Cape Town – Schoolgirls are selling their bodies beside illegal shebeens to earn money for alcohol.

Some teens as young as 16 openly admit to prostituting themselves to “sugar daddies” for cash.

The shocking revelation follows a Daily Voice investigation into the rise of underage drinking during the festive season.

Some girls confess that they turn to dirty old men who buy them alcohol in exchange for sex – because they cannot get money from their cash-strapped parents.

One 17-year-old Samora Machel resident, known only as Nthabiseng, says it’s easier to get money from guys at a shebeen than from her family.

“My parents don’t know that I drink so I get money from the guys I meet while I’m out partying,” she tells the Daily Voice.

“I don’t drink every day but I go out on weekends with my friends for some fun.

“We dress up and go out with just enough money for the first round of drinks because we know we will meet some guys there who are going to buy us some more.

“We’ll start dancing and chatting with them and then the drinks will come.

“It then means after partying we go somewhere and have sex.

“Usually it’s in the car or out in the bush.

“We don’t go to their houses.”

Some shebeen owners admit allowing teenagers into their drinking dens.

But they say they cannot always keep track of who they hang around with or leave the premises with at the end of the night.

“I’ve had my shebeen open for about five years now and I don’t usually sell alcohol to minors,” Phumla Madizeni, 40, tells the Daily Voice.

“Obviously these young ones try their luck sometimes to try and get in here – but I chase them away.

“But there are those who ask to stay and I let them because I know them.

“They come in to buy their beers and their ciders – I never ask where they get their money from.

“The younger ones usually come in groups, but I don’t interfere.

“The only time I ask questions, it’s for their age and when I tell them to leave when they start getting too drunk.”

The Daily Voice team witnessed groups of skimpily-dressed teenage girls openly drinking on the streets and dancing around drunk on the road.

And when the sun went down, the skirts got shorter – and the shorts even shorter.

Nthabiseng says the girls wear short skirts to attract more men.

“Guys only notice the girls with short dresses on and make-up,” she tells the Daily Voice.

“We dress up to look older so that we don’t get thrown out.”

Statistics released by the South African Breweries (SAB) earlier this year revealed that one in two teenagers in South Africa drink or has been drunk.

Many shebeen owners say they try to keep the teenagers out of their taverns by demanding to see IDs at the entrance.

But they admit it is hard to keep track of everyone on a busy day.

“Schoolgirls sometimes knock here at 6am while in uniform to buy beer. They often get very upset when I refuse to sell to them,” Babalwa Kenqa, 43, says.

for more details go to http://www.iol.co.za

Obakeng Maje

Bloemhof- Police arrested a 29-year-old suspect for allegedly broke  into a house and raped a 82-year-old woman in Boitumelo, Bloemhof yesterday morning.

“A 82-year-old victim freed herself after the suspect fell asleep in her bed. She  asked a neighbour for assistance” Captain Adele Murburgh said.

“The police was informed and on arrival at the scene, found the suspect still asleep” She said.

The suspect was arrested and appeared  in the Bloemhof  Magistrate Court today for charges of housebreaking and rape.

By Obakeng Maje

Lichtenburg-North West police are also investigating a culpable homicide after a 20-year-old male pedestrian hit by a Nissan Livinia vehicle on Wednesday along Sannieshof road.

“A 21-yar-old driver of the Nissan allegedly lost control of his vehicle and collided with a pedestrian crossing the road” Captain Adele Myburgh said.

“The driver of the vehicle was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and his blood sample was taken by police for forensic testing.

By Obakeng Maje

Lichtenburg- A 27-year-old suspect is soon to appear in the Lichtenburg Magistrates Court for a charge of possession of firearm without a license after he was arrested by police on Wednesday at 05:55 am north west police said.

” The suspect was arrested in road block that was held by police at the Lichtenburg/Coligny road Railway line.  A 7.65 pistol with nine bullets was allegedly found inside his vehicle” captain adele myburgh said.

the vehicle was searched by police (at the road block) and confiscated.

By Obakeng Maje

Klerksdorp- North West police are investigating an inquest a two year-old boy drowned in a swimming pool on Tuesday at about 14:00 in Doringkruin.

“The boy was fell in the swimming pool after slipped off the chartered eye of his mother. He was discovered later by his mother” Captain Adele Myburgh said.

“He was rushed to the nearest local clinic where they tried to revive him,but with no luck” she adds.

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BY Obakeng Maje

Delareyville- Police are investigating a culpable homicide case after the driver of a VW Golf allegedly lost control of the vehicle and it overturned on the Delareyville/Ottosdal Road, about 15km from Delareyville.

“This accident happened during the early hours of Wednesday at about 04:00. One occupant of the vehicle, a female passed away shortly after being admitted at a local hospital” captain myburgh said.

The driver and four other passengers were all taken to hospital for medical treatment” she said. 

By Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng-As the year 2012 comes to a close, we remember with anguish the bloodshed and the tears that were shed in the aftermath of the Marikana tragedy. We wish to convey our gratitude to church leaders under the auspices of the South African Council of Churches and traditional leaders for playing a significant role in facilitating mediation and supporting the negotiation process that ended in wage settlements and normalising of relations in the mining sector.

The challenges we faced in the past year not only served to make us acutely aware of the urgency with which we need to address unemployment, poverty and inequality but have strengthened our resolve to seek lasting solutions to the challenges facing us.

We wish to assure the people of our province that though we are still faced with challenges in some areas, the strides we have made together and the pace we have set gives us confidence that these are not insurmountable but need us to continue holding hands.

We wish to thank those who supported our effort to intensify the fight against poverty, joblessness, homelessness, illiteracy, crime, greed and corruption and for believing that clean governance is achievable.

Though our resolve to establish and maintain a corrupt free public administration was tested and challenged on all fronts by those who seek to continue plundering resources meant to improve the lives of our people, we intensified our effort and scored major victories in the interest of good governance and protecting the resources and assets of our people.

We owe it to our people to strengthen partnerships we have established with the business sector, churches, traditional leaders, community based organizations, institutions of higher learning, non-government organizations, women and youth organisations and the media to accelerate service delivery, stamp the tide of corruption and to usher a new era of pride in selflessness, integrity and morality.

As we celebrate Christmas and recharge for the tasks that still lie ahead of us in the new year, we call on all of our people to remember that this season of peace, goodwill and sharing also presents us with an opportunity to expand our giving encompassing the lonely and needy. We should celebrate it by giving the light of hope and love to those who need them most, our orphans, widows and our elderly.More advances lie ahead for us to score and celebrate as part of our legacy, history and rich heritage. Working together we can do more to deepen our democracy and sustain our hard won freedom for the next 100 years.

As a compassionate and caring government that supports the Decade of Action for Road Safety, we appeal to those who will be travelling during this festive season not to drink and drive, to exercise caution and share the road responsibly with other road users.

Let us enjoy the festivities responsibly and support our men and women in dignified blue by reporting suspected criminal activities, women, child abuse and neglect.

As we finalise preparations towards the 2013 African Cup of Nations matches to be hosted by the province at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, we are confident that working together we can do more to create better, healthier and safer communities.

We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Johannesburg – The alliance between the ANC, Cosatu and SACP is safe, the Congress of SA Trade Unions said in Johannesburg on Friday.

“We are not in any way feeling stressed about an alliance that is collapsing tomorrow. The alliance is safe,” general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi told reporters in Braamfontein.

Cosatu “vehemently refute(d)” a statement in the ANC’s organisational report, which was discussed during the party’s national conference in Mangaung.

Vavi said the statement alleged “Cosatu is the only alliance partner that from time to time sees the democratic government as worse or the same as the apartheid regime”.

Vavi dismissed this claim saying, “Cosatu has never made any such comment and never will.”

When it came to the alliance “from time to time there will be moments of controversy in… Some things will be managed internally. With others they will flare up into public discussions”.

Nevertheless, Vavi reiterated that the alliance, between the union federation, ruling party and SA Communist Party, always managed to move forward.

“The alliance is in good shape and it will continue to be stronger and will be strengthened by the resolutions of the ANC conference.”

The conference ended on Thursday.

Cosatu president Sidumo Dlamini was elected to the African National Congress’s national executive committee. Vavi declined nomination.

Vavi said Cosatu would study the resolutions of the conference before making more detailed public comment on it. – Sapa

by Obakeng Maje

Taung-The name Big Nuz comes from Big because they are doing big things and NUZ is the license plate of one of the biggest townships in South Africa, Umlazi, situated in the south coast of Durban.

Big Nuz consists of 3 guys Mandla Maphumulo aka Mampintsha, Mzi Tshomela aka Danger and Sbu Khomo aka R Mashesha.

The group was formed 2002 and they were based in Johannesburg where they hustling moving from one studio to another in search of a record.

In 2002 they did a jingle for Backstage on e-tv when the soapie was relocating to Joburg, they then got a chance to perform on Backstage.

“We continued to hustling in 2003 working with Koloi Lebone and Beatmaker doing songs that unfortunately didn’t see the record shop” They said.

In 2004 they hooked up with Ishmael and got to be featured on Ishmael’s album on a song called Boom Boom.

In 2006 we finally got a record deal at Gallo Records and released their debut album called “Zozo”. The album did not do well due to allegedly poor management by Gallo Records. 

In 2007 DJ Tira heard the talent of Big Nuz after listening on their debut album and called them back home in Durban.

“DJ Tira signed us on his record label Afrotainment. We then got involved on the Durban’s Finest Vol 3 album and produced a number1 summer hit, “Uyoysholo Wena” They said on their website.

The song was number 1 on Ukhozi FM, YFM, Metro FM, Ligwalagwala FM, Motsweding FM including Vaaltar FM.

The song also came second on the songs played on New Years’ Eve.

Afrotainment then released Big Nuz second album called “2nd Round Knockout”. The album topped the charts all over the country with all time classic “Ubala”. “2nd Round Knockout” sold over 20 000 copies in South Africa.

The album won the 2008 Metro FM Best Kwaito Award and got a nomination at the 2008 Channel O Awards. Big Nuz took the centre stage at the 2008 South African Music Awards as they delivered a superb performance opening the ceremony.

Big Nuz also earned two nominations at 2008 SAMA’s for best Kwaito category and Song of the year.

Big Nuz have been the busiest Kwaito group in the country doing shows from Cape Town to Manchester (London).

They worked on the theme songs for KZN Department of transport and Nedbank Cup. They performed in 2009 ANC campaigns and President Jacob Zuma’s Inauguration. In the winter of 2009 Big Nuz have just released their third album titled “UNDISPUTED”. They have worked with their number one producer, Fisherman, and their mentor, DJ Tira. This album feature rhymes by Slikour from Skwatta Kamp, Chilli M and Lvovo Derrango.

They also worked with KZN’s Gospel finest boy Sfiso Ncwane, the flute masters, Kwela Tebza and Durban rocksters DJ Bongs and DJ Twitty and DJ Clock. After you listen to their latest album uyoysholo wena (you will say it yourself) they are the Undisputed Kings of Kwaito. 

They now focussing  on 28 December 2012 at Taung Sports-ground to sowcase their God-given talent.

Bloemfontein – As the ANC national conference in Mangaung ended on Thursday, deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe’s withdrawal from party leadership posts remained the most tantalising talking point.

While Jacob Zuma was re-elected to the party’s top position, ousted youth league leader Julius Malema – who had once promised to kill and/or die for Zuma – had his expulsion seemingly sealed.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said a request by Malema and two of his dethroned colleagues for their positions back, would not be entertained.

The matter was “exhausted and finished”, Mantashe said.

Motlanthe went up against and lost to Zuma for the role of party president. Motlanthe also withdrew his nomination for deputy party president. The position went to billionaire businessman and one of the original writers of the country’s Constitution, Cyril Ramaphosa.

Holding up a peace sign in a photograph taken shortly after his defeat, Motlanthe later delivered a speech in which he termed the ANC “the epitome of democracy”.

Motlanthe’s future intentions baffled many when a short while after, he also declined nomination for any of the NEC’s 80 positions.

ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said Motlanthe laughed off the suggestion that he would step down as the country’s deputy president.

“I spoke to the deputy president. He just laughed and said: ‘Where do they get these horror stories?’“

The success of slate voting seemed evident when the rest of the top six NEC positions were won by candidates closely aligned with Zuma.

Mantashe and Baleka Mbethe were re-elected to their positions as secretary-general and chairwoman respectively. Ramaphosa, along with Jessie Duarte as deputy secretary-general and Zweli Mkhize as treasurer-general, were the new faces at the top six table.

On Thursday, Ramaphosa said he had called for a review of his business dealings. He has his own company, Shanduka Holdings, and is chairman of the Bidvest Group and MTN, as well as the owner of the South African franchise of McDonalds.

“This is necessary to address any potential conflicts of interest, and to ensure that I can adequately perform the responsibilities of this position,” he said.

Besides Motlanthe, several other prominent ANC members declined nomination for the NEC.

Others who said no included presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj, Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel, struggle stalwart Jay Naidoo and Congress of SA Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.

A total of 295 nominees were put through for voting.

Party delegates were boisterous during the voting phase of the conference. When not waving fans to combat the heat, they sang and danced, praising candidates they liked and mocking those they did not.

However, everyone soon got down to business as policy discussions got underway.

ANC economic transformation policy commission head Malusi Gigaba said the conference had resolved that wholesale nationalisation was “off the table”. There would be “strategic nationalisation” where necessary.

Fighting corruption was also raised as a key issue.

ANC constitutional affairs sub-committee chairman Collins Chabane said financial crimes by a party member would now feature in disciplinary procedures and lead to automatic expulsion.

ANC Gauteng secretary David Makhura said an integrity committee would be established in the next three months to deal with members accused of misconduct.

“The committee will help us nip corruption in the bud,” he said.

There were also lighter moments at the conference. Opinions were divided on Twitter over whether the woman who sang the national anthem at the conference’s opening sounded like a dying goose or a goat being slaughtered.

Zelda la Grange, former president Nelson Mandela’s personal assistant, tweeted: “This chick can’t sing for shit!”. University of the Free State rector Jonathan Jansen, tweeted a request to “bring back Cde Ras Dumisani”.

Dumisani is infamous for his off-key performance of the anthem ahead of a rugby test in 2009.

Mantashe was teased by journalists at a press briefing about whether a storm on Wednesday afternoon might be the result of the ANC’s ancestors being upset.

“Rain is a blessing. A storm is rain in a different form,” he replied. – Sapa