Parliament, Thursday, 31 October 2024 – The Eastern Cape Provincial Whip in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Adv Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana, has commended police, working with the people of the province, for the swift arrests of alleged perpetrators responsible for a spate of heinous crimes in the province.
Adv Nonkonyana said this as he condemned the brutal murder on Tuesday night of 71-year-old Chieftainess Nogcinile Mtirara, 80-year-old retired nurse Nonceba Timakwe and the sexual assault of five Grade 12 pupils in separate incidents in Bhityi area in Mqhekezweni outside Mthatha. Eastern Cape police are questioning an 18-year-old suspect in connection with the rapes following the incident where two gunmen allegedly robbed eight pupils of their cellphones and raped five of them.
“I would like to thank the police for their swift response and making an arrest. I also call on people with more information to come forward to assist the police in arresting the other perpetrators,” said Adv Nonkonyana, who is also the committee whip of the Select Committee on Public Petitions and Executive Undertakings.
The Eastern Cape has, in recent months, seen a spate of tragic heinous crimes, including an incident where 18 people were killed in Ngobozana Village in Lusikisiki in September, while others were killed in Qumbu, Qgeberha and Mthatha. The police have also made some arrests relating to these incidents.
Adv Nonkonyana described Chieftainess Mtirara as a principled traditional leader dedicated to improving the quality of life of all the people living in her jurisdiction. He said: “The Mqhekezweni Royal House, where Chieftainess Nogcinile was killed, is also where the founding father of our democracy, Tata Nelson Mandela, grew up.”
Adv Nonkonyana has thanked the police for the swift response in apprehending a suspect in the rape incident. It has not been confirmed if the rapes were linked to the murder of the chieftainess and the retired nurse.
He called for the review and overhaul of the laws governing the criminal justice system to provide traditional authorities with the traditional policing services that must protect traditional leaders and their communities along with the SAPS.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL WHIP OF THE NCOP, NKOSI MWELO NONKONYANA
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