KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner’s Re-election and Other Local News
Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, recently shared personal insights about his career during the announcement of his second-term contract. The decision was made by National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola in the presence of KZN Premier Thami Ntuli. Mkhwanazi revealed that he had initially planned to serve only one term and take a break starting from April 1st. However, after considering the importance of service to the people of South Africa, particularly those in KwaZulu-Natal, he decided to continue his role.
“I thank the National Commissioner for the trust. It wasn’t an easy decision because I had promised my family that I would only serve one term. The plan was to go on a holiday from 1 April, but when the National Commissioner emphasized the importance of service to the people, I reconsidered and made myself available to be of service to the nation,” said Mkhwanazi. He also expressed his expectations for full cooperation from his colleagues, highlighting the ongoing goals of reducing crime, achieving a clean audit, and ensuring client satisfaction.
Murder Conviction in Eshowe
In Eshowe, the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court sentenced 36-year-old Scelo Dambayi Sikhakhane to three life terms and an additional 80 years in prison. The conviction came after he was found guilty of three counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, and charges related to the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. The crimes occurred in April 2023 in the Emtimlombo area outside Eshowe.
The victims included members of the same family. Sikhakhane, who lived in the same area, was known to one of the deceased. On April 12, 2023, he and his accomplice, Thuthukani Mthethwa, went to the family’s homestead to demand a firearm. They were prepared for resistance and armed themselves. Upon arrival, they took a victim into a bedroom and demanded the firearm. When the victim refused, they shot him dead. The accused and his accomplice then proceeded to shoot other family members, resulting in the deaths of two more individuals, a 14-year-old boy, and an adult female. Three adult women survived the attack with gunshot wounds.
Drunk Driving Crackdown in uMhlanga
Over the weekend, approximately 67 motorists were arrested for drunk driving in uMhlanga and Durban North. Transport Minister Siboniso Duma highlighted some of the unusual circumstances surrounding these arrests. One incident involved a Polo driver who claimed he was waiting for a robot to turn green at an intersection where no robots existed. “We are overwhelmed by the positive feedback from the people of KwaZulu-Natal and the whole country. Having followed the live streaming of the live NenzaniLaEzweni operations last night, they are supporting RTI for removing over-intoxicated motorists,” said Duma.
A woman in red was seen crying uncontrollably and pleading her innocence. She insisted she only drank tea and was coming from the gym, stating she preferred the gym to build her strength and herbal tea for her mental well-being. Another motorist became so terrified during the operation that he urinated himself and later offered a bribe of between R500 and R1,200 live on Facebook. A Polo driver was arrested at an intersection with a stop sign, not a robot. When asked why he didn’t proceed, he responded, “We are waiting for the robot to turn green.” Both the driver and his friend were too drunk and exhibited symptoms of alcohol-induced visual hallucination, where they saw things that weren’t there.
