Johannesburg – A policewoman has been shot dead outside her home in J-Section, Umlazi, near Durban, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Tuesday.

Constable Gugulathu Ximba, 33, was fatally wounded in her car when she arrived home on Monday evening, Colonel Jay Naicker said.

“She was shot four times and sustained two gunshot wounds to her neck, chest and right arm.”

She was taken to hospital, but was declared dead on arrival.

Firearm stolen

Ximba was part of the Durban port security services. Her firearm was stolen during the attack.

KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni said: “I want to express my sincere condolences to the family and assure them that we will do everything within our control to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book”.

The Hawks would handle the investigation.

Captain Paul Ramaloko of the Hawks said no arrests had been made by 11:00 on Tuesday.

SAPA

North West Premier Thandi Modise has challenged young farmers to reclaim their space in the agriculture sector, saying they must open their horizon and dream big about agriculture. Premier Modise made the call on the first day of the three-day Provincial Youth Development Symposium that commenced in Mahikeng yesterday.

“You must know that when you are in this sector, you are in a scientific world, and must therefore take the lead in agricultural research and production. Never be afraid to be adventurous”, highlighted Premier Modise.

More than two hundred young farmers attending the symposium maintain that as a food basket of the country, the North West Province’s landmark must be agriculture.Young farmers expressed their willingness to innovate and take agriculture to the next level, by committing themselves to looking at diversified farming.

“It is the youth’s target to portray agriculture as a firm base for economic development, and through this symposium, the potential benefits of youth entrepreneurship would be stimulated”, said BAYOFA Chief Executive Officer Mr Poiho Ramotlatsi.

Representatives from agriculture institutions such as Productivity SA, NewStart Eco-Garden, Industrial Development Corporation and commercial banks, shared information with the youth about productivity trends in the agricultural sector, the organic way of production and how to access funding for their projects.    

The objectives of the symposium are amongst others, to showcase the agricultural potential, to promote the importance of agricultural entrepreneurship among the youth, examine the importance of self-employment, assess the current status of youth-run enterprises and identify challenges faced by the youth entrepreneurs.

Outlining the expectation about the symposium, the MEC for Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Desbo Mohono, said the youth must come up with legacy youth development projects, as some of the tangible outcomes of this symposium. 

The theme for the symposium organised by the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with Black African Young Farmers (BAYOFA), Youth in Agriculture and Rural Development (YARD) as well as the North West University-Mahikeng campus is “

Fostering the next generation of Agriculturalists for sustainable development”.

North West Department of Health employees will celebrate Nelson Mandela day on 18 July 2013, with various activities in hospitals, clinics and old age home to mark world renowned unifier’s 95 birthday. 

“The Health Promotion and Oral Heal Team will dedicate their 67 minutes of goodwill to elderly people at Lapa La Bohle, old age home in Lonely Park near Mafikeng while administrative staff will read for kids, clean, paint and help feed patients at various hospitals across the province” departmental spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane said.

MEC Dr. Magome Masike will join teams at Witrandjie and Phalane clinics near Mogwase within the Moses Kotane Municipality. 

“At Witrandjie Clinic the team will replace doors, windows, paint entire clinic both in and outside including ceiling, patch cracks in the waiting area and consulting rooms, and replace bulbs and porch ceiling” MEC Magome Masike said. 

The team at Phalane Clinic will paint the entire clinic including the roof.

The resolve to channel energy at Witrandjie clinic this Mandela Day follows MEC Masike’s visit to various clinics in the province to assess the conditions in which people receive healthcare and conditions in which nurses work on. 

Masike was not impressed by conditions on some of clinics visited and demanded that they be attended immediately. 

To date various clinics received a facelift while others are being constructed as they are beyond the state of refurbishing.   

“We want our nurses to be productive and the best way of getting them to be productive is to improve their working conditions” MEC Magome Masike said.

“Our facilities must reflect a healthy environment and they must be seen from outside as places of healing,” MEC Masike said.

The department is vigorously channelling energy towards improving Primary Health Care. This will improve conditions of primary health care facilities with maintenance backlog and provide accommodation for health professionals at health facilities in rural areas, Masike said.

(Edited by Obakeng Maje)

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The Office of the Premier has vehemently dismissed media reports that Premier Thandi Modise will be recalled as malicious and baseless.

It was earlier reported in the media that the Premier will be recalled.

The Office of the Premier would like to put on record that there is absolutely no truth to the allegation.  The rumours are completely unfounded and can only be entertained by those who want to divert the Premier’s attention from focusing on faster delivery and intensifying the fight against corruption and maladministration.

Premier Modise has been steadfast in cleaning out the province of corruption and maladministration and it is therefore possible that the allegations are being spread by those people who are involved in corrupt activities.

The rumours come as no surprise as it has always been clear that there are people who are hell-bend in discrediting the premier to thwart her effort to rid the province of corruption and ensure that the provincial administration was transparent, efficient and delivers to the people of the North West province.

Early this year Premier Modise’s office expressed a concern at a corruption syndicate that is committed to discredit the premier in order to divert attention from its corrupt activities.

But the Premier is not deterred by the rumour as her record of turning around the situation and bringing about an efficient and transparent government speaks for itself.

Royal families and parties that had lodged traditional leadership disputes and claims are to be briefed before a public pronouncement is issued on the outcome of finalised investigations, North West Premier Thandi Modise and the Provincial Committee on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims agreed in Mahikeng on Monday.

Premier Modise said that the approach is in keeping with protocol and respect for the institution of traditional leadership which is the custodian of tradition and culture.

Though the Premier 

had up to 60 days to study the Bahurutshe Ba-Moiloa Boo Ramotshere Chieftaincy Dispute report she received last week Friday, she has applied her mind to 

the findings and recommendations of the committee and will be issuing a recognition certificate to the successor to the late Kgosi Monnaamere J Godfrey Moiloa 

and rightful heir to the chieftaincy.The outcome of the Bahurutshe Ba-Moiloa Boo Ramotshere chieftaincy dispute investigation will be among those to be announced next week Tuesday. The dispute was on the request of the Premier Modise prioritised by the Provincial Committee for urgent finalisation.  The Commission for Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims was established in terms of the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act 41 of 2003 to restore the dignity and integrity of traditional communities and the entire institution of traditional leadership across the country.

No power: Cassel Mathale

By Sapa

Mixed reactions to Mathale’s resignation

The ANC’s provincial task team (PTT) in Limpopo accepted Cassel Mathale’s resignation as premier on Monday.

“The PTT of the African National Congress in Limpopo has noted and hereby accepts the resignation of premier Cassel Mathale,” PTT co-ordinator Joy Matshoge said.

Mathale announced earlier that he had sent a letter of resignation to the speaker of the Limpopo legislature after the ANC told him he had been “recalled”.

“This is in line with the decision of the ANC to recall me as the premier of Limpopo province,” he said.

The PTT was established earlier this year after the governing ANC dissolved the provincial executive committee (PEC). Mathale also lost his position as PEC chairman. It did so because of “un-ANC behaviour and institutionalised factional conduct”.

The PTT also disbanded its Sekhukhune, Peter Mokaba, and Mopani regions.

Following Mathale’s resignation, the PTT hoped the legislature would install an acting premier “with immediate effect”.

“We urge the legislature once more to speedily elect a new premier to bring about stability and certainty to governance in Limpopo,” Matshoge said.

The ANC’s head office thanked Mathale for his leadership role as premier.

“Since his election in 2009, comrade Mathale has executed the mandate bestowed upon the African National Congress by the people of Limpopo with dedication and commitment,” spokesman Jackson Mthembu said.

“The ANC expresses its gratitude to him for the leadership role he played as head of the provincial executive, thus today leaving behind a prosperous, thriving and stable province, notwithstanding some of the challenges experienced in recent times.”

The party looked forward to working with Mathale in future.

In earlier reaction, the National Education, Health, and Allied Workers’ Union said the ANC had shown “decisive leadership” by recalling him.

“Without being triumphalists, our union is happy to see that the ANC has at long last endorsed our view that Mr Mathale was a liability and an embarrassment to our movement and government.”

The union described Mathale as a divisive figure who had encouraged factionalism and invited foreign tendencies into the ruling party and the provincial government.

In Mathale’s resignation statement he said his “redeployment” was consistent with the ANC’s culture and tradition.

Provincial government spokesman Tebatso Mabitsela said Mathale would remain in his position until his resignation had been confirmed in a legislature sitting. Because of the separation of powers, he could not speak on behalf of the legislature and say when the special sitting would be held. Details were not immediately available from a legislature spokesperson.

The Democratic Alliance said the latest developments were in line with its own unsuccessful efforts to have a debate on a motion of no confidence in Mathale held in the legislature.

“All the efforts to block the DA’s motion in the legislature have proved meaningless, as today’s move effectively is in agreement with the DA’s long-held position,” said DA Limpopo legislature caucus leader Desiree van der Walt.

“Mr Mathale’s track record in government is so poor that he should have been shown the door a long time ago,” she said.

Inkatha Freedom Party Chief Whip Koos van der Merwe said the party hoped the recent spate of resignations and the Cabinet reshuffle were signs the ANC was taking a tougher stand against corruption.

Congress of the People acting provincial chairman Patrick Sikhutshi said the resignation was long overdue, and called on members of Mathale’s executive council (MECs) to also resign.

“Should they resign on their own accord, it will go a long way in trying to restore the credibility to their leadership, which is long being damaged,” he said.

Mathale was appointed premier on May 9, 2009.

He said his achievements during his term of office included improving the matric pass rate, building 63,123 houses and 15 bridges, providing 1.2 million households with water and electricity, and expanding access to antiretroviral treatment for people with HIV/Aids.

He acknowledged there were still problems, but did not mention that in December 2011 five provincial government departments were placed under administration because of allegations of corruption and gross violation of the Public Finance Management Act.

He also did not mention the scandal in 2012 when it was found that textbooks for certain grades had not been delivered to schools.

Mathale said contrary to perceptions, he and the provincial government had acted against corruption and had not interfered with investigations.

“At no stage have we attempted to derail or delay any process of investigation or disciplining any irregular conduct,” he said.

“Under all material conditions, we have never sought to channel or redirect state resources to pursue any agenda except the noble cause of realising the pledges made to our people.

“Therefore, I also leave the office of the premier with my conscience clean that I have never done anything unlawful and un-ANC… Thank you and goodbye.”

Johannesburg – Swedish-born Wasp member Liv Shange expressed relief on Monday for being allowed back into South Africa on a tourist permit after being refused entry in June.

“It’s strange and different to what I was told on 20 June,” the mother of three said in a telephone interview with Sapa.

“Them allowing me back is quite a turn… but I am relieved and happy that my children can go back to school on time.”

Shange arrived back on Sunday ahead of the new school term.

She is a member of the Democratic Socialist Movement and the Workers’ and Socialist Party (Wasp), and got married to South African Xolani Shange in December 2004.

Shange and her children visited her parents in Sweden in June during the school holiday. They were meant to return on 14 July.

But when she attempted to get back into the country, she was turned away. She said authorities would not even look at her documents.

“I was very upset. My main worry was that it would be protracted, but I maintained hope that it will be resolved.”

Now she believes the campaign which called for her re-entry into the country put pressure on home affairs officials to rethink their decision.

Wasp had petitioned authorities and questioned the reasons behind the refusal as Shange had been at the forefront of organising striking mineworkers in the North West and Gauteng.

On 16 August, 34 striking miners were shot dead by police near the Lonmin Platinum mine. An inquiry into the matter was pending.

Last month, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe blamed the anarchy in the platinum mines on foreign nationals, and particularly singled out the Swedes and the Irish, reported the IOL website.

“What is happening in Marikana… I can give you what comes out of that information. Anarchy, anarchy, anarchy driven by people who are from far away, Sweden, Irish,” Mantashe was quoted as saying.

“They are a force behind the anarchy that is happening in the platinum industry.”

Shange found it “strange” that this happened after Mantashe’s comments, but stressed that she had also had a difficult time with home affairs previously.

And despite being back at home, Shange’s problems are not over.

She still has more battles ahead relating to her visa and citizenship status.

Home Affairs had told her she needed to have held a temporary visa permit for over five years of marriage before gaining permanent citizenship.

But in 2010, Shange was mugged and her passport and temporary visa stolen.

“I had just completed the five years when the visa was stolen… And again I am told to get a temporary permit sorted out first before applying for permanent residence. So I’ve been stuck with that.”

Shange has now set up a meeting with home affairs officials to deal with the problem.

– SAPA