Pretoria – Media were stationed outside a Pretoria hospital on Saturday morning after the presidency announced former President Nelson Mandela was admitted in a “serious but stable” condition.

Photographers and journalists were monitoring cars entering and exiting the hospital.

There was no security apart from normal hospital guard stationed outside the building.

Early on Saturday morning presidency spokesman Mac Maharaj said Mandela was admitted due to a recurring lung infection.

“This morning at about 1.30am his condition deteriorated and he was transferred to a Pretoria hospital,” Maharaj said in a statement.

“He remains in a serious but stable condition.”

Maharaj said doctors were doing everything they could to make Mandela “better and comfortable”.

“President Jacob Zuma, on behalf of government and the nation, wishes Madiba a speedy recovery and requests the media and the public to respect the privacy of Madiba and his family,” Maharaj said.

On April 6, Mandela was discharged from hospital after spending nine days receiving treatment for recurring lung problems. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate has suffered lung ailments before.

Early in March, he was admitted to a Pretoria hospital for a scheduled check-up and was discharged the following day.

In December last year, Mandela underwent an operation to remove gallstones and treat the recurring lung infection. He was discharged after an 18-day stay and placed under home-based high care at his Houghton home.

In January, the presidency said Mandela had made a full recovery from the surgery and continued to improve. In February last year he was admitted to hospital for a stomach ailment.

At the time, the presidency said Mandela underwent a diagnostic procedure to investigate the cause of a long-standing abdominal complaint.

In January 2011, Mandela was taken to Milpark Hospital for routine tests relating to respiratory problems.

Mandela’s last major public appearance was in July 2010, at the final of the Fifa World Cup at Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg.

Since then he had spent his time between Johannesburg and his ancestral village of Qunu in the Eastern Cape. – Sapa

By Obakeng Maje

RUSTENBURG-The police registered cases of Attempted murder and malicious damage to property after a petrol bomb was thrown at Epol truck on Friday at approximately 21:15. Police said that the truck was allegedly approaching corner Beneden and Molen streets when two petrol bombs were thrown at it” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.

“The bombs were allegedly thrown at the truck by a group of people who were standing along the road”. 

The driver sustained injuries on the head, neck, face, hands and thighs and was taken to hospital for medical treatment. 

“The truck was damaged on the roof, seat and steering wheel, and damages are estimated at R15 000” said Mokgwabone.

It is suspected that the incident is linked to strike and protest actions by Rainbow Chicken employees in Rustenburg. 

A petrol bomb was thrown at a bus that was carrying Rainbow Chicken employees last month whereby several people were injured. 

“Nobody has been arrested on both incidents and investigation continues” police said.

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By Obakeng Maje

COLIGNY-A case of Culpable Homicide was registered after a 33 year-old man was knocked down by a truck on Friday at around 19:15 along Coligny-Biesiesvlei road.  

“According to information available at this stage, the victim and his three friends were walking along the road to Oppaslaagte when the truck allegedly knocked him and died instantly” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said.  

Investigation continues. 

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By Obakeng Maje

SWARTRUGGENS-The police are investigating a case of culpable homicide after a car allegedly collided with a kudu on Friday at approximately 18:00 along Lindleyspoort-Boshoek road.    

“It is alleged that the driver,56 was travelling along Lindleyspoort-Boshoek road when he suddenly spotted kudu that was crossing the road” colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said. 

The driver’s vehicle allegedly overturned after colliding with the animal.  

“Emergency Medical Services declared him dead on the scene.  Investigation continues.

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Johannesburg – A Western Cape petrol station cleaner will attend his graduation ceremony at UCT after completing a social sciences degree 17 years ago, Beeld reported on Friday.

Joseph Khohlokoane, 44, finished his degree with around R30 000 of study debt in 1996.

He started working as a petrol attendant at a Shell Ultra City in Worcester to try and pay his debt, as the University of Cape Town would not formally give him his degree until he had settled his account.

“I wanted to pay it off at R100 a month, but they said it wasn’t enough,” Khohlokoane was quoted as saying.

He spent the next 10 years working as a petrol attendant, and then another seven as a cleaner.

“I actually wanted to become a social worker, but after two years they told me I couldn’t carry on, because I stutter. So I changed courses, and switched to social sciences,” Khohlokoane said.

His employer Willem Venter, said a farmer in the area Clarence Johnson heard about Khohlokoane’s situation and arranged for his debt to be paid.

Over the years the debt had accrued interest and had grown to R100 000.

On Friday, Venter will drive Khohlokoane, his wife, and their daughter to his graduation ceremony in Cape Town.

Khohlokoane, dressed in a brand new suit, said he had never lost faith and always knew he would get his degree somehow.

“I’m so happy. I’m free,” he said. 

SAPA

The 25-year jail sentences that each of the three Deelpan rapists was given by the Mmabatho Regional Court on Friday should sent a strong message to perpetrators of sexual offence that those who violate women and children will face the full might of the law, North West Premier Thandi Modise said on Saturday.

“We welcome the jail term sentences as they served justice on the perpetrators and call on real men to stand up against the scourge of rape and change their attitude towards violence and gender inequality.” emphasised Premier Modise.Young girls and women should avoid high risk places that could increase their vulnerability such as taverns, shebeens, since most perpetrators target women who are either drunk or who those who ask for lifts from strangers, said Modise.

She called on women to always be aware of their surroundings and consider risks and their safety whenever they go out for entertainment given that not even infants are safe from sexual violence.

According to police, Sam Mboma, 26, Sello Dikale, 19, and Olebogeng Mafulako, 19, raped a 25-year-old woman in Deelpan, near Itsoseng, in October last year.

The three had allegedly accosted the woman and gang-raped when she was leaving a tavern with her brother and cousins.

They were arrested after they were identified by the survivor.

Bafana Bafana had a surprise guest at their hotel last night (Friday, 07 June 2013) when they were visited by the SA High Commissioner accredited to Cameroon and CAR, Her Excellency Ms Zanele Makina.

Ms Makina wished Bafana Bafana well in their clash against the Central African Republic (CAR) in a Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

The match will take place today (Saturday, 8 June) at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo and kicks off 15h00 local time in Cameroon (16h00 SA time).

The High Commissioner also joined on the tradition of handing out playing jerseys to all the players.

“I am proud to be standing here in front of you this evening ahead of such an important game for our country. We are all ambassadors here representing the South African flag, so I can safely call you fellow diplomats.

“You arrive here with the advantage of being perhaps the most respected nation on the continent, but at the same time you have the disadvantage of everyone wanting to prove a point against you. It is going to be tough against CAR but we have confidence that you will not let us down and you will also not let yourselves down. I can only wish you all the best, we know you can do it,” said the High Commissioner in the presence of South African Football Association (SAFA) President, Kirsten Nematandani.

Meanwhile Bafana Bafana completed their preparations for the match with a training session at the match venue. Head coach Gordon Igesund has a clean bill of health with all players fit for the encounter.

“I have said before that the match against Lesotho was to check on combinations, and I have already made up my mind on the starting line-up with CAR. Losing is not an option, and the boys know that there is no bigger game than this one if we want to reach Brazil,” said Igesund

Johannesburg – The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) will meet Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille to discuss sanitation issues, it said on Friday.

“The commission has… decided to take immediate steps to address the current crisis by firstly engaging with the mayor’s office,” said spokesperson Isaac Mangena.

“The commission will also engage with national, provincial and local government, as well as the Public Protector and civil society organisations to intervene in this matter.”

On Wednesday, De Lille called on the SAHRC to help the city educate residents in informal settlements about the benefits of portable flush toilets (PFTs).

Mangena said the SAHRC had a specific mandate.

“Having received complaints from communities arising from government service delivery choices, it would be inappropriate and contrary to its legal mandate to participate or endorse government programmes, which are the subject of a complaint,” Mangena said.

He said the SAHRC had received complaints from residents about PFTs.

“They argue that these alternatives pose similar challenges as the current bucket system, and may continue to pose health risks and violate the dignity of users,” Mangena said.

“The commission wishes to emphasise that the eradication of the bucket system must be looked at nationally, and not only at a provincial level.”

Sanitation facilities

Mangena said the SAHRC had conducted an on-site inspection in Gugulethu.

“The SAHRC observed that there were no proper sanitation facilities in some of the areas… and that community members reported that there had been no waste collection services since 2 April due to a strike by the city’s service provider, Sannicare,” he said.

“This has resulted in an accumulation of waste which needs urgent attention and intervention.”

De Lille said on Wednesday that communities were resisting the installation of PFTs.

“If we continue to receive resistance to our efforts in a community, the city will be obliged to move our focus to other areas where the initiatives are welcome,” she told reporters.

On Tuesday a group of people in Khayelitsha threw human waste at a bus used by Western Cape Premier Helen Zille and others to travel to a green economy event.

Dumping faeces

Zille’s spokesperson Zak Mbhele said several ANCYL members protested outside the event.

“Police that were stationed around the venue fired tear gas to disperse the mob,” he said.

Police spokesperson Tembinkosi Kinana said two men, aged 23 and 26, were arrested for public violence.

On Monday, two men dumped human waste on the steps of the Western Cape legislature in a protest about portable toilets.

ANC councillor and youth league member Loyiso Nkohla, and former ANC councillor and banned league member Andile Lili told The Cape Argus it was a “warning” of things to come.

“We will return with thousands of these bucket toilets next week and empty them around the legislature building,” Lili was quoted as saying.

“We were ready to be arrested and will die for this.”

Last month, former Sannicare janitors, who were responsible for cleaning communal toilets, blocked a part of the N2 highway with burning tyres, and dumped faeces on the road.

They were protesting against being dismissed after demanding they be paid the equivalent of a 16-hour work day, which Sannicare rejected, saying it was against labour legislation.

SAPA