“There is a need to urgently resolve the broader challenges at Bheki Mlangeni Hospital and restore the confidence of the community in the facility’s capacity to continue providing much needed healthcare services,” says acting Gauteng Heath MEC, Jacob Mamabolo.
Patient safety concerns were also raised at the health facility this week following rape allegations.
“The department will appoint an independent investigator to help finalise the matter following an internal preliminary report. The matter has also been referred to the South African Police Services (SAPS) to investigate.”
The DA’s Jack Bloom has welcomed Mabyana’s transfer, saying she shouldn’t return to the hospital.
Earlier this month, Soweto residents and members of the Independent Liberation and Allied Workers’ Union also took to the streets, calling for the removal of the health facility’s management. Corruption was among the accusations the residents levelled against the hospital’s leadership.
