EASTERN CAPE – Police members from the Queenstown Cluster Combating Task Team were on their daily routine duties on Sunday, 07 July 2019 when they received information about a taxi loading dagga from Dordrecht town to Cape Town using the Molteno route.

Members followed up the information and spotted the vehicle fitting the description. A search was conducted and six bags containing dagga were recovered. Two suspects were arrested.

While they members were performing patrol duties, a suspicious Quantum driving towards R61 towards Tarkastad road was spotted. Members quickly chased the vehicle and managed to conduct a stop and search.

A total of Fifty Three (53) bags of dagga to the value of R1, 5 Million were confiscated and three suspects subsequently arrested.

All the arrested suspects will soon appear before Queenstown and Molteno Magistrate’s Courts respectively facing charges of dealing in dagga.

The Acting Cluster Commander, Brigadier Pumla Mavuka commended the members for their vigilance.

Source: South African Police Service

ALIWAL NORTH CLUSTER – On 7th July 2019, during a multi-disciplinary operation, the Aliwal North and Queenstown Crime Intelligence Unit, Aliwal North K9 Unit, and Queenstown COCC seized six (6) mielie meal bags filled with dagga from a Toyota Quantum taxi that was searched on the R56 Road, Molteno. Two suspects, aged 40 and 20, were subsequently arrested. The duo is expected to appear in court soon.

The Aliwal North Deputy Cluster Commander commends the members for their diligent work in conducting operations resulting in successful results. He also applauds the Aliwal North Cluster and Queenstown Cluster for working hand-in-hand in apprehending dagga traffickers in the province.

Source: South African Police Service

NORTHERN CAPE – Jan Esterhuise (41) will spend life behind bars, subsequent to be found guilty and sentenced by the Northern Cape High Court last week Friday, 05 July 2019. He was found guilty and convicted for the brutal murder of a 44-year-old Riana du Toit and for robbery with aggravating circumstances.

On the day of the crime, the victim stopped her vehicle to offer a lift to Esterhuise as he was hitch hiking. Esterhuise grabbed Riana and took her outside the vehicle, assaulted and robbed her of her belongings. It emerged in court during trial that Esterhuise bludgeoned Riana’s head with rocks and left her to die just next to her car. She suffered severe head injuries and she subsequently sustained various facial lacerations.

The victim was discovered by her colleague on a dirt road between Sutherland and Merweville.

In her judgement, Judge Alme Stanton found that Esterhuise had not shown any remorse for the murder of Du Toit. She sentenced him to life imprisonment for the murder and 15 years imprisonment for the aggravated robbery. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

The Northern Cape Police Management condemns violent crimes against women and children and welcomed the life term sentencing handed down to Esterhuise. The Investigating Officer was commended for working closely with the National Prosecuting Authority to ensure that Esterhuise was removed from our society.

Source: South African Police Service

Parliament, The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development condemns in the strongest terms the criminal acts arising from the recent attack and invasion of a 7 500-hectare farm in KwaZulu-Natal, valued at over R300 million.

Of concern is that the farm manager was assaulted and subsequently hospitalised. It is also alleged that there is a division within the Mathulini Communal Property Association (CPA) at Mtwalume where a certain group of people had approached the Land Claims Court over claims to the same land. The Chairperson of the Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Committee, Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, said: There are sufficient provisions in the land reform process to deal with disputes and counter claims. Such claims still have full recourse to procedural justice and other legal provisions. We cannot condone acts of criminality as these do not advance the process of land reform or restitution. Such vile acts are not only uncalled for, but also further diminish the integrity of claims or counter claims.

We appeal for calm and call for a criminal investigation into this incident so that the culprits may face the full might of the law. Whilst we understand that the land restitution process is highly emotive and tied to the trauma, pain and suffering arising from historic dispossession, we can never allow violence to define a process that is intended to be restorative, healing and advancing reconciliation and social cohesion. We appeal to all individuals and communities involved in land claims and restitution processes not to take the law into their own hands, regardless of the circumstances.

We must also caution against political parties making cheap mileage out of a very volatile situation. We urge for maturity as irresponsible statements and grand standing will only ferment a cycle of acrimony, criminality and violence. We must do all in our power to stem illegal farm invasions and ensure that such acts of criminality do not derail the legitimate process of restitution, nor cause hardship and suffering to the rightful beneficiaries of such claims.

In the 5th Parliament, Parliament amended the Communal Property Association Act in order to enable government departments to make interventions to address internal conflicts within CPAs. The Office of the Registrar of CPAs, envisaged in the amended legislation, will have adequate resources and capacity to make interventions and resolve conflicts which are often the reason for the existence of concerned groups within CPAs.

In terms of the 2019/20 budget that the committee has been processing, it is understood the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) plans to ensure that 443 CPAs are assisted as a matter of priority to be compliant with the legislation, in terms of accountability, term of office for office bearers, and upholding their respective constitutions.

The committee urges the DRDLR to ensure that this CPA � Mathulini Communal Property Association is included as a priority matter, and be assisted to resolve their issues. The committee will follow up with the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to ensure that this CPA and others in a similar position are assisted to ensure the smooth functioning of the CPA.

Source: Parliament of the Republic of South Africa