Johannesburg – SABC radio station Motsweding FM was fined R10 000 for naming a child who had been raped, the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) said on Monday.

A complaint was lodged after the child’s name and surname was mentioned several times in May in a message which was part of the radio station’s goodwill ambassador campaign.

According to the complaint listeners were given a “step by step of the rape and in the background the painful cry of a girl”.

The BCCSA referred the matter to a tribunal for a hearing.

Motsweding FM said it had been given permission by the child’s family to use her name, profile, and pictures as the face of its campaign.

“The station further got permission from the campaign drivers, (SA Police Service), and the (family), to tell (the child’s) story throughout the campaign because the family does not want any other child and family to go through what they and (the child) went through.”

It said the promotion for the campaign, using the girl’s name, was a call for action that was aimed at challenging the community to do something about the scourge of rape.

The station submitted that there was no transgression of the broadcasting code.

However, the BCCSA tribunal found that there was no provision in the code that a parent, or anyone else, may grant permission for the identity of a raped child to be disclosed.

“Although the mistake was a bona fide mistake and the broadcasts were apparently in the public interest, the disclosure of the identity of the victim amounted to a serious contravention of the code,” the BCCSA said.

Sapa

Johannesburg – The Democratic Alliance’s Gauteng premier candidate nomination process is still ongoing, the party said on Monday.

“The party’s premier candidate nomination process was opened last week and will close on 1 August 2013,” provincial chairman Mike Moriarty said in a statement.

“Nominees will face an electoral college on the 9th August 2013, after which an announcement will be made as regards the party’s selected candidate.”

The party had received one nomination thus far. Earlier, DA Gauteng leader Jack Bloom announced his candidacy at Constitution Hill, Johannesburg.

“As premier of Gauteng, I will ensure real delivery, and a government that is accountable, effective, and free from corruption,” Bloom said in a statement.

He intended abolishing blue light brigades, scrapping e-tolls, and ensuring that public money would not be spent on “extravagant cars and corporate credit cards”. – Sapa

Johannesburg – The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) scored a significant political victory at the weekend, when one of the worker leaders at the forefront of the labour strike in Marikana, outside Rustenburg, joined the organisation.

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Retired Judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, Honourable Justice Yvonne Mokgoro has called on the people of the North West to work together to find  practical solutions to the challenges facing the province.

Judge Mokgoro appealed to delegates

 on the first day of the two-day Provincial Social Cohesion and Moral Regeneration Summit in Mahikeng on Monday that there was a need to go back to the culture of Letsema or voluntarism.  She said instilling the culture of voluntarism would ensure that people were able to serve selflessly, dealing with problems for the greater benefit of society without expecting to be paid.  

Mokgoro said the summit was appropriate because there are always factors that require people to come together and talk about them with a view to resolve, rather than fighting against each other.

“There can be no social cohesion without addressing those issues that create difficulties in our lives. It is therefore appropriate for people to stand up and voice their concerns because it may be these difficulties that preclude us from coming together as a society,” said Justice Mokgoro.

“If we can make sure that we have inter-generational solutions to these problems, we would know that we have achieved something. We must create a nation. There is no way in which we can create a cohesive nation if we don’t deal with our challenges. We are here to express ourselves with a view to resolves our issues,” added Mokgoro.

She said social cohesion is not an event but a process.

Bongani Khumalo’s agent, Glyn Binkin, has confirmed that the defender is on the verge of joining Doncaster Rovers on loan.

English Championship side, Rovers, have been impressed with South African defender during his trial and the Siya crew previously reported that they were likely to pursue a loan move.

The crew reported last week that the 26-year-old Tottenham Hotspur man would feature for Rovers in a preseason friendly with Bradford City this past weekend as he attempted to earn himself a move to the club.
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Word reaching the Siya crew is that English Championship side, AFC Bournemouth, have made an official bid of R4 million for Malmo FF’s South African striker, Tokelo Rantie.

The 22-year-old forward has had a tremendous start to the season in Sweden, having already bagged seven goals for Malmo as they attempt to close the gap at the top of the Swedish Allsvenskan.

It seems that his form has been noticed by The Cherries following their promotion from England’s League One, and their head coach, Eddie Howe, has reportedly pin-pointed the Bafana Bafana international as a player who can help them avoid relegation in their coming campaign.

However, sources close to the player and Malmo have indicated that the deal in its present format is unlikely to happen, with Malmo wanting a significantly improved offer in order to let go of their star forward.

Rantie recently signed a long-term deal with the Swedish outfit after a successful loan spell last season.
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South African midfielder, Daylon Claasen, has turned out in yet another jersey, that of Blackpool FC, as he continues to search for a new club.

The 23-year-old midfielder has previously undergone trials with the likes of Hull City, Glasgow Celtic, Everton and Eintracht Braunschweig, remains clubless having failed to secure a deal.

While all of the head coach’s who have watched Claasen play during his trials have been impressed by his talent, it seems that the issue of a work permit is halting his progress.

However, it didn’t stop Blackpool’s coach, Paul Ince, introducing the midfielder in the 61st minute of his side’s game against Newcastle United, with the South African almost claiming an assist after being brought on.

Unfortunately for Claasen the issue of a work permit still remains, and no matter how much he impresses fans and coaches alike it seems doubtful that he will be given a permit to play in the UK.
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It’s ‘Mzansi vs The World Monday’, and this week, in the third edition, Soccer-Laduma is giving you the opportunity to compare a South African football moment to that of the rest of the world and vote on which you believe is the best.

This week it’s SuperSport United defender, Mor Diouf, against recently retired football legend, David Beckham.

Diouf’s long-range effort came against Mamelodi Sundowns in the 88th minute of their second league encounter last season, earning his side a dramatic late win.
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A court application for the removal of trustees by former president Nelson Mandela’s children has been struck off the roll, the law firm Norton Rose Fulbright said on Monday.

The ongoing battle revolves around the removal of George Bizos, Tokyo Sexwale, and Bally Chuene as Tre application to remove them, brought by Makaziwe Mandela and Zenani Mandela-Dlamini, was removed from the roll for hearing this week by notice of removal, said Norton Rose Fulbright spokesperson Candice Collins.

The firm, which represents Bizos, Sexwale, and Chuene, said that after Ismail Ayob withdrew as the attorney for the Mandela children, the court directed them to provide a new address for service by Friday and to file further affidavits by August 30.

Also on Monday, Mandela’s grandson Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela condemned the women’s action as a blatant attempt to disregard and undermine decisions Mandela made while he was “strong”.

“I consider the action by my relatives as a blatant abuse of the elderly.

“Why wait until the sponsor of a trust is not well to question decisions that he made a long time ago?” he asked.

He considered the court action nothing more than an attempt to “loot Nkosi Dalibhunga’s Mandela money that he has so carefully set out how it must benefit the family and who must guide decisions relating to that”.

He believed all the people appointed by his grandfather were men of integrity, who had always had his grandfather’s confidence and support. “All of us are mere beneficiaries and should be grateful that Nkosi Dalibhunga was kind enough to consider our needs through this trust and we should therefore avoid this type of actions that clearly infringe on his dignity,” he said.
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The Congress of South African Trade Union (Cosatu) General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, says he is ‘pleased’ that rape charges against him have been withdrawn.

The 26-year-old woman, who over the weekend accused Vavi of rape, has withdrawn the charge 2 hours into the labour federation’s internal grievance process.

The SABC understands from sources that the woman who is Vavi’s colleague was unable to answer many of the questions related to her charge of sexual harassment against Vavi.

The Secretary- General has insisted that he had not raped her but was rather in an extra-marital affair with the woman.

In a statement, Vavi says: “I am pleased that the grievance has been finalized. I hope that we all can put this saga behind us so that we all can concentrate on the real issues of the day, ensuring that we have a vibrant trade union federation that promotes South Africa, the interests of workers and the working class as a whole.”

Vavi has opened a case of extortion against her after the woman allegedly demanded R2 million in exchange for her silence on the matter. “I trust and hope that the SAPS will deal with this matter expeditiously,” Vavi adds.

He also says that in the “light of the extreme damage that has been done to his reputation” he will consult with his lawyers to consider any further actions about the matter.

“I will have to deal with this issue with my wife and family and I hope that you will all afford me the opportunity to deal with this matter privately and in the most constructive manner possible. I wish to thank all those who have expressed their support,” added Vavi.

Meanwhile, the attention at the meeting has shifted from a charge of sexual harassment to allegations that he had appointed the woman without following due process.

The woman told a weekend newspaper that she met Vavi at a check-in counter at O.R. Tambo International Airport in 2011. She helped him to sort out a problem with his ticket. According to the woman, she was then hired without going through proper procedures.
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