The provincial ANC leadership expressed hope that party members would continue to close ranks and concentrate on issues affecting communities in the province as opposed to the factional politics that threatened to undermine party and government operations in the recent past.

This sentiment was expressed after a two-day ANC lekgotla in Rustenburg where issues of governance in the province were central to the deliberations.

The party’s national and provincial executive members, heads of provincial departments and alliance structures attended the meeting.

Provincial party spokesperson Kenny Morolong said ANC leaders and those deployed in government had a chance to share ideas on how best to improve working relations for the better of society.

“We are confident that the ANC is more united, cohesive and ready to focus all its energies on the implementation of its programme of action to build a national democratic society.

“The lekgotla has enabled the leadership of the ANC and government to closely focus on the necessary work required to effect changes in the lives of our people. The delegates were immersed in discussions through commissions whose resolution were adopted by the lekgotla,” he said.

“The lekgotla reflected on the level of political maturity and challenges related to high levels of ill-discipline.

“The ANC vehemently condemned tendencies, which are alien to the movement and vowed to intensify its resolve to discipline all those who undermine the authority of the organisation.

Morolong said ANC veterans would be roped in when the party deployed people in government to minimise the scandals that had come as a result of insufficient consultations.

“A resolution was reached to identify ANC veteran commissars to assist with cadre development and the immediate implementation of the OR Tambo School of Political Education,” he said.

Party provincial chairperson Supra Mahumapelo recently said there was need to establish a political school where party members would be taken through lessons on the values of the ANC and what they ought to do for the party to remain relevant.

Efforts to eradicate conflict of interest among party leaders also came out strongly at the lekgotla.

Morolong said it was resolved that all ANC leaders in the province should declare their business interests to the ANC integrity committee to promote transparency and complement all efforts aimed at rooting out corruption.

Responding to the rape scourge gripping the country, Morolong said the ANC had said efforts should be intensified to stop violence against women.

“The ANC urged all its branches to intensify the 365 campaign of no violence against women and children.

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

Disgruntled ANC branches in the province vowed to recruit members on the ground to join the party to create a sound base for what they termed the “Save the ANC” campaign against “controversial decisions” by the provincial executive (PEC) of the party.

The branches engaged in a provincial inter-branch forum meeting in Matlosana on Thursday last week and resolved to solicit the ANC national executive’s (NEC) intervention to denounce the alleged “wrong factional PEC decisions”. They claimed such decisions had plunged the party into two deeply divided factions led by chairperson Supra Mahumapelo and suspended provincial secretary Kabelo Mataboge.

Inter-branch forum spokesperson Tshepo Phetlhu said: “We have agreed to vigorously recruit members on the ground to join the ANC and ensure that these members are politically schooled and become members of the ANC. We want to disregard all controversial decision taken by the PEC and continue to appeal to the NEC to intervene.”

He said the meeting was arranged by ANC subregional branch coordinators and convenors across the province to discuss issues of commonality and the PEC’s modus operandi.

Phetlhu said the branches accused the PEC’s decisions to disband the ANC Ngaka Modiri Molema regional executive committee (REC) last year by suspending Mataboge and Tlokwe municipality council chief whip David Kham.

The also called on Ngaka Modiri Molema district mayor Phaladi Saku and Ramotshere-Moilwa mayor Africa Thale to resign from their positions, and called for the disbandment of Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s REC for their attempts allegedly to rig processes of regional conferences and the list process of the 2014 elections, among others.

“The PEC has no programme relating to the organisational collective. Their programme is to suspend and replace those they forced to resign with people who are in association with those in the majority in the PEC,” Phetlhu said.

“That type of operation has serious bearing on the way branches operate. The majority of people they suspend have been elected by the majority of branches, especially Mataboge and Kham. How then will branches operate in the midst of confusion created by the PEC?”

Several attempts to solicit comment from ANC provincial spokesperson Kenny Morolong were unsuccessful.

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

By Obakeng Maje

Bredasdorp-The Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Ms Lulu Xingwana will be at the Bredasdorp Court when the accused in the rape and murder case of Anene Booysen appear on Tuesday,at 9:00.

The brutal rape and murder of Anene has sparked national outrage. “The Minister has reiterated her call that those responsible for this brutality must receive the harshest and heaviest publishment possible from our courts” spokesperson Cornelius Monama said.

The Minister continues to urge members of the public to work with government and law-enforcement agencies in order to help eliminate the scourge of violence against women and children.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews

By Obakeng Maje

Rustenburg-Twelve suspects ran out of luck when they were pounced on by police following a business robbery. 

“The suspects  were arrested  in the early hours of this morning at about 01:25am” captain Amanda Funani said. 

This follows Rustenburg Highway Patrol and Phokeng Visible Policing  received a complaint about a Business Robbery that occurred at Boshoek earlier.

“The members responded swiftly and  began a massive search for suspects who allegedly attacked and injured a security guard before fleeing  the scene with stolen properties in two Nissan bakkies” She said. 

While searching for the vehicles, the police spotted one of the vehicles with seven occupants befitting the description of the alleged suspects.

Police also discovered two firearms from the suspects.

The second bakkie was spotted on the R565 road between Phokeng and Sun City.

“The driver saw the police and made a quick U-turn. Police gave a  chase and other four suspects were arrested” Funani said.

The owner of the alleged vehicle believed to be from Mfidikwe village was also  arrested by the police after preliminary investigations led to his residential address.

The twelve suspects aged between 21 and 46 years are currently detained at Phokeng Police Station on charges of Business Robbery and possession of unlicensed firearms. Allegations further state that five of the suspects are illegal immigrants from Mozambique. 

They are expected to appear before Bafokeng Magistrate Court in Tlhabane tomorrow.

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By Obakeng Maje

Makwassie-North West police arrested seven suspects aged between 18-21 after allegedly raping a 27 year-old woman.

The woman wa walking with her boyfriend in the street from a local tavern when the gang pounced on them.

“They allegedly threatened the couple with knives and robbed them their cellphones.” Funani said.

They allegedly took away the lady while leaving her boyfriend behind” Amanda Funani said.

The gang allegedly drag a woman to the nearest field and raped her.

“The boyfriend allegedly alerted the police about the debacle and police acted swiftly” Funani said.

Police arrested all seven suspects in the morning and charged them with robbery and rape.

All seven suspects will appear at Makwassie Magistrate Court on thursday.

By Obakeng Maje

South African Football Association (SAFA) President, Kirsten Nematandani has hailed the recently ended AFCON tournament as a resounding success and another reason why South Africa is a destination of choice for major sporting events.

The three week-tournament ended on Sunday, 10 February with the final featuring winners Nigeria and surprise package Burkina Faso which saw the Super Eagles beat their West African neighbours 1-0 to win the coveted trophy.

“In terms of the size and behaviour of the crowds, standard of play, organisation and general atmosphere, the tournament has set a benchmark for future AFCON tournaments. The atmosphere at the Final was electric and being beamed across the globe, again demonstrated Mzansi’s ability to host major tournaments,” said the SAFA President.

“It is important to acknowledge key stakeholders who made the event the success it was. This has to start with the State President, Honourable Jacob Zuma, Minister of Sport, Fikile Mbalula and the South African Government for giving this project their unqualified support. To CEO, Mvuzo Mbebe and his AFCON team, I would like to extend my special thanks. It is also vital to acknowledge the contribution made by the volunteers and all of the fans who supported the event. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the contribution of the media who played their part in the excellent coverage of the tournament.”

SAFA President said despite Bafana being knocked out in the quarter finals, South Africans continued to support the tournament as was witnessed in the subsequent final four games.

“As a Nation we did a great job in creating a hosting environment that made all of Africa feel welcome. This morning I woke up as a proud South African, and am now looking forward to doing it all again in 2014 when South Africa hosts the African Nation Championships (CHAN), ” he concluded.

Johannesburg – Judy Sexwale isn’t backing down on claims that her husband Tokyo turned her into a punch bag, subjecting her to emotional, mental and verbal abuse during their marriage.

Speaking through her lawyer on Sunday, the woman who fell in love with the human settlements minister while he was still incarcerated on Robben Island said she stood by her statement whose details were published in The Star on Friday.

Judy’s lawyer, Beverly Clark, said on Sunday that her client “stands by the contents of her affidavit, which is a document deposed to under oath. The facts will, if necessary, be fully ventilated in court.”

In an e-mail on Sunday, Clark also said “Mrs Sexwale does not want to get into a public argument or slanging match with either her husband or his attorney”.

“She also does not believe the history of the marriage is a matter for public consumption. Mrs Sexwale remains hopeful that the parties will settle the matter in an amicable and dignified fashion for the sake of their children,” the lawyer said.

The Star first reported on a rule 24 application Judy had brought before Johannesburg High Court Judge Ramarumo Monama on Thursday.

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

Bredasdorp – Western Cape ANC leader Marius Fransman used his speech at a memorial service for murdered Bredasdorp teenager Anene Booysen on Sunday to launch a scathing attack on two DA MECs.

His swipe at Community Safety MEC Dan Plato and a tirade against comments by Social Development MEC Albert Fritz prompted Bredasdorp’s DA mayor Linkin de Bruyn to walk out of the event, threatening to turn the occasion into a political spat and drawing outrage on Twitter from some commentators.

In a fiery speech, Fransman told the crowd that Bredasdorp was particularly affected by drug abuse, and turned on Plato: “Dan Plato is a criminal, he used taxpayers’ money to throw a party for gangsters… You can’t give money to gangsters and think it would solve the problem.”

Fransman urged the DA “to tell Zille” that he had been “disappointed to see Albert Fritz say that girls should not be walking around at 3am (and) that girls should be careful of what they wear”.

Earlier this week, Fritz told CapeTalk radio station: “We want to call on our young men and women to please ensure they don’t get into situations at 3am in the morning, where they place themselves in danger.

“We don’t mean to say to people they can’t walk around at 3am, but these are very different and difficult times. Please ensure that you are safe and go with people you can trust, who won’t hurt you.”

Fransman told the hundreds of people gathered at the Nelson Mandela Hall in the town: “If Fritz as a public figure in government makes such unbalanced utterances to place any form of blame on the victim for the heinous crime and side with the criminal against the victim, he is uninformed and condescending.

“He is also not only showing disrespect towards the victim, but towards the family and friends of the deceased too.”

Asked for comment late on Sunday, Fritz said he had been misunderstood.

“I never blamed the victim or her clothing. I have no issue with Marius Fransman. I said its a societal problem that we have,” he said. “The ANC should stop jumping on the bandwagon and look at the real problems.”

Plato declined to comment, saying he was not going to “use someone’s funeral to rectify this”.

Nomboniso Gasa, a researcher at the Council for Advancement of the SA Constitution (Casac) said the affair was ”not a good moment for Fransman”.

The DA’s youth federal media and publicity chairman, Reagan Allen, called on Fransman to retract and apologise.

“And suddenly the whole reason and meaning of the march is lost. Fransman has dishonoured the memory of Anene,” tweeted Chris Morley.

Glenda Nevill also shared her thoughts on the matter on Twitter: “Dear God, is Marius Fransman not the most inappropriate politician? Time and place for political bickering mister – not at Anene’s memorial.”

At the service, Cosatu’s Western Cape leader Tony Ehrenreich urged President Jacob Zuma to open a commission of inquiry into the brutal rape and murder of Anene Booysen.

“We share in the grief, its not only Bredasdorp where there are attacks. There is a crisis in South Africa… We must respond to the scourge and make sure that women and kids are safe,” he said. “Constant measures must be taken for it to end.

“One thing we know is that mothers don’t raise their sons to abuse. Where do they get it? We must put an end to it and teach boys and girls to have compassion for each other. Abuse must be stopped in our homes – we can’t have police on every street corner and we need to take our streets back.”

Anene Booysen’s mom and grandmother sat quietly in the front row of the hall at the service that was supported by hundreds of residents and community leaders from the ANC, DA, Cosatu and Cape Agulhas municipality.

Seventeen-year-old Booysen was brutally gang-raped and mutilated last week Saturday. She later died of her injuries.

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

Cape Town – Yet another teenager has been found murdered and police suspect she was raped.

Ge-Audrey Green, 19, was found dead in a Kraaifontein house on Saturday.

And as in the case of Bredasdorp’s 17-year-old Anene Booysen, someone close to Green and known to her family has been arrested as a suspect.

Police spokesman Andrè Traut said Green’s badly decomposed body was found in the drawer of a bed in a flat of a neighbour on Kotze Street, Scottsville.

“Initial investigations indicated (she) was strangled. However, a post-mortem will determine the cause of death,” Traut said.

“The circumstances of the case are being investigated. The suspect’s mother occupies the flat and was not at home when the crime was committed.”

Traut said a 21-year-old man had been arrested and would appear in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court.

Relatives and friends called at Green’s home on Sunday to offer condolences.

A prayer service, which MEC for Community Safety Dan Plato attended, was held at the home.

Ge-Audrey had last been seen on Wednesday, an aunt, Ronette Green, said.

Green said that when her niece slept out, she would come home the next morning.

When she failed to come home on Thursday, the family asked around, but friends had not seen her.

“The mother is emotional. She wants to know what happened to her daughter,” Green said.

A man will appear in the Bredasdorp Magistrate’s Court on Monday in connection with the rape, mutilation and killing of Anene Booysen.

The 17-year-old was found at a construction site on the morning of February 2 and died in hospital that night.

She was buried on Saturday after a funeral which was attended by hundreds of mourners in the south western town of Bredasdorp, in the Western Cape.

Three men had since been arrested in connection with Booysen’s rape and murder.

The two others are due to appear in court on Tuesday.

It is alleged that Booysen identified one of her killers shortly before she died.

Following the crime, there was an outcry from all sectors of society with women organisations calling for decisive action against rapists.

On Sunday, the SABC reported that Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille and her parliamentary leader, Lindiwe Mazibuko, will participate in a “stop rape” protest outside Parliament on Monday. – Sapa