28 August 2022
A SUSPECT IN A FRAUDULENT RAF CLAIM, ACCUSED OF LYING ABOUT ACCIDENT
Siyandisa Nomagwala, 30, is reported to have submitted a claim worth R1.6 million to RAF through his lawyer, claiming that he was in motor vehicle accident in Ngcobo where he was left with injuries.
The suspect appeared at the East London Magistrate’s court on Friday following his defrauding of Road Accident Fund (RAF).
Hawks’ spokesperson, Yolisa Mgolodela said: “The claimant was reportedly on his way to Libode from Kuruman with his family in a new car bought by his brother who died in that accident.”
Mgolodela further said that the claim was processed by RAF and Nomagwala’s attorney got his R190 000 of the R690 000 claim, and the suspect received R500 000.
“The claimant was paid as a third party. It is reported that before RAF could make the final payment, they realised that the claimant had written two contradicting statements that led them to conduct an investigation which revealed that the claimant was not in the accident,” said Mgolodela.
The suspect, Siyandisa Nomagwala, was arrested on 24 August 2022, by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team at his workplace in Kuruman, Northern Cape on 24 August and was transported to East London.
He was released on R2000 bail.
The case is postponed to September 30.
ANOTHER KIDNAPPING SUSPECT IN EASTERN CAPE.
Vuyisani Topo, 38, who is facing multiple charges of kidnapping, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and house robbery with a firearm, is expected to apply for a bail.
Topo, is the third suspect in a case of kidnapping three people in the Eastern Cape and is set to appear in the Cala Magistrate’s court.
His partners, Xolile Makhosini (37), traditional healer and taxi owner, Constable Mfundo Ntshiba, 35, attached to the Cala Community Service Centre, were apprehended by the Eastern Cape Kidnapping Task Team headed by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team in East London.
Topo, was apprehended on 12 August, while Ntshiba and Makhosini were apprehended on 06 July.
It is alleged that the three suspects did the crimes disguised as police officers.
Provincial Hawks spokesperson, Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, said the trio forced their way in a home and kidnapped three people and scored a whooping R22 000 and 98 bank cards.
This allegedly happened in a loan shark’s house in Cala, on 05 July 2022.
The officials successfully managed to rescue the victims and were unharmed.
“Ntshiba was identified by the victims and was immediately arrested together with Makhosini. They both appeared in Cala Magistrate’s court on 07 July 2022, and Makhosini was granted R2 000 bail to reappear on 30 August 2022, while Ntshiba was denied bail on the basis on being a law enforcement agent.
“Ntshiba later escaped lawful custody on July 25, 2022, during his third bail appearance to date.
“Topo was arrested on 12 August 2022, through public assistance after a long search by police,” said Mgolodela.
Topo is still in police custody waiting for his next appearance.
WOMAN STABS HER BOYFRIEND IN THE NECK
A 29-year-old woman, from Wells Estate in Gqeberha, is accused of stabbing his boyfriend in the neck, and she still in police custody.
Police spokesperson Captain Gerda Swart says the suspect and his 38-year-old boyfriend had an argument on Saturday morning at their home, in Debe Street.
He says it is alleged that the woman took a knife and started stabbing her boyfriend in the neck.
The victim died at the scene.
Swart says the suspect was arrested at the scene.
He is expected to appear at Motherwell Magistrates’ Court on Monday and charged with murder.
The victim’s name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
GAUTENG HEALTH CFO AND TEMBISA HOSPITAL CEO SUSPENDED AS SIU INVESTIGATION BEGINS.
Gauteng Department of Health CFO, Lerato Madyo, and Tembisa Hospital CEO, Ashley Mthunzi have been suspended, on Friday 26 August 2022, with immediate effect pending investigations.
The officials were place on suspension by the provincial government to not interfere with the investigations into the serious allegations around improper procurement and payment of service providers at Tembisa Hospital.
“Given the seriousness of the allegations and the possible link to the murder case of Babita Deokaran – former chief director of finance, exemplary public servant and courageous whistle-blower who was brutally killed a year ago – the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) has been appointed to investigate these allegations with urgency,” it was mentioned in a statement.
Premier David Makhura welcomed the precautionary suspension.
Makhura further said that the head of Gauteng Department of Health, Dr Nomonde Nolutshungu, told him that she has been receiving threats from “anonymous source.”
Makhura, following the threats to Dr Nomonde, had directed police commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela to take appropriate measures to address these threats and find those behind them.
“The state has a duty to protect whistle-blowers and upright public servants. We will never surrender to the crooks and corrupt elements and will do everything in our power to fight corruption and state capture of our being,” said Makhura.
RAMATHUBA – THOSE WHO USE PRIVATE HOSPITAL WANT ME OUT.
Limpopo Health MEC, Phophi Ramathuba, said that people who do not use public hospitals are the ones calling for her resignation.
The MEC was under attack following a viral video where she was seen shouting at a Zimbabwean woman for seeking medical attention in South Africa.
The patient is alleged to have gone for surgery at Bela Bela hospital after being involved in a car accident across the border in Zimbabwe.
Ramathuba is heard telling the woman that she should have seeked medical attention in Zimbabwe’s government, under Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Ramathuba who received a lot of backlash for her comments, has refused to apologies, and rejects the calls to step down.
The MEC said she was advocating for the 91% Limpopo residents who use government hospital, further adding that until the residents want her to vacate, she will remain in her office.
Ramathuba – who is a qualified doctor – said she remains steadfast in her mission to deal with illegal migrants who cross the border to seek medical care in her province.
The MEC said Zimbabwean nationals are abusing the system and collapsing medical health care in the province.
ACCORDING TO A FORMER FBI OFFICIAL, ALL “COMPETENT FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SERVICES” WERE ATTEMPTING TO GAIN ACCESS TO TRUMP’S MAR-A-LAGO RESORT.
According to a former deputy assistant director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, a slew of foreign intelligence services was and continue to be interested in gaining access to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, making the shocking revelation that he kept top secret documents there more disturbing.
Ex-FBI agent Peter Strzok told MSNBC host Katie Phang that the Florida resort was a hotbed of intrigue.
“Do you agree that it is a possibility that the Russians, especially with that very tight cozy connection that the Russians have had through [Vladimir] Putin with Donald Trump, that they would have been interested and possibly tried to infiltrate Mar-a-Lago to get to some of that data? ” host Phang asked.
“Katie, absolutely the Russians but not just the Russians,” the former FBI official replied.
“Any competent foreign intelligence service, whether those belonging to China, those belonging to Iran, Cuba, certainly including Russia are all both were interested and are interested in gaining access to Mar-a-Lago,” he continued. “Which, especially considering the information coming out right now about the absolute lack of any control or memorialization of who the access to Mar-a-Lago at any given time, particularly in the context of the fact it appears the classified documents were strewn all over the facility and not just in the storage room.”
“Classified documents were recovered from his office, from the pine hall, from a multitude of places,” he elaborated. “So, if you are a foreign intelligence service, yes, of course regardless of the knowledge of classified documents being there, the intelligence services are going to have been trying to gain access.”
ARTICLE BY Siyakholwa Vuso// EDITED BY Cwayita Zweni