Johannesburg – Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula confirmed on Friday that South Africa had deployed troops in countries neighbouring the Central African Republic.

But this was merely to support the withdrawal of SA National Defence Force Troops from the troubled state, she told the Cape Town Press Club.

She said that after South Africa suffered 13 fatalities in a rebel attack near the CAR capital Bangui in March, it sent soldiers to the region while it weighed whether or not to evacuate.

These soldiers had been part of a 400-strong contingent approved to go to the CAR, but had remained in South Africa after fewer than 300 were sent.

“We had just been attacked in Bangui, we are now assessing the situation to determine whether we remain or evacuate, and of course as you do this assessment you need to position yourself such that in the event there is a need to evacuate, you can evacuate as quickly as possible – which is what we did.”

The deployment of troops to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the wake of the fatal Bangui attack, sparked reports that South Africa was planning to pour more troops into the CAR for a counter-attack on rebel forces.

Mapisa-Nqakula said government never responded at the time because it found the claims “strange”.

Deploying troops to neighbouring states proved a sensible decision as it made for a “highly efficient” withdrawal from the CAR.

There have been reports in recent weeks that South Africa is likely to send troops back to the CAR, after its neighbours agreed to send 2000 troops to boost the regional peace-keeping force Fomac.

But Mapisa-Nqakulu ruled out sending troops back to the CAR to restore stability to the country, unless it was part of a multilateral contingent.

“South Africa will not go to Bangui on its own. That measure is not on the table.”

She said South Africa assumed that if the African Union decided that there was a need to send peace-keepers to the CAR, it would be asked to contribute ground troops.

“It is at that point that we will sit and consider whether we deploy or do not deploy.”

Sapa

Cape Town – Windows were broken, property was damaged and 36 students were arrested as approximately 1 000 Northlink students went on the rampage at the Belhar campus for the second day on Thursday.
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Pretoria – An Atteridgeville man will know on Friday whether he will be held accountable for the death of retired nurse Connie Chauke, who was found strangled, tied up and gagged in her home.
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Johannesburg – The Congress of SA Trade Unions was asked to make an upfront payment of R200 000 for the planned protest against e-tolls and not R2 million, the Johannesburg metro police said on Friday.

“It was R200 000 not R2 million,” said spokesman Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar.

Minnaar said the charge was a monetary guarantee for protection against potential damage.

He said they did not always charge for protests.

“We charge only if we are of the view that there might be damage or injury during the protest.”

The decision to charge Cosatu was based on their previous protest against e-tolls.

Cosatu Gauteng secretary Dumisani Dakile told protesters on Friday that the JMPD had asked for an upfront payment of R2 million for the e-toll protest to go ahead.

“We have never paid money in order to exercise our constitutional right. We are not prepared to pay even half a cent… let them go to hell.”

According to Dakile metro police also told Cosatu it had a sworn statement stating there would be violence at the march.

“We have had many marches, peaceful marches. That is their plan to stop us.”

Cosatu’s application to embark on a drive-slow protest on the city’s highways was dismissed by the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

Cosatu approached the court after the JMPD refused it permission for the protest.

In December, the N3 highway was briefly closed when protesting motorists parked their cars and danced during a similar drive-slow motorcade.

Earlier this week, Dakile said the motorcade was planned for the M1 north, N1 south, N12, and M2 north highways in Johannesburg.

The march was called off. – Sapa

Six hundred and six unemployed graduates have been appointed by provincial government departments across the North West Province in internship programmes for them to gain much needed workplace experiential learning, Premier Thandi Modise reported in the 2013/2014 Departmental Policy and Budget Vote Speech for Office of the Premier she tabled in the provincial legislature on Thursday.

In announcing that 170 bursaries will be awarded to needy and deserving students to address the provincial priority skills needs, Premier Modise urged provincial departments to employ 35 beneficiaries of her Department’s Talent Management Enhancement Programme.

R11,9 million has been budgeted for Provincial bursary scheme for the 2013/2014 financial year.

Modise reported that universities have confirmed that 35 bursary holders have recently completed their degrees in the medicine, other health fields of studies, Engineering, Economics, Accounting, Social Work, Information Technology and Agriculture as their skills

“Twenty unemployed youth from Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District have completed their engineering learnership programmes, are qualified and permanently employed by various municipalities as artisan,” Premier Modise added

Modise further said that the milestone brings to 40 unemployed youth that benefitted from the partnership between the Office of the Premier, Anglo Gold Ashanti Limited and the District municipalities. Thirty-five of the 40 beneficiaries are also permanently employed.

The Office of the Premier is also hosting 18 graduates with disabilities who are part of the internship programme for People with Disabilities implemented in partnership with Disabled People South Africa and the Services Sector Education and Training Authority.

The programme is aimed at increasing the chances of employability and ultimately absorption of the graduates into the labour market.
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