South African President Jacob Zuma vowed on Wednesday to take a hard line against labour unrest in the mining sector, which has been rocked by 18 months of killings and wildcat strikes that have threatened to destabilise Africa’s biggest economy.

“Our law enforcement agencies have been instructed not to tolerate those who commit crime in the name of labour relations. They will face the full might of the law,” he told parliament.

He also said his government would remain impartial in a turf war between the upstart Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) and the National Union of Mineworkers, a long-standing ally of the ruling ANC.

“Government does not take sides and does not favour any labour union over others in the mining industry. Our interest is in finding solutions,” he said.

Zuma’s deputy, Kgalema Motlanthe, a former Secretary General of NUM who has been nominated as the government’s point man on the mining crisis, is due to meet unions, mining bosses and government departments on Friday to try and ease tensions.

The government was heavily criticised for its handling of last year’s mining unrest in which more than 50 people died.

The turbulence also cost billions of dollars in lost output and led to sovereign credit downgrades.

Platinum producer Lonmin was in last-ditch talks on Wednesday over a recognition agreement with AMCU to avert a strike at its mines, which are only found in South Africa.

In his speech, Zuma also reiterated the government’s desire shake up “black economic empowerment”, the affirmative action policies designed to redress the imbalances of decades of white-minority apartheid rule. – Reuters

Cape Town – Former president Nelson Mandela is responding well to the treatment he is receiving, President Jacob Zuma told MPs on Wednesday.

“Madiba is responding better to treatment from this morning,” he said, opening debate in the National Assembly on the presidency’s budget vote.

Mandela’s condition improved on Wednesday morning following “a difficult few days”, Zuma has said.

Zuma said government appreciated the messages of support for Mandela that were coming in from all over the world.

“It is a pleasure to share Madiba with the global community.”

He urged South Africans to continue to keep Mandela and his medical team in their thoughts and prayers.

Mandela has been receiving treatment for a recurring lung infection in a Pretoria hospital since Saturday.

– SAPA

BY Obakeng Maje
PARLIAMENT, CAPE TOWN – Police resources, including air wing helicopters and planes, continue to assist police in crime-reduction operations and from time to time, these resources would require maintenance in order to ensure continual utilization.
“There are 19 aircraft currently flying and these include helicopters as well as other planes. 30 aircrafts are currently being serviced or have been grounded. Only six of these planes were ground before December 2012,” stated Minister Nathi Mthethwa.
Minister Mthethwa was responding to a Parliamentary question on how many South African Police Service (SAPS) aircrafts are in sound operating condition per air wing unit, how much flying time remains on each aircraft and when was each aircraft last serviced and how many are currently grounded.
“Our air wing fleet should not be viewed in isolation of our broader crime-fighting initiatives, we work as a collective. That is why from 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013 a total number of 3880 planned crime prevention and combating actions were conducted to enhance this integrated approach” said Mthethwa.
He said during the same period police conducted nationally, 3 578 roadblocks, 68 633 vehicle patrols, 285 air patrols, 109 454 foot patrols, 910 borderline patrols, 2 620 vessel patrols.
Some of the SAPS fleet is not necessary new hence the Minister recognises the need to frequent upgrades and maintenance. He stressed that during such upgrade processes, there needs to be a clear operational plan so that the fight against crime is not compromised.
“We want to reiterate that whilst emphasis should be on cost effectiveness in the maintenance of these aircrafts, we shall also not risk the lives of our pilots and passengers. To this end, we emphasize safety first approach,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Minister Mthethwa revealed that 140 SAPS members were charged in disciplinary hearings as a result of loss of firearms during the 2012/1013 financial year. It needs to be noted that not all firearms were lost as a result of negligence and that in most instances, such losses occurred when police were responding to crime callouts or that they were attacked he said.
“Three years ago, SAPS introduced an Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS) system aimed at ensuring greater accountability and responsibility over firearms in the hands of our police officers.”
“Whilst we welcome some of these interventions, we have now stressed to management to strengthen internal disciplinary and punishable measures against any police officer who loses his or her firearm as a result of negligence,” stated the Minister.
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By Obakeng Maje
Lehurutshe-Three accused Livhuwani Desmond Maanda (35), John Sphiwe Mtsweni (35), and Mutsi Lesedi Delfin (39) appeared before Lehurutshe Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for possession of suspected stolen motor vehicle.
They were each granted a bail of R3000.
“The case has been postponed to 30 July 2013 for further investigation” captain Pelonomi Makau said.

The trio were arrested by police at Kopfontein Port of Entry on Monday.

“Police were on duty at the border post when they searched a silver Volkswagen Polo which was allegedly from Johannesburg to Botswana. During the search, police noticed that the Vehicle Identification Number did not match with the vehicle’s registration numbers” said Makau.
They were subsequently arrested and appeared before Magistrate today.
Police investigations continue.
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Cape Town – A total of 93 charges of misconduct have been brought against members of South Africa’s peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the defence department said on Wednesday.

“There are 93 cases involving members of the SANDF serving under the Monusco [United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo] mission in the eastern DRC.”

It said in a statement that Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula had submitted a report to Parliament on misconduct among members of the SA National Defence Force.

“The report, listing each of the 93 cases, also details the nature of the alleged offence, the outcome of an investigation, the sanction meted out by the military justice system, and the status of the member of the SANDF against whom charges of infraction have been brought.

“To date, those whose cases have been finalised and a conviction secured in incidences of sexual misconduct, all four have been dismissed from the SANDF.”

In other cases where the offences were not of a sexual nature, but required disciplinary action, the harshest possible sanction was handed down.

Conduct unbecoming would be dealt with in the strictest compliance with the law, and there was “simply no room for criminality and ill-discipline in a highly professional force like the SANDF”.

According to reports, South Africa has deployed over 1 200 defence force members with Monusco in the DRC.

According to the statement, no members of the South African contingent within the UNAMID (the African Union/United Nations Hybrid operation in Darfur) in Sudan were being investigated or charged for misconduct.

– SAPA

Pretoria – Security remained tight at the Pretoria hospital where former President Nelson Mandela spent the fifth day being visited by relatives.

Mandela’s grandchildren Ndaba, Zenani, Mandla, and wife Graça Machel arrived an hour apart to visit the ailing statesman.
For more http://www.news24.com

Cape town – A group of Muslim lawyers in Johannesburg wants South Africa to arrest US President Barack Obama when the country hosts him on a state visit later this month “because he is a war criminal”.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Cape Town – ANC proportional councillor and youth league member Loyiso Nkohla was arrested on Tuesday morning at Cape Town police station.

Nkohla joins 184 people who were arrested in Woodstock on their way to the provincial legislature on Monday to dump human waste outside Premier Helen Zille’s office.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Johannesburg – Expelled ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema said the ANC had conspired to get rid of him because it feared him.

“I knew what was going to happen to me. And I knew because I’ve worked with them, I know their tactics and I know how they operate… They were scared of me as an individual and decided to gang (up) against me,” Malema said in an an interview with SAfm on Tuesday evening.

Malema recalled the time when the ANC removed former president Thabo Mbeki as party leader in 2007.

“I had a discussion with President Jacob Zuma and he told me very clearly that president Mbeki must go and we must do everything in our power for president Mbeki to go.

“Once president Mbeki left everyone else who supported president Mbeki was subjected to serious harassment in the organisation.”

Malema accused the ANC of purging those members who did not support Zuma for a second term as party president ahead of the elective conference in Mangaung last year, even if they changed their tune after the outcome.

“The ANC expelled me and everybody who remained in the ANC, who continued to say ‘we support you President Zuma’ but we also support the economic freedom struggle, their heads were chopped.

“What type of organisation are we building? Where are those that disagree, their heads are chopped.”

Malema said the struggle in the ANC had changed. It had become the struggle of personalities. There was no struggle of ideology.

“People are afraid of one individual, people are more loyal to one individual than institutions… We can’t allow this dictatorship to continue and we keep quiet,” he said.

Beeld newspaper reported earlier on Wednesday that Malema had sent out an e-mail announcing he needs money to start his new political platform

The email detailed 15 reasons why the ANC, Congress of SA Trade Unions, the SA Communist Party, and ANC Youth League, in his opinion, could not provide the answer to South Africa’s problems.

He sent the e-mail after Beeld tried to get comment from him on his plans to start a new political party.

He said he was trying to find money for his new political venture, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), and urged those interested in his venture to contact him via e-mail or social networks. He also asked for proposals on how to collect money.

Malema told SAFM that he was waiting for a response from his supporters on what needed to be done.

“If our people are saying this is the option we have… we’ll go for it. If people are saying economic freedom in our lifetime can equally be achieved outside the ANC, so be it.”

Malema said the ANC’s integrity and credibility would gradually decrease, and independent trade unions, like the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) could become bigger and stronger. The poor would lose interest in politics, the middle class would continue to drift away from the ANC, and South Africa would degenerate into a kleptocracy, he said.

The EFF wanted the emphasis to shift from “reconciliation” to “justice”.

The firebrand said he would not shy away and was not scared.

“The struggle is not only conducted in the African National Congress.” – Sapa

If the ANC vote dips under the 60 percent mark at next May’s elections, which is quite possible, and the party keeps losing support, it could end up losing the 2019 elections, right?

Sure, mathematically that would be true. A drop from 59 percent to 49 percent in five years is not a huge one.

But before the opposition parties start dreaming of moving into the Union Buildings, they should consider the rider: it will happen only if the ANC keeps losing electoral support.
For more http://www.iol.co.za