Latest news with #Hadebe
The Herald
25-06-2025
- The Herald
Life sentences for killers of ANC ward chairperson over tenders
On January 29 2020 Makhanya visited his sister in Verulam, north of Durban. It was at this time he befriended Hadebe. The court heard how the two, who were nabbed through a political task team, were linked through cellphone records. They pleaded not guilty to the charge. Though Hadebe had no previous convictions Makhanya, a grade 4 primary school dropout, was previously convicted of an attempted murder charge. He was a taxi conductor based at a Port Shepstone rank at the time of the murder. Balton said there were no compelling and exceptional circumstances which permitted her to deviate from the prescribed minimum life sentence. She found the pair were ruthless and had no regard for a human life. She said Hadebe was Magwaza's close friend but wanted to get a tender at all costs. Balton said the court could also not ignore submissions from the state on how a dying Magwaza had allegedly called out Hadebe to rescue him, not knowing he was the one behind his murder. He visited the Magwaza family to offer condolences. 'Magwaza's family trusted him, ' she said. Balton said the victim impact statement of Amahle Masikane, Magwaza's niece, demonstrated how her uncle's death disrupted her studies and forced her get a job at a call centre. She said the statement also portrayed the shock, grief and destruction the family endured after the murder. 'She [Masikane ] was shocked at seeing her uncle lying in a pool of blood.' The sentencing was not without drama as Hadebe told his lawyer Manoj Hardeo he wanted the proceedings postponed as he wanted to retain a new lawyer. Balton told Hadebe the matter was completed as he had been convicted. She advised Hadebe he should for apply for leave to appeal after sentencing. TimesLIVE
The Citizen
20-06-2025
- The Citizen
Village residents living in fear of criminals
Violent crime has gripped Malamulele, where residents fear for their lives as armed criminals continue to terrorise homes and families. Residents of Malamulele near Giyani in Limpopo are living in fear of gun-wielding criminals who attack them in their homes. Recently, community members protested and accused the police of not doing enough to arrest the criminals, who recently shot and killed a 20-year-old young man and raped his 17-year-old sister in Malamulele Extension B. They fled the scene with stolen property including a cellphone, laptop, chainsaw, TV, bicycle and grinder collectively valued at R36 300. Many more housebreakings in Malamulele Authorities said there were many more housebreaking cases reported in the area. Yesterday, Limpopo police provincial commissioner LieutenantGeneral Thembi Hadebe, together with transport and community safety MEC Violet Mathye, visited the area to assess the progress made so far in the fight against crime. 'Crime-related incidents prompted the deployment of multidisciplinary forces in the area to stabilise the situation. The area has experienced a spate of violent crime, including house robberies and other violent incidents in which several homes were targeted,' Hadebe said. ALSO READ: R213m down the drain as Limpopo residents still have no water 'Our team has done a good job as three suspects linked to the recent case were arrested, while 11 other suspects, including foreign nationals, have also been arrested for other crimes committed in the area.' 'We have deployed more officers in Malamulele after realising that crime is on the rise. We have relaunched the Community Policing Forum (CPF) at some of the crime hotspots to make sure that they assist in the fight against crime. 'We are appealing to the community members to join the police as reservists and to be part of the CPF,' he said. Residents under siege Hadebe said the police were doing well to address the situation at Malamulele and neighbouring villages. Several residents who spoke to The Citizen confirmed that they were under siege and they were even afraid to go out on the street at night. 'Things are out of hand here, the crime rate in our area is too high and we are being attacked every day by armed criminals,' said a resident who asked not to be named. ALSO READ: Limpopo's Rain Queen suspends initiation schools in 2025 'People are being raped, killed and robbed of their belongings. 'Every night when we go to sleep, we don't know whether we will make it through the night.' He said the rampant crime in the area started a few years ago when the police started to fight illegal mining in the area. Rampant crime started when police started fighting illegal mining He alleges that most of the criminal activities are committed by foreign nationals and the locals who were involved in illegal mining. 'Since the police interrupted their illegal mining projects, they started to commit crime and terrorise the community members.' Another resident, a single mother, said it was hard for them because every night she feared that they might be attacked by criminals. NOW READ: Daughter pleads guilty to brutal murder of father in Limpopo
The Herald
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
Gunman who disrupted ActionSA branch launch appears in court
Party members scurried for cover as one of the gunmen, who arrived in a Toyota Quantum, fired shots inside the venue. Some party members managed to disarm the gunman. Mncwango confirmed the incident and said the men stormed the meeting venue and started shooting. 'We managed to disarm the suspects and took them to Sydenham police station,' he said. Mncwango said the branch launch had to be cancelled because members were terrified. He said they want the suspects to reveal who sent them. Mncwango has many enemies in the province due to his stance against corruption in the provincial government and eThekwini municipality. Hadebe, who chose to represent himself during proceedings, failed in his bid to have presiding magistrate Ntokozo Myeni refuse an application for the media to photograph him. Senior prosecutor Seema Reddy had not objected to the application as there was no identity parade because Hadebe was arrested on the scene. Court proceedings got off to a bad start as Hadebe infuriated Myeni because of his inaudible responses to the court. Hadebe later requested the court to grant him bail, saying he transported children to school and had strong emotional ties with his children. Reddy said the state was opposed to bail and called for the matter to be postponed to Tuesday. She said information had also surfaced that Hadebe had previous convictions dating back to 2015. TimesLIVE
TimesLIVE
17-06-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Gunman who disrupted ActionSA branch launch appears in court
ActionSA KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Zwakele Mncwango has called on other political parties in the province to talk to their members about the importance of political tolerance. He was speaking at the Durban magistrate's court on Tuesday afternoon after the appearance of Xolani Morgan Hadebe, who is accused of firing shots at ActionSA members and supporters during a branch launch on Sunday. He is facing charges of pointing a firearm and discharging a firearm in a built-up area. The matter was adjourned to June 24, for a bail application. 'We hope he does not get bail because our members are scared. We are worried about people like these who do not understand democracy. It does not matter which political party the accused belongs to, but he should allow us to campaign freely anywhere in KZN. I don't know which political party he belongs to, and I don't care,' said Mncwango. Mncwango was accompanied by the party's former chairperson Musa Kubheka, activists and councillors, including Halalisani Ndlovu, who was also present during Sunday's commotion. Party members scurried for cover as one of the gunmen, who arrived in a Toyota Quantum, fired shots inside the venue. Some party members managed to disarm the gunman. Mncwango confirmed the incident and said the men stormed the meeting venue and started shooting. 'We managed to disarm the suspects and took them to Sydenham police station,' he said. Mncwango said the branch launch had to be cancelled because members were terrified. He said they want the suspects to reveal who sent them. Mncwango has many enemies in the province due to his stance against corruption in the provincial government and eThekwini municipality. Hadebe, who chose to represent himself during proceedings, failed in his bid to have presiding magistrate Ntokozo Myeni refuse an application for the media to photograph him. Senior prosecutor Seema Reddy had not objected to the application as there was no identity parade because Hadebe was arrested on the scene. Court proceedings got off to a bad start as Hadebe infuriated Myeni because of his inaudible responses to the court. Hadebe later requested the court to grant him bail, saying he transported children to school and had strong emotional ties with his children. Reddy said the state was opposed to bail and called for the matter to be postponed to Tuesday. She said information had also surfaced that Hadebe had previous convictions dating back to 2015.
The South African
07-06-2025
- The South African
Limpopo police bust truck smuggling stolen goods to Malawi
Limpopo police struck a decisive blow against transnational crime, intercepting a highly organised smuggling syndicate transporting stolen goods from Cape Town to Malawi. At around 2:00 on Thursday, 5 June, the Limpopo Anti-Smuggling Task Team, working with Tshimollo Security and Investigation and Shadow Secure Technology, stopped a Scania truck with superlink trailers near the Polokwane weighbridge. The truck, believed to be part of a broader criminal network exploiting the Beitbridge border post, was found carrying a staggering cache of stolen items following an 18-hour search operation. 'This breakthrough represents a major victory against sophisticated criminal networks that have been exploiting our borders to traffic stolen goods,' said Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe. Stolen Goods Reveal Chopped Cars and Bikes Investigators uncovered chopped parts of a Ford Ranger stolen in Nyanga, including critical components like the engine and dashboard. Sixty disassembled motorcycles, hidden in drums and containers, were traced to thefts from at least seven police precincts across the Western Cape, such as Bellville, Muizenberg, and Sea Point. Electronic goods suspected to have been stolen, including plasma televisions, sound systems, solar tower batteries, and cell phones, were also added to the haul. All were concealed in an elaborate smuggling setup designed to pass undetected through one of the busiest trade routes in southern Africa. 'The collaboration between our Anti-Smuggling Task Team and private security partners demonstrates the power of coordinated law enforcement efforts,' Hadebe noted. The total value of the recovered goods is estimated to exceed R3 million. Four Suspects to Face Justice Four foreign nationals, aged between 37 and 50, were arrested at the scene. They are expected to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court on Monday, 9 June, to face charges related to possession of suspected stolen goods. Authorities have also seized the truck and trailers involved, treating the vehicle as key evidence in an ongoing investigation into cross-border smuggling syndicates. Hadebe assured the public, 'We will continue to target these criminal syndicates relentlessly until they are completely dismantled.' With police ramping up their focus on smuggling syndicates, are our borders finally tightening? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
