North West Premier Thandi Modise has called for the partnership of traditional healers and other faith- based organisations in the fight against crime. This follows the arrest of a 30-year-old man in connection with the Lethabong double murder who was detained while consulting a traditional healer.
“Traditional healers need to take a non-compromising stance against crime and blow the whistle on murderers and rapists who consult them in the hope that they would escape the long arm of the law. They need to be educated that harbouring a fugitive in a punishable criminal offence so that they should put the safety of communities first before business .Failure to blow the whistle on criminals they know categories them as beneficiaries in the criminal value chain,” stressed Premier Modise who applauded police on the arrest.
The Premier said that recent successes in criminal investigations have proved that breakthroughs always occur where the community is working closely with the police.
The suspect who was traced to Orion Informal Settlement in Magaliesburg near Krugerdorp after a tip-off from the community is expected to appear in the Rustenburg Magistrate's Court later this morning to face charges of murder.
According to police, the suspect had allegedly shot dead a 44-year old mother, Annah Moilwe and her daughter Tshepiso at their home in Slovo Extension in Lethabong near Rustenburg on Saturday. The suspect was reportedly 28-year-old Tshepiso’s boyfriend and had broken into their home around 3am.
The girlfriend had a protection order against him. A quarrel ensued. The man took out a firearm and allegedly shot his girlfriend in the stomach and chest.
When the mother tried to intervene he shot her three times, twice in the chest and once in the chin. She died on the scene while her daughter died at the Hartebeesfontein clinic.
In condemning the fatal shooting earlier in the week, the Premier has said that threats of violence against women who have been granted protection orders still needs to be kept in check and evaluated to prevent violent incidents that results in them being killed by their estranged partners.
Modise had underscore that threats that necessitate the issuing of protection order should not be underestimated by authorities to ensure that the complainant’s safety is to a certain extend guaranteed and that where possible, guns which have claimed lives of estranged lovers and partners have to be confiscated.
She said that the rate at which guns are used to kill women by their partners is unacceptable.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Spokesperson
Tel: 018 388 3705
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 388 3157
Email: LKgwele@gmail.com
