A massive fire in the towering Paarl mountains is under control with no evacuations required, the Drakenstein municipality said on Friday.
“There was and is no need to evacuate the area or homes,” spokesperson Riana Geldenhuys said.
This was after “aggressive” overnight firefighting operations, in spite of strong winds.
Two helicopters started waterbombing the area early on Friday morning to ensure that the fire is fully extinguished.
This includes hotspots still found over an extensive area of plantation on the northern side of the mountain, above Rhebokskloof.
Two ground teams of 12 members each, contracted by the Cape Winelands District Municipality, are helping and the Drakenstein municipality’s fire services are patrolling.
No injuries have been reported.
The police will investigate the cause of the fire.
The municipality thanked the Cape Winelands District Municipality, Stellenbosch Local Municipality, Drakenstein Farmwatch and other private organisations for all of their help.
The head of the police’s Crime Intelligence division, Lieutenant General Peter Jacobs, is facing a standoff within his unit, which is resulting in the freezing of operations as informer rewards are not being paid, rent payments for safe houses are being withheld and funds for operations are not being released.
A six-page grievance against Jacobs has been submitted to police management, authored by the suspended chief financial officer of Crime Intelligence, Brigadier Tiyani Hlungwani.
At the centre of the standoff is the criminal case involving Hlungwani, former Crime Intelligence head Major General Pat Mokushane and head of technical support, Brigadier Leonora Bamuza-Phetlhe.
In June this year, the three appeared in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria on charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering. They were each released on bail of R5 000 and are due back in court next year.
It is alleged that Bamuza-Phetlhe was paid R50 000 from the secret service account for catering at a meeting which was approved by Mokushane. This was done after Hlungwani allegedly approached a colonel in the secret service to make payment into Bamuza-Phetlhe’s personal bank account.
However, it’s alleged that the actual payment made to a company for catering services was R5 000 and that the accused wanted the money for their own benefit.
Recently, while out on bail on the criminal charges, Phethle and Hlungwani were cleared in an internal disciplinary hearing. The officer that chaired the internal hearing criticised police management for their handling of the case against and it was suggested that they were charged because they blew the whistle on corruption related to the unit’s slush fund.
Phethle was acquitted of eight charges in a separate matter in November and was cleared by the Inspector General of Intelligence. However, she has another parallel disciplinary hearing.
Phethle returned to work but produced a sick note that booked her off work temporarily.
Withholding funds to sabotage Jacobs
According to several sources within Crime Intelligence management, Bamuza-Phethle and Hlungwani, supported by head of legal services Brigadier Dennis Chile, are behind the grievance against Jacobs.
As CFO, Hlungwani allegedly tightened his grip on the purse strings for Crime Intelligence and has withheld funds to pay informants, pay rent for safe houses and fund operations. The impact on crime fighting has been severe.
“It’s been very negative. One faction is fighting another and trying to rally the troops to their side. It’s been chaos and not much crime fighting is happening,” says one insider.
“Jacobs has done well since he has come in. He wants to end the looting.”
Brigadier Hlungwani confirmed that he submitted a grievance against Jacobs but would not comment further, saying he was not permitted to do so. Bamuza-Phethle said she was in not involved in the lodging of the grievance in any way.
Inside the grievance against Jacobs
Jacobs was appointed to head up Crime Intelligence in March this year, after a decade of scandal and instability there.
Under his authority, there have been a number of successes, including an intelligence-driven operation to arrest those responsible for the Verulam mosque attack. Cash-in-transit heists are down and the Anti-Gang Unit has been established.
News24 is in possession of the grievance. In it, Hlungwani complains about Jacobs’ “autocratic management style”, unfair discrimination, racism, perjury, defeating the ends of justice and maladministration.
“He does not allow or accommodate different views and opinions and he surrounds himself with individuals who just agree with him even if what he is saying is incorrect,” complains Hlungwani.
“He has created a parallel Finance Structure within SSA (State Security Agency) finance by bringing Colonel Mayekiso without consulting me or telling me the role that Colonel Mayekiso has come to play in SSA finance. Colonel Mayekiso at times signs documents on my behalf while I am available. Colonel Mayekiso doesn’t report to me and I do not know to whom he is reporting.”
Hlungwani alleges that Jacobs, a former MK soldier with a well-documented record of fighting the apartheid government, is racist.
“Lieutenant General Jacobs doesn’t like black people and he undermines them and unfairly discriminates against them. This is surprising for a person with struggle credentials, but I am of the view that he joined the struggle to emancipate only the oppressed minorities and not the oppressed majority indigenous people of this country… He vigorously pursues cases against black officials and turns a blind eye on cases where whites and Indians are involved.”
Hlungwani goes on to list a number of examples. These include that Jacobs apparently told a black colonel to hand back his official vehicle but did not issue similar instructions to white, Indian and coloured colonels. In addition, he apparently instituted an investigation into the same colonel to prevent him from being appointed and allegedly “undermines and belittles the Inspector General of Intelligence because of the colour of his skin”.
Jacobs is also accused of failing to take steps against senior managers and other employees who committed criminal offences, and of failing to report crimes in terms of the Corruption Act.
Hlungwani gave examples of how a major general and a lieutenant colonel used Secret Services account funds to book accommodation and submit fraudulent claims and used a safe house as their place of residence without authority at exorbitant rentals. Another colonel was apparently paid an amount of R160 000 for rentals of his own house after colluding with other officials to rent his house to Crime Intelligence as a safe house without disclosing the conflict of interest. He complained that the incidents were never reported for investigation.
In the grievance, Hlungwani suggests that a disciplinary investigation must be instituted against Jacobs and he must be charged for unfair discrimination and victimisation of black employees within the division. He also wants Jacobs to be held personally liable and investigated for maladministration.
Hlungwani suggests there needs to be an investigation into Jacobs’ fitness to hold the critical position of national head of Crime Intelligence and says a criminal probe must be instituted.
Hlungwani also wants five months’ compensation for the violation of his basic human rights.
Grievance shows members have avenues for “recourse”
The police have not officially confirmed that a grievance was lodged against Jacobs, but spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo said “the mere fact that a member is able to lodge a grievance against the head of a division, is a confirmation that members have avenues for recourse”.
He did not respond to detailed questions. Jacobs also did not respond to requests for comment.
“Given the sensitive nature of the work done by the environment your query is based on, I am not going to respond in detail to these matters as they are operational in nature. However, I think you are aware that the Crime Intelligence environment has been without a permanent head for up to seven years and it was an environment that was marred by one controversy after another during that period. Since the appointment of Lieutenant General Jacobs as the head of Crime Intelligence a few months ago, a turnaround strategy was adopted. We can confidently say that the Crime Intelligence environment is now operating with greater effect now than during the tumultuous period I have alluded to earlier,” said Naidoo.
One senior unit member described the situation as a “standoff”, saying “Hlungwani was daring Jacobs to take steps against him”. Another described the grievance as “all bullshit”.
Bamuza-Phetlhe “untouchable”
Bamuza-Phetlhe has a history of run-ins with her bosses at Crime Intelligence and with the law in general.
She was accused of fabricating the security clearance for the former acting head of Crime Intelligence, who was removed from the post in August last year. There were also questions about how R50 000 from the State Security Agency landed up in her bank account.
Last year, National Police Commissioner Khehla Sitole faced a grilling about her when he appeared before Parliament’s portfolio committee.
MPs described Bamuza-Phetlhe as being “too powerful”.
“She even controls her seniors. She does as she wishes. She’s untouchable in fact. Why is she feared like that?” asked ANC MP Angelina Molebatsi. At the time, the national commissioner gave parliamentarians an undertaking that Bamuza-Phetlhe was being suspended and dealt with.
But in a telephonic interview with News24, Brigadier Bamuza-Phetlhe insisted she was not untouchable and was not part of any kind of cabal attempting to oust Jacobs. She said she and Hlungwani were not part of a faction.
“We speak the same language as each other and there are always people who you sit with when you eat lunch and people assume you are part of the same faction. We support one another but we just want to do our work,” insisted Phethle.
“No, not myself. I’m not in there. Even when we are sitting together, we are discussing work.”
She also doesn’t understand why she has been labelled untouchable and says she just wants to do her work, which is to fight crime.
“I am not untouchable but always stick to the truth. But I don’t mind being called that because that and all other name callings do not reduce me to nothing. I encourage General Jacobs to do his work with integrity and fairness and not listen to gossipers trying to derail him. I don’t know where that’s coming from. I don’t have time to entertain such things and I don’t care what they are calling me. As painful as it is for them to drag my name, I don’t care. Crime is so high because they are just wasting time in Parliament talking about Phethle when they should be fighting crime. The truth will always prevail.”
The ANC and DA welcomed Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s findings against former sport and recreation minister Fikile Mbalula
Mkhwebane found that a trip Mbalula had taken to Dubai in 2017, when he was still a minister, was paid for by a company conducting business with sports governing body Sascoc (South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee), creating a conflict of interest.
She made the announcement on Wednesday during the release of several of her office’s investigations.
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The ANC’s acting spokesperson, Zizi Kodwa, said the party believed that ethical leadership was a cornerstone in building a resilient society.
“This responsibility is more onerous for ministers of state who are entrusted with managing public resources.”
He said the party appreciated that Mbalula had the right to challenge any aspect of the report and take it under judicial review if he felt aggrieved. However, this did not take away the points Mkhwebane raised.
“The ANC reaffirms its support and confidence in the Office of the Public Protector and all our constitutional entities entrusted with the role of being custodians of our constitutional values.”
Celebrity or minister?
Meanwhile, DA MP Tsepo Mhlongo said Mbalula abused his position to live a flashy lifestyle.
“He fancied himself as a celebrity rather than a minister mandated to serve the interests of the people.”
Mhlongo said the DA also welcomed Mkhwebane’s referral of the findings to the National Prosecuting Authority for investigation.
Mkhwebane said Mbalula violated the Constitution and the Executive Members Ethics Code by allowing Sedgars sporting goods supplier to pay for the holiday.
The DA said it was crucial that the investigation be prioritised and that Mbalula be held accountable for his actions.
“While the DA has long held that the Public Protector is not fit for office, it is clear that this violation on the part of Mbalula was so obvious that even she could not soft peddle it,” Mhlongo added.
Sun City Resort says everything is largely back to normal following the devastating storm that wreaked havoc there, causing flooding and damage to the popular holiday destination over the weekend.
“We worked through the night on Saturday, Sunday and Monday to turn the resort around, and guests and visitors arriving at Sun City now would not realise that a storm of this magnitude took place,” the resort’s group executive Raul de Lima said in a statement.
De Lima said there was now very little visible damage remaining.
“Our insurance mobilised very quickly, sending their assessors on Sunday to begin the job of quantifying the damage. They understand it was a freak storm and we are covered for that,” he said.
De Lima said that the Sun City Convention Centre had suffered substantial damage, but fortunately no conferences had been booked to take place at this time of the year. He said they were working to get the facilities back into running order before conferences began in mid-January.
The pool at The Palace was open again to residents only, and restaurants, bars, and the Valley of the Waves were all operational again, he said.
“There are some rooms out of commission, due to the flooding. Four-hundred rooms were out of commission by Saturday evening, and roughly half are back in inventory. I estimate that there will be about 120 rooms that we won’t be able to put back in the next two to three weeks, due to extensive damage, but we’ve mobilised contractors and assessors are quantifying the losses; so work started in earnest on Tuesday morning to get these rooms back into operation as soon as possible,” he said.
De Lima added that the Soho Hotel – the resort’s main hotel – had suffered the greatest damage to its rooms.
He said an insurance assessment conducted on Tuesday had indicated that the damage was greater than anticipated.
“As a result, the Soho Hotel will not be taking any new bookings until January 7, 2018.”
A police officer from the the Rapid Rail Protection Unit in Johannesburg has been shot and killed, after he was allegedly involved in a robbery.
The officer is reported to have been robbing his victims of their cellphones, when he was scared off by the approaching blue lights.
The police said the officer made a run for it, before shooting at the police who were giving chase. Police returned fire and struck him on his leg and upper body.
Ekurhuleni police spokesperson Captain Mega Ndobe said the suspect then fell to his death some few streets from the shooting scene.
“The suspect fell at a certain house at Dhlomo Street, where paramedics were called and subsequently certified the man dead on the scene.”
Ndobe said that, during investigations, they had discovered that the suspect was a police officer. They have opened a case of attempted murder and house robbery.
A high-ranking police officer who sent pornographic videos to detectives and was seen in the company of a notorious Capetonian underworld figure has been appointed to head the Hawks in the North West.
On Tuesday, ANC activist Colin Arendse wrote a letter to Police Minister Bheki Cele to complain about Major General Patrick Mbotho’s appointment in the North West.
It was Arendse who complained that Mbotho – then deputy provincial commissioner of detectives in the Western Cape – sent two graphic sexual messages, apparently to an official group comprising several detective commanders in the province, from his official cellphone via WhatsApp on July 13 last year.
Mbotho said when he realised he had sent the messages; he wished he could have been swallowed into a hole, News24 reported at the time.
“Despite this heinous crime perpetrated by General Mbotho, I have since also been informed that he was appointed as the head of the Hawks in the North West today, 18 Dec. 2018 – despite him not having the requisite security clearance,” Arendse wrote in his letter, which was also distributed to the media.
“As a registered taxpayer, I demand that the appointment be reversed immediately and he be placed on administrative duties at head office in Pretoria until all outstanding matters and investigations against General Mbotho have been finalised.”
Hawks spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi confirmed that Mbotho would be heading to the North West.
He wasn’t sure when Mbotho would start or about the status of disciplinary proceedings against him. He said a formal announcement about the appointment had not yet been made.
In May last year, News24 reported that several sources said Mbotho had two meetings with underworld figure Nafiz Modack, who was said to be heading up a new faction taking over the control of club security from another faction.
Sources said these meetings had been about firearms and luxury cars, but Brigadier Novela Potelwa, speaking on Mbotho’s behalf at the time, denied this. She said Modack was in Mbotho’s office in connection with a complaint he had against the police.
“During the meeting, it transpired that the nature of complaint fell outside the jurisdiction of the SAPS Western Cape and he was subsequently referred to the office of the judge of [the Hawks],” she said.
The ANC in the Western Cape has spoken out against the spate of farm attacks in the province, and called on police to intensify their intelligence operations against those who carry out such attacks.
ANC secretary in the Western Cape, Faiez Jacobs, said that each assault on the farming community was one against the country, black and white, and also food security.
Farm worker killed on Philippi farm
Jacobs expressed outrage following the murder of a farm worker who was attacked by several men during a robbery on a farm in Philippi on Saturday morning.
According to police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana, its alleged a farmer and his son were busy with maintenance work on the property when ten men arrived on the pretence of conducting business.
“One of the suspects took out a firearm and threatened the owner, who was forced [to open the] safe and hand over an undisclosed amount of cash,” Rwexana said.
“The owner, his son and farm employees were subsequently forced into a storeroom. One farm worker, aged 31, was shot in the scuffle and he died on his way to hospital.”
One of the suspects was also killed.
Rwexana added that two of the suspects have already been arrested and a manhunt has been launched to find the other suspects who fled in a white Toyota Avanza vehicle and a white Volkswagen Golf.
Elderly couple murdered on Bonnievale farm
Jacobs also lauded the police for the arrest of a suspect who allegedly murdered an elderly farmer and his wife on their Bonnievale farm last week.
“Every attack on a farm is an attack on our country. Each loss of life in these criminal attacks is regretted and is mourned. We call on all our people to stand together to defeat these criminals,” Jacobs said.
“We want to thank police for their swift action and call on them to intensify intelligence operations against those behind this. We call on our courts to impose the most severe sentences on those found guilty of attacking farms.”
Jacobs also urged farmers to stop evictions and human rights abuses and encouraged them to create an environment for peace and productivity in rural communities.
The Sun City Resort is open for business after a devastating storm wreaked havoc, causing flooding and damage to the popular holiday destination over the weekend.
A hail storm, which also lead to subsequent flash floods, hit the North West region of the Pilanesberg and surrounding areas around 16:30 on Saturday. It resulted in substantial damages to hotel rooms, vehicles and other buildings at Sun City.
News24 previously reported that day visitors were immediately evacuated and bused away from badly affected areas.
On Monday, Raul de Lima, group executive for Sun City, said the resort was reopened following mop-up operations.
“Over the last 48 hours we’ve managed to deal with the mop-up operation to get the resort back into a decent shape for visitation by both hotel guests and day visitors,” said de Lima.
“The Valley of the Waves and Sun Central restaurants, including the retail mode, is open for business and most of the facilities are up and running again.”
De Lima added that there are still some challenges that the resort faces following the storm, such as a shortage of hotel room inventory, particularly at the Soho Hotel at the casino where 100 rooms are out of commission.
A further 40 rooms are out of commission at The Cascades and ten at The Palace, De Lima said.
“For the Vacation Club and The Cabanas we’ve managed to put rooms back into inventory and will be able to accommodate guests who have bookings, and who are arriving from today.”
“For the rest, the resort is back in fairly good shape.”
De Lima also commended the Sun City staff, service providers and some of their contractors for the effort that went into putting the resort back into a condition which is acceptable to visitors.
“For that we are very thankful. We would also like to thank all our guests and customers who have been understanding and sympathetic to what took place, given that it was a freak storm. For their indulgence and certainly their patience, we are very grateful and would like to thank them very much.”
De Lima said that while all systems are a go and that day visitors are encouraged to come to the resort, from a hotel perspective, all guests should still phone the resort to confirm that their booking is intact.
“Sun City can confirm that Sun Central and the Valley of the Waves will be open today for day visitors and hotel guests,” spokesperson Enid Vickers said on Sunday morning.
On Saturday, people were told to go home following a freak hailstorm and severe flooding.Two people were injured and vehicles and buildings, including nearly 200 hotel rooms, were damaged by a massive freak hailstorm that hit Sun City over the weekend, the holiday resort said on Sunday.
“Two people sustained injuries from slipping on wet floors. They were treated at the onsite clinic before being transferred to nearby hospitals,” CEO Thabo Mosololi said in a statement.
Furthermore, “by midnight last night, the estimated number of rooms affected include 80 rooms at the Soho Hotel, 40 rooms at the Cabanas, 30 at the Cascades Hotel, 26 at the Vacation Club and 20 at The Palace”.
Mosololi said that the situation on Sunday morning was “serious but under control”.
“Most of the damage was caused by flash flooding at the Sun Central family and entertainment precinct, and in ground floor hotel rooms.”
‘Go home’
Earlier, he said that new visitors arriving at the resort were being advised to return home.
The hailstorm hit the North West region of the Pilanesberg and surrounding areas at around 16:30 on Saturday. Day visitors were subsequently evacuated from the Sun Central and Sun Welcome Centres, which had sustained the worst damage.
“Guests whose accommodation was affected were being provided with alternative options. Some guests opted to leave the resort to return home.”
The resort’s emergency services were on the ground and assessing the situation.
“Contingency plans are in place, and mop-up operations are under way in damaged hotel rooms and public areas to ensure that normal operations resume as soon as possible.”
WATCH: The mess outside at the bus stops #SunCity. It was so sad for little kids, some were hurt ??. I’m just glad there no fatalities! pic.twitter.com/3IQH6ZqZe6
