Taung- A 90-year-old woman died while waiting to re-register for her old age grant in Chosen Village, North West, the social development department said on Wednesday.

The woman was in a queue outside the SA Security Agency’s (Sassa) offices when an official noticed something amiss and alerted the woman’s son, said spokeswoman Lumka Oliphant.

He checked and discovered that she was not breathing. Police and paramedics were called, and the woman was declared dead on the scene.

Sassa embarked on a drive in April last year to re-register all social grant beneficiaries, in an attempt to root out fraud in the system.

Oliphant said elderly recipients need not register at Sassa offices.

“The welfare of senior citizens remains a primary concern,” she said.

“That is why we took this decision to re-register them in their own homes. Older persons and their families that are not re-registered will continue to receive their old age grant.” – Sapa

Result: Bafana 2-0 Angola

Date: 23 January 2013

Venue: Moses Mabhida Stadium

Bafana Bafana rose to the occasion as they produced a much-improved performance to beat Angola 2-0 in their crucial 2013 Africa Cup of Nations clash on Wednesday.

The Angolan’s had the first chance of the game three minutes in when Mateus had a crack at goal, forcing Itumeleng Khune into the dive but his shot was wide.

Katlego Mphela responded with a header over the crossbar before Manucho achieved the same feat at the other end moments later.

The South Africans continued to press with Mphela lashing a hopeful shot wide in the seventh minute before Tokelo Rantie was furious after being fouled for a third time. The resulting free-kick was whipped in by Thuso Phala but nobody could get a vital touch.

The hosts were on top, with Dean Furman putting in some telling passes, while Mphela and Rantie combined in the 17th minute with the latter flashing a shot across the face of goal.

Rantie should have done better in the 23rd minute when he was found by Mphela but he again produced a wild finish.

Bafana’s opening goal would arrive on the half-hour mark as Siyabonga Sangweni latched onto the ball at the far post and powered his finish past the goalkeeper.

Another chance arrived four minutes later when a corner was met by captain Bongani Khumalo but his header went just wide.

Khune remained alert at the other end as he came out of his area to head a long ball clear which Manucho was chasing in the 39th minute before Mateus skied a great chance from the edge of the area with two minutes left in the half.

Bernard Parker had a good chance to double the lead in the 44th minute but his effort did not have enough power to beat the goalkeeper as Bafana went into the break with a slight advantage.

Reneilwe Letsholonyane was thrown on for the second period in place of May Mahlangu, but the Angolans started brightly with Mateus picking out Manucho but he hit his shot straight at Khune.

South Africa were soon pushing again though as Furman fired just wide before Rantie was taken off for Lehlohonolo Majoro. The crowd didn’t like it, but the decision paid off just minutes later when the Kaizer Chiefs man chased a ball forward, showed good skill to confuse both the defender and goalkeeper before lashing a low finish in from a tight angle.

The visitors started to show more urgency in attack but couldn’t find their finishing touch as Manucho again fired straight at the goalkeeper.

End-toe-end action ensued in the final few minutes as Angola looked for a way back and South Africa went for a third on the counter.

Majoro saw his lob after bursting forward land on the roof of the goal and Angola were unable to find any late response as Bafana bagged a crucial win.

Bafana: Itumeleng Khune, Anele Ngcongca, Bongani Khumalo, Siyabonga Sangweni, Tsepo Masilela, May Mahlangu, Dean Furman, Thuso Phala, Bernard Parker, Katlego Mphela, Tokelo Rantie.

Angola: Mamona Lama, Marco Airosa, Dani Massunguna, Miguel, Bartolomeu Bastos, Jose Pirolito, Da Costa, Mateus, de Carvalho Dede, Afonso Guilherme, Alberto Manucho, Hermenegildo Da Costa.

By Obakeng Maje

Upington-Police are investigating a murder of a three year old girl who was allegedly murdered by her stepmother in Pabalelo near Upington. 

On Sunday at approximately 18:00 the relatives of the child called the ambulance saying that the child is vomiting. 

Upon arrival,the child has already passed on.

“The police initially opened an inquest docket as foul play was suspected” Lieutenant Sergio Kock said. 

“Further investigations revealed that the child died as a result of head injuries and there is also a possibility of malnourishment” Kock said. 

It is also alleged that the child has been physically abused for a period of time as she had old and new scratch marks on both sides of her neck and chest. 

“All this evidence prompted the arrest of the step-mother who has been taken into custody on Wednesday, at 08:00am by the Pabalelo Detectives” Kock said.

 The suspect will appear at Upington Magistrate Court soon.

 All information pertaining to the case can be forwarded to Detective Constable Barend Keyser at 073 349 4703 or 054 338 3960. All information will be treated with the strictest of confidence. 

The investigation continues. 

By Obakeng Maje

Northern Cape High court sentenced Samuel Mbalula (22) and his co-accused Andre Lebohang Mogakwe after they were found guilty yesterday on a murder and rape case, which they committed on the 25 December 2009. 

“On the day of this atrocity it was the day on which the victim Patricia “Mandu” Mogotsi (30) supposed to have celebrated the Christmas Day” Lieutenat Olebogeng Tawana said.

“However the day turned sour after she was raped and attacked by Samuel and Lebohang at the Tyson Park in Galeshewe” Tawana said. 

According to police they raped her several times and afterwards assaulted her. 

Mogotsi suffered head injuries during the attack and later died at the hospital as results of the severity of the injuries she had sustained.

During this it happened that Patricia’s brother walked and passed by the crime scene; unknowingly that one of her close family member was a rape and murder victim. 

As he took a closer look up he saw Lebohang red handed raping his sister. 

In the meantime Samuel fled the scene and ran away. 

He alerted the police about the matter and handed Lebogang to the police and Samuel was arrested shortly.

Samuel was charged with murder, while his co-accused Lebohang Mogakwe was charged for rape. 

Both Lebogang and Samuel spent three year in jail while awaiting trial. Before the Northern Cape High Court acting Judge Johan Van Niekerk could hand down judgment against them, he took into consideration the mitigating factors that have been brought to the attention of the court by the probation officer and the defense team. 

He noted the probation officer’s report, which stipulates that during the commission of the crime Samuel Mbalula was only 17-years of age and 11 months old. 

He started to consume alcohol and smoke dagga at the age of 16.

 He is born in a Christianity faith base family, although he did not participate in the church activities. 

Following their disappointing performance against Cape Verde in the opening game of this year’s African Cup of Nations, Gordon Igesund has rung the changes in his starting line-up to face Angola.

There have been five exclusions from the side that took on Cape Verde with Thabo Matlaba, Kagisho ‘KG’ Dikgacoi, Reneilwe ‘Yeye’ Letsholonyane, Siphiwe Tshabalala and Lehlohonolo Majoro all being dropped from the line up.

Matlaba has been replaced at left back by Kaizer Chiefs defender Tsepo Masilela, while the centre pairing of Dean Furman and May Mahlangu have come in for KG and Yeye.

On the wing, Thuso Phala has kept his position on the right, and Bernard Parker has dropped onto the left hand side from the striker’s role that he played in the tournament opener.

Up front Orlando Pirates supporters will be eager to see their former employee, Tokelo Rantie, start up alongside Mamelodi Sundowns forward and current Bafana top goal scorer, Katlego Mphela.

After the lacklustre 0-0 draw with Cape Verde, fans will be hoping to see a much improved performance in tonight’s must win game against Angola.

Bafana Starting XI:

Itumeleng Khune; Tsepo Masilela, Bongani Khumalo, Siyabonga Sangweni, Anele Ngcongca; Bernard Parker, Dean Furman, May Mahlangu, Thuso Phala; Tokelo Rantie, Katlego Mphela.

For more details go to http://www.soccerladuma.com 

Sasolburg, Free State – Police looted shops during the violent protests in Zamdela, in Sasolburg, residents of the Free State town alleged on Wednesday.

“If I had a camera, I would have taken photos. They took stuff in one Chinese shop and the community followed,” said a security guard at a municipal office.

“At Save Right (a local shop near the police station) they even advised us not to injure each other, and when the ATM was robbed, their van was nearby.”

The 32-year-old man claimed that Sasolburg police were also unhappy about the proposed merger of the Ngwathe and Metsimaholo local municipalities.

He said this was evident in Tuesday’s shooting, in which two people died and others were wounded when police from other provinces were deployed.

“We protested on Sunday (and) no one was wounded or died; we did it again on Monday… (there were) no injuries we heard about. So why are people being shot at when there is police from other provinces?”

Earlier in the week, police from Gauteng and Welkom were deployed in the area to help control the situation.

Police spokesman Colonel Motantsi Makhele said he was aware of the allegations that police were among the looters.

“People must come to the front if they have information,” he said.

“We welcome anyone who has information so that we can investigate this.”

Resident Nthako, 47, said he was happy Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Richard Baloyi had announced that the process of merging the municipalities had been stopped.

However, Nthako criticised government officials for not arriving at Moses Kotane Stadium, where residents had expected to be addressed on the matter at 10am on Tuesday.

Residents ran out of patience and left the stadium at 11am.

“If they came to the stadium and addressed people, no one would have died or got injured,” Nthako said.

A protester was shot dead at the Zamdela police station during a clash with protesters on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, police said another protester was shot dead by a motorist after a group of protesters tried to block his way.

Nine people, two of them police officers, have been injured since the protest started on Sunday. At least one of whom was in a critical condition.

A Jacaranda radio journalist’s car was pelted with stones and a Sapa cameraman was threatened with a knife, also on Tuesday.

The situation was quiet on Wednesday and police were seen patrolling the area and taking photographs of damaged properties on the main road.

Three police nyalas (armoured vehicles) were seen driving around in the area while a helicopter hovered overhead.

Lucky Malebo, a community leader, said people had gone to hospital to check on people who were wounded.

“A list of those who were injured and those who died is being compiled, and we might get it around 3pm,” he said.

Malebo said the residents had wanted to hold a meeting at the stadium on Wednesday, but could not apply for permission as no one was on duty at the council. – Sapa

Microsoft announced on Tuesday that its business-oriented Surface Windows 8 Pro tablet computer will debut in the United States and Canada in February with a lofty starting price of $899 (R7961).

Microsoft also said that the consumer-focused version of Surface released late last year here will soon be available in 13 new markets around the world.

Techcrunch said that Microsoft built the Surface Pro to be the reference standard for Windows 8 tablets.

“It was either build a device internally or rely on its tradition partners of HP, Dell or the rest. One look at the Surface’s competitors and it’s clear Microsoft choose wisely,” the website reported.

The Surface Pro will be available on February 9 at Microsoft stores in the United States and Canada, at the online Microsoft store and at Staples and Best Buy and other retailers.

“The response to Surface has been exciting to see,” said Microsoft Surface general manager Panos Panay. “We’re thrilled to continue growing the Surface family.”

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft described Surface Pro as providing “the power and performance of a laptop in a tablet package.”

Pro tablets, which Microsoft originally said would be released in January, will be available in 64-gigabyte and 128-gigabyte models.

Microsoft introduced the Surface tablet in the middle of last year and began sales in time for the holiday shopping season.

Although Microsoft has provided no sales data, analysts have said Surface is getting only a small segment of the tablet market led by Apple’s iPad, Amazon’s Kindle and several others powered by the Google Android system.

Hardware Zone said: “The Surface Pro will also look almost identical to the already released Surface RT, except it will be slightly thicker and heavier. The reasons behind its extra heft are better and more powerful components.”

The lower-cost version of Surface, with a starting price of $499, is now sold at Microsoft retail stores in the United States and Canada and online in the US, Australia, Britain Canada, China, France and Germany.

Last month, Microsoft said it would begin selling the tablet in third-party retail outlets.-Relaxnews