Monthly Archives: June 2012

MORE PROTESTS MUSHROOMED IN THE PROVINCE

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Moruleng- The north west province has been dominated by sporadic incidents of Public violence since the 30 of May 2012. Yesterday alone the North West Police reported about six villages involved in a four day of ongoing public violence in certain parts of the province.

However, we can confirm that the number of villages involved in public unrest has increased. Seven more villages joined in and barricaded their roads with stones, bushes and burning tyres.

The number of arrests remains the same at this stage, where 20 people are arrested so far .Public Order Policing Unit (POP) is monitoring the situation.The situation is tense but Police continues to manage the situation.

 

HAWKS UNCOVER BRUG LAB

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BY Obakeng Maje

KLERKSDORP- on Friday, 8 June 2012, the Hawks with K-9 police raided a house at Vaalrivier Street in Ellaton suburb, Klerksdorp.

This follow after the K-9 Police in Klerksdorp received a tip off from a member of the community. When the police arrived at the house, they found two white women and the was a shack built at the backyard filled with a number of gas stoves and big 20L containers with syrup.

 According to the information received, dagga plants were found and was kept in every part of the house in darker place.

These plants were natured with light.

Moreover, there were dagga seeds found allegedly imported from Netherland and Amsterdam, Syringes and other chemicals were also found in the house.

“This house that was turned into a drug lab, was depiledating and does not draw so much attention.It is alleged that the dealers also have an online network, where they meet and place orders online” Brigadier Ngubane said.

The cost of the lab and its contents has not been established at this stage, as the police forensic experts were still busy at the scene before going for publication.

 The 44-year-old white woman who is the main suspect was taken into custody and charged for Drugs and drug Trafficking Act 140, of 1992.

The second woman, who is believed to be of the same age, was also taken in for questioning.

The police suspect that the drug lab and its operation is part of an international syndicate and more arrests could be expected.

The suspect is expected to appear before the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on Monday,11 June 2012.

The North West Provincial Commissioner Lt Gen Zukiswa Mbombo compliments the DPCI, dog unit and all the special police units that contributed in this break through operation.

 

 

SA Futsal National team ready to take on Libya

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BY Obakeng Maje

The South African Futsal (indoor soccer) will take on Libya in the final round of the FIFA Futsal World Cup qualifier on Saturday, 09 June 2012 at the Halg Alwad Arena in Tunis. The first leg qualifier has been moved to a neutral venue in Tunisia due to the political uprising in Libya.

Kick-off is at 17h00.

The 13-member Futsal National squad has concluded preparations at Ingwenyama lodge in White River, Mpumalanga ahead of the crucial qualifier that could see the South Africans be among three African countries representing the continent at the 7th edition of the 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup set to take place in Thailand from 1 – 18 November.

The South African Futsal National squad departed for Tunisia on Thursday, 07 June 2012.
South Africa progressed to the final round of the qualifiers on a five-three (5-3) aggregate win over Zimbabwe in two matches (home and away) that were played at the Wembley Stadium last month.

The South African Futsal National Team coach, Quinton Allies will be taking 13 of the 16 players that were in camp to Tunisia. Three players have been withdrawn from the squad after picking up injuries during the training sessions in preparation for the qualifier. Allies has said it is disappointing losing three players due to injury but feels he has a strong squad that can compete against the Libyans.

“We have been training hard and I am satisfied with the preparations that we were able to put into getting ourselves mentally and physically prepared for the final round of the qualifiers. We have come a long way since putting the squad together and know they will perform to their best of their ability this weekend.  We will be looking for a win as qualifying for the Futsal World Cup would be a magnificent achievement,” said Allies.

The SA Futsal National squad:
 1. Gift Mashaba
2. Khotso Chabeli
3. Smanga Tshabalala
4. Sibusiso Tshabalala
5. Andile Sibiso
6. Dumisani Ntsodo
7. Thurston Johnson
8. Trevino Pillay
9. Hashim Khan
10. Tebogo Mofolo
11. Emmanuel Khetsi
12. Simphiwe Mgedozi
13. Keith Phore

The South Africans are expected back in the country on Monday (11 June 2012) morning, with the return leg scheduled for the 23rd of June.

Manyi ‘sacking’ overdue: DA

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Government spokesman Jimmy Manyi should have been dismissed long ago, the DA said on Friday.

Responding to media reports that Manyi’s contract would not be renewed when it expires in August, spokesman Mmusi Maimane said: “It’s about time”.

Earlier, both Manyi and Harold Maloka — spokesman for Minister of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency, Collins Chabane — dismissed the report as unfounded.

Maimane said in a statement that Manyi “consistently showcased behaviour unbecoming of government’s chief communicator” and advanced five reasons why he believed this to be the case.

In June 2010 he was suspended as director general of the labour department after he allegedly tried to promote his private interests in an official meeting.

Another reason was Manyi’s “racism” after comments claiming an “over-supply” of coloured people in the Western Cape and that Indians were over-represented in management positions.

Maimane also felt Manyi undermined media freedom.

“Last year, Mr Manyi made headlines for suggesting that the government could withdraw advertising revenue from newspapers that do not toe the government line.”

He also said that Manyi was “willing to use shady tactics to dodge accountability” and had poor relationships with the media.

Earlier, Manyi denied a report that he received a letter indicating that his contract would not be renewed.

“There is no such thing; it is a complete fabrication,” Manyi said.

Maloka echoed these sentiments.

“The minister did not have a discussion with Manyi regarding his contract and there was no such letter.”

The Mail & Guardian reported that Manyi had received a letter from Chabane to inform him that his contract would not be renewed when it expired in August.

An unnamed government official was reported as saying: “Effectively [Manyi] has been sacked from government, in particular for repeatedly making embarrassing remarks”.

Another official reportedly claimed that Manyi’s comments on the Gauteng e-tolls were “thoughtless”.

 
 

Wife killer wants case reviewed

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IOL wld dec28 prison bars

A jailed truck repair company owner now claims that he was forced by police to plead guilty to the murder of his wife in 2010.

Rajive Sewnarain’s application for a review and the setting aside of his murder conviction and life sentence imposed on December 22, 2010 came before the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Thursday.

In December 2010 Sewnarain, of Montclair, had revealed the details of the planned killing of his wife Shanaaz Sewnarain – which bore similarities to allegations made in the Anni Dewani murder trial.

However, after the murder, he had told police that he and his wife were the victims of a hijacking, during which he had been shot in the shoulder. He then blacked out and was pushed from the car.

His wife’s body was found in the back of the car the same night.

In court papers, it was submitted that before pleading guilty, Sewnarain had been assaulted by police. A firearm was pointed to his chest and he was threatened that if he did not admit to the murder, he would be shot. He also noticed “other persons” being severely assaulted by police.

The investigating officer had also allegedly told him that if he confessed, he would stand a better chance of getting a more lenient sentence.

It was also alleged that Sewnarain was not allowed to retain the services of an attorney of his choice.

“He wasn’t in his sound and sober senses when he pleaded guilty, having been under medication, tired, drowsy and not fit to stand trial,” said the papers.

 

The appeal was adjourned to the end of July.

In his plea, Sewnarain said a hitman had been hired to carry out the act and, to prove the veracity of his hijack claim, he was shot in the shoulder and bundled out of the car.

Sewnarain said his 20-year marriage was volatile and that earlier that month, a bus owner, “Boxer”, had said he could help him “take his wife out of his life” for R30 000.

On the day of the murder, Sewnarain told his wife he was going to take her out to buy pizza. He then gave Boxer a missed call and they drove to a pre-arranged spot.

The hitman then jumped into the couple’s car.

 

While Sewnarian was driving, the man fired a shot at his wife before Sewnarain was shot and pushed out of the car. – The Mercury


Louca extradition order granted

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april 10 george louka

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An order for the extradition of George Louca, accused of murdering South African strip club owner Lolly Jackson, has been granted by a court in Cyprus, the National Prosecuting Authority said on Friday.

Spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga said that South Africa’s right to extradite Louca had been confirmed by the court.

It was not yet known when Louca would be flown to South Africa to face charges of murder, theft, possession of suspected stolen property and fraud.

He was arrested by Cypriot police in March after evading arrest by the South African police.

Jackson, the owner of the Teazers franchise of strip clubs, was shot dead at a house in Edleen near the OR Tambo International Airport on May 3, 2010.

Louca, also known as Louca Smith, allegedly phoned Gauteng crime intelligence boss Joey Mabasa and confessed to killing Jackson shortly after the murder.

Louca previously told the Sunday Times that he did not believe he would be granted a fair trial. – Sapa


Conjoined twins flown in for Red Cross care

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IOL news jun 8 CT CONJOINED TWINS-8343 (25977899)

 

The two infants look like they’re hugging each other. They are conjoined twins, sharing an umbilical cord, upper abdomen and chest.

Born at the Dr Malizo Mpehle district hospital in Tsolo, near Mthatha, on Wednesday, they arrived at Cape Town International Airport on Thursday.

The twin girls were taken to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital. Their names have not yet been released.

The war memorial hospital, the only children’s hospital in sub-Saharan Africa, has treated two sets of conjoined twins in the last three years.

In 1964, its staff performed SA’s first separation of conjoined twins, and 48 pairs have been successfully separated in the hospital since.

 

Western Cape Health Department spokeswoman Faiza Steyn said it was not clear when doctors would attempt surgery on the twins.

She said their case was not considered an emergency.

“These twins need to be fully examined and may not be operated on or separated for several months. They may even be sent home in the interim to grow and develop more, if that is deemed the safest course of action.

“These decisions cannot be made until they have undergone a full investigation to identify the areas of conjunction and the anatomy and normal functioning of heart, lungs, intestine, liver and urinary tracts.”

Eastern Cape Health Department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the girls were moved after being born to a bigger hospital in Mthatha to be examined by doctors.

He said doctors at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital had assessed them to check whether they shared vital organs.

“The girls have a combined weight of four kilograms. They share an umbilical cord. They have a joined upper abdomen and chest.”

This is the fifth set of conjoined twins born in the area in two years, Kupelo said.

SA Red Cross Air Mercy Service spokeswoman Vanessa Horn said the twins had been flown to Cape Town in the Metro/AMS fixed-wing aircraft.

She said they were then transported by the Metro ambulance service to the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital. – Cape Times

 


Sharapova wary of Errani threat

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It will be power and star-appeal against guile and honest endeavour on Saturday when Maria Sharapova takes on Sara Errani for the French Open title in Paris.

Second-seeded Russian Sharapova won through to the Championship match with a 6-3, 6-3 win over fourth seed Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, while 21st seed Errani of Italy ousted Australian sixth seed Samantha Stosur 7-5, 1-6, 6-3.

The stakes could hardly be higher for Sharapova, who is already assured of regaining the world No 1 spot she last held in 2008 before a shoulder injury nearly wrecked her career.

The 2004 Wimbledon, 2006 US Open and 2008 Australian Open champion, will become just the 10th woman to complete a career Grand Slam if she takes Saturday’s final, her first at Roland Garros.

Errani, who was not rated among the favourites for the title coming into Paris despite winning three claycourt build-up tournaments, will be playing in her first Grand Slam final.

A win would make the 21st seed just the second Italian woman to win the French Open title after Francesca Schiavone two years ago.

Sharapova will start as a strong favourite and if she can reproduce the kind of form she showed against Wimbledon champion Kvitova, Errani could struggle to counter her power.

Sharapova at an imposing 1.88m will tower over her opponent who is 24cm smaller.

The Russian is the biggest-earner in women’s sport and a global superstar. Errani, prior to this Roland Garros, was a relative unknown, who seemed destined to a life in the middle ranks of the WTA tour.

But both have in common that in the last few weeks they have been the dominant figures in the claycourt season setting their paths for the showdown that they will face at Roland Garros on Saturday.

Sharapova won two of the biggest buildup tournaments to Paris, at Stuttgart and Rome. Errani won three lesser titles in Acapulco, Barcelona and Budapest as she suddenly, at 25, emerged as a world class player, at least on clay, her favourite surface.

The Russian, who is 10 days older than Errani, scoffs at suggestions that she is odds-on to win the final.

“I think she has won the most clay court matches this year. She’s been so great on this surface. It’s her favourite surface to play on,” she said.

“The way she’s been competing in the last two weeks, I mean, I’ve seen a lot of her matches. The way she competes and moves and gets herself back in position, makes you hit a lot of balls.

“She’s certainly a very dangerous player”

There is little to go by in the archives as the two have never met on the court.

Errani, who recently switched to a longer handle on her racquet in a bid to put more sting into her shots, will take inspiration from Schiavone who uspet the odds to beat the more powerfully-built Stosur for the French title in 2010.

But she agrees that, at the end of the day, what counts is that she needs to continue to believe in herself and play her own game on Saturday.

“I didn’t expect to be here (in the final). I don’t feel like top 10 but now I will be, so it’s a strange sensation,” she said.

“Maybe my problem always was that I couldn’t believe too much to win with the strong players.

“But now I beat three in a row I’m in the final in a Grand Slam. So I have to maybe try to think a bit different.”

Zambia For Nelson Mandela Challenge

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It is official, Bafana Bafana will face Zambia in the 2012 edition of the Nelson Mandela Challenge on November 14.

The African Cup of Nations champions have come to an agreement with the South African Football Association (SAFA) to honour the great African Statesman, Nelson Mandela, by playing in this year’s challenge.

 

A Soccer-Laduma source  in Zambia told the Siya crew that the two Southern African countries have already agreed to the game an have signed the agreement.

 

“I know Kalusha Bwalya was in South Africa to finalise the whole deal and sign the agreement on the game. Zambia has always been camping in South Africa in their recent games including the camp before the Afcon 2012 and this game is also as part of a thank you to South Africa,” explained the source.

 

Called for comment on the issue SAFA CEO, Robin Petersen, confirmed to the crew that the game on November 14 will be played against Zambia.

 

“Yes I can confirm that and you can clearly put it that the Zambia FA and SAFA have agreed on the game and they will be playing in the Mandela Challenge against Bafana Bafana. What remains now is the official launch where the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund will be present, but yes, I can confirm that the 2012 Nelson Mandela Challenge will be between South Africa and Zambia,” Petersen concluded.

 soccerladuma.co.za

Magistrates want salary increase

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Court house

JOHANNESBURG – The Magistrate’s Commission is expected to meet with the Independent Remuneration Commission on Friday to discuss possible ways to increase the salaries of magistrates.

Earlier this week Eyewitness News revealed some magistrates were considering a ‘go-slow’, as some prosecutors seem to be earning better salaries.

 

While no one will speak officially on this issue, it was understood that Friday’s meeting will revolve around possible increases in magistrates’ salaries.

 

The meeting is expected to see the Magistrate’s Commission explaining to Independent Remuneration Commission head Judge Willie Seriti, how new magistrates are earning around R650,000 a year, while experienced prosecutors are earning R850,000.

 

The Commission is also likely to explain that this means some prosecutors refused to be appointed as magistrates.

(Edited by Clare Matthes)