Gasa’s killer gets 30 year in jail


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Durban – The man who killed Durban businessman Nhlanhla Gasa was jailed for 30 years by the Durban Regional Court on Tuesday.

 

Mbulelo Arthur Ntlauzana, 25, was sentenced to 20 years for murder and 10 years for robbery, and malicious damage to property.

 

Magistrate Anand Maharaj said Ntlauzana acted coldly, cowardly and carelessly when he killed Gasa.

 

He said Gasa’s killing was senseless. It showed a person who had hate, rage and venom.

 

Earlier, Ntlauzana admitted in his statement read by his lawyer Hycenth Mlothswa that he stabbed Gasa several times after the businessman tried to kiss him on the cheek.

 

He said after killing Gasa he took a duvet cover and used it to wrap his body.

 

“I dragged his body to the garage downstairs and put the body in the boot of the Jaguar,” Ntlauzana said in his statement.

 

He threw the body over the Tugela Bridge and burned Gasa’s car.

 

Maharaj said Ntlauzana could have left when Gasa tried to kiss him.

 

He said Ntlauzana tried to cover up his involvement in the crime by disposing the body and burning Gasa’s car.

 

Maharaj said that despite Ntlauzana’s guilty plea, he doubted he was remorseful.

 

After Ntlauzana killed Gasa, he went to the Eastern Cape with his family, which showed that he tried to evade police.

 

Upon his return to KwaZulu-Natal, he did not hand himself to police.

 

Ntlauzana had known Gasa since 2010.

 

Ntlauzana said Gasa was his mentor as he wanted to start a network-marketing business.

 

During cross-examination Ntlauzana said he wanted Gasa to finance him and be a partner with him in business but this did not happen.

 

He said it never upset him that the businessman did not finance him because he understood that he was always busy and never had time.

 

Ntlauzana was arrested in Groutville on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast on April 13.

 

Gasa’s body was found floating in the Tugela River four weeks ago. Police found his burnt-out Jaguar several metres away.

 

Gasa is the father of South African television personality Noni Gasa.

 

The courtroom was packed with Gasa’s friends and family.

 

Ntlauzana’s mother sobbed during the court proceedings. – Sapa

 

 

Striking teachers to face disciplinary hearing


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Johannsburg – Teachers joining a planned SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) protest march will face disciplinary procedures, the basic education department said on Tuesday.

 

“Principals that do not monitor and register the attendance of teachers will (also) be subjected to disciplinary procedures,” said department spokesman Panyaza Lesufi.

 

“Educators that sign the register as being present at school but later leave to join protest action will be subjected to disciplinary procedures.”

 

The department would apply the principle of no-work-no-pay, Lesufi said.

 

Sadtu announced that it would hold protest marches on Wednesday.

 

The union said close to 25 000 of its members were expected to take part in the national marches to the Union Buildings in Pretoria and Parliament in Cape Town.

 

“The marches are meant to increase the pressure on Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and her director general Bobby Soobrayan to resign from their… positions, in defence of collective bargaining and promotion of quality public education,” Sadtu said in a statement.

 

It said Congress of SA Trade Union president Sidumo Dlamini would lead the march in Pretoria, and his second deputy Zingiswa Losi the march in Cape Town.

 

“The federation fully supports the marches in Cape Town and Pretoria organised by Sadtu, and the demands they are making on the defence of collective bargaining,” said Cosatu spokesman Patrick Craven.

 

The SA Students Congress (Sasco) backed the march.

 

“Sasco fully supports Sadtu in its justifiable struggle against the unilateral withdrawal of collective bargaining agreements by the department of basic education,” said Sasco president Ngoako Selamolela.

 

“This unilateral withdrawal is not only mischievous but a direct undermining of our teachers and the working class in general.”

 

Congress of the People said the protest march posed a threat to education.

 

“Sadtu’s latest call for thousands of teachers to abandon classrooms and join protest action… is a serious threat which could paralyse education, especially in rural areas,” said Cope MP Willie Madisha.

 

“Sadtu must be ashamed of its disgraceful conduct in our school system, because once again the union is victimising the children of our country, particularly the poor children who need the most in the way of development,” he said.

 

On Monday, the basic education department and Sadtu failed to agree on whether the marches were legal.

 

Sadtu general secretary Mugwena Maluleke said at the time the union had been granted permission by the City of Tshwane to march in Pretoria.

 

In Pretoria, marchers planned to gather at the old Putco depot in Marabastad at 9am. They would march along Cowie, Struben, and Nelson Mandela Streets to the Union Buildings.

 

In Cape Town, the marchers would gather at 10.30am in Keizergracht and move along Darling, Adderley, Spin, and Plein Streets to Parliament.

 

Sadtu members have been on a national go-slow since pupils returned from the Easter holiday.

 

Democratic Alliance MP Annette Lovemore said the march was an attack on pupils’ right to learn.

 

“Sadtu and Cosatu’s calls for Grade 10 to 12 learners and teachers to stay away from schools tomorrow and join them in their planned illegal march to Parliament and other locations across the country is a flagrant attack on the constitutional rights of our learners.”

 

Lovemore said she would ask the SA Human Rights Commission to investigate both Sadtu and Cosatu.

 

Meanwhile, Western Cape education MEC Donald Grant called on pupils to ignore Sadtu’s call.

 

“Parents should enquire what arrangements have been made that learners are supervised should any of their educators not arrive at work,” said Grant’s spokeswoman Bronagh Casey. – Sapa

SA police, Motsweding FM in partnership against rape


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By Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng-The South African Police Service in partnership with North West Provincial Government, Mahikeng Local Municipality and Motsweding FM will be engaged in an Anti-Rape Campaign. 

The “Ambassadors of Goodwill” Campaign will be held on the 25 April 2013 in Mahikeng at the Mmabatho Convention centre, at 10h00. 

 

“The campaign started as a result of numerous incidents of rape that are continuously reported in the North West Province on daily basis” Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said.

A march that will comprise of senior citizens (gogos) and junior citizens (children) of the North West will march 100 meters from Mmabana to where they will hand the vulnerable people demands to the Premier of the Province Thandi Modise, and other Senior authorities at Mmabatho Convention Centre.

“The list of demands, will entail, demands from gogos and children who are currently targeted by criminals who rape them and leave them for dead” Ngubane said. 

The SAPS with all strategic partners and Motsweding FM decided to stage this event as a call for Action. 

“Talking has proven to be cheap over a period of time as rapists continue to prey over elderly people and children” he adds.

This comes after numerous incidents of rape were continuously reported in the North West Province. 

“The rape of 11 year-old, Ofentse Mogale of Mmakau is a case in point that we have decided to use as the face of the campaign” police said.

Ofentse Mogale was kidnapped, from her mother’s shack at night while asleep. She was suffocated with a cloth in her mouth,and taken to a nearby shack by the parolee rapist who raped and suffocated the young innocent girl to her to death police said. 

She was later found by Police sniffer dogs buried under the bed in the 45 year old man’s shack 500 meters away from her home. 

The man was out on parole after serving 16 years of his 27 years sentence, for similar charges in 1995 when he broke into a house raped, robbed and murdered a lady in Brits.

The following is how the program will unfold at Mmabatho Convention Centre.

 

Prayer sessions, Lighting of the candle, Poetry session, Gospel, Testimony from rape survivors and prisoners arrested for rapes.

There will be a desk of FSC personnel to check on rape cases reported, and assist community members on the spot. 

There will be a DVD display of photos of identified rape victims, Launch of whistle blowing campaign , Distribution of pepper sprays to senior citizens, Performance by artists, Word from women of SAWID, Prayer for rape victims, Word from the kids, MEC of Human Settlement, Public Safety and Liaison, Mr. Maloyi, Minister of Police, Mr. Mthethwa and the North West Provincial Commissioner; Lieutenant General Zukiswa Mbombo.

“The campaign is based on Ambassadors of Goodwill, who shares the pain of vulnerable people who are victims of rape and wants to see an end in this gross violation of women rights” said Ngubane. 

These ambassadors made it possible to host the event by donating its kind, for the campaign to be a success. Amongst the donations that the project needs for sustainability going forward is the Anti-Rape Boards, that will be erected in many areas of the North West with massage condemning rape. “Pepper sprays and whistles will be launched as part of the whistle campaign to encourage communities to come together when a victim of crime blows a whistle to signal danger, this is seen as a great endeavor to prevent rape from occurring” he said. 

Good ambassadors will also assist in the donation of a house, a solid structure to the Ofentse Mogale’s family. 

“The house is a fundamental basic security feature of any family. Ofentse Mogale was abducted in a shack and it was easy for the perpetrator to gain entry” police said. 

Ambassadors who will volunteer to look after the vulnerable groups in the North West towns and villages will be sought, to be volunteers who take the responsibilities to care for the elders and kids living in instable homes. 

The project is just going to be launched in Mahikeng, and the crusade will move through the North West province.

The Theme of the Campaign is 

 

Tirisano Mmogo, Unite Against Rape!!

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews

Commission hears of stolen cop radio


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Rustenburg – Police radio communication in Marikana could have been compromised by a robbery before 34 striking miners were shot dead, the Farlam Commission heard on Tuesday.

Maj-Gen Charl Annandale said a police officer was robbed of his radio the Monday before the shooting on August 16 last year, a Thursday.

The individual who took the radio later tried to use it.

“It was clear that the person wasn’t an officer,” Annandale said.

He did not clarify whether the radio was taken from one of the police officers killed in Marikana that week.

Annandale said he opted to discuss the Marikana plan with the other commanders since it could have been compromised had it been shared over the radio.

He was delivering his evidence-in-chief at the commission holding public hearings in Rustenburg.

The commission is investigating the deaths of 44 people killed during the wage-related unrest in Marikana last year. Police shot dead 34 mineworkers on August 16. Another 10 people were killed in the preceding week.

Annandale told the commission he received a text message from the president of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction, Joseph Mathunjwa, almost two hours before police fired on the protesters.

The message read: “Since (there is) no person who is available to give feedback to, we are going back to employees to inform them no one is available. We have tried our best without co-operation from anyone. Let peace prevail.”

Annandale said he was concerned about the message and discussed it with Maj-Gen William Mpembe, who told him he also received it. Annandale said they tried to get hold of Mathunjwa but failed.

He sent Mathunjwa a text message saying police were always available and willing to help them find an amicable situation.

Mathunjwa did not respond.

The hearings continue. – Sapa

AMBASSADORS OF GOODWILL CAMPAIGN: 25 APRIL 2013


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The South African Police Service in partnership with North West Provincial Government, Mahikeng Local Municipality and Motsweding FM will be engaged in an anti rape campaign. The Ambassadors of Goodwill Campaign will be held on the 25 April 2013 in Mahikeng at the Mmabatho Convention centre, at 10h00.

 

The campaign started as a result of numerous incidents of rape that are continuously reported in the North West Province on daily basis.

 

A march that will comprise of senior citizens (gogos) and junior citizens (children) of the North West will march 100 meters from Mmabana to where they will hand the vulnerable people demands to the Premier of the Province Thandi Modise, and other Senior authorities at Mmabatho Convention Centre.

 

The list of demands, will entail, demands from gogos and children who are currently targeted by criminals who rapes them and leave them for dead. The SAPS with all strategic partners and Motsweding FM decided to stage this event as a call for Action. Talking has proven to be cheap over a period of time as rapists continue to prey over elderly people and children.

 

This comes after numerous incidents of rape were continuously reported in the North West Province. 

 

The rape of 11 years old Ofentse Mogale of Mmakau is a case in point that we have decided to use as the face of the campaign.

 

She was kidnapped, from her mother’s shack at night while asleep, and suffocated with a cloth in the mouth, and taken to a nearby shack by the parolee rapist who raped and suffocated the young innocent girl to her to death. She was later found by Police sniffer dogs buried under the bed in the 45 year old man’s shack 500 meters away from her home. The man was out on parole after serving 16 years of his 27 years sentence, for similar charges in 1995 when he broke into a house raped, robbed and murdered a lady in Brits.

 

The following is how the program will unfold at Mmabatho Convention Centre

Prayer sessions, Lighting of the candle, Poetry session, Gospel, Testimony from rape survivors and prisoners arrested for rapes, There will be a desk of FSC personnel to check on rape cases reported, and assist community members on the spot. There will be a DVD display of photos of identified rape victims, Launch of whistle blowing campaign , Distribution of pepper sprays to senior citizens, Performance by artists, Word from women of SAWID, Prayer for rape victims, Word from the kids, MEC of Human Settlement, Public Safety and Liaison, Mr. Maloyi, Minister of Police, Mr. Mthethwa and the North West Provincial Commissioner; Lieutenant General Zukiswa Mbombo.

 

The campaign is based on Ambassadors of Goodwill, who shares the pain of vulnerable people who are victims of rape and wants to see an end in this gross violation of women rights. These ambassadors made it possible to host the event by donating in kind, for the campaign to be a success. Amongst the donations that the project needs for sustainability going forward is the Anti Rape Boards, that will be erected in many arrears of the North West with massages condemning rape. Pepper sprays and whistles will be launched as part of the whistle campaign to encourage communities to come together when a victim of crime blows a whistle signaling danger, this is seen as a great endeavor to prevent rape from occurring. Good ambassadors will also assist in the donation of a house, a solid structure to the Ofentse Mogale’s family. The house is a fundamental basic security feature in the security of any family. Ofentse Mogale was abducted in a shack and it was easy for the perpetrator to gain entry. Ambassadors who will volunteer to look after the vulnerable groups in the North West towns and villages will be sought, to be volunteers who takes the responsibility to care for the elders and kids living in instable homes. The project is just going to be launched in Mahikeng, and the crusade will move through the North West province.

 

Media, and the public is invited to attend this event.

 

The Theme of the Campaign is Tirisano Mmogo, Unite Against Rape!!

Heavy rains cause havoc to the Sasol League


ImageHeavy rains over the weekend caused havoc to the Sasol League resulting in certain fixtures being postponed due to waterlogged pitches.
 
But despite the weather disruptions, the games that took place once again lived up to expectations, producing a flurry of 108 goals in only 22 matches.
 
As the season begins to gain momentum, the teams that have become title contenders were relentless in their pursuit for glory and to dispose reigning champions Palace Super Falcons.
 
There were two nine-goal thrillers this weekend; one in Limpopo and the other in the Eastern Cape.
 
In Limpopo Ma-Indies proved too strong for the out-of-sorts University of Limpopo as they demolished the students 9 – 1 in a one-sided affair. In the match down in the Eastern Cape, Birmingham cruised past the University of Fort Hare, hammering them 9-0 as the girls from Buffalo City ran riot in another lopsided contest.
 
In a tightly-contested game, Croesus Ladies beat Lusaka Ladies 2-1 in one of the rare close encounters.
 
In the Inland Stream, high riding Kanatla Ladies tasted their first defeat of the season when they went down 2-1 away to Mphanama in another closely contested match of this past weekend.
 
University of Johannesburg played to a 3-3 draw against Springs Home Sweepers and unbeaten defending champions Palace Super Falcons narrowly beat TUT-PTA 2-1 underscoring that they will not surrender their title without a fight.
 
Four fixtures including the much anticipated“clash of the students” fixture between the in-form Tuks side and NWU Vaal Campus, were postponed due to water logged pitches and will be rescheduled for a later date.
 
Results from the weekend:

TUT-PTA

1

Palace Super Falcon

2

NWU Vaal Campus

 

TUKS

Did not play   due to  waterlogged pitched

Moroka Swallows

6

VUT

4

Mamelodi Sundowns

 

Fabulous

Did not play   due to waterlogged pitch

Lusaka Ladies

1

Croesus

2

SUNDAY, 21 APRIL 2013

Mondeor Meteors

4

Winchester

2

Katlehong Eagles

1

Hallelujah Z. Force

6

Springs H Sweepers

3

Univ. Of JHB

3

WEEK 8

SATURDAY, 20 APRIL 2013

Classic Academy

1

Western Tigers

0

Bianca Academy

1

Al’s Puk Tawana

4

Clive United

3

Orbit FET College

7

Khunwana Blue Birds

0

Florentina

2

Golden Ladies

1

North West University

2

Mphanama

2

Kanatla Ladies

1

Queens

2

Sisters

0

Shayandima M. Stars            

4

development

2

Bakone

2

Chippas United

0

University of   Limpopo

1

Ma-Indies

9

Botlokwa

1

Mahwelereng

1

Modimolle

 

Re Tla Dira

Didn’t play to finish dispute

Eastern Cape – STREAM A

Thunderbirds

 

Continental Expr.

Game was not   played due to water logged pitch.

Liverpool

0

City Lads

5

Fort Hare

0

Birmingham

9

Manchester Babes

2

KUBS

2

Eastern Cape – STREAM B

Cumakala

2

Red Roses

0

All Stars

7

Red Lions

0

Liverpool Development

 

Mqanduli Ambassadors

Game was not   played due to schools tournament

Ex-wife was Kotze’s ‘narcissistic supply’


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Pretoria – Ina Bonnette was the “narcissistic supply” to “Modimolle monster” Johan Kotze, the High Court in Pretoria heard on Tuesday.

Jan van Rooyen, for one of Kotze’s co-accused Andries Sithole, asked clinical psychologist Tertia Spangenberg why Kotze did not react more drastically when he found three men attacking her – according to his testimony.

She said when Kotze saw Bonnette with another man on New Year’s Eve 2011 his “narcissistic supply” was cut off. He had idolised her prior to that day.

“The night of the 31st he lost Ina Bonnette as his narcissistic supply.”

Spangenberg explained that a narcissist, which she found Kotze was, would surround himself with people feeding this narcissism. Bonnette was this source for Kotze.

This was why, after Kotze saw her with someone else, he did not act more drastically when he saw his three co-accused attacking his  then wife on January 3, 2012, she said..

According to Kotze’s testimony, he found the men in a spare bedroom with Bonnette and he asked them not to hurt her.

Van Rooyen asked if a narcissist would not be more likely to revert to violence.

“I wouldn’t definitely say it would go over to violence,” Spangenberg said.

Kotze is accused of orchestrating the gang-rape of Bonnette and of murdering his stepson Conrad, 19, in his rented home in Modimolle on January 3, 2012.

At the time Bonnette was still married to Kotze, but lived in her own flat.

Kotze’s co-accused, Sithole, Pieta Mohlane, and Frans Mphaka are  accused of kidnapping, assaulting, repeatedly raping, and attempting to murder Bonnette that day.

Earlier on Tuesday the State questioned Spangenberg’s report on Kotze, according to which his actions were irrational.

Prosecutor Retha Meintjes put it to Spangenberg that Kotze’s actions – giving orders to his co-accused, walking to a closet to get tools to mutilate Bonnette’s genitals, pulling the trigger, and reloading the gun – appeared to be rational.

“These are complex actions,” Meintjes said.

Spangenberg agreed, based on the State’s version of events.

“Given the State’s evidence it may be rational.”

She added, however, that to actually give these orders was not rational.

In her report, Spangenberg found Kotze was not accountable for his actions.

“I am of the opinion that Mr Kotze was not accountable for the alleged actions of which he stands accused,” she said last week.

“It is my opinion that the combination of Mr Kotze’s narcissistic personality disorder, superimposed on traumatic psychological injuries, combined with an unmanaged, long-standing, major depression and untreated and unresolved acute stress disorder, resulted in a state of psychological dissociation during his alleged criminal acts.” – Sapa

Special team to probe brutal murder


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Durban – The brutal murder of an uMlazi woman, whose throat had been been slit and torso cut open, has spurred the provincial government to assign a special team to work with police and the community to tackle the scourge of rape and abuse in the township.

The body of Sithembile Sibiya, 29, was found in the veld  on Sunday near Isidingo Combined Primary School in J Section, less than a kilometre away from her home in H Section.

For more www.iol.co.za

Game used to pick satanic ritual victim


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Johannesburg – A game using toilet paper and matchsticks indicated who should be sacrificed in an apparent satanic ritual killing, a Johannesburg court heard on Tuesday.

This was the testimony of Lester Moody, 19, who is serving a prison sentence under a plea bargain reached after he confessed to being part of the killing in October 2011.

For more www.iol.co.za

Man pleads guilty to Gasa’s murder


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Durban – A man accused of murdering Durban businessman Nhlanhla Gasa pleaded guilty in the Durban Regional Court on Tuesday.

Mbulelo Arthur Nhlauzana, 25, pleaded guilty to charges of murder, robbery, and malicious damage to property.

He was arrested in Groutville, on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast, on April 13.

Gasa’s body was found floating in the Tugela River four weeks ago. He had sustained multiple wounds. Police found his burnt-out Jaguar near his body.

Officers then went to his home in Umhlanga, where they found blood stains, but no indication that valuables had been taken.

Police said the 63-year-old was attacked at his house and then taken to the river.

He is the father of South African television personality Noni Gasa. – Sapa