By Obakeng Maje

Taung-North West community members are advised concerning the use of the South African Police Services emergency number 10111. “The communities are encouraged to use 10111 when the call from a Telkom landline” Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said.

“Cellular phones are the main mode of communication in our communities nowadays. When the caller calls from cell phone technical difficulties are being experienced therefore,we urge that our  communities in the North West to dial 112 in case of an emergency from a cellular phone” Ngubane said. 

There are call centre agents available to assist callers and activate the relevant station area for reaction. 

“112 is a toll free number, when dialed from any cellular phone network or service provider” Ngubane said.

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Durban – Nigeria qualified for the final of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations after trouncing Mali 4-1 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Wednesday.

The Super Eagles will face the winners of the other semi-final between Ghana and Burkina Faso, scheduled for Nelspruit at 20:30, this Sunday at the National Stadium.

Nigeria took the lead on 25 minutes through a diving header inside the box by defender Elderson Echiejile off a low cross by Victor Moses from the right.

They doubled their advantage on the half hour when Brown Ideye finished off another low cross from the right, this time by Emmanuel Emenike.

Emenike netted his fourth goal of the tournament a minute before the break when his shot off an edge-of-box free kick took a deflection beyond goalkeeper Mamadou Samassa.

Substitute Ahmed Musa slotted home the fourth goal for Nigeria on 60 minutes when he burst clear.

Mali pulled a goal back in the 75th minute through substitute Fantamady Diarra, who slotted the ball past goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama as the Nigerian defence suffered a lapse in concentration.

Nigeria took the game to Mali from the first whistle with Chelsea winger Moses shooting wide after just two minutes.

However, Mali settled and came close to going in front after 12 minutes when Kalilou Traore’s header off a corner narrowly missed the target.

And moments later, Momo Sissoko’s shot flew just above Vincent Enyeama’s goal.

Nigeria carved a good chance on 15 minutes when Emenike fired at goal, but Samassa did well to keep it out before the ball was cleared for a corner.

Soon after Nigeria’s second goal by Ideye, the Dynamo Kyiv striker was denied by the young Mali goalkeeper, before Ogenyi Onazi’s chipped shot after a swift counter attack was held by back-tracking Samassa.

In the 47th minute, Seydou Keita’s shot from inside the Nigeria goal area missed as Mali searched for a goal.

Molla Wague’s header in the 55th minute came close as Mali continued to pile pressure on the Super Eagles.

But Nigeria then created two good chances. First, Ideye hesitated when clear on goal in the 56th minute and a Musa effort that found the net seven minutes later was disallowed for offside.

Enyeama saved a low shot by Cheick Tidiane Diabate before Mahamadou Samassa had the easiest of chances to reduce the tally, but Enyeama kept him out.

Emenike let fly a powerful shot in the 87th minute, but his effort was wide of the target.

In stoppage time, Diarra could have pulled another goal back twice but his efforts missed their mark.

AFP

By Obakeng Maje

Douglas-The police are investigating a case of dealing in Dagga and Mandrax after the 21-year-old male was arrested at his home in Breipaal, Douglas yesterday.

The police said they followed up the information and at the approximately 14:00 they managed to pounce on the suspect while he was still busy dealing with the illegal substances. 

“The police confiscated 71 pokes, 16 small packages of Dagga, two shopping bags of loose Dagga and 30 Mandrax tablets” Lieutenant Sergio Kock said.

“The estimated street value of Dagga and Mandrax approximately R6000.00 and this will be used as exhibits in Court” Kock said. 

The suspect will appearing at Douglas Magistrate Court soon and the investigation continues.

It was a “minor setback” that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is no longer the majority union at Impala Platinum, the union has said.

NUM spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said they would do everything in their power to claw back the recognition from rival union, Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU).

The NUM’s recognition agreement with Implats reportedly came to end on Saturday, with the union blaming the violence that accompanied the industrial action last year when thousands of mineworkers downed tools demanding higher wages.

“With all the violent strike action and threats against our members, we don’t expect to be in the majority,” said Seshoka.

“This is a minor set-back. We’re going to get our members back once the violence and threats cease.”

Johannesburg – Despite Gordon Igesund falling short of his semi-final mandate, 1996 Africa Cup of Nations-winner Andre Arendse believes the 56-year-old remains the best man to lead Bafana Bafana.

According to the football411.com

website

, South Africa saw their AFCON 2013 adventure come to an end at the quarter-final stage after going down on penalties to Mali, with some expecting SAFA to axe the coach after having initially set him a target of a last-four finish.

Arendse, though, believes that would have been a mistake, telling Football411: “Some people suggested that being on home soil Bafana should have won the tournament, but I believe that was completely unrealistic.

“South African football has been in steady decline since 1996, but Bafana’s display at AFCON 2013 was an absolute improvement and step in the right direction.”

Having won a PSL title under Igesund, Arendse is not surprised the former Santos coach has breathed new life into the national set-up after a mere seven months at the helm.

“I see much more fighting spirit, team cohesion and confidence among the players. Gordon has brought back a winning mentality,” noted the current Bidvest Wits assistant coach.

While the former goalkeeper – capped 67 times for Bafana – regards Itumeleng Khune as one of Africa’s premier shot-stoppers, Bafana’s defensive fragility has him concerned.

“Khune was indeed a standout, but largely because we saw him making saves way outside his 18-yard area to cover for the back four’s mistakes,” he added.

“Bafana fell short in central defence and were at times exposed. There was a lack of cohesion between Bongani Khumalo and Siyabonga Sangweni – for me that combination just didn’t work.”

Since crashing out to Mali in the quarters, Khumalo’s leadership credentials have been called into question. Arendse, he0owever, was quick to jump to his former team-mate’s defence.

“The criticism is grossly unfair. He always gives maximum effort, wears his heart on his sleeve and is a real team player,” he said.

“While he was at times a little reserved, we must not forget he is a young captain. I have no doubt he will grow in stature and that his leadership qualities will skyrocket,” he concluded.

Football411

Durban – A funeral parlour owner wanted by the police for her part in a suspected R6 million life insurance scam was shot dead on Sunday night, prompting suspicions that she had been silenced to stop her from exposing her accomplices.

Faith Msibi was driving to her home in Driefontein, near Ladysmith, at 8pm when she was killed.

The day before her murder the Durban commercial crime unit arrested four people, all known to Msibi, and charged them with fraud. The police had been on the verge of question Msibi when she was killed.

Captain Thulani Zwane said that detectives had been investigating two fraudulent insurance claims. The first was for R3m paid to a group, including Msibi, in October last year. The second, also for R3m, had been lodged by the same people but was unpaid.

Zwane would not confirm whether Msibi’s murder was linked to the suspected fraud.

Mbongileni Miya, Msibi’s cousin, said yesterday that Msibi had been killed to “eliminate the evidence”.

“It is clear that she was being silenced,” Miya said.

“She had come to show us her new car and see our grandmother. She mentioned she thought people were following her.”

Zwane said the police had found that a Bergville family, the Nenes, of Mazizini, had buried their son, Themba, in March 2011 but had not been able to register his death because Msibi’s funeral parlour had misplaced his identity document.

In January last year a death certificate, the identity document and R15 000 in cash had been taken to the Nene family.

“Mrs Nene asked what the money was for, but the response was that the funeral parlour was thanking the Nene family for not rushing them when their son’s identity document went missing,” said Zwane. The date of death on the certificate was September last year.

Zwane said: “Investigations revealed that the missing identity document had two life cover policies from two different insurance companies valued at R6m linked to it. Both policies were taken out after Themba was buried.”

The policies had been taken out on Themba by a funeral parlour employee, he added.

Among those arrested was a 51-year-old taxi owner who allegedly bought a coffin for a funeral which never took place.

The four fraud suspects appeared in Durban’s commercial crime court yesterday. No arrests have been made in connection with the murder.

The Mercury

The alleged misuse of state funds on legal fees in North West will be investigated, the province’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) concluded on Tuesday.

Chairman Hlomane Chauke said the probe would focus on the misuse of state funds by the former finance MEC Louisa Mabe, current MEC Paul Sebegoe, and acting finance department head Geo Paul.

“The three failed to give the committee a clear account of procurement processes followed in appointing Morake Attorneys, a company that has been paid over R15.4 million for a disciplinary hearing,” he said.

The hearing was that of the finance department’s suspended head Johannes Mohlala, chief financial officer Harriet Kasirivu and chief director Peter Mogoane.

Sebegoe said the committee felt an investigation was needed because public money had been spent, for which those involved had failed to account.

The Hawks, the Auditor General’s office, the Public Service Commissioner and the Public Protector would conduct the investigation.

Chauke said that although it would be one investigation, each team would have a different focal area.

“The Hawks will be focusing on the criminal nature of the case, and if the outcome shows that indeed state funds have been misused, the committee will also look at ways of recovering that money,” he said.

“We expect that the committee will be furnished with a preliminary report of the investigation within 30 days, and after that the committee will sanction action that has to be taken.”

The province’s finance department has a R26 billion budget, of which, R10bn was for the education department, for which Mabe was responsible, Chauke said. – Sapa

Durban – Four men and a woman linked to a mob justice attack in which the victims were beaten and forced to drink acid, have been granted bail.

Philani Zungu (age not confirmed), Mthobeli Mchunu, 23, Mthokozisi Radebe, 25, Xolani Radebe, 23, and Nokwazi Mthembu, 24, were facing two counts of murder and one of kidnapping at the Umlazi Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Two young Umlazi men,

Njabulo Mwandla, 20, and Ngcebo Dube, 22, were assaulted for about 10 hours by men who suspected them of stealing a braai stand and boots from one of their yards.

Reading from the five’s affidavits in court, their attorney, Griffiths Madonsela, said his clients had co-operated with the police during their arrests and were not flight risks.

He said that they had all handed themselves over to the police on January 25.

Madonsela also said that all five accused intended pleading not guilty to all charges and would reserve their reasons for the “appropriate time”.

Reading from the affidavit, Madonsela said that Zungu was a businessman and the survival of his close corporation depended on him being granted bail.

Mchunu was getting ready to write his supplementary exams and needed to be granted bail.

Mthokozisi Radebe had heard he was being sought by the police and had gone to the nearest police station, where he had been arrested, Madonsela said.

Each of the accused was granted R2 000 bail on condition they have no communication with any of the state witnesses, that they report to their nearest police station twice a week and that they do not change their address without permission from the investigating officer.

The matter was adjourned to February 22 for further investigation.

Daily News