Pretoria – Former president Nelson Mandela remains in a critical but stable condition, said the presidency on Wednesday.

This follows a visit by President Jacob Zuma to Mandela in the Pretoria hospital where he is being treated.

Zuma was seen leaving the hospital in a “huge cavalcade” early on Wednesday afternoon.

“We appreciate all the love and compassion. Madiba is receiving the best medical care from a multi-disciplinary team of health professionals who are at his bedside around the clock,” said President Zuma.

Zuma alsocalled on South Africans to volunteer 67 minutes of their time on Nelson Mandela Day on 18 July.

This year’s event will take place under the theme of “Take action; inspire change; make every day a Mandela Day” with a focus on food security, shelter and literacy.

Mandela has been in hospital since 8 June.

– News24

Johannesburg – A Nedlac report on norms and standards for school infrastructure has been agreed on, the organisation said on Thursday.

The basic education department tabled regulations for the norms and standards in March, and as per Nedlac protocol, an education standing committee was set up to examine the document, the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) said in a statement.

“The final Nedlac report was ratified at the Nedlac management committee on 27 June 2013.”

In June, Equal Education (EE) said it was taking Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga to court for allegedly breaching an agreement to publish the document by 15 May.

The matter was expected to be heard in the Eastern Cape High Court in Bhisho on 11 July.

Motshekga said on 18 June that a re-draft of the norms and standards would take at least six months to complete.

She said she had been communicating with EE to update it on progress made.

In a 9 May letter she indicated the compulsory consultation process at Nedlac had not been concluded.

When she received its report, she would consider all recommendations.

Nedlac said on Thursday it was agreed in the report that after promulgation of the regulations, the minister had to develop and approve the national plan for implementation by all provinces.

The plan had to consider the minimum space allocation for each pupil, depending on the grade.

Schools had to have at least one wash basin and one toilet per 15 pupils of the same sex and be provided with clean, running water.

Newly-built schools had to have solar panels.

All schools had to have a fixed telephone line, a cellphone for emergency use, and internet access.

– SAPA

Qunu – The reburial of former president Nelson Mandela’s children in Qunu, Easterm Cape, was completed on Thursday afternoon.

Members of the family and elders sang at the gravesite in Qunu ahead of the reburial of the former president’s three children on Thursday.

Mandela’s eldest daughter Makaziwe Mandela and Mandela’s grandson Ndaba Mandela were present.

The group of about 30 people sang hymns while sheltering from the rain under umbrellas.

The ceremony took place in a field within the boundaries of Mandela’s Qunu home. Dozens of journalists stood on cars and bakkies parked behind a fence a short distance away and watched.

Earlier, the remains were positively identified as those of Mandela’s children – his eldest son Madiba Thembekile, who died in a car accident in 1969; grandson Mandla Mandela’s father Makgatho Mandela, who died in 2005; and Mandela’s first daughter Makaziwe Mandela, who died as an infant in 1948. They were identified through forensic testing.

Mandla Mandela had the bodies exhumed and moved to his village of Mvezo in 2011. He claimed that Mvezo, where he was building a multi-million-rand hotel, was the birthplace of the Mandelas and held historic significance.

A resident of the area took him to court last year for digging up graves, but that case had yet to be heard.

The Eastern Cape High Court on Wednesday granted members of the Mandela family, led by Makaziwe Mandela, an order compelling Mandla Mandela to return the remains to Qunu. He challenged the ruling, but lost.

Mandla Mandela was not at the gravesite on Thursday.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – An 11-year-old Soweto girl who was raped and stabbed is recovering in hospital, Gauteng police said on Thursday.

“She is no longer in ICU,” Warrant Officer Kay Makhubela said.

The girl and her little brother were asleep in a house in Bram Fischerville when she was attacked on Wednesday morning. She was raped and stabbed three times in the upper body. No arrests had been made.

– SAPA

By Obakeng Maje

Kimberley-Police are investigating a business burglary and possession of stolen goods after nine suspects(8 males and 1 female) were arrested in the early hours, on Thursday. 

“The police received a call from the alarm company regarding the break-in at a well-known clothing store in Phakamile Mabija Road, Kimberley” lieutenant Sergio Kock said. 

Police acted swiftly to the call and their lightning fast response yielded great results. The police notes that the suspects gained entrance into the clothing store by breaking a large front window. 

“The members of Kimberley Flying Squad and Kimberley SAPS Visible Policing unit followed up on leads of a Red Toyota Tazz that was allegedly involved in the commission of the crime” Kock said. 

The Red Toyota and its driver were later found in Roper Street in the Kimberley Central Business District. Further investigations led the police to two shanties in Galeshewe where they found the stolen clothing, still on hangers, inside the premises. 

“Nine suspects including the driver of the Toyota Tazz was arrested at approximately 02:45am and police also confiscated the Toyota Tazz” he said. 

Police also consficated stolen clothes worth R15000,00. The possibility of linking these suspects to other similar business burglaries in that vicinity will also be looked at.   

“The Kimberley Cluster Commander, Major General Jean Abrahams lauds the public for their excellent assistance and she also commends the police members for their swift response that ensured the positive arrests and confiscations” said police.

The suspects are between the ages of 19 and 34 years old and should be appearing in the Kimberley Magistrates’ Court soon. The investigating continues. Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_

By Obakeng Maje

Mahikeng-North West police are investigating a robbery and murder cases after a man was shot dead during robbery.

A 31 year-old man was allegedly one one of the suspects who approached a owner of Refilling Gas Business.

Police said the owner allegedly arrived at his house with cash in his bag and was confronted by three suspects who demanded money.

“Three suspects pointed a firearm at the owner and demanded cash. The incident took place yesterday at Molopo street in Mahikeng” colonel Lesego Metsi said.

The suspects grab the bag with money and fled the scene.

The victim allegedly ordered his security personnel to grab a gun and shoot at the suspects.

The suspect was allegedly shot dead and the money was discovered with a firearm used during the commission of crime.

Metsi said the firearm allegedly belongs to a police officer who was robbed few minutes before the crime committed.

The police found a cop at the police station while reporting a stolen firearm.

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The momentum for delivery has to be accelerated across all municipalities in the North West Province to address service delivery backlogs, Premier Thandi Modise said ahead of the Provincial Basic Services Summit that is to commence in Rustenburg today.

The objective of the two-day summit hosted by the provincial government as part of implementation of its Local Government Turnaround Strategy is to develop intervention strategies to increase access to water, sanitation, housing, electricity and refuse removal in all twenty-three municipalities.

“Although the 2011 Census report revealed that access to piped water above or at RDP level in the province has increased from 86.6% in 2001 to 91.6% in 2011.The pace of delivery has to be accelerated through coordinated and integrated planning for us to address the infrastructure backlog that we have inherited.” said Premier Modise.

The Premier highlighted that R314 242 m has been allocated towards increasing access to basic water and sanitation during the current financial year for 12 water projects and 14 sanitation projects to be implemented in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District and Ngaka Modiri Molema.

“Our housing delivery track record gives us confidence that the Informal settlements eradication programme will assist us to eradicate the bucket system affecting about 10 467 households in informal settlements and new extensions,” added Modise.

The province delivered 14331 housing units and was declared the best performing province in housing delivery across the country during the 2012/13 financial year.

R1.4 billion has been allocation for the current financial year to meet the target of 15 000 new housing units with access to clean water and decent sanitation.  

Taung-A catfight between the Executive Mayor Kaone Lobele and Municipal Manager Mpho Mofokeng in Greater Taung Municipality is heading towards other direction.

According to reports, Mpho Mofokeng does not want to vacate his office after he contract expired.

Godfrey Huma was employed as a Municipal Manager by executive committe,and now Greater Taung Municipality is been run by two managers.

Lobelo told sabc that Mofokeng do not have any contract with municipality.

“We do not have any contract with Mpho Mofokeng as his contract with the municipality expired” Lobelo told sabc.

However Mofokeng refutes the claim as he insists that his contract was extendend for five years.

The reports shows that the municipality lost R3 million amid to this fight.

The community members at large and other opposition parties members are not pleased regarding the expulsion of Mofokeng in the office.

Mofokeng was allegedly ordered by court to leave office, but he will never burge.

Mofokeng was brought to office after the Greater Taung Municipality was put under administration.

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