Latest news with #VanWyk
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Lyttelton police drone pilot honoured for exemplary youth service
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has recognised its young officers for remarkable contributions. The recognition comes during this year's Youth Month. Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk said SAPS is proud to introduce young officers to the nation during Youth Month as examples of police members who go above and beyond the call of duty. She said one of the officers being recognised is 33-year-old Constable Martin van der Westhuizen. 'Van der Westhuizen is a qualified police drone pilot stationed at the Lyttelton police station in Centurion,' she said. After completing his matric in 2010, Van der Westhuizen pursued his childhood dream of becoming a police officer. 'He applied to join the service on numerous occasions before finally being enlisted in 2018,' she added. Van Wyk said the young constable, who has over seven years of service, has earned two certificates of commendation from the National Commissioner, awarded in both 2019 and 2021 for exemplary service delivery. 'He gained national attention in July 2023 when a video of him, neatly dressed in uniform at a colleague's funeral in Vosloorus, was shared on TikTok.' She explained that a community member, who admired Van der Westhuizen's conduct, posted the clip, which quickly went viral and earned him the nickname Crush of the Nation. 'When he's not responding to complaints, detaining suspects or making arrests, Van der Westhuizen plays a key role in crime prevention operations by piloting a drone,' added Van Wyk. Van der Westhuizen expressed his dedication to his role: 'I don't just wear my police uniform; it's my mission to uphold the values behind it every single day.' ALSO READ: Local churchgoers 'bless' broken road 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 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
The Star
25-05-2025
- The Star
Police seize counterfeit goods worth over R20 million in Bruma operation
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has seized counterfeit goods valued at more than R20 million during a high-impact operation in Bruma, east of Johannesburg. Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk said the large-scale operation, involving units such as the Hawks, Crime Intelligence, SARS, Customs, Home Affairs, and private security, led to the arrest of 35 suspects connected to counterfeit goods. 'The operation resulted in the arrest of 35 individuals. One suspect was arrested for contravening the Counterfeit Goods Act, while 34 foreign nationals were arrested for contravening the Immigration Act.' Van Wyk added that the operation confiscated over 24,000 counterfeit products, including imitation branded clothing. 'Acting on intelligence gathered, the team executed search and seizure warrants following the Customs and Excise Act and the Counterfeit Goods Act. The operation led to the seizure of over 24,000 counterfeit items, including branded clothing, footwear, handbags, perfumes, jewellery, and cellphone accessories,' she said. Van Wyk stressed that SAPS continues to fight tirelessly against the illegal trade in counterfeit goods to protect consumers, back legitimate businesses, and preserve the integrity of the country's economy. Last month, police seized counterfeit goods worth over R50 million in nationwide operations, including illicit cigarettes valued at R4.5 million during a takedown. Van Wyk said the takedown operation targeted shops in Pretoria Central, Centurion and Brits in the North West. "More than 2,000 items were seized that including high-end counterfeit clothing, shoes, handbags, caps, watches, sunglasses, and belts as well as toys," said van Wyk. Three Bangladeshi nationals were also arrested for contravening the Immigration Act during the operations. The Star [email protected]
IOL News
25-05-2025
- IOL News
Police seize counterfeit goods worth over R20 million in Bruma operation
A significant crackdown by South African Police has led to the seizure of counterfeit goods worth over R20 million, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat illegal trade and protect consumers. The South African Police Service (SAPS) has seized counterfeit goods valued at more than R20 million during a high-impact operation in Bruma, east of Johannesburg. Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk said the large-scale operation, involving units such as the Hawks, Crime Intelligence, SARS, Customs, Home Affairs, and private security, led to the arrest of 35 suspects connected to counterfeit goods. 'The operation resulted in the arrest of 35 individuals. One suspect was arrested for contravening the Counterfeit Goods Act, while 34 foreign nationals were arrested for contravening the Immigration Act.' Van Wyk added that the operation confiscated over 24,000 counterfeit products, including imitation branded clothing. 'Acting on intelligence gathered, the team executed search and seizure warrants following the Customs and Excise Act and the Counterfeit Goods Act. The operation led to the seizure of over 24,000 counterfeit items, including branded clothing, footwear, handbags, perfumes, jewellery, and cellphone accessories,' she said. Van Wyk stressed that SAPS continues to fight tirelessly against the illegal trade in counterfeit goods to protect consumers, back legitimate businesses, and preserve the integrity of the country's economy. Last month, police seized counterfeit goods worth over R50 million in nationwide operations, including illicit cigarettes valued at R4.5 million during a takedown. Van Wyk said the takedown operation targeted shops in Pretoria Central, Centurion and Brits in the North West. "More than 2,000 items were seized that including high-end counterfeit clothing, shoes, handbags, caps, watches, sunglasses, and belts as well as toys," said van Wyk. Three Bangladeshi nationals were also arrested for contravening the Immigration Act during the operations. The Star
Daily Maverick
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Maverick
Bricks nation — Cape Floral Kingdom reimagined in Lego by local designer
Adult Lego has taken the world by storm, from Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night to Harry Potter sets and the increasingly popular Lego botanical collections. There seems to be a Lego set for everyone. Now there may be a special Cape Floral Kingdom set joining the collection. Local designer Christoff van Wyk is capturing South Africa's botanical beauty, one Lego brick at a time. Inspired by the rich biodiversity of the Cape Floral Kingdom, he has recreated iconic fynbos species such as the protea, Erica blenna and gousblom in striking detail. Now, through innovative recreations of iconic fynbos species, Van Wyk (also known as Superstof Bricks) is not only celebrating the unique biodiversity of the Cape Floral Kingdom, but is also aiming to put South African flora on the global stage as a potential official Lego set. Here's how his passion for nature, design and Lego converged into a project that's capturing imaginations locally and abroad. Van Wyk created his set – 'Fynbos Flowers – using surfboards, bananas and even sailor's hat Lego pieces. Growing up in Riversdale, a small town in the Western Cape, and now based in Cape Town while working as a graphic designer, Van Wyk has always been drawn to the region's rich natural environment. 'Growing up in the Garden Route… we have such a beautiful landscape, fauna and flora in South Africa that it's difficult not to take notice of it,' he told Daily Maverick The scenery of Table Mountain and the daily presence of indigenous plants on his hikes and walks throughout his life have shaped his creative outlook and instilled a deep appreciation for the local ecosystems. The 'Fynbos Flowers' project began with his desire to recreate South Africa's national flower, the protea, using Lego bricks. The other species in the set followed naturally. The Erica blenna in the set, he explained, holds special meaning because it grows in his hometown of Riversdale, while the green tree pincushions are familiar from his hikes on Table Mountain and the West Coast's vibrant spring wildflowers have long inspired him. The project is gathering supporters on the Lego Ideas website. If it reaches 10,000 supporters the Lego Group will review his design and consider turning it into an official set that will be sold commercially. Much of the support has come from the 'Fynbos People' Facebook group and South Africans living abroad, who see the set as a way to keep a piece of home with them. 'In recent years the Lego Botanical series has become a lot more popular. But I noticed that they didn't really have any South African flowers. And we have some of the most iconic flowers in the world,' Van Wyk said. The Cape Floral Kingdom is recognised as one of the most important regions for plants in the world in terms of diversity, density and number of endemic species. 'I wanted to create a lush flower bed with all of the flowers together, like you would see whenever you buy a bouquet of fynbos flowers. It's always this variety of colour and flowers, and I wanted to encapsulate that in my design,' he said. He started by creating a protea flower out of existing Lego pieces, 'because I knew, if I did a collection of flowers, it would have to feature the protea'. The design process was creative and technical. 'When you're designing on such a compact scale, you have to get very creative in how you put things together.' He meticulously selected Lego pieces that could mimic the textures and hues of petals and leaves, sometimes constrained by the availability of specific parts and colours. He had also tried to make other species out of Lego bricks but ultimately these didn't work within the scale or the available parts. 'If there was anything that looked like a flower petal or anything that I could use in a particular colour, I would lay [it] out in the design just to have an overview of what are all the possible pieces that I have to work with in this colour [are], and then just try and start mixing, matching and seeing what works, what doesn't.' In the beginning… Lego has been a lifelong companion for Van Wyk. 'I've always loved Lego. My whole life. Played with it when I was little,' he said. As an adult he joined CapeLUG, a local Lego hobby group where enthusiasts share their creations and exhibit at public events. He said this community reignited his passion for Lego, prompting him to explore how he could express his South African identity through the medium, and the idea to build fynbos flowers from Lego emerged organically. 'I started to look around to see how I can express myself and my own ideas in Lego. And I started to focus on South African-inspired things in particular.' After building a model of the Cape Town City Hall using more than 8,000 pieces, he turned his attention to the flora, and he hopes to create more South African-inspired sets in future. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Superstof Bricks (@superstofbricks) At the heart of Van Wyk's project is a desire to showcase South Africa's natural beauty to a global audience. He hopes the Lego set will inspire appreciation for the country's unique flora, saying that 'everywhere in South Africa, every place has its own thing that makes it unique and special and beautiful.' DM
The South African
14-05-2025
- The South African
Foreign national arrested with R1 million and stolen bank cards
Police arrested a 38-year-old foreign national in Parklands, Western Cape during the early hours of Tuesday, 13 May 2025, after discovering more than R1 million in local and foreign currency. According to South African Police Service, members of the Provincial Operational Command Centre arrested the suspect. Western Cape provincial police spokesperson Captain Frederick van Wyk said officers acted on drug-related information and raided a residence in Holly Crescent, Table View. During the search, officers discovered more than R1 million in foreign and South African currency, along with a bag containing bank cards belonging to various individuals. The occupants of the house failed to provide a legitimate reason for being in possession of the cash and bank cards. 'The occupants of the residence failed to give a valid reason for possessing the items. Officers arrested the 38-year-old suspect on suspicion of possessing suspected stolen property and conspiring to commit cybercrime,' said Van Wyk. The suspect will appear in the Cape Town Magistrates' Court on Thursday, 15 May 2025. Detectives from the Provincial Organised Crime, Commercial Unit, are investigating and may file additional charges as the case develops. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
