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IOL News
3 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
JP Smith responds to 'The Truth About Cape Town's Well-Run Image'
JP Smith addresses Michael Andisile Mayalo's opinion piece, offering a comprehensive view of Cape Town's safety challenges and the city's proactive measures to combat crime. Image: File Picture In response to the opinion piece by Michael Andisile Mayalo titled 'The Truth About Cape Town's Well-Run Image: A Cape Flats Perspective'. The sentiments expressed by Mr Mayalo portray a dim and singular view of a complex issue that the City of Cape Town's Safety and Security directorate has been tackling for nearly two decades. Central to the confusion often exhibited by the communities, and evident in this opinion piece, is the control over the South African Police Services (SAPS) and governmental mandates that stipulate who has the authority to exercise control in this regard. The Constitution clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of various spheres of government. The City's constitutional mandate includes traffic and by-law enforcement. National government is constitutionally responsible for crime prevention, investigation, and intelligence gathering and exclusively controls SAPS. The Provincial Government has only an oversight role over SAPS and no actual City's Safety and Security directorate boasts an array of departments and initiatives which were strategically founded to address the shortfall by SAPS to effectively police the gang hotspots across Cape Town. Improving the lives of residents of the so-called Cape Flats has always been a priority for this directorate with the bulk of our resources being deployed daily to communities such as Manenberg, Lavender Hill, Hanover Park and various others. In addition to the additional boots on the ground, we take a strategic approach to proactive policing the City has successfully amalgamated the use of gunshot detection technology and other aids such as drones and CCTV cameras for intelligence driven deployment not just reactive policing after shootings flare up. The main misconception about ShotSpotter is that it will end gun violence. ShotSpotter is the alarm not the sprinkler. It provides one single version of the truth about the high levels of gun violence affecting our communities and this provides authorities, including SAPS, with objective data. Mr Mayalo's claim that the directorate controls 21 safety units and specialised crime intelligence is blatantly untrue or he is misinformed. I have oversight over the following departments: • Emergency Services (PECC/107) • Disaster Risk Management • Traffic Services • Fire and Rescue Services • Law Enforcement Services • Metro Police Department • Events and Film • Safety and Security Investigations Unit (SSIU) and the Safety and Security Information Management Systems (SSIMS). • Neighbourhood Watch Support Teams. In addition, The City does obtain and share crime intelligence from and with SAPS. We have our own in-house information management unit that assists both the City and SAPS with crime data to aid their investigations as our municipal mandate does not extend to the formal investigation into organised crime. For the period between January 2021 and January 2025, the City's enforcement agencies have removed 1670 firearms from the streets of Cape Town. This includes prohibited firearms, zip guns and replica recent years I have continually called for the devolution of the police service in the Western Cape and even across South Africa. The national Police Minister has the authority to devolve policing powers to competent local or provincial governments The City of Cape Town has proven that even with limited resources, the restrictions of municipal budgets and limited policing powers, we have made a significant impact in reducing crime but we are ready to do more. Alderman JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security
IOL News
4 days ago
- IOL News
Former Lieutenant Colonel arrested for allegedly stealing R1. 2million from the SAPS
IOL Pieter Andries Nel, a former Lieutenant-Colonel, has been arrested on allegations of defrauding the SAPS of R1.2million. Picture: Supplied /Hawks. Pieter Andries Nel, a former Lieutenant-Colonel, has been arrested on allegations of stealing over a million rand from the South African Police Services (SAPS). Nel was arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (known as Hawks) on Wednesday. Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Tebogo Thebe said a J50 warrant of arrest was executed at Nel's home in Upington. Explaining the details of the case, Thebe said Nel worked as the Head of Financial Services in the SAPS in the Upington area.
The South African
6 days ago
- The South African
Police hunt man named ‘John' in Johannesburg woman's murder
Gauteng police are searching for a man known only as 'John', who they believe is the alleged killer of 30-year-old Olorato Mongale from Johannesburg. According to South African Police Services, police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said police last saw Mongale on Sunday, 25 May 2025, when the alleged killer took her on a date. He picked her up from her residential complex in Athol, Johannesburg, at around 3 pm in a white VW Polo that police later discovered had fake number plates. Police investigators revealed that the vehicle used cloned registration plates, LT 57 JG GP, which belong to a Toyota Hilux. Mathe confirmed that the alleged suspect drove with Mongale through Alexandra and into Kew before proceeding towards Lombardy West. It is between Alexandra and Lombardy West that the murder allegedly took place, with the suspect then dumping the victim's body. Police discovered some of Mongale's personal belongings, including her phone and handbag, abandoned on 9th Road in Kew. Members of the South African Police Service (SAPS), assisted by community members, found her body at approximately 4:50 pm in Lombardy West. Police found her body less than two hours after she went missing. Mathe added that investigators are exploring the possibility that the suspect known as 'John' may not have acted alone. Police believe another man may have accompanied him when he killed Mongale. The investigation is ongoing, and police have urged anyone with information to come forward. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
20-05-2025
- IOL News
Facebook scammer arrested in Limpopo for kidnapping and raping women
The profile the scammer is using Image: SAPS Police in Limpopo have arrested a man who used fake Facebook accounts to kidnap and rape women. The South African Police Services (SAPS) has warned members of the public to be vigilant when using social media. The police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, said the fake account is named Jeff Rals. Police were alerted to this scam after a member of the public reported to police that a female friend was lured under false pretences, kidnapped, and raped repeatedly. Police urge social media users to be vigilant. Image: SAPS 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 Next Stay Close ✕ 'The male friend reported to police that his female friend had fallen prey to a dating scam where this suspect was using a fake Facebook account to lure women. He allegedly takes women from Gauteng to Limpopo on false promises of employment opportunities,' Mathe said Limpopo Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, was contacted, and a team was immediately mobilised to search for the victim. Within five hours of establishing this search party, the victim and kidnapper were traced to a filling station in Giyani, Limpopo, where the conman had run out of petrol and did not have funds to fill up his vehicle. According to the victim, the kidnapper goes by the name of Jeff Rals on Facebook and uses a picture and identity that belong to someone else. He met the victim in Pretoria, and immediately, when the victim realised that the individual looked different from his Facebook profile, the scammer lied and said he was a driver sent by his brother, Jeff Rals, to pick her up. 'The scammer then drove to Limpopo with the victim under false pretenses and proceeded to rape her repeatedly at his homestead. The victim was also extorted financially. The SAPS takes this opportunity to warn online dating users to be extra cautious and not be so trusting. Online dating scams can often lead to requests to meet online lovers, which could result in a kidnapping incident. These scammers often make the victim feel as though they have a genuine relationship. Once trust has been established, the scammer often requests money or to meet the victim, which results in a kidnapping incident, just like in this case,' Mathe said. Police have urged anyone who may have fallen victim to this scam to come forward. 'Limpopo police, under the leadership of Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, ought to be commended for acting swiftly to save the life of this young woman. The young woman is in the process of being reunited with her family today and the suspect is still in police custody and faces a charge of rape and kidnapping.' 'Many thanks to the Mopani District Tracking Team, the Lulekani detectives and visible policing teams, Giyani POP, Giyani Crime Intelligence, as well as the Giyani visible policing unit,' Mathe said. IOL Get your news on the go. Click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
IOL News
20-05-2025
- IOL News
Electronics worth R42,000 stolen in burglary at Premier Mabuyane's residence
Police are investigating a break-in at Premier Oscar Mabuyane's East London residence after suspects removed a window pane and stole electronic equipment. Police are on the hunt for suspects linked to a burglary at the official residence of Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane. According to Eastern Cape police, intruders gained access to the property during the early hours of Sunday morning (May 18, 2025) and stole electronic items worth over R42,000. It was a member of the South African Police Services (SAPS) who was on duty at the house, who raised alarm bells. Eastern Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa said it was reported that the member noticed that one window pane had been removed from the sitting room.
