Johannesburg – Author, activist and businesswoman Mamphela Ramphele launched a “political platform” in Johannesburg on Monday.

“Today I announce that I am working with a group of fellow citizens to form a party political platform that will focus on rekindling hope that building the country of our dreams is possible in our lifetime,” she said in a speech prepared for delivery.

In the speech, emailed while she was leading up to the announcement itself, she said: “We launch this initiative under the name Agang, or in the Nguni languages of our country, Akhani, which can be interpreted in English as ‘Build South Africa’.” – Sapa

Johannesburg – A well-known actor arrived at the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Monday to face an assault charge.

The actor spoke to a comedian friend outside the courtroom, while waiting to appear.

The well-known actor was arrested on Saturday for allegedly slapping his girlfriend during an argument, said Lieutenant-Colonel Katlego Mogale.

He would not name the actor as he had not yet appeared in court. – Sapa

Mamelodi Sundowns continued with their surge up the Absa Premiership table on the weekend, following their emphatic 3-0 win over Maritzburg United on Friday night.

Striker Katlego “Killer” Mphela opened the scoring in the opening 45 minutes at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium as Pitso Mosimane’s outfit took all three points back to Chloorkop. Jabulani Shongwe and  Nyasha Mushekwi added their names to the scoresheet, with their second-half strikes.

Mphela believes that the team has found their form under the coach, having not lost a single game in Mosiname’s six games, to date, in charge of the bench. He said that as a team they have clicked under the former Bafana Bafana mentor.

“We are clicking as a team. We are gelling well. We just have to continue playing like the way we did on Friday night then we will end up in the top four in the league and that’s our target this season. We are doing well and we did very well on Friday night against Maritzburg United. 

“As a striker I would love to keep on scoring in almost every game but sometimes it doesn’t work like that. It doesn’t mean I have to give up, but continue to work hard and help the team win games,” the Bafana striker concluded. 

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

Johannesburg – Oscar Pistorius accidentally fired a gun shot in a busy Melrose Arch restaurant in Johannesburg in January, narrowly missing a friend’s foot, Beeld reported on Monday.

The bullet almost hit the foot of Kevin Lerena, a boxer and mutual friend of Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp.

“I got a huge fright, because the bullet hit the ground just centimetres from my foot… but it really was just a freak accident,” Lerena told Beeld.

He said he had visited the restaurant with a group of friends who included Pistorius and Steenkamp.

“I must emphasise that the gun belonged to one of Pistorius’s friends – I’m not going to mention his name. Oscar just wanted to look at the gun, and it sort of snagged on his pants, releasing the safety catch. A shot went off. I wouldn’t call him negligent, it was just an accident. He apologised to me for days afterwards,” Lerena said.

The restaurant did not report the incident to the police, as Pistorius and Steenkamp were regular customers.

“I went to investigate when I heard the shot, but they all denied it,” said Tashas’ manager, Jason Loupis. – Sapa

It’s all systems go for the first Brics Expo and International Trade and Tourism Conference set to be held in Mahikeng, North West, this week.

The four-day international investor conference will run from Thursday to Sunday at the Mmabatho Convention Centre and involve delegates from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (Brics) that make up the bloc.

North West premier, Thandi Modise, said the conference would create an ideal platform for the public and private sectors to network and explore business opportunities with international businesses from Brics countries.

Modise said: “The conference will be held under the theme ‘Pioneering business and investment opportunities between the Bric countries and North West province’.”

Modise added: “One of the provincial priorities is to increase investment inflows into the province.

“Engagements with investors will afford us with opportunities to learn best practices in manufacturing, renewal energy, mining, mineral beneficiation, tourism, infrastructure development and agriculture beneficiation projects.”

Modise pointed out that the North West had prioritised the development of these key economic sectors to contribute towards job creation and increase the contribution towards the provincial Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The conference is also expected to position the North West province as a preferred investment destination.

Added Modise: “We are looking forward to engagement and discussion with our Brics partners at this auspicious event to further strengthen and solidify close ties in trade, tourism and investment.”

Indications are that about 300 delegates are expected to attend the conference that will be running parallel with exhibitions that will showcase provincial products and services.

Provincial government spokesperson Lesiba Kgwele said that investors, exporters, importers, investment promotion agencies, tourism agencies, companies specialising in transportation and air and freight transport, road and rail operators, courier companies, finance service providers, banks and small to medium and macro enterprises were among those that would be able to engage in various business-to-business networking opportunities.

Kgwele said: “The conference is hosted by the provincial department of economic development, environment, conservation and tourism in conjunction with Brics Expo Pty Ltd and in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.”

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

By Barbara Jones

Eastern Cape – The father of model Reeva Steenkamp, who was allegedly murdered by Oscar Pistorius, spoke movingly on Sunday of his family’s grief and said he bore the athlete no animosity.

In an emotional interview with The Mail on Sunday, Barry Steenkamp said he was struggling “to find some reason why this happened to our lovely daughter”.

Last week, Pistorius broke down in tears in court when he was formally charged with Reeva’s premeditated murder

“He must be going through things that we don’t know about. There is no hatred in our hearts.”

Reeva, 29, had been dating the Olympic athlete since November.

She was shot dead in the early hours of Valentine’s Day at Pistorius’s gated mansion in Pretoria.

It has been reported she was hit four times by bullets fired through the door of a bathroom.

Pistorius, 26, a keen marksman, owned a pistol and machine gun.

Sources told how he carried his dying girlfriend from the bathroom, her blood splattering the staircase, as he desperately tried to revive her.

The pair were called South Africa’s “golden couple”, and the arrest of Pistorius – who last year became the first man to compete at both the Olympics and Paralympics – was met with disbelief.

Speaking for the first time since the death of his law graduate daughter, Barry Steenkamp, a horse trainer, wept as he said he and his wife, June, were at “a complete loss”.

He said: “This is a very difficult time for us. June is inconsolable. We just need to find some answers.

“We ask the Lord every day to help us find a reason why this should happen to Reeva.

“She was the most beautiful, kind girl in the world. She had love for everyone, and she was loved by everyone who knew her.”

Steenkamp said he had never met Pistorius, but that his wife occasionally spoke to him on the phone.

On the day of the killing, Reeva had been due to give a talk to high school pupils “to empower them to be confident”.

Her father said: “That’s what she was like, always wanting to help others.”

Former girlfriends of the Paralympian have publicly suggested he has a dark side.

One, 26-year-old student Samantha Taylor, said he is “certainly not what people think he is”.

The Mail on Sunday learnt that Taylor was warned to expect a subpoena forcing her to give evidence at Pistorius’s trial.

Reeva appeared on the TV programme Tropika Island of Treasure on Saturday night, which sees celebrities paired with contestants competing for a cash prize.

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

By Barbara Jones

Eastern Cape – The father of model Reeva Steenkamp, who was allegedly murdered by Oscar Pistorius, spoke movingly on Sunday of his family’s grief and said he bore the athlete no animosity.

In an emotional interview with The Mail on Sunday, Barry Steenkamp said he was struggling “to find some reason why this happened to our lovely daughter”.

Last week, Pistorius broke down in tears in court when he was formally charged with Reeva’s premeditated murder

“He must be going through things that we don’t know about. There is no hatred in our hearts.”

Reeva, 29, had been dating the Olympic athlete since November.

She was shot dead in the early hours of Valentine’s Day at Pistorius’s gated mansion in Pretoria.

It has been reported she was hit four times by bullets fired through the door of a bathroom.

Pistorius, 26, a keen marksman, owned a pistol and machine gun.

Sources told how he carried his dying girlfriend from the bathroom, her blood splattering the staircase, as he desperately tried to revive her.

The pair were called South Africa’s “golden couple”, and the arrest of Pistorius – who last year became the first man to compete at both the Olympics and Paralympics – was met with disbelief.

Speaking for the first time since the death of his law graduate daughter, Barry Steenkamp, a horse trainer, wept as he said he and his wife, June, were at “a complete loss”.

He said: “This is a very difficult time for us. June is inconsolable. We just need to find some answers.

“We ask the Lord every day to help us find a reason why this should happen to Reeva.

“She was the most beautiful, kind girl in the world. She had love for everyone, and she was loved by everyone who knew her.”

Steenkamp said he had never met Pistorius, but that his wife occasionally spoke to him on the phone.

On the day of the killing, Reeva had been due to give a talk to high school pupils “to empower them to be confident”.

Her father said: “That’s what she was like, always wanting to help others.”

Former girlfriends of the Paralympian have publicly suggested he has a dark side.

One, 26-year-old student Samantha Taylor, said he is “certainly not what people think he is”.

The Mail on Sunday learnt that Taylor was warned to expect a subpoena forcing her to give evidence at Pistorius’s trial.

Reeva appeared on the TV programme Tropika Island of Treasure on Saturday night, which sees celebrities paired with contestants competing for a cash prize.

By Kgatliso Ramose

Kgatliso Ramose Dem: Let’s talk sports!!!

“Lord,lift us up where we belong. Where the eagles fly. On a mountain high. Lord lift us up where we belong,up from the world we know”

Facebook went crazy with those lyrics of Cece and Bebe Winans-Lord lift us where we belong song as the Amakhosi fans were hoping for things to turn on their favour as it looked like Kaizer Chiefs were facing their second loss of the season.

Kaizer Chiefs produced a dramatic late comeback to beat Free State Stars 2-1 at Soccer City Stadium as they moved back to the top of the log. 

On the other part of town TakeSure made sure that Orlando Pirates crashed the unknown FC Djabal 5-0 in the first leg of their CAF Champions League clash at the Orlando Stadium saturday night. Takesure Chinyama bagged 4 and Sfiso Myeni scored 1.

On Friday night Pitso Mosimane’s boys produced quite a show,trashing Maritzburg United 3-0. Its seems Pitso is turning the clock at Chlorkoop. What is the secret? “Most of Sundowns’ impact players: Modise,Laffor,Pelembe and Kekana knows Pitso from Supersports United so its easy for them to relate to his style of play and makes thing happen” one of our reader Phanuel Moroe said.

He continued “I believe that is what makes them so fiercely dangerous and if they carry on like that,they will go as far as top 4”.

On the other hand Q2 winners Dikwena continued where they left off with a convincing 3-0 at Royal Bafokeng Sports palace and claim second spot on Sunday afternoon before Chiefs win their game that saw Platinum Stars goes back to 3rd spot.

Calvin Johnson turned the North West Province team into a “well-oiled” machine since taking the reign.

Other weekend results.

Chippa United 3-0 Black Leopards

Golden Arrows 0-1 Amazulu

Bloemfontein Celtics 3-0 Bidvest Wits.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews

Arrest of ANC Regional Secretary’s murder suspects commendable-Premier Modise

The arrest of three suspects linked to the murder of ANC Regional Secretary in Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District, Obuti Chika confirmed  by the Hawks is commendable and should allow the family to find closure to their tragic loss and end speculations as to who is/are responsible for his untimely death, North West Premier Thandi Modise said on Sunday.

“We are deeply concerned and disappointed that a member of ANCYL is reportedly liked to the chilling crime that robbed us of a courageous leader like Comrade Chika. We call on our communities to allow the law to take its course for justice to be done because there is no place in our society for those who resort to violence and murder to settle political scores and differences,” said Premier Modise.

 The Premier had earlier in conveying condolences to the Chika family appealed for calm and called for in-depth investigation into assassinations and attempted assassinations experienced in the province including one on suspended ANC Provincial Secretary Kabelo Mataboge . 

By Obakeng Maje

Leeudooringstad-Police are investigating a case of Inquest after a 63-year-old victim’s body was found lying in bedroom by his daughter. 

The incident happened at Modderkraal Farm on Friday at about 20:45. 

“It is alleged that the victim’s body was badly decomposed. No foul is suspected at this stage and investigation continues” Funani said.