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The Citizen
31-07-2025
- The Citizen
Witbank church robbery and kidnapping ends in two arrests
A group of armed suspects robbed and kidnapped church members, but police tracked down the stolen vehicles and arrested two suspects. A group of armed suspects stormed a church service in Witbank, Mpumalanga, kidnapped and robbed congregants, but were later tracked down and arrested by the police. At around 8.55pm on Wednesday, a group of more than five armed men stormed into the church premises in Klipfontein. The suspects threatened the congregants with firearms. The suspects ordered about nine church members who were present at the time to lie down. They then searched the victims— including the pastor and other church leaders — and tied them up with cable ties. Multiple items stolen during church robbery and kidnapping The suspects robbed the congregants of their phones, wallets containing bank cards, laptops, and the church's computer screen. Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli said the suspects also demanded the car keys and PIN codes for the phones. The victims were also forced into three vehicles belonging to them. 'The suspects then drove off to a remote area in the bushes, where two of them remained to guard the victims while the others went away, only to return later and collect their two accomplices,' Mdhluli said. ALSO READ: Police offer reward for information on Limpopo priest's killer The family members of the victims reported the incident to the police. 'Thanks to the diligent work of Witbank Detectives and Vosman Vispol, the law enforcement agencies managed to locate all victims in a bushy area in Kromdraai,' Mdhluli said. One suspect sustained minor injuries and was given medical treatment by the medical personnel. Three vehicles recovered After the incident was reported, the police and tracking company worked together and successfully traced two of the hijacked vehicles. One car was found near Vosman, and the other in Silverton, Gauteng, on Wednesday evening. Mdhluli said that in total, three vehicles were recovered. A Mercedes-Benz was found in the possession of a 21-year-old, and a Volkswagen Polo was abandoned in Vosman. An Isuzu KB Bakkie was traced and recovered in Silverton, where a 27-year-old male suspect was arrested. ALSO READ: Mashatile praises controversial KwaSizabantu Mission, says government seeking partnership The two suspects were arrested, and all stolen vehicles were recovered. The suspects are expected to appear in court soon. The men and women in blue are not backing down yet as the pursuit for the remaining suspects continues. The police have urged anyone with information that may assist in apprehending these perpetrators to contact the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111 or send information via the MYSAPS app. All received information will be treated as confidential, and callers may opt to remain anonymous. Sanctuaries not safe anymore Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, the acting provincial commissioner of Saps in Mpumalanga, praised the successful cooperation between the police and the tracking that enabled these arrests. 'We are concerned with the incidences of such crimes, especially in places that should be sanctuaries for individuals seeking solace,' the general said. 'The Saps remains resolute in its pursuit of justice and will continue to track down the remaining suspects responsible for this heinous act.' NOW READ: American missionary kidnapped in Gqeberha rescued, three suspects dead
The Citizen
22-04-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Floyd Shivambu's Malawi visit raises alarms over ties with fugitive Bushiri
The man who is uMkhonto weSizwe party's second in-command knowingly associated with Shepherd Bushiri, a fugitive, in Malawi. Floyd Shivambu is not an elected representative in parliament. He does not hold any official office in the public service. He is the secretary-general of this country's third-biggest party in parliament, appointed to that position by the party leader and founder, former president Jacob Zuma. It will be argued by those who see nothing wrong with his travelling to Malawi to attend church at Shepherd Bushiri's Enlightened Christian Gathering that where he chooses to worship should not matter to anyone but himself. But that is an extremely superficial take on the actions of a senior leader in an opposition party. ALSO READ: Malawi court grants South Africa's request to extradite Shepherd Bushiri and wife Association with a fugitive Bushiri, the self-proclaimed prophet who introduced a beaming Shivambu to his church gathering, is a fugitive from justice in South Africa. This country is currently attempting to get Bushiri back to face an array of charges including rape, fraud and contravening immigration laws, having fled the country while on bail. In other words, a man who is uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party's second-in-command left the country to go and knowingly associate with a fugitive in Malawi. MK's spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndlela was quick to issue a statement distancing the party from Shivambu's actions. That they issued a statement is in itself an indictment of him. Much has been said about the operational nature of MK in that its leader has chosen not to go with the standard political party system of getting the party and its structures to be determined by the people in the party. ALSO READ: Will Shepherd Bushiri escape again? Here's what the justice minister says Party leadership under the microscope The former president appoints and fires leaders in that party. The people who are members of parliament were not elected to parliament after a democratic selection process, as is normally the case in other parties. So people might be tempted to think that their leadership should not be under the same amount of scrutiny as those that openly flaunt their democratic natures. But that would be setting the bar beyond low for organisations that operate in this country's political landscape. Shivambu is a former member of parliament who spent 10 years crafting the very laws that Bushiri is raising his middle finger to. He also spends his time building an organisation that gets its members elected to offices that must uphold the very laws that Bushiri ran away from being held accountable to. ALSO READ: Mashatile praises controversial KwaSizabantu Mission, says government seeking partnership Principles are optional in politics. There is nothing illegal about a leader of the opposition visiting his place of worship where he chooses, but there is everything wrong with a leader who thinks it is okay to be publicly seen in the company of a fugitive from justice. What's next, entertaining the Gupta brothers in Dubai because it is not illegal? These days, being principled is not a value many politicians hold in high regard. It has been shown here and in the United States that the highest political office in the land is not won by being principled. And that is what Shivambu is saying to South Africans: 'I'm not a man of principle and will associate with people running away from justice and there is nothing that anyone can do about it.' Shivambu could be wrong to think the MK party will not do anything besides issuing a statement. His spat with Duduzile Zuma a couple of months ago shows he is not welcome in the party. This act could be what some were waiting for to get rid of him. He just gave them a stick to beat him with – unless this is his way of exiting on his terms. NOW READ: Shivambu slammed for visiting and praising Bushiri in Malawi during Easter [VIDEO]
