Latest news with #DuToit
The Citizen
16-07-2025
- The Citizen
Zama zamas operating across Springs, but not at Wit Road off-ramp
Zama zamas operating across Springs, but not at Wit Road off-ramp Ward councillor Mike du Toit said cable thieves, not illegal miners, are behind underground activity near the N17 off-ramp but warns of growing zama zama operations across other parts of the area. Following a report by the SaferCity team last Thursday about possible underground activity at the N17 East and Wit Road off-ramp, ward councillor Mike du Toit told the Springs Advertiser that no illegal mining is taking place in that area. He explained that the issue at the Wit Road off-ramp is the result of a gang of cable thieves who have found access to a series of underground tunnels. This has led to two cable theft incidents since June 29. Du Toit said the thefts have caused serious electricity outages affecting parts of Nuffield and parts of Selection Park North. 'Losses to the industry have been very serious, and energy stakeholders and the private sector are looking at ways and means to secure the area,' he said. ALSO READ: Ex-Apartheid cop from Springs jailed 15 years for Caiphus Nyoka's murder He confirmed that illegal mining is taking place alongside the N17 further up, behind the old Nigel rail line, near the N17 Hospital and Pollak Park Golf Course, as well as further down behind Fulcrum. Du Toit added that while there is currently no reason to believe the N17 is under direct threat, the nature of zama zama operations could eventually pose a risk to road infrastructure. He also noted that illegal mining is occurring behind Daggafontein and the Mega City site. 'The police are well aware of these operations and conduct periodic raids wherever there are known illegal mining activities. 'However, these activities are extensive and span the entire Main Reef area, stretching from here to Klerksdorp,' said du Toit. ALSO READ: Ekurhuleni aware of exposed cables in Casseldale, repairs planned At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
12-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Springboks blank Italy: Four talking points
The Springboks shook off a 20th minute red card to Jasper Wiese to power to an impressive 38-0 win in the end. Springbok wing Edwill van der Merwe chases a chip from fullback Willie le Roux, on his way to score his second try against Italy at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday night. Picture: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images The Springboks produced a superb all-round performance, fronted by a ferocious defensive effort that led to them blanking Italy 45-0 in the second Test of their incoming series at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday night. It was still not a perfect performance, but was a step up from their 42-24 first Test win over the Italian visitors at Loftus last weekend, made more impressive by them being down a man for most of the game after a first half red card. Also, with a large number of changes made for the match, the Boks should be satisfied with their night's work. Here are four talking points from the game: Rassie's tricks and early scrum troubles Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is a genius innovator and he was at it again as from the starting kick-off, the Boks purposefully kicked it short, setting up an early scrum from which they could try and assert early dominance over the Italian scrum. However it didn't go to plan as Thomas du Toit was penalised for early engagement, which gave Italy a free kick. It was the start of a short but difficult night for Du Toit. Italy received a second free kick from another early engagement from Du Toit, followed him being penalised with a long arm after another scrum infringement. His difficult night came to an end in the 30th minute when he was replaced by Ox Nche, with the Bok scrum immediately demolishing the Italian scrum when he came on. Du Toit is a very good player, and hopefully this was just a blip and he will be back to his best when he next gets a chance. Willie's 100th and all action Edwill Springbok stalwart Willie le Roux was given a great reception by the Nelson Mandela Bay crowd when he ran out for his 100th appearance for the national team. They also loudly cheered his first touch of the ball, which unfortunately ended in a knock on. But he soon settled into the game and enjoyed a decent day out in his milestone match, including setting up a try with a clever chip over the Italian defence. If there ever was a player who is taking his chance when given, it is Edwill van der Merwe. He was incredibly unlucky to get injured last year after his man-of-the-match debut against Wales. In his second match for the Boks against Italy, he was again brilliant, sparking the move that led to the teams first try, while he finished off their second in the corner, and scored their third after a dink from Le Roux. Overall it was another magnificent action-packed performance from the winger. Jasper's red card The Springboks went down to 14-men in the 20th minute when eighthman Jasper Wiese was shown a red for a flash of anger in a scuffle. Wiese connected with a headbutt on an Italian player, and although the impact wasn't heavy, it was still a deserved sending off for foul play, and a very silly way to end his game. It also meant that he wouldn't be able to play with his brother Cobus for the first time in their professional career, when he came off the bench in the second half. Despite being down a man, with them 10-0 up at the time, it didn't seem to slow the Boks down as they ran in another two tries over the rest of the half, to take a 24-0 lead into the break. The Boks were then down to 13 in the 44th minute, after Wilco Louw was yellow carded for head contact in a tackle, but Italy was down to 14 men themselves a few minutes later after repeated penalties, and in this time the Boks scored their fifth try. Full 80 showing Last week in the first Test at Loftus the Boks produced a decent first half effort to score four tries and lead 28-3 at the break. But followed that up with a poor second half performance that saw Italy fight back, with an eventual end score of 42-24. This weekend saw a similar showing in the first half, the Boks dotting down four tries to lead 24-0 at the break, but they followed that up with a solid second half to make sure it was a top all-round effort on the night. Despite being down to 14-men after Wiese's 20th minute red card, and even 13-men when Wilco Louw was yellowed in the second half, the Boks didn't panic, continued to dominate at the breakdown and played the territory game, kicking deep into Italy's territory and making the visitors play from deep. They also added to their try tally through a maul try to Malcolm Marx, and scores in the corner from Makazole Mapimpi and Jan-Hendrik Wessels, while their brilliant defence kept the Italians scoreless on the night.
The Star
10-07-2025
- The Star
Wimpie Manthata acquitted in SARS tax fraud case at Palm Ridge Court
In a dramatic turn at the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court, Vimpie Phineas Manthata and his company, Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement (ITLE), and bookkeeper Judy Rose were acquitted of all charges in a SARS-led tax fraud case involving nearly R19 million. The charges, stemming from the 2018/2019 tax period, alleged violations of the Tax Administration Act and deliberate submission of false returns. But Magistrate Phindi Keswa ruled that the State had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Delivering a firm yet gracious judgment, Magistrate Keswa commended the defence team for their clarity and legal precision: 'Thank you for making my job easy by preparing such good heads of argument,' she said from the bench. 'The State could not find error. The State failed to distinguish between clerical oversight and criminal intent.' She added that the prosecution's case lacked the evidentiary burden required to secure a conviction under the Act. The State's case, built on testimony from senior SARS officials, claimed that ITLE had manipulated tax filings to avoid payment. But the defence, led by attorney Pierre du Toit, had dismantled that narrative with a piercing legal argument that Magistrate Keswa cited directly in her ruling. In his closing submission, Du Toit argued: 'This case is not about millions of rands - it is about millions of assumptions. ''The state has not shown even a single deliberate act of deceit. In our law, confusion is not a crime. The burden is not on the accused to prove innocence, but on the State to prove guilt, and it has spectacularly failed to do so.' Du Toit rooted his argument in landmark case law, including State vd Prinsloo (1975) and State vs Futché (1997), both of which emphasise the necessity of proving intent beyond negligence. Magistrate Keswa agreed: In a judgement that lasted two hours, Kheswa confirmed in Futché, intent is the foundation of any fraud charge. And Prinsloo reminds us that mere discrepancies do not constitute criminality unless the mind behind them is proven dishonest. In this case, it was not.' During the trial, SARS officials conceded under cross-examination that they had no direct evidence of falsified entries or collusion. Rose testified that she had used standard accounting software and practices. Du Toit argued that errors could easily arise in any fast-growing, mid-size enterprise, but there was no evidence of malfeasance in this case. The courtroom, tense for weeks, erupted in quiet relief as the verdict was handed down. Though Wimpie and his co-accused still face a separate corruption trial linked to a R191 million SAPS contract, today's result offers a crucial reprieve and tests the strength of the state's case against Manthata and the other accused. Legal analyst Thabo Maleka said, 'This was a masterclass in tax defence. ''Du Toit was methodical and persuasive. The court rightly held the line: assumptions, no matter how dramatic, are not evidence.' For now, Manthata walks out of Palm Ridge Court with a clean record and his freedom firmly intact.
IOL News
10-07-2025
- IOL News
Wimpie Manthata acquitted in SARS tax fraud case at Palm Ridge Court
Vimpie Phineas Manthata walks out of Palm Ridge Court with a clean record and his freedom firmly intact. In a dramatic turn at the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court, Vimpie Phineas Manthata and his company, Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement (ITLE), and bookkeeper Judy Rose were acquitted of all charges in a SARS-led tax fraud case involving nearly R19 million. The charges, stemming from the 2018/2019 tax period, alleged violations of the Tax Administration Act and deliberate submission of false returns. But Magistrate Phindi Keswa ruled that the State had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Delivering a firm yet gracious judgment, Magistrate Keswa commended the defence team for their clarity and legal precision: 'Thank you for making my job easy by preparing such good heads of argument,' she said from the bench. 'The State could not find error. The State failed to distinguish between clerical oversight and criminal intent.' She added that the prosecution's case lacked the evidentiary burden required to secure a conviction under the Act. The State's case, built on testimony from senior SARS officials, claimed that ITLE had manipulated tax filings to avoid payment. But the defence, led by attorney Pierre du Toit, had dismantled that narrative with a piercing legal argument that Magistrate Keswa cited directly in her ruling. In his closing submission, Du Toit argued: 'This case is not about millions of rands - it is about millions of assumptions. ''The state has not shown even a single deliberate act of deceit. In our law, confusion is not a crime. The burden is not on the accused to prove innocence, but on the State to prove guilt, and it has spectacularly failed to do so.' Du Toit rooted his argument in landmark case law, including State vd Prinsloo (1975) and State vs Futché (1997), both of which emphasise the necessity of proving intent beyond negligence. Magistrate Keswa agreed: In a judgement that lasted two hours, Kheswa confirmed in Futché, intent is the foundation of any fraud charge. And Prinsloo reminds us that mere discrepancies do not constitute criminality unless the mind behind them is proven dishonest. In this case, it was not.' During the trial, SARS officials conceded under cross-examination that they had no direct evidence of falsified entries or collusion. Rose testified that she had used standard accounting software and practices. Du Toit argued that errors could easily arise in any fast-growing, mid-size enterprise, but there was no evidence of malfeasance in this case. The courtroom, tense for weeks, erupted in quiet relief as the verdict was handed down. Though Wimpie and his co-accused still face a separate corruption trial linked to a R191 million SAPS contract, today's result offers a crucial reprieve and tests the strength of the state's case against Manthata and the other accused. Legal analyst Thabo Maleka said, 'This was a masterclass in tax defence. ''Du Toit was methodical and persuasive. The court rightly held the line: assumptions, no matter how dramatic, are not evidence.' For now, Manthata walks out of Palm Ridge Court with a clean record and his freedom firmly intact.
TimesLIVE
08-07-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Beware of Italy with their tails up, cautions Boks' Du Toit
If an energetic Italian side get their tails up and put their foot to the pedal on attack, the Springboks must remain structured to hold them at bay, says Springbok prop Thomas du Toit. After the Boks beat a spirited Azzurri 42-24 at Loftus Versfeld at the weekend, the scene is set for a fascinating rematch at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday (kickoff 5.10pm). At halftime in Pretoria the Boks looked to be cruising to a big win when they opened up a 28-3 lead before the never-say-die Italians produced a spirited second-half comeback. Though Italy are ranked 10th in the world, the South Africans are expecting another tough battle against the proud Azzurri. 'We could have been much better last week and there were certain aspects of the game in which we had to look ourselves in the eye and say we were not good enough,' Du Toit said. 🗣️ "We pride ourselves on scrums and mauls so that one maul try they scored, definitely will try rectify that!" Thomas du Toit on being back with the Springboks and what the work-ons are ahead of the second test against Italy. #SSRugby — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 7, 2025 'But we know what we need to do this week against a passionate Italian side, as we saw last week. 'Italy are a young team full of energy and well-coached. You can see they don't want to mess around in their half and they want to put foot to the pedal in the opposition's half. 'It is about sustaining discipline and not allowing them entry into your 22. When Italy get their tails up and want to attack and have a bit of flair, it is about staying in your systems and trying to nullify that. 'You can see big passion from the Italian players and they are proud to play for their country. We have seen that through the years and it never changes. 'I wouldn't say it was a wake-up call as such [the first Test], we just set high standards for ourselves, in preparing for a match and in the match itself, as well as in training. We've missed Damian Willemse in a Bok jersey 🇿🇦✨ 📺 Stream #RSAvITA on DStv: — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 5, 2025 'Italy seem to be more structured than in the past and they are performing well and gelling as a unit.' Du Toit said the Boks set high standards whenever they prepared for a Test match. 'At training, we try to lift one another so we can get better. 'When we review a game, we do so in the sense of 'were we better than the week before?' Then we have to look ourselves in the mirror.' Du Toit said emotions needed to be taken out of post-match game reviews after Test matches. 'There is a reality you need to face when you review a game. After a game, everyone might be emotional and they won't necessarily see the whole picture. 'Our coaches do an unbelievably good job at reviewing the game properly, so when we meet on a Monday we have a real view of what happened. Your perception after a game is not necessarily accurate.' Du Toit said he was comfortable playing loose-head or tight-head prop and viewed this ability as an important asset. 'I am grateful that at my club, Bath, coach Johan van Graan has given me opportunities to play both sides of the scrum and I feel comfortable with that. 'It is just a week of preparation and then you have it. It is like riding a bike and you get back to that natural feeling. 'I don't mind it and feel it is another arrow in my quiver I can take out whenever the coaches or team need it and I am grateful I can play that part. When you get taken out of your comfort zone, you either sink or swim. 'When I went to Bath, that definitely put me out of my comfort zone, but in a positive way. There was this realisation that you had to lift your game to compete with the best and the Premiership is a tough competition.'
