Sunday, November 10, 2024

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Cabinet applauds crime fighting efforts

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Cabinet has commended the South African Police Service (SAPS) for the swift deployment of specialist law enforcement officers to the Eastern Cape to investigate recent shooting incidents, noting their work was being to show results, as one suspect directly linked to the murder of 18 people in Lusikisiki has already appeared in court.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the man arrested in connection with the murders was out on parole for a separate murder when the massacre took place.

The suspect made his first appearance in the Lusikisiki Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday in connection with the massacre, which left five others injured.

“Siphosoxolo Myekethe is facing 18 charges of murder and one count of possession of an unlicensed firearm, an [AKM type] assault rifle. During his brief appearance in court, the accused elected to be represented by a Legal Aid attorney and expressed his intention to exercise his right to apply for bail.

Firearms recovered from the scene of a shootout between officers and armed suspects

“The prosecution will be opposing bail against the alleged murderer, who has two previous convictions for escaping from legal custody and murder. He is currently out on parole for murder,” NPA regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said in a statement.

Myekethe is expected back in court on 15 October.

Previously, the SAPS indicated in a statement that investigations into the killings were at “an advanced but sensitive stage in relation to the arrest of the suspects linked to the gruesome murder.”

On Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed deep sorrow following the killing of six community patrollers in Tina Falls/Godini on Sunday night. The patrollers were reportedly preparing for duty at their base at Lugongozo Senior Secondary School when attackers opened fire on the group. Six of the patrollers were fatally wounded, with four others injured in the attack.

The President offered his condolences to the families of the victims and extended wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured. Further, President Ramaphosa condemned the violence, describing it as a grave loss to the community and an assault on the efforts of ordinary citizens to maintain safety in their area.

The President had previously conveyed his condolences to the families of the 18 people killed last month.

Separately, Cabinet has applauded the successes of intelligence-led operations conducted in the Verulam and Highflats areas in KwaZulu-Natal.

“In the Verulam operation, police confronted a mastermind and one of the most wanted suspects in most of the cash-in-transit robberies in KwaZulu-Natal. The suspect was killed in a shootout after he opened fire against the police. Similarly, two suspects in the murder of seven people in the Highflats case were killed in a shootout with the police,” said a statement released by Cabinet.

According to reports last month, seven people, including three children, were allegedly killed in what appeared to be an execution-style attack, while sitting in their home.

Cabinet has applauded the continued success of Operation Shanela, which has garnered over 10 000 arrests over the previous week.

“Cabinet further commended a joint operation in Limpopo that led to the discovery of a drug lab in Lebowakgomo, where drugs to the value of approximately R4 million were seized and three suspects arrested,” said the statement from Cabinet.

Mandrax recovered from the R4 million drug lab in Limpopo

It has also welcomed the arrest of six engineering firm directors accused of Black Economic Empowerment fronting and tender fraud of approximately R400 million at Eskom and Sasol.

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