Call for calm in Rhelela and Kubyana
The South African Police Service in Limpopo is appealing for calm and normality to return to the troubled villages of Rhelela and Kubyana in the Tzaneen area. A total of 18 people have been arrested at Rhelela and Kubyana since the start of the violent protests over the past weekend. Almost 21 police officers were also injured during the clashes.
The nine suspects arrested at Rhelela appeared in the Bolobedu Magistrates’ Court on charges of public violence on Thursday. The case was remanded to 11 February 2014 and the accused are still in custody. Since last night (Thursday), nine people were arrested on charges of public violence, malicious damage to property and arson at Kubyana. They are expected to appear in the same court on Monday 03 February 2014.
At Kutama, near Makhado, a total of 98 suspects were arrested following the violence that followed after members of the community accused nine men of being responsible for hanging a man from a tree during December of last year. Four houses and four vehicles, of which two were police vehicles, were set alight and destroyed in the violence.
A total of 32 people were charged for the violence and appeared in the Makhado Magistrate’s Court on Friday. The case was remanded to 7 February 2014 and the accused are still in custody. The other suspects, mostly children and were released into the custody of their parents.
Meanwhile, a post mortem which was conducted on Thursday, has showed that 3 year-old Tsephi Makgopa Mulaudzi, whose lifeless body was found in a vehicle of the businessman at Kubyana, died of suffocation. The body was intact and no body parts were missing.
The post mortem concluded that no foul play can be suspected and the case of inquest which was opened after the incident will now be investigated and after the finalisation of the docket be send to court for a decision on whether somebody can be held responsible for the child’s death. The investigation will also include how and why the children were locked inside the vehicle.
The murder of 20 year old Kgomotoso Raloane, is still being investigated by a specialised task team and no arrests have yet been made. The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Fannie Masemola has appealed to members of the community to afford the team the time and place to conduct proper and meaningful investigations into the incident.
“I am requesting members of the community to come forward with concrete and tangible information which can be followed up, rather than meaningless and damage full allegations. The arrest of the suspect/s responsible for the terrible death of these young women is our main priority, which we can only achieve if we have the cooperation and support from members of the community,” he stressed.
Masemola has appealed for calm and normality to return to the affected villages in order for children to return to school and members of the community to return to work and perform their daily duties and activities in a peaceful environment.
In the meantime, the police are also still awaiting the reports from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) into the alleged shooting and killing by police of 15 year-old Tshepo Baloyi last Saturday as well as the two other victims Clarence Molele (16) and Stanley Molewa (28) who were also shot and killed on Tuesday. However, internal processes have already commenced and will continue with an urgency to finalise the matter as soon as possible.
Currently the situation at all the villages is stable and under control today (Friday), although still tense. Members of the Public Order Policing Unit, supported by members from Mpumalanga, will continue with their monitoring.
For enquiries please:
Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi
Cell: 082 373 2408
