Daily Archives: August 23, 2012

Lonmin suffer the loss of profit

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Strikes at South African operations of platinum miner Implats hit profits and revenue, as the industry battles lower sales volumes, the company said in its year-end financial results today.

“Implats’ financial performance was significantly impacted by lower production volumes primarily due to the six-week strike at Impala Rustenburg,” chief executive Terence Goodlace said in a statement.

 

He said revenues fell by R5.5 billion ($668 million) in 2011 to R27.6 billion.

 

Gross profit fell by 40% to R7.0 billion and net profit by 37% to R4.3 billion.

 

“The platinum industry is experiencing increased levels of industrial action as witnessed at both Impala Rustenburg at the beginning of this year and more recently at Lonmin with the associated tragic loss of life,” said Goodlace.

 

“These developments pose a significant risk to the industry.”

 

Goodlace condemned the violence where 34 striking Lonmin miners were killed by the police, saying he firmly believed that “the disputes facing the industry today can only be resolved in an environment of peace, stability and order.”

 

The Johannesburg and London listed firm said the six-week illegal strike at the Impala operations had a significant impact on the production of platinum group metals and the financial performance of the group in 2012.

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

Writing Chiefs off is perilous-Khune

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Johannesburg – Kaizer Chiefs captain Itumeleng Khune has expressed his delight following his team’s 2-1 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns at the FNB Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Bafana Bafana number one feels Amakhosi were considered underdogs prior to the match on the basis that they lost 4-1 to Sundowns earlier this month in the MTN8 quarterfinals, but he cautioned that you can never write off Chiefs.

“Firstly, I think it was a great match for the fans and I’m sure they enjoyed it,” he told Football411.

 

“People simply wrote us off heading into this match because Sundowns beat us so easy in the MTN8 but we knew this was our opportunity to redeem ourselves.

 

“I don’t think you can ever write off a big team like Chiefs and I must say that credit must go to the whole team for coming out and fighting for the jersey,” Khune added.

 

Meanwhile, Sundowns’ goal on the night, which was initially credited as an own-goal by Khune, has in fact been awarded to Clayton Daniels on the official PSL match report.

 

Chiefs will next be in action against Free State Stars at the Charles Mopeli Stadium on September 1.

Community gather outsid in Griekwastade court

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Griekwastad – Crowds have gathered at the Griekwastad Magistrate’s Court in the Northern Cape ahead of the expected appearance of a teenage boy in connection with the murder of the Steenkamp family.

 

The boy cannot be named as he is a minor.

 

Friends and relatives of the Steenkamp family, killed on their farm Naauwhoek in the Northern Cape on Good Friday, had arrived at the court. Media were also present.

 

A magistrate from the neighbouring town of Groblershoop was expected to hear the case after the local magistrate recused himself.

 

Some media groups had applied for permission to be present in the courtroom for the boy’s appearance, but it was not yet clear whether they would be allowed.

 

The 16-year-old boy was arrested on Tuesday in Bloemfontein.

 

Northern Cape farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christelle, 43, and their daughter Marthella, 14, were shot.

 

Police said at the time that Steenkamp’s teenage son heard shots fired while he was busy in an outside storeroom at about 18:30.

 

He discovered the bodies in the living room and drove to the police station in town to report the killings.

 

He also handed two firearms over to police, which he said he had found at the scene.

SAPA

 

Tshepo Masilela to decide soon

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Tsepo Masilela is expected to make a decision on his future within the next seven days. 

 

The Siya crew reported yesterday that the 27-year-old was currently in Spain packing his bags as he prepared to move back to Mzansi and the latest news to reach the crew is that he will fly back to South Africa this week as he prepares to make his decision.

 

Masilela, who is currently contracted to Maccabi Haifa, is thought to be on the verge of a move to Kaizer Chiefs after agreeing personal terms with the Amakhosi, however his agent has explained that he also has other offers in Europe.

 

The defender’s representative, Mike Makaab, told the Siya crew, “It should be done sometime this week or early next week. We’re hoping that we’ll find a final home for him, I’m busy working with Maccabi Haifa on that at the moment.

 

“We still have some serious opportunities for him in Europe, but it’s all about where he’s going to be most settled and where he’s going to get a fair shot at regular game time.”

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

Zuma slams Youth Leaders

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President Jacob Zuma has lashed out at expelled and current ANC Youth League leaders for expressing their differences outside the party’s official structures. The President was addressing the ANC’s centenary lecture in honour of the party’s former President Dr. James Moroka in Mahikeng yesterday.

 

 

Expelled ANC Youth League President Julius Malema and some of his close allies have been critical of President Zuma’s leadership.  Malema has used his address to Marikana miners to call for the resignation of President Zuma and Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa. 

 

In a veiled attack on some of the Youth League leadership, Zuma argued that they lacked the discipline displayed by the party’s former young leaders like fortmer president Nelson Mandela and late ANC stalwart Walter Sisulu when articulating their grievances and policy positions.

 

“What is important with this lesson is that these leaders of the ANC were also part of the ANC Youth League leadership. They lobbied the mother body. They did not hold ANC Youth League meetings away from the ANC and debate these issues,” added Zuma.

 

“That’s how the ANC Youth League operates. They don’t campaign and insult the leadership in their own meetings,” says Zuma.

They don’t campaign and insult the leadership in their own meetings

Zuma has meanwhile rejected allegations that his government conspired with Lonmin mine management to kill striking workers. Police shot dead 34 workers during clashes at an informal settlement near the mine, last Thursday.

 

Ten other people, including two police officers and two security guards had also been killed, allegedly by the striking workers. Zuma has since announced a judicial commission of inquiry into the killings.

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

 

Mbatha assaulted me,Mokoka told reporters


Johannesburg – Thato Mokoka’s uncle opened a case of assault on Wednesday against student Constable Sipho Mbatha, the man accused of murdering his nephew.

Captain Nondumiso Mpantsha confirmed that Russel Judas Mokoka laid the charge at the Meadowlands police station, in Soweto, alleging Mbatha assaulted him at his home on August 8.

Speaking to reporters at the High Court in Johannesburg, Mokoka said Mbatha and several police officers jumped over the fence of his home in Bramfischerville, Soweto.

“They said they were looking for me, claiming I had assaulted Mbatha. Mbatha kicked me on my leg,” Mokoka said.

Mokoka said even though the police did not have a warrant of arrest, they took him into custody and kept him in the Johannesburg Central police station cells. He was released the next morning after paying R2000.

He said he did not know if he had been formally charged, and that he now lived in fear.

The docket of the assault case would be handed to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid). Ipid senior investigator Mantsha Rapheshu said he could not comment on the matter.

“We will examine the evidence and then decide to what to do next,” he said.

It was not clear whether the case would affect Mbatha’s murder trial.

Mbatha told reporters at the court that he did not know anything about the accusations, and that he could not comment because the matter was sub-judice.

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

Beware of two hippos on the lose

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Cape Town – Residents in Zeekoevlei, in Cape Town, have been asked to keep a look-out for a renagade young hippopotamus which is popping up in gardens and roads after moving into a lake there.

 

City officials are hoping the 2-year-old calf will return back to its pod after appearing in an unfenced reserve following the theft of part of the boundary fence in the neighbouring water body where it lives.

 

“The night before last he was in peoples’ gardens, obviously there were lots of people out,” Julia Wood, manager of Biodiversity Management told AFP. 

 

“And then last night somebody picked him up on one of the roads.”

 

The city will monitor the animal for two weeks but is considering capture or darting if he does not leave Zeekoevlei.

 

“The public is advised to be particularly cautious, as hippos are known to be extremely dangerous wild animals,” the city said in a statement, urging residents and users of the lake not to approach the animal or stop it.

 

“This could lead to dangerous encounters and may potentially prolong the capture operation by influencing the animal’s behaviour. Motorists in the area of Zeekoevlei should be cautious.”

 

The animal is believed to have followed a female hippo who gave birth. The new mother and baby returned to their usual ground but the young hippo, whose sex is unknown, remained behind.

 

The city has six hippos in the False Bay Nature Reserve and residents have been asked to report any sightings.

 

AFP