a crane fell on him in a scrapyard in Kimberley, paramedics said on Wednesday.
“The 35-year-old man was pinned underneath the weight of the metal…,” said ER24 spokeswoman Vanessa Jackson.
“His colleagues managed to remove the metal from his body, but it was already too late as he had died due to serious injuries he suffered.”
It was not clear how the load of metal loosened and fell, said Jackson.
-Sapa
Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has successfully challenged the SA Revenue Service’s (Sars) taxation of compensation paid to the estate of a deceased civil servant, her office said on Wednesday.
“In a landmark case… the collector of revenue agreed to refund the estate of the said official an amount of R110,903,” the Protector’s office said in a statement.
“The amount had been deducted, as income tax, from the department of correctional services’ settlement offer of R484,697, which was paid to the official’s estate.”
Madonsela found in 2011 that the process followed by the department in terminating the man’s services constituted maladministration.
“At the time, Minister [Nosiviwe] Mapisa-Nqakula accepted the remedial action, with her department agreeing to implement it fully,” Madonsela’s office said.
“Unfortunately, the official died before the remedial action could be implemented, prompting the department to pay the compensation to his estate.
“However, what then came into question was whether the settlement offer by the department constituted income in the hands of the taxpayer or his estate, and whether the benefits were therefore taxable in terms of the Income Tax Act,” it said.
Sars later agreed that the compensation could not be taxable.
-Sapa
Polokwane – Fraud-accused Julius Malema’ former friend Boy Mamabolo appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate’s court on Wednesday on 72 counts of fraud.
The charges related to his chairmanship of the Limpopo Geographical Names Committee, the Hawks said on Wednesday.
The case was postponed till May 27.
Mamabolo was released on bail in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on January 31.
He was granted R10,000 bail, said Captain Paul Ramaloko.
Mamabolo was embroiled in a court battle with Malema after he allegedly sent a threatening text message to the former ANC Youth League leader.
He allegedly wrote in the sms he would exhume Malema’s mother’s body and take her remains to Malema’s grandmother’s home in Seshego.
This was apparently in retaliation for Malema allegedly sending his allies to seduce Mamabolo’s girlfriend.
The crimen injuria case was provisionally struck off the court roll on January 29. – Sapa
Johannesburg – Sixty-one children and three teachers were stung by bees at a school in Bellville, Cape Town, on Wednesday morning, paramedics said.
“Reports indicate that the children were at a school for special needs when the swarm of bees went on a rampage, stinging everything in their way,” Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha said.
The children were aged between five and 10. By the time paramedics got to the school four children in a critical condition had been taken to hospital in private transport.
“Thirty-five people were treated on scene by nursing staff while 26 children were treated by paramedics before they were transported to nearby hospitals,” he said.
“The exact cause for the bees becoming aggressive is still unknown at this stage.”
Johannesburg – The new SABC board should bring stability at the public broadcaster, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) said on Wednesday.
“The SABC is a contested arena, and we hope the new board will provide the needed stability,” general secretary Thabo Mogalane told reporters in Johannesburg.
He said the new board should play an oversight role and not interfere with the running of the SABC.
“We want a board that is transparent, independent and provides oversight.”
He said the union was confident the interim board would provide the stability needed to improve the morale of workers at the SABC.
“Where there is no stability, workers are affected negatively.”
By Obakeng Maje
Bafana Bafana coach, Gordon Igesund received a timely boost when influential midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala was given the all clear to continue training with the team after his MRI scan results came back positive.
The Kaizer Chiefs player missed Bafana Bafana’s first training session at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Tuesday (19 March 2013) due to a niggling knee injury after he felt some discomfort during the warm-up session.
He was sent for an MRI scan which came back positive this morning.
On Wednesday (20 March), he trained on his own under the watchful eye of the medical team.
Tshabalala is expected to join the rest of the team at training on Thursday night (21 March) at Cape Town Stadium.
“We are pleased with the results and what we have to do now is to monitor him all the way to the match day. I believe he should be ready to return to full training on Friday.
The MRI scan revealed nothing too serious, which is very encouraging. The player also wants to play, which will help the healing process,” said Bafana Bafana Team medico Dr Carl Tabane.
By Obakeng Maje
Cape Town-The Bafana Bafana afternoon training session on Wednesday, 20 March 2013 has been cancelled to give players more time to rest ahead of the all-important 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Qualifier against the Central African Republic (CAR) at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday evening.
The squad will resume training at the match venue on Thursday, 21 March at 20h00.
Ventersdorp, North West – One of two men accused of murdering a Ventersdorp farmer appeared in the Ventersdorp Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, North West police said.
“Only one man appeared, the one who was arrested on Sunday. They are jointly appearing in court on Friday, with the 22-year-old remanded in custody,” said Brigadier Thulani Ngubane.
The 22-year-old and the second accused, a 21-year-old man, allegedly attacked the 67-year-old farmer outside his farmhouse on Sunday morning.
He was struck over the head and dragged into the house. The attackers then found his 64-year-old wife and attacked her. It was believed they also raped her.
The men tied her up and fled with two cellphones. She managed to free herself and found help on a neighbouring farm.
The farmer died on the scene. His wife was recovering in hospital in Klerksdorp.
The 22-year-old was arrested on Sunday night around 11pm following a tip-off. The 21-year-old was arrested on Tuesday in Khuma township near Klerksdorp around 9.15am. – Sapa
Cape Town – A security guard dodged death on three occasions only to be gunned down in an ambush at a doctor’s surgery.
Elias Dyasi, 59, came face to face with death three times in the last two weeks.
But, on Monday afternoon, he was gunned down and robbed of his firearm.
The devoted dad was standing outside the doctor’s offices that he guards, washing some grapes he had just bought from a nearby vendor, when he came under fire.
The Guardian 