Monthly Archives: October 2012

No place for sentiment nominations

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Western Cape – There should be no sentiment in the nomination process ahead of the ANC’s national elective conference in Mangaung, the party’s treasurer Mathews Phosa told the ANC Youth League’s Dullah Omar Region on Friday.

 

“The process towards Mangaung must be an open and transparent one without sentiment or prejudice,” he said in a speech prepared for delivery in the Western Cape.

 

He said the African National Congress needed to elect leaders who would work selflessly to create a better life for all South Africans.

 

“Our task as leaders is to look way beyond Mangaung and to ask ourselves what we want to do when our turn comes at the wheel of national leadership.”

 

This meant improving the lives of the majority of citizens through improved living conditions, job creation, and improved education and health services.

 

“Marikana taught us the lesson that we must not wait for a crisis to wake us up, we must anticipate areas of public tension and address them before they get out of hand,” Phosa said. – Sapa

Zuma can restore NPA’s credibility

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Johannesburg – President Jacob Zuma has an opportunity to appoint a new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) to restore the credibility of the National Prosecuting Authority, an expert said on Friday.

 

“The judgment by the Constitutional Court provides an opportunity to restore the credibility of the NPA by appointing someone who is non-political and non-partisan, a person that will not tolerate any improper conduct,” said law expert Pierre de Vos.

 

The Constitutional Court found on Friday that Zuma’s appointment of Menzi Simelane as NDPP was unconstitutional and invalid.

 

In a judgment read by Judge Zak Yacoob, the court found that the NDPP’s appointment was not a matter to be determined by the subjective opinion of Zuma, but a “jurisdictional prerequisite” determined objectively.

 

“The purpose of the conferral of the power to appoint the NDPP on the president was to ensure that the appointee was sufficiently conscientious and had the integrity required to be entrusted with the responsibilities of the office,” Yacoob said.

 

On May 8, the court heard an application by the Democratic Alliance to confirm a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling that the decision to employ Simelane was invalid.

 

He was appointed to the job in November 2009.

 

De Vos said questions were asked about on why Zuma was advised to appoint Simelane by Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe, who ignored the evidence against him

 

“From the perspective of the presidency, it would be helpful if a reasonable answer is provided for the irrational decision that was taken,” said De Vos.

 

“If the president takes the considerations seriously, he might restore the NPA’s credibility and their functionality.”

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Banyana to square up against Zimbabwe in friendly

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By Obakeng Maje

The South African Women’s Senior National Team (Banyana Banyana) will face Zimbabwe in an international friendly match, this is in preparation for the 8th edition of the CAF African Women’s Championship set for Equatorial Guinea from 28 October – 11 November 2012.

 

The Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana will take on their neighbours at the Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto on Saturday, 13 October 2012.

 

Kick-off is at 20h00.

 

The last time the two nations met was at the Unity Cup clash that took place in Zimbabwe last year – the South Africans went down three-nil (3-0) to their hosts.

 

With seven new players in the squad, national team head coach Joseph Mkhonza has set his focus on beefing up the team ahead of his final selection of players to represent South Africa at the AWC.

 

Mkhonza will announce his 21-member squad on Tuesday, 09 October 2012.

 

“We are just weeks away from competing in a highly-ranked competition on the continent, so our goal now is to prepare to take on the best countries on the continent. We are ranked fourth on the continent and we look to claim the number one title. We are not expecting an easy task ahead as all our opponents will try to prove their worth against a team that comes from the Olympics,” said Mkhonza.

“We have taken some positives out of competing on the Olympics level and will be building on from there as we look to qualify for the next world cup. The upcoming game against Zimbabwe will help us gauge our fitness level and help us identify areas that we still need to work before we leave for Equatorial Guinea.”

BJ Dladla, goalkeeper of the KwaZulu Natal Police Football team, has been released from the Banyana Banyana training camp due to a bereavement in her family. Dladla has been replaced by Katlego Moletsane of the High Performance Centre. Moletsane has been a goal minder for both the U17 and U20 Women’s National teams.

“Our deepest condolences to BJ and her family, it’s not easy losing a close relative, we pray that the family gathers strength during this trying time. It’s unfortunate that she has had to pull out of the training camp but we will call her up for future camps,” said the head coach.

 

Durban Ladies striker, Silindile Ngubane is hoping to prove her worth to the Banyana Banyana coaches. She was the top goal scorer at the Sasol League national championships that took place in Durban earlier this year.

“The national team call-up is exciting of course, it means the coaches have shown confidence in my playing ability and it also needs me to put in extra work into training and continue from where I left off in the championships in June,“ said Ngubane.

Banyana Banyana midfielder, Yola Jafta makes a return to the squad after missing out on the Olympics due to injury.

“It feels good to be back in the squad and training with my team mates once again. With the experience they have acquired during the Olympics, it means I would have to work hard and pick up from where I left off,” said Jafta.

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Banyana nominated in SA Sports Award

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By Obakeng Maje

The Banyana Banyana team, as well as head coach Joseph Mkhonza and striker Portia Modise are among the nominations who stand a chance of lifting the honours at the SA Sports

Awards.

These will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre on Sunday, 4 November 2012.

At the nomination function held at Gold Reef City on Thursday, 4 October 2012, the Banyana

Banyana team was nominated in the Sports Team of the Year category, along with the Olympic men’s lightweight rowing team, the Olympic swimming team, the Proteas cricket team and Orlando Pirates Football Club.

Mkhonza, who guided the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana to their first-ever Olympic campaign at the Games held in London, England in July this year, is nominated in the Coach of the Year category. Other nominees in this category are Gary Kirsten (cricket), Graham Hill (swimming), Gordon Igesund (Moroka Swallows Football Club) and Allister Coetzee (Stormers Rugby).

In the Sportswoman of the Year category, Modise, who has scored 72 goals in her 95 appearances for Banyana Banyana – including the first Banyan Banyana goal at the Olympics –  will contest the honours with Marsha Marescia (women’s hockey), Caster Semenya (Athletics) and Bridgette Hartley (Canoeing).

 

In wishing the Banyana Banyana team and nominated individuals the best of luck for the final leg of the competition, Safa CEO Dr Robin Petersen said:

“This sort of recognition is the perfect form of additional motivation for the team as they prepare for the final leg of their 2012 campaign at the CAF African Women Championship 2012 in Equatorial Guinea from October 28 to November 11. Special thanks must go to the national team’s sponsor Sasol for the committed support shown to Banyana Banyana over the past four years.”

Sasol Sponsorship Specialist, Dumisani Mbokane added: “Sasol is committed towards empowering women through sport and the recognition given to Banyana Banyana via the SA Sports Awards is a sign of the progress made by Banyana Banyana in recent times.

To make the final is a feat in its own right, and we wish them the best of luck for when the winners are announced on November.

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ANC offices in North West need to be improved

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The effectiveness of parliamentary constituency offices in the North West needs to be improved, the office of the province’s chief whip said on Thursday.

Mothibedi Kegakilwe’s office said in a statement that the constituency offices had a role to play in averting socio-economic problems.

“This will ensure that service delivery issues within communities, as well as socio-economic challenges similar to those of Marikana, are… resolved before they snowball into crippling and at times fatal protests.”

These views were expressed at an inter-parliamentary caucus in the North West on Thursday.

Those attending included MPs, mayors and councillors.

“The meeting also affirmed the ANC Caucus’ position that Parliament’s democracy offices… are an unnecessary duplication of constituency offices and a wastage of resources,” Kegakilwe’s office said.

Delegates called for these offices to be closed and the resources channelled into the constituency offices.

The caucus meeting formed part of the ANC’s countrywide programme aimed at assessing the ANC’s parliamentary constituency offices’ effectiveness.

SAPA

North West premier concern about spate of violence at Amplats mine

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By Obakeng Maje

North West Premier Mme Thandi Modise has expressed concern about the recent spate of violence associated with the strike by mineworkers at Anglo American Platinum mines(Amplats) in Rustenburg. 

 “Urgent interventions have to be made to manage the situation and compromises reached before it deteriorates further. We are extremely worried that violence is once again rearing its ugly head and spilling over to local businesses and people who are not party to the labour dispute. Wage negotiations should not be characterised by violence,” said Premier Modise in reaction to torching of shops and a report that a mineworker was shot at Nkaneng informal settlement near Bleskop on Thursday night.

“The price that we all paid in Marikana was too costly. Sanity has to prevail for an urgent solution to be found to avert further violent confrontations that might have dire repercussions for the mining sector and the economy. We cannot afford another Marikana,” emphasises Modise.

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A miner died in a clash with police

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By Obakeng Maje

Rustenburg- Police attended a case of murder after a body of a man in his forties was discovered this morning at about 7:30 in Ikaneng township near Rustenburg North West police said. 

The body was discovered near the mountain in Ikaneng Township.

“Information at our disposal indicates that about 300 Anglo Platinum mineworkers met at this mountain yesterday afternoon in an illegal gathering” Colonel Emelda Setlhako said.

“The police instructed the mineworkers to disperse but they chose to ignore the instruction. The crowd began hauling stones at the police who in return use stun grenades, rubber bullets and teargas to disperse them” she continues. 

The cause of the death and all its circumstances are currently under investigation by the Independent Police Investigating directorate (IPID) as the incident appeared to have arisen from police action.

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A sangoma arrested for grave desecration

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By Obakeng Maje

Mmabatho- Police arrested a 54 year sangoma and his driver,39 for grave violation at Moletsamongwe cementry in Mdimola village near Mahikeng North West police said.

“Police were patrolling the area when the recognise two people leaving the graveyard carrying suspicious plastic bag” Captain Amanda Funani said.

It is alleged that the police discovered a human remains in the plastic bag.

The desacralization occurred on a grave of an albino and according to police is not for the first time the grave was tempered with.

“The same grave was tampered with back in 2002,but no one was arrested” Funani said.

Police are still investigating any link to two cases.

The two will appear before Mmabatho Magistrate Court on Monday.

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A taxi left close to nine people injured after colliding with a train

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By Obakeng Maje

The North West Police are investigating a case of reckless driving and negligence after a mini bus taxi collided with a train in Phokeng at Boshoek Railway crossing near Rustenburg.

The accident occurred today at about 17:00, and it left nine taxi passengers including an eight months old baby injured.

“According to the information on our disposal

the injured people were taken by ambulance to Job Shimankane Tabane Provincial Hospital” Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said.

“It is alleged that the driver of a blue and white mini bus was from Chaneng village transporting the passengers to Rustenburg” He said. 

The train was from Northern- Thabazimbi’s side, it was about to enter the extrata Boshoek plant.

It is alleged that the taxi driver failed to observe both sides of the railway before crossing. 

The taxi driver is part of the nine people who were taken to hospital.

No one was arrested and investigation continues.

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A house burnt to ashes at Moretele in Taung

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Moretele-The family of Mmeme, Kwate in Moretele near Taung lost everything after their  four roomed house went up in smoke.

It is yet unknown what caused the fire and the bereaved family were assisted with temporary accomodation.

“The cause of the fire is yet unknown and we have asked assistance from different departments and we still waiting for their respond” said tlhagane on vaaltar fm.

The Kwate family lost everything including IDs,furniture and all the belongings.

The case of arson has not been opened.

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