Carletonville police teach Busy Bee Daycare children how to stay safe from criminals
The initiative was led by Captain Plastiek Van Vuuren, Carletonville's Social Crime Prevention Officer, and coordinated by Sergeant Thabo David Mathebula, the station's domestic violence coordinator. The outreach forms part of an ongoing effort to strengthen community safety and raise awareness at grassroots level.
Other stakeholders included representatives from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the Community Policing Forum (CPF), SAVF, and the Departments of Social Services and Health.
'The purpose of the visit was to teach children how to ask for help when they need it, especially to escape dangerous situations or kidnappers,' said Sgt. Mathebula.
Children were introduced to the role players, including Abraham Sithole from the Siyabangena CPF patrollers, who assured the youngsters that CPF patrollers are trustworthy and there to help.
Mapule Ratsoma from the NPA also encouraged children to speak up if they see something wrong and said they can even report crimes to religious leaders they trust.
One of the most engaging moments of the day was a musical activity led by Wandiswa Bangane from the Carletonville Central Clinic, who sang the My Special Body song to about 70 children. The performance reminded children that police officers are their friends, not people to be afraid of.
The children received 20 SAPS-branded colouring books and sweets from Sgt. Mathebula — but with a firm warning:
'Never accept sweets or gifts from strangers.'
The educational visit was well-received and highlighted the importance of early childhood education in crime prevention and safety awareness.
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Daily Maverick
3 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Ramaphosa's cop ‘corruption' response — Mchunu on leave and judicial inquiry into spies and law enforcers
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Mkhwanazi's allegations included that: A high-level criminal syndicate is operating in South Africa, and it extends into the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Police Ministry, Parliament, official prison structures, the judiciary and other law-enforcing authorities. A drug cartel headquartered in Gauteng controls that syndicate. At the end of last year, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu issued a directive to disband the Political Killings Task Team to shield politically connected members of a criminal syndicate from prosecution. Mchunu was in cahoots with individuals including organised crime accused Vusi 'Cat' Matlala. Mchunu denied the accusations. Ramaphosa had not been able to deal with the matter sooner because he was in Brazil attending a BRICS summit. In his address on Sunday, Ramaphosa said: 'The allegations made … raise serious concerns around the Constitution, the rule of law and national security.' 'Infiltration of law enforcement' He announced the creation of a judicial commission of inquiry into Mkhwanazi's allegations. 'The commission will investigate allegations relating to the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates,' said Ramaphosa. 'Among the allegations that the commission may investigate are the facilitation of organised crime; suppression or manipulation of investigations; inducement into criminal actions by law enforcement leadership; commission of any other criminal offences and intimidation, victimisation or targeted removal of whistleblowers or officials resisting criminal influence.' It would look into whether any members of the national executive overseeing the criminal justice system were complicit in criminal activity, as alleged by Mkhwanazi. 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I stand ready to respond to the accusations against me and account to the citizens of the Republic, fully and honestly so.' MEDIA STATEMENT⁰ Date: 13 July 2025 MINISTER OF POLICE, MR SENZO MCHUNU, ACCEPTS AND SUPPORTS THE DECISION OF THE PRESIDENT The Minister of Police, Mr Senzo Mchunu, will be taking a leave of absence from his official duties following serious allegations levelled against him… — Senzo Mchunu (@Senzo_Mchunu_) July 13, 2025 A Cabinet minister will fill Mchunu's position until August, when Firoz Cachalia, the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council's chairperson and a former Gauteng community safety MEC, will take over. Cachalia will become acting police minister only in August because he is a professor of law at the University of the Witwatersrand, a position from which he is retiring at the end of this month. Spies, prosecutors, magistrates, cops Mkhwanazi's accusations, meanwhile, painted South Africa's criminal justice system as infested with corrupt officials. And Ramaphosa on Sunday, when outlining what exactly the judicial commission of inquiry would look into, referenced past and present state officials, ranging from spooks to prosecutors. 'The commission will investigate the role of current or former senior officials in certain institutions who may have aided or abetted the alleged criminal activity; failed to act on credible intelligence or internal warnings; or benefited financially or politically from a syndicate's operations,' he said. 'These institutions are the South African Police Service, National Prosecuting Authority, State Security Agency, the judiciary and magistracy, and the metropolitan police departments of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane.' This suggests that even state agents who operate mostly in secret could be investigated. As for members of metro police departments being focused on, this may directly link to what Mkhwanazi has alleged about a drug cartel headquartered in Gauteng. 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ActionSA's Dereleen James said the party saw 'no logic in yet another commission of inquiry carrying out work that law enforcement and agencies like [the Independent Police Investigative Directorate] should be doing.' DM
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Pretoria Sangoma predicts Cabinet reshuffle for Mchunu, not suspension
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The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Ramaphosa establishes commission of inquiry to investigate serious claims by top cop Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday announced the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate serious corruption allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. 'These allegations, if proven true, threaten to undermine public confidence in the ability of the South African Police Service to protect citizens and combat crime and corruption,' Ramaphosa said. Ramaphosa's address, delayed by 30 minutes, came a week after Mkhwanazi publicly accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of interfering in criminal investigations and protecting corrupt networks within law enforcement. Ramaphosa emphasised the need to safeguard the integrity of law enforcement as South Africans grapple with rising crime, including kidnappings, gender-based violence, and gang activity. Ramaphosa appointed Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga to lead the inquiry, assisted by senior counsels Sesi Baloyi and Sandile Khumalo. He said the commission will investigate claims that criminal networks have infiltrated law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and other elements of the justice system. Areas of focus include the facilitation of organised crime, manipulation of investigations, and targeting of whistleblowers and officials. Ramaphosa said the commission will also investigate the possible involvement of current or former senior officials across SA Police Service (SAPS), the National Prosecuting Authority, the State Security Agency, the judiciary, and metro police departments in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane. Mkhwanazi alleged that Mchunu disbanded the Political Killings Task Team in KwaZulu-Natal in March, effectively shutting down 121 active dockets, many linked to politically motivated murders. He also claimed that investigations had exposed links between criminal syndicates and politicians, law enforcement officials, prosecutors, members of the judiciary, and businesspeople. Mkhwanazi, during his media briefing last week, presented WhatsApp messages, SAPS documents, and cellphone records that he said demonstrated coordinated efforts to dismantle the KZN task team. He implicated Mchunu's 'comrade' Brown Mogotsi in communicating with businessman Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala, who had received a R360 million SAPS contract that has since been canceled. According to Mkhwanazi, the disbandment was 'a calculated move to shield a criminal syndicate embedded in law enforcement and politics.'
