Cape Town – Farmworkers regularly complain of atrocities by farmers, yet most don’t report it to the police for fear of dismissal or victimisation, NGOs say.

Mawubuye Landrights Movement’s Shirley Davids said that in five months workers had reported 20 cases in Ashton and Robertson to them.
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Pretoria – A group of Gauteng traditional healers performed a ritual for former president Nelson Mandela on Wednesday, outside the Pretoria hospital where he has been treated for 47 days.

The healers burnt incense in a pot, knelt on the ground, sprinkled tobacco, sang and summoned the Madiba ancestors to heal Mandela.

Khubane Mashele, the chairperson of the traditional healers’ interim council in Gauteng, asked the spirits of those who had passed during the struggle to help heal the anti-apartheid icon.

“We summon the great kings and soldiers of the struggle to help us in calling the ancestors of Mandela, and help him heal because we still need him,” Mashele said in xiTsonga during the ritual.

Earlier in the day, a group of traditional leaders from the North West arrived at the Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital to deliver messages of support and a bucket of flowers.

Kgosi Madoda Zibi, chairperson of the house of North West traditional leaders, said they hoped to convey a message to the Mandela family.

“We have been mandated by the North West traditional leaders to come and express our well-wishes,” Zibi said.

“We just want to thank him for his contribution to the liberation of his country.”

Zibi and his delegation were told to place the flowers and a card at the wall outside the facility’s Celliers Street entrance, where messages of support had been left since Mandela was hospitalised on 8 June with a recurring lung infection.

– SAPA

Pretoria – The DA wants the transcripts of the tapes, which led to charges against President Jacob Zuma being dropped because they are confidential, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria heard on Wednesday.

“As things stand at the moment, it is accepted that the representations [for Zuma to the NPA] were confidential,” said Advocate Kemp J Kemp, for Zuma.

“What is at issue, is access to confidential material, not access to material which the status of, as confidential, is an issue.”

He said there was no challenge to the confidentiality of the representation.

“The applicant [the DA]… wants the full transcription of the telephone conversations because it is at the moment confidential.”

In March 2012, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) gave the NPA 14 days to produce the documents.

Kemp contended that the documents were part of the confidential representations, and, therefore, did not have to be produced, as per the order.

– SAPA

Cape Town – Students marched to Parliament on Wednesday, calling for free education.

SA Students’ Congress (Sasco) provincial secretary Sello Nkatho said the students marched from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town.

The group intended to hand over its memorandum to a representative of the education commission.

Nkatho said the students wanted education to be free for every young person who qualified as poor, according to a government means test.

He envisioned the education assistance taking the form of a bursary.

“There is a body of evidence gathered that shows where government has a political will and correct administration, education can be made free for the poor, the disenfranchised, and the destitute,” he said.

It was unacceptable that higher learning institutes increased their fees between eight and 12% every year, said Nkatho.

Sasco would continue with marches and “other alternatives” should government not respond to its call.

Marches were taking place on Wednesday in all provinces except the Free State, where a march had been postponed.

A national march was planned on Thursday and would start at the Tshwane City Hall in Pretoria.

– SAPA

Johannesburg – Former chief justice Pius Langa played a crucial role in laying the foundation for South Africa’s democracy, former state president FW de Klerk said on Wednesday.

“During his tenure at the Constitutional Court, but also after his retirement, he worked tirelessly to help build – in a balanced and fair manner – a non-racist, non-sexist and just society founded on the values of human dignity, equality, supremacy of the Constitution and the Rule of Law,” said De Klerk.

“Justice Langa’s legacy as constitutionalist and jurist will continue to serve as a sterling example of independence of mind for generations to come.”

Langa died at the Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg at the age of 74.

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu described Langa as “servant leader”.

“Former chief justice Pius Nkonzo Langa was among a group of exceptional men and women honed in the crucible of South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle who, when liberation came, were willing and able to selflessly serve their country and their people,” said Tutu.

“We thank God for Pius Langa, and send our deepest condolences to his children and grandchildren. His was a life well lived. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.”

Justice Minister Jeff Radebe said South Africa had lost a legal stalwart who dedicated his life to human rights and law.

“His commitment to human rights and the rule of law was demonstrated through his relentless participation in various organisations and structures advocating for the practice of government regulated by a Constitution,” he said.

He played a major role in the transition from apartheid to a constitutional and democratic era and contributed immensely in strengthening the independence of the judiciary and asserting its role as the cornerstone of the country’s democracy.

“The country will miss his cogent contribution to the transformation of the judiciary,” said Radebe.

‘A remarkable legacy’

President of the National Freedom Party (NFP), Zanele KaMagwaza Msibi, said Langa ensured during his tenure that the judiciary was independent from the control of the state, and congratulated him for not being influenced by the “powers that be”.

“The whole world’s justice fraternity needs judges like him, who, despite coming from the background of political activism, managed to be impartial when appointed to hold such an important office as the chief justice,” she said.

The SA National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) said his work on the Press Freedom Commission and jurisprudence while he was at the Constitutional Court for protection for freedom of speech and media, was greatly appreciated.

“Justice Langa helped to articulate the crucial role of a free media in sustaining other constitutional rights and democratic values, and to cement a legal framework that will secure it in years to come,” Sanef chair Nic Dawes said.

“We celebrate that remarkable legacy even as we mourn his passing.”

– SAPA

Johannesburg – A third of young South Africans believe honesty is the best policy for presidential hopefuls, according to a study released on Wednesday.

“It’s clear that young people are looking for a president they can trust – someone who will be honest with them and follow through on their promise,” said the researchers.

Consumer insights company Pondering Panda conducted cellphone interviews with 4 360 people aged between 18 and 34 across South Africa over four days.

The study found President Jacob Zuma was the politician with the most good qualities, compared to Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema, and DA leader and Western Cape Premier Helen Zille.

About 31% of black people held this view. Twenty-four percent felt Malema had more positive attributes.

Zille was seen to have the most good qualities by young whites (47%) and coloureds (44%).

Of the three politicians, Malema was the most highly regarded by respondents in Limpopo, the North West, and the Free State.

While he tied with Zuma in Gauteng and the Northern Cape, Zuma came out tops in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.

Zille was viewed most positively in the Western Cape.

Pondering Panda spokesperson Shirley Wakefield said people’s perception of potential presidential candidates’ characters would have a significant impact on next year’s election.

“The question now becomes whether any candidate can establish themselves as the honest, trustworthy, humble individual that young people want as their leader,” she said.

– SAPA

The North West Province will close its Mandela Month programme with a Provincial Social Cohesion and Moral Regeneration Summit aimed at carrying forward the nation building and reconciliation legacy of former President Nelson Mandela. The two-day summit to be addressed by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe is scheduled to be held as from 9:00am at the Mmabatho Convention Centre in Mahikeng on Monday 29-30 July 2013.

“The closure of Mandela Month presents us with an opportunity to fast track implementation of the resolutions adopted at the national summit held last year and deal with the challenges of moral decay, scourges of corruption, teenage pregnancy, drug abuse, crime, racism, violence against women and children that we are facing in the province,” said Premier Thandi Modise ahead of the summit.

“The summit will contribute towards the realisation of non-sexism, non racism and good citizens in the province,” Premier Modise added.  

Other speakers to address the summit to be held under the theme” “working towards creating a caring, just and humane society”with Deputy President Motlanthe who is the patron of the Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) include Minister of Paul Mashatile and Chairperson of the MRM Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa. 

Issues to be discussed at the summit will include the role of the judiciary, parliament and traditional leadership in promoting fundamental human rights particularly the right to human dignity, equality and justice, preservation of indigenous culture and knowledge systems and problems of xenophobia.

Stakeholders invited to be part of the summit include the business sector, private sector, academics from institutions of higher learning, traditional leaders, Churches, Faith based organizations, business sector, Non-Government Organisations, women and youth organisations, people with disabilities, provincial government departments and municipalities. 

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Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter believes Jimmy Tau’s decision to retire from football was premature, but adds the former defender’s decision must be respected.

London – Lawyers for honeymoon murder suspect Shrien Dewani intend to appeal his extradition to South Africa to stand trial, the British Press Association reported on Wednesday.

“Lawyers acting for Shrien Dewani will review today’s judgment and lodge an appeal during which time Shrien will remain in the UK,” Dewani’s family said in a statement after the ruling.

“Shrien Dewani remains unfit to be extradited or to face trial. Shrien remains committed to returning to South Africa when his health would permit a full trial and when appropriate protections are in place for his health and safety.

“The legal process is ongoing and it would be inappropriate to comment further,” the statement reportedly read.

Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle made his ruling in the Westminster Magistrate’s Court despite arguments by Dewani’s defence team that he could suffer setbacks in his mental health if sent back now.

They wanted the decision delayed by six months. The 33-year-old British businessman had earlier been diagnosed with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The courtroom was packed with murdered Anni Dewani’s relatives, who wore photographs of her pinned to their clothes, decorated with pink ribbons.

Riddle said: “It is not in question that Shrien Dewani will be returned to South Africa. The treating clinicians continue to state that Mr Dewani will recover.

“There has been recovery, but it has been slow. It may be a long time before Mr Dewani is fit to plead, but he may be closer to that point.

“It is not impossible that if returned now, then after a reasonable period of further treatment and assessment he will be found fit to plead and a trial can take place.”

Dewani has undergone treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression since his wife’s death.

Dewani is suspected of ordering the killing of his new wife Anni, 28, who was shot as the couple travelled in a taxi on the outskirts of Cape Town in November 2010. – Sapa