The ANC has refused to be drawn on the muzzling of Zimbabwe facilitation team member Lindiwe Zulu by the Presidency.

The Presidency issued a statement on Sunday essentially preventing anyone except President Jacob Zuma from making statements with regards to matters relating to the political events in Zimbabwe. The move comes after Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe slammed Zulu during his campaign trail, calling her an “idiotic street woman”. Zulu has been vocal about the need for reforms in the troubled neighbouring state which holds elections in just over a week.

ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe has confirmed that Zulu was tasked with communication and diplomacy within the facilitation team. Mantashe says she has done that work there and there were misgivings on some aspects which the Presidency has reacted to the issue.

Meanwhile, International Relations and Co-operation Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, says she’s aware that the upcoming Zimbabwean elections face many challenges and obstacles.

However, she says the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is committed to work on the challenges to ensure that the elections are a success. Speaking in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, she referred to the recent Zimbabwe High Court decision not to postpone the elections from July 31. Mashabane says what she has heard, which is also on record, is that all parties have accepted the high court decision. She says, if you go to Zimbabwe today, they are all focused on electioneering and the electioneering has been largely peaceful.
For more http://www.sabc.co.za

Johannesburg – A Gauteng policeman appeared in the Carolina Magistrate’s Court on Monday in connection with a house robbery and kidnapping, Mpumalanga police said.

Police spokesperson Daniel Mathews Morgan, of Lenasia, had his case postponed to next Wednesday for a bail application, police spokesperson Selvy Mohlala said.

He faces additional charges of using a state vehicle without permission, and corruption.

Morgan, another policeman and three civilians allegedly kidnapped a man from his home in Carolina on Friday.

Five men arrived at the house in two cars and woke the man and his family, demanding to be let in. When the door was opened, the men – who all claimed to be policemen – demanded money from the home owner.

When the man said he did not have any money, the five kidnapped the man, his wife and another member of their family.

The couple’s three children were locked in a bathroom. The kidnappers stole cellphones, laptops and a DVD player.

“It is alleged that the suspects later called relatives of the victims and demanded a ransom for their release,” Mohlala said.

The police were informed of the kidnap and Morgan was arrested soon after. Police were still searching for the four others.

– SAPA

Durban – The DA’s bid to obtain a forensic audit into corruption in Durban has been foiled by Co-operative Governance MEC Nomusa Dube, the party’s eThekwini leader said on Monday.

Zwakele Mncwango said Dube’s department asked for a 30-day extension as consultations with the anti-corruption task team needed to take place before a decision could be taken on his Promotion of Access to Information Act (Paia) application for a full copy of the report, with annexures.

“This excuse is a complete contradiction of what Dube herself stated in a press conference at the Durban City Hall last month, where she said those wanting access to the report merely had to do so via a Paia application,” Mncwango said.

Dube released an abridged version of the report, by Manase and Associates, to the council last February.

The city was supposed to release its full contents last July.

However, on 1 August, Mayor James Nxumalo said the full report would not be released, as this would prejudice those involved.

At the time, Nxumalo said the municipality was hoping to make the full report public by the end of December, when all disciplinary processes had been completed.

Probe

The probe was instituted after Auditor General Terence Nombembe said in his 2009/10 report that the municipality had irregularly spent R532m.

Accusations against a number of senior officials were made, including former municipal manager Mike Sutcliffe.

According to Nombembe’s report, 10 councillors had business interests with entities conducting business with the eThekwini municipality.

Mncwango claimed Dube had failed to say that any application was subject to approval by the anti-corruption task team.

“She [Dube] has no respect for the people whose public funds were squandered by municipal officials and ANC cadres. Clearly Dube is using this team as a scapegoat to wriggle out of giving people access to the report and she must be challenged on it,” he said.

Dube’s spokesperson Lennox Mabaso said: “We are baffled because we have never received a application from the DA. We only have an application from a Mncwango. The people processing the application may not even know that he is a member of the DA.”

He said the DA needed to apologise “for taking the department through the mud”.

Mabaso said an applicant did not need to reveal to which party he belonged, but the DA could not then claim it had made an application. He accused the party of “lies and deceit”.

– SAPA

By Obakeng Maje
Hartbeespoort- A 17 year-old accused appeared before Brits Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of Murder and Attempted Murder. He is still in custody and will appear again on Friday for bail application.
This came after the accused allegedly stabbed his 45 year-old father with a knife on Friday 19 July 2013.
“It is alleged that both the victim and the accused had an argument after the victim questioned him for coming home late. The accused that was allegedly under the influence of drugs, stabbed the victim on his back and chest and the victim died on the scene” captain Pelonomi Makau said.
Police said the accused sister (8), tried to intervene and was also stabbed on her throat and waist. She was taken to the hospital where she is recuperating. Police investigation continues.
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_