Latest news with #Bolhuis
IOL News
10-07-2025
- IOL News
Inside South African prisons: How inmates use cellphones to continue crime behind bars
Vusimuzi 'Cat ' Matlala a wealthy government contractor, is now at the center of a criminal syndicate probe involving top politicians, assassination plots, illegal firearms, and a growing national scandal. Image: IOL Graphics Seasoned specialist investigator Mike Bolhuis has expressed no surprise following news that Vusumuzi 'Cat' Matlala, the man widely accused of being at the heart of police infiltration and capture of law enforcement apparatus in South Africa, was found with a mobile phone during a raid at the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre in Pretoria. IOL has previously reported that on Tuesday night and into the early hours of Wednesday, Correctional Services national commissioner Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale led an extensive raid and search operation at the correctional centre in Pretoria, including its high-security C-Max section. The raid on Tuesday and Wednesday followed another blitz conducted on Sunday, during which officials found Matlala with a mobile phone. Commenting on the revelations that Matlala has been connected from behind prison walls, Bolhuis told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that many of the criminal gangs terrorising South Africans are being run from prisons. 'That has always been (the case). The people in prisons just carry on with their crimes. They are just in smaller spaces," said Bolhuis. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ National commissioner of Correctional Services, Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale. Image: File 'Some of the biggest gangs are operating in prisons. Vusi will very soon be in control of that whole prison, because the prison system is rotten as well, completely to the core. The new minister is making as much headway as possible. It has unfortunately gone too far." On Wednesday, Thobakgale said nearly 800 were searched during the extensive inspection he led at the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre, which houses some of South Africa's notorious criminals. 'We found more than 105 cellphones. I am saying this because the tally before we went B-Max and C-Max was at 104, and at B-Max we found one cellphone. At C-Max we did not find any contraband at all," said Thobakgale. The majority of the cellphones were found at the prison section referred to as 'local', where more than 2,000 offenders are housed in communal cells. Thobakgale said the authorities also found sharp objects and drugs, including crystal meth, mandrax, and dagga. Regarding the source of the contraband, Thobakgale said prisoners often bring the illicit goods after they attend courts outside the prison. 'We search them, but some of them are able to hide this contraband in their bodies. We utilise body scanners, but we have a few of those in the country," he said.
The Citizen
29-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Bolhuis issues warning over Gerlu Roos
A prominent name in Mpumalanga agricultural circles, Gert Lukas 'Gerlu' Roos, is being accused by his own family of fraud, for alleged purchases under the accounts of family-owned businesses, which have not been paid. Roos is already facing one fraud charge, which was made against him in Belfast, and according to Mike Bolhuis from Specialised Security Services, more charges will be made against Roos in due course. The fraud charge stems from incidents in which Roos allegedly made purchases in the accounts of family-owned businesses, without making payments to the accounts. The purchases are largely agriculturally related. According to Bolhuis' allegations, Roos has previously made himself guilty of similar fraudulent acts, and these cases will be added to the existing fraud charge once those cases have been opened with the police. The pending charge was reported in Belfast, but Bolhuis warns that Roos allegedly has been making similar purchases in Middelburg, Delmas, and Mbombela, and that these purchases are made on the accounts of Roos Boerdery or B&R Bio Produkte. A court date for his first formal appearance has not yet been set for the fraud charge. Attempts to get hold of Roos for comment on the allegations being made against him have been unsuccessful by the time of publication. An automated message on WhatsApp in answer to the Middelburg Observer's enquiry read that he is busy with continued government, agricultural and entrepreneurial-related responsibilities. Roos has not responded personally. All calls have also been answered with an automated answering system that first enquires the caller to identify themselves and give a reason for their call before the call gets put through. All calls also remained unanswered before the time of publication. Bolhuis warned agricultural businesses not to agree to any good-natured transactions between themselves and Roos, and to confirm any account-related purchases with the company names he provides. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
11-06-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Bolhuis supports fight to save South Africa's flamingo sanctuary
High-profile security and investigative specialist from Pretoria, Mike Bolhuis, expressed his deep concern over the state of Kamfers Dam in the Northern Cape near Kimberley. The site has become a toxic wasteland. 'Addressing this crisis requires more than promises. It demands sustained oversight, real investment, and the political will to prioritise environmental justice,' Bolhuis said. According to him, if left unchecked, the Kamfers Dam, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Sol Plaatje Municipality, will become a catastrophe that will serve as a warning of what is to come for other critical South African ecosystems already under threat. He has been actively involved in efforts to expose the environmental degradation at Kamfers Dam for several years. He assisted in a rescue operation in 2019 when a mass rescue of Lesser Flamingo chicks occurred at Kamfers Dam due to a severe drought. Many of these chicks were able to survive and were later returned to Kamfers Dam. Bolhuis is lending his full support to the multi-stakeholder effort to save the dam. This collaboration includes three organisations: – BirdLife South Africa, which continues to raise awareness about the ecological significance of the dam, – Ekapa Mining, which has invested in infrastructure and clean-up support, and – Save the Flamingo Association, which has long campaigned for habitat protection and water quality improvements. Local landowners and farmers have also voiced concern, particularly regarding the health risks posed by untreated effluent. The Sol Plaatje Municipality faced serious legal pressure early this year when environmental groups and landowners brought the case before the Northern Cape High Court. In April, the court granted an interdict compelling the municipality to halt all discharges, repair its infrastructure, and submit progress reports. The first report was due end of May. The next court compliance report is due in August. This united front underscores the urgency of protecting Kamfers Dam for the iconic Lesser Flamingos that depend on it, as well as for the health and dignity of nearby communities. As one of only four known breeding sites for the Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) in Africa, the dam attracted up to 70 000 flamingos at its peak, including thousands of breeding pairs and hatchlings. Bolhuis pointed out that the collapse is largely attributed to municipal negligence and unchecked pollution, particularly from the Homevale Wastewater Treatment Works, which for years released untreated or partially treated sewage into the dam. By late 2024, an estimated 36 million litres of effluent per day flowed into Kamfers Dam. By December last year, the discovery of over 130 bird carcasses, many infected with avian botulism, confirmed a biological disaster in progress. According to Bolhuis, the flamingos have since disappeared. 'The artificial island is submerged, the water is toxic, and the birds are gone,' said Esther van der Westhuizen-Coetzer, a leading wetland ecologist at Ekapa Mining. 'This is a collapse, not a warning sign. We are already there.' According to Van der Westhuizen-Coetzer, 'The May progress report was filed on time, and recent water testing suggests a gradual improvement. It's a start, but only a start. Not anything more.' Bolhuis outlined urgent actions that need to be taken, such as immediate investment in sewage treatment infrastructure and independent as well as regular water quality testing with full publication of results. The consequences are not limited to wildlife. Residents in nearby informal settlements now report chronic respiratory issues due to hydrogen sulphide emissions. While the return of flamingos remains uncertain, conservationists are hopeful that sustained legal and civic pressure will prevent total collapse. BirdLife South Africa has called for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature status of the Lesser Flamingo to be reviewed, citing Kamfers Dam's implosion as a potential catalyst for moving the species from near-threatened to vulnerable status. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
IOL News
05-06-2025
- IOL News
South African woman loses R2,400 in elaborate coin scam
Private Investigator Mike Bolhuis warned against trade in money scams Image: Supplied A South African woman has come forward with a chilling account of how she lost R2,400 in a sophisticated scam involving supposed coin buyers — a case now under investigation by well-known private investigator Mike Bolhuis. According to Bolhuis, this is just one example of the growing number of scams targeting individuals who are misled into believing their ordinary coins are worth millions. In this particular case, the woman was promised a payout of R40.3 million in exchange for coins she believed to be valuable, including Mandela R5s. The scammers posed as representatives from companies claiming to buy rare and historic coins. The woman said she was asked to pay an initial registration fee of R200, which she did, thinking it was standard procedure. Soon after, she was given a choice: have the money deposited into her account or delivered in person. She opted for the deposit but was then told she needed to send her coins by post first — something she was uncomfortable doing. 'I didn't want to post the coins. What if they got lost? And they could just put a hold on the money until they said they received them,' she said. When the supposed deposit failed, she was told to pay a R350 'release fee' to activate the funds. She paid again. But still, no money came through. That's when the scammers changed their story. She was told the money would be delivered in person — but only if she paid R1,250 for the delivery. Unable to afford the full amount, the 'agent' offered to accept R650 up front and collect the remaining R600 upon delivery. She transferred the R650 and was told the agent was on the way from Cape Town to Johannesburg. The next day, he contacted her again, claiming to need another R600 for petrol to complete the trip to Nelspruit. In an effort to secure the delivery, her daughter stepped in to send the R600. But the requests didn't stop there. The agent soon messaged again, saying his vehicle had a flat tyre and needed money for repairs — first R5,000, then R1,000, and finally R450. 'At that point, I refused. It's not my responsibility to buy him a new tyre,' she said. She never received the money, the coins were never collected, and she now fears the photos of the 'agent' and the vehicle may not even be real. To date, she has paid a total of R2,400, with no payout, no collection of coins, and no proof that any of the people involved were legitimate. Private Investigator Mike Bolhuis confirmed he is investigating the case and issued a public warning. He said scammers are using increasingly elaborate stories to manipulate and deceive vulnerable individuals. Bolhuis explained how people get scammed: scammers tell people their ordinary coins, like the Mandela R5 or R2, are worth significant amounts of money. They may ask for a fee or for the seller to send the coins, promising large returns that never materialise. Fraudsters also use advance payment scams, asking people to send coins first with a promise to pay later. Once the coins are sent, the scammer disappears, and no money is received. Others pretend to be professional coin buyers or dealers, using fake names or credentials and offering high prices. Once they get the coins, they vanish without paying. Many victims are misled by misinformation — people often believe all old coins are rare or valuable. In reality, most old coins are only worth their face value or metal content, making people easy targets.
