The African National congress says an interim structure will be appointed to oversee the day-to-day running of its Youth League after the ruling party’s National Executive Committee took a decision to disband the League’s NEC.

Gauteng ANC Youth League secretary Ayanda Kasa-Ntsobi has confirmed that the Youth League’s current leadership has been shown the door. She says they won’t oppose the decision.

Responding to developments, ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu says a formal announcement on decisions taken at the party’s NEC meeting in Pretoria will be made today.

Sources say an announcement is also expected on the future of Limpopo Premier, Cassel Mathale, and the rest of Limpopo ANC leadership. They’re also expected to get the boot, with an interim leadership being put in place to run the troubled province.

Limpopo was rocked by in-fighting ahead of the ANC’s Mangaung conference last December. Earlier in the year, government took over the administration of five Limpopo departments.

The first of the three-day meeting of the party’s highest decision making body, in between conferences, saw the induction of NEC members on some of the party’s policy documents. These include a discussion on the ANC Constitution, the Freedom Charter and the Strategy and Tactics document, all aimed at ensuring that NEC members have the same flow of understanding on party policy.

For more details go to www.sabc.co.za

Johannesburg – A Metro police officer who went out to enforce by-laws in Ekurhuleni on a Sunday ended up dead. And, as a result, a man who tried to stop the police impounding his caravan is facing a murder charge.

On Sunday morning, metro officers on patrol in Ekurhuleni spotted an illegal pavement shop operation. The shop was set up in a caravan, and the men working in it called the owner after being confronted by the metro cops. 

The officers wanted to shut down the little shop, which was selling food.

The triple murder trial of a 16 year old boy is set to continue in the Northern Cape High Court.
  
Last week, the court heard testimony from a number of Griekwastad policemen involved in the investigation of the murders of farmer Deon Steenkamp (44) his wife Christel (43) and daughter Marthella (14).
  
The three were shot dead on their farm Naauwhoek on April 6, 2012.
  
Warrant Officer Anthony Wildt, who was on duty the night of the murders, told the court last week that in 15 years such a crime had not taken place in the area.
  
Another police officer confirmed to the court that a single fingerprint lifted from a drinking glass found at the murder scene had not yet been identified.
  
A number of exhibits, mostly photographs, were read into the court record. The court was shown video recordings of the murder scene.
  
The 16 year old accused has pleaded not guilty to the three murder charges, as well as to a charge of rape, and one of defeating the ends of justice.
  
Cases involving minors are usually held in camera, but several media houses had been granted permission to cover the case. The boy  may not be identified.

A man has been arrested for the murder of a Ventersdorp farmer, North West police said.

Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said the 22 year old was apprehended last night. “He will appear in the Ventersdorp Magistrate’s Court tomorrow,” Ngubane said.

The suspect is one of two accused of attacking a 67 year old man outside his house on the farm Sterkstroom yesterday morning.

Ngubane said they hit the farmer over the head and dragged him into the house. They found his 64 year old wife and attacked her. It is 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 suspect, who lived close to the farm, has been charged with murder and attempted murder. Ngubane said more charges could be added.

North West Premier Thandi Modise condemned the attack.

“Perpetrators of violence against our farming community, particularly the vulnerable elderly, should have no place in society but be permanently removed,” she said

Johannesburg – Armed robbers attacked a brother and sister who were out cycling, raping the sister and stealing their bikes and cellphones.

The family were too traumatised to speak to the media and were not identified, The Star reported over the weekend.

The incident happened near Benoni and eblockwatch’s Andre Snyman said police were following up on several leads.

Warning

Another sibling posted a message on eblockwatch’s Facebook page warning other cyclists. 

He wrote: “I have been a member since you started out – I think in 2001. Today I really need your help. My brother and sister went cycling in Kempton Park yesterday (Thursday) at 16:30. They went in the cornfields, next to the R21 highway and the Benoni offramp.

“They were stopped by three men with guns, and they were tied up. The men then waited for nightfall after which they separated my brother from my sister and then proceeded to rape my poor sister. Luckily, they are still alive. It seems like this is a regular thing in the corn fields. I cannot describe the intense feeling of hatred that we are struggling with now.

For more details go to www.news24.com

East London – An Eastern Cape man allegedly killed his former girlfriend, hospitalised the woman’s grandmother and kidnapped another woman after the girlfriend dumped him, the Daily Dispatch reported on Monday.

The man allegedly stabbed Nomandithi Goniwe to death after attacking Goniwe’s grandmother Nomandithi Velebhayi, 85.

The man then allegedly kidnapped another woman at a neighbour’s house, in the Kwaaiman area in Ngcwanguba in the Transkei. He was still on the run from police.

The man reportedly flew into a rage after Goniwe, 25, ended their relationship on Saturday. Goniwe’s aunt Nofikile Velebhayi said the man had abused her niece and refused to accept he had been dumped.

Nofikile said the man allegedly started knocking at their door and calling Goniwe between 19:00 and 20:00.

“She didn’t want to come out so he kicked the door down and then stabbed grandma twice, but Nomandithi managed to run to the neighbour’s house,” she was quoted as saying.

“He followed her there and that’s when she was killed.”

Cape Town – The South African cardinal who made headlines after making controversial statements about paedophilia has said his remarks were taken out of context.

Cardinal Wilfrid Napier defended himself following the furore that erupted after he spoke to the BBC, according to reports.

Napier was slammed by women and children’s rights groups for saying that paedophilia “is actually an illness … it is not a criminal condition”, and saying that people who were abused as children and then abused others needed to be examined by doctors.

For more details go to www.news24.com

Johannesburg – The ruling party has disbanded the ANC Youth League, according to reports on Monday.

Business Day newspaper and SABC radio news quoted unnamed sources as saying the decision was made at the African National Congress’ national executive committee meeting at the weekend.

It also reportedly decided to disband the executive committee of Limpopo province and give Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale the boot.

The New Age newspaper said the Limpopo provincial executive committee – which did not back President Jacob Zuma at the ruling party’s national elective conference in December – was dissolved.

ANC spokesperson Keith Khoza told the daily: “We are having a press conference tomorrow [Monday].”

The SABC said ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu would not confirm the reports either, referring queries to the media conference scheduled for noon.

The state broadcaster said ANCYL Gauteng secretary Ayanda Kasa-Ntsobi confirmed that the league had been disbanded, and added that the youth league would not oppose the decision.

The ANCYL has been led by its deputy president Ronald Lamola since its former president Julius Malema was expelled from the ANC last year.

In December, Malema sent the ANC conference a letter asking for his job back, but at the time it was decided his letter had been received too late, and that the programme had already been adopted.

The ANC and ANCYL have held two meetings this year to discuss weaknesses within the party’s youth wing, including its lack of a permanent leader.

Delegates at the ANC conference resolved that the incoming NEC should meet the ANCYL to sort out issues between the two.

– SAPA

Kona was invited to a meeting at the Guptas’ Saxonwold, Johannesburg, home on October 29 last year by Siyabonga Mahlangu – “special counsel” and adviser to Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba.

Mahlangu, who yesterday said he “reserved his rights”, confirmed introducing Kona to Sahara, a Gupta company, but denied any knowledge of the cash offer.

The Sunday Times has been told that Mahlangu sat through the 40-minute meeting during which the younger Gupta brother, Rajesh, also known as Tony, made the offer.

Also present at the meeting were a son of President Jacob Zuma, Duduzane Zuma, and Tshepiso Magashule, a son of Free State premier Ace Magashule.

Zuma could not be reached for comment. Magashule yesterday “recalled” the meeting, but denied knowledge of an offer to Kona.

He said: “No, my brother, you can’t just give half a million for nothing … is this the Lotto or what? SportStake? I remember the meeting. I was there.”

The Sunday Times has spoken to several additional sources who had knowledge of the meeting.

Upon arrival at the meeting, Mahlangu introduced Kona to “our brother”, Tony Gupta.

They shared a cup of Indian tea and Kona was congratulated on his appointment – at that stage he was chairman and acting CEO, following the departure of Siza Mzimela on October 8.

Then Gupta allegedly told him they were “brothers,” that “times were tough” and there was R100000 available for him. Kona asked what this was for and told Gupta that he did not need the money. Gupta allegedly upped the offer to R500000.

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

Traditional leaders to continue playing a key role as community advocates in articulating needs and expressing grievances towards mobilising support for a fundamental cause in various communities.

Speaking during her opening of the provincial house of traditional leaders in Mahikeng on Thursday, Modise said the role of traditional leaders was the most significant feature of traditional communities.

“The task of building a democratic state requires that what is envisaged in the democratic dream is shared by all.

“The task of strengthening and consolidating democracy requires the participation of all leaders, including traditional leaders,” said the premier.

She called on traditional leaders to focus on the struggle against HIV and Aids.

“You have the respect and authority to influence people’s views and practises on all issues.

“We trust in the battle against HIV and Aids you will advocate for change in the most personal behaviours, such as sexuality.

“Let us mobilise the communities to take HIV and Aids tests so that they know their status.

“The sooner the better.

“Medical intervention could be timeous and more lives could be saved,” she said.

The premier further noted and spoke about the five year strategic plan incorporating government priorities aimed at nation building, rural development and preservation of indigenous heritage.

She asked the traditional leaders to work with relevant provincial departments, municipalities and the private sector to look into reviving cultural heritage.

“Traditional leaders must organise and participate in festivals that celebrate our traditional songs and dance. The importance of our songs lie in the fact that they contain a lot of history and stories dealing with values and morals,” said Modise.

She encouraged traditional leaders to participate in local initiatives aimed at monitoring, reviewing and evaluating government programmes in traditional communities.

“Over the past years there have being concerns about the illegal initiation schools that have been cropping up in the North West province.

Some of these even resulted in cases of deaths, abductions and botched circumcisions,” said provincial government spokesperson Lesiba Kgwele.

Expressing his support for the premier’s anti-rape million signature campaign, provincial chairperson for the house of traditional leaders, Prof Madoda Zibi said chiefs, as custodians of culture, values and traditions, pledged support to the premier’s leadership.

He committed that traditional leaders in the province will support any initiative meant for the development of communities by the provincial government.