POLICE SEARCHING FOR MISSING MAN

THE UPINGTON police have requested the public’s assistance in locating a 60-year-old man, Jackie Adams, who went missing in Louisvaleweg on January 10 this year.

Police spokesperson, Sergeant Omphile Masegela, said Adams was last seen by his nephew at the family’s residence.

“Adams was last seen at home on the evening of January 10, 2022. The following morning he was not inside his room and his family has since not been able to find him,” said Masegela.

“He was wearing blue jeans and an orange overall jacket.

“Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Adams can contact the investigating officer, Captain Christa Kruger, on 076 022 3528 or 054 337 3435. All information will be handled confidentially.”

MINISTER ASSESSES STATE OF

WATER AND SANITATION

THE MINISTER of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, visited the Northern Cape as part of the Provincial Ministerial Working sessions.

The three-day visit included engagements with Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) officials, a provincial government delegation led by the Northern Cape Premier Zamani Saul and the Sedibeng Water Board.

On Tuesday, Mchunu was joined by Deputy Minister David Mahlobo on a site visit to the Vaalgamagara Water Treatment Plant to assess the state of the plant, before meeting with the Ministry Water Services Authorities on Wednesday.

Mchunu called on officials to change the turnaround time of projects being completed.

MAYOR ELECTED AS NC SALGA

REPRESENTATIVE

THE MAYOR of Umsobomvu Municipality, Mzwandile “Fire” Toto, was elected as the provincial representative of the South African Local Government Association (Salga) to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).

ANC sub-regional secretary Siyabulela Phololo said on Wednesday that they were proud of Toto’s achievements.

“He is a hard worker, focused and a champion of development. He serves as the regional deputy chairperson of the ANC in the Pixley ka Seme region and has an unbroken track record for being a disciplined member of the ANC,” said Phololo.

ACCUSED IN ROAD PAVING

CASE ‘FRAMED’

THE DEFENCE counsel for 12 people who have been accused of disrupting a R12.7 million road paving project in Colesberg last year has suggested that individuals were sent to frame his clients as they were never on site at the time of the incident.

The Umsobomvu Local Municipality obtained an urgent interim interdict to prevent 12 business persons and Colesberg residents from disrupting and interfering in the work of Zalisile Msebenzi Civils (Pty) Ltd, which was contracted to upgrade roads in Madikane and Nqandu streets, Kuyasa, Colesberg during May 2021.

The contractor had on March 9, 2021 instructed its workers not to risk their lives and to halt all activities on site following unrest, where 12 persons were identified as the “main culprits instigating the unrest and damages”.

The legal representative for the 12 respondents, advocate Siyanda Sindikolo, argued that his clients, who were accused of disrupting operations, were not on site when the incident took place.

SAPS OFFICIALS APPEAR FOR

EXTORTION

THREE members of the South African Police Service attached to the Upington police station appeared in the Upington district court on charges of extortion and theft. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane on Wednesday said the accused Constable Thapelo Semamai, 27, Sergeant Philip Gaekgwathi, 36 and Sergeant Martin Bosch, 33 were involved in a covert operation to search for drugs at a house in Paballelo on November 24 2021. “During the search process, no drugs or any illegal substances were found on the premises. The police officials took the complainant in the police vehicle without any lawful arrest and demanded money from him whilst driving around the area. The complainant agreed to give them R4,000 to release him, which he subsequently paid on their return to his house. They also took his cellular phone during the incident.” He added that the three police officers later handed the money back to the complainant after he laid a complaint at the Upington police station.

“The case will continue on March 14. The police and Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) are continuing with their investigations.”

ALL PUPILS WHO APPLIED ONLINE HAVE BEEN PLACED

ALL PUPILS who applied on the online school admission system have been placed, according to the Northern Cape Department of Education.

Department spokesperson Geoffrey van der Merwe said that

9 421 Grade R, 3 925 Grade 1 and 11 203 Grade 8 pupils had been placed in schools.

He added that 971 pupils who had not applied for Grade 8 on the online admission system were placed manually by district offices to ensure that those registered on the system on the South African School Administration and Management System (SASAMS) database were placed.

“All the other pupils in the middle grades who had not managed to apply on the online admission system have been placed by the schools, after the progressions in December 2021. All pupils in the system, based on the 2021 SASAMS data, have therefore been placed.”