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Verwante sleutelwoorde vir "LQ150X1LW73" Die nuwe Suid-Afrika: 2007
Dec 30 2007 08:46:25:280PM - (SA)
‘Iets drasties sal aan misdaad gedoen moet word. Mense se lewens is deesdae net te goedkoop in hierdie land.”
Dít is die mening van ’n vriend van mnr. Emmanuel Mwambulukutu, hoë kommissaris van Tanzanië, wat in ’n kritieke toestand in die Pretoria-Oos-hospitaal lê nadat hy Vrydagaand in Garsfontein in die ooste van Pretoria erg deur vier rowers aangerand is.
Mwambulukutu (63) en sy gesin sou – ná agt jaar in Suid-Afrika – binnekort na Tanzanië terugkeer.
Die rowers het Vrydag kort ná 22:00 op sowat 25 gaste by ’n vriend van Mwambulukutu, dr. Christopher Mlosy, se huis toegeslaan waar hulle buite om ’n tafel gesit en kuier het.
Mlosy het die geselligheid by sy huis gehou om afskeid te neem van die Mwambulukutu-gesin.
Een van Mwambulukutu se vriende, wat op voorwaarde van anonimiteit met Beeld gepraat het, het gesê hy was geskok toe ’n rower gesê het hulle het gedink hul slagoffers is wit mense. “Die een het gesê: ‘Maar julle is nie (wit mense nie). So moenie worrie nie, ons sal julle nie doodmaak nie.’ ”
Mlosy, ’n ekonoom by die Wetenskaplike en Nywerheidsnavorsingsraad (WNNR) wat die afgelope vyf jaar in Suid-Afrika woon, het gister gesê die regering sal moet besef dat sulke voorvalle die land se beeld baie skade berokken.
Volgens Mlosy het die rowers “soos diere” op Mwambulukutu toegesak toe hy vir die rowers gesê het: “God seën julle.”
“Dít was soos ’n sneller en veral een van die rowers was woedend. Hy het gesê: ‘Ons glo nie in God nie, ons glo in Satan.’ ”
Mlosy het gesê die rowers het mekaar toe aangehits “om die honde dood te maak”.
“Ek weet dit is ’n harde ding om te sê, maar die rowers wat ons aangeval het, is nie mense nie. Mense tree nie só op nie.”
Mwambulukutu is met bottels oor die kop geslaan en met stukkende bottels in die kop gesteek. Hy het ernstige kopbeserings opgedoen.
Sy vrou, Lycia, is ook met ’n kopwond in die hospitaal opgeneem, maar is sedertdien ontslaan. Geen van die ander gaste het ernstige beserings nie.
Me. Sunel Barnard, woordvoerder van die Pretoria-Oos-hospitaal, het gesê Mwambulukutu is in ’n kritieke toestand.
Hy het nog nie sedert die aanval sy bewussyn herwin nie.
Die rowers het met Mwambulukutu se Mercedes-Benz-4x4-voertuig en elektroniese huisware weggekom.
Kapt. Dennis Adriao, nasionale polisiewoordvoerder, het gister gesê een van die verdagtes is eergisteroggend vroeg in Mamelodi-Wes aangekeer.
“Die verdagte (25) is gewond en onder polisiebewaking in ’n hospitaal opgeneem. Mwambulukutu se voertuig, drie wapens en talle gesteelde goedere is gevind.” Die ander drie verdagtes is nog soek.
Adriao het gesê die polisie se diplomatieke beskermingseenheid is net verantwoordelik vir veiligheid by ambassades en diplomatieke wonings.
Dr. Gwen Ramokgopa, uitvoerende burgemeester van die Tshwane-metroraad, het Mwambulukutu gistermiddag besoek, maar wou nie met die media praat nie.
Mnr. Ronnie Mamoepa, woordvoerder van die departement van buitelandse sake, het die aanval sterk veroordeel.
Hy wou nie kommentaar lewer op die vraag of diplomate rede het om bekommerd te wees oor hul veiligheid in Suid-Afrika nie.
“Vra die polisie,” het hy gesê.
Adriao het gister gesê misdaad raak almal in Suid-Afrika.
“Of dit nou gewone lede van die publiek of diplomate is. Almal is potensiële slagoffers.”
at 12/31/2007 10:32:00 am No comments:
at 12/31/2007 10:15:00 am No comments:
27/12/2007 13:07 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Vaal Rand police are searching for four men following a house robbery at Hartebeesfontein at De Deur, south of Johannesburg.
Captain Shado Mashobane said four armed men stormed into a house after the owner - Susan Venter, 49 - who was with her family at the time, opened the door to let her dog out on Wednesday at about 21:00.
"The men armed with 9mm pistols went into the house demanding cellphones, jewellery and cash."
Mashobane said two shots were fired when the dog tried to attack the robbers but no one was injured.
"The suspects ran away, disappearing into the darkness, along with the items and a mere R150. Venter estimated the items to be worth R4 500," he said.
at 12/29/2007 10:26:00 pm 1 comment:
December 28 2007 at 07:34AM
By Louise Flanagan
Dennis Polack was fighting for his life after being shot while walking with his wife and dogs on a Midrand smallholding on the Day of Goodwill.
"Three men came out of the bush, shooting. They shot my father three times and he is now fighting for his life," said the couple's daughter, Debbi Talmage.
Seriously injured, Polack managed to pull out his gun and returned fire.
His wife Sally was left cut, bruised and shocked.
"She attacked them with her walking stick," Debbi said, adding that the assailants fled and that Sally had called for help on a cellphone.
Talmage said her parents had been walking on the smallholding in Glen Austin, near their home, for 39 years.
Polack was shot in an arm and leg and had to undergo a three-and-a-half-hour operation at Sunninghill Hospital.
Not only have the Polacks both been attacked before, but Talmage and their entire family have been crime victims.
In January, The Star published a photo of the family and detailed the crimes committed against them:
Dennis Polack was hijacked;
his wife Sally was mugged;
Talmage and her daughter, then five years old, were robbed at gunpoint;
Talmage's sister-in-law and her two children escaped after being abducted by armed hijackers;
Talmage's brother has been held up and robbed twice and burgled 10 times;
and her sister narrowly escaped a hijacking.
Some of their friends and employees have also been attacked.
On Thursday, Talmage said the police may have been on the scene after Wednesday's attack, but her mother was too traumatised to remember.
The family had not heard from the police since the incident was reported, she added.
"We haven't heard a thing from the police, absolutely nothing, and they were informed."
Talmage said nobody had been prosecuted in connection with any of the previous attacks on the family members.
Superintendent Lungelo Dlamini confirmed that a case had been opened with the Midrand police. He said no investigation had been conducted as police had not been able to interview anyone.
Dlamini said the police went to the scene on Wednesday, but that the victim had already been taken to hospital.
He said police returned on Thursday, but there was nobody on the smallholding and nobody had submitted a statement.
"The information was very sketchy," said Dlamini, adding that no arrests had been made.
This article was originally published on page 6 of The Star on December 28, 2007
at 12/29/2007 10:12:00 pm No comments:
at 12/27/2007 11:11:00 am No comments:
Aug 23 2007 06:17:25:270PM - (SA)
Malelane. – ’n Beloning van R50 000 is hier uitgeloof vir inligting wat daartoe kan lei dat ’n rowerbende vasgetrek word.
Die inwoners van dié pragtige dorpie voel al hoe meer bedreig deur die bende gewapende en gewelddadige rowers.
Insp. Eddie Ngobeni, woordvoerder van die plaaslike polisie, sê die beloning sal betaal word aan enigeen wat inligting kan verskaf wat tot die inhegtenisname van hierdie rowers kan lei.
Volgens Ngobeni vind sowat drie gewapende rooftogte ’n maand plaas. Die rowers raak al hoe meer gewelddadig. Twee slagoffers is verlede Sondag in afsonderlike voorvalle geskiet en die polisie vermoed dit is telkens dieselfde aanvallers.
Alwyn van Rooyen is verlede Sondag gewond toe die rowers hom om 22:00 in sy Buffalostraat-huis oorval het. Hy het met die boewe gestoei en ’n skoot het afgegaan wat hom in die been getref het. Die rowers het gevlug voordat die polisie opgedaag het.
Sowat ’n uur later is Marie Rosseau in die voet geskiet toe sy en haar man, Gawie, by hul gastehuis, Villa Langa, oorval is. Die rowers het ’n selfoon gesteel.
Ngobeni sê die jongste voorval het Dinsdag plaasgevind toe drie gewapende rowers op Minty Store, ’n winkel wat lugtyd, selfone en klere verkoop, toegesak het.
“Niemand is in die voorval beseer nie, maar duisende rande se lugtyd is gesteel. Slegs een van die drie rowers het ’n wapen by hom gehad.”
Filmmateriaal van die rowers is op ’n sekuriteitskamera vasgelê en die polisie ondersoek die moontlikheid dat dit dieselfde rowers is.
Verdere inligting: Die swart mans wat Mr. Alwyn van Rooyen in sy huis aangeval het, het hom met 'n byl oor die kop gekap. Mr. van Rooyen het die byl van die aanvaller probeer afneem, en die byl het toe op die grond geval. Mev. van Rooyen het toe met haar rug op die byl gaan le om die aanvallers te verhoed om dit weer in die hande te kry. Mev. van Rooyen se rug was vol snymerke soos sy gestoei het om haarself tussen die byl en die aanvallers te hou. Die aanvallers het toe vir Mr. van Rooyen in sy lies geskiet en die koel is dwarsdeur sy been. Sedert die aanval het die polisie nog nie eers 'n verklaring afgeneem nie. Die van Rooyens oorweeg dit nou ernstig om te emigreer.
at 12/25/2007 12:31:00 pm No comments:
Mike Smith - 11/7/2007
The leading expert on the subject of Killology today is Lt-Col. Dave Grossman. Grossmann found that there were many books written on (and research done into) the psychology of man’s creative spirit, namely sex or “Sexology”, but very little research existed about the psychology of man’s darker side, that of killing a fellow human being. Lt-Col Grossmann is the author of several books and a well-respected lecturer and adviser on the subject of “Killology”. In his book “On Killing – The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society”, Lt-Col. Grossman explores this darker side of man in much detail. His conclusions are startling and it points out that there might still be some hope for humanity simply, because we are not suppose to kill our own species.
Lt-Col. Grossman found that soldiers in the two World Wars (from all sides) had a firing rate of 15% -20%. In other words, 80% of all soldiers never fired their rifles and only about 2% aimed to kill, the rest deliberately missed their targets. He further found that most kills were from artillery or other “Long Range” weapons such as sniper rifles. The soldiers, who did kill their enemies up close, suffered terrible trauma for years afterwards.
He says that, if we look at two deadly species such as Piranhas and Rattlesnakes, we can see that inter-species killing is rare. Piranhas fight each other by slapping their tails and Rattlesnakes wrestle each other. When soldiers have to kill other soldiers on the battlefield, something happens that stops them. A psychological blockage sets in that makes it extremely difficult for one human being to kill another up close. This blockage is even stronger when soldiers have to kill civilians. Given those incidents such as My Lai happens, it is still extremely rare for soldiers to kill civilians.
Lt-Col. Grossman further found that man would rather kill at a distance. Ever since the invention of the club until the Atomic bomb, man has been looking at ways of killing at a distance rather than having to experience the trauma of looking his enemy in the eye and shoving a bayonet through his body. The evolution of the club, into the spear, then the bow & arrow, the rifle, artillery and finally dropping bombs from planes and pressing buttons to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles, are all man’s search to avoid killing up close and having to experience the psychological trauma of killing a fellow human being up close.
Lt-Col. Dave Grossman also found that it is extremely difficult to train soldiers to kill and that it is only through modern training methods of simulating actual combat that soldiers are able to fire automatically at their enemies in combat situations. Most importantly however, is not so much the training given to these soldiers, but the psychological conditioning performed on them. After the Second World War, they found that “Johnny can’t kill” and in order for him to kill, propaganda and psychology needed to be used to de-sensitize him. In order for him to kill, the soldier needs to be thinking he is killing “Japs, Krauts, Kaffirs” or whatever, but not humans. The enemy needs to be dehumanized and hated. Secondly, the soldier needs to be conditioned to have a “Pavlovian response” to killing other humans. Thirdly, the soldier needs to be able to deny his actions, by saying to himself that, “he only acted on orders, the enemy deserved it, etc”.
In subsequent wars after World War II such as Vietnam, the US invasion of Panama and The Falklands War, the firing rate of soldiers were around 90-95%, but still only about 50% would aim to hit their target.
Very notable from his research is that Grossman avoids racial differences and concludes that his observations can be found across all racial groups.
If this is true and if we apply Lt-Col. Grossman’s research to the current violent situation in South Africa, then a few interesting questions needs to be asked.
We currently see in South Africa a murder rate of 55 per day and around 18,000 – 20,000 a year. Most of these murders are black-on-black or black-on-white murders. We have seen more than 3,000 white farmers murdered (by blacks) in the last ten years alone. Most of these murders are not simple kills, but are accompanied by gross torture lasting hours or days. Whites especially are tortured to death with boiling water, horrifically raped and cut into pieces. Often nothing is stolen from the homesteads or homes of the victims.
Now the question needs to be asked: “Are blacks more predisposed to killing their fellow human beings?”
If the answer to the above question is “No”, and if Lt-Col Grossman’s research states that it is only through specialized training and conditioning that it becomes easier for humans to kill other humans, then surely the blacks are being conditioned to kill!
Now the question arises. What methods of training and conditioning are used to make it so easy for blacks to kill other blacks and....whites? Not just killing them, but killing them up close and personal, torturing them for hours.
Most importantly…WHO is doing this conditioning? Who is conditioning blacks to kill whites in South Africa?
If blacks are the same as other human beings and not predisposed to kill easier than other races, then it should be just as difficult for them to kill fellow human beings, regardless of ethnicity or colour.
The only other explanation for the high rate of black-on-black and black-on-white murders, then should be psychological conditioning.
In South Africa we know that the culture of the nine different black tribes certainly lends itself to this kind of conditioning. Blacks slaughter animals in their back yards on a daily basis. Everything from chickens, goats, sheep and cattle are butchered in full view of children on a daily basis. Black children also see a lot of alcohol and drug abuse amongst the adults. Domestic violence is common and personal disputes are solved with physical violence, often leading to death. By the time a black child in South Africa reaches adolescence, chances are he or she has seen multiple human killings at the hands of other humans. This leads to a perpetual cycle of violence and killing through cultural conditioning.
Is cultural conditioning the only explanation for blacks having a far higher rate of killing than other ethnic groups?
Certainly many Afrikaners grew up on farms and have also seen the slaughtering of animals from a young age. I was about four when I saw my father slit the throat of a sheep for the first time. My mother was an ace butcher and could sort out anything from Jack Rabbits and Porcupines to a Koedoe with surgical precision better than any man, yet she was the most gentle woman one could imagine. I learned from a very young age that meat does not come from pretty little white packages with a branch of parsley on top in the supermarket.
Likewise the Muslim community in South Africa regularly has ritual slaughters called "Korban", where the children are encouraged to view the ritual slaughter of sheep prior to religious festivals. Yet, in South Africa, Muslims are some of the most peace-loving people, despite sometimes growing up in coloured townships resembling ghetto conditions where gang violence is common and street murders frequent. South African Muslims are highly respected business people and professionals who contribute immensely to the GDP of the country, but were forced to live in coloured areas under Apartheid.
Most Afrikaner and English speaking white males between the ages of 35 and 60 served in South Africa's bush war on the Namibian/Angolan border as conscripts. Although there are incidents of PTSD amongst these men, most of them are today successful business people and professionals who will tell you that the two years they spent in the South African Defense Force, were the best years of their lives (not that they would want to repeat it though). Most of these ex soldiers look back on their service with a huge smile and wish their sons could also go and do two years tour of duty. Many will tell you that before the "Army" they were on a one way road to prison, and the military saved them. Most of these men have killed in battle, yet they are not murderers, but productive citizens of a country.
The reasons for the successful re-integration of our soldiers are still somewhat of a mystery to most people. At the time, the SADF was the only army in the world who conducted training under operational conditions. They treated their soldiers with respect. Our dead were never (as far as practically possible) left on the battlefield and were buried in their home towns in full military honours.
Our brave were given medals as appreciation and acknowledgment for their deeds. Basically we treated our servicemen as heroes. Each and every one, from the cook to the Special Forces Operative was a hero and a cog in a gigantic hero machine.
If you treat your soldiers like that, they don't mind risking their lives and dying so much. In fact, they find glory in death.
Why then were the SADF so successful against their Marxist terrorist opponents? They never lost a battle in 30 years against the Communist forces of Cuba, Russia, East Germany and the local Angolans, despite being outnumbered 20:1.
Let us look at how the enemy of the Afrikaners treated their soldiers. The Communists treat their soldiers badly. They hardly feed them, torture their own and basically rule through fear. The dead are left to rot on the battle field. Communist tactics are one of numbers. No matter how many die, it is all justified in the end. I remember how we use to bury their dead for them. Sometimes in mass graves, but at least it was more dignified than to leave them on the battlefield to rot and be eaten by hyenas or vultures. Today we are vilified for that.
Another Communist technique is to fight only until the resistance becomes strong and to then flee. Communists are cowards, but the way they were treated by their superiors and the way they treated their dead, had a major impact on the morale of their soldiers. It can be seen from the way we engaged them in the bush of Southern Angola.
These Marxist terrorist would, for instance, engage us on patrol and all their AK-47's were set to "Automatic". Within a second their thirty or fifty round magazines would be emptied and mostly over our heads, showing an extreme lack of training. They would then throw down their weapons and scatter away, mostly until they reached a village and could blend in with the locals. Our losses where minimal and most of our soldiers who were shot, had head wounds, proving that our enemies were aiming way too high. We would find that their dead bodies would have seven full magazines on them, yet they only emptied the first one and then threw the weapon down and ran away. They obviously panicked and were not trained properly. Sending untrained soldiers to war is like sending cattle to a slaughter house.
Therefore, knowing how blacks operate under combat conditions, I can agree to some extent with Lt-Col Grossman. They are just as scared to kill a fellow human being as Whites, Chinese or Latinos, but judging from the way they are killing today in a supposedly "Peaceful Society" in South Africa, I have to conclude that these blacks in South Africa are systematically being conditioned to hate whites and kill them off as if they were vermin. Somebody or some organisation is spreading messages of hatred towards whites amongst the black population of South Africa. All the signs of classical conditioning are there, we just need to ask ourselves, "Who is behind it all?"
I have my personal opinion as to who these head shrinkers are, but I will leave it up to the reader to comment.
at 12/24/2007 01:03:00 pm 2 comments:
Mnr. Piérre Janse van Rensburg (links) en sy vrou, Suzette, vertroos mekaar terwyl Tienie, sy broer, in die graf van Theuns, hul pa, afkyk. Foto: Nardus Engelbrecht
Dec 21 2007 09:52:11:970PM - (SA)
Mookgopong (Naboomspruit). – Dit is nie God se wil dat mense in Suid-Afrika grusaam vermink en vermoor word nie.
Dít was gister die boodskap van dr. Hennie Botes van die Hervormde Kerk in dié dorp in Limpopo tydens die begrafnisdiens van die vermoorde mnr. Theuns Janse van Rensburg (72).
“Die moord op Theuns en die foltering wat Hettie moes deurmaak, gaan in teen die grein van God,” het Botes gesê.
Die kerk waaruit Janse van Rensburg begrawe is, is oorkant die polisiekantoor waar Janse van Rensburg se vermeende twee moordenaars aangehou word.
St. Joseflelies en bloedrooi rose het sy kis en die kerk versier. Die begrafnis is gratis behartig deur die begrafnisonderneming Avbob.
Janse van Rensburg is vroeg in Desember wreed in sy huis met ’n panga aangeval. Hy is só erg beseer dat hy sy bewussyn verloor en sy aanvallers gedink het hy is dood.
Hy was twee weke lank in die trauma-waakeenheid van die Unitas-hospitaal in Centurion.
Sy familie het verlede Sondag, op Versoeningsdag, besluit om die apparate wat hom aan die lewe gehou het, af te skakel. Hy was sedert die aanval in ’n koma en het geen gevoel aan die regterkant van sy lyf gehad nie. Sy vrou, Hettie (72), kon nie gister haar man se begrafnis bywoon nie.
Sy is nog in die Unitas-hospitaal in Centurion en is steeds erg getraumatiseerd ná die gru-aanval.
Haar dokters het die familie aangeraai dat sy nie die begrafnis bywoon nie. Vier van haar vingers moes ná die aanval tot by die eerste lit geamputeer word nadat haar aanvallers dit met ’n snoeiskêr afgesny het.
Mev. Heater Moore, ’n skoonsuster van haar, het gesê sy sal na ’n video-opname van die begrafnis kyk.
Mev. Janse van Rensburg het ’n nota na die begrafnis gestuur. “My hart is altyd by hom. Ons tyd saam was te kort, maar ons was baie lief vir mekaar. Ek sal hom altyd mis,” het Botes daaruit voorgelees.
Botes het hom sterk uitgespreek teen geweldsmisdaad in die land en gesê: “God wil nie hê ons moet só leef nie. Dit is vandag weer ’n grimmige dag in die geskiedenis van Suid-Afrika. Hoekom word so baie mense, oud en jonk dag ná dag só wreed vermoor?”
Botes het gesê “magte van barbarisme” is aan die werk in die land.
“Al die geweldsmisdaad dui op ’n wêreld waar wetteloosheid heers.
“Ons bid in die Kerstyd vir vrede in die land en dat die sinnelose bloedvergieting sal ophou.
“Inwoners van Suid-Afrika is weerloos uitgelewer aan moord en doodslag, het hy gesê.
“Theuns se dood is ’n oproep tot bekering. Mense moet hulself bekeer tot die lewende God.”
Janse van Rensburg is in die dorp se begraafplaas in dieselfde graf as sy eerste vrou, Anna, wat in 2001 dood is, begrawe. Sy een seun, Theuns jr., het sy kop in ongeloof geskud toe hy roosblare op sy pa se kis gestrooi het.
Sy dogter, Madelein, het saggies gehuil toe haar pa se kis stadig in die graf afgesak het.
Sy seuns, Tienie en Piérre, was ook erg aangedaan.
“Hy het twee weke lank probeer veg om te lewe, maar hy het die stryd verloor,” het Theuns jr. gesê.
at 12/22/2007 10:23:00 am No comments:
Dec 21 2007 09:52:26:140PM - (SA)
Durban. – Die KwaZulu-Natalse Landbou unie (Kwanalu) het gister te velde getrek teen grondeisers se verontagsaming van boere se regte nadat een van die unie se voormalige uitvoerende lede in ’n vermeende sluipmoord op sy plaas in die Middellande doodgeskiet is.
Mnr. David Greene (74), ’n pionier-beesboer van die plaas Rustenbergspruit naby Estcourt, is eergister om 18:20 in die voorkop geskiet nadat hy sy handvol skape vir die nag in hul kampie naby die huis gaan toemaak het.
Dié plaas is betrokke by ’n grondeis waarin die kommissie vir die herstel op grondregte vir die eerste keer in die provinsie grond gaan onteien nadat daar nie tot ’n vergelyk gekom kon word oor ’n prys nie.
Dit is nie vergesog om te bespiegel dat grondhervormingskwessies dalk die moordenaars ’n verskoning gebied het om dié misdaad te pleeg nie, het mnr. Robin Barnsley, president van Kwanalu, gesê.
Met 12 moorde en 33 aanvalle was 2007 die bloedigste jaar op KwaZulu-Natalse plase sedert 2003, het mnr. Koos Marais van Kwanalu se veiligheidslessenaar gesê.
“Jy kon (aan die spore) sien hoe die moordenaar my pa bekruip het,” het mnr. David Greene jr. gister gesê. “Hy het reguit na my pa geloop en hom van naby in die voorkop geskiet. Een skoot met ’n 9 mm.”
Hy het vertel sy ma, Dorothy (68), was besig om die hoek van die huis besig om die elektriese grassnyer se koord op te rol toe sy harde stemme gehoor het wat oombliklik deur ‘n skoot gevolg is.
Mev. Greene het gesien hoe die moordenaar in die huis verdwyn.
Die familie het later die nag ontdek dat twee selfone en ’n selfoonlaaier geneem is.
Greene jr. het gesê dis duidelik dat sy pa nie in ’n gewone rooftog vermoor is nie, maar dat dit ’n sluipmoord was.
Greene sr. was die eerste om met Boran-beeste uit Ethiopië in Suid-Afrika te teel. Dié vleisbeeste se gewildheid is vinnig aan die toeneem.
Rustenbergspruit is een van verskeie plase wat deel uitmaak van die Gongola-natuurlewereservaat waarvan ’n deel betrokke is in ’n eis om die herstel van grondregte wat in 1999 in die Staatskoerant gepubliseer is.
Boere wat geraak word in dié eis om sowat 18 000 ha is in November in kennis gestel dat die grond onteien gaan word, het Greene jr. gesê.
Me. Mayu Sosibo, provinsiale grondeisekommissaris, het die moord veroordeel en haar verbasing uitgespreek omdat Greene sr. nie een van die leiersfigure in die eis was nie.
Boere word dikwels van wreedhede beskuldig, het Barnsley gesê.
Mense moet volgens hom ook kennis neem dat daar baie gevalle is waar eisers boere dreig, aanrand, hul eiendom beskadig of intimideer.
Kwanalu sal sy konstruktiewe betrokkenheid by grondhervorming voortsit, maar eis dat die owerhede daadwerklik optree oor eisers se verwagtings en ’n skynbare gesindheid van toeëiening, het Barnsley gesê.
Greene jr. het gesê hy is bitter oor sy pa se dood.
“Hy het met niks begin boer – net ‘n motorfiets. Hy het nie eens ’n koei gehad nie.”
at 12/22/2007 10:14:00 am No comments:
Mev. Rita Woodall (51) van Vanderbijlpark verduidelik hoe die aanvaller haar met ?n handwapen bestorm het.Foto: Retha Grobbelaar
Dec 21 2007 09:52:31:110PM - (SA)
“Ek het gedink hy gaan my verkrag. As hy het, sou ek myself geskiet het.”
Só sê mev. Rita Woodall (51) van Vanderbijlpark, suid van Johannesburg, nadat sy en haar man, Alan (58), Maandagoggend op hul 25ste huweliksherdenking wreed in hul huis aangeval is.
Mev. Woodall vertel sy het die deur van hul motorhuis oopgemaak om hul tuinwerker uit te laat.
Sy het opgemerk dat twee mans aan die onderkant van haar huis se oprit gestaan het.
“Die een man het die werker nader geroep en hom aanwysings gevra. Hy wou ’n selfoon in die werker se hand stop, maar hy het geweier om dit te vat en geloop.”
Die man het toe na Woodall aangestap gekom.
“Ek het hom beveel om nie nader te kom nie, maar hy het nie gestop nie. Toe hy ’n handwapen uitruk, het ek begin skree en die motorhuis se deur probeer toemaak, maar hy het onderdeur geglip.”
Die man het Woodall gegryp en aangedring op die sleutels van haar seun, Sean (25), se motor (wat in die erf geparkeer was). Sy het geskree haar seun is in die bad, en dat sy nie die sleutels aan haar het nie.
“Hy het my voor hom gehou, die handwapen in my nek gedruk en na die sydeur van die huis gestap. Dis toe dat ek vir Alan binne die sitkamer sien met sy pistool in sy hand.”
Volgens mnr. Woodall kon hy nie die aanvaller skiet nie omdat hy bang was hy tref sy vrou.
Die aanvaller het toe drie skote na hom gevuur.
“Ek kon sien hy mik vir my bors, maar ek vermoed die glas van die deur het die koeëls weggeskram,” sê hy.
Hy is in die sy en arm getref.
Die man het toe die handwapen in een van mev. Woodall se oë gedruk.
“Ek het gesien hoe sy vinger stywer om die sneller buig. Al wat ek kon dink is: ‘Is dit hoe ek gaan doodgaan?’ Maar gelukkig het die skoot nie afgegaan nie.”
Hy het haar grond toe gegooi, skelwoorde geskree en toe deur die motorhuis weggehardloop.
Mev. Woodall het toe dadelik na haar man omgesien.
“Daar was soveel bloed dat ek daarin gegly het.
“Hy het op sy maag gelê en ek was so bang hy sou doodbloei.
“Gelukkig het Sean toe agtergekom wat aangaan en my gehelp.”
Mev. Woodall sê hulle sal binnekort, sodra mnr. Woodall beter is, ’n verklaring by die polisie aflê.
Tot dan bly die bloedspatsels teen die mure en die plasse bloed op die sitkamermat.
Hulle sou gisteraand, op hul seun se 25ste verjaardag, ook hul huweliksherdenking vier.
at 12/22/2007 10:06:00 am No comments:
December 21 2007 at 01:55PM
A KwaZulu-Natal farmer was shot dead on his farm in the Estcourt area, the KZN Agriculture Union (Kwanalu) said on Friday.
KwaNalu chief executive officer Sandy La Marque said David Greene's murder on Thursday evening meant that 21 KZN commercial farmers had been murdered in 2007. La Marque said initial information received by the union was that Greene, 70, had been approached by a group of men and sustained one fatal gunshot wound.
The Witness newspaper quoted Greene's son, also called David as saying: "He was shot once, point blank in the forehead. Police recovered one expended 9mm cartridge on the scene. My mom was in the garden and she rushed to help him, but it was too late."
Police spokesperson Ursula Captain Cronje could not immediately confirm the shooting or any details.
'He was shot once, point blank'
La Marque said: "This is the most farm murders we have had since 2003. It is really concerning to us".
She said the 21 commercial farmers murdered included people of all races.
In a statement released on Friday Kwanalu said: "Obviously the motive for this murder is unknown but without undue speculation it is felt that tensions relating to land reform issues may have provided the perpetrators with the excuse they sought to commit this crime."
The union pointed out that while the rights of farm workers had been highlighted, those of farmers and landowners had received scant attention.
"Kwanalu has in its possession details of such violations which include: blatant physical threats to the physical well being of landowners, threats of murder; physical assault of landowners by supposed land claimants, ongoing and persistent damage to livestock and property of landowners, the barring of access to land owners own properties by so called claimants and the invocation of traditional spiritual methods of intimidating land owners," the statement read.
Condolences were offered by the union to the Greene family. - Sapa
at 12/22/2007 09:52:00 am No comments:
Vulstasie-eienaar geskiet terwyl hy wag dat bank oopmaak
Dec 18 2007 11:35:30:617PM - (SA)
Liela Magnus (lmagnus@beeld.com)
’n Pretoriase man is gister voor die oë van sy jare lange vriend dood nadat drie rowers op hul bakkie voor ’n bank in Kerkstraat, Pretoria, losgebrand het.
Mnr. Jan Swart (46) is deur ’n AK47 koeël getref en is op die toneel dood.
“Dit voel so onwerklik. Ek kan nie glo ek leef nog nie en weet nie hoe hulle my gemis het nie. Ek voel half skuldig dat ek nog leef,” het mnr. Sarel Blignaut gesê.
Swart is die mede-eienaar van die Total-vulstasie op die hoek van D.F. Malanrylaan en Kerkstraat in Pretoria.
Blignaut bestuur die winkel by die vulstasie. Blignaut het gesê hy en Swart is gisteroggend vroeg bank toe.
“Ons het vroeër as gewoonlik gery omdat Jan 10:00 ’n afspraak gehad het,” het Blignaut gesê.
Swart het ’n reëling met die Absa-tak in Kerkstraat gehad om vir veiligheid agter die bank by die personeelparkering te parkeer.
Die tak is ná die aanval gesluit vir die publiek.
Hulle het in Swart se bakkie gesit en gesels en gewag vir die bank om oop te maak.
“Ek het skielik oor Jan se skouer drie mans na ons aangehardloop sien kom. Hulle het net begin skiet,” het Blignaut gesê.
Die rowers was gewapen met ’n AK47-aanvalsgeweer en twee pistole. Hulle het die twee mans gedwing om die bakkie oop te sluit en die geld gesteel. Blignaut het uit die bakkie geval en het op die grond gelê.
“Ek het gebid en gedink: ‘O hel, dis nou ons tyd.’ Toe ek weer hoor sê Jan ek moet die ambulans bel, want hy is geskiet,” het Blignaut gesê.
Swart het buite die bakkie gestaan en met sy bolyf op die bakkie se sitplek gelê.
Hy is dood nadat die paramedici op die toneel opgedaag het.
Swart se vriendin van meer as twee jaar, me. Astrid Fourie, was gistermiddag nog sigbaar ontsteld.
“Hy was een uit ’n miljoen en hulle is baie skaars,” het sy gesê.
Mnr. Gys Pitzer, Swart se vennoot, het gesê hulle weet nie hoe die skelms geweet het Swart het geld by hom nie.
“Dit kon iemand gewees het wat hulle dopgehou het, maar ’n mens wil nie wilde bewerings maak nie,” het hy gesê.
Kapt. Paul Ramaloko, polisiewoordvoerder, het gesê die rowers is nog op vrye voet.
at 12/19/2007 04:35:00 pm No comments:
Mnr. Kenny de Jager van Silverton, Pretoria, praat met Beeld uit sy hospitaalbed in die waakeenheid van 'n Pretoriase hospitaal. Hy is gisteroggend deur gewapende rowers in die maag geskiet. Foto: Herman Verwey
Dec 18 2007 11:35:28:837PM - (SA)
’N Man is gisteroggend in die maag geskiet nadat drie rowers deur ’n oop kombuisvenster toegang tot sy huis in Silverton, Pretoria, gekry het.
Mnr. Kenny de Jager (47) is in ’n stabiele toestand in die waakeenheid van ’n Pretoriase hospitaal.
Drie rowers, van wie een gewapen was, het omstreeks 03:30 die De Jagers in hul huis in Van der Merwerylaan oorval.
“Ons het gaan slaap en toe ons wakker word was hulle klaar in die huis,” het De Jager gesê.
“Hulle het eers in my dogter, Cheney (16), se kamer ingegaan en haar mond toegedruk sodat sy nie kan skree nie.
“Toe ek weer sien, was hulle in my kamer.”
Die rowers het De Jager vir geld gevra. Die De Jagers het eergister sowat R10 000 in koevertjies gesit om gister skuld te gaan betaal.
Hul verlofgeld vir hul vakansie in Lekkerrus in Nylstroom waarheen hulle Dinsdag sou vertrek, is ook eenkant gesit.
Die rowers het die geld en mev. Cindy de Jager (45) se selfoon gevat.
“Daarna moes ek die voordeur vir hulle gaan oopsluit want hulle wou daar uit,” het De Jager verder vertel.
“Die rowers wou ons eers in ’n vertrek indwing.
“Hulle het weer vir geld gevra, maar hulle het klaar alles wat ons gehad het, gevat.
“Daarna het hulle my motorsleutels gevra. Ek het gesê hulle kan nie die sleutels vat nie.
“Toe begin hulle skiet.”
De Jager se seun, Richard (22), was ook in die huis toe die voorval plaasgevind het. Hy het nog ’n dogter, Liezl (20), wat nie in die huis was nie.
“Ek het juis die vorige aand vir my vrou gesê ek is nou op die afdraande pad. Ek bereik die ouderdom van skete en sere,” het De Jager gesê.
“Toe gebeur dít.
“Ek het nie geweet wat om te sê toe hulle in my kamer staan nie. Ek was verstom.
“Ek weet net ek moet plan maak om uit dié land te kom.
“Ek gaan nie my kinders aan sulke goed blootstel nie.”
Kapt. Jan Sepato, woordvoerder van Silverton-polisiekantoor, het gesê drie skote is afgevuur, waarvan een De Jager in die maag getref het.
Volgens Sepato word ’n saak van poging tot moord en poging tot huisroof ondersoek.
Sepato het gevra dat die gemeenskap voorsorgmaatreëls tref en nie enige vensters of deure sal ooplos nie.
Mense met inligting oor die voorval, kan konst. E. Mgidi bel by 0 012 845 4000 of 0 012 845 4011.
at 12/19/2007 04:29:00 pm No comments:
December 18 2007 at 06:34AM
A family braai turned into a horror story when intruders stormed a home and held a gun to a three-year-old while her grandfather and relatives emptied their pockets in a bid to appease eight armed men.
As the attackers fled the Erasmia home on the outskirts of Pretoria on Sunday, a shootout with police ensued. One of the thugs was shot and arrested.
In another Pretoria attack on Sunday, a man was shot dead and his wife and daughter were critically wounded for the sake of a cellphone.
'There was an excellent response from police'
Police said three men gained entry to the Menlo Park home around 11pm. The family arrived home from a trip and were surprised by robbers.
A Mr Petrou was shot dead and his wife and daughter critically wounded. "The two suspects escaped with only a cellphone," police said.
A security guard at nearby Hillside Security Village heard several gunshots and went to investigate.
The intruders had fled but he found a man dead inside his home and two injured women in the garden.
The Erasmia grandfather, who did not want to be named for fear of endangering his family, said about 25 family members were having a braai when gunmen stormed into their home.
"There were about eight of them. They threatened the women and children, then grabbed my three-year-old granddaughter, put a gun to her head and demanded money. We gave them what we could: our cellphones and the little cash we had in our pockets."
The man said the gunmen searched the house for about 30 minutes, then panicked when a neighbour sounded the alarm.
"The Lord Almighty was with us. There was an excellent response from police, who were here within three minutes.
"As they ran out of the garage, the police arrived. About 30 shots were fired," said the grandfather.
His granddaughter was now too scared to visit his home.
The wounded attacker is in hospital under guard. Police seized two pistols.
This article was originally published on page 2 of The Star on December 18, 2007
at 12/18/2007 11:13:00 pm No comments:
16 December 2007, 13:36
Sue Littlejohn may be 70, but clearly age has not diminished her formidable fighting spirit.
She survived two previous attacks, but the one last week was the most horrendous.
For an hour-and-a-half two men played a game of cat and mouse with her, pouncing on her, strangling her, releasing her, and then striking again. They could no doubt have killed her, but instead chose to drag out the ordeal.
She escaped eventually by making a hole in her bedroom ceiling and wriggling along the rafters, descending down into the kitchen after the robbers had left.
Littlejohn, who lives on a farm in the Lidgetton valley in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, said shortly before 6pm she heard several of her horses whinny. She went outside to investigate and on her return found two men waiting inside the house.
What followed was a fight for her life.
"They tied my hands and neck with a rope," she said. "Then they kneeled and sat on me and strangled me. Every so often they slid me along the floor and banged my head into the wall."
However, because she makes her own ropes - to use on her horses - she knew they were difficult to bind someone with. "It's thick, plaited material, which is difficult to knot. I kept wriggling my fingers and hands and the knots would come undone."
Asked why her attackers had not put a stop to this, she said when they were not busy strangling her, she tried talking to them, telling them she knew they were actually kind men and should spare her. She believes this might have played a part, because when she asked for water, they gave it to her.
"But then they would jump on me again and start throttling me," she said, her voice still soft and scratchy from the punishment her throat took.
During the struggle she passed out three times.
She's convinced the men were not locals, as their knowledge of Zulu was limited - they were only able to ask her over and over for money in the language.
Littlejohn moved to the Midlands after twice being attacked when she lived near Hartebeespoort Dam.
But as a result of the latest incident she is now obliged to move again.
"I am afraid to stay on here alone," said Littlejohn.
Police are still trying to track down the robbers, but believe they are in the Bergville area.
This article was originally published on page 7 of The Cape Argus on December 16, 2007
at 12/17/2007 10:13:00 am No comments:
Vir ‘prinses’ baklei ‘ma’ haar naels af teen kapers
Mee. Elize van Niekerk en Marisia de Kramer.
’n Mens los nie jou “kind” in die motor wanneer kapers daarmee wil wegkom nie.
Daarom het me. Marisia de Kramer terugbaklei om haar vriendin se miniatuur-yorkshire terriër, Prinses Tiffany, uit die booswigte se kloue te red.
En die kapers het nie geweet wat hulle tref nie en daarom het die een verbouereerde kaper sy makker per ongeluk doodgeskiet.
De Kramer (49) en mev. Elize van Niekerk (54) – vriendinne van Pretoria – was verlede Donderdag met Prinses Tiffany en Prinses Shirley (De Kramer se yorkie) op pad Magaliesburg toe. Hulle het by die Laurentia-padstal buite Krugersdorp stilgehou.
Van Niekerk, wat in die motor bly wag het, het ’n gewapende man aangehardloop sien kom kort nadat De Kramer weer in die kar ingeklim het.
“Maatjie, ons word gehijack,” was al wat Van Niekerk kon uitkry. Sy het Prinses Tiffany en Prinses Shirley gegryp toe die kaper haar uit die motor probeer pluk.
Intussen het die kaper se makker De Kramer uit die motor geruk terwyl Van Niekerk gespook het om die vreesbevange hondjies by mekaar te hou. Die kaper het sy vuurwapen teen Van Niekerk se kop gedruk en haar beveel om stil te bly.
Toe hy haar uiteindelik uit die motor kry, het albei hondjies uit haar arms geglip: Prinses Tiffany het in die motor teruggespring en Prinses Shirley het tussen die verkeer deur laat spaander.
De Kramer het besef Prinses Tiffany – wat weer tussen die twee booswigte in die motor beland het – moet gered word.
Sy het oor die booswig op die passasiersitplek gespring om Prinses Tiffany onder die bestuurder se bene uit te kry.
Die bestuurder – wat waarskynlik onkant gevang is – het uit die motor gespring en sy vuurwapen op De Kramer gerig.
“Toe ek met die hond regop kom, het ek in die pistool se loop vasgekyk. Ek het die pistool se loop uit die motor gedwing en ’n skoot het geknal. Kort daarna het ek nóg skoot – dié keer dowwer – gehoor.”
Die man aan die passasierskant het skielik ook uit die motor gespring en De Kramer in die proses uitgegooi. De Kramer dink hy was toe reeds gewond.
“Hy het my ’n sekonde aangekyk met so ’n snaakse uitdrukking in sy oë – iets soos ongeloof. Dis asof hy gedink het hoe kan só iets oor ’n hondjie gebeur, ” vertel De Kramer.
Iemand in ’n ander motor het sy toeter gedruk en die kapers het in ’n blou Golf weggejaag.
Dis eers tóé dat De Kramer die bloedspatsels op haar en op Prinses Tiffany sien: “Ek het ál my plastieknaels afbaklei.”
Prinses Shirley is meters verder langs pad deur twee motoriste gevang wat haar aan haar geskokte “ma” terugbesorg het.
Een van die verdagtes, Godfrey Thabo Baloyi (32), het later in ’n hospitaal in Pretoria-Wes aan sy skietwond beswyk.
“Mag God sy siel genadig wees,” het De Kramer gister gesê. Sy én Prinses Tiffany het vir berading gegaan.
at 12/16/2007 04:18:00 pm No comments:
Josina Fourie and her husband celebrate their 59th wedding anniversary in the Brits Medi-Clinic. (Daleen van Manen, Beeld)
14/12/2007 09:18 - (SA)
Daleen van Manen, Beeld
Hartbeespoort - Josina Fourie, 81, grabbed a club and laid into two knife-wielding attackers who stabbed her and her husband in an early-morning attack.
The couple's six dogs joined in as well, but not before Josina was stabbed five times in the chest and head and husband Isak, 84, was knifed seven times in the back. Both his lungs were perforated.
Josina said: "I decided I wouldn't allow murderers to snuff out our lives just like that. I would fight to the death."
They're both in a stable condition in Brits Medi-Clinic.
The Fouries, who moved to Hartbeespoort from KwaZulu-Natal just three weeks ago, were attacked at their Ifafa flat shortly after 06:00 on Wednesday by a painter who had been working for them for three weeks, and his accomplice.
Josina said: "We suspected nothing and were still in bed when the painter arrived at our house.
"My husband went to unlock the door so that the six dogs could go out, and the painter could get his equipment out of the house.
"The painter pushed Isak out of the way and stormed to our bedroom. A second man suddenly appeared and grabbed my husband," said Josina.
"When I asked the painter what he was doing, he said a sangoma had ordered him to kill us to drive the evil out of his body.
The two men repeatedly stabbed the couple and while Isak wrestled with one, Josina managed to get a club next to their bed, and laid into her attacker.
"I just decided I won't surrender as long as I was alive. I wouldn't allow them to take my life, and my husband's."
While she defended herself with the club, their six dogs also joined in and tackled the knifemen.
"The painter was jumping around between the biting dogs. Even my oldest dog, with a heart problem and just one tooth, joined in the fray."
The two men grabbed cellphones and cash and fled.
"The painter's parting words to me were that he'd return to kill us."
Josina crawled to the phone and called police, her son and their neighbour. Police and paramedics were at the house within minutes.
"I never knew she was so strong," joked a weak Isak from the hospital bed next to hers.
Celebrating 59th anniversary
"She climbed in tooth and nail. She quite scared me. She and the dogs saved our lives."
Josina said she wanted their nightmare experience to serve as a warning to all elderly people.
"Don't trust anyone and keep a few dogs around your home. They helped to save our lives. The painter had done some work for my son, previously."
Josina and Isak were celebrating their 59th wedding anniversary side-by-side in their hospital beds on Friday.
at 12/15/2007 11:23:00 am No comments:
14/12/2007 10:48 - (SA)
Pretoria - Police on Friday said they were shocked by the senseless violence during a three-hour crime spree in the quiet suburb of East Lynne, which left four people with gunshot wounds.
Two robbers hit three houses within three hours during the bloody rampage, stealing two cellphones, almost raping a woman and hijacking a car.
"I can't understand that," Inspector Klaas van der Kooi told News24 on Friday. "I was shocked."
The robbers hit shortly after 20:00, when they attacked an elderly man and his son-in-law in a house in Swan Street. They entered the house and left with only a cellphone.
They then moved on to Stormvoël Drive, where one of the suspects attempted to rape a woman. Her screams alerted a friend, who was shot as he came to her rescue. He was wounded in the leg, but is in a stable condition, police told News24.
Police are following up leads after the car of a 22-year-old woman that was hijacked in the last incident was found without wheels in a maize field near Marble Hall in Limpopo.
"We got several leads from that," said Van der Kooi. Police will use the evidence gathered to trace the robbers, who are still at large.
The woman was rushed to Pretoria Academic Hospital in a serious condition after being shot. She was targeted while parking her car at her home in Hans Dons Drive.
"They didn't ask anything, they just started shooting," said Van der Kooi.
Gert Otto, a neighbour, noticed two men running down the street. "One of them had a firearm and fired three shots into the passenger side of the car."
Initially their shots missed the woman, but the robbers then pulled her from the vehicle and shot her several times before fleeing in the car.
A hospital spokesperson told News24 on Friday morning that the woman was in a serious but stable condition.
Police are investigating three cases of armed robbery, a hijacking, and four cases of attempted murder.
"From time to time things happen, but people getting shot like this, it doesn't happen on a daily basis," said Van der Kooi.
at 12/15/2007 11:18:00 am No comments:
December 14 2007 at 03:05PM
A 37-year-old traditional healer who planned a farm attack and robbery was sentenced by the Grahamstown High Court on Friday to 20 years in prison.
Judge Jos Jones found that Xolani Dube, of Kwazakhele, Port Elizabeth, masterminded the attack on a farmhouse near Cookhouse on October 13 2004.
Robbers broke into the house, tied the farmer's wife to a bed and raped her in front of her two young children. The 14-year-old son of a neighbouring farmer was also at the house at the time.
When the farmer walked into the house on his return from a local meeting, he was manhandled and disarmed, then locked in a large gun safe. The couple may not be named.
'everyone should be able to go to bed and feel safe'
"They were attacked in their home at night, when everyone should be able to go to bed and feel safe," Jones found in handing down sentence.
"At least one of the robbers wielded a gun, and it is most fortunate that no one was seriously injured," he noted.
The robbers stole, among other items, a Remington 25-06 calibre rifle, a Sig-Sauer 9mm parabellum pistol, a Protecta 12 bore shotgun, and a 9mm semi-automatic carbine, and ammunition.
They also took five cellphones, a video camera, two watches, of gold and silver jewellery, and a diamond ring.
In sentencing him, Jones took into account Dube's lack of previous convictions, his substantial practice as a traditional healer and his poor health.
"He did not participate in the robbery, and had no part in the dreadful events that occurred in the house.
"But, as the mastermind behind it, he is no less morally blameworthy than the actual perpetrators. He took them to the farm and collected them afterwards, and shared in the stolen goods."
Jones sentenced Dube to 20 years for the robbery and to five years on each of two counts under the Firearms and Ammunition Act, but ordered that the sentences run concurrently.
Dube's two co-accused were jailed for 20 years each in a separate trial in 2005.
Dube was to have been sentenced on Thursday, but had to be briefly hospitalised after apparently drinking a toxic cleaning fluid while in prison. - Sapa
at 12/15/2007 10:56:00 am No comments:
December 11 2007 at 12:22PM
The widow of murdered Valhalla liquor store manager Jaco van Staden said she hated her husband's killers, but prayed every day for God to help her forgive them.
Caren van Staden took the stand in the Pretoria High Court on Monday in aggravation of sentence of the two men who gunned down her husband in the liquor store during a robbery more than three years ago, and their co-offender, who was convicted as their accomplice.
Acting Judge Natvarial Ranchod convicted Michael Lebogo and Jeffrey Banda on a charge of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. The third accused, Thabo Diphoko, who drove the getaway car, was convicted as an accomplice to the murder and robbery.
Van Staden testified that she was six months pregnant when her husband was killed in August 2004. The couple also has two young children. She said that since his death she had had to go out and work. He did not have any policies or make financial provision for the family.
'He was a wonderful person and life is very difficult without him'
Van Staden said his death had affected her children severely. They kept asking when he was coming home. When she told them he was shot and killed, they wanted to know why.
"He was a wonderful person and life is very difficult without him," she said. She looked her husband's killers in the eye and told them she hoped God would help her to forgive them one day.
The robbers fled out of the liquor store without any money.
The State has called for a life sentence for Lebogo and Banda and a lengthy jail term for Diphoko.
The trio will be sentenced on Thursday.
This article was originally published on page 2 of Pretoria News on December 11, 2007
at 12/12/2007 07:30:00 pm No comments:
06/12/2007 21:33 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Four men were arrested for murder and house robbery in Marloth Park near Komatipoort on Thursday, Mpumalanga police said.
Captain Leonard Hlathi said the men were linked to the murder of Rudi Harris, 55, who was shot dead at his house during a robbery.
The four also were linked to a number of house robberies in Marloth Park.
Hlathi said Harris was shot dead while he was wrestling with a man for a gun.
The man had entered his house armed with an AK 47.
While they were wrestling, one of the gunman's three accomplices fired a shot at Harris, killing him instantly.
The four, aged between 18 and 26, are from Komatipoort and will appear in the Komatipoort Periodical Court on Tuesday.
at 12/07/2007 09:01:00 pm No comments:
01/12/2007 18:53 - (SA)
Suid-Afrika het nie net te make met misdaad en moordenaars in die “normale” sin van die woord nie, maar eerder met ’n vorm van oorlog, het oudmin. Pik Botha gister gesê nadat sy jare lange vriend mnr. Franz Richter die afgelope week in die Wieg van die Mensdom, wes van Johannesburg, vermoor is.
Richter (80), ’n bekende in natuur- en toerismekringe en eienaar van die Heia Safari Ranch en Aloe Ridge Lodge, is Woensdagoggend in sy wildreservaat doodgeskiet toe hy op pad was om werkers te gaan betaal.
Drie verdagtes, mnre. Johnson Chwire (23), Dumisani Xulu (37) en Gilbert Mosadi (31), het eergister op aanklagte van moord en roof in die Krugersdorpse landdroshof verskyn.
Chwire was uit op borgtog vir ’n ander roofsaak toe Richter vermoor is.
“Suid-Afrika het te doen met ’n aanvalsmag en nie sporadiese moord en doodslag nie,” het Botha gesê.
“Dit gebeur selde dat slegs een persoon die moord pleeg. Dit is gewoonlik vier, of vyf, of ses mense – die aanvalsmag is groot en dit is ’n oorlog. Daar word beplan en besluit waar om toe te slaan.
“Die regering moet ernstig besin of daar nie ’n nasionale noodtoestand verklaar moet word nie. Alle Suid-Afrikaners word geraak.
“Ons sal dit slegs kan stopsit as daar in ’n mate inbreuk gemaak word op basiese regte, soos vryheid van beweging.”
Botha het Richter as ’n wysgeer en filosoof bestempel.
“Hy het geestelike en mate-riële waarde toegevoeg tot sy nuwe vaderland.”
Die Duits gebore Richter se dood het – nes die moord op die Oostenryker Peter Burgstaller aan die KwaZulu-Natalse suidkus – nuushooftrekke in Duitsland gehaal.
Richter se dogter, me. Gabi Burgmer, het gister tydens ’n toerismeveiligheidsvergadering by die Sterkfonteingrot gesê mense bel van oor die hele wêreld om hul medelye te betuig.
Volgens Burgmer, wat die hotel by die Heia Safari Ranch bestuur, het hulle ná die moord op haar pa reeds ’n kansellasie van ’n baie groot internasionale groep ontvang.
“Ek het ’n e-pos oor die kansellasie aan al die toerisme-owerhede gestuur, maar niemand tel die foon op om te sê ‘ek is jammer’ nie,” het sy ontsteld gesê.
Verskeie inwoners van die Wieg van die Mensdom – ’n wêrelderfenisgebied – het op die vergadering gesê hulle is moedeloos oor die vlaag rooftogte en moorde wat maand ná maand in die gebied gepleeg word.
Nog ’n rolspeler in dié gebied se gasvryheidsbedryf, mnr. Jerry Heynes (45), is Dinsdagoggend in ’n rooftog in die Bell-gables Country Restaurant in Muldersdrift in die maag geskiet.
Heynes, wat die aanval oorleef het, is die mede-eienaar van die restaurant.
Op die vergadering het die inwoners gesê drastiese stappe – soos weermagpatrollies – word dringend benodig om orde in die gebied te herstel.
Volgens mnr. Trevor Roberts, eienaar van Conserv Security, was daar die afgelope jaar 32 plaasaanvalle in die gebied. Vier van dié aanvalle was by toeriste-ondernemings.
“Mens voel veiliger in Irak as in dié omgewing,” het een van die mense op die vergadering luidkeels gesê.
at 12/06/2007 11:08:00 pm No comments:
05/12/2007 09:08 - (SA)
Mookgopong - "Unrestrained anger" is a breeding ground for a cruel attack such as the recent one on an elderly Limpopo couple at the weekend.
"We are an incredibly evil nation," said well-known forensic criminologist, Dr Irma Labuschagne.
"I believe people in our country have never been angrier with each other."
Beeld reported on Monday about the attack during which 70-year-old Hettie Janse van Rensburg's fingers were cut off with garden shears. Her husband, Theuns, 72, was left for dead after he had been beaten over the head with a bush knife.
'Not just about poverty'
No less than 10 attacks were reported in Limpopo during the past couple of weeks. People were hacked with axes and a farmer was burnt alive inside his house.
Labuschagne said many promises were made during transformation to a democratic system. Many expectations were created and those who lived in terrible conditions, continued to suffer.
Many people believed their lives would change overnight. Many of these promises have still not been realised.
"Meanwhile some people realise that things won't get better overnight."
These people experience intense anger and take it out on those who are better off than themselves.
"They want to get back at those whom they attack for everything they don't have and for what happened in the past."
Labuschagne said not only poverty caused these feelings and reactions. In India, where there is abject poverty, violent crimes hardly exist.
"People in India have accepted their circumstances and live with it. This has not yet happened in South Africa."
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06/12/2007 07:54 - (SA)
Annelene Moses, Beeld
Johannesburg - An elderly couple from Westdene in Johannesburg were held up by armed men for two hours, while they were assaulted and robbed on Monday.
Gerrie Gerber, 82, was stabbed in the leg with a pair of scissors. He and his wife Rose, 76, were also repeatedly struck in the face and thrown against the furniture in their house on Monday night.
The robbers, armed with a knife and a screwdriver, ripped open cupboards in search of valuables.
"Every time I asked them something, they hit me.
Married for 52 years
They took all my jewellery, of tremendous sentimental value. My wedding ring, my watch, jewellery that I inherited from my mother and my cellphone," Rose said. The couple have been married for 52 years.
"They kept asking: 'Where's the laptop? I said we're old, we don't have a laptop'!"
The nightmare began when Rose suddenly woke up at about 23:00 and realised the light was burning.
"The next moment two men were charging at us."
"I shouted at my husband and we tried to push the door closed, but they were too fast."
Rose asked them what they wanted and told them to go. The men spotted a safe in the cupboard and demanded the key.
It was handed over to them and they stole Gerrie's pistol as well as about R3 000 savings from the safe.
"If I can say something nice about them: they turned my handbag upside-down and took all the money in it, but they left me all my cards for the bank, the medical aid, driving licence and my ID document," Rose said.
The thugs broke into the house through a small window in an adjoining bedroom.
Rose first had to unlock a door for the robbers before they tied them up. The bleeding couple were tied to their bed, and Gerrie told his wife they should pray.
To the "fluently-English speaking robbers" he said in Afrikaans "you cannot harm us; we belong to the Lord".
When the robbers had left they managed to wriggle free.
In the bedside drawer Rose found her mom's old netball whistle.
They went to the bedroom window and "kicked up a racket."
Tahnia Hook, a neighbour, heard the whistle and phoned their friend Pieter Cilliers, producer of Kwêla on kykNET.
He lives just one house away from the Gerbers, and he phoned Meldene's armed response unit.
at 12/06/2007 10:04:00 pm No comments:
Rowers hou bejaardes uur lank in huis in Westdene aan
Mnr. Gerrie Gerber (82) en sy vrou, Rose (76), is in hul huis in Westdene deur twee rowers oorval. Foto: Mario van de Wall
Dec 05 2007 08:49:34:633PM - (SA)
’n Bejaarde egpaar van Westdene, Johannesburg, wat sedert die 1960’s hier woon, is byna ’n uur lank deur twee gewapende mans aangehou, aangerand en beroof.
Mnr. Gerrie Gerber (82) is Maandagaand met ’n skêr in die been gesteek. Hy én sy vrou, Rose (76), is ook herhaaldelik deur die gesig geslaan en teen die meubels gegooi.
Die rowers, gewapen met ’n mes en skroewedraaier, het kaste oopgeruk op soek na waardevolle items.
“Elke keer as hulle iets gevra het, het hulle my geslaan. Hulle het al my juwele van groot sentimentele waarde gevat. My trouring, my horlosie, juwele wat ek by my ma geërf het én my selfoon,” het mev. Gerber gesê. Die egpaar is al 52 jaar getroud.
“Hulle het aanhou vra ‘waar’s die laptop’. Ek het gesê ons is oud; ons het nie ’n laptop nie!”
Die nagmerrie het begin toe mev. Gerber omstreeks 23:00 wakker geskrik en agtergekom het die ganglig brand.
“Die volgende oomblik het twee mans op ons afgepeil. Ek het vir my man geskree en ons wou die deur toedruk, maar hulle was te vinnig.”
Mev. Gerber wou weet wat hulle soek en het hulle beveel om te loop. Die mans het die kluis in ’n kas gewaar en wou weet waar die sleutel is. Dis aan hulle gegee en hulle het mnr. Gerber se pistool en sowat R3 000 spaargeld uit die kluis gevat.
“Kan ek iets moois van hulle sê? Hulle het nou wel my handsak omgekeer en die geld daarin gevat, maar my kaarte vir die bank, siekefonds, rybewys en identiteitsdokument gelos,” het sy gesê.
Die boewe het ’n klein venstertjie in ’n ander slaapkamer stukkend geslaan en só die huis betree. Mev. Gerber moes eers ’n deur vir die skelms oopsluit voordat hulle die egpaar vasgebind het.
Die bloeiende egpaar is op hul bed vasgemaak en dit is hier dat mnr. Gerber vir sy vrou gesê het om te bid. Vir die “vlot Engelssprekende” rowers het hy in Afrikaans gesê: “Julle kan niks aan ons doen nie; ons behoort aan die Here.”
Toe die rowers eers die pad gevat het, kon hulle hulself loswikkel. In die bedkassie se laai het mev. Gerber haar ma se ou netbalfluitjie gekry. Hulle het by die kamervenster gaan staan en “lawaai gemaak”.
Me. Tahnia Hook, ’n buurvrou, het die blasery gehoor en hul vriend, mnr. Pieter Cilliers, vervaardiger van Kwêla op kykNet, gebel. Hy woon net ’n huis weg van die Gerbers en het Meldene se gewapende-reaksie-eenheid gebel.
Kapt. Bhekizizwe Mavundla, polisiewoordvoerder, het die voorval bevestig. Mense met inligting kan insp. Mario Jones, die ondersoekbeampte, by 072 336 5707 bel.
at 12/06/2007 09:51:00 pm No comments:
Bende val 80-jarige boer op plaas aan, roof vuurwapens
Dec 02 2007 09:21:40:513PM - (SA)
Mookgophong (Naboomspruit). – Nog ’n bejaarde boer in Limpopo is die naweek op sy plaas aangeval en van vuurwapens beroof.
Mnr. Coen Seegers (80) is Saterdoggend op sy plaas, Kalkfontein, in dié distrik deur vier gewapende mans aangeval.
Dié aanval was ’n dag nadat mnr. Barend Jonker (85) Vrydag op sy plaas in die omgewing van Mokopane (Potgietersrus) met ’n byl aangeval is. Hy het ernstige beserings aan sy gesig en kop opgedoen en sterk steeds in die Polokwane- provinsiale hospitaal aan.
Landbou-organisasies in Limpopo is bekommerd oor die vlaag plaasaanvalle sedert einde Oktober.
Me. Marie Helm, streekbestuurder van TLU SA-Noord, het boere aangeraai om hul veiligheidsmaatreëls in die Kerstyd te verskerp.
In die aanval op Seegers is onder meer ’n haelgeweer en ’n jaggeweer gebuit.
Die vier gewapende mans het ook met ’n trommel geld gevlug.
Supt. Mohale Ramatseba, provinsiale polisiewoordvoerder, het gesê die vier verdagtes het omstreeks 08:00 glo vir Seegers gesê hulle wil melk koop.
Hy en sy vrou is oorrompel en die aanvallers het hulle vasgebind.
’n Groot polisiesoektog is na die aanvallers begin. Teen druktyd was niemand nog vasgetrek nie.
Intussen verskyn ’n 20-jarige man vandag in die landdroshof in Polokwane (Pietersburg) ná die aanval op Jonker.
Ramatseba het gesê die man is kort ná die aanval op ’n nabygeleë plaas in hegtenis geneem. Hy het glo ’n klein bedrag geld en klere by Jonker gesteel.
Nog ’n vermeende plaasaanvaller (27) verskyn vandag in die Louis-Trichardt-landdroshof weens die aanval op mnr. Callie Erasmus (54) op 7 November op sy plaas in die Levubu-distrik naby Louis Trichardt.
Erasmus is gewond tydens ’n woeste struweling, maar het daarin geslaag om die aanvaller aan te keer en sy hande met kabelhegters vas te bind.
Sedert einde Oktober was daar sewe gewapende plaasaanvalle in Limpopo.
at 12/04/2007 11:18:00 pm No comments:
Dec 03 2007 10:19:03:097PM - (SA)
’n Dokter van Rayton, oos van Pretoria, is in ’n bedenklike toestand in die Wilgers-hospitaal in Pretoria nadat hy tuis oorval, erg aangerand en beroof is.
Dr. Donald Allan (55) is vermoedelik verlede Sondag in sy huis aangeval. Hy is eers twee dae later van ’n moontlike dood gered toe iemand ondersoek by sy huis gaan instel het en op die erg beseerde Allan afgekom het.
Kapt. Lucas Sithole, polisiewoordvoerder, het gesê Allan het veelvoudige beserings en beenbreuke opgedoen.
Sithole het gesê die polisie ondersoek ook die moontlikheid dat sy aanvallers tussen Sondag en Dinsdagoggend by sy huis toegeslaan het.
Die Cullinan-polisie ondersoek ’n klag van poging tot moord en huisbraak.
Allan het gister uit sy bed in die waakeenheid laat weet dat hy nie met die media wil praat nie. – Virginia Keppler
at 12/04/2007 09:38:00 pm No comments:
03/12/2007 22:44 - (SA)
Pretoria - A dangerous festive season lies ahead for farmers and those living on farms, the agricultural union TAU SA has warned.
The number of farm attacks in November in the northern regions of South Africa had exceeded the total for the first six months of this year, it said in a statement.
"The levels of physical abuse, and cold-bloodedness of the attackers, seems to be unique to cases involving farm dwellers; this indicates increased intolerance and revenge," said TAU SA president Paul van der Walt.
He called on farmers to get actively involved in security efforts to protect lives and property in rural areas.
at 12/04/2007 09:34:00 pm No comments:
Die erg beseerde mev. Hettie Janse van Rensburg. Foto: Pierre Janse van Rensburg
Dec 03 2007 10:18:54:910PM - (SA)
Mookgopong (Naboomspruit). – Rowers het hier vier van ’n bejaarde vrou se vingers met ’n snoeiskêr afgesny en haar man se lewe hang aan ’n draadjie nadat hy herhaaldelik met ’n panga oor die kop gekap is.
Dié gru-aanval en plundering van die egpaar se huis het sowat agt uur geduur.
Toe mnr. Theuns Janse van Rensburg (72) sy bewussyn verloor, het sy aanvaller(s) hom kaal uitgetrek en op die egpaar se bed neergelê. Een aanvaller het langs hom gaan lê en ure lank TV gekyk.
“Hulle het my pa gekap en vir dood agtergelaat en my stiefma is verwoes,” het ’n geskokte mnr. Tienie Janse van Rensburg, ’n seun van die egpaar, aan Beeld gesê.
Sy pa se valstande is op die vloer in die gang gekry. Een van sy vrou, Hettie, se vingers het ook in die huis gelê, het Janse van Rensburg jr. gesê.
Sy pa het omstreeks 20:00 ’n geluid buite die huis by 7de Straat 74 gehoor.
“My pa het gaan kyk wat aangaan en die aanvaller(s) moes toe by die voordeur ingesluip het.”
Die aanvaller het Janse van Rensburg herhaaldelik met die panga bygedam. Sy vrou het probeer veg, maar vier van haar linkervingers is met ’n snoeiskêr afgeknip. Haar regterarm is ook gebreek.
Sy het bloeiend na die hoofslaapkamer se badkamer gevlug, haarself daar toegesluit en die bloeiende hand met ’n handdoek verbind.
Haar bewustelose man is na die hoofslaapkamer gesleep, kaal uitgetrek en op die bed neergelê. Mev. Janse van Rensburg het deur die sleutelgat gesien hoe sy aanvaller langs hom op die bed lê en TV kyk.
Die aanvaller(s) het omstreeks 04:00 gisteroggend gevlug nadat die huis geplunder is en bankkaarte, geld, ’n TV-stel, ’n DVD-speler en ’n hoëtroustel gebuit is.
Geen van die bure het enigiets gehoor nie. Mnr. Martin Schmidt, wat oorkant die straat woon, het gisteroggend kort voor 07:00 op die gru-toneel afgekom toe hy vir ’n werk-afspraak opdaag. “Hettie het geroep ek moet help, want haar man is dood.”
Hy het sy buurman op sy rug op die bed aangetref. Hy was met ’n laken toegegooi. “Daar was net bloed . . . dit het gelyk of iemand ’n bees geslag het. Hy het tot my verbasing beweeg en dis toe ek sien hy lewe.”
Mev. Janse van Rensburg onthou net een man wat hulle aangeval het, maar die polisie het gisteroggend drie mans wat by mnr. Janse van Rensburg sr. se tuindiensonderneming werk, vir ondervraging in hegtenis geneem.
Mnr. Janse van Rensburg is gisteroggend per helikopter na die Unitas-hospitaal in Centurion geneem. Teen druktyd was hy nog bewusteloos.
Me. Kate Cvitanic, woordvoerder van die hospitaal, sê hy is in ’n ernstige, maar bevredigende toestand.
Mev. Janse van Rensburg is in ’n bevredigende toestand in dieselfde hospitaal.
Mnr. Pierre Janse van Rensburg, nog ’n seun van die egpaar, sê sy stiefma lyk vreeslik en is baie deurmekaar.
“My pa het ’n skedelbreuk waar hy met die panga op die kop gekap is.”
Mnr. Dries Joubert, TLU SA-Noord se president, sê die verskeie aanvalle op bejaarde mense in Limpopo die afgelope tyd is ’n laevlak-oorlogsituasie.
“Elke lid van die gemeenskap sal alles moet doen om hulself te beveilig.”
In ’n ander aanval is ’n vrou gister by haar plaasstalletjie in die Mokopane- (Potgietersrus) gebied aangeval.
Sy het ernstige gesigsbeserings opgedoen. Haar negejarige dogtertjie het met die burgerbandradio hulp ontbied.
Een van die aanvallers is op die toneel in hegtenis geneem en ’n ander tussen Sterkrivier en Limburg. Twee ander het in die berge verdwyn.
at 12/04/2007 09:24:00 pm No comments:
03/12/2007 22:54 - (SA)
Mookgophong - Robbers used pruning shears to lop off four fingers of an elderly Limpopo woman and her husband's life is hanging by a thread after he was repeatedly struck on the head with a panga.
The horrifying attack and plunder of the couple's home lasted for about eight hours.
When Theuns Janse van Rensburg, 72, lost consciousness, his attackers undressed him and placed him on the couple's bed.
One of the attackers lay next to him, watching television for several hours.
Tienie Janse van Rensburg, the couple's shocked son, told Beeld newspaper: "They hacked my father and left him for dead, and my stepmother is shattered."
Tienie said his father's dentures were found on the floor of the passage. One of Hettie's fingers was also lying in the house.
His father had heard a noise outside the 7th Street house about 20:00.
"My dad went to see what was happening and that's when the attackers must have slipped in at the front door."
Saw attacker watching TV
One attacker slashed at Janse van Rensburg repeatedly with his panga. Hettie tried to fight back, but four of the fingers on her left hand were severed with a pair of garden shears. Her right arm was also broken.
Bleeding profusely, she ran to the main bedroom's en-suite bathroom, where she locked herself in and used a towel to stem the flow of blood from her hand.
Her unconscious husband was dragged through to the main bedroom, stripped naked and placed on the bed.
Hettie peeped through the keyhole and saw his attacker lying next to him on the bed, watching TV. The attackers fled about 04:00 on Monday, after stealing bank cards, money, a TV set, a DVD player and a hi-fi set.
None of the neighbours had heard anything.
Martin Schmidt, who lives across the road, made the gruesome discovery about 07:00 when he went over to keep a work appointment.
"Hettie called and asked me to help, because her husband was dead."
He found his neighbour lying on the bed on his back. He was covered with a sheet.
"There was blood everywhere. It looked as if someone had slaughtered a cow. To my surprise, Theuns moved and I saw he was still alive."
Hettie remembered only one man attacking them, but on Monday morning three men who worked at Janse van Rensburg snr's gardening service were taken in for questioning by the police.
Janse van Rensburg was moved to Unitas Hospital in Centurion by helicopter on Monday morning.
He was still unconscious on Monday evening. Kate Cvitanic, a spokesperson for the hospital, said he was in a serious, but stable, condition.
Hettie is in the same hospital, in a satisfactory condition.
Another son, Pierre Janse van Rensburg, said his stepmother looked terrible and was confused.
"My father has a fracture of the skull, where he was hit on the head with the panga."
Dries Joubert, the president of TLU SA North, said the number of attacks on elderly people in Limpopo in recent times had amounted to a low-intensity war.
Farm-stall owner attacked
"Every member of the community must do everything possible to see to their own security."
In another incident on Monday, a woman was attacked in her farm stall in the Mokopane district and had serious facial injuries.
Her nine-year-old daughter called for help with the citizen-band radio.
One of the attackers was arrested at the stall and another between Sterk River and Limburg.
Two more disappeared into the mountains.
at 12/04/2007 09:16:00 pm No comments:
December 02 2007 at 10:54AM
By Doreen Premdev
A feisty, quick thinking 7-year-old saved his mother and baby sister from being taken hostage by armed hijackers.
Dillon Peter, described as "a little hell raiser" by his parents, opened the car door as the hijackers were driving off in his father's Toyota Corolla, forcing his mother and baby sister out of the car before jumping out himself. His only thought at the time was, "I need to get mum and Bianca away from those bad men".
Dillon's father James had taken his family along to visit friends in the neighbouring Buffelsdraai, Verulam area.
James said he had just reached his friend's home and parked outside the gates, when a charcoal grey Toyota Tazz sped up behind him.
"Two men, armed with guns, got out and walked towards my car," James said.
"My 12-year-old son, Jerome, was in the front seat, while my wife Susan sat with Dillon and Bianca, 2, in the back seat.
"The hijackers came up to my window and the passenger window and pointed a gun at us. Jerome opened his door, pushing the hijacker aside and ran to me. The hijacker demanded I get out of the car, which I did.
"By that time the second hijacker had jumped into the passenger seat and pointed a gun at my wife and Dillon. The other hijacker jumped in and started the car. The third man was pointing an AK-47 at me, as the two other hijackers tried to speed off with my family.
"I saw the back passenger door swing open and Susan and Bianca jump out, followed by Dillon. We scurried for cover under a car parked close by," said James.
Thankful that his family survived the ordeal, James had not realised his son had saved them from what may have been a terrible fate.
"If it had not been for Dillon's quick thinking, I would hate to think what could have happened to my family."
Dillon could not control his excitement when his parents told him he would be in the newspaper. And when asked how he felt about being a hero, he joked and said he felt "like Spiderman".
"I don't know what I was thinking when I opened the car door. I just knew I had to get my mum and sister away from those bad guys. I did not want them to take us away. They had guns and looked angry," Dillon said.
Police have not made any arrests and James's car has not been recovered.
at 12/03/2007 11:19:00 pm No comments: