Author: Staff Reporter

The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, General Khehla John Sitole,has strongly condemned the attack on the Ngcobo Police Station between Umtata and Queenstown in the Eastern Cape. He has deployed a task team comprising experienced detectives of the South African Police Service and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation. Spokesperson for the National Commissioner Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said an unknown group of armed suspects entered the police station in the early hours of this morning and without warning, randomly opened fire on the members on duty. Three members were killed instantly in the Community Service Centre, Naidoo said.…

A policeman has pleaded for anyone who sees his Search and Rescue partner, a dog called Olive, not to harm her but to keep her in a safe police and call the police. Police in Mthatha are looking for information that might assist in retrieving Olive, who went missing at Mahlubini in Sulenkama around 7pm on Sunday 18 February 2018. In a statement, SAPS Provincial spokesperson Captain Khaya Tonjeni said Olive disappeared after she rescued a 55-year-old man who went missing on Friday 16 February 2018 when he went to fetch wood in a nearby forest. Olive was allegedly chased…

The Eastern Cape police have declared a fullstop to the ‘Amagintsa’ (hijackers) culture of racing vehicles and shooting at the funerals of deceased vehicle hijackers. “This behaviour is unacceptable and endangers members of the public at graveyards and those attending the funeral including innocent bystanders,” Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga told community members at an official event in Whittlesea recently. Reporting on her warning, SAPS spokesperson Captain Khaya Tonjeni said ‘Amagintsa’ have the dangerous trend of stealing vehicles only to burn them later or during the funerals of one or more of their own. “Some of them would go…

For a R300 dinner voucher to Oscar’s Country Cafe, here’s the question: What is the greatest love of all time? Comment with a meme or photograph. The person with the most creative image and caption will win a R300 dinner voucher to Oscar’s Country Café 😊 Details: The winner will be announced on today afternoon (Valentine’s Day!) and the voucher will be valid from Wednesday to Thursday. The offer is available only in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. Below are some of the great memes people have come up with so far – visit our facebook page www.facebook.com/grocotts for more inspiration!

Former Graeme College pupil Kyle Badenhorst has been selected to represent South Africa in the Dance Star World Championships in Croatia in May.  Badenhorst was one of 1600 dancers who auditioned for the Global Dance Group (Dance Star), whose judges visited South Africa to scout for the dance talent, recently. The auditions took place in Cape Town and Johannesburg, across various genres, such as tap, ballet, jazz, contemporary/modern, urban styles (hip-hop), traditional dance. Badenhorst was selected in Urban Style Solo and Contemporary/Modern Solo, the two categories he entered and will join the SA team for the Croatia trip. Badenhorst was born in…

Leaders and senior representatives of opposition parties have issued a unanimous call for the immediate removal of Jacob Zuma as President through a Motion of No Confidence vote, followed by the dissolution of Parliament, followed by early elections. Meanwhile, after a special meeting yesterday at Irene outside Pretoria, the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has, according to reports, decided to recall Zuma from the Presidency. Yesterday representatives from the ACDP, AIC, COPE, DA, EFF, FF+, PAC and UDM met in Cape Town to discuss the removal of Jacob Zuma as President of the Republic of South Africa. In a statement issued…

Civil action organisation OUTA has called on the SA Reserve Bank to make sure the Gupta-related funds in the Bank of Baroda are not moved offshore, following reports that the Bank intends closing its SA operations. The SARB has confirmed the planned exit. “OUTA believes public and business pressure was brought to bear against the Bank of Baroda for its continued services to the controversial Guptas,” said Wayne Duvenage, OUTA’s CEO, in a statement. The Bank of Baroda has come under increasing public scrutiny over its continued links with the Guptas, who now have very limited banking options left in…

SASSA has filed an affidavit with the Constitutional Court that effectively seeks to extend its contract with Cash Paymaster Services. Sassa’s contract with CPS was declared invalid by the Constitutional Court in 2014 on the basis of improper tender processes. In April 2017, the court suspended its invalidity order until the end of next month (31 March 2018) in order to allow Sassa to find a new service provider. The South African Post Office is the new provider and Sassa has applied to the Constitutional Court for CPS to continue during the transition. In a statement, Sassa said the affidavit…

Constable Mbusi stationed at Kinkelbos Saps was ecstatic, after applying his newly acquired skill of being a nosy police and doing a thorough search ended with an arrest of his first suspect. Mbusi was part of members who were on duty searching vehicles at Kinkebos when he saw a suspiciously packed bag. The nosy constable enquired further and discovered the bag is full of dagga. This resulted in the arrest of his first suspect in his budding police career. Cst Mbusi is fresh from Bisho Saps College and was part of the 2016/2017 intake expressed his joy as he was…

The funeral service of journalist and activist Thelma Neville will be held in the Cathedral at 11am on Saturday 17 March. Neville, who celebrated her 100th birthday in style in Grahamstown two years ago, passed away in her sleep on Sunday night. She leaves her brother Vaughan Thorndike. Close friend Nickie Turner said there would not be a committal, as Neville wanted to be cremated. “Her ashes will be interred next to her husband Geoff (whom she absolutely adored) at a private ceremony in March when her nephew and his wife can get here from Italy,” Turner said. “Thelma was no slouch. She discussed her plans…