Kimberley – The DA’s national leader, Helen Zille, was met in Kimberley on Tuesday with sewage of a different kind… this time from a hosepipe after treated effluent water was sprayed by an irate municipal worker in an attempt to dampen a public meeting in the municipal gardens.

The drama unfolded in the Sol Plaatje municipal gardens on Tuesday during events leading up to a visit by Zille.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Ramotshere Moiloa local municipality mayor Afrika Thale has been suspended from the ANC for three years, the party’s North West provincial disciplinary committee (PDC) said on Wednesday.

“By virtue of his suspension, the respondent (Thale) will no longer be able to represent the applicant (provincial working committee) as the mayor and councillor of the Ramotshere Moiloa local municipality and must accordingly vacate his position,” the PDC said in its ruling.

The muncipality has its seat in Zeerust.

Thale was charged with six counts of misconduct over Rule 25 of the party’s constitution, which relates to management of organisational discipline.

The matter arose when Thale refused to resign as mayor after the provincial working committee (PWC) asked that he do so because he was not the preferred candidate of the provincial executive committee (PEC) or the national executive committee (NEC).

It was common practice in the ANC that the nomination of candidates was agreed upon by the party. It was then subjected to various processes that would culminate in various structures of the party endorsing the final list.

Thale argued he was the municipality’s duly elected candidate and saw no need to heed the PWC’s call.

After he ignored several calls to resign, the PWC wrote him a final notice which he failed to adhere to. The PWC then referred the matter to the PDC.

The PDC said Thale had a right to appeal the decision with the national disciplinary committee. – Sapa

Cape Town artist Zwelethu Mthethwa is at the centre of a police investigation into the murder of a Woodstock woman.

It was reported over the weekend that Mthethwa, 52, a painter and photographer, had been arrested on a murder charge last month.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Labour union, Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) at Xstrata’s Steelpoort mine in Limpopo is meeting stakeholders in the Sekhukhune area in a bid to end the stalemate where about 2000 miners were dismissed.

Amcu representatives are, on Wednesday morning, meeting the Tubatse Municipality and traditional leaders.

Workers affiliated to Amcu downed tools at the mine three weeks ago, alleging racism by management.

While the leadership of Amcu is meeting community structures in Burgersfort to seek their intervention, hundreds of dismissed workers are gathered 4 km away from the mine.

They are later expected to meet three traditional leaders who are the owners of the land where the mine is operating to ask them to convince the mine management to reverse its decision.

The strike resulted in the shutdown of three chrome mine shafts.

Management has since obtained a court order instructing the miners to gather 4 km away from the mine.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

A new initiative to find an HIV vaccine has been announced at the South African Aids Conference in Durban.

This 10 year initiative builds on unexpected results from a study in Thailand which found some immune responses from the body to suppress the HI virus.

This new initiative is called ‘Uhambo’, meaning journey. University of the Witwatersrand Aids researcher Dr Glenda Gray says the first step will be to see if South African volunteers show the same response as those in Thailand.

After that, elements of subtype C of the HI virus that is most common in Southern Africa will be inserted in the vaccine and tested.

Various vaccines will be tested over the 10 year period. HIV Trials Network executive Director James Kublin says the first study has just begun and will last till the end of the year.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

19 June 2013 marks the Centenary of the introduction of the Natives Land Act in 1913. The Act restricted black people to own land in certain territories only and had a shattering impact on communities across the country.

Christelle du Toit reports that land reform remains an emotional issue, with much that remains to be done, but that there are examples of it both working and failing.

For more http://www.sabc.co.za

The Somali Interior Ministry has confirmed that two South Africans are among the 15 people killed in an attack on the United Nations (UN) Compound in Somali’s capital, Mogadishu.

Somalia’s al-Qaeda linked al-Shabaab insurgents have claimed responsibility for the attack. It is the first major attack targeting the UN since the agencies started relocating to Mogadishu after a 20-year absence.

The compound, which includes both residential and office areas is a short distance from the airport, which is the base of the African Union troops. The compound is guarded by its own security officers.

The Somali government and the African Union Mission for Somalia have condemned the attacks terming them cowardly and futile attacks. AMISOM says the attacks will not deter the mission’s collective efforts to continue supporting the people of Somalia rebuild their country.

Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon condemned the brazen daylight raid as a “senseless and despicable attack on innocent UN civilians”.

Shebab fighters, who boasted about the killings, used both a car bomb and suicide attackers to blast their way into the fortified base in central Mogadishu near the airport.

UN sources said one staff member and two contractors were killed along with at least two Somali security guards, although the nationalities of the foreigners could not be immediately confirmed.

Security warnings of an attack have been in place for weeks, and UN staff regularly practise sheltering in a secure bunker inside the compound.

“Our commandos attacked the UN compound … we set off an explosion and entered the compound,” a senior Shebab official told AFP, saying they entered to attack “the infidel forces.”

Somali and African Union troops later moved into the complex – despite the Islamists battling back with heavy gunfire – to end the hour-and-a-half siege.

“The situation is under control… Somali soldiers along with African Union forces stormed the compound and killed the attackers,” said Somali police official Abdulahi Osman.

He said three civilians were confirmed killed, caught in the crossfire in the streets near the compound.

UN sources said one staff member and two contractors were killed along with at least two Somali security guards, although the nationalities of the foreigners could not be immediately confirmed. – Additional reporting by Sapa-AFP

Johannesburg – The DA plans to file another motion of no confidence against Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale after reports of alleged travel abuse on Wednesday.

“Tomorrow [Thursday], the DA will make a formal appeal to the speaker, Rudolph Phala, to review his refusal to allow a DA motion of no confidence against Premier Mathale to be debated,” said Democratic Alliance Limpopo legislature caucus leader Desiree van der Walt in a statement.

On Wednesday, The Star reported that Mathale allegedly spent thousands of rands flying “short” distances in chartered helicopters. Last month, he spent R60 000 travelling 161km, according to the newspaper.

“We believe that the speaker now has no choice but to allow the no-confidence debate to remove premier Mathale in the light of ongoing abuses,” said Van der Walt.

In May, the African National Congress caucus in the Limpopo legislature rejected an attempt to debate a motion of no confidence in Mathale. The motion came after five provincial government departments were placed under administration because of corruption and gross violation of the Public Finance Management Act.

Mathale was stripped of his position as ANC provincial chairman when the party’s national executive committee decided to disband the provincial executive committee in April. A task team had since run the party in the province.

Mathale also allegedly rented a helicopter for a 200km trip between Polokwane and Musina in January, costing R82 000.

Limpopo government spokesperson Tebatso Mabitsela confirmed to the publication that Mathale spent taxpayers’ money on the two helicopter trips.

Mabitsela said it was impossible for Mathale to travel between the two places due to the distance and time pressure. He said the premier had to attend two “important occasions” last month.

The Star reported that Mathale was driven to Ga-Mashashane village from Polokwane to open the provincial house of traditional leaders.

Thereafter, he flew to Elim near Louis Trichardt, about 100km from Polokwane, to join his MECs at a public participation meeting, Mabitsela said.

Van der Walt said the money could have been better used.

“The money Premier Mathale blows on helicopter flights could have been used to purchase textbooks, increase norms and standard funds to schools or provide water and proper sanitation for the citizens of Limpopo.”

– SAPA

Pretoria – Former president Nelson Mandela’s family arrived at the Pretoria hospital where the elderly statesman was spending a 12th day on Wednesday.

Mandela’s daughter, South Africa’s ambassador to Argentina, Zenani Mandela, arrived at the hospital with Madiba’s grandchildren Zoleka and Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway.

They were with Zaziwe’s husband, American businessman, David Manaway.

The Mandelas drove past the security checkpoint along Park Street in a black SUV.

Mandela, 94, was hospitalised in the early hours of 8 June with a recurring lung infection. The presidency said he was in a “serious but stable” condition.

Several close relatives of the anti-apartheid icon had been visiting him daily.

On Tuesday, Mandela’s ex-wife, ANC MP Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, was at the hospital. She and her daughter left the facility after 16:00 in a black Audi A5 with flashing blue police lights.

Fewer police officers were manning the hospital’s entrances on Wednesday.

Three officers stationed at each entrance were screening all vehicles entering the Medi-Clinic Heart hospital.

The number of journalists, including technical and logistical staff, also dwindled compared to the hundreds that milled outside the hospital during Mandela’s first few days at the facility.

Well-wishers had adorned the hospital’s perimeter wall with get-well-soon cards, bouquets of flowers, balloons, sculptures, and flags.

– SAPA

Polokwane – The trial of five Limpopo policemen accused of beating a Nigerian man to death was postponed in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

A Sapa correspondent reported that Magistrate Janine Ungerer was apparently sick.

Ungerer was due to deliver a ruling on their bail application.

Boitumelo Ramahlala, Mashiba Mathata, Collins Sekoati, Thabo Mabotja, and Clement Tsotsane are accused of beating Onyechiabi Iwuaka to death on 21 May while he was visiting a friend.

His friend escaped the assault.

Iwuaka died on the way to the Polokwane police station.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) told the court previously that Onyechiabi was tortured and assaulted before dying.

The IPID said police found him at the house of a suspected armed robber.

– SAPA