Johannesburg – Police have confirmed that a man’s body was found near Lonmin’s Marikana mine, not far from where striking miners have been gathering, but there are concerns that the scene may have been contaminated.

“I can confirm that a body of a man was found 300m away from where the miners usually meet, on the western side of the koppie,” said Brigadier Thulani Ngubane.

Ngubane said the man, wearing black pants, appeared to have been hit with a sharp object at the back of his head.

He said police were at the scene and it was not known what had happened to the man.

“Whether killed yesterday or this afternoon we have no information,” he added.

But Jacaranda FM tweeted that police fear the scene has been contaminated.

According to @Jacanews, “Police say possible contamination of the scene, will be investigated.”

Sapa had reported that as journalists raced towards the spot where the body was said to have been found, the leaders of the protesters told everyone to move away from the scene.

A Sapa reporter saw a picture of the body, taken by a news cameraman.

The photograph showed deep cuts at the back of the man’s neck

Standoff

Tuesday afternoon saw a standoff between policemen and protesters at the Andrew Saffy Memorial Hospital in Marikana.

A throng of protesters marched to the hospital in the afternoon, from an open space near the hill where 34 people were killed in a confrontation with police on 16 August.

As the protesters, carrying pangas, knobkerries, golf clubs, arrows, and spears, approached, police barricaded the hospital’s entrance with four armoured Nyala vehicles. A police helicopter hovered overhead. A private security company’s vehicle was parked nearby.

One of the workers’ leaders, Loyiso Mtsheketshe, said they wanted to instruct the hospital to stop discharging injured miners into police custody.

A protester claimed the police instructed hospitals to tell them when wounded mineworkers were discharged, and arrested them then – some even before they left the hospital premises.

The group marched around the hospital and split into groups before returning to the open space near the hill.

CCMA

The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) met employee representatives in Rustenburg on Tuesday, as the strike at Lonmin entered its second month.

“A meeting was held with the employee delegation [accompanied by the clergy] at the CCMA offices in Rustenburg. At this stage we cannot confirm the contents of the meeting,” CCMA spokesperson Nersan Govender said.

This followed an aborted attempt at wage negotiations on Monday, when just under 7% of employees reported for work.

Under a peace accord signed by three unions representing some of the 28 000 employees at the platinum mine last week, it was agreed that wage negotiations would be re-opened, but only if the strike ended.

The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union did not sign the accord, but did arrive for wage talks on Monday.

Its members waited in vain, with the National Union of Mineworkers, Solidarity, Uasa, and Lonmin management, for representatives of a splinter group of workers to arrive.

SAPA

By Obakeng Maje

Wolmaranstad- The Police in North West scored another success against copper cable theft when two suspects aged 34 and 29 years appeared before Wolmaransstad Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

The accused, Stephen Marumoagae (34) and David Thipampeng (29) were arrested on Saturday morning after a community member informed the police about two men who were suspected of being responsible for stealing of copper cables at the local municipality sewerage station.

The police followed the lead and found one of the suspects at his house and he led the police to another suspect’s place.

“The police questioned the suspects and that led to recovery of copper cable that was hidden at an informal settlement at one of the accused (David Thipampeng)’s parental place” Captain Makau said.

“They were arrested and charged with possession of copper cable” she continue.

Both accused are still in custody and their case was remanded to the 14 September 2012 for bail application.  

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By Obakeng Maje

Ms Natasha Tsichlas has been appointed Match Commissioner for tonight’s friendly match between Bafana Bafana and Mozambique that will be played at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

With her appointment, Ms Tsichlas becomes the first female official to serve as a Match Commissioner for a Bafana Bafana home fixture.

“I feel honoured as the first woman to act as a Match Commissioner for such an important game,” said Tsichlas

“This is a historic moment for our country and I am hoping this will inspire more women around the country to get involved in soccer and officiating at the highest level. It would also be great for FIFA and our Confederation of African Football (CAF) to acknowledge more women as Match Commissioners,” she added.

South African Football Association (SAFA) President, Kirsten Nematandani said such is an honour for a woman who has dedicated a lot towards football in the country, this is a fitting reward and should work as a catalyst for other women to get involved in various soccer activities.

“We as SAFA are happy for Natasha. She has always been a trendsetter and we encourage other female soccer fans to take a cue from her and occupy rightful places within the soccer fraternity, whether it is administration or on the field of play,” said Nematandani.

SAFA head of referees, Adeel Carelse said Tsichlas’ appointment as match commissioner for the upcoming game was great for the development of the game among female officials

“Her appointment is a sign that we are headed in the right direction with the development of female match commissioners in the country,” said Carelse.

By Obakeng Maje

delareyville- police arrested twenty four people after they embarked on illegal strike this morning at Extension 8 in Tswaing township.

According to information received,most members belong to Democratic Alliance(DA) and they went on protest after accusing their ward councillor who belong to the ruling party,ANC of Nepotism.

“The police were called at the scene after most members allegedly belonging to the opposition party,DA went on strike” Brigadier Ngubane said.

“The Police tried to disperse the crowd since the strike was illegal,but the adamant crowd did not burge” Ngubane continue.

The crowd were also protesting about poor service delivery and allegedly said the councillor only appoint his buddies for positions in the municipality while overlooking the DA members in the process. 

Arrested members will appear in court soon and will be charged for public violence.

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The Siya crew can exclusively reveal that Matthew Rusike has concluded his move to Kaizer Chiefs. It is believed that the striker has joined the club after having agreed to a three-year deal during the transfer window.

The former Jomo Cosmos player has been linked with a move to Naturena for several weeks and after having agreed to personal terms, the move was put on hold after Cosmos failed to hand him his release with club indicating that the 22-year was still contracted to the team.

Rusike has been training with the Chiefs squad under coach Stuart Baxter while trying to sort the issue out in what has been a frustrating process.

After lodging a case with the PSL’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) due to a disagreement between him and his former club, Cosmos, it was though that he would have to wait until September 18 before receiving a verdict.

However, Siya crew sources have now revealed that Rusike has received his clearance and will be turning out for the Amakhosi this season.

Johannesburg – Expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema called for a national strike at all mines on Tuesday until the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) leadership steps down. 

“There must be a national strike at all the mines until Frans Baleni and the Num leadership step down with immediate effect,” Malema told a packed stadium at the Gold Fields KDC West gold mine near Carletonville, where 15 000 workers are on strike. 

“The problem is not Num. The problem is the leadership who take money from mlungu (whites).” 

Malema said the R12 500 salary workers wanted “is a reality”.

Baleni, Num’s general secretary, read about their demands in newspapers. 

“Comrades, you don’t have leaders. You are leaderless. You are not alone. We are encouraged by what you are doing,” Malema said. 

Making mines ungovernable did not mean violence, “it means downing tools”. 

Malema said he and his companions had travelled to the mine to meet “the real revolutionaries”. 

“This is a serious revolution. Don’t give up.” 

The mine obtained an interdict on Monday for workers to return to their posts after they suddenly went on an unprotected strike on Sunday. 

Malema said people had been stealing gold from the workers. 

“Now you want a piece of gold. You want R12 500.” 

He said workers should strike for five days a month “until they listen”. 

Malema has been touring mines and addressing disgruntled mineworkers. 

He had already spoken at Lonmin, where workers have been on strike for a month, with the rallying cry that their pay be raised to R12 500 a month. 

Forty-four people have died in violence associated with that strike – 34 when police fired on protesters at Marikana last month. 

Malema also spoke at Aurora’s Grootvlei mine, which is in the process of being liquidated. 

The ANCYL and its parent body the ANC have been at loggerheads over the nationalisation of mines, which the league is lobbying for but the ANC has said is not feasible. 

Last week trade union Solidarity laid a charge of incitement against Malema.

Carletonville – Expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema arrived at the Gold Fields [JSE:GFI] KDC west mine, near Carletonville, to address striking workers on Tuesday.

Security hesitated for a moment on allowing Malema in, but a crowd went to the gate to usher him through.

His black 4×4 was surrounded by miners, who chanted and sang: “Those who have not seen him [Malema] will see him today.”

Production at the gold mine came to a standstill on Monday, when almost 75% of the workforce of around 15 000 downed tools.

They marched to mine management offices and handed over a memorandum of demands which included:

A burglar who fell into a stupor after helping himself to several bottles of alcohol at the Vereeniging home he broke into was arrested at the crime scene by police.

Afrikaans daily Beeld reported today that thieves had broken into the home of Dennis Stastney last week, after the family left for work.

“It looks as though they’d had a massive party here all day… if one looks at the amount of alcohol consumed, there was more than one burglar,” Stastney said.

The burglars ransacked the house and stole electronic items and jewellery, urinated on the beds and couches, and had a meal.

“They emptied five bottles of booze, including a bottle of brandy, a bottle of whisky, rum, wine and vodka.”

Stastney said he, his wife and two children arrived home around 6pm to find a man sleeping on their couch.

They notified the Vereeniging community policing forum, and police duly arrived at the scene, woke the intruder up and helped him into a police van.

“He was covered in alcohol and glue – he’d sniffed a bottle of glue I’d been using to put in wooden floors,” Stastney said.

He described the incident as “frightening”, as the intruders had obviously been familiar with the family’s routine. SAPA

Johannesburg – A promising young rugby player from the University of Johannesburg, who would have signed a professional player’s contract on Monday, died over the weekend after bumping his head at a party.

Roché van der Westhuizen, 24, died in his sleep on Saturday night, several hours after he tripped on a step and knocked his head against a wall, Beeld reported.

His brother, Quintus van der Westhuizen, 34, said Roché had gone out with friends to celebrate winning a rugby match earlier in the day.

Roché was the prop for UJ’s second team in their Predator final against Rustenburg Impala on Saturday afternoon.

After he bumped his head at a Greenside restaurant, the group went to get take-aways, after which they went back to their Northcliff student home, it was reported.

“He fell asleep and never woke up… we’re not sure what caused his death, we’ll have to wait for autopsy results. It’s an absolute freak accident,” Van der Westhuizen said.

Border Bulldogs coach Paul Flanagan confirmed that Roché would have signed a contract on Monday.

“We’d been watching him for a while. It’s incredibly tragic that something like this could happen to such a promising young player,” he said.

SAPA

By Obakeng Maje

North West Premier Mme Thandi Modise wishes to convey her condolences to former Premier of the North West Province, Her Excellency High Commissioner of South Africa to Trinadad and Tobago Mrs Maureen Modiselle on the loss of her husband. Dr Peter Modiselle passed away on Sunday at Victoria Private Hospital in Mahikeng after long period of illness.

 “We are saddened by the untimely death of Dr. Modiselle which has robbed us of an intellectual, a community builder, a humble and selfless servant of our people whose life was dedicated to making a difference in the lives of others. Our prayers and thoughts are with High Commissioner Modiselle during this period of sadness as she mourns the passing away of her lifetime partner, friend, husband and comrade. May the family find solace in knowing that the people of our country and province in particular share their grief,” says Premier Modise.

Dr Modisellle, a human rights activist and former ANC Branch Chairperson in Mahikeng had been married to High Commissioner Modiselle for 43 years and supported her throughout her political career spanning over 20 years. The couple met in Canada while in exile. 

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