Monthly Archives: July 2012

Anni’s family slam latest delay

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IOL news apr 11 nov 12 anni

The family of murdered honeymoon bride Anni Dewani on Wednesday night slammed the latest agonising setback in their quest for justice.

They spoke out as it was confirmed that the long-awaited murder trial in the Mother City will NOT now go ahead as planned on Monday.

“Is this how justice is supposed to work?” Anni’s uncle Ashok Hindocha asked when informed of the latest developments by the Daily Voice.

“There are too many people involved. There are the British and the South African authorities and then there are the health authorities.

“But it is quite simple actually – you are either guilty or you are not guilty.

“All we want to know is what happened to Anni.

For more details go to http://www.iol.co.za

R100m drug bust shocks neighbours

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Copy of drug bust [1]

Photo: Antoine de Ras

Shocked neighbours have described the suspects arrested in a R100 million drug bust in northern Joburg homes as “decent” and “polite”.

Police said on Wednesday they had smashed a multimillion-rand drug manufacturing operation in Bryanston and Douglasdale on Wednesday morning.

Five people, including two brothers, who are originally from Soweto, were arrested during raids by the Crime Intelligence Unit, said police spokesman Colonel Vish Naidoo.

Police were investigating a third Joburg home linked with the suspects, but declined to specify where it was or what part it might have played in the manufacturing or distribution of the drugs.

All the suspects are expected to face charges of drug dealing and possibly the manufacturing of drugs.

First, a husband and wife were arrested at their home on Mount Street in Bryanston in possession of chemicals and powder worth about R50m. The chemicals and powder are believed to be the ingredients for Mandrax.

For more details go to http://www.iol.co.za/

Madibeng intervention deferred

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BY Obakeng Maje

The provincial intervention into Madibeng Local Municipality has been deferred by three weeks pending conclusion of investigations into allegations of fraud and corruption within the municipality, North West Provincial Executive Council (Exco) resolved in a special meeting held with the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Richard Baloyi in Mahikeng on Wednesday afternoon.

MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, China Dodovu says that his department will proceed with deployment of an administrator and technical experts  as part of Implementation of provincial intervention in accordance with Section 139(i) (b) of the constitution.

The process as adopted by Exco was put on hold pending consultations and engagements with Minister Baloyi.

The Minister is to expedite the appointment of a team from his office to expedite investigations that would amongst others cover, reinstatement of dismissed Municipal Manager, termination of Gobodo mandate; termination of De Swartdt Vogel Myambo Attorneys mandate and failure to pay them and fraudulent activities in supply chain management.

The high-powered team is expected to conclude its investigation within the next three weeks.

“We will support the investigation process in the spirit of promoting cooperative governance and sound intergovernmental relations within and across all spheres of government. The Department and the provincial government will cooperate with the Minister during the process because all spheres of government have a responsibility to promote good governance based on trust and mutual respect, support and cooperation within the framework of the laws of the country” says MEC Dodovu.

The municipality had taken the provincial government on the Madibeng Matter to court on two grounds: first ,for an interim interdict against the execution of the intervention decision; and second ,for the review of the decision to invoke section 139(1)(b) intervention.

The court dismissed the interdict application and the substantive review application is still pending.

Once and for all’ sale of property a burden on SA

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br landless

Angela Merkel describes dysfunctional things like Greek bonds as s***-storms. The seemingly incurable and inexplicable property dogmas of the Free Market Foundation (FMF) qualify for the same label. At the very least they also refute the rule of law.

The article “Land reform can be achieved cheaply and legally” in Business Report, July 17, refers.

The FMF has an obsession with freehold tenures, the code for land transactions that are settled by a one-off capital payment. The result is high taxes and high land prices. In Claremont we have experienced land price increases of an average 15 times to R2.5 million over the past 24 years, which is quadruple the cumulative consumer price inflation rate.

These are unearned profits, a state subsidy of landowners! The cause is the undertaxation of land (including all natural assets below and above the earth’s surface) and the overtaxation of labour (wages and salaries), capital (profits and interest) and consumption (VAT). The latter are also known as dead-weight taxes as they slow economic growth by raising the cost of living to satisfy demands of the SA Revenue Service.

As a car can be powered by petrol which pollutes the air or by sun-charged batteries which do not, so the national budget can be funded entirely from beneficial land revenues, excluding improvements.

These are “jumbo” rates and taxes charges. An average monthly R5 000 extra rates bill levied on the 11 million formal house and flat owners will equal the R650 billion budgeted by the National Treasury in 2012 for personal income tax and VAT.

There is a different ratio for the corporate taxes of R190bn. These figures need auditing but illustrate the point that whatever income taxes and VAT might be, a land rates system can match them.

for more info go to http://www.iolnews.co.za

Harmony ‘starves out’ illegal miners

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IOL dec 8 of mine worker

Welkom – One of South Africa’s biggest gold firms has taken the drastic step of banning all food underground to cut supply lines to gangs of illegal miners used to staying deep in the mines for months on end, threatening lives and official production.

With gold mining around Welkom, 200 km (130 miles) south of Johannesburg, dating back to the 1930s, the bedrock is criss-crossed by a myriad network of tunnels that provide perfect cover and multiple entry points for illegal miners.

Bosses of Harmony Gold’s 2.4 km deep Phakisa mine – one of the world’s deepest – have tried blocking up old shafts and installing stadium-style turnstiles at the top of the main shaft to stop imposters slipping through.

In January this year, they tightened the screw by imposing a total ban on food to prevent official miners bringing in supplies to sell or give to their unofficial counterparts.

“There are two things you need to survive underground: food and water. You can always get water down a mine but the food ban has made a real difference,” Harmony chief executive Graham Briggs told Reuters this week during a mine visit.

Unions agreed to the ban – as long as it was accompanied by a free meal at the end of a shift – even though it means teams of men will consume nothing but water during an eight-hour shift pounding at the gold-bearing rock in sweltering heat.

for more info go to http://www.iol.co.za

Limpopo firearm licences uncollected

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IOL news june 25 gun

Limpopo – A total of 783 firearm licences are waiting to be collected from police stations across Limpopo, police said on Wednesday.

The uncollected licences included competency certificates, new licences and renewal of firearm licences, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said.

“We have tried in vain to locate (the) owners of those cards. Some applicants have relocated whilst others have changed their addresses.”

Those who applied for firearm licences were advised to inform the police when relocating, so they could be informed when the licences were ready for collection. – Sapa

for more info go to http://www.iol.co.za

Patient killed in hospital attack

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IOL news june 26 hospital bed

North West – A Zeerust Hospital patient was killed on Wednesday morning when he was attacked, allegedly by another patient, North West police said.

The 43-year-old struck three men, aged 68, 75 and 90, on their heads with a steel drawer he had removed from a cabinet. The 90-year-old died from severe head injuries, Captain Adéle Myburgh said.

Myburgh said the crime was committed in the early hours of the morning.

Provincial health department spokesman Tebogo Lekgethwane said Zeerust Hospital was a “normal” hospital that catered for patients with normal illnesses.

However, it had holding rooms in which mentally ill patients could be kept until they were sent to psychiatric hospitals.

Lekgethwane said the attacker was admitted on Sunday.

“He was only complaining about abdominal pains, and showing signs of depression. Now that he committed this act, we can conclude that he was (a) psychiatric (patient).”

After the attack the patient was sedated and placed under police guard. A doctor recommended that he be transferred to Bophelo Psychiatric Hospital in Mahikeng, Lekgethwane said.

Myburgh said police were investigating cases of murder and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Lekgethwane said: “(This) is a very unique event. We are saddened by this. The matter will be thoroughly investigated.” – Sapa

Court hears of ‘fast’ funeral

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IOL pic july16 justice scales gavel

Pretoria – A Pretoria geologist arranged his ex-wife’s funeral hours after her body was discovered, the High Court in Pretoria heard on Wednesday.

Cobus Prinsloo is accused of hiring his gardener to murder his ex-wife, Cordelia.

Cordelia’s sister Angie le Roux told the court the family was surprised to learn her sister was still on her former husband’s funeral policy and that he had already arranged the burial.

Prinsloo pleaded not guilty to the murder. He denied claims by Cordelia’s self-confessed killer, gardener Lucas Moloi, that Prinsloo had offered him R50 000 and a house to murder his ex-wife.

Moloi is presently serving a jail sentence of 18 years. He admitted hitting Cordelia twice on the back of the head with a shovel and burying her body in a flower bed.

Le Roux testified the couple continued sharing a smallholding after their acrimonious divorce, even though they both obtained protection orders against each other.

for more info go to http://www.iol.co.za

Madibeng fraud probe deferred

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Johannesburg – The provincial intervention into the Madibeng local municipality in the North West was postponed on Wednesday, the premier’s office said.

Spokesperson Lesiba Moses Kgwele said it would continue in three weeks pending the conclusion of investigations into allegations of fraud and corruption within the municipality.

“The process as adopted by provincial executive council was put on hold pending consultations and engagements with the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Richard Baloyi.”

Kgwele said the minister would appoint a team from his office to expedite the probe.

“We will support the investigation in the spirit of promoting co-operative governance and sound intergovernmental relations within and across all spheres of government.” – Sapa

Tembisa road cleared after protest

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Johannesburg – Several protesters barricaded Chloorkop Road in Klipfontein, Tembisa, with burning tyres on Wednesday afternoon, Gauteng police said.

Captain Pinky Tsinyane said residents were unhappy with service delivery.

They complained about interruptions to the electricity supply for the past two days.

Police arrived and dispersed the protesters.

No injuries were reported and no arrests were made.

The situation was calm by the early evening, but police were keeping watch.

The road was cleared. – Sapa