By Obakeng Maje

Buffelshoek- North West police are investigating a culpable homicide after a 55 year-old man burnt to death in a fatal accident.

“A driver was travelling along Schoemandrift road when he allegedly lost control of his vehicle” captain Aafje Botma said.

“The car overturned and caught fire” she said.

Police said the victim was burnt to death while stucked in a burning vehicle.

Investigations continue and a case of culpable homicide was registered.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews

By Obakeng Maje

Kuruman-Police in Bothithong village arrested two men aged between 20 and 30 on Friday evening and charged them with attempted rape and robbery. 

“The suspects allegedly attacked two women who were from a night vigil and on their way to their residential area” Lieutenant Olebogeng Tawana said. 

“They allegedly robbed them off their cellphones at a knife point and also attempted to rape them” he said. 

Police said the victims screamed for help. 

“The incident happened not very far from where the night vigil was held. People who were at the night vigil heard women screaming for help and came to their rescue” police said. 

“The suspects tried to flee on foot from the crime scene,however vigilant community members managed to apprehend them and hand them over to the police” Tawana said. 

Police said upon investigations the police retrieved the victims cellphones, and the knives the suspects used during the commission of crime. 

The suspects are due to appear before the Mothibistad Magistrate Court on charges of robbery and attempted rape.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews

By Staff Reporter

Mary Ntsweng is determined to put up a great show and help Banyana Banyana bid farewell to Cyprus on a winning note when they face Northern Ireland in their final Group C match of the Cyprus Cup on Monday, 11 March 2013.  

The enterprising winger has been one of the shining stars in the South African women’s side in this annual tournament, dishing out splendid displays despite the team’s failure to register a win in the tournament.

“It’s been a very competitive tournament. Our undoing has been that we start well but lose focus when it matters most; and our opponents have seized the opportunity and punished us for that,” said Ntsweng, who plies her trade with the TUT Ladies FC team in the Sasol Woman’s League. 

Having a fulltime role in the tournament this time around after having a bit-part role in the 2012 edition, Ntsweng has orchestrated most of the attacking moves for Banyana Banyana only for her striking teammates’ to spurn the chances created.

She scored a cracking goal in the 2-2 draw against New Zealand in the practice match ahead of the start of the tournament and watched in disbelief as her shot cannoned off the crossbar against the Republic of Ireland last Friday.

Ntsweng remains confident that the goals will come. “I have heard the coaches commend me for my performances in Cyprus so far and I am glad I have followed their instructions. I am glad everything has penned out well and my aim is always to go out onto the park and be ready to die for the team. As a collective, we have done well in creating chances. What we need only is to improve our communication and be fully alert when in the final third,” she said.

Banyana Banyana and Northern Ireland come into the final Group C match at the Paralimni stadium (14h30 on Monday, 11th March) winless after two outings. The Sasol-sponsored side lost their opening game 2-0 to Korea Republic and narrowly defeated 1-0 by Republic of Ireland after missing a host of chances on Friday. Northern Ireland were thumped 5-1 by Ireland and 3-0 by Korea in their two games.

Banyana Banyana beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the group stages of the Cyprus Cup last year and while Ntsweng has seen an improved team in their opponents, she firmly believes Banyana Banyana can beat them again.

“The standard is higher in the tournament this year, teams have regrouped after last year’s outing and strengthened their weak departments,” assessed the 24-year old dreadlocked winger. 

The team had a day off on Saturday and spent the afternoon in the beautiful city of Larnaca, about 55kms outside their base of Ayia Napa, sight-seeing nearby the Mediterranean Sea. In the evening, the South African girls participated in a fun Player’s Evening – a karaoke singing and dancing event – which featured the three teams from Group C, Korea Republic, Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, put together by the tournament organisers.

 After completion of the group matches on Monday, the 2012 African Women Championship runners up will compete in a 11th/12th playoff spot in the 12-nation tournament as they have not qualified for a playoff in higher positions.

Banyana Banyana finished in 10th place in the tournament last year.

Korea Republic and Ireland will face each other to determine the winner of Group of C in the second match at the Paralimni stadium.

By Obakeng Maje

Ranfontein-Yesterday tears were flowing freely at a funeral of satanic victim Keamogetse Sefularo,17.

Sefularo was buried yesterday in Randfontein after been stabbed by a fellow learner.

According to reports, Sefularo was stabbed by a member of alleged satanism crew.

The school suspended ten of learners who allegedly practice satanism.

“We had an urgent meeting with parents and we need to root out this demonic deeds” Morake Motsitsi said.

“We need to get rid and fight against this scourge especially in our schools” Motsitsi said.

One of the students who belongs to the alleged satanic crew told Sabc that they drink blood of people.

“We drink people’s blood and we practice this for survival” he said.

The satanic deeds have shown its ugly face amongst schools previously.

Three years ago the satanic practices plunged few schools in Pampierstad and other areas.

About 100 people protested peacefully outside the department of education building on Stalwart Simelane Street in Durban on Friday.

The singing, dancing protesters carried posters that read “Angie [Motshekga] and Bobby [Soobrayan] must go” and “You must go unfaithful Angie, your time is up”.

SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) provincial secretary Mbuyiseni Mathonsi said Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga had not carried out her mandate.

Her head was being demanded, along with that of basic education director-general Bobby Soobrayan.

He said one only had to look at the state of the Limpopo and Eastern Cape education department.

Earlier, Sadtu’s Durban south regional secretary Sibongiseni Xulu called for the resignation of Motshekga.

Xulu said Motshekga had not taken education seriously.

He said the education department had faced many problems since 2011.

Xulu mentioned Limpopo, where students were left without textbooks for about seven months last year.

He said some teachers in the Eastern Cape were not being paid their salaries, and the province was also suffering from a shortage of teachers.

“There is no proper delivery of quality education in the Eastern Cape.”

Xulu accused Motshekga of not seeing through her programmes, such as the laptop teacher initiative, which was supposed to supply laptops to teachers.

This had never reached fruition, he said, and there was also no security at schools.

-Sapa

BY Obakeng Maje

Johannesburg-Minister of Home Affairs Naledi Pandor announced that smart cards will be in use from August 2013.

The Home Affairs is doing away with green bar-coded ID book. According to South Africa Police Service(SAPS) and statement received from Home Affairs department, fraudsters have made life difficult for ID documents holders as the steal abiding-citizens IDs and commit fraud using their IDs.

“We want to do away with green barcoded IDs and the new ones will be effective from August 2013” Naledi Pandor said.

Police arrested seven suspects on wednesday after they were committing fraud using other people’s ID numbers and birth certificates” she continues.

Last week Northern Cape police arrested five suspects who were opening accounts using false IDs in retail shops around Kimberley.

Minister Naledi Pandor addressed the residents of Barkly West and encourages women to register their children for birth certificates.

“The new cards will be very difficult for criminals to duplicate. It will have your fingerprints and your face embedded on it unlike current ones where your picture is pasted that is why we call them smartcards” Pandor said.

According to Home Affairs minister, the smartcards are more efficient and save.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews

Johannesburg – Former President Nelson Mandela was admitted to hospital for a scheduled medical check-up on Saturday afternoon, the presidency said.

“Doctors are conducting tests and have thus far indicated that there is no reason for any alarm,” said spokesperson Mac Maharaj.

He said the check-up was to manage existing conditions that came at his age.

“We appeal for privacy for Madiba and his family.”

– SAPA

ABSA Premiership

Result: Chiefs 0-0 Pirates

Date: 9 March 2013

Venue: FNB Stadium

Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates couldn’t be separated as they played out a hard-fought 0-0 draw in the Soweto derby at the FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The match lacked clear-cut chances for both sides in the opening 45 minutes as they lost possession constantly in midfield while the second period followed a similar patter – though Senzo Meyiwa was forced into a few good saves.

Amakhosi enjoyed the first chance of the half with a free-kick at the edge of the area. Bernard Parker whipped it in and it took a deflection off the head of Ndumiso Mabena but dropped just wide of the far post.

Daine Klate sent a free-kick straight at Itumeleng Khune in the 15th minute and the Sea Robbers would be forced into an early substitution five minutes later as Tlou Segolela came on for the injured Thulasizwe Mbuyane.

Collins Mbesuma then scuffed a shot straight at the goalkeeper while Siphiwe Tshabalala drew a great save from Senzo Meyiwa with a set-piece.

Thabo Matlaba had Khune worried in the 35th minute when he let rip from far out but his dipping strike fell just over the crossbar.

Klate had a great chance when latching onto the ball in the area but he slipped his shot straight at the goalkeeper as a tense half came to an end.

Thsbalala brought another great save from Meyiwa in the 58th minute after Collins Mbesuma had wasted a chance in the 52nd minute after the ball had fallen kindly for him.

Tefu Mashamaite couldn’t get enough power on a header in the 76th minute while Tlou Segolela was denied a penalty after seemingly being fouled by Tshabalala.

Amakhosi looked to finish the game strongly as Willard Katsande flashed a header just over the crossbar with three minutes to go while Sthembiso Ngcobo worked Meyiwa into another terrific save.

Ngcobo then saw a pass come off his shin after Chiefs had got in behind in the dying seconds as the game ended in a stalemate.

Chiefs: Itumeleng Khune, Siboniso Gaxa, Eric Mathoho, Tefu Mashamaite, Morgan Gould, Tsepo Masilela, Willard Katsande, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, Siphiwe Tshabalala, Bernard Parker, Kingston Nkhatha.

Pirates: Senzo Meyiwa, Happy Jele, Thabo Matlaba, Lucky Lekgwathi, Siyabonga Sangweni, Andile Jali, Oupa Manyisa, Thulasizwe Mbuyane, Daine Klate, Ndumiso Mabena, Collins Mbesuma.

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

Afriforum has said it plans to approach the ANC and initiate a dialogue to discuss “continued offensive utterances” about Afrikaners and Christianity.

“We continuously hear offensive statements from senior ANC members … and then they apologise and think it is okay,” said Afriforum’s deputy chief executive Ernst Roets.

“We want an undertaking that they will stop making these statements as this is not acceptable.”

Once a dialogue began, the first issue on the table would be the matter relating to Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities Lulu Xingwana, who made remarks about Afrikaner men and their “Calvinistic religion.”

Roets said her apology was not satisfactory.

“Xingwana’s utterances should be seen in the broader ANC context,” he said.

“Her remark is, as a matter of fact, just one offensive utterance in a series of utterances made recently by senior ANC leaders against Afrikaners and even Christians.”

Roets said dialogue would form part a settlement agreement reached between Afriforum and the African National Congress last year relating to the “Shoot the Boer” hate-speech case.

The out-of-court agreement on the singing of the song was made by a court order in the Supreme Court of Appeal in November last year.

Part of the settlement was that there would be continued formal dialogue in order to promote mutual understanding for respective cultural heritage and aspirations.

The struggle song containing the words “Dubul’ iBhunu” (shoot the boer) was declared hate speech by Judge Colin Lamont in the Johannesburg High Court.

AfriForum took the matter to court after Julius Malema who was ANC Youth League leader at the time repeatedly sang the song at rallies. – Sapa.

Football headquarters and police club set ablaze in Egypt

The headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association and a police officers’ club were torched following sentencing over a football riot last year.

Firefighters were working to put out the fire which spread through the building located in the same neighbourhood as the officers’ club, an AFP reporter said.

Football officials were holding emergency talks in Cairo to discuss upcoming fixtures around the country, state television reported.

The unrest comes hours after a court upheld death sentences for 21 defendants over a deadly football riot in Port Said last year and handed down life sentences to five defendants, with 19 receiving lesser jail terms and another 28 acquitted.

In Cairo, fans of Al-Ahly football club, whose members were killed in the February 2012 stadium riot in Port Said in which 74 people died, had warned police that they would retaliate if the defendants, including nine police officers, were exonerated.

Several buildings in a police officers’ club complex in the Egyptian capital were in flames on Saturday, an AFP reporter said.

According to a senior security official, hardcore football fans known as the Ultras stormed the complex and set fire to the buildings.

Residents of the affluent island where the club is situated were using garden hoses to try to extinguish the flames. Other buildings in the complex had their windows smashed.

Several hundred members of the Ultras were also making their way towards the interior ministry, state television reported.

The court sentenced two senior police officers to 15 years each – former head of police security, general Essam Samak, and brigadier general Mohammed Saad, who at the time of the riot was responsible for the stadium gates, which were locked.

Seven remaining police defendants were acquitted.

During sentencing, the judge read out a string of names without identifying their position, leading to much confusion.

“First we were happy when we heard the 21 death sentences. We were cheering and didn’t hear the rest of the verdict,” one football supporter told AFP. “Then we were very angry.” – Sapa-AFP.