News of yesteryear

This week we look back at the Herald of December 13, 2013:

• Ekurhuleni opens memorial parks for Madiba

Residents of the City of Ekurhuleni will join the world and participate in mourning and honouring the world icon, statesman of note and former President Nelson Mandela, at various memorial parks across the city.

Following the passing of the Nobel Peace Prize recipient on December 5, at age 95, the municipality has activated memorial parks fitted with big screens to enable local citizens to unite and witness both the memorial and the funeral services of Madiba.

The memorial service took place on Tuesday, while the funeral is confirmed to be taking place tomorrow (Saturday).

Also read: Mandela Day 2019: Thousands of sandwiches are made in 67 minutes

Ekurhuleni residents are encouraged to gather in unity at various memorial parks to share in the sombre of the occasion of the loss of the African jewel and rejoice in commemorating the legacy and life of the transformational leader.

Ekurhuleni has opened community halls to allow residents to pray, lay wreathes and sign books of condolence in memory of the fallen, gallant leader.

This means that mourners now have official Ekurhuleni venues at which to pay their last respects to the hero of our lifetime.

• Police wound suspected murderer

One of three men who allegedly shot and killed a 54-year-old man in Brakpan on Wednesday, last week, was wounded in a shoot-out with police a few hours later.

According to information received from Brakpan police, the trio, two of whom were armed with guns, attacked two other men in the veld near Oval Road in Brakpan North at about 8.45am.

“Two men, the 54-year-old deceased and a 50-year-old, were buying scrap metal when the three men held them up,” said Capt Joep Joubert, spokesperson for the Brakpan Police Station commander.

“They pistol-whipped the deceased and one shot was fired, fatally wounding him.”

Joubert told the Herald the suspects then fled in the victim’s car, a white Opel Corsa bakkie, and took two cellphones and cash.

Less than two hours later, members of the Brakpan Anti-Hijacking team spotted the bakkie in a veld in Kingsway, Benoni.

“When the suspects saw the police vehicle, the driver of the bakkie fired shots and the police returned fire,” said Joubert.

One suspect, aged between 25 and 30 years, was wounded in the stomach, while the other fled the scene on foot.

The wounded man faces charges of murder and hijacking.

• Nog ’n seun by kragpaal geskok

Slegs ’n paar dae nadat ’n 12-jarige seun beseer is toe hy aan die ankerkabel van ’n kragpaal geraak het, het ’n soortgelyke voorval Maandag op die hoek van Boundaryweg en Prince Georgelaan plaasgevind.

Luchian Flemix (14) is, net soos Kevin Kuilder, geskok to hy aan die ankerkabel van ’n elektrisepaal geraak het.

Luchian se pa, Leon, is erg omgekrap oor die voorval en het gesê dat dit heeltemal onaanvaarbaar is.

Hy het boonop Maandag, na die voorval, tevergeefs probeer om die kliëntedienssentrum te kontak om die voorval aan te meld.

Volgens Leon het Luchian Maandag saam met sy ma na ’n haarkapper gegaan en hy het na ’n kafee op die hoek van Boundaryweg en Prince Georgelaan gestap.

Also read: Seun (12) by kragpaal op sypaadjie geskok

“Toe hy terugkeer na die salon het hy aan die ankerkabel gevat en is onmiddellik geskok,” het Leon vertel.

“Hy kon nie sy hand loskry nie en ’n motoris wat gesien het wat besig was om te gebeur, het uit sy motor gespring en Luchian gehelp.

“Luchian het sy ma ingelig oor wat gebeur het en hulle het my gekontak.

“Alhoewel hy nie ernstig beseer is nie, kon die gevolge soveel erger gewees het.”

Have a story?

Contact the newsroom by emailing: Thelma Koorts  (editor) brakpanherald@caxton.co.za

or Stacy Slatter (news editor) stacys@caxton.co.za

 or Miné Fourie (journalist) minev@caxton.co.za

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