By Obakeng Maje
Kimberley-Police are investigating a case of Assault GBH after an unknown male was found at the Corner of Christian and Thompson Street near to Southey Street Motors in Kimberley.

“The badly battered victim was found by a passer-by who contacted the police at approximately 05:00am” Lieutenant Sergio Kock said.
The man suffered severe head injuries and due to his injuries he is unable to speak said Kock.
The man is receiving medical attention at Kimberley Hospital and both police and the hospital are unable to get any information from him.
“The man could be in his mid-thirties, has a fair complexion, short hair, is slender built and is approximately 1.7 metres tall” said police.
The police found him dressed in red t-shirt, brown trouser and black shoes.

The police request assistance in the identification of the male and all information in this regard can be forwarded to Detective Warrant Officer Patrick Dibebe at 082 331 4712.
At this stage no arrests have been made. The investigation continues.
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The South African Football Association’s (SAFA) Under 13 and Under 15 nationwide league programme for boys and girls kicks off among more than 300 Local Football Associations (LFA) around the country today (Saturday, 11 May 2013).

This is the most important development programme in the history of South African football and marks the beginning of the implementation of a critical component of the SAFA Technical Master Plan – the building of a rich and robust talent identification and development pipeline.

The programme is funded by the 2010 FIFA World Cup Legacy Trust.

Coordinators from across the country went through thorough training to enable them to roll out this ambitious programme in their respective LFAs.

Coaches and talent scouts will select LFA teams which will participate in regional competitions followed by Provincial competitions in September 2013.

In the process, 1000 boys and 1000 girls who show potential will be identified and put through high performance tests conducted by our high performance universities.

SAFA President, Kirsten Nematandani said he was excited SAFA’s Technical Master Plan was off the ground and that this roll out will change the face of South African football forever.

“We are confident that with this programme off the ground, the journey that will make our national teams world beaters has started. We are certain that the country’s football landscape will never be the same again,” he said.

The Communications Department says Minister Dina Pule will not apologise to the Sunday Times for saying at a media conference that the newspaper was involved in a smear and blackmail campaign about her.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela told thousands of new graduates at the University of Fort Hare that they had a role to play – by keeping the state accountable.
For more http://www.citypress.co.za

The Congress of South African Trade Unions has expressed outrage over Anglo American Platinum’s announcement that it will cut 6 000 jobs.
“Thousands of families face losing their only breadwinner and communities … will be devastated by the impact of such heavy job losses,” Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) spokesperson Patrick Craven said on Friday.

“This illustrates why Cosatu has consistently called for the nationalisation of the mining industry, so that it can be run for the benefit of the workers … and not for the profit of shareholders.”

Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) on Friday announced that it will cut 6 000 jobs at its South African operations, in a move that risks sparking a resurgence of labour unrest.

The top platinum producer said the bulk of job losses would be felt at mines near the northern city of Rustenburg, the crucible of fatal labour violence last year.

Amplats said the move was necessary to get the company back on the path to profitability after reporting a more-than-140% drop headline earnings in 2012.

Cosatu to support NUM
In January, the company said it might have to cut 14 000 jobs as part of a major restructuring. The mineral resources department intervened when there was a subsequent outcry. Labour Relations Act section 189 consultations on the retrenchments were then suspended.

In its place the department, the company and unions held talks to find other solutions.

“[Amplats] expects that the revised proposals have the potential to reduce the number of mining and processing jobs affected to approximately 6 000,” it said in a statement.

The company’s business review was in response to the demand for platinum, and “challenges” that had eroded profitability.

This was in the aftermath of 44 deaths – 34 of them at the hands of the police – near Lonmin’s Marikana platinum operations in Rustenburg during a pay strike in August, and a prolonged industry-wide strike.

Cosatu said it would support the National Union of Mineworkers in whatever action they decided to take to save jobs.

Amplats described as ‘child’
The Friday announcement was met with a furious response from South Africa’s ruling ANC government, which described Amplats as behaving like a “child”.

“The company believes it is ethically acceptable to execute a complex form of hoarding of minerals and deprive the country of economic growth and workers of their livelihoods,” said Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu.

Amplats agreed to revisit the decision.

The announcement of vastly reduced job losses will offer little succour to the government, which has been largely unsuccessful in its efforts to bring own unemployment.

At least one in four South African workers currently has no job and growth is anaemic compared to the rest of Africa, which is expected to grow at more than 5% this year.

The timing is also embarrassing, coming as South Africa holds the the World Economic Forum’s “African Davos” in Cape Town.

Amplats also has operations in Zimbabwe and Brazil. Its parent company Anglo American is one of the world’s largest mining companies. – Sapa; Reuters

The 19th MTN Sama festivities have been kick-started with the non-broadcast leg that honours the music industry and those working behind the scenes.
Back for a second year after being a hosting favourite in 2012, comedian Tumi Morake said everything she shouldn’t but kept the momentum of the show going at a constant yet thrilling pace.

Guest presenters included personalities such as Penny Lebyane, Ben Maitsapo, Kgomotso KG Moeketsi, Khetha Gwala, James Shikwambana, Amor Vittone, Michelle Constant, Lerato Sengadi and Jared Orlin.

Former Idols winner, Elvis Blue led the tribute to the late Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Johannes Kerkorrel by singing his hit songs Hillbrow and Halala Afrika.

The esteemed Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented by last year’s recipients Vusi Mahlasela and Ray Phiri to Dr Thomas Chauke, Sizwe Zako and Kerkorrel.

One year after winning Idols, a Metro FM award and Clash of the Choirs, newcomer and two-time nominee this year, Khaya Mthethwa walked away with the Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album award.

Songbird Lira’s The Captured Tour Concert Film scooped the Best Live DVD award from under other nominees in the category, which were DJ Black Coffee for Africa Rising, The Parlotones’ Dragonflies and Astronauts, Huisgenoot Skouspel – Huisgenoot Skouspel 2012 and Zahara for The Beginning Live.

Jax Panik received the Best Producer award for their work on Toya Delazy’s Due Drop Deluxe while Mark Beling was chosen as the Best Engineer for his work on the country singing trio BlackByrd’s album, Strong.

——————————————————————————–

List of Winners:

Lifetime Achievement Awards
Johannes Kerkorrel
Sizwe Zako
Dr Thomas Chauke

Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album
Khaya Mthethwa – For You

Best Alternative Album
iScream & The Chocolate Stix – The Paradox

Best Classic & Instrumental Album
CH2 CH 2 Guitar Duo Live with the University of Pretoria Symphony – Orchestra

Best Contemporary Faith Music Album
Ntokozo Mbambo – Filled

Best Producer
Jax Panik – Due Drop Deluxe (Toya Delazy)

Best Engineer
Mark Beling – Strong (BlackByrd)

Best Music Video of the Year
Claudio Pavan – Honey Spiders (The Parlotones)

Remix of the Year
DJ Kent – Thinking about You Ft. Zonke DJ Kent Remix (Theo Kgosinkwe)

Best Live DVD
Lira – The Captured Tour Concert Film

Best Selling DVD
Joyous Celebration – Vol. 16 Live at Carnival City

Best Selling Album
Theuns Jordaan – Roeper

Best Selling Tru-Tone
DJ Cleo ft. Teddy Bears – Follow Me

Best Selling Ring-Back-Tone
Zahara – Loliwe

Best Selling Full-Track Download
Shout/J23 – Artists for a safer South Africa You’re The Voice

SAMPRA AWARD
Micasa – Heavenly Sent
For more http://www.mg.co.za

Moroka Swallows’ bid to secure their Top 8 place this season will be double barrelled as they are also chasing their 200th League win in the modern day PSL era.

 

This will also make them the last of the five clubs that have been ever present in the country’s top flight to reach the double century milestone.

 

Swallows stand at 199 wins at the moment ahead of their short trip to face SuperSport United tomorrow afternoon that will precede their season ending home tie against Bloemfontein Celtic next Saturday.

 

Of the two games remaining, The Dube Birds are aware of the need to at least win one or even both to secure their place in the Top 8.

 

The next victory that Swallows achieve will take them to 200 wins since their first set of maximum points in the modern day PSL era way back on September 24, 1996 when Alfred Tshabalala’s solitary strike gave them maximum points against Wits University.

 

Swallows have laboured on through difficult times escaping relegation through some years in going on to remain amongst the crème de la crème.

 

All the other ever presents in the 17 year-old PSL have gone past that 200 wins already with Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns joint top at 259 wins closely followed by Orlando Pirates at 257 wins and SuperSport at 216 though Pirates and SuperSport have both played a game less.

 

If Swallows achieve that feat of 200 wins against SuperSport tomorrow it will have taken them 533 games to reach the double century mark.

 

Zeca Marques, the Swallows coach says besides reaching the 200 wins mark what is also providing extra motivation for them in their drive to finish in the top 8 is that they also want to defend their MTN8 title next season.

 

“There is plenty reasons why the next set of three points is key for us. We need our next win to come from our next game (SuperSport) to put the destiny of our Top 8 place in our own hands rather than wait for the last game of the season when tension is very high.

 

“So the quicker we get the next three points the better for us. I am excited to know that the next win that we get will be for history reasons (200th win) so we have a lot to play for in our game at SuperSport tomorrow, though I have to acknowledge it will be a difficult game for both teams as we are both playing for Top 8 positions but we are up for the challenge,” says Marques.

 

Swallows go into the last two matches sitting in seventh position on 38 points with Marques looking to finish his first full season in charge of a PSL team in the top half.

For more http://www.kickoff.com

Johannesburg – There is no food shortage at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg, the Gauteng health department said on Friday.

 

“Patients are getting their three meals a day,” spokesperson Simon Zwane said.

 

“Charlotte Maxeke does not keep food on site. They get ready-prepared food from the state-owned food supplier… They have sufficient food.”

 

Zwane was responding to a joint press statement issued by Section27 and the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) that companies contracted to supply food and bread to the hospital had stopped all deliveries due to the non-payment of outstanding accounts.

 

Zwane said this was not true.

 

“There is no food supply company that is owed. I was in discussion with [hospital] management this morning [Friday] and last night. Patients are receiving hot meals.”

 

Section27 and the TAC said it received “disturbing” reports on Thursday about the food shortages.

 

“… Over the last few days, the hospital department responsible for food services has rationed food, providing patients with [a] small portion of plain soup with no bread, as a substitute for certain meals,” the two groups said in the statement.

 

“… No mention was made of breakfast or tea… we are… informed that some patients received no breakfast this morning [Friday] and that food stocks are likely to be exhausted soon.”

 

The two organisations said they were “extremely concerned” about human rights violations at the hospital.

 

“The situation is unacceptable and must be addressed… as a matter of extreme urgency. We will continue to monitor the situation.”

 

SAPA