Richard Mdluli rented out his own property as a Crime Intelligence safe house

Former Crime Intelligence boss Richard Mdluli allegedly pocketed up to R7,000 a month by renting out his Western Cape home as a safe house to the division which he headed. Mdluli also had exclusive access to a posh “safe house” in the Clearwater Estate, Boksburg, which came fully furnished at the expense of Crime Intelligence’s secret service account. This is according to Crime Intelligence officer Col Dhanajaya Naidoo, who told the state capture inquiry that he had personal knowledge of how safe houses were “abused” by Mdluli during his tenure in 2010.

Information obtained from Naidoo, who is in a witness protection programme, in 2011 resulted in the Hawks launching 11 investigations into Mdluli and other senior officials. The investigations were in relation to a host of alleged crimes committed during their tenures at the intelligence division of the police. Naidoo previously described himself as a “lackey” to Mdluli and Solomon Lazarus, the former finance officer in charge of the secret service account.

 

Naidoo on Tuesday described an elaborate scheme involving Mdluli and business owner John Appalsamy. He said Appalsamy ran a company which acted as “broker” and appeared as the owner of properties that actually belonged to Mdluli. Appalsamy’s company would then lease Mdluli’s properties to Crime Intelligence as safe houses.
I was informed by Lazarus that Mdluli wants us (Crime Intelligence) to rent his flat as a safe house. I was instructed by Lazarus to fly to Cape Town with Appalsamy, who was his personal friend,” Naidoo said.

A lease agreement for three years was signed between Appalsamy’s company and Crime Intelligence for Mdluli’s Gordons Bay two-bedroom apartment. The lease took effect in February 2010 and the rent was R8,500 a month.

Naidoo said Appalsamy would invoice Crime Intelligence for R8,500 at the end of each month. Thereafter, Naidoo would collect R7,000 in cash from Appalsamy generated from that rent and hand it over to Mdluli. The remaining funds, according to Naidoo, was Appalsamy’s fee. Naidoo also admitted that he purchased about R50,000 worth of furniture using funds from the secret service account for the flat.

He said another house in the exclusive Clearwater Estate in Boksburg was leased through Appalsamy’s company as a safe house. However, this was used by Mdluli only. Naidoo said he used about R100,000 from the secret service account to purchase furniture and appliances for the house. His testimony is continuing.

In other news – Minister Nathi Mthethwa received car bought with Crime Intelligence cash

Nathi Mthethwa may have been gifted a lavish Mercedes-Benz purchased by Crime Intelligence’s secret service account during his tenure as police minister in 2009.

This according to Crime Intelligence officer Col Dhanajaya Naidoo, who told the state capture inquiry that the E-Class Mercedes was specifically purchased for Mthethwa, who is currently the sports, arts and culture minister. Naidoo, who is now in witness protection, said he personally delivered the car to Mthethwa’s Pretoria residence. Read more

Source: Timeslive

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Minister Nathi Mthethwa received car bought with Crime Intelligence cash

Nathi Mthethwa may have been gifted a lavish Mercedes-Benz purchased by Crime Intelligence’s secret service account during his tenure as police minister in 2009. This according to Crime Intelligence officer Col Dhanajaya Naidoo, who told the state capture inquiry that the E-Class Mercedes was specifically purchased for Mthethwa, who is currently the sports, arts and culture minister. Naidoo, who is now in witness protection, said he personally delivered the car to Mthethwa’s Pretoria residence.

Naidoo said the car was purchased for about R373,000 using funds from the secret service account. The commission has previously heard how the account was looted by senior Crime Intelligence officials, including the division’s former boss Richard Mdluli, to purchase luxury vehicles, bribe journalists and pay for overseas flights and accommodation.

This vehicle was specifically purchased for use by Nathi Mthethwa, who was a minister of police. Myself and FM11 [a crime intelligence official whose name has been redacted to protect his identity] delivered this vehicle to his residence in Pretoria. It was registered in the name of FM11,” Naidoo said.

“The minister utilised this vehicle for a few months. I remember this because Mdluli instructed me to pick up the vehicle from the minister’s house as the minister informed him he no longer wanted to make use of this vehicle because journalists were following him.” Naidoo’s testimony is continuing.

In other news – President Cyril Ramaphosa to meet the royal couple

President Cyril Ramaphosa will meet the British royal couple, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Wednesday.

The Presidency said Ramaphosa and First Lady Dr Tshepo Motsepe will receive a courtesy call from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at their official residence Mahlamba Ndlopfu in Pretoria. Read more

Source: Timeslive

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Hailey Bieber’s Wedding Reception dress is absolutely beautiful

Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin) wore an elegant, high-neck dress to the reception following her and Justin Bieber’s religious wedding ceremony last night. Her husband, on the other hand, wore a white button-down and a black bowtie, according to photos he shared on Instagram. Other guests shared photos with the bride and groom, thanks to a photo booth at the party.

While official photos from the Bieber wedding have yet to arrive, we can count on their high-quality photo booth to offer a taste of what went down at last night’s celebration. Justin Bieber was the first of the couple to share images from yesterday’s festivities, posting tow photo booth shots to Instagram this morning. While the photos show the newlyweds’ PDA, they also tease Hailey’s bridal wardrobe, which has been kept under wraps for months.

davegrutman: É melhor acreditar. Nossa garota está casada#BieberWedding pic.twitter.com/x54oSqrVOs

— Portal Baldwin BR (@portalbaldwin) October 1, 2019

According to the party photos, the bride wore a high-neck number with her hair in a low bun. There was a small notch in the neckline, and a thin strap ran down the back of the dress for an elegant feel. For jewellery, it looks like Hailey opted for a pair of diamond stud earrings

RATINHOS 🐀! Hailey Bieber e Ratty na festa de casamento de Hailey e Justin Bieber, ontem (30) em Palmetto bluff na Carolina do Sul. #BieberWedding pic.twitter.com/3E7PM3YFZS

— Portal Baldwin BR (@portalbaldwin) October 1, 2019

Hailey has shown quite the range in her bridal looks in the past week. Days ago, she went for an affordable, strapless ruched dress by Oh Polly for her bachelorette party in West Hollywood. Then, for the rehearsal dinner Sunday night, she wore a corseted, ivory mini dress custom-made by Vivienne Westwood. We’ve still yet to get a full look of what Hailey wore to exchange vows, but a few paparazzi photos are teasing the bride’s off-the-shoulder gown and veil.

In other news – City of Joburg, Sandton Gautrain operator reach agreement over water cuts

The water supply was cut off in September after the Gautrain station’s landlord, Cedar Park Properties, failed to pay municipal rates since 2013.

An almost three-week water cut at the Sandton Gautrain station is expected to come to an end after the City of Johannesburg reached an out-of-court settlement with operator Bombela Concession Company. The water supply was cut off earlier in September after the Gautrain station’s landlord, Cedar Park Properties, failed to pay municipal rates since 2013. Read more

Source: msn

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US Bans Zimbabwe Diamonds

US Bans Zimbabwe’s Marange Diamonds. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued five Withhold Release Orders (WROs) covering five different products, imported from five different countries on September 30, 2019. This action was based on information obtained and reviewed by CBP that indicates that the products are produced, in whole or in part, using forced labour.

“A major part of CBP’s mission is facilitating legitimate trade and travel,” said Acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan. “CBP’s issuing of these five withhold release orders shows that if we suspect a product is made using forced labour, we’ll take that product off U.S. shelves.”

Under U.S. law, it is illegal to import goods into the U.S that are made wholly or in part by forced labour, which includes convict labour, indentured labour, and forced or indentured child labour. When sufficient information is available, CBP may detain goods believed to have been produced with forced labour by issuing a WRO. Importers have the opportunity to either re-export the detained shipments at any time or to submit information to CBP demonstrating that the goods are not in violation

The Forced Labour Division within CBP’s Office of Trade leads agency enforcement efforts prohibiting the importation of goods made using forced labour. CBP receives allegations of forced labour from a variety of sources, including from the general public.

“CBP is firmly committed to identifying and preventing products made with the use of forced labour from entering the stream of U.S. Commerce,” said Brenda Smith, Executive Assistant Commissioner, CBP Office of Trade. “The effort put into investigating these producers highlights CBP’s priority attention on this issue. Our agency works tirelessly behind the scenes to investigate and gather information on forced labour in global supply chains,” she said.

The following WROs are effective immediately:

Garments produced by Hetian Taida Apparel Co., Ltd. in Xinjiang, China; produced with prison or forced labour.
Disposable rubber gloves produced in Malaysia by WRP Asia Pacific Sdn. Bhd.; produced with forced labour.

Gold mined in artisanal small mines (ASM) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); mined from forced labour.

Rough diamonds from the Marange Diamond Fields in Zimbabwe; mined from forced labour. Bone black manufactured in Brazil by Bonechar Carvão Ativado Do Brasil Ltda; produced with forced labour.

Investigations may be initiated a number of ways, including news reports and tips from either the public or trade community. CBP may also self-initiate an investigation into the use of forced labour in any given supply chain.

“CBP works extensively with our stakeholders, the media, and private sector businesses to gather information on forced labour in global supply chains and educate importers on U.S. compliance standards.” said Todd Owen, Executive Assistant Commissioner, CBP Office of Field Operations, “And we encourage the trade community to know their supply chains to ensure goods imported into our country are not produced with forced labour.”

In Other News – Man and Woman stuck together during S.E.X – Pictures

There are some things that are very difficult to understand or rather difficult to explain. Pictures we gathered from social media show a man and woman stuck together while having s.e.x. A simple google search will tell you that the condition is called Pen!s captivus. This is is a rare occurrence during intercourse when the muscles in the vag!na clamp down on the pen!s much more firmly than usual, making it impossible for the pen!s to be withdrawn from the vag!na.

We would gladly take that simple explanation if only the couple were not cheating. According to the social media posts, the man is said to have been sleeping with a married woman. In some parts of Africa or rather Zimbabwe, it is said that traditional healers have found a way to make this rare occurrence possible.

According to some beliefs, a man would seek muthi that he uses on his wife and once she beds another man, the two would stick together until the owner of the wife comes back. continue reading

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President Cyril Ramaphosa to meet the royal couple

President Cyril Ramaphosa will meet the British royal couple, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Wednesday.

The Presidency said Ramaphosa and First Lady Dr Tshepo Motsepe will receive a courtesy call from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at their official residence Mahlamba Ndlopfu in Pretoria.

“The meeting between the President, First Lady Dr Motsepe, and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, follows a courtesy call paid by President Ramaphosa on Queen Elizabeth II in Buckingham Palace during the President’s Working Visit to London in April 2018, where he participated in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting,” the Presidency said.

The couple will also meet Graca Machel.

In other news – Sanef wants journalists implicated in crime intelligence scandal to be named

The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) on Tuesday expressed concern with a testimony by a crime intelligence officer at the Zondo Commission that “journalists have been paid” without mentioning names.

On Monday, Crime Intelligence officer Colonel Dhanajaya Naidoo told the inquiry that he had knowledge of at least three incidents where journalists were paid or benefited in some way from the secret service account. Naidoo said former crime intelligence unit head Richard Mdluli had told him around 2009 or 2010 that he was meeting a journalist who had information on crime intelligence that “would have been detrimental if it was published”. Read more

Source: eNCA

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Sanef wants journalists implicated in crime intelligence scandal to be named

The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) on Tuesday expressed concern with a testimony by a crime intelligence officer at the Zondo Commission that “journalists have been paid” without mentioning names.

On Monday, Crime Intelligence officer Colonel Dhanajaya Naidoo told the inquiry that he had knowledge of at least three incidents where journalists were paid or benefited in some way from the secret service account. Naidoo said former crime intelligence unit head Richard Mdluli had told him around 2009 or 2010 that he was meeting a journalist who had information on crime intelligence that “would have been detrimental if it was published”.

He claimed that about R20 000 was used from the secret service account to pay off the journalist he did not know. Naidoo also said he once walked into former crime intelligence finance officer Solomon Lazarus’s office and found him in a conversation with another officer. Apparently the officer said to Lazarus that Mulangi Mphego needed an answer as a journalist was waiting and Lazarus said ‘pay’. He also mentioned Tiso Blackstar journalist Ranjeni Munusamy, whose vehicle he claimed to have taken to a service station on instruction from Lazarus and R40 000 was paid from the secret service account for repairs.

Last week, Colonel Kobus Roelofse told the commission R143 621.78 was paid toward Munusamy’s vehicle finance account from a secret slush fund belonging to crime intelligence. On Tuesday, Sanef said it noted the testimony of Roelofse and the further allegations from Naidoo.

In a statement, Sanef said it noted the problems that have been created by Naidoo’s mention of the fact that “journalists have been paid” without mentioning names. We believe that it is essential that the names are revealed and that the journalists implicated are given the space to respond. We note that the Press Council Code is clear that “paid for” also called “brown envelope journalism” is completely unacceptable.”

It also said the code dealt with “independence and conflicts of interest”, including not accepting any benefit which may influence coverage. Sanef said it championed ethical journalism. If anyone has any evidence of unethical journalism, including the very serious breach of accepting funds for journalism, we encourage them to go to the Press Council.

“Further, we have launched our own independent Inquiry into Media Credibility and Ethics, chaired by retired Judge Kathleen Satchwell. We encourage any South African with evidence of journalists acting unethically or illegally to approach Judge Satchwell and the authorities, including the Zondo Commission.”

Sanef also said it again welcomed the decision by Tiso Blackstar to grant Munusamy special leave. We note Munusamy’s strong denial of any wrong-doing, her detailed affidavit explaining the circumstances of her car repayments and related issues and her promise to cooperate fully with the Zondo Commission. We await the outcome of the Commission’s hearings and Tiso Blackstar’s internal investigation.”

In an affidavit to the Zondo Commission, Munusamy said a close family friend paid R143 000 to settle her car loan for her BMW convertible. She also denied that she was paid by the crime intelligence.

“I have no idea of what the motives of those who have accused me are and why I have been targeted. I state unequivocally: I have never been in the pay of Crime Intelligence, whether as a journalist or otherwise.

In other news – Ramaphosa pained by corruption in healthcare sector

President Cyril Ramaphosa says there’s a shocking level of corruption in healthcare. Launching an anti-corruption forum for the sector, he said the corruption was not confined to the public sector. Doctors are involved.

“It pains me to hear how this most fundamental of rights, access to health services has been impacted by the stench of corruption. Read more

Source: IOL

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City of Joburg, Sandton Gautrain operator reach agreement over water cuts

The water supply was cut off in September after the Gautrain station’s landlord, Cedar Park Properties, failed to pay municipal rates since 2013. An almost three-week water cut at the Sandton Gautrain station is expected to come to an end after the City of Johannesburg reached an out-of-court settlement with operator Bombela Concession Company. The water supply was cut off earlier in September after the Gautrain station’s landlord, Cedar Park Properties, failed to pay municipal rates since 2013.

According to Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba, the property company failed to settle around R8m in debt that had accumulated in recent years. As a result of the water cuts at the station in Sandton, a case was opened against the City by the Gauteng provincial government and Bombela Concession Company, Mashaba said in a statement.

“However, the City and the owners of the Gautrain have reached an out-of-court settlement that will result in the case being withdrawn. The City has agreed to provide the Sandton Gautrain station with its own water meter which will result in the City billing Gautrain directly for its water usage. The City has agreed to install this new meter within two days of the Bombela Concession Company paying the City R120 000 in respect of the aforementioned water connection and associated installation costs.

Mashaba added the agreement with Gautrain would not affect the City’s case against Cedar Park, saying the City was interested in generating revenue from services such as water. The City remains confident it can win this case. We are unapologetic for cutting the water supply to the property and the taps will remain dry at the remainder of the property until Cedar Park settles its R8m debt with the City. he City cannot reconnect water to defaulting corporate customers who think they can bully the City into submission.

“It is frankly unethical for a private company to expect the government to incur costs while providing it with free services. This, while our residents are expected to fork out their hard-earned money on a monthly basis.

The mayor said with a growing debtor’s book, the City could not afford to have its high-consuming corporate customers fall behind on payments of municipal accounts.

“Ultimately, failure to pay municipal debts negatively impacts service delivery which is budgeted for on revenue generation forecasts,” Mashaba said I will not rest until the City gets to the bottom of this apparent criminality and ensure that those who have elected to steal from our residents face the full might of the law.

In other news – EFF leaks SARS rogue unit report linked to Gordhan

A classified report purporting to have found that the South African Revenue Services (SARS) had a “rogue unit” was leaked to the media by the EFF on Monday evening. The 2014 inspector-general of intelligence (IGI) report was sent by EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi to a WhatsApp media group.

This followed an Equality Court ruling earlier on Monday that dismissed Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan’s application to strike the IGI report, which was attached as an annexure in the EFF’s court papers responding to the hate speech charges that he had laid against the red beret leader Julius Malema and his deputy, Floyd Shivambu. Read more

Source: The Citizen

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