By Obakeng Maje

Handing over of reflector jackets and torches for the neighbourhood watch in Leratong Park- Roodepan

Roodepàn-The Department of Housing (COGHSTA) handed 20 reflector jackets and 20 torches to the Roodepan Police Station’s Crime Prevention Unit on Thursday. 

The sector commander of Leratong Park, Constable Jacobs received the equipment from the Department for her sector leaders who are responsible for the neighbourhood watch in Leratong Park to use during crime prevention activities especially over weekends when they are patrolling the streets in Leratong Park. 

“This equipment will help them to be visible during the night because the community will then be able to identify them from a distance” Lieutenant Andrea Cloete said.

“The main objective of this project is to work hand in glove with the South African Police Service and fight crime together in our communities” Cloete said.

By Obakeng Maje

Bafana Bafana striker Lehlohonolo Majoro has fully recovered from the shin injury he sustained in the 2-0 win over Angola. The striker, who has been training on his own over the last two days, joined the rest of his teammates and finished a full session without pain on Thursday.

Majoro watched from the sidelines as his compatriots launch a spirited fight back against Morocco which saw South Africa qualify for the quarterfinals which will be played on Saturday, 2 February at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

“I am feeling good and I want to believe I have fully recovered. I must just undergo some test to be declared hundred percent fit, but it feels good to be back because I thought I would not take any further part in this tournament when I saw the injury,” said Majoro.

“But I still have to fight for my position and given a chance I would love to score because the more you score the higher your confidence grows.”

After a great display against Morocco, Bafana Bafana players now have a strong sense of belief and are confident of doing well on Saturday.

“We’ve watched Mali play and we won’t compare them with the other teams we have played, they have good players with great experience. But we will prepare like we have been doing all along, put in all the hard work,” said midfielder Reneilwe Letsholonyane.

“There is pressure all the time; for us the pressure was there even before the start of the tournament but it is the kind of pressure that we have been able to handle. This team has shown character and we hope the same will happen come Saturday.”

Forward Thuso Phala said the first round Group matches had toughened the entire team.

“It is always an advantage coming from a tough game to another, having said that, it’s always going to be difficult playing one of the top teams on the continent, but we know what we have to do. We just have to focus on our game and not Mali’s. They are going to be a handful but it’s a challenge we are aware of and ready for,” said Phala.

Meanwhile Bafana Bafana wished South African cricket captain Graeme Smith well as he will be playing his 100th test match for the Proteas when they face Pakistan on Friday, 1 February. The players and the coaching staff posed with a banner written: CHEERS TO 100 GRAEME, HERE’S TO THE NEXT 100.

Bafana Bafana will have their last training session on Friday afternoon before tackling Mali on Saturday

By Obakeng Maje

Itsoseng- A body of a 15 year old girl who was reported missing in Verdwaal village,near Itsoseng found in a shallow grave North West police.

The girl was reported missing after she fails to returned home after school. 

“According a fellow learner,they went to a tavern after school and she walked her home on Friday midnight” Sergeant Philani Nkwalase said. 

“The girl’s body was found partially buried in a shallow grave in the bush and no one has been arrested” Philani Nkwalase said.  

By Obakeng Maje

Kimberley-Police are investigating a rape which allegedly took place on 9 December 2012 at approximately 18:00pm. 

“The 38 year old female alleges she was on her way home from Beaconsfield and attempted crossing the train bridge near Cape Town Road when she was approached by a white male” police said. 

The suspect threatened her. He allegedly pulled her beneath the tree where he raped her. 

“The suspect took her to a passage in Stanley Street at Beaconsfield where he raped her for the second time and flee the scene” Lieutenant Sergio Kock said. 

The suspect could be between the ages of 40 to 47 years and speaks Afrikaans.  

The police request that all information in this regard be forwarded to Det Const Shaniel Antonie on 053 838 4307 or 08600 10111 or sms 32211. The investigation continues. 

By Obakeng Maje

Jouberton-A 25 year-old suspect who was arrested for hacking a boy,2 to death remains in custody. Maxwell Tshabalala,25 was arrested last weekend after he allegedly choppe a boy into pieces North West police said. 

“Maxwell Tshabalala appeared briefly at Klerksdorp Magistrate Court and was denied bail” Sergeant Philani Nkwalase said.

“It is alleged that Tshabalala had an argument with his girlfriend(the mother of a boy) at a local tavern” He said. 

The mother of a boy ran away after he allegedly tried to beat her up. And this prompted a Mozambician man to abduct a boy.

He allegedly fled with a boy and hacked him to death. Police were caled and arrested the suspect.

He allegedly showed police a tiny body of the boy squizzed in a plastic bucket after confrontation.

The suspect was denied bail and the investigation continues.

By Obakeng Maje

Bafana Bafana winger Siphiwe Tshabalala is not worried about not getting a lot of game time in the Orange Africa Cup of Nations South Africa 2013 that is currently underway.

Shabba, as the dreadlocked midfielder is commonly known, was last in the starting 11 during the opening game of the tournament against Cape Verde Islands. Since then he has watched from the bench in the last two matches against Angola and Morocco.

Tshabalala is the highest capped player in the squad with 74 appearances.

“It is not about me, but the team winning the tournament and uniting the nation through sport. Obviously if I get a chance again I will be grateful and will take it. I will do my best to help the team achieve its objectives,” said Tshabalala.

“There are no hard feelings between the players who play and those who don’t. We get along very well and complement each other. That is what has made us tick. We do so many things together on and off the field and we are like a family. Everyone is determined and showing hunger, which shows how bad we want this tournament, not for us as players but for the nation.”

Bafana Bafana face Mali in the quarterfinals on Saturday, 2 February at the intimidating Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. The venue has become a fortress for the host nation and Gordon Igesund’s side will start Saturday’s encounter hot favourites to proceed to the penultimate stage of the competition.

The match is scheduled to kick-off at 20h30.

One player who is definitely out of the clash is defender Anele Ngcongca who is suspended after being cautioned twice in the group stages.

“It’s sad that I won’t feature in this match because I was really looking forward to it, but then again it’s part of the game. It’s a great pity that I won’t be on field but watching from the stands.  I am confident that whoever gets the chance to play in that position will do a magnificent job because we are all working on one mission – to proceed to the semi-finals and go all the way in the tournament,” said Ngcongca.

The man who is set to replace him is right back Siboniso Gaxa.

“We have to be positive all the time. No one is guaranteed a place in the team, everyone deserves to play but only 11 can start at any given time. It would be nice for me to represent my country on home soil. I am really looking forward to that if I do start,” said Gaxa.

“I have played more than 50 times for the national team and this would be one of the big games for me and for the country.”

The provincial leaderships of the ANC Youth League in Mpumalanga and the North West have defied a warning from their national leaders, saying acting president Ronald Lamola and acting secretary-general Kenetswe Mosenogi should emerge as top leaders of the movement at the up-coming congress.

Acting Mpumalanga provincial secretary for the ANCYL Clarence Maseko reiterated his call for Lamola to be the next president of the league. He said the league in the province was emulating the KwaZulu-Natal provincial leadership of the ANC, which had nominated President Jacob Zuma to be re-elected ANC president. He called on the national leadership of the league to hold the congress and elect the new president as soon as possible.

“Lamola is from home and he is our next president. We apply the same attitude like the KwaZulu-Natal ANC leadership who chose President Zuma because he is from their province. We will stand by Lamola like a tattoo on human flesh. That’s our attitude and we will not change our minds on that,” Maseko said.

“The ANC has given the league enough time to elect a new presidenta nd there is no better time to do so than now.”

However, Maseko pointed out that the Mpumalanga leadership of the league would agitate for Lamola’s election only through democratic means.

“We will not hold a gun against someone’s head and say, ‘we want Lamola to be the next president’. We will lobby for his election and convince everyone in the league that he deserves the position.”

Papiki Baboile, provincial chairperson for the ANCYL in the North West, said the province wanted Lamola and Mosenogi to be retained at the top leadership level.

“We have not yet decided on the positions that we want the two to occupy, but we want them to remain there at the top. We have confidence in them and believe they can take the organisation forward,” Baboile said.

The pronouncements of leadership choice from the two provinces came two days after the youth league’s national executive committee warned Mpumalanga and other provincial leaders not to prematurely open the succession debate. Lamola said all the league leaderships would be given the go-ahead to do so at the right time.

Gauteng provincial secretary for the youth league Ayanda Kasa-Ntsobi, condemned the provincial leaders for making their choices public. She said the league in the province would publicly reveal its stance after discussing the matter at their provincial executive committee meeting to be held soon.

“We tried our best to stay away from unwarranted pronouncements and I don’t know why these people take this matter to the media.”

By Obakeng Maje

Kathu-Police are investigating a case of possession of suspected stolen copper wire.

“Police were busy patrolling the area when they noticed a suspect carrying a copper wire” Lieutenant Donald Mdhuli said.

“A 56 year-old man claims that he was given a copper by Eskom employees at a dumping site” he said. 

The copper weighs 21.3kg and estimated at the street value of R2000. 

This happened today at Mangaan street in Kathu. The suspect has been arrested and will appear at Kathu Magistrate Court soon. 

The investigations continue.