Latest news with #Boshielo
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Police hunt second suspect in Olorato Mongale's murder
Law enforcement will not rest until another suspect in the murder of journalist Olorato Mongale is apprehended, Police Deputy Minister Dr Polly Boshielo said. The 30-year-old was killed last Sunday after leaving her Johannesburg home to go on a date, reportedly with her alleged killer. Her body was found hours later in Lombardy East, sparking a multi-provincial manhunt for the suspects. Speaking at her funeral service held at City Hall in Bloemfontein yesterday, Boshielo called on the public — and those who know the suspect — to advise him to hand himself over to the nearest police station. 'We will also not rest until we find Bongani Mthimkhulu. If you know him, advise him to surrender to the nearest police station,' she said. The deputy minister emphasised that SAPS is committed to combating gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF). 'The fight against gender-based violence and femicide is a national priority for the South African Police Service, and it is for this very reason that maximum resources are always deployed to investigate GBVF cases and also track down GBVF perpetrators,' she said. Upon learning of the case last Sunday, the SAPS swiftly mobilised resources, including the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Team and the Gauteng Provincial Investigating Unit, to assist the Sandringham Police Station in tracking down a perpetrator known as 'John'. The investigation led authorities to a lodge in Kew, Johannesburg, and subsequently to KZN, where they discovered a VW Polo vehicle with traces of blood. The vehicle was linked to Philangenkosi Makhanya, who was identified as 'John'. On Friday morning, police located Makhanya at a block of apartments in Amanzimtoti. When police announced their arrival, he opened fire, and officers returned fire, resulting in his death at the scene. In his possession, police found more than 27 ID smart cards belonging to various men and about 20 cellphones. Boshielo revealed that Makhanya and his alleged accomplice, Bongani Mthimkhulu, operated a syndicate targeting women across various malls in the country. 'We are still searching for Bongani Mthimkhulu because we have narrowed our investigation and now know that Philangenkosi Makhanya and Bongani Mthimkhulu were working together and they were a syndicate that was targeting women in various malls across the country,' she said. Syndicate The investigation has linked the duo to 22 cases of kidnapping and robbery, with women from across the country positively identifying them as the perpetrators. Highlighting the broader impact of the syndicate's activities, Boshielo noted that similar cases have been reported in Bloemfontein, Mbombela, Midrand, Pretoria, Potchefstroom, Lebowakgomo, and Johannesburg. Addressing the family at the funeral service, Boshielo reassured them of the government's commitment to justice. 'To the family, to the mother Poppy, we may not have been able to prevent the death of your child but be rest assured that one of her perpetrators is in permanent custody and will never rise up again to terrorise other women,' she said. The deputy minister called for a collaborative effort to end GBVF. 'GBVF is a crime that happens behind closed doors between two people that know each other and where we cannot always be as the police. Let's all stand together and work together to put a stop to GBVF in our country,' the deputy minister said. Police clear Fezile Ngubane In a statement on Saturday, the SAPS informed the nation that Fezile Ngubane, who was initially identified as a suspect in a syndicate targeting young women, has been cleared. This follows his father handing him over to the KwaMashu Police Station on Friday after learning his son was sought by police in the Olorato murder case. 'A multidisciplinary team led by the deputy [police] commissioner for crime detection in Gauteng, Major General Mbuso Khumalo, the SAPS National Anti-Kidnapping Task Team, and KZN and Gauteng investigating units have now cleared Ngubane following a thorough interview and preliminary investigation. 'According to a preliminary report, Ngubane washes cars for a living and stays in the same neighbourhood as deceased Philangenkosi Makhanya,' said the SAPS. Makhanya allegedly identified Ngubane as a soft target and took his ID smart card, using it to Rica Sim cards that Makhanya would use to commit his long list of kidnapping and robbery crimes targeting young women. Ngubane's ID was among the 27 smart cards found in Makhanya's possession. 'The SAPS has also released the parents of one of the two suspects in the case after their statements were taken down. Police are sitting with at least 20 cases where women have come forward identifying the suspects as those that kidnapped and robbed them. 'The search for Bongani Mthimkhulu continues, and police once again call on him to hand himself over at his nearest police station,' the police said on Saturday. –
TimesLIVE
3 days ago
- TimesLIVE
'Olorato was known for her grace, intelligence and quiet boldness': family and friends bid her farewell
Deputy Minister of police Polly Boshielo has issued a stern call to South African parents to stop protecting their children when they commit crimes, especially in the face of the country's ongoing gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) crisis. Speaking at the funeral of 30-year-old murder victim Olorato Mongale in Bloemfontein on Sunday, Boshielo stressed that the actions of family members who shield perpetrators often lead to further harm against women and girls, who are manipulated, targeted and ultimately victimised. This is after the mother of one of the suspects being sought for Mongale's murder tipped her son off about the police looking for him. 'I want to, at this point, appeal to parents and everybody who is in this room, if somebody has done something wrong, please, please, stop shielding them,' Boshielo said. Mongale, whose body was found last week after a nationwide search, is believed to have been the latest victim of an alleged romance scam syndicate that lured women under the pretence of love, only to rob and in some cases kidnap them. Boshielo said as soon as the case was brought to their attention last Sunday evening, the SAPS national anti-kidnapping task team ande Gauteng provincial investigating unit were immediately brought in to support the investigating officer from Sandringham police station to track down a suspect known as John. 'In no time, the team followed the tracks of the VW Polo and the two perpetrators,' she said. The investigation began at a lodge in Kew, Johannesburg, where the suspects had booked a room. The team then followed leads to KwaZulu-Natal, where they located the VW Polo at a panel beating workshop in Phoenix. 'The vehicle was found with traces of blood, which our forensic experts are still analysing,' said Boshielo. Philangenkosi Makhanya, identified as one of the main suspects, was killed in a shoot-out with police in Amanzimtoti on Friday. In his possession, officers found more than 27 identity cards and 20 mobile phones believed to belong to previous victims. His alleged accomplice, Bongani Mthimkhulu, remains at large. Police have linked the pair to at least 20 similar cases across the country, with women in several cities including Bloemfontein, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Nelspruit and Polokwane coming forward to positively identify the two suspects. 'Women from across the country have positively identified them as the pair that kidnapped and robbed them. Some cases have been reported where we are today in Bloemfontein. In Bloemfontein, we have one case reported in Park Road and one in Kagisanong with the same modus operandi. They met these guys at the waterfront mall and other malls in Bloemfontein, agreed to go out on a date with them and they were later robbed. Other cases have been reported in Nelspruit, Midrand, Pretoria, Potchefstroom, Lebowakgomo in Limpopo and Johannesburg,' Boshielo said. During the funeral service, Mongale's grandmother, Gogo Sisi, said she never got to hear a 'happy birthday' wish from her granddaughter on Friday.
eNCA
24-05-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
GBVF awareness march in Thohoyandou
POLOKWANE - Deputy Police Minister, Polly Boshielo, led a march against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide in Thohoyandou, Limpopo. Thousands of people joined the march and later attended a community engagement with Boshielo and other government officials. WATCH | Crime stats | GBV cases rise Thohoyandou is one of the areas plagued by high levels of GBV and femicide in the country.
The Citizen
21-05-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Power supply restored to parts of Centurion after substation explosion
Power supply restored to parts of Centurion after substation explosion While several areas in Centurion remain in the dark after a substation explosion on May 19, the Tshwane metro has managed to restore supply to some areas. The incident, which occurred around 05:50 on Monday, involved the explosion of Transformer 1A at the Zwartkop Substation, leading to a power outage across multiple areas. MMC for Utility Services Frans Boshielo confirmed that the explosion also caused a trip on the Lyttelton Line 1 at Njala, initially cutting off Wingate, Aries, and De Hoewes substations' supply. Boshielo said that the supply has since been successfully restored to those three areas. However, residents in Zwartkop, Valhalla, parts of Claudius, Clubview, the Military Base in Thaba Tshwane, and the Zwartkop Airbase remain without electricity. He said the metro's Energy and Electricity Department continues with restoration efforts in these areas. 'The teams are working tirelessly to restore supply to all affected consumers as swiftly and safely as possible,' he said. The current work to restore power to the affected areas is extensive. Boshielo said the process involves testing of Transformer 2B, oil sample analysis sent to a laboratory, and the replacement of damaged infrastructure, including 630mm high-tension cables and crucial control cables required for the substation's protection grading. 'Full transformer protection tests are also being carried out to ensure operational safety of the transformer and proper protection grading of the substation.' He noted that repairs on the Lyttelton/Kwagga Overhead Line 1, which was also damaged by fire, are scheduled to begin on May 20. 'I would like to extend our appreciation to all residents and businesses for their patience, co-operation, and understanding during this time,' said Boshielo. He added that the metro team will provide updates every day at 19:00. Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba said that the destruction of the 630mm high-tension cables and essential control cables has significantly complicated the repair efforts. 'These control cables are essential for the protection of the substation,' said Bokaba. He emphasised that the fire damage to the Lyttelton/Kwagga Overhead Line 1 necessitated the disconnection of the line by the sub-transmission team. Bokaba provided a cautiously optimistic outlook, stating that overnight work yielded positive results. 'Transformer 2B test results have tested positive and are ready to be used,' he said. He stated that the next step in the process will involve replacing the stolen single cores and multicores for Transformer 2B. Despite these advances, he stressed that the estimated time for full power restoration will only be communicated once the majority of the repair work is completed. ALSO READ: Fire drill tests hospital's emergency readiness 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!
