LIMPOPO – Eight accused, who were arrested in August 2017 during a multi-disciplinary operation by the Hawks, Crime Intelligence, SAPS Burgersfort Crime Prevention and Department of Social Development at Burgersfort Shopping Complex, have been convicted by the Praktiseer Magistrate Court for contravention of Social Service Act 13 of 2004 Sec 20 (1) (3) and National Credit Act 34 of 2005.
According to provincial Hawks spokesperson, Captain Matimba Maluleke, the suspects were each sentenced to pay R5 000 or six months imprisonment wholly suspended for five years.
“The Hawks received a tip off about the loan sharks, who were in possession of SASSA beneficiary cards and followed it up. Subsequently, eight loan sharks were arrested for unlawful possession of SASSA beneficiary cards and 328 SASSA beneficiary cards, 432 bank cards,230 identity documents and R65 000 cash were seized,” he explained.
Seven of the suspects between the ages of 29 and 52-years-old were sentenced in December 2017 and the last suspect (58) was sentenced on Tuesday, 16 January.
Raeesa Sempe is a Caxton Award-winning Digital Editor with nine years’ experience in the industry. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Media Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand and started her journey as a community journalist for the Polokwane Review in 2015. She then became the online journalist for the Review in 2016 where she excelled in solidifying the Review’s digital footprint through Facebook lives, content creation and marketing campaigns. Raeesa then moved on to become the News Editor of the Bonus Review in 2019 and scooped up the Editorial Employee of the Year award in the same year. She is the current Digital Editor of the Polokwane Review-Observer, a position she takes pride in. Raeesa is married with one child and enjoys spending time with friends, listening to music and baking – when she has the time. “I still believe that if your aim is to change the world, journalism is a more immediate short-term weapon." – Tom Stoppard
