Fake Magistrate Faces a Very Real Eight Years in Jail! Kabelo Tlhabanelo
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Tuesday 23 March 2021, 0145 Real News. Scrolla.Africa Fake magistrate faces a very real eight years in jail! Kabelo Tlhabanelo The fake magistrate ran up a bill of over R30,000 at a guesthouse, promising that the Department of Justice would pick up the tab. But it turned out to be a total lie and on Friday, the slippery con man ran out of luck - and he is facing eight years behind bars. What Elsabe Risseeuw from the Imperani Guesthouse didn’t know was that the man who introduced himself as magistrate Thato Mofokeng from Welkom, Free State, had already racked up 17 previous convictions! Risseeuw said he arrived at their guesthouse in Ficksburg on 21 August and left without settling his R31,390 bill. He had introduced himself as the newly-appointed magistrate in the area and called himself Daniel Sebiloane. “He hit us during Covid-19 lockdown when we were struggling to get clients, so we were grateful for the business,” Risseeuw said. Mofokeng booked for 11 nights. On 23 August he asked the guesthouse to provide accommodation and breakfast to his two friends which added R1,880 to the bill. On 28 August, the fake magistrate requested the guesthouse to provide a venue, alcohol and other items because he was going to host a farewell party for one of his friends. Then he vanished without paying a cent. Risseeuw told Scrolla.Africa: “He didn’t look suspicious and the information he gave us looked genuine. But he won't harm anybody again.”. Free State NPA spokesman Phaladi Shuping said Mofokeng also visited Frontier Hotel in Bethlehem with his girlfriend on 16 October and said he was a top politician from Luthuli House and the ANC would pay the bill. But he paid for one night, then left without paying a bill of R9,239. Mofokeng has previously served time for all his 17 convictions. He didn't have any pending cases when he was sentenced on Friday. “It’s war!” declares Gumede before heading to court Lungani Zungu Former eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede describes her legal woes as warfare, as she heads back to the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court today. “My hands are clean. After more than a year since arresting me, the state still hasn’t proven its case,” she said. She says her lawyers will be fighting for the case to be thrown out of court. Gumede took a swipe at the NPA and the Hawks, saying that their way of charging people first and prosecuting later was flawed. “Things can’t just carry on as if nothing is wrong. Our law enforcement authorities should do their jobs fairly and ethically,” she said. “This kind of action is damaging to one’s reputation.” Gumede lost her job as mayor of eThekwini in 2019. She was charged with fraud and corruption along with 16 other people, including City Manager Sipho Nzuza. The arrest stemmed from a R430 million Durban Waste tender issued in 2017 during her term. Last Thursday, three more ANC councillors from the eThekwini Municipality appeared in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court following their arrest on Wednesday. When Gumede goes to court today, she will have one soldier less after the passing of her loyal supporter Mzomuhle Dube who died last month after a short illness. “The only way I can honour comrade Dube is to fight until the end to clear my name.” If anything, Dube’s death has boosted Gumede’s confidence. She has pledged her support for Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, who faces a parliamentary inquiry into her fitness to hold office. If Mkhwebane is removed, she will be the first public protector not to finish their term since the office was initiated in 1995. Gumede is now a member of the KZN provincial legislature. Picture source: @GumedeZandileRT Bapedi nation might have to wait for candle wife to bear an heir Judas Sekwela The Bapedi nation might have to wait for years before they have a king. That's because none of the late King Victor Thulare’s four children were born from a so-called candle wife, a woman selected by the nation and married off to the royal household for the express purpose of giving birth to a male child. The queen mother Manyaku Thulare has been chosen as the interim leader of the Bapedi nation in Sekhukhune, Limpopo. This follows much discussions, meetings and mutual agreement amongst elders after the death of King Victor Thulare III two months ago. He was the son of queen Manyaku. Royal family spokesman Ntoampe Mampuru said the nation is going to find a candle wife in Lesotho to come and give birth to the king. Mampuru said Queen Manyaku’s appointment is very significant as it will help the nation to get through what is a difficult period of mourning. “The appointment comes at a time when South Africa continues to recognise and advance the rights of women into positions of power and leadership in all sectors of society, including traditional leadership.” Mampuru told Scrolla.Africa queen Manyaku’s appointment puts to rest any fears about the succession process following what was a difficult and protracted legal dispute over the head to the Bapedi throne. Mampuru added that queen Manyaku has always loved the Bapedi people and has stopped at nothing to ensure their needs are always at the forefront. “The late king was widely respected for his love and wonderful leadership. Queen Manyaku has always been credited as teaching the king to love his people,” said Mampuru. Muvhango star opens up about his less glamorous side hustle Lwai Nongaua Perhaps acting is more high-profile than farming, but for actor Gabriel Temudzani, the two professions share equal billing in his heart. “I will be the happiest person if I could see myself as a fully- fledged commercial farmer,” said Temudzani who is celebrating 21 years of playing the role of Chief Azwindini Mukwevho in Muvhango. “I long for black farmers to have a close relationship with the market. I strongly believe that it is through agriculture where we can fight poverty and create employment for our people," he told Scrolla.Africa in an exclusive interview. He said he was passionate about farming and uplifting others as he improves as a farmer. He said he grew up in the villages where farming is a way of life. “My decision to consider farming as a potential career came a little late,” he said. He said his decision to study agriculture came about because of his strong belief that formally advancing your knowledge and using modern technology-driven ways have the ability to rapidly increase productivity. He officially took over his family farming project in 2016 and the journey has been good. Already, the project has created four permanent employees and dozens of personnel who work seasonally. Temudzani hinted that the project could soon become a registered commercial project in Limpopo. “Through the farm, I intend to fight poverty, create employment and change the negative narrative about black farmers,” he said. “I want to build strong systems that will ensure that many aspiring black farmers have access to a lucrative farming market.” Mpumalanga premier fingered in traffic learnership flawed process Dalphine Tagwireyi The Mpumalanga premier declared the 2021 traffic cop learnership at the Mpumalanga traffic college procedurally flawed without conducting proper investigations. This is according to Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison, head of department, Busisiwe Nkuna. In a letter, which is in Scrolla.Africa’s possession, Nkuna responded to Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane’s questions to explain why the premier’s directive to nullify the learnership was not followed. In a defiant response, Nkuna said she was being persecuted because the premier, through Ntone Molelekoa, gave her a list of names of candidates that the panel needed to recommend although they did not qualify. Nkuna further alleged that Molelekoa sent directions to her to delete the name of Mthokozisi, a traffic cop applicant and be replaced by Musa, the premier’s alleged preferred choice. “I have records of all the lists I was given by Ntone saying they are from the premier,” Nkune wrote in the letter. “Do you want me dismissed because I did not appoint your candidates who did not qualify?” She further noted that she tried unsuccessfully to engage with her immediate boss, MEC Vusi Shongwe and when he finally granted her an audience he harshly ordered her out of his office when she said the withdrawal procedure would result in legal proceedings. DA councillor Comfort Sibiya said the entire situation is a classic comedy of errors. “Clearly many politicians escape accountability by barking out verbal instructions without committing themselves in writing,” Sibiya said. Sibiya said he can personally point out two candidates who are not qualified from around his area of Lydenburg/Mashishing. The premier’s spokesperson Sibongile Mpkani Mpolweni said the office of the premier will not comment on the contents of the correspondence because of the confidentiality of the employer-employee relationship. Gogo wallows in poverty after her son is killed Gogo Tshinakaho Mudau says she had spent most of her life in severe poverty while she raised her son, Azwifaneli Mudau. But Azwifaneli, 37, had not disappointed her because he made a success of his business - only to be murdered at the gate of his house in Makwarela Extension 3 in Vhembe, Limpopo. Azwifaneli’s own wife, Winnie Ntanganedzeni Nemaranzhe, has been taken into custody for her suspected role in the murder. "Life has not been easy with his father having passed on many years ago,” the gogo said.