By Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng-Yesterday Scopa hauled Department of Social Development MEC Mosetsanagae Mokomele-Mothibi before a disciplinary hearing after she misused taxpayers money.

Senior management at the provincial social development department has been ordered to reimburse R174000 paid for the accommodation of officials and a woman identified as MEC Mositsanagape Mokomele-Mothibi’s friend during the ANC elective conference in Mangaung last year.

She admitted misusing taxpayers money and apologised.

“I am very apologetic and I promise to repay the money within seven working days” Mosetsanagape Mokomele-Mothibi said.

“I would like to apologise to the people of North West and people of South Africa for my actions” she concluded.

However, DA did not want to hear none of that and ordered North West premier Thandi Modise to fire Mokomele.

“This is uncalled for,she must just resign as her actions are tasteless. She showed her incompitence and cannot be trusted” DA representative said.

The order was given by the provincial select committee on public accounts (Scopa) when it called Mokomele-Mothibi and her top management to account for the expenditure yesterday.

Records show that the department paid R174000 to Summer Place Boutique Guest House for seven officials from December 10 to 15 when these officials, including the MEC, were attending the Mangaung conference.

When asked for clarity, Mokomele-Mothibi conceded that her friend, only identified in documents as Mavis,had indeed used one of the rooms.

“I can only account for Mavis, who works for the greater Taung local municipality. I agreed that she could sleep in a room that had been booked for the chief financial officer who did not come because the expenses had already been incurred,” she said.

While the MEC said the department was supposed to attend a benchmarking workshop with its Free State counterpart, which was cancelled at the last minute, she could not say whether Mavis and other people who used the accommodation were supposed to attend the said workshop or were at the ANC conference.

Department head, Matshidiso Mogale denied that the department had paid any money for people to attend the Manguang conference.

“The CFO and myself never signed anything about the ANC conference. I did not even go to Mangaung and the CFO was hospitalised at the time,” she said.

Scopa then asked the MEC and management to provide evidence for the expenditure. 

The order will be rescinded if they provide documentary evidence that the accommodation was a legitimate state expense.

The department appeared again on Tuesday and ordered MEC to repay the money used to pay for accommodation to attend the ANC conference, it had to be repaid.

Committee chairperson Hlomane Chauke said: “We are very disappointed by MEC actions. She failed to furnish us with information on this R174000 but the bottom line is that if the money was spent for a party conference, it has to be paid back to state coffers.”

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The top of the table clash between second placed Orlando Pirates and third placed Platinum Stars at the Orlando Stadium tonight easily makes this the fixture of the week.

Both teams are on 37 points, with Pirates having a game in hand. The winner in this match can climb to the top if Kaizer Chiefs (39) lose at Black Leopards, also tonight.

It will be up to the two opposing coaches’ tactical acumen – and the influence of players such as winger Thuso Phala and midfielder Robert Ng’ambi for Stars; Oupa Manyisa and striker Takesure Chinyama for Pirates.

The visitors from Rustenburg are in sublime form, which is shown by the highest number of games any team has won this season in the Absa Premiership – 12. The emphatic 3-0 lashing of Ajax Cape Town in their last match league showed how well-oiled Cavin Johnson’s machine had been this season.

Hard running Pirates midfielder Oupa Manyisa admits Stars are the surprise package and that they are a team to beat.

“We are worried about their form,” Manyisa said.

“They have assembled one of the finest squads this season and their position says it all but we are going to fight to ensure that we win at home.”

Bucs are unbeaten at home in 11 matches but they will require some enthusiasm from their fans to spur them on as Dikwena’s great mental capacity to face everything thrown at them has been evident.

“Pirates are on song and we cannot argue that we go to the game as underdogs. They have enough players who can run the marathon title race longer and we are aware of the threat they will pose tonight,” Stars’ key man Phala said.

Minus suspended talisman Henrico Botes, who has scored seven times this season, Stars’ mentor Johnson will have to come out with another grand plan to topple Bucs at their famous fortress in Soweto.

For more details go to http://www.thenewage.co.za

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane vented his frustration at his players and poor decision making from the officials after their 1-1 draw with Golden Arrows.

Mosimane believes that his side had more than enough chances to secure the spoils, and has warned some of his star players that they face time on the bench after failing to come to life in the game.

“It’s always that case, if you don’t start very well, it’s always difficult to turn things around in the second-half,” said the former Bafana Bafana tactician.

“I am very unhappy with a few big players of Sundowns – I think some of the people must go to the bench, because they are one-game wonders. They play well once and in the next game it’s another thing.

“We could have wrapped it up in the first-half. To change the game is a problem – now I had to risk and play an open game in the second-half. But I was prepared to go forward and open at the back than sit and say we will settle for a draw.

“There were so many chances, we made so many mistakes.

“We have to dig deeper now. Maybe it is a good wakeup call ahead of our Nedbank Cup on Friday.”

The coach was also unhappy with the decision to not award Edward Manqele a penalty after he went down under a challenge from Nkosingiphile Gumede.

“I don’t want to talk about the issue of Manqele and the goalkeeper. We all saw it, and it is a foul. It is bad officiating, but I don’t want to blame referees, but this is how you lose the game. People are not competent and they must shape up.”

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

Johannesburg – Paralympian Oscar Pistorius’s bail application will run into its second day in Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

Pistorius was arrested on Thursday morning after his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead at his home in Pretoria’s Silver Woods country estate. He was charged with murder on Friday.

The state intends arguing that the murder was premeditated.

Pistorius was emotional on Tuesday when his affidavit was read to the court, but his brother Carl was there to support him.

In the 10-page affidavit read to the court by his advocate Barry Roux, Pistorius denied the murder allegation “in the strongest terms”.

The court heard: “I fail to understand how I could be charged with murder, let alone premeditated murder, as I had no intention to kill my girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.”

His version of events was presented in application for bail on the same day that Steenkamp’s memorial service was held in Port Elizabeth, more than 1 000km away. – Sapa

 

FIFA (AFP)

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Zurich – Goal-line technology will be used at the 2014 World Cup and two more systems could be considered in addition to the existing pair, soccer’s world governing body FIFA said on Tuesday.

Two systems, Hawkeye and Goalref, have so far been licensed by FIFA and both were used at last year’s World Club Cup in Japan, one in each of the two stadiums, where goal-line technology was employed for the first time.

FIFA said a third system, developed in Germany, had already passed examinations and that the providers were in licensing discussions. A fourth system, also German, has also been tested with the results due this week.

FIFA confirmed goal-line technology was “successful” at the World Club Cup, although there were no incidents where it had to be used.

It intends to install goal-line technology at all 12 venues at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

“After a successful implementation of goal-line technology (GLT) at the Club World Cup in Japan in December 2012, FIFA has decided to use GLT at the Confederations Cup Brazil 2013 and 2014 World Cup,” FIFA said in a statement.

“The aim is to use GLT in order to support the match officials and to install a system in all stadia, pending the successful installation, and pre-match referee tests.

“With different technologies on the market, FIFA has launched a tender today, setting out the technical requirements for the two forthcoming competitions in Brazil.”

FIFA said Hawkeye and Goalref would have to join the selection process.

Goal-line technology providers had been invited to join an inspection visit to the six Confederations Cup venues in March. Those venues will all be staging matches at the following year’s World Cup.

The use of goal-line technology, to help match officials in cases where it is not immediately clear if the ball has entered the goal, was approved by soccer’s rule-making body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), last year.

The use of goal-line technology had previously been rejected by FIFA, which performed a U-turn following the controversy over Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal for England in the 2010 World Cup match against Germany.

Replays clearly showed that the ball had crossed the line after bouncing down off the underside of the crossbar, but match officials did not award the goal. Germany, 2-1 ahead at the time, went on to win 4-1.

However, goal-line technology is not favoured by European soccer’s governing body UEFA, which instead prefers to employ two extra linesmen, one on each goal line.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has already said that extra linesmen are unlikely to be used at the World Cup.

Many critics think that football should go further and allow the use of video replays to help referees make decisions concerning offside, handball and fouls.

Referees have to make split second judgments with the naked eye while millions of television viewers are treated to slow-motion replays, from different angles, which often show clearly whether the official was right or wrong.

Johannesburg – Orlando Pirates will not underestimate a strong Platinum Stars outfit, according to Buccaneers coach Roger de Sa, as they look to regain the Premiership lead when they host the Rustenburg side at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday.

“We’ve gone 11 (league) games now without a loss and the team are the current champions so we’ve got to be confident,” De Sa said ahead of the midweek clash.

“But we’ve got to be wary too and respect them and they’ve earned the respect from everybody in the league this year.”

Both teams have been prominent in the race for the league title.

The Soweto side, holding a game in hand, are level with Stars on 37 points, but they hold a narrow advantage on goal difference. Kaizer Chiefs are two points clear at the top of the standings.

“The mood’s always been good from the first day I arrived here,” De Sa said.

“We’ve come through a tough period and they’re a very good bunch of players, very motivated and ambitious.

“But it’s going to be a very tough match. They (Stars) have turned this league into a three-horse race and they’re playing good football. They’ve been very good, I’ve watched them.

“They play to their strengths and are very disciplined and organised and it’s very good for the game.”

De Sa said they would not focus on any specific Stars player as the opposition were a well oiled unit.

“When a team has done that well, it’s very much a collective effort, everybody is contributing, there’s a lot of good players.

“They’re well balanced and it’s definitely been a team effort from them, without a doubt.

“We’ve got to match them for effort otherwise we get could a negative result as well.”

Pirates are fresh off a 5-0 thumping of semi-professional Comoros side Djabal in their Caf Champions League preliminary round first-leg fixture at the weekend, and De Sa admitted the Premiership title holders were facing a busy schedule.

“There are a lot of games, one after the next, and it looks quite scary with all the travelling,” he said.

“We’ve got to try and rotate and go game by game, as we can’t really plan too far ahead. It can change drastically with one or two injuries or suspensions.”

Pirates were facing injury concerns, with Benni McCarthy, Rooi Mahamutsa and Robyn Johannes unavailable for the match, while a call was expected to be made on the fitness of Siyabonga Sangweni on Tuesday.

In other games on Wednesday, Free State Stars face Maritzburg United in Phuthaditjhaba, University of Pretoria host Moroka Swallows at Tuks Stadium, Black Leopards play Kaizer Chiefs in Polokwane, AmaZulu are at home to SuperSport United in Umlazi and Wits square up against Chippa United at Bidvest Stadium.

For more details go to www.news24.com

Pretoria – Paralympian Oscar Pistorius‘ application for bail was postponed until Wednesday after the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court heard that he had not intended to kill his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

“You will remain in custody until the court reconvenes at 09:00 tomorrow,” Magistrate Desmond Nair said on Tuesday afternoon.

The postponement was to give the legal teams time to respond to affidavits presented to the court, and to ask questions, Nair said.

Pistorius will spend another night in a police cell in Pretoria, following his emotional day in court.

The application for him to be detained in the Brooklyn police station’s holdings cells, instead of in a prison, expires on Wednesday.

“We will extend the application if we don’t finish,” said his attorney Kenny Oldwage.

Steenkamp’s funeral was held in Port Elizabeth, about 1 100km from Pretoria, on Tuesday morning.

Visit www.taungdailynews.wordpress.com for Oscar Pistorius Special Report.

Pretoria – Friends of Oscar Pistorius testified on his relationship with his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his bail application in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

“They really complemented each other,” said Daytona group CEO Justin Divaris.

He said he thought Steenkamp could be “the one” for Pistorius, who could not stop crying after his affidavit of what happened on the night Steenkamp was shot dead was read into the court record.

Pistorius has been charged with the murder of Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine’s Day.

The State has said it would reject his explanation that he had mistaken her for a burglar when he shot four times into a bathroom, hitting her three times.

Divaris said the two had met at a track day he had hosted.

Pistorius had described Steenkamp as a fantastic person who understood him.

“Oscar and Reeva really loved one another,” said Divaris.

In another statement, by Samantha Greyvenstein, Divaris’s girlfriend, Pistorius was described as “the epitome of a true gentleman”.

“Reeva told me Oscar treated her like gold,” Greyvenstein said in the statement.

She said if Pistorius asked her to marry him, she would probably have said yes.

This was in spite of him “moving a bit fast” and “being a bit intense”.

She said: “In my experience Oscar and Reeva had nothing but love for each other.”

Earlier, Pistorius said he was not a flight risk, and would hand over his passports if necessary.

He did not know who the witnesses would be in the murder trial, but would not interfere with them.

If he was released, he would not disturb public order, he said in an affidavit read by his lawyer Barry Roux.

He would also not interfere with investigations.

He said that after the shooting he did not attempt to flee, and that he was not “disposed to violence”.

The court heard that his assets included a vacant stand at Langebaan in the Western Cape, movable assets and vehicles worth R500,000 and income of around R5.6 million per annum.

He had no intention to relocate. – Sapa

Six men accused of the murder of ANC North West official Obuti Chika appeared in the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, the Hawks said.

Captain Paul Ramaloko said the matter was postponed to February 27 for bail application.

He said one of the men was arrested on February 14, three were arrested on Saturday, and two others handed themselves over to the police on Monday.

“They were detained. We are confident we have arrested the right people and we hope to make further arrests.”

He said the accused were community member Jeffrey Letuka, 28, North West provincial ANC Youth League chairman Papiki Baboile, ward secretary Paul Molomonyane, 33, councillor Itumeleng Molebatsi, 50, municipal worker William Malefo, 46, and taxi driver Kgotso Kali, 36.

They all faced a charge of premeditated murder and two charges of conspiracy to commit murder.

Ramafoko said the arrests made so far were the result of the Hawks’ efforts.

“A R200 000 reward is still hanging to anyone with information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the suspects,” he said.

Chika, 33, was shot at point-blank range in the driveway of his home in Alabama, Klerksdorp, on December 14. He died at the Klerksdorp Hospital shortly after his arrival there.

He was the ANC’s regional secretary in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality.

-Sapa