Alternative accommodation has to be provided for thousands of illegal squatters occupying private land in Klerksdorp, North West, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria ordered on Friday.

The court instructed the Matlosana municipality to provide the squatters with alternative accommodation within 21 days.

Civil rights group AfriForum brought the application seeking an eviction order against the squatters living in Meiringspark.

Respondents in the court case included representatives of the Matlosana municipality and the occupants.

Despite notices of Friday’s court process, none of the listed respondents turned up at court.

Attorney Werner Human, for AfriForum, said there was no formal opposition to the proposed eviction in court, but an eviction order was not granted on Friday because of a legal technicality.

“Remarkably, we had no opposition from the occupants to oppose this proposed eviction. However, the Prevention of Illegal Eviction Act says the court cannot grant an order against people if they have occupied a certain space for longer than six months,” he said.

“Even if the people have not filed any opposing papers, even if they have not pitched up at court [to oppose the eviction]. Alternative accommodation has to be provided.”

Alternative accommodation

The legislation appeared to favour the occupiers, said Human.

“We will now have to serve our application to the municipality, with the order for it to provide the illegal occupants with alternative accommodation within the [next] 21 days,” he said.

The municipality was expected to present a report on the removal of the squatters to the high court when the matter resumed in July.

Human said due to the stipulations of the act, the legal battle to evict the Klerksdorp squatters could become drawn-out.

SAPA

Pretoria – Mineral Resource Minister Susan Shabangu said on Friday that violence and murder could not be used to coerce people to join a union. 

“We are calling for a peaceful co-existence of unions in the mining industry; let freedom of association prevail,” Shabangu told the NUM central committee meeting held in Pretoria.

“The NUM is not the enemy of Amcu and Amcu is not and should not be the enemy of NUM.”

Shabangu said the unions needed to join hands as they had one common class enemy — “monopoly capital”.

The mining sector has lately seen fierce rivalry between the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) that has led to to violent labour unrest in North West.

Shabangu said this was a testing time for NUM, but the union needed to represent its members without fear or favour.

SAPA

By Obakeng Maje

Klerksdorp-A 43 year old suspect from Doringkruin in Klerksdorp was on Thursday at about 14:00 arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation( the Hawks) of Rustenburg, in Rustenburg CBD.

“It is alleged that the suspect  was caught after gazing people who were doing transactions at one of the bank ATMs in Rustenburg CBD” Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said. The police who were conducting their observation at the bank during that time spotted a suspicious man whom they recognised as one of the bank card cloners, standing suspiciously behind an unsuspecting victim who was busy withdrawing money from the machine.

“Police quickly approached, questioned searched him and found a Scheming Device in his possession. He led the police to his car which was parked nearby where the search continued and thirty (30) different bank cards were found in his car” Ngubane said.

“He was immediately arrested and further led the police to his residential place in Klerksdorp where another search was conducted on Friday at about 09:00 in the morning” said police. 

Police allegedly recovered 2 laptops and computer.

They were seized for further investigation. 

The suspect’s vehicle which he was driving during the arrest was also confiscated. 

“Police are also looking into forfeiting the suspect’s assets if they find out that he benefitted from these horrible activities” said Ngubane.

The suspect is still in custody and is expected to appear before Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday to face charges of Fraud and Electronic Communication and Transaction Act.

North West police warn the community on an ongoing cloning or skimming of bank cards. 

“Card cloning and ATM fraud is one of the concerns of the police as it cost victims of an estimated R20 million per month in the North West Province only” police said. 

It is alleged that most of the suspects are from Jouberton township in Klerksdorp.  

Police are determined to leave no stone unturned in dealing with these types of crime. 

Police are appealing to the public to be alert when withdrawing money from the ATM’s. 

“The simplest and easiest way to prevent your card from being used by fraudsters is to stand close to the ATM and cover the keypad when you enter the PIN” Ngubane said. 

“This will stop shoulder surfers from stealing your PIN number and prevent it from being read with a hidden camera on the ATM, which is a method used by fraudsters.” concludes police.  

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews

Johannesburg – The rand weakened, extending its third week of declines, on concern labor unrest will curb growth in Africa’s largest economy.

For http://www.iol.co.za

The Office of North West Premier is targeting completion and rollout of a Provincial Anti corruption strategy that will comprehensively combat corruption .The strategy is expected to be finalised during the current financial year, Premier Thandi Modise announced on Thursday.

“We will continue to engage critical stakeholders to ensure successful implementation of this strategy,” committed Premier Modise in her 2013/2014 Departmental Policy Statement and Budget Speech delivered in the provincial legislature.

Three hundred and seventy two cases across departments and municipalities reported through the National Anti-Corruption Hotline were referred to the province for investigation.

Modise committed that her department will ensure that there is compliance with the Minimum Anti-Corruption Capacity.

Milestone achieved during the 2012/2013 financial year include hosting the annual provincial round table discussion on the promotion of professional ethics in the workplace which was hosted with the Provincial Anti-Corruption Forum.

World governing soccer body (FIFA) has assigned SAFA’s Acting Technical Director Fran Hilton-Smith to conduct a five-day coaching course in Kampala, Uganda in grassroots development.

The FIFA coaching course which started on Monday, 20 May, is meant for development coaches; both men and women.

The course which entails taking part in theoretical and practical work will conclude on Saturday, 25 May 2013.

Hilton-Smith, who is a qualified FIFA instructor, says it is an honour and a privilege to be sharing her knowledge in grassroots football with the rest of the continent.

“It is an absolute honour and privilege to share my knowledge in Africa as a FIFA Instructor. Uganda has always been an active country in women’s football and hopefully this course will ensure that more players are developed for the future,” said Hilton-Smith.

The course is mainly being attended by teachers and coaches from all corners of this East African country.

Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews

Bloemfontein – A farmer’s wife who is accused of killing her husband allegedly went to see a sangoma to make the case against her “disappear”.

For more http://www.news24.com

Kimberley – The Northern Cape has been ordered to compensate a teacher fired for refusing to alter a pupil’s marks, the education department said on Thursday.

“Indeed, as the department, we have received the award regarding this case,” provincial spokesman Sydney Stander said.

According to a statement by Solidarity, the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) ruled that the department had to pay maths and science teacher, Arlene Nel, compensation for her unfair dismissal.

The former Hoërskool Kakamas teacher was dismissed in January by the school’s principal via a text message after she allegedly refused to tamper with his son’s marks, the statement said.

“Her dismissal followed shortly after the principal had asked her to adjust his Grade 11 son’s marks for life sciences (biology) so he could pass,” spokeswoman Moira-Marie Kloppers said.

Nel had taught at the school since January 2012 and her contract was not renewed.

“The ELRC found that the incident indeed impacted on the fact that Nel’s contract with the school was not renewed,” Kloppers said.

Stander said the department was looking into the matter and would decide on a course of action. – Sapa

Kimberley – Mystery surrounds the death of a 46-year-old man who died while being held by the police at the Kimberley Police Station in Phakimile Mabija Street. Police have so far refused to comment on the incident.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

The case against nine policemen accused of killing taxi driver Mido Macia was postponed in the Benoni Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Magistrate Sam Makamu postponed the case to July 26 so the investigation could be completed, indictments prepared, a trial date set, and the matter transferred to the High Court.

The Director of Public Prosecutions notified the prosecution on Friday morning that the matter would be moved. The prosecution suggested the High Court in Pretoria as the likely venue. – Sapa