ATM attackers exploiting poor policing

ATM attackers exploiting poor policing
2012-02-03 22:26


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Cape Town - Disarray in the crime intelligence unit and a lack of experienced detectives could be the reason for an increase in automated teller machine (ATM) attacks in the past year, a crime expert said on Friday.

Organised crime syndicates were taking advantage of weaknesses in the policing system, said Institute for Security Studies crime and justice expert Johan Burger.

"One huge weakness is the inability to produce usable crime intelligence about syndicates because of internal problems. There is huge disarray at the moment," he said.

"We also need more investigation into these cases. There is far too little attention on appointing experienced detectives... which leads to successful prosecutions."

61% rise

Burger said something significant had caused a 61% jump in the past year.

A total of 399 attacks took place in 2010/2011 compared to 247 attacks in 2009/2010, with Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal the biggest targets.

In this time, the crime intelligence unit and other police departments had been re-shuffled.

Cash-in-transit heists, however, were at their lowest levels in four years.

"Cash-in-transit heists became a huge risk. Those criminals involved in syndicates switched attention to a softer target which is less risky and these are ATMs," Burger said.

Visible policing at ATMs had resulted in some success but needed to be strengthened.

The banking industry also needed to change its perspective.

Weakness

"To them, ATMs should be client-friendly and easily accessible. Criminals see this as a weakness and exploit this. Banks will have to rethink the location of these machines," Burger said.

Many banks, petroleum companies and retailers had taken to installing ATMs inside a building to guard against attacks, Spark ATM systems managing director Marc Sternberg said on Friday.

"In-store ATMs have not been attacked because there is a much more improved security profile. There are alarms, closed-circuit television, guards, and locking facilities for after hours," he said.

"The bombers or gangs go for street-facing ATMs or exposed ATMs where they can gain access."

Most of these attacks took place between 02:00 and 05:00 in areas with poor lighting.

Inside job

Many attacks were inside jobs as it would be pointless to break open a machine with no money, Sternberg said.

Even then, attackers seldom got away with anything as they either blew up money or activated dye-spraying machines.

Since the start of the year, ATM attacks had taken place in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, North West, and Western Cape.

Sternberg said he was concerned by the Western Cape attacks as the province had remained mostly unaffected so far.

On Tuesday, robbers made off with cash after blowing up an ATM near a convenience store in Durban Road, Bellville.

An ATM on Vasco Boulevard in Goodwood, Cape Town, was bombed in the early hours of Friday morning.

Captain Frederick van Wyk said it was unclear whether money was taken. Police were investigating a case of malicious damage to property.


- SAPA

Read more on: police | crime

Top cops being paid by gangs - Plato

Top cops being paid by gangs - Plato
2012-02-03 10:49

Related LinksW Cape seeks return of special units
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Cape Town - High ranking police officers are on the payrolls of drug lords and underworld figures in the Western Cape, according to community safety MEC Dan Plato.

The Cape Times on Friday quoted Plato as saying that night club owners, and others who were concerned about the situation, were too afraid to contact the police and told him this was because police officers were involved with those they wanted to lodge complaints against.

“They’ve got no trust in the police because there are too many officers on [crime bosses'] payrolls,” he said.

The names and ranks of officers allegedly receiving bribes were known and Plato was taking the matter up with police management.

Plato made the accusations based on information he had been gathering about the city’s lucrative and notorious bouncer industry, which was now dominated by a new company - Specialised Protection Services (SPS).

SPS, allegedly backed by businessmen police say are linked to organised crime, was set up after the murder of underworld figure Cyril Beeka in March.

It is an amalgamation of two companies, one previously run by Beeka.

In recent weeks a number of city club owners had contacted Plato complaining that they were being intimidated and threatened by individuals trying to force them to use particular bouncers.

Plato was planning to set up a separate phone line specifically for those feeling intimidated by security company bosses to call anonymously.



- SAPA

Read more on: sps | cyril beeka | dan plato | cape town | crime

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Cyril Beeka's driver a 'hitman'- report
2011-12-19 14:32


Read more stories about
Cyril Beeka
No bail for Serbian fugitive - 03 Feb
Top cops being paid by gangs - Plato - 03 Feb
Serbian fugitive aims for refugee status - 16 Jan
Serbian warlord's killer stays in jail - 10 Jan
Wanted Serbian appears in court - 28 Dec
Cyril Beeka's driver a 'hitman'- report - 19 Dec
Lolly's 'protégé' feared for his life - 28 Sep
O'Sullivan had 'minor role' in raid - 13 Apr
Krejcir denies Beeka murder claim - 12 Apr



Cape Town - Murdered underworld boss Cyril Beeka’s driver has been arrested in connection with his murder and is allegedly a hitman from the Serbian mafia, IOL reported on Monday.

Sources told the Weekend Argus that police are investigating the possibility that one of the five bullets that hit Beeka was fired from inside the car Beeka and his driver were travelling in.

The identity of Beeka’s driver was in question. South African and Serbian authorities are working to ascertain his real identity, but he is thought to be a hitman from the Serbian mafia.

Czech fraud suspect Radovan Krejcir was thought to be involved in his murder as police found a hitlist with Beeka’s name on it when they raided Krejcir’s Johannesburg home shortly after Beeka’s murder.

Krejcir has denied any involvement in the murder.

Beeka was gunned down in Cape Town in March this year. He was linked to various criminal syndicates.

Police say a motorcyclist pulled up alongside his BMW X5 and opened fire on the vehicle.

Beeka was killed while the driver of the car survived.

Read the full report.


- News24

Read more on: radovan krejcir | cyril beeka | cape town | joahnnesburg | crime

The National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa

The National Prosecuting Authority
of South Africa


Report Corruption

NB: Please note that the information below refers to corruption within the NPA. The hotline given below is therefore only for NPA-related corrupt activities and unethical behaviour.

To report corruption in other areas of the public service, please use the Government’s anti-corruption hotline. Otherwise you can also contact the South African Police Service.

Report Corruption

Corruption inhibits service delivery. Likewise, reporting corruption will enable us to effectively deliver service to the public and to live up to our vision of delivering justice in our society, so that people can live in freedom and security. Combating and eliminating corruption is everybody’s responsibility and if we do not report it, we are as guilty as the perpetrators.

What is the NPA Service Delivery hotline?

The NPA service delivery hotline is a 24 hour toll free service. It is aimed at enabling the public and members of the NPA to report wrongdoings or transgressions with the NPA values in respect of the service that the NPA renders to the public.


What are some examples of things I should report?
· Suspected contract irregularities and violations of the NPA’s procurement guidelines
· Corruption
· Fraud
· Bribery or acceptance of gratuities
· Maladministration
· Misuse of funds or assets
· Misuse of official resources
· Illegal disclosure of information
· Acts of dishonesty
· Ill treatment of the members of the public
· Theft
· Abuse of authority
· Travel-related fraud
· Benefits and allowance fraud
· Involvement of NPA staff in any of the afore-mentioned
· Racism or discrimination




What information do I need to provide?

Please make your complaint as specific as possible and include details such as:
· what alleged wrongdoing you are reporting,
· where and when (dates and times if available),
· who is/are the perpetrators,
· And how the individual or firm committed the alleged wrongdoing.


How do I provide the information I have?
Call the NPA Hotline (operated by an independent organization)
0800 21 25 80
Hotline open 24 hours a day
Anonymous calls accepted.
To enable the callers to make follow-ups to their reported cases, a reference number will be provided.


What is the NPA’s confidentiality policy?

In supporting the organization’s efforts to detect and prevent unethical conduct, the NPA has developed the whistle blowing policy. This policy is aimed at protecting the whistle blower against victimization. The NPA considers unethical conduct (such as corruption, fraud, theft, maladministration and malpractice) in a very serious light. It furthermore recognizes the value and importance of its employees in eradicating corrupt activities. Failure to report on acts of fraud, corruption, theft, maladministration and such, is regarded in terms of the mentioned policy as misconduct and will be charged as such.

NPA denies Mdluli, Breytenbach link

NPA denies Mdluli, Breytenbach link
2012-02-03 13:18


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Johannesburg - The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has denied a link between the possible suspension of prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach and the dropping of charges against suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli.

"It has nothing to do with that at all," NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said on Friday.

He confirmed that Breytenbach, a deputy director of public prosecutions, had worked on a fraud case against Mdluli, who is the suspended head of police crime intelligence.

Mdluli had been facing two separate unrelated cases of fraud and murder.

The fraud case involved allegations around the purchase of two vehicles for his department and payments from a witness protection fund.

No reasons given

The case against him and co-accused Heine Barnard, who worked in witness protection, was withdrawn last December with no reasons given immediately.

Mhaga said that this was because of a lack of evidence.

The murder case relates to an accusation that he, Lieutenant Colonel Mtunzi-Omhle Mthembeni Mtunzi, court orderly Samuel Dlomo, and Colonel Nkosana Sebastian Ximba, were involved in the killing of Oupa Ramogibe in 1999 in an apparent love triangle.

On Thursday, the NPA announced that instead of Mdluli starting his murder trial on April 10 this year, the charges against him and his co-accused would be provisionally withdrawn and an inquest held instead.

This followed a representation by Mdluli's legal team. The NPA would not discuss details of the representation.

Depending on the outcome of the inquest, they might reconsider their decision to provisionally withdraw the charges, Mhaga said.

The date and venue of the inquest would be arranged between a chief magistrate and all the parties involved.

Mhaga said the NPA would not entertain questions relating to reports that Breytenbach was told to stop work on a fraud investigation, which turned on mining company Imperial Crown Trading allegedly falsifying their prospecting licence in a dispute with Kumba Resources.

Breytenbach carried on with the investigation regardless of the order, it was reported.


- SAPA

Read more on: npa | richard mdluli | glynnis breytenbach

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Charges to be dropped, no trial for Mdluli
2012-02-02 22:49




Related LinksNo firm evidence against Mdluli - Hawks
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Mdluli linked to more murder, kidnap cases


Johannesburg - The appropriate way to deal with the murder charges against suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli is through a formal inquest and not a trial, the national prosecuting authority (NPA) said on Thursday.

Charges against him would be formally withdrawn on April 10 when the trial was supposed to start, said NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga.

"The appropriate decision to make at this stage is to provisionally withdraw the charges until the outcome of the inquest proceedings.

South Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions Andrew Chauke made the decision to conduct an inquest on receipt of representation from Mdluli's lawyers, said Mhaga.

"Unfortunately, representations made by the accused are without prejudice which means we maintain confidentiality at all costs hence we are not at liberty to disclose contents of their representations," he said.

Charges against Mdluli's co-accused, court orderly Samuel Dlomo, 49, Colonel Nkosana Sebastian Ximba, 38, and Lieutenant Colonel Mtunzi-Omhle Mthembeni Mtunzi, 52, would also be withdrawn.

They were all charged with intimidation, three counts of kidnapping, two counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder.

Mdluli faced an additional charge of defeating or obstructing the course of justice.

The trial was supposed to start on April 10 and end on May 13.


- SAPA

Read more on: npa | richard mdluli | johannesburg
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Mdluli linked to more murder, kidnap cases
2011-10-19 09:12

Related LinksPolice chief faces suspension
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Johannesburg - A number of murder and kidnapping cases linked to suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli are being investigated, some for the first time, according to a report on Wednesday.

Included in the new investigations were the disappearance of people believed to be crime intelligence informants from Vosloorus on the East Rand more than 13 years ago, the Times newspaper reported.

According to the newspaper a senior Hawks team had been ordered to probe the involvement of Mdluli and one of his co-accused in the murder case, Colonel Nkosana Ximba.

Over the past few months investigators had been gathering evidence and compiling dockets, including taking statements from families of the missing people, victims and police officers who worked with Mdluli and Ximba when they were stationed in Vosloorus.

One of the cases being investigated was the disappearance of two men from their homes in Vosloorus in 1998.

Lunga Khumalo and Thulani Shoba, aged 21 and 24 respectively at the time, were last seen by relatives when Ximba allegedly picked them up from their homes in a police car. Their families had been pleading for help in finding their sons for years, to no avail.

Unnamed "sources close to the investigations" were quoted as saying that it was "a matter of time" before more criminal activity was uncovered.

Mdluli and three others were expected to go on trial in the High Court in Johannesburg in April next year on charges of intimidation, kidnapping, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder.

They are accused of involvement in a decade-old love triangle murder. Mdluli faces an additional charge of defeating or obstructing the course of justice.


- SAPA

Read more on: police | richard mdluli | crime
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Mdluli faces fraud, corruption charges
2011-09-22 12:17




Read more stories about
Richard Mdluli
NPA denies Mdluli, Breytenbach link - 03 Feb
Charges to be dropped, no trial for Mdluli - 02 Feb
Arms deal prosecutor 'not yet suspended' - 02 Feb
Arms deal prosecutor suspended - 02 Feb
Police mum on 'destroyed evidence' - 25 Jan
Crime boss Mdluli's charges withdrawn - 14 Dec
Mdluli to appear on fraud charges - 14 Dec
No firm evidence against Mdluli - Hawks - 19 Oct
Mdluli linked to more murder, kidnap cases - 19 Oct


Johannesburg - Suspended Crime Intelligence boss Richard Mdluli handed himself over to authorities and appeared in the Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria, the Hawks said on Thursday.

"He appeared on fraud and corruption charges... yesterday [Wednesday]," spokesperson McIntosh Polela told Sapa.

"The charges relate to the purchase of two vehicles for the Crime Intelligence Unit."

Mdluli was released on a warning and his case postponed to December 14.

Polela could not provide further details of the case.

Salaries, houses for girlfriends

The Star reported that Mdluli allegedly used money from the unit's witness protection fund to pay salaries and buy houses and cars for girlfriends and their relatives as well as his own relatives, who had been registered as covert intelligence operatives.

In one case, investigators found that a Cape Town woman, who they reportedly confirmed as his girlfriend, was registered as an intelligence operative and paid at least R18 000 a month. The girlfriend's cousin and brother were also allegedly employed by crime intelligence and earned R8 000 a month, the newspaper reported.

In March, Mdluli appeared in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court in connection with a 1999 love triangle murder and was released on R20 000 bail.

He and three others were implicated in killing his ex-lover's husband and at the time, Mdluli was the station commissioner at the Vosloorus police station.

They are charged with intimidation, three counts of kidnapping, two counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder.

Conspiracy against him

Mdluli, a lieutenant general ranked one below police commissioner General Bheki Cele, faces an additional charge of defeating and obstructing the course of justice.

In his bail application, he argued the charges against him were fabricated as a result of a conspiracy against him by two senior police officials who tried to derail his promotion.

Mdluli said people were trying to get rid of him because former president Thabo Mbeki's camp was trying to take over police intelligence ahead of the 2012 ANC elective conference.

Mdluli and his co-accused are due back in court next Friday.

His lawyer Ike Motloung refused to comment.



- SAPA

Read more on: police | richard mdluli | crime | corruption

Prosecutor 'refused to stop probe'

Prosecutor 'refused to stop probe'
2012-02-03 09:12

Related Links
Arms deal prosecutor 'not yet suspended'
Arms deal prosecutor suspended

Johannesburg - Many questions surround the suspension of senior prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

Eyewitness News reported that the NPA refused to discuss the suspension of Breytenbach, who was responsible for several high-profile cases against prominent people, saying it was an “internal matter”.

Beeld published a report speculating whether Breytenbach’s suspension had anything to do with her refusal to quit a politically sensitive fraud case.

Breytenbach was apparently investigating a fraud case based on information that had come to light in a civil case in the North Gauteng High Court between Kumba and Imperial Crown Trading (ICT).

ICT had been awarded prospecting rights in Kumba’s Sishen mine but a court found in December that it did not have the right to have these.

Breytenbach was investigating a criminal charge of fraud that Kumba had laid over a year ago against ICT, involving possibly forged title deeds used by ICT in their application for mineral rights in Sishen, the country’s largest iron ore mine.

President Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane, has links to ICT.

When Breytenbach refused to quit her investigation, a charge was laid against her, which amounted to “misuse of power” claimed a source in legal circles.

She had until Tuesday to provide reasons against her suspension.

According to acquaintances, Breytenbach was the kind of person who did not allow herself to be intimidated.


Read more on: npa | kumba | ict | glynnis breytenbach | corruption

Arms deal prosecutor suspended

Arms deal prosecutor suspended
2012-02-02 16:15


Read more stories about
Arms deal
Arms deal prosecutor suspended - 02 Feb
Canned deal: Armscor gets back R9.1bn - 19 Dec
2011 - Jacob Zuma's wrap - 18 Dec
Mbeki: I know things you should know - 18 Dec
Hawks confirm probe into M&G - 25 Nov
M&G to hand letter to Simelane - 21 Nov
Jacob Zuma silent on Mac Maharaj - 21 Nov
Maharaj won't deny lying about arms deal - 21 Nov
Maharaj shrugs off bribe claims - 20 Nov


Adriaan Basson, City Press
Johannesburg - The national prosecuting authority (NPA) has suspended top corruption prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach.

Breytenbach was responsible for the NPA’s arms deal probe and recently aborted fraud case against suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli.

She also headed the prosecution of alleged Ponzi scheme mastermind Barry Tannenbaum and worked on a corruption case involving mineral resources officials and businesspeople involved in the Sishen mining rights transaction.

Breytenbach heads up the Pretoria office of the NPA’s specialised commercial crimes unit. She was suspended on Wednesday.

NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga refused to divulge the reasons for Breytenbach’s suspension.

“The suspension of Adv Glynnis Breytenbach is an internal matter which is currently being handled according to internal disciplinary processes and procedures hence we are not at liberty to discuss it in the media. All cases she was handling will be reassigned to other equally capable prosecutors within the NPA,” Mhaga told City Press.

Breytenbach started prosecuting financial crimes in 1987 and was prosecuting commercial crimes by 1990.

In a 2009 interview, Breytenbach said her unit had been “very effective” and had a conviction rate of over 90%.

Breytenbach declined to comment.

- City Press

Read more on: npa | richard mdluli | glynnis breytenbach | pretoria | arms deal | corruption | crime

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Arms deal prosecutor 'not yet suspended'
2012-02-02 18:30

Read more stories about
Arms deal
Arms deal prosecutor 'not yet suspended' - 02 Feb
Arms deal prosecutor suspended - 02 Feb
Canned deal: Armscor gets back R9.1bn - 19 Dec
2011 - Jacob Zuma's wrap - 18 Dec
Mbeki: I know things you should know - 18 Dec
Hawks confirm probe into M&G - 25 Nov
M&G to hand letter to Simelane - 21 Nov
Jacob Zuma silent on Mac Maharaj - 21 Nov
Maharaj won't deny lying about arms deal - 21 Nov

Adriaan Basson, City Press
Cape Town - The national prosecuting authority (NPA) now says top prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach will be given an opportunity to motivate why she should not be suspended.

After referring to Breytenbach's "suspension" in an official response to City Press earlier today, NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said Breytenbach had not yet been suspended, but was served with a notice to suspend.

"She will get an opportunity to motivate why she should not be suspended," Mhaga said.

Earlier he said Breytenbach’s "suspension" was an internal matter and refused to divulge the reasons for her being under fire.

Breytenbach heads up the NPA's specialised commercial crimes unit in Pretoria and was heading the investigations into the arms deal, alleged Ponzi scheme mastermind Barry Tannenbaum and suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli.



- City Press

Read more on: npa | glynnis breytenbach | richard mdluli | arms deal | corruption

Pretoria land invasion application continues

PROPERTY
Author: Sapa
|02 February 2012 04:31
PTA land invasion application continues



The land was unlawfully sold at R400 a piece to members of the public.
An urgent application by the government to evict people who illegally invaded land in Wallmansthal, north of Pretoria, will be heard in the city's high court on Thursday.

On Tuesday, Judge Joseph Raulinga postponed the application after two separate groups arrived at the court, both claiming to represent the Wallmansthal Communal Property Association (WCPA).

Raulinga said it was clear invasions were mushrooming and that something had to be done about it urgently.

The land in Wallmansthal is in the process of being transferred by the rural development and land reform department to successful land claimants.

Despite an earlier court order that no one was allowed to settle on the land until infrastructure had been installed, large numbers of people started moving onto the land after it was apparently unlawfully sold at R400 a piece to members of the public.

Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum last week helped the WCPA to obtain a court order freezing two bank accounts into which money was paid for the land.

AfriForum said it supported the legitimate land owners to whom property had already been transferred.

When the case came before the court on Tuesday, another group claiming to be the real WCPA tried to oppose the department's eviction application.

The group's advocate, Francois Kriel, asked the court to postpone the matter so the respective groups could meet and "try to find out what was going on".

The one group was opposed to a blanket eviction order, claiming it had a right to be on the land, while the other supported the eviction.