Daily Archives: August 31, 2012

NW women applaud govt to promoting total emancipation of women

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By Obakeng Maje

Various women in the North West Province have applauded Premier Thandi Modise and her provincial Government for strongly pushing the agenda of total emancipation of women in the province.

 

Mogomotse Gumede, of Reivello in Greater Taung Local Municipality said she is very happy that the province is being led by a woman who has the interests of women in the province at her heart.

 

“We are pleased that our province is led by a strong woman who is representing us well and doing a lot to uplift women not only in the province but the country at large.

 

We still believe that thought the leadership of our Premier, more women will be at the cutting edge of executive decision-making, policy formulation and legislative processes,” said Gumede at the Gala Dinner hosted by Premier Modise at Madiba Banquet Hall on Thursday.

 

The gala dinner was the last event to mark the end of August women month’s activities in the province.

 

Gumede said younger women must learn a lot from the women in high positions who are doing very well in positions that are dominated by men.

 

Goitsemang Molefe, from Anglican Church of Resurrection in Mahikeng remarked that women must continue to take a lead in shaping the future of the country.

 

She thanked all the female leaders in government who are serving the nation with dignity, pride and passion.

 

“When we take leadership positions as women, let us not be tempted to lose our touch as caring, dignified, hard working human being we always are in our homes.

 

We must continue to teach our young people who will be our future leaders the difference between right and wrong,” she cited.

 

Violet Molotsi, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health and Environment Development in Bojanala Platinum District Municipality also added her voice and said women must relook at their role in building a caring society.

 

“We have the responsibility to change the society that we are living in right now. We must be very worried when we hear in the media that a child has raped a very old granny.

 

We must ask ourselves as women, what kind of children are we raising?” she asked also adding that women must teach their children good morals from an early age.

 

Also speaking at the gala dinner, North West Premier, Thandi Modise encourages women to challenge all the issues that affect women in the province.

 

She said women must not fold their arms when they have a reason to believe that things are not done in a correct manner.

 

She further warned women to stop being used by greedy men who want to further their own agenda.

 

“I have heard that women accept high positions given to them by men not because they can hold these positions but because men use these women for their own selfish reasons,” she cited.

 

Premier Modise said the best way of building a caring society is to go back to the basics of raring a disciplined child.

 

She also encouraged young women to prioritize education as it is the only weapon that will fight many challenges faced by women

 

 

Nkumane completes a move to Sivuta

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Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sikhumbuzo Nkumane has completed his move to NFD side, Sivutsa Stars. Bruno, as the 22-year-old goal minder is known in football circles, has been training with the Mpumalanga-based outfit in pursuit of gaining some game time

 

His stay with the Parktown-based team saw him get very little game time due to the stiff competition for a starting berth in the team, competing for the number one jersey with the likes of Moeneeb Josephs and Senzo Meyiwa.

 

Stars’ communications officer, Charles Nkosi, confirmed to the Siya crew that Nkumane has completed a season-long loan deal.

 

“It has been finalised. The manager said it’s a season-long loan deal. The other players that are with us from Pirates are Linda Shiba, Thabo Rakhale and Siyabonga Zulu,” said Nkosi.

 

Rakhale caught the eye of Pirates while playing for Stars last season. He subsequently signed with Bucs and was quickly loaned back to Stars so as to gain more experience.

 

Lonmin negotiations hit deadlock

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Negotiations aimed at brokering peace at Lonmin Mine ended in a confrontation last night after negotiators failed to reach an agreement.The talks that began on Tuesday were aimed at normalising the situation at Marikana’s Lonmin Platinum Mine near Rustenburg in North West. Forty-four people died in a violent labour dispute two weeks ago. AMCU has described the talks as being one sided and only meant to serve the interests of the employer and the NUM. AMCU president Joseph Mathunjwa has accused management and other stakeholders for disregarding the needs of the workers, hence they were left out during the last round of negotiations.

 

“I think to us it didn’t come as a surprise because remember on numerous occasion we have been set up by this management. We have in the mountain, we have been preaching peace for people to return to work, and the workers mandated us to call the workers to make commitment in terms of how will they reach that R12 500 but their cell phones were switched off. No one was cooperating, surely they are still continuing with their modus operandi,” says Mathunjwa.

 

 

 

Labour union Solidarity believes AMCU’s demands are unrealistic. Spokesperson, Gideon du Plesis says:  ”Solidarity always had the view that it might be a smoke screen, we have done some serious research on the payment of the workers and we have discovered that there are workers who are receiving a take home payment of R16 700 and those who would be receiving R4000. We noticed there was a high level of absenteeism, garnishee orders.”

 

 

 

 

 

The Congress of the South African Trade Unions, the National Union of Mineworkers and the Labour department have declined to comment. They instead released a short statement saying the talks will resume on Monday.

 

 

 

 

The police who fired on the miners are not facing any charges at this stage, pending the outcome of the judicial commission of inquiry into the killings.

 

Meanwhile, the state said yesterday that it was charging the 270 miners with the deaths of 34 of their colleagues, who were shot dead by the police at Lonmin’s Marikana mine earlier this month.

 

The state said they had been charged under the common purpose doctrine because they were present when the miners charged at the police while armed with various weapons.

 

The miners will also face charges of attempted murder and public violence. They were remanded in custody again yesterday so that the police can verify their addresses, take fingerprints and check on pending cases and convictions.

 

The police who fired on the miners are not facing any charges at this stage, pending the outcome of the judicial commission of inquiry into the killings. SABC. http://www.sabcnews.co.zaj

Shoot-out at Pick ‘n Pay

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Johannesburg – A robber was shot dead and

three people were wounded in a hold-up at the Pick n Pay in Radiokop, west of Johannesburg, Gauteng police said on Thursday.

 

An 14-man gang hit the supermarket at 19:00, ordering everyone inside to lie down, said Lieutnant Colonel Katlego Mogale

 

The robbers held them at gunpoint while they took money from the tills and some of the cashiers’ belongings

 

Police were alerted and arrived while the robbers were still on the scene, she said.

 

“Upon realising that the police were on the scene. the robbers opened fire.”

 

An off-duty police officer, a Pick n Pay staff member and a person outside the shop were wounded.

 

“One suspect was shot dead while trying to flee,” said Mogale.

 

The other robbers made their getaway in two kombis waiting outside the supermarket.

 

Police later traced one of the vehicles to the George Goch hostel, in Benrose.

 

“Five suspects were arrested at the hostel and five unlicensed firearms were also recovered,” said Mogale. It was not known how much money the robbers took.

 

Police were still searching for the rest of the robbers.

 

SAPA

The law used to charge miners is precedented

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Johannesburg – National Prosecuting authority spokesperson Frank Lesenyego said on Thursday that the law  under which the 270 Lonmin miners were being charged with the murder of their colleagues has been used before.

 
The miners are being charged with the deaths of 34 colleagues who were shot dead by police during violence at Lonmin’s Marikana mine, under the common purpose law.
 
Lesenyego said it was case law, meaning it has been used in previous cases and that there is legal precedent even though it is not in the constitution.
 
“The State has placed murder charges against all of them. Finer details around the charges will emerge in court when their bail application starts next week,” he said.
 
He said every one of the miners was being charged with murder, attempted murder and public violence.
 
Earlier, Magistrate Esau Bodigelo ruled that the group be kept in custody as not enough information had been provided to start their bail applications.
 
“My ruling is that it will be in the interest of justice that the State be granted another postponement not exceeding seven days. This matter will be postponed until next week.”
 
The matter resumes next Thursday.
 
‘We must be strong’
 
Expelled ANCYL president Julius Malema said charging the 270 miners with murder was madness, Sapa reported.
 
He was speaking after the postponement of the case
 
“The policemen who killed those people are not in custody, not even one of them. This is madness,” he told protesters at the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate’s Court, outside Pretoria.
 
“The whole world saw the policemen kill those people. We are going to be seized (sic) with this matter. We have asked the lawyers [representing the 270 men] to consider making an urgent application at the High Court.”
 
Malema said arrangements had been made for the group to be held at the Pretoria Central Prison and the Mogwase Prison, in the North West.
 
“At the prisons, the comrades will not be mixed with other people already serving sentences there. Their families will be allowed to visit them,” Malema, speaking in Sotho, told the crowd.
 
“Visiting days at the prisons are Tuesdays and Thursdays. We are going to get the lists [of which members of the group are detained at which prison] and will give them to your leaders. We must be strong.”
 
Malema urged the protesters to remain steadfast and to return to court next week for the group’s next appearance.
 
“We will come back next week, hopefully in larger numbers. We must not be demoralised by this postponement,” he said.
 
“We have organised lawyers for these comrades. We have organised buses for you to go to the funerals this weekend.”
 
Malema was introduced to the protesters as “president” by suspended ANC Youth League spokesperson Floyd Shivambu.
SAPA