A company distributing workbooks for KwaZulu-Natal pupils has apologised for destroying about 100 rain-damaged books.

Basic education spokesman Panyaza Lesufi confirmed that an apology had been received from UTi, the company which is tasked with distributing workbooks to schools.

The books were destroyed at the company’s warehouse in Empangeni, where staff at that branch had decided the books were beyond repair.

The company said no schools had been affected and there was no evidence of “criminality” or “corruption”.

Once UTi had identified the schools for which the damaged books were intended, the workbooks were replaced and UTi delivered them directly to the schools concerned.

This replacement was done within two weeks, and no schools were compromised by non-delivery.

Lesufi pointed out that it was workbooks that were destroyed and not textbooks as had been previously reported.

Each and every pupil received a workbook containing exercises.

Lesufi said these workbooks also helped teachers to track the progress of pupils, but they did not replace textbooks.

-Sapa

Three people have been arrested in connection with Friday morning’s violence at Xstrata’s Thorncliff chrome mine at Steelpoort, Limpopo. Roads were blockaded, a bus and a truck were burnt and several vehicles damaged during the protest.

Police suspect that the perpetrators are former mineworkers who were not reemployed after being dismissed during an illegal strike. Police say the suspects were arrested near the scene of the violence outside Xstrata mine. They appear in the Sekhukhune magistrate’s court on Monday next week.

Xstrata’s mine management dismissed about one-housand-600 workers who engaged in an unprotected strike over alleged racism two months ago. Xstrata has since advertised their positions.

Spokesperson for the Workers and Socialist Party, Elmon Magedi says the unrest has spread to the local community.

“The battle that started as a war against racism has been escalated to a battle between community members, because the mine has decided to advertise post that were occupied by brothers and sisters of those who are unemployed in the community; and unfortunately it has been aggravated by mine bosses who refuse to meet with the leadership of community under the cap of AMCU.”
Magedi says the dismissed workers are still gathering at the gate of the mine everyday. He says when management advertised their posts, tens of thousands of people applied.

“Sixty thousand people have applied for posts of about 1000 workers, but they have not yet started with their work. We don’t know why did xstrata go to an extent of advertising the post, knowing very well that the workers are willing to work in that particular mine because there have been gathering everyday, just at the gate of the mine,” explains Magedi.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

Kimberley – The Department of Nature Conservation’s Special Investigation Unit has positively identified the homemade spears, used to kill Abraham the Camel, as typical of the traditional weapons used in hunting by the San community in Platfontein.

News of the death of the pet camel led to a public outcry and authorities are now suspecting members of the nearby Platfontein community to be responsible for the brutal killing.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Johannesburg – The absence of a Tlokwe municipal manager must be resolved quickly because this is affecting services, the standing committee on provincial public accounts said on Thursday.

“If there is no municipal manager there can be no accountability,” committee chairman Hlomane Chauke said in a statement.

“Officials can take the law into their own hands and loot state resources.”

On July 2, a letter was sent to the mayor’s office from local government MEC Manketsi Tlhape about the removal of Gladstone Moumakwe as acting municipal manager. According to the letter Moumakwe should not continue with any duties relating to the municipal manager’s office.

Chauke also said the dispute over who Tlokwe’s mayor is needed to be resolved. This followed the unseating, for a second time, of Tlokwe mayor Maphetle Maphetle earlier this month.

African National Congress councillors voted with the Democratic Alliance to unseat Maphetle. On July 2, DA councillor Annette Combrink was voted in as the new mayor, for the second time since November.

The ANC lodged an application in the High Court in Pretoria to have Maphetle’s ousting declared invalid. – Sapa