Whatever solution is found to the Lenasia housing problem, it must be “within the law”, Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale said on Wednesday.

He warned the Special Lenasia Intervention team – comprising representatives from communities, the government, the police, and other organisations – that illegal solutions would not be accepted.

“No agreement emanating from this room must be unlawful, even though the temptation might be there. I cannot implement unlawful solutions,” he said at the team’s first meeting in Pretoria on Wednesday.

“We are a constitutional state and we have no choice but to operate within the law.”

Almost three weeks ago, the Gauteng housing department demolished about 50 houses in the area. The department said it was acting within the law because the houses were illegally built on government land.

Further demolitions were halted following a ruling by the High Court in Johannesburg.

The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) took the department to court, calling for demolitions to be stopped so it could investigate whether any human rights were infringed.

Sexwale on Wednesday said the state should protect citizens who found themselves with “illegal neighbours” unlawfully connecting electricity and water, which affected the values of their homes.

“I stress that because in this whole debate legal residents are forgotten and government stands for and with them.”

He said the state was also behind people who had been duped into buying the land.

The team is tasked with helping those who had acquired land illegally but had not started building, those whose houses had been demolished, and those who had finished building but had not moved in.

The minister called on people to work with the government in identifying and reporting criminals involved in the illegal sale of government land in Lenasia.

The SAHRC welcomed the establishment of the team.

“The SAHRC supports, and has always advocated for, an approach grounded in dialogue,” it said in a statement.

“A mediated approach recognises that our legal framework is built on the values enshrined in the Constitution, which are reflective of our history and struggle as a country. These must be made a reality for communities.” – Sapa

KwaZulu-Natal – With an average of 49 rhino poached a month, and with just over one month to go until the end of the year, South Africa could end up with the unenviable figure of 600 – or more – poached rhino in 2012.

The country has lost 588 rhino to poaching so far this year – 140 more than last year’s total of 448.

Since mid-November, 39 rhino have been poached.

KwaZulu-Natal has lost 59 rhino to poaching so far, compared with last year’s total of 34, and 38 in 2010.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Department of Environmental Affairs said the Kruger National Park had been the hardest hit, with 362 rhino lost to poaching, while the North West, KZN and Limpopo collectively lost 186.

“If 588 rhino were poached so far, this means for 12 months, there is an average of 49 rhinos poached per month, so it is very likely that this number will exceed 600 by the end of the year,” said Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesman, Musa Mntambo.

“We need to be more vigilant and try to better understand how poaching syndicates work in order to bring this number down next year,” he added.

World Wildlife Fund SA head of conservation, Deon Nel, said the country was reaching a worrying level of rhino poaching.

By Bonolo Kgarane

Taung-After a week of Orebone re Gobone campaign by the North West provincial legislature in the Greater Taung Municipality, the parliament portfolio committee on Local Government together with petitions committee visited the municipality again.

The committe were to wrap up their campaign with consultation to the municipality and the petitioners within the GTLM.

Among the meetings held today was a meeting between GTLM council and the portfolio committe on Local Government headed by Honourable Auchalie Mothupi.

Mothupi urged the municipality to increase their level of communication to interact with the residents.

“This is after the campaign held last week reported that most community members were unhappy during their meetings with different portfolio committee heads that took place in all 26 wards” he said.

“The members of community in the municipality complained about the poor service delivery especially on basic issues such as water and proper sanitation as well as poor roads conditions” he continues.

According to Hon Mothupi, the GTLM has the capacity to run the municipality that can empower people and that can deliver great services to its people.

“Only if the municipal heads could give a proper and conceive thought on their priority lists and targets” He said.

” I urge the municipality to ascertain that within 7days they should have written a conscience report to parliament to address issues affecting the people such as RDP housing back log, poor roads,water and sanitation” he asserted.

Meanwhile chairperson of the portfolio committee Zakes Moolotsi met with all petitioners from the municipality at a local library to address key issues in their memorandum.

The meeting was attended by residents of ward12 and amongst them,Manokwane residents were part of them.

The residents were recently making headlines complaining about poor service delivery.

The meeting brought new lease and a light of hope as parliament promised the communities that they shall report all their grievances to different departments in parliament and after such shall be voted for in parliament before it can be debate.

“I promise to come back to you to address your grievances. Within three months time we should have a way forward” Moolotsi said.

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President Jacob Zuma has wished Supreme Court of Appeal Judge Thomas Cloete well with his retirement from next year.

Zuma has discharged Judge Cloete with effect from May 16, 2013.

Cloete served the country’s judiciary for many years and would reach the age of 65 years on May 15 next year.

He was a judge for more than 20 years and appointed to the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2003.

Presidency spokesman Mac Maharaj said Judge Cloete would be eligible for discharge from active service with effect from May 16, 2013.

Zuma thanked Cloete on behalf of government and the country’s people for his service.

Wishing Cloete a restful retirement, Zuma said he hoped the judge would not be entirely lost to South Africa if required to perform any national duties in the future.

-Sapa

By obakeng maje

On December 7 2012 the Sol Plaatje Educational Trust and the North West Department of Sport, Arts and Culture will be hosting the Sol Plaatje Commemorative Lecture at the Mmabatho Convention Centre.

This year marks the 80th year since Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje died. He took his last breath on June 19, 1932 in Johannesburg.

He was buried three days later in Kimberley. 

“Plaatje was the founding secretary-general of the ANC (then called the South African Native National Congress), the Editor of Koranta ea Becoana, Tsala ea Becoana and Tsala ea Batho newspapers. He also wrote Native Life in South Africa, Mhudi and the Mafikeng Diary of Sol Plaatje. He also translated William Shakespeare’s works into Setswana” Vusi Kama said.

“He compiled and translated into English almost a thousand Setswana proverbs and idioms” He asserted.

Mahikeng has been chosen as the venue for the commemorative lecture based on the fact that Plaatje spent ten years of his life here.

He first arrived in Mahikeng in 1898 to work as an interpreter at the magistrate’s court. In 1902 he assumed editorship of Koranta ea Becoana, the only Setswana/English newspaper in the area. 

“The city of Mahikeng can be said to have launched Plaatje” Kama said.

“His first newspaper articles were published in the Mafikeng Mail in 1900. His first book, The Mafikeng Diary of Sol Plaatje, was written while he was here between 1899 and 1900, though it was only published three decades after his death. As the Editor of Koranta ea Becoana, Plaatje established himself as the spokesperson for his people” He continues.

Through his editorials he addressed matters that included racial equality and the sticky land question. 

It is therefore a fitting tribute that a lecture that marks eighty years since he died be held in Mahikeng. 

There are also two schools in Mahikeng, a primary school and a high school, that are named after him. The house in which he lived in Mahikeng, the Maratiwa House, is a heritage site. The plot on which he lived in Seweding village is also a heritage. His cattle kraal, borehole and the row of trees that he planted, are all still there at the plot in Seweding village. 

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BY Obakeng Maje

Banyana Banyana midfielder Portia Modise is among three of Africa’s women football stars nominated in the CAF African Footballer of the Year category, as a part of the Glo – CAF Awards.

The awards’ winners will be announced in Accra on Thursday, 20 December 2012.

Modise, who has scored 73 goals in her 102 appearances for the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana, played a key role during the national team’s campaign to the final of the CAF African Women Championship 2012, held in Equatorial Guinea last month.

“I am delighted that my performances have been recognised in what has been one of Banyana Banyana’s busiest and most successful years in the national team’s history, and must thank Safa, Sasol, my team-mates and all persons who have supported and encouraged me,” said Modise.

The Palace Super Falcons (Sasol League Gauteng) player will contest the title along with 15-year-old Nigerian goal-scoring sensation Chinwendu Ihezuo, who scored 6 goals during the FIFA U-17 women’s World Cup this year, and Equatorial Guinea playmaker Genoveva Anoman, who scored 6 goals to help her country clinch the CAF African Women Championship title.

Africa Cup of Nations champions Zambia are in the running in the National Team of the Year category along with Cape Verde (highest placed ever CAF and FIFA rankings of 10 and 51 respectively achieved in 2012), Central African Republic (qualified for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations eliminating record-holders Egypt in the qualifiers) and Cote d’ Ivoire (2012 Africa Cup of Nations finalists and the highest placed African team on the FIFA world rankings).

The Women’s National Team of the Year award will be decided between Equatorial Guinea (2012 CAF African Women Championship winners) and the Ghana U-17 side (bronze medalists at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup bronze medalists knocking out tournament favourites Japan en route to the semi-finals).

The Coach of the Year finalists are Zambian mentor Herve Renard (who led Zambia to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations title), Al-Ahly coach Hossam El Bady (who plotted his team’s path to a record 7th CAF Champions League title), Esperance boss Nabil Maaloul (who took his club to the CAF Champions League final) and AC Leopards, Tunisia coach Nasreddine Nabi (who led his charges to the first CAF Confederation Cup trophy).

The Most Promising Talent section of the awards, will be a battle between Egyptian U-23 star Mohamed Salah (who scored in three of his team’s four matches at the London Olympics), Senegalese striker Moussa Monate (who scored in all four of his country’s matches at the London Olympics) and Kenyan midfielder Victor Wanyama (who scored a sensational goal to help Celtic beat Spanish Giants Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League).

The club of the Year category is also expected to be closely contested with Egyptian giants Al Ahly, Esperance (Turkey), AC Leopards (Congo) and Mali’s Djoliba (CAF Confederation Cup finalists) nominated.   

Johannesburg – The ANC in the North West wants ousted Potchefstroom mayor Maphetle Maphetle reinstated.

“We are doing everything in our power to make this happen,” ANC provincial spokesman Kenny Morolong said on Monday.

“Our ANC provincial executive committee has committed itself to the reinstatement of comrade Maphetle as the mayor of Tlokwe local municipality.”

He said a meeting was held after DA councillor Annette Combrinck replaced Maphetle last week.

“A meeting was convened with all ANC councillors committing to reinstate him which, inter alia, has been exhibited through a petition to the speaker of the city council.”

The petition called for a special meeting and was signed by ANC councillors in the area.

Morolong said the party had asked lawyers to examine the processes related to the council resolution which led to the mayor’s removal last week.

“The ANC in the province will thoroughly investigate this setback, which is tantamount to a counter-revolution. And action will, indeed, be taken against those responsible for bringing such shame and embarrassment to our movement.”

Maphetle was voted out on Wednesday, and Combrinck was immediately voted in. An ANC-driven motion of no-confidence in Maphetle was accepted, with 37 votes in favour and 13 against. Combrinck became the first DA mayor in the province by defeating ANC candidate Lucky Tsagae by 20 votes to 19. Several ANC members tabled a notice of a motion of no confidence in Combrinck shortly after she won the vote.

The national ANC said it would lodge a formal complaint with the Broadcasting Complaints Commission after it was apparently reported that ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu attended the council meeting where Maphetle was ousted.

On Sunday, DA leader Helen Zille said the ruling party’s infighting had caused serious division within the movement. She said the ANC was so divided it could not even agree on a mayoral candidate.

SA Communist Party in the province said it did not consider Combrinck as Tlokwe’s mayor.

“In our view… the elections… were flawed in that the DA candidate in question… was not part of council meeting nor did she formally accept nomination through acceptable means,” the SACP said in a statement. – Sapa

A hundred graduates with disabilities are to be placed in all departments within the North West Provincial Administration, government entities and municipalities In an effort to contribute towards achievement of employment equity targets for employment of persons with disabilities Premier Thandi Modise declared  on Wednesday.

Premier Modise said that the objective of the disabilities internship programme is to provide unemployed graduates with disabilities from universities, FET Colleges as well as those who have obtained any Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) qualification with work experience, mentorship and coaching for a period of 12 months to increase their employability and absorption into the open labour market.

“The programme is in line with government’s transformational imperatives and will contribute towards achievement of employment equity targets in relation to the employment of persons with disabilities,” highlighted Modise. 

 The disabilities internship programme is to be implemented by the Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SSETA) in partnership with the Disabled People South Africa and the provincial government.

In addition to funding a stipend of R3000 per month and a transport allowance of R500, SSETA will procure assistive devices required in line with reasonable accommodation needs. The devises will be owned by the participating graduate learners at the end of the 12 month Internship programme.

SSETA will also provide disability sensitive training and sign language interpretation workshop for mentors and coaches appointed by the host employer prior the rollout of the programme

Johannesburg – Former ANC Youth League president Julius Malema has gone on the offensive against Ronald Lamola, describing his former deputy as a “traitor” and “sellout” who has crawled back to President Jacob Zuma.

In an exclusive interview with The Star on Tuesday, Malema said his former ANCYL deputy was negotiating with Zuma and ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe to switch allegiance in exchange for a chance to take over as league president after Mangaung.

Describing Lamola as a “small boy”, Malema has vowed that his former deputy would never lead the youth league because of “his selling-out tendencies”.

He said he had never needed Lamola in his life and was shocked when he saw him at his first court appearance for money-laundering in Polokwane in September.

In an indirect swipe at Lamola, who is in charge of the league, Malema said the league was currently disorganised, did not know whether it was coming or going, and that people communicated its decisions as if they were not committed.

He added that Zuma had paralysed the ANCYL.

The axed youth leader accused Lamola and others of having asked Zuma and Mantashe to expel suspended ANCYL secretary Sindiso Magaqa, who is due to return in April, because they see him as a threat to their ambitions.

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